The Miner's Girl

Chapter 60

(((March 19, 2016)))

Nicole's POV

"Nick!!" Hannah squealed as she jumped in the bed with me and Parker. "You're back!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm back." I groaned. "Now get your big butt off me."

"Did you and Parker kiss and make up? Obviously, huh? You were sleeping together all tangled up." Hannah smiled.

"Yeah, we're good now." I smiled as I sat up in the bed. "I came in late last night and we talked about it and we're good now."

"Why do I feel like you did more than just talking?" Hannah smirked.

"I don't know." I smirked.

"But what about the--"

"Shhh." I interrupted. "It's fine, Hannah. It was only one time."

"Okay, but when you get---"

"Hannah!" I covered her mouth. "Shut up or Parker will hear you. I promise, nothing will happen."

"Okay." Hannah mumbled.

"So." I sighed. "How's everyone doing?"

"Not good." Hannah smiled tightly. "Yesterday was horrible."

"Yeah." I replied. "Parker called me and told me to come back home. I cried the whole way."

"Even though I only knew him for a few months, I'll miss him a lot."

"I will too." I frowned. "Poor Parker. Grandpa was like, his favorite person in the world."

"I think he was everybody's favorite."

"Yeah." I said as I fixed Parker's hair out of his eyes. "But it's going to be really hard on him."

"Yeah." Hannah said as she wiped a tear.

"Aw, Hannah don't cry." I said tearfully as I hugged her. Then we both started crying.

***

"You ready to go, babe?" I asked as I walked into Parker's room.

"I guess." Parker sighed. "You know, I hadn't even seen him in a month and now he's dead."

"I know." I said as I sat beside him on the bed and hugged him. "It was a shock to all of us."

"I never thought that he would die in a rest home." Parker said. "I always thought he would be up at that mine, or at least here at home. Not in some rest home in California."

Parker's eyes were tearing up and his face was turning red.

"That's what was meant to happen, baby." I frowned. "We can't do anything about it."

"He didn't deserve that. He deserved to be with his family." Parker sniffled.

"I know, baby." My voice quivered before I sobbed. "He should still be here."

We cried for a few minutes before I said, "Well, we still have Mom and Dad and Payson and Hannah and Grandma. We still have our family, Parker."

"Yeah, we just don't have the person that started this family." Parker said frankly.

"I know." I frowned. "But we have each other, Parker. We have the love that Grandma and Grandpa have. Grandpa always said that the most important thing is family, Parker. And you're my family, Parker. We can get through this."