Protect Me

Its ok

"Harry you're ignoring your mother! Who had a stroke!" I yell

"Calm down, she's been calling nonstop."

"Oh my gosh! You're horrible! Call her! She misses you and you're here with me, go to the hospital, now, you are not allowed to stay for dinner." I shove him towards the door.

"Parker, stop, I saw her yesterday."

I keep his phone in my hand and unlock it, I see the voicemail box.

11 new messages.

I open one and put it on speaker.

"Hi Honey, I'm doing well, I hope you and Parker are having fun, I love you please call me back and don't hesitate to visit."

"Stop." he says trying to grab the phone from my hand but I keep it put of his reach. I open another one. The most recent one. A different woman's voice comes through his speaker.

"Hi Harry, this is Carol, your neighbor, calling from your moms phone. We really need to talk about this, it's not heathy for you to push it away. Please call, goodbye."

"Parker, stop it." his voice is cold, painful, like ice.

"Push what away?" I ask

"Nothing, give me that." he reaches it and I give him his phone back.

"Harry, tell me."

"It's nothing ok?!" he grabs his wallet from our front hall table and storms out the front door.

"What's his problem?" my mom walks down the stairs.

"I'm not sure, something with his mom."

"Oh, well, let's finish cooking, G.Brynn texted me telling me she's almost here."

"Ok."

"This bread was great." I say to my grandma Brynn while clearing the table.

"Thanks hon, I made it with the bread maker Paul got me."

"Ooh, who's Paul?" my mom asks putting leftovers in the fridge.

"A church friend. she's really sweet."

"Grandma's gotta boyfriend." I say in a silly voice.

"You have oxygen tubes in your nose and still you manage to stay happy. When your mom called me and told me, I was devastated, and I couldn't even imagine your pain." she hugs me.

"Thanks."

I hear a knock on the door and I say i would get it.

"Harry?"

"Can we talk?"

"Uh yeah..."

"Somewhere else?"

"Mom! I'm going out with Harry!" I shout and they both poke their heads out.

"Be home by 11. Grandma is sleeping over."

"Ok..." I say and grab my phone.

When we reach his car, the sun has already set and he takes a deep breath.

"My mom died."

"What?" I gasp

"She died the day I went to visit her, Carol has been trying to get me to talk to her about it."

"I'm so sorry.." I hug him "I didn't know when I said all those things before." I sigh

"It's ok."

His emotionless self starts the car and we drive to his house.

"Its so quiet."

"My mom gave me it in her will."

"The house?"

"Yup."

"It's already paid off and stuff?"

"Yup."

I kiss his lips, and bury my head in his neck. "I'm so sorry." I say into him.

His rough hands rub my back, "Me too."