Heartless (The Raiford Chronicles)

by Janet Taylor-Perry

  "She's a little roly-poly, but she can dance. I've never heard of her dancing with a student," Dana said as Sheena walked up.

  "What are you up to?" asked Sheena.

  "Nothing."

  Parker laughed out loud. "Watch this. I bet I get a dance."

  Sheena reached out to stop him and glared at her friend.

  Parker tapped Dr. Fairchild on the shoulder. "May I have this dance?"

  Dr. Fairchild glanced around the room and noticed the stares. She whispered, "Which one of them dared you?"

  "Dana. She said you never dance with a student. Want to prove her wrong?"

  Giggling like a young girl, Dr. Fairchild said, "You are Ray's son. Yes, let's dance."

  Every conversation stopped when Parker led his principal onto the floor to dance. Dr. Fairchild waltzed around the room with him and whispered in his ear, "I was actually prom queen forty-three years ago."

  Applause greeted them when the dance was done. Sheena snagged her man. "Oh, my God! You're a first!"

  "Maybe a last." Parker grinned and danced with his date.

  ♥♥♥ With prom over, on May twenty-second, one week after Parker's eighteenth birthday, Dr. Rona Fairchild joyfully called Parker Greg Reynolds to cross the stage and receive his high school diploma. There was no gold cord like Sheena's but there was a diploma and applause and a family celebration afterward.

  In the courtyard for pictures, Mia Godchaux's police escort ushered her to her son. For the first time ever, Parker saw neither anger nor cloudiness in her eyes.

  Mia smiled softly, but sadly. She reached out the hand that was not cuffed to her escort and touched Parker's cheek. "I'm so proud of you, my beautiful baby," she said as tears dripped down her cheeks.

  "Mom, don't cry," Parker said tenderly. He put his arms around his mother, and she put her free arm around him. Still crying she said, "I love you so much. Please, forgive me."

  "I already have, Mom," assured Parker, wiping the tears from his mother's cheeks.

  Mia looked at Ray. "Ray, I'm so sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me, too."

  "I'm trying," answered Ray.

  Mia looked toward Larkin. "You must be Parker's Larkin. Thank you for taking care of my son."

  "You're welcome, Mia," replied Larkin.

  Sheena came up. Parker put his arm around her. "Mom," he said, "this is Sheena, my girlfriend."

  "Hello, Miss Godchaux," Sheena said. "It's nice to actually meet you."

  "She's beautiful, Parker," Mia said. To Sheena she said, "Parker's a good boy. He has a lot of love to give. I'm glad he has a girlfriend like you."

  The officer said, "It's time to go."

  Parker asked, "May we, please get a couple of pictures? It'll only take a few minutes."

  "I can't uncuff her. It would mean my job."

  Mia said, "Thompson, you can just be in the pictures, too."

  "What?"

  "Good idea," Parker agreed. "That way nobody gets in trouble."

  "Oh, okay," the officer said with reluctance.

  Ray snapped a few pictures of Parker and Mia with her escort; of Parker, Mia, and Sheena; and of Parker, Mia, and Lester and Vivian Godchaux. Thompson refused to take off her handcuffs and smiled as if he were a part of the family. Mia hugged Parker once more before the officer took her back to the mental health facility.

  The rest of Parker's family and Sheena's family returned to Mama Rosa's Italian Eatery for a private party. Lindsay and Larkin compared abdomens, and the party came to an abrupt halt and made a quick change of locations as Lindsay's water broke three weeks early. Shortly after one A. M., there was a new life added to the family as Lucy Mariah Parks debuted. Ray teased Dupree, "Don't you want a boy?"

  "I love my ladies," answered Dupree, "but maybe one boy." Dupree looked at Lindsay.

  Lindsay gave her husband a dirty look and then grinned. "We'll try once more in a couple of years, but, then, that's it."

  "All right, baby. I won't argue," agreed Dupree.

  ♥♥♥ The next month was extremely eventful. Sheena received her acceptance letter to Harvard. Parker was distressed because he was going to Louisiana State University. Sheena assured him Harvard was not that far away. He had to content himself with holidays and summers, especially when Sheena suggested dating other people while they were at college. This would be the test of a lifetime. This would prove if theirs was true love or puppy love.

  June twenty-second arrived very early. Larkin woke her family. "It's time."

  As the family waited, Ray held his wife's hand for the third time as she willing allowed herself to undergo major surgery to bring a new life into the family. They had agreed that with the birth of this child, Larkin would have a tubal ligation. At fortytwo, this would be her last child. At 8:13 A. M., Larkin, Ray, and family welcomed Cherie Veronica Reynolds. From the way she flailed at the air, Ray laughed. "Hello, Firecracker! I bet you make my life interesting." He chuckled. "Well, even more interesting."

  21 Test of a Lifetime

  There was already a slight nip in the air as Sheena Johnson moved into her dorm at Harvard University. She went up a few days early so she could visit historical Boston and the surrounding area before beginning classes. Donning a sweater, she followed the tour map all over the area immediately after Terry, her father, kissed her good-bye.

  As she rode the tour bus through Lexington and Concord, the sandy-haired man with caramel-colored eyes who sat beside her commented, "You look fascinated."

  "It is fascinating," Sheena replied with a pleasant southern drawl. "I'm used to lots of Confederate history, but to follow the footsteps of our founding fathers is indescribable."

  The man laughed and offered his hand. "Alex Burlington. I'm a damned Yankee who's pleased to meet a real southern belle."

  Sheena shook the man's hand. "Hardly a southern belle. Just a lowly freshman at Harvard. Sheena Johnson. Nice to meet you."

  "You seem very mature and independent to be a freshman. I'm a first-year law student from Vermont. Where do you call home?"

  "A little place you've never heard of, Eau Boueuse, Louisiana."

  "Au contraire, ma chére. Senator Robert LaFontaine was

  from there. He had many interesting cases that I'm familiar

  with, and my father knew him. He visited our home on a

  couple of occasions. Did you know him?"

  "Not personally, but my boyfriend's father was his college

  roommate at LSU."

  "What a small world." Alex twisted in his seat to be able to

  face Sheena better. "So, you have a boyfriend? Where is he?" "LSU."

  "Ah. Is this a done deal, or are you free to have dinner with

  moi?"

  Sheena eyed the man beside her. He was good-looking. His

  sandy hair and caramel eyes topped a good six-foot frame that

  weighed around one-ninety. He wore a tan sweater and jeans

  that showed he was muscular. She replied, "I love Parker, but

  we decided to date while at college. You should know I have a

  black belt and have broken the nose of a man bigger than you

  when he tried something inappropriate."

  "I am duly warned. The dinner offer still stands. I'll take

  you to a real Boston pub."

  "That would be interesting. I accept."

  ♥♥♥ Parker Reynolds settled into his dorm at Louisiana State University. Ray left him to acclimate himself after carrying numerous boxes and items to the fifth-floor room. Shortly after Parker claimed the bed by the window and began unpacking his clothes in the closet and chest of drawers that was built into the wall on that side of the room, another freshman and his father bumped through the entrance. Parker hopped to hold the door open for his new roommate.

  "Thanks," said the older man as the two deposited luggage and boxes.

  "Need some help?" Parker asked. He offered his hand. "Parker Reynolds from Eau Boueuse."

  "Nice to meet yo
u," said the older man as he shook Parker's extended hand. "Jonas Marchant, and this is Dexter."

  The boy offered his hand. "My friends call me Dex. I'm from Shreveport."

  Parker and Dexter shook hands. Parker said, "Good to meet you. You need some help with more things?"

  "Yeah. I've got a multi-disc stereo and a microwave. I see you've got a TV and a fridge. We should be fine." The three went back to the Marchants' car to unload the rest of Dexter's things.

  Dexter is a little dorky , Parker thought. His voice sounds as if it's hardly changed. He's smaller than I was when I came to Eau Boueuse. He can't weigh more than a hundred thirty pounds and might be two inches taller than Sheena. Mr. Marchant has blond hair and blue eyes. Dex looks like his dad, but he's pasty. He must avoid the sun like the Plague. Parker couldn't help but think with that platinum-blond hair and almost translucent eyes touched with blue, Dex should be Dixie. Damn! He would make a pretty girl. Parker sighed. Stop it. Don't jump to conclusions. He seems pleasant. Get to know him.

  Once all the items were unloaded, Mr. Marchant left the fellows to get acquainted. Both continued to unpack and arrange his side of the room. Parker put pictures of his family and Sheena on the desk beside his laptop. He turned around to see Dex lining up shoes on the floor of his closet.

  "What's that?" asked Parker.

  "Shoes."

  "Yeah. Pumps. Heels."

  "Okay, we better get something straight right off." Dex

  stood and glowered at his roommate. "I'm gay."

  "Okay. I'm not." Parker pointed to Sheena's picture. "That's

  my girlfriend, Sheena. She's at Harvard."

  "She's pretty," Dex said. "She must be real smart." "She is. Do you have a…a boyfriend?"

  "Yeah. He's on the football team, but I'm not supposed to

  tell anybody because he's not sure how his teammates would

  react."

  "Still in the closet?"

  "Sort of. I'm here because he is. He's a junior. I'd rather be

  in New Orleans. They have a higher population of 'our kind.'"

  He made finger quotes.

  "Your kind? Are you a cross-dresser?"

  "Sometimes. I'm not a transvestite. When we go out, he

  likes me to look like a girl. With my size, it's easy. I don't dress

  like a girl all the time. You're safe with me, Parker. I have no

  interest in you like that."

  "Good." Parker plopped onto his bed. "I have a question. I

  can accept that you're gay, and you can tell me to mind my

  own business, but why are you dating someone who wants to

  hide you?"

  Dex looked at Parker strangely, dipping one almost white

  eyebrow along with the same side of his mouth in a half-frown.

  "I never considered that."

  "Wouldn't you rather have an open and honest

  relationship?"

  "I would, but he's scared of public perception. It might be

  the twenty-first century, but some things are still taboo,

  especially in the world of the jock."

  "What about how you feel?" Parker kicked off his shoes

  and sat cross-legged on the bed.

  "I'll think about that," Dex said. "You surprised me. I

  thought you'd be packing and moving out."

  "I was here first."

  Dex laughed. "Have you ever had a gay friend?"

  "Not a close one. I know a few gay people."

  "Up for the challenge?"

  "Sure. Let's just develop a signal if either of us wants to be

  undisturbed."

  "Good idea." Dex scowled. "You gonna cheat on your

  girlfriend?"

  "I'm not planning on it, but we agreed to date other people

  while we're in college."

  "You shouldn't have any trouble getting a date."

  "I think that was a compliment." Parker grinned.

  "It was."

  "Thanks. What will you be studying?"

  "Don't laugh," Dexter said as he threw sheets onto his bed. "I won't."

  "Interior design."

  "It fits you, I think."

  "How about you?"

  "Criminal justice. I'm gonna be a cop, hopefully a

  detective, like my dad. He's chief of police now in Eau

  Boueuse."

  "That's nice. My dad is still coming to grips with my

  sexuality."

  "My dad would have a hard time accepting that, too."

  Parker laughed. "He found out about a year ago that his old

  college roommate had the hots for him. It bothered him." "Dad's real straight, huh?"

  "Yeah, but tolerant, if there is no danger to his family." "That's good. Maybe he won't make you move out. You

  seem like a good sort."

  "He would allow me to make my own decisions about that.

  Are you gonna pledge a fraternity?"

  Dexter laughed long and loud, and then plopped onto his

  own bed. "No. They don't accept people like me easily. You?" "Yeah. Delta Tau Delta. I'm a legacy."

  "You'll get in. Just don't tell them about your roommate.

  Just say I'm a G.D.I."

  "A what?"

  "God Damned Independent."

  "Gotcha."

  ♥♥♥ Sheena studied hard, but she frequently went out with Alex Burlington though she just as often did something with Tony Zumbro who was in her psychology study group. Moreover, there were several other young men waiting in the wings.

  Sheena cackled about Parker's roommate as she read her email. Her roommate, Chelsea Rizzio, a five-foot-ten brunette, hazel-eyed aspiring model, who looked anorexic to Sheena, asked what was so funny.

  "Parker's roommate is gay."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah, and cross-dresses sometimes."

  Chelsea laughed and made a smooching sound toward

  Sheena. "Aren't you glad I'm straight? You can send some of your admirers my way. Sheena, you have men beating your door down. Why are you stringing Parker along?"

  "I'm not. I'm not serious about anybody here."

  "Alex is serious about you. You need to watch your step. The Burlingtons are old money. They're used to getting what they want. Tony likes you a lot, too. Zumbro—crime syndicate."

  "Just because he has an Italian last name?" Sheena rotated her chair to face her roommate. "So do you."

  "Yeah." Chelsea nodded. "I know who butters my toast."

  "Your family has Mob connections?"

  "Rizzio. What do you expect?"

  "Not all Italians are in the Mob."

  "True."

  A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Chelsea laughed, "Your date," before she called, "Who is it?"

  "Alex."

  "Be careful."

  "Yes, Mother." Sheena rolled her eyes.

  ♥♥♥ Parker pledged Delta Tau Delta and had no trouble being initiated. He met Loraine Bellachine, a sophomore sorority girl in Phi Mu and a little sister for the fraternity. They went out from time to time. She was nice enough and very attractive. She had short dark-brown hair and eyes like bitter chocolate. She was fairly tall at five-foot-nine and thin and flat-chested compared to Sheena in Parker's opinion, but she was fun to hang out with.

  Parker and Loraine went to homecoming together. He had to wonder which football player was Dex's love interest. Their pre-arranged privacy signal, a bright red scrunchie on the doorknob, had only been in place once. Parker had gone to the library to research his essay topic. A couple of hours later, the scrunchie was gone. Parker did not pry. He and Dex got along well. They hung out as often as either did with some other friend.

  "What is more interesting than the game or me?" asked Loraine. "Oh, it's nothing." He leaned over with his elbows on his knees. "Do you think any of the football players are gay?"

  "Possibly."

  "Who?"

  "Why?" The girl's voice h
eld a laugh.

  "Research."

  "Liar. Have you seen one of them with your little prissy roommate?"

  "Dex? He's okay."

  "He's gay, isn't he?"

  "Why?" Parker gave her a withering look, which did not faze her.

  "Well, if he's not, he should be," Loraine said. "I could point half a dozen guys his way."

  "He has a significant other."

  "A football player?" She sat forward with curiosity.

  "I've said enough." Parker leaned back in his seat.

  "But you don't know which one."

  "Stop gossiping."

  "My bet would be Marco Priazzo, Rance Thomas, Jovan Pigot, Roget Thoreau, or Pike Hilton."

  He faced her, turning sideways. "What year are they?"

  "Are you practicing being a detective?"

  "I'm just being nosy. I should stop." He turned back around.

  "Marco is a sophomore. Rance, Roget, and Pike are juniors. Jovan is a senior, and he's black."

  "That means something special?" He arched an eyebrow.

  Loraine shrugged. "Two strikes."

  "Are you racist?"

  "No, just an observation." She shivered. "But there are a couple players who are members of a white supremacist group. I think the call themselves The Bald Eagles. None in your frat though."

  "Okay." He got very quiet.

  After a while, Lorraine said, "I've heard Rance gives new meaning to the position of tight end."

  "That's crude."

  "I didn't say it first."

  "But you repeated it." Parker shook his head in disapproval. "Sorry. New topic. Homecoming dance. We're going." "That sounded like a command."

  "It was. You're a pledge. I want to go."

  "Pulling rank?"

  Both stopped talking and came to their feet cheering with the crowd as LSU scored a touchdown.

  "I'd rather pull something else, but we'd have to skip the dance," Loraine said, sitting back down.

  Parker sat beside her. "Oh. The dance it is."

  "You're not gay, are you, Parker?"

  "No."

  She rolled her eyes. "Oh, Sheena."

  "Yeah."

  "Parker, get a grip. Get a clue. I didn't say I was gonna take you to bed, but it's on the table. I would like a little physical attention."

  LSU won the homecoming game, so the parties were lively and happy. Loraine brought Parker his third Coke. Parker asked, "Loraine, is the Coke spiked?"