by Skyler Snow
“All of a sudden he’s throwing up now?” His father paced back and forth.
“He really could be sick,” his mother countered. “It’s getting cold and it’s flu season.”
“So he doesn’t even have so much as a cough? Come on, honey. It’s clear that he’s either been drinking or doing drugs again.”
“You don’t know that,” she shot back. “He left all of those people, and there’s no one around to influence him like that anymore.”
“That doesn’t matter, and you know it,” his father snapped. “You can’t tell me that you’re not concerned about this too.”
“I am,” she sighed. “I want to believe that it’s all over, but how often does that happen? I read that people often have relapses, and what if he’s not telling us the truth? I don’t know if I can go through this again.”
“We’re not giving him a dime until he takes a test,” his father answered. “If it’s clean, then we can move forward.”
“He still has to live, Jacob. Let’s try to talk to him and figure this out together.”
Parker pressed a hand to his forehead. Of course they don’t believe me. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but a little faith in who he’d become might have been nice. Parker slammed the door to the bathroom and walked back into the kitchen.
“I’m going to lie down for a while. I think I have a fever coming on.”
His mother pressed a hand to his forehead. “You are a little warm. Why don’t you sleep, and I’ll keep an eye on you?”
“I don’t need you to keep an eye on me, Mom,” he groaned. “I just need some rest, and I’m pretty sure I can do that on my own.”
“Don’t protest, I’m staying. If you get sicker, you’ll need someone around to take care of you. Now, go upstairs. Run along.”
Parker groaned under his breath and started up the stairs. There was no point in arguing with her when she was that persistent. She kissed his cheek, and he went upstairs and climbed back into bed.
I wish Jed was here. If anyone was going to take care of him while he was sick, he wanted it to be Jedidiah. He rolled over and gripped the pillow that still had Jed’s scent all over it. A sigh slipped from his pursed lips, and he drifted off with thoughts of his best friend on his mind.
Chapter 10
Jed
“I better start on work first before I end up trapped in Parker’s room,” Jed mumbled to himself as he drove to his place.
That was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted to climb into bed with Parker and stay with him, but he couldn’t do that right away. They were still in the middle of hiring some help for the ranch, and he couldn’t afford to slack off, no matter how much his wolf wanted to do just that.
“Who is that?”
There was an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway, and right away, every nerve in Jed’s body was on fire. He climbed out of his car and forgot about work for a minute. First and foremost, he had to check on Parker. He let himself inside, smelled someone else nearby, and followed that trail into the kitchen.
“Jed?” The woman smiled at him as she stood up. “I haven’t seen you in forever! How are you?”
Immediately, Jed relaxed as he was faced with Parker’s parents. He’d spent plenty of time in their home growing up, and he was comfortable with them. Nancy hugged him, and he shook Jacob’s hand as they caught up quickly.
“Is Parker okay?”
“He’s upstairs sleeping,” Nancy said as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Are you coming to hang out with him?”
“No, we usually feed the animals and get them fresh water in the mornings. I’ve been showing him how to take care of things around here.”
“That’s so sweet,” she gushed as she pressed a hand to her chest. “I had no idea you were doing so much. Your mother said the two of you were around each other more often, but she didn’t mention that.”
Jed grinned. “That’s my mom alright. I doubt she even remembered for a minute. I don’t blame her with all of the stuff going on at the house right now.”
“I heard your brothers have been settling down.” She nodded. “I think it’s nice. You’ll be next, of course.” She smiled as she touched his arm. “Do you still have that crush on Parker?”
Jed’s eyes widened. “Me? I’ve uh...” He cleared his throat. “I have no idea—”
“Leave him alone, Nancy.” Jacob chuckled and shook his head. “You’re flustering the boy.”
“That just means yes,” she said as she smiled wider. “Doesn't it, Jed?”
“I should go out and feed the animals,” Jed quickly said before he turned on his heels and disappeared out of the front door. He heard the chuckes behind him and groaned inwardly.
Was I that obvious? Jed thought back to when they were younger and how much he’d hung around Parker and kept him out of trouble. He was the type to always do something wild and dangerous, and Jed had saved his ass more than once. Not that he minded. He liked being around Parker even if he followed him around constantly.
Jed did the chores and tried to stay busy for as long as possible so he wouldn’t have to face anymore questions. If he was lucky, they would be leaving long before he was done. However, as he finished up, he saw that they were still there.
What are they waiting around for? It was odd that they were sticking around while Parker was sleeping. Jed trudged back to the house and cleaned himself up before he joined them in the kitchen. He poured himself a mug before he sat at the table.
“Has Parker been up yet?” He asked as he looked between the two of them.
“Yes, but he wasn’t feeling well. Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s fine,” Nancy said as she reached across and touched his hand to keep him from jumping up. “Actually, I want to talk to you about Parker,” she said as she bit her lip.
“About what?” Jed asked as he raised a brow and his heart started to hammer. “Is he really okay? What happened?”
“Well, he got sick this morning. He thinks it’s some kinda bug or maybe the coffee he had. I’m sure he’s fine, Jed.”
He shook his head and stood up. “If he’s sick, I need to make sure he has everything he needs. Can we talk when I get back?” He asked as he grabbed his jacket.
“It can wait.” She nodded as she spoke.
“Good. I’ll be right back.”
Jed took off for his car. He had an urge to take care of Parker first and foremost. Everything else could wait as far as he was concerned. The pharmacy wasn’t close enough for him, but he drove the distance anyway and quickly thought about what would soothe Parker the most.
It didn’t take long for him to gather what he needed; tea, crackers, ginger ale, and something to soothe his stomach. He wasn’t sure what else was going on with him and decided to forego the medicine until he’d actually spoken to Parker. As soon as he paid for everything, he headed back for the ranch and made a beeline up the stairs.
"Jed," Parker said softly as he sat up against the pillows in his bed and smiled. "I was wondering when you were going to get here."
"I was taking care of everything," he said as he walked over and sat the bag on the nightstand. "What's wrong?"
"I have no idea. One minute I was fine, and the next I was running to the bathroom. I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon, so maybe that had something to do with it?" Parker mumbled to himself.
"I don't know, but you need to eat. I grabbed some soup for you at the store and some crackers too," he said as he handed over the box. "The unsalted kind that you like for some ungodly reason."
"They're good!" Parker grinned. "What else is in there?"
"Medicine for your stomach, some ginger ale, and I'm going downstairs to make you some of this ginger tea. Do you think you'll be okay without me for a few minutes?"
"When you come back up, will you get into bed with me?"
Jed sniffed. "And let you get me sick? No way."
Parker's bottom lip quivered, and his eyes went wide. "Yo
u're really not going to cuddle with me?"
"Oh my Goddess, look at those puppy dog eyes." Jed grinned. "How could I say no to that?"
A grin spread across Parker's lips. "It worked, so I have no regrets."
"Keep it up and I'll spank you again," Jed growled, and Parker shivered.
"Don't talk like that when I'm sick," he said as he waved a hand at Jed. "It's not fair if you can't follow through with it."
"Fine." Jed laughed. "I'll go and make you some tea and soup. You stay up here and rest, okay?"
"Can I have a kiss first?" Parker asked as he used those big eyes on him again.
Jed sighed. "I feel like I'm being a sucker," he mumbled as he leaned down and kissed Parker's forehead and brushed his lips against his. "I think your parents are sticking around for a while," he said as he straightened up again.
"Great," Parker sighed. "I was hoping they would have headed home by now. You can tell them you're taking care of me now, and they don't have to stay. I'm glad they want to help, but I can only take so much at a time."
"I'll see what I can do. How about that?"
"I would appreciate it," Parker said as he settled back against the pillows. "Can you pass me my phone so I can watch TV? I'm going nuts being stuck up here."
Jed happily handed over the phone and opened Parker's ginger ale before he planted another kiss on him. Parker had perked up, and that was enough for Jed to be able to leave him and make him food and tea. He walked into the kitchen and took out the can of soup before he poured it into a pot.
"How's he doing?" Nancy asked.
"He's doing alright, actually. I gave him some crackers and something to soothe his stomach, and I'm about to make him some tea and soup," he said as he popped the pot on the stove and turned it on. "You guys don't have to stick around if you're busy. I'm used to taking care of him when he's being a brat." He laughed as he thought about all the times he'd babied Parker when he came down with something as simple as a cold.
"Maybe in a bit," Nancy said, and he caught the way she glanced at Jacob.
"Jed, can we ask you something?" Jacob asked as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You've been with Parker a lot since he's been back, right?"
"You could say that," Jed replied as he filled up a kettle and put it on another burner. "Why do you ask?"
"I know this is going to sound crazy, but have you seen anything unusual with him?" Nancy asked. "Anything that might be cause for concern?"
Jed raised a brow. "Like what?"
"Have you seen our son doing any drugs or drinking?" Jacob cut in. "Or seen any paraphernalia around that might be connected to it?"
"Why the hell would I have seen something like that?" He asked. "Excuse my language, but that question took me by surprise. Why can't Parker drink?"
"Parker ran into some trouble in New York," Nancy said as she fussed with her dress.
"Oh, yeah, he told me that he was in jail. What happened?"
Nancy glanced at Jacob, and he shrugged. "I usually wouldn't say anything, but maybe it's better that you know. Parker was arrested after spending a night out with his friends, and when they were caught, he was the only one that was busted. He wouldn't give them any information, so they arrested him for possession and public intoxication."
"He wouldn't call us at first," Jacob said as he shook his head. "So, he sat in jail for a few weeks while he was waiting to go before the judge. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and called us in to help him. We hired the best attorney we could find and agreed to help him with the stipulation that he had to sign paperwork that gave us control of his money. We didn't want him falling back into the same habits, and too much money seems to be an issue for Parker."
"So what happened?" Jed asked concerned.
"Parker went to rehab," Nancy said as she sighed. "He was in there for a few months and then he came back home recently. At first we thought he would live with us, but he refused. He brought this ranch, and we thought maybe it was good for him. If he's busy taking care of the animals, maybe he won't be bored and get into trouble again."
"I had no idea," Jed whispered. "I knew something must have happened, but he wouldn't tell me what."
"That's why we're here. With him getting sick suddenly, we have to be sure that he hasn't been doing anything to go back to that way of life."
"I would never let him do anything like that," Jed said firmly. "And if he did, you can be sure that I wouldn't let it continue. I'll be here for him so you don't have to worry about it anymore. I'm going to take care of Parker."
Nancy smiled softly. "I believe you, Jed. You've turned into such a good man, do you know that?" She stood up and opened her purse before she handed him an envelope. "This is his allowance for the month. It's enough to take care of the animals, get him food, keep the lights on and the water, but not a whole lot else. Can you keep it for him, just until we're sure that everything is going the way it should?"
"I don't know if he would want that," Jed said as he took the envelope. I don't want to control him like that if he's opposed to it."
"I know, but it's for his own good, Jed. And I've been watching you two since you were young boys. If anyone knows how to handle Parker, it's you. I'm not telling you to run all over him, but I trust your judgment, and I know that you'll make sure he's safe."
Jed finally nodded. "I'll take it for now. Don't worry about Parker too much. I would never let anything happen to him."
"I know," Nancy said as she stood up and patted his cheek. "Take good care of him. A mother can only do so much before a child decides they're too old for it." She smiled sadly. "I know he doesn't want us breathing down his neck, so maybe he'll listen to you. We'll be going now. Tell Parker to feel better and we love him."
"We'll come back around in a while and say hi to him; hopefully, we can have dinner," Jacob said as he checked his phone. "We don't want to pile stress on his shoulders, but we do miss him."
"I'll see what I can do." Jed nodded. "I'm sure he'll like having dinner with you guys when he's feeling better."
"Thank you, Jed." Nancy smiled. "We'll see you soon."
Jed walked them to the front door and locked up behind them. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Why hadn't Parker told him what was going on? He understood it might have been something he wanted to hide, but why hide it from him?
How am I supposed to respond to this? Jed jumped when the kettle screamed and quickly walked back into the kitchen. He poured a mug full of water and dropped in a tea bag before he stirred the soup. Inside, he was torn. He didn't want to be angry with Parker for hiding things from him, but he couldn't help it.
The only way he was going to feel better about it was to get some answers directly from Parker. He knew it wouldn't exactly be an easy conversation, but it was one that they needed to have.
Chapter 11
Parker
"There you are." Parker perked up as soon as he saw Jed in the doorway again. "I was wondering what was taking so long. Did my mom talk your ear off? She's really good at that."
"No," Jed said as he sat a bowl of soup on the nightstand and a cup of tea. "They decided to head out."
Right away, something felt wrong. Parker couldn't explain it, but he could feel displeasure radiating from Jedidiah in waves. He fidgeted with the blanket on his lap before he frowned at him.
"What's the matter?"
Jed sat on the edge of the bed. "Eat your soup and drink your tea, then we'll talk."
"I can't." Parker shook his head. "My stomach is too nervous. Tell me what's going on?"
"I talked to your parents."
"Oh?" Parker said as he felt the dread settle in his belly like a stone. "What were you guys talking about?"
"I think you know," Jed said pointedly.
They wouldn't tell him about that. Would they? Parker knew they were worried, but would they really take it that far? So far, they had agreed to keep things quiet, even within the family, but had they suddenly told Jed ever
ything? The thought of being faced with that made Parker's stomach churn.
I'm not ready to tell him. I'm not! I thought I would have more time and I could tell him later. Please don't let them have told him. I couldn't take it if he looked at me like I'm a disappointment or someone to be pitied. Please don't let him know.
Parker's throat felt tight, and it took forever for him to swallow. He couldn't be faced with the truth, and he couldn't tell Jed about it, either. When he was in New York, he was more than aware that he had lost his mind and went wild. It wasn't something that he ever wanted to discuss again, especially when it made him feel so fucking small.
"Can we talk about something else?" He asked as he glanced away and his eyes watered. "Anything else, please?" He begged.
"No," Jed said firmly, and he heard the authority in his voice. Jed wasn't going to let it go. "You need to be honest with me. Are you doing anything that I should know about?"
"I'm not!" Parker cried. "I would never, ever do that again. I swear I wouldn't. It was some of the worst months of my life getting off that crap and being in jail. It was horrible."
"Then why do your parents think otherwise?"
"They're always like that," he said. "I swear I haven't touched anything. I can't explain it, but I just woke up sick and the feeling got worse as I sat there. I heard what they said about me, and I know they think I'm lying, but I'm not. I wouldn't put myself—or them—through that again, and I definitely wouldn't do that to you," he said as he rubbed at his eyes. "God, and now I'm crying like a little bitch. This is so frustrating!"
Parker couldn't look at him. He knew that if he saw disappointment on his face, it would crush him. All he'd done was disappoint his parents already, and he didn't want to do that to Jed too. He couldn't. If he'd ever needed any reason to stay sober, it was to make Jed proud of him.
"Are you pissed at me?" Parker asked quietly. "I would understand if you were. I really would. I know I keep fucking up."
