Inspiration 8

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Surviving. That is what Heartless explores. Parker is a survivor. He survived abuse and death. But can his heart survive time apart from his girlfriend? He meets a very unusual roommate that becomes a life-long friend, but Sheena also meets the fly in their ointment.

Parker slipped his arms around Sheena's waist as he confided honestly, "Actually, I've never had a girlfriend before."

"You're kidding, right?"

He shook his head.

Sheena teased, "Do I need to mentor you in that as well?"

He shook his head again. "No, I think I'll wing it."

Mia whispered, "Good line," as she watched her son lean in for what proved to be a very sensuous kiss, albeit his first.

Sheena breathed after he released her, "Not bad for somebody who's winging it, but you might need a little practice."

"Is that so?" he commented as he kissed her again.

"Nice move," mumbled Mia.

Parker pulled back from Sheena and asked, "Did you hear something?"

"No, Parker. It's just the rain and the wind. You need to be paying attention to me, not the weather." She shivered. "Getting closer could warm us up."

"Yeah?" he leaned in and nibbled her on the neck. She giggled before he kissed her again.

Sheena sighed, "If you play your cards right, I might let you get away with more than kissing."

"Is that so? And just what might I get away with?"

"You'll have to experiment and find out."

From her hiding place Mia murmured encouragement. "Go for it, Parker! This girl obviously wants to make out with you."

The adolescent boy decided he would experiment. He kissed Sheena again and slipped his hands under her sweater, inching up her rib cage.

Sheena shook as the air became colder. Her breath showed in the moist air as she breathed against Parker's neck.

A twig snapped as Mia moved slightly. Parker jerked back. "Who's there?"

Sheena puffed irritably, "It's nobody. It's a deer being thankful we are not having venison tonight. Now, get back over here! That experiment failed miserably. Try again." She grabbed the waist of his jeans and pulled him close to her.

"Yes, ma'am," he said, duly chastised.

Parker's closeness to Sheena told the girl that he absolutely wanted to experiment. She brushed her body against his.

He groaned, "Are you sure you told that Derrick guy no?"

She laughed lightly in his ear. "I never said I didn't make out. I just wasn't ready to go as far as he wanted to, but you aren't Derrick."

Parker ran his hands across Sheena's breasts on the outside of her sweater. "You're getting warmer and so am I even if it is freezing out here," she whispered. "Sit down on the bench."

He backed into the bench without letting go of Sheena's body. She straddled his lap. She could tell he definitely wanted to play. "Lift my sweater up, Parker," she whispered.

"Way to go, Parker!" Mia mumbled.

Parker looked over his shoulder. "There's somebody out there, Sheena."

"Parker Reynolds!" Sheena hollered as she hit Parker flat-handed on both shoulders.

"Parker who?" Mia screamed before she could control her temper. The temperature dropped another ten degrees.

Parker stood still holding on to Sheena. "Mom? Where are you? Mom? Show yourself."

Mia slunk back into the fully bloomed cattails and took off to where she had left her motorcycle, fuming all the way, "I'll get you for this, Ray. Parker! How could you betray me like that? You're as heartless as your father—Ray."

Parker grabbed Sheena's hand. "Come on."

She clutched his arm. "Parker?"

"Come on, Sheena. Now!" He paused a moment as mugginess returned to the air. Weird weather.

"Parker, you're scaring me."

"It's not me that you should be afraid of. Now, come on."

Sheena balked. "Parker, did she hurt you?"

"You'll never understand. Now, please, come on." He tugged her forward.

With a small spark of hope Parker said weakly, "Give Ray the gun, Mom. He's not heartless like those other people. He's got a good heart."

Mia cocked her head to the side. "He gave it to you, didn't he? You have your father's heart, don't you?"

"Yes, Mom, I have my father's heart and my Heavenly Father's heart."

"Do you love me, Parker?"

"Yes, Mom, I love you." His voice was choked with suppressed tears.

"What about Ray? Do you love Ray?"

"Yes, Mom, he's my father."

Mia's face turned dark. She hooded her eyes and ground her teeth. "He's dead. You should've said, 'No.'"

Mia raised the gun.

Simultaneously, Parker yelled, "You are not gonna kill my father!" With the last bit of energy he could muster, he pushed off Ray's chest and lunged for his mother. Ray grabbed for him but he slipped his father's grasp.

The gun discharged. Parker fell to the floor.

Chris's voice hollered, "Mia Godchaux! Police! Open the door!"

Baker kicked the door in.

Mia shrieked, "Parker!"

Ray bellowed, "No!"

Almost a month came and went. Parker remained unconscious. Dr. Stephenson talked honestly to Ray.

"Ray, I don't think he's ever gonna wake up. Nonetheless, you have to make arrangements for long-term care if you intend to keep up this farce. We can't keep him here much longer. Long-term care will bankrupt your family. I'm sorry, Ray, but it's time to make some hard decisions. I think you need to take him off life support. Let him go." Dr. Stephenson left Ray alone with his son.

Ray laid his head on Parker's chest. He could feel the soft, faint heartbeat. The heartbroken father sobbed and stroked Parker's brow. Almost inaudibly Ray said, "Oh, my sweet boy. How do I let you go? I just found you. That bullet was meant for me. It should've been me. Parker, I love you. Please, please, wake up. Open your eyes. Please, wake up and call me 'Daddy.' I love you so much."

Ray stood and started for the door.

It's so cold here. Silence. Wait. Wings, but far away. I'm trying to get back. I'm listening to you.

No! Ray, wait. Don't leave. Come on, eyes! Open! Parker's brain raced. The strange sounding beeps grew louder. Come on, eyes. Open! Parker's eyes popped open. It's not cold any more.

He wanted to scream, but there was something in his throat. I am choking. Daddy, wait. Don't leave. How do I get your attention? Parker's eyes darted around. He reached up. His arms were obeying. He knocked everything off the little stand beside the bed.

Ray spun around. Parker reached out his hand. Ray flew back to the bed.

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?"

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 you," 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.

While Parker was having a rollercoaster night, Sheena Johnson was being wined and dined by Alex Burlington. He never took her to normal college haunts. He was, after all, a law student.

The weekend before finals, Alex took Sheena to a five-star restaurant on the Cape. Sheena's family was not poor. They lived an upper middle-class life, possibly a lower upper class life. Terry Johnson made a six-figure salary with Bertram and Gautier, and Carol Johnson's second income was in the upper eighties. Nonetheless, Sheena was not accustomed to eating in restaurants without prices on the menu.

She asked innocently, "Alex, how can we afford to eat here?"

Alex laughed. "You don't have to pay for anything, darling."

"Darling?"

"Ooh, yes."

The chowder, seafood, and steak were exquisite and incomparable. Sheena ate heartily, but she felt awkward when Alex refused a doggie bag. They left the restaurant and drove along the shore. Alex parked. He suggested, "Let's walk and watch the ocean by full moonlight."

Sheena objected, "It's cold out, Alex."

"Oh, yes." He reached into the almost nonexistent back seat, not really a seat, just a space for there was nowhere to sit. "Since you'll probably be very busy with finals, I have your Christmas gift." He handed her a large box.

"You shouldn't have. I didn't get you anything."

"It doesn't matter, darling. I can afford it. I enjoy doing things for you. Open it."

Sheena opened the box to find a mink coat. She gasped. "Alex! This is too much."

"Nonsense. You deserve more. You shouldn't be cold in that. Walk with me."

As they picked their way carefully along the rocky shore to sit on a large boulder, and watch the moonrise, Alex cradled Sheena's hand securely. "Isn't this beautiful?" asked Alex.

"The waves' crashing so ferociously is a little scary. It's violent."

"A nor'easter is brewing, but tonight is dramatic."

Sheena shivered. Alex put his arm around her. "You're safe with me." He leaned in and kissed her passionately. "I love you, Sheena. Check the pocket of the coat."

With her hand shaking, Sheena felt in the coat pocket and found a ring box. She opened it with apprehension. Inside rested a spectacular diamond.

"No," breathed Sheena. "No, Alex. I can't marry you."

"I love you, Sheena. I can give you the world."

"I don't want the world, Alex. I want Parker."

Dexter shook his head. "Rance didn't write this."

"Are you sure?" asked the officer.

"It's not his handwriting." Dex tried to get out of bed. "Oh."

"What do you need?" asked Parker.

"In my desk drawer. I have some notes from Rance. They're in my journal."

Parker got the journal and handed it to Dexter who retrieved a dozen letters Rance had written him. "Look for yourself."

The security officer looked through the letters without actually reading them. "You appear to be correct. Mr. Marchant, if Rance didn't write the suicide note, maybe he didn't hang himself. You need to tell us what happened."

Dex shook his head.

"Dex!" Parker huffed loudly.

"No," Dexter said again.

Parker turned to the officer. "Give us a minute alone, please."

Security frowned. "So you can synchronize your stories? Perhaps Mr. Marchant killed his lover."

"Get real!" Parker stood. "Rance Thomas was a football player." He pointed at Dex. "Look at him. Even healthy he couldn't have killed someone twice his size by hanging, and right now he can hardly move."

"Maybe a faithful friend helped."

Delusions of grandeur! Cop wannabe. Parker spoke firmly. "I'm about to call my father, Police Chief Raiford Reynolds. We won't say a word until he gets here unless you walk out of here and let me talk to my friend for a minute."

With a grunt, the security officer and resident assistant left the room.

Parker squatted in front of Dex who stared at the floor. "Listen to me. What happened to you was a hate crime. What if those jerks killed Rance? They might hurt somebody else."

Dexter lifted frightened eyes. "He scares me, Parker."

My God! He looks and sounds like a girl. "I'll be right here with you, Dex. I won't leave your side, and I will be calling my dad. Trust me."

Parker bounded out the front door when he heard Sheena's car, but he stopped short as she walked up the steps.

"What are you wearing?" he asked.

"A mink coat."

"Where did you get it?"

"Alex. It's my Christmas gift."

Parker scowled. "Friends? Sheena, that's a little much for a friend."

"I told him that. He guilted me into accepting it."

Folding his arms across his chest, he said, "I don't like it."

"Sorry. Did you give your friend, Loraine, a gift?"

"Yeah, a box of assorted chocolates. I gave Dex a better gift, silk PJ's."

"Are you jealous?"

"Yes."

"Don't be. I told Alex I couldn't see him anymore."

"Good."

Sheena slipped her arms around Parker's neck. "Kiss me."

Parker kissed Sheena but held back. "What else is wrong?" she asked.

"Put the dead animals in the car."

After dinner, Anedra made a point of getting Sheena alone as the girl browsed books in the library, a warmer, cozier room. The second Anedra entered, the temperature plummeted. "What do you want from Alex?" she demanded.

"Nothing. We're friends. That's it," answered Sheena in defensive mode.

"Are you even on the social register?"

"Social register?"

"Yes."

"Am I a debutant?" She shelved the book she had in her hand and noticed her fingernails turning purple.

"I suppose that may be what they still call it in the South."

Sheena cringed at the condescension in her hostess's voice, and then answered, "No. I am Sheena Johnson, honor graduate, college student, Christian, fool. Mrs. Burlington, I have no intention of marrying your son. If I had ever considered it, you made me change my mind. Having you for a mother-in-law would be Hell on Earth." She left the older woman to stare after her and wonder at her mind-set.

Sheena found Alex and demanded to be taken back to Harvard. On the drive, Alex took her hand and kissed her fingers. "What did Mother say to you?"

"She made it quite clear that I'm not good enough for you."

"It's not her decision."

"You're right. It's mine." She pulled her hand free. "But I doubt you would go against your mother."

"Will you marry me? I still have the ring."

Sheena sighed. "I don't love you like that, Alex."

"Are you still pining for Parker?"

"I love him."

"Get over him. Grow up and move on. I won't wait forever."

Sheena scowled at Alex. Her mind became clear. I don't want him to wait at all. When they got to her dorm, she got out and grabbed her bags from the trunk without waiting for Alex.

"Sheena?"

"Listen to me. We don't work. I do not want to see you again. Good-bye, Alex."

Chimes reverberated as someone came to the door of the Reynolds's home during Larkin's annual Christmas tree trimming party on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Courtney answered the door. "Yes?"

"May I speak with Parker Reynolds, please?" asked a strange man.

"Sure." Courtney yelled, "Parker! Somebody wants to see you."

Parker came to the door holding the mistletoe he was about to hang for Larkin. "Court, you're being rude. May I help you?" he asked the man.

"I'm Alex Burlington."

"Oh. Well, please, come in." He indicated entrance with his hand.

"No. I can be rude, too. I want Sheena. Let her go."

"Does she want you?"

"I can make her want me."

"Can you?" A small smirk played around Parker's lips. "Mr. Burlington, Sheena and I haven't spoken in a year. So, why are you standing on my porch?"

"To get you out of her life once and for all. I can give her the world. What can you give her?"

"Love." He fingered the mistletoe. "You've already overstayed your welcome. Good-bye."

Parker closed the door in Alex's face and turned around to bump into his father. "What are you gonna do about it?" asked Ray.

"What?"

"I'm so sorry. I love you, Parker. I've been miserable without you. Yes, I'll marry you. Put it on me."

Parker slipped the ring on Sheena's finger and kissed her deeply and passionately. The door opened and Alex Burlington came in.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed.

"Love, Alex," said Chelsea as she sidled to stand next to Alex. "Get over it. Move on. Check the social register."

Sheena barely glanced at Alex. All she could see was Parker. "When?" she asked.

"After we graduate, but no more dating."

"Agreed."

"This has been the test of a lifetime. I love you, Sheena. You're all I want."

"I love you. Two and a half years is a long wait."

"We can do it, but I won't wait until I finish the police academy. Let's get married the first weekend in June after we graduate. I'll start the academy at the end of June."

"That's a date. Yes, we can do it. We're worth the wait."

Cover by Christopher Chambers.

Parker, Sheena, Dexter-Dixie, Alex