ANOTHER PARKER

EMILY

“Excuse me! Are you all right?” he asked me.

I answered nothing to that crazy man who ran through such crowded places without paying attention. I glared at him and refused the hand he held out to help me up. Just wanted to sink into the ground in shame and slap him for embarrassing me. Everyone looked at me like an actor playing a role. Only it was an uncomfortable role for me and funny for them. My underwear got scattered everywhere, like it was on display.

I stood up and instead of getting angrier and angrier, his athletic body and glowing face caught my attention. His blue eyes looked at me so intently, sending a shiver down my spine. He was a tall man with hair like the color of gold. Through his tight white shirt, I could see his well-defined chest and powerful arms. He looked at me more closely and asked, worried.

“Emily Smith?”

“Yes,” I replied.

He studied me from head to toe for a few seconds, then stopped his gaze at my generous cleavage. I could have sworn he knew me from somewhere, except I was sure we’d never met before. Then he said in embarrassment when he saw me glaring at him.

“Come with me. I’m sorry I’m late and that I hit you.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “I’m Mike Parker. I’m hired by Mrs. Olivia to take you to your residence.”

I arched my eyebrows even more and glared at him. I froze, “Parker?” That was Kevin’s name, too. I took a few steps back. My heart was pounding harder. A sharp pain twisted my stomach, causing me to curl up. I gathered my courage and asked him.

“Parker?”

“I’m not related to that person,” he quickly replied.

“How do you know what I wanted to ask you?”

“The same question Mrs. Olivia asked me. As soon as I told her my name, she jumped on me.”

“That’s all right then,” I told him.

I gathered up my clothes from the floor, relieved that I wouldn’t be related to any relative of that big traitor. At one point, our eyes met, and we stayed like that for a few seconds. He had a piercing gaze with eyes of perfect sea blue that now looked at me even more intently. Surprisingly, I was responding to him with the same intensity, though I didn’t want to. I had to admit, though; he was an attractive man. It was just that those beautiful eyes lacked that sparkle, love. I’d rather say it flooded them with a deep sadness mixed with hatred.

But I got convinced that behind this quick characterization I gave him was a cocky man who imagined that all women would fall at his feet. I wondered to myself how I got that strong shiver when I saw his face. Eventually, I blamed it all on everything that happened and the hormones that were probably playing tricks on me.

He picked up my bag and carried it to the car. I followed him silently and thoughtfully. Something attracted me to him, but at the same time I felt a dread I couldn’t describe. I still felt a cold sweat on my spine from the coincidence of the two of their names and kept wondering if he was lying. At the car, he proved me wrong about him and instead of the cocky macho man; he was actually a simple, respectful one as he opened the front door for me. Also, he put the luggage in the trunk of his red, convertible, off-road car. He drove nicely and responsibly, even though I wished I was driving myself. The presence of any man around me made me nervous, but his persona provoked some conflicting feelings. One minute I would have said I got attracted to him, but the next I felt he annoyed the hell out of me and I couldn’t wait to get away from him. Plus, his insistent glances at my body made me nervous. I had to admit, though, that I too was attracted to the perfection of his body. I just couldn’t trust the kindness and seriousness of men, especially one as handsome as him.

Who was this man and how could he afford to cause such havoc in my already twisted and ravaged life?

The walk home seemed long and tedious. All I wanted was to get there as soon as possible and land straight on the beach.

A big smile of joy came over my face when I saw the car had stopped. I almost jumped out of my seat. I was more impatient than a child would be as I wanted to see what the new land, I was in looked like. What it could offer me that would allow me to forget the immense pain that had overwhelmed me and reduced me to silence. How could it help me overcome it all?

“Leave the luggage in the yard. Thank you so much!” I told him and walked away around the house, heading excitedly towards the place I loved most in the world. I wasn’t interested in seeing what the house looked like. Only one thing I wanted to see, and that was to see if I was close to the sea.

A few seconds later, I felt my breath catch and emotions flood over me. I had the impression that I had entered paradise. Everything was divine! The backyard overlooked the beach. There was a tastefully and decently furnished wooden terrace. From there, I could see the beautiful blue sea and the beach with its shining sand.

I kicked off my sandals and stepped timidly as I felt my feet sink into the soft sand. There was an endless expanse of blue and white foam in the picture. I looked into the distance, where the sea met the sky and the sun greeted me and embraced me with its warm arms. A sea bird appeared from the open sea, ready to introduce me to this land that seemed to have come out of a fairy tale. The sand tickled my feet as I walked through it. I felt the sun’s rays getting hotter. It drew me to the sand glistening in the distance and I also liked to see my nails, which were blood red and shone like expensive jewels.

I slowly approached the calm sea. I had the impression that it too was enjoying my presence there, through the waves that came to shore and greeted me in their own unique way. It was as if it was introducing me to a divine dance known only to itself. I shyly approached the shore. A shiver ran through me as an icy wave first touched my feet. But I remained still as I watched the spectacle. I could gently feel the waves burn my feet. The water grew warmer and more inviting. I looked down. Its clarity and underwater richness amazed me. It was a perfect blue. Like the clear sky. The whole bottom of the sea looked like a mirror and painted me a beautiful portrait.

Time seemed to have stopped its flight, my thoughts dozed and my longing seemed to be carried away by the foaming waves of the sea. It was just me, the sand, the sea, all away from the pain and sigh that tore my heart. A glimmer of hope flickered in the depths of my heart. Had I found the place where I could forget the past and dream of a better future?