Parker didn't know why she was here. It was something about this place that kept her coming back each year. Like how the white and pink shoes on the ground always looked new. Sometimes it was how the stake always stood straight in the ground, never slanted. But it didn't take a mastermind to know why she was here, it was the picture. The picture was of a one year old girl with blonde hair and, blue eyes, just like hers. Everyone knew the girls name, who couldn't but when Parker let the name roll from her lips it didn't sound like a controversy, it sounded so sweet and sincere.
Nate didn't quite understand why she insisted they go here every July 24. It was depressing. But it was just one of those days when she came to Nate distressed. He became almost use to it. The lady would come into his room, silently at exactly 8 o'clock in the morning. She would say in a low monotone voice, with her head hanging down "Nate I don't want to be alone today." At first he wondered what was so special about him, why did she want him. But then he looked at her and would always acknowledge the tears she cried and always felt a need to calm her.
Every year his response was "Ok, Parker, where do you want to go?" So every year that's how he ended up here with her. She would always just stare at the picture of the blue eyed girl. Sometimes she would sit down on the warm, many times wet grass and cry. And he would watch her. He would want to comfort her but she insisted he only be a spectator. He would watch her, hour after hour as she cried. Sometimes he had to remind her of the storm that was brewing ahead or how the rain and the wind together made it scary cold. She never seemed to notice the weather and if she did it didn't affect her. This year was different though. This year she brought a little blue box that was wrapped up in truck painted wallpaper.
She scooted up to the tribute and traced her hand across the picture. She smirked lightly then returned her face back to bland. "Riley Ann Sawyers, little baby Grace" she said the girls name once again. Nate stepped up behind Parker. He didn't know why, he just felt she might need him. She opened the box, revealing a pair of brown boy boots. She placed it by the pair of pink and white shoes that once looked like the girl's attire wear. Then she surprised him by speaking. Her voice wasn't loud but audible as she stated her 'case'.
"Hello, I'm Parker and I was once just like you. Everyone blamed me for what I couldn't control. My…brother…he…he died today. Well, not today but 20 years ago. He was just like you too. He never got to ride on a swing or jump of a building. He never went to the fair. He never had a real family. I wasn't his family, I wasn't good enough but I thought maybe I could…be." Her tears fell to the ground once again and Nate slowly took her in his arms. She fought him, but it really wasn't much of a fight. Her body was weak and her tears came down rapidly. After a minute she allowed him to hold her but it only made her feel just as worst. "You never had the chance to have a real family. And you left this world feeling unloved. But…I'm just like you and we're just like family, because you have blue eyes and blonde hair, just like me. I couldn't save you, I wish I did but I couldn't. You're not alone though because there are others like us and I promise you, I will try my best. I hope…I hope that's enough.
She let her body lean back into Nate's and he brought his arms around her to pick her up. She was silently weeping as he lifted her small body. He lifted her up realizing why she always picked him. It was because they both were lost, they both had lost but the thing is the moment they had met each they had found something. They had found a family, found someone to love, found something to live for.
TRIBUTE TO: Riley Anne Sawyers RIP