Five days later, Parker sat at his desk chair and placed his head in his hands. He looked at the calendar. December 17th.
He'd never thought he'd see the day when he would dislike his work so much. The reason he'd left the hospital and started his own clinic was to help people, and he felt like a fraud. Sure, he was still seeing patients and doing good in his community, but, he was miserable.
He sorted through the pile of mail on his desk and saw an envelope from Bones.
Hmmm…he opened it up to see a letter to him and a smaller, sealed envelope addressed to Lauren.
He skimmed his letter, nothing new… and when was he coming home for Christmas?
He sent her an email right away saying he was closing the clinic on the Friday, the 22nd and coming first thing Saturday morning. Then he got up to give Lauren her letter.
He found her in the break room, heating up a cup of soup.
"Hey."
She jumped and whirled around.
"Sorry." He smiled
sadly.
"It's okay, I just wasn't expecting anyone."
She looked tired, and she wasn't making eye contact with him anymore. He hadn't talked to her really since Saturday night at the diner. He sighed as he remembered the awkward silences that had ruled that dinner. He'd called Cara right afterward, catching her at Lauren's apartment before she went to bed.
"Not cool, sis." He'd said when she answered.
She laughed.
"Parker…"
"No,
Cara…it was embarrassing."
"Oh…did you fight?"
"No, we just sat
there. I had pie and she had pancakes. We didn't talk much and then
we left. You lied to us."
"No I didn't."
"You're
saying you didn't ask me to meet you at the diner?"
"I never
said that. I asked you to meet at the diner, you both assumed I meant
meeting me."
"Still…"
"Hey, it's a
start."
"A start at what, Cara?"
"Oh…I gotta go, I think she's home."
The microwave pinged and he was brought back to the reason he'd sought her out.
"I have a letter for
you." He said.
"Oh…"
"From Bones." He handed her
the envelope.
"Thank
you."
"Sure…hey…are you busy tonight? We haven't played
basketball for awhile."
Pain reflected in her eyes for a moment before she looked down.
"Oh, um…I
can't…sorry."
"Oh, yeah, sure, no problem. Just thought
I'd ask." For the third time in two weeks.
"Okay, well, I should
probably get back to work, then."
"Yeah, me too."
He walked back to his office for a moment before his afternoon patients arrived.
A few hours later, he received a knock on his office door.
"Come in….hi." Lauren walked in, and shut the door behind her.
"Hi…"
"What's
up?" He asked her.
"Well, you know the note you gave me?"
"Yes."
"Um,
well, they invited me to come for Christmas."
"Oh."
"I'll
probably say no, but I don't have the address." She said.
"Okay,
I can give it to you."
"Thanks." She turned to walk out of
the office.
"Why are you saying
no?" He called.
"What?" She turned slightly.
"Why don't
you come?" He took a chance.
"Well…I feel…I feel like it
would be awkward…for you."
"Oh…well, you should think
about it. My family…they love…they love you." He
swallowed.
"Yeah, I love them too, actually."
"So
come."
She bit her lip.
"Please, Skills…Lauren…I think you should."
"Okay, okay. I will. Could you please tell them for me?"
"Yes, I will….hey,
oh, wait…nevermind."
"What?"
"Well, I was going to
see if you wanted to go to the diner for dinner, but I remembered,
you have plans."
"Oh, yeah, right, I do…Well, goodnight."
She stared at him for a moment before turning again to leave.
"Good night."
