Another Life, JenniferNewman [short story to read .TXT] 📗

and buried my face in his chest. I felt his started to smooth my hair -down with his hand and utter soothing words about non-sense. The weirdest thing was it worked and quickly I pulled my head up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away and facing the kettle which had now been boiled for about five minutes. I grabbed some mugs from the rail above me and pulled out the coffee.
After I had made the three mugs of luck warm coffee. I laid two out o the table and then told Parker that I would be back in a minute. He nodded and then I scurried upstairs to my Mums room and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” I pushed the door and stepped in with the mug of coffee in my right hand.
“Thought you might want this” I muttered passing it over to her.
“Thank you Hun.” She smiled pulling a good mouthful of creamy coffee into her mouth.
“Mum you look really tired. Why don’t you get some sleep I think I can hole the house together for a few hours?” I asked noticing for the first time how ill she looked. A panic started to rise inside of me.
“Its fine love. Anyway we Have another Garden party to plan for.”
I laughed at her and said, “You know me and my friends can do that. Don’t look at me like that we don’t always plan wild Party’s we can do posh when we want.” I thought I detected a smile at the corners of her mouth just before I heard the phone start ringing and I had to say,
“Just think about it. You need sleep Mum. Before darting out the room and picking up the phone just in time to here a man on the other end saying
“oh for crying out loud SHUT UP!” Umm okay…..
“Hello?”
“Oh god sorry not you. Err is this the Smith residence?”
“Yes, can I ask who’s calling?”
“Oh right yeah……. Toddy Kane a detective at Sunnyside police station. I am sorry about before my teenager would not turn his music off……”
“That’s okay Mr. Kane. Hmm why would you be calling?”
“Oh-OH right yes that right I am calling on behalf of- oh for god sake Henry turn that OFF- sorry! I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Smith. It concerns his death. Oh! I am so sorry! I should have read this before hand and picked a better place. Oh I am so very sorry.” I pursed my lips and curtly muttered,
“This concern of my Father what would it be?” just what we needed.
“Yes it says here that new evidence to Mr. Smith’s death has come to light. I am under the impression that you must be Miss. Rose Smith am I right?” Oh….
“Yes that is right. Sorry but what do you mean by new evidence has come to light? My Father died in a car accident.”
“Yes. Yes I am sorry but I am under authority to not speak of this over the phone. If it was possible for you or Mrs. Smith to make your way down to the police station at some point today?” I groaned inwardly. I would not allow my Mum to go down to the station if I could help it. It would nowhere near help her with her new phobia. I shook my head and said,
“Yes of course Mr. Kane I shall make my way down as soon as I can. Thank you for calling. Good bye now.”
“Yes yes good bye and thank you.” I hang the phone back up on its hock before leaning my head on the wall and groaning loudly.
I stood up straight and turned in the direction of the stairs and down to the kitchen where Parker was probably still sitting bored out of his mind. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before reentering the kitchen. I pushed open the door to find Parker lifting his mug of coffee up to his lips. When he saw me he raised his eye brows and set his mug down on the table lightly.
Before I could say anything he was out of his seat and pulling me once again into his bear like arms. This time I didn’t bury my face against his chest but simple hugged him back for what felt like five minutes.
I took a deep breath before moving my arms away from him and taking a step back. My mind was all a load of random words running wild. Well it is always good to start off with a clear head right? Well I'm dead already.
“What is it?” Parker said softly leaning down so he could look me in the face. Why did he have to be so tall?
“Nothing yet. I just have to go done to the station. They’ve found something out about Dads death. I can’t let my Mum go she’s…… not feeling to great right now.” I signed looking down.
I felt Parker’s arms go around me again and pull me to him letting me lean there before saying,
“I’ll come with you if you like.” While stroking my hair down the side of my face.
“Thank you” I whispered. This day was already turning into a nightmare and I could have sworn I had woken up this morning.

Five minutes later I had told my Mum that I and Parker were going down to the park and to call if she needed anything. Now we were on our way down to the station to find out whatever it was that was so important.
Parker had my hand in his and was playfully swinging them back and forth. I laughed since I had never seen him acting so young it was pretty cute. After a while when we were about two more minutes away from the station I noticed that Parker was giving me very obvious glances out of the corner of his eye. I rolled my eyes at him and started laughing when he pulled my towards him and started tingling me.
“Get off” laugh “please that tingles” I was still laughing when he had stopped and settled for having his arm slung around my shoulders.
I was perfectly happy for a change so typically the station had to come into view then. I groaned and laid my head on Parker’s ‘shoulder’ frowning pathetically. Parker laughed and pulled me closer going and kissing me softly on the forehead.
“It’s going to be fine. Just you wait.” I looked up at him in a way that said ‘I’m holding you to that’ which of course made him laugh again.
When we finally reached the stations wide glass doors I had a pain in my chest that no maker what I thought of it just didn’t go away. Parker walked up with me to the front desk while I talked,
“Can I help you dear?” The station sectary asked.
“Yes. I reserved a phone call this morning from a Mr. Kane. He said this concerned my Father. Mr. Smith. Could you help me with this?” I was trying to sound professional l but it can out a little sacred and child like.
“Oh yes. You must be Miss. Smith. A I right?” I nodded and she carried on,
“ Mr. Kane is waiting for you in the room just down the corridor to the left number 13.” I nodded again saying “thank you” before turning to Parker and smiling faintly before moving in the direction of the way the sectary had told me.
Number 13 well that was meant to be bad luck what a great start. I signed when I reached the right door. Then knocked three times.
“Come in” came a muffled voice from inside.
I pushed the door open to find a middle aged man sitting behind a desk that was about half the size of the actual office.
“Ah Miss. Rose Smith?” when I nodded he pointed towards a chair on the other side of the stuffed desk. I took a seat. It felt like it was made out of stone. This was not a chair you were men t to feel comfortable in.
“I was on the phone this morning I am very sorry for the interruptions. I do hope you do that think that unprofessional of me?” Well if that was this man’s attempt at puppy dog eyes tit was beyond crap although I nodded anyway and he carried on talking about how awful my Dads death was and how he understood if I wanted to come back another time with my Mum. I assured him that this was not a problem and he carried on talking about stuff I could not even be bothered to take in.
“So about the evidence that has only now come to light.” I looked up and was now wide awake. I took a deep breath before he started.
“it seems to us that your Fathers accident was well…… not that. Evidence has come to light that well…… I am not sure I should be the one to say.”
“No please carry on Mr. Kane. Really.” I swallowed loudly and waited.
“Well if you are sure…….. It is believed your father stirred his cab into the tree. There is nothing wrong with the car. I am sorry.” I looked down. It was only now becoming really. It had only been a suggestion before when Parker had explain it but now the police themselves were telling me. There was no turning back. I closed my eyes and nodded.
“Thank you for letting my family know. I shall have my Mother call soon. Thank you again.” I muttered just before leaving the room.
The walk down here had been a short one and now walking back it seemed to take forever. It was for definite now. Although this still did not mean it made sense to me. I still did not understand WHY my Dad the happiest person I had known would do something like this to himself. Shaking my head I finally reached the waiting room were Parker sat patiently.

Chapter Nine: Wednesday 9:54pm.
“No Soph I have not been arrested. And no again Parker is not trying to kill me. Calm down will you!” I laughed. It was just typical that Sophie would have somehow seen me and Parker walking into the station earlier today. And of course her and the others would think the worst.
“Okay okay I was just checking. Anyway what other reason would you and Parker be walking down to the station together anyway. I mean you can expect us to start jumping to conclusions cant you?” I laughed again conforming my thought exactly.
“Hey any way who was it this time who saw us?” changing the subject so I didn’t have to explain. That would just make this moment worse and I was really trying to make this not. So much for that.
“Uh huh good try why would you be going down to the station with Parker. Spill!”
I sat down on the stairs and leaned against the banister. Mum had gone out minutes before the phone had started ringing at first I had not been in the mood to simple pick up the phone and make up some paretic excuse as to whatever it was that the caller wanted. Then Parker arrived back from the shop down the street when the phone was ringing and picked it up for me. I had banished him to the kitchen before I killed him for making me explain all this.
I had to explain since could I really