Kick at the Darkness (26 page)

Her face relaxed into a placid smile. “My apologies. As you can imagine the research is very delicate and the equipment could be dangerous in the wrong hands. With children here we have to emphasize that no one is to visit the lab at any time. But you’re an adult, and you understand why.”

It was strange to be referred to as an
adult
by a person his mom and dad’s age. He’d sure as hell still felt like a kid when he’d gone to college, but that Parker was gone now. He fleetingly thought of Jessica and Jason, and shoved away the sorrow. “Definitely. I won’t go near it.”

Angela’s smile was still in place. “Thank you. I need to check in with the guard houses. Enjoy the movie, Parker. Is Adam not hungry?”

“He’ll be here soon, I’m sure. The food’s incredible. Thanks again for your hospitality.”

“It’s our pleasure to have you. I hope you’ll be able to stay for some time.”

“I’m not sure. We need to get to the East Coast. My family…”

“Yes. I understand. I was lucky Andrew was able to make it here. Our parents passed away some years ago and neither of us married. Both married to our jobs, I suppose.” She rose gracefully and picked up her plate. “There are bins for dishes and cutlery by the sink in the kitchen. Be sure to scrape your plate. I’ll see you in the morning, Parker.”

Once he was finished piling his plate on top of the neat pile in the kitchen, he made his way to the couch area and squeezed in with Evie and Jaden on the thick carpet in front of the TV. Mario set up cold cans of soda on a long table against the wall and filled small paper bags with buttery popcorn. The TV was at least seventy-five inches, and a surround-sound system was built into the walls.

As the Blu-ray started and someone dimmed the lights, Parker crossed his legs and popped the top on a cola with a grin. Time to shut out reality, at least for two and a half hours.

Adam didn’t make it in time for the Hulk and Black Widow fighting. Or the battle of New York. He didn’t even make it for the awesome shawarma scene at the very end of the credits.

As the group dispersed, Parker hung out in the lounge after the movie and debated the relative merits of Captain America versus Iron Man with Evie and Jaden. “Look, Iron Man’s great. We all love him. But the Captain is underrated. Chris Evans is also really hot.”

Evie giggled. “He totally is. Did you see
What’s Your Number?”

“Did
you
?” He flailed his hands. “He was almost naked in that movie! Do your parents know about this?”

Evie’s smile vanished, and Jaden spoke up. “It’s just our dad right now,” he said quietly, nodding to the pensive man sitting in the corner, staring off into space.

Parker couldn’t remember their dad’s name, which made him feel even shittier. “Oh. I’m really sorry about your mom.”

Jaden gave Evie’s shoulders a squeeze. “It’s okay. She’s going to come here as soon as she can. We know she will. We left directions. Our uncle Paul works here.”

“Oh, cool. Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be here soon.” Parker tried to sound like he believed it.

Evie gazed at him intently. “What’s it like out there? We didn’t really see much. Our dad made us keep our heads down in the car.”

“It’s…” Parker tried to think of anything he could say that wouldn’t be a lie. Looking into their serious little faces, he couldn’t. “It’s scary. Like the kind of movie you’re probably not allowed to watch yet.”

“So you were scared coming here?” Evie asked.

“Oh yeah. Really scared.”

“Why didn’t you find a place to hide until it gets better?” Jaden asked.

Because I’m afraid it’s never getting better
. “I thought about that. But I really want to find my parents if I can, or else I’ll always wonder. It’s weird—you kind of get used to it. Surprisingly fast. It’s like…you have to. You don’t have a choice. You have to suck it up and keep going. After a while, the way life used to be seems like a really long time ago.”

Evie seemed to ponder this. Then she asked, “Where’s your boyfriend? He’s cool.”

“He was tired.”
Also he’s not my boyfriend. Is he? We were fucking, but now we’re barely talking, and it’s stupid and weird and awkward, and I hate it
. He kept his voice even. “Yeah, he’s cool.”

“That’s an awesome motorcycle,” Jaden said. “Think he’ll take me for a ride in the parking lot?”

“How do you know it’s not mine?”

Evie shot him a look. “Seriously? He’s totally the motorcycle type. You’re cool, though.”

Parker pretended to be wounded. “You think I’m Steve Rogers pre-transformation, don’t you?”

“Nah. You’re at least as good as Bucky.”

“Hey, Bucky ends up pretty badass, so I’ll take it.”

“I guess I’ll be Nick Fury. I’m the only black guy here, after all.”

They all turned to the slim young man standing by the snack table. He had a white lab coat slung over his arm and his worn blue T-shirt bore a Transformers symbol. His hair was shorn closely to his head.

Evie brightened. “Hi, Neil! You missed the movie again.”

Neil picked up one of the few bags of popcorn left and ate a handful. “That’s okay, hon. I’ll catch it next time.”

Parker stood and extended his hand. “I’m Parker. You’re Dr. Yamaguchi’s assistant?”

“Sorry, I’m buttery.” Neil wiped his hand on his lab coat and shook Parker’s. “And yes, that’s me. I’m working on my PhD. Well, I was, at least. Now I’m working on saving the human race, apparently.”

“No pressure, huh?”

“Nah, none at all.”

“How’s it going in there?” Parker asked.

“Okay, I guess. Do you have a science background?”

“Not even a little bit. I’m going to be a lawyer. I mean I was. Maybe I still am?” He was aware of the kids listening, watching him and Neil carefully. He wondered how much their father had told them, and guessed it wasn’t a lot. “But I’m sure everything’s going to be okay.”

Neil glanced at them and smiled. “Definitely. So, a lawyer? Why’d you choose that path?”

“I…” Parker tried to think of an answer that wasn’t
because I wanted to make my dad proud
or
because that’s what I was supposed to do
. “I’d always wanted to be one. Since I was a kid.” It was the truth, although now he really wasn’t sure why. Would he have really been happy representing big businesses like his father and examining contracts all day? Would the world ever need lawyers again? Would society ever be the same? He supposed they’d find out eventually. But either way, Parker was struck with the conviction that he’d never be a lawyer.

Neil picked up another bag of popcorn and tucked it under his arm. “I’m going to see if I can scare up any leftovers. Nice to meet you, Parker. You two rascals be good, okay?”

“Okay,” Jaden and Evie replied in unison.

“Kids. Time for bed.” Their father stopped by the couch with a weary smile as Neil disappeared into the kitchen.

“Parker, what should we watch tomorrow night?” Jaden asked. “How about
Spider-man
?”

“Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire?”

“Definitely Andrew Garfield,” Jaden answered.

“That’s because he has a crush on Emma Stone,” Evie stage whispered.

“Hey, who doesn’t?” Parker said. “She’s awesome.”

“So you’ll watch with us tomorrow?” Jaden asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Shit. He was getting swept up in the fantasy of the Pines; he had to focus. “We might have to move on, though. We’ll have to see.”

The kids’ father frowned. “Move on? To where?”

“We’re heading to Cape Cod. My family’s there. My mom left me a message when everything went down. We have a house in Chatham, and it might be okay there.”
Has to be
.

“I wouldn’t count on it.” The man glanced at his children and cleared his throat. “Get your flashlights. And you’re both flossing as well as brushing because you had popcorn. No arguments.”

The kids grumbled and followed their father out of the lounge. Parker pocketed a can of cola for Adam. It was barely cold anymore, but there was probably an ice machine by their room. He wondered if Adam was asleep. There seemed to be so much they needed to talk about, and as much as Parker wanted things to be right again, he was dreading it too.
What if he’s sick of me?

On the main floor, he snapped off his flashlight and made his way to the guest dining hall, keeping one hand on the wall to guide him in the murk. The ambient star and moonlight streaming in the grand windows of the dining hall soon showed him the way. He’d go talk to Adam…in a bit.

Parker skirted around tables to the wall of glass and leaned his forehead against the cool, smooth surface. The temperature had dropped, and he wrapped his arms around his waist. Angela had mentioned they weren’t heating all the rooms to capacity since it seemed such a waste.

A flicker of movement caught his attention, and he was immediately on edge, reaching for the machete that wasn’t there. He squinted as two men came into sight. His gut clenched.

Adam in his familiar leather jacket, and…what was that guy’s name? Ramon?

They stopped on a pathway and were talking intently. Parker wished he could read lips, even though they were too far away, and the moonlight wasn’t enough to combat the shadows over their faces. Then Ramon placed his hand on Adam’s arm.

What. The. Fuck?

Parker clenched his fingers into fists as jealousy burned through him. He knew it was stupid, because Adam wouldn’t cheat on him. Firstly because Adam wouldn’t do that, and secondly because of the whole Typhoid Mary thing. Still, he wanted to punch Ramon in his stupidly square jaw for having the nerve to touch Parker’s man.

Instead, he stalked upstairs and attempted with great effort to retain a shred of dignity. The soda can sloshed in his hoodie pocket, and he resisted the urge to throw it across the room when he returned to the suite. He searched for the damn ice bucket, because maybe he’d drink the soda himself.
There. That’ll teach him
.

No ice bucket.

Instead he took a glass in the bathroom and shook his flashlight violently. When the light came on, he searched the hallway for the ice machine or a sign pointing to one.

No ice machine.

As Parker stomped back toward his suite, his flashlight shone over a pair of flip-flops and manicured toes. He squawked, the glass flying from his grip and landing with a solid
thud
on the plush carpet.

“What are you doing out here?” Angela asked. She wore a thick terrycloth robe with
The Pines
embroidered delicately on the breast in forest green.

“Looking for the ice machine. Also having a heart attack, for the record.” He bent over and retrieved the glass, which remarkably hadn’t broken. “Did I miss the machine?”

“It’s in the kitchen. At the Pines, guests call down for ice and we bring it up.”

It was unnerving when she spoke about the hotel services in the present tense. “Ah. Sorry, didn’t realize. I guess Adam can just have warm soda.”

“See you for breakfast, Parker.”

“Good night.”

He hurried back to the room and held the flashlight in his mouth so he could see to slide home the key card. Inside, he left the soda and glass on the table. The flashlight beam waved over a shiny black rectangle on the polished wood surface, and Parker’s heart skipped. He’d almost forgotten.

With shaky hands, he turned on his phone.
Probably shorted out in the pool weeks ago anyway
. But a few moments later, the white apple appeared. Parker held his breath as he waited for his lock screen. As the startlingly blue waters of Cape Cod appeared, impending tears burned behind his eyes. There were no notifications, but he thumbed in his code anyway.

Of course the phone company would have to be operating and have power for his voicemail or texts to work. He’d known there wouldn’t be anything waiting, but the disappointment still sent a shudder through him, his throat tightening painfully.
Do not cry. Don’t do it
. The screen flickered, likely some aftereffect of the dunking, but the phone still seemed to work well enough.

It was comforting just to see his icons again, and to flick through his photos. He stared at the last pictures he had of Jason and Jessica—the three of them laughing with mouths open, taking silly selfies with their tongues out on the deck of his parents’ boat. It had been just before college started and they went their separate ways. Had that only been months ago?

Parker turned off the phone. This wasn’t doing him any good. He was tempted to have another shower, but instead he brushed his teeth and stripped down to his boxers before climbing onto the left side of the king-sized bed. He wondered what side Adam usually liked to sleep on. They’d often curled up with Parker on the left, and it had become a habit.

Of course now it was just Parker alone in the huge bed. “I should sleep in the middle to spite him.”

His chest burned as he imagined Adam with Ramon in the moonlight, their heads close. What would he be talking about with Ramon? Parker knew there was no answer until he spoke to Adam himself, but that didn’t stop the question from swirling through his mind endlessly.