at
times.
Parker looked around in amazement at the end of the
service. The family he had met the night before were there, as
were Grandma Audrey and Grandpa Walter whom he met.
Grandma Audrey had eyes just like his. She was very pretty at
five-six with blonde hair with a little gray. She had it twisted
into an elegant chignon. Grandpa Walter was several years
older than she was, but he was stately looking with his saltand-pepper ring of hair from ear to ear, gray eyes, and broad
shoulders. Even though he was a big man with a little spill-over
gut, he carried himself erectly to stand six feet, two inches and
he wore stylish clothing. Parker looked at Ray who was
talking to the pastor a few feet away. God, I'd like to believe
what Larkin said is true. If you can forgive these crazy, mixed
up people, maybe you can forgive me, too. Come live in my
spirit like you live in Larkin. I believe you really do live in her.
She's just like an angel. And, God, please let Ray be my daddy.
♥♥♥
The next morning, Ray woke Parker about six-thirty. "Rise
and shine. We have to get you enrolled in school today.
Larkin's dropping off the other two although she's really green
around the gills this morning."
"How are you gonna do that?" asked Parker, rubbing the
grit from his eyes. "You don't have my records."
"I'm Chief of Police. I have a little pull, and we'll have your
records in a few days. Now, move. There are Rice Krispies
with fruit and juice and milk downstairs."
Ray stopped in the bedroom doorway. "Oh, you might want
to use that razor Larkin bought you."
Parker rubbed his scraggly chin and nodded.
♥♥♥
Ray and Parker entered the high school before any other
students arrived. Ray looked professional in navy dress slacks,
a light-blue button-down oxford shirt, and a basically navy
paisley tie. Parker wore a royal blue American Eagle sport
shirt, new American Eagle jeans, and new Nike sneakers. Ray
took Parker directly to the principal's office and knocked.
"Come in," responded a pleasant female voice.
A heavy-set, gray-haired woman looked up when the door
opened. "Ray!" The short Weeble-like lady dressed in a brown
skirt and blazer with a gold silk blouse and brown loafers came
from behind her desk.
Ray bent down to embrace the woman. "Dr. Fairchild, you
look as lovely as ever."
"Oh, hush," said Dr. Rona Fairchild as she popped Ray's
arm. "You know I'm just a fat old lady who loves you. What do
you want?"
Ray motioned Parker forward. "Dr. Fairchild, I'd like you
to meet my son, Parker."
"Your what?" She arched one eyebrow.
"It's a long story, but Parker is most likely my son. I need
to get him enrolled today. You'll have to get his official
records, but he's a senior, and he's to be enrolled as Parker
Reynolds. Rona, I need your help here. We're gonna have to
bend the rules a little, but I'll tell you the whole story as soon as
we get Parker squared away."
The principal looked at the perspective student and began a
rapid-fire series of questions and answers. "Are you a senior?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Are you a troublemaker?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Should you be at St. Ignatius rather than Eau Boueuse
High?"
"What is St. Ignatius?"
"Alternative school."
"Probably."
"Are you Ray's kid?"
"I hope so."
"What do you think of Larkin?"
"She's an angel."
"Done deal, Ray. Let's get this schedule set." Dr. Fairchild
asked Parker some more questions about what classes he still
needed to graduate and typed some things into her computer.
She handed Parker a schedule and said, "I'll find you a mentor
student and order you a class ring. Welcome aboard." She
extended her hand, and Parker shook it as he looked at Ray
with deep admiration.
As the three left Dr. Fairchild's office, they heard a soft
female voice, "Mr. Ray?"
Ray turned to see a pretty blonde-haired, green-eyed girl.
Parker saw her, too. "Sheena!" said Ray as he gave the girl a
hug. "You get prettier every day."
"Thank you."
"Well, well," said Dr. Fairchild. "Parker, we've
times.
Parker looked around in amazement at the end of the
service. The family he had met the night before were there, as
were Grandma Audrey and Grandpa Walter whom he met.
Grandma Audrey had eyes just like his. She was very pretty at
five-six with blonde hair with a little gray. She had it twisted
into an elegant chignon. Grandpa Walter was several years
older than she was, but he was stately looking with his saltand-pepper ring of hair from ear to ear, gray eyes, and broad
shoulders. Even though he was a big man with a little spill-over
gut, he carried himself erectly to stand six feet, two inches and
he wore stylish clothing. Parker looked at Ray who was
talking to the pastor a few feet away. God, I'd like to believe
what Larkin said is true. If you can forgive these crazy, mixed
up people, maybe you can forgive me, too. Come live in my
spirit like you live in Larkin. I believe you really do live in her.
She's just like an angel. And, God, please let Ray be my daddy.
♥♥♥
The next morning, Ray woke Parker about six-thirty. "Rise
and shine. We have to get you enrolled in school today.
Larkin's dropping off the other two although she's really green
around the gills this morning."
"How are you gonna do that?" asked Parker, rubbing the
grit from his eyes. "You don't have my records."
"I'm Chief of Police. I have a little pull, and we'll have your
records in a few days. Now, move. There are Rice Krispies
with fruit and juice and milk downstairs."
Ray stopped in the bedroom doorway. "Oh, you might want
to use that razor Larkin bought you."
Parker rubbed his scraggly chin and nodded.
♥♥♥
Ray and Parker entered the high school before any other
students arrived. Ray looked professional in navy dress slacks,
a light-blue button-down oxford shirt, and a basically navy
paisley tie. Parker wore a royal blue American Eagle sport
shirt, new American Eagle jeans, and new Nike sneakers. Ray
took Parker directly to the principal's office and knocked.
"Come in," responded a pleasant female voice.
A heavy-set, gray-haired woman looked up when the door
opened. "Ray!" The short Weeble-like lady dressed in a brown
skirt and blazer with a gold silk blouse and brown loafers came
from behind her desk.
Ray bent down to embrace the woman. "Dr. Fairchild, you
look as lovely as ever."
"Oh, hush," said Dr. Rona Fairchild as she popped Ray's
arm. "You know I'm just a fat old lady who loves you. What do
you want?"
Ray motioned Parker forward. "Dr. Fairchild, I'd like you
to meet my son, Parker."
"Your what?" She arched one eyebrow.
"It's a long story, but Parker is most likely my son. I need
to get him enrolled today. You'll have to get his official
records, but he's a senior, and he's to be enrolled as Parker
Reynolds. Rona, I need your help here. We're gonna have to
bend the rules a little, but I'll tell you the whole story as soon as
we get Parker squared away."
The principal looked at the perspective student and began a
rapid-fire series of questions and answers. "Are you a senior?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Are you a troublemaker?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Should you be at St. Ignatius rather than Eau Boueuse
High?"
"What is St. Ignatius?"
"Alternative school."
"Probably."
"Are you Ray's kid?"
"I hope so."
"What do you think of Larkin?"
"She's an angel."
"Done deal, Ray. Let's get this schedule set." Dr. Fairchild
asked Parker some more questions about what classes he still
needed to graduate and typed some things into her computer.
She handed Parker a schedule and said, "I'll find you a mentor
student and order you a class ring. Welcome aboard." She
extended her hand, and Parker shook it as he looked at Ray
with deep admiration.
As the three left Dr. Fairchild's office, they heard a soft
female voice, "Mr. Ray?"
Ray turned to see a pretty blonde-haired, green-eyed girl.
Parker saw her, too. "Sheena!" said Ray as he gave the girl a
hug. "You get prettier every day."
"Thank you."
"Well, well," said Dr. Fairchild. "Parker, we've
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