The One That Matters

by Elle Linder

  Parker had screened the call, unfamiliar with the number. When he listened to the message, he nearly dropped his phone. “She has a son? And he’s calling me about her. Hmm…” He wasn’t sure if he should return the call, but it wasn’t like he could call Marie to let her know her son was calling him. He was intrigued, and he liked Marie, so he returned Jackson’s call.

  “Hello, Mr. Nichols?”

  “Hi Jackson, call me Parker. Is everything okay? You mentioned your mom.”

  “Wow, I can’t believe I’m talking to you! You’re my favorite actor.”

  Parker laughed. “How old are you, Jackson? Does your mom know you called me?”

  “I’m almost twelve, and no, she doesn’t know. She’s in the bathtub.”

  “Oh,” Parker said surprised. The thought of Marie in a hot, steamy bath made him smile while a sensation in his athletic shorts jolted him out of his chair. “So why did you call me? I assume you got my number from the business card I gave her?”

  “Yeah, I found it in her wallet. Are you angry?”

  “No, I’m not angry. Just curious. Why did you call?” Parker walked to his refrigerator, took out a beer and made his way out to the patio. Maybe the cool ocean breeze would keep his thoughts off of Marie, naked in the tub, but it wasn’t likely. He twisted off the cap and took a few swallows.

  “My mom likes you; do you like her?”

  Parker coughed.

  “Are you okay?”

  Parker coughed more and cleared his throat several times.

  “Yeah, I was drinking something, and it went down the wrong pipe.” He cleared his throat again, composing himself for the most interesting conversation he’d ever had with a kid. “How do you know your mom likes me?”

  “I heard her talking to her best friend Ann on the phone. She said you were sexy, but she wouldn’t like fans falling at your feet. And something about a boob job and my dad was a horrible lover, and O’s. Girls are strange. Half of what she said I didn’t understand.”

  “Whoa, sounds like you heard a lot.” He paused; this kid was something else. “Yeah, girls might be strange, but they’re also great.”

  “Do you like my mom? Like, do you want to date her?” Jackson asked in an innocent voice.

  “Yes—she’s very pretty. I like her, and I would like to take her out to lunch sometime.”

  “That would be awesome!!!”

  “Jackson, are you on the phone? It’s late,” Marie asked.

  Parker’s ears perked up hearing Marie’s voice. The rapid beating of his heart was not normal for him. She stirred him up in more ways than one.

  “I’m just talking to my friend. I told him you know Parker Nichols,” Jackson said.

  “Jackson, that’s not true. I don’t know Parker Nichols, and neither do you. Don’t be lying to your friends.”

  “But you met him, so you know him. You have his business card. You could call him if you wanted.” The excitement in Jackson’s voice made him sound hopeful.

  “I’m not doing this with you, buddy. I won’t be calling Parker. Now I want you off the phone in ten minutes, okay?”

  “Okay,” Jackson agreed, pausing a few beats. “Sorry about that Parker.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not sure I should talk to you on the phone. It sounds like your mom wants nothing to do with me.”

  “But, since I found your business card we’ve been better,” Jackson blurted.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Since my parents divorced I haven’t been very nice to my mom. I’ve been mean to her,” he admitted.

  “Why would you be mean to her? Is she mean to you?” Parker asked with concern.

  “No. Mom’s never even yelled at me. I was angry at her because my dad left us. She didn’t make him happy, so he left.”

  “Jackson, your mom seems great. You should be nice to her. Divorce is hard on the parents too, you know.”

  “Yeah, she’s cried a lot. She used to be fun until she turned into a zombie. Last week was the first time she went out with her friends in two years. She seemed happy after that, but she got sad again.”

  “What made her sad?”

  “My dad is getting married, and I told her I was getting a new mom.”

  “Oh, I can see why that would make her sad. You only have one mom, Jackson.”

  “I know, but I want my old mom back. She used to laugh, be silly, and dance around the house. And she makes the best chocolate chip cookies.”

  “She sounds great. But now that your dad is getting married again, she might cry more…because she loves him and it takes time to get over someone.”

  “No, she doesn’t love him. He was mean to her. He always made her feel bad. I think she cries because she’s alone and thinks nobody wants her. That’s what she said in the tub. And something about you ‘not wanting any of this.’ But, I’m not sure what she meant.”

  Parker laughed to himself. He definitely wanted some of that.

  “I better go before she comes back and takes my phone away. Thanks for calling me, Parker. You’re cool in real life, too.”

  “Thanks, Jackson. I’ve enjoyed talking to you, too. Maybe we’ll get to meet sometime.”

  “That would be awesome! Except she said she’d never call you.”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Goodnight.”

  Chapter 7

  Summer Begins

  Like clockwork, Parker received his first text of the day from Jackson. Several weeks had passed and following the unexpected call, Parker had left town to film in Budapest. The two became texting buddies while he was on location since he was unable to talk on the phone. Parker knew Jackson was pleased as punch that he, aka Professor Pierce, was his friend. A dream most superhero fans would never experience. And Jackson didn’t hide his elation, the young lad was on top of the world.

  Jackson: Will Professor Pierce defeat the mutant squid that’s roaming around San Diego disguised as a zookeeper????

  Parker: Are you doubting Professor Pierce’s powers or intelligence?

  Jackson: Never!!! Have fun filming.

  Parker: Thanks. Have a good day. Watch out for the redhead!!!

  Jackson: I knew it!!!

  Budapest used to be a location Parker enjoyed when they filmed on location. The change of scenery did wonders for clearing his head of the hustle and bustle in Hollywood. He worked with a different crew and spent time in the city with the locals. It re-energized him. Except for this time, Marie had entered his life and he wanted to see her again. Now all his hopes were on hold for three weeks. The crappy timing allowed his friendship with Jackson to develop more than he thought possible. As he learned about Jackson, he also learned about Marie. His desire to know her grew, with a longing unfamiliar to him.

  Over the passing weeks, Jackson’s attitude had changed in a big way, and Marie never questioned why. In her mind, the reasons didn’t matter, but in her heart, she hoped her positive changes were rubbing off on him. Not only did she bake more, but she also watched TV with him, and started a new Friday night routine of pizza and a movie. Spending extra time with him allowed her to learn about his interests. She hadn’t realized how much he’d changed over the last couple of years. Why it had taken her so long to pull herself together, she hadn’t a clue. Ann had told her she was still reeling from the divorce and needed to give herself time to be ready. Marie agreed, however, her son needed to come before herself. He needed her, and now she wanted to make it up to him. The rebuilding of their relationship had begun.

  The school year ended with everyone excited for summer, but nobody was more thrilled than Lexi. She had made it through her second year of college. She was attending CSU Long Beach to be an elementary school teacher. The one-hour distance was just far enough from home to give her the independence she wanted. Not only did she resemble Marie physically, she kept herself busy with friends and attending sporting events, just as Marie had done in school. Lexi had settled into her college life well over the last couple of years,
so much so that she wasn’t moving back home for the summer. Luck was on Lexi’s side, and she snagged a campus job in the library. It was the absolute ideal situation in maintaining her independence and allowed her to stay on campus during the summer. When Marie heard the news, it was a major letdown, as it hindered her plans of restoring the weak bonds in their relationship. Now she needed to find a way to get some quality time with her over the summer.

  The next blow hit Marie in the form of Lexi’s new boyfriend, Isaac, when she announced she’d be spending all of her available time with her ‘surfer’ at the beach. The news did not go over well with Marie. She had heard very little about him, and now her plans to strengthen her relationship with Lexi would be more challenging than she had thought. But it was a challenge Marie was up for, with the added goal to win over Isaac so he would want to spend time with Lexi’s family, and not hog her all to himself.

  Operation Win over Isaac was in place, and Marie planned a barbecue so she could meet the new man in her daughter’s life. With a confident smile, she called Lexi.

  “Hi Lexi, I’m calling to see if Saturday works for you to come over for dinner? I would love to meet Isaac.”

  “Mom, is this going to be one of those weird dinners where you play twenty-questions with my boyfriend? If so, no thanks. We’ll pass.”

  “I promise I’ll only ask ten questions,” Marie teased. “I’ll even invite the girls to buffer.”

  “Oh that sounds tempting; they’re worse than you. Isaac will run scared from this family.”

  “Please Lexi, unless you want to do a one-on-one dinner date? It’s up to you.”

  Jackson walked into the kitchen and Marie noticed him listening to the conversation. She smiled at him when a glint appeared in his eyes.

  “If we’re having a party can I invite two friends?” he asked, interrupting her.

  “Quiet, I’m on the phone.”

  “Please…can I invite two friends?” he begged.

  She sighed. “Yes, now let me talk to Lexi.”

  “Yes!” He pumped his fist in the air as he ran out of the kitchen.

  “Lexi, what do you say? I promise we’ll be on our best behavior.”

  “Fine, Saturday works. What time?”

  “Four o’clock. That gives us an hour for cocktails, and then we’ll grill. It’ll be fun, I promise.”

  “Mom you don’t know how to grill.”

  Marie was silent. Craig had done all the grilling.

  “Mom?”

  “I think Tessa knows how. I’ll buy hotdogs just in case I char the steaks.” She forced out a small laugh. “It’ll be fine. I’ll figure something out.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you Saturday,” Lexi agreed.

  “I’m looking forward to it. Bye, hon.”

  Marie sat at her desk watching the clock. It was pushing noon, and she was eager to check in with Jackson. During summer break he was home while she was at work. She hated leaving him alone for nine hours a day, but what could she do? So, she’d call or text him throughout the day to check in and to ease her mind. Every time it was the same; he was watching Pierce. By this time, she knew it was Parker’s show and had learned what a huge fan Jackson was of “Professor Pierce.” He talked about Parker as if he knew him. Little did she know, he did know him, albeit only through texting, and a friendship had developed.

  Jackson’s fanaticism with the show and Parker overwhelmed her. She didn’t understand the whole superhero fandom. Although it was adorable seeing Jackson spellbound every time the show was on, still the guilt would set in. She could have at least introduced them. Then his little superhero fantasy would be fulfilled. Hindsight’s always 20/20.

  But superhero fantasies were the least of her worries. An even bigger problem had occupied her mind the last two weeks. If she so much as glimpsed Parker on the show, she’d have the most vivid dream about him in the tub with her. Startled and panting, she’d wake from her erotic dream, leaving her horny the rest of day. So, she avoided Professor Pierce like the plague. Even so, her avoidance didn’t diminish the frequency of her nighttime baths. It increased them to several times a week.

  What had come over her? Loneliness? Maybe. Was she desperate? Possibly. Whatever it was, it was bringing her back to life, and everyone around her noticed the changes. A relaxed and playful Marie replaced her sad, stressed self. She said “yes” to the girls and wore her hair down occasionally… “just to mix things up,” she would say. Marie felt attractive and sexy. But she also wondered if her feelings were awful. Parker wasn’t around to quench her desires, nor was any other man. It was just her, and not even close to how she wanted to spend the rest of her life. She and her baths could not be a permanent arrangement. It was then she finally admitted she wanted a man in her life. Her abuelita’s words echoed in her head—Do not be alone.

  Jackson bolted into the kitchen with his face beaming, catching Marie by surprise as she was chopping vegetables. “Hey, buddy, what’s up?”

  “What time is the barbecue?”

  “Four o’clock. How many friends are you inviting? I want to have enough food.”

  “Just two, thanks!” And just like that, he left Marie to finish preparing dinner.

  Saturday morning was like every other morning. Marie was awake at six. On the weekends she’d hit the gym for an hour, attempting to reshape her aging body. With forty staring her in the face, Marie would do anything to slow down time. While she was running on the treadmill, a man she had never seen before stepped onto the vacant treadmill next to her.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  Marie nodded, staying focused on her running.

  “I’m Seth; I’m new to the complex.”

  “Nice to meet you, and welcome,” she returned. She had fifteen minutes left on her run. Might as well be nice. “I’m Marie,” she said, keeping her eyes forward while feeling his eyes bore through her sweaty t-shirt.

  “Good to meet you, Marie.”

  For the next ten minutes, they didn’t speak, both focused on their running. Each time she’d peer out the corner of her eye at Seth, Parker would pop into her head. It frustrated her. Why was he occupying her every thought? It was crazy; he was out of her league. And besides that, he was a celebrity. Not that any of that mattered. It had been weeks since she last saw him. Time to put him out of her mind and focus on “real life” prospects.

  Seth wasn’t bad-looking. Early forties with the athletic build she liked. Dark hair cut short, emphasizing his receding hairline. And he had rather small ice-blue eyes, but they weren’t unpleasant to look at. They were friendly, just as he appeared to be. He was no Parker Nichols—just an average, everyday guy.

  Marie took a deep breath. Five minutes left on her run and she could get out of the gym. The new visitor could not keep his eyes off her. Aware of his apparent interest, she was unsure of how she felt and needed time to process yet another gringo.

  “Are you here this time every day?” He broke the silence, and the question caught her by surprise. “I mean, I’m new here, and it would be nice to know someone.”

  “Um, the time can vary along with the day of the week,” she answered with a non-answer.

  “Ah, so if I’d like a workout partner I have to hang out here every morning?”

  Her cheeks warmed. “I guess so.”

  She slowed to a stop while he continued running. His flexed biceps caught her attention. Testosterone dripped from his body, and she liked it. She flashed her dark eyes his way. “Enjoy your workout.”

  “Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Seth said, keeping his eyes forward.

  “Maybe,” Marie said, but before she turned around Seth grinned, showing off his perfect white teeth. Soft flutters spurred to life in her stomach, and they followed her home.

  Marie whipped around her kitchen with adrenaline coursing through her body, and it wasn’t because she had completed an hour-long workout. No, his name was Seth. She grinned as she flipped pancakes on the griddle, sausage
next. Did she meet a man? He came out of nowhere. He said he’d like to work out with her. The thought sent chills down her spine, and her mind went into the gutter. She might be open to him working out on her. A girlish giggle filled the kitchen, and she covered her mouth to muffle the sounds. “Is this about getting laid? Damn Ann for putting these thoughts in my head. I can’t do this.” But, it was too late; all the dirty thoughts flooded her mind. She redirected herself. “Jackson, breakfast is ready.”

  “Coming,” he hollered down to her.

  She watched in awe as he hoovered his pancakes in record time. Why was he eating so fast? Had she made him angry? It’s like he was trying to get away from her. It made little sense. Weren’t they past this? The last few weeks Jackson had been chatty and in a happy mood. This behavior was reminiscent of previous years.

  “Jackson, is everything all right? I feel like you’re trying to avoid me. If there’s a problem, let’s talk about it.”

  “No problem; everything’s fine. I wanna clean my room before my friends come over.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “You’re gonna clean your room?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Jackson hadn’t cleaned his room once since they moved into the townhouse. Twice a year she would do a deep cleaning and would collect his dirty clothes once a week. His bedroom was always in constant disarray, with toys thrown about and books spread over the floor instead of on the bookshelf. Clothes were everywhere as if he’d tossed them into the air and wherever they landed they stayed. The day after Marie had put fresh sheets on his bed; it would have a mountain of blankets on it. To deal with the mess, she’d usually close the door to his room and ignore it. Nobody, especially her, wanted to see the pigsty he lived in. And now he’s going to clean it?