Emily Rose

Camara's heels clinked furiously onto title floor as we sped through the white hallways.

"Emily Rose, if you don't slow—." Camara huffed our before I pulled her into another hallway, passing by another nurse giving me the stink eye. Apparently running — or even speed walking — in this place is disrespectful, or whatever, to a bunch of old ladies in fading blue shrugs.

Once we reached the 230's hallway, my blood began to pump faster, my hands began to shake with excitement.

Room 235, I thought as we stopped.

Camara panted as she snatched her hand back, her cheeks stained red. "Why?" She choked out as she leaned over and tried to catch her breath.

I shrugged off her question as if it was as light as a feather and took a deep breath before calmly — and gently — knocking on the door.

A few second seemed to past, which felt like forever before an airy voice said, "come in."

I slowly opened the door with a welcoming smile on my face. "Hi, Ms. Dixon?"

Behind me, I could hear Camara cursing the universe and Earth, itself, for the likes of "selfish humans" and "exercise," or something like that.

I walked into the nicely decorated room. It's wasn't small, but it wasn't big either. Equipped with a nice twin sized bed, dresser and mirror. Small miscellaneous things laid on the dresser; a comb, chapstick, a shirt and a framed photo of a younger looking Fredrick hugging a woman with shinny, gorgeous blonde hair, a bright smile on her face as they stood behind the opening gates of Disney World.

I allowed myself to get swept up into the picture before breaking out of my trance when the airy voice spoke again. "You can come in, no need to hid in the doorway." The voice jokingly teased and I blushed before walking fully into the room.

Sitting in a small rocking chair tucked into the corner of the room was a petite woman, any trace of hair disappeared from her head as a vibrant yellow sundress fell down her skinny body.

She smiled brightly at me, and pointed to the corner of her room where flowers and cards laid. "The presents go over there, it's okay if I'm sad too." She words fell from her lips quickly as if she's been doing this for a while.

"Presents?"

She nodded, "yes," she paused, the happy smile slipping off my face for a second, "ever since my brother... died, everyone has been sending me gifts. It's not for me though—," she shakes her head sadly, "nor my brother, it's for the people. When they send it to me, it makes them feel better about themselves, because helping a woman with nothing seems better than having emotions." She smiles at me.

"I'm sorry," I bite my lip.

"Don't be," she waves me off, "I'm not mad about it."

As she finishes her sentence, Camara walks into the room.

"Oh, there's two of you," Ms. Dixon said surprised.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm Emmie and this is Camara." I gestured between Camara and I.

Ms. Dixon waved down toward her small bed, "well, take a seat and call me Amber."

Camara and I sat down onto the small bed. I began to fidget with my thumbs, a new anxiety smashing into me. "Thanks Ms.— I mean, Amber."

She gives me a nice smile before straightening up. "Okay, so what are you two girls visiting a sag like me?"

Camara and I share glance towards each other and share the same anxious look. Camara's the first to look away before clearing her throat and answering Amber. "We're here to ask a couple questions about your brother."

The easy smile slipped from Amber's lips and was replaced with a solemn nod. She pushes herself out of her rocking chair, and trudges towards her dresser. Her twig like hand reached into the drawer of the dresser and pulled something out. She then began to trudge herself back to us, something sparking in her hand. Amber grabbed my arm with delicate hands and placed the item in my hand. She made herself back to her seat and slowly began to rock herself.

Camara grabbed my arm and stared at the item in my hand, her attention soon met with the mysterious eyes of the woman in front of us. "What is this?" Camara whispers, her voice almost engrossed in the silence of the room.

I ran my fingers across the item, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Do you wanna hear a story?" Amber's voice broke the silence around us.

*****

"Prior to everyone believes, my brother was a good man; he had good grades, made time for me, and never got in trouble. That was until my mother died. You see, my father was never around, whenever we would ask about him, my mother's face would turn stone cold and she wouldn't say anything for hours. It didn't take long for us to realize that by asking where our father was; we lost our mother."

Amber took a sharp breath, her hands clenched the colorful fabric of her dress, before continuing.

"Anyways, my mother died and Freddie became the 'man of the house,' he began to work long hours, dropped out of college and began doing weird stuff; getting mad easily and always looking over his shoulder as if someone was following him..."

"It wasn't until I got sick that's everything crashed down on us, to keep me away, Freddie has them lock me up in here and throw away the key," she gestured towards the room around us, "as you can see, this place is expensive as hell. And I don't even know how he paid for this; but I know it's not good. But before he left he gave me that pendant in your hand there." She pointed a long, skinny finger towards the locket in my hand, "open it." She urges me and I click it open with steady fingers.

Two pictures was placed into the locket. One was a picture of Freddie with a smile on his face and his arm around someone with blond hair, "I can't find out who that person is," Amber bit her bottom lip, "it's not me."

The second pic was a white piece of paper with nothing on it.

"I think there's something going on with those pictures, I never could understand it... staring at it all day has only left me to headaches." Amber admits sadly.

Camara studied the pictures in the locket, "have you tried taking the photos out?" She asked.

Amber nods, "doesn't work."

Camara and I sigh before standing up for the bed.

"Thank you, Amber," I said to the woman in the chair before reaching for a hug, "sorry, but we gotta go now, thanks for the information though."

"Anytime, ladies and visit me sometime, it's gets a little lonely." She said as she returned Camara and I's hugs, "keep the locket, maybe it could help you figure out what my brother was up to."

We nodded before making our way towards the door.

Just as I reached for the door knob to leave, a question popped up into my mind and I stopped before turning towards Amber, "hey, Amber?"

"Yes, dear."

"Has someone been in here before?"

Amber stops to think before answering. "Well, yes... a nice gentlemen, very handsome. Wasn't like the old police officers I been seeing in the last couple of days... I think he offered to pay for my stay here."

Camara's attention snaps towards the woman. "Can you remember what he wanted?"

"Umm... no, I'm sorry I can't. It was a couple days ago and I was very tired from all the police when he came."

Camara and I sighed again before turning to leave.

"Wait, girls!" Amber stopped us before pausing. "He did say his name though!"

"Yes?"

"He said it was Parker. I forgot his last name."

My hands clenched at my sides as I sneered.

"Was it Bowmen?" Camara asked softly.

Amber's lucky-go smile appeared in her face again as she smiled. "Well, yes that was it. Parker Bowmen."

*****

Hey guys!

Sorry for not updating earlier and how I'm late. It's just that life can kick butt, sometimes. I'm not going to bore you with the details, but I'm working on the next chapters, so look forward to that.

Anyways, I hope you liked Chapter 21 of The Love That Is Parker Bowmen.

Remember don't forget to vote, comment and add to your library, if you want more!