Little Life of Nolan Parks - 11. Liam Parks - People Live Here

Author's Notes:

So I apologize, I accidentally skipped over this chapter originally. This chapter was originally intended to be between Chapter 8(Long Lasting Effects - Hell is For Children) and Chapter 9(Aftermath - Shatter Me). I feel this is unprofessional to release it now afterwords but it it essential to the story. I feel I cannot edit the past chapters to fit it in, but I cannot leave it out. So here it is, I'm very sorry for it being out of place, but enjoy.

Liam's POV

I was just getting back into the room, and Nolan was exploring how his bed worked, “How's the bed Nolan?”

He looked over and had a shy smile on his face. “Good...”

I handed him a bottle of water, “Here drink up. Has the nurse come in yet?” He shook his head shyly. He looked like he was biting his lip. “Okay, push that button and get one in here. They told me to push it as soon as you woke up.”

He pushed the button and within minutes there was a nurse in the room checking up on Nolan. She was doing the regular stuff making sure everything was okay. Nolan looked like he was following orders without knowing what was going on.

When she was done Nolan asked, “Why do I have bandages on my head?”

“I could answer that, or you could wait for your mom to come and tell you. Which would you prefer?”

He looked at the nurse then to me. His eyes started to wander around the room. “Nolan are you okay?” His eyes fixated on me. Nolan looked confused or scared.

“Does Liam know?” The nurse nodded. “Can Liam tell me?”

She looked over at me, “If Liam wants to tell you he can. I'll leave it alone; your mother will tell you for sure.” She left the room to continue her duties.

Nolan sat there looking around the room. He looked at the IV in his arm, out the window, and at me more than once. “How are you feeling?”

“I'm okay... My head hurts, and I have no idea why I'm in the hospital...”

“What's the last thing you remember?”

His bottom lip disappeared into his mouth, must be thinking intensely. Again his gaze wandered around the room, “I remember Connor telling me to go to sleep and then falling back to sleep, and then I woke up here.” His eyes looked like he was about to cry, “Liam I'm scared...”

I immediately got up and moved over to him, “There is nothing to be scared of. What's scaring you?”

“I can't remember what happened between then and now.” Tears started rolling down his cheeks. He reached out and grabbed my arm. I was pulled in as he grabbed onto my shirt. I got up onto the bed; there wasn't another choice.

I just laid there as he cried into my chest. Rubbing his back seemed to help; he stopped crying a little bit after I started. “It's okay to be scared Nolan. It's hard for me to relate to amnesia, but lots of people get it...”

He looked up at me, “Liam, why haven't I met you before?”

The question took me back. This entire time he's had no idea who I am. All he knows is that I said I'm his cousin. He's even cried into my shoulder without knowing that.

“Ummm, we've never visited one another because our parents never had the money. I lived in Saskatoon until a few days ago. I moved here the day after you ended up in the hospital.”

Even with my explanation he looked confused. “So I've never met you before?” I shook my head. “When will my mom get here?”

“Shouldn't be too long, half hour, forty-five minutes.” He nodded and looked out the window, “You know I have a little brother... Would you like to know about him?”

“You have a little brother?” I nodded. “Are you nice to him?”

“He can be a pain in the butt,” He shuttered, “sometimes but he's a sweet kid overall. I love him, and he's cool to hang out with, sometimes.”

“What's his name?”

“Leif Parks.”(AN: Lief is pronounced “Leyf”)

I started telling him all about my little brother. He just sat there and listened. At the end of it, he asked me a very complex question, “How come you moved here?” The answer to that question is much more complex than it should be.

“Maybe I'll tell you once you're out of the hospital,” but right now is not the time for him to learn about my past.

A few weeks earlier.

I was held up in my room, well our room, while mom and dad went at it... again. Leif was curled up to me with my headphones in his ears so he couldn't hear them. Their fight had lasted half an hour before dad left the house, slamming the door.

Leif shuttered as the door slammed. “Are they done, Liam?”

“I think so. Dad just went out.”

“Why do they always yell at each other?”

All I could do is shake my head, “I don't know Leif, I just don't know.”

“Dad scares me when he yells.” I wish I could help my little brother. He gets so scared when my parents yell, more so when my dad does it.

Leif soon fell asleep in my arms; it was around his bedtime. He started to snore ever so quietly, and peacefully. It's my favorite time to see my kid brother sleeping and snoring. It means that he's having a good dream.

I was REALLY hungry though, so I got him onto his bed and under his blankets. Once that was done I made my way out to the kitchen and started rummaging around for something to eat.

Mom came out from her room, “I thought you were your father.” She looked like she'd been crying. “Are you hungry?”

“A little bit, I didn't have much to eat for dinner.”

She nodded, “You just picked through it didn't you?” I awkwardly laughed. “Why was that?”

I sat down on the counter and sighed, “I might have failed my Science test from last Friday, and my teacher told me that he would call you guys... I guess he called dad.”

“How was Leif during it all?” Mom passed me an apple from the fridge.

I shrugged, “He seemed okay... He was listening to my iPod the entire time. He heard the door slam though.”

“How come you failed your science test?”

“You like to change the subject don't you?”

Her face could not have been any more serious. “Answer the question, Liam.”

I sighed, “I just don't get chemistry and that’s the section we're on right now...”

Mom shook her head, “Liam, if you're having trouble you need to get help with it. You can't just sit there and do nothing.” I always get this talk. She's right, but I just don't want to admit it.

“I'm not having trouble I just need to focus more.”

“Don't lie to me Liam. You ARE having trouble, and you need help with your science class.” I let loose a breath from my nose. Like I said, she's right but I don't like admitting it. “On Monday you are to sign up for the tutoring program. Do you understand me?”

“Yes Ma'am.” I ended up falling asleep on the couch while watching TV. Dad was probably out drinking and wouldn't be home until early the next morning.

Boy was I wrong about that. I got woken up by being pushed off the couch, “Get to bed, you lazy ass!” A slurred voice commanded of me. I looked up and saw my dad taking my place on the couch. I glared at him, “Keep looking at me like that, and I'll slap that look off your fucking face.”

I said nothing; I just got up and started to walk towards my room. “Fucking asshole,” I said under my breath.

I was startled as my arm got grabbed, and I was pulled back. My dad had followed me and heard me curse. “What was that Lie-am” My dad can't say my name drunk, and to make it worse, he doesn't believe me ever when I tell the truth.

“Nothing, I'm going to bed let go, please.” His grip tightened on my arm, “Owe, seriously let go!” I said louder.

“Tell me what you said Lie-am. What came out of those lying lips?” Again his grip tightened. The pain was so much I flinched. He saw that, “What can't take it? What if I twisted it to?”

His hand moved in a way to twist and pull my skin. “FUCK OFF!” I screamed as tears started to form.

A small voice from behind me spoke up, “What are you doing to Liam, dad?” Leif! I turned to see him rubbing his eyes.

“Leif go back into our room,” I told him quickly.

He was about to go when dad spoke up, “No, no, no, Stay and find out what happens to failures and lairs.” Dad pushed me against the wall. I returned the favor my shoving him down the hall. He stumbled over his own feet and fell down on his ass.

“What is going on out here!?” Mom came storming out of her bedroom. I was rubbing my arm where it had been grabbed, and Leif was still standing there, confused. She noticed me and dad, enter momma bear. “Get the hell out of this house! You have two minutes before I call the cops.”

“Fuck you bitch!!” My dad screamed back at her.

I got up and grabbed Leif. “Go into the bathroom and lock the door. Do not open it, okay?” He nodded and did as ordered.

Going into my mom's room, I grabbed the phone and called 911. “911, What's your emergency?” It was a lady.

“My dad is drunk and assaulted me. He's now in a screaming match with my mom.” I told them my address, and she told me to stay on the phone.

I heard the police come and take my dad out of the house. I told the lady they had arrived and hung up the phone. Leif had opened the bathroom door and rushed over to me. “Liam I'm scared.”

“I know, Leif, its fine the police will protect us.” I walked out to the living room. Mom was sitting on the couch with an ice pack to her eye and an officer questioning her.

Another officer came over to us and asked us some questions. I did all of the talking. Leif got asked a few yes or no questions but only nodded or shook his head. The officer thanked us for our co-operation and ruffled Leif's hair as he left.

We got into the living room and stood there as mom spoke, “Liam, Leif; I am so sorry that this has happened. Your father is going to jail, and I have filed assault charges on him. We need to move though... We can't stay here.” Mom was holding back tears.

“Where would we move to?” Leif went up to mom and gave her a hug.

She hugged him tightly, “Leif, I don't know yet. I'm going to see if there is anything near my sister, your aunt. She just moved to Alberta; we should have enough money for the basics. You don't worry about where we are going though that's my job.”

“Okay.” We said in unison.

Over the next week and a half plans were made. My dad's parents would store things we couldn't bring in a small U-Haul. We would rent out the house for some more money to get on our feet, and we'd be set for a bit.

Leif and I had to say goodbye to all our friends. It was a lot harder for Leif because he only had a few good friends. He cried into me until he fell asleep over the last few nights we were in town. We were moving suddenly, and we had no control.

We were going to meet my aunt for the first time. We'd meet our cousin Nolan who was in the hospital unconscious. Our cousin Paul was sent off to a juvenile delinquent facility, and we wouldn't be seeing him for a long time.

Time to start a new life that I never wanted.

Chapter end.