Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Blackout
By Gemini-M
Chapter 4
"Turning Point"
Disclaimer: The Pretender and all its characters are not mine. They belong to NBC, TNT, and its Producers. I am just borrowing them to write this story for fun. No infringement intended. The song, Frozen, was written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard and is from her l998 album, "Ray of Light."
Author's note: Thanks again to all the readers for their wonderful reviews. Writing this story was a lot of fun and I hope you all like the conclusion. A million Thanks to my beta readers Jaccione and Kylie. You girls are great.
A cold chill ran through their bodies as if they had fallen into an icy lake. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweating and her dry throat had rendered her speechless. Panic was painted in Miss Parker's face like a canvas. They quickly moved toward the opening that was once a kitchen door, and prayed that no hostile party would be on the other side to greet them. As Miss Parker was pulling Jarod through the opening, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She froze. She could feel the blood rush from her face. She closed her eyes and slowly turned around. The sight before her almost made her cry with joy. There in front of her stood that kind little man with wild hair and the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. "My God Angelo, where have you been? Am I glad to see you!"
Angelo just gave her his famous boyish grin and grabbed her hand, "We go now"
Once they were all out of the house, they rushed to Jarod's car. Luckily, Miss Parker had parked Jarod's Mustang behind an industrial size garbage bin that was at the side of the house, and it helped conceal the car from the street. Broots quickly climbed into the back seat. He was pale as a ghost and his legs felt like jelly. Jarod was leaning heavily against the car waiting for Broots to lower the front passenger seat. He was exhausted and his head was still spinning from their rushed exit down the stairs. Angelo turned toward Jarod and gave him an unexpected hug, which made Jarod wince in pain when the little man made contact with his bruised ribs. At Jarod's reaction, Angelo pulled back and looked at Jarod with concern. "Jarod hurt?"
Totally perplexed Jarod looked at the strange little man. The man before him looked distressed but not threatening. He had an air of sadness and concern in his eyes, but he made him feel safe, unlike the feelings he was getting from this woman.
From the other side of the car Miss Parker whispered, "Lets go Angelo, get in the car."
Angelo looked at Jarod attentively and smiled again, "Friend not sad anymore. Friend... lost?" Angelo moved away from Jarod, laughing hysterically and ran back into the house.
"Angelo No!" Miss Parker tried to stop him, but it was too late. The little man disappeared through the same opening they had just exit the house.
Inside the house, they could hear the commotion of a chase. There were shouts and sounds of broken glass. Jarod stood frozen by the car wondering about the events taking place all around him, and who was that little man? There was something familiar about him and he had an uneasy feeling about the fate of this peculiar little man.
Miss Parker dashed around the car, pushed Jarod in, and closed his door. The sudden jerking motion rewarded Jarod with a sharp pain to his ribs. He cried out in pain and sat back on the seat, with eyes closed, holding his side until the pain would subside.
At the realization of her actions, Miss Parker looked at Jarod with an apologetic smile and said, "Sorry, I forgot about the ribs." However, she did not get any response from the pale man sitting next to her. Broots was in the back seat, shaking like a leaf and acting as a lookout for any unwelcome escort.
Thankful to whatever celestial forces was protecting them, the little group managed to leave the Dover area without detection. Miss Parker made plans to drop-off Broots at his brother's home in Philadelphia, until it was safe for him to return to Dover for his car, and Miss Parker and Jarod would continue to travel north toward Maine.
Just before they reached Philadelphia, Miss Parker stopped the car all of a the sudden and threw her cell phone out the window and smiled, "Now let them try to track me down"
Jarod just gave her a puzzled look and Broots with a big smile said, "Good move Miss Parker"
At their stop in Philadelphia, Miss Parker called Ben to advice him of their arrival sometime that evening. Broots insisted that Miss Parker and Jarod take a few hours break to eat and rest before continuing their journey. They were both extremely tired and hungry. Miss Parker had hardly slept the night before and Jarod was still weak from his recent illness and unfortunate accident on the stairs.
Miss Parker agreed to Broots' suggestion with the condition that he would not leave Jarod out of his sight. She was not about to lose the wayward pretender again, especially now that he had her mother's journal.
While Miss Parker slept in one of the guest rooms, Jarod just wondered around the living room looking at the pictures on the wall. He was feeling a little stronger after eating a wonderful home cooked meal, but the headaches and dizziness was still bothering him. The balding man and his family were very nice and had made them both feel very welcome. The man called Broots was especially nice to him, but at the same time acted very nervous around him as if he was afraid of him. Whenever Jarod stood from his seat, Broots would jump and ask, "Where are you going?"
Jarod was starting to feel very uncomfortable. He sighed and decided to get some answers from this extremely paranoid person.
Jarod looked at Broots very serious and inquired, "Why are you afraid of me? Am I some kind of prisoner or mental patient?"
Broots just laughed, "No, no I...I am not afraid of you, and as for the prisoner or mental patient is....a....a little complicated, but no your not either, well....sort of maybe."
"You're not making any sense here Mr. Broots, and I really need some answers now."
"I am sorry Jarod. The problem is that if you run away again, Miss Parker will skin me alive. I promised her that you would not leave without her. Please tell me you are not planning to leave."
"What do you mean run away again?"
"Look I shouldn't tell you anymore. I'm sure Miss Parker will explain everything to you sooner or later."
"Look I just need to know if I have done something wrong? Why Am I running? Did I kill someone? Am I under Miss Parker's custody? Is she an officer of the law or some kind of bounty hunter? She sure acts like one." The whole situation was very frustrating for Jarod. He was silent for a few minutes then with a sigh said, "She is really.... stunning but at the same time very intimidating."
" Boy you have no idea. But no, don't worry you're not a criminal, you're a.... Pretender."
"A What?" Jarod looked very confused.
"A Pretender. Look you're a genius and there're these people who want you back really bad."
"Does she work for these people?" Jarod's voice was almost a whisper.
"Yes and so do I." Broots felt so embarrassed to admit this to Jarod.
"Is she taking me back to these people?" Jarod did not understand the reasons, but a sensation of fear came over him.
Broots just looked down at his shoes. He could not face Jarod. "I really don't know Jarod"
Jarod just swallowed hard and sat down as a wave of dizziness over took him again. Broots immediately noticed the color change in Jarod's face and rushed to his side. "Are you all right Jarod? You're colorless."
"Yes, I'm fine Mr. Broots, just a little dizzy. Don't worry"
"Jarod, maybe you should lie down for a while and rest. You were very sick yesterday and then you had that real bad fall. Man, I thought you almost bought it there."
Jarod just nodded his head in agreement and lay down on the couch. He knew that Mr. Broots would not give him any more information and he would have to wait for this Miss Parker. That idea scared him. He felt as if his life was in her hands, but his inner sense told him that he would have to trust her for now. He just closed his eyes and prayed that his memory would return soon. He had the uneasy feeling that his life depended on it.
It was 3:30pm when finally Miss Parker emerged from the guess room all refreshed and rested. Jarod had fallen asleep on the couch and Broots was preparing some sandwiches for them to take on their trip. Miss Parker walked into the kitchen and asked Broots about Jarod.
"Has he remembered anything?"
"No Miss Parker, but he sure had a lot of questions about you and himself. He also almost passed out on me again. I think the amnesia is not the only problem. He might have a concussion from that bump on his head. You better keep a close eye on him."
"Don't worry Broots I'll take good care of Boy Wonder, at least until he gets his memory back and tells me where he hid my mother's journal."
"But Miss Parker are you planning to take him back to the Centre? What about what you promised Sydney? You know what they will do to him if they get him back. Miss Parker I don't think Jarod deserves that. I mean he drives you crazy by playing tricks on you, but I think he really cares about what happens to you, to Sydney and even me. He's not a bad person Miss Parker. All he wants is to live a normal life and find his family."
Miss Parker knew that Broots meant well and he was genuinely concerned about Jarod's wellbeing. On the other hand she was shocked at the Broots' boldness and his words had left her speechless and in the brink of tears, but she quickly composed herself and reply in her typical Ice Queen demeanor.
"Great now you're going to tell me what I should do. Look Broots I don't have a choice in the matter. It is my job to bring him back, and you know darn well that my life is on the line here." Miss Parker shouted at Broots with animosity and walked out of the kitchen to wake up the sleeping pretender.
By the time she reached the living room, Jarod was already up and waiting. He had apparently heard the whole discussion between her and Broots. The look of resignation on Jarod's face almost made her heart break, but she could not let those emotions interfere with her duties. She skillfully buried her emotions again and approached Jarod.
"We better get moving we still have about 6 hours drive ahead of us. Are you ready?"
Jarod just looked at her and nodded his head.
Avoiding Miss Parker and Jarod's eyes, Broots rushed to the car and placed the bag with food and drinks on the back seat. As Jarod was about to get in the car, Broots grabbed his arm and said, "Jarod take care of yourself OK, and don't be a stranger."
With sadness in his voice Jarod said, "Thanks Mr. Broots, I hope we'll meet again some day under better circumstances." With that, he turned around and got in the car.
From the other side of the car Miss Parker waved at Broots and thanked him for their hospitality. Without another word, she got behind the wheel and drove away.
The drive out of Philadelphia was very slow due to the heavy traffic and Miss Parker's nerves were not helping in the process. Her discussion with Broots kept playing over and over in her mind as she battled with her emotions. She didn't want to hurt Jarod any more but she had no choice. To make things more difficult, the voices inside her were telling her to follow her heart. Jarod was the key and he would bring her the freedom and truth she had been searching for all these years. She glanced at Jarod, looking for an answer, but he was doing his best at avoiding her. She immediately sensed his anxiety and this made her feel worse. She shook her head and directed her full attention to the road in front of her.
Jarod sat quietly with his eyes closed and leaning his head on the cool glass. He didn't want to upset Miss Parker after what he had heard back in the house. He felt close to her in some odd way, but at the same time he felt an uncertain doom. The fact that he could not remember anything was driving him crazy. He needed to know something about his past and where they were headed. He was desperate, so he decided to take a chance. He took a deep breath and straightened up on his seat forgetting again about the condition of his sore ribs. He cried out in pain as the movement rewarded him with a knifelike pain.
Instantly Miss Parker turned her attention to Jarod and asked with concern, "Are you all right? You're very pale. I hope you're not passing out on me again."
Jarod just nodded while he held his side and took a few slow breaths to easy the pain. When he was able to speak, he looked at Miss Parker and said, "I'm fine. I just keep forgetting about my darn ribs."
Miss Parker looked at him and smiled, "Lets take a break and get some ice cream." With that said, she quickly took the next exit off the freeway and started looking for an ice cream shop.
Jarod was surprised at her mood change, but he was not going to question it. She looked less threatening when she was in a good mood and besides he had a feeling that he liked ice cream.
Finally, they found an ice cream shop. Miss Parker ordered a double scoop of Rocky Road and Jarod ordered Vanilla. The change in the atmosphere made them both more at ease plus it felt good to leave the car and stretch their legs. They had been driving for over two hours and they had just reach Connecticut. The sun was starting to set and the horizon was like a kaleidoscope of brilliant shades of red and pink. It almost looked as if the sky was on fire. They both just sat in silence eating their ice cream and admiring the breathtaking scenery.
Miss Parker looked at Jarod when he was distracted enjoying his ice cream and noticed that he appeared happy and less nervous than before. This image brought a smile to her face. Memories of their childhood flashed through her mind. As a young girl, she always loved to shock him just to see him blush. He was so innocent and kind. Even after all the years of isolation and abuse, they had not succeeded in changing this unique man. He was still a child at heart and he knew how to appreciate the little things in life. At that moment she understood his childish behavior. Playing those pranks on her were like a way to relive a childhood that had bonded them forever.
All of the sudden Miss Parker looked at Jarod and asked, "Does Rocky Road ice cream remind you of something?"
Jarod thought for a moment and then replied, "No, I'm sorry, why?"
Miss Parker smiled back at him and told him about their first trip to New York at the beginning of his pursuit, and how he had left them the ice cream as a welcoming gift.
Jarod listen to her story attentively, but he could not remember anything. This frustrated him a great deal and he started to ask questions, "Why were you searching for me? Who is this Sydney? What was I doing in New York? Do I have family there?"
Miss Parker looked at him with sympathy and said, "Jarod slow down. If I give you too much information at once you're going to get more confused. Slowly, you will start to remember. Don't worry. Trust me."
Miss Parker knew that giving him too much information at once would confuse him, and would only upset him more. He needed to process each event slowly and eventually all these memories would place themselves in the proper order like a giant puzzle in his mind.
Jarod looked so disappointed, he wanted to remember something but all these details only made his headache worse.
All of the sudden Miss Parker looked at her watch and said, "Oh my God Jarod is 6:30 already. We better get back on the road if we want to reach Maine before 11:00 tonight. We still have about 4 hours drive ahead of us."
Once they were back on the road, they sat in silence for a long time. Miss Parker was in turmoil. She knew that to help Jarod regain his memory she would have to give him information about his past, his family and how he came to the Centre. But how would she explain to him that his best childhood friend had been hunting him for the last 6 years and now had to take him back to the Hell that had kept him locked away for 30 years. She almost wished that she had the courage to run away like him and leave everything behind. Maybe that was what the voices were trying to tell her. Maybe he was the key to their freedom. She shook her head to erase the thoughts and decided to deal with the situation at hand the best way she could.
"Jarod do you remember anything about your childhood or the Centre?"
Jarod looked at her with surprised and said, "No I'm sorry, but when I fell asleep in Mr. Broots house I had a very strange dream."
"Tell me about it, maybe they are memories that are coming back to you."
"Well, I was in this huge building. It had many rooms, but there was no sunshine. It was dark and cold. I felt very alone there. Then I was running through some tunnels with two other children, a girl and a small boy. We were laughing. That's all I remember then I woke up when I heard you talking to Mr. Broots in the kitchen. Does this dream mean something?"
Miss Parker looked at Jarod and smiled, "Yes, It does. Those are memories from your childhood when you were at the Centre."
"What is this place, The Centre?"
"That's where you grew up Jarod. You were taken there when you were very young. Jarod you are a very gifted person. A genius. You were trained in many fields of knowledge and you can be anything you want to be, like a doctor, a lawyer, an FBI agent, a police officer, a fireman, a chemist, almost anything."
"Did my parents send me to this place?"
Miss Parker dreaded this question the most. Should she tell him the truth or feed him another lie like the one they had told him for the last 30 years. She took a deep breath and said almost inaudibly, "No Jarod, your parents did not take you there. You were stolen."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker in shock. He could not believe what Miss Parker had just told him. He shook his head and ran his hand anxiously through his hair. This was like a nightmare. Why him? With tears in his eyes and anger in his voice, he looked at Miss Parker and asked, "Why did they do that to me? Did my parents try to find me? How long was I there? Please Miss Parker I need to know?"
"Jarod please calm down. This agitation is not good for you right now. I will explain everything to you slowly, but first promise me you'll calm down."
Jarod nodded in agreement while closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
After a few minutes, he met her eyes again and asked in a whisper, "Miss Parker how long have you known about this?"
"Jarod, Sydney and I found files with information about your abduction during the first year of the pursuit, about five years ago. I swear to you Jarod, before that we had no idea that you had been stolen. We were told that your parents had died. I think that's what they told you also as a child. I'm sorry."
"Who is this Sydney?"
"Sydney was your teacher. Well, more like a mentor. He took care of you and taught you everything. He has always protected you and still does. I bet right now he is worrying about you and waiting for your next call."
"You said that you and Sydney were pursuing me. Why?"
Miss Parker smiled at Jarod and said, "You ran away from the Centre about six years ago and since then we've been chasing you around the country like a bunch of idiots, but you are too clever to be caught"
With a concerned look on his face Jarod said, "Until now"
"Oh no you were caught before, but you managed to escape again. That's why I don't want to be over confident right now."
Jarod gave Miss Parker a puzzled look and sat quietly thinking. Was she trying to tell him that she expected him to escape again? Maybe she didn't want to take him back to that place after all, but she told Mr. Broots that her life was on the line. He still could not figure out this woman. She was dangerous, but he believed that she would not harm him intentionally. The whole thing was so frustrating.
Miss Parker gazed at Jarod with concern. He had gone silent for a long time and was deep in thought. "Jarod, are you all right?"
"Yes I'm OK, I was just thinking about what you said. Miss Parker did you know me before you started to pursue me?"
Miss Parker took a deep breath and stared at the road ahead. She could not look at Jarod while she answered that question. "Yes Jarod, we practically grew up together. My father was the Chairman at the Centre and I spend many hours there while I was growing up."
"So you must be that girl from my dream?" Jarod sounded surprised and happy at the same time.
"Yes, I guess so. You, Angelo and I would secretly meet every chance we had and we talked and played for hours. I remember we used to get in a lot of trouble and drive Sydney insane."
"Is Angelo that funny little man I met back at the other house?"
"Yes, how did you know that?" Miss Parker was amazed that Jarod had recognized Angelo. Maybe he was starting to regain his memory.
"I don't know. It just felt like I knew him from somewhere. Did he run away from the Centre also?"
"Well yes, but The Centre is the only home he knows. I don't think he could live anywhere else. Angelo is a very special individual. He is an Empath. He can absorb the emotional and intellectual traits of others. Angelo and you grew up together at the Centre. He's very close to you. He's the one who alerted us that you were in trouble and he helped us find you.
Jarod became silent again and after a few minutes he asked with apprehension, "Do you know if my parents ever looked for me?"
Miss Parker was stunned with Jarod's question. She didn't know what to say. If she told him the truth she would have to tell him about her mother's involvement, and she was not ready to deal with those emotions now. Deep inside she still blamed Jarod for her mother's death. She closed her eyes and prayed for forgiveness to a God she hardly ever addressed. "Sorry Jarod, I don't know the answer to that question, but I'm sure they looked for you."
"Miss Parker do you know if I have any brothers or sisters?"
Again, she was faced with yet another difficult question. How can she tell Jarod that her psychotic brother had killed his brother in cold blood? That they share a brother, created by one of the Centre's twisted experiments, and that they had also cloned him. At that moment, she wished she had Sydney here to deal with Jarod's questions. This was just too hard and it was breaking her heart to see the anguish in Jarod's face as he rediscovered all the horrible things the Centre had done to him in the past 30 years. She looked at him briefly and replied, "My God Jarod this is hard, Yes... you had a brother, but he died about three years ago and I think you have a sister. That's all I can tell you."
Jarod noticed that all these questions where putting a lot of stress on Miss Parker. With an apologetic smile Jarod said, "I'm sorry Miss Parker I didn't mean to upset you with all these questions, but I need to know the truth to get my memory back. I'm really very grateful for all your help.
"It's OK Jarod, that's what friends are for." The instant the words came out of her mouth, she shook her head in disbelief and told herself, "Oh Great, now you have done it Miss Parker!"
Jarod just stared at her with wide-eyed shock and wondered, If she is my friend why is she taking me back to the Centre? The whole situation was very strange and he felt that she was hiding something from him.
Miss Parker immediately tried to distract Jarod away from her last statement. "Jarod why don't you get us some drinks from the back seat, I'm kind of thirsty, but be careful with your ribs this time."
Jarod just smiled at her, proceeded to unbuckle his seatbelt, and carefully reached over to retrieve the drinks from the bag Mr. Broots had placed in the back seat.
Miss Parker reached and turned on the radio, "Jarod, lets take a little break and listen to some music."
"Sure Miss Parker"
After a few minutes of peaceful listening, a song started to play which made Miss Parker regret her idea to listen to the radio. The lyrics assaulted the very fiber of her being, and it felt like a knife to her heart. She tried to block the song, but it was no use. She only hoped that Jarod would not notice how this song touched her. She closed her eyes for and instant and took a deep breath as the song went on.
You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
You're so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
You're broken
When your heart's not open
Mmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmm, you hold the key
Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken
Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
You're frozen
when your heart's not open.
Mmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmm, we'd' never be apart
Mmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmm, You hold the key
If I could melt your heart.
By the time the song ended, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She hated to feel so vulnerable, especially in front of Jarod, but it was too late Jarod had already noticed her distress and like always he was there to ease her pain. Since she was a little girl back at the Centre, Jarod always supported her whenever she was sad or alone, and later on as an adult he always sensed somehow when she was hurting and again he would offer comfort and strength through his phone calls. Miss Parker got a far away look in her eyes as she recalled their conversation in front of the fireplace at Ocee's.
"Why is it that the one person that I've been trained to distrust, to hate, to capture. Is always with me during the most difficult moments in my life?"
"Maybe it supposed to be that way."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker with concern and asked, "What's wrong Miss Parker?"
Miss Parker just shook her head sadly and said, "Life is just not fair Jarod, and sometimes we have to do whatever is necessary to survive."
Frowning he said, "I don't understand."
With deep sadness in her eyes, Miss Parker glanced at him and said, "Jarod, fate has never been kind to us. No matter how hard we tried to remain friends, The Centre always pulled us apart."
"But Miss Parker if you are not happy why you don't try to change your life? Leave The Centre. We are all in charge of our own destiny and you deserve to be happy."
Miss Parker looked at Jarod and gave him a sad smile. "I wish it was that easy Jarod."
To avoid Jarod's questioning look, she shifted he attention to the signs on the road and exclaimed, "Good, we are almost there. It's already 10:30. I hope we did not keep Ben up too late waiting for us."
"Who's Ben?" Jarod asked with curiosity.
"He's a very good friend of my mother."
"Have I met him before?"
"Yes Jarod, you know him also. Maybe seeing him again will help you regain some of your memory."
With a sigh Jarod said, "I hope so"
It was 10:45pm when they finally arrived at Ben's place. Miss Parker quietly walked up the few steps leading to the front door while Jarod waited by the car. As she was about to knock, she noticed a note taped on the front door which read,
Dear Miss Parker,
I had to accompany a friend out of town due to a family emergency. I left the keys for you with the neighbors. Please make yourselves at home. I will return in a few days.
Sincerely yours,
Ben
Miss Parker took the note and walked back to the car where Jarod was waiting. Without explanation she said, "Wait here, I'll be right back"
After a few minutes, she returned with the house keys in hand. "Jarod do you think you can help me with the luggage?"
"Sure Miss Parker" Jarod followed her to the back of the car and as he leaned forward to pick up his duffle bag hid ribs protested, and he let out a groan.
Miss Parker immediately turned toward him and said, "Jarod, I think you might have a couple of fractured ribs. If your side is still bothering you, don't lift anything heavy."
"It's OK Miss Parker. I don't think they're fractured, just bruised. I'll be careful."
"OK, you're the doctor."
"Am I a doctor?"
"No Jarod, but you have pretended to be one in the past"
"Why"
"Look genius, I'm very tired right now and all I want to do right now is take a nice long hot shower and go to bed, so lets save some questions for tomorrow OK?"
Looking at Miss Parker like a scolded little boy Jarod said,
"I was just curious"
"You're always curious Jarod, Always." Then she walked ahead and left him standing on the driveway with his bag.
Jarod just looked at her back and said to himself, "Man, she sure has a temper. I hope she left her gun back at her friend's house."
Once inside the house, Miss Parker showed Jarod where the guest room was and she went to her mother's old room. After putting his duffle bag in his room, Jarod decided to go explore the house. The house was not very big, but it had a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. What Jarod enjoyed the most was all the family pictures. It made the place very inviting.
When Miss Parker walked back into the living room, she was petrified. She found Jarod looking at the pictures and about to eat a pistachio nut. She practically flew across the room and slapped the fruit right out of his hand screaming, "Jarod stop"
Jarod looked at her in terror and once he found his voiced protested, "Why did you do that? I was hungry. It's only a snack."
Miss Parker took a deep breath and explained, "Jarod, you are extremely allergic to Pistachios. Those things can kill you. Did you eat any while I was gone?"
Half-stunned Jarod answered, "No, no I didn't eat any. Maybe you should tell me what I can and cannot eat before I accidentally kill myself."
Ignoring his last remark Miss Parker just walked over to the fireplace and took her mother's picture in her hands. She loved that picture. Her mother looked so happy. She only wished that she could have shared those happy days with her in this house. However, this place was her refuge away from all the pain and lies that was the Centre.
Jarod walked up behind her and looking over her shoulder asked with curiosity, "Is that you in that picture?"
"No Jarod, that's my mother, and before you say it, I look just like her."
"She is very beautiful." Jarod replied with a smile.
Miss Parker just rolled her eyes an left the room while talking over her shoulder, "I'll be in the shower. If you're hungry look for something to eat in the kitchen and please stay out of trouble."
After he filled himself with some apple pie and milk he had found in the refrigerator, Jarod decided to just lay down on the couch to rest for a while. His head was still hurting and he was very tired from the long drive. Maybe after Miss Parker was done with her shower she would be in a better mood to talk to him. Before long, he was sound asleep.
The sound of a barking dog woke him up. He looked at his watch and it was 11:30pm. The living room was in total darkness and the whole house was silent. Jarod said to himself, "Miss Parker must have gone to bed after her shower." Half asleep, he lowered his legs from the couch and very quietly made his way down the dark hallway to use the bathroom before going to bed. As he open the door, the blinding light from the bathroom and the screams of the woman drying herself froze him in place with sudden panic. He turned around in a flash to get out and shut the door, but slipped on the wet floor and fell to the ground with a crash. He practically flew up instantly and ran out, while he heard something crashing with the door at the level where his head would be, and Miss Parker screaming at the top of her lungs, "YOU BASTARD, GET OUT." Jarod ran to his room like a bat out of hell. A terrifying thought went through his mind, "Now she really is going to shoot me." He closed the door behind him and decided to just stay out of her way until the morning, and maybe he would live to see another sunrise.
It was 10:00am when Miss Parker finally awoke. She grabbed one of her mother's robes from the closet and wrapped it around herself. It felt so good to wear something that belonged to her mother. It brought her memories of the special times they used to spend together just taking. She missed her so much. As she stepped into the hallway, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee brought her out of her reverie. She made her way to the kitchen and was greeted with a sight that almost made her laugh aloud. The kitchen was in total disorder. Jarod's hair was tousled and he looked as if he had not slept at all. For an instant, he reminded her of Angelo. He was barefooted wearing his jeans and a white t-shirt and he had more pancake batter on himself than on the grill. When he sensed her presence, he turned and his eyes held hers for a moment. With a timid voice he greeted her, "Good Morning Miss Parker. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did Jarod, Thank you"
"Miss Parker there is some fresh coffee in the carafe and the pancakes will be ready in about a minute." Jarod said without looking at her.
Miss Parker could hardly contain her laughter. She could sense Jarod's nervousness, and smiled at the possible scenarios that were probably going through his mind. She knew him so well. "He probably thinks that I'm going to put a bullet in him for that little incident last night or worse drag him back to the Centre." She thought she could have some fun with this, but he looked very tired and she didn't want him to have a relapse.
Jarod quickly finished the pancakes and placed them on the table with syrup and butter. He then refilled Miss Parker mug with more coffee and exit the kitchen in a flash. Miss Parker turned around to grab his arm, but he was gone. She called after him, but there was no answer. She decided to give him some time to calm down his nerves before talking to him.
When she finished her breakfast, she cleaned the mess Jarod had left behind and went looking for him. He was not in his room or the bathroom. All she found was some clothes on the floor, some wet towels and some old bandages on the trash. He was nowhere in the house and now she was starting to worry. The first thought that rushed to her mind was, "Could he have gotten his memory back and run away again? No, this is not happening."
With her emotions climbing, she ran to the front door and stopped with a big smile when she found him sound asleep on the front porch swing. She approached him silently and sat on a wick chair next to him. She stared at him as he slept peacefully and started thinking about her feelings. Was that anger or fear what she had felt at the idea of losing him again? They had been through so much together, and he never gave up on her no matter how many times she pushed him away. She started to remember about all the gifts he had send her over the years, like the bunny she got that first Christmas after his escape, her mother's ring, the painting of her as a little girl and the stained glass portrait of herself. All these gifts were very dear to her and they had such deep significance in her life. He knew her so well it frightened her, but maybe he was right. It supposed to be that way.
Miss Parker unintentionally moved on her chair and made it creak. At the sound, Jarod's eyes opened and he was shocked at Miss Parker's proximity. His instinct for self-preservation kicked in and he jumped from the swing ready to run, but the condition of his ribs quickly reminded him he was going nowhere fast. He gasped in pain and felt to the porch with a crash.
Miss Parker was at his side in an instant scolding him. "YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL YOURSELF?"
"Well, if you don't do it first Miss Parker" Jarod answered as he flinched.
That remark earned him a squeeze on the ribs "Does this hurt?" smiling sarcastically, she asked.
"OUCH, hey what are you trying to do break some more ribs?" Jarod gasped at her assault.
"I thought you had no broken ribs?"
"Oh you are so funny." Jarod growled irritably.
"Come on big baby, let me help you up." Miss Parker wedged herself under one of Jarod's arm and helped him to his feet. As he got to his feet, she noticed that Jarod had become quite pale and was blinking his eyes as if trying to focus. She quickly guided him back to the swing and made him sit before he would fall again. She was now concerned and she remembered what Broots had told her about Jarod's dizziness and possible concussion. "Jarod are you all right? You look terrible. What's wrong?"
Jarod just closed his eyes for a few minutes allowing the dizziness to subside and then replied, "I just keep getting these dizzy spells, but I'm fine now."
"Jarod how many times have you experience this dizziness?"
"I don't remember exactly, maybe 4 or 5 times"
"I don't like this Jarod. You might have a concussion. Come on you better lay down for a while. You need to rest and I'll think about what we should do." She helped Jarod back to his room, made him lay down and took off his shoes. "Now rest for a while and call me before you get up, Understood?" With that order, she turned around and left the room, leaving the door ajar.
Jarod was surprised at the change in Miss Parker's behavior. She was concerned for him, but why? A few minutes ago she was mean to him and now she sounded worried. He was totally baffled, but it was nice to have someone care for him especially now that he had no idea who he was or where he was going. After a few minutes, his eyelids became heavy and before he knew it sleep overpowered him.
It was almost 5:00pm and Jarod had been sleeping since noon. She was really concerned about his dizziness and had been checking on him regularly. She wished she could call Sydney, but knew that the Centre would be listening in on his calls. She simply could not take that chance. She went to his room again and noticed that he was starting to stir. She moved toward the bed slowly to avoid alarming him, but before she reached the edge of the bed, she heard his deep voice. "Hello Miss Parker"
"Hello Jarod, how are you feeling?"
"My head hurts a little, but I'm not dizzy at the moment."
" Jarod, Are you hungry? You have not eaten anything since breakfast."
"No, I'm not very hungry, just thirsty."
"I'll bring you some juice" With that said, Miss Parker left the room before Jarod had the chance to answer.
Jarod slowly sat in bed and was relieved that the dizziness had left him. At that moment Miss Parker enter the room with a glass of juice in hand, "What are you doing? Why are you getting up?"
"Miss Parker I'm fine and I can't stay in bed all day"
"OK, but take it slow. I know you have a hard head, but this time I think you really put a dent on it."
Jarod just smiled at her and drank his juice. After he was done he looked at Miss Parker and said, "So what should we do for dinner, cook something or order out?"
"Oh No I'm not cleaning up anymore wreckage after you're done cooking. I'll order out. What would you like Jarod, Chinese or Pizza?"
"Whatever you like is fine with me Miss Parker."
"I wish you were this agreeable all the time Jarod."
"Why do you say that? Am I not this pleasant all the time?" He asked her with amusement.
"No Jarod, most of the time you are a royal pain in the ass." Miss Parker answered back with scorn and walked out of the room to place their dinner order.
Jarod was shocked at her last remark. He stood and quickly follow her out of the room. "What do you mean by that Miss Parker?"
When he approached her, she just held her hand up to silence him while she was placing the order. Jarod just stood in front of her very serious with arms crossed, waiting for an explanation. Miss Parker could hardly contain her laughter at the look on his face. Golden boy was offended by her last remark.
When she finally hanged up the phone, Jarod immediately started with the questions. "Why did you mean by that Miss Parker? What did I do to you?"
"WELL LET ME SEE, I've been chasing you across the country for the past six years and I have put up with all your little games, pranks, and revelations about my dysfunctional family, and about the TRUTH behind my mother's death. Furthermore, while you were free out there, I was stuck at the Centre with this stupid assignment to catch you and bring you back in one piece."
Jarod was now more irritated for her accusations and his voice was starting to rise, "So, because I didn't want to go back to that place you think I'm a pain in the ass? For all I know you might have been part in all those lies they have fed me over the years. And what the hell did I have to do with your dear mother?"
At the tone of his voice and mention of her mother's name, Miss Parker could not contain her anger and slapped Jarod across the face, hissing at him with fire in her words. "YOU BASTARD, YOU ARE THE REASON WHY MY MOTHER IS DEAD!"
Jarod felt like he was hit on the head with a hammer. Between the excruciating pain in his head and the revelation from Miss Parker, he was stunned. He looked at Miss Parker with horror in his eyes and gasped. His mind was in turmoil. This couldn't be true. He was responsible for her mother's death. He kept hearing her accusing words louder and louder and the room started to spin. Slowly, in a daze he sat on the couch and placed his face in his hands.
Miss Parker was speechless, but the tears in her eyes screamed her regret. The moment she struck Jarod, she felt such terrible guilt, but it was too late. The damage was done. Miss Parker kneeled in front of Jarod, placed her hands on his thigh and pleaded, "Jarod look at me please. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I...I didn't mean that."
Jarod cringed from her touch and with trembling lips whispered, "That's why you want to take me back. That's why you hate me." Avoiding Miss Parker pleading eyes he pushed himself off the couch and staggered away from her. He walked a couple of steps down the hallway when his knees buckled and he went down. Miss Parker rushed to help him up, but Jarod pulled away from her and wailed, "Leave me alone." Miss Parker just froze and watched as Jarod struggled to his feet and slowly made it back to his room closing the door behind him.
Miss Parker just shook her head sadly and said to herself, "My God, what have I done? Why do I always have to hurt him? Why?" Feeling drained of all her strength she slid to the floor, hugged her knees and wept.
It was 6:45pm when the front door bell rang. Miss Parker was startled awake by the sound and then remembered the pizza order. She made her way to the kitchen and placed the warm pizza on the table. It smelled so good, but she had lost her appetite and Jarod probably felt the same way. She knew he would not accept any food now, but she could use the offer as an excuse to check on him. She was very concerned about his state of mind especially after that horrible fight. She felt so bad it was tearing her inside.
She slowly pushed the door open just enough to scan the room. The bed was empty and there was no sign of Jarod in the room. She immediately became alarmed and entered the room. As she walked in, she detected some movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and found Jarod curled into a tight ball on the floor behind the door. He apparently had dropped to the ground when he entered his room and just stayed there. She could tell that he had been crying by the tear tracks on his face. This just broke her heart. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and just hold him, but she knew he would not accept her right now. Could he ever forgive her? She prayed that in time he would. She would not be able to live with his rejection or hate.
She grabbed the blanket from the bed and placed it over him carefully. He stirred for a moment but did not wake. Not wanting to leave him alone, she climbed on his bed and lay there guarding him as he slept. She felt so empty and cold. Regret was eating her alive. Why after all the times he had been there for her, she always manage to push him away and hurt him? She really did not deserve him as a friend, and she knew that if she lost him this time, she would be alone for the rest of her days. She vowed that she would never hurt him again this way.
The terrifying screams almost made Miss Parker fall off the bed. In a flash, she reached for the light on the night table, jumped off the bed and searched for Jarod with her eyes. She found him sitting on the floor hugging his knees and rocking back and forth. His eyes held a look of horror and there where tears running down his face. Miss Parker didn't want to scare him into further shock. She approached him very slowly and called his name very softly, "Jarod, is me Parker, please tell me what's wrong?"
Jarod didn't respond. He just stared straight ahead and continued his monotonous rocking. At this point Miss Parker was starting to panic, "Jarod, please say something. You're really scaring me. What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Still there was no answer from Jarod. She had to do something to reach him and bring him out of this state of shock. Slowly Miss Parker approached him and sat next to him. Very slowly, she placed her arm around his shoulder and pulled him toward her. Jarod did not resist, he curled his body on his side and lowered his head to her lap wrapping his arms around her waist. Not saying a word, she held him tightly as she gently ran her fingers through his hair.
A sob tore from his throat as he asked her," Why do they want to hurt me?"
Miss Parker gasped as she realized his nightmares where bringing back pieces of his memory and she simply replied, "I don't know Jarod. Do you want to tell me about your dream?"
With a trembling voice, Jarod began to tell her about his puzzling and terrifying nightmare, "There was this woman with read hair, and she kept calling my name, but then she was gone. Then I was in this dark and cold place and all I could feel was pain and loneliness. I was so scared, and all I wanted was to go home. Then they were doing horrible things to me, and I could not leave. I screamed but nobody cared. There were these evil men who kept hurting me, but I could not see their faces. There was also a man who was like a teacher. I liked him, but he was cold to me. Then, I kept seeing so many faces with dead eyes. They were accusing me for killing them. Miss Parker did I kill all those people? Please tell me?"
"Jarod No, you did not kill anyone. Please calm down. It was just a nightmare."
Still trembling with fear, he demanded answers, "But, Miss Parker it looked so real. "Who was that woman in my dreams? Why did they do those things to me? Am I some kind of prisoner? Why did they try to kill me? Who were those children? Am I going crazy?"
"No Jarod, You're not crazy. It was only a nightmare. Please close your eyes and try to sleep."
Miss Parker simply refused to answer any of his questions. She pretended not to know the significance of his dream. She was afraid that Jarod's fragile state of mind could not handle that information right now. This was something that Sydney would have to deal with later if needed.
Finally, after telling Miss Parker all the horrible details of his nightmare, Jarod succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a peaceful slumber.
She also had lost track of time and had fallen asleep on the floor while holding Jarod. When she opened her eyes, the first light of day was creeping through the curtains. She looked down at Jarod and he appeared to be sound asleep. Very carefully she try to move from under him, but he wrapped his arms tighter around her middle and pleaded, "Please don't go"
The sound of his voice brought a smile to her face. "Is OK Jarod I'll stay as long as you want? Go back to sleep."
Closing her eyes again, Miss Parker leaned back and covered herself and Jarod with the blanket. Jarod's nightmare ordeal had left her emotionally drained. As sleep overtook her once more, she prayed that Jarod would soon regain his memory. His life depended on it.
Miss Parker awoke startle by the absence of Jarod's warmth. She looked at the clock on the nightstand and it read 9:30am. Swiftly she pushed the blanket away, jumped to her feet and headed out of the door in search of Jarod. On the way to the kitchen, she noticed his leather jacket missing. She called out his name running through the house, but there was no answer. She felt as if her heart was going to stop. Jarod was gone.
As she ran outside to check on the car, she saw a tall figure standing by the lake in the distance. She took a deep breath and thanked God that he had not run away. She wanted to run to him to see how he was feeling, but after careful thinking she decided to give him some time alone. Miss Parker went back to the house to prepare some breakfast. She was starving and she was certain that Jarod would be as well.
It was almost 11:00am and Jarod had not returned from his walk. She was practically jumping out of her skin. "Something was wrong?" She could not wait any longer. She ran out of the house to find Jarod.
When Miss Parker reached the lake, she found Jarod sitting on a log. He was just staring at the water like in a trance. In his hand he held some kind of letter. As she came closer, she noticed the distressed look on his face. He looked exhausted and there was so much sorrow in his eyes, it almost made her lose control of her emotions.
She slowly sat next to him and asked softly, "Jarod what's wrong?"
With deep sadness in his voice Jarod reply, "It's a letter from my mother. I found it in my pocket. I had forgotten all about it"
Miss Parker was dumbfounded; she didn't know what to say. She looked at him closely and murmured softly, "Jarod is that you?"
He finally met her eyes, and smiled sadly, "Yes Miss Parker I remember everything when I started to read this letter from my mom."
In an uncontrollable rush of emotions, Miss Parker wrapped her arms around Jarod and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back Jarod"
Jarod just sat stunned. He had never seen Miss Parker display such emotions toward him. "Miss Parker are you all right?"
"Yes Jarod I'm fine, but tell me how did you get that letter from your mom? Did you find her?"
At the mention of his mother's name, Jarod's eyes filled with tears again. "No, she left it for me at Ocee's place" He pauses for a minute. When he tried to tell her the content his voice broke, "She says that...." He could not continue. He stood, gave her the letter and walked to the edge of the water.
Seeing Jarod hurting like this was tearing her up inside. She blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes and proceeded to read the letter.
Dear Jarod,
My first wish is that you are well and happy when this letter finds your. My dear son I hope that one day soon I will have you in my arms again. I have missed you so much. I have never stopped looking for you, and I will continue as long as my strength permits. Our family is strong and no matter what happens I know we will find a way to be together again. Jarod, I lost contact with your father many years ago after we failed to rescue you with Catherine Parker's help. She was a wonderful friend and she wanted to put an end to that horrible place. I hope that her daughter completes her plan and brings an end to the Legacy that have brought so much pain to her family and ours. I pray every day that you're safe and away from that evil place. Please be careful my son. Jarod I have been in contact with your sister Emily and she misses you dearly. Emily told me all about Ethan and the boy. I still cannot believe how The Centre played God to create these two individuals, but no matter how they came to be, they are still part of our family and I hope to meet them someday. Jarod, your sister has found a wonderful man and she is very happy. I wish I could tell you her current location, but I can't for her own safety. I hope you understand. Jarod, I'm getting old and my health has been fragile in the past few months. I don't know how long I'll have the strength and wits to continue running and searching. Sometimes, I'm so tired. Jarod, I hope that you continue to search for us long after I'm not able to do so. I still have dreams about our meeting in Boston. We came so close, but again we had to run for our lives. My heart ached for having you so close and not being able to hug you and kiss you. I'm sorry that we weren't able to protect you like every parent should. Jarod please never stop searching for us. I need to see you before I die, even if it's only for a moment. I pray that one day very soon I will have you in my arms again. I Love you my son.
Margaret Russell
After reading the letter, Miss Parker approach Jarod and placed her hand on his shoulder to make him turn around. He turned around and his eyes met hers for a moment. He looked shattered. The mischievous sparkle was gone from his eyes. He was in pain. As his friend she had to do something to help him. She reached and touched his stubble cheek with her fingertips and said firmly, "Jarod, I know you are going to find her. You have to believe that"
He gazed at her with tears in his eyes and shook his head sadly, "But what if I'm too late? Parker she says she's..... not well. I may never get to see her."
She grabbed him by the arms and said in a demanding tone, "No Jarod, you're going to find her even if I have to help you. Besides I think I would like to talk to her myself."
This remark shocked Jarod, "Why do you want to talk to her now?"
"Well, in the letter she mentioned that she knew my mother and she talks about my mother's plan. You know I've been looking for that information for quite a while."
"Yes, but she might not know anything about your mother's plan. You know your mother kept that information hidden from everyone. Not even Sydney knew and he was one of her closest friends."
"Well, your mother is the only one who can tell us what she knows. Oh and by the way, where is my mother's journal?"
Jarod gave her one of his mischievous smiles, "It's in a safe place and I'll have it hand delivered by a friend when you return home."
Now Miss Parker took a more serious tone, "Jarod can you please tell me what the journal said? Does it say anything about her plan?"
"I'm sorry Miss Parker, but I didn't read it"
Miss Parker was astounded and angry, "What do you mean you did not read it? Why not?"
"Miss Parker, your mother dedicated the journal to you. I felt I should respect her wishes."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes in disbelieve, "You know what Jarod, sometimes you're too much." With that, she turned around and started walking back to the house.
Jarod ran and blocked her way, "What did I do now?"
"Nothing Jarod, that the problem."
Frowning he said, "Miss Parker I don't understand"
"Jarod just forget it. I will have to wait until you send me the journal. Look I have to go prepare for my trip back to Delaware. I have a long drive back."
Filled with apprehension he asked, "What about me?"
Very serene, Miss Parker looked at him and said, "Jarod you will stay here with Ben until you recover completely and then you will go and find your mother."
Jarod looked so confused, he was almost speechless, "Miss Parker what made you change your mind about taking me back?"
She closed her eyes and sighed, "Jarod I'm tired of this game, maybe I have decided to take that turning point in my life."
Jarod smiled back at her. He could not believe this was happening. "Thank you Miss Parker"
"For what Jarod?"
"For saving my life again."
Miss Parker smiled back and said, "I better go. Ben will probably return this evening. Please give him my apologies for not waiting for him."
When she turned to leave, Jarod made her stop with his question, "Parker, What about us?"
Without looking at him she replied, "Jarod I don't understand. After I've been so cruel to you all these years and I kept pushing you away. Why do you keep coming back? Why do you even care about me?"
"Parker, when I was at the Centre, you were the only light in my dark world, and before I knew it I had fallen in love with you. Parker I have loved you since I was 11 years old and always will no matter what happens. I guess I'm stubborn. I won't give up on you, on us."
Miss Parker still could not turn around to look at him and she could no longer stop the tears from falling.
"Parker please stop running away from me. Stop hiding behind that mask. I have always sensed that you have some feelings for me; well I hope that you do. We both have been through so much together, and as I told you once, you have been a Centre prisoner all these years just like me. We both deserve a little happiness." He paused for a moment and sighed, "Parker, I missed you, and I'm tired of being alone."
Finally, she turned and looked at Jarod with tears running down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she spoke, "Jarod, I do care about you..... More than you'll ever know. I always have."
Jarod closed the distance between them and when he was a few inches away from her he reached and gently lifted her chin with his fingertips so that she would look into his eyes.
He could see in her eyes all the pain she had kept hidden all these years. The fear of losing another loved one had kept her from seeking her own happiness. He understood her pain so well. "Parker I'm afraid too, but together we can conquer anything. I promise I'll always be there for you."
She caress his face tenderly, and with a sad smile said, "Jarod you've always been there for me"
His face moved towards hers slowly and finally their lips touched in a feather light kiss. It was sweet and delicate, and they both felt as if they had been transfer to that moment in time thirty years ago when they had kiss for the first time.
When their lips parted, she wrapped her arms around his waist and they held each other in silence for a long time. Words were not necessary. Finally, the walls crumbled. She no longer felt cold and alone, and he had found his friend again. Like the Phoenix, their friendship had been renewed from the ashes of that dark and painful past.
She hated to leave the warmth of his arms. She felt so safe with him. She vowed to herself, "Now things were going to be different. She would complete her mother's plan and end the evil that was The Centre. Together they were going to write a new ending to this story, and they would find the happiness they both deserved."
Parker leaned her forehead against his chest and whisper sadly, "Jarod I don't want to leave you now, but if I don't get back to the Centre today they will get more suspicious."
"Jarod brushed a tender kiss across the top of her head and asked with concern in his voice, "How are you going to explain your absence for these four days?"
Miss Parker just smiled, "Don't worry I'll think of something, plus I'm sure good old Sydney has covered for me while I was gone."
Miss Parker wrapped her arms around Jarod's waist and they walked back to the house making plans for the future. There were going to be many changes made and the Centre would soon see its end.
It had been a week since she last saw Jarod at Ben's place and her life had changed completely. Now she lived for his phone calls and longed to be with him again, but she was also in constant fear that Lyle would find a way to trap the wayward pretender. She kept playing their little game. Following the breadcrumbs and always arriving too late. Sydney and Broots had no idea of her new partner in the game, but Angelo knew. She could never hide her feelings from him, and he shared her happiness. Angelo was their true brother at heart and he would always protect her and Jarod. He was their guardian Angel.
She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was only 9:00pm, but she was tired and was ready to go to bed. She was still recovering from the present Jarod had brought them from Europe. She yawned and started to get up from the couch when her cell phone started to ring. She quickly reached for it and answered with anticipation, "Jarod?"
"Hello Parker. How are you feeling?" She could almost see that mischievous smile on the other side of the line.
"Oh I think I'll survive, but I don't know about Broots. He almost drove me to the point of shooting him today with all his moaning and complaining, but Sydney intervened and sent him home."
"Well, I hope the chicken soup I left for him at home will help him feel better. I feel really bad for giving you both my flu after you came to help me."
"Hey, you didn't bring me any chicken soup and I also risked my neck to save your sorry ass." She tried to sound hurt, but could not hide the smile in her voice.
"No, but I kept my promise about your mother's journal."
"Oh yeah, I'll never forget that one, especially the messenger. My God Jarod, where do you find this people?"
"Hey, Argyle is one of my best friends. I know he is a little peculiar but he is a true friend and one of the few people I could trust."
"Jarod, have you had any luck locating your mom?"
"No, nothing yet" He sounded so disappointed.
"Don't worry Jarod. I know you will find her soon. Don't give up"
"I won't I promise. Parker have you told Sydney or Broots about our alliance?"
"No, not yet, but maybe I should. I have a feeling big changes are coming soon and they will need to know to get out in time."
"Yes Parker talk to them as soon as you can and tell them to be ready to leave. In the meantime, I'll keep Lyle busy. I just send him on another wild goose chase across Arizona. I hope he packed his sun tan lotion."
"You know what Jarod? My mother was right about us. In her journal, she says that together we were going to change the future of the Centre. I think we are very close to finding her plan and your mom."
" I hope so Parker, because I'm really getting tired of this game and now that I have you back is harder."
"Jarod will I see you soon?" She asked with anticipation.
"Yes Parker I'll try to stop by in a few days and I promise to make you some chicken soup OK."
"Well, I can think of other things that would make me feel better and chicken soup is not one of them."
Now it was Jarod's turn to laugh on the other side of the line. "Well, I'll do my best to help in your recovery Miss Parker."
"OK Jarod, I'll be waiting. Please be careful."
"I will. Don't worry. I Love you."
"I Love you Jarod."
The End
By Gemini-M
Chapter 4
"Turning Point"
Disclaimer: The Pretender and all its characters are not mine. They belong to NBC, TNT, and its Producers. I am just borrowing them to write this story for fun. No infringement intended. The song, Frozen, was written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard and is from her l998 album, "Ray of Light."
Author's note: Thanks again to all the readers for their wonderful reviews. Writing this story was a lot of fun and I hope you all like the conclusion. A million Thanks to my beta readers Jaccione and Kylie. You girls are great.
A cold chill ran through their bodies as if they had fallen into an icy lake. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweating and her dry throat had rendered her speechless. Panic was painted in Miss Parker's face like a canvas. They quickly moved toward the opening that was once a kitchen door, and prayed that no hostile party would be on the other side to greet them. As Miss Parker was pulling Jarod through the opening, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She froze. She could feel the blood rush from her face. She closed her eyes and slowly turned around. The sight before her almost made her cry with joy. There in front of her stood that kind little man with wild hair and the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. "My God Angelo, where have you been? Am I glad to see you!"
Angelo just gave her his famous boyish grin and grabbed her hand, "We go now"
Once they were all out of the house, they rushed to Jarod's car. Luckily, Miss Parker had parked Jarod's Mustang behind an industrial size garbage bin that was at the side of the house, and it helped conceal the car from the street. Broots quickly climbed into the back seat. He was pale as a ghost and his legs felt like jelly. Jarod was leaning heavily against the car waiting for Broots to lower the front passenger seat. He was exhausted and his head was still spinning from their rushed exit down the stairs. Angelo turned toward Jarod and gave him an unexpected hug, which made Jarod wince in pain when the little man made contact with his bruised ribs. At Jarod's reaction, Angelo pulled back and looked at Jarod with concern. "Jarod hurt?"
Totally perplexed Jarod looked at the strange little man. The man before him looked distressed but not threatening. He had an air of sadness and concern in his eyes, but he made him feel safe, unlike the feelings he was getting from this woman.
From the other side of the car Miss Parker whispered, "Lets go Angelo, get in the car."
Angelo looked at Jarod attentively and smiled again, "Friend not sad anymore. Friend... lost?" Angelo moved away from Jarod, laughing hysterically and ran back into the house.
"Angelo No!" Miss Parker tried to stop him, but it was too late. The little man disappeared through the same opening they had just exit the house.
Inside the house, they could hear the commotion of a chase. There were shouts and sounds of broken glass. Jarod stood frozen by the car wondering about the events taking place all around him, and who was that little man? There was something familiar about him and he had an uneasy feeling about the fate of this peculiar little man.
Miss Parker dashed around the car, pushed Jarod in, and closed his door. The sudden jerking motion rewarded Jarod with a sharp pain to his ribs. He cried out in pain and sat back on the seat, with eyes closed, holding his side until the pain would subside.
At the realization of her actions, Miss Parker looked at Jarod with an apologetic smile and said, "Sorry, I forgot about the ribs." However, she did not get any response from the pale man sitting next to her. Broots was in the back seat, shaking like a leaf and acting as a lookout for any unwelcome escort.
Thankful to whatever celestial forces was protecting them, the little group managed to leave the Dover area without detection. Miss Parker made plans to drop-off Broots at his brother's home in Philadelphia, until it was safe for him to return to Dover for his car, and Miss Parker and Jarod would continue to travel north toward Maine.
Just before they reached Philadelphia, Miss Parker stopped the car all of a the sudden and threw her cell phone out the window and smiled, "Now let them try to track me down"
Jarod just gave her a puzzled look and Broots with a big smile said, "Good move Miss Parker"
At their stop in Philadelphia, Miss Parker called Ben to advice him of their arrival sometime that evening. Broots insisted that Miss Parker and Jarod take a few hours break to eat and rest before continuing their journey. They were both extremely tired and hungry. Miss Parker had hardly slept the night before and Jarod was still weak from his recent illness and unfortunate accident on the stairs.
Miss Parker agreed to Broots' suggestion with the condition that he would not leave Jarod out of his sight. She was not about to lose the wayward pretender again, especially now that he had her mother's journal.
While Miss Parker slept in one of the guest rooms, Jarod just wondered around the living room looking at the pictures on the wall. He was feeling a little stronger after eating a wonderful home cooked meal, but the headaches and dizziness was still bothering him. The balding man and his family were very nice and had made them both feel very welcome. The man called Broots was especially nice to him, but at the same time acted very nervous around him as if he was afraid of him. Whenever Jarod stood from his seat, Broots would jump and ask, "Where are you going?"
Jarod was starting to feel very uncomfortable. He sighed and decided to get some answers from this extremely paranoid person.
Jarod looked at Broots very serious and inquired, "Why are you afraid of me? Am I some kind of prisoner or mental patient?"
Broots just laughed, "No, no I...I am not afraid of you, and as for the prisoner or mental patient is....a....a little complicated, but no your not either, well....sort of maybe."
"You're not making any sense here Mr. Broots, and I really need some answers now."
"I am sorry Jarod. The problem is that if you run away again, Miss Parker will skin me alive. I promised her that you would not leave without her. Please tell me you are not planning to leave."
"What do you mean run away again?"
"Look I shouldn't tell you anymore. I'm sure Miss Parker will explain everything to you sooner or later."
"Look I just need to know if I have done something wrong? Why Am I running? Did I kill someone? Am I under Miss Parker's custody? Is she an officer of the law or some kind of bounty hunter? She sure acts like one." The whole situation was very frustrating for Jarod. He was silent for a few minutes then with a sigh said, "She is really.... stunning but at the same time very intimidating."
" Boy you have no idea. But no, don't worry you're not a criminal, you're a.... Pretender."
"A What?" Jarod looked very confused.
"A Pretender. Look you're a genius and there're these people who want you back really bad."
"Does she work for these people?" Jarod's voice was almost a whisper.
"Yes and so do I." Broots felt so embarrassed to admit this to Jarod.
"Is she taking me back to these people?" Jarod did not understand the reasons, but a sensation of fear came over him.
Broots just looked down at his shoes. He could not face Jarod. "I really don't know Jarod"
Jarod just swallowed hard and sat down as a wave of dizziness over took him again. Broots immediately noticed the color change in Jarod's face and rushed to his side. "Are you all right Jarod? You're colorless."
"Yes, I'm fine Mr. Broots, just a little dizzy. Don't worry"
"Jarod, maybe you should lie down for a while and rest. You were very sick yesterday and then you had that real bad fall. Man, I thought you almost bought it there."
Jarod just nodded his head in agreement and lay down on the couch. He knew that Mr. Broots would not give him any more information and he would have to wait for this Miss Parker. That idea scared him. He felt as if his life was in her hands, but his inner sense told him that he would have to trust her for now. He just closed his eyes and prayed that his memory would return soon. He had the uneasy feeling that his life depended on it.
It was 3:30pm when finally Miss Parker emerged from the guess room all refreshed and rested. Jarod had fallen asleep on the couch and Broots was preparing some sandwiches for them to take on their trip. Miss Parker walked into the kitchen and asked Broots about Jarod.
"Has he remembered anything?"
"No Miss Parker, but he sure had a lot of questions about you and himself. He also almost passed out on me again. I think the amnesia is not the only problem. He might have a concussion from that bump on his head. You better keep a close eye on him."
"Don't worry Broots I'll take good care of Boy Wonder, at least until he gets his memory back and tells me where he hid my mother's journal."
"But Miss Parker are you planning to take him back to the Centre? What about what you promised Sydney? You know what they will do to him if they get him back. Miss Parker I don't think Jarod deserves that. I mean he drives you crazy by playing tricks on you, but I think he really cares about what happens to you, to Sydney and even me. He's not a bad person Miss Parker. All he wants is to live a normal life and find his family."
Miss Parker knew that Broots meant well and he was genuinely concerned about Jarod's wellbeing. On the other hand she was shocked at the Broots' boldness and his words had left her speechless and in the brink of tears, but she quickly composed herself and reply in her typical Ice Queen demeanor.
"Great now you're going to tell me what I should do. Look Broots I don't have a choice in the matter. It is my job to bring him back, and you know darn well that my life is on the line here." Miss Parker shouted at Broots with animosity and walked out of the kitchen to wake up the sleeping pretender.
By the time she reached the living room, Jarod was already up and waiting. He had apparently heard the whole discussion between her and Broots. The look of resignation on Jarod's face almost made her heart break, but she could not let those emotions interfere with her duties. She skillfully buried her emotions again and approached Jarod.
"We better get moving we still have about 6 hours drive ahead of us. Are you ready?"
Jarod just looked at her and nodded his head.
Avoiding Miss Parker and Jarod's eyes, Broots rushed to the car and placed the bag with food and drinks on the back seat. As Jarod was about to get in the car, Broots grabbed his arm and said, "Jarod take care of yourself OK, and don't be a stranger."
With sadness in his voice Jarod said, "Thanks Mr. Broots, I hope we'll meet again some day under better circumstances." With that, he turned around and got in the car.
From the other side of the car Miss Parker waved at Broots and thanked him for their hospitality. Without another word, she got behind the wheel and drove away.
The drive out of Philadelphia was very slow due to the heavy traffic and Miss Parker's nerves were not helping in the process. Her discussion with Broots kept playing over and over in her mind as she battled with her emotions. She didn't want to hurt Jarod any more but she had no choice. To make things more difficult, the voices inside her were telling her to follow her heart. Jarod was the key and he would bring her the freedom and truth she had been searching for all these years. She glanced at Jarod, looking for an answer, but he was doing his best at avoiding her. She immediately sensed his anxiety and this made her feel worse. She shook her head and directed her full attention to the road in front of her.
Jarod sat quietly with his eyes closed and leaning his head on the cool glass. He didn't want to upset Miss Parker after what he had heard back in the house. He felt close to her in some odd way, but at the same time he felt an uncertain doom. The fact that he could not remember anything was driving him crazy. He needed to know something about his past and where they were headed. He was desperate, so he decided to take a chance. He took a deep breath and straightened up on his seat forgetting again about the condition of his sore ribs. He cried out in pain as the movement rewarded him with a knifelike pain.
Instantly Miss Parker turned her attention to Jarod and asked with concern, "Are you all right? You're very pale. I hope you're not passing out on me again."
Jarod just nodded while he held his side and took a few slow breaths to easy the pain. When he was able to speak, he looked at Miss Parker and said, "I'm fine. I just keep forgetting about my darn ribs."
Miss Parker looked at him and smiled, "Lets take a break and get some ice cream." With that said, she quickly took the next exit off the freeway and started looking for an ice cream shop.
Jarod was surprised at her mood change, but he was not going to question it. She looked less threatening when she was in a good mood and besides he had a feeling that he liked ice cream.
Finally, they found an ice cream shop. Miss Parker ordered a double scoop of Rocky Road and Jarod ordered Vanilla. The change in the atmosphere made them both more at ease plus it felt good to leave the car and stretch their legs. They had been driving for over two hours and they had just reach Connecticut. The sun was starting to set and the horizon was like a kaleidoscope of brilliant shades of red and pink. It almost looked as if the sky was on fire. They both just sat in silence eating their ice cream and admiring the breathtaking scenery.
Miss Parker looked at Jarod when he was distracted enjoying his ice cream and noticed that he appeared happy and less nervous than before. This image brought a smile to her face. Memories of their childhood flashed through her mind. As a young girl, she always loved to shock him just to see him blush. He was so innocent and kind. Even after all the years of isolation and abuse, they had not succeeded in changing this unique man. He was still a child at heart and he knew how to appreciate the little things in life. At that moment she understood his childish behavior. Playing those pranks on her were like a way to relive a childhood that had bonded them forever.
All of the sudden Miss Parker looked at Jarod and asked, "Does Rocky Road ice cream remind you of something?"
Jarod thought for a moment and then replied, "No, I'm sorry, why?"
Miss Parker smiled back at him and told him about their first trip to New York at the beginning of his pursuit, and how he had left them the ice cream as a welcoming gift.
Jarod listen to her story attentively, but he could not remember anything. This frustrated him a great deal and he started to ask questions, "Why were you searching for me? Who is this Sydney? What was I doing in New York? Do I have family there?"
Miss Parker looked at him with sympathy and said, "Jarod slow down. If I give you too much information at once you're going to get more confused. Slowly, you will start to remember. Don't worry. Trust me."
Miss Parker knew that giving him too much information at once would confuse him, and would only upset him more. He needed to process each event slowly and eventually all these memories would place themselves in the proper order like a giant puzzle in his mind.
Jarod looked so disappointed, he wanted to remember something but all these details only made his headache worse.
All of the sudden Miss Parker looked at her watch and said, "Oh my God Jarod is 6:30 already. We better get back on the road if we want to reach Maine before 11:00 tonight. We still have about 4 hours drive ahead of us."
Once they were back on the road, they sat in silence for a long time. Miss Parker was in turmoil. She knew that to help Jarod regain his memory she would have to give him information about his past, his family and how he came to the Centre. But how would she explain to him that his best childhood friend had been hunting him for the last 6 years and now had to take him back to the Hell that had kept him locked away for 30 years. She almost wished that she had the courage to run away like him and leave everything behind. Maybe that was what the voices were trying to tell her. Maybe he was the key to their freedom. She shook her head to erase the thoughts and decided to deal with the situation at hand the best way she could.
"Jarod do you remember anything about your childhood or the Centre?"
Jarod looked at her with surprised and said, "No I'm sorry, but when I fell asleep in Mr. Broots house I had a very strange dream."
"Tell me about it, maybe they are memories that are coming back to you."
"Well, I was in this huge building. It had many rooms, but there was no sunshine. It was dark and cold. I felt very alone there. Then I was running through some tunnels with two other children, a girl and a small boy. We were laughing. That's all I remember then I woke up when I heard you talking to Mr. Broots in the kitchen. Does this dream mean something?"
Miss Parker looked at Jarod and smiled, "Yes, It does. Those are memories from your childhood when you were at the Centre."
"What is this place, The Centre?"
"That's where you grew up Jarod. You were taken there when you were very young. Jarod you are a very gifted person. A genius. You were trained in many fields of knowledge and you can be anything you want to be, like a doctor, a lawyer, an FBI agent, a police officer, a fireman, a chemist, almost anything."
"Did my parents send me to this place?"
Miss Parker dreaded this question the most. Should she tell him the truth or feed him another lie like the one they had told him for the last 30 years. She took a deep breath and said almost inaudibly, "No Jarod, your parents did not take you there. You were stolen."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker in shock. He could not believe what Miss Parker had just told him. He shook his head and ran his hand anxiously through his hair. This was like a nightmare. Why him? With tears in his eyes and anger in his voice, he looked at Miss Parker and asked, "Why did they do that to me? Did my parents try to find me? How long was I there? Please Miss Parker I need to know?"
"Jarod please calm down. This agitation is not good for you right now. I will explain everything to you slowly, but first promise me you'll calm down."
Jarod nodded in agreement while closing his eyes and taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
After a few minutes, he met her eyes again and asked in a whisper, "Miss Parker how long have you known about this?"
"Jarod, Sydney and I found files with information about your abduction during the first year of the pursuit, about five years ago. I swear to you Jarod, before that we had no idea that you had been stolen. We were told that your parents had died. I think that's what they told you also as a child. I'm sorry."
"Who is this Sydney?"
"Sydney was your teacher. Well, more like a mentor. He took care of you and taught you everything. He has always protected you and still does. I bet right now he is worrying about you and waiting for your next call."
"You said that you and Sydney were pursuing me. Why?"
Miss Parker smiled at Jarod and said, "You ran away from the Centre about six years ago and since then we've been chasing you around the country like a bunch of idiots, but you are too clever to be caught"
With a concerned look on his face Jarod said, "Until now"
"Oh no you were caught before, but you managed to escape again. That's why I don't want to be over confident right now."
Jarod gave Miss Parker a puzzled look and sat quietly thinking. Was she trying to tell him that she expected him to escape again? Maybe she didn't want to take him back to that place after all, but she told Mr. Broots that her life was on the line. He still could not figure out this woman. She was dangerous, but he believed that she would not harm him intentionally. The whole thing was so frustrating.
Miss Parker gazed at Jarod with concern. He had gone silent for a long time and was deep in thought. "Jarod, are you all right?"
"Yes I'm OK, I was just thinking about what you said. Miss Parker did you know me before you started to pursue me?"
Miss Parker took a deep breath and stared at the road ahead. She could not look at Jarod while she answered that question. "Yes Jarod, we practically grew up together. My father was the Chairman at the Centre and I spend many hours there while I was growing up."
"So you must be that girl from my dream?" Jarod sounded surprised and happy at the same time.
"Yes, I guess so. You, Angelo and I would secretly meet every chance we had and we talked and played for hours. I remember we used to get in a lot of trouble and drive Sydney insane."
"Is Angelo that funny little man I met back at the other house?"
"Yes, how did you know that?" Miss Parker was amazed that Jarod had recognized Angelo. Maybe he was starting to regain his memory.
"I don't know. It just felt like I knew him from somewhere. Did he run away from the Centre also?"
"Well yes, but The Centre is the only home he knows. I don't think he could live anywhere else. Angelo is a very special individual. He is an Empath. He can absorb the emotional and intellectual traits of others. Angelo and you grew up together at the Centre. He's very close to you. He's the one who alerted us that you were in trouble and he helped us find you.
Jarod became silent again and after a few minutes he asked with apprehension, "Do you know if my parents ever looked for me?"
Miss Parker was stunned with Jarod's question. She didn't know what to say. If she told him the truth she would have to tell him about her mother's involvement, and she was not ready to deal with those emotions now. Deep inside she still blamed Jarod for her mother's death. She closed her eyes and prayed for forgiveness to a God she hardly ever addressed. "Sorry Jarod, I don't know the answer to that question, but I'm sure they looked for you."
"Miss Parker do you know if I have any brothers or sisters?"
Again, she was faced with yet another difficult question. How can she tell Jarod that her psychotic brother had killed his brother in cold blood? That they share a brother, created by one of the Centre's twisted experiments, and that they had also cloned him. At that moment, she wished she had Sydney here to deal with Jarod's questions. This was just too hard and it was breaking her heart to see the anguish in Jarod's face as he rediscovered all the horrible things the Centre had done to him in the past 30 years. She looked at him briefly and replied, "My God Jarod this is hard, Yes... you had a brother, but he died about three years ago and I think you have a sister. That's all I can tell you."
Jarod noticed that all these questions where putting a lot of stress on Miss Parker. With an apologetic smile Jarod said, "I'm sorry Miss Parker I didn't mean to upset you with all these questions, but I need to know the truth to get my memory back. I'm really very grateful for all your help.
"It's OK Jarod, that's what friends are for." The instant the words came out of her mouth, she shook her head in disbelief and told herself, "Oh Great, now you have done it Miss Parker!"
Jarod just stared at her with wide-eyed shock and wondered, If she is my friend why is she taking me back to the Centre? The whole situation was very strange and he felt that she was hiding something from him.
Miss Parker immediately tried to distract Jarod away from her last statement. "Jarod why don't you get us some drinks from the back seat, I'm kind of thirsty, but be careful with your ribs this time."
Jarod just smiled at her, proceeded to unbuckle his seatbelt, and carefully reached over to retrieve the drinks from the bag Mr. Broots had placed in the back seat.
Miss Parker reached and turned on the radio, "Jarod, lets take a little break and listen to some music."
"Sure Miss Parker"
After a few minutes of peaceful listening, a song started to play which made Miss Parker regret her idea to listen to the radio. The lyrics assaulted the very fiber of her being, and it felt like a knife to her heart. She tried to block the song, but it was no use. She only hoped that Jarod would not notice how this song touched her. She closed her eyes for and instant and took a deep breath as the song went on.
You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
You're so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
You're broken
When your heart's not open
Mmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmm, we'd never be apart
Mmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmm, you hold the key
Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken
Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
You're frozen
when your heart's not open.
Mmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmm, we'd' never be apart
Mmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmm, You hold the key
If I could melt your heart.
By the time the song ended, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She hated to feel so vulnerable, especially in front of Jarod, but it was too late Jarod had already noticed her distress and like always he was there to ease her pain. Since she was a little girl back at the Centre, Jarod always supported her whenever she was sad or alone, and later on as an adult he always sensed somehow when she was hurting and again he would offer comfort and strength through his phone calls. Miss Parker got a far away look in her eyes as she recalled their conversation in front of the fireplace at Ocee's.
"Why is it that the one person that I've been trained to distrust, to hate, to capture. Is always with me during the most difficult moments in my life?"
"Maybe it supposed to be that way."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker with concern and asked, "What's wrong Miss Parker?"
Miss Parker just shook her head sadly and said, "Life is just not fair Jarod, and sometimes we have to do whatever is necessary to survive."
Frowning he said, "I don't understand."
With deep sadness in her eyes, Miss Parker glanced at him and said, "Jarod, fate has never been kind to us. No matter how hard we tried to remain friends, The Centre always pulled us apart."
"But Miss Parker if you are not happy why you don't try to change your life? Leave The Centre. We are all in charge of our own destiny and you deserve to be happy."
Miss Parker looked at Jarod and gave him a sad smile. "I wish it was that easy Jarod."
To avoid Jarod's questioning look, she shifted he attention to the signs on the road and exclaimed, "Good, we are almost there. It's already 10:30. I hope we did not keep Ben up too late waiting for us."
"Who's Ben?" Jarod asked with curiosity.
"He's a very good friend of my mother."
"Have I met him before?"
"Yes Jarod, you know him also. Maybe seeing him again will help you regain some of your memory."
With a sigh Jarod said, "I hope so"
It was 10:45pm when they finally arrived at Ben's place. Miss Parker quietly walked up the few steps leading to the front door while Jarod waited by the car. As she was about to knock, she noticed a note taped on the front door which read,
Dear Miss Parker,
I had to accompany a friend out of town due to a family emergency. I left the keys for you with the neighbors. Please make yourselves at home. I will return in a few days.
Sincerely yours,
Ben
Miss Parker took the note and walked back to the car where Jarod was waiting. Without explanation she said, "Wait here, I'll be right back"
After a few minutes, she returned with the house keys in hand. "Jarod do you think you can help me with the luggage?"
"Sure Miss Parker" Jarod followed her to the back of the car and as he leaned forward to pick up his duffle bag hid ribs protested, and he let out a groan.
Miss Parker immediately turned toward him and said, "Jarod, I think you might have a couple of fractured ribs. If your side is still bothering you, don't lift anything heavy."
"It's OK Miss Parker. I don't think they're fractured, just bruised. I'll be careful."
"OK, you're the doctor."
"Am I a doctor?"
"No Jarod, but you have pretended to be one in the past"
"Why"
"Look genius, I'm very tired right now and all I want to do right now is take a nice long hot shower and go to bed, so lets save some questions for tomorrow OK?"
Looking at Miss Parker like a scolded little boy Jarod said,
"I was just curious"
"You're always curious Jarod, Always." Then she walked ahead and left him standing on the driveway with his bag.
Jarod just looked at her back and said to himself, "Man, she sure has a temper. I hope she left her gun back at her friend's house."
Once inside the house, Miss Parker showed Jarod where the guest room was and she went to her mother's old room. After putting his duffle bag in his room, Jarod decided to go explore the house. The house was not very big, but it had a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. What Jarod enjoyed the most was all the family pictures. It made the place very inviting.
When Miss Parker walked back into the living room, she was petrified. She found Jarod looking at the pictures and about to eat a pistachio nut. She practically flew across the room and slapped the fruit right out of his hand screaming, "Jarod stop"
Jarod looked at her in terror and once he found his voiced protested, "Why did you do that? I was hungry. It's only a snack."
Miss Parker took a deep breath and explained, "Jarod, you are extremely allergic to Pistachios. Those things can kill you. Did you eat any while I was gone?"
Half-stunned Jarod answered, "No, no I didn't eat any. Maybe you should tell me what I can and cannot eat before I accidentally kill myself."
Ignoring his last remark Miss Parker just walked over to the fireplace and took her mother's picture in her hands. She loved that picture. Her mother looked so happy. She only wished that she could have shared those happy days with her in this house. However, this place was her refuge away from all the pain and lies that was the Centre.
Jarod walked up behind her and looking over her shoulder asked with curiosity, "Is that you in that picture?"
"No Jarod, that's my mother, and before you say it, I look just like her."
"She is very beautiful." Jarod replied with a smile.
Miss Parker just rolled her eyes an left the room while talking over her shoulder, "I'll be in the shower. If you're hungry look for something to eat in the kitchen and please stay out of trouble."
After he filled himself with some apple pie and milk he had found in the refrigerator, Jarod decided to just lay down on the couch to rest for a while. His head was still hurting and he was very tired from the long drive. Maybe after Miss Parker was done with her shower she would be in a better mood to talk to him. Before long, he was sound asleep.
The sound of a barking dog woke him up. He looked at his watch and it was 11:30pm. The living room was in total darkness and the whole house was silent. Jarod said to himself, "Miss Parker must have gone to bed after her shower." Half asleep, he lowered his legs from the couch and very quietly made his way down the dark hallway to use the bathroom before going to bed. As he open the door, the blinding light from the bathroom and the screams of the woman drying herself froze him in place with sudden panic. He turned around in a flash to get out and shut the door, but slipped on the wet floor and fell to the ground with a crash. He practically flew up instantly and ran out, while he heard something crashing with the door at the level where his head would be, and Miss Parker screaming at the top of her lungs, "YOU BASTARD, GET OUT." Jarod ran to his room like a bat out of hell. A terrifying thought went through his mind, "Now she really is going to shoot me." He closed the door behind him and decided to just stay out of her way until the morning, and maybe he would live to see another sunrise.
It was 10:00am when Miss Parker finally awoke. She grabbed one of her mother's robes from the closet and wrapped it around herself. It felt so good to wear something that belonged to her mother. It brought her memories of the special times they used to spend together just taking. She missed her so much. As she stepped into the hallway, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee brought her out of her reverie. She made her way to the kitchen and was greeted with a sight that almost made her laugh aloud. The kitchen was in total disorder. Jarod's hair was tousled and he looked as if he had not slept at all. For an instant, he reminded her of Angelo. He was barefooted wearing his jeans and a white t-shirt and he had more pancake batter on himself than on the grill. When he sensed her presence, he turned and his eyes held hers for a moment. With a timid voice he greeted her, "Good Morning Miss Parker. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did Jarod, Thank you"
"Miss Parker there is some fresh coffee in the carafe and the pancakes will be ready in about a minute." Jarod said without looking at her.
Miss Parker could hardly contain her laughter. She could sense Jarod's nervousness, and smiled at the possible scenarios that were probably going through his mind. She knew him so well. "He probably thinks that I'm going to put a bullet in him for that little incident last night or worse drag him back to the Centre." She thought she could have some fun with this, but he looked very tired and she didn't want him to have a relapse.
Jarod quickly finished the pancakes and placed them on the table with syrup and butter. He then refilled Miss Parker mug with more coffee and exit the kitchen in a flash. Miss Parker turned around to grab his arm, but he was gone. She called after him, but there was no answer. She decided to give him some time to calm down his nerves before talking to him.
When she finished her breakfast, she cleaned the mess Jarod had left behind and went looking for him. He was not in his room or the bathroom. All she found was some clothes on the floor, some wet towels and some old bandages on the trash. He was nowhere in the house and now she was starting to worry. The first thought that rushed to her mind was, "Could he have gotten his memory back and run away again? No, this is not happening."
With her emotions climbing, she ran to the front door and stopped with a big smile when she found him sound asleep on the front porch swing. She approached him silently and sat on a wick chair next to him. She stared at him as he slept peacefully and started thinking about her feelings. Was that anger or fear what she had felt at the idea of losing him again? They had been through so much together, and he never gave up on her no matter how many times she pushed him away. She started to remember about all the gifts he had send her over the years, like the bunny she got that first Christmas after his escape, her mother's ring, the painting of her as a little girl and the stained glass portrait of herself. All these gifts were very dear to her and they had such deep significance in her life. He knew her so well it frightened her, but maybe he was right. It supposed to be that way.
Miss Parker unintentionally moved on her chair and made it creak. At the sound, Jarod's eyes opened and he was shocked at Miss Parker's proximity. His instinct for self-preservation kicked in and he jumped from the swing ready to run, but the condition of his ribs quickly reminded him he was going nowhere fast. He gasped in pain and felt to the porch with a crash.
Miss Parker was at his side in an instant scolding him. "YOU IDIOT, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL YOURSELF?"
"Well, if you don't do it first Miss Parker" Jarod answered as he flinched.
That remark earned him a squeeze on the ribs "Does this hurt?" smiling sarcastically, she asked.
"OUCH, hey what are you trying to do break some more ribs?" Jarod gasped at her assault.
"I thought you had no broken ribs?"
"Oh you are so funny." Jarod growled irritably.
"Come on big baby, let me help you up." Miss Parker wedged herself under one of Jarod's arm and helped him to his feet. As he got to his feet, she noticed that Jarod had become quite pale and was blinking his eyes as if trying to focus. She quickly guided him back to the swing and made him sit before he would fall again. She was now concerned and she remembered what Broots had told her about Jarod's dizziness and possible concussion. "Jarod are you all right? You look terrible. What's wrong?"
Jarod just closed his eyes for a few minutes allowing the dizziness to subside and then replied, "I just keep getting these dizzy spells, but I'm fine now."
"Jarod how many times have you experience this dizziness?"
"I don't remember exactly, maybe 4 or 5 times"
"I don't like this Jarod. You might have a concussion. Come on you better lay down for a while. You need to rest and I'll think about what we should do." She helped Jarod back to his room, made him lay down and took off his shoes. "Now rest for a while and call me before you get up, Understood?" With that order, she turned around and left the room, leaving the door ajar.
Jarod was surprised at the change in Miss Parker's behavior. She was concerned for him, but why? A few minutes ago she was mean to him and now she sounded worried. He was totally baffled, but it was nice to have someone care for him especially now that he had no idea who he was or where he was going. After a few minutes, his eyelids became heavy and before he knew it sleep overpowered him.
It was almost 5:00pm and Jarod had been sleeping since noon. She was really concerned about his dizziness and had been checking on him regularly. She wished she could call Sydney, but knew that the Centre would be listening in on his calls. She simply could not take that chance. She went to his room again and noticed that he was starting to stir. She moved toward the bed slowly to avoid alarming him, but before she reached the edge of the bed, she heard his deep voice. "Hello Miss Parker"
"Hello Jarod, how are you feeling?"
"My head hurts a little, but I'm not dizzy at the moment."
" Jarod, Are you hungry? You have not eaten anything since breakfast."
"No, I'm not very hungry, just thirsty."
"I'll bring you some juice" With that said, Miss Parker left the room before Jarod had the chance to answer.
Jarod slowly sat in bed and was relieved that the dizziness had left him. At that moment Miss Parker enter the room with a glass of juice in hand, "What are you doing? Why are you getting up?"
"Miss Parker I'm fine and I can't stay in bed all day"
"OK, but take it slow. I know you have a hard head, but this time I think you really put a dent on it."
Jarod just smiled at her and drank his juice. After he was done he looked at Miss Parker and said, "So what should we do for dinner, cook something or order out?"
"Oh No I'm not cleaning up anymore wreckage after you're done cooking. I'll order out. What would you like Jarod, Chinese or Pizza?"
"Whatever you like is fine with me Miss Parker."
"I wish you were this agreeable all the time Jarod."
"Why do you say that? Am I not this pleasant all the time?" He asked her with amusement.
"No Jarod, most of the time you are a royal pain in the ass." Miss Parker answered back with scorn and walked out of the room to place their dinner order.
Jarod was shocked at her last remark. He stood and quickly follow her out of the room. "What do you mean by that Miss Parker?"
When he approached her, she just held her hand up to silence him while she was placing the order. Jarod just stood in front of her very serious with arms crossed, waiting for an explanation. Miss Parker could hardly contain her laughter at the look on his face. Golden boy was offended by her last remark.
When she finally hanged up the phone, Jarod immediately started with the questions. "Why did you mean by that Miss Parker? What did I do to you?"
"WELL LET ME SEE, I've been chasing you across the country for the past six years and I have put up with all your little games, pranks, and revelations about my dysfunctional family, and about the TRUTH behind my mother's death. Furthermore, while you were free out there, I was stuck at the Centre with this stupid assignment to catch you and bring you back in one piece."
Jarod was now more irritated for her accusations and his voice was starting to rise, "So, because I didn't want to go back to that place you think I'm a pain in the ass? For all I know you might have been part in all those lies they have fed me over the years. And what the hell did I have to do with your dear mother?"
At the tone of his voice and mention of her mother's name, Miss Parker could not contain her anger and slapped Jarod across the face, hissing at him with fire in her words. "YOU BASTARD, YOU ARE THE REASON WHY MY MOTHER IS DEAD!"
Jarod felt like he was hit on the head with a hammer. Between the excruciating pain in his head and the revelation from Miss Parker, he was stunned. He looked at Miss Parker with horror in his eyes and gasped. His mind was in turmoil. This couldn't be true. He was responsible for her mother's death. He kept hearing her accusing words louder and louder and the room started to spin. Slowly, in a daze he sat on the couch and placed his face in his hands.
Miss Parker was speechless, but the tears in her eyes screamed her regret. The moment she struck Jarod, she felt such terrible guilt, but it was too late. The damage was done. Miss Parker kneeled in front of Jarod, placed her hands on his thigh and pleaded, "Jarod look at me please. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I...I didn't mean that."
Jarod cringed from her touch and with trembling lips whispered, "That's why you want to take me back. That's why you hate me." Avoiding Miss Parker pleading eyes he pushed himself off the couch and staggered away from her. He walked a couple of steps down the hallway when his knees buckled and he went down. Miss Parker rushed to help him up, but Jarod pulled away from her and wailed, "Leave me alone." Miss Parker just froze and watched as Jarod struggled to his feet and slowly made it back to his room closing the door behind him.
Miss Parker just shook her head sadly and said to herself, "My God, what have I done? Why do I always have to hurt him? Why?" Feeling drained of all her strength she slid to the floor, hugged her knees and wept.
It was 6:45pm when the front door bell rang. Miss Parker was startled awake by the sound and then remembered the pizza order. She made her way to the kitchen and placed the warm pizza on the table. It smelled so good, but she had lost her appetite and Jarod probably felt the same way. She knew he would not accept any food now, but she could use the offer as an excuse to check on him. She was very concerned about his state of mind especially after that horrible fight. She felt so bad it was tearing her inside.
She slowly pushed the door open just enough to scan the room. The bed was empty and there was no sign of Jarod in the room. She immediately became alarmed and entered the room. As she walked in, she detected some movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and found Jarod curled into a tight ball on the floor behind the door. He apparently had dropped to the ground when he entered his room and just stayed there. She could tell that he had been crying by the tear tracks on his face. This just broke her heart. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and just hold him, but she knew he would not accept her right now. Could he ever forgive her? She prayed that in time he would. She would not be able to live with his rejection or hate.
She grabbed the blanket from the bed and placed it over him carefully. He stirred for a moment but did not wake. Not wanting to leave him alone, she climbed on his bed and lay there guarding him as he slept. She felt so empty and cold. Regret was eating her alive. Why after all the times he had been there for her, she always manage to push him away and hurt him? She really did not deserve him as a friend, and she knew that if she lost him this time, she would be alone for the rest of her days. She vowed that she would never hurt him again this way.
The terrifying screams almost made Miss Parker fall off the bed. In a flash, she reached for the light on the night table, jumped off the bed and searched for Jarod with her eyes. She found him sitting on the floor hugging his knees and rocking back and forth. His eyes held a look of horror and there where tears running down his face. Miss Parker didn't want to scare him into further shock. She approached him very slowly and called his name very softly, "Jarod, is me Parker, please tell me what's wrong?"
Jarod didn't respond. He just stared straight ahead and continued his monotonous rocking. At this point Miss Parker was starting to panic, "Jarod, please say something. You're really scaring me. What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Still there was no answer from Jarod. She had to do something to reach him and bring him out of this state of shock. Slowly Miss Parker approached him and sat next to him. Very slowly, she placed her arm around his shoulder and pulled him toward her. Jarod did not resist, he curled his body on his side and lowered his head to her lap wrapping his arms around her waist. Not saying a word, she held him tightly as she gently ran her fingers through his hair.
A sob tore from his throat as he asked her," Why do they want to hurt me?"
Miss Parker gasped as she realized his nightmares where bringing back pieces of his memory and she simply replied, "I don't know Jarod. Do you want to tell me about your dream?"
With a trembling voice, Jarod began to tell her about his puzzling and terrifying nightmare, "There was this woman with read hair, and she kept calling my name, but then she was gone. Then I was in this dark and cold place and all I could feel was pain and loneliness. I was so scared, and all I wanted was to go home. Then they were doing horrible things to me, and I could not leave. I screamed but nobody cared. There were these evil men who kept hurting me, but I could not see their faces. There was also a man who was like a teacher. I liked him, but he was cold to me. Then, I kept seeing so many faces with dead eyes. They were accusing me for killing them. Miss Parker did I kill all those people? Please tell me?"
"Jarod No, you did not kill anyone. Please calm down. It was just a nightmare."
Still trembling with fear, he demanded answers, "But, Miss Parker it looked so real. "Who was that woman in my dreams? Why did they do those things to me? Am I some kind of prisoner? Why did they try to kill me? Who were those children? Am I going crazy?"
"No Jarod, You're not crazy. It was only a nightmare. Please close your eyes and try to sleep."
Miss Parker simply refused to answer any of his questions. She pretended not to know the significance of his dream. She was afraid that Jarod's fragile state of mind could not handle that information right now. This was something that Sydney would have to deal with later if needed.
Finally, after telling Miss Parker all the horrible details of his nightmare, Jarod succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a peaceful slumber.
She also had lost track of time and had fallen asleep on the floor while holding Jarod. When she opened her eyes, the first light of day was creeping through the curtains. She looked down at Jarod and he appeared to be sound asleep. Very carefully she try to move from under him, but he wrapped his arms tighter around her middle and pleaded, "Please don't go"
The sound of his voice brought a smile to her face. "Is OK Jarod I'll stay as long as you want? Go back to sleep."
Closing her eyes again, Miss Parker leaned back and covered herself and Jarod with the blanket. Jarod's nightmare ordeal had left her emotionally drained. As sleep overtook her once more, she prayed that Jarod would soon regain his memory. His life depended on it.
Miss Parker awoke startle by the absence of Jarod's warmth. She looked at the clock on the nightstand and it read 9:30am. Swiftly she pushed the blanket away, jumped to her feet and headed out of the door in search of Jarod. On the way to the kitchen, she noticed his leather jacket missing. She called out his name running through the house, but there was no answer. She felt as if her heart was going to stop. Jarod was gone.
As she ran outside to check on the car, she saw a tall figure standing by the lake in the distance. She took a deep breath and thanked God that he had not run away. She wanted to run to him to see how he was feeling, but after careful thinking she decided to give him some time alone. Miss Parker went back to the house to prepare some breakfast. She was starving and she was certain that Jarod would be as well.
It was almost 11:00am and Jarod had not returned from his walk. She was practically jumping out of her skin. "Something was wrong?" She could not wait any longer. She ran out of the house to find Jarod.
When Miss Parker reached the lake, she found Jarod sitting on a log. He was just staring at the water like in a trance. In his hand he held some kind of letter. As she came closer, she noticed the distressed look on his face. He looked exhausted and there was so much sorrow in his eyes, it almost made her lose control of her emotions.
She slowly sat next to him and asked softly, "Jarod what's wrong?"
With deep sadness in his voice Jarod reply, "It's a letter from my mother. I found it in my pocket. I had forgotten all about it"
Miss Parker was dumbfounded; she didn't know what to say. She looked at him closely and murmured softly, "Jarod is that you?"
He finally met her eyes, and smiled sadly, "Yes Miss Parker I remember everything when I started to read this letter from my mom."
In an uncontrollable rush of emotions, Miss Parker wrapped her arms around Jarod and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're back Jarod"
Jarod just sat stunned. He had never seen Miss Parker display such emotions toward him. "Miss Parker are you all right?"
"Yes Jarod I'm fine, but tell me how did you get that letter from your mom? Did you find her?"
At the mention of his mother's name, Jarod's eyes filled with tears again. "No, she left it for me at Ocee's place" He pauses for a minute. When he tried to tell her the content his voice broke, "She says that...." He could not continue. He stood, gave her the letter and walked to the edge of the water.
Seeing Jarod hurting like this was tearing her up inside. She blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes and proceeded to read the letter.
Dear Jarod,
My first wish is that you are well and happy when this letter finds your. My dear son I hope that one day soon I will have you in my arms again. I have missed you so much. I have never stopped looking for you, and I will continue as long as my strength permits. Our family is strong and no matter what happens I know we will find a way to be together again. Jarod, I lost contact with your father many years ago after we failed to rescue you with Catherine Parker's help. She was a wonderful friend and she wanted to put an end to that horrible place. I hope that her daughter completes her plan and brings an end to the Legacy that have brought so much pain to her family and ours. I pray every day that you're safe and away from that evil place. Please be careful my son. Jarod I have been in contact with your sister Emily and she misses you dearly. Emily told me all about Ethan and the boy. I still cannot believe how The Centre played God to create these two individuals, but no matter how they came to be, they are still part of our family and I hope to meet them someday. Jarod, your sister has found a wonderful man and she is very happy. I wish I could tell you her current location, but I can't for her own safety. I hope you understand. Jarod, I'm getting old and my health has been fragile in the past few months. I don't know how long I'll have the strength and wits to continue running and searching. Sometimes, I'm so tired. Jarod, I hope that you continue to search for us long after I'm not able to do so. I still have dreams about our meeting in Boston. We came so close, but again we had to run for our lives. My heart ached for having you so close and not being able to hug you and kiss you. I'm sorry that we weren't able to protect you like every parent should. Jarod please never stop searching for us. I need to see you before I die, even if it's only for a moment. I pray that one day very soon I will have you in my arms again. I Love you my son.
Margaret Russell
After reading the letter, Miss Parker approach Jarod and placed her hand on his shoulder to make him turn around. He turned around and his eyes met hers for a moment. He looked shattered. The mischievous sparkle was gone from his eyes. He was in pain. As his friend she had to do something to help him. She reached and touched his stubble cheek with her fingertips and said firmly, "Jarod, I know you are going to find her. You have to believe that"
He gazed at her with tears in his eyes and shook his head sadly, "But what if I'm too late? Parker she says she's..... not well. I may never get to see her."
She grabbed him by the arms and said in a demanding tone, "No Jarod, you're going to find her even if I have to help you. Besides I think I would like to talk to her myself."
This remark shocked Jarod, "Why do you want to talk to her now?"
"Well, in the letter she mentioned that she knew my mother and she talks about my mother's plan. You know I've been looking for that information for quite a while."
"Yes, but she might not know anything about your mother's plan. You know your mother kept that information hidden from everyone. Not even Sydney knew and he was one of her closest friends."
"Well, your mother is the only one who can tell us what she knows. Oh and by the way, where is my mother's journal?"
Jarod gave her one of his mischievous smiles, "It's in a safe place and I'll have it hand delivered by a friend when you return home."
Now Miss Parker took a more serious tone, "Jarod can you please tell me what the journal said? Does it say anything about her plan?"
"I'm sorry Miss Parker, but I didn't read it"
Miss Parker was astounded and angry, "What do you mean you did not read it? Why not?"
"Miss Parker, your mother dedicated the journal to you. I felt I should respect her wishes."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes in disbelieve, "You know what Jarod, sometimes you're too much." With that, she turned around and started walking back to the house.
Jarod ran and blocked her way, "What did I do now?"
"Nothing Jarod, that the problem."
Frowning he said, "Miss Parker I don't understand"
"Jarod just forget it. I will have to wait until you send me the journal. Look I have to go prepare for my trip back to Delaware. I have a long drive back."
Filled with apprehension he asked, "What about me?"
Very serene, Miss Parker looked at him and said, "Jarod you will stay here with Ben until you recover completely and then you will go and find your mother."
Jarod looked so confused, he was almost speechless, "Miss Parker what made you change your mind about taking me back?"
She closed her eyes and sighed, "Jarod I'm tired of this game, maybe I have decided to take that turning point in my life."
Jarod smiled back at her. He could not believe this was happening. "Thank you Miss Parker"
"For what Jarod?"
"For saving my life again."
Miss Parker smiled back and said, "I better go. Ben will probably return this evening. Please give him my apologies for not waiting for him."
When she turned to leave, Jarod made her stop with his question, "Parker, What about us?"
Without looking at him she replied, "Jarod I don't understand. After I've been so cruel to you all these years and I kept pushing you away. Why do you keep coming back? Why do you even care about me?"
"Parker, when I was at the Centre, you were the only light in my dark world, and before I knew it I had fallen in love with you. Parker I have loved you since I was 11 years old and always will no matter what happens. I guess I'm stubborn. I won't give up on you, on us."
Miss Parker still could not turn around to look at him and she could no longer stop the tears from falling.
"Parker please stop running away from me. Stop hiding behind that mask. I have always sensed that you have some feelings for me; well I hope that you do. We both have been through so much together, and as I told you once, you have been a Centre prisoner all these years just like me. We both deserve a little happiness." He paused for a moment and sighed, "Parker, I missed you, and I'm tired of being alone."
Finally, she turned and looked at Jarod with tears running down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she spoke, "Jarod, I do care about you..... More than you'll ever know. I always have."
Jarod closed the distance between them and when he was a few inches away from her he reached and gently lifted her chin with his fingertips so that she would look into his eyes.
He could see in her eyes all the pain she had kept hidden all these years. The fear of losing another loved one had kept her from seeking her own happiness. He understood her pain so well. "Parker I'm afraid too, but together we can conquer anything. I promise I'll always be there for you."
She caress his face tenderly, and with a sad smile said, "Jarod you've always been there for me"
His face moved towards hers slowly and finally their lips touched in a feather light kiss. It was sweet and delicate, and they both felt as if they had been transfer to that moment in time thirty years ago when they had kiss for the first time.
When their lips parted, she wrapped her arms around his waist and they held each other in silence for a long time. Words were not necessary. Finally, the walls crumbled. She no longer felt cold and alone, and he had found his friend again. Like the Phoenix, their friendship had been renewed from the ashes of that dark and painful past.
She hated to leave the warmth of his arms. She felt so safe with him. She vowed to herself, "Now things were going to be different. She would complete her mother's plan and end the evil that was The Centre. Together they were going to write a new ending to this story, and they would find the happiness they both deserved."
Parker leaned her forehead against his chest and whisper sadly, "Jarod I don't want to leave you now, but if I don't get back to the Centre today they will get more suspicious."
"Jarod brushed a tender kiss across the top of her head and asked with concern in his voice, "How are you going to explain your absence for these four days?"
Miss Parker just smiled, "Don't worry I'll think of something, plus I'm sure good old Sydney has covered for me while I was gone."
Miss Parker wrapped her arms around Jarod's waist and they walked back to the house making plans for the future. There were going to be many changes made and the Centre would soon see its end.
It had been a week since she last saw Jarod at Ben's place and her life had changed completely. Now she lived for his phone calls and longed to be with him again, but she was also in constant fear that Lyle would find a way to trap the wayward pretender. She kept playing their little game. Following the breadcrumbs and always arriving too late. Sydney and Broots had no idea of her new partner in the game, but Angelo knew. She could never hide her feelings from him, and he shared her happiness. Angelo was their true brother at heart and he would always protect her and Jarod. He was their guardian Angel.
She looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. It was only 9:00pm, but she was tired and was ready to go to bed. She was still recovering from the present Jarod had brought them from Europe. She yawned and started to get up from the couch when her cell phone started to ring. She quickly reached for it and answered with anticipation, "Jarod?"
"Hello Parker. How are you feeling?" She could almost see that mischievous smile on the other side of the line.
"Oh I think I'll survive, but I don't know about Broots. He almost drove me to the point of shooting him today with all his moaning and complaining, but Sydney intervened and sent him home."
"Well, I hope the chicken soup I left for him at home will help him feel better. I feel really bad for giving you both my flu after you came to help me."
"Hey, you didn't bring me any chicken soup and I also risked my neck to save your sorry ass." She tried to sound hurt, but could not hide the smile in her voice.
"No, but I kept my promise about your mother's journal."
"Oh yeah, I'll never forget that one, especially the messenger. My God Jarod, where do you find this people?"
"Hey, Argyle is one of my best friends. I know he is a little peculiar but he is a true friend and one of the few people I could trust."
"Jarod, have you had any luck locating your mom?"
"No, nothing yet" He sounded so disappointed.
"Don't worry Jarod. I know you will find her soon. Don't give up"
"I won't I promise. Parker have you told Sydney or Broots about our alliance?"
"No, not yet, but maybe I should. I have a feeling big changes are coming soon and they will need to know to get out in time."
"Yes Parker talk to them as soon as you can and tell them to be ready to leave. In the meantime, I'll keep Lyle busy. I just send him on another wild goose chase across Arizona. I hope he packed his sun tan lotion."
"You know what Jarod? My mother was right about us. In her journal, she says that together we were going to change the future of the Centre. I think we are very close to finding her plan and your mom."
" I hope so Parker, because I'm really getting tired of this game and now that I have you back is harder."
"Jarod will I see you soon?" She asked with anticipation.
"Yes Parker I'll try to stop by in a few days and I promise to make you some chicken soup OK."
"Well, I can think of other things that would make me feel better and chicken soup is not one of them."
Now it was Jarod's turn to laugh on the other side of the line. "Well, I'll do my best to help in your recovery Miss Parker."
"OK Jarod, I'll be waiting. Please be careful."
"I will. Don't worry. I Love you."
"I Love you Jarod."
The End
