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Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story. I'm just doing this for fun. Please do not archive without my permission. (at the very least you'll guarantee another hit on your site :) Selbag@hotmail.com
Author's note: (4:15pm 1/1/01 -- cool date huh?) OK, I know a little late for the "Christmas season" But does that really surprise anyone? This is a sequel to my first Christmas Story, "The Angel Collection" written last year. I'd like to do something I've never done before and dedicate this story to Niceole. I started writing pfic in the fall of 1999, never really thinking that (counting on fingers) 14 months later I would still be on pfic, writing. Niceole sent my a feedback last year about my story, and said, "Maybe this could be an annual story." That was certainly not what I was thinking when I wrote it. Yet, now here I am, still writing fanfiction, (and loving it - when I do get the time to write) and also a happier person because of all the friends I've met though this group. Thanks for the superb feedback Niceole.
The Angel Collection II
By Gables
Miss Parker stood by her window. A cup of black tea warmed her hands and breath. From her view point, she could just make out the glow of the neighbor's Christmas lights. She leaned in a bit to close, and the backside of her fingers grazed the cold glass. The sudden chill was an unexpected, but she welcomed sensation. She unwrapped one hand from the warm mug and placed it flush on the fridged glass. The chill from the outside invaded her whole body, rendering the tea's efforts as vain.
She was acutely aware of the silence of her home. The remote cabin that had once been her family's summer residence was now Miss Parker's permanent home. The only light in the room came from the twinkling lights of that unknown neighbor. Miss Parker wished that she could hear those lights, hear the love of the family that owned them. Hear the delights of the dazzled children as they looked at the white glow. Hear the carolers singing beneath them. But she heard nothing except her own deep breathes.
The ringing of her phone interrupted the silence. Miss Parker sighed, and left the window to answer it. When she removed her hand, a heat impression outlined where her hand had been.
~~~~~~~~
Jarod woke up slowly. He heard nothing of his soundings, and could only feel the warmth of the blanket that covered him. He stretched his feet out as his senses started to return. The silence slowly ebbed away as Jarod recognized the muffled conversations of the TV in the next room. Ethan, he had learned, liked to have the TV on, though he never watched it. Jarod chose to stay in his resting spot for a bit longer. He didn't, after all, get many of them. When Ethan came into the room to make a phone call, Jarod was not concerned, but a bit curious. However, at his first words, Jarod was fully awake, standing up, and closely watching his brother's actions.
"Miss Parker?"
~~~~~~~~
She answered the phone with her accustomed "What" Miss Parker had expected to hear either Broots' trembling voice, or Jarod's morose voice. The silence on the other end was of greater annoyance. "What?" She repeated, and with still no answer she was moments away from hanging up when the caller spoke her name.
"Miss Parker?"
She barely recognized that voice, and would have dismissed that thought, had a voice not persisted in her mind: she knew the caller, and he knew her.
"Who is this?" Even though Miss Parker had a feeling she knew who it was, she was still hesitant to believe her guess.
~~~~~~~~
Jarod looked curiously at his brother. Ethan looked confused. He still held on to the phone and stuttered an explanation, talking to both Jarod and Miss Parker, but to neither in particular.
"Shhhe t-t-told me to c-c-call her."
Jarod smiled gently and reached out for the phone. Ethan handed it to him, and returned to the other room.
"Hello, Miss Parker."
"So your side kick found the calling card."
"He didn't get your number from me."
Jarod could hear Miss Parker sigh.
"How is he doing?" she asked quietly.
"He needs to be with family, with those that he can trust. He sees me, and hears his mother's voice, your mother's voice, but it's not enough."
Jarod heard her sigh silently again as she sat down on the couch. He pictured her leaning back with her eye closed. "Christmas eve is tomorrow, Miss Parker. Have you decorated your tree with the ornaments from the young Miss Broots?"
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker opened her eyes and lifted her head from the couch. She took another sip of tea and answered him.
"I have." Her eyes searched the tree until she saw the new ornament from Debbie, and she smiled. "I have also increased my security systems."
"Oh really?" Came his playful reply "Does the Centre know about your fear of cat burglars?" He chuckled, knowing full well that they were an act to keep him out.
"If I need their help, I'll ask for it." Miss Parker couldn't resist a look toward the closet. Inside were the angels that Jarod had given her, her one joy of the season, though she'd never admit it to him.
Both of them were quiet on the phone for a few pauses. Finally Jarod spoke again. "Miss Parker, you know how much I protect my family from the Centre. And now that I have found Ethan, I will do whatever it takes. I'm sorry, but that will mean keeping him away from you."
For the third time since she started talking on the phone, Miss Parker sighed. Then, without another word, she clicked off the phone. For a long time Miss Parker sat on her couch staring at the Christmas tree, then her gaze moved a bit to the left to a picture of her mother. The mug of cold tea was forgotten as Miss Parker stood to reach for the framed photograph. She gently ran a hand down the pictured face. Jarod's words floated though her mind, 'He sees me, and hears his mother's voice, your mother's voice, but it's not enough.' Miss Parker lifted the photo from the wall and set it on the coffee table. She then went to her bedroom, set with a plan for tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~
Christmas Morning
Miss Parker's House
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker awoke with a bit of glee in her heart. All of her rational mind could not stop the feeling. She knew, that down stairs on her coffee table, was a present from Jarod. She controlled herself enough to take the time to put on a robe and slippers before going down stairs. She passed by the living room, without a look and headed straight to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. Finally, she allowed herself to see what surprises were by her Christmas tree.
Last night, the coffee table was bare, except for a card addressed to Jarod. This morning, a beautiful yellow gold box with suns, wrapped in gold ribbon dominated the table. Not wanting to break tradition, Miss Parker retrieved the four beautiful boxes from the closet that held the other four angels that Jarod had given her over the years. She unwrapped each angel and placed it on the table. The four angles, porcelain, glass, copper and wood, lined her view. Then she walked to the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee.
Returning to the present, Miss Parker carefully opened the box and lifted a clay angel from the tissue paper. The natural dark reddish clay color was only seen on the arms and face. The rest of the clay was glazed in strong colors: black hair, yellow dress and white wings.
Miss Parker smiled as she set this angel next to the others. She reached for her mug, but had to pick up the phone instead when it started to ring.
"What?"
"Merry Christmas, Miss Parker." Jarod's voice certainly seemed jolly over the phone.
Hesitantly, Miss Parker returned his greeting. "Merry Christmas, Jarod."
"I just wanted you to know, how much Ethan loves the gift you gave him. He instantly recognized her as his mother. I know that he'll keep the photograph close to his heart."
"Just like you, Jarod."
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
Jarod was a bit surprised at her comment. He pulled from his inside jacket pocket, the picture of his mother. He returned her loving smile, and then looked over toward his brother. Ethan held the wallet size picture of Catherine Parker in his hand as the other hand wrote furiously in a journal.
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker stood up and returned to her window. Looking out as she did the night that Ethan called her. There was no trace of her handprint on the window's glass. "Take care of him, Jarod." Miss Parker pulled the phone away from her ear and clicked it off. That arm fell across her chest, as though the phone was too heavy to hold, and Miss Parker remained by the window, thinking of her mother and embracing the phone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End
Author's note: (4:15pm 1/1/01 -- cool date huh?) OK, I know a little late for the "Christmas season" But does that really surprise anyone? This is a sequel to my first Christmas Story, "The Angel Collection" written last year. I'd like to do something I've never done before and dedicate this story to Niceole. I started writing pfic in the fall of 1999, never really thinking that (counting on fingers) 14 months later I would still be on pfic, writing. Niceole sent my a feedback last year about my story, and said, "Maybe this could be an annual story." That was certainly not what I was thinking when I wrote it. Yet, now here I am, still writing fanfiction, (and loving it - when I do get the time to write) and also a happier person because of all the friends I've met though this group. Thanks for the superb feedback Niceole.
By Gables
Miss Parker stood by her window. A cup of black tea warmed her hands and breath. From her view point, she could just make out the glow of the neighbor's Christmas lights. She leaned in a bit to close, and the backside of her fingers grazed the cold glass. The sudden chill was an unexpected, but she welcomed sensation. She unwrapped one hand from the warm mug and placed it flush on the fridged glass. The chill from the outside invaded her whole body, rendering the tea's efforts as vain.
She was acutely aware of the silence of her home. The remote cabin that had once been her family's summer residence was now Miss Parker's permanent home. The only light in the room came from the twinkling lights of that unknown neighbor. Miss Parker wished that she could hear those lights, hear the love of the family that owned them. Hear the delights of the dazzled children as they looked at the white glow. Hear the carolers singing beneath them. But she heard nothing except her own deep breathes.
The ringing of her phone interrupted the silence. Miss Parker sighed, and left the window to answer it. When she removed her hand, a heat impression outlined where her hand had been.
~~~~~~~~
Jarod woke up slowly. He heard nothing of his soundings, and could only feel the warmth of the blanket that covered him. He stretched his feet out as his senses started to return. The silence slowly ebbed away as Jarod recognized the muffled conversations of the TV in the next room. Ethan, he had learned, liked to have the TV on, though he never watched it. Jarod chose to stay in his resting spot for a bit longer. He didn't, after all, get many of them. When Ethan came into the room to make a phone call, Jarod was not concerned, but a bit curious. However, at his first words, Jarod was fully awake, standing up, and closely watching his brother's actions.
"Miss Parker?"
~~~~~~~~
She answered the phone with her accustomed "What" Miss Parker had expected to hear either Broots' trembling voice, or Jarod's morose voice. The silence on the other end was of greater annoyance. "What?" She repeated, and with still no answer she was moments away from hanging up when the caller spoke her name.
"Miss Parker?"
She barely recognized that voice, and would have dismissed that thought, had a voice not persisted in her mind: she knew the caller, and he knew her.
"Who is this?" Even though Miss Parker had a feeling she knew who it was, she was still hesitant to believe her guess.
~~~~~~~~
Jarod looked curiously at his brother. Ethan looked confused. He still held on to the phone and stuttered an explanation, talking to both Jarod and Miss Parker, but to neither in particular.
"Shhhe t-t-told me to c-c-call her."
Jarod smiled gently and reached out for the phone. Ethan handed it to him, and returned to the other room.
"Hello, Miss Parker."
"So your side kick found the calling card."
"He didn't get your number from me."
Jarod could hear Miss Parker sigh.
"How is he doing?" she asked quietly.
"He needs to be with family, with those that he can trust. He sees me, and hears his mother's voice, your mother's voice, but it's not enough."
Jarod heard her sigh silently again as she sat down on the couch. He pictured her leaning back with her eye closed. "Christmas eve is tomorrow, Miss Parker. Have you decorated your tree with the ornaments from the young Miss Broots?"
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker opened her eyes and lifted her head from the couch. She took another sip of tea and answered him.
"I have." Her eyes searched the tree until she saw the new ornament from Debbie, and she smiled. "I have also increased my security systems."
"Oh really?" Came his playful reply "Does the Centre know about your fear of cat burglars?" He chuckled, knowing full well that they were an act to keep him out.
"If I need their help, I'll ask for it." Miss Parker couldn't resist a look toward the closet. Inside were the angels that Jarod had given her, her one joy of the season, though she'd never admit it to him.
Both of them were quiet on the phone for a few pauses. Finally Jarod spoke again. "Miss Parker, you know how much I protect my family from the Centre. And now that I have found Ethan, I will do whatever it takes. I'm sorry, but that will mean keeping him away from you."
For the third time since she started talking on the phone, Miss Parker sighed. Then, without another word, she clicked off the phone. For a long time Miss Parker sat on her couch staring at the Christmas tree, then her gaze moved a bit to the left to a picture of her mother. The mug of cold tea was forgotten as Miss Parker stood to reach for the framed photograph. She gently ran a hand down the pictured face. Jarod's words floated though her mind, 'He sees me, and hears his mother's voice, your mother's voice, but it's not enough.' Miss Parker lifted the photo from the wall and set it on the coffee table. She then went to her bedroom, set with a plan for tomorrow.
~~~~~~~~
Christmas Morning
Miss Parker's House
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker awoke with a bit of glee in her heart. All of her rational mind could not stop the feeling. She knew, that down stairs on her coffee table, was a present from Jarod. She controlled herself enough to take the time to put on a robe and slippers before going down stairs. She passed by the living room, without a look and headed straight to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. Finally, she allowed herself to see what surprises were by her Christmas tree.
Last night, the coffee table was bare, except for a card addressed to Jarod. This morning, a beautiful yellow gold box with suns, wrapped in gold ribbon dominated the table. Not wanting to break tradition, Miss Parker retrieved the four beautiful boxes from the closet that held the other four angels that Jarod had given her over the years. She unwrapped each angel and placed it on the table. The four angles, porcelain, glass, copper and wood, lined her view. Then she walked to the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee.
Returning to the present, Miss Parker carefully opened the box and lifted a clay angel from the tissue paper. The natural dark reddish clay color was only seen on the arms and face. The rest of the clay was glazed in strong colors: black hair, yellow dress and white wings.
Miss Parker smiled as she set this angel next to the others. She reached for her mug, but had to pick up the phone instead when it started to ring.
"What?"
"Merry Christmas, Miss Parker." Jarod's voice certainly seemed jolly over the phone.
Hesitantly, Miss Parker returned his greeting. "Merry Christmas, Jarod."
"I just wanted you to know, how much Ethan loves the gift you gave him. He instantly recognized her as his mother. I know that he'll keep the photograph close to his heart."
"Just like you, Jarod."
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~
Jarod was a bit surprised at her comment. He pulled from his inside jacket pocket, the picture of his mother. He returned her loving smile, and then looked over toward his brother. Ethan held the wallet size picture of Catherine Parker in his hand as the other hand wrote furiously in a journal.
~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker stood up and returned to her window. Looking out as she did the night that Ethan called her. There was no trace of her handprint on the window's glass. "Take care of him, Jarod." Miss Parker pulled the phone away from her ear and clicked it off. That arm fell across her chest, as though the phone was too heavy to hold, and Miss Parker remained by the window, thinking of her mother and embracing the phone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End
