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Chapter or Story
It was still early when she got home that night. The sun had not set yet and dinner was just being served as she entered their spacious apartment.
Parker unbuttoned her jacket and dropped her briefcase by the door.
"I'm gonna change, Jarod, set me a plate." Parker called backwards as she walked to their bedroom to change.
"Already did." He chirped while dishing out a heap of peas onto Kyle and Katie's plates.
It was not the bravest thing she had ever done. Nevertheless, faking a migraine had served its purpose today. It wasn't natural for her to feel obligated to tell the truth. She wanted to answer their questions honestly, but that could only lead to trouble. Unwilling to face that, she had grabbed her head in agony and left work early.
This was all after convincing Claude and Ramona to go back to work after their lengthy lunch break. They had extracted a promise from her before leaving the park that she would have to clue them in later.
An hour after she had sat down at her desk, Ramona appeared and began grilling her with Claude by her side. Thankfully, Ramona stuck to her initial inquiry of the day about "the man in the conference room."
Lydia refused to acknowledge anything until Ramona baited her. It was entirely unacceptable to make the mistake she made. There was no excuse for letting them wear her down like that either.
"Tell us about the man in the copy room." Ramona demanded for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
Inexplicably Lydia responded, tiredly correcting Ramona, "You mean the man in the conference room, don't you?"
Ramona grinned evilly and excitedly urged her to continue. Two seconds later is when her "migraine" hit.
They had never been interested in her personal life before. 'Why now?' she thought unhappily. She knew why though. It was because the more she has gotten to know them; the harder it was to remain cold and distant, rude and disinterested. It was the same problem she had suffered form with Broots.
The sight of a complete meal set out on the table made walking into the dining room a new experience.
Jarod had made steak, baked potatoes and peas. Katie was already smushing the peas onto the table in front of her.
Kyle scooted his chair closer to his mother's. She hardly ever came home early enough to eat with them. He was so excited. AND she was still going to read him a story tonight.
Jarod too was delighted that Parker would get to share dinner with them. It was a rare occasion when she made it home this early; she had an obligation to keeping up appearances. He loved these family moments so much though!
* * * *
"Jarod?" Parker whispered against his skin. Her head was trapped, tucked under his chin. "Are you awake?"
"No," he answered back softly, and conspiratorially added, "my dessert wore me out tonight." Jarod smiled and squeezed Parker tightly to him.
"So…you're asleep?" Parker smiled and waited for him to respond.
"Yes."
"That's too bad then. I guess the rest of your dessert is just going to have to go to waste." She teased.
He growled playfully and rolled them over, "Never."
* * * *
Shivering slightly, Parker slipped a robe on and tucked the covers up around Jarod. Tiptoeing out of the room and shutting the door, she started the coffee in the kitchen to begin her morning routine.
After a quick shower, Parker heaved herself into a kitchen chair and let Jarod serve her breakfast. She was glad he couldn't sleep without her body-heat this morning. She needed some advice.
"I'm going to have to tell them something." She pouted unhappily.
Jarod looked questioningly into her eyes, "Who?"
"Claude, Ramona. They saw me push you into the conference room, and they saw you at the park with the kids."
Jarod's face broke into an amused grin, "So? Why do you have to tell them anything? Lydia Weston is supposed to be rude and inconsiderate. She would never tell them anything about her personal life." Jarod reminded her of the personality they had created for Lydia Weston.
"But…" She paused mid-response and looked over at Jarod's smug face.
"Did you get emotionally involved in your Pretend Miss Parker?" Jarod's mouth dropped open dramatically in shock.
"Shut up, Wonder-boy. I would not even be having this dilemma if it weren't for you. First you have to come to my office, a direct violation of my rules, and you were spotted. Because of that, I had to agree to lunch with Claude and Ramona to pacify their suspicious natures, and again you show up and they spot us together. This is all your fault!" During her tirade she had made her way to stand in front of him, and forced his back against the fridge.
Jarod was biting his lip to stifle the laugh that could earn him bodily harm, when Parker wearily leaned her head forward to rest on his chest.
He sighed wrapping her in his arms. "I'm sorry." He mumbled against the top of her head.
* * * *
Ramona barely waited for the elevator doors to open all the way. Squeezing through against the crowd of people trying to get on the elevator, she stumbled forward. Walking past Lydia's desk, where Lydia was busily typing, she made her way to the workstation Claude shared with Kip.
She had news to share and needed to tell someone before her excitement bubbled over. Ramona also wanted to run by Claude, an idea for how to get Lydia to confess what exactly was going on.
Without Lydia explanations for recent events, they were beginning to conjure up all sorts of scenarios. Ramona's favorite was where Lydia was married with kids to the man in the park, and she was having an affair with the man from the conference room. It seemed to be an accurate assessment of Lydia's personality; something she could be expected to do. By hiding the marriage from them, her husband would never be the wiser about her affair.
Spotting Claude exiting Will's office, Ramona caught her attention and began right away.
"Claude, guess what? I met these two fine, -- and by fine, I mean take-and-bake delicious -- men at the bar. We've got a double date tomorrow night." Ramona squealed.
"Oh, Ramona." Claude whined. "I wish you would stop setting me up. I'll find a man on my own."
Ramona waved off Claude's attempt to weasel out of the date and then told her about the plan she'd devised to extract answers from Lydia.
* * * *
Seeing Parker walk wearily through the door, Jarod assumed she had told her co-workers the lie they had planned on.
"How'd it go?" Jarod asked softly.
Pushing away from the door where she was leaning she huffed sadly, "It didn't. They avoided me all day. Nothing, no questions, no remarks… nothing." She spat disappointedly.
"At least you didn't have to lie to them." Jarod consoled his wife, who gave a small smile at his attempt.
"What did you guys have for dinner?" Parker steered the conversation away from the downer she'd been experiencing all day.
Jarod looked nervously about the room not meeting her eyes.
"Jarod?" Parker questioned nervously, as she tried to remain calm.
Jarod continued to search the room for something to occupy his attention, not once meeting his wife's eyes.
"Jarod, what did you feed my children?" Her tone was low and provoked Jarod into cleaning the mass of toys spread on the floor between the couch and the television.
"I ordered Chinese for you." He informed distractedly, as he separated the Lego's from micro machines and various other toys in front of him.
One would think that after repeatedly disobeying specific mandates of Miss Parker's, that it would earn them--at the very least--a derogatory remark. However, putting up with Jarod's childish antics for the last year had not driven her to that particular breaking point. If anything, the more time they spent together, the more Miss Parker became accepting of Jarod's personality. For this, Jarod was thankful of the child-like charm he possessed. He knew Parker found it irresistible.
Daring to look her in the eyes now, he pulled himself off the floor stuffing the toy bins under the coffee table.
She was still staring at him, but at least the look on her face had softened…somewhat.
Parker avoided his puppy-dog face. It would only distract her. So, instead she turned her attention to the kitchen where the dishes from Jarod's "dinner" sat unwashed.
Jarod noticed her gaze. "At least it wasn't ice cream this time." Jarod's venture at levity earned him a chilling silence before she retreated towards their room.
Jarod was sitting on the couch watching cartoons when she returned to the living room. She plopped down next to him and waited for him to notice the pajamas she was wearing were his.
During a commercial, he glanced over at her, and feigned annoyance that she was wearing his pj's again. It was really rather adorable. Joe-Boxer pajama pants and one of his black T-shirts adorned her smaller frame. His shirt hung off her shoulders alluringly and he missed Parker reaching across him to grab the remote. She smiled victoriously and turned the TV set off. Jarod's complaint was cut off when her lips covered his pouting ones.
A knock at the door interrupted their increasing passion, and Jarod sat up.
"That must be your food." He attempted to get up while pulling money from his wallet only to have Miss Parker pull him back to sit on the couch.
"Why don't you let me get it, I don't think you should be walking to the door in your condition." She held her hand out for the money.
He hesitantly put the currency in her outstretched hand. "You have to promise to give the delivery boy a tip this time." Jarod said.
"Fine, as long as he doesn't undress me with his eyes again, I promise to give him a tip." Parker relented and grabbed the money before Jarod could rethink his decision.
"You're imagining things Parker. He was a nice boy, he didn't undress you with his eyes."
"You weren't the one being undressed, so you wouldn't know." Parker replied and flung the door open ready to chill the delivery boy with a glare before he even thought about looking her up and down again.
A startled gasp escaped her lips. She was about to shut the door in their faces, but Ramona had already barged into the apartment. Claude entered right after her. Feeling completely bewildered and surprised, she stalled the questions they would undoubtedly shoot at her by closing the door with her back to them. Another surprise awaited her, however, when Owen's yelp of pain sounded from the other side of the door. She opened it again to find him holding his nose.
"Do you have any ice?" Owen asked in a nasally voice.
TBC…
Parker unbuttoned her jacket and dropped her briefcase by the door.
"I'm gonna change, Jarod, set me a plate." Parker called backwards as she walked to their bedroom to change.
"Already did." He chirped while dishing out a heap of peas onto Kyle and Katie's plates.
It was not the bravest thing she had ever done. Nevertheless, faking a migraine had served its purpose today. It wasn't natural for her to feel obligated to tell the truth. She wanted to answer their questions honestly, but that could only lead to trouble. Unwilling to face that, she had grabbed her head in agony and left work early.
This was all after convincing Claude and Ramona to go back to work after their lengthy lunch break. They had extracted a promise from her before leaving the park that she would have to clue them in later.
An hour after she had sat down at her desk, Ramona appeared and began grilling her with Claude by her side. Thankfully, Ramona stuck to her initial inquiry of the day about "the man in the conference room."
Lydia refused to acknowledge anything until Ramona baited her. It was entirely unacceptable to make the mistake she made. There was no excuse for letting them wear her down like that either.
"Tell us about the man in the copy room." Ramona demanded for what seemed like the fiftieth time.
Inexplicably Lydia responded, tiredly correcting Ramona, "You mean the man in the conference room, don't you?"
Ramona grinned evilly and excitedly urged her to continue. Two seconds later is when her "migraine" hit.
They had never been interested in her personal life before. 'Why now?' she thought unhappily. She knew why though. It was because the more she has gotten to know them; the harder it was to remain cold and distant, rude and disinterested. It was the same problem she had suffered form with Broots.
The sight of a complete meal set out on the table made walking into the dining room a new experience.
Jarod had made steak, baked potatoes and peas. Katie was already smushing the peas onto the table in front of her.
Kyle scooted his chair closer to his mother's. She hardly ever came home early enough to eat with them. He was so excited. AND she was still going to read him a story tonight.
Jarod too was delighted that Parker would get to share dinner with them. It was a rare occasion when she made it home this early; she had an obligation to keeping up appearances. He loved these family moments so much though!
"Jarod?" Parker whispered against his skin. Her head was trapped, tucked under his chin. "Are you awake?"
"No," he answered back softly, and conspiratorially added, "my dessert wore me out tonight." Jarod smiled and squeezed Parker tightly to him.
"So…you're asleep?" Parker smiled and waited for him to respond.
"Yes."
"That's too bad then. I guess the rest of your dessert is just going to have to go to waste." She teased.
He growled playfully and rolled them over, "Never."
Shivering slightly, Parker slipped a robe on and tucked the covers up around Jarod. Tiptoeing out of the room and shutting the door, she started the coffee in the kitchen to begin her morning routine.
After a quick shower, Parker heaved herself into a kitchen chair and let Jarod serve her breakfast. She was glad he couldn't sleep without her body-heat this morning. She needed some advice.
"I'm going to have to tell them something." She pouted unhappily.
Jarod looked questioningly into her eyes, "Who?"
"Claude, Ramona. They saw me push you into the conference room, and they saw you at the park with the kids."
Jarod's face broke into an amused grin, "So? Why do you have to tell them anything? Lydia Weston is supposed to be rude and inconsiderate. She would never tell them anything about her personal life." Jarod reminded her of the personality they had created for Lydia Weston.
"But…" She paused mid-response and looked over at Jarod's smug face.
"Did you get emotionally involved in your Pretend Miss Parker?" Jarod's mouth dropped open dramatically in shock.
"Shut up, Wonder-boy. I would not even be having this dilemma if it weren't for you. First you have to come to my office, a direct violation of my rules, and you were spotted. Because of that, I had to agree to lunch with Claude and Ramona to pacify their suspicious natures, and again you show up and they spot us together. This is all your fault!" During her tirade she had made her way to stand in front of him, and forced his back against the fridge.
Jarod was biting his lip to stifle the laugh that could earn him bodily harm, when Parker wearily leaned her head forward to rest on his chest.
He sighed wrapping her in his arms. "I'm sorry." He mumbled against the top of her head.
Ramona barely waited for the elevator doors to open all the way. Squeezing through against the crowd of people trying to get on the elevator, she stumbled forward. Walking past Lydia's desk, where Lydia was busily typing, she made her way to the workstation Claude shared with Kip.
She had news to share and needed to tell someone before her excitement bubbled over. Ramona also wanted to run by Claude, an idea for how to get Lydia to confess what exactly was going on.
Without Lydia explanations for recent events, they were beginning to conjure up all sorts of scenarios. Ramona's favorite was where Lydia was married with kids to the man in the park, and she was having an affair with the man from the conference room. It seemed to be an accurate assessment of Lydia's personality; something she could be expected to do. By hiding the marriage from them, her husband would never be the wiser about her affair.
Spotting Claude exiting Will's office, Ramona caught her attention and began right away.
"Claude, guess what? I met these two fine, -- and by fine, I mean take-and-bake delicious -- men at the bar. We've got a double date tomorrow night." Ramona squealed.
"Oh, Ramona." Claude whined. "I wish you would stop setting me up. I'll find a man on my own."
Ramona waved off Claude's attempt to weasel out of the date and then told her about the plan she'd devised to extract answers from Lydia.
Seeing Parker walk wearily through the door, Jarod assumed she had told her co-workers the lie they had planned on.
"How'd it go?" Jarod asked softly.
Pushing away from the door where she was leaning she huffed sadly, "It didn't. They avoided me all day. Nothing, no questions, no remarks… nothing." She spat disappointedly.
"At least you didn't have to lie to them." Jarod consoled his wife, who gave a small smile at his attempt.
"What did you guys have for dinner?" Parker steered the conversation away from the downer she'd been experiencing all day.
Jarod looked nervously about the room not meeting her eyes.
"Jarod?" Parker questioned nervously, as she tried to remain calm.
Jarod continued to search the room for something to occupy his attention, not once meeting his wife's eyes.
"Jarod, what did you feed my children?" Her tone was low and provoked Jarod into cleaning the mass of toys spread on the floor between the couch and the television.
"I ordered Chinese for you." He informed distractedly, as he separated the Lego's from micro machines and various other toys in front of him.
One would think that after repeatedly disobeying specific mandates of Miss Parker's, that it would earn them--at the very least--a derogatory remark. However, putting up with Jarod's childish antics for the last year had not driven her to that particular breaking point. If anything, the more time they spent together, the more Miss Parker became accepting of Jarod's personality. For this, Jarod was thankful of the child-like charm he possessed. He knew Parker found it irresistible.
Daring to look her in the eyes now, he pulled himself off the floor stuffing the toy bins under the coffee table.
She was still staring at him, but at least the look on her face had softened…somewhat.
Parker avoided his puppy-dog face. It would only distract her. So, instead she turned her attention to the kitchen where the dishes from Jarod's "dinner" sat unwashed.
Jarod noticed her gaze. "At least it wasn't ice cream this time." Jarod's venture at levity earned him a chilling silence before she retreated towards their room.
Jarod was sitting on the couch watching cartoons when she returned to the living room. She plopped down next to him and waited for him to notice the pajamas she was wearing were his.
During a commercial, he glanced over at her, and feigned annoyance that she was wearing his pj's again. It was really rather adorable. Joe-Boxer pajama pants and one of his black T-shirts adorned her smaller frame. His shirt hung off her shoulders alluringly and he missed Parker reaching across him to grab the remote. She smiled victoriously and turned the TV set off. Jarod's complaint was cut off when her lips covered his pouting ones.
A knock at the door interrupted their increasing passion, and Jarod sat up.
"That must be your food." He attempted to get up while pulling money from his wallet only to have Miss Parker pull him back to sit on the couch.
"Why don't you let me get it, I don't think you should be walking to the door in your condition." She held her hand out for the money.
He hesitantly put the currency in her outstretched hand. "You have to promise to give the delivery boy a tip this time." Jarod said.
"Fine, as long as he doesn't undress me with his eyes again, I promise to give him a tip." Parker relented and grabbed the money before Jarod could rethink his decision.
"You're imagining things Parker. He was a nice boy, he didn't undress you with his eyes."
"You weren't the one being undressed, so you wouldn't know." Parker replied and flung the door open ready to chill the delivery boy with a glare before he even thought about looking her up and down again.
A startled gasp escaped her lips. She was about to shut the door in their faces, but Ramona had already barged into the apartment. Claude entered right after her. Feeling completely bewildered and surprised, she stalled the questions they would undoubtedly shoot at her by closing the door with her back to them. Another surprise awaited her, however, when Owen's yelp of pain sounded from the other side of the door. She opened it again to find him holding his nose.
"Do you have any ice?" Owen asked in a nasally voice.
TBC…
