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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
The disclaimer is the same: don't own them just like to play with them. Contact to archive. Shannon
This is for Schuyler who asked for more
Recovery
' Battle Lines '
by Shannon
Part VIII
Jarod guided Parker over to where a shadowed form of a woman stood. As the candlelight caught her features, Jarod felt Parker's body stiffen as she held her breath, catching sight of Sister Joslyn. The middle aged woman with dark eyes that reflected sadness, happiness and understanding. She had an inner peace about her.She reached out with long, gentle fingers and cupped one side of Parker's face, studying her as an old woman might when admiring the face of an adored grandchild.
"I suppose you've been told how remarkable the resemblence is?" the woman whispered, softly, heard only by Parker.
"My mother?" Parker wanted to pull away, flee from her; she wanted to draw closer as well, to trust.
"Yes,child," her hand, moved delicately, firmly, to Parker's chin, one finger tracing the jaw. The radiance in her eyes grew as her finger moved. She stared at Parker, as if witnessing a miracle. Parker drew back, suddenly uncomfortable, frightened because of the emotion that surfaced by that simple touch: grief. Momma, she thought as she gasped a lungful of air and realized that she had been holding her breath.
"Come walk with me, child," the woman said, then leaned on her cane, and headed for the patio. Jarod looked over at Parker and saw uncertainity in her eyes. He smiled so as to help soothe her fear. She was not one to admit that any situation was hopless or in any way outside of her control; he could see she was apprehensive about this meeting.
"It's okay, really. I promise." he whispered in her ear and he watched her eyes shine with acceptance.
The patio caused a sense of deja vu in Parker, she tried to remember whether she had been here before or if it had been a dream. Sister Joslyn removed something from the folds of her habit, holidng it firmly in her long fingers.
"What is it?" Parker asked softly, as Sister Joslyn retreated to the low cobblestone wall and leaned against it.
"I'm entrusting it to you."
"Why?" Parker stiffened.
"It will lead you to the truth."
"Excuse me?" Parker felt used, she let Jarod and an old woman drag her into the past; to get to her deepest emotions in order to take advantage of her. To use her.
"Look at it!" Sister Joslyn' gaze was unyeilding.
It was foolish, yet Parker took the object the woman held out to her. A small square brown card, opening it Parker found a familiar face. The only problem with this face that instead of one, there were two. Identical Twins.
"Catherine and Victoria." the woman murmured as she limped past Parker and back into the ballroom, leaving Parker in the cool night air.
**********************************************************
Meanwhile, Jarod watched the scene on the patio unfold from a distance. This was her time and he was not going to intrude. If she needed to discuss it, then he would be there for her, later, but right now she needed to be alone. Lost in the thought that Parker was hurting, Jarod did not notice the man that walked up behind him.
"Samantha is going to be crushed. She had set about to win your heart, Jarod." the voice belonged to a sixty year old man with dark eyes and thinning hair.
"Evening, Jefferson," Jarod's tone was cold and a bit hard.
"Reggie and Sloane tell me that your wife finally arrived home. I was beginning to wonder if she even existed. Then again, glad to see that I was wrong." Jefferson Ravington spoke quietly, yet the sting was there.
"Would you like to meet her?" Jarod asked, " She's on the patio."
The two men strolled through the white curtained french doors, to where Jarod could see Parker standing, just staring into the dark starry sky.
"Darling! Are you alright?" he asked, keeping up the pretense for the man at his shoulder," There is someone I would like you to meet."
Parker turned toward the sound of Jarod's voice and looked into dark eyes and saw contempt, not for her but for the man that stood next to him.
"I was just wondering how the baby is. She cut her first tooth this afternoon and was very cranky. I hated to attend but I know how important your work is. Now please introduce me to this very distinguished gentleman." Parker smiled but it was only a half-hearted attempt.
"My wife, Faith Brazelton, Jefferson Ravington II. CEO of Pakor Foods." Jarod replied, hoping that Parker caught the connection. He looked into her blue eyes and saw that understanding was already at work, she reached out for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to say she understood.
"Why Mr. Ravington, it's a pleasure to meet you. Ah! Yes. Jarod has mentioned a Samantha Ravington. Any relation?" she oozed charm and Jarod was becoming more and more impressed with how easy she adapted to situations. Had to be the fact that they were raised in the Centre.
"Why yes! Samantha is my daughter-in-law and legal counsel for the hospital. I, myself, supply the hospital with all its food needs."
"And then some," Jarod muttered under his breath, Parker caught the fury in his eyes. This was how the hospital was getting the embryos for implantation. She realized that Jarod was right, he would have to go back. Question now was what role did she want to play in this disgusting enterprise? And what about the picture,Sister Joslyn gave her. Was this another of Daddy's lies? Did her mother have a sister? A twin sister?
"Jarod, darling. It's a bit chilly out here. I need to warm up. Let's go back inside and dance."
"My pleasure. You will excuse us, won't you Jefferson. I wish to dance with my lovely wife, for its been far to long that I held her in my arms." Jarod said as he extended his hand toward Parker, waiting for the smack that never came. She slipped her hand in his and they made their way to the dance floor, inside.
"One of Raines little puppets?" Parker spat.
"Yes, another player in this game." Jarod looked Parker in the eye and then back out on to the patio. He shuddered slightly when he made eye contact with Jefferson but threw him a smile.
"Is his daughter-in-law involved? Parker asked softly, as the two glided gracefully across the dance floor, totally oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. They looked like a couple made for each other.
"Not that I know of, but who knows? If the little gift I deposited on the boards doorstep this afternoon is turned down, then I will have to presume that Samantha is part of this ghastly experiment."
"What did you do? Jarod, what did you do? Nothing stupid."
"Parker have I ever done anything stupid?"
"To tell the truth, yes," she whispered.
"What?" he had not expected that reply.
"Instead of leaving me on the tarmac, you stuck around and managed to end up back in the Centre, for a month. I would say that was stupid," she laughed.
"Well I'm not there now, am I?" he laughed.
"No, but now you want to go back. Make up your mind. Stay or go."
"I only need to go back because people are playing god and that's not right. If I didn't need Raines files, I'd never go near the place again. And you know that!"
The orchestra had played the last note of the song and Jarod escorted Parker off of the dance floor and into a dark secluded corner of the ballroom, located near the patio that they had previously vacated.
"What do you think you are doing?" Parker asked, taking in the setting.
"Hush, woman. Jefferson and Reggie just left through that door in a damn hurry. Something's up! So just shut up so I can listen."
"Woman. . . . .how dare. . ." she began but he pushed her against the wall and then brought his lips down on her's and stood by the archway listening to a very heated discussion between the two men.
PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK!!!! Giglbarbe@aol.com
This is for Schuyler who asked for more
' Battle Lines '
by Shannon
Part VIII
Jarod guided Parker over to where a shadowed form of a woman stood. As the candlelight caught her features, Jarod felt Parker's body stiffen as she held her breath, catching sight of Sister Joslyn. The middle aged woman with dark eyes that reflected sadness, happiness and understanding. She had an inner peace about her.She reached out with long, gentle fingers and cupped one side of Parker's face, studying her as an old woman might when admiring the face of an adored grandchild.
"I suppose you've been told how remarkable the resemblence is?" the woman whispered, softly, heard only by Parker.
"My mother?" Parker wanted to pull away, flee from her; she wanted to draw closer as well, to trust.
"Yes,child," her hand, moved delicately, firmly, to Parker's chin, one finger tracing the jaw. The radiance in her eyes grew as her finger moved. She stared at Parker, as if witnessing a miracle. Parker drew back, suddenly uncomfortable, frightened because of the emotion that surfaced by that simple touch: grief. Momma, she thought as she gasped a lungful of air and realized that she had been holding her breath.
"Come walk with me, child," the woman said, then leaned on her cane, and headed for the patio. Jarod looked over at Parker and saw uncertainity in her eyes. He smiled so as to help soothe her fear. She was not one to admit that any situation was hopless or in any way outside of her control; he could see she was apprehensive about this meeting.
"It's okay, really. I promise." he whispered in her ear and he watched her eyes shine with acceptance.
The patio caused a sense of deja vu in Parker, she tried to remember whether she had been here before or if it had been a dream. Sister Joslyn removed something from the folds of her habit, holidng it firmly in her long fingers.
"What is it?" Parker asked softly, as Sister Joslyn retreated to the low cobblestone wall and leaned against it.
"I'm entrusting it to you."
"Why?" Parker stiffened.
"It will lead you to the truth."
"Excuse me?" Parker felt used, she let Jarod and an old woman drag her into the past; to get to her deepest emotions in order to take advantage of her. To use her.
"Look at it!" Sister Joslyn' gaze was unyeilding.
It was foolish, yet Parker took the object the woman held out to her. A small square brown card, opening it Parker found a familiar face. The only problem with this face that instead of one, there were two. Identical Twins.
"Catherine and Victoria." the woman murmured as she limped past Parker and back into the ballroom, leaving Parker in the cool night air.
**********************************************************
Meanwhile, Jarod watched the scene on the patio unfold from a distance. This was her time and he was not going to intrude. If she needed to discuss it, then he would be there for her, later, but right now she needed to be alone. Lost in the thought that Parker was hurting, Jarod did not notice the man that walked up behind him.
"Samantha is going to be crushed. She had set about to win your heart, Jarod." the voice belonged to a sixty year old man with dark eyes and thinning hair.
"Evening, Jefferson," Jarod's tone was cold and a bit hard.
"Reggie and Sloane tell me that your wife finally arrived home. I was beginning to wonder if she even existed. Then again, glad to see that I was wrong." Jefferson Ravington spoke quietly, yet the sting was there.
"Would you like to meet her?" Jarod asked, " She's on the patio."
The two men strolled through the white curtained french doors, to where Jarod could see Parker standing, just staring into the dark starry sky.
"Darling! Are you alright?" he asked, keeping up the pretense for the man at his shoulder," There is someone I would like you to meet."
Parker turned toward the sound of Jarod's voice and looked into dark eyes and saw contempt, not for her but for the man that stood next to him.
"I was just wondering how the baby is. She cut her first tooth this afternoon and was very cranky. I hated to attend but I know how important your work is. Now please introduce me to this very distinguished gentleman." Parker smiled but it was only a half-hearted attempt.
"My wife, Faith Brazelton, Jefferson Ravington II. CEO of Pakor Foods." Jarod replied, hoping that Parker caught the connection. He looked into her blue eyes and saw that understanding was already at work, she reached out for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to say she understood.
"Why Mr. Ravington, it's a pleasure to meet you. Ah! Yes. Jarod has mentioned a Samantha Ravington. Any relation?" she oozed charm and Jarod was becoming more and more impressed with how easy she adapted to situations. Had to be the fact that they were raised in the Centre.
"Why yes! Samantha is my daughter-in-law and legal counsel for the hospital. I, myself, supply the hospital with all its food needs."
"And then some," Jarod muttered under his breath, Parker caught the fury in his eyes. This was how the hospital was getting the embryos for implantation. She realized that Jarod was right, he would have to go back. Question now was what role did she want to play in this disgusting enterprise? And what about the picture,Sister Joslyn gave her. Was this another of Daddy's lies? Did her mother have a sister? A twin sister?
"Jarod, darling. It's a bit chilly out here. I need to warm up. Let's go back inside and dance."
"My pleasure. You will excuse us, won't you Jefferson. I wish to dance with my lovely wife, for its been far to long that I held her in my arms." Jarod said as he extended his hand toward Parker, waiting for the smack that never came. She slipped her hand in his and they made their way to the dance floor, inside.
"One of Raines little puppets?" Parker spat.
"Yes, another player in this game." Jarod looked Parker in the eye and then back out on to the patio. He shuddered slightly when he made eye contact with Jefferson but threw him a smile.
"Is his daughter-in-law involved? Parker asked softly, as the two glided gracefully across the dance floor, totally oblivious to the fact that they were being watched. They looked like a couple made for each other.
"Not that I know of, but who knows? If the little gift I deposited on the boards doorstep this afternoon is turned down, then I will have to presume that Samantha is part of this ghastly experiment."
"What did you do? Jarod, what did you do? Nothing stupid."
"Parker have I ever done anything stupid?"
"To tell the truth, yes," she whispered.
"What?" he had not expected that reply.
"Instead of leaving me on the tarmac, you stuck around and managed to end up back in the Centre, for a month. I would say that was stupid," she laughed.
"Well I'm not there now, am I?" he laughed.
"No, but now you want to go back. Make up your mind. Stay or go."
"I only need to go back because people are playing god and that's not right. If I didn't need Raines files, I'd never go near the place again. And you know that!"
The orchestra had played the last note of the song and Jarod escorted Parker off of the dance floor and into a dark secluded corner of the ballroom, located near the patio that they had previously vacated.
"What do you think you are doing?" Parker asked, taking in the setting.
"Hush, woman. Jefferson and Reggie just left through that door in a damn hurry. Something's up! So just shut up so I can listen."
"Woman. . . . .how dare. . ." she began but he pushed her against the wall and then brought his lips down on her's and stood by the archway listening to a very heated discussion between the two men.
PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK!!!! Giglbarbe@aol.com
