A/N:  Inspired by the Stones’ As Tears Go By.  I mean no disrespect toWest   Virginia,West Virginians, The Beverly Hillbillies, or anyone who finds whatever comes out of Parker’s mouth in this work of fiction offensive.  I ripped the title off from Langston Hughes.

It isn’t Parker’s habit or custom to sit in the park (unless she’s hunting or tracking Jarod), so she isn’t entirely sure what drew her to the playground inDover.  Nevertheless, there she is, seated on a bench in a D&G pantsuit and sunglasses, watching children play on brightly colored equipment without a care in the world.  She wonders when the monkey bars, swing set and merry-go-round took a powder, only to be replaced by the garish plastic monstrosity before her.

Pushing the slightly depressing thoughts of her own briefly happy childhood away, she sends up a grateful ‘thank you’ to a God who may or may not be listening to her any more.  If it’s true that He loves the lost sheep the best, He has a twisted way of showing it.  Not unlike the man who raised her, if he ever really loved her, which if the truths she has uncovered over the last six years were anything to go on points clearly to a big, fat not-on-your-life.  She’s still left with more questions than answers and it doesn’t look like she’ll ever know the real truth about where she came from.  Or why.

Parker is pulled from her thoughts by the impact of a four-square ball against her shin. She glances up as a small pair of pink Sketchers appears in her line of sight and she looks at the child for a long moment, unable to speak.  Until the girl offers a gap-toothed smile, which immediately disarms her.  A real smile curves her lips upward and she offers he bright red ball to the child.

“Is this yours?”

“Uh huh.”  The dark-headed girl smiles and takes the ball, her blue eyes wide and guileless as she watches the pretty lady on the bench.  “I’m Acacia, but everyone calls me Cacie.”

“Hello Cacie, I’m Parker.”

“Is your little girl here too?”

“I don’t have a little girl.”  Parker feels a stab of grief at the question and with her answer because the truth hurts her more than she cares to admit—even to herself.

“Do you have a little boy?”

“No, baby, I don’t.”

Parker watches, surprised, as the girl moves closer, her eyes sparkling with excitement.  She is frozen as the child reaches out, touching her flat belly, and Cacie’s head cocks to one side.  “You sure ‘bout that?”

Her thoughts immediately flash back to that night.  Three months ago, Jarod turned up at the summer house in the dead of night wanting to talk.  He sat silently, letting her rage at him for nearly eight months of radio silence, for the tremendous pressure Raines and Lyle placed on her to locate him, about her struggle to battle Sydney’s growing despondency and Broots’ paranoia regarding all of their safety.  The rest comes in flashes.

Deep, long, slow kisses.

Hitched breaths.

Long, lithe, strong bodies entwined.

The smell of sweat, the smell of them.

Jarod’s voice pitched low, every touch and the look in his eyes revealed far more than any words he spoke.

Pleasure so great it overwhelmed her, rendering her semiconscious for several minutes in the aftermath.

A shriek of childish laughter pulls her from her stroll down sexy memory lane.  The girl is gone but the red rubber ball rests at her feet.  She stares at it in growing shock.  A young blond woman jogs over and retrieves the ball, smiling brightly as she speaks.  Parker stares at her, her mouth open slightly.  She blinks as the other woman reaches out and touches her shoulder, her expression concerned.

“Ma’am?  Are you all right?”

“I—yes, just fine.  Thank you.”  Smiling grimly, she rises and leaves the park.

~*~

Normally, at times like this, she would pour herself a drink.  Instead she takes a calming breath, changes into jeans and a heather grey cashmere sweater before making herself a cup of jasmine sweetened with honey.  Taking a seat on the couch, she takes a sip of her tea and places it on the coffee table with a sigh.  Scooting back into the cushions, she crisscrosses her legs.  Closing her eyes, she relaxes the waySydneytaught her and listens.  She smiles, hearing the whispers, reassured by this connection with her mother.

Hello, baby.

Hi, mama.

You have to stop beating yourself up.  You never could have known your dream was more than a dream.

Mama, I—I

Ssh, it’s all right.  I’ve known since you were a baby you had this gift.  I should have told you, taught you to use it, but I was afraid.  I planned to, once we were all safe, but fate intervened.

If I’d told you, you could have saved yourself.  I knew, but I was afraid.

I know, baby.  I know you were.  But you can’t fight everyone.  Everything happens for a reason, it’s a part of something bigger than us.  Trust in yourself and your gift.  Trust in Jarod.  It’s time.

Mama.

I love you, baby.

Mama, wait!  Please!

“Parker?  Are you all right?”

She gasps, her eyes wild as she focuses on the figure standing opposite the coffee table.  “Ethan?”

“Hiya sis.  Miss me?” He grins devilishly.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too.”

“Jesus, I’m sorry.”  She scrubs her face with her palm wearily.  “It’s too dangerous for you to be here.”

“Yeah, maybe, but it’s even more dangerous for you to stay here.”

“What?”  She blinks, dread coiling in her stomach.

“You know why, Parker, but you’re ignoring it.  You’ve been ignoring it for months.”

“It can’t.  It can’t be true!” she whispers forcefully.

“It can and it is.  So pack your bags, we’re gettin’ the hell outta Dodge.”

~*~

Parker stares through windshield into the darkness, still in a state of shock.  She cannot believe how easily shy, timid Ethan flipped the script and intimidated her into doing as he commanded.  He clearly has blossomed under the care of Jarod’s family.  It brings a smile to her face that they have been able to help him in ways neither she nor Jarod ever really could.

Her eyes narrow and she looks at her younger brother, seething.  “Tell me they are not living inWest   Virginia.”

“Okay,” he says, steering her Lexus onto a grated gravel road, “They don’t live inWest Virginia.”

“He has completely lost his fucking mind?!  This is way too close!”

“That’s kinda the point, Parker.  It’s one place they wouldn’t expect.”

“Did the whole damn family get an attack of the stupids or did they watch a marathon of The Beverly Hillbillies and get this idea?”

“Hey, Parker, relax.  Jarod bought this place from an old timer, Mr. McAllister, he met and helped.”

“Surprise, surprise.”

“This developer was trying to buy up land all over the county so he could level everything and build some resort for the superrich.  They guy bribed, threatened and blackmailed people all over the state to make it happen, but the people stood their ground, with a little help.  To make a long story short—”

“Too late,” she grumbles, ignoring Ethan’s amused snicker.

“Anyway, the old timer knew Jarod would protect and take care of his land.  Which was all he ever wanted in the first place, so he sold it to Jarod for fifteen hundred.”

“How much land are we talking?”

“Eighty acres.  It’s mostly woods, surrounded by game reserve.”

“Was he crazy?  Jarod got that land for a song!”

“It was all Mr. McAllister need to “set up housekeeping” in town.  Besides, his kids moved away, they think they’re too good forWest Virginianow and all they wanted was the money from the sale of the property anyway.”

“I see.  So you’ve all been staying there?”

“Yeah, for awhile now.”

“Why are you taking me there?  Jarod’s family won’t be happy to see me.  Anyone with the last name Parker, or Raines, which horrifies me beyond belief just so you know, isn’t exactly a friend of theirs.”

“You let me worry about that.”

“The hell I will!  Does Jarod even know about your little rescue mission?”  She crosses her arms over her chest and glares at him.  “Ethan?”

“No, he doesn’t.  He isn’t back yet.”

“Take me back.  Now.”

“Forget it.”

“I’m not playing with you, Ethan!  Take me back home!”

“No!  I can’t and I won’t.  You’re my sister and I love you and I’m not going to risk the future on your stubbornness and pride!” Ethan yells.

While impressed by his display of protectiveness—and temper—Parker is loath to cede control.  “Look, I understand you want all of your family to get along and to be closer, but you have to accept that it just isn’t going to happen.  But I will make you a deal, you take me back to Blue Cove and I won’t kick your ass six ways to Sunday, okay?”

“No deal.  Besides, we’re here.”

The headlights illuminate an RV and Parker chokes.  “No fuckin’ way!  I’m not staying in an RV!”

Biting his lip to prevent a smirk that will only serve to piss her off further, he says evenly, “It’s not that bad.  There’s electricity and running water.”

“Let me put this another way.  I’ll stay here…how about the twelfth of never?  Either take me to a hotel or I start walking.”

“Relax, Parker.  The RV is Jarod’s office/hideaway when there’s too much tension in the house.  Which, by the way, is hidden behind those trees, you just can’t see it.”

“It seems to me that you’ve spent a little too much time with your eldest brother.”

“He isn’t tormenting you, sis.  He’s like a kid with a crush on a pretty girl.  He doesn’t know how else to show you he cares, especially after you torpedoed him most mature overture.”

She gapes at him, stunned by his insights.  She has a sneaking suspicion she knows who is providing all of his intel, which infuriates her because there is no other way he could know about Jarod’s boldest attempt to date to win her heart—she ate the evidence.  There is also the fact that he isn’t given to discussing their relationship with anyone.  Not evenSydney.  No, it’s clear to her who has been whispering in his ear.  And there isn’t a damn thing she can do about it.