Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 5

Jarod couldn’t believe it.  Miss Parker was asleep in his bed along with Matthew.  Jarod’s first instinct was to run, but he suppressed the urge when Sydney’s glum voice floated through his mind.

Jarod, Miss Parker just up and left with Matthew…her son...the Centre has called for a red alert…Lyle is in charge of the pursuit team…they want her back…dead or alive.

Jarod heaved a heavy sigh as he leaned against the doorway, watching the two figures sleeping in his bed.  He couldn’t help but smile at the scene.  It looked so surreal, yet it didn’t.  He always had a feeling that Miss Parker would make a great mother, and seeing her here just proved his point. 

Miss Parker was practically sleeping on the edge of the bed as Matthew’s body was splayed about.  He smiled at the scene.  One thing he knew about his huntress was that she liked to sleep right in the middle, taking up the whole space.  Well, he knew where Matthew got his sleeping patterns from, he thought.  Still grinning, his eyes remained mesmerized by the two people before him. 

From his vantage point, he could see the boy starting to become restless.  Taking a few steps closer, Jarod could see Matthew’s face and hair was slightly damp with sweat.  Walking to Matthew’s side of the bed, Jarod sat down beside him and placed his hand on the boy’s forehead.

“Jarod,” came a sleepy voice from beside him.

Glancing to his side, he saw Miss Parker sitting up, looking at him with a puzzled look.  “How long has he been ill?” Jarod asked with concern.

“I really don’t know.  When I woke up at six this morning to check up on him, he told me his stomach wasn’t feeling well.  I gave him a small dose of pepto bismol, hoping that would ease his troubles.”  She paused for a moment.  “I didn’t make it worse, did I?” she asked worriedly.

Jarod pulled his hand away.  “No you didn’t, but he’s running a fever.”  Getting up from his bed he asked over his shoulder, “Where’s Ethan at?”

Brushing Matthew’s hair away from his forehead she answered, “He went camping with your father and Jeremy.  They should be back Sunday night.”

Coming out of the bathroom, Jarod brought out a bottle of aspirin, a thermometer, and a small glass of water.  Setting the bottle and glass down on the nightstand, Jarod sat back down on the bed. 

“Mommy…”

Miss Parker soothed the boy’s fears away as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, placing a gentle kiss on top of his head.  “Everything’s okay, Matty,” she reassured the child.

As Jarod moved closer to Matthew, the boy nestled closer to his mother, burying his face into her side.  “I…I’m sorry.  You should probably take his temperature since he’s more comfortable with you.  I’m probably scaring him,” Jarod suggested.

Miss Parker shook her head.  “You should do it.”  Looking down at Matthew she said, “Matthew, this is Jarod, Major Charles’ son.  The one he and Uncle Ethan were talking about.  He wants to help make you better.”

Matthew pulled away, glancing up at her.  “Are you sure?  How do you know he isn’t one of the bad people?”

Looking up, Miss Parker locked eyes with Jarod.  “Because I trust him.”  Averting her eyes, she looked down at Matthew.  “And you should know I would never let anyone come near you if I knew they would hurt you.”

Matthew remained where he was as he looked back between his mother and Jarod.  After some time, he slowly eased himself away from his mother.  Settling in the middle of the bed Matthew asked curiously, “What’s that in your hand?”

Jarod smiled at him.  “Oh this,” he commented, holding the thermometer in the air, “this takes the temperature of your body.”

“Okay,” Matthew replied back, still looking at the thermometer skeptically.

Clearing his throat Jarod instructed, “Now, I just need you to lie back on the pillow and open your mouth.”

Matthew raised a skeptical eyebrow at him, just like his mother, Jarod thought.  “Why?” the child asked.

“So, I can stick the thermometer in your mouth,” Jarod told him, grinning at his curiosity.  Returning his smile, Matthew opened his mouth.  As the boy’s temperature was being taken, Jarod opened the bottle of aspirin, dumping a tablet into the palm of his hand.  Taking out his pocket knife, he cut the tablet in half.  Hearing the thermometer beeping, Jarod reached over, taking the instrument out of the boy’s mouth.  Jarod frowned at the results—101.7.  Laying the thermometer to the side, he instructed Matthew on how to take the aspirin.  Once that was done, both adults got up. 

As Jarod went back to the bathroom, Miss Parker pulled the covers up over Matthew’s small body.  Wiggling his finger at her, she leaned down closer to her son’s face.  Cupping his hand over her ear he whispered, “I like him.”

Miss Parker looked across the room, watching Jarod as he busied himself in the bathroom.  Never in her life had she been so glad to see Jarod.  When Matthew told her he was sick, she instantly panicked as her worse fears began to surface—that she wouldn’t be able to give the proper care for her child.  She’d never taken care of a sick child, so when Matthew told her he was sick she got scared. 

With the Centre scouring the country for her, she knew she couldn’t just walk into any hospital or a family doctor’s office and ask for help.  Who knew what physicians were in the Centre’s pocket?  She just couldn’t take the chance, so when she woke up to find Jarod sitting on the bed; she was relieved to say the least.

Smiling, she looked back down at Matthew.  Leaning closer to his ear she replied back, “I like him too, but don’t tell him that.  The last thing I want to do is to give him a big head.”  Kissing him on the cheek, she stood back up.

A moment later, Jarod came walking back into the room.  Going over to Matthew, he placed a wet washcloth on top of the boy’s forehead.  “Now get some rest,” he ordered lightly, tweaking the boy’s nose.  Smiling at Matthew’s giggles, Jarod headed out the door and down the stairs, giving Miss Parker some alone time with her son.

Twenty minutes later, Miss Parker came walking into the kitchen.  Going over to the coffee maker, she poured herself a cup and headed back to the kitchen table.  Taking a deep breath she commented, “Mmm, breakfast smells good.”

Standing by the stove, Jarod turned off the burners.  Taking the frying pan, he poured the scrambled eggs onto a plate.  Setting the eggs, bacon, and toast on the table, he sat down across from Miss Parker.  “Go on and dig in,” he offered.

They ate in a companionable silence before Jarod spoke up.  “Miss Parker, when I’m done eating, I’m going to go into town to get some medical supplies.”

Miss Parker stopped chewing as she stared at Jarod.  “How sick is Matthew?” she asked with concern.

Putting his fork down, Jarod wiped his napkin across his mouth.  “I don’t know.  He’s running a fever.”  He paused for a moment, looking out the window before turning back to her.  He could see the look of guilt that danced within her eyes.  Reaching out, he placed his hand on top of hers.  “Listen to me; don’t beat yourself up over this.  You did what you had to do.  You couldn’t risk taking Matthew to the doctor’s.  It was a smart move.”

Looking down at their hands, then back up to his face, she quickly took her hand away.  “Yeah right,” she scoffed, “that so called move could’ve made Matthew’s health deteriorate these past two hours.”  Getting up from her chair, she walked over to the window, staring out over the lake.  “A mother should protect her child, no matter what the costs.  I should’ve been prepared for this,” she chided herself.  “What the hell was I thinking taking Matthew on the run with me?  It’s no life for a child.”

“And staying at the Centre would be?” he shot back.  Getting up from his chair, he walked over to her, standing behind her.  “Miss Parker, you had every right to rescue your child from the Centre.  You gave him back his life.  You gave him the freedom to be a child.”

Miss Parker let out a deep sigh.  “Jarod, I don’t know if I can do this by myself.  Everything I do, I’m afraid I’ll be hurting Matthew in the long run.  It…it just scares me knowing that I’m responsible for his well being.”

Hearing the doubtfulness and vulnerability in her voice nearly broke Jarod’s heart.  Reaching up with hesitant hands, Jarod rested his hands on top of her shoulders.  “Miss Parker, stop doubting yourself.  I know you’ll be a great mother to that little boy.  He’s very lucky to have you in his life.”

“Well, we’ll see about that,” she sneered. 

A wry smile tugged at Jarod’s lips.  “Hate to tell you, but I’ve already seen it.”  Turning her to face him he continued, “When I stumbled upon you two this morning, there was no doubt in my mind that you would protect Matthew with every fiber of your being.  Even in sleep you protect him.”  Pausing, he laughed to himself.  “It’s kind of like watching a mama bear with her cub.  I know if anyone tried to harm your son in any way, you’ll come at them with your claws in the air and fangs showing, ready to pounce on any threat that threatened your cub’s life.”

Miss Parker quirked an eyebrow at him.  “Jarod, I think you’ve been watching Wild Kingdom one to many times,” she teased.

Jarod gave her a puzzled look.  “Wild what?”

“Never mind,” Miss Parker answered back, waving her hand in the air.  Becoming more serious she said, “I just feel that I’m being selfish when it comes to Matthew?  Is it fair of me to raise Matthew on the run by myself?  And what should happen to him if something bad should happen to me?  Who would take care of him then?”  She sighed.  “I just think Matthew got a raw deal when he got me as a mother,” she stated sadly.

“Miss Parker, listen to me, you’ll never have to worry about being alone.”  He hesitated on what he was about to say next.  “If you want…I’ll be there with you every step of the way.  Together we could protect Matthew.”

Miss Parker shook her head.  “After everything I’ve put you through, I couldn’t ask you to do that.  It just wouldn’t be fair.  I mean, you’ve just recently been reunited with your family.  For once, you deserve the happiness you’ve always wished for.”

Turning away from him once again, she stared back out the window.  He could see the burden that weighed heavily on her shoulders.  All he wanted to do was to ease her worries.  “Miss Parker, these last couple of years have been tough on the both of us, and yeah, we’ve said some hateful things to each other because we were hurting so much, but I always promised myself that I would never turn my back on you.  This is a time that you need help, please let me help you ease your burden,” he offered sincerely.

Folding her arms across her chest she said, “Jarod, I don’t know if I’ll ever understand you.  Why are you willing to do this?”

He grinned at the question.  “Because, you are your mother’s daughter.”  Going around, he stood in front of her.  Reaching out, he placed his hand over her heart.  “Never deny your mother’s love.  It beats inside you for all eternity, just like it beats for that little boy upstairs.”  Dropping his hand back down he commented, “Think about my offer when I’m gone.”  With that, he went out the back door and headed towards the SUV.

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…