Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 23

After the game, Sydney followed Jarod and Miss Parker to her house as Sam stayed behind with a few of his officers, combing the sports equipment room for any clues that might lead to the guy who locked Brandon inside.  When Jarod asked Brandon what the guy looked like, his son couldn’t give him a clear description.  All Brandon told them was that the guy looked like any other guy off the streets.  He was about six foot tall, medium build, no beard or mustache.  Brandon told them he couldn’t really see his eyes because of the baseball hat he had pulled over them, but he said the guy sounded nice and had a police badge with him, so he thought it was okay to help him find his dog.

Stopping at a stop light, Jarod looked in the rearview mirror.  Brandon was sitting in the backseat looking out the window without a care in the world.  Goosebumps formed on Jarod’s skin as he thought about how close he came to losing Brandon tonight.  When his son looked up into the rearview mirror, he smiled that warm, affectionate, smile that always warmed Jarod’s heart, because his son inherited his mother’s smile.   Grinning back, Jarod turned his gaze from Brandon to Parker sitting in the passenger seat.

Obviously, she was still angry at Jarod for letting Sarah stay the night at Debbie’s mother’s house and going to the pizza place after the game.   Parker argued with him, telling him that Sarah should be grounded after what happened the night before, with Sarah sneaking out to see Brad, plus the fight they had afterwards after finding their daughter making out with the creep in his car.  But, Jarod argued back saying that it was tradition for everyone to go to Mama Mia’s after the last game of the season, so the underclassmen can have one last hurrah with the parting seniors.  However, Parker told him to screw tradition, Sarah needed to be punished for the way she’d been acting, plain and simple.

Rubbing his face, Jarod let out a heavy sigh.  He’d never liked fighting with her, but for the past year, that’s all they seemed to do.  It was always about something; her brother, her father and his annoying habit of telling Jarod about how to raise his children, his job and the long hours he was putting in, and then last but certainly not least, was his co-worker and friend, Zoe.

It hurt Jarod to think that Parker couldn’t trust him when it came to Zoe.  With her father telling lies about Jarod’s fidelity, how could she not trust him, but being naïve, Jarod thought his words and love alone would be enough to convince Parker that he was telling the truth when it came to Zoe.  However, she believed her father over him, and when Jarod finally saw the picture she shoved in his face, he understood why.

Jarod sighed in disgust as the photo flashed in his mind.  The picture was taken outside of Zoe’s bedroom window.  With the curtains wide open, anyone could get a good picture of what was happening inside.  The man with Zoe was not Jarod, yet Jarod’s face was clearly seen on the photo.  When Jarod looked closely at the photo, he noticed how the head and body were slightly disproportioned with each other.  Looking at the picture, he wondered who would go to all this trouble to digitally alter a photo, so that it would appear that Jarod was cheating on his wife.  But then, just as fast as the thought entered his mind, did he realize who--Mr. Parker.  Jarod knew Mr. Parker despised him, but he would’ve never dreamed that the elder Parker would stoop so low in breaking him and Parker up.

Jarod knew that Parker wouldn’t believe his words alone; he knew he would need undeniable proof that the photo was altered.  For doing this, Jarod asked for Sam’s help.   Sam took the photograph to a friend of his that worked on the Philadelphia police force.  When Sam came back with the results, Jarod was ecstatic.  This evidence would prove to Parker that Jarod never strayed from her. 

When she looked at the evidence, Jarod could’ve of sworn he saw relief creeping in her facial features, but it only happened for a brief second before her face turned hard and steely.  Throwing the photo at him she told him he was truly pathetic.  The harshness of her words cut through him like a knife.  Getting up, she told him if he kept this up about her father she was going to sue for sole custody of the kids.  Jarod was stunned into silence by her parting words as she quickly walked away from him, leaving him alone and empty inside the café.

When Jarod left the café, he was beyond angry.  Getting in his car, he started it up and headed for Mr. Parker’s house.  Jarod knew it wasn’t really his wife that was calling him pathetic or wanting to sue for sole custody of their children.  It was her father.  He knew Parker was in turmoil; unfortunately she was turning to the devil for advice.  What made Jarod sick was how Mr. Parker used his daughter’s vulnerability and self doubt for his own personal gain.  He knew the older man would stop at nothing to reap the benefits of his daughter’s crumbling marriage. 

Screeching to a halt in the driveway, Jarod left the car running as he scrambled out of car, and ran to the front door.  He pounded on the door wildly, until finally, someone answered.  He rushed past the maid and headed straight for Mr. Parker’s study.  Without knocking, Jarod busted through the door.  Mr. Parker looked up from his desk, and seemed unfazed by Jarod’s actions.

Furious, Jarod quickly walked over to the desk.  Stopping in front, Jarod ripped the pen from Mr. Parker’s hand and threw it across the room.  Turning back around, he swung an arm out, sending Mr. Parker’s files, briefcase, telephone, laptop, and other items crashing to the floor.

Enraged, Mr. Parker bolted from his seat.  “How dare you come into my home and trash it!” he exclaimed lividly.

Grasping the front of the desk, Jarod leaned forward so he was mere inches from Mr. Parker’s face.  “It’s time you and I had a little chat,” Jarod snarled.  Releasing his firm grip on the desk, Jarod reached out and pushed Mr. Parker back in his black, leather desk chair. 

“I’ve had enough of this!”  Mr. Parker shouted angrily.  Reaching behind him, he dug into his suit jacket, grabbing his cell phone.  “I’m calling the police, young man.  Maybe then you could explain to them why you’re acting like a madman,” he spat out.

Before Mr. Parker could flip open the phone, Jarod walked around the desk, slapping the phone from his hand.  “I don’t think so.  No cops or any of your other little lackeys to get you out of this.  No, it’s time you and I had a talk, man to man.”  Casually leaning against the desk, Jarod added, “I’m not leaving, so start talking.”

Mr. Parker gave him an incredulous look.  “And what should I be talking about?  I’m no damn mind reader, you know.”

“Oh, I don’t know, lets see, how about my marriage,” Jarod bit out sarcastically. 

Mr. Parker held his gaze for a few moments before leaning back in his chair.  Resting his elbows on the armrest, he steepled his fingers, resting his chin on top.  Smirking, he said, “Oh, you want to talk about that disaster, or as I call it the biggest mistake of my daughter’s life.”

Jarod clenched his jaw at his father-in-law’s words.  Glaring at him, Jarod stood up straight and leaned over him.  “I know it was you that doctored up that photo you son of bitch,” he growled out.  “It sickens me how you treat your daughter.”

Mr. Parker looked up at him with hate filled eyes.  “I love my daughter!” he hissed out.  “You on the other hand proved your love to her with that photo,” he added with disgust.  “Now, you break into my house saying I did these awful things to my daughter.  You have some nerve.”

Straightening his stance, Jarod walked over to a chair in front of the desk.  Sitting down, he made himself comfortable before he talked.  “Mr. Parker, I know you despise and hate me, hell, I can live with that.”  Leaning forward, Jarod continued, “But, don’t think I’ll go into the dark night without fighting for my family, for…” He paused for a moment, picking up a photograph of Parker.  A small smile fell upon his lips as his eyes took in her beauty.  Glancing back up, his smile disappeared as his eyes narrowed on Mr. Parker.  “…for her,” he tacked on evenly as he placed the frame on top of the old man’s desk.

“You’re no good for her,” Mr. Parker replied back coldly.  “I knew it the first time I met you.”

“But we were kids back then.”

Mr. Parker shrugged his shoulders.  “So--I know when someone isn’t good.  You’re nothing more than a heathen.  A man who has no ambition in life except to help the poor and unfortunate.”  Getting up from his chair, Mr. Parker walked over to the liquor cabinet.  Grabbing a tumbler, he poured himself some scotch.  Jarod watched quietly as Mr. Parker took a couple of drinks from the glass before turning around to face him.  “With most of your cases being pro bono work, how can you support my daughter and grandchildren?”

“I make enough to support my family.  We may never live in a house like this, but that doesn’t matter because material things leave you with nothing but emptiness.  Long as I live in a house filled with love, I’ll always be a richer man than you’ll ever be,” Jarod answered back with a smirk.

Mr. Parker let out a sarcastic chuckle as he walked over to the window behind the desk.  Looking out over the back lawn he said, “You are a foolish man if you believe that, Jarod.  Love is a pathetic emotion that makes people weak.”  Turning around, he locked eyes with Jarod.  “Your love made my daughter a weak person.”

“You’re wrong,” replied Jarod as he abruptly stood up.  “Our love for one another has made us as what we are today.  As for your daughter, you underestimate her.  She’s stronger than you’ll ever be.”  He paused an added sarcastically, “And you say you love your daughter, please, you don’t even know the real her.  Hell, it’s a good thing she took after her mother more than you.”

Mr. Parker’s hands shook with fury.  Jarod flinched as Mr. Parker threw his tumbler against the wall, spilling remnants of scotch down the wall.  Taking a couple of steps towards Jarod, he pointed a shaking finger at him.  “My daughter is nothing like Catherine, you bastard!  How dare you say that!”

Jarod smiled, knowing he got under Mr. Parker’s skin.  “But it’s the truth, and you know it.  You can’t stand that, can you?”  The older man didn’t say anything as he glared at Jarod, so he continued, “And I guess with me around, I guess I just encourage that, for her to show her human side instead of the zombie that her father wants her to be, hollow and empty inside.”

“Get out of my house!” Mr. Parker demanded.

Jarod didn’t budge from his spot.  Waving his finger in a mock scolding manner he said, “Now, now, now, there’s no need to get angry over the truth.”

“Truth, Ha!  Now that’s a laugh coming from the likes of you,” Mr. Parker replied back bitterly.  “Tell me then Jarod, how do you explain your little romp in the hay with Zoe, huh?  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.”

Inside, Jarod was seething, but he knew he had to remain level headed when it came to his father-in-law.  “True,” Jarod answered thoughtfully, “But, a picture doesn’t mean nothing if it’s been tampered with, am I right?” 

Silence enveloped the room, as the two men stared at each other with contempt.  The elder Parker’s silence gave Jarod his answer.  “If it’s a war you want then it’s a war you’ll get,” Jarod spat out.  “You may have won this battle, but I will win the war.  Nothing will stand in the way between me and my family.  As for your daughter, well, I don’t give up that easily.  Unfortunately for you, it’s one of those irritating qualities that she loves about me.”  Jarod grinned broadly at him.  Before he exited, he turned around an added in the doorway, “You have a nice night, and remember, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”  Laughing, Jarod walked out of the house and got in his car. 

Hearing a car horn blaring, Jarod was broken out of his reverie.  Gathering his composure, Jarod pressed on the gas pedal and continued driving.  It wasn’t long before his mind wandered back to this morning and how it felt to hold Parker in his arms once again.  He didn’t know how, but some how their sleeping positions changed on the couch as he found himself laying beside her, his chest against her back as his arms were wrapped around her waist, feeling every breath she took and exhaled. 

Jarod smiled wistfully as he remembered nuzzling her neck and hair, loving the smells that filled his senses.  And, as he lifted himself up slightly from the couch, he looked down at her still sleeping form knowing he would never give up on her.  The thought alone gave him enough courage to bend down and place a gentle kiss on her lips.    No matter how many roadblocks she threw his way, he would eventually find his way back to her heart.  And Jarod was one to never back away from a challenge.

However, his smile slowly vanished knowing the more time he spent with her and the kids the more danger he was putting them in.  He just couldn’t risk losing them.  So, when he peeled himself off the couch and carried her upstairs to what was once their bedroom he decided the only way to keep them safe was to stay as far away as possible, at least until he brought Catherine’s murderers to justice. 

When he reached the bedroom, he walked slowly to the bed, and gently laid her down.  Pulling the covers up and over her, he tucked her in and sat down beside her.  A million thoughts seemed to run through his head as he sat there and watched her sleep.  The way her chest slowly rose up and down with each breath she took.  The way her eyelids would flutter just slightly, knowing she was in a dream state.  The way her dark hair fanned out around her face, making her look almost angelic to him.  She was the most beautiful creature he ever laid eyes on, and to have her suddenly ripped away from him scared him to death.

As he turned down the street to what was once their home, he hated the realization he came up with that morning.  For her and the kids to stay safe he would have to push them away, to keep their distance from him.  And tonight, the incident with Brandon just proved his point.  Letting out a weary sigh, he pulled the car into the driveway.  Turning the ignition off, he watched as Parker and Brandon raced up to the door.  He smiled as Parker slowed down, letting Brandon win the race.  God, he loved them, which only made this much harder.   But, the question remained, could he do it and let them go?

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…