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Disclaimer: The characters Miss Parker, Sydney, Jarod, Broots etc. and the fictional Centre, are all property of MTM and NBC Productions and used without permission. I'm not making any money out of this and no infringement is intended.
The Lesson
By: A. Price
Jarod was in Philadelphia. He was here on a vacation. He decided he deserved one after his last "pretend". He had helped some homeless people regain their homes in an apartment building, helping get funding for the repairs to the building and utility help for the tenants.
As he walked the streets, he came to a familiar building. It was still here. He stopped and let the memories overtake him....
Memories of her, the first woman he had ever loved.
Jarod looked at her, smiling at the way she spoke to each homeless person as they went through the food line.
Allison Winters, she was a strong woman and Jarod had fallen for her--fallen hard far the petite brunette with the green eyes.
She ran the shelter for the homeless in a bad neighborhood. The drug dealers in the area wanted her out. She had guts to stand up to them, to chase them away from children on the street, to speak out against them. She didn't turn her head from their dealings and look the other way.
Jarod had tried to help, he was trying to help with the drug dealers, the pimps, and other bad elements around here. He had met her when he had been trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, who had been caught in a crossfire of a drug deal gone bad. He had found the man and helped bring him to justice. He knew he should leave, but he just couldn't. He couldn't leave her.
They had been seeing each other for two months now. It was dangerous for him to be in one place that long-love does strange things to you-love makes you take risks, and Jarod did love her. Enough that he'd told her everything about his past and his run from the Centre.
He spent his days helping at the shelter and his nights at her place, happily entwined with her under the cool sheets. They laughed and watched old movies and ate oreo's in bed. Jarod was learning about love, wonderful, all consuming love. He had never know such happiness as when his arms were wrapped around her, his face buried in her sweet smelling hair.
"Get up sleepyhead." she softly said as she climbed out of bed, heading for the shower.
Jarod smiled at her "It's morning already?" He teased her.
"Uh-huh...you are a bad influnence, keeping me up all night!" She laughed as she said the words.
He laid back on the pillow smiling as he heard her humming in the bathroom. He had never been this happy.
They both dressed and went to the shelter together. When they got there they found a mess. The windows broken, spray painted on the walls were the words-"Leave, and keep your mouth shut".
She had spoken out, one too many times, this was a warning. Jarod called the police, they came and took pictures, but with no real proof they doubted a culprit would be found.
The TV news came that morning and filmed the damage. They interviewed Allison on camera. She answered their questions about who thought might have done the damage naming names in the neighborhood. "We all need to stand up to them, to take back our neighborhood." She told the camera.
Jarod was proud of her fighting nature, but it also frightened him that she could be hurt. He didn't want to lose her.
"I'll take the trash out." he told her as they finished cleaning the kitchen that evening.
"Okay, thanks. Jarod, I love you." she said as he drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too." he whispered into her soft hair. He took the trash into the alley, and thats when he heard the shots.
He raced into the kitchen to find Allison lying in a puddle of blood. He raced to her side. Holding her in his arms, "Allison, hold on. I'm calling the ambulance. Hold on, baby." he said softly. Tears rolling down his face as he dialed 911.
"Jarod." she said softly, slightly gasping for breath.
"Shh...don't try to talk." he told her as he held her tightly. "They'll be here soon."
"Jarod...it hurts...and I'm dying...I know it." she told him, her eyes wet with tears.
"Don't say that, hold on Allison...Please hold on." he asked her weeping.
"Leave, you have to go. If you stay here to auenge me, you'll slip up, the Centre will catch you. You have to go...for me...please...I love you." she softly said as her life ebbed away. Jarod was left cradling her lifeless body, his head buried in her hair, sobbing. "I love you, don't leave me." as the ambulance pulled up.
As he watched the ambulance pull away, a familar face came around the corner-Miss Parker. He ducked into the alley before she saw him. Allison was right, he would have to leave tonight.
Even now ten years later, the thought of Allison pained him, and he would always feel guilt of not avenging her death, but she had taught him an important lesson. She had taught him how to love and be loved....and that wasn't something you 'pretend'.
The End!
The Lesson
By: A. Price
Jarod was in Philadelphia. He was here on a vacation. He decided he deserved one after his last "pretend". He had helped some homeless people regain their homes in an apartment building, helping get funding for the repairs to the building and utility help for the tenants.
As he walked the streets, he came to a familiar building. It was still here. He stopped and let the memories overtake him....
Memories of her, the first woman he had ever loved.
Jarod looked at her, smiling at the way she spoke to each homeless person as they went through the food line.
Allison Winters, she was a strong woman and Jarod had fallen for her--fallen hard far the petite brunette with the green eyes.
She ran the shelter for the homeless in a bad neighborhood. The drug dealers in the area wanted her out. She had guts to stand up to them, to chase them away from children on the street, to speak out against them. She didn't turn her head from their dealings and look the other way.
Jarod had tried to help, he was trying to help with the drug dealers, the pimps, and other bad elements around here. He had met her when he had been trying to solve the murder of a homeless man, who had been caught in a crossfire of a drug deal gone bad. He had found the man and helped bring him to justice. He knew he should leave, but he just couldn't. He couldn't leave her.
They had been seeing each other for two months now. It was dangerous for him to be in one place that long-love does strange things to you-love makes you take risks, and Jarod did love her. Enough that he'd told her everything about his past and his run from the Centre.
He spent his days helping at the shelter and his nights at her place, happily entwined with her under the cool sheets. They laughed and watched old movies and ate oreo's in bed. Jarod was learning about love, wonderful, all consuming love. He had never know such happiness as when his arms were wrapped around her, his face buried in her sweet smelling hair.
"Get up sleepyhead." she softly said as she climbed out of bed, heading for the shower.
Jarod smiled at her "It's morning already?" He teased her.
"Uh-huh...you are a bad influnence, keeping me up all night!" She laughed as she said the words.
He laid back on the pillow smiling as he heard her humming in the bathroom. He had never been this happy.
They both dressed and went to the shelter together. When they got there they found a mess. The windows broken, spray painted on the walls were the words-"Leave, and keep your mouth shut".
She had spoken out, one too many times, this was a warning. Jarod called the police, they came and took pictures, but with no real proof they doubted a culprit would be found.
The TV news came that morning and filmed the damage. They interviewed Allison on camera. She answered their questions about who thought might have done the damage naming names in the neighborhood. "We all need to stand up to them, to take back our neighborhood." She told the camera.
Jarod was proud of her fighting nature, but it also frightened him that she could be hurt. He didn't want to lose her.
"I'll take the trash out." he told her as they finished cleaning the kitchen that evening.
"Okay, thanks. Jarod, I love you." she said as he drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too." he whispered into her soft hair. He took the trash into the alley, and thats when he heard the shots.
He raced into the kitchen to find Allison lying in a puddle of blood. He raced to her side. Holding her in his arms, "Allison, hold on. I'm calling the ambulance. Hold on, baby." he said softly. Tears rolling down his face as he dialed 911.
"Jarod." she said softly, slightly gasping for breath.
"Shh...don't try to talk." he told her as he held her tightly. "They'll be here soon."
"Jarod...it hurts...and I'm dying...I know it." she told him, her eyes wet with tears.
"Don't say that, hold on Allison...Please hold on." he asked her weeping.
"Leave, you have to go. If you stay here to auenge me, you'll slip up, the Centre will catch you. You have to go...for me...please...I love you." she softly said as her life ebbed away. Jarod was left cradling her lifeless body, his head buried in her hair, sobbing. "I love you, don't leave me." as the ambulance pulled up.
As he watched the ambulance pull away, a familar face came around the corner-Miss Parker. He ducked into the alley before she saw him. Allison was right, he would have to leave tonight.
Even now ten years later, the thought of Allison pained him, and he would always feel guilt of not avenging her death, but she had taught him an important lesson. She had taught him how to love and be loved....and that wasn't something you 'pretend'.
The End!
