Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: Okay, all Pretender related stuff is the property of NBC's The Pretender. They are not mine! Although, other characters are mine.
Author's note: This is a [MAJOR] "What if" story so bare with me on this one, okay? I was so tempted to do it, so... I did! I had a lot fun writing it too. So here it is... enjoy!
He returned the smile. "Yes we should and we shall," he said, before winking at her playfully and disappearing from her sight. She shook her head in amazement, taking another bite of her pie.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Daddy, don't you have to be at work?" Chelsea said, frowning up at her dad as he entered the kitchen.
"Nope, I am taking the day off," he said, smiling down at her. "I don't need to meet with any clients, so I figured, what the hey, I'll spend the day with my kids and..." he paused to glance at each face that sat at the table. "My employees."
"What are we going to do today, daddy?" Chelsea asked, already her eyes glittering in excitement.
"Um..." Jarod began. "We could go swimming down at the beach, go hiking, or bike riding. There is a fair tonight at the edge of town, we could also go there."
"Swimming!" Cian shouted, leaping from his chair and jumping up and down.
Jarod smiled warmly down at his son, before flashing his eyes up at the three adults. "What do you guys say?"
Sydney and Miss Parker exchanged looks, while Broots said for them, "We didn't bring swim suits."
Jarod crooked his eyebrow. "Then go shopping. Mr. Green, you are a good driver, right?"
Sydney blinked once, leaning back in confusion. "Yes, yes I am."
"Good, don't wreck the car," Jarod said, not a scrap of humor in his tone. Tossing him the key, Sydney caught it and looked down at it briefly, before the three stood and turned for the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Look what I found Miss Parker!" Chelsea said, holding up a shell.
"Wow!" Miss Parker said, pretending to be surprised. "Can you hear the ocean in it?"
Chelsea held it to her little ear and listened. After a moment, she smiled widely and pulled it from her ear, looking at it. "Yeah! I can! Listen!"
She held it up to Miss Parker. Taking it from her, Miss Parker lifted the shell to her ear. "Yep, I can hear it to. Why don't you go show your dad."
"Okay!" she said, turning and trotting off for the water.
"Never knew you were that great with children, Miss Parker," Sydney said, sitting in the chair beside her. She glanced over at him, ready to snap a rude remark, but stopped. The need to hurt someone's feelings wasn't as great as it used to be.
"Thank you, Syd," she said, smiling slightly. Sydney blinked a couple times in surprise, before smiling as well. "Well, I am going in the water now. Want to come?"
Sydney glanced towards the water and smiled. "Sure, I guess."
Smiling widely at him, Miss Parker began her way towards the water, Sydney at her side. As they reached the shore, Chelsea was wading up to them, the water around her slowing her down.
"Miss Parker! Daddy said I could keep it!" she said, smiling.
Miss Parker returned her happy smile. "Good. You can set it on my chair if you like so you don't loose it."
"Okay!" she said, stepping out of the water and running for the chairs.
Easing their way into the water, they made their way to Jarod, who was teaching Cian how to float.
"No, no... relax," Jarod said softly, holding the boy just out of water, one hand behind the boy's head, the other on his bottom. Cian's little body relaxed a bit, tilting his head back more like his father instructed. "Good," Jarod said, flashing a smile towards Miss Parker and Sydney as they approached.
"How's he doing?" Miss Parker asked, looking down at Cian, who stared up at her from the water.
"He is a fast learner," Jarod said, smiling down at Cian, who smiled back. "I'm going to let go now, okay?"
The smile vanished from the boy's lips. "No."
"It's okay, Cian. You will float," Miss Parker said, smiling. "Just keep your head back and relax."
"No float," Cian said. "Can't float."
"Cian," Jarod said softly, lifting both hands out of the water and waving them over his son's view.
As soon as Cian realized what was happening, he lifted his head up in surprise and... sunk. Jarod quickly splashed his hands down and pulled up the coughing boy.
Coughing over and over from the water, Cian wrapped his arms tightly around his father's neck, recovering from the dive. Jarod stared at him with worried eyes, waiting for his child to stop coughing.
"You okay, Cian?" Jarod asked. "I'm sorry, daddy didn't mean to scare you."
Everyone prepared themselves for an outburst of tears, but instead, Cian smiled widely. "Floated! I floated!"
Jarod chuckled, kissing the child on his cheek. "Yes you did, Cian."
Miss Parker and Sydney laughed softly, staring at the happy boy that still clung to his father.
Glancing for the shore, Miss Parker spotted Broots holding a shell to his ear and Chelsea standing beside him. Finally, he arrived.
After a moment, Chelsea took off for the water, diving head first into the waves and swimming as fast as her little arms would allow to her
father, brother, Miss Parker and Sydney. Broots followed her, only inching his way into the cool water, instead of diving.
As Broots reached them, he whispered sadly in Miss Parker's ear, " I went to the library and I couldn't find anything on your mother."
Miss Parker frowned, swallowed and then looked over at him. "It's okay. We will find her." Broots blinked twice in surprise, before nodding.
"Cian, you want to see my shell?" Chelsea asked. Cian loosened his grip around his father's neck and bobbed his head up in down. He released his death grip completely and splashed into the water, both children swimming towards the shore. Jarod smiled slightly, staring off as his kids made it to the shore.
"Your children are wonderful," Sydney said, turning from the shore to look at Jarod. Jarod snapped his eyes over at the older man and nodded.
"Yeah," he said softly. "They are."
Sydney stared at him for a long moment; studying the man he watched grow up. Well, in the other world he did. To this Jarod, Sydney was a complete stranger and that made his heart heavy. Seeing the pain flash in this man's eyes as he watches his children from afar made the urge to pull him into an embrace stronger than ever. Hell, no matter what world, Jarod is always in pain.
"Miss Parker, Broots, could you please go get a bottle of water for me?" Sydney asked, looking over at the other two. Both stared at him for a long moment before turning for the shore. Sydney turned back to Jarod.
"Look, I used to be a psychiatrist and if you want to talk about your loss..."
"Used to be," Jarod stated, looking away from the shore to the older man. He lifted both arms and wrapped them around his stomach, his face following in pain. "I don't need your 'help', Mr. Green. Especially a stranger's."
"But I am not a stranger!" Sydney burst out.
"I've only known you for a week. Not even a week! And you think I want to listen to you tell me what I should..."
"Please, Jarod. It will help..."
"Jarod?" Jarod spat out. "Mr. Gene."
"Mr. Gene," Sydney corrected. "Look, you may not believe this, but I can help you. This is not healthy for you to..."
"You don't know me! How can you tell me what's good for me or not!" Jarod shouted angrily at him, stepping back and turning for the shore.
"Please, just one night. Talk to me, tell me what bothers you the most. You have to talk about it! Get it out! It will help a great deal!"
Jarod looked over his shoulder and scowled at the man. "Like I said before... I don't need your 'help'."
"You used to," Sydney said softly, staring off sadly towards Jarod as he made his way to the shore.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Daddy, Cian won't get out of the tub," Chelsea said, entering the kitchen, her hair still dripping from her bath, making a wet ring around the neck of her shirt.
"Alright," Jarod said softly, holding his stomach, walking past her and making his way up the stairs.
Miss Parker smiled at Chelsea and motioned for her to come over. Skipping over to her, Miss Parker pulled her onto her lap and began to
pull her damp hair back.
"What's wrong wit daddy?" Chelsea suddenly asked. Miss Parker flinched at the question.
"He just has a lot on his mind, that's all. Don't worry, he will be okay," she said, ringing Chelsea's hair out, the access water falling into the towel Miss Parker grabbed from the floor.
"Is Sadney and Boots going to come wit us to the fair?" Chelsea asked, fiddling with a string that hung from her tiny white T-shirt.
"I don't think so," Miss Parker said softly, watching Sydney enter the kitchen. She watched as he forced a smile, staring down at the little girl.
"Hello Sadney," Chelsea said, smiling.
"Hello."
"Are you going to come wit us to the fair? It is going to be fun!"
Sydney's smile faded a notch, looking briefly down at the floor. "I don't think so. You guys will have fun without me."
Chelsea frowned. "No we won't. More the merrier."
Sydney chuckled, looking up at the little girl again. "You get your intelligence from your father, don't you?" Chelsea smiled widely.
"Alright, Chelsea, Miss Parker, you ready?" Jarod asked, coming down the steps with a fully clothed Cian on his hip. Both nodded. "Alright, grab your coats."
Walking passed Sydney, Jarod made sure not to look at him, and Sydney noticed. Looking down to the floor sadly, Sydney stood silently as the four walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Cotton candy!" Cian shouted, running up to one of the stands.
"Alright, Cian, but don't eat all at one time again," Jarod said, pulling out a dollar. "You get sick easily."
Cian grabbed the bag in excitement and fiddled with the tie, trying to get it open. Smiling, Miss Parker took the bag from him and opened it. He flashed her a smile and pulled a wad of cotton candy out of the bag, lifting it up for Miss Parker.
"Why thank you Cian," she said, taking the candy from him and taking small bites from the wad.
"Welcome," he muttered, walking ahead with Chelsea.
"Can we go on the octopus, daddy!" Chelsea said excitingly.
Jarod nodded. "You guys go ahead, I'll wait here."
Miss Parker looked over at him. "Are you alright?"
Jarod looked over at her. "It's bad for my stomach."
"Are you sick, daddy?" Chelsea asked.
He forced a smile. "Go onto the ride, baby. I will wait here, okay?"
Chelsea nodded, pulling Cian towards the ride, the little boy clutching his bag of cotton candy.
"Don't drop that bag, Cian!" Jarod called after them, watching them give the man a ticket and climb aboard. Wincing in pain, Jarod brought a hand to his stomach. Miss Parker noticed his action and looked up at his face. He was suddenly pale, his eyes looking in pain.
"What is wrong?" Miss Parker asked, concern showing heavily in her voice.
Jarod flashed her a smile, obviously forced. "I'm okay. Don't worry."
"You have an ulcer, don't you?"
Jarod flashed her a look of surprise, staring at her for a moment. The intensity rose between them until Jarod looked away when he was being called.
"Daddy!" Chelsea giggled, waving to him from her seat high above the ride. He forced a happy smile and waved to her, Miss Parker turning and smiling up at her as well.
They watched as the ride moved, diving up, down, and side to side. Miss Parker glanced over at Jarod now and then, noting his expressions. He was smiling, but only for when his children glanced over at him, and his eyes still showed his pain.
As the ride ended, both children wobbled over to them, a little dazed by all the spinning.
"That was fun!" Chelsea cheered.
"Again!" Cian shouted.
"Maybe later," Jarod said, grabbing Cian's hand.
They walked all over the place, stopping for the kids to play a game or ride a ride. Every now and then, Jarod would take a shot at a game, but he refused to ride any rides, and Miss Parker knew why.
By nine o'clock, Jarod had won a huge frog for Chelsea, a dinosaur for Cian and a brown, stuffed bear for Miss Parker that had a little leather coat on and sunglasses.
"Can we go on the doubled Ferris wheel!" Chelsea said, pointing up to the tall thing. Jarod looked up towards the top and groaned.
"I don't know, Chels."
Come on daddy! Miss Parker hasn't ridden anything! She wants you to ride with her!" Chelsea said, looking over at Miss Parker.
"I do?" she asked, smiling down at the little girl. Chelsea bobbed her head up and down. Miss Parker simply shrugged, looking over at Jarod.
Sighing, he shook his head. "Fine," Jarod said, softly.
Chelsea cheered, jumping up and down. Grabbing her father's hand she pulled him over towards the ride, Miss Parker and Cian following.
After giving the man their tickets, Chelsea handed the huge frog over to Jarod, not wanting to drop it and her and Cian climbed abroad.
Waiting for the next lift, Miss Parker and Jarod handed over their tickets and climbed into the seats as well.
Miss Parker noticed how Jarod clutched the stuffed frog tightly, staring down as the seats got higher and higher from the ground.
"I hate heights," he muttered. Miss Parker smiled over at him. Finally,
Jarod had a human trait.
"Just don't look down," Miss Parker said, humor in her tone.
"You don't know how many times I heard that one," he said smiling, looking over at her. Miss Parker returned the smile.
Silence broke through, both concentrating on the ride and not loosing their stomachs. Finally Jarod spoke again.
"I don't know how I survived this. We would go every year with..." Jarod trailed off.
"Kindra?" Miss Parker finished.
Author's note: This is a [MAJOR] "What if" story so bare with me on this one, okay? I was so tempted to do it, so... I did! I had a lot fun writing it too. So here it is... enjoy!
He returned the smile. "Yes we should and we shall," he said, before winking at her playfully and disappearing from her sight. She shook her head in amazement, taking another bite of her pie.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Daddy, don't you have to be at work?" Chelsea said, frowning up at her dad as he entered the kitchen.
"Nope, I am taking the day off," he said, smiling down at her. "I don't need to meet with any clients, so I figured, what the hey, I'll spend the day with my kids and..." he paused to glance at each face that sat at the table. "My employees."
"What are we going to do today, daddy?" Chelsea asked, already her eyes glittering in excitement.
"Um..." Jarod began. "We could go swimming down at the beach, go hiking, or bike riding. There is a fair tonight at the edge of town, we could also go there."
"Swimming!" Cian shouted, leaping from his chair and jumping up and down.
Jarod smiled warmly down at his son, before flashing his eyes up at the three adults. "What do you guys say?"
Sydney and Miss Parker exchanged looks, while Broots said for them, "We didn't bring swim suits."
Jarod crooked his eyebrow. "Then go shopping. Mr. Green, you are a good driver, right?"
Sydney blinked once, leaning back in confusion. "Yes, yes I am."
"Good, don't wreck the car," Jarod said, not a scrap of humor in his tone. Tossing him the key, Sydney caught it and looked down at it briefly, before the three stood and turned for the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Look what I found Miss Parker!" Chelsea said, holding up a shell.
"Wow!" Miss Parker said, pretending to be surprised. "Can you hear the ocean in it?"
Chelsea held it to her little ear and listened. After a moment, she smiled widely and pulled it from her ear, looking at it. "Yeah! I can! Listen!"
She held it up to Miss Parker. Taking it from her, Miss Parker lifted the shell to her ear. "Yep, I can hear it to. Why don't you go show your dad."
"Okay!" she said, turning and trotting off for the water.
"Never knew you were that great with children, Miss Parker," Sydney said, sitting in the chair beside her. She glanced over at him, ready to snap a rude remark, but stopped. The need to hurt someone's feelings wasn't as great as it used to be.
"Thank you, Syd," she said, smiling slightly. Sydney blinked a couple times in surprise, before smiling as well. "Well, I am going in the water now. Want to come?"
Sydney glanced towards the water and smiled. "Sure, I guess."
Smiling widely at him, Miss Parker began her way towards the water, Sydney at her side. As they reached the shore, Chelsea was wading up to them, the water around her slowing her down.
"Miss Parker! Daddy said I could keep it!" she said, smiling.
Miss Parker returned her happy smile. "Good. You can set it on my chair if you like so you don't loose it."
"Okay!" she said, stepping out of the water and running for the chairs.
Easing their way into the water, they made their way to Jarod, who was teaching Cian how to float.
"No, no... relax," Jarod said softly, holding the boy just out of water, one hand behind the boy's head, the other on his bottom. Cian's little body relaxed a bit, tilting his head back more like his father instructed. "Good," Jarod said, flashing a smile towards Miss Parker and Sydney as they approached.
"How's he doing?" Miss Parker asked, looking down at Cian, who stared up at her from the water.
"He is a fast learner," Jarod said, smiling down at Cian, who smiled back. "I'm going to let go now, okay?"
The smile vanished from the boy's lips. "No."
"It's okay, Cian. You will float," Miss Parker said, smiling. "Just keep your head back and relax."
"No float," Cian said. "Can't float."
"Cian," Jarod said softly, lifting both hands out of the water and waving them over his son's view.
As soon as Cian realized what was happening, he lifted his head up in surprise and... sunk. Jarod quickly splashed his hands down and pulled up the coughing boy.
Coughing over and over from the water, Cian wrapped his arms tightly around his father's neck, recovering from the dive. Jarod stared at him with worried eyes, waiting for his child to stop coughing.
"You okay, Cian?" Jarod asked. "I'm sorry, daddy didn't mean to scare you."
Everyone prepared themselves for an outburst of tears, but instead, Cian smiled widely. "Floated! I floated!"
Jarod chuckled, kissing the child on his cheek. "Yes you did, Cian."
Miss Parker and Sydney laughed softly, staring at the happy boy that still clung to his father.
Glancing for the shore, Miss Parker spotted Broots holding a shell to his ear and Chelsea standing beside him. Finally, he arrived.
After a moment, Chelsea took off for the water, diving head first into the waves and swimming as fast as her little arms would allow to her
father, brother, Miss Parker and Sydney. Broots followed her, only inching his way into the cool water, instead of diving.
As Broots reached them, he whispered sadly in Miss Parker's ear, " I went to the library and I couldn't find anything on your mother."
Miss Parker frowned, swallowed and then looked over at him. "It's okay. We will find her." Broots blinked twice in surprise, before nodding.
"Cian, you want to see my shell?" Chelsea asked. Cian loosened his grip around his father's neck and bobbed his head up in down. He released his death grip completely and splashed into the water, both children swimming towards the shore. Jarod smiled slightly, staring off as his kids made it to the shore.
"Your children are wonderful," Sydney said, turning from the shore to look at Jarod. Jarod snapped his eyes over at the older man and nodded.
"Yeah," he said softly. "They are."
Sydney stared at him for a long moment; studying the man he watched grow up. Well, in the other world he did. To this Jarod, Sydney was a complete stranger and that made his heart heavy. Seeing the pain flash in this man's eyes as he watches his children from afar made the urge to pull him into an embrace stronger than ever. Hell, no matter what world, Jarod is always in pain.
"Miss Parker, Broots, could you please go get a bottle of water for me?" Sydney asked, looking over at the other two. Both stared at him for a long moment before turning for the shore. Sydney turned back to Jarod.
"Look, I used to be a psychiatrist and if you want to talk about your loss..."
"Used to be," Jarod stated, looking away from the shore to the older man. He lifted both arms and wrapped them around his stomach, his face following in pain. "I don't need your 'help', Mr. Green. Especially a stranger's."
"But I am not a stranger!" Sydney burst out.
"I've only known you for a week. Not even a week! And you think I want to listen to you tell me what I should..."
"Please, Jarod. It will help..."
"Jarod?" Jarod spat out. "Mr. Gene."
"Mr. Gene," Sydney corrected. "Look, you may not believe this, but I can help you. This is not healthy for you to..."
"You don't know me! How can you tell me what's good for me or not!" Jarod shouted angrily at him, stepping back and turning for the shore.
"Please, just one night. Talk to me, tell me what bothers you the most. You have to talk about it! Get it out! It will help a great deal!"
Jarod looked over his shoulder and scowled at the man. "Like I said before... I don't need your 'help'."
"You used to," Sydney said softly, staring off sadly towards Jarod as he made his way to the shore.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Daddy, Cian won't get out of the tub," Chelsea said, entering the kitchen, her hair still dripping from her bath, making a wet ring around the neck of her shirt.
"Alright," Jarod said softly, holding his stomach, walking past her and making his way up the stairs.
Miss Parker smiled at Chelsea and motioned for her to come over. Skipping over to her, Miss Parker pulled her onto her lap and began to
pull her damp hair back.
"What's wrong wit daddy?" Chelsea suddenly asked. Miss Parker flinched at the question.
"He just has a lot on his mind, that's all. Don't worry, he will be okay," she said, ringing Chelsea's hair out, the access water falling into the towel Miss Parker grabbed from the floor.
"Is Sadney and Boots going to come wit us to the fair?" Chelsea asked, fiddling with a string that hung from her tiny white T-shirt.
"I don't think so," Miss Parker said softly, watching Sydney enter the kitchen. She watched as he forced a smile, staring down at the little girl.
"Hello Sadney," Chelsea said, smiling.
"Hello."
"Are you going to come wit us to the fair? It is going to be fun!"
Sydney's smile faded a notch, looking briefly down at the floor. "I don't think so. You guys will have fun without me."
Chelsea frowned. "No we won't. More the merrier."
Sydney chuckled, looking up at the little girl again. "You get your intelligence from your father, don't you?" Chelsea smiled widely.
"Alright, Chelsea, Miss Parker, you ready?" Jarod asked, coming down the steps with a fully clothed Cian on his hip. Both nodded. "Alright, grab your coats."
Walking passed Sydney, Jarod made sure not to look at him, and Sydney noticed. Looking down to the floor sadly, Sydney stood silently as the four walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Cotton candy!" Cian shouted, running up to one of the stands.
"Alright, Cian, but don't eat all at one time again," Jarod said, pulling out a dollar. "You get sick easily."
Cian grabbed the bag in excitement and fiddled with the tie, trying to get it open. Smiling, Miss Parker took the bag from him and opened it. He flashed her a smile and pulled a wad of cotton candy out of the bag, lifting it up for Miss Parker.
"Why thank you Cian," she said, taking the candy from him and taking small bites from the wad.
"Welcome," he muttered, walking ahead with Chelsea.
"Can we go on the octopus, daddy!" Chelsea said excitingly.
Jarod nodded. "You guys go ahead, I'll wait here."
Miss Parker looked over at him. "Are you alright?"
Jarod looked over at her. "It's bad for my stomach."
"Are you sick, daddy?" Chelsea asked.
He forced a smile. "Go onto the ride, baby. I will wait here, okay?"
Chelsea nodded, pulling Cian towards the ride, the little boy clutching his bag of cotton candy.
"Don't drop that bag, Cian!" Jarod called after them, watching them give the man a ticket and climb aboard. Wincing in pain, Jarod brought a hand to his stomach. Miss Parker noticed his action and looked up at his face. He was suddenly pale, his eyes looking in pain.
"What is wrong?" Miss Parker asked, concern showing heavily in her voice.
Jarod flashed her a smile, obviously forced. "I'm okay. Don't worry."
"You have an ulcer, don't you?"
Jarod flashed her a look of surprise, staring at her for a moment. The intensity rose between them until Jarod looked away when he was being called.
"Daddy!" Chelsea giggled, waving to him from her seat high above the ride. He forced a happy smile and waved to her, Miss Parker turning and smiling up at her as well.
They watched as the ride moved, diving up, down, and side to side. Miss Parker glanced over at Jarod now and then, noting his expressions. He was smiling, but only for when his children glanced over at him, and his eyes still showed his pain.
As the ride ended, both children wobbled over to them, a little dazed by all the spinning.
"That was fun!" Chelsea cheered.
"Again!" Cian shouted.
"Maybe later," Jarod said, grabbing Cian's hand.
They walked all over the place, stopping for the kids to play a game or ride a ride. Every now and then, Jarod would take a shot at a game, but he refused to ride any rides, and Miss Parker knew why.
By nine o'clock, Jarod had won a huge frog for Chelsea, a dinosaur for Cian and a brown, stuffed bear for Miss Parker that had a little leather coat on and sunglasses.
"Can we go on the doubled Ferris wheel!" Chelsea said, pointing up to the tall thing. Jarod looked up towards the top and groaned.
"I don't know, Chels."
Come on daddy! Miss Parker hasn't ridden anything! She wants you to ride with her!" Chelsea said, looking over at Miss Parker.
"I do?" she asked, smiling down at the little girl. Chelsea bobbed her head up and down. Miss Parker simply shrugged, looking over at Jarod.
Sighing, he shook his head. "Fine," Jarod said, softly.
Chelsea cheered, jumping up and down. Grabbing her father's hand she pulled him over towards the ride, Miss Parker and Cian following.
After giving the man their tickets, Chelsea handed the huge frog over to Jarod, not wanting to drop it and her and Cian climbed abroad.
Waiting for the next lift, Miss Parker and Jarod handed over their tickets and climbed into the seats as well.
Miss Parker noticed how Jarod clutched the stuffed frog tightly, staring down as the seats got higher and higher from the ground.
"I hate heights," he muttered. Miss Parker smiled over at him. Finally,
Jarod had a human trait.
"Just don't look down," Miss Parker said, humor in her tone.
"You don't know how many times I heard that one," he said smiling, looking over at her. Miss Parker returned the smile.
Silence broke through, both concentrating on the ride and not loosing their stomachs. Finally Jarod spoke again.
"I don't know how I survived this. We would go every year with..." Jarod trailed off.
"Kindra?" Miss Parker finished.
