Disclaimer: “The Pretender” and its characters don’t belong to me they belong to TNT and NBC and are being used without permission. Please don’t sue because I have no money.

Gated

Part 5

Jarod went back inside after watching the sunrise and went inside to turn on the T.V. He watched a little bit of the news and then turned to another channel and watched some cartoons for a bit and then turned it off. He made himself some breakfast and then turned to the sink and washed his dishes. He then headed into the computer room and turned his laptop on. He waited for it to load and looked around. On the desk was a photo that was framed. It was of him, Jeremy, his father, mother and Emily in front of his parent’s house and they were all smiling. He had put the camera on the tripod and set the timer. That was before Sydney, Miss Parker and the rest moved in with them. He turned back to the computer when it was ready and checked his mail and then to see what was happening to the rest of the world and other things that he was keeping an eye on.

He turned off the computer and then walked to the living room and then walked to the door. He was going to go to Sydney’s house. Walking up the driveway he heard some laughter and talk in the backyard. Sydney and Nicolas were sitting in lawn chairs talking to each other and once in a while they would laugh. He stopped in his tracks not wanting to intrude in what he saw as a happy moment. He turned to leave and then turned back.

“Jarod, come sit down.”

“No, that’s okay. I don’t want to intrude.

Michelle was looking out the window and saw Jarod’s face when he saw Sydney and their son talking and laughing. She knew that Sydney cared for Jarod like his own son, but she knew that Sydney never told him. She often told him that he should tell him, but he never did. She hoped that it wasn’t too late.

“Are you okay, Jarod?”

“I’m fine Sydney.”

Just then his father came up to the house.

“Jarod.”

“What is it dad?”

“I want you to come over to the house.”

“In a minute.”

“Now, Jarod.”

“Dad, why do you keep on doing this? I keep on telling you that Sydney is a good person, but you refuse to listen to me.”

“He was the person who took you away from us.”

“No, he wasn’t.”

“He was the one that kept you away from us.”

“He took care of me and tried his best to keep me from harm. It’s not his fault that I was there. Don’t blame him. If you want someone to blame, blame Mr. Parker and Mr. Raines, but don’t blame Sydney and Miss Parker. They were the one’s that took me away from you. Miss Parker was just a child like I was she didn’t know what was happening.”

“But she did when she was older. She didn’t have to hunt you down like an animal.”

“It’s not her fault. It was her father’s fault. You don’t understand what it’s like to do anything that you can to gain the love of a father, or even what you think of as a father. You would do anything to gain the love and attention of that.”

“I am your father, Jarod and I love you.”

“I know that, dad. But for years I thought of Sydney as my father. He was the one that raised me since I was four years old, he was the one who molded me into a pretender, and he was the one that made sure that I was okay. I didn’t remember you, or Mom. Then I was told that you had died. I grieved for you, for the family that I never got to see again.”

“But we’re here now.”

“But you weren’t then. You knew where I was. Why didn’t you come and get me? You were inside the Centre and still you never got me. There were times that I would lie in bed and cry because I thought that I did something wrong, that I was taken because you didn’t love me anymore. Why did they take me? What did I do so wrong for someone to take me away from you?”

“I’m so sorry, Jarod. You never deserved the life that you were taken away from.”

“No, I didn’t, but that’s what I was given.” He said as he walked away with tears in his eyes.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going out.”

“You shouldn’t leave.”

“I can’t talk right now. I need some air.”

He walked home and got into his car and took off.

He was walking around the town square when he felt someone watching him. He turned around and scanned the crowd and then he saw someone. He started to smile and walk towards the lone figure.

“It’s good to see you, little brother. You gave me a scare for a little bit. I thought someone found us.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Mom told me that you would be here.”

“You still hear your Mother’s voice.”

“Yes.”

“How are you getting along with it?”

“Actually, since you helped me it’s gotten better.”

“Let’s go then. Dad and Miss Parker will be surprised to see you. That is if Miss Parker doesn’t already know with her inner sense. It’s good to see you Ethan. I’m glad that you made it here.”

“I am too, Jarod.”