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This is a long chapter, and I actually cut it off. Thank you all for reading and those of you that reviewed I'm thrilled to see you cared enough to take the time to do so. I hope I don't let you down.
THE HUMAN CONDITION
CHAPTER 9
How many sorrows do you try to hide?
In a world of illusions that’s covering your mind
I’ll show you something good; Oh I’ll show you something good
When you open your mind, You’ll discover the sign
That there is something you’re longing to find
The miracle of love will take away your pain
“ Miracle of Love” by the Eurythmics
The Major could hear the cheerful chatter of the two guys laughing and joking with each other as he neared the main living room.
“You should have seen your face when she stood over you!”
“Well I noticed you nearly jumped out of your skin when she told you to get out of the way.”
The laughter nearly stopped the Major in his tracks from doing what he set out to do. He stood and wiped his hand down over his face, it had to be done, but when things where going so well for them it seemed to fall upon him to allow hell to intrude into their lives once again. Silently he apologized to them all: all three would be thrown back into the constrained days when this freedom of open laughter and joking would be stifled again. This time they had a powerful ally, this time would be the last time the Centre threatened to rob them of a normal life they all deserved. This time he would stake his life on it to ensure it was the last time. The Major took a moment to gather his wits and entered the room.
“Hey dad, how did things go?” Jarod was still grinning at Jem’s loss on the screen where the game continued despite the kidding and reliving the day at the beach. When his father didn’t answer Jarod glanced up to see the look on his father’s face. The game control slid from his hand as he jumped to his feet.
“What is it Dad? What happened?” Before the Major could explain Jarod was looking to the doorway, “Parker?”
The Major gripped his arm, “Son, there are some things we need to talk about.” He looked over at the young teen noting the moment of pleasure was gone from his face as he too looked confused and uncertain.
“Why don’t you two turn your game off and join Miss Parker and me out on the patio? Bring a couple of cold drinks with you.” The Major affectionately held Jarod’s arm a little longer and ruffled Jem’s hair as he left. The two looked at each other, Jarod tried to give Jem a reassuring smile as they began gathering the equipment.
The night air was perfect, warm with a slight breeze flowing over the patio. The moon was just beginning to rise from the water on the far side of the patio. That was where they found Parker standing at the far end of the patio, her arms crossed in front of her, watching the bright orb making it’s slow assent, its progress marked by the reflection on the nearly calm water below. The Major was sitting in front of the patio on the stonewall watching her. His concern showed in the stiff way he sat, his legs hanging unmoving, feet dangling, his head turned keeping watchful vigilance over the woman at the other side of the patio. Jarod and Jem watched the two from inside the screened porch; Jarod put an arm companionably around Jem’s neck as the two stepped out of the house.
Miss Parker turned at the sound of the door closing; Jarod read relief in her face. He couldn’t tell if it was because he was there or if it came from the fact that now she could get the information she wanted, her wait was over. She clarified it for him when she walked over to where he and Jem were standing. He felt the need to have her near him and was relieved to see that maybe she too wanted his support. He put out his hand and smiled as she took it.
The Major watched as the three stood close together as he would expect his children to do at such a meeting. They needed to be able to draw strength from one another.
“I thought it best if we all went over the information together since it involves all of us to one degree or another. We’re all in this together now.”
He waited a moment, relocating to a seat at the small table where several thick folders were stacked, then watched as the others followed his example and sat down. It did not escape his attention that Jarod pulled his chair over close to Parker’s and Jem mimicked him by doing the same on the other side, both surrounding her with their presence and strength .The Major studied Miss Parker’s reaction to the circling of the wagons. He was surprised by her acceptance and acknowledgment of their support, he was pleased that things had changed that both men openly expressed their affection and concern, but more for the fact, that Miss Parker not only allowed it, seemed to relish it.
“I believe you know what this is about. Colonel Berby spent the day here, he dropped off several files of information that his organization has gathered on the Centre.” When Jarod reached for a file, the Major laid his hand on top. “Before we get into the files there are some things you need to know.”
“Well, let’s get started then.” The voice sounded so much like the old Miss Parker that Jarod turned to look at her. She met his gaze but turned back to the Major. Her defensive walls were firmly in place as she waited for the first volley to strike.
“I’ll fill you in on what I told Miss Parker before you joined us so we all on the same page. Berby learned that Raines and Mr. Parker were sent to Africa. However - and here is where it gets interesting - when Mr. Parker left Africa it was made to look like he escaped.”
“Made to look like?” Jarod looked first at Parker then at his father, “Why would they go to that trouble to make it look like he escaped… unless they wanted someone to come to the rescue?” He laid his hand on Parker’s thigh under the table.
The Major nodded in agreement, “Yes, it appears that his disappearance once he was back in the States is meant to set the stage to look as though he is running from the Centre. Miss Parker thinks it may have something to do with Bridgette’s baby since she too has disappeared, presumably with Mr. Parker.”
Major Charles turned his attention to Miss Parker, “Colonel Berby has a man on in the inside, but he can’t get him close enough to intervene should the need arise. The Colonel is returning tomorrow to go over his plans with you. I’m sorry Miss Parker, the information he has is not going to be good.”
She met his eyes and slowly nodded, understanding all too well the course her life was probably going to take. “ I don’t remember a time when there was good news from the Centre, it only gets worse as time goes on.”
Though the hand on her thigh tightened Parker kept her eyes on the tabletop allowing a hand to cover Jarod’s and immediately his touch became like a gentle caress on her leg. She couldn’t look at him. The thoughts from the previous evening were screaming in her mind about the identity of the ‘queen’ in Angelo’s message.
Jarod was right. He surmised the answer to Angelo’s cryptic message. The problem was it seemed that both the ideas were right. Mr. Parker was playing a game and she was the queen. Like a malignant hiss, her mind whispered that her father wanted to control her like he was the chess player and she was his game piece. After all the queen was worth nine pawns. And if there were babies involved, her mind numbed at the thought that her father would use her as a breeding machine. Jarod had been right all along concerning her father’s obsession with power.
The pain behind her eyes had become blinding, barely able to hear what was being said, she rubbed her thumb around the inside of her eye socket trying to stop the flow of agony from bleeding out of her mind. Parker knew it had to stop here and now. She would not allow the old fox to continue using her or anyone else; too many have paid the highest toll to ride that highway to hell. This time he was playing the game and he wasn’t paying attention to the rules. She was. She would indeed show them a queen by the time all pieces were in place.
Parker knew this time she was ready to play the match and she would win. One way or another, she would never again allow him to hurt someone that she trusted or cared about. The thoughts whirling in her mind didn’t come to her as maybes but as straight truths. She knew in her heart this would be her stand; this was her play to make.
“Dad, what’s in the files?” Jarod’s voice broke through her misery and brought her back to the present, reminding her there was more to learn. She needed to be fully armed for her meeting tomorrow. She needed to be ready to handle whatever else the future held for her and those she cared about.
The files were passed across the table. Jarod slid one to open it and started shifting through the contents. Parker looked over at his file seeing photos and what appeared to be medical reports. She pulled a folder from the stack and let it sit in front of her for a few moments before gathering the courage to open it.
Jem moved into a position where he could look over into her folder. She shifted the folder between them. He was a genius, if the Major included him in this meeting there had to be a reason. They had just glanced through a series of photos. One in particular depicted a tall distinguished man dressed in a suit standing in a corridor that was located inside the Centre’s science labs, a highly restricted area.
“Damn! Dad, do you know what is in these files?”
The Major was watching the three peruse the files, if Parker thought he looked torn and tired before, he looked worse now. He again wiped his hand down over his face, a move Parker was beginning to recognize as frustration and dread.
“Yes, I do, I’m so sorry. If I could change any of it I would.”
Parker suddenly realized that the statement included her. She felt an unaccustomed tenderness toward this man who was practically a stranger to her. A man she had once accused of murdering her mother, a man who helped save her in both body and mind. She was starting to see him in a new light; she had a brief glimpse of some of Jarod’s qualities- the good will and humanity that couldn’t be torn from him. The Major’s wizened eyes held hers and in that moment she wished things could be different, that he could see and accept her in the light of better days. Pre-Centre days if they ever existed; pre-Centre employment days to be exact- days when she didn’t have reason question her own culpability and guilt.
Miss Parker looked over at the page Jem was studying. He looked up at her with such a strange expression that she reached for the paper and waited for him to hand it to her. He was shaking as he hesitantly placed it in her hand. She continued studying his expression trying to understand what she was seeing in his eyes while steeling herself for whatever it was he found.
Jarod had stopped reading to watch the interaction between his father and Parker. Now after Jem’s reaction he stood and moved to read over Parker’s shoulder. He was in the perfect position to hear her inhale and whisper, “How? How?”
She looked over her shoulder to Jarod, his eyes were moving quickly across the page digesting its meaning. “I thought you did blood tests? How could this be correct?” She picked up the folder to find the typed word Gemini printed across the top with the Centre’s red stamp of Top Secret diagonally across the front of the folder.
Jarod put his hand on Jem’s shoulder to calm him. Parker followed suit and wrapped her hand around his on the table. They needed to let the young man know that the anger and hurt they were experiencing had nothing to do with the results they were reading as rejection of him.
“I did blood work once we left the cabin. There hasn’t been time to do anything more extensive since we have been here. I guess I was a bit distracted and didn’t think more about it. Everything seemed to follow the SIM I formulated for cloning. I thought it worked. I should have tested it before now. I should have known that the Centre couldn’t be trusted.” Jarod was distraught with his oversight.
“We all took it as the truth Jarod, including Sydney. We stood watching Jem performing the same SIM you did in the same amount of time. Everything was staged to be believable. The Alaskan lab and its set up was enough to convince me.” Parker pulled Jem’s hand closer to her allowing her to envelope him within her good arm’s embrace. She turned to the boy and tugged his chin up to look him in the eyes, surprised to find them swimming in tears. “If I had known…. I should have known. I’m so sorry Jem. I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” She brought him to her fully and felt him shudder as he gave into his emotions. Jarod dropped his arms on either side of them holding on to the two as his own eyes filled with emotion.
“If anyone should know how devious the Centre is it is the three of us. But this goes beyond anything I could have imagined. Jarod the Colonel left some equipment here for you to verify the results in the file. He would like to have a copy of the documentation when you are done.”
The Major left the three sitting at the table to allow them time to gather themselves before entirely lifting the lid off Pandora’s box. There was still more to learn before the Colonel’s return. He needed to call him and buy his family more time to cope with the rest of the files.
Parker leaned back from Jem and gently traced the tears from his face with her thumb. “Jem, do you want to have Jarod verify your identity? How do you feel about this?” She paused watching the young teen trying to get his emotions under control, realizing that this was probably the first time he had a true melt down in front of anyone, anyone that cared. “We are not at the Centre. You will not be forced to have tests run on you.”
He quickly used the hem of his shirt to wipe the rest of the moisture from his face, “I want to know the truth, whatever it happens to be.”
Jarod stooped beside his chair, “Look it isn’t a question of where you belong. You are my family regardless of any test result. This is your call.” Jarod looked over Jem’s head to Parker who nodded in agreement.
“Let’s do it,” the boy said firmly. Jarod could have sworn at that moment he saw Parker-like walls go up around the boy. Jarod could now see that his defense mechanism was so much like hers that Jarod didn’t know whether to feel giddy with relief or fear.
“Let’s go in then, I want to make sure it is done right. We need to make sure all our equipment is sanitized and that we have everything we need to do this right.”
Jarod was the last to have blood drawn from his inner arm. Miss Parker held the needle smiling, “Are you sure you want me to do this. You were scared out of your skin on the beach, and I wasn’t armed with a sharp instrument?”
The object of her jest narrowed his eyes then laid his arm out on the table for her to take the blood sample. “There is a difference in the two instances. This one is definitely medical; I think you were just teasing on the beach. I take it you got the reaction you were looking for?”
He looked up to see the clear gray-blue eyes dancing with amusement.
“Pretty much.” She eased the needle into the vein with near perfect skill. At his look she casually answered, “You think I haven’t done this before? Remember I have a brother, somewhere, although I’ll be damned if it’s Lyle. As far as the beach incident, ammonia has proved to be of little aide to the irritation of the sting. ”
She capped the labeled specimen and looked at him, “Of course it’s not the recommended cure, and it’s only to be used if vinegar is not on hand.”
Jarod grinned at her, even though the circumstances were far from humorous. This woman knew him. He found the feeling intriguing, something secure and frightening and yet comforting in the way she allowed her sense of humor to show in dealing with all of it. The fact that she was trying to disarm the loaded gun of how they were being forced to handle the situation, drew him to her more each time he was close to her.
Jarod gathered up the other three marked tubes and on impulse leaned over to lightly kiss her lips. She didn’t pull back as he thought she might. She simply studied him and nodded for him to continue with the tests. More and more they were able to communicate non-verbally.
“Jem, are you up to playing scientist with me? Two will get it done faster.” Jarod watched the boy’s movements, almost robotic, stiff, and noncommittal. He looked at Parker; seeing that she too had noticed the boy’s uncertain behavior, a small crease had formed on her forehead as she watched their interaction. Parker quietly watched as Jem followed Jarod to the room where they had worked together previously to remove the bullet from her shoulder.
She felt the Major come to stand beside her watching as the two left. “How do you think the boy is handling all this?”
“He’s overwhelmed right now. It’s like he’s doing a SIM. He has put everything else out of his mind and is functioning by rote.” At the Major’s interested look she added, “I had seen Jarod partially shut down like that when we were younger and it’s how I cope with carrying out the particularly nasty jobs. More and more I’m beginning to believe the files. I don’t think he is Jarod’s clone.”
“I don’t mean to get overly personal Miss Parker, but how do you feel about all this?”
Parker snorted, “For someone who has bought my underwear - and in a fascinating array of colors I might add - I don’t think we need to worry about asking personal questions anymore do we Major?” She saw the slight smile as he was caught off guard by her remark. “I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, angry, and foolish.”
“Why foolish? You do not strike me as a foolish woman in any sense of the word. You’ve been betrayed by a parental figure, who by rights you should have been able to trust unconditionally.” He gently rubbed her arm.
“All the signs were there, I had been told by your son, no less, that my father could not be trusted. Do you know he once sent me to kill Lyle? He used me to track down your son. He lied to me every time he opened his mouth. I should have been paying attention to what was going on at the Centre. I knew nothing about a clone. Hell, I knew nothing about Pakor or Donoterase until I saw the DSA when you broke into Pakor! I should have. I’ve been walking through the Centre with blinders on for far too long.
“Interesting how both you and Jarod have used nearly the same exact words to describe what you both see as your failings and ignorance, something I never saw in either of you. But if these tests prove the evidence in Berby’s files is the truth, how do you feel about your relationship to the boy?”
“Devastated.”
At the Major’s look of disappointment she continued. “Devastated, that I was in a position within that organization and knew nothing about this, not even a clue. How could that have happened? I have learned to live by my gut instincts over the years. I believe those instincts have saved my life, saved my sanity. Where were they when this boy was born?”
“Miss Parker perhaps you answered your own question. Perhaps it was to save your sanity. You would have been… what? A little more than teenager yourself when all this was happening. You were probably away at school at least during the plotting of this debacle.”
“I failed and at what price to this boy?” Turning she opened the screen door and went out to the patio.
Left alone in the kitchen the Major opened a bottle of cold beer, and stood looking out the screen door. Parker was perched on the stonewall watching the waves under a moonlit night, absently rubbing her shoulder. He realized that she probably hadn’t taken any of her medication for most of the day. The major shook a pill from the prescription bottle on the countertop, retrieving a second beer from the fridge and he joined her on the patio.
“I’m sure you could use this,” he held out his palm with the pain pill, when she took it he opened the new bottle of beer and handed it to her. At her surprised look he commented, “I’m sure my son would be the first person to tell you not to mix the two, but I don’t think you will keel over doing it once - just don’t make a habit of it. This has been a long day, for all of us.”
She smiled gratefully as she took the bottle from him and downed the pill with the beer chaser. The cold drink felt refreshing as it hit the back of her throat. “Thanks Major, again.”
“You know Miss Parker I have come to see you as one of my own children these past few days. I think you react to things pretty much as I have seen my son react. It’s as though you are brother and sister raised in that place.”
Parker choked on her last mouthful of beer. The Major laughed at her reaction. “No I didn’t mean that you behave as brother and sister in that sense. Anyone could see that you’re attracted to each other. I guess I mean that you are in some ways different sides of the same coin.”
“That’s just because Jarod hid my gun. We have not shared too many moments of being on the same side for many years” Her smirk quickly faded, “Major, I honestly wish that I was the person you seem to think I am, but I’m afraid I’ve crossed over to the dark side so long ago that nothing else really exists for me. I have much to answer for.”
He took her empty bottle from her as he quipped, “Even Darth Vader wasn’t completely evil. You were never given an even playing ground. In that way you and Jarod understand each other. Miss Parker there isn’t a human alive that hasn’t made mistakes. Sometimes all we have to go on are lies, and the decisions you make on false information is entirely different than striking out to hurt for the sheer pleasure. I have never seen evidence that you use others pain to feed your own ego. I don’t think you are any different than the rest of us here.” As he was about to reenter the house he looked over his shoulder to ask, “How is this going to impact your life if Jarod proves that those files are correct?”
She remained facing out over the patio wall. “ I don’t know. I want them to pay, but not at his or anybody else’s expense. I still need time to wrap my mind around this. Time to adjust and figure out what I should do, what he needs me to do. One thing I know for certain, no one will ever hurt him again… not if I have something to say about it.” Her voice was low, almost thoughtful and yet stern. To the Major it was a deadly serious threat.
She moved back to the table to pick up another file. Taking it to the chase, she lit the citronella candle on the table beside her and slowly eased into the seat and opened the file.
_______________________________
It was nearly dawn when Jarod came looking for his father and Miss Parker. He had sent Jem to bed hours ago, when all that was left was the waiting. He found his father sitting with a cup of coffee in the kitchen deep in thought. After pouring himself a cup he sat across from him. The Major looked up from his cup his bloodshot eyes reflected an inner pain.
“Well?”
Jarod sipped at his coffee then set the cup down. “Jem is not my clone. He is our son.”
“There’s more. I hear it in your voice.”
“Yes. I know now why, when I did the blood work after we first got out of the Centre, his DNA seemed to indicate that is was the same as mine. We talked about his life before we found him at Donoterase. Jem had his appendix removed and had been given plasma several times afterward, supposedly to speed his recovery. I think they were transfusing him with white cells from blood they had collected from me and froze. That would have given a false reading until those cells died, probably a week later. I think they planned that to fool the Africans when they transferred the boy. The blood cells would die in about a week, so they needed to move things up.“
The Major shook his head in disbelief. “Isn’t it surprising that such an organization had so much intelligence and education at their disposal choose to use it for their own corrupt purposes rather than furthering the human condition.”
“It is surprising only until you get a first hand look at them. Mr. Parker is in it for power and greed, he pretty admitted that when we were waiting for you a the plane.” Jarod looked around the kitchen, “Where is Parker, tell me you got her to rest?”
“Last time I looked outside she was sitting in the lounge chair reading more files or staring at the stars. I couldn’t talk her into coming inside.” The Major shrugged, “It seemed she wanted to be alone to think so I quit pestering her to come in out of the night air. She is taking this as though she is responsible for not knowing. Nothing I said made a difference, Son, I am a bit concerned about how she will deal with the truth.”
His deep sigh, told his father that he might have expected this reaction. “I’ll go talk to her, but I think she knows or suspects the truth. She has developed this keen sense of ‘intuition’, as she calls it. Hopefully, we can share the burden of this together. It was not her fault that they have used her all of her life. Sydney told me at one point he caught her hiding behind a pillar in the Centre hallway, listening to her father and Raines make plans for one of their little projects. Sydney has been worried she would eventually get herself killed for poking around. Her blinders were her desire to please her father, even though I wanted her to be aware of his callousness towards her and everyone else. I never wanted this for her.”
“Jarod, keep in mind she is hurting and feeling responsible. When you speak with her, think carefully about what you want to say. Right now she is defensive and in pain. A wounded animal is more likely to strike out even if they know that they are putting their life on the line. There is more to consider than the two of you. Your actions can end up hurting Jem even more.”
The exhausted genius went to find the mother of his child. The very thought of it did strange things to him, strange and yet familiar. Jarod put those thoughts out of his mind as he walked up to a sleeping Miss Parker. His father must have brought out the throw to cover her against the cool damp air. She was lying on her right side slightly curled, leaving room on the chaise for Jarod to sit behind her knees. He leaned across her back to lightly brush the hair from her check and smooth it along the back of her neck. His fingers grazed her cheek until her eyes fluttered open and she turned to look at him.
“Jarod. I guess the tests are done.” It was a statement not a question, he wondered how she was so sure, when the entire time he was working on the DNA samples he was curious.
“Yes Cario, it’s done.” They continued watching each other, taking the measure of each other.
“He is ours.”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“The more I thought about him, his mannerisms, his trusting nature, and his defense mechanisms I began to believe it. “
“More of your instinct?”
“Yes, I guess you could say that. So does he know?”
“No. I sent him to get some rest while I waited for the results. This Colonel Berby must have some real pull. That equipment is state of the art. Without it, we would be waiting a week.”
“I think I would have preferred the week. It would have given us some time together. How do you think Jem will feel about this? And what are we going to do?”
“We tell him. Parker, I’m glad he is not a clone, that he is an individual. He may not have been conceived in the normal way, but he is not a science experiment either. I’m also glad that you are his mother, because I know you. I know all the good you are capable of. I know you’re intelligent and beautiful and that this particular young man has feelings for you. In a way it is as though he has already chosen you for his mother figure.”
“The only good I see out of that is that perhaps he inherited my mother’s genes. Don’t get me wrong, I love this kid. I’d do anything for him. I just think that, from me got the shallow end of this part of the gene pool. He has your family to care for him. He’ll be kept safe from the Parker side if I or your family has anything to do with it.”
Jarod frowned at her response, but held back from replying to it. “We still have several files to dig through, Dad talked Berby into giving us a few days to digest it. I understand the Colonel wasn’t happy about the delay. There must be a good reason for his pushing things. “
As Parker moved to get up, Jarod reached for her and lifted her to her feet bringing her in close proximity to him. “Don’t give up on him as part of you, and don’t give up on us as his parents just yet. You know what it was like to have someone that you loved taken from you. I can see in his eyes and the way he reacts to you that he’ll see it as rejection if you leave him for any reason. “
“I’m not good at Mommy. You’re asking a lot, Jarod.”
“Not from the boy’s mother, not from you, I’m not even skimming the surface. If it were anyone else I would probably hesitate or feel uncomfortable, but not with you.” He gently kissed her forehead, and then tucked her good arm into his. He waited for her to gather the files beside her chair; he took them from her and walked toward the house.
The Major’s cup was on the kitchen table but he was not in the room. They both looked around the living room then heard the Major’s voice from the other side of the kitchen where Jem and he had their bedrooms. Parker went as far as the kitchen then waited while Jarod went though following the sound of the his father’s voice speaking softly to Jem. He knocked softly on the doorframe then stood at the entrance to the room.
His father looked up at him and motioned for him to come in. “Jem, Jarod is right here. Why not talk to him yourself. I’ll be in the kitchen if you want me.”
The teen looked around the Major to see Jarod standing near the bed. “Where is Miss Parker?”
“She is in the kitchen, waiting to find out if things are okay. Do you want me to get her?”
Jem nodded his head but kept his eyes lowered.
The Major, stopped at the doorway hearing Jem’s request to have Miss Parker. He raised his hand up to stop Jarod from leaving, letting his son know that he would send Miss Parker in.
When she walked to the bed, Jarod asked Jem if he wanted him to talk to Miss Parker privately. Jem shook his head. “No, I need to see you both. Jarod what were the results?”
Jarod put his hand on the teen’s shoulder, “You’re not a clone. You are our son.” He could feel the shoulders shake as the younger head dropped down.
Miss Parker sat beside Jarod, “Jem, look at me.” The large brown moisture laden eyes looked up at her, “ I will tell you that both of us feel guilty that you were so close but we didn’t know. We didn’t know or we would have done our best to get you away from there. We would have done that whether you were our son or not. Do you understand what I’m telling you? Please tell me what you are thinking?”
“No I don’t know what to understand. I don’t know what to think.”
“Do you think I-we cared about you earlier, before any of this happened tonight?”
The dark eyes went from one to the other, “Yes, I think so.”
Miss Parker’s tone changed to a slightly sterner voice, “ You know so.”
He looked at her and smiled shyly, repeating, “I know so.”
So what could have changed since then? Do you think we would love or care for you less because now we have proof you are our child?”
“But Mr. Raines said….”
“Bull shit. No one believes Mr. Raines. He’s a lying ghoul. I never liked him when I was a little girl. He scared the crap out of me even then, same thing with Jarod – err - your father.” She looked over at Jarod to corroborate her statements.
He was trying not to smile at her. This was his Parker. She really hadn’t changed all that much since they were children, she was still the take charge and adventurous child in a woman’s body. Jarod focused on Jem, “She’s right, Raines is a nightmare. He always was. On the other hand, we will try not to be your nightmare. We will try to be the best parents we know how to be. “
“Unfortunately for you, this is new to us. You will get all the mistakes that most parents will have figured out by the time their child is your age.” Parker ran her hand down over his wet cheeks and caressed his chin, “Think you can put up with us?”
His smile was watery but it touched his eyes and melted Parker’s heart.
They had stayed until the boy couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer. Both kissed his forehead and said goodnight. Jarod walked her to her room, “Do you need anything for pain?”
“No, your father gave me something while you were doing the tests.”
“Well then I’ll say good night, he leaned in to kiss her cheek, with precise timing she moved her head so that their lips met in a sweet kiss. Jarod dropped his head so that their foreheads rested against each other. “Cario, would you mind if I camped out in your room again tonight? This time I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts.”
Parker pulled back to look at the fatigue that seemed to grip his features. “Actually, I was hoping I could convince you to stay here tonight.” This time she leaned into him and felt him pull her deeper into an embrace. “What would I do without you?”
“You will never have to find out.” Again he leaned down but aimed for the perfect lips that felt to him like they were made for his kiss.
When they separated Parker held Jarod’s face with her hand, tenderly caressing his face with her thumb. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep. There is more to deal with in those files. This was the tip of the iceberg.”
He held her hand moving it from his cheek to his mouth and kissed the palm, slowly and with as much gentle passion as she had ever known. “Would it be too much to ask you to hold me for a few hours. It’s already daylight, and ….”
He put his finger to her lips, “You need some rest Cario, let it go for a couple of hours.” He pulled back the bedspread and sat her down on the bed, removed her shoes before raising an eyebrow questioningly at her.
She pulled off the tee shirt and stood to kick of the shorts, leaving her in a skimpy tank top and underwear. “That should do it.” She smiled at the look on his face as she gently sat on the bed and swung her legs back on to the bed. He pulled the bed covering around her and walked to the other side. She watched as he kicked off his shoes, removed his tee shirt and the cut offs, leaving him in the Speedos that for some reason he had let on.
At her snicker he turned to her, “I know, I forgot. I’ll bury them in a drawer later.” She rolled onto her right side and he curled up behind her. “Remind me when we get up to redress your shoulder tomorrow.”
“Oh, we will bury them, just not in a drawer. Rest well Jarod.” She sighed as his arm moved around to hold her around the midriff.
Parker was awake. Feeling the arm still around her she knew that Jarod must still is asleep. She gently removed the arm and eased out of bed as smoothly as possible hoping not to interrupt his short visit to the land of nod.
At first she heard no sounds as she made her way to the kitchen and a good dose of caffeine. Parker was carefully swinging her left arm as she walked noting that she had some mobility that wasn’t there before. Her shoulder was stiff and needed a little movement to get the muscles loosened up. As she neared the living room area she heard the clicking of computer keys, coming to a stop she looked in to see Jem so involved in what he was doing he hadn’t noticed her.
She stood watching her him. Letting that fact that he was her son weigh in on whether she should check on him, or allow him a few moments to himself. He was not a child, nor was he used to being their child anymore than she was used to being his mother. Mentally she kicked herself at her indecisiveness and decided to start some coffee and return to make a casual appearance.
If she expected the kitchen to be in sleep mode she was wrong. The Major looking a bit ruffled and tired was pouring water into the coffee machine. He looked up, sensing a presence. They exchanged a tired smile before she spoke.
“How long has Jem been up?”
“He was at the computer when I got up a few minutes ago. I asked him if he wanted breakfast, he grunted something that sounded closely similar to ‘not yet’. I let him go. It’s going to difficult to establish boundaries with him.”
“Maybe not as difficult as you think. He will always have more freedom out of the Centre than he had when he was within their reach. The problem will be –Can he accept our authority as his parents?” She slightly shook her head as her cynical laugh sounded louder than it was in the quietness of the house. “That is if we can figure out our role as parents. Jarod, will without a doubt master his role by lunchtime. It’s me doing ‘mommy’ that should have even the roaches running from the motels.”
The Major chuckled at her while handing her a cup of hot coffee. “I think you have the ability to be anything you want. You have ‘pretended’ your way through life to survive it. This, although not a cake walk, will be easier than dealing with the pit of vipers you have lived your life walking among.”
He guided her to a chair at the table, pulling it out for her, “Miss Parker, may I offer one bit of advice as a parent?” At her nod, he continued, “The most you can do for a child is put his interest before your own. That doesn’t mean giving in to his tantrums and every desire, it means knowing from your life what you learned to be in his best interest.”
He chuckled again. Parker knowing more was to come was lost in his thoughtful sharing of his insights. She watched his expressions, recognizing many of them. But she wondered about the ones that were not, how each person is indeed an individual. She was startled when she found she was caught in her study of this man before her.
The Major raised his eyebrows in question to her serious but studious watchful gaze. “Major, please let’s skip the Miss Parker and move on to either Parker or Macario. In fact why not use my proper first name Macario. As grandfather to my,” her voice caught in her throat for a second, “to our son. I think it ridiculous to continue with Miss Parker. Don’t you?”
“Macario, it suits you.” He watched as she suddenly found her cup interesting, it came to him as a bit of surprise that anytime he praised her, she seemed unable to look him in the eye. More and more as he spent time with her he realized she was as much a victim of the Centre as any of them. “Macario, I was about to say that you have treated that young man better than many children are treated since you got here. I think you are overly concerned.” When she met his look, he finished, “As parents you always worry about the child you are raising. You always hope that you make the decisions that need to be made. Jarod has high respect for what you call your gut instinct. If the father of your child has trust in your abilities, try to trust them yourself.”
“Thank you Major. My gut tells me that young man hasn’t had anything to eat since sometime yesterday. I think I’ll take him a glass of juice and try and talk him into some breakfast,” she looked at the clock, “or lunch.”
He watched her pour a large glass of juice and take it into the room, then heaved a large sigh as he brought his cup up for a much need swallow of caffeine. The Centre can never pay enough for what the damage it had done to so many.
Parker’s robe rustled as she walked to where Jem was working. His gaze moved from the computer to follow her approach to the coffee table the laptop was opened on.
Her quick glance told her it was Jarod’s computer. The last time she saw that computer was in her room on the desk in the corner. She frowned at the thought he was there without either of them knowing. She quickly covered her expression with a smile when she looked closer at Jem.
“I thought you might want a bit of juice. Did you get any sleep Jem?”
“A little I guess. I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep so thought I could do some research.” Taking the glass from her hand but without drinking any Jem began to set it beside him, when Parker deliberately sat in that intended place beside the computer. He looked up to see the beautiful eyes watching, her eyebrows arched in the look he had seen her give Jarod many times when either daring him to continue a subject or questioning him. He swallowed and raised the glass to drink some of the juice. When he managed to finish half the juice he set it on the other side of the computer, waiting for whatever else this enigma that he knew was studying him was going to say or do next.
“Isn’t this Jarod’s computer?”
Jem watched her face trying to decide if he was in trouble. “Yes. I don’t have one and needed to do something useful.”
Parker moved to sit beside him to look at the monitor, but decided that the approach she used on Broots may not be the wise on to use on her son. Keeping eye contact with him she continued, “We should see if we couldn’t get you one of your own. I didn’t hear you knock when you came for it this morning.”
“Ah, I didn’t knock. You were both sleeping and I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Parked saw the touch of fear enter his expression. “Well, I appreciate that, but, for now on, please knock unless it’s an emergency. Okay? In the mean time, how would you feel about sharing what you learned?” She watched as the fear morphed into relief and then the spark of intelligent life hit his eyes. He did find something.
“Well, I was curious about Colonel Berby and what exactly was his interest in the Centre.”
Parker smiled, thinking about her interactions with Broots, the comparison of the boy’s approach to research, his understanding of computers and technology. Granted these were Jarod’s genes but she had spent more time with the adult Broots than she had, until lately, with the adult Jarod. It amazed her that she was growing her own computer geek. “And….”
“You know you that the MI6 is more guarded then the FBI’s files? I had to circumvent the system three times to find the backdoor, and even then I could only find the smallest of details without tripping the doorbell.”
Parker was feeling the need to snap her fingers. He was more like Broots than she’d anticipated! Dear heaven. She had a lot of work to do! “Okay, where you able to learn anything?”
“Not much. I was able to find his military history, nothing new that the Major hasn’t already filled us in on. One item of interest is that he had a son that went missing about thirty years ago while in New York City with his mother. They never found him. His family was vacationing and looking into schools for the gifted while in this country. The child disappeared without a trace.” Jem looked over at the woman that he had only just learned was his mother to see her face take on a totally saddened appearance. “You think the Centre was involved?”
Before Parker turned to answer Jem she attempted to mask her emotions. After looking at him she realized he had seen what she was feeling. “It makes sense doesn’t it? It gives him an incentive to take them down and to help protect you. Perhaps we have a greater ally to be reckoned with than we realized.” She hugged Jem to her, “Now finish your juice we have a lot to do to prepare ourselves to meet this Colonel. I need to get dressed first.” She waited until he emptied his glass before leaving
He watched her leave, and thought over her desire to have him knock before entering. She didn’t yell at him for taking the computer but seemed more disturbed about not knowing he was in her…their bedroom. Jem wondered if it had to do with his own feelings about being watched while at the Centre. It was different to have your privacy treated with respect here. Until now he just thought of them all as fellow inmates. He would have to ask Jarod if that was because she was a female or if life outside the Centre’s reach was really that much different and he was entitled to such privacy and respect. He thought that they had merely been treating him kindly out of some sort of pity. Miss Parker certainly treated him differently then she treated Jarod. For that matter, she treated the Major differently than either of them.
He leaned back trying to figure if there was an order to the respect. No one seemed in command, although Miss Parker was given some priority in some areas. Again she was the only female in a house of males so perhaps it was out of respect for her that she was given a different level of privacy. This life was going to take some getting used to. Jem smiled. He was looking forward to becoming accustomed to this life. It was far from routine and much more fun than what he had known before. This must be what Miss Parker had meant when asked him about at Donoterase and living like other boys.
Jarod was just coming out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of shorts toweling dry his hair. “Hey”, he smiled, “why didn’t you wake me?”
“You were sound asleep. I figured I owed you for those nights you didn’t sleep at all or slept in a chair watching over me.” She surprised him with a warm hug, than ran her hands up and down his back. He jumped and then squirmed when she did it a second time.
Jarod pulled back to look into Parker’s face, her eyes were sparkling with laughter and a broad smile lit up her face. He tilted his head and watched her while he was trying to figure out what it was about.
“It would seem your son has inherited your ticklish spot along the sides of your back. I noticed whenever I hug him he squirms like that. So I thought I’d do a bit of research on the subject.”
As she began to turn from him he pulled her gently back to him and softly kissed her lips. “Hmm,” he licked his mouth, “I was testing a theory that you must have had your morning coffee.” It was his turn to smirk at her expression.
“Nice genius, real nice. Well, here’s something you can research, YOUR son, was in this room earlier while we were asleep, to borrow your computer. I kindly suggested he knock next time, and that we would see that he got a computer of his own. You can be glad you were covered considering the sleep apparel you chose to wear to bed. Speaking of which, I hope you threw them out?”
“No, I saved them. I thought if we were going to live as a family unit I’d like to see you in them. After all you saw me.”
Parker laughed an open joyous laugh, “Listen Nature Boy, I didn’t ask to see you in them. More importantly, before I wore those I’d go without, you know- commando style,”
Jarod mouthed, “commando style” as though keeping it for further reference. “Well we can just lock the bedroom door. In case we both decide to go commando style.” He looked at her very pleased with himself in handling the turn of phrase. Then without warning scooped her off her feet on to the bed where he nuzzled her neck and tickled the area around her kneecap. “I wonder what little peccadilloes our son inherited from you.”
She pushed at his chest, “Come on get up. There is no lock on the door and I’m on my back.”
Jarod grinned, “Yes you are, and I have to say I’m enjoying the sight.”
Parker couldn’t keep the smile from spreading. “Thank you but I’m not, and I really don’t want our son to knock and open the door to find us in this position.”
Jarod sat up and helped her to sit, his head tilted. “Why is that? You don’t want him to know that we have become close? Are you ashamed that …?
Parker put her fingers over his lips before he could say more, “Listen, as a teenager how would you have felt if you walked into your parent’s bedroom to find them in a …. compromising position?”
She knew by the puzzled look on his face this was going to be a long conversation. She got up from the bed and began collecting her clothes.
“Jarod most teens understand sex and the fact that their parents are their parents, means it must have happened at least once.” She turned to see if he was following the direction she was taking. “They just don’t want the details. Our son has a limited idea of who we really are. There are some things I’m not ready to share with him. That is at the top of the list. His exposure to many things in the real world is stunted to say the least.”
Parker finished gathering her clothing and started for the bathroom when Jarod stopped her. “Let me look at your shoulder before you shower. We may allow it some fresh air if you don’t get soap into it.” She peeled off the robe and stood still as Jarod adjusted the tank top to allow him to remove the bandage covering the area of the incision. “So, have you walked in on your parents?”
He continued what he was doing but paid close attention to her reaction.
“I did once. I was about eight when I had a bad dream and even though I knew the rule about the closed door, I ran into the bedroom.” She paused, “I thought he was hurting her. To this day I’m not sure he wasn’t. The look in her eyes, it was fear. I was old enough to know about procreation as a function of the human body, but too young to understand sexual undertones, and the forms it may take. Daddy rarely if ever publicly displayed any affection for either Mama or me. He was furious with me that day and told me to wait outside in the hall. I didn’t. I ran like hell to my room and hid in the closet. When he came storming in he yelled not to ever come in his room without knocking again then slammed the door and left. I stayed in my room the next morning until Mama came for me. I remember she held me for a long time. We didn’t speak, she just held me.” Parker’s voice faded as she retold the story, her words edged in the pain of that memory.
“It’s alright Cario. Our son will know affection from both of us. I hope that we will reach the point when he will see affection between us - open and honest affection.” He finished with the shoulder, after kissing it lightly he turned her to him. “What do you want?”
“Jarod, what I want and what happens are not usually the same thing. I want to be a good parent to Jem. I want him to be a happy kid, although he will soon be a man. I want to be the kind of partner you should have, one that you deserve. But if we got what we wanted, that boy would have never known the Centre”, she waved her arm when frustration took the words from her mouth, “things would have been different.”
“That’s just it Cario, things are different now. We have a chance to make them different. Can we? ”
Parker gently reached up and quickly kissed his lips, “We can die trying.” Gathering her clothes she gracefully waltzed into the bathroom in her tank top and matching underwear, leaving Jarod admiring her exit and considering a new lock on the door might be in order.
Freshly showered and feeling stronger than she had for days, Parker followed the delicious smell of food and the sound of male voices out to the kitchen. She paused after entering unnoticed to watch the men of the family in action. Jarod stood at the stove while the Major had an arm wrapped around Jem showing him how to work a mixer. The sight stirred something deep inside her, something she was unwilling to put a name to just yet.
Jarod turned and saw the look on her face. “Cario come over, check out this fish. Isn’t it a beauty? Dad just caught it, you will never eat anything like it.” He caught at her hand and brought her over to the stove with one hand he flipped the fish in a sauce while the other wrapped around her waist.
They had finished cleaning up the meal and had once again circled the table, each with a file while the computer sat in front of Jarod. After Jem shared his research from earlier concerning the Colonel, Parker pulled the file that she had begun while on the patio. She handed it to Jarod. “You need to see this now.”
He studied her looking for a clue. Her tone clearly insinuated the file was going to be another plague out of Pandora’s Box. Taking the file he pulled his chair back from the table, crossed his legs then rested the file on his lap as he began to read.
Parker pretended to be browsing through another file when she was actually watching Jarod out of the corner of her eye. She was waiting for the moment he found yet another open wound. It didn’t take long.
Jarod angrily threw the folder he had been reading down on the table. He was on his feet and out the door within seconds. The other’s watched, and all eyes turned to Parker. She in turn looked at the Major.
“We both have a good idea what that is about, don’t we?” She watched as he again wiped a hand down over his face and nodded.
“What?” Jem’s voice whispered through the suddenly quiet room.
“It appears that the Centre would like to enlarge our family Jem. I hope you weren’t planning on being the only child.” Parker wrapped her hand around his. “We are going to rescue this child too. Are you in with us?”
“You know I am.” The determination in his face proved there could be little room left for jealousy in the teen.
She smiled at him. “There is strength in numbers. I’ll go talk to Jarod.”
She looked around the patio, not seeing him she looked down on the beach. Jarod was running along the waterline. She knew she’d never catch him so she made her way down the steps and sat in the shade beneath a tree to wait for him.
An hour passed before she saw him running at a slower pace, when he got close to her spot under the tree he walked into the water and splashed it on his arms and neck. Parker walked up to him as he pulled the tee shirt over his head. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t know of her presence until she spoke, “You know I hear there are these pesky stinging fish in these waters.”
Jarod started at the sound of her voice. “You knew what was in that file, why didn’t you warn me.”
“And say what Jarod? Oh here read about our other lost child. How would you have told me had you learned about it the night before? How did your father pre-warn us of any of it?” She turned from his scowling and started back toward the steps up to the house. “I didn’t withhold information. I didn’t know how to tell you. I did tell you it was the tip of the iceberg last night, you didn’t question it; I thought we would deal with it together. Isn’t that what you would have done?”
“The problem is there is no identity, no dates, no location. It is just information that Berby’s people collected that another effort was made and succeeded.” Jarod caught up to her and was standing two steps below her.
Parker turned to him, her hands on her hips, “And you are angry at me for not giving you that summary last night?”
He hung his head, “I’m angry at the circumstances and you were there for me lash out at. I’m sorry.”
He touched her hand so softly that she looked down to make sure it was his hand and not a fly, his fingers slowly wrapped around hers then with a gentle he squeeze he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. She looked into his eyes and saw the raw emotion that she had felt when she had read the file. Parker stepped down and into his embrace. “Things have changed when you apologize to me for lashing out.” She remained in his embrace her hand on his bare chest enjoying the feel of him, the beating of his heart.
Parker pulled back to look at him, “I think I know the other child, or rather of the other child.”
“Who is it?”
“More like where is it, and who is pretending to be the parents.”
Jarod’s eyes widened, “Brigitte’s baby.”
Parker nodded. “It makes sense. The file has little to offer. When it was announced she was pregnant we at first assumed it was Lyle’s then Daddy began making rather cryptic remarks about the importance of the child.”
Jarod finished, “And set up a situation so you would see the need to get back; just in case the child doesn’t make it to term. They must have a reason to doubt that it would. It adds up.”
Parker looked a bit sheepish as she added, “When they announced their engagement I had her medical records stolen. According to them she couldn’t get pregnant. Broots found that the doctor named on the records didn’t exist. I assumed that she was behind it all to add to the family tree and have me lopped off. It may not have been Daddy that was duped, but Bridgette that was duped.
Daddy didn’t bat an eye when Mama died, I never understood why he would marry the woman that attempted to kill him and shot me. It never made sense, until now. It’s revenge. He’s going to use her to deliver this baby. How much do you want to bet she conveniently dies in childbirth?”
Jarod looked at her with a touch of sadness mixed with pride and affection. “I don’t know how I ever kept ahead of you. I always thought it was because I was the genius. I’m beginning to think it was the other way around. It was wasn’t it? You didn’t catch me because you didn’t want to?”
“I thought we agreed the past was the past. I can honestly say I’m no genius. I just had different priorities than everyone thought I had, well most of the time.”
“I think we need to finish looking at those files. The sooner we give the Colonel a call and get this meeting over with, the sooner we can find out what he wants from us. I don’t think he offered us sanctuary without a cost.”
She nodded as they each wrapped an arm around the other’s waist and climbed the rest of the steps to the house. Entering, they heard sounds coming from the living room. Jem teaching the Major how to play the new electronic game and the Major had just wiped out one of Jem’s men. Jem was laughing at how easily the Major had fallen for his trap as three of the Majors men had now gone.
Parker looked at Jarod and whispered, “Couldn’t you have just got a computer game for the computer. The kid has been exposed to enough violence and crap.”
He raised an eyebrow in imitation of her, “Yes, but we both are experts in Chess. The idea of this was to learn something new together.”
She smirked, “In other words, you wanted to play it too.”
Jarod turned his attention to his father. “Dad, when you’re done licking your wounds, would you mind giving the Colonel a call and see if he can come tomorrow after all. We might as well find out what his intentions are?”
“Are you sure you don’t want another day, because he seems determined to get things rolling.”
“We aren’t doing anything until Parker’s healed well enough that she can physically handle any situation he plans on putting her in. We might as well find out what that is, and prepare for it.”
“How long do you think you’ll need?”
“I can handle what ever I need to Major.” Parker gaze never left Jarod’s as she spoke.
“A week would be nice. We can meet with him tomorrow, find out what his plans are and work on getting some strength exercises since the wound itself is healing quicker than I thought it would.” He watched Parker fold her arms across her chest and the muscles in her jaw clenching but she didn’t argue with him.
TBC
Chapter End Notes:
Thank you to the letters I and C for their kind encouragement their hard work in keeping the typo queen from out doing herself.
You may notice that for the most part I use the spelling of Bridgette as Miss Parker does, however Jarod when he spoke of her he used Brigitte so did I. Goofy, yes, but I rather liked that Miss Parker didn't put up with her and it was one way she got away with putting Bridgette/Brigitte in her place.
