It's been a week since that dreadful accident. He lies lifeless in a hospital bed as Miss Parker watches his shallow breathing going up and down to the rhythm of his IV dripping slowly through the tube and into the veins of his arm. Jarod had miraculeously survived the collapsed of a burning building as it caved in on him during another one of his pretends this time as a firefighter. Luckily, no one else was injured.
Miss Parker had been feeling under the weather and had decided to stay home for the day instead of being at The Centre. She remembers that day. That awful day she received that dreadful phonecall. Everything happened so fast. She had barely parked her car when she rushed out and ran into the emergency room. Sydney, Broots and Debbie were already there. The psychiatrist gently informed her the news that their pretender had a 75 chance of surviving through the night. She fell against the wall and cried a blood-curdling cry. Debbie puts her arms around her, as she cried silently along with Miss Parker.
Sydney thought best to contact Miss Parker when hospital staff called him of Jarod's accident. Afterall, they were once best friends. In case of emergency, "contact Sydney Green" next of kin, the only father he's known, was written in the back of his identification card.
Although he made it through that night, nothing else changed in his condition. Miss Parker stayed with him days and nights, only going home for a quick shower and change of clothing.
Sydney watches from afar, he could see the love Miss Parker feels for Jarod. He wonders if his feelings for her is mutual. Was there something he was not aware of? She lightly caresses his cheeks, her head resting on the bedpost, sobbing silently.
"Miss Parker?" She doesn't acknowledge him. "Miss Parker?" He lightly touches her shoulder.
"I'm fine, Sydney, don't worry. I'll be fine. I'm not leaving his side," she says softly, her voice cracking.
He realized then that they had much more of a relationship than just their cat and mouse game.
It was two weeks and still no change in his condition. She stares at him while rubbing her hand lightly over her stomach. This was not the first time Sydney had seen Parker gently touching her abdomen. He stood at the foot of the bed at first, then walked over to the opposite side of her, bends down and gently kisses Jarod on his forehead.
"I love you, son." As he proceeded to leave, he stops and turns to Miss Parker. "I hope you're drinking your milk everyday," he tells her stroking his chin.
She looks up. "You knew?" Her voice was barely audible.
"No. Only now, at this very moment. You just confirmed it."
Miss Parker stood up and hugged him tightly, crying uncontrollably.
"I'm nine weeks, Sydney, what am I going to do? What if he's not around to see his baby? The day of the accident...that night...I had planned to tell him that night." Tears fell rapidly down her cheeks.
"Then, tell him now. Talk to him, tell him what he needs to hear. I only wish I had taken the time to tell him how much I loved him, when he was a little boy."
Wiping her tears away, she nodded as Sydney existed the room.
She takes his hand in hers, gently squeezes it, bends down to kiss him softly on his lips.
"Hey sweetheart, can you hear me?" She combs his hair with her fingers. "You know I love you, what am I going to do without you? What are we going to do without you. I'm...we're nine weeks pregnant. I had wanted to find the perfect time to tell you. I had planned to tell you that night...but...you ended up here instead. Hey, wake up, come back to us. Our baby will need a dad around. I need you here with me. I cannot imagine spending my life without you. You were always looking for your family. You've always wanted one. We're your family. Me, the baby, we're your family."
NDE. That's what they called it. Near death experience. The monitor flatlined into inactivity. Hospital staff rush into his room to work rapidly on him. He was outside of his body, looking down. He felt himself floating in the corner of the room, watching the final moments of his life. He sees his body lifeless, walks around slowly and sees Parker crumbling as Sydney rushes in holding on to her. Broots is at a standstill watching the efforts of the nurses and physician trying to save him slapping on the paddles to jolt him back to life. There is a thin straight line on the monitor.
Miss Parker pushes Sydney aside. "He's gone? He's gone?" She cries out tearfully.
In a Near Death Experience, the spirit, soul leaves the physical body usually after a major trauma - accidents, illnesses, problems in surgery, cardiac arrest...It is a moment of release by the soul from the physical.
Most people report that they are outside of their bodies traveling through a tunnel toward a source of white light. They usually report meeting a deceased relative or heavenly being, coming to a place where a decision about life or death must take place. Jarod felt peace and joy in entering a new world to a point of no return. He saw his life pass before him.
He came across his brother, Kyle. It seemed like a long period of time, but it took only several minutes for his soul to get a preview of what will happen if he returned. In reality, the soul will often ponder its choices. He felt Kyle's arm around his shoulder, both walking towards the moving rapid light, then it slowed down. His brother pulled him back and stopped, told him Miss Parker needed him. His baby needed him.
Jarod needed to go back. His soul needed to go back. There are those he left behind to consider. He was given a second chance in life. He hears Parker's cries, took a step back and slowly turned away from Kyle. He got a glimpse of his future.
He is in a hospital delivery room, witnesses a painful look on Miss Parker's face, sweat running down from her forehead, her legs spread open, a doctor sitting in front of her.
"It's coming, sweetheart, the baby's coming," she screams.
"Breathe, honey, breathe," he tells her. He hears his son's cries and watches the pediatrician cut the umbilical cord and gently lays their baby on her chest.
He sees three-year old Zack dressed in overalls and a cap running along side of him.
He is now seven, rushing into the house with his father, "Mommy, I made a home run today."
"You did, sweetheart? I'm proud of you." Parker hugs her son.
"Proud of you," echos four-year Nicole. "Daddy, carry me," she squeaks holding her hands up to her father.
He sees himself at the head of the dining table at Thanksgiving. Where did the time go? Family and friends surround them. He looks at his wife lovingly, still beautiful. His teenage son and daughter, talking and laughing loudly. There's Debbie, no longer a little girl, with her husband of five years with a two-year old daughter of her own. And Broots not a spec of hair on his head. Sydney. Now seventy, the only grandfather his children has ever known. He smiles, thinking how fortunate he is to be blessed with the love of family and old friends.
"What is wrong with you? Don't die on us! Don't do this to me! I love you! The baby loves you! Damned you, after what we've been through, you're going to die on me now? What are we going to do without you? If you leave me now, I just don't know what I'm going to do! Don't leave me, Jarod! Don't!" Miss Parker screamed hysterically.
He walks up to her. "Honey, I'm here. I love you with all my heart," he whispers to her. He quickly returned to his physical body. The monitor beeps back slowly into activity.
Her loud cries muffled the sounds of the beeping. "Miss Parker, he's back. Miss Parker, look." Sidney points a finger to the beeping monitor.
It was a couple of hours before he woke. His eyes opened slowly, looked around his room, at the IV, the monitor and at first seemed confused of his whereabouts. Parker sat on a chair next to him, her head down, asleep from exhaustion.
He clears his throat. With what strength he had, he tugs at her arm. Slowly, lifting her head up, her eyes meets up with his. Her skin was flawless, only tears covered her face. Sitting on his bed, she gently wraps her arms around him.
He lays his hand on her stomach. "I know."
A surprise look crosses her face.
He repeated. "I know. I have things to finish, things to do, I need to be here with you, the both of you. I am sorry for all the pain and worry I've given you. I love you both."
"I love you, too. I thought I lost you. I don't know what I would have done if..."
"Shhhh, I'm not going anywhere, not for a long time."
The End