Chapter 31
Mallory looked at the digital clock that beamed bright in the darkness. It read 2:16. It was Christmas morning.
Emily and Ethan had come in together on the same flight. Jarod had went to pick them up, while Mallory scurried to prepare a dinner for them. She then made sure Abigail was bathed and dressed in a cute pre-Christmas outfit.
Brian chose to stay in his room the whole night.
That angered Jarod, but worried Mallory, as Emily and Ethan made an effort not to talk about Major Charles and Catherine Parker. Abigail sat in a highchair next to Emily, who was in love with her niece. She swore that Abigail's hair was beginning to look slightly red, just like hers and her and Jarod's mother, Margaret. Mallory couldn't see it, but didn't comment on it either way.
Brian's absence was noted but not dwelled upon. Jarod and Mallory had also agreed to not discuss what they had learned about little Bobby's whereabouts with their siblings. Ethan and Emily had enough to deal with, with what they had just learned about their parents. This added blow would not help matters, not at Christmas.
Now, Emily and Ethan had settled in, in the spare guest rooms. Abigail was sound asleep and Brian was probably still brooding in his room.
Mallory watched as the clock turned to 2:17. She decided she couldn't stand it any longer. She had to know if Brian was alright.
She first had to lift Jarod's arms off of her. That would be no easy feat, since he was a light sleeper. She figured that was from years of running from her and the Centre.
But the movement awakened him, as she had feared. His arms tightened around her.
'Where are you going?' he asked sleepily, burying his face in her hair.
Mallory didn't answer right away, which caused Jarod to come fully awake.
'Mallory?'
Mallory sighed and moved out of Jarod's embrace. She reached over and turned on a lamp.
'I'm just going to look in on Brian.'
Jarod sat up. His face looked grave.
'I don't want Emily and Ethan listening to some fight in the middle of the night here.'
'I'm not going to pick a fight with him, Jarod. I just want to see if he's alright.'
'Why would you think he wasn't? Look, he's just brooding. Let him be by himself. He'll come out when he's ready.'
'What if he's run away or something?'
'To where? Look, it's started to snow, where is he going to go?'
'He's a boy genius, just like you were. He could think of quite a few ways to get away from us. I'm just going to look in on him.' she assured him, climbing out of bed. She was wearing a peach colored nightgown with spaghetti straps. Jarod watched her, rubbing his face. He had already decided that Brian was not going to ruin this holiday. And he would be present at Christmas dinner, whether he wanted to be or not!
Mallory put on a matching robe and eased their bedroom door open. When she looked across the hall at Brian's door, she could see that it was slightly ajar. She walked over and pushed it open. She stepped in, looking around. Brian was nowhere to be seen.
Mallory turned and stepped back out into the hallway. She headed towards the landing, before hurrying down the stairs. The Christmas tree lights were still on as she walked through the living room, peeked in the dining room, walked through it to the kitchen, then stopped.
The TV room, which Jarod used as an office, was beyond the kitchen, down a back hallway. Mallory ventured down the hallway and looked in the room.
Brian was sitting at Jarod's desk, staring at laptop. He looked up when he saw her. She slowly walked in.
'Couldn't sleep?' she asked.
Brian said nothing, but closed the laptop. Mallory eased over to the desk.
'If you're hungry, I could fix you something? I know you didn't have any dinner.'
Brian still said nothing. Mallory was struck by how tremendously unhappy he looked.
'Brian, look, I'll talk to Broots. Everything will be fine.'
Brian shook his head.
'It's not that.'
'But you do know you were wrong, don't you?'
Brian started to get up, but Mallory blocked his way, so that he had to sit down again.
'Brian, tell me what's wrong. If this is about your grandparents....'
'You were right.' Brian said softly.
'Right about what?'
Brian looked her in the eye.
'I called them tonight. I overheard Jarod and you talking about Bobby. I thought you were lying. I called them....I guess Dad must've had me on speaker phone...I heard Cathy playing with Bobby.'
Mallory didn't know what to say. It wasn't as if she herself ever doubted what Jarod had told her. But she sensed that her son had come to an unsettling conclusion about his grandparents.
There was a part of her that wanted to tell her son, 'I told you so'. But whether she liked it or not, Brian loved Major Charles and her mother. Gloating would make things worse.
'I'm sorry, honey. I really am. Look, don't think about this now. Let me fix you some of the dinner that you didn't get earlier, and then I want you to go back up to bed.'
Brian shrugged.
'Okay, but I'm not sleepy.'
'A little food will make you sleepy.' she noted with a smile. Brian stood up.
'I'll heat up my own leftovers....can I fix you a plate?'
Mallory usually didn't eat in the middle of the night. But, this was a chance to spend time with Brian, without being at odds with him.
'Sure, but just a little one.' she said. Brian walked past her and down the hallway to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Mallory lifted up the laptop to see what Brian had been looking at. She prayed it wasn't porn!
But when she looked at the screen, her eyes went wide! Brian had been looking at a DSA of Jarod and her making love in his room at the Centre! Mallory looked back towards the kitchen, then snatched the DSA out!
Mallory calmly put it with the pile of others, and wondered why her son looked at that one? Had he ever watched others? And after watching one, why in the world would he watch another? Their lives had been filled with nothing but misery!
Mallory made her way back to the kitchen. She just couldn't bring herself to ask Brian what he had thought. How did one ask their child what they thought of how his parents had sex?! She was really more embarrassed than she let on. She wondered what he was thinking? He didn't look traumatized or anything.
Brian had made a plate for her, and Mallory slowly sat down next to him. A sudden noise from out in the living room, made her get up. Brian got up as well and followed her out there.
Jarod had turned on a lamp and was assembling the most exquisite dollhouse she had ever seen! Jarod looked over at them both.
'Jarod, Abigail is way too young for this.' Mallory said.
'Then she can play with it when she's older.' Jarod said matter-of-factly. Brian made his way towards the house.
'Where did you buy that? I mean it looks like a mansion or something.' Mallory noted, somewhat in awe. Every little girl would love this dollhouse! The stairs and furniture looked as if the had been made by a real interior decorator or something!
'I made it.' Jarod said casually, picking up a piece of furniture. He then set it back inside the house.
'You made this?' Brian asked with disbelief.
'When?!' Mallory asked, unable to fathom when Jarod would've had the time. With his teaching duties and just the general way their lives were these days, she just never knew he was undertaking a project of this scope. It kind of made the baby friendly toys she had purchased for their daughter, look like crap!
'Actually, it was not that hard. You see....' Jarod began to explain, more to Brian than her. Mallory backed away, as Jarod and Brian conferred over the dollhouse. It was the first time ever, she had seen the two of them take a shared interest in anything. A true father/ son moment. Mallory turned and went back into the kitchen.
Mallory looked back down the hallway, then slowly made her way back to the den. She looked at the stack of DSA's. Her and Jarod should throw them out. They couldn't keep living in the past. Yet, the discs represented a past neither her, nor Jarod, really remembered. And they had not even watched them all.
Still, maybe throwing them away was something to consider. She'd bring it up to Jarod later...like maybe after the New Year.
****
CHRISTMAS DAY
The day had started off well enough. Jarod and Mallory had bought Brian a new computer for his room, with a scanner, digital camera and Internet access. He looked quite pleased.
Abigail got Jarod's beautiful dollhouse that he made for her, plus some stuffed animals and other baby things. She scarcely noticed any of them.
Jarod had gotten Mallory a very strange, but somehow appropriate gift. It was a gift certificate to Jason's Judo Gym. Neither Jarod or Mallory expressed their thoughts aloud, since Brian had thought it was an odd gift, but Jarod knew, that while Mallory liked being a wife and mother, a part of her missed being able to run around, hit and kick. This might help give her an outlet.
Mallory's gift to Jarod would never have been possible, if it had not been for Sydney and Broots. It was a DVD filled with people from Jarod's Pretends. People who wanted to recount how he had changed their lives, what they were doing now, and say thank you. Jarod was profoundly touched, and they put it in and watched a small part of it, before they all had to get ready to receive guests.
Sydney had done the traveling, video taping the people, then brought the tape to Broots, who had put it on a DVD. In a way, the present was from the three of them. Mallory knew that Sydney and Broots hoped it began to make of up for the years they had chased Jarod.
After the dinner guests had eaten their fill, people moved to separate areas of the house to talk. Sydney and Michelle had brought their son, Nicholas, to the house and he and Ethan were talking in a corner of the room. Michael Vaughn and Emily were sitting on the couch talking. Mallory had noted that Emily seemed to be whipping around a lot of hair when she was near him. She idly wondered is Sidney knew that her cousin was flirting with her boyfriend?
Brian and Debbie were off in the den, and Mallory had made a couple of passes through there, just to make sure that they were still clothed! Broots apparently knew nothing of yesterday's endeavors, and Mallory and Jarod decided not to ruin his Christmas. They believed Brian and Debbie had been sufficiently embarrassed enough, for now.
Jarod and Sidney were in another corner, talking in earnest. Mallory raised a brow, wondering if what they were talking about had anything to do with Bobby?
She, herself, ended up in the kitchen, with Sydney, Broots and Abigail, who was being held by Sydney. Mallory had purchased her a cute little red santa dress, with matching hat. She looked around at everyone, as if she were involved in their conversation as well.
'I can't believe Catherine and Major Charles would go to these lengths to raise a child.' Sydney murmured.
Mallory's eyes widened.
'Is that what you think is going on? They just want a child or something?'
Broots eyed Sydney, before answering.
'Well Ms....Mallory, I mean didn't Jarod and you assume that that was the reason why they seemed so attached to Brian? They both missed their chance at raising a child.'
'No they didn't! There's this mysterious 'twin sister' of mine that they supposedly raised.' Mallory sniffed.
Sydney raised a brow. Abigail was touching his sweater.
'You say that as if you don't believe you have one.'
'Well Syd, my mother just breezed into that prison and told Lyle the story we all thought was true the whole time. Maybe that's because it was.'
'So, if your mother produced this 'Melanie', would that maybe make you believe her a little?' Broots asked.
Mallory shrugged.
'To tell you the truth, no. And even if this twin exists, I don't want to meet her. I mean what does it matter? That meeting with Lyle is the umpteenth thing that my mother has lied about. And even if I don't have a sister, why would she tell me that I did?'
'Well, her illness does seem real.' Sydney noted.
'Yeah, but did the Triumvirate really infect her with whatever that is on her face.' Broots wondered.
Mallory looked around, then lowered her voice.
'What worries me is Jarod. If my mother lied, then his father did too. And while he says he can accept that, I guess it just hurts me a little, to see him finally find his parents and be so disappointed in them.'
'Jarod wasn't disappointed in his mother.' Sydney said.
Broots and Mallory exchanged looks.
'And that's probably best.' Mallory said, shaking her head at Broots. Jarod didn't need to know that his mother really did sell Kyle and him to the Centre. Let him believe she was the saint that he believed her to be.
'Are you planning on telling Ethan and Emily about Major Charles and Catherine?'
'Not today.' Mallory said grimly. 'Besides, Sidney told us that we won't be able to just go to Alaska and take Bobby from them. Neither one of us is his real parents.'
Michelle walked into the kitchen then, smiling. She reached for Abigail, who willingly went to her, when Sydney surrendered her over to his wife.
'Here's my little girl! Nicholas wants to see you!'
Sydney looked at Mallory and Broots.
'I'll be back.' he said, leaving the kitchen with his wife and Abigail. Mallory then turned to Broots.
'So, how's work been? Sidney and Vaughn been working you to death?'
Sidney and Vaughn had gotten Broots a job at the local CIA offices. He worked with them sometimes on other cases.
Broots then got the strangest look on his face.
'Broots? What is it?' she asked, fearful that he had found out about Brian and Debbie.
Broots looked around. Mallory struggled to keep her patience with him.
'I ran into Emily a couple of days ago.' he confided.
'Emily? Jarod's sister out there?'
'Yeah! I was leaving a fast food place and she was just suddenly there...only I don't think so.'
Mallory blinked. How was that possible?! Emily didn't live here! And she just got in the other night with Ethan!
'What are you saying, Broots?'
'I'm saying I think she followed me.'
'Because....'
Broots looked around again.
'Because she wanted to talk about Michael.'
'Michael Vaughn? Sidney's Michael?'
'Yes! Mallory, I have to tell you, I love Sidney. I always have, even when we thought she was just some experiment at the Centre. Emily somehow knew this and told me that she really likes Michael, since the night she met him at the hospital...you know, when you were shot.'
Mallory eased over to the kitchen doorway and stared out into the living room. Vaughn and Emily were still talking, but Mallory took note of the look on Emily's face. She had only seemed to be flirting before, but now, Mallory saw it a bit differently. She looked back at Broots.
'And you're telling me that Emily sought you out to talk about your getting Sidney, and her getting Michael?'
Broots moved forward.
'I know Sidney loves Michael. I would never try and interfere, but Emily seems to think that they're not really happy and that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance. And Debbie likes Sidney.'
Mallory faced him.
'Broots, I've gotten to know Sidney pretty well. She's not going to throw Michael aside for you.'
Broots began to huff!
'Why?! Because I'm bald?! What?! Why do you always have to make snide comments about my looks?! Look, Debbie and I are leaving!'
'Broots!'
Broots turned and left the kitchen, walking down the hallway towards the den. He opened the door and told Debbie they were leaving. A moment later, Broots pulled Debbie along without allowing her to say goodbye to Mallory.
'Oh come on, Broots! I didn't mean anything by it!' Mallory cried, as they walked out of the kitchen. Moments later, Jarod walked in.
'What was that all about? What happened in here with Broots?'
'Jarod, your sister...'
'My sister, what?' Jarod asked, not liking his wife's tone.
'Nothing. Nothing, we can discuss it later.' she said, refusing to pick a fight on Christmas. Sidney walked in.
'I'm glad I caught the two of you alone. I need to tell you something.'
'Is this about that phone call you just received?' Jarod asked, forgetting Mallory and Emily for the moment.
'Yes. Your mother is on the move with Bobby. She went to some address down South...in Atlanta.'
Jarod and Mallory looked at one another, before looking back at Sidney.
'Who does my mother know in Atlanta?' Mallory asked, totally perplexed. 'And what does this person have to do with Bobby?'
Sidney nodded.
'Our men will know soon enough.' she said grimly.
****
Catherine Parker held Bobby's hand, as she rang the bell. She looked around. She had no idea that the CIA was following her.
The bell rang. Brigitte, the thought to be dead step-mother of Mallory and Lyle, and Bobby's real mother, answered. Her smile for Catherine was cold. It warmed when she looked at Bobby.
'Hello, my boy! I'm your real Mommy!'
Catherine pushed Bobby towards Brigitte. He started to cry.
'There, there....'
'Now you keep your end of the bargain, bitch! Where is my daughter?!' Catherine Parker hissed.
Brigitte picked up Bobby and kissed his head. It seemed to calm him down.
'Your daughter was let go, the minute I saw you come up in the drive. Melanie is in a farmer's field, about 20 miles south of here called, 'Raisins Grove'.'
Catherine turned and walked away, hurrying towards her car. She got in, backed out and took off. One CIA car followed her, while the other one stayed in front of Brigitte's house. Two agents soon emerged from the car, and hurried up towards the presumed dead woman's front door.
Mallory looked at the digital clock that beamed bright in the darkness. It read 2:16. It was Christmas morning.
Emily and Ethan had come in together on the same flight. Jarod had went to pick them up, while Mallory scurried to prepare a dinner for them. She then made sure Abigail was bathed and dressed in a cute pre-Christmas outfit.
Brian chose to stay in his room the whole night.
That angered Jarod, but worried Mallory, as Emily and Ethan made an effort not to talk about Major Charles and Catherine Parker. Abigail sat in a highchair next to Emily, who was in love with her niece. She swore that Abigail's hair was beginning to look slightly red, just like hers and her and Jarod's mother, Margaret. Mallory couldn't see it, but didn't comment on it either way.
Brian's absence was noted but not dwelled upon. Jarod and Mallory had also agreed to not discuss what they had learned about little Bobby's whereabouts with their siblings. Ethan and Emily had enough to deal with, with what they had just learned about their parents. This added blow would not help matters, not at Christmas.
Now, Emily and Ethan had settled in, in the spare guest rooms. Abigail was sound asleep and Brian was probably still brooding in his room.
Mallory watched as the clock turned to 2:17. She decided she couldn't stand it any longer. She had to know if Brian was alright.
She first had to lift Jarod's arms off of her. That would be no easy feat, since he was a light sleeper. She figured that was from years of running from her and the Centre.
But the movement awakened him, as she had feared. His arms tightened around her.
'Where are you going?' he asked sleepily, burying his face in her hair.
Mallory didn't answer right away, which caused Jarod to come fully awake.
'Mallory?'
Mallory sighed and moved out of Jarod's embrace. She reached over and turned on a lamp.
'I'm just going to look in on Brian.'
Jarod sat up. His face looked grave.
'I don't want Emily and Ethan listening to some fight in the middle of the night here.'
'I'm not going to pick a fight with him, Jarod. I just want to see if he's alright.'
'Why would you think he wasn't? Look, he's just brooding. Let him be by himself. He'll come out when he's ready.'
'What if he's run away or something?'
'To where? Look, it's started to snow, where is he going to go?'
'He's a boy genius, just like you were. He could think of quite a few ways to get away from us. I'm just going to look in on him.' she assured him, climbing out of bed. She was wearing a peach colored nightgown with spaghetti straps. Jarod watched her, rubbing his face. He had already decided that Brian was not going to ruin this holiday. And he would be present at Christmas dinner, whether he wanted to be or not!
Mallory put on a matching robe and eased their bedroom door open. When she looked across the hall at Brian's door, she could see that it was slightly ajar. She walked over and pushed it open. She stepped in, looking around. Brian was nowhere to be seen.
Mallory turned and stepped back out into the hallway. She headed towards the landing, before hurrying down the stairs. The Christmas tree lights were still on as she walked through the living room, peeked in the dining room, walked through it to the kitchen, then stopped.
The TV room, which Jarod used as an office, was beyond the kitchen, down a back hallway. Mallory ventured down the hallway and looked in the room.
Brian was sitting at Jarod's desk, staring at laptop. He looked up when he saw her. She slowly walked in.
'Couldn't sleep?' she asked.
Brian said nothing, but closed the laptop. Mallory eased over to the desk.
'If you're hungry, I could fix you something? I know you didn't have any dinner.'
Brian still said nothing. Mallory was struck by how tremendously unhappy he looked.
'Brian, look, I'll talk to Broots. Everything will be fine.'
Brian shook his head.
'It's not that.'
'But you do know you were wrong, don't you?'
Brian started to get up, but Mallory blocked his way, so that he had to sit down again.
'Brian, tell me what's wrong. If this is about your grandparents....'
'You were right.' Brian said softly.
'Right about what?'
Brian looked her in the eye.
'I called them tonight. I overheard Jarod and you talking about Bobby. I thought you were lying. I called them....I guess Dad must've had me on speaker phone...I heard Cathy playing with Bobby.'
Mallory didn't know what to say. It wasn't as if she herself ever doubted what Jarod had told her. But she sensed that her son had come to an unsettling conclusion about his grandparents.
There was a part of her that wanted to tell her son, 'I told you so'. But whether she liked it or not, Brian loved Major Charles and her mother. Gloating would make things worse.
'I'm sorry, honey. I really am. Look, don't think about this now. Let me fix you some of the dinner that you didn't get earlier, and then I want you to go back up to bed.'
Brian shrugged.
'Okay, but I'm not sleepy.'
'A little food will make you sleepy.' she noted with a smile. Brian stood up.
'I'll heat up my own leftovers....can I fix you a plate?'
Mallory usually didn't eat in the middle of the night. But, this was a chance to spend time with Brian, without being at odds with him.
'Sure, but just a little one.' she said. Brian walked past her and down the hallway to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Mallory lifted up the laptop to see what Brian had been looking at. She prayed it wasn't porn!
But when she looked at the screen, her eyes went wide! Brian had been looking at a DSA of Jarod and her making love in his room at the Centre! Mallory looked back towards the kitchen, then snatched the DSA out!
Mallory calmly put it with the pile of others, and wondered why her son looked at that one? Had he ever watched others? And after watching one, why in the world would he watch another? Their lives had been filled with nothing but misery!
Mallory made her way back to the kitchen. She just couldn't bring herself to ask Brian what he had thought. How did one ask their child what they thought of how his parents had sex?! She was really more embarrassed than she let on. She wondered what he was thinking? He didn't look traumatized or anything.
Brian had made a plate for her, and Mallory slowly sat down next to him. A sudden noise from out in the living room, made her get up. Brian got up as well and followed her out there.
Jarod had turned on a lamp and was assembling the most exquisite dollhouse she had ever seen! Jarod looked over at them both.
'Jarod, Abigail is way too young for this.' Mallory said.
'Then she can play with it when she's older.' Jarod said matter-of-factly. Brian made his way towards the house.
'Where did you buy that? I mean it looks like a mansion or something.' Mallory noted, somewhat in awe. Every little girl would love this dollhouse! The stairs and furniture looked as if the had been made by a real interior decorator or something!
'I made it.' Jarod said casually, picking up a piece of furniture. He then set it back inside the house.
'You made this?' Brian asked with disbelief.
'When?!' Mallory asked, unable to fathom when Jarod would've had the time. With his teaching duties and just the general way their lives were these days, she just never knew he was undertaking a project of this scope. It kind of made the baby friendly toys she had purchased for their daughter, look like crap!
'Actually, it was not that hard. You see....' Jarod began to explain, more to Brian than her. Mallory backed away, as Jarod and Brian conferred over the dollhouse. It was the first time ever, she had seen the two of them take a shared interest in anything. A true father/ son moment. Mallory turned and went back into the kitchen.
Mallory looked back down the hallway, then slowly made her way back to the den. She looked at the stack of DSA's. Her and Jarod should throw them out. They couldn't keep living in the past. Yet, the discs represented a past neither her, nor Jarod, really remembered. And they had not even watched them all.
Still, maybe throwing them away was something to consider. She'd bring it up to Jarod later...like maybe after the New Year.
****
CHRISTMAS DAY
The day had started off well enough. Jarod and Mallory had bought Brian a new computer for his room, with a scanner, digital camera and Internet access. He looked quite pleased.
Abigail got Jarod's beautiful dollhouse that he made for her, plus some stuffed animals and other baby things. She scarcely noticed any of them.
Jarod had gotten Mallory a very strange, but somehow appropriate gift. It was a gift certificate to Jason's Judo Gym. Neither Jarod or Mallory expressed their thoughts aloud, since Brian had thought it was an odd gift, but Jarod knew, that while Mallory liked being a wife and mother, a part of her missed being able to run around, hit and kick. This might help give her an outlet.
Mallory's gift to Jarod would never have been possible, if it had not been for Sydney and Broots. It was a DVD filled with people from Jarod's Pretends. People who wanted to recount how he had changed their lives, what they were doing now, and say thank you. Jarod was profoundly touched, and they put it in and watched a small part of it, before they all had to get ready to receive guests.
Sydney had done the traveling, video taping the people, then brought the tape to Broots, who had put it on a DVD. In a way, the present was from the three of them. Mallory knew that Sydney and Broots hoped it began to make of up for the years they had chased Jarod.
After the dinner guests had eaten their fill, people moved to separate areas of the house to talk. Sydney and Michelle had brought their son, Nicholas, to the house and he and Ethan were talking in a corner of the room. Michael Vaughn and Emily were sitting on the couch talking. Mallory had noted that Emily seemed to be whipping around a lot of hair when she was near him. She idly wondered is Sidney knew that her cousin was flirting with her boyfriend?
Brian and Debbie were off in the den, and Mallory had made a couple of passes through there, just to make sure that they were still clothed! Broots apparently knew nothing of yesterday's endeavors, and Mallory and Jarod decided not to ruin his Christmas. They believed Brian and Debbie had been sufficiently embarrassed enough, for now.
Jarod and Sidney were in another corner, talking in earnest. Mallory raised a brow, wondering if what they were talking about had anything to do with Bobby?
She, herself, ended up in the kitchen, with Sydney, Broots and Abigail, who was being held by Sydney. Mallory had purchased her a cute little red santa dress, with matching hat. She looked around at everyone, as if she were involved in their conversation as well.
'I can't believe Catherine and Major Charles would go to these lengths to raise a child.' Sydney murmured.
Mallory's eyes widened.
'Is that what you think is going on? They just want a child or something?'
Broots eyed Sydney, before answering.
'Well Ms....Mallory, I mean didn't Jarod and you assume that that was the reason why they seemed so attached to Brian? They both missed their chance at raising a child.'
'No they didn't! There's this mysterious 'twin sister' of mine that they supposedly raised.' Mallory sniffed.
Sydney raised a brow. Abigail was touching his sweater.
'You say that as if you don't believe you have one.'
'Well Syd, my mother just breezed into that prison and told Lyle the story we all thought was true the whole time. Maybe that's because it was.'
'So, if your mother produced this 'Melanie', would that maybe make you believe her a little?' Broots asked.
Mallory shrugged.
'To tell you the truth, no. And even if this twin exists, I don't want to meet her. I mean what does it matter? That meeting with Lyle is the umpteenth thing that my mother has lied about. And even if I don't have a sister, why would she tell me that I did?'
'Well, her illness does seem real.' Sydney noted.
'Yeah, but did the Triumvirate really infect her with whatever that is on her face.' Broots wondered.
Mallory looked around, then lowered her voice.
'What worries me is Jarod. If my mother lied, then his father did too. And while he says he can accept that, I guess it just hurts me a little, to see him finally find his parents and be so disappointed in them.'
'Jarod wasn't disappointed in his mother.' Sydney said.
Broots and Mallory exchanged looks.
'And that's probably best.' Mallory said, shaking her head at Broots. Jarod didn't need to know that his mother really did sell Kyle and him to the Centre. Let him believe she was the saint that he believed her to be.
'Are you planning on telling Ethan and Emily about Major Charles and Catherine?'
'Not today.' Mallory said grimly. 'Besides, Sidney told us that we won't be able to just go to Alaska and take Bobby from them. Neither one of us is his real parents.'
Michelle walked into the kitchen then, smiling. She reached for Abigail, who willingly went to her, when Sydney surrendered her over to his wife.
'Here's my little girl! Nicholas wants to see you!'
Sydney looked at Mallory and Broots.
'I'll be back.' he said, leaving the kitchen with his wife and Abigail. Mallory then turned to Broots.
'So, how's work been? Sidney and Vaughn been working you to death?'
Sidney and Vaughn had gotten Broots a job at the local CIA offices. He worked with them sometimes on other cases.
Broots then got the strangest look on his face.
'Broots? What is it?' she asked, fearful that he had found out about Brian and Debbie.
Broots looked around. Mallory struggled to keep her patience with him.
'I ran into Emily a couple of days ago.' he confided.
'Emily? Jarod's sister out there?'
'Yeah! I was leaving a fast food place and she was just suddenly there...only I don't think so.'
Mallory blinked. How was that possible?! Emily didn't live here! And she just got in the other night with Ethan!
'What are you saying, Broots?'
'I'm saying I think she followed me.'
'Because....'
Broots looked around again.
'Because she wanted to talk about Michael.'
'Michael Vaughn? Sidney's Michael?'
'Yes! Mallory, I have to tell you, I love Sidney. I always have, even when we thought she was just some experiment at the Centre. Emily somehow knew this and told me that she really likes Michael, since the night she met him at the hospital...you know, when you were shot.'
Mallory eased over to the kitchen doorway and stared out into the living room. Vaughn and Emily were still talking, but Mallory took note of the look on Emily's face. She had only seemed to be flirting before, but now, Mallory saw it a bit differently. She looked back at Broots.
'And you're telling me that Emily sought you out to talk about your getting Sidney, and her getting Michael?'
Broots moved forward.
'I know Sidney loves Michael. I would never try and interfere, but Emily seems to think that they're not really happy and that maybe, just maybe, there's a chance. And Debbie likes Sidney.'
Mallory faced him.
'Broots, I've gotten to know Sidney pretty well. She's not going to throw Michael aside for you.'
Broots began to huff!
'Why?! Because I'm bald?! What?! Why do you always have to make snide comments about my looks?! Look, Debbie and I are leaving!'
'Broots!'
Broots turned and left the kitchen, walking down the hallway towards the den. He opened the door and told Debbie they were leaving. A moment later, Broots pulled Debbie along without allowing her to say goodbye to Mallory.
'Oh come on, Broots! I didn't mean anything by it!' Mallory cried, as they walked out of the kitchen. Moments later, Jarod walked in.
'What was that all about? What happened in here with Broots?'
'Jarod, your sister...'
'My sister, what?' Jarod asked, not liking his wife's tone.
'Nothing. Nothing, we can discuss it later.' she said, refusing to pick a fight on Christmas. Sidney walked in.
'I'm glad I caught the two of you alone. I need to tell you something.'
'Is this about that phone call you just received?' Jarod asked, forgetting Mallory and Emily for the moment.
'Yes. Your mother is on the move with Bobby. She went to some address down South...in Atlanta.'
Jarod and Mallory looked at one another, before looking back at Sidney.
'Who does my mother know in Atlanta?' Mallory asked, totally perplexed. 'And what does this person have to do with Bobby?'
Sidney nodded.
'Our men will know soon enough.' she said grimly.
****
Catherine Parker held Bobby's hand, as she rang the bell. She looked around. She had no idea that the CIA was following her.
The bell rang. Brigitte, the thought to be dead step-mother of Mallory and Lyle, and Bobby's real mother, answered. Her smile for Catherine was cold. It warmed when she looked at Bobby.
'Hello, my boy! I'm your real Mommy!'
Catherine pushed Bobby towards Brigitte. He started to cry.
'There, there....'
'Now you keep your end of the bargain, bitch! Where is my daughter?!' Catherine Parker hissed.
Brigitte picked up Bobby and kissed his head. It seemed to calm him down.
'Your daughter was let go, the minute I saw you come up in the drive. Melanie is in a farmer's field, about 20 miles south of here called, 'Raisins Grove'.'
Catherine turned and walked away, hurrying towards her car. She got in, backed out and took off. One CIA car followed her, while the other one stayed in front of Brigitte's house. Two agents soon emerged from the car, and hurried up towards the presumed dead woman's front door.