CHAPTER 21
SWEET BABY JAMES
Blue Cove, Delaware
Miss Parker's Home
February 29, 2003
9:00pm
"Hi." He said when she opened the door. He held Alex in his arms. The Girl appeared to be at home there. He looked good, wearing his trademark black tee, jeans, and leather duster. His hair was the same as it had been on Carthis. "So can we come in?"
"Yes." She replied unable to say anything else. Jarod entered the house and placed the sleeping child on the couch. "Where's Ethan?" She asked noticing that her brother was not there.
"At the hotel. He's packing our stuff up and taking it back to the house." He told her.
"Oh." She replied.
"I hope you don't mind me staying. I promised Alex I would. And don't worry I'll only be here when your not."
"That's fine. I have a room set up for her if you want to lay her down in there. I'm sure that it's more comfortable than that couch."
"I go and lay her down in there and then go and get her bag out of the car." He said picking up the child.
"Here let me show you the room." Parker led Jarod to the room across the hall from hers. Jarod laid Alex down on the bed and tucked her in. He was just about to leave when on impulse he bent down and kissed the child on the forehead. He turned to find Parker staring at him.
"To borrow your catchphrase, What?" he asked
"You've become taken with her."
"And you haven't?" he said closing the door, but leaving a crack so that there would be some light. The two walked back toward the den
"So now what?" Parker asked.
"Now I go and get Alex's bag." Jarod said as he walked toward the door. Jarod came back in a few moments later with a leather duffel bag. He placed it by the front door. Unsure of what to do next he stood in front of the door.
"You can sit if you want." Parker said gesturing to the char opposite of her.
"Thanks but I think that I'll..." Jarod was interrupted by a scream coming from the guestroom. Jarod and Parker ran to the girl's side. Parker reached her first. She held the trembling child unsuccessfully trying to calm her with comforting words. Unsure of what to do next Parker began to sing to the child.
"There is a young cowboy
Who lives on the range
His horse and his cattle
They're only companions
He works in the saddle
And he sleeps in the canyons
Just waiting for pastures to change."
Jarod stared in awe as Parker continued to sing to the child.
"So goodnight all you moonlight ladies
Rock-a-bye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues
Are the colors I choose
Don't let me go down in my dreams
Yes and Rock-a-bye sweet Baby James"
Alex finally began to calm. Her tears had subsided, but her grip on Parker remained. Parker pulled the child into her arms, and then carried her to the kitchen. Jarod followed in suite.
"Here Jarod hold her for a bit." Parker said placing the child in the pretender's outstretched arms. Parker opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk. She then went to the cabinets and pulled out three mugs and chocolate powder. She poured the milk into the mugs and placed them in the microwave. Once the milk was heated she mixed in the chocolate powder.
"Whatch makin'?" Alex asked from Jarod's arms.
"Hot chocolate, sweetheart." Parker replied. "My mother use to make it for me when I had bad dreams." The three sat down at the kitchen table. Alex returned to Parker's arms.
"This is very good." The child commented her voice barely above a whisper.
"Thank you." Parker said. The three finished their hot chocolate in silence. Once done Jarod placed the mugs in the sink.
"I'd better get going." Jarod spoke, not wanting to leave after Alex's nightmare, but knowing that she was in capable hands. "I'll be back in the morning oh kay Alex?"
"Kay." Jarod walked over to the child and planed a kiss on top of her head.
"Bye Alex."
"Bye Jarod." She yawned
"Goodnight Miss Parker." Jarod said as he walked out the door.
"Goodnight Jarod." She said as he left. Alex yawned in Parker's arms again. "We should get you into your pajamas. What do you think?" She asked the child. Alex just nodded her head resting on Parker's chest. Parker grabbed the child's bag by the front door and then headed to her room. Parker went through the bag and found a pair of Spider-Man pajamas.
"We got Aaron a pair of X-man and Andros a pair of Fantastic Four." Alex commented as Parker helped her into her pajamas. "Can I sleep beside you?" The child asked once dressed for bed.
"Of course sweetheart." Parker replied as she tucked Alex into the bed. "I'll be right back. Just let me put on my pajamas." Parker said.
"Kay." Alex said. Parker returned a few minutes later wearing a pair of silk pajamas. By the time she returned Alex was almost asleep. "Miss Parker what was that song you were singin'?"
"Sweet Baby James by James Taylor." Parker informed her.
"Could you sing it again?" Alex asked
"Of course I can." Parker said. Before Parker could even get to the second verse Alex was asleep. It didn't take two lines of the song for Parker to learn that she loved the child that was lying next to her. In Parker's mind Alex fit perfectly in her arms. What worried Parker was that she had come to adore the child in such a short time. Parker knew that she couldn't let herself get too attached to Alex. After the girl's brothers and friends were taken from the Centre, it was doubtful Parker would ever see them again.
Outside of Parker's house stood Jarod. He was watching over two of the people that he had come to love most in the world.