Miss Parker tossed and turned all night. Just as she was finally falling asleep, her telephone rings. Jarod gave her no time for her usual salutation.
"Miss Parker."
"Don't you ever sleep," she growled.
"Miss Parker?"
"What? What is it, wonderboy?"
"You know, I could disappear any time. I am a "genius".
"Then why don't you?" Parker yawns. "Why do you stay? Just leave and you'll make my life easier."
"Because of you. I stay because of you. You need me in your life." He says matter-of-factly.
"Need you? Like I need a bullet in my head. And why, my dear pretender, do you think I need you?" By then, Miss Parker was wide awake and pulled herself up against her bed.
"Because I need you. A light goes off in my heart when I come home at night. I look around this house and there are no memories here of you, of me...of me and you."
"Then make your own memories, labrat. What do you want me to do?"
"Maybe you could join me here sometime?"
She was quiet and wondered what his phone call was all about. It was not his usual taunting.
"I'm assuming you are pondering thoughts on the subject? You're not hissing at me."
"Look, Jarod, it's late, I'm tired."
"Do you wait for my phone calls each night? Do you wonder where I am when I'm not calling? Are you asking yourself if I'm safe, sound and away from harm?"
"What? Jarod! What the hell is this call all about?"
"Goodnight, Miss Parker." A click on the line disconnected their phone call.
"Yes. Yes. Yes." She answers softly to herself. "Yes, to all of the above."
It took her only a half a minute to give him a call back.
"Hello, Miss Parker."
"You expected me to call back, didn't you?" She snarled.
"Why no, Miss Parker," he tells her, but, yet he smiles to himself.
"LIke hell you didn't! The answer to your questions...your stupid, idiotic questions..."
"Yes, Miss Parker?"
"No! No! No!" She yells. "To all of the above. Are you satisfied now?"
"Tell me what you dream at night while you're sleeping."
She remembers that one time he took her in his arms and... "Well, it is definitely not you! What do you want me to say? That you are the reason I exist and because of you, you are the reason I feel so alive?"
"Your eyes glisten when you smile. You should smile more often."
"Does it sound like I'm smiling? Anything else, Jarod, before I slam this phone down for good?"
"Where are you?"
"God, Jarod..."
"Remember, when we were children, that game we use to play? Remember?"
He heard her sigh.
"Parker?" He persisted.
"Yes. Yes I remember," her voice had a far away tone as if reminiscing back.
"Where are you, Miss Parker? Play this game just this once with me."
"Okay," she answers in a whispering voice.
"Parker, where are you?"
"In New York."
"Where In New York?"
"Empire State Building. It's simply fabulous out here. I'm on top of the world. Where are you?" She turned the question to him.
"I'm here," he whispered.
"Here where?"
"I'm standing next to you, Parker."
"How does it look?"
"Beautiful, simply beautiful." He imagines her face standing before him.
"We're so high up, Jarod. I'm afraid of heights."
"Take my hand. I won't let you fall. I'll catch you in my arms."
No one spoke. The only sound was their breathing. Parker closed her eyes. A calming look appeared on her face.
"Still scared?" He asked.
"No, not anymore."
Jarod laid in bed in his darkened room. "How do you feel?"
"Safe, Jar, I feel safe."
"Safe in my arms, Miss Parker?"
"Yes, safe in your arms. Don't let go. Don't ever let me go."
"Good night, Parker. Pleasant dreams."