Miss Parker drove endlessly for hours. She arrived home in the early evening. Her keys were thrown on the entrance table. She kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her blouse, slid it off of her shoulders and dropped it onto the living room carpet. Headed to her liquor cabinet, she took her first drink of vodka and soda, then a second and finally a third.
No one had ever made her feel the way Jarod had. Used.
I WANTED HIM TO BE THE SOMEONE WHO LOOKED AFTER ME. I WANTED HIM TO BE THE SOMEONE WHO KISSED MY TEARS AWAY. INSTEAD, HE'S THE BLOODY REASON I'M CRYING.
Parker took off the remainder of her clothing and stepped into the shower. She thought the hot sprays of water would eventually have washed away his touches. It failed to do so. It only reminded her of the passion between them and she weeped. Several hours ago, she had been in the same bed with him, their bodies entwined with each other.
Her life had been a combination of pain and beauty. She recalled the painful terror in her as she watched her mother in that elevator. Then Thomas had suddenly appeared. What she thought would have been a beautiful partnership, ended tragically. She laid many a nights devastated by the lost of him. Her childhood friend had always been there through her pains and sorrows. When the realization of her invisible wall collapsed, she allowed him into her heart, which it turned out to be the most heartbreaking of all. Thomas and her mother through no fault of their own, left Parker suddenly. With Jarod, it was he who made that decision.
The pretender broke her heart.
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Her telephone rang repeatedly. Then her cell phone. Parker covered her pillow over her head and attempted to ignore it.
He ran his hands through his hair. Where the hell is she? Was I wrong in rejecting her pleas to be with me? I did it for her own good. Can't she understand that? She wasn't crying over Catherine, not over Thomas, but me. Me? Where the hell is she?
After twenty minutes, Jarod tried again.
Miss Parker sat up in bed, reached for her telephone and hollered.
"What!"
"Just wanted to make sure you arrived home safely."
She just listened.
"Parker?"
All he heard was her soft sobs which she tried to muffle.
"Oh, Parker. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that, if you were mine, you'd be in danger. Please understand. I do love..."
She clicked him off.
"...you."
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"This is Sydney."
"Do me a favor, Sydney?"
"Jarod. Is something wrong?" The doctor queried. He knew by the sound of his voice something was not quite right.
"It's Parker."
"Has something happened?" He asked concerned.
"Let's just say we had a difference of opinion."
"Ah, I see." He stroked his chin.
"Don't ask." Jarod read Sydney's thoughts.
"I wasn't going to. Deep down, Miss Parker is a very fragile woman. Jarod, playing with one's heart isn't what I would have expected from you."
"I wasn't playing. Just watch over her. Take care of her."
"You make it sound like this is final."
"It is. It's time to leave. No more cat and mouse game. It'll be safer for her when I disappear for good."
"Jarod..."
"Thank you for teaching me how to tie a tie and for everything else. I will miss you. Goodbye, Sydney."
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"Taking over my office, Sydney?" Miss Parker snapped as she entered.
He glanced at his wrist watch and rose from her chair. "Late."
"Didn't realize I have to check in with you on my whereabouts." She slammed down her handbag onto her desk. Her compact fell out and took a spin. It rolled towards Sydney and only stopped when his foot stepped on it lightly. He bent down and picked it up. Gently, he laid it in her hand and hung on to her.
"What? Don't go fatherly on me! Someone die or something?"
"It's none of my business, Parker, but, I spoke to Jarod this morning."
"You're right, it's none of your business!" She roughly fluffed her hair.
"Parker."
"What, Sydney? What?"
"He called to tell me goodbye and..."
"And? Spit it out!"
"And to take care and watch over you."
"Well, I can take care of myself and I don't need a babysitter! You got that!"
Sydney sighed loudly. "Just relaying his message."
"I'd like to be alone, please."
"Alright. But, I'll be in my office if you need me."
"I don't need anyone. And I definitely don't need him in my life! Good riddance to wonder boy!"
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"Parker!"
"I don't recall asking for a swinging door into my office. What the hell do you want, Lyle?"
"So, how about your boy genius?"
"He's not my boy genius, he's nobody's! And what makes you think I was ever with him?"
"Maybe the fact that you're eyes are swollen from crying. Did he use you and tossed you aside? Remember, sis. He is a pretender. Whispered sweet nothings into your ears? How could you have lost him! We could have had him here at this moment, then you would have been free to leave this." Lyle held out his arms. "The Centre."
Parker grabbed her handbag and fumbled for her pistol. "Go ahead, make my day!" She aimed at her twin brother. He panicked when he heard a click.
"The next time, I'll have bullets in here. Now get the hell out of my office!"
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Days, weeks and months had gone by. There were no trace of Jarod for the past four months.
She would have done just about anything for her favorite drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other as she blew cigar rings into the air. Miss Parker longed for the taste of her vodka and soda which would slowly go down her throat. She missed the feel of her smokes as she would inhale deeply. There were times, she'd almost reached out for the booze and cigarettes. But, there was a certain someone that held her back. It would have been unfair for that someone to get a taste of her old habits. Milk was now added to her grocery list.
TBC - Chapter 9