"There were so many people that loved mama. She touched so many lives," Miss Parker said, outlining Catherine's name on the cold hard stone with her fingertip.
"Yes, she did." Jarod replied, joining her in a silent prayer. "Why are you here so early in the morning?"
"Everyone dies. I want to die when you die, Jarod. What would become of me if you left?"
"Parker, we don't choose our deaths or when we die." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I would never have to live without you. To quote Winnie the Pooh," she said.
"Winnie who?" He asked, cocking his head.
"Never mind." Interlocking her fingers with Jarod's, Miss Parker smiled. It surprised her, that as much as a genius he was, there were the innocent things he knew nothing about.
"Are you ready to go? And I hope you've stopped this nonsense about bringing down "The Centre".
Pulling away, she stared at him with a heart of stone. Returning her icy stare, Jarod crossed his arms. "What does it take to melt that heart of yours? You're not planning on going through with that stupid plan, are you? The wrong people might just get hurt or killed. You've never done anything like this before, I would have hoped not, so why start now?"
"You're starting a fight with me in front of mama?" She growled lowly.
"I'm not starting a fight. I'm just merely stating that you're not in your right mind to make a decision about "The Center".
"Like I wasn't in my right mind jumping into bed with you last night!" She snapped, which caused Jarod to have taken a step back.
"You'll wake up the dead, Parker," he scolded. "We'll all be joining your mother here soon, if you're adamant about this...this thing of yours...idea, plan or whatever you call it."
"It's called blowing up "The Centre". Are you in or not?"
"No, I'm not."
"We made a deal. We shook hands on it," she hissed.
"I said no, Parker. And you're not either. Let's just go away. You, me, Sydney, Broots and Debbie," the "pretender" persisted. "We'll make a life away from "The Centre".
"Just because you bedded me down last night, does not give you the right to tell me what to do! Look at this," she pointed to Catherine's marbled stone. "If it wasn't for "The Centre", we wouldn't be visiting her here!"
"I know, Parker. I know," Jarod said sympathetically.
"All mama ever wanted was to do good. Help the children and this is what she got in return. She never asked for this nor deserved this...to be six feet under! "
"No, she didn't. It's the more reason for us to leave."
"Sorry for all your pain, mama." Miss Parker brushed her tears away. "Sorry, we weren't there to help you. But, they'll get their day, I can promise you that."
"Parker, this kind of promise you can't keep. It's against the law what you're planning..."
"Like it isn't against the law pretending with your ten million and one alias!"
"That's different," Jarod said. "I don't go around killing people. Look, Parker, just stop. Let's just go home, and think things through."
"Home. Great idea. Yes, you go to yours, and I'll go back to my house...ALONE!" Miss Parker walked swiftly away from Jarod.
"Parker. Parker!" Jarod took giant steps in catching up with the "ice queen". He looped his arm around hers.
"What?" She said in her usual telephone manner.
"How would you feel having accomplished the demolition of "The Centre"? What will you gain from that?"
"Peace of mind!" She barked.
"Parker." He said calmly, as he faced her, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Stop it. It's not going to bring Catherine back. Would she have wanted you to jeopardize your life and the lives of others? No. She didn't raise her little girl to be just like one of them, just like "The Centre". I know you. If I were blind, I'd know you. You could never go through with what you're planning on doing. I could be wrong. Unless, you've changed that much. You're not a heartless person."
"You think I'm cold?"
"I said you're not heartless."
"But, I'm cold."
"I didn't say that."
"I miss mama so much sometimes it's best not to love anyone, that way, when they die, I won't feel anything."
"But, that's not you, Parker. You heart's full of love, once you let someone in. You let me in." He brushed a tear away which rolled down her pale face.
"Could we go home now, Jar?"
"Now you're thinking rationally. Sure." He kissed the tip of her nose.
"So, you can cry with me," she said, burying her face into his chest.
Jarod rested his chin atop her head, and gently stroked her hair. "Alright. Let's go home, and I'll cry along with you."
JMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMP
As Miss Parker glanced into her rear view mirror, Jarod had made a sudden right turn. She frowned in deep thought, and wondered if he had suddenly changed his plans on joining her when her cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hmm, so now it's hello. You must be in a good mood this morning."
"Where are you headed, Jar? You were right behind me, but, you turned."
"Just making a couple of stops before I join you. Are you hungry?"
"I'm not much of a breakfast person. A cup of coffee will get me through the morning. Why? What do you have in mind? Pretending to be a chef? Are you planning on whipping up something?"
"Yes. What do you want?"
"You," Miss Parker purred.
Jarod laughed. "You had me last night."
"But, I want seconds," she smiled into her phone.
"Maybe after breakfast," he said.
There was silence.
"Hel...loooo, Parker, you still there?" There was no answer on the other end of the line. "Parker? Did you just cut me off? Hello?" Miss Parker had not answered her phone when Jarod had repeatedly called her back.
Detouring, Jarod headed into the direction of Miss Parker's route. He sensed something had gone wrong. The sound of a car horn as it blasted throughout the neighborhood caused him alarm. He focused straight ahead, and as he got closer, his dreams of them growing old together slowly faded away.
TBC -Chapter 5