The Baby in the Bond
Chapter 11:
Parker had been so excited ever since Brennan and his dad had told him about the new little addition to their family. Parker couldn't wait to be a big brother. He had been telling his friends about it all week non-stop, and even they were excited for him. Parker was at recess one day talking about it to his friend Joe.
"And they're going to move in together, and get married and whenever I get to stay with my dad, Bones will be there too! And they're going to have a baby and I'll have someone to protect and be there for. Plus, I'll have someone to play with!"
"Awesome dude! So is your dad's girlfriend cool?"
"Are you kidding me? Of course she's cool! She's better than cool! She's the awesomest and smartest person in the world! I can't wait for them to get married so she can really be my step-mom!"
"Awesome!"
Suddenly, a kid about a few inches taller than Parker, and a bit heavier came up to Parker with his hands clenched into fists.
"Hey Parker Twit. How much can you talk about your dad's little play toy?"
"SHE'S NOT A PLAY TOY! MY DAD LOVES HER! AND SO DO I!"
"Really, cause it seems to me that he only likes her because she's hot. That's the only reason he goes out with her. The baby was just a mistake."
"DON'T SAY THAT! THAT'S NOT WHY MY DAD DATES HER AND WANTS TO MARRY HER! HE DATES HER BECAUSE SHE'S NICE AND FUN AND HE LOVES HER! AND TO TOP IT OFF, SHE'S SMARTER THAN FIFTY OF YOU PUT TOGETHER! YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HER!"
"Well, what are you gonna do about it?"
Parker let his anger control his actions. He took and swing at the mocking boy causing him to have a bloody nose. The two boys got into it and the next thing they knew, a teacher was coming to call it over and take the two wrestlers to the principal's office. The bully was unfairly let go because Parker was the one who started the fight. No matter If the boy started teasing first, he was not the one to throw the first punch. The principal had a talk with Parker and then left the room to call his father.
"Booth."
"Hello. Is this Mr. Booth?"
"Yes, who is calling?"
"Hello. This is Principal Todd Masterson. I'm here with your son. I'm sorry to say that he's gotten himself into a little trouble and I'm going to need you to come pick him up."
Booth started to panic and worry. "Is he ok?"
"Yes he's fine. I just need you to pick him up."
"Sure, I'll be there soon. Thank you sir."
Booth hung up his phone angrily and put it in his pocket while looking at Cam walking towards him with her blue lab coat on.
"We're going to the FBI; we need Caroline to sign a warrant."
"Well that's just great! Who's gonna pick up Parker from the principal's office?"
"Ask Dr. Brennan to- wait a minute. Parker got sent to the principal's? Since when does he get in trouble?"
"Since now. And that might not be a bad idea Cam! I'll go get her."
oOo
"Hey Booth." Brennan said picking up her phone.
"Hey Bones, are you busy?"
"No. Hodgins and Fisher took my Bones and now I have nothing to work with. Why?"
"Great! Could you do me a favor and go pick Parker up from the principal's office? Rebecca and her boyfriend are out and she doesn't want to cut the date short."
"Of course I can! Although, that's awfully selfish of his mother."
"Yeah well that's Rebecca for you. Thanks Babe."
"No problem."
Brennan arrived at Parker's school nervous. She'd never picked anybody up at the principal's before and she didn't know what to do. If she yelled at him for misbehaving, he might be mad at her and he won't consider her 'the cool parent' anymore. But if she let it go, he'll think she's a pushover and he'll think he can let things like that slide from now on. She walked into the main office once she came into the small elementary building. To the right, there was a secretary on the phone nodding her head as she listened to the person on the other end of the receiver.
"Excuse me, I'm here to pick up Parker Booth."
The secretary ignored Brennan and continued nodding and listening.
"Excuse me, I said I'm here to pick up Parker Booth!"
"Susan, I'll call you back." The secretary said as she hung up the phone. After she did so, she pointed to it and looked at Brennan.
"This is a phone."
"This is a doorknob." Brennan said confused as she pointed at the door in which she'd come in through.
"Don't get smart with me, when you see someone on the phone, you kindly wait until they're done to speak.
"Yes, but how was I supposed to know how long you'll be?"
"Ok then. I guess we'll start with protocol. Name?"
"Dr. Temperance Brennan."
"Reason for being here?"
"As I said twice before, to pick up Parker Booth."
"Are you his mother?"
"No."
"Do you have any blood relation to him whatsoever?"
"No, but I'm engaged to his father, so technically I'm his future step mother." Said Brennan while waving her large diamond ring in the secretary's face.
"I don't really care what your relation to him is."
"Then why'd you ask!"
"I told you, I'm following protocol. You see that door over there?" the secretary pointed towards a door to the right behind Brennan.
"Yes."
"Walk through it."
Brennan was getting very frustrated at the discourteous and obnoxious woman. Brennan started to follow on with the woman's game so she pointed to the floor.
"You see this thing right under our feet?"
"The floor?"
"No, a little deeper. What most people consider hell?"
"Yeah."
"GO TO IT!" At this point Brennan was fuming. How does a woman with no manners and a large attitude work in a place full of children all day? Brennan turned around to walk through the door to see Parker and the principal sitting down.
"Parker Booth, why did you get sent to the principal's office?"
"OH THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE AND NOT MY DAD!" Parker exclaimed sounding relieved.
"Just because I'm here and not your dad doesn't mean that you're not going to hear the same things from me."
"Hello." The principal said standing up to shake Brennan's hand. He was a tall, dark and handsome man. "I'm Principal Masterson. You're not his mother are you?"
"Hello, I'm Temperance Brennan. Parker's soon to be step mother."
"Oh, cause I was going to say, you look far too young to be his mother."
"Flattery will not get you anywhere." She said while showing the principal her ring.
"I love it when you flash your ring like that Bones!"
"So do I!"
"Oh my gosh! I remember you now! You're the author of Bred in the Bone right?"
"That's correct." Brennan answered with a proud smile on her face.
"Oh, what a fantastic book! I've read your other ones too! So I hear you're the best forensic anthropologist in the country."
"World, not country."
"What a nice sense of humor you have! I'm just going to step out and leave you alone with your son." She didn't bother correcting him when he said son.
"Parker, why are you here?"
"Because I got into a fight." Parker answered sadly.
"Got into, or started?"
"Started. I'm sorry Bones. But he made me angry and I just-"
"Parker, you don't just start throwing punches because you get angry! If I threw punches every time I was angry, then everyone at the lab would be black and blue! We need to control our anger! There is no reason to start fights."
"There is if they're making fun of you!"
Brennan was so confused. Why would a bully be making fun of her?
"Me? Why me?"
"Because me and my friend Joe were talking and I was telling him about you and dad and the baby and how excited I was and Josh came over and called you my dad's play toy."
She couldn't believe her ears. She had never been called a man's play toy before. She had used a man as her play toy, yet she never thought of herself as one.
"Parker please-"
"I told him to shut up because you're way smarter than he is and more awesome and fun. And he said the only reason my dad loves you is because you're hot! How does he even know you look like? And he said that the baby was a mistake. That's not true is it?"
"Of course it's not true! None of it is true! First of all, that is not why your father and I love each other. We love each other because we care for one another. And yes, I admit the baby was unplanned, but it wasn't a mistake. Your father and I love this baby just like we love you! Don't let anyone prove you otherwise. Don't listen to anything he says and next time don't start fights. You come home and you tell me about it first. Have I ever betrayed your trust?"
"No."
"Exactly. Now come on, let's go home."
As Brennan led Parker out of the room, he was hesitant to see Josh sitting in a chair across from the rude secretary's desk. He had been brought back to apologize for saying what he said. Parker said the same back to him. Brennan bent down and whispered to Josh as he listened intently.
"Next time you bother my son, hold on for dear life. Just remember. I work with the FBI."
Josh just stared blankly at her with sweat dripping down the sides of his face. A nervous and light "uh huh." Was all he could get out before starting to breathe heavily.
"That was awesome Bones! Thanks."
"Sure thing Parker. But there are consequences."
"Oh great. What are they?"
"Both me and your father are working so you have to stay with a babysitter."
"Who's my babysitter?"
"He works at the FBI with your father. I believe you've met him before. His name is Lance. Lance Sweets."
"That doctor who I talked to after my dad thought I had post trauma stressful dis-something after I found that finger in the nest?"
"Post traumatic stress disorder. And yes. That's him."
"I have to stay in his office all day?"
"Welcome to the life of me and your father." Brennan got into the driver's seat of her car.
"I call shotgun!"
"You're much too young to call shotgun. Sit in the back."
"Awww but Boooones!"
"Sit!"