True North
By Jaclyn Parker

"Even doubtful accusations leave a stain behind them."
-Thomas Fuller
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Two and a half weeks.

It had been just over two and a half incredibly long weeks since the confrontation with Jack, and Carly had been pushing herself more than she thought possible. If she wasn't focusing her attention on the kids then she was at Metro, working every possible minute she could without comment. Even smart aleck Henry had pulled her aside and mentioned that he couldn't afford to lose a partner if she continued at this pace. She had ignored him, just like she had all the others trying to tell her to slow down.

Lee had been sweet and far more understanding than she could have expected when she explained what had happened with Jack the night of the engagement party. When she had told him about Jack's assumption about them he had frowned and shook his head, blowing it off as typical male jealousy. Then, in his typically direct manner, he had also called her out on indulging Jack in his "suspicions". Lee said that while he understood on principle what she was trying to do, she was going about it the completely wrong way.

In the end, Carly had ignored him too.

They didn't understand. No one could possibly understand. Whenever Carly slowed down or stopped to think about that night, Lily's words constantly ran through her mind. When they did they brought forth the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she had been mistaken about pushing Jack away.

It was hard enough trying to keep it together every time she saw her children's faces.

There was hope and eagerness from Sage, curiosity and anticipation from J.J., and a never ending cycle between worry and slight accusation from Parker. It took every ounce of strength Carly had to deflect all their questions about that night and ignore the insinuations about the possibilities of a reunion between her and Jack.

Carly had expected everyone in Oakdale to look at her like the broken engagement was her fault but either they were just so used to the pattern of her and Jack's relationships, or they didn't care anymore because no one bothered to look at her twice beyond that first day.

Even Janet just blatantly ignored Carly's presence even though she had run into the woman at the mall, just a few days after everything had happened. But other than a long and decidedly uncomfortable gaze they had gone their separate ways. Carly attributed the lack of fireworks to the fact that she had been with Sage while Janet had Vienna with her, babbling away in Janet's ear about something or other.

But one of the last half days the schools had before they let out for winter break, Carly and Janet came face to face again. Yet it wasn't the two women who had it out in the middle of the Old Town.

Carly and Parker had just picked up his new hockey skates, an early Christmas present, when they saw Janet and Liberty coming out of Java together. Liberty took one look at them and glared before quickly turning Janet around the other way. Carly knew that since the night of the engagement party, Liberty hadn't even looked at Parker, believing that Carly and Jack had deliberately set out to hurt her mom.

Apparently that glare was the straw that broke the camel's back and Parker couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Liberty, wait!" He called and the young girl froze in her tracks.

He jogged towards her and after a speaking a quick moment with her mom, Liberty walked in his direction, meeting him halfway.

"Liberty…" Parker started but at her cool gaze he realized that he didn't even know where to begin.

"Don't, Parker, just don't. I just have one question for you." Liberty said, saving him the trouble of trying to come up with words. "Are you happy now?"

"What are you talking about?" Parker asked, looking down into her face.

"You never wanted my mom with your dad, admit it! You and your whole family are probably doing a happy dance that they're not getting married."

Liberty's pain and embarrassment for her mom flowed from her in waves as her voice escalated into a near yell.

"What? Why do you look so shocked? After all, you guys already tried to break them up back at Halloween! Did you and your mom have a back up plan in case your dad didn't pull out of the wedding in time? Was she going to stand up in the middle of the church and fake a dizzy spell? Or what about Sage? You could always just have her run away and refuse to show up to the wedding at all!"

Parker understood that Liberty was upset and had every right to be, but as she hurled ugly accusations about his family in his face he could feel his blood begin to boil.

"Enough!" He said, his voice low but apparently there was something in it that made Liberty stop short. Parker's eyes blazed and his jaw ticked with pent up frustration. Ironically he looked very much like Jack did when he was upset.

"Liberty, I'm sorry about what happened with Jack and your mom. I really am. She's really nice and she didn't deserve to be hurt like that, but you leave my mom and little sister out of it." Parker said, his entire body trembling.

Liberty just stared at him in surprise then glared again.

"Parker, we both know that your little sister would have done anything to split them up. I'm almost afraid to think about what she could have possibly thought up next. And who do you think she was taking her cues from?"

"You know something?" Parker told her, forcing his voice to stay calm. "I don't know what happened that night and somehow I highly doubt that you know the whole truth either. But I can tell you this much, my mom had nothing to do with it."

"Maybe not blatantly but she must have done something! Maybe she said something that made your dad think about breaking up with my mom!" Liberty tried again and Parker rolled his eyes.

"So you're blaming my mom for a decision in my dad's mind that she had no control over?" Parker asked, trying to show her how convoluted that thought process was. He shook his head and sighed.

"In case you don't remember, my mom had done nothing but encourage Jack to be with your mom. My mom even turned him down weeks ago when he told her wanted to get back together. She doesn't even think that I know about it, but I heard her talking about it to Lily on the phone."

"See! That just proves it! She knew he would come back to her if he broke up with my mom!" Liberty cried and Parker balled his fists by his side.

"Liberty, stop! Tell me something, okay? If they were plotting to be together and break your mom's heart then why can't they even stand to be in the same room now?"

Liberty stopped abruptly and looked at him curiously.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since my dad broke it off with your mom, everything's changed. He drops us off in front of the house instead of coming in and mom does the same thing at the farm. And that's only if we're not being carpooled around by my aunt Emma, Holden, or Lily. They won't talk on the phone and if they do it's to leave each other stupid voicemails. It's even worse when they try and go through us kids! The other day, Dad asked about where Mom would be sitting at J.J.'s championship soccer game. Then he sat at the complete opposite end of the field with Holden and me while Mom sat on the other with Lily and Sage. Does that sound like two people who are passionately in love?"

Parker had started to tell her this to show her how wrong she was but instead his own frustration at the situation came tumbling out of him.

Liberty had listened to him and for a moment he thought he could see her softening, but then she shook her head and the steely determination set back in. Apparently the combination of Brad Snyder and Janet Ciccone's genes had created one stubborn girl.

"I'm sorry, Parker. I know with all of that, it's probably easy to assume that you're right. But if you really and truly believe that your mom had nothing to do with our parents breaking up then you're an idiot." Liberty said and with that turned, walking back over to where Janet stood waiting. Speaking quietly with her mother, Liberty took her coffee back and together they walked away.

Parker stood there, silently watching them go. Carly came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder but he immediately shrugged her off. He turned and stalked the rest of the way to the car, leaving Carly no choice but to follow him. The ride home was made in silence with Carly glancing every so often at Parker, but his face was unreadable.

Entering the house Carly quickly thanked Mrs. O'Neil, who had kindly offered to watch Sage and J.J. while she took Parker into Old Town.

Mrs. O'Neil refused any type of payment, neatly slipping out the door before she could stop her. Instead Carly just laughed and waved as the pleasant older woman walked back over to her own house, vowing to pay her in one of Emma's famous apple pies next time she came over.

As soon as Carly shut the door, Parker spoke up. His voice was quiet and determined as was the expression on his face when she turned around to look at him.

"Did you do something to make Dad break up with Janet? I want the truth."

Carly looked her oldest son straight in the eye and sighed.

"No, I did not."

Parker searched her face and then frowned.

"Do you still love Dad?"

"Yes." Carly whispered without hesitation and he nodded, having already known that answer but needing to hear it just the same.

"Does Dad still love you?"

Carly thought a moment and closed her eyes. Two weeks ago, she would have been able to answer her son with no problem. But now…

"I don't know." Carly said, opening her eyes and staring at Parker through a slight film of tears. "I honestly don't know."

"Did Dad come over here after he broke up with Janet the night of the party?"

A brief hesitation and then she gave another sigh.

"Yes, he did."

Parker's eyes narrowed and he thought back.

"But then you had another fight, didn't you? That's why we were with Aunt Emma all morning and why when we came home you didn't want to talk about Dad and Janet. I thought you were acting weird but..."

Parker trailed off and glared at her. "Mom, I said I wanted the truth. Did...you...make...Dad...break up with Janet? Is that what the fight was about?"

"Parker, enough!" Carly finally snapped and looked at her son sternly. She didn't even bother to deny that they had a fight, knowing that her and Jack's actions for the past couple of weeks spoke for themselves.

"The fight between your dad and I had nothing to do with Janet. And yes, it's true that I'm not sorry they aren't together anymore but breaking it off with her was completely your father's idea. You asked for the truth before and I gave it to you. I think you owe me enough respect to let up on the third degree."

Parker continued to glare for a moment or two longer but then he averted his eyes. His parents just didn't get it. Parker was old enough that he could remember a time, not so long ago, that even when they fought, in the end they just held onto each other and their family tighter. He just couldn't understand how the last few years had done so much damage to his parent's relationship.

Letting out a soft breath and then looking at his mom, Parker's expression was so much older than his age.

"The fight you had with Dad, it was different this time wasn't it?"

Now that Parker had confirmation that she and Jack had a fight, she wasn't surprised that her sensitive son had picked up on the level of damage that had been done.

"Yes, it was different." Carly answered quietly and despite her trying to hide it, Parker was stunned to see the brief glimpse of pain on his mom's face.

He wasn't a little kid anymore, hadn't been for a long time, and therefore knew that his parents weren't perfect. Far from it, in fact. But it still shook him during the times when he caught sight of the more human side of them.

Parker didn't say anything more, but nodded to her and started to head upstairs. He stopped on the second stair and turned to look back at her. Carly was leaning on the desk by the door, her shoulders slumped as her head hung down and Parker suddenly saw just how tired she truly was.

He had been all set to blame her again for the trouble in their lives. After all, it was easier to be mad at someone when you knew that they would love you no matter what. But as he watched her shoulders shake with silent tears, he knew that he couldn't do it. Whatever had happened between his parents was obviously taking its toll on his mom, more than she was letting on. A wave of fierce protectiveness swept over him and he walked back down the steps.

"Hey, Mom?"

She startled and looked up at him, the tears on her cheeks further evidence that she had thought he had gone upstairs. Without saying another word, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

Carly was momentarily stunned but quickly hugged him back. She let out a sigh, rocking them both side to side gently with the tiniest of motions.

"I love you, Parker. Please remember that I love you, J.J. and Sage so much. I would do anything for you, anything to protect you." Carly said, pressing her cheek to her son's shoulder and squeezing strongly before letting him go. "Even from things that you don't understand right now."

"We know, Mom. We love you too." Parker said giving her a tiny smile, hesitant at her confusing words. She smiled back, before gathering herself together and heading to the kitchen to start dinner. Parker watched her go, his smile fading as soon as she disappeared into the other room.

"What the hell happened, Mom?" Parker whispered out loud. "And why do I have the feeling that things are going to get so much worse before they get better?"

As he turned to finally go upstairs, for once in his life Parker hoped that one of his gut feelings was wrong. Unfortunately, so far they never had been.