Parker sat at her desk, finishing up some paper work before going home to her family. She heard the door open and an older man walked in.

"I'll be with you in a moment." She said as she continued writing.

"I'm in no hurry." He answered.

She recognized the voice, the pen slowly fell from her hand as she glanced up.

"What...how did you find me?"

"Jarod."

"Ja..." She got up and walked toward the older man.

Simone walked in.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy. I'll come back later."

"No! I mean you can stay. I want you to meet someone."

Simone came toward them.

"Simone, this is Ben...." Parker hesitated. "...my father." She finished.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Simone answered as they shook hands.

"I better let you go. I know you are busy." Ben said as he turned to walk out.

"No, wait." She followed him out. "I hope you are staying awhile."

"Yeah, I will be in town a few days. I was hoping we could talk."

"Yes, me too. Here is my address. Come by say 7:00?" She handed him a piece of paper.

"Thanks. I will." She watched him as he walked down the hall and out the door. Then she went back in her office.

"What did you need?" Simone was waiting for her on the couch.

"Oh, I was wondering what you wanted to do about the new wing."

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet."

"Okay. Well, I will let you go. I know you are trying to get out of here."

"Thanks. You are leaving soon, aren't you?"

"Yes. Are you still coming over later?"

"I don't know." Simone didn't want to interfere with her plans tonight.

"Well, if you change your mind I will be home."

"Okay." Simone left.

*********

Parker walked in the house.

"Jarod!" She yelled.

There was no answer so she yelled again as she went through the house. Finally, he answered her.

"Here you are." she said as she found him in Angelo's room. "What are you doing?"

"I helping Angelo." He looked up at her. "What is it?"

"We need to talk."

"Okay, talk."

"No, not here in front of..."

"He doesn't care. Talk."

"Okay. Why didn't you tell me you brought Ben here?"

"Ben....he made it."

"Yes. He showed up today."

"Well, did you two talk?"

"No, he's coming over later."

"That's great."

"Oh, yeah....great."

"What's wrong? I thought you would be happy to get to know you real father."

"I am."

"You don't sound like it."

"Well, it's not that."

"Then what?"

"I just wished you had told me about it."

"I wanted to surprise you."

"I know you did but you know how I hate surprises."

"Yeah but my surprises are good ones. They are nothing like the ones your father gave you."

"True." She turned to walk out.

"What time is he coming?"

"7:00!" She yelled.

Catherine met her mother in the hallway.

"Mommy."

"What?"

"Can Nicole come over tonight?"

"Not tonight, honey."

"Why?" She followed her mother into her room.

"Because we are having company."

"Who?"

"Sit down. I want to talk to you for a minute."

"Okay." She obeyed her mother.

Parker sat down beside her. "You know when you asking me about your grandparents?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you are going to meet one of your grandparents tonight."

"I am." She said with excitement. "Which one?"

"My father."

"Your father, but I thought you said he was gone."

"Well, this is my real father."

"Your real father. Like daddy is my real father." She said confused.

"Yes. I know it is hard for you to understand but someday you will."

"No, mommy. I think I understand." She got up from the bed and walked over to the mirror.

"What should I wear?"

"Whatever you want."

"How about my peach dress?"

Parker got up from the bed and went to her closet, pulling out a dress, "What about the blue dress?"

"Mom, you said I could wear what I wanted."

"I know...but...the blue one will bring out your eyes." Parker smiled down at her daughter.

"I don't know."

"Well...wear what you want." Parker left.

**********

There was a knock at the door. Parker went to the door and saw Ben standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Come in." She smiled.

"You have your mother's smile." He replied as he handed her the flowers.

"Thank you." She shut the door and pointed toward the couch.

Ben took a seat.

"Would you like to meet your grandchildren?"

"I have grandchildren?" He was excited.

Jarod came from the kitchen. "I hope you haven't eaten. I cooked for us."

"No I haven't." They shook hands. "It is nice to see you again." Ben replied as they took a seat.

"I'll go see what is taking the children so long." Parker headed up the stairs.

Ben turned to Jarod. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For bring us back together."

"You're welcome, but I must tell you I don't know how well this is going to work."

"I don't care as long as we have one night together. I have missed her and her mother."

Parker came back down holding Sydney's hand.

"Where are the other two?" Jarod asked.

"They are coming."

It wasn't long until they joined them down the stairs.

"Ben, this is Catherine, Sydney, and Kyle. Kids this is your grandfather, Ben."

"Hello," they answered.

"You have beautiful children."

"Thank you."

"Daddy, is it time to eat?"

"Yeah, have you washed your hands?"

"Yeah." they responded together.

"Let me see."

Jarod lead them toward the kitchen. Parker and Ben followed.

"Melissa." Ben touched the sleeve of her red blouse.

Parker looked down at his hand and back up.

"I'm sorry." He quickly removed it.

"No, that's okay." He caught her off guard.

"I just wanted to say thank you for letting me come."

**********

After dinner, Jarod took the kids out for a while so Parker and Ben could talk.

"Melissa."

"Yeah."

"I hope you will forgive me."

"For what?"

"For not telling you sooner. I justed wanted your mother to be happy and she seemed that way, at least for a while."

"It's okay. I think I understand now. Me, being a parent myself, I want to do everything I can to protect my children."

"Speaking of your mother, Catherine sure does favor her."

"Yeah, I see my mother when I look at her. I miss her so much." Parker whispered.

"Me too. I need to tell you something."

Before he could finish, Jarod and kids came in.

"Hey, mommy." Kyle and Sydney went over to her, placing their sticky hands on her new skirt.

"What did you and daddy do?"

"We went for ice cream."

"Jarod."

"What? They wanted it."

"Yeah, who is the one who eats the most ice cream around here?"

"Well....come on kids. Time for bed." Jarod quickly changed the subject.

"No daddy."

"Yeah, come on. Tell mommy good night."

"Night, mom." They all said as they kissed her cheek.

"And be sure to wash their hands." Parker yelled as they headed up the stairs.

Jarod got them up the stairs and tucked in. He joined them shortly.

"So, Ben, how do you like it here?"

"It's nice."

Parker heard one of the kids. "Excuse me." She got up and left the living room.

"Ben, have you told her yet?"

"No."

"You have to tell her."

"I will."

The talking stopped as she came back down the stairs.

"What are you two up?"

"Nothing. I'm going to bed." Jarod quickly got up and headed toward the stairs.

"Jarod."

"Yeah."

"What are you up too?"

"Nothing. I'm tired. See you in the morning." He kissed her cheek. "Talk to you later, Ben."

"Okay. It was nice seeing you again."

Parker sat back down in the chair across from Ben. "You were going to tell me something before we got interrupted."

"Yeah...I forgot. Umm...Melissa, I'm really glad you let me come over and meet my grandchildren."

"Why do I have the feeling that is not what you wanted to say?"

"Well, it wasn't."

"Then what?"

"I'm dying."

"What? Dying!?"

"Yeah, I wanted to see you one more time and hope we could be friends before I died."

"I don't understand. You came to me and now you are leaving me again."

"I'm sorry." He looked into her eyes. "Maybe I should go." He stood.

"No. Wait. How much time do you have?"

He sat down on the edge of the couch. "I'm not sure. One doctor says, somewhere from six months to a year and another tells me longer."

"Ben...could you...I mean would you consider staying here with us?"

"I don't know. I don't want to be any trouble."

"You won't. Please. I would like to get to know my father before it's to late."

"Let me think about it."

"Okay."

He looked down at his watch. "I have to go. It's getting late."

Parker walked him to the door. "Ben?"

"Yeah."

"Will you come back tomorrow?"

"I would like that."

Parker watched him drive away before shutting the door. She walked up the stairs and climbed in the bed next to Jarod.

"Jarod, are you still awake?"

"Yeah." He answered sleepy.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"Knew what?"

"That Ben is dying."

Jarod rolled over. "Yeah." He cupped her face into his hands. "I'm sorry."

A tear began to fall. "It's not fair."

"What's not fair?"

"I just found my father again...feel like I could actually care for him and he is dying."

"You have to make every minute count."

"I will. Jarod...."

"Yeah."

"I asked him to stay with us. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I would like to have him stay with us. Besides, it gives him a chance to get to know his family again. When is he coming?"

"I don't know. He hasn't answered me for sure, yet."

"I'm sure he will. Now, get some sleep."

"I can't."

"I know what you need to get you to sleep."

"What?"

"Come here." Jarod took her into his arms and gently rubbed her shoulder until she closed her eyes. "I love you." He whispered.

*********

The next morning, Parker walked into her office and found Ben holding one of the photos that sat on her desk.

"Ben?"

"Parker..."

"Melissa."

"Melissa, I wanted to stop by and thank you for late night. I hope you don't mind."

"No, not at all." Parker hung her jacket on the coat rack by the door. "I hope you have thought about what I asked you last night."

"That's all I have been thinking about."

"Well...." She walked closer to him.

"I'm not sure you will want me to stay the whole time but I don't mind staying for a while."

"Good."

"But...I think I should get my own place."

"Why? You can stay with us."

"I know I can but you and Jarod need your privacy."

"Do you need any help with anything? I mean to move down here."

"No, I don't have much."

"So, when can I expect you here?"

"I'm going home tomorrow and I will be back in a few days. I will let you know."

"Okay, then I guess we should spend some time together today before you leave."

"I don't want to bother you. I know you have some work to do."

"It can wait until tomorrow."

"Sure?"

"Yeah." She answered as she slipped her arm into his.

They walked out.

"What do you want to do first?"

"I would like to catch up on your life, if that is okay?"

"Sure. I know this nice quite place we can go to talk."

**********

Parker came home to find Jarod and the kids wrestling in the floor.

"What is going on here?"

Jarod rolled over on his back and looked up at his wife standing there. "Wrestling."

"I can see that but aren't you suppose to be doing that outside."

"Why?" Kyle asked as he looked up at his mom who now had both hands on her hips.

"In case you break something."

"We are not going to break anything." He answered as he and Sydney went tumbling over and hit the coffee table.

"Ow!" Sydney screamed.

"Or in case someone gets hurt." Parker added as she went toward Syd.

"She's okay, aren't you Syd." Kyle replied looking over at her.

She shook her head yes as Parker observed the big red spot forming on her forehead.

Jarod and Catherine sat up. "How was your day?" he asked.

"Good. I spend most of it with Ben."

"So, is he going to stay?"

"Yeah, but he leaves tomorrow to bring some things back."

"Are you going to the airport?"

"I thought we would go."

"We!"

"Don't you want to go with me?"

"I would love to." He answered as he grabbed her arm and pulled her down into the floor.

"Everybody get mommy!" Kyle and Sydney yelled.

All you could hear were screams coming from inside the house as they wrestled around in the floor.

The End!