Simone entered her office to find Parker standing by her desk. She was holding a picture of Simone and Broots in her hand.

"Hey, I didn't know you were here."

"I just walked in. I was going to leave you a note." Parker sat down the framed picture.

"What can I help you with?" Simone waddled toward her.

"Nothing. I just had to get out of my office for a while." Parker turned around and faced the window.

"Melissa."

"Mmm." Parker continued to stare out into space.

"Do you want to tell me what is bothering you?"

"Mmm." Parker faced her. "I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"What's wrong?"

"Oh. I'm sure you don't want to hear it. I'll just go." She took two steps forward when Simone stopped her.

"Sit." Simone pointed to a chair.

Parker took a seat as if she was a little girl in trouble.

"Now talk." She crossed her arms and rested them on her swollen belly.

"It's Ben. He says he is doing better but I don't think he is telling me everything."

"Why? Has he done something or said something that would make you feel that way?"

"He doesn't look good. He has been pale lately."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"Yeah but I think he shuts me out. He says he doesn't want me to worry."

"Have Jarod talk to him."

"I've tried that too. He is more faithful to him than me." A small laugh escaped Parker's lips.

"Well...then I suggest you go over there and demand him to talk to you. You won't feel any peace until you know what is going on."

"You're right. I guess I'm just scared of what he might say. I don't want to lose him. At least, not right now." Parker placed her hands together and brought them up to her lips. "I better go." She stood.

"What's the hurry?"

"I have to get some things done before I leave today." Parker exited out.

******

Later in the evening, Parker came storming into her house.

"Jarod!" She yelled as her eyes scanned the living room for him. Then she headed up the stairs yelling again.

"What?" He came out of the babies' room.

"I want to know why you didn't tell me about Ben." Her hands were now on her hips.

"Tell you what?" He took her into their bedroom.

"Ben...is dying."

"Oh...that." Jarod paced the floor. "He didn't want me to tell you. He wanted to be the one." Jarod was tried to act innocent.

"And when was that going to be...."

"I don't know. I left that up to him."

"Maybe when he was six feet under!" She shouted.

"Shh...I just got them to sleep." He pointed at the wall.

"I don't care. I want to know why you didn't tell me."

"He wanted to." Jarod pulled her into his arms.

"How long have you known?" She jerked back.

"I don't remember." He faced her but his eyes looked past her.

Her hands pulled his face down next to hers. "How long have you known?" She asked again.

"A couple of weeks." He answered.

"A couple..." She let go of him and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door.

"Honey." Jarod knocked on the door. "I'm sorry. I told him...."

The door opened and she stood there staring at him. "Told him what?"

"That you would be mad."

"I want to know why you didn't talk him into more treatments."

"We did discuss it but he didn't want to go on like that."

Parker pushed him out of the way. "But..."

"Melissa listen, would you want to suffer?"

"No." She hung her head.

Jarod walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I know you want to spend more time with him but you are going to have to let go sooner or later."

"Jarod, it's just that I....just found him." She turned around and faced him.

"I know." He wiped the tears falling down her cheek.

******

A week later

Parker sat in the chair next to the hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked the older man.

"Better since you came." He reached his hand out to her. "I thought you were still mad at me."

"I was but we need each other right now." She took his hand into hers.

"I'm glad you are here. I was afraid I was going to die alone."

"Don't say that." Parker could feel the tears forming in her eyes.

"It's true. I don't have much time left." He watched her try to hold back the tears. "It's okay to cry."

"Ben, why did you wait so long to tell me?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Bother?" She laughed.

"Okay, worry you." He smiled weakly.

Parker tried to smile back but couldn't.

"Tell my grandchildren bye for me."

"Ben?"

"Shh. I going to be with your mother, that's all that matters." He squeezed her hand.

"Tell me about my mom." She sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I have told you all that I know about her."

"I know but I want to hear it again."

"She was a very special person in my life. I loved her so much."

Angelo and Jarod walked in and took a seat.

Ben turned his attention to them. "Angelo, I want to you to take care of your sister."

"Angelo will." He took a hold of Ben's other hand.

"Jarod, promise me you will always care for her and my grandchildren."

"You know I will."

He faced Parker again. "Where was I?"

"You loved her." Parker said as she watched his breathing get slower.

"Oh, yes. Catherine and I shared many springs together in Maine. She was the love of my life."

"Then why didn't you marry her?"

"She loved someone else."

"My father." Parker hung her head. She couldn't believe she thought of him after all those years.

"Yes. Your real father." He gasped for air.

Parker stared down into his eyes. "You..."

"Shh. I have something to tell you." He took another deep breath. "Melissa, just remember that I love you." He took one more breath this time it wasn't as deep. "I'm not your biological father." He whispered as she watched his chest stop moving.

"Ben?!" She cried out.

Jarod saw the flat line on the monitor as he grabbed his wife and held her tight. She fought to get loose. "Melissa." She fell into his arms and sobbed.

Angelo got up from his seat and left.

"Angelo!" Parker called out but he kept on walking.

A doctor and a nurse came in the room. They ran over to the bed and then turned back to the family.

"I'm sorry. Take as much time as you need." The doctor told them as he headed back out.

"I have to check on Angelo." Parker stood up straight like nothing had happened.

"My mom can do that."

"No, he is my brother and..."

"Melissa." Jarod grabbed her shoulders. She looked up into his big brown eyes.

"What?"

"He will be okay. I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine. I still don't know who I am but I'M JUST FINE!" She shouted at him as she walked out of the room.

Jarod caught up with her outside the door.

"I guess we do make a pair." She laughed. "We don't have a clue who we are." She shook her head as she glanced up at him. Jarod reached out to touch her when her hand touched his chest to stop him. "Don't." She walked down the hallway and past Charles and Margaret who was sitting in the waiting room chairs.

Jarod went up to them. "Have you seen Angelo?"

"Emily followed him out."

"And Melissa?"

"Simone went that way after her." Charles pointed in the other direction. He placed his hand on Jarod's shoulder. "Son, what happen?"

"Ben just told her that he wasn't her *real* father."

"Then...??"

"I don't know, dad." Jarod walked down the hallway in search of Parker.

He found her sitting outside on a bench. Her hands covered her eyes as she wept. She didn't even flinch when his hand touched her shoulder.

"Honey."

Simone glanced up at him and quietly left the two alone.

"Go away." She sobbed.

"But Honey." Jarod took the empty spot next to her.

"It's not fair." She wiped the tears.

Jarod pulled her into his embrace. "Baby, I know it's not fair. We were just doomed from the beginning but we have made it this far and we will continue to make it."

She lifted her head and stared into his eyes.

Jarod wiped the rest of the tears that continued to pour down her cheek. "I love you and that is never going to change."

"Why can't we be a normal family?"

"We are....to some extent."

She laughed softly. "No we aren't."

"It made you laugh." Jarod smiled at her. "Now, what do you say we go back upstairs and say goodbye." He stood and held out his hand.

She took his hand and followed him inside.

******

A few weeks later, the phone rang.

"What?" Parker answered.

"Melissa, it's Broots."

"What do you want?" She rolled over to look at the clock. "It's 3 am."

"I know. Simone went into labor. I don't know what to do." Broots paced back and forth nervously.

"Call her doctor and get her to the hospital."

"I know but aren't you going in with her."

"Yes, Broots but I don't think the baby is coming right now." Parker rolled back over and looked at the sleeping form in the bed. "I'll meet you there." She told the nervous tech as she hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Jarod mumbled.

"Broots. Simone went into labor. I have to go."

"Now?"

"Yes." She gave him a kiss and left the bed.

After she got dress, she headed out.

******

Parker and Broots pulled up at the hospital about the same time. Parker helped Simone out the car.

"I told him that it will be a while before the baby comes but he wouldn't listen to me." Simone said between contractions.

"Broots gets nervous easily." Parker got her settled in a room.

Broots paced nervous around the room. Every little grunt that Simone made seemed to make him even more nervous.

"Broots!" Parker yelled.

"Mmm." He never looked up just kept pacing.

"I can't attend to both of you."

"Mmm....oh. I-I can't help it. I just get so nervous when it comes to stuff like this."

"Why don't you go outside for a while?"

"I wanted to be here for Simone right up until the birth."

"Well, one of us is not going to make it." Parker had both hands on her hips and staring at the tech.

"I-I'll go, then." He quickly exited.

"I don't know how he got through Debbie's birth." Parker mumbled as she turned her attention back to the mother to be.

******

As it got closer to the delivery, Broots stuck his head in once more to check on his wife.

"Come on Simone, one more push."

He heard the doctor tell her. He saw the baby's head and blood everywhere. He began to get dizzy. He reached for a chair that was sitting next to the door but didn't make. He hit the floor.

"Would someone please pick up the father and get him out of here?" The doctor said as she looked over at a nurse. The baby started crying. "It's a boy." She told the mother.

"Please tell me he has hair?" Simone asked as she looked up at Parker.

"He does. Lots of red hair."

Simone let out a sigh of relief. She loved her husband but she didn't want her child to be bald. "Red!"

Parker bent down to Simone's face. "You have a son. Congratulates." She hugged her.

"Thank you, Melissa. I couldn't have done it without you." Simone wiped the tears of joy from her face. "He really has red hair?" She questioned.

"Yep." Parker handed the baby to Simone. "But I don't think it's that bad. I guess I should tell Broots." Parker left the room in search of the father. She got out to the waiting room and to find Jarod sitting next to Broots, who was holding his head.

"I can't believe I passed out." He told Jarod.

"It's okay, Broots. Some guys just can't handle that." Jarod was trying to comfort him.

Parker walked over to them. "Broots, you have a son."

"A son!" He got excited. "And Simone?"

"She's fine but you might want to wait a few minutes before going in there. She is getting cleaned up."

"Thanks." He rubbed his head again.

"What were you doing in there, anyway?"

"I wanted to see how things were coming. Then I saw the head, then the blood." Broots turned pale again.

"Broots, shh." Parker and Jarod both stopped him before they had to pick him up off the floor.

Debbie and Jay walked into the room. "Well?"

"You have a brother and your father has a big knot on his forehead." Parker laughed.

"Daddy, what happen?" She went to see about him.

"I passed out." He answered softly.

They began to laugh.

"If you don't mind I am going to check on my wife." Broots got up and headed toward her room.

******

Everyone headed into Simone's room to see the baby.

"It's been a long day so I'm going to head home." Parker informed her as she gave her another hug. "I'll check on you later."

"Before you go, we want to ask you something."

"What is it?" She turned her tired body around.

"Would it be okay if we named the baby Jameson after your mother?"

"I would be honored." Parker smiled.

"So, what are you going to call him?" Debbie asked.

"We aren't sure. Maybe James for short." Broots answered.

"I like that." Jay replied as he took Debbie's hand into his.

"We will see you later." Jarod took his wife's arm and headed out the door.

The End!