Parker woke up somewhere between states.

"Where are we?"

"We are leaving Vice President Al Gore's home state and entering President Bill Clinton's."

"And are we stopping here and moving on?"

"It doesn't matter to me. What would you like to do?"

"I don't care as long as we stop somewhere soon. I'm tired of riding."

"Okay, but you haven't done much riding. Just sleeping."

"Whatever, Jarod. Let's stop somewhere." She was still cranky.

"Okay. The next town."

He handed her his cell phone. "What's this for?"

"You are going to call your father."

"Why?"

"Because you have to tell him you are taking your leave now."

"I'm sure he has figured it out by now."

"I know but if you call him maybe it will buy us a little more time."

"Fine." She took the phone and began dialing.

"Hello," was heard after the third ring.

"Daddy."

"Angel, where are you?"

"Daddy, I won't be coming in for a while."

"Why, Angel? I hope everything is okay."

"Yes, daddy everything is fine. I just decided to take my leave early. That's all."

Jarod, overhearing everything, made an awful face at her.

"Well, will you be back to have to the baby here?"

"No, daddy. I already explained that to you. I have to go."

"Angel, wait."

"What?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." She hung up the phone.

"Oh, please," Jarod remarked as she handed him back the phone.

"Are you happy now?"

"Yes, but he shouldn't lie to you like that."

Parker sulked in the back seat not saying a word. Jarod looking back through the rear view mirror, "I'm sorry. I'm sure he loves you in his own little way."

"I don't know, maybe you are right."

As they pulled into Forrest City, Parker watched her sleeping daughter who was up front with her daddy, they both had a busy night.

"She should be getting hungry soon."

"I know."

Jarod pulled into a gas station to get some gas while Parker went to the bathroom. When she got back to the car, Jarod was holding their crying daughter.

"She's awake," he said as she got back into the car.

"I can hear."

"Here, you take her. She's hungry." He handed her to his wife.

Parker took Catherine and held her close. Jarod pulled into a McDonald's nearby.

"Do you want to go in or drive through?"

"Do I look like I want to go in?"

"Sorry. Drive through it is." He looked at her as he went up to the window.

After they got their food, it was back to the highway. Jarod kept driving until his eyes got tired. He pulled off an exit and found a motel room.

*********

The next morning, Jarod drove around the small town while his family slept.

Walking in the room, Parker woke to the sun light hitting her face.

"Where are you been?"

"Driving around. I think we will call this place home for a short while."

"Why?"

"Well, you are tired and I think it is better if we stay put for a few days."

"Whatever you want to do."

"I found a cabin on the lake. It is really nice up there. What do you think?"

"I don't care, Jarod. Whatever you think is best?"

"Boy, you are tired."

"What are you talking about?"

"You just agreed with me. Are you the same person I married a five months ago?"

Throwing the pillow at him, "Yes."

Dodging the pillow, "Okay, I just wasn't sure. I think you having a baby has changed you."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I don't know yet. I will have to get back with you on that."

*********

Jarod and Parker got settled in a nice little cabin over looking Lake DeGray. He came walking in one afternoon from making sure there's not a sweeper team close by. Coming through the door he heard Parker and Catherine crying.

"Honey?" He followed the sobbing into the kitchen to find Parker standing over his daughter laying on the counter.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"I can't do this," she sobbed as he moved closer to her. She turned and ran out leaving him standing there.

Jarod picked up his daughter and she began to calm down looking up at her father she yawned.

"What wrong you and mommy?" he said as he carried her into the bedroom. As he walked in he found Parker sobbing into her pillow.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Then why did I find both of you crying?"

"Because I don't know what I am doing."

"What were you trying to do?"

"Give her a bath."

"Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To give her a bath."

"Jarod, I can't."

"Come on." He took her hand and she followed him into the kitchen.

Laying Catherine down on the counter, he ran some luke warm water and gently washed her.

"Now you try it." He handed her the wet wash cloth.

"Jarod, I don't know if I can."

"Yes, you can." He took her hand into his and they washed Catherine. "See you are doing it."

"How come you know what to do?"

"I'm a pretender. I can do anything," he smarted off.

"Okay, mister pretender, you can change the next dirty diaper."

"Okay, that's fine with me but I believe I'm the one who showed you how to change a diaper."

"True, but I have changed the dirty ones."

"Okay, I'll give you that." He hung his head.

It wasn't long until it was time for bed again. Catherine cried most of the night when Jarod said, "Let me see her."

Parker tiredly handed her over to him. Jarod walked around until she stopped crying then he laid her down on his chest. She fell asleep in no time.

"How did you do that?"

"It's easy. She hears your heartbeat and knows she is being protected."

"It doesn't work for me."

"Well, maybe she doesn't trust you yet."

"Oh, great. I guess it is a good thing I'm not keeping her at home. She doesn't like me."

"Yes, she does."

"No, she doesn't, Jarod." She walked away from him.

Jarod followed her into the bedroom and laid his daughter down in her bed. He walked over the bed and sat down, looking over at his wife, "She just needs some time."

"I don't want to hear it. I'm tired."

Jarod climbed in the bed while Parker kept her distance from him. After turning off the light he rolled over to face her.

"Melissa."

"Yeah."

"Why did you marry me?"

"What? What kind of question is that?"

"I want to know."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why did you marry me?"

"You are going to have to explain that one." She rolled over and looked him in the eye.

"Well, did you marry me because you were pregnant or because I bugged you long enough? Or do you love me?"

"Jarod, this is stupid."

"Answer me please."

"All of them."

"What?"

"I married you because you bugged me. I married you because I was carrying your child and because I love you," she answered softly.

"You do love me?"

"Yes, I love you."

"So did you love me before you got pregnant or after?"

"Jarod, this is stupid."

"Answer me."

"You really want me to answer that."

"Yes, I do."

"Well,...if you must know the truth. I loved you first."

"You did?" He smiled.

"Why are you smiling at me?"

"Because I was just wondering."

"Jarod, can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I'm scared and I don't know what to do."

He reached over and held her tight in his arms. "Why are you scared?"

"I don't know how to me a wife and a mother."

"Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know how to be a husband or a father."

"Yeah, but you are better with her than I am."

"I have a little more patients than you too."

She pulled away, looked him right in the eye. "Your right and that scares me."

"I tell you what, we will learn together."

"Jarod, but my odds aren't very good."

"What are you talking about? I have seen you care for her."

"I mean about loving someone. Look at my family. My mother was killed and father don't care about me. What kind of parent am I going to be."

"A good one because we are going to be better than that. I know you have good in you. I have seen it before."

"Yeah, but look at my father."

"Don't. He doesn't care about you. He is just using you. I wish you could see that."

"But Jarod, he is my father."

"Melissa, I'm sorry. I know he is your father and I know he cares about you but not the way a parent sure care for a child. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"I know you didn't but you are right. He does use me and I let him."

He could see she wanted to forget about the conversation they were having. "I know you are tired so let's get some rest." He kissed her forehead and reached for the covers.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she answered softly as he turned around.

All night she kept her distance from him, not knowing why but she did.

********

The next morning Jarod woke to her curled up beside him. He wanted to touch her soft skin but was afraid to. He knew she was keeping her distance but didn't know why. He thought it was because she just had a baby but now he figured it was because she was scared. He moved slowly, not to wake her but it didn't work.

"Where are you going?"

"I was going to get up so you could sleep."

"I want to sleep with you next to me. Would you please stay?"

"Sure." He laid back down and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled back down beside him, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Jarod, I will try. I promise."

"Try to what?"

"To be a better wife."

"What?" He laughed.

"You know, last night when we were talking."

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm going to be a better person."

"Honey, I know you will but we have to take it one day at a time."

"I know. I just wanted to tell you."

"Okay."

Catherine began to cry again.

"I'll get her."

"No, I will. She needs to know I want to protect her."

"Okay, but are you sure?"

"Yes." Parker climbed out of bed, picked her up. "She hungry anyway."

"Okay, I will leave you two alone." Jarod left.

It wasn't long until it was quite again. Jarod got worried and peeked into the bedroom. He over heard Parker talking to her.

"I know I haven't been a good mother but I want you to know that I love you. You are the best thing I have done. It won't be long until all you have is your father but I want you to know that I love you and care for you that is why I'm leaving you in excellent hands. I'm not leaving you forever. We will be reunite soon, I promise."

Catherine smiled at her mother. With a tear falling down her cheek, she held her closer to her. "I love you, Catherine. Nothing is going to change that."

Jarod smiled, turned to leave when Parker heard something and looked up to see him standing there.

"How long were you there?"

"Long enough," he answered as he kept on smiling.

Jarod left to go outside when his cell phone began to ring.

"Hello."

"Jarod, it's me Sydney."

"Hey."

"Jarod, you have to get out of there."

"Why?"

"Mr. Parker sent a sweeper team your way. There will be there soon."

"How long?"

"I'm not sure. They should be landing in a couple of hours. I don't know how long it will take them to get to where you are."

"Okay, thanks." Jarod ran back in the house.

"Melissa!" he yelled as he ran into the bedroom.

"What?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Why?"

"Well enough to travel?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You father has sent a sweeper team. They will here about three hours. We have to move."

"Okay. Let's go."

Jarod got everything packed and they drove off.

"Where are we going?"

"Well, we can head toward Texas, Louisiana, or try to beat them by moving north."

"Let's go south."

*********

Jarod got his family settled once again away from the Centre. Jarod reached over and gently touched her face. She woke up next to him staring.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching you," he answered softly.

"Why?"

"Because you are so beautiful."

She laughed sarcastically.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because you think I am beautiful."

"You are."

"Come on, Jarod."

"No, really. You are." He touched her face again. "I know, some women, after having a baby don't want to be touched for a while but I would really like to give you a kiss. Is that okay?"

Looking into his eyes, she missed his touch also. She reached over and kissed his lips.

"I wanted to give you a kiss."

"So, go ahead."

He moved closer to her and placed his lips on hers. His tongue was fighting hers for control of the kiss he wanted to give her. He pulled away slowly.

Looking into his eyes, "I love you, Jarod."

"I love you too."

Catherine began to move, groaning softly.

"I'll get her." Jarod got up and bought her to Parker.

They sat in the bed playing with her before getting up.

Parker looked toward Jarod, "This plan of yours."

"Yeah."

"It will have to wait, even though I want it to leave."

"Why?"

"Well, if I go back and then suddenly leave, don't you think they will come looking for her."

"You are probably right. Let me know when you are ready."

She looked down at her daughter. "Soon, I promise." Catherine's tiny fingers held onto her mother's finger.

The End!