Some time has passed since Jarod brought Nicholas to Legacy. Parker has been busy working on the new place.

"Hello."

"Melissa, what are you doing for lunch?"

"I will probably just grab something close by. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come home for lunch."

"I don't know Jarod. I'm busy getting Legacy ready to open."

"Honey, could you please come home for lunch? I miss you."

"I know. I haven't spent much time at home the last few days. I'll think about it."

"Well...if you don't come home then I will have to come to you and I don't think you want that."

"Why?"

"Well....lets just say everybody else would appreciate it if you came home for lunch."

"Okay, Jarod. I will be there in a couple of hours."

"Good."

He hung up the phone and smiled. Parker dropped the phone to her chin wondering what he was up to before hanging it up. Simone walked in.

"Hey, I think I found you a secretary."

"Oh really." Parker replied as she stood next to her new desk.

"Yeah, she is really smart and has a wonderful resume."

"When do I get to meet her."

"Well...I thought I would leave that up to you."

"Okay, what do you say about after lunch?"

"Sounds good to me. Speaking of lunch, have any plans?"

"Jarod called and wants to meet him for lunch at the house. It seems that I haven't spent much time there in the last few days and he misses me."

"Oh."

"How is Broots coming along with the security system?"

"Fine I guess. I haven't seen him yet. I was on my way there."

"I'll walk with you."

Parker and Simone walked into Broots' office.

"Broots!" Parker stated. Coming closer to his desk to see Nicholas standing by him.

"Oh, Nicholas. I didn't know you were here today."

"Yeah. I thought I would drop by to see what we lack before the big day."

"Are you getting settled into your father's house?"

"Yes, I am."

"And your mother?"

"She's...looking for something else."

"Broots, why aren't you finished with the security system yet?"

"I am...almost. I just plugging it in now."

"Good." Parker looked down at her watch. "I have to go. I will catch you later."

"Where are you going? I thought you wanted to make sure this was finished before you left today."

"I'm going home for lunch. I'll be back later." Parker disappeared out the door.

*******

"Jarod!" Parker yelled as she came through the door. When there was no answer she yelled again.

Finally hearing, "I'm up here."

Looking up the stairs as she began walking fast. "What are you doing up....here?" She stopped as she opened the door.

"I missed you so much I got you roses."

"I can see that." She walked closer to the bed pulling off her jacket and throwing it to the floor.

Jarod smiled, "I didn't know what color to get."

Parker looking down as his naked body covered with different color rose petals.

"Do you like them?"

"Yeah...but I think my favorite is this one," she said as she ran her fingers down his chest to his thigh.

"I thought it might be." He reached up to kiss her, pulling her back down against him.

Parker raised up, "Jarod."

"What?"

"Where is Angelo?"

"Around...I guess. Why?" He continued to kiss her.

"Because what if he walks in."

"Then he will see us."

"I know that."

"Then lock the door." Parker left her lover's side but returned shortly, pulling off clothes.

After a while Jarod looked down into her eyes.

"Honey."

"Yeah," she answered as she made circles around his nipples.

"I want to talk to you about something."

Looking up at him, "What?"

"I think....well...I want us...to have another baby."

"What?!" Parker raised completely up. "You want what?"

"I think we should have another baby."

"Why?"

"Because I miss having one in the house."

"Jarod, we have three kids all ready and Angelo. We don't need another baby."

"I know you said three was enough but..."

"No buts. I don't want another one. Besides you have been fixed, remember."

"I know but they can reverse it."

"NO!" She left their bed and began putting her clothes back on.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to work. I have some more things to finish before in the morning." Parker went to the door.

"Honey..." Jarod grabbed her arm.

Not turning around, "What?"

"Will you at least think about it?"

"Jarod, there is nothing to think about." She walked out.

*******

Parker walked into Broots' office.

"Broots! Have you finished?"

"Yeah. Check this out." He began hitting keys on the keyboard. Watching the screen show the room's security, Broots kicked back in his chair. He grabbed an apple that was sitting there and tossed it in the air.

Parker grabbed it, "Are you going to eat that?"

"Not right now, why?"

"May I?"

"Sure but I thought you went home for lunch."

"I did."

"Then didn't you eat."

"No. I was too busy." P> "Oh. Oh! I didn't want to know that."

"Then you shouldn't have asked." Parker smiled as she left his office and returned to hers.

Entering her office, she was greeted by Simone and another woman with short blonde hair.

"Melissa, this is Kristen."

"Kristen." Parker looked confused.

"Yeah, remember our meeting after lunch."

"Oh...yeah. Kristen, it is nice to meet you. Have a seat." Parker went around her to her desk. "Simone tells me you have an incredible resume."

"Well...I wouldn't say that."

Parker picked up some papers and read over them. "It says here that you have worked for several different companies. Why here? Why us?"

"Well....Mrs."

"Melissa is fine."

"Well...Melissa I have just recently moved down here to care for a relative and I need a job. I heard this place was looking for some help and thought..."

"...Thought we both could help each other," Parker finished her sentence.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Can I call your references?"

"Sure."

"Can you keep a confidence? Sometimes this job requires you to keep your mouth firmly shut."

"Yeah. I have no problem with that."

"Good. Let me think about it. One of us will let you know something in a few days. Is this the number that you can be reached at?" Parker pointed at the top of her resume.

"Yes, and thank you for seeing me."

"Simone will see you out." Simone and Kristen walked out leaving Parker seating at her desk.

A few minutes later, Simone returned. "Melissa."

"Yeah." Parker stared out the window, leaving her back facing Simone.

"Are you okay? You seem....different."

"I'm....fine." She exhaled slowly.

"Well, what did you think?"

"She seems okay to me."

"So are you going to hire her?"

Parker turned around, "Jarod wants more kids."

"Oh....I take it you don't."

"No. I'm happy with the three we have."

"Have you talked about it?"

"He has."

"And you?"

"I walked out."

"Melissa, I don't want to take sides or anything but I think you should tell him how you feel. Don't fight. Talk to him. If there is one thing I have learn from seeing you two together is that you both love each other a lot. You have been through a lot to be together. Don't lose that."

"Your right. It's just..."

"Talk to him."

"I will."

Simone looked at her with one eye brow raised.

"I will. I promise."

********

Parker entered her house late.

"What are you still doing up?" she asked the kids as she placed her things down in the chair.

"Waiting on you," Sydney replied as she kissed her mother on the cheek.

Parker sat down in the floor with them. "What have you done today?"

"I went to school."

"I know that. Did you learn anything?"

"No. I already knew it," Kyle answered as he sat down in her lap.

"How was your day, mommy?" Catherine asked.

"It...it was interesting." Parker shook her head.

Jarod entered the room from the kitchen. "We saved you some dinner." He watched her play with the kids.

"I'm not hungry."

He sat down beside her. "Working late again."

"No, I've been driving around...thinking."

"We need to talk."

"I know."

He turned to the kids, "Are you ready for bed?"

"No. I want to stay with mommy," Sydney whined.

"I told you I would let you stay up until she got home. Now it's time for bed."

"Come on daddy," Kyle said.

"I tell you what, if you get ready for bed I will be up there in a minute to tuck all of you in," Parker responded.

"Okay." They headed up the stairs.

"Don't wait to long," Kyle yelled down.

Parker turned to Jarod, "Can we talk about this when the kids are asleep?"

He nodded his head yes.

Parker got up and headed up the stairs.

******

A few minutes later, she entered their bedroom. She changed into her grown, walked over to the bed, exhaled a few times before speaking.

"Jarod."

"What?"

"First let me say that I am sorry for walking out like that."

"Melissa..."

"Shh. Let me finish." She placed her fingers over his lips. "I know you want to have another baby and I don't. May I ask why?"

"I miss having one in the house."

"That's it."

"No."

"Then what?"

"Well...uh..."

"Jarod, let me go first. I don't want to go through the pregnancy, the labor, the staying up all night because the baby won't sleep or doesn't feel good."

"Yeah, but what about the tiny fingers and toes, the hugs and kisses, the first steps and words."

"What about the potty training and the dirty diapers?"

"Melissa, please just think about it."

"Jarod, I don't want to think about it. I'm thankful that we have the three we have."

"I am too. It's just that I miss being with them....holding them at night."

"What are you talking about? You have been with our kids. You hold them, love on them and protect them."

"I know but I miss them being little."

"Jarod..."

"Melissa, listen...I'm getting the vasectomy reversed."

"What?!" she asked loudly.

"I'm getting it reversed."

"So, now you make these decisions alone. 'We' decided on the vasectomy and 'you' decide on the reversal? When did our marriage become a dictatorship, instead of a partnership?"

"Excuse me but I believe 'you' decided on the vasectomy, not me!"

"Yeah but...I thought you decided on it too, after a lot of discussion." She watched him turn over in the bed, not facing her.

"Fine. I guess I will have to go back to use some sort of birth control or I hear abstinence is the best birth control."

"Melissa, you know we have a partnership," he said softly. He reached for her.

She pulled away.

"Melissa."

"You better get use to this."

"I don't want to fight."

"Really? You sound like you are ready for a major battle!"." She stood up, grabbed a pillow and left.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he opened the bedroom door after her.

"Anywhere but here." She went down the stairs.

Jarod shut the door. He laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling then rolling over to her side and then back to his sighing before he got up to go down stairs. As he walked down he could see her on the couch.

"Go away," she yelled.

"Melissa."

"Go away," she repeated.

Jarod bent down to her. "I love you."

She pushed him away.

"Melissa," he whispered in her ear. "We can't go to sleep mad."

"I'm not mad."

"Then look at me."

"Why?"

"Please."

She rolled over. "What?"

"Please come back upstairs."

"No. I'm tired. I would like to go to sleep now, if that is okay with you, your majesty!"

"Listen. What do you say if we just use birth control for a while and if you don't get pregnant then that's it. Three is our limit."

"What if I say you don't get the vasectomy reverse and I don't use birth control and three is our limit?"

"Fine. Whatever you want, that is the way it has always been." Jarod stormed up the stairs.

"Excuse me." Parker followed.

"You heard me!" he yelled.

"Shh...don't wake the kids."

"I said, you heard me," he yelled quietly.

"I don't think so. How did we get Sydney?" She looked him straight in the eyes.

He didn't answer.

"I said, how...did...we...get...Sydney?"

"What do you mean?"

"You heard me."

"We...made love?" he answered uncertainly.

"We were using birth control."

"Oh. I forgot."

"I didn't."

"Okay, well can we at least think about it some more before one of us goes out and does something stupid."

"I don't.." She looked into his eyes again and remembered what Simone said. "Okay. I will think about it."

A smile formed at the corner of his mouth. "Thanks, that is all I was asking." He wrapped his arms around her.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. "You were beginning to see a divorce." She faced him with a half smile on her face.

The End!