Broots and Simone turned their heads as Parker walked into her house. Her eyes were red, puffy, and swollen from crying. She took a seat in the chair near the door. She looked up at Sam. "Thank you." Her voice was barely over a whisper.
"Melissa...." Her head turned toward the noise but it was like nobody was there.
"What happen?" Broots hated to ask but he had to know.
"I killed him." She replied with tears in her eyes.
"Who? Lyle?"
She nodded her head.
"What about Jarod? Margaret said he was in surgery."
"He's barely holding on." Her voice cracked. She pulled her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth in the chair.
Simone got up from her seat and sat down in the floor next to the chair. "Melissa."
She didn't respond.
"Listen to me, you have to pull yourself together. Your kids need you."
"I need Jarod." She folded her arms on her knees and rested her head on them. "I want him back."
"He will be back, soon."
Parker glanced up at the three staring at her. "You didn't tell the kids, did you?"
"No, we were waiting to hear from you." Broots answered.
Sam looked down at his watch. "It's getting late. Why don't you get some rest?"
"I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see him laying there."
"Why don't you go up to your room and lay down? Broots and I will stay the night."
"What about Emily and Jay? Do they know?"
"Yes. Charles told them that there is no need for them to the hospital tonight. They will be there in the morning." Sam told her.
"Thanks." She stared up at the stairs. "I guess I have to tell them."
"It can wait until morning."
"I know but how do you tell your kids that their father is in critical condition in the hospital and your mother killed a man?"
"You don't have to tell them you killed someone. Besides, it was self defense."
She glanced back at them watching her. "I'm going upstairs." She stood. "I'll see you later. Sam, thanks for bring me home." She grabbed the rail of the stair case and made herself go up the stairs. She entered her bedroom and stared at the empty bed. Her body slide down the door and she wept until her hand covered her mouth as ran to the bathroom. She could feel the substance in her stomach raising to her throat.
She laid on the cool bathroom floor for an hour before she picked her tired body up and went back to the bedroom. She found one of Jarod's shirt and slipped it on. She laid on his side of bed, holding onto his pillow. She cried again. The door opened and glanced over to see a her oldest daughter standing beside her.
"Mama, why are you crying?"
"Oh baby?" She sat up. "Come to me." Parker took her into her arms and cried some more.
"Mama, where's daddy?"
Parker pulled herself together and looked her daughter in the eyes. Parker took her hands and held Catherine's face just inches apart from hers.
"Your father has been in accident."
"Is he okay?"
"For now."
Catherine couldn't believe what she just heard. She pulled away from her mother. "What kind of accident?" She asked.
Her mother didn't answer.
"Mom?" She reached over and turned the lamp on. "Answer me?" When she turned back to face her she saw her busted lip. "Mama." She cried.
"It's okay, baby. Mama is okay." Parker closed her eyes and remembering her mother telling her the same thing after a fight she had Raines. When Parker opened her eyes she realized that her daughter pulled into her chest and was holding her.
"Mama, daddy is going to be fine." Catherine rocked back and forth with her mother in her arms. "I told you that he would come."
Parker pulled back. "I love you. You know that, right?"
"I know mom. I'll stay in here with you tonight."
"No, I can't sleep in here."
"Then we go to my room." Catherine took her mother's hand and lead her toward her room.
Catherine climbed into bed and Parker followed. She reached over and kissed her mother good night. Parker wrapped her arms around her daughter and fell asleep as her head hit the pillow.
******
The morning light hit Parker's face. She tried to climb out of bed but was blocked in by a child on both sides. She also had one laying on top of her and the other at her feet. She rubbed her eyes then ran her hands through her hair. She took a deep breath and moved the kids. She went to the babies' room. They were sleeping so peaceful. She bent down and kissed each one before heading downstairs for some coffee. Broots and Simone woke to the sound of slamming doors.
"Damn." She yelled as she shut two of her fingers in cabinet door.
Simone entered the kitchen. "Are you okay?"
"Fine." Parker kept searching for the can of coffee.
"What are you looking for?"
"Coffee."
"Here." Simone handed her the can that was sitting in front of her.
"Thanks." Parker took the can and started the coffee pot.
"Melissa, I want you to know that if you need to talk I will listen." Simone raised Parker's face to where she had to look at her.
"I know." She whispered. "It's just..." She began to cry again.
"I know. It's hard." Simone pulled her into her arms.
"Melissa sad. Jarod okay." Angelo entered the room.
Parker raised up. "Angelo." Parker opened her arms and he went to her.
He embraced her. "Jarod okay." He kept telling her.
"I hope so."
"I know so." He told her.
They heard crying from upstairs. Angelo and Broots went to check on the three little ones while Simone talked to Parker.
"Melissa, I'm sure everything is going to work out."
"It's just that I'm not sure if I can say that killing Lyle was an accident."
Simone stopped her as she saw Catherine standing behind her mother.
"What?" Parker asked.
Simone pointed behind her. When she turned, she saw Catherine standing there. She ran up the stairs.
"Honey wait." Parker chased after her. "Catherine, open the door." Parker banged on the door louder.
"Go away." She shouted on the other side.
"Let me explain, please."
"I said go away."
"Open this door...now!" Parker raised her voice.
A few seconds later the door opened and Parker stared down a small child. "We should talk."
"I don't want to." Catherine replied.
"Then you can listen." Parker pushed the door the rest of the way open and went inside. She sat down next to her daughter. "I'm sorry you heard that." Parker ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair.
"Are you sorry that you killed someone?" She pushed her mother away and went to the other side of the room.
"I know it's hard for you to understand this but someday when you have a family of your own..."
"You didn't answer my question?" She snapped back at her mother.
"I wish I could say that right now but...right now....I don't know what I'm feeling." She walked over to her daughter. "You have to believe me."
"Why?"
"Catherine, it's just hard to explain this to a 13 year old."
"You and daddy both said that I'm *not* your average 13 year old."
"Now, you want to listen to us." Parker mumbled under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing." Parker followed Catherine back to her bed. "I didn't have a choice. Lyle was threatening the people that I love." Parker faced her.
"But couldn't you have wounded him. Why did you have to kill him?" Catherine knew her mother was an excellent shot. She had gone to the gun range with her before.
Parker wanted to but she knew that Lyle would never leave them alone. "I tried. He moved on me." She answered her, hoping she couldn't tell that was a lie.
"I want to see daddy." She stared into her mother's blue eyes.
"I'm not sure..."
"I want to see my father!" She demanded.
Parker watched the blue eyes that stayed focused hers. "Fine but I must warn you..."
"I know."
"Get dressed." Parker got up the bed and went into her own room. Parker stared at herself in the mirror. She could see herself coming out in her daughter. She knew she was going to have her hands full with her.
******