The Unexpected Guest

Chapter 2

Rated: PG

Date: January 14, 2000

Spoilers: Season 4

Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine. You know the drill.

 

 

The Unexpected Guest

By Nicky

 

Chapter 2

 

 

 

"Labor?  She's in labor?  And you bring her here?  Daddy, what am I supposed to do?" Miss Parker asks her father incredulously. 

 

"I don't know, Angel.  We needed help.  We don't have anywhere else to turn.  Besides, you're a woman.  You should know about these things."

 

"I'm a woman who's never had a child.  I don't know what to do, Daddy."  She looks at him and is completely exasperated with him.  She can't believe what he's asking her to do.  But then she remembers Jarod's on the line.  "But lucky for you two, I'm talking to someone who can help.  Daddy, take Brigitte to the guest room and get her on the bed."

 

Mr. Parker guides his wife down the hall to the room while Miss Parker runs back to the phone.

 

"Jarod?" she asks, praying that he's still on the line.

 

"I'm still here," he says.  "Did I hear right?  Was that your father and Brigitte?  And is she really in labor?"

 

"It appears that way.  Jarod, what am I going to do?  I can't do this.  I just can't," she starts to cry.

 

"Hey, calm down.  I believe in you, Parker.  You can do this.  I'm right here with you.  Now, just take a deep breathe and let's do this.  Together."

 

"I can do this.  I can do this," she repeats over and over until she reaches the room with her father and Brigitte.

 

"You can do this.  I know you can.  The first thing I need for you to do is to put me on speakerphone.  You're going to need both your hands free," he instructs.  He waits to hear the little click before continuing.  "Good evening, Mr. Parker.  Brigitte.  How are doing?"

 

"Jarod?  Is that you?"  Mr. Parker asks.  He's surprised at first, but then his tone changes to business as usual.  "Where are you?  Angel, have you called the sweeper team to go pick him up?"

 

"Daddy!  This is not the time to worry about that.  You need to be concerned about your wife and unborn child.  They're going to need all the help they can get," she scolds.

 

"She's right, Mr. Parker," Jarod agrees.  "Brigitte's going to need all the help she can get.  Now, does anyone know how close the contractions are?"

 

"I'm not sure, Jarod.  Brigitte's screaming about every 2 minutes or so," Miss Parker replies.

 

"Okay. We don't have much time, then.  Have your father go get some clean towels.  And gloves if you have them.  While he's doing that, I'm going to need for you to check to see if Brigitte's crowning yet."

 

"Do what?"

 

"Just look and see if the baby's head is showing yet."

 

"Oh, okay.  Yeah.  I can see the top of its head.  What do I do now Jarod?" Miss Parker asks frantically.

 

"Brigitte, can you hear me?  How are you doing?  Do you feel another contraction?"

 

"Not yet, Jarod.  But I want to push."

 

"Don't push yet!  Miss Parker, don't let her push.  She'll just be working hard for nothing.  Brigitte, just use this time to breathe.  And when another contraction starts, then you can push."

 

"Here are the towels and gloves, Angel.  And I brought the first aid kit, too."  Mr. Parker hands the items to his daughter and moves back by the door, pacing impatiently.  "She hasn't had it yet?  How much longer is it going to be?”

 

"Right now!" Brigitte screams.  "I feel another one coming, Jarod."

 

"Okay, you can push.  Miss Parker, your job is to try and guide the baby out while she's pushing."

 

Brigitte bears down and pushes with all her might.  Her screams are soon echoed by the shrill cries of the newborn.

 

"Congratulations, you guys.  It's a girl," Miss Parker announces.  She wraps the baby in one of the towels and lays her on Brigitte's chest.

 

"Good work, Brigitte.  Congratulations," Jarod says.  "I'm going to hang up now, Miss Parker. You all need to get to the hospital immediately.  The baby's going to have to be checked out."

 

"Impossible," Mr. Parker barks.  "They'll kill us all.  We can't go to the hospital.  I don't care what you do, but I'm leaving now.  A baby girl isn't going to do me any good.  Angel, I'll see you at work in the morning."

 

"Daddy, . . ." Miss Parker starts, but it's too late.  He's already gone.  She turns to her stepmother.  "Brigitte . . ."

 

"It's okay, Parker.  I knew he only wanted a boy.  I guess I'm on my own now."

 

"Then let's get you two to the hospital."

 

"No!  We can't.  Your father was right.  They will kill us.  This girl is no use to them.  And neither am I, now.  They wanted a boy.  I have to get out of here.  Or else, I'm as good as dead."

 

"Miss Parker?"  Jarod's voice booms over the speakerphone in the deathly silent room.  "Are you still with me?  If they're not immediately going to the hospital, then you have a couple more things to do.  Get a new shoelace or sterile string to tie off the umbilical cord so that you can cut it.  How does the baby look?"

 

"She's beautiful.  All ten fingers and toes present and accounted for," she smiles a little while cuddling the soft newborn.  She was holding a new life in her hands.  A new life that she helped bring into this world.  "Thank you, Jarod.  For all your help.  I couldn't have done this without you."

 

"You're welcome, Miss Parker." 

 

The click lets her know that he's gone.  She turns around to give the baby back to Brigitte, but sees that she's just about drifted off to sleep.  She decides to take the baby and clean her up a bit to give Brigitte some time to rest.

 

An hour later, the baby's all nice and clean and ready for her first meal.  Miss Parker wraps her back up and takes her to the back room.  She finds the bed mysteriously empty.  After searching the house, she finds Brigitte in the bathroom.

 

"Brigitte, the baby's ready to eat.  You're going to have to feed her."

 

"Oh," Brigitte scowls as Miss Parker hands her the baby.  She holds it as if she's a time bomb, waiting to explode.  "Miss Parker, would you mind terribly running to the store to pick up a few things for the baby?"

 

"Okay.  You stay here and feed her.  I'll go get some things she'll need like diapers and a few outfits.  The bigger things can wait until later."

 

"Thanks.  You're a doll," Brigitte says, flashing a phony smile.  She stands in the doorway until she hears Miss Parker close the car door and start the ignition.  Then she turns back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. 

 

She stares again at the screaming terror in her arms.  What was she going to do with a baby?  She needed to get as far away from the Centre as possible.  And she knew she couldn't do that with a baby. 

 

She suddenly hears the front door open again over the baby's cries.  It was Miss Parker.  What was she doing back so soon, Brigitte wonders to herself.  But, it didn't matter.  Brigitte was determined to get away before the Centre could kill her.  She scans the bathroom and finds a window, just large enough for her to fit through.  She lays the screaming infant, head first into the toilet.  Once she's sure the baby's completely submerged, she climbs through the window without even another glance back. 

 

"Brigitte,” Miss Parker calls through the door.  "I forgot to ask if you wanted me to get some formula for the baby or if you were going to continue to breast feed her."

 

She's a bit startled at the silence when she doesn't get a reply.  A quick glance in the guest room shows it empty, so she's sure Brigitte's still in the bathroom.

 

"Brigitte?"  She calls again, but gets no answer.  She finally pushes the bathroom door open and is horrified at the sight.  She runs to the toilet and quickly pulls the baby out, not even noticing the open window.  The baby had tinges of blue splotching her face and Miss Parker didn't know whether it was too late or not.  But she desperately pumped the tiny chest anyway, praying for a miracle.

 

Her prayers were answered when she heard sputtering coughs coming from the miniature life form in her arms.  Her own sobs of relief were drowned out by the welcome cries of the baby, giving her own bit of thanks for being brought back from the brink of death.

 

 

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