Macy was rather pleasantly surprised when Parker climbed into her bed.

'Hey, I have to beg you to cuddle up with me,' Macy laughed, putting her book down. She'd been staring at the same page, hardly focusing much since she climbed into bed some thirty minutes ago.

'I've come to share my chocolate with you mum.'

'Oh, sweetheart, I've brushed my teeth already.' She could tell he'd already brushed his teeth as well.

Chocolate or trying to eat anything for that matter, was so the last thing on her mind, after bumping into Twain in the supermarket. 'I thought you were asleep already,' she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

'You hardly had your supper mum,' he looked up at her, his eyes unsmiling.

'Oh Parker,' she drew him into her arms, hugging him to her bosom. 'I'm sorry. I just was not hungry.'

'But you love fish and chips.'

She inhaled heavily. 'I promise tomorrow, I'll eat two portions of dinner,' she smiled.

'Okay,' he toyed with the chocolate bar.

'I'd much prefer it if you don't have that slab of chocolate tonight,' Macy pleaded.

Parker smiled up at his mum. 'I'll take it to school tomorrow.'

'Thank you,' she ruffled his hair. Macy cleared her throat. 'I know that you're a big guy and all that,' she smiled hopefully, 'but would you like to stay with mum tonight.'

He searched his mum's face. Her eyes looked sad even though she smiled at him brightly. And she had been frightened in the supermarket when that stranger had stood there looking at her. Didn't she know when he was with her, his mum need not fear?

'Sure mum,' he nodded, sliding down onto the spare pillow. 'Good night,' he hugged his mum.

'Night Parker. Oh, come here,' she gathered him closer in her arms.

Parker laughed, pleased to see a happy smile on his mum's beautiful face.

Macy cradled her son in her arms like he was a still toddler. Her mind wandered to Twain. What had he thought when he'd seen Parker? Could he tell Parker's was his son? Fear suddenly gripped her. What if he demanded custody? Macy's arms tightened protectively around Parker.
No! I will fight him. Parker is my baby.
She pressed her lips against his temple. Parker feeling too warm, kicked at the blankets. Macy smiled. She was obviously smothering him and shifted a little away from him.

The following morning, fear irrationally permeated the air around Macy. She did not feel like getting out of bed. She did not feel like going to work either. Infact she had the most ridiculous thought, to call in sick! How absurd was that? If she was not so anxious, she would have laughed at the insane thought. Would Twain come and demand answers? What if he demanded a more prominent role in Parker's life? What if ___ what if Twain demanded they get married? No! She would not allow that. She was not going to marry him just to legitimize their son's existence. She could not think of anything more preposterous than being forced to marry a man who did not love her... irrespective of her own feelings. Macy groaned silently. She was last this queasy, when she'd been pregnant with Parker.

She smiled thinking about that. She still remembered it well. Her pregnancy was a breezy ride in the park. Macy had enjoyed every minute of it. She suffered no morning sickness. She had been tiny up until the eighth month. Thankfully she had not been in labour for a protracted time. Parker was born within forty minutes of her first contraction. She could not say it was painless or effortless, but when she'd been presented with this gorgeous little guy screaming his lungs out, Macy had cried with evident pleasure when the nurse had placed him against her bosom. Parker had looked towards her face and had howled even louder as if demanding, "feed me woman!"

 She laughed softly now. Parker was still in her bed. His one foot was jutting out his side of the bed. He was breathing softly, still asleep. His pyjama clad upper body not covered by the duvet. The chocolate bar he'd offered her last night, on the bedside pedestal. Macy leaned over, and brushed his hair with her fingers. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, Parker stirred sleepily.

'Morning my boy,' she spoke softly.

'Mum, I slept in your bed?' He looked disorientated.

'Yep, you gave me company last night,' she smiled.

'You want your supper now mum?'

Macy laughed. Her appetite was still not back, though she would have some toast and coffee, just to please Parker. 'I won't have supper now, but I shall have some breakfast,' she got out of bed.

Parker got out of bed as well. 'I'll shower and get ready for school then,' he eyed his chocolate on the stand and picked it up.

Macy laughed. 'Meet you in the kitchen just now,' she walked into her own bathroom.

    So much for wondering if Twain would approach her at the hospital. When Macy got to her surgery, Twain was there pacing up and down in her office. Macy wished he had not seen her. She wanted to turn and run. Fear griped her. She tried to breathe calmly, but that was like asking for a miracle. Macy dragged herself into her surgery and put her handbag on her table.

'Morning,' she murmured in a voice that also seemed afraid of Twain.

'Who is he?' Twain thundered, ignoring her greeting.

'What!' Macy searched his face questioningly.

'The father of your child!' Twain gripped her arm painfully.

Macy's eyes widened in surprise. Twain's features seemed to be carved of stone. She could hardly relate the hot blooded man she'd made love with, to this cold, brutal alien standing next to her right now. She was suddenly more afraid to look into eyes, cold as ice, furious, as it bore into her angrily.

Good Lord! He still does not believe Parker is his child?
This is good ___ for now.

 'Come on Macy,' he growled. 'Who is the bastard? You tried to pin it on me, remember?' He laughed sarcastically.

Shock etched in her dilated pupils and her stiff bone structure. Macy ignored the pain of his hand like a vice grip around her arm. His laugh sounded so cruel...insulting. She shut her eyes for just a second to escape his scathing glare. Perhaps this was a lifeline, a temporary lifeline, until she could think about how much of a part she wanted Twain to play in their lives. Parker had a right to know his dad, if Twain was going to eventually acknowledge that Parker was his son.

'None of your business then,' she jerked her hand out of his steel grip. 'Get out of my surgery Twain,' she hissed.

He observed how pale she was behind her anger, still some demon inside him, wanted to hurt her. 'Oh I'm getting out!' He shoved her out of the way as he angrily strode out.

Twain was furious.  Why, he could not fathom. Okay perhaps ten years ago she had tried to trap him into some kind of commitment or something, but why was he still mad? Why not just ignore that incident and leave it in the past where it belonged? After all he was not the first or the last man that would face that situation with a lover. Why let it rile him now? Twain would not admit, it irked him endlessly that Macy would not reveal her bastard child's paternity?

Why was he angry that she was protecting the son of a gun? Why was he disappointed that she really did have another man's child? What was this rage and anger warring inside him so violently?

      Strangely enough a month went by without incident. Macy hardly saw Twain. Not surprisingly, when he kept far away from the children's ward for some inexplicable reason. Whatever his reason, Macy was thankful for the reprieve. If Twain corresponded with Paediatrics, it was her superior, that Twain engaged with. She was not disappointed. It was better this way. Besides it was not like they were going to be intimate ever again.

Unlike her feelings for him, he was over her and banging every other female staff member, if the well oiled rumour mill was accurate. She managed to overhear the ratings Twain was getting for his sexual prowess. And Macy knew from personal experience, Twain would score very highly.

The disgusting pig!

Was he planning on sleeping with every female employee in the hospital? Could he not bloody well be discreet? Why did the entire hospital have to know which woman was in his bed the night before? Macy was inexplicably furious with rage! She blushed at her misguided anger.

It was not like Twain was going to pursue her now. She was damaged goods and ...older, her body, not as attractive as other single women who had not endured the scars of pregnancy. Not that she had any physical scars. She had taken care during her pregnancy; and well, there were no evident traces of a pregnancy, other than a little baby bump which was natural for a woman her age.

Macy grunted somewhat irritatedly. Clearly Twain did not want her. If he did, he would have knocked on her door and he hadn't. If only she could have had the satisfaction of slamming the door on his handsome face, but if truth be told she wondered if she would have the willpower to throw him out. She was more likely to throw her arms around him than throw him out.

     The following Friday was Parker's Sport's Day at school. He was ecstatic about taking part in two track events, the sack race and the fifty metre sprint. The sports ground was a hum of activity. Loud pop music played from amplified speakers. The sound quality was atrocious. It was giving Macy a headache. Why couldn't the school hire a decent sound system, for heaven's sake?

      Twain dipped his baseball cap lower over his forehead and slumped further into his seat in the stadium. His heart constricted in his chest. And just what the hell was Twain doing in the sports stadium, when he was not officially a parent or invited by anybody to be there? He was there because of one person and one person only. Macy Skye.

He'd heard she taken a day's leave to attend her son's sports event. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Twain had come to see Macy outside of her work environment. She was this professional, no nonsense, cool as a cucumber, doctor in the hospital. He just wanted an uninhibited scrutiny of the private individual. And what a wonderful and amazing parent Dr. Macy Skye was.

Twain observed Macy with acute interest. She threw back her head and laughed at her son, then went down on her knees. She was so remarkable, the way she reached out and gently touched her son's face. The little boy did not look too happy. Infact he looked anxious, from what Twain observed. Twain watched Macy kiss her son, embrace him repeatedly, before a smile finally broke out on the young man's face. Twain wondered what had finally done the trick and smiled silently at her expert skill.

    'Mum, I'm sick. My tummy is sore,' Parker tugged at Macy's arm.

Macy laughed softly. She dropped to her knees in front of Parker. 'Look at me sweetheart,' she kissed him on the lips. 'You're just nervous,' she smiled, patting the back of his head. 'Just try your best, hmm.'

He nodded and threw his little arms around her neck. 'Teacher is calling us mum.'

'Good luck Parker,' Macy wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back. 'I'll wait for you at the finish line okay?'

'Okay mum.'

Macy could not shake that eerie feeling engulfing her as if somebody was watching her. She felt a cold shiver sweep over her, even though it was a blistering hot day. She looked around her curiously. Parents were comforting their children, just as she had been doing with Parker. Teachers were assisting the little ones to their events. She shrugged the paranoia aside, as she watched Parker go off with his teacher to the start line. She hurried across to wait for him on the other side. Her heart went out to her little boy. He was a bundle of nerves. Macy waved encouragingly to Parker, as all the contestants got on their marks to start their fifty metre race. She lifted her camera that was strapped around her neck and opened the shutter. She smiled as she got the lens focused on Parker. He was not smiling. He was nervously listening for the gun to go off. Macy clicked away, laughingly. When the gun went off, Parker was one of the last runners to take off.

'Go Parker go! You can do it my boy! Go! Go, Parker!'

Macy stood on the side, egging Parker on. He began to gain momentum and overtook a few of his competitors. Macy lifted her voice like the rest of the parents, all shouting out in support to their kids.

'Go Parker Go!' Macy shouted out encouragingly. As he got closer, she began clicking away furiously with her camera again. Parker crossed the finish line in third position. She ran to him to greet him.

   Twain continued to study Macy. Her enthusiasm was infectious. He found himself rooting for her boy. He quickly sat down, when somebody informed him he was obstructing their view. When the hell had he stood up?

Twain's eyes returned to Macy. She was furiously clicking away with her camera, like only a very proud parent would. She had run to her son at the finish to console the little guy. And why was the damn father not here? Who was the pathetic bastard? How could the fool abandon this remarkable lady?

 Twain checked himself. He was behaving like an idiot. What the hell was he doing here, in the first place? He was becoming obsessed with Macy Skye. Why else was he stalking her? What business was it of his, where the absentee father was? It had nothing to do with him, he should just back off.

But Twain could not. He had not forgotten her in the last ten years. And now that he had seen her again, his attraction for her had hit him like a raging forest fire. He could not stop thinking about her. He wanted her all over again. No other woman would do. She and only she, Macy Skye could quench the rampant sexual desire that blazed like an inferno inside him. Everything about her attracted him. Her beautiful, piercing grey eyes; her sultry lips; her sexy body; her gentle way with patients; her dedication to her job and her child. He felt jealous at the attention she gave her son; the way she looked at him so adoringly; how she so spontaneously wrapped her arms around the boy and the way her lips freely lavished the young man with kisses.

Twain growled angrily and stood up. He had better get back to the hospital. He still could not believe he'd resorted to tailing the sexy doctor. What if somebody recognized him? What if she saw him? How embarrassing would that be? Twain ducked his head and rushed out of the stadium

'Congratulations sweetheart. You did well,' Macy hugged him.

'I didn't win mum,' he looked despondent.

'It's okay Parker. It does not matter that you did not win. I'm so proud of you,' she hugged him again.

'But I wanted to win,' Parker exclaimed disappointedly.

'We will try harder next year,' she smiled, kissing him on the cheek. 'How about I get you a hot dog?' Macy offered.

'Yeah,' Parker finally smiled.

'Come on,' Macy laughed, gripping Parker's hand into hers'.

              -end chapter four -