Short #1: Blair's Memory by SCOUT

Blair settles into her favorite chair on the poolside patio of La Boulaie with a glass of wine in one hand and an old photograph in the other. She leans back into the cushion and sighs. She is still amazed, and maybe even the teeniest bit doubtful, about Tomas’ story. The coincidence of him finding her wedding puhoto at some back-alley flea market in Paris…it’s nearly unbelievable. Blair gently runs her fingertip over the image of Todd’s face. Todd’s old face. A slight smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. That night is singlehandedly the greatest memory of her life. God, she was so happy then. The happiest she had ever been. If she were to close her eyes she knows she can still feel his hands around her waist as they danced. He was gripping her so tightly, as if he were afraid to let go of her even for a moment.

They sway slowly across the dance floor…moving almost as if in a dream. Todd’s hands are warm and solid on her hips. She can feel the blood-warmth of his skin even through the fabric of her gown. Her stomach does a little flip as she thinks of the tiny spark of life deep within her. She tries to send their baby all of the love she feels right now. This new baby is going to make everything ok. Give them both back everything they lost after the miscarriage. The memory of that pain is still so fresh, a sting which never truly eases, but Blair knows that they will love this child all the more for it. She wants this baby to grow up happy, and healthy, and strong, and very, very spoiled…

“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” Blair murmurs.

Todd watches her intently.

“This is all I’ve ever wanted,” she says.

Todd smiles at her, but she can see a shadow of pain cross his green eyes. He seems sad, as though the idea of her wanting only him isn’t good enough. Like she deserves better somehow. Blair places her hand on his cheek and sighs. Then she places her hand on his other cheek, the scarred one. She wants him to know that she loves all of him…the darkness as well as the light.

“I love you Todd.”

He leans in and covers her mouth with his lips, their bodies fitting perfectly together, the spark deep inside growing warmer…

Blair gives her head a little shake as if to clear her mind. That was a long time ago, she thinks. Everything is different now. So many lifetimes have passed since that wedding night…nothing is the same…not even Todd’s face. Things had never been the same between them after that golden wedding night, but the contrast of Todd as he was then to the man she knows today is staggering. So much of her wants to believe that he is the same man she used to love…but uncertainty nags at her brain…

A noise from behind snaps Blair from her reverie.

“Mom? What are you doing out here?”

Blair looks up to see Starr, worry etched all over her pretty face.

“And what are you doing with that old picture of you and dad?”

Blair gives a sad smile. “I was just looking at this and remembering…remembering old times…and thinking…maybe your father really was the great love of my life.”

Starr looks distressed for a moment before launching into a litany of reasons why Blair should most definitely not be thinking thoughts like that. But Blair is only half listening. She realizes that after all of the things that have gone wrong since their wedding night, she and Todd got one thing very, very right. Their baby did grow up healthy, happy, strong, and so beautiful.

Blair’s heart fills to bursting. She feels such love for her daughter in this moment. And for her father too…wherever he might have gone.