The Way Back: Chapter 29

"Blair, I'm cold, you have to share the covers."

She responded, "Hmm?"

"I'm cold."  She felt the blankets being pulled at around her.

"Huh?"  She sat up and looked around.

"I'm cold, you have to share!"

Todd was there, in the dark, awake, trying to wrestle covers from her.

"Todd!"  she called out in her usually accusatory tone, as when he was playing a trick on her, or annoying her, or maybe both.

"What?  I didn't do anything!"

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him.  "You're all right!"

"Yeah, of course I'm all right."  He held her close, fondling her hair, and closing his eyes.  He was not up to letting her know how strange he felt waking up and losing time the way he had. 

"Todd," she pulled away and looked into his eyes, "I'm so grateful that you are all right.  I was so scared.  So were the kids."

"They're here?"

"Yes, Starr and Jack, they wanted to surprise you, but I think they got surprised instead.  But it's all right.  You should have seen how your son took charge."

"He did?"

"He did.  And, he called you Dad.  Not once, several times."   She stopped.  "I was so scared we were going to lose you."

It's okay now, Blair, and you're all stuck with me again."

"I'm glad.  Very glad," she said, as he drew her in for a kiss that ended in them holding each other for the rest of the night.


Starr was awakened by a phone call.  She didn't realize it, but she had kept her mother's phone with her accidentally during the commotion from the evening before.  It was John McBain.  After taking the call, Starr raced to their bedroom door, and burst through it, without thinking.  "Mom!  Mom!"

They both jumped up in bed, Blair saying, "Starr, honey, what's wrong?"

Todd added, "Are you going to jump on our bed again?"

"No!  Oh my God, Dad, you're all right!"  And, she jumped on their bed with them to hug him.

"I'm okay, Shorty, really.  It was just, something I had to deal with.  My mind has this unique way of doing that.  It's not pretty, but it's worked for me for a while."

"That was John McBain on the phone.  He had a tech up all evening to get the results for you faster.  The DNA test results are in."

"We'll have to go down all together and get them."  Blair said, looking at Todd for approval.

"Sure.  Get that lazy bum of a brother of yours up.  Breakfast is all me today, pancakes.  Chocolate chip."  He shot a glance at Blair.

She loved how he remembered every little bit about her, about them.

A voice came from the doorway.  "Lazy bum is already up.  What's going on?  I guess you're all right."  Jack said from the doorway.

"I'm better.  Getting there."  He said, with one of his girls under each arm as they all clustered on the bed.  "Why don't you jump on the bed too?  Everyone else seems to be?"

Jack just stood, looking at the three of them.  There's no way he can't be our father.  He has all his memories, his feelings.  Heck, the three of them almost match or something.  Do I match, too?

When Jack stood stationary and didn't react to Todd's suggestion, Todd leaped out of the bed, and, with no caution at all, took his son in his arms for a moment, and hugged him.  He pulled back awkwardly and said, "I bet you think that hair is something?   Mine was past my shoulders when I met your mother."

Jack was unsure as to what to do.  He didn't even know how to feel.  But, when Todd hugged him, it felt familiar so in some deep way.  He wasn't sure of anything much, except that he was very confused.

Realizing he threw Jack off kilter, Todd spoke, "All right, it's breakfast!  Let's go."  The Mannings traipsed down to the kitchen and Todd did the honors of creating a great meal of chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, fruit, cold milk and juices.

During the meal, Starr asked, "Dad, are you ever going to tell us..."

He cut her off.  "I will tell you everything, when I can.  I just....I can't right now, okay, Shorty?"

"Of course it's okay.  But both me and Jack want to know everything."  He looked from her to his son, whose face was turned to a towering plate of pancakes.

"Is that true, Jack?  You want to know everything?"  Todd asked.  Blair watched in silence as it unfolded.  Again, her man was bringing his children to him simply with love, not buying them off, or threatening them, or mistreating them, or judging them.  Just by loving them.

"Yeah, I guess so.  I want to know stuff about you, that's if you're really my father."

"All right, that sounds fair.  Because in a few minutes when we go to the police station, we'll get the results and that will be cleared up once and for all.  What kind of things do you want to know, Jack?"  he said through a mouthful of pancake.

"I don't know, just, everything, I guess, to start, maybe how you got those marks on your wrists?"

Todd didn't falter.  He was up, and bright.  The sky had cleared following the thunderstorm, and he felt positive and ready for whatever came.  "That's easy.  I was electrocuted."


Jack, Starr and Blair all dropped their forks simultaneously.  Todd kept eating.

Jack broke the silence.  "I think I'll wait until you're definitely my father to know any more, if that's okay," and went back to his meal.

***

"McBain.  Yep, send them in."  His door opened, and in walked Tea and the other guy.  "What's up this bright and sunny morning, Mr. and Mrs. Manning?"  John said with a twinge of sarcasm.

"The Impostor," said The Impostor, "I want him in jail, now, for his crimes."
"What crimes?"

"Kidnapping my son, for one.  Trying to take my life, threatening me at the premier, I can go on, but you know the rest."

"Your son," McBain said, "Is that the little boy that lives with Blair and her kids?"

"Listen, McPain, I don't need you to do anything but your job,"  he yelled.  "Now do your job and arrest this maniac!"

"The charges have been dropped against him by the District Attorney's office."

Tea stepped forward, and meekly said, "Why John?  What made Nora do that?"

"I don't know, Tea, you might want to ask her yourself."

They were interrupted by Todd, Blair, Starr, and Jack entering the police station office and heading toward the door, rather loudly, and since it was open, Jack casually wandered in followed by the rest of his family.  "Oops,"  Todd said, "kinda crowded, we'll come back next week."  And turned to go.  Blair grabbed his coat sleeve and gave him the stop-playing-around look.

John looked directly into Todd's face until he caught his eye.  He continued to stare at him, hoping Todd would somehow take his lead.

Todd responded, "I know why you're all here, and it may as well be said in front of everyone."

He had somehow caught the stare that McBain was giving him.  John's thoughts raced with ideas of how to protect Todd Manning and his family from the outcome of the truth.  This guy is no slouch.  He'll know what I'm doing.  

Todd knew something was up, but figured he'd see where the ball went and then try and catch it.  "I'm ready to hear whatever you have to say to me?"

"The second DNA test is inconclusive.  We can't determine who you are with that sample.  I'm afraid my rushing it made it worse.  It will take about 6 weeks to actually get decent results from the state lab.  Seems my men around here have been, well, fumbling a bit."

No one spoke for a moment.  Todd realized that no only was John staring at him, but Tea was as well.  She seemed to be photographing his face and his reactions, and the hand that was holding Blair's at his side.

The Impostor broke the silence.  "Your 'men' always seem to be doing that in this good-for-nothing department.  Whatever, it will come up negative again.  He's not Todd Manning, everyone in here knows that, right Jack?"

Jack looked to his shoes, "Yeah, sure."

Tea stepped forward, toward Blair.  "You're with him, now?"

"I am."

"It didn't take long, did it, Blair?"  Tea said.

"Jealous?  I don't see why you are bothered by it.  It was okay three and a half years ago when that man next to you dropped me and my children for you."  Blair could not believe what she was saying.


Tea took her husband's arm.  "Let's go home, mi novio, let's go home and get on with our lives."

Blair could not help but watch Tea with a combination of disbelief and pity, as they exited the office and made their departure.  Todd shut the door behind them.  "Whoa, who died and left that guy Todd Manning?"

John looked up.  "No one.  I just lied.  The test came back positive, you're a match for the records of Thomas Todd Manning."

Relief came over his brow, and Blair hugged him around the neck.  Starr clasped her hands in joy, and then turned to her brother and said, "See, Jack, it's going to be okay."

Todd was the only one rather somber.  "Why did you lie, or do I have to ask?"

"It's logical, isn't it?  He's the one who will lose the most if you're Todd Manning.  And then there's Delgado."

"Tea?"  Starr asked, with doubt.

"Tomas.  He also has something to lose here."  McBain said, and both men turned to Blair.


***

On the back patio of The Manning Mansion,  The Impostor made a call.  First, he had made certain that Tea and Dani were embroiled in something that would keep them away from him for at least an hour, so that he could make plans without any chance of interruption.  As they worked in her room, finishing setting it back up, he dialed.

"Father?  I need to meet with you.  I've got a couple of little problems here in Llanview."


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