The Shadows Fall: Chapter 21

The next morning, she woke up in his arms.  As soon as she stirred, she realized he had been awake, watching her sleep, still holding her.

"Hi."

"Hi," he said, lifting her chin and kissing her.

On cue, a nurse entered the room.  "Excuse me, sir, you'll need to step out.  We have to check Mrs. Manning this morning."

"All right," he said, getting off the bed.

"Please?"  Blair said, weakly, "can't he stay?"

She needs me.  She's afraid.  I know how she thinks.  She wants me here in case she is in danger, or loses the baby.  Please, not that.  Not again.  He knew he would have trouble seeing her face with that kind of pain again.

"I suppose he can stay.  Let me just close the curtain for a moment, then."  Todd waited outside the wall of white, as he heard various sounds of pressure cuffs, the nurse's prodding and cooing, and Blair's responses to questions.  Finally the curtain ripped open, and the nurse looked at him.  Blair's face was so different.  She was calmer, almost smiling.  There was no hint of pain.  "She's fine, Mr. Manning.  Her spotting stopped.  No cramping.  She slept through the night, good vitals.  The doctor will probably want to see her before issuing a discharge."  The nurse went on her way, and Todd sat back next to the bed, waiting for Larry to arrive.

"Well, Mrs. Manning, you've done quite a great job."

"I'm trying."  She patted her belly, "Looks like Moonbeam just keeps hanging in there."  She put out her hand, and he took it, squeezing.  

Larry came within the next hour, Blair was dozing, Todd was watching her, using his tablet to update The Sun from her room, making Skype calls and texting orders.  He knew his story at The Break Bar would likely go on hold.  He had more important things to attend to, and planned to focus on Blair for as long as it took.  In the back of his mind, he thought of Jessica, and what he had seen.  That was another issue he'd work on, but as much as he loved his sister's child, Blair and his children had to come first.  Larry pulled up another chair, and Todd shook her arm gingerly.  She woke and her eyelids were heavy for a few moments, as she adjusted to the scene. "Hi, Larry. Is everything okay with the baby?"

"Yes, Blair, everything is okay."  She hugged Todd around his neck.  "But Blair, you have to listen to me.  You're on bed rest.  That's it, no discussion about it.  And your stress level and blood pressure have to be kept very stable.  You're not old, by any means, but in your age group, miscarriages increase and since you've had two, and two early births, you have to follow instructions."  He turned to Todd.  "I'm putting you in charge, Todd.  Your job will be to make sure she listens.  You know how stubborn she can be."

"No problem.  She'll listen."  He petted her hair.

"I will.  This baby is too important to me."  Her voice was languid and small.  "I'll do whatever I have to."

Larry said, "Give me a call if anything changes.  If there's any more spotting or cramps, call us immediately or bring her right in to the ER.  Otherwise, relax Blair."

She smiled, "All right, Larry.  Thank you." He left, but before going, he took her hand and held it a moment.

She looked at Todd.  "Favor time."

"Anything.  Your wish is my command.  I think.  Within reason."

She rolled her eyes, "can you go to the penthouse and get me some clothes and shoes I can wear out of here?  I don't think that zebra print is going to work, and those shoes are a hazard right now."

"Of course.  I'll be back with Williams in about an hour, okay?"

"Perfect, Mr. Manning.  I'm so glad to be going home."

***

Todd rounded the corner by the penthouse door and heard yelling coming from inside.  He opened the door to Starr, hands on hips, in an angry confrontation with Jack, who was sitting, sloppily, on the couch.

"What's going on, kids?"

"Dad, look at him?  He's damn drunk!"

Todd turned to his son, who was slouched over the leather couch, clothes tousled, and his expression was a combination of silly and cocky.  "Jack.  Is that true?"

"Yeah, so what?  You drink!"

"Jack, calm down, I'm not raising my voice, am I?"

"No."

"Then why are you?"

"Cause you're going to ground me, or give me a big lecture about how sorry you are about your sorry ass life..."

"Jack Manning!"  Starr said, flustered.

"No, Starr, let him say what he wants to."

"Say what I want to?"  Jack slurred, "What do you care what I want to say?"

"Actually, I care very much about what you want to say, Jack."  Todd said.

"I don't.  I don't care what you say, or what she says, Ms. High-Horse, who had a baby at sixteen."

"That's enough, Jack."  Todd said, putting himself between Jack and Starr.  His voice was stern and strong, and made Jack stop a moment.  "Where's Sam, Starr?"

"He went on a play date with Hope and Grandma." 

"Starr, help me out, please?  Go get your mom some clothes and bring them to her.  Williams will drive you.  Get your mother discharged and bring her home.  Someone has to be set straight before your mother gets here."

Starr looked at her father, "Is she all right?"

"Yes, she's all right.  At least for now."

"Dad?  The baby..."  Starr was frightened.

"The baby's fine, Starr.  Please.  Do as I ask."

She went about her mission, quietly, and Todd hoisted Jack off the couch by his collar.  "You and I have something really serious to discuss.  But first, you need to sober up.  Now, are you going to go to your room and shower and change, or do I have to carry you there?"

Jack looked into his father's stare, and backed down.  Pushing Todd's hand off him, he went to his room, and Todd heard the door slam.  His next job would be to take all of the alcohol out of the penthouse and force his son's hand with therapy.  But how?

Starr went on her way, with a bag of clothes for Blair, and Todd waited in Jack's room for his son to leave the shower.  In a few moments, Jack came out of the shower and heaved into the toilet.  Todd made no moves to help his son.  Instead, he sat on Jack's bed and watched. "Feel good?"

Jack looked at Todd with an expression of malice.  "No, how can throwing up feel good?"

"Why drink then?"

"I don't know.  I guess I'm stupid like that.  It feels good to get away from all of this.  All of the problems."

"You mean like your mother possibly losing her baby, because of you?"

Jack stopped short.  "She said that?"

"No.  But that's what you think, isn't it?  You think you're the reason she's in the hospital, and why she almost lost the baby."

Jack pulled his boxers and jeans on and sat, shirtless, next to his father on the bed.  "Maybe, and maybe you don't know all that much."

"Then tell me.  I'm willing to be educated.  Are you?"

Jack was never sure how to take this guy.  He loved him in a way he didn't understand, but hated him in ways he couldn't help.  "Yeah, I am, what, are you my 'teacher?'"  His sarcasm was thick.

"Maybe.  You can be your own teacher, too, you know.  Like looking back on what has worked and what hasn't.  Drinking hasn't worked yet."

"But it does, it works right away, it takes away the feelings."

"So you're numbed."

He sized up his father's face.  Concern.  Disappointment.  Something that looked guilty.  "Yeah.  So?"

"I don't know.  Not that you care about what I say, but I tried that.  It never worked.  When the numbness wore off, I was back where I started only worse."

"You don't know much."

"All right.  Maybe I don't.  But I know one thing.  Your mother is coming home.  She can't have stress.  Heck, she can't even be on her feet when she gets here.  She can't lose this baby, Jack.  It would...let's just say it wouldn't be good for her.  And I know you love your mom.  Hate me all you want, that woman loves you and you love her."

Jack's face twisted.  "Maybe."

Todd grabbed his son by the head, putting his hand behind his neck.  "Not maybe, that's a lie.  Start by being honest.  If anything happened to your mother or that baby, you would have blamed yourself."

"No," he shook his head, but Todd kept his grip, directing his son's eyes toward him.

"Yes, you would have blamed yourself, you would have felt her pain, you would have wanted to trade places with that baby."

"No..."

"You aren't to blame, Jack."  He stopped squirming and looked into his father's eyes.  "You aren't.  You're a kid.  You make mistakes.  But you love her.  You love us.  And we love you.  We love you very much," his voice cracked.

Letting go of Jack, Todd stood, walking to the door.  Jack looked down to his hands, hiding tears.

Todd put a hand on the doorknob.  "I'm going to take care of this.  I'm going to help you, and I'm going to support your mother and help her make it through her pregnancy and give birth to our baby.  And what, young man, are you going to do?"

Silence.

"Answer me."  He was firm but calm.

Jack finally looked up, tears drying on his cheeks.  "I'm going to try, all right.  That's all I can do right now."

"You'll do better than that.  You will give your mother peace.  There will be no more drinking in this house, or out, by you.  None.  You will be all right.  And you will let me help you, Jack.  I've been to Hell and back, and you don't want to be there."  He left his son in his room, and went to ready the house for his wife.  

Making several calls, he ordered flowers delivered, and all Blair's favorite fresh fruit.  He scrambled around straightening all the messes left in various areas.  He took candles and placed them strategically in the bedroom, around the bed, and in the bath.  When the flowers came, he sprinkled a box of flower petals on the bed and around it, and the room became softly fragrant.  He stepped back, admiring his work, when he saw Jack in the hall.  "Dad, I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about.  The rules are there, and you know what they are.  Now help me out.  Pour out all of the alcohol downstairs.  We'll replace it with fruit juice, sparkling water and anything else you like to drink.  No more alcohol in the house.  Pregnant women don't drink."

"Except, we're not pregnant."

"No, Jack. You're wrong. Your mom's pregnant, that means the family is.  We all are."  He traipsed down the stairs, followed by Jack, and extended a bottle to Jack, who took it and dumped it into the kitchen sink.  Soon, they had rid the apartment of booze, and sat, waiting for Blair and Starr.

"You're not so bad," Jack said.  "Some days, I really think you're cool.  Other days I want to..."

"You hate me for leaving you."  Todd said.

Jack didn't answer.

"You hate me for leaving you, for giving you away.  You love me, though.  You love me for caring, for making you.  You love me for what I've been through to get back to you."

Jack said, "I take back what I said.  You do know things.  How do you know, Dad?  How do you know what I feel?"

"It's just how it is, Son.  And I'm sorry I wasn't always there for you, and I'm sorry I gave you away.  Even though you forgave me, doesn't mean you have forgotten, does it?"

They were interrupted by the voices of Blair and Starr in the hall.  Blair was walking leisurely, and Starr was bustling about, opening the door, moving things out of the way, and helping her mother.  Blair set foot inside the apartment.  "Oh my God!  Todd!  What have you done?"

"Jack and I got everything ready,"  he said.

She looked around the apartment, smiling.  "Wow, it looks great.  Thank you, my two favorite men!"

She walked to the couch and slowly sat.  "I feel more tired than I thought I would."  She yawned.  

Jack gave her a blanket and sheepishly said, "Mom, I'm glad you're okay."

"I know, sweetie.  Come here, let me hug you."  He did.  She squeezed his neck, and smoothed his hair.  "None of this is your fault, Jack." He moved his eyes from hers.  "It's all okay now.  It's going to be fine.  This family is going to rock this world!"  She said, raising her fist in enthusiasm, but her voice was so faint, it was less than convincing.

Todd joined in, "Mom's right.  Now, let's give her some rest time and...everyone clean their rooms.  I did mine already."

Starr and Blair laughed.  Jack connected eyes with his father for a moment.  Todd said, "Let's get that room cleaned, all right?"

Jack nodded and ascended the stairs.  Todd smiled, pushing his hands into his pants pockets and sat next to his wife.  "Well, here you are.  You're stuck with me, day in and day out for a bit, Mrs. Manning."  He lifted her feet, putting them on his lap, and began to massage one of them.  She let her head hang back and closed her eyes.  After a few minutes, he switched feet, and noticed she was sleeping.  He got up, putting the blanket over her, and went to his desk to complete some work.  From his desk, he could see everything; her beautiful, peaceful face; her rounded tummy with her hand resting on it; the view from the penthouse windows; and some of the flowers that he'd had delivered.  He continually checked on her as he worked, attempting to complete several assignments from home.  

Two hours passed, and Sam, Addie and Hope came through the door.  "Hey, Sam!"  Todd said, lifting him in the air.  "Time to clean your room," he whispered.

Sam whispered back, "Is Mom okay?"

"Yes, she's okay."

"What about the baby, Dad?  Is the baby okay?"  Addie stopped by Todd, Hope in arms, to hear the answer as well.

"Yes, the baby is fine."

"Okay, Dad, I'm going to do my room now.  Will Jack help me?"

"I don't know, ask him.  He won't be going anywhere anytime soon, so give it a shot."  Sam disappeared to the second floor.

Addie moved in front of her son-in-law.  "Todd, you're tired."

"Heh, me?"

"Yes, you.  What good will you be to her if you're not rested yourself?"  She put her hand on his arm.  "I know, you were afraid for me beautiful girl, but you have to be there for her, and that means you need to rest, too.  Hope and I are going to take a nap, aren't we?"

Hope, who was just listening, looked into her great grandmother's face and nodded.  Todd smiled, "So you agree, huh?" he said to the little girl.  "All right, it's settled."  

He walked to the couch and lifted Blair in his arms.  She stirred, and moved her head to his shoulder.  He carried her up the stairs into the bedroom, and lying her down carefully, he climbed in next to her for a nap.  Sleep was never something that came easy to him, but lying next to her, hearing her breathe, and watching her bump rise up and down, he was able to close his eyes and finally rest.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.