The Shadows Fall: Chapter 25

It was morning.  Todd woke to Blair, lying across his chest, with the sun coming in the windows behind the bed onto her hair, making it like spun gold.  He moved his hands gently across her back to bring her a little closer, and stared at the ceiling.  Still feeling he never deserved the happiness he felt, he relished it.  Languishing, he stayed as still as possible, not wanting to wake her and move into the day.  The appreciation of the moment, with her this way, and his life in the place it stood, was something he wanted to hold onto.


Time passed.  The sun was higher in the sky, and her breathing was soft and regular.  The house was silent; a Sunday morning type of day that he looked forward to and dreamed about during the lucid times in captivity.  She, so silken and enticing in his arms, somehow spread a certain strength through him, sunlight to his darkness.  She stirred.


Looking up at him, she said, "Hi."


He stared into her green eyes and said, "Hi, Blair."


Her face twisted, and she jerked off him and ran to the bathroom.  He could hear the sounds of her heaving.  At times, after a larger dinner, she would feel the effects of the morning sickness a bit more and vomit when waking.  He went to her, the moment lost.  For today.


"Are you all right, Babe?"


She flushed.  "Yeah, I'm all right."  She reached a hand out, and he took it.  She was a little wobbly on her feet, but was able to use him as support and make it over to the sitting area in the bedroom.  Hiking her feet under her, she patted the love seat and beckoned him to join her there.


"What shall we do today?"  she said.


"I don't know, what do you want to do today?"


She thought a moment.  Then she looked up and said, "I want to go out of here, Todd.  I feel...contained.  I hate to even say it, after what you've been through, but I feel like I'm in prison.  I want to get out."


He listened, reaching over and finding her hand.  She took it in response and rubbed his thumb.  He said, "Where do you want to go?"


"I don't know.  Just out.  It's a beautiful day, it's not that cold.  Anywhere.  Shopping.  Lunch.  Anywhere with you."


"All right.  Let's go to the Country Club.  We can have lunch there, and then we can go by the stables and look at the horses.  Look at them, not ride them, obviously."


"I love it!"  she leaned over and kissed him, as Sam came in the room.  "Mom, I'm sick."


She looked at Todd and they sighed.  "Well, that's that!" she said. "Parenthood!"


Todd was up, "Come here, buddy, let me see."  He checked his forehead, and realized the little boy had a slight temperature.  Hoisting him to his shoulder, Todd carried Sam back to bed and gave him medication to help him feel better and get rest enough to get well.  He returned to the room, and Blair was misty-eyed.  He realized she was feeling down from being locked up so long.


"I'll tell you what," he said, "Why don't you bring Jack to therapy later.  I'll have Williams drive you up there, you can enjoy the trip and the sun.  You just have to promise, nothing strenuous at all.  You know the deal.  I'll make sure I stay with Sam."


"I like this idea.  Not as good as lunch and the stables, but I like it.  Can we have a rain check on that lunch date?"


"For you, anything," he said, leaning in to kiss her.  She played with his hair that seemed to be creeping closer to shoulder length every day.


She looked at the clock.  "Wow, I've got to get ready, Todd, get Jack up, will you?  I need to feed him.  In fact, I think I'll take him to lunch before we go.  He loves that diner in Angel Square."


Todd did as she asked, thinking how this outing for her would serve the two purposes of getting her out and about, and also spending time with her son and reconnecting with him.  


***


Jessica gingerly picked up the phone.  Waiting, she listened to the ringing on the other end of the line.  "Hello," he said.


"Uncle Todd?"  she was crying.


"Jessica?  Are you all right?  Where are you?"


"Uncle Todd, I got a tape.  I took one, I brought it home."


"Great, I can come by and pick it up later, if that is okay."


"You're not going to be coming to Llanfair to get it."


"Jess, what's wrong?"


She sobbed, "I watched it."


He swallowed.  "Why, Jess?" His voice softened.


"I don't know.  Something...something made me want to look.  Needless to say, I happened to choose the tape of myself."  She gathered her emotions.  "Anyway, you can pick it up at St. Anne's.  I am committing myself this afternoon."


They hung up, and Todd tossed his cell phone on the couch.  It bounced and the back flew off.  "Shit!"  he said, discovering that the back was not only off, the screen had cracked.  The phone was rendered useless.  "Another thing to shop for tomorrow," he said aloud, putting the phone in its parts into the desk drawer.  He checked with Addie about watching Sam, and headed for his room to change and make a visit to St. Anne's.




***


The lunch had been delicious, and Jack and his mother had chatted about Little Sam, school and the upcoming holiday dance.  On the drive to Mountainview, however, Blair and Jack were mostly quiet.  He was staring out of the limousine window, with his earphones in, and she had borrowed Todd's tablet and was shopping for baby clothes.  At one point, they both caught each other's eye.  She looked at him, and for a brief moment, he reminded her so much of Todd, that she reached out and moved his hair back behind his ear.  "Your hair is getting long."


He removed his earphone.  "What?"


"I said, your hair is getting long."


"Yeah," he said, "like Dad's."


She smiled to herself.  Then, she said, "You love him, don't you?"  He nodded and turned away. "I'm glad."


Within minutes, they arrived at Mountainview.  Jack disembarked the limousine, and Blair stayed put, asking Williams to crack open the sunroof, so she could feel the fresh air.  It was a little too cold to be outside, but she didn't mind.  It was so beautifully sunny, and the air was fresh.  She was grateful to be with her son and that her husband had come up with this way to get her out a bit.  She continued shopping and waited for Jack.


After an hour passed, she realized he still had not returned.  She exited the limousine and headed to Ray's office.  Strolling through the sunlit lawn, she breathed deep and held her tummy, talking to herself and reminding Moonbeam how lucky he was.


She approached Ray's door, and before she realized, it was slightly ajar, and the words from within the room were audible to her.  Unintentionally, she heard the conversation going on.  Jack's voice was elevated, and she could hear him close to yelling.  "Yeah, sure I love her, but she should have known!  It was her fault he was held captive all that time.  She was just so worried about herself and having a man, she fell for that asshole's tricks, that pretend father.  Starr is not much better, convincing everyone.  But Starr was a ten year old kid, Mom, what's her excuse?  He should leave her.  He should have NEVER forgiven her.  And not only that, she left us in the hands of that cruel bastard."


As Ray went on to respond and explain Todd's love for Blair and the implications of it, Blair burst into silent tears.  Her despair flooded her and she leaned against the door frame to attempt to remain standing.  Her heart rate amplified, sending ringing to her ears, and nausea overcame her.  Finally, she involuntarily pushed against the bench outside the door as she went down, the noise alerted Jack and Ray inside the office.  


Ray pushed open the door, and there was Blair, on the floor, in a heap.  Her skin was flushed and she was unresponsive.  


"Mom!"  Jack shouted, pushing by Ray and going to her side.  "Mom, please?  Mom!"  He gently tapped her cheek.  He looked to Ray, "What's wrong with her?"


Ray had gone back into the office and Jack hear him say, "Medical emergency, stat, she's pregnant."  Ray returned to Jack's side.  "Jack, back away a bit, let me check her out."  Ray felt for a pulse, it was faint but evident.  "Blair, Blair can you hear me?"  She did not move.  Ray looked to Jack, who was crying and pacing behind him.  He saw the boy frantically dial on his cell phone.  "Damn it!" he yelled, getting no answer.  He dialed again, "Starr, it's me.  Mom's hurt.  Get Dad.  I don't know, she's just hurt.  She passed out or something."


Ray added, "She'll be at Llanview Hospital, I can't wake her."


Jack repeated the information to Starr and hung up.  Within moments, emergency medical techs were filling the hallway and Jack, slumped against the wall, cried silently watching.  As they loaded Blair onto the gurney, he asked, "Is the baby all right?  Please?  Is she going to lose her baby?"  


Ray moved forward and grabbed Jack by the shoulders.  "Jack.  Focus.  Please. You have to go in the ambulance with your mother.  I'll try and notify Todd."


Jack nodded, and went off, standing alongside the stretcher as they rushed through the hallways and out into daylight.  He noticed her hand, dangling down off the gurney, and her diamond, a huge crystal oval the color of her hair, shining in the sun.  Before they loaded her into the ambulance, he moved her hand to her belly, and put his over it, crying.


"Son, you're going to have to move back and let us do our work.  Ride in the front with the driver."


Jack had to be gripped by the EMT at his shoulders and moved away.  "I'm sorry, Mom," he cried, as he was lead away.  Sitting in the front, his tears streamed and he continued to methodically dial his father's number on his phone.


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