The End of Blame: Chapter 5

It was morning.  Jack stirred first, the sunlight making the blue glow brighter around them.  She was resting on his chest, and her hand was gently over his heart.  Not certain what he was feeling, he looked down at her face, and the peacefulness of it made his heart skip.  He went to touch her hair, and she moved, then opened her eyes.  She said, "Is it morning, Jahck?"


"Yes, it's morning.  You looked....you were so pretty just now."


She smiled, "Thank you, Jahck.  You're pretty, too."


She sat up, giving him room to do the same.  He searched for his phone, and pulled it out, "I have to call my parents.  Or at least text my father."


"No signal here, remember?"


"I just want to check."  As he held his phone toward the sky to try and produce a signal, it slipped from his grip and plummeted into the water.  "Shit!" he said, angrily.


"That is all right.  We will find a phone.  That will be our first task today.  Or, we can find an internet cafe and you can contact them that way."


"If I had called or texted, my father would have known exactly where we are, most likely."


"Possibly.  Is he resourceful?"


He laughed, "Definitely.  That's a perfect word for my Dad."


"I am glad you have a father that you love so much, Jahck, and I am glad that you have forgiven him for his ways."


"Me, too."


"What shall we do today, then?"


He said, "Aside from letting my family know I am all right, I guess we figure a plan to get you out of here to the states.  You know, I bet my father would help you."


"You have a great deal of faith in what he can do."


"He's survived a lot.  I guess that makes me know what he's capable of."


"All right, then maybe we should trust him.  I mean, if you do, I do."


He was surprised.  "Already?  You don't know me all that well, Orinia."


"I know enough, Jahck Mahnning."


***


Sister Rebecca Katherine stepped off the plane, in Athens Airport, and said, "This must be the place, but it's already warmer than I'd like.  Blasted heat!"


Todd, who had arranged to meet her at the gate, took her carry-on luggage from her, and said, "I'm happy to see you, both."  She had the carrier in her other hand, and Little Ray, precious as he was, stared up at him and smiled.


She said, "It's two in the morning, Todd, how can ya bear it?"


He said flatly, "Believe me, I can bear it.  Better than sleep."


"You're having the dreaded dreams again, I can tell.  My boy, I've told ya to ask Jesus to bless your rest and down a cup of Scotch."


He kissed her cheek, gingerly.  "Come on, Sister, let's load you into the taxi.  I'll fill you in as we go."


They boarded the taxi, and Todd began talking.  "Jack's been gone more than 36 hours.  The police here are not helping much. I keep hitting road blocks."


"What have ya discovered, Todd?  Anything?"


"A few things.  First, Viki said he was there, and then just gone.  Yesterday, in interviewing everyone I could find on the cruise ship, there's basically nothing anyone can point to about a stranger being on board, or someone forcing Jack away.  Blair and I both believe this is not kidnapping.  For some reason, we see it as something else."


"You mean ya have a feeling, eh?"


"We both do.  We don't feel he's in peril.  Is that foolish for us to believe?"


"I don't think so, Todd.  You're parents, ya get these feelings, now and then.  Perhaps if he were in real danger, ya would know?  I can't say much more than that, Lad.  What else can ya tell me?  How is Blair holding up?"


"Better than I am."


"Blaming yourself, ay?  Something I could imagine ya doing."


"Maybe," he added, not wanting to give her more information about what was really going on with him, "I contacted McBain back in Llanview for help.  He's actually on his way."


She was surprised that Todd had brought in reinforcement, but glad.  "Good.  Possibly he'll remove those road blocks ya spoke of.  Todd, I must say, ya look extremely worn.  A lot is going on inside ya, eh?"  He didn't answer her.  She said, "I can tell I am right."  Without warning, Little Ray cooed, and when they looked at him, he was smiling up at Todd.  She said, "Your children so love ya, Todd.  They take to ya like to air."


He touched the baby's head.  "Hey, guy.  Your Dad's got it bad for ya."


She smiled.  Then she said, "Todd, you might, when this is over, go back and see that Doctor Ray Martino.  Possibly, you need..."


"I know.  I know.  But how long does someone go to therapy?  I'm tired.  I just want it all gone."


"It's not that easy, Lad.  You've been through a lot.  I don't want to say what I really believe ya need, because there is no way to undo it or bring it to ya."


"I'll take a stab at it.  Mental institution residency?"


"No.  Ya do this often, put yourself down, or snark around the issues.  I've learned to ignore ya when you're like that.  Ya need someone to talk to, a man, maybe a father figure.  Always have.  You have that missing part of ya, and it's what ya need.  It's amazing to me that you're one of the best fathers I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.  But it does not take away that missing part of ya."  He didn't speak, or make a snide remark.  He just stroked his baby's head and pushed back his emotion.  She saw him swallow it down.  "Ah, see, I knew I was right.  We can't do anything about it, sadly, Lad."


His mind went, for an unexplained moment, to Timothy.  He wondered briefly why she had not mentioned him herself.  He flashed on the man walking toward him and hugging him, and the way it tugged at him, as if it meant something, amazed him.  "No, we can't.  If it were true.  Sometimes, I don't think I deserve to be whole, Sister."


She looked out the window of the cab.  "Todd Manning, you're a stubborn one, ya are.  All this ya carry should have been let go years ago.  You've punished yourself enough, don't ya think?  I know Marty Saybrooke does."


"What do you know about what Marty thinks?"  he asked.


"I spend every day with her, I ought to.  She forgives ya, Todd.  She knows ya finally deserve that forgiveness, as do I.  And Viki, and most definitely, Blair."


Not this again.  He remembered standing in Viki's library in Llanview and telling her not to ask him to ever forgive himself.  He didn't even believe it were possible to.


"Hey, Buddy, you okay?"  He asked Little Ray, who was starting to fuss and make the crying faces he made before wailing.  "You want Mommy, huh?  She wants you, too," he said, picking him up from the carrier and holding him over his shoulder.  Rubbing the baby's back in a circular motion, Sister Rebecca Katherine saw Todd's face change, as if he were holding a million dollars worth of gold in his hands.  He closed his eyes.  He said, with them remaining shut, "It's like I'm reborn when I hold my him.  Any of them, really.  Or Starr.  Or Hope.  I just..."


She put her hand on his arm.  "Yes, dear.  Ya love them.  They love ya.  And, they are all small pieces of Blair and your love."  He opened his eyes, and for the first time since she had seen him at the airport, he smiled.  The cab pulled up in front of the hotel, and he carried his son and her bags.  On the way up to his room, in the elevator, she said, "Have ya given any thought to MyFace?  Ya know how those kids are about that.  Perhaps Jack left ya a message?"


Todd looked at her, a slight bit astonished.  "First, what do you know about MyFace, and second, you're right.  I'll check it as soon as I get back to the room.  First, we deliver this little package to his mother."


That promise was quickly kept as they disembarked the elevator, and making it to the door to Todd's room, barely tapped on it before Blair threw it open and took her son into her arms.  He cooed and she cooed in return.  She looked at Todd and said, "Thank you," in her airy manner.  Then, she hugged Sister Rebecca Katherine with her free arm.  "So good to see you, Sister, and thank you for doing this."


"Ah you're welcome, dear.  Nice to see a mother and child together.  He brings such joy, that little one."


"He does," her eyes watered.  "He's just so beautiful."  She looked at Todd, "Like his father."


Todd could not help but be drawn in by her deep green eyes, and wanted so much to touch her and hold her, but remembered Sister Rebecca Katherine's idea.  "Where's my laptop, Blair?"


"Where you left it.  Working at 2:30 in the morning?"


"No, not working.  Agatha Christie over here came up with an idea."  He booted up the machine, "I can't believe we overlooked it."


"Now, wait, I insist.  It's Sister Fidelma and no one less!" she chided.


Blair said, "Sister, you must be so tired.  I'll let you in to Viki's suite.  There's a separate little room there for you.  We have it all arranged."


"I am a bit weary, but remember, dear, my clock is set at 6:30 in the evening, still."


"Oh, that's right.  Well, whatever suits you."


"Actually, I'd like to get settled in and do some prayers and reading.  So, I'll take ya up on your offer."  Blair saw to getting her into her temporary home.


Returning to their room, Blair saw Todd sitting with his feet up, arms behind his head.  She said, "What are you doing, Todd?"


"Just chillin.'"


"Seriously?"


"Well, I think we both should totally relax for a while, don't you?  Since your son has just written me and told me he ran off with a gorgeous chick from Greece."


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