Dance with the Devil: Chapter 16

The morning dawned in Port Charles. As breakfast was being served at the Metrocourt, Carly noticed Blair with her three children at a table. She approached them with a smile. “How are you doing today?”


Blair smiled back at the blonde. “I’m doing a lot better since everything happened. Todd is going to need further surgery on his back, but other than that, he’s back to, well, being Todd.”


“I’m glad. I’ve actually missed his cocky charm and flirty banter around here,” Carly replied. “Not that I ever would have responded,” she added as an afterthought.


“Oh, and by the way, if you do respond in any way to that flirty banter again, be warned, I have sent women through plate glass windows for less,” Blair informed her. At Carly’s expression, Blair’s smile grew larger. “He asked me to marry him again yesterday and I said yes.”


“Congratulations!” Carly threw her arms around Blair. She looked at the kids. Starr’s smile was as wide as her mother’s, Sam seemed happy and Jack gave off an air of nonchalance. “Look, I know all of your family is in Llanview, but, if you would consider it, we’ve thrown some great weddings here.”


Chuckling, Blair said, “Well it won’t be for a while. Todd still needs major surgery and he’s going to be going through physical therapy after that. He wants to be able to walk again before we get married.” She had a faraway look in her eyes. “Besides, it might not seem like it, but he plans the most romantic wedding all on his own.”


“Really?” Carly asked, but after she thought about it, she could see it. “Well, I can tell how much he loves you. He hasn't stop mentioning you since he got back to town in May.” As she walked off, she asked Blair, “Would it be okay if I went over to see him? I can tell you two can be territorial with each other, so I figure I’d asked.” When Blair nodded, Carly left.


After she was gone, Jack gave his mother a questioning look. “What did she mean about you two being territorial?”


Blair looked embarrassed, as Starr piped in, “The night of my debut at the Haunted Star, Dad walked in with Carly on his arm and Mom was so furious, she pushed Carly over the side of the boat. Unfortunately, Mom went overboard with her and the two of them were having a mud fight in a shallow end of the harbor.” Starr couldn’t hide her glee at the memory. “She really thought that Dad had hooked up with her and Dad was laughing his ass off over their display.”


“Mom, you said it’s not right to fight,” Sam said, shock on his face.


Blair glared at her daughter’s mischievous expression as she said, “You’re right, Sam. It’s not nice to fight. Especially when your Uncle Todd was just doing it to tease me.”


Jack finished up his breakfast and gathered Sam up, promising to take him to the park for a kick around. As they were leaving, they passed Viki exiting the elevator. He pointed out where Blair and Starr were and Viki joined them.


“Jack seems pleasant. I take it he took the news of your engagement well,” Viki said as the server brought her coffee.


Blair shook her head. “Not at first, but we had a long family talk and progress has been made.” She took a bite out of her food, then began again. “I spoke with Todd’s doctor before we left. He may be released later today. There’s not much more they can do for him at this time and they want the give him some recuperative time before going back in.”


Viki nodded. “Clint left early this morning for Llanview. He’s going to see what the story is with Dr. Evans and if he is unavailable, see if he can find another doctor. He also wants to talk with Bo and Nora, as they’ve been through this before. If you’d like to talk to either of them…” At the expression she was getting from Blair, she knew that answer. “If you do want to, at some point, I’m sure they can offer some advice.” She paused, letting out a sigh. “Also, last night, Clint and I saw Todd’s attorney here.”


“Dad’s attorney?” Starr questioned. Thinking for a minute, she reasoned, “Well, Dad is here, maybe he was just checking in on him.”


“Yes, well, he was having dinner with his daughter. She’s Jack’s friend, Molly,” Viki said.


“Molly is Ric Lansing’s daughter?” Blair asked. She sat back, thinking it over.


Viki nodded. “Before Todd left Llanview I went to see him and, as he bragged about his attorney’s success, told me how Lansing had sought him out. So, I did some digging. Turns out Lansing also has a half-brother who lives in Port Charles that he has had conflicts with for a number of years. Sonny Corinthos is that half brother.”


“What are you trying to say Viki?” Blair asked as her eyes narrowed.


“It’s too much of a coincidence that Todd’s attorney in the trial of his brother’s murder is the brother of a man Todd threaten to kill just before that. I usually don’t like to jump to those kind of conclusions, but it seems very odd to me,” Viki laid out.


As Blair and Starr’s eyes met, Ric Lansing was walking off the elevator at General Hospital. At the nurse’s station, he saw Elizabeth Webber. His ex-wife looked up and was surprised to see him. “Ric, what are you doing back in town?” she asked carefully. Though a part of her still cared for him, time had made her cautious.


“I just got back into town. My new client recently relocated here and I’m handling all of his legal business,” Ric told her. He looked over her appraisingly. “You look good. How are the boys?”


Elizabeth smiled sadly. “Cameron has gotten so big and Aiden, Lucky’s son, he’s starting to talk in full sentences.”


“And Jake?” he asked.


Her smile dimmed. “Jake was killed in an accident last year.”


Ric looked down. “I’m so sorry. Now I remember Molly telling me.” He gave her a comforting hug. “I am sorry for your loss.”


They broke apart as she said, “Why are you at the hospital?”


“My client was the victim of a shoot a few days ago. But, from what I have heard, he’s doing better.” Ric looked around. “What room is Todd Manning in?”


After being directed to the room, Ric saw the publisher on the phone and working on a tablet. At times, his voice was loud but then it would be lowered. After he finished on the call, Ric walked in. “How’s the newspaper business doing with the publisher laid up?” he asked him.


Todd looked up. “Well, look who’s finally here. ‘Bout time. You got the contracts for me?”


Ric smiled. Todd always seemed to be all business. “Yeah, plus, I thought you may need this,” he said, handing over the papers.


“A pre-nup? Well, I guess that’s why you’re so good. However, thanks for the thought, but don’t need it,” Todd said, a goofy smile on his face.


“Mr. Manning, having seen the bride-to-be most recently sitting on the prosecution’s side at your trial and knowing a little about the history of you two, I’d advise it,” Ric told him.


“Well, if you knew a little about our history, you’d know we never needed one of them in the previous three marriages. Plus, she was only taking the other side because she was angry with me, but I will tell you that once she got here to Port Charles, all that was cleared up.” He looked back at his tablet. “It’s amazing what women can understand with a little catfight.”


“I don’t think I understand,” Ric said with curiosity.


“Well, see, I tested a theory. At my daughter’s opening night at the Haunted Star this summer, I borrowed a gorgeous blonde for some arm candy. Her boyfriend, and the club’s co-owner, wasn’t too happy about this, but Carly explained and when Blair saw us together and the kiss I planted on her, well, let’s just say, Carly was grateful it was just the water she fell into.” Laughing, he added, “I haven’t had that much fun since seeing Blair go at in with another former rival of hers in a jail cell.”


Ric looked incredulously at Todd. “And that healed all the wounds between you over killing Victor?”


“Well, not all of them, but it got the ball rolling.” He looked away for a minute. “We’ve worked out a lot of our differences and we still love each other. That has never changed.” He pointed to his legs. “So, once I can walk again, we’re getting married.”


After another fifteen minutes, Ric began packing up papers to leave. As he turned to go, a familiar voice called out from the hall, “Blair said it was safe for me to come to see you and she promised not to deck me for it.” As Carly walked in, she caught her breath. “Ric, what the hell are you doing here?”


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