The End of Blame: Chapter 46

"Did you see where we put the box with all of Daniella's things?"  Tea called upstairs.

Zeus walked down the staircase, carrying a large stack of boxes.  "If you think I'm going to remember that . . ."

She smiled.  "I know, there's so much!  Makes me wonder how we collected all this stuff.  It's only been three years."

"It happens.  Where's Dani?"

"She's upstairs, watching over Isabella for a few minutes.  Is this all of it?"

He surveyed the entire lower level, covered in boxes and bins.  "I sure hope so."

The doorbell rang, and he kissed her cheek before running to answer it.  He opened the door to see Blair, standing there.  She looked tired.  He said, "Hey, Blair.  Just back from abroad?"

"You could say that," she said.

"Blair.  We're packing."  Tea said.  Her attitude took Blair by surprise.

"Packing.  It seems like you're moving, Tea." She said, becoming agitated.  "When were you going to tell us?  What about Sam?"

"Whatever Zeus wants, we will do with Sam.  Not that it's your business."  Tea said.

"Tea, what . . ."  Blair was surprised.

"Oh, save it Blair."  Tea interrupted.  Blair suddenly flashed on pushing her out a window, years back.  "Zeus' been through Hell, losing his life, his family.  Your husband contributed to his misfortune by tricking him into being his accomplice and then dumping him."

Blair was confused, "What's this about?  That stuff is fifteen years old.  Aside from the fact that Todd was absolved of that blame when Zeus found his surrogate mom.  They've made their peace, Tea."

"That doesn't mean I have."  Then she said, "You're lucky we don't take Sam away from you and move him across the world with us."

"What?  Zeus?  Is that what you're planning to do?"  Blair was frantic.

"No, Blair, just . . . Tea, come on, stop now."  Zeus said, looking up from a heavy box he was moving.

"Why?  Blair gets everything her way.  Why should I stop?  One one-page injunction and Sam's with us."

"Tea, what's the matter with you?"  Blair asked.

"Huh, what's the matter with me?  Tired of hearing how your husband suffers, how your husband was cheated out of his life, tortured, tormented.  What about us, huh?  What about Zeus?"

"Zeus, I didn't come here for this.  I came to talk with you about Sam.  Tea can just screech her way around, but I don't have time to listen."  Blair finally blurted.

"Uh, Is that another ring you have there?"  Tea said.  "What, did you and Todd break up and get back together again?"

"No, since 'Todd's' really been home, there's been no breaking up between us.  You remember, the Vickerman Premier, when he first reappeared?  There's no breaking us up.  You should know that, Tea."  Blair folded her arms, now ready for a fight.

"Uh, I thought you two were friends?"  Zeus said, standing between them.

"I'm not wasting any more time.  I'll be upstairs, Mi Amor," Tea said, and left them on the first floor.

Blair said, "I came to talk to you anyway.  It's important."

"Sure, what is it?"

"It's about Sam."

He swallowed, "Okay, Blair.  Shoot."

"All right," she said, stepping one foot closer and slapping him.  "That's for the time you hit him on his back,"  She hauled back and swung again, slapping his other cheek, "And that's for the things you made him afraid of."

He held his face, and lowered his eyes.  "What do you want me to do, Blair?  I wasn't myself."

"What did I want you to do?  My husband is over there right now seeking counseling because he's afraid to be near his baby because of some 30 year-old memories.  You had no right to touch that little boy.  Brainwashed or not, you could have at least prepared us.  You should have told me what went down with my son."

"How?  'Hey Blair, by the way, I abused Sam?'"

She stopped, catching herself.  "I know you were sick.  But I don't take back either of those slaps, because you deserve them.  And you had better not have gone any further than hitting him and scaring him."

"What do you want, Blair?"

"I want custody.  Like you said.  But I want more.  If you ever loved that little boy, you need to let him go, to us, now."

"What's going on, Blair?  Why now?"  Zeus said.

"He just confessed to us how afraid he is of you and of leaving us, that's what.  He's having nightmares.  He's afraid he will have to live with you again.  What were you going to tell him, that you're going on a vacation, with your other two children?  What were you thinking?  Or were you just not thinking of him at all?"

"We're moving.  To Greece.  You knew this was coming."

She refolded her arms, "Greece?  You're moving to Greece.  How was I supposed to know that?"

"Yeah, we leave in two days.  I figured John might tell you."

"What about your son, Zeus?  Did you bother to think about what to do for him?"

"Blair, settle down, I had no plans to take him with me, or even try."

"You bet your sorry ass you're not.  I know you're not responsible fully for what you did, but that little boy . . ." her voice caught as she fell into tears, "That little boy is traumatized from your being 'not yourself.'"

He read into her anger and frustration.  "Blair, what's this about?  There's more here."

She held back, not wanting to fuel any thoughts between he and Tea about Todd by divulging Todd's mental state.  "Let's put it this way, Todd's been through ten times as much as you ever have and he can at least treat his children with care."

"That makes him a better man than I am.  I know that.  So what?  Everyone knows that.  Doesn't change anything," he said, his ire showing.  "As for Sam, I had no intention of bringing him with us. . . "

"But," Tea said, descending the stairs again, "If you keep it up, Blair, we might have grounds to do just that."

Zeus' head spun toward his wife, "Tea . . .now, wait a second. . ."

"You want to fight, bitch?  Like the last time?"  Blair said.

Tea smiled through her anger, and said to Zeus, "Friends?  You called us friends?  Seems you and Todd are more friends than we are.  Great article, putting your husband's nice deeds in print so everyone can feel badly for the poor Todd Manning, the victim . . . the rapist."  She accentuated the strength of that word.  "You forgot the part about how he manipulated Zeus in the first place when he kidnapped your daughter and kept her from you."

Blair finally determined where Tea's anger was coming from.  "Yeah, he did those things.  He did.  He's admitted that.  But he's suffered enough.  We all have.   Let's just stop this, okay?"

Tea ignored her, "And what was that I just heard?  Todd's afraid to be near his baby?  What does he think he'll do, Blair?"

Before she knew it, she was lunging at Tea, and the only barrier were Zeus' arms, blocking her way.  Zeus raised his voice.  "Stop, both of you!  Now!"  They ceased.  He said, "Tea, we're not having any fight over Sam.  You know Todd is Sam's psychological father.  Sam believes that and loves him.  I've already resigned myself to that.  This has to stop."

Tea shrieked, "You fell right into that psychobabble mumbo jumbo from that half-wit Ray Martino!  We'll see who's buying what."

Zeus said, "Tea, come on.  And Blair, Tea suffered, too, for your information.  Her rug was ripped out from under her a year or so ago, when Todd came back.  You know that."

Blair was fuming, and breathing through her mouth.  "Fine.  I want us to adopt Sam.  He's my son, you know that, Zeus.  You said it yourself.  We're his parents."

"I never argued that point.  And Blair, give me more credit.  But I'm his father.  He can live with you, no problem but he's my son.  Legally."

Tea looked as though she had swallowed the golden canary.  Blair said, "Is that how you want to play this?"

"I'm not playing.  He stays with you, and Todd.  I won't interfere.  I'm just not ready to give up my rights."

Tea couldn't let go.  "Besides, that sick man you call a husband is violent.  I can attest to that, personally."

"Any more violent than a man who beats his little boy and threatens to kill his pet?"  Blair spit out.  "And how can you attest to it personally?  From fifteen years ago when you were driving him insane trying to pressure him into sleeping with you?  'Rape me Todd, go ahead, rape me,'"  she mocked.

Tea laughed through her ire.  "Whatever, Blair.  You think you came away with a prize in Todd Manning?  The only reason I took him away from you two years ago was that he wasn't Todd after all.  No wonder he wasn't abusing me.  Zeus can respect me.  He loves me . . ."

Blair interrupted, rolling her eyes.  ". . . In the way that Todd never could.  I know, I've heard you, time after time, and so has Todd."  She looked at Zeus, "You must get tired of being compared to my husband," she said, turning to walk out.  Then she called over her shoulder, "And Tea, watch out for windows."

"You're not listening to her, are you?"  Tea said, as Zeus walked past her into the living room.  "Tell me you're not listening to her."

"What's the difference if I am?  If I let Sam live with them, and I know Todd's really his father where it counts, what's the difference if I let Sam go?"

"The difference is that Todd Manning is an abusive man."

"Tea, think of what you're saying.  I abused Sam, not Todd.  And I burned Jack.  Todd didn't do those things."

"Todd will hurt them.  He hurts everyone in his path.  He's hurt Starr, Blair.  He hurt me."  She stopped short.

"That's what this is about, isn't it?  What Todd did to you and you can't let go of?"  She didn't respond.  He continued, "I'm not letting Sam's future be about Blair, Todd or even you,"  he said,  "It's going to be what is best for him, and right now, it's Todd and Blair."

"Todd and Blair?  Todd Manning is a rapist.  That's the most violent thing anyone can be."

"You married me thinking I was that rapist, didn't you?"

"But you're not.  Now, after everything, it's obvious how wrong I was.  He'll hurt those children, and you have an obligation to protect them."  Tea said.

At that moment, the front door slammed, and in walked Starr.  She said, "T?  That can't be you talking."

"Well it is, Starr.  I'm sorry but it is."

"Zeus, you wouldn't take Sam away.  You wouldn't do that to him."  Starr said.

"No, I'm not taking him away.  Tea's just upset.  She and your mother had an argument."

"Oh, no.  Not that."  Starr said, then added, "You're still wrong T.  About my father.  You're wrong.  He'd never hurt us.  He'd never hurt a child.  Ever.  It's not in him."

"No, just women who aren't as strong as he is."

"T, what's gotten into you?"  Starr asked.

"Just tired of sainted Todd Manning, that's all.  I've had enough.  I'm going to finish the last box," and she went upstairs.

Starr said,  "She's wrong."

Zeus, said, "I know she is.  She's just . . . they really got into it."

"Who won?"  Starr asked, half smiling.

"Your mother."

"Figures.  Don't mess with her where Dad's concerned."

He nodded.  Then he said, "Why are you here?"

"Dad mentioned that you were moving soon.  I had no idea it was today.  I was coming to tell you that Sam would be safe with us, and that I would always watch over him and protect him."

"I know you would, Starr.  And, I'm sorry for the things I did when I wasn't myself."

"It's okay.  I just realized, you took care of me when I was a baby, too, didn't you?"

"Yeah.  I did.  In the cabin, when your father was hiding out.  You wouldn't have known him then, Starr.  Without your mother, he was a bitter, lonely and vengeful man."

"I know how he can be.  But you didn't know him when I did, either.  He was fun.  He always thought up good games or plans to get Mom back to him.  He was romantic.  He loved her, so much, and he still does.  But even more, when he got back here, he took to Sam right away.  He loves him.  If you get my meaning."

"You're telling me that Todd loves Sam, so that I won't take Sam away from him, when he needs him.  I get it.  But whatever I do for Sam will be because it's best for him.  Your father is not my concern, Starr.  I hope you understand that.  Not where my son is concerned."

"I do, but I'm asking, please.  Sam loves Dad.  He loves him so much.  And to be honest, Little Sam is afraid of you.  That was another thing I wanted to talk about.  His nightmares.  While they were gone, he had terrible dreams about you hurting him and them.  If you really want what's best for him, right now, it's for my parents to raise Sam, as their own.  It's hard to be a parent who has to give up a child.  I know.  I almost did it myself.  But in the end, if it is what makes them happy, and thrive, what can you do?"

Zeus listened to her, and then said, with moistened eyes, "You're very wise, Starr.  I still think of you as . . . Well, I love you."

"Thank you."  she smiled, and touched his arm.  "I'm going now.  Please, consider what I said.  They love him, Zeus.  And he loves them.  And I can tell you, first hand, that my father would die for any of us.  That you can be assured of."

And she was gone.

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