The Fourth Life: Chapter 16

Blair walked in to the pediatrician's office and saw Starr and Sister Rebecca Katherine commiserating.  "Hi, Sister!  Nice to see you."


"Ah Blair, dear, I was bringing the tykes to their appointment."


"Sister, did you know I was in orphanages and foster care when I was a little girl?"


"Yes, I believe you mentioned it when you were going through that terrible time without Todd.  Aren't they the sweet ones?"


"They are."  She watched the little children playing with Hope.  "Starr, how are you today?"  she kissed her daughter's cheek.


"I'm fine Mom, just taking Hope for the usual.  Dad's really cooking up something.  He's so into this thing tonight.  Two parties in a month!"


"He's something else, your dad, when he gets an idea, he runs with it."  


They were interrupted by Hope crying, because another little one grabbed the toy she was playing with from her hands.  Blair stood to go and referee and promptly toppled to the floor.  "Mom!"  Starr called out.  Hope continued crying, and Sister Rebecca Katherine tended to Blair while Hope scrambled into Starr's arms.  "Sister, is she all right?"


"Blair, can you hear me?  Blair, dear?"


Blair's eyelids fluttered.  "Ugh..." she said dreamily.  "Oh, God, I feel so sick," she turned to the side and tried to push herself to standing.  The nun, a quick thinker, went and grabbed the waste paper basket by the door and put it in front of Blair, who put her face over it.  Nothing happened, and she caught her breath, sitting back.  The nurse ran into the waiting room, with a cold towel, and put it on her forehead.  


"Ma'am, what seems to be wrong?" 


Blair sat up.  "I don't know, I just feel so sick.  I've felt weird all week.  I must be coming down with something.  The change of weather has that effect on me often."  She, with the help of the sister, attempted to get to her feet, and then passed out.


"Oh my God, please call an ambulance," Starr said, taking Hope's hand.  "We'll have to reschedule the appointment."


"Yes, indeed.  Starr, go ahead with your mother, I will call for backup from St. Anne's and meet you at the hospital."  The nun said, turning to the nurse for a phone.


***


"Bring in more of those gravestones and put them all over the yard in the back.  And by the way, have you got the two fog machines?  I want the Broadway-strength ones.  Yes, you have the go ahead,  I want it to be perfect for the kids."


Sam came running into the room.  "Dad!  Are we really having a haunted house?"


"Yes, we're really having a haunted house."


"And movies?  Scary ones?  Until midnight or longer?"


"Yep, scary movies."


"And are you going to dress up?"


"Yeah, but I won't be scary," he said, smiling.  "Your mom and I are going as Beauty and the Beast."


"That's cool!  Hope will love it, Dad!"


"And what will you be?"


"I don't know.  I kinda wanna be Sponge Bob!"


"Well, let me know, it's tonight, you know.  You waited too long."  Sam looked disappointed, so Todd said, "I am sure I can get you a Sponge Bob costume.  Don't worry."  Sam cheered and ran off.  The crew that Todd hired was at work throughout the house, pulling out all the stops to make Halloween very special for them all. 


Jack was upstairs in his room, as excited as an angsty teen could get about the party at Melanie Jacob's house that night for Halloween.  She was one of the prettiest girls in school, and also, one of the best-known.  Having been invited meant, to him, that his days being known as the bully of Shane Morasco might be ending.    He went through the album covers he was using to choose his costume from.  It was down to a ZZ top guitarist, from his days hanging out with Zeus and listening to his old rock, Jimi Hendrix with a real electric guitar, or the main character on the cover of Grim Reaper's 1981 album.


Todd, so busy that he had forgotten to get their costumes for the night, ran up the stairs, two at a time, signaled to Perzno and jumped into the helicopter.  Before he knew it, he was at The Manning building, and making his way to the lobby to walk to the costume shop, when he got the call.    


"Yeah, Starr, it's me," he talked while walking.  "What?"  He stopped in place.  "I'll be right there," he said, and he raced to the sidewalk to catch a cab to Llanview Hospital.


***


Larry said, "Well, you know what this is probably about, don't you, Blair?"  


She said, "I think I do.  Am I pregnant, Larry?"


"That's what I'm thinking.  Wouldn't be strange considering the symptoms.  You go through this all the time.  I'm running tests, it shouldn't be long."


Starr, in the waiting room with Sister Rebecca Katherine, who had just arrived.  Starr said, "Do you think I was wrong calling him?"


"No, dear, he lives for her.  He should be told."


"I hope she's all right."


"She will be."


Back in the exam room, Blair was trying to call Todd on her cell, but could not reach him.  Then, an idea came to her and she changed her mind.  "I'll let this one wait.  You're not the only source of surprises around here, Mr. Manning," she said aloud.


The doors slid open to the emergency room, and Todd rushed in, grayish and sweating.  He saw the nun and his daughter sitting in the plastic chairs, and went to them, "Where is she?  Is she all right, Starr?"


"We haven't heard, Dad.  She fainted."


"It's the stress, of being with me, of dealing with all my crap!"  he said, violently falling into a chair.


"Now, you stop that, young man."  Sister Rebecca Katherine said, "What good are you going to be to her, whatever it is?"


He put his head into his hands, and pushed his hair back from his face.  "I should have made her leave me, after Ireland. After everything happened and I almost died, she should have cut her losses and gotten away from me."


Starr said, "Dad, stop, you do this all the time."  He looked at her,  "Stop it.  Mom doesn't want to be without you.  Can't you see that?"


They all looked up as Blair came toward them.  "Hi, guys."


Todd stood, taking her arm.  "Are you all right, Babe?"


"Yes, I'm fine.  Sorry for scaring everyone.  I haven't eaten in a while, and I guess it made me lightheaded."


He sighed, and all of them could hear it.  "All right.  Let me get you home."


"It's going to ruin our lunch date," she looked to Sister Rebecca Katherine and Starr.  Hope was sitting in the chair, playing with her doll.


"Lunch date?  You just got rushed to the hospital, Blair!"  Todd said.  She could see he was unwinding.  


"Todd, I'm okay.  What is it?"


"Nothing, just, nothing.  You're coming home with me, Blair."


Starr, sensing her father was losing control, said, "Mom, go ahead.  We can go to lunch and see you tonight at the party."


"Oh that sounds great, can I please come?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine asked.


Todd found his composure, "Yes, Sister, please.  Come and join us."


"I may, but you must know, it is a Holy Day of Obligation tomorrow.  Us nuns don't really celebrate Halloween much."


"We understand, sister.  Hope to see you, though."  Todd said.  "Blair, let's go.  Please."


He was sweating, and his hand, though holding her arm gently, was shaking.  She said, "All right, Todd," and followed him outside.  He was practically dragging her and she pulled back, "Todd! Stop!"  He stopped, looked at her, and pulled her to him.  He was panicked, she could tell.  She let him cling to her, and then said, "Todd, what is wrong!"


"I was scared!"  He blasted.  She jumped.  "I was scared, Blair.  I didn't know what to do."


"I'm all right.  I'm here.  I'm fine, I just passed out."


He slowed himself down.  "That's all?"


"That's all,"  she lied.  She was not ready to tell him what she had really found out.  That was for later.


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