Port Charles Chronicles: Chapter 5

              Todd had asked his lawyer to meet him back at the Metro Court for lunch. He was walking through the lobby when Carly stopped him.

              “I wanted to apologize for upsetting your ex, Blair. It just made me mad that you treated my hotel like some cheap motel off the highway.”

              Todd smiled. “Don’t worry she wasn’t upset. There wasn’t anyone for her to find. I tried to tell you last night. I was by myself in the room.” At Carly’s look of disbelief, he chuckled. “Seriously, I don’t do casual. The only two women in my room last night were you and Blair. You can ask her when she gets back here later. She went to see Starr. Speaking of Starr, have you had a chance to talk to your son about taking back his sworn statement about my daughter?”

              "Michael is old enough to make his own choices. He felt his father was threatened and he was worried Starr might try again.”

              “That’s ridiculous. Starr was just overwhelmed.” Todd spotted Hallie entering the lobby. “Find a way to make him back off, Carly, or I will. Now if you excuse me, I have a lunch meeting. Oh, by the way, you need to get someone to replace the mirror in my suite. It’s broken.”

              ***
              Starr jumped off the bunk as her mother came up to her cell. “Mom, what are you doing here?”

              “I came to see how my baby girl was doing. I can’t believe they wouldn’t let you out on bail.”

              “Well, they figured I’d use Dad’s money and flee. It doesn’t matter, Mom. I really screwed up. All I’ve been seeing in my head, since Hope’s death, is that night. I kind of lost it when Sonny Corinthos was found innocent of shooting the tires and went a little crazy. I‘m just glad Michael Corinthos stopped me from really hurting his father.”

              “Oh Starr, why didn’t you just stay in Llanview? All we wanted to do was help you get past your grief.”

               “All of you were smothering me. I needed to breathe and I needed to find the one responsible for Hope’s death. I couldn’t do that in Llanview.”

              “Do you still want to kill Mr. Corinthos?”

              “No, Michael made me see I wasn’t really capable of doing that. But I’m not going to stop looking for the killer. Don’t be mad, but Dad is here to help me and I’m glad he is.”

               Blair looked at her daughter and loved her very much at that moment. Starr had been so disappointed in her father when she heard he had been arrested for Victor’s murder. If he hadn’t been caught, she wouldn’t have been headed home. When Todd had jumped bail to be with his daughter after hearing about the accident, she had been sure Starr would blast him and turn away from him. That hadn’t happened. Surprisingly, Todd had actually been able to give Starr comfort and had helped her. “I’m not mad. I’m glad you’ve regained your bond with your father. He needs to be here for you, even I know that.”

               “Good, because I need him too. He’s supposed to bring his lawyer here a little later this afternoon. We can talk now, and you don’t have to be around when he arrives.”

                Blair smiled. “That would be fine. I’ll keep you company. Who knows, maybe I’ll stick around when your dad gets here.”

                “You’re not going to read him the riot act, are you? Tea was positively vile to him.”

                “Oh my God, Tea! This is terrible to have to give you the news like this. Tea‘s baby was born last night, but he didn’t make it.”

               “Oh no, she must be devastated. But what are you doing here? Why didn’t you stay in Llanview, I’m sure Tea needs the support.”

               “Well, I arrived here last evening and was just called this morning by Dani. There’s nothing I can do at this time. I’m sure Tomas and Dani are helping her right now. You’re going on trial in a few days and I want to be here.”

               Starr looked at her mother. “Okay, what’s going on? Have you and Tomas had a fight?”

               “No, we didn’t have a fight. Why on earth would you ask that question?”

                “I don’t know. It seemed like you were staying here because you wanted to avoid him or something. You do know you’ll be running into Dad if you stay here. I just don’t want you guys fighting.”

                “Don’t worry about your father and me. We‘re both adults. We love you and getting you out of this trouble is our top priority.” Blair wanted to tell Starr about the reconciliation with Todd but decided to wait until he arrived. Her thoughts drifted back to those early morning hours with Todd.

                “I still owe you a song, don’t I?”

                Blair looked up at him from where she rested her head on his chest. “What do you mean?”

               “I asked you to sing for me and you did. I seem to recall you asking me something like what I was going to do for an encore and I said I guess I could sing. I’m sorry we got interrupted.”

              Blair covered his mouth with her finger, “Shh, that’s behind us now. What happened was unfortunate, but I’m here now and all the lies are gone.”

             Todd grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. “Well, then I guess I better make good my debt. Here goes. For my one true Babe “Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety- oof” Todd stopped as Blair burst out laughing and whacked him hard across the chest. “Hey, it’s the only song I know. Frat boy, remember? He lowered his head to silence her laughter. Then the kiss got deeper and he pulled her all the way on top of him so he could feel every inch of her against him. Before long, they were savoring one another all over again.

            “Mom? Earth to Mom.”

             Blair jumped as she realized she was daydreaming. “Oh, I’m sorry, my mind was elsewhere.”

            “On Tomas?"

            “No, definitely not on Tomas. I have a confession to make. You asked if I was fighting with Tomas and I said no. That’s because I sent him away. I realized I couldn’t really love a man who could imprison your father for eight years. Not only that, but he lied to me. He knew I was still interested in Todd and he deliberately misled me and said he wasn’t investigating him.”

             “But Mom, Dad did kill Victor. When Dad showed up here and showed me the paper that said ‘Not Guilty'. I was skeptical at first. I mean he’s my father and all, but I know what he’s capable of. When I heard his voice crack as he tried to get through to Tea, I knew something more was going on.”

             Blair nodded, “I think there’s quite a bit that we don’t know about your father and I’m here to try and help him figure it all out.”

             “Does that mean you’ve forgiven him?”

             “Yes.”

             “Good, I’ve been worried about him.  He’s been putting on such a brave show around here, but losing you and Aunt Vicki cut him to the quick.”

             “Well, I’ll do what I can to help him, but right now you’re my concern. Maybe I should try and talk to Michael Corinthos.” Blair said, “I understand how he would be worried about his father, but maybe I can make him understand you more.”

            ***

           Todd walked off but not before he got a glimpse of Carly’s face after he told her about the mirror. He couldn’t help chuckling, it served her right for barging into his room the night before. Looking at Hallie, Todd recalled the day he saw her after almost eighteen years. Outside her regular practice, she was still doing pro bono work for the court system and had been assigned his case. For all his money no one had wanted to take him on. She had entered the conference room looking none the worse, for the years that had fallen in between their meetings. Her face had a few extra laugh lines and there was now a touch of grey in her hair, but she was still all business.

             She had entered the room, taken one look at him, and her first words had been “I know, you’re innocent, right?” His response had been “I don’t know”. He remembered how surprised she had been at that comment. By the end of their interview, she had convinced him he needed to see some doctors, and the rest was history.

             He approached Hallie. “I see you made it into town safely. Did you get a chance to talk to Starr yet?”

             “Todd, I just got your call yesterday. Give me a chance to get caught up first.” Todd led her into the dining room and they sat down. “Tell me something. Since coming here, have you found a psychiatrist yet?”

             “Damn it, Hallie. You’re not here to talk about my problems.” He ran a hand through his hair. Sometimes he found his new lawyer very aggravating but if it hadn’t been for her, he’d probably be sitting in Statesville. From the look he was getting, he knew she was waiting for an answer. “Alright, not yet. But give me a break, I’ve only been here a couple of days myself.”

            “Todd, you know you were freed on the condition you got therapy. The court system could haul you back to Llanview and order a stay in St.Anns if you don’t cooperate.” Hallie stared at her client. She spotted his bandaged hand. “What happened to your hand?”

             Todd grimaced. “I had an encounter with my bathroom mirror.”

             “I’m guessing there’s more to that statement. Come on, tell me what happened?”

             “Irene happened. There, are you satisfied?” Todd looked away from her piercing eyes and signaled a waiter. “Get me single malt scotch straight up. The lady will have....”

             “Sparkling water with lime,” As the waiter departed to get the drinks Hallie met Todd’s eyes. “You saw Irene. That is what I’m talking about, Todd. Whatever happened to you during those eight years is tearing you apart inside. You need to get help.”

             “I will, I promise. I did find one doctor. I just haven’t had time to call him. This meeting is about Starr. You helped me and I’m grateful, it’s my daughter that needs your services right now. Let’s order lunch.”

            Hallie knew that meant all discussion was now off-limits. She had gotten to know Todd Manning extremely well in the last few months and he was as puzzling now as when she first walked into that room years ago.

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