The End of Blame: Chapter 30

Blair approached the hospital bed, quietly.  Timothy opened his eyes, and smiled at her.  "Bridgette."


"Yes, Dear Man, are you all right?"


"Not so well, thank ya.  Why did you come?"


"To see you, of course.  To let you know, that . . . all's forgiven,"  she said, tearing up.  She sat beside him.


"You're not really saying ya forgive me, are ya, Bridgette?  I know one handsome lad who won't be fond of that."


"He's not against you, Timothy.  He's too deep in his pain.  For him, it's easier to let go of someone he hates.  Believe me, I know him.  He loves you, and aches for a father right now."


"Then goodness, child, bring him to me.  I can do with some father and son talk."


"He can't," she broke.  "He's just gone through some new memories.  They're very bad.  We finally got him to sleep through one entire night for the first time yesterday.  He's been on no sleep for over two weeks.  It was becoming dangerous for him."


"Poor Lad."  He looked to her, and she covered his hand with hers, "You're looking well.  I thank you for coming to see me.  And for your forgiveness.  You know, I never would have . . ."


"I do know.  I understand.  And it's over.  There was so much Hell brought onto Earth by that man Carlo Hesser, it's all best let to rest with him."


"I thank ya for your forgiveness.  Again."  he closed his eyes momentarily.


"Timothy, don't give up hope yet.  I want to get him to come here.  It could happen."


"I won't be here long.  They have done all they can.  They will release me soon, and I'll be out and about until I can't live outside anymore."


"I see.  I'm very sorry."  She broke up, again.


He smiled, "You're a dear soul, coming here.  After what I've done.  Ya have a forgiving heart.  This is why the lad is so fortunate to have ya."


"He'll come.  Just give him time, please."


"Not sure how much I have to spare, but he may have all of it."


"What about your sister?" she whispered through tears.


"Ah, Creena.  I am not ready for her.  I am not ready to see her face seeing me for the last time.  Try and understand me."


"I do.  When you are ready, we will send a private plane for her."


"I appreciate that, and do love ya both."  He stopped a moment.  "Ya know, when I first met Todd, I remember asking Creena what in the world he meant to her and why.  And she explained it so strangely, but now that I recall, it was also so perfectly."


"What did she say?"  Blair was crying, and not holding back any longer.


"She said, 'He's just a deeply wounded soul, Timothy, it's very hard to explain it in simple words.' I knew right then, if there were something she could not explain, it had her hooked.  She loves him deeply, as her own."


Blair sniffled, "I know.  He needs that right now, too.  Going through some terrible things,"  She broke down.


Timothy said, "Ah, dear heart, tell me what is wrong."


"He . . . he remembered something.  He saw . . ."


"It's all right, Bridgette, take it very slowly.  Take a breath, dear heart."


She gulped.  Then she said, "It's so horrible, really.  He remembered watching his father rape his mother.  He was six, maybe seven."  Timothy closed his eyes, and Blair saw a tear come out the side of the one facing her.  She grabbed a tissue and patted his face.  "I'm sorry, Timothy, you don't need more things to worry about."


He gathered himself, and said, "It's all right.  Ya must get him to come to me.  If ya can, dearest.  I want to help him, and I think I can."


"I can only try.  Is there anything I can do, or anything you need?"


"I would like a flask of bourbon, but of course, that's off limits here."


She said, "Well, I can't do that.  But if there is anything else, call my cell phone."  She wrote her number on a notepad by his bed.  She leaned over, and kissed his forehead.  "I love you, Timothy, and I'll see you later.  I will be back."


"Thank ya, dear Bridgette."  he said, waving her off.  Alone, he wept for his 'son' quietly.


***
Back at the hotel, Todd had put aside 'the book' and was reading his tablet.  He wanted to remain updated on Llanview news and track how the paper was doing without him.  Everything seemed to be running fine at The Sun.  He also checked in to The Banner, and read a few articles there.  Finally, he heard noise outside the door, and then the key turning in the lock.  "Unless you're a blonde robber with green eyes breaking in, I'm not home."


"I'm not a robber, but I am a blonde, and I do have green eyes," she said.


"Come here," and she almost flew into his arms, tackling him on the bed.  "I know I'm hard to resist, but this is a bit much, even for me."  When she didn't let go of his neck, and kept hugging, he said, "Hey, Blair?"


She cried, "Oh Todd," and kept hugging.


He stroked her hair.  "Hey, things will be all right."


"Todd, he loves you.  So much."


"I know he does," he said, as she pulled away.  "I have to show you something," he said.  He thumbed through the Cholas journal and showed her the passage about Hesser killing the wife and child.


She looked up.  "Timothy?"


"Maybe.  I don't know."


"Does it matter, Todd?  Really?  Does it matter anymore?  Does any of it?"


He was startled at her, as she took 'the book' and threw it down to the floor.  "All of that means nothing, don't you see.  You can have a book, all about Peter Manning and his sickness.  I can have a book about my life, about Asa, about even some of the things that you've done.  Marty can have one, Patrick can.  Everyone can.  What does it matter?"


He didn't say a thing.  He just watched her unravel.  "You've been searching all your life for this.  Todd Manning, everything you have done has been about family, since the day you were pardoned from prison nineteen years ago.  Even some of your worst mistakes were for your family, in your heart somewhere.  You sought it out everywhere.  You looked for a father figure, in Bo, Briggs, even Asa, sometimes Ray. . . and Sam, Sam Rappaport."


Todd was on the verge of tears just watching her, his eyes fiery and moist with intensity.  "And then you lost Sam.  And you lost him right before you were taken from us by Mitch Laurence.  And somehow, with the help of yet another Delgado, you ended up in torment.  And when you came back, you were right back at it, all about family.  And then, there were Timothy and Rebecca Broderick.  You embraced them as your own.  What will it take, huh?  If your family did not forgive you, Todd Manning, where would you be right now?"


"I'm scared, all right?"  he bellowed, and she jumped, out of surprise more than fear.  His voice came down, "I'm scared to lose . . ."


She immediately softened.  "Another father.  Just say it, because that's what you mean," and her hands were pulling him to her.  He sighed against her chest.  She said, "I'm going to say one more thing, and then I'll be quiet.  Forgive him, my love, and you're a step closer to forgiving yourself."


She couldn't remember later how long she held him.  She just knew he did, until he fell into sleep in her arms.


In the silence of the morning, Blair awoke to find Todd gone.  Stunned and frightened, she called out to him but there was no answer.  She was still lying as she had been in the same place that she had held him until he drifted off.  She threw off the covers and discovered a silver tray, with a silver dome, resting on a specialized ice pack.  She lifted the top.  There were strawberries and cream, and fresh coffee, and aside them, a note:


Went to see my 'Dad.'  Hope he'll forgive me for not forgiving him until now.  I can't think what I'd be without you, My One True Babe.  
TM


Her eyes filled with tears of relief, and she began to eat her strawberries.  Pouring a cup of coffee, she said, aloud, "He's going to be all right."


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