The next morning, they woke up, still clothed and still wrapped around each other. The sheet barely covering her, she realized she was cold, and trembled. He moved himself closer to her, bringing the sheet with him. She was on her side, he was on his, and she fit like a puzzle piece into the bend in his body. He wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her even closer and she moaned a soft sigh. Her eyes abruptly popped open; she saw that he had slept through again, no preparation, routine or medication. She ran her hand along his arm and let him continue to hold her.
Jerking her awake a few minutes later was the alarm he set. He sat up, hair messy. "I have to get going, and so do you, if you want to help. Today's the day we start a search for a donor."
"Where do we start?" she asked.
"The obvious," he said, "family first."
Blair knew this meant they would have to call Sister Rebecca Katherine and tell her the news. She was the last remaining blood relative of Timothy, and probably should be tested first. Todd was up and headed to the shower. He called to her, "When I'm out, I'll call Sister Rebecca Katherine," and started the hot water.
She never ceased to be amazed by him, his resilience, his strength. After all he endured and had to face the day before, he was up and springing about the hotel room like a teen. She decided to pay him an unexpected visit in the bathroom.
He soaped himself under the hot stream of water, and then felt a cool breeze from the opening curtain. She stepped into the shower. "Hi, Blair," he said.
"Hi," she said, and he turned to her. For a moment, his beautiful body and long, wet hair made her heart skip a beat. This increased as his hands reached out to take her by both arms and kiss her, passionately, his body beginning to both respond and demonstrate his want for her. She obliged, moving against him, and with a short hop, she was wrapped around his waist, and against the shower wall, where he made love to her in the steam of the morning shower.
Minutes later, they both stepped out, with squeaking hair and a fresh outlook. Both wrapped in hotel towels, they readied for the day. He went to the phone, and began the calls that he dreaded making, starting with his mother-in-law, to alert her and ask her to care for the boys while Sister Rebecca Katherine was in Ireland. This was simply resolved. Following this, he sat down on the padded couch to make the next call. Blair sat next to him, checking his wounds and applying a bit more antibiotic cream to the open blisters. He flinched a few times at her touch when it grazed an open area, but kept with his plan. "Hello, Sister?"
"Todd, my boy, I'm glad to hear your voice. How are ya doing? Did you sleep?"
That seemed to be the question of the hour. "Yeah, I slept. I slept fine."
"So glad about it. How's that wife of yours, eh?"
"She's . . . " he looked at her, and was drawn to her beautiful face to kiss her lightly, "She's right here and beautiful."
"Aww, tell her I said good morning then. It's probably morning there, I get confused, Lad."
"I'll tell her. Sister, I have to tell you something."
"Certainly my boy, what is it?"
"We're not in Greece. We're in Ireland."
"Oh, Ireland! I see! Kiss the blarney stone for me, then."
"We're here because Timothy called us."
She became very quiet. "And?"
"He's very ill, sister," the nun closed her eyes hearing this, and Todd continued, "He's critically ill."
She said, "How bad?"
He repeated, "Pretty bad. That's why I am calling. I've convinced him he has enough to live for, and he's considering a liver transplant."
"That liver, eh? He drank it to rot."
"He needs a new one, and all of us have to be tested. You're the best shot. They only take a piece of yours, and yours will grow back to normal size. That's if you agree."
"Of course, I'll be tested, but Todd, he has a drinking problem, he . . ."
"He's going to get help. He made me a promise."
She sensed there was a lot more going on than she knew about, but was pleased. "All right. I'll be right there, let me just pack a bag. Will ya send the plane for me?"
"Of course. If you're a match, we're in business."
"I am sure I will be a match! Something tells me that."
"Ill send the plane right away, so be ready. About six hours from now." The call ended. "She handled that pretty well."
"She knows more than you think she does, Todd." Blair offered.
"You've said. She's not like anyone I know, Blair. She has like a sense or something."
"I hope this all goes according to plan."
"Well," he said, putting one foot down and loading a shoe onto the other, "I'm off to pay the hospital bills. He needs a clear bill in order to get this surgery done. It will be pretty expensive."
"I'm sure it is. I think it's beautiful what you are trying to do, but. . ."
"Do I know he could still die? Yeah, I know that. He could not find a match. He could find one, and then die anyway. I know."
"You're determined."
"Yeah. I'm determined." He got up and headed out the door, saying, "I'll be back!"
Blair, realizing she was more exhausted than she thought, headed back to bed.
***
Sister Rebecca Katherine landed in Ireland that night at 10:00 p.m. Ireland time, and was whisked away, at her insistence, to be tested as a match for her brother. Following the tests, she was escorted to her own hotel suite by Todd, who carried her bags and made her feel at home as he could. She plopped onto the couch in her suite, and said, "My boy, I am so tired. That change of time does it to ya, every flight."
"I know. I'm sorry you're feeling under the weather."
"Oh no, I'm better than ya think. I was glad to go and get these tests done. And I prefer to see Timothy when I am fresh tomorrow."
"Well, your wish is my command. What else do you require?"
She yawned, "Nothing more than a comfy bed and pillow to rest me head."
"Then you're all set."
She said, "Todd? Are ya all right?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Sister. Timothy . . . he helped me see something."
She smiled broadly, "He always did have a way. I am glad that ya found each other again." He turned quickly toward her, and she said, "Ya don't have to pretend with me. I know there was a falling out, of sorts."
He didn't answer to affirm or deny what she said, he just smiled. "Sister, I'm glad you're here."
"I am also. And you, you look so much better. Keep resting, my boy. It looks well on ya."
***
Back in the room, Blair waited for Todd, reading while she waited. When he came in, she said, "Hey, you."
He said, "Hey. Doing all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, and you? Did you have an okay day? Sister Rebecca come in all right for a landing?"
"She's all right. I made sure she was settled."
"That was a good idea. She's going to need her strength over the next few weeks or so. This is a big thing, if she is even a match. Todd? Todd, are you listening?" He was staring at his hands. She said, "Todd?" and walked to him, shaking his arm. Then gently, "Hey?"
"Huh?"
"Todd, what's wrong?"
"I was . . .I was remembering something. I just got lost for a minute."
"Are you all right? Sit down, Todd." She directed him to a chair.
"I think it's getting to me. The being awake thing."
"You're tired," she said. "Aren't you?"
He looked at her, "I'm sorry. I was. . . stuck."
"Can I help?"
"I don't know, just leave me alone!" he was suddenly sharp. She reacted by staying quiet and just looking at him. He took his index finger to between her eyebrows. "You're wrinkled, here. I'm sorry I spoke to you like that. I'm just . . . I'm trying Blair. Believe me. It's a lot to take in."
"I know, I didn't mean to press you," she stroked the hair at the back of his neck. "You should talk about it."
"It's hard. I know, up here, it's over and behind me. But a part of me is still afraid to remember everything. And it's because I know I have it in me, somewhere, the anger, the rage."
"If you want to talk about it more, I'm here. Night or day."
"You really love me?" He said, sending her a sideways glance.
"I really love you."
"Then put me to bed will you? That special way you do."
"You mean the aroma oil, the massage, the candles, that kind of thing?"
He looked at her, and she knew he just wanted to be able to move forward in his life. As much as he had the snarky edge, and reminded himself daily of his short-comings and wrongs, he wanted to be a good man; someone the boys could really call a hero. She knew this, and she knew he felt it was missing. "Just singing, and holding me. I need you, Blair."
"All right," she said, and they went to bed, her bringing his head to her bosom and using her voice to soothe his cares.
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another awesome chapter
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