The End of Blame: Chapter 53

The adoption celebration was a bash that weekend at Unforgettable.  Todd pulled out all the stops, from renting three bouncy houses to hiring a band.  Everyone was invited who knew The Mannings, and the majority of invited guests responded with a 'yes.'  Food was going to be plentiful, and Todd made certain the little boy, and the rest of his family, would not forget the day.

"Are you making an appearance as Spiderman?"  Blair said, brushing her hair in the mirror.  He watched her, taking note of her slender body, and the scar where the bullet had taken their child's life.

"I guess I could, I've been through quite a few costumes in my day.  I could always go as The Beast, you seem to like that one."

She smiled, "I do."  She puttered around the bathroom, and catching a glimpse of him, in his boxers and tank, behind her.  Her heart skipped a beat.

"I have lots of costumes up my sleeve.  There's the nun, of course, but that might be in bad taste at this point.  The count, the one from Halloween at The Bayberry Inn."

"That's really reaching back."

He said, "Get dressed now, we're late for the guests."

The copter, driven by Perzno, landed on the heliport, and out came a disheveled and windblown passenger, followed by two others.  Viki, sitting by Timothy in Unforgettable yard, and being entertained by his stories of Irish folklore, changed from a sweet smile to a look of shock.  "It can't be," she said, pointing to the heliport, which was difficult to see from the angle at which they sat.

He said, "What is it?"

Viki said aloud, "I don't want to speak too soon, but, could that be that Dorian?"

Back inside Unforgettable, Blair finished primping herself, and Todd stepped out of the bathroom into view.  

She said, "Hi,"

"Hi, Blair." He kissed the top of her head.

"I feel better now.  I want to know the surprise, though."

"Who said you're getting surprises today?"  he asked.

She said, "I think I am.  You hinted at court.  Are they good surprises?"

"Yes.  They are good surprises."

"An 'Am-I-going-to-cry-surprise?'"

"Maybe," he said, "but not the bad kind of crying," he said.

"You were sad, too.  I can see it, right here."  she pointed to his face.

"I was.  Something hurt my lifeline.  I'm not now, though.  My head is figuring if the surprise is a go or not."

She smiled again, less weakly this time.  "It's a go, why not?  What have we got to lose?  If it's not each other or our kids, then . . . we go, full steam ahead."

He kissed her forehead.  "All right.  I think you'll like it.  In fact, I'm sure you'll like it."

Taking her hand, he lead her outside, and she noticed that over the top of the gazebo, there was a huge mass of floating gold heart balloons.  All of them were tied to the gazebo with gold ribbon, all floated at the same height, making a mass of them like a huge gold cloud above it.  She sucked in her breath. "Oh my God!  Todd!"

He smiled, and she hugged him around the neck, tightly.  She heard the band playing "My One and Only Love," and said, "The vows.  The renewal ceremony.  That's the surprise."

He said, "It's part of it."

"There's more?"

"There's always more, Blair."  he said.


The Mannings made their entrance a short time later, and Sam ran to the band and yelled, "Ya gotta play now, Mom and Dad are here!"  The band began to play, and Sam ran around them in circles, "I'm dock-ded!  YAY!"

Todd and Blair, almost sewn together at the hip, walked arm in arm through the crowd, greeting guests.  He had insisted on her wearing white; not that she minded, but she realized that since the Vickerman Premier when he had first revealed himself to Llanview again, he had been partial to it.  After all, it was the color she was wearing when he first touched her again after all the time apart.  She had agreed, even though it was almost Winter, and donned a white pants-suit with a lace camisole top.  She wanted to please him, mostly because he was working every day to keep his family close.

The morning lead to a warm November midday, which fit perfectly with Todd's plan of having the festivities start outdoors and lead to the indoors later if needed.  While they walked among the slowly increasing crowd, Blair said, "What's going on by the gazebo, Todd?"

She saw rows of white chairs being set up, curving around the gazebo in a half-moon.  He said, "That's later for the surprise."

She asked, folding her arms, "What surprise?"

"Blair, I don't know about you, but if I tell you what the surprise is, then there is no surprise, is there?"

"I guess, but . . ."

"No buts.  Just leave it to me, all right?"

"Okay," she said, and he kissed her cheek, which lead to her leaning toward him with her lips slightly parted, and he kissed her mouth, bringing his hand around her waist to pull her in, softly.

They were interrupted.  "At it again, I see?"

It was Timothy.  He said, "Where's that sister of yours, Lad, I want to make a play for her."

They both laughed.  Todd said, "Viki?  I didn't know you had a thing for her."

"Well, I think she's spectacular.  And it's been too long.  I need a woman in my life, Son."

"Viki's over there, we saw her come in to the yard from the window."  Todd said, "But she's basically spoken for, Old Man."

"Married?"

"No, just spoken for."

"Well then, I have a slight chance, or at least can make a friend of her,"  He was walking without his cane, and seemingly much better.  "We both have had someone else's body parts put in, possibly I have a kindred connection to the woman."

Todd looked at Blair, and smirked, "I didn't realize you liked her that much."

Blair said, taking his arm, "Come on, I'll get you started," and off she went.  As he watched her go, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger.  She'd lost her baby.  It was one thing for him to have someone torment him, but for her, it was another story.  He still seethed about it, if he thought of it too long.  He hoped that this day was a new starting place for them, and went off to check the arrangements at the gazebo.

Blair approached Viki with Timothy on her arm.  "Hi, Viki!"  She said, and Viki leaned to embrace her.

"Oh, Blair, how are you doing?  So good to see you."

"I'm fine, doing quite well.  Sam's ours."

"Yes.  Spectacular news."  Viki hugged her again.

Blair closed her eyes and gave in to her emotions as she hugged her sister-in-law.  "Yes, and I'm happy.  We're all family."

"You are," Viki said.

Blair said, "Thank you."  Her voice, husky with feeling, trailed off, as she searched the area again for her husband.

Timothy spoke up, "Viki, nice to see you again," he said, putting out his hand.

She took it, "Mr. Broderick, thank you, for being there for my brother.  He's told me how important your input has been."

"Ah, it was nothing.  The boy is like my son, and I honor that he feels so strongly about it.  He's been through very bad times of late.  Sometimes, it was so dark, I feared for him."

"I know, I felt the same."  Viki said.

Timothy put out his elbow to her, and she took his arm.  He said, "Care to introduce me around a bit?  In case anyone's forgotten who I am, Lass?"

"Certainly," she said, and they walked off.

"You never stop surprising me, Todd."  Blair said, kissing him.


He said, "Well, it's not quite over yet."  A horn sounded, from the band, and an announcement was made.


"Everyone, please move to the gold balloon area, and take your seats."


Blair looked at Todd, "Us too?"


"No," he said, "Not us, too.  Not yet."  He stared into her eyes, "God, I love you."


"And I love you."


Sam pulled at Todd's trouser leg.  "Dad, isn't this enough mushy stuff?"


"Hey Bud, how did you like your special day?"


"It was the best!  Spiderman came and he gave me his autograph, and he picked me up and then he gave me this web gun, it shoots farther than the other one I had!"


"That's great."


"Thanks, Dad, for docking me, and for the party.  Can I get down now and go to the gold balloon thing?"


"Yes, you can.  Remember what I said, about where you have to be."


"Okay!  Bye Mom!"


They watched him run off, and she turned to her husband.  "Does this mean we have it all?  Because it feels like it."


"I guess that's what it means," he said.


"I'm so happy.  Can you stand that you make me happy?"


"Now I can, then I couldn't."


"Thank God for now."


He nodded.  "You okay?"


"I'm more than okay," she said, "I mean, look at this place, what you've done.  All the people, and I can say they are our friends.  Look at the balloons.  You're . . ."


She was interrupted by the band, playing "Unforgettable" and teared up, looking at him.  Accompanying them was a recording of her voice, singing it, from Sam's tape recorder.  She said, "I won't ask how you did that."


"I have my ways," he said, putting out his elbow.  She took it and they walked together, finally finding a path of white flower petals and gold confetti, and continued to follow it to the gazebo.


She said, "Oh my God, Todd?  Is that Dorian?  And Kelly and Cassie?"


"Maybe."


She ran from him to them, and embraced them all, her happiness and smiles giving way to a few tears.  He walked up after her, and slowly approached.  Dorian said, "Todd."


"Auntie Dorian," he said, standing with a smirk on his face.


"Mother," Cassie began, and Todd interrupted her.


"Let her say what she wants to, Cassie.  We know my Auntie Dorian doesn't quite understand me.  It never mattered before, it won't matter now."


Blair turned and said, "Todd," with that ut-oh sound in her voice.  


Another interruption occurred when Timothy came to Todd's side, and said, "Now, who is this lovely lady, Lad?"


Todd said, "Oh, no.  Not this, again, please." 


She extended her hand, "I'm Dorian Lord, I'm Blair's aunt.  And you are?"


"Timothy Broderick, Attorney at Law."


"I see, well nice to meet you," she shook his hand.  


Todd, with an eyebrow raised, put a hand out to Blair, who returned to his side.  "Not this," he muttered, under his breath.  "What happened to Viki?"


Blair said, leaning toward him, "It does look as if he's smitten with Dorian already.  Viki must have told him about Clint."

"If they hit it off, and get married, does that mean that she might be my . . . evil stepmother?"

She elbowed him, "Cut it out.  Todd, thank you," she misted over, looking at his handsome face.

He said, "After this, no more secrets.  Just like the first time.  We're going into our lives ready for anything, Mrs. Manning."

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "Whatever you say, Mr. Manning."

Cassie, watching them from a short distance, said to Kelly, "My God, can you believe they are still like this with each other?"

"Heart-stoppin' romance."  Kelly said.

"You said that the last time."

"I know, but that's what it is.  Look at them.  And Blair.  She's so lost in him.  I guess she always was."

Cassie responded, "I know.  They're fortunate to have found each other.  Even though it has taken so long to get it to this point today.  They probably think it was worth it."  She noticed Dorian had taken Timothy's arm, and was being lead to a seat.  Cassie continued in Kelly's ear, "Something is wrong, though.  Something happened.  Blair was strange when she first saw us.  I thought she was going to break down.  Did you feel her shaking?"

"I did.  I just thought she was nervous, though."  Kelly said.

"I think it was more than that.  I'll find out later.  First, we have a renewal ceremony to attend.  Where did Todd want us to stand?"

"Over there," Kelly said, and the two of them proceeded.

Todd looked at Blair, who's arm was tucked in his.  "You ready?"

"To be with you?  For the rest of my life?  Again?" she put her chin on his shoulder, "Yes, I'm ready."

"I just ask one thing,"  he said,

"You brought her here, and I'm not asking her to leave."  She quipped.

He smiled, and touching her face, he said, "No, not that.  Another thing."

"Ask."

"Give me a chance to make all of those missing years up to you."

"You already have," and her face crinkled with bittersweet sadness.

"Give me a chance to take everything bad away and give you everything beautiful."

She couldn't answer.  She just hugged him and gathered herself together.  "Thank you," she said, "for loving me, always."

"Same here, Babe."  They pulled out of the hug, and she took his arm again.  "Let's go Mrs. Manning, let's finish this," and they walked through the rows of guests and took their place in front to proclaim, once again, their love.

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