Diamond in the Rough: Chapter 13

The next morning, Todd was up just after the sun.  He checked on Ray, who was actually awake, just sitting in his crib and entertaining himself with a few items put in with him for good measure.  He went to the crib, and looking in, he said in a whisper, "Hey, Little Man, how ya doin'?"

For a moment, when Ray looked up at him, he reminded him so much of Jack.

"Hey, Jack.  Hey.  Happy Birthday.  So, um, what do you want for your birthday, huh?  'Cause I was thinking about gettin' you a Bengal Tiger, is that gonna be okay?"


The image of baby Jack, sitting in his crib, much the same way, fluttered through his mind.  He touched Ray's head.  "I love you.  You know that, right?  And I love your mother.  I love her so much."  Ray smiled, directly into Todd's face.  He looked back into the baby's eyes, and smiled back at him.  Then, he felt a small pain in his throat, and he closed his eyes for a moment.


"I gave my kid away to strangers, my own son...She loved you so much, and I took you away from all that.  I screwed up.  I did.  Me, Todd Manning.  You know, I can't go back and erase what happened.  All I can do is tell you that I'm sorry.  I'm sorry, Jack . . ."

A shadow moved, and he looked up to see his eldest at the door.  "Hey."

"Hey.  Dad, I need a ride today, after school?  I'm going to Jenna's.  I'm going to see her art, and she wants me to meet her sister.  So, is it okay?"

"Yeah, sure, it's fine.  I'll tell Williams to expect it."

"Can you pick me up?"

"Me?  You mean, in a car?"

"Yeah.  Like a regular kid.  Is that okay?"

"Sure.  That's okay.  I'll work it."

"Thanks."

"No problem.  You okay, Jack?"

"Yeah, Dad.  I think she likes me.  Can I show you something?"

"Sure."  Jack walked away from the door, and Todd followed.  In his room, Jack pulled the picture out of his bookbag and handed it to Todd.  

"That's really good.  Actually, it looks like you.  In fact, I think it is you."

"I just noticed that today."

"She's pretty good."

"Yeah.  The art teachers at school want her to do an art show.  They think she is really good, I guess.  That's why I want to see her work."

"Wow, well, that's cool.  See if you can find out more about her situation.  Maybe I can help."

"I will.  Thanks."

"Jack, you'd tell me if something was still bugging you, right?"

"Yeah.  I guess so."

"Better."  He reached out and messed his hair.  "Get going to school, I'll get Sam up."

"You don't have to, Dad.  Sam gets up every day like clockwork.  The kid doesn't even need an alarm."

Sure enough, from around the corner came Sam, and peeked into Jack's room.  "Hi, Jack, and hi, Dad."

"Hi, Sam.  Good morning."

"Morning."

"Let's get ready for school, guys.  The copter will be ready in about a half hour or so.  Okay?"

"Okay, Dad."  Sam said, and Jack, already headed to the shower, answered as well.

Todd went back into his bedroom, and quietly sat on the edge of the bed, when he felt Blair's hand on his back.  She said, "You're a good father, Todd.  I know what Jack said to you yesterday brought you painful memories, and I'm sorry.  It doesn't take away what you do for them."

He wasn't sure what to say.  She had said it before, and it still felt the same every time.  It wasn't that he doubted her words, because he knew that since his return to the living, he was working at exactly what she said.  And for the most part, it wasn't even working.  It just was.  It was the past that troubled him, and he wondered more often than not if his actions from the day Jack was born had a lot to do with the troubles his son was having.  He lowered his head.

She sat up behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest, hugging his back.  She said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  Just, seeing Ray this morning in his crib, for some reason, I thought back to Jack.  Remember his first birthday?  I had to break into the house to see my own son.  And I brought it all on myself."

"Yes, I remember," she said.  She could still remember standing at the door and listening to him pour his heart out to the baby.  I so love this man.  "You were sorry.  It's been forgiven.  That's enough, Todd."

"Okay,"  he sounded less than convinced.  

"You're worried about Jack."

"Yeah.  I am."  He took her hands, and turned toward her.  "Do you think he. . .knows I love him?"

"Yes.  I know he does."

"I don't know, Blair.  I never know if I am really doing right by them.  I don't have much to measure up to in my own life.  I'm just going with it, you know?"

She nodded, and looked into his face.  She loved him, so much, and his deep love for his children made that stronger within her.  She said, "And that makes it all the more beautiful.  You just love them, and it's so totally enough.  Come on.  Come back to bed.  I'll sing to you."

They both turned on their sides and slid under the covers.  He faced her, and touched her hair, as she sang quietly to him.  He could not help but close his eyes.

***

The day passed quickly, and at the end of their study hall, Jack and Jenna loaded into the city bus that stopped at the corner and sat together.  The bus was a bit warm for the time of year, and the sun was coming through the side windows and a top sunroof.  Jack removed his jacket, and Jenna handed him an apple she had left over from lunch.  "This should hold you until we get to my house."

"Thanks," he said, biting it.  Chewing, he said, "So, what's your sister's name?"

"Lynnette."

"Lynnette?"

"Yeah.  I know.  It's sort of . . . I dunno."

"Okay, Lynnette."  He chewed more, "I hope she likes me.  Did you say she has custody of you?"

"Well, not legally.  But she took over when my mother left."

"When did she go?"

"More than a year ago.  We moved into Llanview Center.  I used to go to Sacred Heart.  The Catholic High School?"

"Yeah, I heard of it.  Why did you leave?"

"We could not pay the bills, it costs money.  So I had to transfer, and we moved to a smaller apartment in the city."

"Oh. Was that tough?"

"I guess, but I was getting tired of the all-girl thing.  Mom was always overly religious, and then, when she met this guy . . ."

"Did you meet him?"

"No.  She communicated with him by letters.  I guess she met him on the internet or something.  Not sure exactly.  Just one day, she wanted to go off and be with him, and she left.  Then, we moved a little while later.  Lynnette couldn't handle the old apartment or the school tuition."

"It sounds hard.  Sorry about all this."

"It's okay.  Really.  I am starting to accept it.  Thing is, at first, we just went with it, because she used to write us and call.  Then, that stopped.  So both of us started to worry about her."

"You know, my father is a newspaper publisher . . ."

"He is?"  she started, "I thought . . ."

"You thought he was a criminal?"

"i'm sorry, Jack.  I shouldn't listen to them.  I should make my own decisions."

"Probably, but I can understand.  He's a publisher and an investigative reporter, now.  Maybe he can help."

"Maybe."  She let it drop.  He finished his apple.

In a few minutes, they pulled up in front of her apartment building.  He noticed it was not far from the penthouse.  They got off the bus, and went into the lobby of the building.  It was shabby in some areas, and nice in others; he could see how it was a decent place at one time and had slowly lost its appeal over the years.  They went into an elevator that smelled of cleaning solution and cigars.  She said, "It's not the nicest place on earth, but it works."

"That's all that counts."

They exited the elevator and walked down a long, thin hallway.  She knocked on door twenty-seven.  It opened and an older version of Jenna with lighter hair was standing there.  She also had green eyes.  She said, "Hi, you must be Jack."

"Hi," Jack said.

***

"I'll go get him in about an hour or so, at least that is what he asked for," Todd said.

"Where did you get a car?"  Blair asked.

"I rented one, what else?  He wanted to be like 'normal' kids."

"How can anyone be normal in this family?"  She said, holding Ray and his favorite rattle.  She looked at the baby.  "Huh?  How can anyone be normal around here?"

He said, "The question is, do we want to be?"

"Good question."

"I hope he had a good time."

"Probably."

"He's concerned about her.  Her mother vanished.  He's trying to get her to talk, so he can help."

"Maybe that's what has been bothering him?  Well, that and the Morasco thing."

"I think so.  He's also worried about me.  The kid doesn't get a break."

"Let's just keep loving him, that's all we can do."

***

Jack and Jenna went onto the small balcony outside the apartment.  Looking over Llanview Center, he said, "I used to live there."  He pointed to the penthouse building, where Timothy now lived.  

She said, "You did?"

"Yeah.  I did.  For a while when I was a baby, and even recently for a bit."

"That's a nice building."

"Your art is amazing.  I can see why the teachers want you to show it."

"Thank you.  I've been drawing and painting since I was a little girl."

"It worked.  All that practice, I mean."

"Thanks.  I am glad you came over, Lynette really likes you.   I can tell she does."

"That's good, right?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me more about your mom?  I mean, if you do, I know my father will help us."

She became very quiet.  "Is it true, Jack?"

"What?"

"Is your father, an ex-con?"

He swallowed.  "Yeah, but it was a long time ago.  He's paid for his mistakes."

"I wasn't questioning that.  I just wanted to know if they made it up, or . . ."

"No, it's not made up.  If I could tell you how much he's suffered over it, and in other ways, you would understand better.  It's just too much and too long of a story."

She nodded.  Then she said, "Maybe sometime."

He said, "Maybe.  He texted me, he's on his way.  Do you want to meet him?  I'd understand if . . ."

"Of course."

"Okay."  There was an uneasy silence between them.  He said, "It will take about an hour for him to get here.  We live on Llantano Mountain."

"About my mother, Jack.  When she ran off with that man.  Not sure what it was about, really.  She was living close to here, or we thought. Then, we lost touch.  Of course, I've already said we're scared what happened to her."

"I would be, too.  Do you know the guy's name?"

"No.  Just that she fell for him really hard.  Enough to leave us."

He didn't know what to say.  He assumed people left . . . for a lot of reasons.  He never even understood  the whole story of why his father left when he did, or what was behind it.  And what about his grandmother, leaving his father with Peter Manning as a child?  "People leave, sometimes."

"I know.  It hurts," she said, and lowered her head.  

He gently moved her hair aside, and lifted her face by her chin.  "It will be okay.  We'll help.  Maybe we can find her."

"All I have," she said, taking something out of her bag, "are her old letters.  Maybe they would be a clue or something?"  She handed the letters to him.

"You don't have to give them to me . . ."

"I know, but . . . I trust you.  And if you say your father can help, then, I trust in that."

The rest of the time, they sat in the sun, sharing the Ipod earphones and talking about music, artists and concerts they'd seen.  Her hair was brilliant in the sunlight, and at times, he felt himself losing track of the songs and almost hearing nothing but her voice.

When he got the text that Todd had arrived, he stood, "Well, my Dad is here, if you want to meet him.  He's out front."

They exited the apartment, after Jack saying his goodbyes to Lynnette, and went out front.  Todd was parked at the curb, in a car Jack didn't recognize, but he was relieved.  It was just a regular car.  Nothing fancy, rich or extravagant.  Todd was leaning against the it, his arms folded.  He said, "Hey, Buddy."

"Hey, Dad."  Jack said, stopping.  "This is Jenna."

"The artist.  Nice to meet you, Jenna," he said, holding his hand out to her.

"Mr. Manning.  Jack's said a lot about you."

"Well, that's good.  Glad you have had time to talk and get to know each other better,"  Todd said.  "I heard about an art show, something at school?"

"The teachers just want to show my art.  They think I should.  It's not something I can afford right now, but it was great to be asked.  I enjoy creating things."

"That's great, to have a hobby," he said, smiling.

She smiled in return.  Then, more pensive, she said, "I've given Jack some letters, of my mother's.  He said that you might be able to help me."

Todd was surprised that the girl had taken him up on it.  "Sure.  I'll do whatever I can."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Mr. Manning.  Thank you for letting Jack come over and visit."

"You're welcome.  You ready, Bud?"

"Yeah.  Bye Jenna, see you in school Monday.  Or, I'll talk to you online or something."

"All right, bye Jack."

They loaded into the car, and Jack waved to her as they drove away.  He looked at Todd.  "Thanks, Dad, for renting the car, and stuff."

"No problem.  So cool that you want to impress a date without the limo.  A lot of kids would be showing that off."

"Nah, I thought it was better this way, at least at first."

"Not a bad idea, I guess."

"They don't have money.  You know."

"Yeah, it's a tough situation.  You could always tell her the truth about us and I can help out with the money for the art show."

"You'd do that?"

"She has talent.  Why not?"

Jack just looked at his father.  "I don't know.  She's just a kid, like me, I guess."

"She's got talent.  That's what counts.  She should have the chance.  Think it over.  I'd do it in a heartbeat."

"Will you still help me try and find her mom?"

"I said I would.  Sure."

"I have some letters."

"That's a good start."

"Dad, why would someone leave their family . . . for a man?"

Todd swallowed.  His mother hadn't left for a man, not exactly, but possible because of one.  "Maybe they want something else.  Something they are searching for.  Or something they want to get away from."

Jack sat, looking out the window.  He was quiet, with the music soft in one earbud.  The other hung over his chest.  "Like, when you disappeared nine years ago?  What was that about, Dad?  I mean, really?"

"It's not that important now.  I was just . . . being pigheaded.  I wanted revenge, I was going after a dangerous man.  I was . . . lost.  Your mother had thrown me out, because of my actions.  That's the size of it."

"What did you do?" he said, looking at Todd, who was intent on driving. 

"I fucked up.  To put it lightly."

Jack turned back to the window and remained quiet the rest of the way.  

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