The Devil You Know: Chapter 34

A week before the Nurses Ball, Blair breezed into Todd’s office.  “Can you get away for an hour or so?” she asked.

A smile formed on his lips.  “To do what exactly?”  His mind was wandering where it really shouldn’t be.

By the look on his face, Blair knew what he was thinking.  She returned the smirk as she shook her head.  “Lucy has shooed out all the volunteers for us to practice our number, so come on down.”  Todd grimaced and hesitated to get out of his seat.  Blair noticed and took his hand.  “Come on, it’s just stage fright.  You’ll do fine.”  With that they left the office.

Before Blair opened the door to the ballroom, she made sure the coast was clear.  Then she pulled Todd inside.  On the stage, as promised, was a grand piano.  They made their way to it, and, before Todd sat on the bench, checked to see if the sheet music was there.  Unfortunately, also as promised, Lucy had left a copy of the Nat King Cole song there for him.  He sat down, leaned his cane on the side and fiddled with the keys. 

As Blair was warming up her voice she turned at watched him.  She smiled as he played a few notes.  He looked up at her and offered a small smile.  She returned it.  “You ready to give it a go?”

He shrugged his shoulder.  “As ready as I’ll every be,” he replied.  Then he looked at the sheet music and started hitting the keys as Blair began singing.

They got through one verse alright.  Todd was concentrating more on what he was doing and not on Blair.  She was able to follow along and they were working well together.  By the time the next verse came up, neither were aware that Lucy and Kevin had joined them in the ballroom.  The couple stood in silence and listen as Todd tapped away at the keys and Blair crooned along with him. 

“They make beautiful music together,” Lucy remarked quietly, smiling brightly.

Even in the hushed tone that Lucy had spoken, somehow, Todd had heard it.  He stopped playing all of a sudden, startling Blair and the other couple.  He turned to them and, from his place in the room, Kevin noticed Todd had gone very pale. 

“Todd, what’s wrong?” Blair asked, concerned. 

Todd remained silent.

Lucy stepped forward.  “I’m sorry if I interrupted you.  Doc and I just wanted to see how things were going here.” 

Todd still hadn’t said a word, but Blair cheerfully replied, “Everything is going great here.  Thank you, Lucy.”  When Blair turned back to Todd, though, she noticed the look on his face.  “Todd, is something the matter?”

“P-p-peter….” was all Todd was able to get out, before collapsing to the floor.

Kevin was on the stage instantly as Blair slid to Todd’s side.  “Todd?  Todd, wake up!  Oh my god, Todd!”

Kevin was able to find a steady pulse.  As he reached for his phone to the an ambulance, however, Todd’s eyes fluttered open.  He took a few deep breaths and then noticed Blair, Kevin and Lucy hovering over him.  “What are you all doing there?” he asked.

Blair inhaled herself before she answered,  “You passed out Todd and just before that, you said ‘Peter’”. 

Todd’s upper body shot up as he looked around the ballroom.  Not only didn’t he see anyone else there, the action gave him momentary vertigo and he got dizzy again.  Kevin kept a close eye on Todd and, when he noticed the wobbliness, eased the younger man back into a laying down position. 

“Hold on.  You just fainted.  Take it slow,” the psychiatrist ordered.

“I’m fine, now,” Todd informed him, even though he still felt like crap.  Todd began to ease himself back up, slower this time and after a few minutes, he was back to sitting on the piano bench.  “Sorry, I guess the stage fright is worse than I thought.”

“Todd, do you remembering saying something before you passed out?  Do you remember what it was?” Kevin asked.

Todd only gave him a blank stare.  “I’ll be alright.  I need to get back to work.”  With that, he grabbed his cane and made his way out of the room.

Lucy, Kevin and Blair watched him leave and when the door closed, Blair answered the question.  “He said Peter.”

“Peter being…?”  Dr. Collins asked. 

“Peter Manning was Todd’s adoptive father.  He…he wasn’t the greatest father, and after his parents were divorced, he received custody of Todd.  It was only later that we learned he was being paid to care for him, by the trustees managing Todd’s inheritance,” Blair explained.  “No on, not myself, not Todd’s sister, no one really knows the extent of the damage Peter really did to him.”

While Blair was saying this, Todd was walking through the lobby of the Metrocourt.  A wave of dizziness hit him again and he decided to sit down for a minute.  While there he saw two people walk in the door.  Rolling his eyes, he watched them approach.  “Hello, sis.  You’re here early.”

Viki Lord Buchanan smiled down at her brother.  “Well, I would have stayed down in Llanview a little longer, but call me crazy, I was getting worried about you.”

Todd offered a half-smile.  “Worried about me?  I’m touched.  Were you worried about me too, Clint?” he asked his brother-in-law snidely.

“Believe it or not, Todd, I was,” Clint affirmed. 

“What are you doing here in the hotel lobby?  Or has this,” she splayed her arms out, “become your new office?”

“Well, it’s my new method of uncovering the town gossip.  Just sit here and observe.  You never know what you’ll learn.”  As if on cue, AJ Quartermaine walked inside.  “Here comes a great example.  This guy turns out to be Michael Corinthos’ biological father, who just came back from the dead.”  He noticed AJ make a beeline for the front desk, where Carly was stationed.  “And he doesn’t have the greatest relationship with is son because he says Carly stole him as a baby.”

Viki rolled her eyes.  She wasn’t sure what her brother was up to at this moment.  When she looked back at him, though, she noticed he was a bit pale.  Unfortunately, before she could comment on it, Blair breezed into the lobby.  “There you are!  Oh, Viki, Clint.  What brought you two here early?”

“Well, I haven’t really been hearing from Todd, so I figured I’d come and visit with you before the Ball,” Viki explained. 

But by the time Viki had said that, Todd’s attention was elsewhere.  He saw another familiar face walk into the hotel.  He got up and moved to the man.  “Hi Harry.”

Harry Redding smiled and embraced the younger man.  “Todd, good to see you.”

“You got here early, too,” Todd said, turning back to his sister.

“Well, as it happens, I found out that I do have some other family members here in Port Charles and thought I meet with them as well,”  Harry explained.  When Todd gave him a questioning look, the older man added, “My first wife’s niece and nephew live here, Steven and Elizabeth Webber.”

Todd’s eyebrow slid up.  “Really is a small town,”  he said.  He waved Harry closer to where Clint, Viki and Blair were to include him.  When Blair paused in her talk with Viki, Todd said, “Sis, I’d like you to meet Harry Redding.  He was Bit-Barbara’s last husband.  Harry, my sister, Victoria Lord…Buchanan and her hus-husband, Clint.”

Viki threw a smirk towards Todd, but offered Harry a handshake.  “It’s lovely to meet you, Mr. Redding.  I’m guessing Todd met you in Chicago?” she asked.

“Yes, he looked me up before he came and visited with his children and Blair.  I’m also his attorney in the suit against Peter’s estate.  In fact, I’m glad we met.  I was wondering if I can have a few words with you about the trust that was set up for Todd,” Harry replied, as he also shook Clint’s hand. 

“Well, actually, since you are all here so much earlier than I expected either of you, why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?”  Todd asked, to the surprise of the others.  “Yeah, we’ll even see if Tina and Cord are available to come.”

Viki looked to Blair, who saw the curious look she was giving Todd.  Blair must have sensed Viki’s gaze and recovered.  “That’s a wonderful idea, Todd.  I know the kids will be so happy to see their Grandpa Harry and their Aunt Viki and Uncle Clint.  How does six sound?” Blair asked finally.

Todd answered for the group.  “Sound great.  Well, I have a newspaper that doesn’t actually run itself.  Harry, Viki, see you tonight.”  With that he headed to the elevator.

Harry excused himself as well and checked into his room, leaving Clint and the two women alone until a business call came in.  He excused himself and Viki looked to Blair.  Noting the concern on the other woman’s face, she pulled Blair down to the sofa.  “There is something the matter.  What is it?”

“Oh, Viki, I’m worried about him.  More worried then I’ve ever been,” Blair told her.     



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