Spidey Sam: Chapter 27

Todd stood outside of the house thinking about the last time he was there, and how things had went wrong.  It had been a week since his fight with Dorian, and he had made point of seeing the boys outside of the house since that night. Todd didn't want to run into Dorian. The only reason he was at the house today was to take the boys school shopping.  He had promised that he would, and somehow ended up having to pick them up at the house.  Todd took a deep breath and rang the door bell.  To his relief, Starr came to the door holding Hope.

"Grandpa Todd!" The little girl called out as she reached out for him. Todd took Hope from Starr's arms.  
"I want to go out with the boys Mommy and Grandpa Todd."

"Hope, Honey it's Grandma Marty's last day in town and we are going to have lunch with her."

"I want to go with Grandpa Todd!"

"Peanut, you don't want to hurt Grandma's Marty's feelings do you?"

"No, Grandpa."

"We have to go now Hope, kiss Grandpa Todd good-bye and Grandma."  Starr walked out the door with Hope, leaving Blair and Todd alone to wait for the boys to come down.

"I heard that you had a little run in with Marty, the night you had a fight with Dorian."  Blair said.

"Yes, we met on the docks.  I was about ready to punch out a crate and Marty stopped me.  We have been staying at The Palace."

"So, you have seen her since that night?"

"We have talked a few times, Blair, why?"

"You never mentioned it."

"It's no big deal Blair.  Are the boys almost ready?"

"Yes, they are, just a few more minutes.  You know Jack needs more stuff than Sam, because Sam goes to Catholic School?"

"Yes, Blair you told Sam he doesn't need any clothes because he wears a uniform, just the supplies on his list.  Why doesn't Jack go to Catholic School like Sam?"

"He did until his freshman year of high school, then it just wasn't for him anymore."

"What happened, Blair?"

"Who said anything happened Todd?" 

"What did he do, Blair?"

"It was a long time ago, Todd, and he was punished for it."

"He is my son, Blair, and I want to know why he got kicked out of Catholic high school!"

"Todd, I don't want you to..."

"What, Blair?"

"I don't want you to over react Todd, I punished him for what he did."

"You punished him, what about my brother who was pretending to be me.  What did he do to Jack for whatever he did?"

"I handled it Todd, now, I don't want you to spoil this time I'm giving you with them."

"Blair, I'm paying for their school and their school supplies, I'm the one doing the giving this time."

"Todd, Jack is a senior in high school and this is the first time ever you are paying for his school."

"You can't blame me for that one Blair."

"I guess you are right, I probably can't."

"So, are you going to tell me or what, Blair?"

"Todd, the boys will be in a minute."

"You're right, they will be, and I can ask Jack myself."

"No, you won't Todd!"

"I have a right to know, Blair, whether you or anybody else likes it or not, he is my son!"

"Keep your voice down Todd, I thought you didn't ever want a repeat of last week." Blair led Todd into the sitting room, so they could talk without the boys hearing them.

"He must have done something pretty bad, Blair."

"It was a long time ago, Todd, he is very sorry for it.  I don't want you of all people getting on his case for it."

"Me of all people, Blair!  You either tell me or I will go up those stairs and straight into Jack's room and ask him myself!" Blair took her time deciding whether to answer Todd or not. "Ok, fine, I'm going." Todd walked out of the sitting room and went up the steps to Jack's room as he promised he would. Sam was coming out of his room as Todd was coming the step but Jack's door was still closed.

"Hi Uncle Todd," Sam said as he knocked on Jack's door. "Uncle Todd is here, Jack."

"Hi, Todd."

"Sam, can you do me a favor and go downstairs with your mom and wait for me, I need to talk to Jack alone."

"Todd, this isn't your place."

"He is my son, Blair, I have the right to know why he got kicked of his first high school and if you won't tell  me than he will!" Jack stood in front of Todd with a look of sheer panic and terror in his eyes.

"Mom, I thought you said he would never find out."

"Jack whatever it is, I won't be mad, I promise." Todd went to reach out to Jack but he backed up against the wall.  "Jack, Son, I would never hurt you."

"Mom, take Sam downstairs, Todd and I need to talk."  Jack said.

"Jack, you don't have to if you don't want to."

"Yes, Mom, I think I have to.  He isn't going to stop asking."

"Todd, don't make him do this, you don't have any right to make him do this!"  Blair said.

"Mom, it's fine, just take Sam downstairs, Todd and I will be down in a bit."

"Uncle Todd, are you still going to take us school shopping?"

"Yes, I'm, after I talk to Jack."

"Uncle Todd, are you going to give it to Jack?"

"No, Sam, I would never hurt you or Jack, now go down with your mom and Jack and I will be down shortly." Blair took Sam by the hand and walked with him down the steps and into the sitting room.  Jack led Todd back into his room and closed the door behind them.

"Take a seat, Todd." Todd took a seat on Jack's bed, and Jack took the chair from behind his desk and set it in front of Todd so that he could be face to face with his father.

"I was a freshman at Saint Mary's Academy for Boys. I was half-way through the school year, and there was a dance.  I went with this really pretty girl named Anna.  We were just friends but she was really pretty and I was well, fourteen, and we snuck out of the dance and went some place we could be alone.  I thought I was reading all her signals right.  I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.  We were doing what you do when you're alone with someone you like.  I guess things got a little too intense for her.  I stopped, I swear I did, when she asked me to.  We were about go back to the dance and we got caught by one of the teachers.  They called Mom and Victor and Anna's parents.  Anna was afraid of her parents and she knew who I was and who you were.  She lied about what happened.  I got kicked out of school, but I swear Todd, I didn't do anything to that girl that she didn't want done."

"Did you have sex with her Jack?"

"No, I didn't have sex with her!  I was only fourteen!" Jack said with tears in his eyes. "You don't believe me do you Todd?  We just were making out, maybe a little bit more than that, but we had most of our clothes on.  I wouldn't do that to a girl."

"What happened to this girl?"

"I don't know, I never really saw her after that night.  Mom and Victor made sure of that."

"Did you want to see her Jack?"

"Yes, I wanted to tell her I was sorry."

"Jack, it sound like you got punished for who you are and not for what you did."

"I got punished for what you did to Marty and now you are friends with her."

"Jack, I'm sorry that you got punished for what I did to Marty.  It wasn't fair that you got kicked out of school.  It's not fair that no one believed you."

"Mom  believed me until Victor told her about what you did when you were in high school.  He encouraged her to punish me, but he wouldn't do it himself."

"Jack, I'm sorry that you got punished for what I did to Carol Swift and Marty.  It's not fair because I didn't really get punished for either."

"Todd, are you sorry for what you did to them?"

"Yes, Jack, I'm very sorry for hurting both of them.  I have never had the chance to tell Carol, but I have told Marty."

"You and Marty, are you friends now?"

"No, Jack not really.  We talked a few times since she has been back in town, but friends, no, not really."

"Does she forgive you?"

"Yes, Jack, she forgave me a long time ago."

"Do, you forgive you?"

"No, Jack, I don't I ever I think I will either.  Jack, I know I have no right to ask you this but do you forgive me for you being held more responsible then I ever was for what I did?"

"Mom and I talked about this when it happened, I forgave you back then."

"No, Jack, you forgave Victor, and it turns he didn't do those things, because he wasn't me."

"I forgave Todd Manning a long time ago."

"You, Jack, you are an amazing kid, but than again your not really a kid anymore, are you?  We'd better get downstairs before your mom and Sam get really worried about us."

"Do you still want to take us school shopping Todd?"

"Yes, of course Jack, lets go and get your little brother."

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