For his tuxedo, he had chosen black, as he always did, with red buttons and piping. "Something different," he'd told himself. He had a satin red vest and an open-collared white, crisp shirt. He'd chosen red, because he knew what she was going to do.
Late that morning, when he awoke after the passionate night with her, she was gone again. She'd left, and put a small note on the side table. "I might be pathetic when it comes to loving you, but I'm not budging this time. I can't do this again. I won't." He'd taken the note and crumpled it in his fist, slamming his fingers into the headboard, and obtaining a nasty set of peeled knuckles. Tina had treated them with antiseptic, and then bandaged them. He still had abrasions on his palms, so the new injuries just blended in. He tried to imagine a life with phone sex and midnight visits, and he seethed.
Mrs. Manning, you're testing me, I know you are. I expect to see you this evening looking completely edible. He surveyed the room; everything was going along perfectly. One very large painting was covered, off to the left. That was the unveiling. And if Blair showed up, he'd make sure she was front in center for that one. It was thirty minutes into the opening, and Blair was nowhere to be found.
Dorian was in a royal blue dress with sequinned lapels, and he caught her attention. Meeting up in the center of the room, she said, "Nothing from Blair?"
"Not yet."
"I saw her this morning," Dorian started. "She was coming in the door, in her pajamas. At the time, I thought it was odd." Looking at his face, she said, "She went to you last night, didn't she?"
"The good it did me," he said. "She was gone when I woke up. She wore me out."
"Spare me that kind of detail, Todd," Dorian said, searching the room for her niece. "Where in the world is she?"
"Planning an entrance," he said, "where else?"
Dorian was summoned and went off, discussing the purchase of one of Jenna's pieces. Todd had eaten two plates of food already, and somehow was losing his interest in the event.
Starr approached him. "Dad, this is beautiful. Good luck and congratulations. Where's Grandma Bitsy, Dad?"
"She . . . couldn't make it. She's in a place in her therapy where she couldn't handle the crowd and strangers."
Starr looked stricken. "I'm sorry. Is it hard for you, Dad?"
"The hardest thing for me right now is not having your mother on my arm. But, yeah, it's hard, I guess. She has so much to overcome. It's just . . . hopefully she'll get well."
"Where is Mom?"
"I don't know," he said, hoping his plan wouldn't be spoiled by her not attending.
He started to doubt, when Starr said, "Oh, there she is. She just came in."
He turned quickly and double-took her presence into his soul. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder red dress, covered in small rhinestones at the bottom edges and across the bodice. She wore a white stole across her arms. She waved and greeted Dorian, who went to her, kissing her cheeks, one at a time.
Starr said, "Dad? Dad!"
"Yeah, Starr," he said, not taking his eyes off his wife.
"Go talk to her."
He started toward her, and then thought better of it. She had left him, not once, but twice. The second time was after declarations of their love and deep, sensual lovemaking that spent both of them like rag dolls. No. Let her make the first move. She left me.
He wasn't sure how he did it, but he literally turned his face from her, and went to greet some guests. This, of course, infuriated her, and she began flitting around the room, greeting people and paying special attention to how the men in the room reacted to her. He drank champagne, viewing her exploits over the rim of a flute. Starr said, "Dad, this is kind of stupid. The two of you have four and one half children together, a dog, and years of unbelievable history, and you're playing this game?"
He paused, to think, then smiled into Starr's eyes. "Hell, yeah," and he walked off, extending a hand to a prospective buyer.
***
The nurse said, "Bea, I am going to turn the television on to the coverage of the opening, so you can see what's going on. Todd will be there, and Blair, and your sketches."
She nodded, but seemed disinterested.
"Unless you don't want to see it."
She shrugged.
"Shall I leave it on for you?"
She nodded, hesitantly. She was drawing, but then looked up when she heard Todd's voice. "Yes, we're very excited about The Diamond Gallery. It's a special evening. I want to send love to my mother, who couldn't be here this evening, because she's under the weather. I love you, Momma. Your art looks beautiful," he said, into the camera.
Her eyes filled with tears. She continued to watch, as he lifted a glass in toast, and she spotted Starr in the crowd, as well as Jack. No Sam. Where is Blair?
She continued watching, and listening to the commentary from the crowd. She recognized Dorian and Addie, and the Irishman, Timothy, who had legally adopted Todd.
Where is Blair? She is not near Todd.
***
At nine o'clock, Todd called attention of all of the guests and they gathered around. Timothy took Blair by the elbow and lead her over to the congregation. She, Starr, Jack, and Dorian were toward the front, as were Jenna and Lynnette. Todd started by saying, "Welcome to The Diamond Gallery."
The crowd applauded.
"Everyone here knows, I usually have something up my sleeve at events like these, but today, it's going to be personal. I'd first like to thank resident artist, Jenna Winfield, for sharing her amazing work with us." The crowd again clapped.
Blair's expression was not one of happiness, as she still had not been approached by him the entire evening. She stood next to Timothy, and waited to see what was next. He'd better not have some scheme set up.
"I'd like to unveil Jenna's first commissioned piece, it's of Courtown Demesne."
Dorian stepped forward and pulled the satin covering off the painting. It was beautiful, and in fine detail, represented a sprawling, beautiful castle-type manor, that was breathtaking to the eye. Blair could see a huge, elaborate main building, and next to it, rows of stables, on acres of land spotted with small cottages. It was breathtaking, and Todd was sure to show the photograph, in the corner, that Jenna had used to create it from. The audience was stunned, and he said, "If I may have your attention a moment longer. This piece was commissioned by me, as a gift for my wife, Blair Manning."
The crowd erupted into applause again, and Blair, looking quite confused, stepped forward, awkwardly. As beautiful as it was, she could not find any meaning in it. He put his hand out to her, and she reluctantly took it, and just looked at him, nervous but also anticipating his next move with excitement that she struggled to contain.
"Blair, tell everyone what this painting means to us," he prompted.
She smiled, and she said, "I don't know! It's the most beautiful painting, but I have no idea." Light laughs all around.
"Ya must have forgotten to tell her," Timothy said, from the crowd. The guests were murmuring in anticipation.
Dorian shot him a look, as if to say, this had better work.
"I commissioned the painting, because I bought it."
Blair said, "Yes, well, that's what commissioning, is, My Love," and the crowd laughed softly.
"No, I bought it."
Blair realized what he meant, and she looked at him, stunned. "You bought it? The castle?"
He said, "Yes. I bought it, for you, for us. A home away from home, sort of."
Someone from the crowd yelled out, "It's in Kildare, in Ireland."
Her face was priceless to him; she was both moved and curious about what he'd done. Todd stepped toward her, and as the crowd applauded and dissipated back to the festivities, he took both her hands. Turning her to him, he said, "I bought it. All three hundred and eighty-six acres of it. It has stables, and I know how much you love horses. Sheik has already been shipped there, though I know you can't ride much right now. You should know by now I'd never go anywhere without you. When I said I wanted to go to Ireland, I didn't ever mean without our family."
She didn't respond, she was still speechless, and her eyes sparkled with tears.
"And before you say anything, I just want you to know that if you don't want us to go, I'll just sell it back, or turn it into a hotel. It was always your call, you just didn't trust me. You didn't give me a chance."
"Oh, Todd," she said, breaking down. He took her into his arms.
"That's okay, Babe. Nothing lost but a few hours apart and a big phone bill."
She laughed, pulling back from him. "You mean this?"
"Of course I do. I figured the whole family, plus guards and helpers, can go out there while we solve this Patrick thing. I won't even hang with the big guns. I'll just consult. Meanwhile, we won't be apart. I hired tutors for the kids for school, Sam can recover there. I'll bring Sister Rebecca Katherine and Tina both. Timothy's going, he's leaving in the morning with a team of FBI agents and John McBain. I wanted to tell you all this, but you flipped out. Then, I was scared, about the baby. I didn't want to upset you more, so I let you go."
"I left you."
"Yeah, you left me."
"You did all this, for us?"
"Yep. I did it all for us. But you can still say no. If you don't want us there, in Ireland, then we stay. But I promise, no one is going to get hurt. Not our babies, not either of us."
She turned to look at the painting again. "My God, it's huge. It's so beautiful."
"Well, would you expect me to pick some ugly castle?"
"No, I guess not."
"Well, think it over." Todd said.
"How much did this place cost you?" Blair asked.
"In excess of ten million. But it will make that back in three months when it becomes a resort hotel. That's after we leave. Unless you don't want that, and you want to live there."
"In Ireland? No, I think I'm fine at Unforgettable, thanks," she said, "and Llanview is our home."
"I thought you'd say that. It's a good investment and serves two purposes. So, think it over, and let me know what you want to do, okay?" He started to walk away from her.
She said, "Todd," and he turned. She used her index finger and curled it to summon him back. When he got close enough to her, she whispered, "Let's go home."
***
"Dr. Martino, I'm sorry, she just was frantic." The nurse stepped aside as Ray walked into Bea's room.
Bea handed Ray a note. Blair is not with Todd. Why? Did she leave him? Did something happen to her?
Ray was cautious. "I am sure everything is all right, Bea. Would you like me to call Todd?"
She nodded.
Todd and Blair were walking, arm in arm, down the sidewalk toward the limo, when Todd heard his phone. Taking it out, he mouthed to Blair, "It's Ray," and answered. "Hello?"
"Todd, your mother is with me. She's frantic because she saw the broadcast from the opening and she didn't see Blair with you."
Todd repeated what Ray said aloud, and Blair took the phone, "I'll speak to her Ray." She waited. "Momma, it's Blair. I'm right here, by Todd's side. Everything is all right."
Bea smiled, and nodded. Ray took the phone back and said, "She's smiling. She feels better now. And to tell the truth, so do I, Blair. Whatever it is that's frightening you, trust Todd. You two fought too hard to be together to be apart now. That's my advice off the clock, Blair."
Blair said, "Thank you," and the line disconnected. She looked at Todd. "Your mother was upset we were apart."
"She's not the only one."
"I'm sorry, I was so . . ."
"Afraid. I know. I could see it."
"Do you know we're right where we were when you disappeared in Ireland? The day after our wedding. We were expecting Starr, I was this far along. We were having a baby girl, like we are now." She put his hand on her belly. "You left me to help Marty. Patrick was missing. We had everything. The mirror had broken. . ."
"And we lost it all. I know. I'm sorry it scared you so much."
"It scared me, but I knew it was my fault. Don't you see? I refused to go with you that day. I chose that stupid meeting over going to Ireland with you. I could have kept you in line, stopped you from taking risks. And I didn't. I stayed, for Melador. And then, I lost you. I guess I just felt like I was better off leaving than dealing with it again. I just couldn't face it. With all the pressure from Sam's accident and thinking about . . ." she took in extra air, "losing the baby, I just wasn't thinking straight."
He gently rubbed her stomach. "It's all different now."
"How?"
"We're older, we're wiser. We're together. Nothing will stop us or hurt us. I won't let it."
She searched his eyes. "Take me home, Todd."
"No problem, Mrs. Manning."
Link to photo gallery of the real Courtown Desmene https://fivestar.ie/luxury-property-sales/courtown-demesne/
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