Hope from the Ocean: 61

Aiden, Tina, Todd and Blair walked the last length of road to town, and Aiden said, "It's not much further, but we can get a taxi, Blair, if ya need to stop."

"Can we just rest?  I'm really fine, just need a breather."  Blair said.

"Sure, why not?"  Aiden said.  It had not been long, but she was visibly tired.

Todd said, "I'm calling a taxi, she's not going to walk any further."

"Oh, Todd, it's nothing," Blair said.  "I chase Ray around the house longer than this every day."

"Still, no woman of mine is walking, pregnant, when she can ride in style."

She smiled, and threw her hands up.  "Whatever he says, goes."

Within a few moments, a taxi approached.  Todd put their small bags into the trunk, and practically carried Blair to the car.  "Todd, I'm fine!" she said, smiling.  His attention to her pleased her.

Everyone loaded into the cab, Aiden in the front with the driver.  After a few twists and turns, they came into the village, and stopped in the center of the town.  To the left, it loomed, not much different except for a bit of weathering:  The Wild Swan.

Everyone got out, Aiden, smiling, grabbed everyone's bags and headed for the door, and Tina followed.  Todd and Blair stood outside, even as the cab pulled off.  He said, "God."

She slid her arm under his.  "I know.  It's . . . like time stopped."

He turned to the right.  "There's the woods.  Where . . .can you walk a little?  I want to show you something."

She knew what he wanted to show her; she had already seen it.  But he needed to, and wanted to, and she said, "Sure."

He took her hand and led her a short way into the trees.  He said, "Here," and pointed to the ground.  

Her tears were already flowing.  "I know, My Love.  I was here."

"You found this spot?"

"Yes.  Someone in the tavern showed me."

"Here.  I never told you before, but I was being a pigheaded fool."

"You didn't have to tell me that."

"Hmf.  You knew, huh?"

"I know how you are.  So determined to take away what you'd done.  You put yourself into harm's way.  A penance."

He gulped.  "When I went down, it felt hot in my back, at first.  I said your name, twice.  That's all I remember before I woke up."

"You said my name?"

"Yeah, I called out to you.  It was like, all of the sudden, I realized what I had risked and lost."

She forced back more tears.  "You didn't lose me.  Ever."

He reached up and touched her cheek.  "Maybe not.  Maybe it was all an illusion.  All part of what we had to go through . . . we hurt each other, but I did most of the hurting."

"Until now.  And now is what counts, Todd.  We can't live here, in the past."

He looked to the ground, and for a moment, he could feel all of it:  the metallic pinch of the Celtic cross in his hand; the mud against his face; the blood, warm, over his back.  He shook himself loose of it.  You're right.  What's the sense in that?"  He put his hand out.  "Let's go into The Wild Swan."

"All right.  Lead the way, Mr. Manning."

Walking into the foyer of the tavern, Todd had a feeling come over him that was a mixture of nostalgia and nausea.  Blair was still holding under his arm, conscious of what he was feeling, and having her own, noxious feeling in her stomach.  She wondered if it were hormones, exhaustion or just being in the place they were in.  Regardless, for his sake, she stood strong and smiled.  She said, "It's quaint."

He side-eyed her.  "Quaint?"

"Well, yes.  I mean, look.  A fireplace, a sitting area.  There's like little storage areas under the seats."

"Thornhart hid in one.  While I talked to the terrorists that were after him."

She swallowed.  "Where's Tina?"

"Over there," he said, and led her across the way.  Tina and Aiden had a small table across the room and sat, waving them on.  The bags were piled up along side them.

"Shouldn't we check in or something?"  Todd said.

"No rooms.  Only one.  We may have to bunk up, Brotha."  Aiden said.

Todd smiled, and looked at Blair, who smiled as well.

"Great," Tina said, but looked as half-hearted as all of them felt.

"Now, it's the four of us.  Well, it would have been you and I, right Tina?"  Blair said, pulling out a chair.  

"Who says?"  Aiden added, looking at Tina and winking his eye. 

She played it as if she were offended, but inside, she was disappointed that he wasn't right,  They would have had to at least make the choice if there were two rooms.  "Yes, it would have been you and I, Blair," she answered, pretending to be cool to him.

Todd laughed aloud.  "Yeah, sure, okay."

"Todd!"  Blair said.  

"Well, we are a married couple Blair.  And you know how badly you snore, when you're pregnant."

Tina blushed slightly, and Blair took Todd's ear and slightly twisted it.  He laughed, and said, "Barkeep, a glass of ginger ale for the lady here, and a scotch neat for me."

Aiden tipped his beer back, and Tina, attempting to throw her brother off the scent, tried not to look at the Irishman.  However, Aiden drew her eyes to him like something magnetic.  He finished off his beer, and turned to her.  "Ya didn't drink ya'r daquiri, My Lady."  He leaned in exceptionally close to her.

"I will," she said, smiling, and leaning toward him as well.

"Blair and I will fly home, you two take the room," Todd suddenly burst out.  

"TAWD!"  Blair exclaimed, hitting his arm three times in succession.  

This almost caused him to spill his scotch, and he said, "Careful, Mommy."

"Todd, just stop," she admonished.

"I say keep on, Broham.  Ya might do my work for me,"  Aiden said.

Tina said, "Well, I don't think that's appropriate, Todd."

"Maybe not, but it's good stuff, and overdue," he lifted his glass.

"Oh my God, I've had enough.  Todd, let's just go.  Let's go up so I can go to bed.  I'm tired, and you're . . . you're just, well you're you."  Blair said, standing.  

Todd got up and got her bags.  "Whatever you say, Babe."  He winked at Aiden.

"We're going to hang here and have a few more," Aiden said, "Right, Little Tina?"

"Yes, we're going to have a few drinks and talk, thank you very much Todd Manning."

"You're welcome, and you're right, Sis, the bill is on me."  He walked toward the stairs.  Blair leaned down, and said, "Aiden, the key?"

He handed it to her.  She said, "I'm sorry about Todd, he's . . . just tired.  Or maybe that's me, and he's just being himself.  However you look at it, I apologize for his cracks."

Blair headed up the stairs, and Todd was at the top, waiting.  She said, "Todd, you were . . ."

"Ah, whatever.  Come on, the truth is, they want each other, and Tina's playing hard to get, which isn't even close."

"Well, still, you're . . ." she began laughing.  "Did you see her face, when you said . . ."

"Yeah, oh yeah, I saw her face.  Sure."   He laughed as well.

"She was . . . Todd that was so mean," she said, still laughing.  But now, she was at the point of rocking back with laughter, as she sat on the edge of the bed.  

This distracted both of them from surveying the room.  There were two, small double beds, in the very small space.  She stopped laughing, and said, "This is a small room for four of us."

He stopped laughing as well.  "It is."

It became silent.  "You all right?"  she said, "being here?

"Yeah.  I guess.  You?"

"I'm fine wherever you are."

"Okay.  Bed?"

"What else is there?"

They both sat in silence.  He said, "You could sing to me."

"I could."  She said, pausing.  "You could hold me."

"I could," he said, removing his shoes.  She did the same.  He laid back on the bed, and she found her place against his chest.  The baby was against his hip.  He said, "She's awake.  She's punching me."

She smiled, and closed her eyes.  

He said, "Where's your end of the deal?"

She said, "Okay."


So you walked with me for a while
Bared your naked soul
And you told me of your plan
How you would never let them know
In the morning of the night
You cried a long lost child
And I tried on I tried to hold you
But you were young
And you were wild

But I, I will never be the same
Oh I, I will never be the same
Caught in your eyes
Lost in your name
I will never be the same

Secrets of your life
I never wanted for myself
But you guarded them like a lie
Placed up on the highest shelf
In the morning of the night
When I woke to find you gone
I knew your distant devil
Must be draggin' you along

But I, I will never be the same
Oh I, I will never be the same
Caught in your eyes
Lost in your name
I will never be the same

And you swore that you were bound for glory
And for wanting you had no shame
But I loved you
And then I lost you
And I will never be the same

But I, I will never be the same
Oh I, I will never be the same
Caught in your eyes
Lost in your name
I will never be the same

"I know that song," he said, when she had finished.  "It was . . . did it play on our wedding night?"

"Yes."

"My God, the words.  It's like . . . Geez, Blair, what is this thing we've got?"

"I don't know.  But I am glad we've got it.  I love you, Todd," she said, dozing.

With the baby still lightly pushing against his side, he kept both of them close to his heart and closed his eyes.

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