"Hey, what's going on?"
"I called to thank ya, for a couple of things."
"Okay, what things?"
"Dad told me about the way ya arranged the Irish breakfasts here in Switzerland."
"Yeah, well, the food wasn't all that great as I remember it."
"Well, it hasn't changed much."
"I'm glad, then, that I did that."
"It's more than I could have asked for. It was the best breakfast I've had in weeks, really. Even the one the other day at The Wild Swan wasn't quite as good."
Todd got a lump in his throat hearing the name of the place again. He was going to be very pleased when he never had to hear it again. "Well, that's good then. How's my sister?"
"She's a beauty. So concerned with me. She dotes on me. I can't say I dislike it."
"Another good."
"Ya, I just wanted ya to know how much I appreciated that."
"Well, I know. Thanks for calling."
"One more thing."
"Shoot."
"What ya've done, for the RA21, the gang. I can't explain to ya what it means. All of them are lost souls, to be honest, even I. Giving them this purpose to their lives is something very important. I was worried, last week, when I realized that ending the Men of 21 was also ending their reason for life. I am glad that there is something there. And y'ar responsible for it. And it can't be taken lightly, by anyone, and especially not by ya. They have nothing. They have no one, but each other. They have less than I do, and that's not much. Ya have to know . . ." his voice shattered, and Todd waited. "Ya have to know what ya've done for them. And me."
He cleared his throat. "I . . . it isn't . . . you're welcome, Aiden. I did what I thought was the right thing."
"It was. And with all we've been through, I think of ya as my brother. We may not be flesh, but we are tied to each other many ways. I must say, I've come to know and love ya, and I will always consider ya my kin. I want ya to get on with y'ar happiness, with Blair and y'ar family. Forget the past."
Todd was unable to speak this time, and as he stood, before the glass panes looking out over his yard, he felt Blair's slender arms sliding up from behind him over his chest. Overtaken, he handed her the phone. She was puzzled for a moment, but when he pulled away from her and walked to the fire, she answered. "Hello?"
"It's Aiden, Eric, Blair."
"Hi, how are you feeling?"
"I'm all right. Is he?"
"He's . . . he's okay. Emotional. He sometimes can't deal with things that paint him in a good light."
"I thanked him for what he did for me, and for the gang."
"Then I am sure that's why he's overcome."
"And Blair, I feel he's my family. My brotha. I told him, and I'll tell ya, I love ya both, and he'll always be kin."
She realized when hearing this why her husband was speechless. "He loves you. I know he does, as I do, Aiden. I am hopeful for your recovery."
"Ah, yes, the same here. I hope to see ya again, and Todd, soon."
"I hope so, too."
"Perhaps a visit from ya, when I finish my surgeries?"
She looked to Todd's back, and his arms were folded as he stared into the fire. She said, "No. I don't think so. That place, it makes him . . ."
"Is he suffering? I don't want to add to it."
"He's fine. We're both fine. He had a negative reaction to that place, but it's understandable." She walked up behind Todd, and gently tapped him. He turned to her, his eyes just drying. She said, "If you want me to check and see if he's able to say goodbye . . .?"
He took the phone from her. He said, "Aiden, I'm sorry, I was . . . well, some things I just don't do well with, ya know?"
"Sure."
"But I thank you for calling and telling me. It meant a lot. To hear it. I've never had a brother before, and it just made me feel . . . strange. In a good way."
"I understand. Thanks again, Broham. Love ya, and hugs to the family." The call ended.
Todd's face slightly twisted with feeling. "I'm a washout at that stuff. Especially now."
"It's all right. He knows what you mean and where your heart is." Blair said. "It is beautiful, what you did for him and those men."
"It's what needed to be done. They needed a life."
"And you helped provide it."
"Better than providing death, or just doing nothing."
"Yes, very much so." She slipped her arms around him. "Soon, you'll have a new brother, maybe living in the states, and a new baby daughter."
He smiled. "I got to see what it was like to raise a son. But not a daughter, not all the way. I mean, I missed a lot of Starr's life. I wonder if she will forgive me for all that."
"She already has." She kissed his cheek, and his ear, "You know that."
"She loves me. Shorty always did."
"So did her mother. It may not have seemed that way . . ."
"It didn't seem like I loved you all the time either, but I did, Babe. Every second, since I first touched you."
"Is that other thing okay?" She braced herself for his answer.
"What the Peter thing? Yeah. I haven't seen him since I left there. No mystery appearances."
"It was just the stress of being there, and being back in the clinic."
Todd thought back to the clinic. The feelings he had when he was first there, with Aiden and Timothy, brought a metallic flavor to his mouth. And Peter, the image of him, older, and more menacing, in the lobby . . . his mind was playing tricks on him. And the dream. He wants the boys.
"Todd, are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm all right, Babe." He said, coming back from Switzerland in his mind, and moving himself back to being there, with her. He kissed her passionately.
"Oh, you are all right. I'm glad. What about Ray?"
"I'm still going to see him."
"Whatever you want."
"I . . . just need to."
"Todd, if something is going on, other than what I already know . . ."
"No, it's just. . . it bothers me that I thought Peter called me back then. I thought he was in my room at the clinic. That's pretty heavy stuff. And now, I thought I saw him. It just bugs me. Ray will know what to do."
She was glad that he had put his faith in Ray. She said, "So, now what?"
"Now, I show you the rest of that test," he said, placing her hand on him.
"Oh, well, I can tell you that someone's happy I'm here."
"That someone's me. Always happy you're around me," he said, and without notice, he swung her legs into his arms and carried her to the bed. Kissing her neck, he placed her down gently on her back, leaned over and kissed her belly. "Your parents are tired," he said toward her stomach, noticing how much the jet lag was effecting her.
"Her Mommy is," she said, "But if you're not, then . . ."
He went toward her face, and touched her lips. "Shh. Now, remember Dorian's words? Bedrest. So, that's what we'll do. We have a nice fire, and it's cold out there and making it comfy in here."
She yawned, "I guess so. Should we check on the boys first?"
"I'll check on them, you go ahead to sleep. I'll be back in a few."
Sam was already sleeping. Todd pulled his blanket up over him and kissed his head. Moving to Ray's room, he realized, as he stepped in, that Ray was going to need to move into Sam's room sooner or later, so that Jewel could have the nursery. His son was sleeping, and had been sucking on the foot of an Elmo doll. He smiled to himself, and caressed the child's head.
I wondered if you still wanted me to live with you, after . . . well, I remembered everything, Todd. I wasn't the best mother. I should have protected you, and got you away from him. I'm very sorry for that.
"Don't worry, Momma. I wasn't the greatest father, to Starr, or to Jack," he whispered.
"Hey," Jack whispered from the doorway. "Dad, why was Aunt Dorian here?"
"Your mother fell. She's all right, she just got a little cut," he motioned to his head, and pulled his son into the hallway. "Dorian patched her up."
"I heard you, just now. Why were you talking to Grandma Bitsy?" Jack asked.
"She . . . wants to come and live with us. She thinks we can't forgive her, for letting . . . things happen. As if she could have stopped anything."
"That's kind of dumb, no offense. She couldn't do anything about it, probably."
"You're right. It is dumb, and no, she couldn't."
"Dad?"
"Yeah, Jack."
"Think you and I could spend more time together? I'm almost grown."
Todd almost choked up. "Sure. Of course."
"Good. That Ireland trip sort of . . . I felt like I barely saw you."
"You're right. But we're home. You tired?"
"Not all that much."
"Want to go and get some pizza from the freezer? I still have some caterer pies left."
"Yeah. That sounds good."
"You can fill me in on Jenna and you, in Ireland, and Sergeant Shaun."
They made their way downstairs, and as they passed the master bedroom, he noticed the door was ajar. Looking in, he caught sight of himself in the mirror of the closet door, that was also open. He jumped, and rubbed at his eyes with his hand. Behind him, he saw the shadowy image of a man, and no sooner had he seen it that it was also gone.
Jack said, "Dad? What's the matter?"
"Uh, no. Um, nothing," he brushed it off in front of his son.
"Dad, I saw you jump. Something happened."
He wasn't going to let Jack have even a suspicion that he was on his way back to Ray, and maybe worse. "I saw myself in the mirror, and I just got startled. Let's go eat, huh?"
"Sure, okay." Jack said, and he watched as Todd went in front of him down the stairs.
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