Failings of the Fathers: 11

The next morning, Todd and Blair fed the kids and prepared them for school.  Jack was particularly tired and not enthusiastic.  In contrast to that, Sam was excitedly chattering at the table about his spelling bee that day.  Finally, Jack said, "Squirt, can you quit?"

"I'm just happy, because I am going to win the spelling bee.  Yay, yay, going to win the spelling bee," he sang.

Jack buried his face in his hand and said, "I give up."

"What's up, Buddy?  Tired?"  Todd said.

"Yep.  I was up until two studying for a science exam."

"That will do it."  He poured Jack a cup of coffee, "Try some of that."

"You guys don't like me drinking coffee."

"Sometimes there's a use for it,"  he said.

That was when he caught sight of Blair, leaning on the counter, as if catching her breath.  "Hey, Babe, what's going on?"

"I . . . don't know.  I felt a cramp, I think."

Todd felt alarmed, but he didn't let on.  "Oh yeah?  Come on, let's sit you down."  He took her arms to support her and led her into the family room.  The two boys became very quiet.

She said, "I'm okay, I really think so."

He sat beside her.  He was aware of the lack of noise in the kitchen, and knew he'd have to assure them as soon as she was all right.  He said, "Any more?"

"No, it was just one.  It didn't feel like a contraction.  It just felt crampy.  Not sure how to explain it, but I think I'm fine."

"Let's wait a second and see," he said.

She looked at him.  "The boys."

"They're okay."

In the kitchen, Jack was definitely awake now.  "Mom's okay, Sam, don't worry," he said, as the look on his brother's face went from elation over the spelling bee to dread.

Sam said, "I don't want Mom to be hurt, or sad.  I don't want our baby to die."

"Our baby won't die.  She's okay, really."  Jack said.

"Go see, Jack, please?"

Jack got up and went to the family room.  Peeking around the corner, he said, "Sam's flipping out."

"Bring him in here, Jack.  So he can see I'm all right."  Blair said.

Jack did what his mother said, and Sam ran to her, stopping short when he got there.  "Mom, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Honey.  Just resting."

"Okay.  Mom, I don't want anything bad to happen."

"I don't either.  It's all right," she said.

Todd took Sam in his arms, and carried him back to the kitchen.  "What do you say, Bud?  You finished with your breakfast?"

"Yeah, I guess."  There was worry stamped across Sam's expression.

"Come on, go and get ready.  Get your book bag, and your coat.  You guys have to be in the copter in a few minutes."  Todd said.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother coming down the stairs, with Ray in her arms.  

She looked at him quizzically.  He said, "It's going to be okay, Momma."

She put her hand out to Sam, and he went to her, quietly.  She walked both of the younger boys back to the staircase and upstairs, while Jack tended to his mother, and Todd hastened back to her side.  "Better?"

"I'm fine, really.  It was just a little quirk."  She said.

Todd said, "We're going into town today to get you checked out.  That's all, Blair.  We're not talking about it."

"Okay," she agreed.

Jack said, "I'd better get going.  If you guys need me I'll be upstairs."

For a minute, Todd was nervous being left without the copter, but he felt somewhere in his gut that things would be all right.  She hadn't had another cramp, and she was calm and nowhere near panic.  He said, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."  She went to try and get up, and he stopped her.  

"No, wait a few minutes.  Let's just sit."

They did.

Sam was nervous, and asked more than enough questions when they were up on the second level.  Bitsy adeptly put Little Ray into his playpen in the nursery, and then took Sam's hand and led him to her room and her desk.  She immediately took a pen and paper, and wrote, furiously.

You mustn't be upset.  Your mother is all right.  The baby will be born and she will live.  She'll be tiny, but she'll be perfect.

"How do you know all that, Grandma?"

I just know.  I dreamed of it.  The baby will be precious and small and beautiful.

"Do you promise?"

She nodded.

"Okay.  I want a baby sister.  I already have a baby brother, and an older brother, and an older sister, too."

She smiled, handing him the smaller sketch pad.  He said, "You want me to work on my elephant?"

She nodded again and patted his head.

He sat at her desk, and opened the sketch pad.  There were a few pages where he started drawing his elephant and "messed up," in his words.  This time, he was slower, more methodical.  He wanted to get it right.  Bitsy had perfectly planned a way to distract him from Todd and Blair.  But, she was not worried.  It was all over her face.  She believed what she was saying, and therefore, Sam did as well.  She covered his hand with hers and showed him how to shadow and use shorter strokes to create the curves.  He completed the head, and said, "I did it!"

She nodded and smiled, admiring the work.  Then she put the pad back down and instructed him, with hand motions, to go back to his drawing until Jack called him for the copter ride to school.

***

Aiden's eyes fluttered open, and Tina was there, waiting for it.  He looked at her, without turning his head much.  He said, "Something hurts."

She grimaced slightly, and took her hand to his shoulder, smoothing it.  "I'm sorry.  Do you need the nurse?"

"No.  Just telling ya that it hurts."

"It was exploratory surgery, remember?"

He remained quiet a moment.  "I suppose."

"What can I do for you?"

"Hold me hand.  That's all there is."

She took his hand and held it, lightly squeezing so he would feel the pressure.  He closed his eyes again, and she bit her lip.  Damn it.  Why does he have to suffer?  Those Men of 21, whoever they are, deserve worse than what was given to them.  No wonder the RA21 see Todd as a hero.

A slight knock at the door signaled her to look up, and she brushed her tears from her under-eyes.  She said, "May I help you?"

"We're his friends, Dear Lady," a handsome man a little older than Todd said.  His accent was distinctly British.

"We've come to just see how he's doing," a taller, older man said.  He seemed vaguely familiar, as if he had the face you see everywhere.

"Is he all right?"  the dark-haired man asked.

"He's sleeping."  She smiled weakly.  They all stood by the door, waiting.  She said, "Well, come in."

The three men, in typical patient garb, walked closer.  Aiden didn't stir.  All three of them looked him over, and then the oldest said, "He's fine.  Let's go."

"Your lack of sensitivity is showing," the British one said.

"Nothing to see here.  He's asleep.  We can come back later." He was gruff.

"That's true, kind of," Tina agreed.  "He's going to sleep a while, they said."

"Well, we're glad to have seen him," the man with the dark hair said.

Tina spoke to the eldest.  "You're American.  I can tell by your accent."

"So, what of it?" he almost snapped.

Tina almost snapped back, but the British man spoke up, "Don't mind Calvin, he's not that friendly."

The young Spanish guy said, "Got a permanent chip on his shoulder."

"I'm Malcolm," the Englishman said, "and this is Miguel.  That callous old coot over there is Calvin."

"Pleased," she said.  "I'm glad Aiden has made friends here."

"He's a very friendly guy," Miguel said.

"He is.  He's kind, and he's funny," she agreed, "and I can tell you're from the U.S. as well."  Miguel nodded and brushed it off as something he was not going to discuss.

"He tells great stories," Malcolm added.  Calvin was already by the door.  "Well, we best be going.  Tell him that we were here, will you?"

"Certainly."

They left.  Tina realized that Aiden's whole life had been ingratiating himself to strangers.  He had learned, over time, to befriend people and bring them in, no matter how short he had known them.  She reminded herself of this as she shook off the visit from the three men.  It struck her as slightly strange that they were that concerned, but again, she'd never lived the way Aiden had.  And, she knew how easily he made connections with people.  It had been a matter of survival for him in Rialto.

She looked back to his face, which was peaceful in sleep.  She folded her hands and heard the voice of Sister Rebecca Katherine in her head.  Our father . . .

Am I praying?

It must have been the one thing she took with her from her days as Sister Martina Agnes.  She didn't stop, she just continued to close her eyes and recite in her mind the words she'd heard daily from Sister Rebecca Katherine, kneeling next to her in the chapel at St. Anne's.

***

Williams pulled up in front of the medical center where Blair's OBGYN was stationed, and parked.  Todd made ready to help her out of the limo, but she hesitated.  He said, "Come on, Babe, get out."

She just sat.

"Hey, you in there?"  he repeated.

"I can't, Todd."

"Why not, what's wrong?"  She saw alarm in his face.

"I'm scared.  I'm afraid to go in."

"Why," he said, tenderly, and sat back inside the car with her.

"I . . . I don't know," she said, looking to her hands.  They were shaking, and he covered them with his.  

This brought her eyes to his face.  He said, "Nothing to be afraid of.  They'll help if you need it."

"I'm scared that . . . that they're going to say . . ."

"They're not going to say anything like that."

She looked into his eyes.  "How do you know?"

"I just know."

"She's not moving.  I haven't felt her move in a few hours."

"Do they move all the time?  I don't remember Ray moving every minute."

"No, but she moves a lot."

"Well, she has to sleep, too.  Maybe she's napping."

She cracked a smile, even though it was weak.  "I guess so.  The doctor did say that unborn babies sleep like real ones.  They sleep a lot."

"Right.  And you never noticed before because you were too busy worrying over me."

"Maybe."  She sighed.

"You ready?"

"I guess," she said, and turned toward the door, leaning on him for help.

In the waiting room, he held her hand, and could feel it still jittering in his.  He said, "It's going to be okay," because he didn't know what else to say to her.  Jewel, come on, just kick your mother.  Just once, for God's sake.  

In the examination room, Blair got herself up on the table with the help of the nurse and Todd, and got ready for her exam.  A sonogram was planned, and the doctor assured her, reminding her that stress could be bad for the baby as well.  "Just lie back, we're going to take a picture.  The heartbeat is fine, and strong."

She sighed again, and Todd saw tears run out of her eyes.  He grasped her hand, and waited.  There on the screen was Jewel, and she appeared to have her thumb in her mouth.  Blair said, "Oh, my God, she's so tiny and beautiful, isn't she, Todd?"

"Yep," he said, clearly moved.

"She's sucking her thumb," she added.

"She is."  He sighed.  "Look at her."

The technician said, "She's fine, just resting.  I'll have to doctor come in and discuss it more with you."

A few minutes later, the doctor made her way in.  "Blair, I've warned you about stress."

"I know.  I've been pretty good."

"Has she, Todd?" the doctor asked.

"Not really.  I mean, I think sometimes, well, I can sometimes cause her stress.  My . . . situation.  Still recovering from some things that I have to work through."

"I heard about it, and Blair's mentioned some of it.  In fact, we had a lot of talks about this very thing when she was pregnant with your son.  She wants to be part of your life, but I've told her to remember to keep it as light as she can, especially now."

"What do you mean, especially now?"  Blair asked, worried.

"The baby is small for her gestation.  She's not under distress, but sometimes, babies become rather still if labor is coming."

"Labor?"  Both Todd and Blair said.

"Yes.  She's old enough to survive outside you, Blair, but she's very small.  So we want her to keep residence as long as we can.  We can help that by staying calm and relaxed, as much as you can, and not exerting yourself.  I'd suggest bed rest at this point.  Other signs are pointing me in this direction, especially the fact that both Jack and Starr were early babies."

"Is she all right?"

"She's fine.  Strong heartbeat, and seems to be pretty happy in there, sleeping."

"Oh!" Blair called out.

"What?"  Todd asked.

"She just kicked me, right here," she pointed.  He put his hand over the place she showed him. 

"There she goes.  We woke her," he petted her hair.

"I guess we did," she smiled.  "All right, bed rest.  I want her to be bigger, it makes coming into the world easier."

"All right, I'll give you some reading material on the kinds of things you should avoid.  Bed rest, and just take care of yourself, and Todd, take care of her."  The doctor handed Blair some papers.

"I will," he said, sitting back, as if relieved.

She looked at him as the doctor left the room.  "She's all right."

"She's a Manning, what did you expect?"

"I guess nothing else."

"Exactly."  He helped her get dressed.  "I'm getting a wheelchair."

"No, Todd, that's ridiculous . . ." 

He interrupted, "Nope, you're listening to me.  Bed rest and care.  And this means no baths."  He said, leaving the room for a moment.

"All right, no baths."  she called after him.  After a few minutes, he was back with the chair.

"I have to stay calm, it says here," she said, looking over the materials the doctor had left.  "And...ut oh."

"What oh?" he responded.

"No sex."

"Eh, so?  Whatever works for Jewel works for me."

"Stay hydrated.  That means tons of water."

"That's easy enough.  I'll have a water cooler brought into the bedroom."

"You spoil me," she said, as he helped her into the chair.

"That's my job," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Okay, wheel me out, driver!"  She teased.

He did, and once on the sidewalk, he put the brakes on her chair, and started to help her out of it.  She said, "Geesh, Jewel's back with a vengeance."

"Well, again, she's got that Manning thing going on."

"I know,"  she said, and finally plopped into the limousine seat.  

He slid in next to her, after running the chair back into the waiting room.  "So, we're on our way home.  What shall we do tonight?"

"Watch movies."

"Sure.  What movies?"

"You choose."

"Then I want Evil Dead II."

"Again?"

"I can't help it that Bobbie Joe looks like my wife."

"Well, she does, but not all that much."

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