Failings of the Fathers: 46

A soft knock was heard on the door, even though it was ajar.  "Aiden, are you receiving visitors?"

Aiden was awake.  "Sure," he said, "come on in, Malcolm."

"Aiden, I have to tell you something."

"Y'ar leaving."

"Yes.  I . . . want to try this.  I want to try and move on with my life."

Aiden smiled broadly, "Who could stop ya from wanting that?"

"I just, don't want you to think that I'm deserting you.  But I think it's time for me."

"How is that deserting me?  And why should it matter, when y'ave waited all these years to be able to do it, eh?"

"I just . . . wanted to make sure you knew . . ."

"I do.  I understand.  You'll see me again, sometime soon.  I'll probably be back in the states, once I'm well.  And frankly, if I can't make it, ya don't need to be dealing with another death.  Not now.  Ya have to heal.  So let's just say, 'I'll be seeing ya.'"

"Then you know?"

"Yes.  Todd told me, before he told ya, I'm pretty sure.  He wanted to test it out, since Tina had originally thought . . ."

"Yes, me, a terrorist," he smiled.

"Yes.  I think it's a beautiful thing.  The Mannings are a special bunch.  Ya will certainly enjoy them.  The children are all beautiful."

"I know you will come through this.  I believe that."

"I do, too.  Too much wasted time.  Not ready to meet the maker yet!"

"Well then, I'll see you soon."

"Are ya leaving, now?"

"Yes, Todd's plane is set to take me, well when . . . something I can't say, but trust me, it will be soon."

"Sounds ominous.  But with Todd, ya have to let it be."

"I'll agree.  He's quite an amazing man."

"Don't let him hear ya talk that way."

"Hmf.  How will I ever repay him for the medication?  It's expensive."

"He doesn't care about that.  He never has.  He doesn't spare expense on anything.  To him, it's nothing."

"He said he was filthy rich, I assumed he had a bit of a small fortune."

"Small?  No.  He's a multimillionaire.  Very wealthy.  Originally an inheritance, later, he made it multiply over and over.  A wise businessman, and to him, y'ar medical bills are not all that much.  Besides, once ya work for him, y'all have insurance and it will be paid for."

"I can't thank him enough."

"Take care of his home and his family, and he's y'ar friend for life."

"Well, it's a new adventure, that's for certain."

"Ya will be fine."

"Good bye, Aiden, for now.  I'll be seeing you."

"Yes, I'll be seeing ya."

Malcolm shook his hand.

Calvin, outside the door, backed away and went to his room.

***

"Morning, Sis.  What's going on?"  Todd said, sitting by her in the cafeteria.  He noticed that nothing on her tray was touched.  

She sipped her coffee.  "Todd, what time is the surprise arriving?"

"In a few minutes, probably.  They touched down at the airport about an hour ago."

"It was kind of you to give that man a job, and to help him like that.  I don't remember you ever being this way."

"You don't remember me being tortured for eight years, away from my family, either."

"I guess that's made you see a few things."

"I guess."

"I don't want to ask anything of you, and I know how you are about emotional stuff, but, I . . . please don't leave me, Todd.  Not until Aiden's all right.  Please."

He finished chewing his egg sandwich.  "You're really in love with the guy."

"Yes, I am.  But aside from that, please.  I just . . . I'm scared," she blurted, and tears followed.

He reached across the table and took her hand.  She looked up at him, as if shocked.  He said, "What? You're my sister, right?"

"Right," she sniffled.

"I'm not planning on going.  Things at home are all right.  I'll be here through the surgery.  Okay?"

She nodded.

He said, "But, if you don't eat something, I'm out."

She picked up her spoon and ate some of her cereal, that was now getting soggy. 

He offered, "Should I go get some more?  It's wilted."

"No, I can just eat the yogurt and fruit.  That's plenty.  I want Aiden to get some rest, so I'm purposely taking long.  I guess I'll eat something."  

She did.

***

He opened his eyes, and he was lying on a bed.  It wasn't a soft bed, like the one at home.  He couldn't move his arms, and he called out, "Pappy?"

He sounded far away to himself.  His ears were ringing.  The pain in his head was still there, and something felt . . . hot, near his eyes.  He closed them again, and when he opened them, his mother was standing over him.  She had on all white as well, and she carried a needle.  She said, "Hello, Eric, it's y'ar Mam."

"Mammy, y'ar alive?"

"Yes, my son."

"Mammy, untie me.  I can't move me hands."  He felt wet, in his pants.

"I will, Son."

"Mammy, I thought ya died.  I thought ya got shot, in the city.  We were going to Burdock's, to meet Pappy.  I thought . . ."

"Shhhh."  Her hand was cool on his forehead.  "No, Eric, I'm here."

She moved closer, with the needle, and leaned over, picking up his shirt on one side, and putting something cold against his skin.  It smelled like Pappy's aftershave.  He said, "Mam, please hug me, I'm scared and something hurts."

"I will, Son.  Just close y'ar eyes now."  She leaned in and he felt a painful prick in his side where the cold stuff had been, and then, he closed his eyes.  After a few moments, he opened them again.  He saw colors, flashes and swirls all around him.  He looked up to find her and she was gone.  "Mam!  Mam!  I want my Mammy!"

He cried.  She never came back.  It was just the colors all twisting and moving, and the pain, in his head, oh it hurt, something horrible, and the memory, of . . . where was he again?  He was at the parade . . .no, he was . . . they were meeting someone . . . Leo Burmuss . . . cod and chips . . .

Aiden woke with a start, and sat up.  Sweat covered his brow, and he still could not see.  He swallowed, and realized he needed water.  Just as he reached for the call button, Todd came in, and saw his distress.  "Hey Brother of Mine, what's going on?"

"I . . . had a dream.  I . . . they brainwashed me, Todd.  As a child."

Todd fixed his lips tightly.  "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure.  They . . . used drugs and I think electroshocks.  I'm not sure on the last one, but something had . . . "

"Burned your temples?"  Todd said, interrupting.

"I think so, near my eyes.  I was only six."

"That's what it was.  On your wrists, too?"

"No.  Is that what they did to ya?"

"Among other things, yeah.  Wrists, ankles and head."

"Maybe I was too small for all that."

"Maybe.  The goal of mine was torture.  The goal of yours was forgetting."

"I don't know why I'm remembering now."

"Me neither.  I can't explain that, it happened to me, too.  All of the sudden, I was remembering what my father did, and before that, nothing."

"The mind is strange.  A complicated instrument."

"Yeah, it is.  I've learned that the hard way."

He got quiet, and reached for the water, and Todd helped.  He handed Aiden the cup, and he sipped.  Then he said, "What ya did for Malcolm . . ."

"No biggie.  I owe the world a lot of debt."

"When do ya think ya'll stop that?"

"What?  Paying back?  I don't know, it's habit."

"No.  Excusing your kindness as some sort of penance?"

Todd didn't answer.  Instead, he checked his phone for the time.  He said, "Surprises on their way."

"Really?  What kind of surprises?"

"Would that be a surprise if I told you?"

"I guess not, no."

"Then you have to wait, but only a few more minutes."

"Fine, then."

Todd took out his phone, and texted Blair:  The guy I told you about, Malcolm?  He's on his way.  Has had a lot of trauma in his life, as I explained.  Might seem a little cold at first, but then again, he's had troubles.  Let me know how it goes.  I love you.

Just then, Tina walked through the door and said, "Aiden, someone here to see you."

Around the corner came Colin, William, Darren, Jimmy, and Owen.  "Aiden, ya louse!"  Colin called out.

He perked up in his bed and laughed, "Ya can't be standing here, all of ya?"

"But we are, Lad," Owen said.  "We are."

"How . . . who's running Courtown Demesne?"  Aiden wondered.

"It runs itself, Boy," William said.  "We'll go back soon enough for the rush!"

"How are ya?"  Darren asked.  

The freckled kid who took the bullet for me.  He looks . . . well, he looks great.

"I'm better now, me friends.  So glad ya came."  He turned to the side he knew Todd was standing on, "Todd, this was just what I needed."

"No problem.  That's what private jets are for," he said, moving into the hallway.  Timothy followed him.

"Son," he started.

"You know, Dad, don't go into it.  Okay?  I did what I did, and it's done."

"Fine.  But it meant the world to y'ar brotha."

"Yep, I guess it did."

"Ya want to do things for people, that's obvious.  Ya like to spread your wealth around.  No expense is too great for ya when someone deserves something."

"Maybe," he said, folding his arms and slightly smirking.

"I'm very proud of ya.  Instead of wallowing in the past pains and how much hurt has been done to ya, y'ar moving beyond it and bringing good to y'ar life."

"Sorta."  This time he did smile.

"Hmf.  Such a stickler.  Stubborn as a mule, with y'ar blood on fire, are ya sure y'ar not Irish?"

"I don't even know.  Sorry, I guess we could ask my sister Viki about that."

"Ya must be Irish in there somewhere.  A heart of gold," he said, and embraced his son. 

Todd, taken aback, threw his arms out, and then finally found his father's back.

***

Calvin was in his room, packing his bag.  He didn't have much, but whatever he left behind he'd leave behind without looking back.  He continued throwing items in the suitcase, and then, picked up his phone.

"It's all set.  I've found a way to get out of here, and have an idea for the plan.  What?  No, there's not going to be any of that.  But, it will be payback, and land us in a large amount of money.  Did you do as I asked?  Good, you had better.  I'll be there soon."

Hanging up, he slipped the phone back into his pocket.  He was certain they wouldn't miss him.  Malcolm had already left, and Miguel, well, he wasn't worth the worry.  They'd certainly had their moments, the three of them, but now, it was onward and upward to the future.

He changed his shirt, noticing again the scars on his chest, one directly down the middle of his ribs, and ignored it as he buttoned the clean shirt.  The worn shirt, he threw into the hamper, and had no intention of taking with him.  It was soiled, and he didn't need it.  Where he was going, there would be plenty of time and funds to replace it.  He would just have to carry out his plan, and make it work.

"I don't think they believed me, when I said I'd get revenge or that I was cured.  But, both are true, aren't they?"  he asked the reflection in the mirror.  

He lifted the bag.  He had waited until lunch hour, so that the halls would be clearer, with most people in the cafeteria, and a lot of staff on breaks.  He knew, also, that Malcolm had been gone for less than thirty minutes, and he wanted to space out their exits from each other, as to go less noticed.

He took the bag, straightened his tie, and headed out the door.  

His escape, as he phrased it, was uneventful and, as he thought, unnoticed.  He boarded a cab, and sat back, breathing a sigh and flicking his lighter, until he realized he had no more cigars.

"Want a cigarette?"  the cabby offered.

"No."

"Okay, Buddy, just being friendly."

"Don't.  I don't have, want or need friends," he said, as they passed the left half of the clinic and moved forward into traffic.

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