Failings of the Fathers: 51

Blair stepped onto the patio outside the house.  "Shaun, it looks like I'm going to end up going to see Momma this evening."

"Oh, all right.  That's fine."

"Starr is coming out, and she and Jack are going to tend to the kids.  This way, you can have a break from chasing Ray and also, it will give them some time being with their siblings.  Todd really liked the idea."

She was always trying to please her man.  He noticed, then said, "Sounds good.  How long will you be gone?"

"Only an hour or two.  I'll go out to Mountainview, and come back after a short visit.  Shouldn't be too long."

"Fine.  What about feeding Jewel?"

"There are two bottles.  Jack knows how."

"Good, well, when are you going?"

"Not for a little while.  But soon."

"Okay, thanks for letting me know."

Blair turned and went inside, and Shaun headed back to his cottage.  Though he was staying in the house, he wanted to go and clean up a bit and make himself a snack.  He didn't notice "Malcolm," hanging around the side of the house, tending the dying bushes, and taking in their conversation.


***

"Mam.  Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Mammy, I'm afraid.  Things are bad.  I'm . . . not a child anymore, but I feel like one."

"Don't be afraid, Eric.  You're safe."

"I remember now."

"What do you remember, my son?"

"Everything."

"What do you remember?"

"What happened.  When you died.  I was there.  They took me, from Pappy.  They carried him off, and he was crying and yelling.  He wanted to see me, but they stole me away.  I was only six."

"Yes, that is right.  Ya were only six."

"They took my memories, they gave me drugs.  They put things on my head, and electrocuted me, I think.  They worked at it until I forgot ya.  They worked at it until I forgot everything.  Then, someone got me out, Owen, I think he knows the story.  I went to live with Aman and Lily.  But I couldn't remember ya, or Pappy, until now."

"That is good, remembering.  I am happy that ya know."

"Mam, I want ya to come back."

"I can't."

"Can I go with ya, now?"

"I don't know, Eric.  Y'ar a grown man, married now, ya have things to do."

"But, Mam?  Don't go."

"I will always be in y'ar mind.  Ya can see me whenever ya want."

"Mam!  I'm not ready to lose ya.  I can finally see ya, I finally know what ya look like, I remember it myself.  Not from a picture.  I can see ya, holding me in y'ar arms, and reading to me."

"I know.  And I remember, too.  I must go.  Fight, if ya can, my son."

All went black.

***

"What do you want, Runty?"  Jack said, as he spied Sam at his door.

"Nothin.'"

"Okay," he said, turning back to his video game.

"Jack?"

"I thought you said you didn't want anything?"

"Well, I just want to talk to you."

He turned the game to pause, and said, "Okay, what's up?"

"I'm . . . I'm scared, Jack."

"Come over here, Puny."  He patted the bed next to him.  The little boy got onto the bed and rested his head near Jack's shoulder.  "Tell me what's the matter?  Is it those pictures again?"

"Kinda.  They bother me if I think about them.  Dad said the little boy is him.  Why does he look like Ray and why is he so scared?"

"Ray looks like Dad because he's his Ray's father.  He's made from Dad and Mom."

"I don't get that."

"I know.  It's just, well, the way things work.  A part of Dad and a part of Mom made Ray, and Jewel."

"And you, and Starr.  But not me."

"Right."

"Why is he so scared in the pictures?  He said the man is his father, and wouldn't his father never hurt him?"

"Runty, listen."  Jack made his voice more pronounced, and put down his phone.  "Dad would never hurt us.  That doesn't mean all dads are like that.  Remember Zeus?"

"Yeah.  But he was sick, Mom said."

"Still.  He was your father, and he was mean."

"Yeah.  I don't like that Dad had a very bad and mean father."

"Me neither, but it's life, and life basically sucks sometimes."

Sam was quiet for a few minutes.  Then he said, "Jack, did Peter beat up Dad?"

"Yeah."

"Did he shake him, and say mean things?"

"Probably."

"Do you think Dad cried?  Because I don't think so."

"Sometimes, sure he did."

"Oh."

"Is that all you're scared about, Squirt?"

"No.  That guy.  The new one.  He scared me."

"Why?"  Jack was interested.

"He just . . . his eyes don't smile."

Jack squinted, trying to determine what Sam meant.  "What do you mean by that?"

"He smiles, but his eyes don't.  His eyes are like a shark."

For some reason, Jack, all seventeen and a half years of him, got a chill from the base of his spine up to his head.

***


"Dad, why don't we take a break from here, you know, head to my hotel, maybe take a swim?"  Todd suggested.  It had been almost eight hours that Timothy had not moved.

"I can't, Son.  What if he wakes?"

"The hospital will call us."

"I want to be here, when he wakes up, so he sees my face."

"I understand, but your face would scare the heck out of him right now."

"Why?"

"You're so tired.  You need rest, seriously.  You're starting to scare even me."

Timothy sighed.  "I suppose am a bit tired."

"And a nice swim, and then a nap won't hurt.  You can put me up at your place, since it's a luxury hotel."

"A nice treat, it would be, to spend time with ya."

"Then, what do you say?"

He looked at his son in the bed, whose pale face was very still and thin.  "I suppose.  Eric, if ya wake before I get back, know that I love ya."

Todd swallowed, hearing his father say this, and said, "Come on, Dad, let's go.  We'll come back first thing in the morning or if he wakes up."

"Ay, we will."  They walked out.

On the way to the lobby, they passed the chapel.  Todd said, "I bet I know who's in there," and he was right.

Sister Rebecca Katherine had spotted Tina, kneeling in a pew, and went to her.  The two of them were now kneeling, facing the small, simple altar, and praying.  Tina stopped and said, "I don't know why I just feel so wrong doing this."

"That's to be expected.  Ya never relied on The Lord before, and ya don't feel worthy.  But everyone is, if they simply ask."

"Sister, what if . . . what if Aiden dies?"

"Dear," she said, touching Tina's cheek and sliding back up to a sitting position, "The what ifs don't help.  Ya have to believe and have faith in y'arself and y'ar ability to come through this, whatever the outcome.  And, to answer, I don't know."

"It's funny, you know, I never even imagined I'd be in Europe, doing this, married to someone who . . . is sick."

"We sometimes don't know what life has to offer us."

"Just a short while ago, I was staking out Dorian's house, to try and steal that diamond.  Now, it means absolutely nothing to me.  How can that be?"

"It's the way things are, and the way things go." the nun said, "Sometimes, we can't imagine ourselves doing things that we do.  But, we do them."

"I know."

"One thing, I don't want ya feeling badly about the diamond situation.  Ya saved those children, and Todd and Blair, in y'ar own way.  They know that, and so does God."

Tina broke down, and the nun comforted her.  "It will be all right, and whatever comes, ya will be able to handle it.  We'll see to that, we will."

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