Failings of the Fathers: 72

"Dear Addie, thank ya for the warm greeting," the nun said, walking into the foyer at La Boulaie.

"You're welcome, Sister.  How was your trip?"

"The flight was uneventful, but the time away was, well, not appealing, I say.  I'm hoping things will return to normal soon."

"I'm sorry to hear about your nephew," Addie said.

"Thank ya," the nun said, just as Sam came barreling down the stairs into her arms.  

"Sister Becca Thrin!  You're back!"  He hugged her.

"Yes, Sam, I'm here.  How are ya?"

The boy started to cry.  She took his hand, "Oh, Dear.  Come on with me, into the living room, where we can sit down and talk a bit, all right, Lad?"

He nodded and followed her.

Addie ascended the stairs to let Jack know that the nun was there.  As she rounded the corner at the top to go toward his room, she noticed the door was closed.  Puzzled, and having concern as well, she went to it and knocked.

Inside, Jack was sleeping and Jenna was in his arms.  He woke to the rapping on the door, and sat up.  Jenna did the same.  He went to the door, and she moved herself to the chair.

"Yeah, hi, Grandma Addie," he said, as he opened the door.

"Jack, the door is supposed to be open when Jenna visits."

"It's my fault,"  Jenna spoke up.  "He was very upset, beside himself.  I just thought we needed some privacy."

"I can tell you, though, nothing happened.  She's just not ready for that, she's a really sweet girl," Jack chimed in.  Jenna's face flushed.

The kids seemed sincere, and under the circumstances, Addie felt it wasn't the time or place for the discussion - or the person.  She knew it would be up to Todd and Blair to deal with it when they got back.  She said, "Someone's here to see you."

"Mom?  Dad?  Are they home?"  his demeanor changed to excitement.

"No, Jack, it's Sister Rebecca Katherine.  She just got back to the states.  I am not sure you knew, but your uncle, Aiden, died."

Jack sat back on the bed a moment, as if defeated.  "Died?  That's Dad's new brother?  Grandpa Timothy's real kid?"

"Yes."

"Shit."

"Jack," Addie began.

"I know, my mouth."

"No, I just was going to say I'm sorry about it, and that the nun is downstairs if you want to see her."

"I'll be right there," he said, and looked at Jenna.  She was still a little red-faced and embarrassed.  He said,  "I'm sorry."

"No, it's my fault.  I am the one who broke the rule and closed the door."

"Yeah, but it's my wacky family, and I know the deal."

"It's all right.  You just . . . needed that."

"It felt good," he said.  "Just being there with you, like that."

She smiled, and her face was still pinked with innocent shame.  "I know."

"Thank you," he said, walking to her.  She was still sitting in the desk chair, when he leaned down to kiss her.

***

"Okay, then what?  What do you want?  Just let Blair go, with my son.  Then you and I can settle up."  Todd said.

"I want your son, someone's got to teach him right from wrong."

"He's a pest, doesn't listen.  He moves around too much, runs away.  You don't like that much in a victim."

Peter glared at him.  "I want you to miss him.  Every day."

Todd began to get alarmed by his father's words, and Blair, leaning over, now stood, wiping her mouth with her sleeve.  She said, "Over my dead body, you sick bastard!"

Todd grabbed her around the waist just as she was trying to lunge at Peter.  She was losing control, and he didn't blame her.  He had to be the one who wasn't losing it.  Stay with this.  He's crazy, he's . . . sick.  Stay with it, don't lose it now.

Peter squinted at her, and then said, "You're a fiery one.  I've got just the place for you."

He backed up toward the secret room, still holding Ray.  He was tiring; they could both see it.  Todd hoped he tired himself so much that there would be an opening to get the baby from him and strangle him until he turned purple, and his head exploded.

Blair said, "I'm not afraid of you.  You're scum.  Picking on innocent children, or people who can't defend themselves.  I'm not afraid of your 'room,'" she said, still in Todd's restraining grip.

"I know just the place for you," he repeated, and then said, "we can get along just fine once you're in there."

Todd said, "Let the baby go, and Blair can take him home.  I'll do whatever you want, I'll go in the room, whatever, just let them get out of here.  Who wants to be saddled with a little headstrong toddler and an even more-headstrong woman?  Neither one of them is a really good listener. . ." he tried to reason with Peter.  "and you hate that."

"She'll listen, if she wants you and her son to live.  She'll do whatever I want her to, Wrap those pretty, long legs around me., especially if I do this," he said, taking out the gun and pointing the nozzle toward Todd's head.  "I can just as easily turn this on the kid."

Blair sucked in air so quickly that it created a loud gasp that filled the cellar.  "No," she said, now calmer and considerably less cocky, "no, don't.  He's just a baby."

"After I get rid of Todd, you and I will have a great deal of fun, Mrs. Manning.  Is that your name, Mrs. Manning?  Blair?"

"You don't have to kill anyone.  I'll go in the room,"  Blair said, in an urgent whisper, "I swear I will.  I'll do whatever you want."

Todd was still holding her at the waist.  He was ready to die, if he had to, to prevent Peter from getting his hands on her and from taking his son anywhere.  He said, "Come on, old man, it's me you want.  From the start, I was nothing but a thorn in your side.  You even told me that, often.  I was never the son you wanted.  I wasn't in your image, a total disappointment.  It's really about me, isn't it?"

Peter flinched, as sweat went into one of his eyes, and he wiped it with the sleeve of the arm holding the gun, which brought the pistol dangerously close to Little Ray's head.  He said, "You'll never understand me or my reasons.  You were always like you are right now: a pansy."

Todd was surging with rage.  His instinct was to lunge at Peter and take his chances, but his heart was warning him to tread carefully.  With all his strength, he pushed Blair directly behind him, and grabbed the belt of her pants in front to hold her there.  At first, she resisted, but then, sensing that he knew what he was doing, she went with it.  He said, "Why don't you deal with me, then?  Just a pansy-ass disappointment, a reject.  It should be simple for you to face off with me.  Just me.  You don't need any woman or kid for that."

Peter's eyes shifted from desperate and angry to simply pure evil.  He was enraged, almost to the point that he had forgotten he was holding Ray.  His focus was on Todd's words, and Todd had realized that the man was far gone.  He'd been living some kind of mystery life, for almost twenty years, waiting for this very moment.  Obsession.  And that scared him.  He knew years of planning were built into this day, and for Peter, it would go how he wanted or not go at all. 

***

"Tina, come in," Viki said, holding her arms out.  The sisters embraced, and Tina felt herself giving in to emotion.  Viki said, "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks," she managed to croak out.  "He's gone."

"I know how much he meant to you.  You couldn't stop talking about him when we last spoke."

"We . . . got married, Viki.  Right before he died."

"Oh, that's dreadful, Tina.  What can I do?"

"Nothing," she said, separating from her sister.  "Nothing that I can think of."

"Well, definitely come in.  Let's go and sit down in the library, and we can talk."

"I'm not sure what to do with myself."

"Come on," Viki said, and put an arm around her.  

They sat in the library on Viki's flowered sofa.  Tina said, "I can't believe this all happened.  And now, Todd and Blair's family attacked.   I still don't understand what happened there."

Viki gulped, "Peter Manning happened."

"What?  I don't understand."

"The man who attacked Todd's family was Peter Manning, supposedly.  Dorian told me.  Todd and Blair went after their baby son who was kidnapped.  I think Blair called her and told her."

Tina went white.  "Ray?"

"Yes."

"No, not Ray, please?"  she stood and wobbled as she did.

Viki instinctively grabbed her hands to steady her.  "Tina you must get yourself together, you've been through quite a shock."

Tina slowly sat down.  "Peter.  Peter Manning has Little Ray?"

"I know, it's impossible to think of but he's alive and has him."

Tina slouched back onto the couch.  Looking to the ceiling, she said, "You know, I never was close with my brother.  But he was there for me, in Switzerland.  And before, with the Mitch thing, he didn't press charges.  He tried to understand.  Maybe because he has been a pariah before and knows what it's like for everyone to judge you.  He made a lot of mistakes.   But he doesn't deserve this, does he?"

"No.  I don't believe he does, at all.  He's made a few terrible mistakes, but he's also had some terrible things done to him.  This is an innocent child."

"Poor Ray.  Blair must be out of her mind."

"Yes, I'd say that'a fair assessment.  But what about you?"

Tina let the hurt rise in her chest again, and said, "I'll make it.  I have before."

"Yes, but..."

"He was kind.  He made me feel like a good person."

"Then I suppose you can grab hold of that and make it a reality for your life."

She smiled, through tears, "Why not?"

***

"It can't be much more, Lad.  The map says we're almost there."  Timothy said, with his face in the unfolded recesses of the atlas.  "How did ya get this address?"  he asked.  "Are ya sure it's right?"

"I got it from DMV records.  Not that tough to do, when you're a cop."  John answered, focused on driving.  "How much longer?"

"A few miles, it seems."

"Then we keep on," John added.

"I'm worried about the child, and Blair, of course.  And Todd, because who knows how he'll do facing this monster of a man."

"You know, I remember once Marty telling me that Todd called himself a monster over the years.  He believed he was one.  Probably helped him act like one, more than once."

For a moment, Timothy was silent, then, "I agree.  But it's easy to see how misguided he was, growing up in that."

John didn't answer, but he agreed, deep down.  He didn't want to make excuses for Todd Manning, but somehow, with everything that had been revealed since Todd came back to town at the Vickerman Premier all those months back, he knew it was true.  He grew up in a world of violence and degradation.  It didn't make his actions right, but it explained so much.  He said, "We must be almost there.  Can't believe this car doesn't have a GPS."

"Ah, ya wanted one of those?  I have it on this blasted contraption Todd gave me, I do."  He fumbled with his phone.

John said, "Too late for that, I think this might be the road."  He turned on to the next left.

Timothy said, "I want us to drive up and see Todd holding his son.  As if all is said and done, ay?"

"We can't be that lucky."

"Ya have the luck of the Irish on our side, John McBain, and ya, of all people, should know that."

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