Chasing the Monsters: 1

"Is everything ready?"  Blair asked, walking around the kitchen, moving snack trays and unwrapping treats.

"Seems like it, Mom," Starr said, helping to set up a small buffet around the kitchen counters and the tables Todd had brought in.

"I can't believe she's one," Blair said.  "My little baby girl is one year old today."

"Yep," Starr said, peering into the carrier that Jewel was strapped into.  She was still small for her age, but she had outgrown the basket that Bitsy had woven for her months back.  "Right, Sis?"

Jewel smiled and cooed at Starr.  She put her hand into Starr's long blonde hair, and pulled at it.  Starr winced, playfully, and said, "Let go, Sweetie," and gently moved her tiny fingers.  "She's got a good grip for a very little girl."

"That's your sister," Blair said.  "Definitely a Manning.  She's strong."

"I know she is.  Like you, and Dad, and all of us."

Blair placed a tray of cut vegetables down and smiled at her elder daughter.  "I suppose that's true.  What's your father doing, do you know?"

"Um," Starr said, going to the door, "I think he's outside bossing the guys setting up the castle out there.  He's going all out."

"He always did, remember?"

"Yeah.  I do.  For the time he was with us," she said, a bit wistfully.  "I miss that Dad wasn't always around when I was little."

"I know, I do, too.  He regrets it, every day."

"Well, there's no sense in him doing that anymore.  It's in the past."

"You know how he is.  He holds on to things.  The only thing I can say different about is the incident last year with Peter.  He got over that faster than I ever imagined.  I think I know why."

"Why?"

"Because he spent his whole life suffering through it, different ways.  When Peter died, really, maybe it was just time for him to let go."

"I guess that's true.  Too bad Sam's not doing as well with that."

"No," Blair said, very pensively.  "He's still struggling.  He's seen Ray, it hasn't stopped his nightmares or him being scared.  Little Ray's all right, it just seems like nothing happened, where he is concerned, but Sam . . ."

"It will be okay, Mom, it's just taking time." 

Blair finally stopped puttering and looked directly at Starr.  "What about you, Beautiful?  Are you all right about it?  You went through a lot."

"Yeah, I'm fine.  I guess I'm more like Dad than we thought."

"Yes, you're your father's daughter.  You always were," she said, touching her daughter's cheek.  "I'm glad you're all right.  We were so scared.  Your father, he . . . he was terrified," Blair went off into a whisper, as she often did.

"I know he was.  I remember.  He . . . was crying, Mom.  That's what woke me that day.  But I turned out all right," Starr said.  "It took some time, but I'm like new."

"Lucky for us," Blair said.  She turned to her younger daughter.  "Are you ready for your party, Little Girl?"

The baby smiled and then laughed, softly.  Blair kissed her forehead.

Todd came through the glass doors.  "Hey, three beautiful girls in one place.  How did you all get in here at the same time?"  He looked into the carrier, "Hi, Little Girl, hi," he coaxed, and put his hand out to her.  

Jewel took his finger in her hand and held it.  "Da, da," she said.

"Yep, that's me.  It's your birthday!  Everyone's coming to see you get old."

"Oh, Todd," Blair said, "she's only one!"

"Well," he said, giving Starr a hug, "Shorty was just one, it seems like the other day, and she's all grown up and beautiful now," he touched under her chin.  Starr smiled.

"Don't start talking like this, I'll get emotional," Blair said.

The door slid open loudly and closed the same way.  "Dad!  I hid all those treasure things you wanted me to hide!"  Sam said.  "That was fun."

"Good, Sam.  That way the kids can look for the treasures when they're done playing in the castle bounce house."

"Do I have to go into the bounce house?  I'm too old for that."

"Who told you that?"  Todd asked.

"Jack.  And me.  I think so, too."

"Then you don't have to go in.  But, if you change your mind, you know you can.  There's no age limits in bounce houses,"  Todd said.

"I'm growing up," Sam said, and then took a cookie from the tray.  "I'm going to be ten soon."

"You are, that's right."

"Yep.  And that's why those old nightmares aren't going to scare me anymore.  Watch, Dad.  I'm over that."

"Oh, you are, huh?"  Todd said, lifting Sam onto his shoulder and flinging him around.  "You're over the ground, too."

"Put me down," he said, laughing.  He clearly didn't want to be put down, and pretended to fight it.  

Todd tossed him about for a few minutes, before putting his son back onto the floor.  Sam said, "Can we do that again?"

"Later on, sure.  Gotta get everything set.  Guests are coming soon.  Your sister is turning one.  Pretty big day."

"Yeah, she's still little, though.  Mom, will she grow?"

"Yes, she will, you know that.  You did."

"Yeah, I guess."  He finished his cookie.  "I'll go help Jack," and he ran outside.

Todd looked at his wife, who was a little flustered with flushed cheeks from working around the kitchen.  To him, she looked more beautiful when she was slightly mussed than any other time.  He went to her, and scooped her into his arms, and for a moment, Starr felt like he forgot she was even there.  He said, "Can you believe it's already a year since she was born?"

"It's hard to believe, I know."  She rested her hands on both his shoulders, on either side of his neck.  "Things are . . . so good."

"I'll go with that one," he said, leaning in to kiss her.

Starr cleared her throat. "Uh, hello?"

"Oh, yeah, Starr, sorry," he said, and then patted Blair's behind as he went back to the glass doors.  "Gotta finish out here."

Blair looked after him.  Starr said, "What's it like?"

Blair took a moment to turn to her daughter, "Huh?"

"I know I've asked before, but what's it like always feeling like that about the same man all these years?"

Blair touched the end of Starr's nose.  "He's not perfect, but I love him, so much.  And I wish this kind of thing, whatever it is we have, for you, every day."

***

An hour later, Sam was at the front door, greeting guests, and yelled out, "It's Grandma Bitsy!  Grandma!  Grandma!  Sister Becca Thrin!"

"Yeah, Gramma, Gramma!  Gramma Bitty!  Sister Beh Thrin!"  Ray mocked.  Both boys ran to her as she got out of the limo with Sister Rebecca Katherine.  Both were carrying packages with pink and yellow bows.  

"Ah, Sam, ya met us at the door.  What could be better?" the nun said.  Sam hugged her around the waist, and Ray hugged his grandmother, and then they switched.  The women both smiled and patted the boys on the heads.  Ray reached up for the gifts, but Sam said, "Those aren't yours, you Goofy Kid."

Ray laughed and ran to the house.

Bitsy said, "Sam and Ray, my two favorite little boys."

Sam was still surprised to hear his grandmother talking, so much so, it made him feel strange and second guess himself when she did.  He smiled at her, "I love you, Grandma!"

"I love you, too, now let's go see the baby and your parents," she said.

"I can take the gifts," Jack said, coming out of the house.

He was striking, and seemed much taller and older than she had seen him last.  Bitsy said, "That would be nice, Jack, thanks.  You . . . look so grown up."

"Thanks, Grandma Bitsy," he said, and took the packages from both his grandmother and aunt.   Everyone went inside, and Jack placed the gifts where his mother had set aside a place for them.

Blair looked up and said, "Momma," and hugged her, and then, "Sister Rebecca Katherine," and hugged her as well.  Bitsy went directly to the baby's carrier.

"Hello, Little One.  You're so beautiful," she said, now holding Ray's hand.  Ray, instead of running around and being customarily wild, was content to be by her side.  They had a sort of understanding and connection to each other that was evident to everyone.  He held her hand and stood close to her.  

Blair watched as he gently pulled at her hand, "Gamma, Gamma Bitty?"

She looked down.  "Yes, Ray?  What is it?"

"Pway with me?"

"Sure, what do you want to play?"

"Huckle Buckle Beanstalk."  She smiled and was amazed he could get it out.

"All right, just give me a minute here to say hello to everyone, okay?"

"Okay!"  He continued to hold her hand, and often stared up at her.  He was completely taken with her, and she with him.

Blair could feel a lump forming in her throat whenever she watched them together, and all she could think of was Bitsy's art and the little boy in the drawings, who was now her own husband.  She said, "Momma, Todd's outside, if you want to say hello."

"I will," she said, and led Ray outside by the hand.  It was her first time out of Mountainview, except for a doctor appointment follow-up or two, since the incident in Chicago the Spring before.  She walked into the yard, her flowered dress blowing a bit in the wind, her white cardigan hanging open, and, as always, she wore white socks in her loafers.  

Todd looked up from what he was doing and jogged toward her.  "Momma," he said, hugging her.

"Todd," she said, and lightly ran her hand over his cheek when the hug ended.

"No, not Momma, Daddy,  Gamma.  Gamma Bitty!"  Ray added.

"But she's my Momma, Ray."

"She is?" his voice went up high at the end of the question.

"Yes, Grandma Bitsy is my Momma.  Like Blair is your Momma.  I told you that before."

"Oh!" Ray's voice was sing-song and sweet and echoed in the yard.

Todd said, "Momma, it's good to see you."

"I'm happy to be here, Todd.  And, Jewel's so beautiful."  He nodded to her, and turned to respond to a call from a worker.  When he looked back to his mother, she said, "Go ahead, there's plenty of time."

He smiled, and jogged back to the castle area.  Bitsy said, "So, Raymond Thomas Manning, who else is here?"

"I don't know," the little boy said.  

"Let's go find out," she said, leading him around.

***

"Blair, it's Momma?" Addie said, coming in the partially-pen front door.

"Momma!" Blair said, hugging her, "Dorian's not with you?"

"I couldn't get her to come.  Her pride, you know how that is."

"I wish she'd get over it."

"I'm not sure about that, Blair, you know how Dorie is.  She's stubborn."

"I suppose," she said, turning back to her puttering.

Addie said, "She's miserable without him."

"Who, Timothy?  I suppose he is also.  They just need to move on, back to each other."

"She's stubborn, won't make the first move.  And she's the one who is wrong."

"Dorian's always had this thing against Todd.  Even he told Timothy not to pay attention to her, but he was determined.  She was pretty much out of line."

"Nothing we haven't heard before."

"No, Todd, either, but Timothy, he just . . . he didn't like it.  I guess he just had enough of her mean streak.  When he ever found out that she had attacked Todd, verbally, at the ER after the kidnapping . . ."

"He loves Todd.  A lot.  That's obvious."

"He does.  Todd's his only son, now, even though he's not been his father long.  He just didn't like her talking that way.  He just had enough."

"Maybe they'll get back together, someday?"

"Maybe," Blair said.  She turned back to her mother, and said, "Momma, how are you, really?"

"I'm fine, Blair.  I'm happy, and I'm glad to be well."

"I'm glad you're well, too, Momma."

***

Later, when the guests had all arrived, and the buffet was out, the Mannings had occupied a large section of a very long table, including Bitsy and Addie.  It was then that Addie attempted to make conversation with Jack, and asked, "So, Jack, which college and for what area of study?"

Jack, who was chewing at the time, swallowed, and said, "I've decided not to go to college."

The table became suddenly silent, and Todd, who was also eating, froze, mid-chew.  "You're what?" he said.

"I decided not to go to college, Dad.  I want to work with you, at The Sun."

Blair saw a look in Todd's eyes that she knew was going to be the fuel of quite a few conversations over the following weeks.  She broke the silence and said, "Really, when did you decide that?"

"Yesterday."

Todd repeated.  "Yesterday," and the family all looked in his direction.  "You decided yesterday?"

"Yeah.  You did it without college.  I want to get right into it.  Like you did, Dad."

Todd finally swallowed what he was eating.  

Blair said, "Can I get anyone anything else?"

Todd mumbled, "Tums."

Blair shot him a look, "Todd," she said, in a cautionary tone.

Jack ignored his father's response, and went on eating.  Timothy watched his son's actions carefully, and the rest of the table began small talk again.  Sam blurted out, "Jack's going to blow off college?  Wow, Dad.  You can save all that money for me, because I'm going to Yale to be a pedatrickan."

Blair said, "A pediatrician, Sam."

"I just said that," he answered.  "So, since Jack's not going, I get to go wherever I want."

Todd didn't answer, he just sent a glance toward Blair and went back to his eating.  Then he said, "You can go anywhere you want anyway.  Money's no problem.  And so will Jack."

"Ut oh!" Ray called out.

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