Chasing the Monsters: 5

"Aunt Tina!"  Sam shouted, running to the door.

"Yes, Little Man, it's me." 

"Yay!" Sam hugged her, and she petted his head.  

"How are you?"  she asked.

"Good!  Ray's awake, and so is Jewel.  Jack's at work with Mom and Dad!"

"I know.  Your Dad sent me over to watch you guys because Starr has to leave."

"I'm glad you're here.  We haven't seen you much."

"Well, I guess that's true."

"Why, Aunt Tina?"

"Well, I . . . I . . ."

"Sam, enough questions now.  Don't you want to play with Aunt Tina and Ray?"  Starr said, walking down the stairs.  She had Jewel with her, bundled in a little pink outfit, made for babies much younger than her, and a little pink barrette in her hair. 

"Oh my God," Tina said, "she is so beautiful."

"We didn't see you at the one year birthday party," Starr reminded.

"No, I . . . well, I didn't come.  I am still not quite up to any parties or anything," Tina said, slightly brushing it off, but also pushing back tears.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Tina.  It's not getting easier?"

"No, not yet.  But it will.  I am sure of it.  It's only been like eight months or something."

"Right.  And I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Starr."

Sam was watching the whole thing unfold.  He said, "What loss?"

"Uncle Eric.  He was Aunt Tina's husband,"  Starr said.

"Oh.  Sorry Aunt Tina, really.  Dad was sad, too.  He said that was the only brother he ever had,"  Sam added.

"Yes, he was."  She was filling up.  

Starr noticed.  "Sam, go and find Ray, will you?"

Sam disappeared and Starr handed Jewel to Tina.  Tina said, "My goodness, she is so perfect and tiny."

"She's sweet.  Very good baby."

"I think all of Blair's babies have been pretty good.  Ray was a doll as well, Sam seems to be a little sweetie.  Jack, well, I wasn't there for that.  And you, well, I wasn't there for that either, really."

"Jack was a sweet baby.  I was sweet until around, maybe 5 or 6.  Then, I became Todd Manning Jr." Starr said, smiling.

Tina laughed, "Well, that's not such a bad thing, I don't think."

Starr tipped her head to the side.  "You and my father are . . . closer now."

Tina nodded.  "We didn't get along much back in the day."

"Aunt Tina's here, Ray!" Sam said, holding Ray's hand and helping him down the steps.  "See?"

"Aunt Tina!  Pway with me?"

"Of course, that's why I'm here, Ray,"  she crouched down and hugged him.  

He hugged her neck and said, "I wuv you."

"I love you, too.  Now, what should we play, boys?"

"Huckle Buckle Beanstalk," Ray said, and was proud of how good he was getting at saying it.
  
"That's a mouthful.  What is it?"  she asked.

"We can teach you," Sam said. "Come on!"  The two of them dragged Tina onto the back patio, and Sam started to explain the game.  

Starr put Jewel into her carrier, and brought her outside.  "Hey, you forgot someone."

"Oops, how silly.  Sorry!"  The carrier was placed on the table, and the conversation about the game continued.

Starr headed out the front, to take Todd's driver into town, and home to LaBoulaei.

***

Blair roused Todd.  "Hey, you, come on, get up before someone comes by."

He sat up, off her.  His pants were still undone, and his shirt half opened.  "Whoa.  I'd better go get cleaned up."

"You do have me all over you," she said, smiling.  She stood, finding her panties, and went into the bathroom off his office.  "Not that this is a bad thing."

"No," he said, remembering her, for a moment, sitting on his desk.  He said, "But we'd better.  Jack's in the building as well, and if I am going to put him through the ropes, then we have to get it together."

"I'm just washing up really quick.  I'll be right out.  Why don't you go down to the nursery and take a shower?"  Blair suggested.

"I will," he said, standing up.  He zipped his pants, and put his belt back together.  "Mrs. Manning, I can't get enough of you.  You'd think that by now, we would have gotten tired of each other."

"Not necessarily.  Just because we've loved each other a long time, doesn't mean we're bored, Todd."

"You got that right," he said, heading out the door to the nursery.

Within a few minutes, Blair came back into the main office, and sat back on the couch.  She straightened her outfit, and fixed her hair with her hands.  "Todd Manning," she said, softly aloud, "I could never get tired of you."  She crossed her legs, and sat back, looking to the ceiling, thinking of her man, over her, just a short while before.

There was a knock at the door.  She got up and went to it.  "Dad, I didn't expect you."

"No, I can't say that ya would have."  Timothy came in.

"Hi," she said, leaning over to kiss him.  

He reciprocated.  "I came to see Todd.  I just came right over.  Seems there's some legal stuff regarding . . . Todd's father and Connie Bensonhurst's death."

She didn't like the sound of it.  In fact, it made her feel queazy.  "What is this about?  I mean, I guess it's not my business.  He'll be right back.  Can I get you anything, while you wait?"

"No.  How are ya, Bridgette?  Y'ar looking well since the last time I saw ya."

"I'm fine.  Perfect.  Or at least I was."

"Ya seem to have a lightness to y'ar step.  Any particular reason?" he asked, winking an eye.

"No, no particular reason."  

He sat down.  "I came directly.  Clearly, I have something to talk to Todd about."

"Well, as I said, he'll be right back."

"I spoke to Sam.  The Little Golden Boy, that he is.  We had a good talk.  He's struggling.  About his dad, and his biological father and grandad."

"I know.  We're aware.  He's in therapy.  So far, it's been better, but not perfect.  I worry about him as well."

"Well, perfect is not needed.  As long as he's coming along, progressing."

"I think so."

"The poor tyke."

"I know.  I agree."

"He's a special person, that little one."

"Yes.  I'm proud of him."

"He's so giving.  And sensitive."

"You know, when Todd was little, Bitsy said he was just the same way."

"Somehow, that makes sense to me.  He took everything to heart."  She stopped, and closed her eyes a moment.  Opening them, she looked at the picture on his desk of his children.  "Everything."

Both of them stumbled over the silence after that, because both of them were thinking about the same things.   Todd and how young he was, and how he'd had to deal with everything purely alone.  And, she now understood better than ever, how it had festered into deep and sometimes frightening anger.  

After a long pause, she spoke first, "Dad, sometimes, I  . . . it wakes me, in the middle of the night, thinking of him being abused like that.  It's too hard."

"Does he wake anymore?"

"No.  He's . . . he somehow moved on.  At least it seems it."

"Good.  It's time.  And for ya, as well."

"Hey," Todd said, coming through the door and fastening his shirt sleeve cuff, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"Hi, Son.  I came to talk to ya."

"What about?"

"Something has come up.  Has to do with y'ar father and Connie.  Ya might end up going out of town.  I'd be glad to go with ya."

"Go with you where?  What's this about?"

"Y'ar not going to like it."

Todd and Blair looked at each other.

"I need ya to come to Chicago.  Connie's estate, there's something Ribsky discovered that involves ya."

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Your comments are 'payment' for the work of the authors. Our writers like to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment when you read.