Chasing the Monsters: 15

The next day, Jack went to open the door.  "Hello, Jack, is your mother at home?"  Dorian said, from the doorway at Unforgettable.

"No, she's not.  My dad's not either.  Aunt Tina was babysitting today, until I got here. Sam's upstairs, doing homework.  Ray's napping, Jewel's napping.  Anything else?"  He hadn't moved from the door to invite her in, and still held the knob in one hand.

"Isn't that a bit rude?" she asked.

"Maybe," he said.  

From behind her, he heard a familiar voice.  "Jack, that's not very nice," his father said, coming up behind Dorian.  

Blair was right behind Todd.  "I should say not.  Dorian's your aunt, young man."

Jack moved aside.  "Come in, Auntie Dorian," he said, clearly patronizing her.

Dorian stepped in, and Blair looked to Todd.  "God, he's so like you, Todd," she said.

"Your aunt really wins over us Manning men," he whispered toward her.  

Dorian had made her way into the foyer, and was standing there, looking around.  She said, "You two are just getting in?"

"Yeah, we were out on the town," Todd said, sarcastically.

"Blair, it seems different here in the foyer, is something new?"

Todd said, "It's the artwork.  We've added more of Momma's."

"Lovely," Dorian said, "especially this one," she pointed to a painting of Starr, holding Hope, and both were sitting on a brightly colored lounge chair with large, colorful, floppy hats.  "So darling."

Blair said, "What can we do for you, Aunt Dorian?"

"Yes, Auntie Dorian, how's it hanging?"  Todd added on, taking her wrap and smirking.

She raised one eyebrow, "It's fine, Todd, thank you.  I, uh, well, I'll get to the point.  I came to discuss Jack."

All eyes in the room landed on the teenager, and he looked from his mother to his father. "Me?  How did I get to be the topic of discussion?"

***

"Viki, if it's not an intrusion, I'd like to see Tina," Cord said, standing outside Llanfair.

"Well, Cord, I have to apologize, then.  It's never an intrusion, but Tina simply isn't here."

"Really, well, where is she, if you know?"

"She's on her way, likely.  She was babysitting today at Todd's.  She is the nanny for the children while Todd and Blair are working.  Sometimes, she's at The Sun, and other times, she's at Unforgettable.  Today, was a day at Unforgettable."

"Well, thank you, Viki, and it's always nice to see you," Cord said, starting to turn.

"Wait, Cord.  You can come in if you like, and wait for her?"  Viki offered.

"Don't mind if I do," he said, and followed her to the Lord library.  

She sat, and he did, and she said, "Your father is at the office as well.  I'm home early today because The Banner seems to be able to run itself these days."

"That's a good sign, right?" he said, smiling.

"Yes, I suppose it is."  

Nigel walked into the room.  "Mr. Roberts, can I get you anything?  Madame?"

"Nothing for me, Nigel, no, thank you."  Viki said. 

"I'd like a cup of coffee if it's not too much trouble," Cord asked.

Nigel nodded and left the room.  Viki said, "So, you've come to see Tina.  You won't mind me asking, Cord, what this is about?  I mean, after the other day . . ."

"You mean when she toppled me over onto the rug right there?  I don't hold a grudge much, you know that."  He was smiling, again.

"Well, then, I suppose that's a good thing."

"She wanted to see me, before I go back to the ranch.  Something about an apology.  You know Tina."

"Oh yes, I know Tina, indeed.  So, she got you here, just for an apology?"

"Seems like it.  That's what she said.  I offered to accept the apology on the phone, but she said she wanted to see me in person."

"I see," Viki said, and began to imagine all sorts of Tinaesque plans that her sister may have concocted.

Cord smiled again, and Nigel returned with the coffee.  Cord took it, sipped it, and then placed it gently on the coffee table, on the saucer Nigel had handed him.  "Great coffee, as always, that butler of yours makes."

"Yes, he's a gem."

"Speaking of gems, I uh, would like to ask you something, Viki."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Is it true that Tina tried to steal the Bhadra Diamond from Dorian Lord?"

Viki folded her hands and slightly rolled her eyes.

***

"You're the topic of the discussion, young man, because you've made a rather negative choice.  I'm here to back your father, and insist that you attend college,"  Dorian began.

Jack seemed startled, and like the older Manning man in the room, wasn't sure it was because she was backing Todd, or because of what she said.  He was speechless.

She continued, "This is ridiculous, thinking you can make it in today's world, without a college education.  Now, I know I am not usually aligned with your father," she said, slightly turning her gaze to Todd, who was still in his gray suit and had his arms folded over his chest, "but in this case, I am definitely on his side."

Blair slipped her hand delicately in Todd's arm, and leaned against him.  Both of them were at the base of the staircase, watching the events unfold.

"It's a little late for that," Blair said, under her breath, but loud enough for her aunt to hear.  

Dorian said, "Now, Blair, really.  I've not come here to hash out old tiffs."

"Tiffs?"  Blair was incredulous.  "Dorian, nothing you've ever had with Todd was a tiff.  More like battles.  Conflicts.  Wars."

"Can I say something?"  Todd raised his hand slightly, as if in school.

"No!"  Both Blair and Dorian responded.  He shrugged and leaned against the railing, listening, and let them continue.  

Blair said, "So, basically, you're too late and too little.  I've had enough, Dorian, honestly."

Jack raised both eyebrows at his mother's fervor.

Dorian said, "Must we go over this again?  Todd himself knows what I mean."

He shrugged again, and when he began to respond, Dorian cut him off, saying, "See?  As much as we disagree on everything else in the world, we do agree on our family.  Todd feels just as I do, about this.  Jack must go to college.  Starting in September."

Blair stepped in front of her husband who was just moving to talk.  She said, "Don't talk for my husband.  In fact, don't talk.  This happens to be none of your business."

"How is that so, Blair, dear?"  Dorian was containing her dismay at the insults.  "I helped raise that boy."

"Maybe, but it stopped when his father came back, and you did nothing but pull him down and try and separate us, as always."

"I did no such thing," she shouted.

Todd stepped forward, and Blair silenced him with an elbow, saying, "You certainly did.  You made it clear, every time something went wrong.  You didn't care what he went through, you just plowed on through, Ms. Auntie Righteous."

At that, both women were beginning to yell, so much so that it was difficult to determine who was saying what, or what was even being said.  Todd finally bellowed, "Blair!"

Both of them stopped and looked at him.  He said, "Dorian, I know you said this was about Jack, but it seems to really be about me, so I think I should be able to say something."

"Yes, Todd, you go ahead, you join right in.  I'm sure you agree that Jack needs to go to college, and get a degree,"  Dorian said.

"Actually, Auntie Dorian, this family has already moved past that," Todd said.

"Oh," she seemed taken aback, but relieved.  "Well, is that so?  I trust you've put down the foot of the Mannings, so to speak, and taken charge, then?"

He folded his arms again, and shook his head 'no.'

Her face collapsed.  "No?  No what?"

"I didn't take charge.  I listened to my son, and to my wife.  I want him to be happy.  If he doesn't want college right now, then he'll work his way up, from the very bottom.  But no, I'm not forcing him, or trying to force him, into anything that's about his own life and his future.  That was Peter Manning, not me."

She was speechless, and Jack, who was just watching the discussion as if it were a tennis match, got a very satisfied, smug look on his face as he folded his arms over his chest, and leaned himself against the side of the sofa.

Blair said, "Is that all, Dorian?"  She went to the door and held it open.

"Blair, I'm warning you," she said, beginning to walk, "to stand up for yourself and that son of yours, before it's too late."

"And I'm warning you, to reel it in before it's too late for you.  And you know what I mean," Blair said in response.

Dorian didn't say anything more, she just went to the door.  At the very last moment, she looked back and said, "Todd, I'm disappointed.  I thought for certain this was going to be a meeting of the minds, today."

"That meeting already took place among all of us, Auntie Dorian.  I'm listening to my son and what he wants.  I believe that's the right thing to do."  Then he changed his voice to an overly-cheery one and said, "Thanks for stopping by!" as she went out the door, and it slammed behind her.  

Blair went into the family room and plopped onto the sofa near Jack, who was perched on the arm.  "That woman!" she said.  "Infuriating!"

"She's not all that bad," Todd said, also entering the family room and sitting next to his wife.  He put his arm around her, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder. 

"She's not?"  Blair asked.

"No.  She was trying, and no one even noticed."  Todd said.  Jack turned his head back toward them and listened.

"Trying what?  To be a control freak again?  I've had just about enough of her kind of effort,"  Blair said.

"She was trying to make up for things.  She had a chance to be on my side, and she was . . . well, I think she was hoping that if she and I could be aligned on something . . ."

Blair's jaw dropped, and she said, "And then you would tell Timothy, and then . . ."

"Yep, that's the ticket," he said.

Jack said, "Why doesn't she just go tell Grandpa Timothy she's sorry and she loves him and junk?"

"It's not your Auntie Dorian to do that," Todd said.  "She just can't."  He paused, "Well, yet."

Blair looked up at Todd from his shoulder.  "You saw all that?"

"Sure.  I tried to talk, but no one would really let me,"  Todd said.

"That's true, he did,"  Jack backed his father.

"Maybe she'll see the light, and finally do what you said, Jack.  But it will take some time. That's just how she is."  He turned back to Blair.  "Remember when Starr had aplastic anemia, and I arranged the toy store visit?"

"She never did want you to be good with or for the kids.  She tried at every turn to ruin that."

"Well, she wasn't doing that today, she was looking to take my side.  I'd say it's an accomplishment. Took long enough!"

Jack stood up, and said, "This whole thing is weird.  She already had things straight with you, Dad, back when . . . well, you know when."

"Yep, and then, it all took a nosedive when my psycho father showed up.  His name should have been Charles Manson Manning, and of course, that's not my fault."  Blair was glad to hear him say this.  "But she had to blame someone.  Her nephew was missing, her niece was beaten," his voice crackled, "and her Blair was in a mess because of Todd again."

Blair looked at her hands, "No, Todd."

"Yes, Blair.  That's how it was, and that's how she saw it.  In her head, if you had never taken me back, none of that would have happened."

"Aw, she just should let all that go, Dad.  We all have.  You love Mom.  There wouldn't be a Ray or a Jewel if that happened.  She needs to suck it up,"  Jack said.

Todd was quiet a moment, "Maybe so, but that's why she said what she said.  And I bet she regrets it.  And it will take time, but she'll be at Timothy's door, sooner or later, taking it all back.  Or trying to, in her own way."

Jack said, "Well, maybe, but I don't care what she does anymore," and headed up the stairs, saying, "Gotta get my homework done, stuff like that, and get to sleep.  School in the morning."  He yawned, "It was a big morning at work today."

"Night, Son," Todd called.  

It was almost strangely silent in the family room, and Blair said, "Todd, you know she's wrong about you, don't you?  You know she's wrong about your role in my life."

He tipped his head and hugged himself across the chest.  "Maybe."

"Oh, Todd," she said, turning toward him, and using her hand to gently turn his face toward hers.  "She is wrong.  Look at our beautiful family.  All of it is worth it.  All of it is worth this."

He looked into her eyes.  "Would you tell me if it wasn't?"

"Wasn't what?"

"Worth it?"

"Yes, I would.  I would tell you.  But it is, Todd.  This beautiful family we made is worth it all."

"Come here," he said, unfolding his arms.

She folded into them.

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