Memories Unlocked #14

“Mr. Drake, go on, what happened next,” asked Li?

Li’s question brought Todd’s thought back to the children and he realized they were all watching him.  “Oops, sorry my mind must have wandered for a minute.  Now let me see where was I?”

“Kwan wanted to know if he could trust the dragon.” Said Li.

“That’s right.  Li, what do you think happened next?” Todd looked at his little friend.

Li shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Can anyone guess?” The rest of the children shook their heads no.

“I’ll tell you.”

The dragon roared angrily, “CAN YOU TRUST ME?” And he blasted the bushes steps away from Kwan. Then he turned his great swirling eyes on the boy. “If I had wanted to hurt you, I could have eaten you the first day you found me.  I didn’t because the girls helped me.  I give you my word and I’m honored bound to keep it.  Do you believe me?”

Kwan had felt the heat of the mighty blast and knew the beast was right.  If he had wanted to hurt them he could have done it many times.  “I believe you.  When my friends return we’ll begin.”

The rest of the children had actually become fond of the great beast and were eager to help Kwan.  Soon the boys had fashioned a leather boot and enforced it with bamboo shoots to give it stability.  The girls set to work weaving fine strips of leather scraps and made a harness to attach the boot to the beast’s leg and back.   Kwan stood back and looked at the massive boot they had produced.  

“It needs something strong to cover it.  The beast has scales covering his body, what can we cover the boot with that will work like scales?”

Lucia, the little girl who had initially wanted to help the beast, spoke up. “The crystal cave has many pieces of crystals just lying around.  We could cover the boot in those.  They are very strong.”  The children all agreed and went to the cave where they gathered many of the dark green, red and blue crystals covering the floor.  The next morning they took their creation down to the cove.

The dragon’s eyes widened as he saw the jewel encrusted boot the children brought him. It was a thing of beauty and his dragon heart swelled.   Never before had anyone gone to such trouble for him and then gifted him with such a treat. Dragons loved jewels and he was amazed the children were giving him so many.  He rolled onto his good side to give the children access to his leg.

Taking great care not to hurt the beast, Kwan and the boys put the boot on, then the girls used the harness they had woven to tie it securely to the dragon.  They all stepped back, watching the dragon and praying the boot would support him. The dragon took a deep breath and put his weight on the boot.  It worked.  He was finally able to stand once more.  The girls squealed, delighted that they had helped the great beast. Even Kwan and the boys cheered as he rose.  

The dragon looked around at the children that had aided him.  “Thank you all.  Now you need to move back.  I’ll need room to take off.”

The children did as he told them but then the girls realized he was leaving.  “Wait!” Shouted the little girl who had worked so hard to heal him.  “Don’t go, we want you to stay.”

The dragon turned his head and looked directly at her. “I must go.  I never had anyone care for me the way all of you did but I’m not a nice creature.  If your parents knew I was here they would try and kill me and I would have to hurt them.  For your sakes, it is best that I leave.”  To prove to the children just how dangerous he was, he blasted a tree with fire, just as he had done with Kwan.

The girls screamed.

“Now do you understand?”  The girl nodded, with tears in her eyes.  “Good,” said the dragon.  “Go on now, go back up the path, it’s time for me to go.”  The great dragon waited as the children ran for the path.  To his surprise, they didn’t leave but watched him from the top of the hill.  He unfolded his magnificent wings and slowly took a step.  The leg held and his steps became steadier as he headed down the beach and lifted off. He heard a sound coming from the top of the hill and realized the children were cheering.  He swooped down over them and nodded at them as they waved goodbye.  For the first time, the dragon was sorry he had to leave.  Even though he had tried to scare the children they still regarded him as a friend.  The great dragon flew away feeling the moisture leaking from his eyes, and he knew that he would always remember the children who had saved him.

Todd stopped talking and looked around at the children.  They were very quiet and then Blanca spoke up.  

“You’re leaving, aren’t you, Mr. Drake?”

Todd watched a single tear dropped down her cheek.  He rolled his chair closer to her and wiped the tear away. “Yes, I’m sorry.  You children have helped me so much, but I need to find out who I really am and from what I’ve already remembered, I’m afraid I might be a danger to you all.”

Blanca shook her head.  “No, you would never hurt us!  We love you.”  All the children nodded in agreement.

Todd choked back his own tears.  “And I love you.  But I have to do this.  I’m leaving tonight and I wanted to say goodbye to all of you.”  Blanca got up and gave him a fierce hug and suddenly all the rest of the girls came to do the same.  Li rolled his chair up to Todd and he held out his hand for Todd to shake.  Todd smiled and sincerely shook the small hand, knowing that Li didn’t want to appear all soppy like the girls.  The rest of the boys followed Li’s example.  Their goodbyes finished, Todd sent the children to their rooms. He had just closed the activity room for the night when the Code Blue alarm went off. He watched as the doctors now rushed down the hall and entered Lucy’s room.  He rolled closer to her room, and noticed the children had all come to their doors.  They were quiet and grave as they watched silently and waited for some sign that Lucy was going to be okay.

****

Starr slipped out of the bathroom and waited until the lady at the desk was busy with someone else.  She noticed a map on the wall and looked at it until she knew just where she needed to go.  Housekeeping was the closest to her so she headed down that hallway in a hurry.  She had to find her dad before her Mom found out she had left the hotel.  She rounded a corner and found herself in front of the housekeeping door.  She opened the door and found several ladies folding sheets and others getting buckets of water preparing to go out into the hospital. Starr looked around and saw a couple of men also helping but none of them were her father.

One of the ladies spotted her.  “Hey, are you lost?  You’re not supposed to be down here.”

“I’m looking for my dad.  Is Todd Barker here?”

The lady looked at her surprised and yelled back into the room. “Hey Todd, your daughter’s out here looking for you.”

A tall black man with gray hair came walking around the corner.” What daughter?  You all know I’ve been a confirmed bachelor since my Emma died.  I sure don’t have a daughter.” he drew up short as he spotted Starr.  Barker saw the sadness in the little girl’s eyes when she saw him.  His colleagues had started laughing at his words and he turned and glared at them. “Hush!”  He glanced back at the little girl.  “You were looking for someone else weren’t you?”

Starr nodded.

He knelt down in front of her.  “I’m sorry.  Why did you tell them I was your father?’

Starr shook her head.  “I didn’t.  I told them I was looking for my father and I asked if you were here.  I was told my dad was working at this hospital but the lady at the front desk said there were only two Todds working here and neither of you have my last name.  I thought maybe my father had changed his last name.”

“Why would he do that?”

“My mom and daddy had a big fight and she sent him away.  But he’s been gone so long and he swore he would never leave again.  He said he would always love me and then he did something wrong and disappeared. Mom’s been looking for him too.  We want him back but he doesn’t know it.  Then Mom found out he was here and we came to get him. but you’re not him.”  her voice trembled “I just thought maybe... “ She looked down at the floor discouraged.

Barker looked around, all of the other workers were standing listening to the child’s tale.  He knew they were as affected as he was by her story.   He reached and lifted her chin and looked her in the eyes. “Hey now, no need to look so glum yet. Didn’t you say there was another Todd working here?.  Maybe that’s your father.  Where does he work in the hospital?”

Starr brightened up, and gave a little smile.  She wasn’t done looking.  There was still the other guy she could check out.  “He’s supposed to work on the Children’s Ward.”

Barker frowned.  That was going to be a problem.  Children weren’t allowed on the wards unless accompanied by their parents.   “Is your mother here?”

Starr shook her head and crossed her fingers behind her back.  “She’s talking to some doctor but I didn’t want to wait.  Please, Pleassse, couldn’t you take me to the ward.  If I find Daddy, Mom will be so happy.”

Barker stood up rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  “I don’t know if I should.”

“Ah go ahead, Todd,” said the woman who had questioned Starr first, “You work here.  If anyone asks, just tell them you found her wandering the halls and thought she belonged on the Ward.”

Barker looked down at Starr. “Sure, let’s go see if your father is in that ward.” he held out his hand but Starr ducked under it and gave him a big hug.

“Thank you.  I know he’s going to be there, I just know it,“ Starr said happily.

Barker patted her shoulder and once again held out his hand and the two of them left in search of her father.

****

Blair was out of the cab the instant it stopped.  The whole ride from the hotel had been nerve-wracking.  All she could think of was the fact that Starr was wandering around in a strange city looking for her father.  Todd Manning, you better be here. Now your daughter is searching for you and she’s all alone.  If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive you.  Blair hurried down the walk to the hospital entrance, praying that Starr was inside.

Sam paid the cab driver as James finished getting out. Then they hurried after Blair. “Blair, hold up.  Do you really think Starr came here?”

Blair slowed her steps and stopped, waiting for them. “She has to be.  I know the way my daughter thinks.  She overheard us talking about Todd.  So she must have heard about the doctor and the hospital.  She’ll want her father to explain.  I just know it.”  Blair tried not to let her anxiety show. Her hands were sweating and she ran them down the sides of her slacks.  Starr had a bad habit of going off on her own and now she was extra motivated because she so wanted to see her daddy, Please God, let her be here.  Blair pushed open the door followed by Sam and James and entered the hospital.  They all headed to the information desk.

“Excuse me, have you seen a little girl?  She’s blonde with hazel eyes and is 7 years old.” Blair held her breath  hoping the answer would be yes.

The woman looked up at the three visitors. “A little girl. What? Oh yes, you must be her mother.  She went to the bathroom, but she told me you were looking for her father.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t much help, we only have two Todds on staff and neither of them is named Manning.  I tried to tell her that and I’m afraid she was very disappointed.” The woman looked around.  “I thought she was coming right back, I’m not sure what’s keeping her.”  

Blair also looked around then asked. “Did you tell her where the other two Todds worked?”

“Yes, I did. “ The woman looked bewildered.

“Thank you, she probably went looking for them.  Where did you tell her she could find them?” Blair waited for an answer. She knew Todd worked on the Children’s Ward but Starr didn’t.  

The older woman sighed, “I never thought she would go looking.  That’s not good.  Children aren’t allowed on the wards without parents.”  She checked through her records again. “One of the gentlemen works in housekeeping and the other on the Children’s Ward.  I’m sorry  I hope you find her.”  

Blair took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, letting the tension evaporate.  Starr was in the hospital and now all they had to do was find her.  She needed to get to Starr first.  If Todd was indeed seeing another woman, she didn’t want him upsetting Starr again. Blair thanked the woman and turned to Sam and James.  “Look, we’ll split up.  Sam, you check the bathroom, James, you go check out the housekeeping department  and I’ll head for the Children’s Ward.  We need to find her before she sees Todd.”

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