Chasing the Monsters: 47

"Come on, run!  Run, Ray, you can do it!"  Blair said, as her youngest son plowed around and under the legs and reaches of his father, grandfather and older brother in a mini football game.  

He is fast.  Like his Daddy.  

She poured iced tea over frozen cubes in some tall glasses and waited for the fallout.  Dorian, perched beside her on a patio chair, said, "That little one is as fast as lightening."

There was an outburst of cheering from Starr, on the sidelines, and both women looked back to the yard.  Ray had made it across the "goal line" and was dancing around crazily.  Todd, Timothy and Jack were feigning (perhaps, or was it real?) defeat and exhaustion. 

Blair noticed her husband was up, off the ground, first of the three.  He went to his son and picked him up and hugged him.  "Great job, Ray," he said, mussing his hair again, that was partially in a ponytail, going a short way down his upper back.  

Bitsy and Sam were on a bench, in the shade, and both shared a blanket (it was still cool in early evenings) while they practiced Sam's spelling words and talked quietly.  Sam wasn't much for sports at this point; he was more often seen playing a video game, reading or painting.  

Bitsy got up and approached the women, and pulled up a chair.  Jack was now up, extending a hand to his grandfather, and Todd walked over, with Ray in his arms, and offered a hand as well.  The two of them got Timothy safely off the ground, and Ray was laughing at him.  "Gwandpa's hair!  It's sticking up!"

Bitsy said, "Sam's so into his spelling bee."  Jewel was sitting in a miniature law chair, playing with two of her dolls.  One had no pants on.  Bitsy said, "You might want to dress her for company," to the little toddler, who smiled, and made her dolls dance.

"Sam always loved spelling, and words, and reading books," Blair said.  She glanced over, and he had taken out his miniature laptop, that Todd had bought him not a year ago, and was logging on.

"A very bright boy," Dorian said, and then back to the men, "Hey, watch out for your grandfather, Jack."

"The old man is fine, if that's what y'ar worried about," Timothy answered, and the three of them, with Ray in Todd's arms, walked toward the house.  Todd put Ray down, and the boy proceeded immediately to begin running around the yard again, this time kicking the ball and chasing it.  As his youngest son ran off, Todd caught sight of Sam on his laptop, intently typing.  He said, "Thanks for the iced tea," and took his glass, heading off toward Sam.

Dorian said, "Blair, I really have to say that I'm glad to be here today," she took Timothy's hand as he sat down, "and to have reunited with this man here."

"I am glad, too, Aunt Dorian," Blair said.

"And I'll say one more thing.  I do want to give it time before saying too much, but I think I've been wrong, again, about that man there," she nodded toward Todd, who was making his way to Sam and the bench.  "I've been wrong before, and I've also been right.  This time, I believe I've made a mistake."

"Thank you, Dorian," Blair said, and she was moved.

Bitsy said nothing; she was watching Little Ray run around the yard, his ponytail bouncing in the back, and a huge smile on his face.  She blurted out, "That was Todd; he's so much like him."

"Gamma Bitsy, Gamma Bitsy!" the little boy cried out, "Come on!  A bug!  A big, big bug!"

She smiled, and got up, walking to him.

"That woman is a miracle," Dorian said.  "And I haven't even heard it all."

Jack said, "Yep, and she's pretty cool."

"Seems like you all love her, that's important," Dorian said.

Over in the shade, Sam was not ready for Todd's approach, in fact, he was so engrossed in what he was doing that he never noticed his father coming.  Todd, holding his iced tea and walking with his strong, confident gait, took his time, and then Sam, finally noticing, hurriedly closed his laptop as Todd sat beside him.

"It's a surprise," he said.

"I like surprises," Todd answered.

"I love Grandma Bitsy and Grandpa Timothy.  Why can't they be married?"

"They're not in love.  Grandma is still working things out, and Grandpa is in love with Auntie Dorian."

"I think they should be married, though.  Don't you?"

"Well, it doesn't always work that way."

"Yeah, I guess."

"So when do we see your surprise?"

"Sometime."

"Okay, wanna come over and hang out with us now?  It's almost lunch."

"Yeah, okay."

As Sam walked away, it was then that he had a sudden realization.  The boy had gradually become sullen, sad.  He knew it was likely a result of the aftermath of Peter's attack and losing Mixie, but there was something else.  For a moment, he mentally chastised himself for not noticing before how different Sam had become.  Was it maturity, or something else?  He was tempted to grab the laptop from him, and see what he had been orchestrating as the "surprise."  But, he knew that would hurt Sam, and he didn't want to scare or hurt his son.  It would take something else; he'd figure it out.  And he might just enlist the help of someone else.

***

The day progressed, uneventfully.  After a good lunch, the adults, except Bitsy, retired to the family room, and the kids were either in bed or playing in their rooms.  Bitsy and Sam were commiserating on a new painting.  She had already put Ray and Jewel to sleep.

Todd, Blair, Timothy and Dorian sat by the fireplace, talking over the antics of the kids.  Starr had just left; she was on her way to put her own daughter to sleep for the night.  Timothy was reflecting on the past year, and the things he'd lost - especially Eric.  

Todd said, "But you had a chance to see him, at least, make things right, and be there, you know. . ."

"Yes.  I think I've actually said those things to ya myself."

"Yep, that's where I got them.  Figured you needed to hear yourself back to yourself."

"The children are wonderful," Dorian said.  "They light up the world, don't they?"

Everyone agreed, and Blair said, "We're so fortunate."

Todd said, "Yeah, we are, but, uh, I don't like what's going on with Sam."

Blair said, "He's just going through a phase.  Growing up.  The nightmares are taking a lot out of him."

"You said he had less," Dorian said, "Since Bitsy taught him the painting?"

"Yes."

"He's such a dear tyke."  Timothy said.  "He does seem less . . . expressive."

"More to himself," Dorian agreed.

Blair looked at Todd, and he connected with her eyes, in a way that made her both relieved and concerned at the same time:  relieved that he knew something, and afraid of what he knew.  She said, "He'll grow out of it."

"Certainly," Timothy said, looking at his watch.  "Dorie, what do ya say?  We've got a long way to drive."

"Yes, I guess we should go," she said, standing, and he did the same.  

Blair walked them out, with Todd behind her, holding her hand.  "Thanks for coming, it meant a lot to the kids and to us."

"See ya later, Bridgette.  Keep this one in line," Timothy said, kissing Blair's cheek. 

The door closed behind them and Blair turned to her husband.  "What's this about Sam?  You know something."

"I don't know something, I suspect something.  Something's scaring him, and it's not just Peter "Freak" Manning's attack a year ago." 

Bitsy appeared at the bottom of the stairs.  "Everyone's in bed, except Jack."

"Thank you, Momma," Blair said.

"Sam's all right, for now," she added.  "He does seem troubled.  He's nothing like the little boy I met at St. Anne's Hope Weekend."

"No, he's different. He's growing up, and . . . other things," Blair stumbled.

"Has he ever said anything about something else scaring him, to you, Momma?"  Todd asked.

"Peter scares him, death scares him.  You and Blair being gone, scares him tremendously.  He's afraid of losing his family.  It permeates everything.  He's such a dear."

"Anything to do with that computer?"

She looked puzzled.  "Not that I can think of, Todd.  Why do you ask?"

He relayed to both of them the event at the picnic, and how Sam had reacted.  Bitsy said, "He's never discussed that with me.  What about Jack?  Jack's tech savvy.  Maybe he knows something?"

"He's my son," Blair said, ringing her hands, "I should know what's wrong with him.  I mean, he goes to therapy, for God's sake."

Bitsy seemed uncomfortable for a moment before Todd spoke, "It's all right, Babe.  Could be nothing,"  he reassured his wife.  "And it's not just you.  None of us realized it, if it's what I think."

Blair hugged herself, and Bitsy watched them in silence.  

Todd said, "I'm bound and determined to find out.   Going to have a talk with Jack.  Good idea, Momma."  He headed up the stairs.  Blair went to the couch in the family room and sat down, staring off into the fireplace.

Bitsy followed her, and sat as well.  After some silence, the older woman said, "I know what you're feeling."

"He's my son.  I should know these things."

"You're a good mother, Blair.  I've seen it, and you are.  Your babies come first."

Blair didn't respond, simply for the fact that she knew the immense guilt that Bitsy was grappling with.  And, as she sat there next to her, she started to feel that Bitsy was right about herself.  As Todd's mother, she hadn't done what needed to be done to protect him.  She had let him down, even though it wasn't intentional, because she simply wasn't strong enough to fight it.  These thoughts Blair pushed away, feeling angry with herself for allowing them to seep into her consciousness, and instead said, "Thank you."  She just sat quietly, keeping her recent thoughts to herself, and thinking of what could come next for her son.

***

"Hey, Jack, you busy?"  Todd said, poking his head into his son's room.

Jack pulled the earbuds out of his ears and said, "Hey, Dad, no, why?"

"I wanted to talk to you, about something."

"Sure, go ahead."

"I was wondering, it's about your brother, Sam."

"That little puny nut?  Sure, whatever."

"Don't call him a nut.  Your mother and I are worried about him.  He's been acting so differently."

"Well, he is kinda weird."

"What do you mean?"

"To himself more.  He used to want to play, or mess around.  Now he's just sort of, I don't know, a loner?  To himself, or something?"

"What do you think it's about?"

"Mostly?  The 'bad man.'  Whoever it is this week."  Jack rolled his eyes.

"Jack, that's a little insensitive, right?"

"Maybe.  But it changes.  Mostly, it's your father . . . I mean, Peter.  Sometimes it's not.  It's just a bad man, or sometimes it's even Zeus."

"Zeus?"

"Yep.  He has a list of 'bad men,' I guess.  Sometimes they don't have faces."

"Jack, I have something important to ask you."

"Sure, go ahead.  I don't mind."

"Is the bad man ever . . . me?"

"What?" Jack laughed, "Heck no!  You're the hero in most of them, or else you're the dragon, or the dragon is the hero."

"The dragon," he said, gazing off.

"Yeah, Dad.  When you were gone, Mom told stories about the dragon, to all of us.  We all knew it was you, even though you weren't around.  I know that sounds strange, but I guess I mean, we all know NOW that it was you the whole time.  Zeus just never cut it, where Mom was concerned.  I always knew that; Starr kinda got sucked in.  She just loved you so much, Dad.  She had to have you there, Mom too."

He swallowed.  "Not sure what they were so enamored with."

"Hey, that's an SAT word.  Enamored.  Anyway, they were enamored with you.  I didn't know you, much, before . . . well, you know the history."

"Back to Sam, okay?  Does he . . . is there something on the computer he is spending time on or afraid of?"

"Uh, I don't know.  Well, maybe.  He's sort of like into gaming?  Because of me, probably.  There are some scary games on there."

"Could that be making him afraid more?"

"Yeah, I guess.  You want me to check on it, like, take his laptop from him and figure it out?"

"I don't want him upset, or anything, Jack.  It's bad enough."

"No, he gave me the password.  The goofy little runt trusts me a lot."

"Then, yeah, that would be good."

"Okay.  I'll have to check tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Because he sleeps with it.  I mean, he keeps it near him.  Sometimes, he brings it in his tent with him."

"Really?" Todd said, getting a growing sick feeling in his stomach.

"Yeah, sometimes."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Go get it, will you?"

"Now?"

"Yeah.  If he's up, well . . ."

"I'll tell him I want to use it.  He won't care.  Something's bad, right Dad?"

"Something's . . . well, something is concerning us.  Can you get it?"

"Yep."  He got up off the bed and went out of the room.  Todd waited for his eldest son and sighed.  Looking around the room, it had all the elements of a teen boy's room, and Todd realized that soon, Jack would be gone, and Sam would have his pick of the rooms left, and then Ray would move into his own space.  A slight lump formed in his throat when he spotted a picture of Jack as a baby with him and Blair.  It was at La Boulaie, and Jack was in all white.  Clouds cleared as he realized it was Jack's christening.  He blinked.

Jack came back in with the laptop and signed on.  Todd said, "Was he awake?"

"No.  Surprised, but he wasn't."

"He doesn't sleep well," Todd thought of himself.  What if they were wrong?  What if Peter somehow . . .

No, Manning.  Cut that shit out.

Jack said, "Well, he's not got too much game action on here after all.  The last one he played was NBA 2013.  There's nothing scary about that."

"Well, check the history then."

"Nothing much here, except . . . huh?"

Todd admitted to himself that Jack's reaction startled him.  "What?"

"He's on Skype, Dad.  A lot of times."

"Skype?"  Todd could only think of one thing.  

A predator has my son.

"Let me see it, Jack."  Todd said, snatching it away from his son.  He clicked around and saw that the settings were off.  "It's got no chat record."

"You can shut that off and turn it on,"  Jack said, and he pointed, "see?"

"Yeah, I see."  Todd felt sick.  But at the same time, he didn't want to alarm Jack, so he said, "Kids today, they get into everything.  I'm just going to set it to record who he's talking to, so we can make sure he's okay.  You with me on this?"

"If you're asking if I can keep it quiet, then yeah.  He's too trusting.  Could be anyone.  Things aren't safe these days online."

"All right, then.  I'll save these settings, and we'll wait it out.  Can you put it back?"

"Sure, but there's no need to.  He'll come and get it if he wakes up or in the morning."

"Then, let's leave it on, maybe something will happen overnight?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea.  If I get to skip school tomorrow, I'll stay up and watch it?"

"Hmf, good try.  Let's just see what happens.  Whoever it is won't talk to you or me anyway, when they see us."

"Okay."

"Thanks, Jack, for this.  And, uh, let me tell your mother, my way."

"All right.  But maybe you'd better wait until you know it's not just a little girl from 4th grade."

"Not a bad idea."

"Night."

"Night, Jack," Todd said, and walked out of his room.  He leaned against the wall outside Jack's door.  

What if some freak is after my son?  Simple.  I'll kill the bastard.

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