Failings of the Fathers: 22

The next few minutes were filled with Blair's cries and Todd's prodding.  Inside, he was fearing any slight mistake he might make that could cost him his daughter or his wife, or both of them, since he knew that she would never survive the death of this baby.  Bitsy was crying continuously, without sound, and holding Blair's hand and continuing to wipe the sweat from her brow.  Finally, Blair let out a final exasperated and long cry, and fell back against the bed, breathing hard.  Bitsy got up, and went to the side, to see her grandchild.  Todd was quiet, concentrating.  And it was then that it happened.

Todd brought his hand out from under the edge of the sheet, and in it was his daughter.  Unlike Ray, she was making noise as soon as she came into the world, and her tiny cries demonstrated healthy and well-developed lungs.  She was able to breathe on her own, though she was small enough that her body rested in his palm, with her head lolling slightly on his fingertips.  Bitsy covered her mouth with her hand, and tears dropped to her chest.  

Another angel.  She's alive.  The dream.

One thing Todd remembered, somehow with crystalline sharpness, was cutting the umbilical cord for Jack, so he wrapped Jewel in a towel, and placed her on Blair's chest.  He proceeded to cut it the same way Dr. Troy had coaxed him through when Jack was born.  Blair was still lying there spent, unable to lift her head, with her hand resting on her daughter, who was crying loudly.  Between breaths, Blair cried and called his name, and thanked him repeatedly.  Bitsy was brought to sobs, and cried into her hands, as Todd double checked to be certain everything was tied off correctly, before tending to the baby and his wife.  He helped support Blair's head so she could see Jewel on her breast, crying and moving gently in the firelight.  Blair said, "Oh my God, Todd, you saved her.  She's . . . everything."

After Blair saw her and touched her face, he brought the baby into the bathroom, and instructed Bitsy to gently wash her in the sink basin.  While his mother did this, he went back to Blair, knowing soon she would deliver the after-birth, and he had to be certain she would not hemorrhage.  He looked at the clock.  It had been over and hour.  Where's the fucking ambulance?  Suddenly, fear gripped him.  What if Blair started to bleed. . .

Bitsy brought the baby back into the room, wrapped in a new white towel, and put her onto Blair's chest again.  Tired from the labor, she looked at her daughter and smiled.  "She's perfect, Momma.  She's ours."

Bitsy nodded, still crying.  Todd was working to assure Blair's safety as best he could.  Finally, seeing that everything was seemingly all right, he called Dorian back and described what had occurred, step by step.  Getting a vote of confidence, he quickly cleaned up the mess, throwing all of the towels into a plastic bag, and then, washing his hands, went back to Blair and the baby.  He sat next to them on the bed, and said, "She's just like her mother, already making noise."  Blair fumbled with the buttons on her nightie, and he reached over and undid them.  She placed the baby on her chest, so their skin met, and draped the towel over the baby to keep it warm.  Within a few moments, Jewel was quietly nursing.  

Todd said, "That was fast!" and Blair laughed.  

"She's smart, takes after her Daddy."  Even though he knew she was all right, her voice sounded so small and childlike.

He said, "Look what you did, Blair?"  At this point, his tears fell without his trying to stop them.  "Look what you gave me.  Another piece of us."  He kissed his wife on the mouth, and stroked her hair.

She said, "You're the one who made her get here okay.  She . . . could have died, Todd, and I would have.  Thank you," the last part she whispered.

"But she didn't.  She's all right, look at her?  She's so . . ." his voice broke.

Bitsy got up and went to the door.  She looked back at the two of them, wanting to memorize the picture of them holding their daughter for the first time.  She made her way to her room, stopping in Jack's.  He was up, sitting in the dark, waiting, it seemed.  She walked in, and wrote on Jack's mini whiteboard,  Your mother is fine, Jewel was born.  Your father made her okay.  She's tiny and beautiful, Jack.

"Just like you drew her."

She nodded.  

"Good," he said, "they don't need anything else bad, ever again.  And no more death."

She agreed with him.

"Thanks, Grandma.  The ambulance should be here soon."

She nodded, and went to her room.

Back in the master bedroom, Todd watched his new daughter and her mother and said, "Thank you."

"No, thank you, Todd.  When did you figure out she was turned wrong?"

"When I saw her little foot instead of her head.  She was small enough for me to kind of push back up, and then turn.  She actually turned herself after a while."

"I know, I felt it."

"She's all right now, that's what matters.  And you."

"I'm fine," she said, and the baby had fallen asleep.

"I'm going to clean you up a little.  But I need one thing, be right back."

He left the room, and Blair closed her eyes and dozed, with Jewel on her chest sleeping.  In a few moments, she was alerted by the sound of him returning.  He took a delicate pink blanket and wrapped the baby in it, similar to a burrito, the way he had read.  Then he placed her, gently, into the basket that his mother had made for her.  She fit perfectly.  Leaving her sleeping there at the foot of the bed, he cleaned Blair up with warm washcloths and redressed her.  At the end of this, the paramedics were banging on the door, and Jack, who was still awake, bounded past them to get to the stairs.  "I'll let them in, Dad."

When the EMTs returned, Jack followed them in.  He said, "Mom, you okay?"

"Yes," she said, groggy and finally slipping into a state of comfort.

Todd said, "Meet your new sister," and showed Jack the basket.

"Wow," he said, "she's really puny.  But she's so cute.  I never saw anything so . . . perfect."

The medics checked Blair and the baby.  Jewel weighed four pounds, three ounces, but she was, miraculously, perfect in every way.  Blair and Todd's new daughter were deemed well enough to remain at home, instead of facing the driving snow and the hour trek to the hospital.  They gave Blair some medication, and left Todd with instructions and the directive to get her into a doctor for a full evaluation soon.  Most of it he somehow knew.  He didn't have his tablet for nothing, or his research skills.  It was always the norm for him to investigate important topics, and the birth of his child was the most important topic he could think of.  

Since both of his girls were finally all right, he could finally breathe and soak in the reality of his world.  

It makes no sense that I should have all this.  

He took the baby's basket and set it on the bed next to her mother.  Then, he was able to climb in next to Blair and hold her gently as she slept.  

Jewel also slept, in her pink basket, with her hand under her face and splayed over her cheek.

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The Mysterious Samuel Toddman: Chapter 10

Alex entered the hotel and headed straight to the bar. She couldn't believe he was immune to her charms. Everything had started out so well with the exception of the tumble, but even that had worked in her favor. Alex caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. She looked beautiful and she knew he had thought so too, but just as things had started to heat up, he had suddenly turned off. It was disconcerting. Strangely it was also fascinating and one of the things that had always drawn her to Todd. She had never been able to get a good read on him.

Alex sat down at the bar and ordered a drink, "I guess I should give Carlo a call, he wanted to know when I made contact, and I've done that. I hope I can get him to understand what happened . Ummph I'm not sure I understand." She pulled out her cell phone and made the call.

Carlo looked at his phone. It was Alex. He answered,"Yes my dear, tell me you have good news."

Alex took a quick drink, then answered. "Carlo Darling, I do have some news. I made contact with your Mr. Toddman this evening. I don't understand Carlo. He looks like Todd Manning, but he didn't know me, and I know Todd is in Llanview but has a different face. What the heck is going on?"

Carlo replied, "Alex dear, you shouldn't worry your pretty head about that. Just tell me. Were you able to get him interested in you? Do you think you'll be able to get him to Llanview?"

Alex thought and took another drink.  She had to tell him something but how to spin it so Carlo would think everything was going as planned. "Well we've made a tentative date to see each other again. Tonight was just the start, he'll be following me to Llanview in no time." Carlo didn't have to know tonight had been a bust and she wasn't lying exactly, Samuel had said if he found the time they might get together.

"Excellent, Alex, Now remember you have to keep him from seeing Blair. I'm counting on you. I have a few things on my end that need to be seen to. I'll let you know when I need him in Llanview. Goodnight my dear." Carlo hung up.

Whew, she had managed that well. It gave her a little time but now she had to figure out how she was going to accomplish the impossible. She didn't even know where Samuel lived, much less how to make contact again.  Alex was exhausted, nothing else was going to happen that night.   She paid for her drink and headed for her suite. Tomorrow something would turn up and she would be able to continue Carlo's request.

Once in her suite, Alex went and started a hot bath. She needed to unwind and she needed to go back over the night. As she rested in the comforting bubbles she went back in her mind to that first shock. Looking up at that familiar yet slightly different face and hearing his voice. God, she had never expected that. He was Todd, but he wasn't. His concern and the gentleness he showed when helping her up was so not "Todd". And when he had tried to cover his scars because he didn't want to make her look at them, he'd been ashamed of his looks. She'd felt sympathy for that man, that was why she had stopped him from covering the scars.

Todd had never liked his scar, but he had always worn it as a statement that it was him and everyone who didn't like it could shove it. When Samuel had taken her hand and given that gentle kiss, it had been his way of thanking her. She looked at her hand, surprisingly, she really wanted to get to know Samuel. He was quite charming. This could be quite a nice diversion in her somewhat humdrum existence right now. Alex stepped out of the bath wrapping the towel around her. Yes, somehow she was going to make it happen. She was going to get Samuel and she might not let him go.

Carlo hung up and looked at the phone momentarily. Chuckling softly, he thought of Alex. "Something tells me you're not telling me everything my dear, but no matter, my sources are there keeping an eye on things, they'll keep me informed." He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a file. The label on the top read Samuel Toddman/Todd Manning. He opened it and began reading.

' March 2003, Cherryvale Clinic ER report of Trauma physician on duty.

Called to the Er in the early morning hours. Discovered a severe Trauma case had been brought in . Patient's brother informed us his brother had been in a severe auto accident and had just crawled free when the car had exploded. Patient has severe third degree burns on his hands, numerous broken bones all over his body, a severe laceration the right side of his face extending from his eye to his chin, and massive internal bleeding. Immediate efforts were taken to find and stop the internal bleeding, after numerous hours on the operating table and almost losing him twice, patient was stabilized. Three units of o-neg. blood was transfused to bring patient up to acceptable blood volume. Patient had yet to regain consciousness and was going to need numerous more surgeries to repair all the damage. Against medical advice patient was removed to a private facility on family's orders.'

Carlo still recalled Alex's plea for help when they discovered Manning on the side of the road. He hadn't wanted to help.  Manning had been a thorn in his side for a number of years stemming back to his interference in "The Men of Twenty-one".  He had agreed to help only if Alex would let him handle everything.

He sent Alex home and called some of this business partners and they had staged the car crash and fire.  While that was being staged, he kept an eye on Manning who was barely alive but hanging on.  As quick;y as the car blew he was on the phone calling 911.  He had instructed his men to burn Manning's hands to prevent identification, Manning had been so out of it he never felt it.  By the time the ambulance from Cherryvale arrived the car was fully engulfed and only he and his driver and his poor hurt "brother" remained.

To his surprise Manning survived. The man was really remarkable. He really was like a cat with nine lives. With his "brother " stabilized, Carlo decided to move Manning.  Cherryvale was too close to Llanview and obviously someone wanted Manning dead.  It was then that Carlo had an idea how to make all this work for him.  He sent Manning to his private clinic outside of Philadelphia and began putting his plan in motion.

Carlo decided he could use this situation to his advantage. He had promised Alex he wouldn't let Manning die. He never promised how he would let him live. Carlo and his doctors had been working for some time on a memory transference project. Manning was a captive audience and a perfect subject to test their theories on but Carlo also needed a patsy to give the memories to. That night he sent out his men to find someone of the same general height and coloring. They would also need to match his blood type, if Carlo's plan was to work, so they were told to check all blood banks for a suitable candidate. Someone down on his luck who was willing to sell his blood. Carlo's instructions, "Bring him in alive but barely."  Such a man was found that night. Although beaten severely, he was perfect for Carlo's plan. That became the Night of the two Todds.

Carlo continued to look at the file. Todd Manning had proven to be quite a challenge. It had taken the doctors quite a while to track down all of Todd's memories because they had kept coming up with blocked areas they couldn't penetrate. They gleaned all the memories concerning his wives, his children, his sister Vicki and all of his connections to the Lord Family;   Whenever they had attempted to go farther into his memories concerning his adopted father Peter Manning it was like they encountered a brick wall. No matter what they tried, from the experimental machine to deep hypnosis, they were never able to get those last memories. Carlo had made the final call that they would work with the memories they had and they had begun indoctrinating Todd 2.

Todd Manning improved slowly. The doctors put one of their own barriers around the memories they had taken from Todd and secured it with a deep hypnotic suggestion that if he tried to recall those memories he would experience excruciating pain. Then it was decided to move him to Philadelphia General for more surgeries under the name of John Doe.

Todd went through the surgeries and remained in a coma for about 3 months. The only item that had been found on Todd that night in March had been a safe deposit key, when the doctors said they could find no memory of it, Carlo again made the decision to let it go with him to the hospital. If Carlo had realized the significance of that key, he would have destroyed it.

Carlo had daily updates on Manning's condition the whole time he was in the hospital and was alerted when Manning woke up. When Manning woke up Carlo and his doctors had expected him to not remember anything; they had never expected him to remember a name. No one was prepared for the reveal that he was Samuel Toddman. Carlo remembered thinking "Who the hell is Samuel Toddman!". Although he looked into it, Carlo had never been able to figure out why Todd called himself Samuel Toddman.

It soon became apparent that although he had a name he remembered little else and every time he tried to push his memory he had severe pain. The doctors at the hospital finally convinced him that he should concentrate on getting well and that his memories would return when they were ready. Just before the doctors released Manning, a large amount of funds were delivered in his name. After paying his hospital bill Manning had disappeared. It was just by chance that Carlo's spies at the airport discovered that a Mr. Toddman had a ticket to Paris France.

Once in Paris, Samuel had again eluded his associates. It was early in 2004 that an Art dealer of Carlo's acquaintance had called to tell him of a new artist he might be interested in. Always on the lookout for good art he had made the trip to Paris only to find himself staring at a very familiar face. There on the wall in front of him that day had been a picture of one Blair Manning and he knew only one man in Paris would know that face. Mr Toddman was an artist. Who would have thought that Manning could produce such beautiful work. Although his men hadn't found out where Mr Toddman lived, they were able to find out where he banked and ate sometimes. Carlo was kept informed when a new painting would show up. It had continued that way for seven long years until three days ago when Blair Cramer had shown up looking for the artist and carrying one of Samuel's pieces.

When Tomas's assistant had called, Carlo knew it would only be a matter of time before his whole charade would start to fall apart. The experiment had definitely been a success. Todd 2 had recovered in the clinic and had thought he really was Todd. He had set about making plans to change his looks thanks to the deeply implanted suggestion to do so, and had found Walker Flynn and bought his face. For seven years he had been Todd Manning and lived his life, he had raised Todd's kids. There was a moment when it looked like he might even be executed. All that time he truly believed he was Todd Manning. Recently Todd 2 had been showing signs of paranoia and more quirkiness then usual. After talking to the doctors at the clinic it was believed that he was beginning to unravel. Could Samuel also be experiencing some unusual occurrences?

Carlo closed the file. it was time to pull out of everything before the plan tumbled. His anonymous association with all of Todd's companies had proven very lucrative, but before he got caught in the firestorm that was sure to happen once Toddman's memories returned; he needed to remove his shares. Then he could sit back and watch the Manning/Lord house of cards fall.

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Failings of the Fathers: 21

"Grandma, is she okay?  You look upset?"  Jack said, as Bitsy stumbled into his room.  It was very dark, and he shined his cell phone toward her so she could see to write.  Taking out her miniature pad, she scribbled urgently.  Ambulance.  Your father said, now, hurry.

Sam cried, "No," and hurled himself onto Jack with enough force to almost knock the teen over.  "No, Jack, the baby can't die!  No!" he sobbed.

Jack attempted to comfort his brother as well as he could, and Bitsy stepped forward.  Tears had been constant on her face, but her expression was never one of despair.  She gently removed Sam from Jack, and transferred him to herself.  He clung to her like moss, and Jack noticed that she was extremely strong, even though she was diminutive in size.  His hands free, he called an ambulance, and also thought about alerting Shaun.  But, he thought better of it, and watched as Bitsy held Sam and shushed him, mildly, and rubbed his back in small circles.  Sam was crying so hard he was having trouble catching his breath.

Bitsy signaled to Jack to come and take his brother.  She took her pad and wrote fiercely, her face showing determination.  The baby does not die.  Remember, the dream and the drawing?  The baby lives.  She will be okay.

Jack read it aloud over Sam's shoulder.  Sam gathered his breath long enough to answer.  "No, dreams are not real.  Dad told me.  Dreams are just in our heads.  They can't hurt us and they can't be real, either."

Jack said, "Sam, stop crying, now.  The baby is not even born yet."

From the distance, they could hear Blair crying and yelling in pain.  Sam jumped, and said, "Why does Mommy cry like that?"

"Because it hurts.  It's just the way the human body is.  It hurts to have a baby."  Jack said.

"Why, that doesn't make sense?  It should be the best thing ever."

"It is the best thing.  Mom said that.  It just . . . hurts.  It's a lot of work."  Jack tried his best and could see his grandmother again jotting down things rapidly.  She held up the pad, and he read it.

Mommies don't even remember the pain after, because they are so happy with their babies, but it's very painful to have a child.  It's every mom though, not just your mommy.

"I don't want Mommy to cry that way.  And I don't want her to lose her baby.  Then she won't have it to help her forget."

Jack realized that there was only one thing to do.  Throwing a blanket over Sam, he went to the stairs with the intent of carrying him out of the house and to Shaun.  He knew his urge to call Shaun had meaning, and now he knew what it was.  

Bitsy watched them go to the stairs, Jack's cell as a light source, and hurried back to her son and his wife.

Todd could see that Blair was under a great deal of strain.  Not only was she experiencing labor, which is stressful for anyone, but her fear about the baby was overtaking her ability to remain calm and breathe correctly.  He finally stopped her by taking her face in his hands, and saying, "You have to stop crying, now, Babe, it's getting serious.  Jewel wants to make an entrance, and she needs you."

He couldn't believe he had said it, but Bitsy, who had just come in the room from her mission with Jack, and Sam, walked to the bed, and stroked Blair's hair in response.  She had solitary tears on each cheek, and she kissed Blair's forehead.  She handed Todd a note.

It's too much for Sam.  Jack took him somewhere.

Todd took a split second to realize how his son had grown.  He's amazing.  He's Blair, all over again.

Blair, looked into Bitsy's face, and the woman smiled at her.  She smiled weakly back, and then said, "Todd, I can't.  I'm so tired."

"You can, and you will.  You won't have a choice.  I remember, Babe.  She's ready.  It won't be that long."

"She's too tiny.  No, God, please don't send her now."

"God's not hearing you, or else He already made a different decision.  She's about to be here.  I can tell she's ready, and . . . well you look ready.  Everything is going to be all right."

"What, you're the expert now?"

"Who else is in this house?  Can you say you have ever delivered a kid?"

She yelled out in pain, and put her hands on her knees.  He went back to the foot of the bed, and slid her toward him, so that her feet were almost on the edge.  His expression changed, and he said, "Don't push.  Not yet."

She became alarmed, "Todd, what's wrong?  Please?"

"God," he softly said, and grabbed his phone.  "Don't push, Babe.  Not yet.  Dorian.  Todd.  She's in labor.  Never mind that.  Help me turn this baby."  Todd said.

"Todd, what's wrong?  Please!"  her cries were becoming frantic, and near hysteria.  Bitsy continued to pet her, and try and soothe her fears with her caring touch.  Blair looked at her, and said, "She can't die, Momma.  She just can't die."

Bitsy shook her head gently "no" and smiled again.  She pulled the miniature pad out of the pocked in her pajama pants and wrote.  She held it up for Blair.  Trust Todd.  He brought Jack into the world.  He loves you.  She will be all right.  Remember the dream? 

Under her words was a very quick sketch of the hand holding the newborn.

Blair felt a strange sense of calm come over her until she felt the next contraction.  "Todd!"

"I'll try," he said, into the phone, and for a moment, she saw self-doubt wash over him.  

Instead of crying, she suddenly said, "I trust you, Todd.  I know you can do it.  She's in good hands with you," she assured.

Bitsy clapped softly, and then caught herself.

"Don't push, Blair.  Not now," she heard him say.  Then, it was strangely silent as he listened to Dorian's instructions, and pushed gently on Blair's abdomen, using both hands to feel the position of the baby.  

Blair said, softly, "She's breech.  He's . . . trying to save her.  Oh God," and she broke into tears again.

Bitsy said, "Shhh," the only sound she could make, and took a cold cloth and applied it to Blair's brow.

She said, "That feels good, Momma."

Bitsy nodded, and kept on.

Todd was propping the cell phone in between his head and shoulder and using his strong hands to move Jewel gently.  Then, Blair's breath caught in her throat, and she said, "She tumbled."

"Good," he said, and then went back to the foot of the bed.  "Yep, I think so.  All right," he said.  "Blair, push the next time, just a little and then wait."

The next contraction came rapidly, and as he directed her, she pushed, and he said, "Dorian, gotta go, thanks," and dropped the phone to the floor.  He said, "I see her head.  You can push, whenever you want.  I've got her, and she will be all right, Babe."

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Failings of the Fathers: 20

By late afternoon, the show was falling with small flakes at a very rapid pace.  "Mom," Sam asked, "Is this a blizzard?"

"Yes, Sam, I believe it is," she said.  She was set up on the couch in the sitting area.  Sam had his beanbag chair, and Jack was parked leaning against the couch on the floor.  Ray was playing contentedly with his toy trucks at Bitsy's feet.  She was sitting in a pile of cushions from the lower-level couch that Jack had procured for her.  She loved her little sitting nest, where she could draw and see the children face to face.

Todd was stationed at Blair's feet, they were in his lap, and he was working on her arches with his strong, loving hands.  Mixie was snoozing close to the fireplace, with his nose on his paws.  With the snow falling white and pure outside, it would have made a fabulous picturesque photo for a Christmas card for the following year.

"Why are you rubbing her feet?"  Sam asked.  "She hasn't really walked in a while."

"Because, Mommy's feet kind of swell right now, especially when she's not able to do much walking," Todd answered.  He looked up to Blair's face and saw her watching him.  Her expression was one of unadulterated love for him; he could see everything they had wanted in her eyes.

She said, "Daddy's very nice to Mommy."

"That's good, because you're nice, too, Mom."  Sam said.

Todd assessed the scene in quiet observation:  the woman he loved for most of his life, pregnant with his child; the mother he thought he had lost; his son, the eldest, who he thought he might never have a relationship with again after the things that had passed; Sam, whose innocence and love made him feel worthy somehow; Ray, his youngest, that had the light of his mother's fire in his eyes.  We even have a dog.  For a moment, though just a fleeting one, he felt as though his heart might burst through his chest.  This can't be Todd Manning's life?  Todd Manning, the rapist.  The liar.  The ex-con.  The selfish bastard.  

This can't be . . .

***

"How's y'ar son doing, Broham?"  Sister Rebecca Katherine asked Timothy.  It was getting into evening in Zurich.

"Which one, Creena?"

"Well, the one there.  We'll start with him."

"On his feet already, and causing trouble.  Today he made the nurses laugh, and they shirked their duties for a short while.  They got reprimanded in front of him by the head nurse."

"Ah, sounds like Eric, all right."

"Yes.  He's a gas, that one."

"Well, he does have his moments, and look at his father.  Ya were quite the jokster in y'ar day."

Timothy smiled, and then sat down on the leather chair.  Aiden hadn't come back from his breakfast, and Timothy was waiting for him, in his room, dutifully.  "My other son, he's the one I have concerns about.  Strangely enough, Eric's going under the knife, and Todd is the one who calls to my fears."

"I understand.  But Brotha, I'll tell ya this.  There's something . . . something still waiting to rear its head with The Mannings.  I can't quite place it."

"The dream.  Ya never answered me.  It was a knowing.  Ya called me by my given name."

"Possibly."

"What do ya want me to do?"

"Find out.  Is this terrible, evil man alive?  Find out, Timothy.  I don't want to think of what might happen if he is."

"Well, if he is, he's done nothing to hurt Todd or Blair or the children all this time, what makes ya think he would now?"

She realized how true that was.  "I don't know, Brotha.  I just want us to know."

Timothy heard the determination in her voice.  "I will try.  I'll do my best."

"I didn't want to face it, when I first had the dream, but yes, I feel it was a knowing.  I don't want any harm to come to Todd or his family.  The dream chilled me, it did, and it still does when I think back.  I couldn't rest without telling ya."

"Of course.  I will try, Dear Sister, and see what I can accomplish."

"Thank ya.  I knew ya would come through.  He needs ya, even if ya can't be with him right now."

***

Todd was planning on taking a break from the family festivities to go and work on locating Connie Bensonhurst, but he just couldn't bring himself to leave the comfort of the bedroom suite, and the closeness of the family.  Blair had slightly dozed, with her feet still in his lap, and she was beautiful.  Her slumbering face was peaceful and glowing with the life inside her.  He didn't want to leave her, or that room, ever, surrounded by everything he thought he had lost.  

"This is the most snow ever!"  Sam said, going to the glass wall and looking out over the yard.  The pile in which he had jumped weeks before was now recovered in white and growing even taller. 

"Hey, Squirt," Jack said, walking behind him.  Todd watched as Jack removed his earbuds and went after him, "Maybe you should get back from that window."

"Why?  I'm not stupid enough to jump twice."

"No, just once.  Now, come on," Jack said.  He couldn't bear to watch his brother near that spot.  He picked him up, balancing his brother's stomach on his shoulder, and brought him back into the sitting area. 

Sam plopped onto the ground.  "Hey, you dropped me!"

"Eh, you're all right," Jack said.  "Dad, Grandma's so quiet."

"Well, Ray's not."  The little boy was talking to himself, very audibly, along side the bed, playing with toys.  Occasionally, he would go under the bed and hide and then get pulled out by his feet by either Jack or Sam, and once even by Bitsy, and laugh from deep in his gut.  Todd said, "She can't speak, Jack."

"I know, but she doesn't even write or anything.  She never butts in, like Auntie Dorian."

"Well, no one butts in like her."  Todd said, "Talk to her, if you want her to interact with you.  Otherwise, she'll just sort of hang with us and do her own thing."

He went to his grandmother. "Hey, Grandma Bitsy, what are you doing?"

She held out her pad.  She was drawing a picture of him, with his music on, eyes closed, and clearly enjoying it.  Behind him, on the couch, was his mother, her hand on her belly as she rested, and his father, looking at her, lovingly.  It was as if she captured the feelings of everyone in the likeness.  He said, "Wow, that's nice.  That looks so real."

She smiled.  She turned the pad back toward herself and continued.  Jack said, "I would love to draw like that," and he half directed it at his father.

"Not everyone has talent in that area.  Find something you do well, and do it, I guess."  Todd said, and Blair started to stir a little, shifting her position slightly.  Without warning, the room went completely dark, except for the fire.

"Shit, the lights!"  Jack said.  "And my Ipod is not even fully charged.  Damn."  He went to the fireplace and poked at the current wood, that was dwindling, and then added a few more pieces.

Todd looked around, and then said, "Something's up with that.  We have a generator, we should have lights and heat."  He started to get up, "I'll go see what's up.  Jack, do me a favor?  Go get the flashlight from the drawer by my bed, and bring the baby over here."

Blair reacted to Todd's getting off the couch and lifting her feet gently to put them back down, and she said, "What is it?"

"We lost power, and something's wrong with the generator," Todd said.

"Oh, okay."  She was groggy, and slightly disoriented.

Ray walked toward the couch, and put out his arms.  "Mommy, up?  Mommy, hug me."

She looked down, "Oh baby boy, I can't pick you up.  Daddy will have to."

Todd bent down to get Ray, and sat him beside his mother.  "Be a good boy, okay?"

Blair put her arms around her little boy, and squeezed him tight.  He looked at her belly.  "Mommy, baby in there?"

"Yes.  A baby is in there."

He laughed, again from the belly.

She laughed too, "What is it, little guy?  What is funny about the baby in there?"

He laughed more.  "Baby in there."

"Yep, she is.  Her name is Jewel."

"Drool," he said, and Sam laughed this time.

"Drool?  No, Ray,  Look at me," he said.

The little boy looked as Sam mouthed the word clearly.  "Jewel."

"Yeah.  Baby."

"Okay Sam, give up for now."  Blair said, tousling both of her youngest sons' hair at the same time.  

Ray said, "Sam, play."

"Wait, Ray, I'm almost done with my comic book!"

"Play, play, play!"  He began to get angry.

"Okay, I will, just let me put this back," he said, and he stumbled in the dark to head to his room.  

"Be careful, Sam," Blair said.  When he disappeared out her door, she noticed that Bitsy was not in her place, either.  "Gee, I wonder where she went?"  she said aloud.  

She turned to Ray, who was now looking into the fire, and studying it.  He said, "Fire, hot and pretty, Mommy."

"No, Ray, come here, you can't play with the fire."

"Pretty, pretty!"  he said, jumping up and down.  Blair pushed herself to her feet, and saw that the protective screen was left off.  For a moment, she flashed on Jack, not having remembered to close it when Todd asked him about the flashlight . . .

It was a second in which her little boy, intrigued by the flames, raced toward it at full speed.  Instinctively, she grabbed him under the arms and hoisted him against her.  In that moment, she suddenly felt a tell-tale sign that she remembered all too clearly from the chapel at St. Anne's.  "Oh My God!"  she said, looking down.  Her water had broken, and she was standing, holding her son, over a small puddle.  At that very same moment, Bitsy reappeared at the door, with an extra sketch pad and a different pencil box, and her eyes widened as she realized how upset Blair was.  She threw her things down and went to grab the toddler from Blair's arms.  Blair, doubled over, and went to the couch.  "Momma, go get Todd, please."

Bitsy silently brought Ray, who was now screaming from not getting his way, to his room, and put him into the crib.  She passed Sam on the way, and couldn't take time to communicate with him.  He bounded into the master bedroom and said, "Mom?" when she saw her on the couch, breathing heavily.  

"Mom!  What's the matter?"

"Nothing, Sam," she struggled to speak, "it's all right."

Bitsy raced down the stairs, in the dark, looking for Todd.  She couldn't call to him, she couldn't see.  She fumbled her way along, almost sliding down the last few steps.  Her heart leaped in her chest; she felt fortunate she had a good handle on the railing.  She raced through the lower level, just to see Todd, coming in from the outside, covered in snow, and she ran to him, and shook him by the arms, and starting pulling him with her.  

"Momma, what's wrong?"  he said, slightly resisting at first.  She grabbed his hand and pointed to his ring, frantic panic all over her face.  "Blair?" he said, pushing past her.  Jack raced after him, with Bitsy's hand in his.

He flew up the staircase, skipping steps in the darkness, and rounded the corner to their room.  There she was on the couch, Sam, kneeling in front of her, and tears were streaming down his face.  Todd said, "Hey, Buddy," trying to contain himself, "go to your room and read a while."  He jerked his jacket of, spewing small still-frozen flakes onto the floor.

Jack and Bitsy were not far behind him, and Jack, realizing what was happening, grabbed up Sam and carried the sobbing boy out.  Bitsy went beside Blair, and took her hand.  Bitsy's tears were streaming, and Ray, in his crib, was still crying in complaint.  Todd crouched in front of his wife, "Babe?  What happened?  You. . .you in labor?"

Blair sucked in air, then let out a small moan.  "Yes, I'm in labor.  Ray was running into the fire, Todd.  I picked him up, and my water broke."

He rubbed her forehead with his hand, pushing her hair back from her face.  "It's going to be all right, Jewel will be okay."

"Todd, she's . . . coming," she said, trying to breathe the way she knew she should.

"I've got the copter.  It's right outside.  I can get you over to the hospital in a few minutes."  He started to stand and get her up, and she shook her head.

"No, Todd, we can't see.  Look out there.  You were just outside . . ." her words were interrupted by a cry of pain, "you know, the copter could crash, Todd.  And I'm not sure how long I have."  She started to cry, "Please, please, Todd, don't let me lose Jewel.  Please?"

"Shhhh, okay, it's all right."  He stopped, and then said, "You know we've done this before, right?"

"Todd, she's tiny, oh God," she cried, in pain but also sadness and fear.  "She's . . ." again, she was interrupted by her labor pains.  

Bitsy, holding Blair's hand, continued to cry as well.  Blair, noticing it, said, "No, Momma, don't cry.  Jack was delivered by Todd.  Jewel . . . she'll make it."

"I should take the copter, make a run for it . . ."  Todd said, under his breath.

Bitsy grabbed his arm, and caught his eye.  She shook her head "no" violently.

"Okay, okay, Momma."  He turned back to Blair.  "Well, you've done this before.  Come on, go onto your back."  His faced showed strain, and he turned to his mother.  "Momma, please, go tell Jack to call an ambulance.  It's going to take them at least an hour.  Please."

Bitsy was up in a flash and ran to Jack's room.

Todd looked back to Blair.  Her hair was already matted to her face in places around the edges, and he undressed her properly, then moved to the bathroom to locate towels to place down under her on the bed.  Once he arranged the area, he went back and lifted her in his arms, and carried her to the bed, placing her down delicately on the toweling that he placed below her.  He slid just a nightgown over her head.  She was crying, between her contractions, and gripped his hand with worry.  "Todd, I'm so scared," she said.

"Piece of cake, Mrs. Manning.  Remember what you said, about Momma's drawing?"

"I'm not sure, I . . .can't . . .remember . . ."

"You said the baby was in her father's hands, and that she would be okay.  I promise you, I'll do everything I can to make that true."

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
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Failings of the Fathers: 19

A few days had passed, and Timothy called Todd, with information.  "I've closed the blind trust," he said.  "The funds won't be able to be touched."

"That's good.  I'm going to need some liquidity.  The kids are going to college after next year."

"I know.  I thought of that.  I also got ya the number ya wanted.  The lawyer, Adams?  He is still in the business, believe it or not.  A little older than I am."

"All right," he said, taking a pen out of his drawer to copy the number.  After writing it down, he looked at it again.  "Do you know his first name?"

"Robert."

"Thanks for this.  I'll call him later, it's still early."

"That's a good idea."

"Hope I find out something.  Maybe Connie has information."

"She may.  And she may not.  How's everything else there?"

"Fine.  Blair's still on bedrest, will be until Jewel makes an appearance.  The kids are fine, Momma's great now that I assured her."

"How did ya do that?"

"I told her if Peter was ever alive, I'd kill him."

"I see, that ought ta do it."

"Yep."

"So much has happened.  There's no telling what will happen next, My Boy."

"I don't want to think about that."

"What, that he's alive?"

"Even the possibility."

"He can't hurt ya now.  He's an old man, he's past his prime."

"That's not why."

"Then what?"

"I'll actually have to kill him."

Timothy went silent.  Then he said, "Not necessarily."

"What else would you have me do after all the bastard's done to me and to my mother?  Problem is, I promised Blair no more of that.  No more leaving her and the kids.  When you kill someone, you go to jail.  Well, most people do, anyway."

"I don't like this talk.  First, ya don't know he's living.  Second, ya don't know what ya'd do until it happened.  Third, ya have too much to live for to be bothered with this tripe."

"Is it wrong that I hope he's dead in the ground?"

"No.  I'd say not.  But that's likely the case, and ya'll find that out soon enough."

"I know.  All this dream shit, it's probably nothing.  We're all close, we all have these fears."

"That's right," Timothy said, encouraging Todd.  "Find the woman and put it all to rest, at last."

"That's the plan, Old Man."

"Well, get on it.  Can't find the truth soon enough."

After the phone call, Todd felt lighter.  Timothy was right; Peter was dead, and to reassure everyone was Todd's task.  To reassure himself was the part of it he didn't want to think about.  Focusing on that would just bring everything back up that he'd work so hard to clear his mind from.  He fingered the phone number on the slip of paper he held.  He looked at the clock on his desk.  Nine a.m.  It was still early to call.  For a moment, he pictured telling Blair, and immediately pulled back when the thought of her becoming agitated reminded him of a certain rose-quartz statue in the Llanview Cemetary.  No.  Blair and the baby come first right now.  No need scaring her.  

Sam appeared at the door.  "Hey, Dad!"

"Hey Sam."  He did a double take.  "Sam?  Aren't you supposed to be at school?  It's after nine."

"Didn't you hear, Dad?  We're getting a big old storm.  And they closed all the schools.  Even mine."

"Even yours, huh?"  He smiled to himself.

"Yep.  It's going to start in a little while and be really bad tonight.  Like a blizzard."

"Sounds like more igloos and more forts."

"Yeah!  Except . . ."

"What's the matter, Buddy?"

"I won't jump in it."

"I think that's smart.  I don't want you to ever do something like that again."

"I won't.  Dad?"

"Yep?"

"Dad, when you were digging me out of the snow, and Mixie helped, why were your hands hurt?"

He looked at his middle son, and realized that after all the time that had passed, the trauma of that day hadn't.  "Come here," he said.

Sam walked to his desk, and Todd effortlessly lifted him to his knee and sat him there.  "Ice can be very sharp.  Sometimes, it can cut you, if it's cold enough, and then when your hands get cold, they don't melt the ice very well.  It just . . . your skin doesn't like it."

"When you were digging, did you think I was dead?"

Sam's eyes were round and his expression so innocent, Todd had to look away a moment.  Peter Manning won't ever get even a finger on him.  "Yeah, I did.  I mean, I was afraid of that."

"How did I look?"

"You looked like you do now, except still, and you were a little less pink."

"Oh."

Sam got very quiet, so Todd said, "So, why are you asking?"

"I don't know.  I think about it sometimes."

"I think about it, too.  Sometimes."

Sam looked right into his face.  "If I died, would I see Sommer?"

Todd swallowed, "Yeah, I guess you would, but that won't be for many years, Sam."

"Will she know me?"

"Yes, she'll know you.  I mean, I think.  They say she will."

"What is it like when you're dead?"

He ran his tongue over his upper teeth, and then said, "You don't need to worry about that."

"I'm not worried.  I just want to know."

"I don't know what it's like.  I guess you have to be dead to know, and then, how would you tell anyone?"

Sam thought.  "Yeah.  That's true.  Was I dead, Dad?  For any time?"

Todd was fearful of answering the question in a way that could make Sam's fears worse.  "No.  You weren't ever dead, Sam."

"Okay.  Were you?"

"Me?  I don't know, I don't think so.  I know I was close."

"In Ireland, when Mom went to get you?  Remember, you came back to us in the park?"

"Yeah, I remember.  Maybe.  But listen, we focus on who's alive and with us, okay?  The rest is nothing to worry about right now."  Yeah, Manning, take your own advice.

"Okay, Dad."  He hugged Todd around the neck.  "I am glad Grandma Bitsy is not dead."

"Me too, Sam."  He said, as the boy got down from his lap.

"I'm going to bug Jack.  He thinks he can sleep in.  Boy is he wrong," Sam said, running off.

Todd got up and looked out the window.  The sky was clouded over with large, gray tufts, and the wind was howling against the trees and the house.  "He's right, a storm is probably due."  He surveyed, once again, the home he had made for all of them.  The gazebo was blending into its surroundings in the wintry grays and whites.  The pool was covered, there were still remnants of piles of snow around, and one particularly tall one next to the house, where Sam had jumped.  One side was lopped from the digging, and it still stood, steadfast, in the cold.  When does this winter end up here on Llantano Mountain?

He walked out of The Sun home office and went to the bedroom.  When he peeked in, she was just coming out of the shower.  "Hey, beautiful."

"Hey, handsome.  What's up?"

"You all right?"

"Sure, I'm great.  Just going to get something to eat after I dry off and dress."

"Why don't we all hang up here again?  It's going to storm, it's going to be a winter wonderland.  We'll be able to see the snow from here.  All schools are closed, 'even Sam's.'"

She smiled, "He got you with that too, huh?"

"Yeah."  He walked to the fireplace and put wood into it.  "I need another cord of wood delivered.  I'll have them bring it out before it starts.  Cord.  I hate that word, for some reason."  He gave her the side eye while putting more wood into the fireplace.

She turned and smiled at him.  "Why?  He never came close to you in here where it counts," she touched her chest.

"Eh, the white hat cowboy still bugs me."

"It's so long ago!"

"Yeah, well, he was always everything I'm not."

"Right. Including my man,"  She slipped her hands into his hair, standing behind him.

"You shouldn't really do that, you know."

"What, touch you?"

"No, get me going."

"Oh, stop," she said, playfully pushing his head away from her.  "All right, we'll hang up here.  That seems like a great idea.  It's always nice to have the boys close, and us just safe in here and warm."

"Yep."  

And that's the way it's going to stay.

***

In the few days that had passed, Aiden had done well getting back on his feet.  That afternoon, he made his way to the cafeteria, and spied Malcolm, just getting up from the table with his tray, and Calvin, still sitting, hunched over a cup of coffee.  He sat down.   "Coffee in the afternoon, Mate?"

"What's it to you?"  Calvin said, sipping from his cup.

"Nothing.  I see ya have that same friendly way about ya the first day we met."

"What makes you think I'm friendly?"  He said, straight-faced, but decidedly sarcastic.

"Where's Miguel?"

"In solitary or something."

"What is that about, eh?"

"Cracked up.  The kid's gay."  Calvin said, with an air of evident disgust.

"Gay?  Ya mean overly happy, or . . ."

"Gay.  Likes men?"

"Why did he crack up, then?"

"His parents won't come to see him.  No one from his family will.  He lost it."

"Ah."  Aiden was concerned for Miguel, but it was clear that Calvin wasn't letting on whether he was or not.  His answers were straight and to the point.  "Where was Malcolm off to?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask him?"

"I just might.  Ya seem cheesed off all the time."

"I am.  It's the beauty of knowing me."

"Well, I don't think I've seen ya smile, not even once."

"Nope."

Aiden drank his orange juice.  His head was still bandaged in places around the exploratory surgery site.  "Don't ya want to know about my surgery?"

Calvin made no effort to look in his direction.

"I passed.  But there are some troubles.  Something is causing the memory lapses."

"Tough for you."

"It seems.  We'll get to the bottom of it though."

"Yep."

"So, what has ya cheesed off, then?"

"Someone's pissed me off.  Personal."

"I'm sorry," Aiden said, feeling a particular chill go down his spine.  "Care to talk about it?"

"No," the older man said, putting the cup down and looking out the window.

"Well, I see.  Just looking for some company, I was.  Nothing to bother about." 

Aiden picked up his tray, and Calvin said, "Who said you had to leave?"

"Well, no one, but I think it's best.  I'm the opposite of ya, Calvin, old man.  I'm friendly and like to talk."

Calvin looked at him, without turning his head much.  "So, talk.  Just stop asking questions."

***

"Mr. Adams?  I am not sure you'll remember me.  My name is Todd Manning."

"Todd Manning?"  There was a pause.  "Yes, in fact, I do, Mr. Manning.  The last I remember of you, however, you were a twenty-something bitter young man."

"Yeah, that sounds like me.  I called you because I have a request."

"If I can."

"I wanted to know the last known address for my father's fiance, Connie?  The woman named in his will, who got everything?  I have to speak with her.  It's urgent."

"This is all a matter of public record, but I must say, I am not certain that it's fair of me to reveal her whereabouts."

"Well, in the interest of that, I'd be willing to just have her last name.  I'm an investigative reporter now, I inherited my biological father's estate.  I own a newspaper, and I can certainly find her myself."

"Connie Bensonhurst, of course.  That was her name.  I remember all of this clearly.  I had several dealings with her after your father's death."

"She got everything," he said, realizing he sounded like the same, bitter kid.

"She did."

"Are you aware of the house being abandoned by her and boarded up?"

He seemed to fidget for a moment on the other end.  "Yes, I'm aware of that."

"I have a great deal of curiosity about why she did that."

"Likely that she did not want the home, so she just left it."

"Why not sell?  It would have been worth at least one hundred thousand then, maybe more."

"I don't think I am at liberty to say much," the lawyer responded.

"Listen, I've been through Hell about Peter Manning.  Not only when you knew, but before it, for years, and after it, now.  Everything he did, it's come back to haunt me in my adult life.  You said yourself, all those years ago, he wasn't up for The Father of the Year Award."

He became quiet.  "No, he wasn't.  I knew your father many years."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't my father, turns out.  He was my adoptive father.  You probably know that."

"I . . . heard.  Yes."

"Well, Peter Manning has done things . . . let's just say, I'm interested in where Connie is, and why the house was abandoned."

He cleared his throat.  "Mr. Manning, I'm sorry for the troubles you have faced.  I knew Peter for many years, and I was never fond of his tactics where you were concerned."

"Tactics.  I've heard it called a lot of things . . ."

"Nevertheless, I can tell you that Ms. Bensonhurst closed the house because she was not pleased with what she found there.  And, that is all I can say at this time."

Todd's hair stood slightly on end.  "I guess that's more than enough.  We both know what we're talking about here, so why bother pulling punches?  So, she knew."

"She knew about the house, yes.  She was not willing to do the work required to get it prepared for sale, so she just walked."

"I see.  Well, thank you, Mr. Adams, for talking with me.  You really didn't have to, and I do appreciate the little you were able to tell me."

"Mr. Manning, for what it's worth, I wish you and your family much luck."

"Thank you."

Luck isn't the half of it, Buddy.  You don't know.  Connie, I'll find you, I promise you that.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
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Todd's Saga 27: Nightmare

        Viki screamed. Todd couldn’t believe it.  A rush of adrenaline mobilized him to stop Clint before anything else could happen.  Clint’s words had been chilling and Todd approached him with caution. He stepped past Victor, and before Clint could object, Todd carefully took the gun. “Easy there, Clint.  Was that really necessary?”

       Clint stared down at his handiwork.  “The bastard was going to take me back to that hell-hole all for the sake of the Organization.  Hell, he just tried to kill you.  You should be grateful.” 

       The night had turned into a nightmare.  Clint was clearly having issues and now Victor might be dead. Todd looked at his sister down on the floor with his twin.  “Viki. Is he alive?”

        She felt for a pulse and it was faint.  “He’s still with us.  It’s bad though.  What are we going to do?”   

        “First things first. We need to stop the bleeding.  Get some towels and see what you can do.  Clint, why don’t we go to your room.  I think you just need some more rest.”  He started to take Clint’s arm, but the older man shook him off.

       Clint tried to grab the gun back. “What are you doing?  Let him die.  He’s part of them.  They poisoned me for months. Don’t you understand?  If we let him live, they’ll just find us and we’ll never be the same.” 

       Todd had no choice.  He let an uppercut fly and knocked Clint out. Catching him, Todd lowered him gently to the floor.  “Sorry old man, but maybe things will seem clearer in the morning.”  With Clint out, for the time being, he moved to help Viki with his brother.

       Victor had two holes in his body and they accounted for a great deal of blood covering the floor, but it looked like Clint’s aim had been a little off.  If he had been aiming for Victor’s heart, he had missed.  Todd could feel a steady pulse which meant Victor had a good chance to survive, but he was going to need help.

After helping Viki temporarily stop the blood flow, Todd moved Victor back into his bedroom.  He unwrapped Victor’s legs and took the handcuffs off.  He wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.  Todd left Victor with Viki and then went to check on Clint.   Clint was starting to come around so Todd got him to his feet and took him back to his room.  “Here we go, Clint.  I think you need to just call it a night.”

        Clint blearily looked at Todd.  “Manning, what’s going on?  I feel like I was kicked by a mule.  Please tell me I didn’t get drunk in front of Viki.”

         It was pretty clear that Clint had no memory of what had just occurred.  It was best to let him rest. Todd reassured Clint and guided him to the bed.“Nah, You just had one drink, but remember, you’re still recovering from what they did to you at the compound.  It just hit you a little harder than you’re used to.  I’ve got to tell you.  For someone not at his fittest, you did a good job keeping Victor company today, but I think I’m going to get us some extra help.  Viki’s right.  You need time to get back on your feet too.”

        “Yes, I guess you’re right.  Tell Viki, I’m sorry if I did or said anything wrong”  he laid down covering his eyes from the overhead light. “It’s funny, usually it’s only my head that hurts, even my jaw is aching.  I really am more out of shape than I thought.  Night, Manning.  Get that light will you?”

        “Sure, Clint.  Get  some sleep.” Todd switched off the light and hurried back to Victor’s room.  “How’s he doing Viki?”

        “Todd, we need to call for help.  Victor is very weak and although we’ve got the bleeding slowed down, he needs a doctor.”

         Todd ran a hand through his hair.  He had to think.  He sat down on the other side of Victor and looked at his sister. “We can’t.  Any doctor will get the police involved.  Clint shot him, and even though you and I both know Clint wasn’t himself, the police wouldn’t see it that way.  There has to be a way we can do this.  We just need some supplies.  Hell, Blair dug a bullet out of my shoulder and she just had Dorian on the other end of a phone to help her….that’s it!” Todd slipped off the bed and pulled out his cell.

        Viki thinking Todd was calling 911, sighed with relief, only to turn in surprise at his next words.   

         “I really don’t care what time it is.  I need you to do several things for me and I need them done now.  Yes, it’s important, now make a list.  I need a needle, thread, gauze, alcohol,... Don’t ask questions.  I also need you to get me a couple of bodyguards and I’ll explain more when you deliver the supplies.  Bring them to the Buckner Mansion ASAP…. What? ...Well, you’ll just have to cut your outside activity short.  You work for me remember.” he hung up and was about to make another call when Viki interrupted him.

        “Todd, you’re surely not thinking of helping Victor without a doctor.  That’s insane, he needs real medical attention.”

        “You’re right Viki and he’ll get it, I just can’t bring the authorities in on this. Look, I’m going to do what I can to get him out of danger, we’ll stitch him up and stop the bleeding.  That will give him a fighting chance.  At least until I can get the one person here that will keep their mouth shut.  That’s going to take about six hours.”

        “I don’t understand.  Why will it take so long to get the doctor here?”

        “Because she lives in Pennsylvania.”  Todd made another call. “Yes, it’s me.  Get the jet ready.  I need you to be in Llanview in three hours.  When you arrive, you’re to pick up your passenger and get back here as soon as possible.”

        As soon as she heard the location the jet was headed to, it dawned on Viki who Todd was sending for. “You can’t be serious.  She’ll never help you.”

        Todd felt a perverse thrill just thinking about what he was getting ready to do.  He grinned at his sister. “You’d be surprised.  She’ll do anything for Blair and I think I can give Blair just the right words to motivate her to come.” He made his last call.

****

Dorian looked out the window at the jet pulling up outside the limo.  She turned to David. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.  It’s five in the morning.  Why did you let Blair talk me into this?”

David shook his head.  “Talk you into it?  Hey, this was your idea.  We both saw how upset she was.  You said she shouldn‘t be flying.  You told me she loves this Butler guy, right?  It sounded like he must be pretty sick to call and ask her to come to him in the middle of the night.”

Dorian nodded.  “He’s been a godsend since she lost Todd.  You’re right, I had no choice but to convince her to let me make the trip instead of her.  There’s no way I was going to let her get on that plane.  The last thing she needs, on top of all the stress and worry she’s already feeling for her Mr. Butler, is to go into premature labor.  No, this is the least I can do.  I’ll take that plane and help her Mr. Butler.” 

David gave her a little kiss. “That’s my Dorian, you’ve always been there for your girls.  but you’re not doing this just to help Blair, admit it.  You’re dying to see this paragon of virtue.  The fact that Blair will only give you scraps of information about the guy has been driving you crazy.”

“Well, okay.  I admit to being curious about the guy.  There’s very little information about him except that he’s a new star in the business world.  He’s made a name for himself in a very short amount of time.  He seems to be charmed.  I read one of his recent investments just paid off big time.  If he keeps going he’ll soon outdo Asa Buchanan in the self-made millionaire category.  Can you blame me for wanting to meet him?”

“Hell no.  I’m with you on this one.  If Blair can snag him, it’s just more money for the Cramer coffers.” David saw movement at the top of the stairs of the jet.  “I think you better go.  The pilot just came out and he’s looking for you.  For all our sakes, you better see that Blair’s Mr. Butler gets better.  Go on, I’ll take care of Blair and the kids.”

Dorian moved over and laid a lingering kiss on David. “Hmm, I’ll be home as soon as he’s on the mend.  By the way, I want to tell Carl about us.  So if he comes by the house let Blair talk to him.”

David frowned, “Why would you even want to see him after what he did?”

        “Please David!  I think I deserve to be the one to tell him we’re over.  I want to see his face when he finds out he’s persona non-grata.”  She got out of the car, stopping to snatch one last kiss. She patted his cheek. “Go home.  I’ll call Blair when I know something.”  Then she wrapped her fur around her, grabbed her medical bag, and boarded the plane.

****

Sam threw the final towel in the washer and turned it on.   She and her men had spent the last hour cleaning up all signs of bloodshed in the upper hall. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself another cup of coffee. It had been a long night.  Her men had arrived around 6:00am and had been informed what their duties would entail.  She had also called and told the housekeeper and the cook that they had the next two weeks off with pay.  The cook had expressed some concern for Mr.Butler and his guests, but Sam had assured her that Mrs. Banks was staying for a while and had decided to handle the cooking herself. 

        Sam sat down at the table and ran a hand through her hair.  She had known something was terribly wrong when Todd had called her at two in the morning, but nothing had prepared her for what she encountered when she got to the Buckner Mansion.  The last few hours replayed in her head like a bad movie.

       The taxi pulled up to the back door of the mansion.   Sam exited, grabbing her bag of supplies, and was stunned when Todd opened the door.  His shirt was covered in blood and he had some angry-looking bruises on his neck.  “My God Todd, what happened?”

        “Just get in here, Sam.  What took you so long?” He grabbed the bag from her and headed for the stairs, not even waiting for her answer.  

        She watched as he took them three at a time and disappeared down the upstairs hallway.  Following, she climbed the stairs and hurried past the first empty room.   She noted the blood puddle on the floor and more blood spattered on the walls in the hall.  It was apparent, that some sort of bad struggle had taken place.  Had the organization found Todd after all?  Reaching the second bedroom, she stopped dumbfounded by the scene inside.  Todd was tearing the bag open and setting out the supplies she had bought him, but an even bigger shock was Victor Lord lying half-dead on the bed.  “Todd, did you do this?  Wasn’t shooting him once, enough for you?”

        “You’re wrong, Ms. Vance.”  Viki moved out from behind Todd who had hidden her from view. “Todd didn’t do this.  I did.”

         Todd looked at his sister sharply but didn’t stop her.

         Viki walked towards Sam.  “They were fighting in the hall and then Victor got Todd in a hold and was strangling him.  When he wouldn’t stop, I got the gun.  I was only trying to make him stop, but the gun went off and the next thing I knew, Victor and Todd were both on the ground. Todd was struggling to get air and Victor was bleeding out.”  She turned to Todd.  “What else do you need me to do? He’s getting worse.  Let me call for help.”

        Todd stopped what he was doing and moved to Viki’s side.  “Viki, it was an accident, but you know we can’t call for help.  If we bring the law in on this, the Organization will find out I’m alive.  That’s why Sam is here.  We’re going to keep Victor alive.  Listen, you need to rest.  I want you to go lie down.” 

        “I can’t Todd, I need to know if he’s going to make it.  Ms. Vance, please help my brother!”  Viki looked at both her brothers and nervously wrung her hands together.  She knew what Todd’s plan was and she prayed Victor would have enough willpower to hang in there until the main help could arrive.

         Sam glanced at both brother and sister and shook her head, she hadn’t missed the look that passed between them. They were hiding something, but she wasn’t about to call Victoria Lord Banks a liar.   Something in Viki’s voice told her Todd wasn’t the shooter.  “I’ll help.  From what I know about this organization so far, Todd is right to be concerned and he didn’t go off the radar on a whim.  What do you need me to do, Todd?”

       " I figure, that like me,  you’ve some experience with gunshot wounds in your line of work.  Help me at least stop the bleeding.” Todd went back to the bed and Sam followed. 

         Viki sighed, “You’ll need to sterilize that stuff,  I’ll get the boiling water.”  

         It looked like Todd and Viki had spent the last half hour trying to keep the bleeding contained. Now she helped Todd remove Victor’s blood-soaked shirt. It didn’t take her long to figure out that Victor had been shot in the back and the bullet had exited out the front.  “Accident, huh?”

       Todd looked directly at her.  “I didn’t shoot him,”  he said quietly.  

        She looked again at Todd’s throat. “He really was strangling you.  What did he use? A chain?”

        “No, handcuffs.  Look, I’ll tell you the whole story after we keep him from dying.  I promise.  You know I’ve told you about how the organization works.  Look at his uniform.  I thought he was being held by them and yet now he’s been working for them.  They got to him and he almost killed me tonight.  That’s all I’m going to say right now.”

        “If he tried to kill you, why don’t you just let him die?  That’s what the Todd Manning I know would do.”  She glanced down at Victor and stared at his chest. “Or maybe he wouldn’t.  Victor doesn’t have a scar where you shot him.  What’s going on?”

        “I think it’s obvious.  I didn’t shoot him.”  At that moment, Viki appeared with the water and they went to work trying to stitch the wounds closed.

      Bringing her mind back to the present, Sam breathed a long sigh.  After they had gotten Victor’s wounds closed, Todd had filled her in on everything.  It hadn’t taken her too long to figure out Clint Buchanan was responsible for Victor’s condition and that Viki had taken the rap for his sake.  She had been even more surprised when she heard Dorian Lord was on her way to help Tony Butler.   Sam rose from the table.  She headed to the refrigerator and soon had breakfast underway.  Her men joined her and she discussed their duties for the day.  Sam looked at the clock in the kitchen.  It was a little more than half an hour since Dorian had landed, she would be arriving soon.  Sam sent her men up with breakfast for Clint, Viki, and Todd.  Then the doorbell rang.

        Sam headed out of the kitchen.  She glanced up the stairs and saw Todd indicating she should answer the door.   She did as instructed and opened it. 

        Dorian swept in.  “Well don’t just stand there, take me to Mr. Butler.  If he’s as sick as he told my niece, then we can’t waste another minute.  Where is he?   Upstairs?”

        Sam shook her head and contained her amusement.  The woman didn’t even wait for an answer. She was well aware of the forceful woman that was Dorian Lord Vickers.  She closed the door as Dorian headed for the stairs.  

        Dorian was just getting ready to climb the stairs, when she stopped, looking at the man at the top. “What??...” Dorian couldn’t believe her eyes.  The one man that she had never expected to see again, was standing above her.  Todd was alive and standing in Tony Butler’s house.  That could only mean trouble.  “You!” She hissed in anger.

       “Surprise, Auntie Dorian.”




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