Todd Manning: Enigma, Ch. 14

Chapter 14

She listened to his breathing and knew he had fallen asleep. The door to the room opened and seeing the doctor, Blair stood back up beside Todd. He looked so peaceful at that moment. She looked at the doctor. “He just fell asleep, that’s all it is, isn’t it?” The doctor did a quick check and nodded. Blair had been holding her breath and released it. “Thank God. Do you think he’s back to stay?”

The doctor didn’t want to give her any false hopes, but the stats looked good. “I‘m pretty sure Mr. Lord is back with us. I’m amazed he stayed awake as long as he did. The attack was a strong one and we both know his heart needs the time to recover. You should take some time to rest too. He’ll be in and out for the next few hours.”

Blair shook her head. “He needs to see me when he wakes, and I need to be here when he does. He said something to me earlier and I promised him I wasn’t going anywhere. Do you understand?” Without even realizing she was doing it, she moved his hair off his face.

The doctor saw her expression and knew she wouldn’t leave. He had seen that kind of devotion a few other times during his career. Thomas Lord was a lucky man. “Alright, but think about getting some rest. You’re no good to him if you collapse,” he left to check on some of his other patients.

Blair couldn’t tear her eyes away from his face. A part of her wanted him to reawaken, but she knew he needed this sleep. It suddenly occurred to her that Vicki needed to be called. She and Tea both had been keeping contact. The calls had been short since Hesser’s assassins were still in the picture. Things had died down after the verdict had been announced. Hesser and Kipling both had been given life sentences. Somehow, Hesser’s new attorney had managed to keep Carlo off of death row for the murder of his first attorney. They had pleaded diminished capacity due to a drug interaction and the jury had recommended leniency.

John had insisted they continue to keep Samuel’s whereabouts off the radar, so they were communicating with throwaway phones that couldn’t be traced. Blair wondered if it was even necessary anymore. It had all been quiet since Todd was shot.

Blair pulled a chair close and sat down next to Todd. Then she pulled out her phone to call Vicki. She waited for someone to pick up. “Hello... Yes, Nigel, is Vicki home?...I’ll wait...Vicki, Todd’s out of the coma...Yes, just this afternoon...Things were scary at first. He went into cardiac arrest. After they got him stabilized, he just woke up...No, the doctors can’t explain the heart attack or the sudden awakening. He appears to be fine, no effects from the coma. Vicki, there’s another miracle, he can see. Oh, Vicki, I thought my heart would burst when he opened his eyes... I’ll give him your love. Take care Vicki.” she closed the phone and looked at him. He was getting a little agitated and she leaned in. “Shh, it‘s alright. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” He quieted at her words and she gently took his hand back into hers and laid her head down on the bed to rest.

Todd awoke to a lot of hustle and bustle in the room and his hand still entangled with Blair’s. In the light, he could see the signs of exhaustion on her face and wondered how many sleepless nights she had sat at his bedside. He began to play with the strands of her hair close to his hand. He was entranced with the way they clung and wrapped around his fingers. It was like finely spun silk slipping through them. His fingers moved to slide the hair off her face and wandered down feeling her soft breath blow across them as they made their way to her lips. He was tracing them when he felt her response. It was the lightest kiss, on his fingers. Her eyes met his and she raised her head, moving upward to kiss him properly. This time slowly and sensually she captured his lip with a small nip and followed it with the tip of her tongue seeking entrance. He granted her request deepening the kiss and responding back in kind. He finally had to call a halt, when he realized he was having a little trouble breathing.

She raised her head puzzled at his withdrawal, then noticed his discomfort. “Oh God Todd, I’m sorry. It’s been so long.” She stopped talking as his hand went to her lips.

“Shh, just need ...to ..catch ..my breath.” Todd laid there and realized just how weak he was. “Never ...knew...sleeping …” he paused again. Trying to draw in more air but finding deep breaths were out of the question. “could ...drain you.” The nurse chose that moment to come in and take some vitals and saw that his oxygen reading was down. She hooked him up to the oxygen and Todd began to feel stronger. Looking over at Blair, he saw her fretting. “Relax, I guess I’m not going to be doing any marathon running just yet.” He peered mischievously at her. “We’ll just have to keep them shorter and more frequent.”

Blair met his eyes, puzzled for a moment by his comment then she laughed as it hit her. “I think that can be arranged.” She immediately made good on her statement. She giggled as they finished and he grinned back. Blair reached for his face unable to keep her hands off him. She was so happy to be talking and joking with him. She had news from home but wasn’t sure if Todd was ready to hear it.

Todd saw Blair get pensive. “Hey, where did you go just now?” his hand caught hers as she started to take it away. “What’s bothering you?”

“I don’t know if I should even bring this up. You shouldn’t be worrying about anything but getting better right now.”

“Blair, tell me. What’s going on?”

“John called yesterday and told me that Hesser is finally being shipped to Statesville today.”

“You told me I was in a coma for a month. I thought Hesser would have been transported to Statesville before now.”

“There were complications from his injuries, his doctors have only now released him.” Blair watched as Todd got very still.

Todd remembered how close he had come to killing Hesser. He could still feel the give of Carlo’s windpipe beneath his fingers. “You almost did it, but you lost again. She’ll help me keep you at bay.”

“Are you so sure of that, remember just because you have control now doesn’t mean I can’t take it back.”Todd gasped he hadn’t expected an answer. It was strange, like a disembodied voice in his head. He felt cold. The monster still lived. He shuddered knowing it was right. There had to be a way to free himself of it once and for all.

“Are you alright Todd?"

“I’m just cold. Guess I’m overdoing it.” He needed to shake off the dread he was feeling. Blair covered him with a blanket and felt his forehead, the last thing he needed was an infection. Todd took her hand away. “Thank you, I’m okay really.” His stomach growled and it suddenly occurred to him, he was hungry. “Any chance of getting some food around here?”

Blair laughed. “I think we can find you something, but it will be light. “

“Okay. How about Chinese?” he replied with a straight face.

“Toddddd. I just told you...” She saw the twinkle in his eyes and knew then he was teasing her. “OOOOh, You stop that.”

“Seriously. This liquid diet thing just isn’t hacking it,” he rolled his eyes at his IV. He was having fun getting a rise out of her. She was always so cute when she got flustered. “Come on Blair, look at me. I’m wasting away here. I need some real food.” At that moment, he realized he spoke the truth. The IV might be providing him with nourishment, but he felt as weak as a kitten.

“Okay, take it easy, will you let me slip out and see what I can do for you?”

His heart skipped a beat when he realized she would have to leave the room. He was afraid to lose sight of her. It was irrational, but he couldn’t shake the fear this was all just a dream.

Blair watched the color drain from his face as she made the suggestion and knew he wasn’t ready to be separated yet. She couldn’t blame him. In her own way, her fear, that he would drift away again, was just as palpable. “Never mind, I’ll call Starr. She’ll bring us both something, will that work?” He visibly relaxed. Before calling Starr, she rang the nurses' station. A nurse came to see what they needed and left to get the doctor’s approval for some solid food. She returned with a list of items Todd could begin with and Blair made her call. As she read the list, Blair smiled. “You’re in luck, how does Egg Drop Soup sound.”

Todd leaned back against his pillows chuckling. “Bring it on.”

After Blair got off the phone with Starr, she turned her attention back to Todd. “How are you doing?”

“I’m sorry Blair, I should have listened to John from the get-go. I really thought I had enough on Gregor to just make him leave town.”

She was surprised he had brought up Daimler and then she realized it had been the last thing he remembered. Of course, it was still on his mind. “Hey, you had no way of knowing he would come after us. I told you he disappeared. They found blood in his office, but there was no sign of him.”

“I don’t like it, Blair, I’m afraid he’s going to want to get Kym back. She was under his thumb for so long. She might not be able to resist if he makes a play.”

“That won’t happen, Todd. C.J. and Joshua are keeping a close eye on her. They’ve also hired some professionals to maintain security around the orchard. There’s no way he can get close to her right now.”

“But he disappeared off that damn ship again. Hurt or not he’s dangerous.”

“Todd, there’s nothing you can do. You just woke up. Your wounds might be healed, but you’re a long way from recovered. You’re also still a target, at least for now.”

“Damn, didn’t John tell Bo I was shot. They could have spread the news, that Samuel was seriously wounded. It might have taken that monkey off my back.”

“As a matter of fact, the Banner broke the story two days after you were shot. Your condition was stated as critical, but your whereabouts were kept secret. It’s still unknown if the news made a difference to the ones who took out the contract.”

“Yeah, but I was out for a month. No one’s made any attempt on me right?”

“Right, John said there’s a possibility the contract on Samuel has been canceled. He’s just waiting for some confirmation.”

“Great, if we get that, then we can go home. With Gregor gone, I can’t do much more here. I want my life back, it’s been long enough.” he was frustrated. He had lost another month with Blair and his kids. From Jack’s reaction, he was almost back to square one with Jack. He needed to change that. “Blair, what’s going on with Jack?”

“Jack’s been pretty withdrawn since you were shot. That, coming so close on top of Jake’s death, was hard for him. He’s been acting out at the school here, getting into fights. He needs his father now more than ever.

“I’ve got to get out of here. The sooner the better.”

“Um, I think you’re going to need to gain some strength back before you can come home, Todd. You haven’t moved since the surgery. I don’t think you’ll even be able to stand right now.”

“Well there’s only one way to find out,” he pulled the covers aside, his legs felt like lead weights but he was determined to move them. He sat up struggling to slip his legs off the bed.

“Hey Todd, stop that.” Blair pushed him back down. “Now isn’t the time. I want you home as much as anybody.” He started to protest and she covered his mouth. “Hush. Forget it, mister. When the doctor tells you it’s alright, then you can try and leave that bed.”

Todd glared at her over her hand but stopped trying to say anything. He knew she was right, just trying to move that little bit had taken it out of him. Of course, he would never admit it to Blair.

The door opened and Starr entered with some food. From the look on her dad’s face, she figured he was upset about something. “Looks like I got here just in time. What’s got you all riled up?”

He managed to look a little abashed. “Nothing some food wouldn’t cure. Please tell me I can eat now.”

Starr laughed and soon they were eating. About halfway through his soup, Todd realized he couldn’t eat anymore, even though he wanted to and he was finding it hard to keep awake to talk to Starr. He laid the spoon down and leaned back against his pillow looking at his daughter chatting with Blair. They were beautiful together. Starr had grown up into a lovely young woman. Try as he might he couldn’t keep his eyes opened and sleep took him again.