Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 6

         “Absolutely Not!” He was livid. He loved his daughter, but there was no way in hell she was going to share a bedroom with Cole Thornhart.

        “Dad, it’s been over a year. I miss him.”

        “You can keep right on missing him.“

        “Dad, be reasonable. You’re the one who invited him here. You knew we were living together before the trouble, I don’t see why you’re getting all hot about it now.” Even as she said it, Starr wished she could make the words disappear. One look at her father’s face told her she had just made a very big mistake. She had seen this anger only once before in her life; it was the day her father discovered the black widow spider crawling toward Baby Jack’s hand.

        Todd had gotten very still and there was no mistaking the cold anger settling on his face. “Would you care to repeat that!” It was said softly but with such menace Starr wondered if Pete had come out. She had been right in her father’s face and his tone and expression caused her to suddenly back away.

        Blair had been trying to stay out of the conversation. She had warned Starr a while ago that she should have told her father everything about Cole, but Starr had insisted that there was no need for her dad to know about she and Cole living together since Cole was in Statesville. She had only been listening half-heartedly, while Starr was trying to plead her case but when Starr dropped her bombshell, and then backed away from Todd, she knew she had better intervene quickly. Blair moved to his side and place a hand on his chest. She could feel it beating a mile a minute and knew how stressed he was at that moment. He seemed unaware of her and she knew his anger was taking him over.

       Todd couldn’t stop himself, his imagination went into overdrive. The scene in his head was vivid like he was observing through a vid cam. It was a small apartment, and two people were tangled in each other's arms making love. Something didn’t feel right, he had never been a voyeur. Why was he seeing this? The guy seemed to really be enjoying himself and the girl was too. They were naked and touching everywhere, then the focus suddenly zoomed in on their faces. No! It couldn’t be. It was Starr, here with some guy. What the ..! That was his daughter! No one touched his daughter like that! He wanted to tear them apart and break the guy in two, all he could see was red, he was on fire. Then he felt a touch, like a cool breeze, heavenly against his fevered brow. He closed his eyes, turning his cheek deep into the cool sensation, it felt so good, the disturbing scene dissolved with the touch. From a distance, he heard someone talking.

      Blair placed her left hand gently on his cheek. “Todd. You don’t want to do this. She’s your daughter.” At the touch of her hand, he had closed his eyes. He moved his head closer into her palm and she knew he was beginning to listen. “Todd, open your eyes, look at Starr.” She watched his eyes flutter open and fasten on his daughter. Then she saw his tears.

      "God, what did I do? Was the look in Starr’s eyes, fear? “Starr?” It all came flooding back, the conversation, and Starr telling him about living with Cole. The coldness overtaking him. He had almost gone off the deep end on his own daughter. He realized Blair was standing next to him and reached for her hand. She had stopped him from making the worst mistake in his life, but he still had to take that look out of Starr’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Starr.”

Starr had watched everything unfold and it had been surreal. He had been so angry and it had alarmed her, she didn’t believe for one moment that he would have hurt her, but she had only seen Pete react that way. From her mother’s actions and words, she realized she was finally seeing her father truly angry, it was a little daunting to see what he fought to keep hidden all this time. She saw his tears and knew he was sickened by the idea that he might have frightened her. She had to let him know his anger would never drive a wedge between them.

She moved to him and encircled her arms around him, even as he tried to back away, stiff, afraid to touch her.“Dad, I love you. You got angry, it’s not the end of the world. I was just surprised because it has happened so rarely with me. You’ve always put my welfare ahead of anything. I’m not afraid of you.” She looked up into his eyes. “Do you understand? I’ll never be afraid of you.” As she held him close, she felt his stiffness crumble.

Relief washed through him at her words, Todd wrapped her close into his arms, kissing the top of her head. Blair moved in and hugged them both. Todd needed the support at that moment more than he wanted to admit.

A few minutes later he separated from them and made his way to the bar. He poured himself a stiff drink, gulped it down and poured another, then he turned to face his daughter. He took a deep breath and plunged in. “Before you get mad at me, I’m asking that you hear me out. Okay, so you and Cole lived together before he went to prison. I get it. You’re in love, but I need time to wrap my head around all this.” His eyes met Starr’s, pleading with her to understand. He continued talking. “He’s the father of Hope, but you’re not married. Not to mention, he still needs to recuperate from his wounds. We’ll set him up in the Key West Suite, and I’ll..” he shuddered and took another drink. “I’ll try to mind my own business if you should choose to visit him occasionally. That’s the best you’ll get from me, Starr. Deal?’ He held out his hand.

Starr smiled, there was the dad she remembered. She put her hand in his. “Deal.”

At the hospital, Larry had given Cole all his instructions for the care of his wounds and he was told a nurse would be out once a day for the first week to monitor his condition. Cole just wanted to leave. He was nervous, now that the day had arrived. He was going to Starr’s home to recuperate. It still bothered him that he would be living in Todd Manning’s house, but after their conversation the other day, he was sure he had made the right decision. To have unlimited access to Starr and Hope was worth everything to him. Cole looked out his hospital window and spotted a limousine pulling up to the entrance. There was his ride

.

To Cole’s surprise, Shaun walked into the room. “Hey Cole, How are you holding up? I’m here to take you to Dragonheart. I guess you don’t have too much stuff, so let's get you out of here.” He went into the hall and returned with a wheelchair. “Don’t give me that look. You know it’s hospital policy. Besides, I don’t think you’re quite ready to make any lengthy walks just yet. You need to take it slow, believe me, I know from experience.”

Cole seated himself in the chair and Shaun began rolling him to the exit. “I’m just curious Shaun. When did you go to work for Starr’s Dad? What’s he like? I mean you worked for the other guy.”

“Not all that long ago. There was some trouble and he offered me a job to watch over his family. The guy pays real good money and I like him. He’s different and not really what I expected, especially after working for Jake. I know you and the other guy didn’t get along, but this Todd is a big improvement. Whatever you do, don’t tell Tea I said that. She’s still mourning.” They exited the hospital and Shaun opened the car door and helped Cole enter. Cole had been hoping Starr would come to get him, instead he found himself sitting opposite Todd.

“Get settled Cole, the ride’s not too long, but it is up on Llantano mountain.” Todd grabbed a couple of sodas and handed one to Cole. “I know you were hoping for Starr, sorry to disappoint.” Todd opened his soda and then had to take a call.

Cole drank the soda and watched Manning work. He was disappointed, but prison had taught him it wasn’t good to get your hopes up, they would inevitably be ripped from you. He could wait to see Starr. He knew that was a reality at the end of the ride.

           The car ride from the hospital proved to be the first of many unpredictable moments with Todd Manning. Cole had caught Todd looking at him several times and he thought he was going to say something, but silence remained. He knew something was on Todd’s mind, but the guy wasn’t going to share. When the car came into the clearing, Cole couldn’t help the “wow” that escaped from his lips, and he caught the momentary smile that flashed across Todd’s face. Shaun pulled up to the front door and waited with a wheelchair, as Cole stepped from the car. Cole frowned. “I can walk, you know.”

“Sit, you look like you’re going to keel over. Besides this will make Starr want to take care of you.” Shaun said, smiling. With that in mind, Cole sat and let Shaun wheel him in.

Cole could hardly keep in his astonishment. The place was fantastic. Talk about a far cry from prison. He had always liked The Penthouse. It had seemed like something Starr’s dad would have gone for. Her Aunt Dorian’s house LaBoulae was just too stuffy for him, but he had to admit he had never figured Todd Manning would have a home like this. He turned his head, slowly taking it all in. The dragons at the entrance; totally awesome.

“Close your mouth Cole, unless you want to catch flies. It is pretty impressive, wait until you get a gander at your room.” Shaun placed Cole’s belongings on his lap and Cole realized he was so out of place.

Starr was standing on the upper landing. She had heard the talking, just as she was finishing the final touches in Cole’s room. She looked down and saw Shaun talking to Cole, who was looking around in amazement. “Cole, you’re finally here.” She ran down the stairs eager to get to him. “Shaun I’ll take him from here.” She hugged Cole, kissing him quickly and then realized her father had just come through the door. “Hi Dad, I was just going to give Cole a tour and then take him to his room.” She tried to keep things light, given the earlier conversation.

Todd nodded, “Hope the place is to your liking Cole.” He left them in the hall and walked to his office and shut the door.

Starr was stunned. Her dad was definitely full of surprises. She crouched down in front of Cole. “Did my dad come up with you?”

“Yeah, I had been hoping you would come, but he was there in the car when I got in.”

“Did he say anything to you? Did he seem upset?”

“No. Why would he be upset?”

Starr bit her lower lip and looked down the hall towards her father’s office. “He just found out this morning that you and I lived together. I was trying to convince him to let you join Hope and me in our suite.”

Cole looked at Starr in surprise. “You were? What happened?”

Starr smiled weakly. “Let’s just say he didn’t take the news too well.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t kill me before I got here. It was strange, I got the impression he wanted to talk about something, but he didn’t say a word. In fact, he handed me a soda and just worked for most of the ride. I take it we’re not in the same room?” He loved just being close to Starr and knew he could stand whatever decision her dad had made.

Starr blushed and then nodded. “You’re right we’re not. But you’ll love the room.  Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the house.” At that, she began wheeling him through the rooms.

           Cole had thought the front entrance was impressive, but the house was unbelievable. He loved the music studio room and the game room. Then, Starr wheeled him into the kitchen and breakfast room and he marveled at the open expanse of windows overlooking the back of the house. The view was terrific and he thought back to the lack of view his jail cell had had. “I can’t believe I’m here Starr. Every night in that cell, I would go to sleep dreaming of you and Hope and being outside the walls of the prison, free. I keep expecting to wake up and find myself back in that cell.”

Starr grabbed his hand. “Cole, this is real. You’re here with your daughter and me. We’re going to be fine.”

Blair spoke up, she had been watching Starr show Cole around and had also noted the way he was starting to fidget in the chair. She saw him wince and said. “Starr, maybe we should get Cole up to his room. He’s probably getting tired.”

Starr took a good look at Cole and saw how pale he was. She saw his jaw clench and knew he was trying to disguise the pain he was feeling. She had been so happy to have him there she had forgotten about his wounds and the fact that he had been lying in a bed for several days. “Oh, Gosh, Cole why didn’t you say you were hurting?’

“Starr, I’m fine. I wanted to see the house. I’ve been cooped up in a room at the hospital and before that my cell. This has been great. But you’ve only shown me the downstairs. I have a question? I’ve seen stairs everywhere. If we’re going up, I think I might need some help with the stairs right now?”

Starr grinned. “No you won’t, you just sit back and relax. Enough of the tour, let’s get you to bed.” She wheeled him through the great room and back down the hallway where her dad’s office and the playroom were located. She seemed headed for the end of the hall when suddenly she stopped and pressed a button. Cole watched in surprise as the wall panel slid open to reveal an elevator.

“You’re shitting me. You’ve got an elevator in this house?”

“Dad said he wanted every comfort. That included this. “ Starr pushed Cole in and hit the button for the second floor. It was actually great because the elevator came out right next to Cole’s suite. “This hallway has two suites. The Key West Suite which is yours, and the Techno Suite, which is Jack’s and Sam’s suite.” She stopped and opened the door to Cole’s room and wheeled him in.

Cole could only stare. “Starr, you’re kidding me right. This is my room?” He had lived in California for a long time, and the room reminded him of home and the beaches there. He heard water flowing and rolled the wheelchair to the sun terrace and stopped abruptly taking in the small beach and pool of water flowing continuously. He looked at Starr as she came to stand next to him. The evening sun was beginning to come into the room. “I thought you said your dad was upset about us living together.”

“He is.”

“Yet, he gave me this room.”

Starr thought about it and realized her dad was upset, but still very much a romantic. She looked down at Cole. “What can I say. He loves me.”

Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 5

Shortly after reading Todd’s news, John showed up. “Cole, you’re looking better than the last time I saw you. I was on my way out of the police station when an official letter arrived. It concerns you.”

Starr grabbed Cole’s hand and held on tight. “They’re not sending him back to Statesville this soon are they?”

John smiled one of his rare smiles. “Actually I am here delivering good news. Bo just read the letter and told me I could pass it on. It seems the Governor heard about you and that you saved a guard at Statesville and has decided to commute your sentence.”

Starr squealed and hugged Cole. “You’re free! You never have to go back to that hateful place.”

Cole hardly felt the hug, he was still in shock. Sure, he had read Todd’s letter, but to actually hear the words from John was amazing. He looked at the man who had put everything in motion. “I don’t know what to say.” Todd didn’t say anything just sort of nodded, Cole got the feeling Todd knew exactly how he felt at that moment.

“You don’t have to say anything, just get better.” replied John.

Cole looked at John and grinned. “I can do that. I have Starr and Hope to get better for.” Once again he glanced at Todd, he was merely holding Hope and listening. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do now, I‘m not even sure I have a place to live. Is Mom’s apartment available?”

“Sorry, Cole. After your mom left so abruptly, the place was put back on the market but we’ll get you situated somewhere,” replied John

Todd thoughts had begun to wander, just after John gave Cole the good news. He recalled the day he had gotten word about his own pardon.

He was trying to be so cool in the face of Zach’s amazement, yet his stomach was doing somersaults. It was almost unbearable. All this waiting to hear if the Governor was going to grant him a pardon. He still couldn’t believe he even had a chance after all the horrible things he had done. He had even considered suicide until the letter from CJ and Sarah arrived. Now, thanks to the kids and their petition along with Ray’s recommendation he might actually be leaving his hell hole. His stomach was churning and his palms were sweaty as he waited for the Governor to enter the room. Ray was standing off to the side and he recognized Dunstall, the man who had come to interview and check on him. It took a moment for him to register what Dunstall was saying.

“Todd Manning, please stand and face the Governor.”

His mouth was suddenly dry. He was face to face with the man who could make or break him. It was hard to concentrate he knew the Governor was talking to him, but he was having trouble taking it all in. “There are a number of people who believe you should be pardoned, but I’m not one of them. Still, I do believe you do deserve a second chance.” As the governor laid down the conditions, he realized was going to be allowed to leave the prison and live outside it. He was going to get out. He was being given a chance to live again.

Todd’s grip on his granddaughter tightened and she squirmed a little letting him know he was holding too tight. She brought him back to the present and he heard Cole and John talking about places to live. “He’s coming to Dragonheart to heal if he chooses.” It just came out of his mouth and he was surprised he had said it.

Three pairs of eyes looked at him.

“What??? I can’t let my granddaughter’s daddy recuperate in some fleabag hotel can I? You want Daddy to come home, don’t you Hope?”

Hope clapped her hands together and squealed. “ Yes Daddy, come home.”

“See,” Todd replied.

John was the first to recover from the shock. Todd had once again surprised him. He still couldn’t figure this guy out. He had had Jake all wrapped up in a neat package shortly after he had met him. He had done his homework back then and he knew everything Todd Manning was, and what he was capable of. Jake had been exactly as expected, but this guy was another story. When he had first walked into Rodi’s and requested help, he had stunned John. Hell, he had stunned a number of people in town. Bo and Nora had had to reassess their opinions of him, and it had taken some doing, but both agreed Todd was a different man than the one who had disappeared in 2003. “There was something else,” John admitted to himself alone. Although the guy could still be a pain in the ass since he was still a lone wolf and played things like that, John found he actually liked the guy. Then the detective came to another realization.

“You knew about this already?”

Todd nodded.

“Damn, not only did you know about it, it was all your doing, wasn’t it?” This time, Todd merely looked at him giving nothing away, one way or the other. John just shook his head. He turned back to Cole and handed him the official document. “There it is in black and white, Cole. Good luck and if you need help finding a place just give me a yell. I think Roxy might be able to help you out.” He turned and started to leave.

“John, wait. Is there any news at all on my mother?”

John looked back and shook his head. “Nothing Cole, she’s just disappeared off the map. You know I’ll let you know anything that comes up.” And at that, he departed.

Cole watched him leave and then stared at the paper resting in his hand. This day had been a strange one. From waking up and hearing Starr’s declaration of love, to finally meeting her real Dad, Cole would have had plenty to digest. But then the real fun had started. He had received a pardon from the Governor and the strangest of all, an invitation to recuperate at Todd Manning’s home with Starr and Hope in residence. He closed his eyes for a moment, picturing what that could mean. He opened them again and turned to talk to Starr. He saw her looking pensively at her father. He could understand that look, he was trying to wrap his head around her dad’s offer, too.

Starr gathered her thoughts together. She was reeling from the offer her dad had just proposed. “Dad, did you mean it? Could Cole come live with us?”

Todd shifted Hope to his other hip. He knew the spur of the moment offer had been a little disconcerting, given his track record with Marty. But, he wasn’t going to take it back. “Relax Starr it was a genuine offer. It’s still up to Cole to decide if he’ll stay, though.” The ball was now in Cole’s court and Todd wondered how he would play it.

Cole felt a knot in his stomach, he knew what Starr wanted him to say, but could he do it? He looked down at the paper from the Governor, and with shaking hands he opened the document. One line on the document stood out:

By the Power invested in me, I, Ethan Masters, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, do hereby grant a full and unconditional pardon to Cole Thornhart, thereby commuting any remaining sentence and declaring him free.

It was over, he was free. Now he had to make a decision. He wasn’t in any shape to go to work and he had to find a job if he was going to support himself, Starr and Hope. The invitation to stay at Todd Manning’s house hung in the air. Starr had asked if her father was sure. The guy appeared serious and was leaving it up to him. Hope and Starr were looking eagerly at him. God, if I say yes, I’m going to be living under the roof of the guy who raped my mother. That’s just weird! Why on earth did he even offer? What does he want from me? Starr was right. What was with this guy? He couldn’t answer until he knew why the guy had offered.

“Starr, I know you want an answer this minute and to tell you the truth I can’t give it. Could you let me talk some more with your dad?”

Starr looked disappointed that Cole hadn’t jumped at the offer, but she knew it was his decision to make. She walked over and took Hope from her Dad. “We’ll leave you two to talk.  Say goodbye Hope, we’ll come back later.” Hope waved goodbye to her daddy as Starr left the room.

The silence was deafening. They stared at one another, each trying to figure out what the other was thinking. Todd opted to make the first move. “Long ago, I was pardoned but not before I had to prove myself to the people of this town. You’re lucky in that respect. The people here don’t hate you.” Todd walked to the window. 

“They had a reason not to like you, Mr. Manning.” Cole’s voice was icy. It was all he could do to keep from spitting at the man.

“You’re right kid, they did, but they only knew one part of me. I wasn’t great at letting people know the real me. I hid him behind a lot of bluster, anger, and bravado. Only a few people took the time to get to know me. Those few people saw something they felt was worth saving and I’m grateful they did.”

“You’re trying to say you’ve changed. Yet even after you got your second chance, you still hurt people. Mom told me about what you did to my father. If you changed so much and wanted to make things up to my mom, how come you went after my dad?”

Todd squared his shoulders and turned back to face Cole.

“Rage. I took two bullets in the back for your dad and survived only to come home and find him with my wife. I lost it, Cole. Your dad wasn’t with your mom at the time. I was torn up inside. Anger was all I could feel. I lashed out and your dad became my target.“

Cole watched him as he talked and listened to him. He had come to hear all sorts of stories about rage and anger in his sessions at Statesville, and he sensed a lot of anger in Todd, carefully kept in check. Only someone with a lot of willpower and a strong desire could do that. The man in front of him was stronger than he had thought. He remembered his mother telling him a little more about Todd after he had discovered what the man had done to her.

“I don’t want you going after Todd. It was a long time ago and he’s changed. I don’t hate him anymore, I was angry with him for what he did to your father. But I know where his anger came from, and it wasn’t all his fault.”

“But he raped you, Mom!”

“Yes he did and he acknowledged it. I know he regretted it and he was trying to make things up to me when everything went horribly wrong for him. When your father was shot, I blasted him and saw his face. He had never meant to hurt me like that again, but he had. I just wanted to strike him down when I thought your father was dead. But you know what, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Your dad wasn’t dead and we escaped the people that wanted him dead and were able to live happily for a number of years. None of that would have happened if Todd Manning hadn’t tried to get revenge on your father. The funny thing is Todd suffered the most for his revenge. He lost his wife and his daughter, and he’s been struggling ever since to get them back. One thing I know about Todd Manning from then and even now. The man is a survivor. There is something inside him that’s stronger than even he realizes. That being said, in the long run, I prefer our happy home to his dysfunctional one. Remember that will you?”

Cole now had to admit he and his family had lived happier lives. Todd didn’t seem like a man who gave into his rage anymore so something had happened to change that. He knew some of the stories of what went down the last eight years. He had had the misfortune to meet both Kipling and Hesser. They had managed to intimidate a great number of inmates the moment they arrived at Statesville. It had been disturbing to watch them as they slowly surrounded themselves with the worst the prison had to offer. He had tried very hard to stay off their radar. Seeing them work the prison system, he could well imagine what they had done to Manning and what effect everything had had on him. He knew Starr’s dad was the reason they were in Statesville, they had made no bones about their hatred for him. With the blackout and escape, Kipling was loose and Hesser would find a way to get free. Manning didn’t seem too worried about it. Man, if he had been in Manning’s shoes he would have been finding ways to protect himself. Todd had been watching him quietly since he made his statement. Cole wondered what was going on in his brain, was he as sure of himself as he seemed to be, or was it all an act? “What happened to that rage after my dad was gone?”

Todd came out of his deep thoughts. He hadn’t even realized the conversation had lulled. The kid had a way of bringing up memories Todd liked to keep buried. He shut down the thoughts about Patrick’s “death”, grabbed the nearest chair, and sat down abruptly.

Cole looked at him, he had been a bit intimidated when Todd had first entered the room. Although he had seen pictures, they really hadn’t done the guy justice. When Todd had walked in, he had given off the sense of someone bigger than life. He had worn his confidence like you wore your favorite shirt. He was comfortable and at ease. He had taken charge immediately. Even the ease which he handled Hope had been impressive. He hadn’t been afraid to let Cole see his softer side. But just now, when he sat down some of that sense of power went away. All of a sudden the guy seemed more reachable.

Todd studied his hands for a moment. Hmm, what happened to the rage? Kid if you only knew? He straightened up in the chair, it wasn’t the time to go into all that. “You tell me, Cole? You know what rage is like, you were sent to prison because of it. For me, it ate at me. Every time I tried to get past it, I did something stupid, and when that blew up in my face, I retaliated making matters worse. It’s taken me half my life to find some control and I wouldn’t wish the way that came about on anyone.”

“You’re talking about what Hesser and Kipling did, aren’t you?”

“Smart kid. Yeah, they did a real number on me.” Todd shook his head; he had had enough traveling down memory lane.

“Why did you help me? I know it’s not because you like me, you don’t even know me, Don’t say it was because of Starr, that might be partially true but I think you did it for some other reason. Just what do you want from me?”

“He’s got your number, Todd. You going to let him know it’s because of his mother or are you going to give him some lame excuse about Dorian.”

“That’s just it Samuel, he’ll never believe I did it for his mother.” 

“He might surprise you. Give him a chance. Level with him.” Todd ran his fingers through his hair and lifted his gaze, meeting Cole’s directly. “I don’t want anything from you. I did it for your mother.”

Cole lay there flabbergasted. That was the last thing he had expected to hear.   Manning was serious. There was no embellishment, no attempt to flatter his mother or make Cole think he would do anything for his victim. It had just been a bald statement of fact. Starr’s dad was still trying to make up to his mother for the rape. Cole had never liked Jake because no matter how hard he tried, everything that had come out of his mouth had sounded insincere, but the man sitting next to him meant every word. Cole was trying to find a response to that. but he wasn’t even sure what to say.

Todd had braced himself for the lashing he figured Cole would give him and instead all he got was silence. As the silence stretched on, Todd got antsy and jumped back to his feet.

“Go ahead, Kid. Blast me, tell me what a liar I am, a low life for bringing your mother into the picture! You’re within your rights.“ Todd glared at the boy then turned and walked to the window again, struggling to bring his emotions back under control. You idiot, now you’ve done it. You’ve shown him what you’re really like. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rolled his neck trying to curb the anxiety that had suddenly filled him. He found himself balancing on the balls of his feet, something he had developed a long time ago as a football player as a way to slow the nerves and get back into the game.

Cole gulped. He realized how volatile Manning really was. The passion and tension rolling off the man hit him in waves. Todd’s whole body language had changed; he reminded Cole of a lion pacing, gearing up for what might attack him and getting ready to attack first. For all of his confidence, the guy was actually as vulnerable as the next guy. Todd Manning was human after all.

The tension was broken as the door opened and Starr and Hope came back in.

“Daddy look. Mommy got me a lollipop.” Both men turned their eyes to the little charmer walking towards her father with a big red sticky smile on her face and an equally sticky sucker in her hand. They couldn’t help but grin.

 

Cole looked at Starr’s father and came to a decision. “I’d like to take you up on the offer if it’s still on the table, Mr. Manning.” He waited for a response and was completely taken aback by the one he received.

Todd smiled warmly at the tableau in front of him. He had always been a sucker for family. “The offer is still on the table. As soon as your doctors give us the go-ahead, we’ll get you set up at Dragonheart. “

Starr rushed to her father, flinging her arms around him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

He gathered her into his hug. She would always be his little Starr. Over the top of her head he looked at Cole, he wasn’t entirely sure what had happened to make Cole accept the offer but for his daughter’s sake, he was happy.

“Don’t get too complacent, Todd. You still didn’t tell him the third reason for wanting him at Dragonheart. You and I both know that he’s got a target on his back, right along with you. Hesser might still be in prison, but he won’t be for long, and in or out, he still can cause trouble for Cole.”

“I know Samuel. At least at Dragonheart, Shaun can watch out for him as well as the kids. I’ll let him know the full score when he’s settled.”

Starr left his embrace to talk to Cole and Todd quickly and deftly caught his granddaughter before she attached her lollipop to his suit.

Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 4

          Todd was busy working when the formal letter was hand-delivered to him. Noting the official government seal, he knew it was from Dorian. “Okay Dorian, what have we got here? Let me guess. This is where I sign my name with blood and all of Cole’s woes disappear.” He opened the letter and began reading.

Dear Samuel,

I’m so pleased I was able to help you with your quest for Starr. I think it’s admirable you think of her as your own. I won’t go into what I think of her real father. As you are reading this, the Governor has signed the Pardon. He will be sending it, along with copies to the prison, the LPD, and young Cole Thornhart. I hope the young man realizes he’s gotten a second chance to do things right and does them, especially with regards to Starr and Hope. Remember we’re all family. Do take care of Blair, Starr, and Hope and please don’t be strangers. I would love to see all of you here in Washington.

Very sincerely yours,
Senator Dorian Lord

         “You really refuse to see me as Todd, don’t you Auntie Dorian?  And if you think I’ll set one foot in Washington while you are there, you’re nuts.  But I‘ve got to tell you, this is going to make Starr’s day.” Todd grabbed his jacket, tucked the letter into an inside pocket and headed for the Hospital. He wanted to let Starr know Cole wasn’t going back to prison.

         He walked down the hall noting the guard standing outside Cole’s room. He remembered all the times guards had stood outside his room, the more recent ones to protect him but long ago it had been to guard him. This gentleman was here to guard Cole. He walked up to the guard.
“I’d like to see him if I can. He’s the father of my granddaughter. I’m Todd Manning.”

        The guard had obviously heard the name. “So you’re Todd Manning, huh? You know you’re quite the talk around Statesville. Some call you criminal and others call you a hero. Man, you’ve got some real enemies there.”

        “Yeah well, it’s a gift. Let’s just say I’m an acquired taste. So, may I see him?“ 

        ”Sure, your daughter and granddaughter were just here. I expect they’ll be back soon.” He opened the door, then paused. “Hold it, I need to make sure you’re not carrying any weapons. Sorry, but I have my orders.”

         Todd rolled his eyes and allowed the pat-down.

          The guard’s eyes widened when he saw the official paper in Todd’s pocket. “Looks like you know some heavy players there, Manning.” He moved out of the way and allowed Todd to enter.

          Cole had had a very unusual last couple of hours. He had awoken in a great deal of pain and heard a familiar voice urging him to stick around because she loved him. He had opened his eyes to find Starr beside him. He replayed the conversation, relishing its content.

“Cole, you got to wake up now. I couldn’t stand it if you left Hope and me. I know things haven’t gone the way you wanted them to, but we’re still here, if you let go, you lose us forever. Please, Cole, don’t leave Hope. Don’t leave me, I love you! I don’t want to lose you.”

“Starr??”

“Oh Cole, yes it’s me. Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you heard me. Cole, you’re going to be all right.”

“God it hurts. Where am I?”

“You’re at the Llanview Hospital, Your injuries were serious and they brought you here from Statesville. Do you remember anything that happened?”

Cole had paused, struggling to remember the events .”I remember the blackout and all the cell doors unlocking. The prisoners went haywire and began attacking guards. It was chaos. Mostly I was being pushed toward the exits, then I spotted an inmate fighting with one of the guards and he was attempting to kill him. I stepped in to stop it and wrestled with the attacker, I heard gunfire and felt pain rip through me. That’s the last thing I remember. I don’t even know if the guard survived.”

“He did, you saved him, but almost lost your life doing it. According to Dr.Wolek, it was touch and go in the operating room then they got you stabilized. You were doing all right when I got the news and came to see you. Then you lapsed into a coma.” She covered his hand with both of hers. “I’ve been so worried. They said if you didn’t come out of the coma soon, you might never return. You had me so scared.” Starr’s tears streamed down her face and she could no longer stop herself. She leaned over and kissed him. “Don’t you do that again, you hear me! You need to keep fighting for Hope and for us.”

He tasted her tears and hoped her kiss meant more than he dared dream possible. “But what about James?”

“When I got here and you lapsed into the coma, my heart stopped. I can’t see the world without you in it. I was trying to talk you back to us when James came looking for me. He overheard me tell you that I still loved you. He said he loved me too much to keep me from you.” She sniffled and reached for a tissue, from the bedside. Cole stared at her in hopeful disbelief. “I’m sorry he was hurt, but Cole, I knew he was right. I never stopped loving you.” She reached and touched his brow, smiling down. 

 Just then, a nurse had looked in and seen he was awake.  After that, they were interrupted a number of times by staff and finally, Starr had to go. She had promised to bring Hope and they had just left a short while ago. It had been so good to see Hope outside of the prison. Starr had told him her dad was trying to get him released. And now there he was, standing at the foot of his bed.

It was jarring to see the face of the man who had hurt his mother so terribly, to know that he had gone after his father with hatred at one time and yet, here he was, ready to help him. Cole felt angry for his mom, but it was tempered by the fact that he had already worked through that anger with the impostor. On the other hand, he couldn’t help being curious about what kind of reception to expect from this man. He knew Starr’s dad knew the whole story about the two of them and Hope, Starr had told him so on one of their visits. Cole was sure that the story hadn’t gone down well with her dad. Now face to face with the guy, curiosity won out over anger.

“Hello?” It sounded so inane, almost anticlimactic.

Todd found himself staring. The young man strongly resembled Marty and it was a little unnerving. The simple ‘hello’ sounded odd. He wasn’t sure just how to start the conversation, so he just decided to get all the bad stuff out in the open and go from there. “Look I’m sure you’re not too thrilled to see me. But I felt it was time. This last year has been full of a lot of revelations for me. One big one was finding out my daughter had a child. Another was that the father of that child was none other than Marty Saybrooke’s son. You probably can understand what that was like.” He paused waiting to see whether the kid was going to blast him for the past or not.

For a moment, Cole couldn’t believe the man had brought up his mother. His anger raged through him for a second time. He gripped the sheet tightly wishing for a brief moment he had Todd’s neck between his hands. Then he remembered something his counselor had said. Your anger put you in here, you need to let the anger go. He had been working long and hard to control the thing that had taken him away from Starr and Hope, this wasn’t the time to lose all that work. Starr’s dad was waiting for a response. His jaw muscles relaxed as he took as deep a breath as his wounds allowed and released it, letting the anger go with it. “I...I’m guessing it was a shock,” even as the words came out his hands loosened and he found the tension leaving his body, he continued, “similar to the one I experienced when I found out what you did to my mom.”

The kid took him by surprise. Todd had watched Cole carefully, he had seen the signs, he knew them by heart. At the mention of Marty the kid had gone rigid, the clenched jaw and hands screamed inner rage, yet he had brought it under control. Todd was impressed, Cole was one up on him in that category. 

“Yeah, you guessed right? Although on a scale of 1 to 10, the shock must have been harder for you. I already knew my past with your mother, I just never figured we’d ever cross paths again when she left here, much less, that our kids would end up knowing each other. The shock for me was in finding out how young you and Starr were when all this occurred. Think about how you would feel if someone got Hope pregnant at sixteen.” He regretted the words as soon as he said them. He thought his own anger and bitterness were under control but obviously, he still needed to work on his issues.

“We never planned....”

“Stop.” Todd held up a hand. “You don’t have to explain. That last remark was … well, put it down to my frustration. You both were young and in love. You made a mistake and the result was Hope. I love Starr and Hope more than you know. My daughter....loves you. So I’m here to help.” As he finished speaking, he saw Cole’s eyes shift and turned to see Starr and Hope standing in the doorway.

He smiled shyly at his daughter, running his fingers through his hair. “Hi, Shorty. Cole and I were just getting acquainted.”

Hope squealed. “Sir Dragon!” and held out her hands to him.

Never one to refuse his granddaughter, Todd walked over and relieved Starr of Hope, who immediately hugged him.

Starr looked at her dad and back to Cole. “How’s that getting acquainted going?”

Cole answered truthfully. “I’m not sure.” He had watched his daughter Hope with Starr’s dad and had been amazed at how easily she reacted with him. He recalled how little contact the impostor had had with her. Yet Hope obviously loved the man holding her as much as he loved her back. He found himself actually wondering if maybe Starr had been right all along when she said her dad had changed a lot in eight years.

Todd looked over at Cole, he wasn’t sure where they stood with each other. “Let’s just say we’re working on clearing things up but now that you’re here, I brought you some good news. Princess Shorty can you get that paper out of Sir Dragon’s pocket and give it to your mommy?”

Hope reached into his pocket and Todd had to keep from laughing, she was being so serious.

Starr watched as her daughter worked to get the paper out and saw the smile appear on her father’s face. She also noticed the way he suddenly shifted Hope and realized he was close to losing it. Suddenly he broke out laughing and Hope turned startled eyes to her dragon. “Why are you laughing, Dragon?”

“Dragon’s laughing because Princess Shorty’s touch tickles.” He smiled at Hope, who giggled and hugged him again. She had gotten the paper out, so he instructed her to hand it to her mommy and she did so carefully. “Go ahead Starr, open it.”

Starr saw the government seal and recognized her Aunt Dorian’s handwriting. “Why is Aunt Dorian writing you, Dad?”

“Read it, Starr, you’ll understand.” Even as he said it, he hoped she’d get it read before the police showed up. He had figured he only had a short time before everything came down through official channels.

Starr read it and turned to her dad. “Is this true? You went to her for help?”

“For you Starr, anything.”

She swung around and faced Cole. “He did it. You’re going to be free!”

Cole looked at Starr unbelieving. “How?”

She smiled at her dad. “He asked the last person in the world for help and received it.” It meant the world to Starr that her father had asked. “Here, read this.” She gave the letter to Cole and walked over hugging her dad and whispering. “Thank you.” Then she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “You’re the best.”

Cole had been reading and the words began to finally make sense. “A pardon? I’m getting a pardon. I don’t understand. Your aunt never liked me. Why would she help me now?” Cole looked at Starr and her dad. His eyes met Todd’s. “Why? You don’t even know much about me. What you do know, doesn’t make you happy. Why?”

“You know the answer, kid,” replied Todd.

Cole watched as a look passed between Starr and her dad and got his answer. The man had told him upfront he loved his daughter. This was the proof. He laid back against his pillow. He was going to be free and that meant there was nothing stopping him from being with Starr. The one man he had been sure would hate him, had been the one to make it happen.