Don't Shoot the "Messenger", Ch. 13

            Todd stood over by the drinks pouring some champagne into the flutes marveling at how time made all the difference. Less than two months ago, Kym and C.J. had gotten married and now they had a child on the way. It was still early, but they were optimistic that all would be fine and they were eager to get home to Chase and Lily. He reached across and picked up the sparkling Cider for Kym and the children. It had been a wonderful evening. He smiled as he caught Blair’s eyes. He saw a sheen in them and knew Blair was holding back some tears. She was going to miss having Kym around. Starr arrived and began picking up the ciders to hand out.

“Isn’t it great news, Dad?”

“Yes Starr, it’s great. Now be careful, you grabbed a champagne. I don’t want to be accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Your mother would kill me if Sam or Jack got drunk.”

“Oh Dad, really. But you only poured four ciders? “ She looked at him puzzled.

“I think you and Cole are old enough for a proper toast. At least this once,” he clarified.

She stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his cheek, “You’re softening up, Dad.”

“I’m doing no such thing. Tell Cole, I’m watching him and to keep his hands off.” She laughed as she took her four drinks, she had heard the laughter in his voice. Todd shook his head and with the rest of the glasses on a tray, began to deliver them. “Cater waiter coming through.” He couldn’t help smiling at Cole’s expression when he was handed his drink. Todd looked around. “All set?” Everyone held up a glass. “Almost two months ago, my nephew and best bud had the good sense to marry this beautiful woman in front of us. Tonight we found out they’re going to be adding to the Roberts family and ours. I have only one wish for them. May they have many happy years with this child and may he or she grow up healthy and know this family will always be here for him or her. To Kym and C.J. and the new one on the way.”

“To C.J.and Kym,” everyone said and took a drink. Todd gulped his down as usual and dropped down next to Hope to make sure she didn’t spill any of hers on her pajamas.

“So Hope, there’s going to be a new baby in the family. What do you think?”

She looked around solemnly and said. “We need a girl.”

Todd looked at her bemused. “Why a girl?”

“So we can beat them,” and she pointed to Sam and Jack. Everyone laughed.

Todd took what was left of her drink, downed it, and swooped her into his arms. “I bet you and she would do a good job at that, too. It’s time for bed. Starr, you and Cole relax, I’ll put her down,” as he started out of the room he looked at his two boys. “Jack and Sam, you too.”

“But Dad, it’s way too early for me.” Jack protested.

Todd stopped in his tracks. Turned and looked at his son. “You just called me, Dad.”

Jack realized he had and stubbornly looked at his father. “Yeah, that’s who you are, right?” he replied with bravado.

To those watching, Todd’s face literally lit up as he smiled and said, “Damn straight. Okay, Jack, just one more hour, though,” and he left the room with Hope in his arms and Sam following.

Joey wandered over to Blair. “He really has changed a lot, hasn’t he. The only other time I saw him this happy was at your second wedding.”

Blair smiled at Joey. “He hasn’t changed, not really. He’s just letting more people see the real him. How was your visit with Vicki, I’ve been meaning to go by and check on her. I hope she’s had no lasting effects from her injury.”

“Mom’s fine. We had quite a talk. She filled me in on Todd’s whole story. It was the strangest thing, we walked in on Dad defending Todd to Kevin.”

“Clint did what?”

“Yeah, he was telling Kevin to back off and that he admired Todd’s journalistic skills.”

Kelly walked over “Did I hear right? Did Clint admire Todd’s newspaper skills? That’s a first. Now a man I admire is this Thomas Lord. That guy writes a mean article.”

Kym and C, J, had wandered over and chuckled to each other.

Kelly looked at all of them. “What’s so funny. The man is an excellent writer. I even suggested Todd try and hire him.”

Joey realized Kelly had no idea who Thomas Lord was. He smiled at her. “Kelly, honey. Todd can’t hire him.”

“Why not? I understand he’s a freelance writer.”

“But Kelly, think. His name is Thomas Lord. It stands to reason he might be related to us.”

“Maybe, but as far as I know, Vicki’s never mentioned a Thomas Lord. And besides, just because he’s a Lord doesn’t mean Todd would hate him. He’s a darn good writer..” She looked around at all their faces. “What’s is it. Why can’t Todd hire Thomas Lord?”

Blair figured they had teased her enough. From behind Kelly’s back, she saw Todd enter the room circling his finger in the cookoo sign. “Kelly...” She started to tell her cousin when Todd suddenly spoke up.

“What they’re all trying to get across to you Kelly, is that I’m Thomas Lord.”

Kelly looked at him and the others. They were all smiling like it was the truth. “Wait a minute. When you left Blair, you went to Savannah? Were you down there writing? But why didn’t Cassie tell me?”

“Because Cassie didn’t know Kelly, I didn’t want anyone to know, that’s why the alias and yes, Thomas is just that, an alias. I was going through some difficult times and felt Blair and the kids were better off without me. Then I realized I couldn’t exist without Blair and called her. She came and found me. But there was still the matter of Hesser and his hitman. After I returned here to testify, we decided to stay in hiding down in Savannah until everything cleared up here. I finished my articles only to come up against another enemy.” Todd looked at C.J. and Kym, grateful they had survived everything they had been put through. “But that’s another story. Thomas Lord’s last article went out a few weeks ago and for now, he’s put down the pen. So it would be a little difficult to hire him. Writing has been fun, but I have a whole business to run, so playtime is over for now. Now, what about that offer I made to you earlier?”

“Hey what offer is this?” asked Joey baffled.

“How can you want me, when I couldn’t even figure out you were Thomas Lord? They all knew.” and she pointed to the rest of the people in the room.

“C.J. and Kym knew because they ran into me while I was investigating. Blair worked it out after meeting my editor. I have no idea how Joey found out.”

Joey piped up. “I just found out because mom told me.”

“There, see Kelly, I know Vicki found out because of my editor too. Even she didn’t put two and two together at first. It’s not common knowledge and I want to keep it that way. Do you understand Kelly?” he looked at her and then at the rest of his family. “That goes for everybody in this room. Thomas Lord stays a mystery to the general public.”

“Todd, you should be proud of those articles. People in this town should know who wrote them.” Blair looked at her husband.

“I didn’t write them for the people in this town, I wrote them to get a story out and help some kids. I don’t need the approval of the people here. I’m proud of those articles and I’m glad that my family knows I wrote them. That’s enough for me.”

“You did much more than just get a story out and we know it,” said Kym as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “If you want to keep Thomas Lord under wraps we won’t say anything.”

“Thanks, Kym, appreciated,” he smiled. “So Kelly, I’m still waiting for that answer. Will you become the Executive Editor for my international office? You can make your home in either London or Paris. Although if I were you, Joey, I‘d talk her into the Paris office. Then neither of you would be pestered by Kevin. I’ll even sweeten the offer. Joey, you could dust off your photography skills and come aboard as the photographic editor.” He looked at them both eagerly.

Joey was stunned. Even though Todd had gotten in one snipe at Kevin, it was clear he meant every bit of the offer. Joey looked at Kelly and could tell she would like to accept the offer but was worried about him. It might be fun to go back to those early roots when he worked at the Banner. It could be just what he needed to finally feel like his own man without his big brother hanging over his shoulder every day. “Kelly, it would be something fresh and new for both of us. I’m game if you are.”

“But Joey what about Clint and Buchanan Enterprises?”

“Kelly, they don’t need me at Buchanan Enterprises. Kevin and Cord have the Company well in hand. Think. We wanted to go to Paris all those years ago. This could be the year that it’s finally meant to be.”

“Take the offer, Kelly. You and Joey in Paris in the springtime, imagine what it would be like.”Blair said.

Todd looked at Blair. “Hey, I’m hiring them to do a job, not make out all over Paris.”

Blair slapped his arm. “Ever the romantic.”

“I’m a romantic but this is business. I need an answer, Kelly.”

“Okay Todd, I’ll take your offer. But I want to make sure that I‘m in charge over there. It’s going to be my baby. Hands off.”

“Kelly, I’ll keep hands-off as long as you keep it edgy and in the moment. It gets to be too much hearts and flowers, you’re out. That’s my prerogative as owner and publisher. Do we have a deal?”

“We have a deal.”

“Joey, you said you’re game. I’m trusting you to get me the look I want. Do we also have a deal?”

” I can’t believe I’m saying this but yes Todd, it’s a deal.” He shook hands with his uncle. Feeling like the night was a turning point for all of them.

Todd smiled, looked around, rubbed his hands together gleefully, and said. “Well, now that that’s settled I’m ready for dessert. What do we have Blair?” Everyone laughed and Blair and the girls went off to get the dessert. Todd, Joey, and C.J. wandered over to the bar and got several more drinks. They joined Cole, Starr, and Jack who were all deep in a discussion concerning the recent breakout from Statesville. Joey began asking questions about Alison and her relationship, if any, to Kipling and Hesser, and Cole said they had limited contact with the female prisoners. But that once a week had been movie night and both groups had sat together in the prison auditorium, it wasn’t impossible that messages hadn’t been passed.

Todd listened quietly, his mood sobering as he remembered what he and John had figured out that morning. After getting his dessert from Blair, he got up and headed outside to think. Blair knew that look and kept the conversation going. When Todd got pensive it was best to let him think it out and then get the information when they were alone. As the evening wound down, Todd finally returned to the gathering. No one commented on his absence, they were all used to a mercurial Todd and had learned to take him in stride. In a way, it was kind of reassuring to Joey, that some things about Todd hadn’t changed. Todd promised to send contracts to both by the end of the next day. The girls made plans to go shopping, as C.J. and Joey made plans to visit with Clint and see about mending fences.

Todd stood with Blair wrapped in his arms as Williams departed with their guests. “Ahh, Domesticity isn’t it grand.” he reached to capture a stray hair blowing in the breeze.

Blair caught his hand and kissed his fingertips. “With you, all life is grand. Thank you for offering Kelly the other job. She really has been at loose ends in London since leaving here.”

“Hey, I know she held down the fort after Jake was shot. She did a good job. I couldn’t let her go to my competition now, could I? But I don’t want to talk about her. How about we take this upstairs my Managing Editor and I’ll put you through your paces. Let’s see what you remember.”

“Sure, I’ll be glad to show you my managing skills.”

Todd turned her around in his arms. “How about giving me a preview.”

Blair obliged putting her hands on his chest and sliding them up slowly she moved his hair off his forehead. She played with his ears gently, then leaned forward and with her lips traced his scar from his ear to his lips and settled there tenderly feeling them give and his mouth open invitingly to her tongue. the kiss deepened and left them breathless. “How’s that,” she whispered against his chest.

He didn’t say anything but guided her back in and up to their room. Shutting the door behind them, he spoke. His voice was husky with emotion. “The preview speaks of excellent skills. Show me everything you’ve got.”

Blair loved when his voice dropped low and sexy. “Come and get it. The first edition is nothing, wait till I show you my special edition.” Todd needed no further invitation and soon only the moon was privy to the delights that Blair showed him.