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The Tessarae Inn |
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The Son Also Rises CHAPTER 21 "Look, sometimes I forget she was... is your sister." “What are you trying to say?” “Don’t make this harder than it already is, Ethan. I get it now. That’s why you came back. You saw her in Paris and you came back to warn me.” “I came back to check on my nephew.” “The whole situation had me a little on edge. I said some things… Well, you know. I’ll always remember what you did for me.” “But you still see them when you look at me?” “I didn’t make the rules. You told me that enough times. Despite what you want, you are part of them and always will be. And I know what they are capable of.” Ethan nodded his head and glanced around the office. “I do think she’s gone. Been gone for three or four weeks now.” That was the same thing Padgett reported to him. Ethan was playing it straight with him just like he always had before, but … “I finally caught up with her and she assured me she was leaving. Convinced her to give Peter…Sean a chance for once in his life and leave him be.” “Blair is taking good care of him.” “I suspected as much. She has a way about her. I finally see why you were willing to swim across the Irish Sea if necessary to get back to her.” “I did think Mahoney would make a decent life for him.” “I know and he did try. He really cared about Katherine but she couldn’t give him that chance. She was with him like she was with everyone else in her life. She’s my sister but there’s something missing in her. Maybe it was because our mother died when we were so young. I don’t know. It’s an excuse I’ve heard often but I tend not to think it would have made any difference with Katherine. Sean-Ryan is the only person she’s ever shown a smidgen of caring for and in that she let herself get desperate.” “That’s one word for it.” Ethan locked his hands together and looked him in the eye. “I don’t claim to understand. Never found someone who touched my heart for life like that, though I suspect you understand better than some. Of all the men in Clare Co. he was the worse for her to fancy herself loving because he's incapable of feeling anything but anger and revenge. It was his destiny but it didn’t have to be hers.” “What the hell ever. Just keep both of them away from my family. And, Ethan, as far as I’m concerned all debts have been settled. This is over for me.” =============== Blair checked her watch. She had just enough time to pick up Sean and get him to Dr. Rubin's for his dental appointment. It was the only appointment she could get for five weeks! She coasted in front of the school and was happy to see Principal Parker waiting at the front door with Sean. She waved and Sean ran to the car. It was so nice to be able to do normal things again. The security was still in the background but she'd insisted that she be allowed to get back to her routine. Todd finally agreed. She noticed that he'd relaxed considerably in the last two weeks. By the time she made her demand, he seemed more than ready to relent and draw back the guards. “Now, I don’t want you to worry. Dr. Rubin is the best and he does not hurt you, too much at least.” Sean laughed. “He probably hurts a lot but I can take it. I’m sure he’s better than old Doc Moore back home. The more he hurt the happier he seemed to be.” “Well, I’ll be there with you this time. It helped Starr in the beginning.” “You left work just to come with me?” “Yes I did and then we are going to pick up Starr and take you to football practice.” “Are you going to stay and watch?” “Sure am. See how I’m dressed? Jeans, boots and a sweater. Just like Mrs. Morgan.” “So you can run out on the field and argue with the coach, too?” “If necessary. Only if necessary. But I promise not to call him names like she does. Coach-a-dork.” Sean laughed again and it sounded like music to Blair. “You will have to go with me to Moon Jumping for a few minutes when we finish at the dentist though. But that’s good because Dee has been asking about you. She’ll be so happy to see you. She calls you her Cutie-Pie Manning Prince II.” “I’m not a Manning,” he said softly. She glanced over at him quickly. “Only not in name and we are planning to do something about that. We’re already working on the paperwork. If you agree, it should be handled soon. Then you’ll be Peter Sean Manning.” “Can I drop the Peter? He doesn’t like it.” “That has nothing to do with you,” she said softly. “It’s about his father. And you don’t have to change your name because of that.” “I really want to but I’d like another name too. A middle name.” “Do you know what name you would like?” “I’m not sure.” “What about your grandfather’s name or your uncle’s?” “No.” “Are you sure, sweetheart? There’s no need to cut yourself off from people you loved in Ireland.” “I’m not. I just want to be a part of this family too.” “You are a part of this family and you don’t have to change a thing about yourself to make that a fact.” “I just want another name.” “Okay, who’s your favorite person here or …” He turned his head and looked out of the window quickly. “You. But I guess Blair is a girl’s name.” “I think it is most of the time, ” she said carefully. And Starr would have a hissy fit the size of Texas if that was Sean’s choice for a name. “My second favorite person is Grandmother.” “Well, Addie wouldn’t work,” she said slowly and then an idea hit her, “but what about Addison? That’s a guy name. Sounds real macho.” Sean grinned. “Addison is cool. It sounds like the name of a football player. Can I be Sean Addison Manning?” “It’s a beautiful name.” She noticed that Sean beamed and she tried to get her heart to stop beating so fast. Sometimes life gives you gifts when you least expect to get anything at all. It swoops down and drops the most precious things right in your lap. And it was known to use strange couriers. Katherine never in a million years meant to give her this gift, but she did. And as crazy as it sounded, she would always be grateful to her. The car in front of them stopped suddenly. Blair hit her brakes then pumped them to avoid going into a tailspin but her car seemed not to respond at all and she skidded forward. The loud crunching sound of the fender crashing into the other car then caving inward assaulted her ears. Her head snapped back but her seat belt held her in place. She could see Sean’s frightened eyes in the rearview mirror. Before she could say anything, everything seemed to suddenly whip in the opposite direction. Sean cried out. A wave of pressure knocked her forward. Something had hit them from behind. The impact shoved her into the steering wheel. A wall of material hit her in the face full force and knocked her back. She felt herself drifting into unconsciousness but she fought to say awake. She kept calling Sean’s name until she heard him answer in a soft voice. She tried to gather her wits. She needed to get out of the car and to get Sean out of the car. The odor of gasoline assaulted her lungs. The fabric around her face was making it hard to breathe. She struggled to release the seatbelt. It wouldn’t move. She pulled at it then yanked furiously. It would not give. She steadied her breathing. She had to stay calm. She fingered the release again but it would not click open. The belt was jammed. She always meant to buy one of those cutters to put in the car and now it was too late. Why was this happening? Tears suddenly popped into her eyes. She had to get them out of this situation. Suppose the car caught on fire? Sean was in the back. The gas tank was in the back. She could not lose another child. Life could not do that to her again. She would not allow it. She pulled at the belt and fingered the release mechanism. It wouldn’t give? Why? Please don’t do this. Not with so much at stake. Todd would be so angry with her. She hadn’t been paying attention. It couldn't all end this way. She couldn't leave Starr and Jack. They needed her. And Sean... Someone yanked open the car door. Thank all that is merciful in the world. She tried to turn her head toward the door but the wall of fabric was still holding her in place. “Please get my son out,” she said as loudly as she could but her voice was barely above a whisper. “He’s in the back.” A man reached over and cut the seat belt. “Someone’s already got him.” The man pushed the fabric away and she turned to thank him. He was pointing a gun directly at her head. For a moment she forgot to breathe. This had to be a mistake. Why did he have a gun? He thought she was someone else. He had to know he was wrong. She looked him in the eye but all she could see was naked hatred. She cried out but even before she got her mouth fully open she heard the distinctive metallic sound of a trigger being squeezed. Once. Twice. Three times. Pain is orange. Piercing burning sensations enveloped her body then she was floating as if suspended in a still, soundless space. She struggled to resurface but something clamped onto her with icy fingers and pulled her downward --deeper --deeper --deeper into a velvet darkness where there was no air, no will to resist. no sound, no pain, no images, no thoughts……….. Light as air, soft as silence, she landed in the middle of nothingness.
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