In His Corner--Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was the look on his face that gave her her answer.  It was not one of his usual expressions.  In fact, she could only remember one other time she had seen it on him.  It was an August night, in the presence of her mother, her brother, two of her aunts, John McBain and the man she had believed to be her father for eight years.  When her mother had mentioned the house they were in and why it had been set up, the look on her father’s face said it all.  The look of pain and disgust and hurt was all she needed, truly, to know who he was.

That was the look he had on now.  When the charge was being made, Todd Manning had that same expression on.  It was a charge that was so vile to him she knew he would never go there again.  Once, it had nearly destroyed him.  And as self-destructive as her father could get, as self-destructive as he was now, she knew he would never go there again.

Starr did the only thing she could think of as those thoughts were rushing through her head.  She ran.  She needed to collect her thoughts, so she turned and left the police station.  She looked back at him and saw the sadness settle on his features.  He thought she was abandoning him as well.  She smiled at him, trying to convey a message to him.  He caught it and returned in.  She opened the door and walked out of the station, trying to figure out where to turn next.

She couldn’t go to Michael; his mother was her father’s accuser.  John McBain looked pleased to be arresting Todd, so he was out.  And the picking got slimmer when she thought of the family back home.  Jack and Dani ignored Todd’s existence, her cousins wouldn’t have been much help even if they liked him and her mother was too worried about Tomas’ whereabouts to give her father a fourth thought.  There was only one person who might help her and her father, but she was a long shot. 

Starr pulled out her phone and scrolled through the contacts.  Sending up a silent plea for help, she pushed send and waited.

******

The doorbell rang at Llanfair and, as there was no one else there, Victoria Lord Davidson answered it.  She didn’t see anyone straight away until a voice called out “Happy New Year, Aunt Viki!”  Looking down, she saw her nephew, Sam Manning.

“And a Happy Yew Year to you too,” she said, enveloping the little boy in a big hug.    When she looked up again, she saw the boy’s mother, Blair Cramer, approaching with a smile.  “And Happy New Years to you too.”

Blair returned the smile.  “And to you as well.  Sam wanted to drop off his present to you, so we figured we’d stop by. “

“Oh, well, thank you.  I still have something under the tree for you too, Sam,” Viki told him as he scampered off.  The two women followed him and watched as he tore the paper off his gift.  His smile seemed perfunctory, at best, but he was gracious when he hugged her again.  “And did Santa bring you all the gifts you asked for?” she inquired.

“No,” Sam said in reply.   Viki looked to Blair and back at Sam as he continued.  “I asked Santa to let Uncle Todd come home, but he didn’t.”

Viki turned to Blair, who took her son’s hands.  “Hey I told you that Uncle Todd is probably very busy.  That was why he didn’t come home.”  It was a lie that slipped off her tongue so easily, it didn’t even break her heart. 

“Hey, I think Lois has some fresh-baked cookies in the kitchen and some hot chocolate.  Why don’t you go and see her?” Viki offered.  Sam let out a sigh and headed in that direction.

When they were sure he was out of earshot, Viki turned back to Blair.  “He is still taking all this so hard,” she said.

“Well, he still thinks Todd didn’t do anything wrong.  Todd is still the hero that saved him from the bad men,” Blair disclosed.  “He doesn’t understand Todd killed his daddy or that Todd was responsible for Tea losing a baby he thought was his little brother.  He’s still too young to see the other side of Todd.”

Viki didn’t know how to respond to that, so she chose to ignore it.  “How are you doing?  Have you heard any word from Tomas?”

“No, and Dorian is still beating on Langley for information, but they aren’t saying anything,” Blair told her.

“Well, I heard from a friend in Harrisburg that the governor isn’t very happy with Dorian’s interest in that.  I know she’s doing it for you, but the feeling is that she’s ignoring the needs of her constituents in favor of a personal matter,” Viki told her.

“Well, I wish Dorian would drop it, if that’s the case.  Right now, Tea’s the one making the most noise.  I think she’s even driving Skye a little crazy,” Blair admitted. 

“Well, Tomas is her brother, so it’s natural she’d be worried,” Viki replied.  “Forgive me for saying this, but you don’t seem too worried.”

Blair caught herself and tightened her features as she answered, “Of course I’m worried.  He disappears right before our wedding and then Todd conveniently shows up saying he’s someone else, with Skye Chandler-Quartermaine and Carly Jacks parroting him?  It is way too much for a coincidence, if you ask me.”    

Viki knew Blair well enough to see her putting on an act.  She was about to say something about it when the phone rang.  She walked over to the desk and answered it.  “Llanfair, Viki Davidson speaking.”

“Aunt Viki, thank god you picked up!” Starr said breathlessly.

“Starr, is something the matter?” Viki asked.

Her daughter’s name caught Blair’s attention.  “What’s wrong?” she asked, worry seeping in around her.

Viki held up her hand.  “Starr, I’m going to put you on speakerphone.  Your mother is here visiting.”

“No, don’t put Mom on.  She won’t be of any help and I really don’t need her going on a tear about Dad,” Starr responded, alarmed.  She took another deep breath.  “But I need your help.  I don’t have anyone else to turn to.”

“Starr what happened?  Is it something with your father?”

Sitting on a bench, on a pier in Port Charles, New York, Starr said a phrase she never dreamed would come out of her mouth.  As calmly as she could manage, she said, “Dad’s been accused of rape…and I don’t think he did it and I need help.”