At The Bayberry
Spring is Almost Here!
KayM
As Long As He Draws Breath part 6
Wed Apr 9 18:57:31 2003
24.130.196.170
Peter came into Todd's room quietly so as not to wake him. He stared down at
the sleeping form of his young son, and brushed a few sweaty strands of hair
out of his face. He and Barbara couldn't have children, so when his cousin
Irene showed up on his doorsteep with the new baby in her arms and begged them
to take him, he saw opportunities.
Besides what Irene offered them on Victor's behalf, and Peter never turned his
back on a pretty penny, Barbara had wanted the baby immediately. She wanted a
child so badly and their marriage had been, to put it mildly, on shaky ground
for months. She'd threatened to leave him, said he was becoming different, too
angry, too violent, and she couldn't stand it. He still loved her then and he
wanted to make her happy.
And then there was the thought of having a son of his own. When he held the
tiny baby in his arms for the first time, and saw those large, innocent eyes
staring up at him in wonder, he began to enjoy the idea of having a son.
Someone to follow in his footsteps, someone to run his company someday when he
retired. A boy that was strong, brave, self-assured, and who followed in his
every footstep, like a younger version of himself. And Barbara wouldn't leave.
But things hadn't gone the way he expected.
Peter had tried to love his son, and did in his own way, but it just wasn't
any good. Barbara doted on the baby, and she was happy, yes, but things
between her and Peter only got worse. Peter became jealous of all the
attention she lavished on the son that she wanted to call Thomas, after a
much-loved uncle. Peter let her, but to be difficult he refused to call the
baby by his given name, saying it wasn't the right name for his son. Thomas,
he would huff, only a sissy would have a name like that, and his son was going
to be no sissy. Not wanting to fight, Barbara relented and called the baby by
his middle name, except when she was alone with him, cooing his given name in
his ear like a soft secret between them. It was enough for her to be able to
enjoy her new baby.
At times, she was so enraptured by Todd, by the sweetness of his smell, the
touch of his silky blond hair, the bright intelligence she saw in bright,
hazel eyes, that Peter had to call her several times before she heard him.
Then, when he told her what he wanted, she'd just dismiss him and go back to
giving the baby all her attention. Peter didn't like that at all. He was
losing control and he couldn't have that. He began to resent the tiny child,
and abandoned his promise not to hit her after they got the baby. He began to
hit her progressively more often and progressively worse. Barbara endured it
because of Todd, but eventually she couldn't take anymore. She had to get out
or, she knew, he would kill her. She wanted so badly to take Todd with
her...but she couldn't. Walking out the door, and leaving her sweet, sensitive
son behind was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do, but she could see no
other choice. Peter promised to take care of Todd and she had to believe him,
telling herself that she would come back for him someday, and they would both
be free.
When she left, all Peter had was Todd, and he couldn't help but look down on
his young son with disgust. His strong, brave, self-assured son was small,
quiet, timid, and different from him in every possible way. He thought he
would choke on the disappointment. His nightly "lessons" for his son weren't
just for punishment. He wanted to see how much Todd could take. He wanted to
build him up, make him strong, more like him. He was weak and Peter Manning
did not want a weak son. Watching Todd sleep, a bit fitfully and moaning
softly, beads of sweat dotting his brow, Peter knew he had many more lessons
to teach his son before he would get it. If he ever would.
But part of him didn't want Todd to get it. He was sickened by the "weakness"
he saw in his son, but he could use it. He liked having control over the boy,
making him do what he wanted. Keeping him in line and showing him who was
boss. If he couldn't get to Barbara, well, she'd left her little bastard
behind and he would do just fine.
He grinned down at his son and shook him awake. It didn't take much. Todd was
a light sleeper, used to being awakened by his father in the middle of the
night. Peter often drank before his visits and the smell of gin clung to him
like a blanket, making Todd hold his breath. Peter was just a sillhouette,
bathed in the lemony light coming from the hallway. Todd couldn't see his
face, couldn't focus on familiar features. All he could see was shadows and he
was frightened. That, at least, was familiar.
Peter sat on his bed and clutched his thigh through the thick blankets. In the
dark, his smile seemed ghoulish. A disembodied cheshire cat grin. Todd blinked
blearily as he tried to pull the blankets up to his chin. He felt very cold
all of a sudden. Peter grabbed his hand gently and forced the blankets back
down.
"Todd...you love your daddy, don't you?"
Todd closed his eyes and sighed imperceptibly. This was a familiar refrain and
he knew how to answer.
"Yes, Daddy."
"Say it."
"I love you." He tried to stop from trembling, not understanding why he felt
so cold. This wasn't new. Why was he still so afraid?
"I love you, what?"
"I love you, Daddy."
"Again. Said it again." His voice was starting to sound terribly hoarse to
Todd, somehow alien. He hoped with everything he had in him that Peter
wouldn't notice him trembling.
"I love you, Daddy," he sighed, staring down at his hands.
Peter reached out and lifted his chin so he could stare into his son's eyes.
He smiled and it was warm, genuine. Todd stopped shaking and took a deep
breath. Waiting. Fearing. Hoping. Wishing.
"That's very good, Todd," Peter said in his croaking voice and his smile
turned predatory, making Todd's heart race in his small, thin chest. "That's
very good."
Want to discuss your ideas? — Server.com Sponsor
At The Bayberry FanFic Board -- The Gutter
Spring is Almost Here!
KayM
As Long As He Draws Breath part 6
Wed Apr 9 18:57:31 2003
24.130.196.170
Peter came into Todd's room quietly so as not to wake him. He stared down at
the sleeping form of his young son, and brushed a few sweaty strands of hair
out of his face. He and Barbara couldn't have children, so when his cousin
Irene showed up on his doorsteep with the new baby in her arms and begged them
to take him, he saw opportunities.
Besides what Irene offered them on Victor's behalf, and Peter never turned his
back on a pretty penny, Barbara had wanted the baby immediately. She wanted a
child so badly and their marriage had been, to put it mildly, on shaky ground
for months. She'd threatened to leave him, said he was becoming different, too
angry, too violent, and she couldn't stand it. He still loved her then and he
wanted to make her happy.
And then there was the thought of having a son of his own. When he held the
tiny baby in his arms for the first time, and saw those large, innocent eyes
staring up at him in wonder, he began to enjoy the idea of having a son.
Someone to follow in his footsteps, someone to run his company someday when he
retired. A boy that was strong, brave, self-assured, and who followed in his
every footstep, like a younger version of himself. And Barbara wouldn't leave.
But things hadn't gone the way he expected.
Peter had tried to love his son, and did in his own way, but it just wasn't
any good. Barbara doted on the baby, and she was happy, yes, but things
between her and Peter only got worse. Peter became jealous of all the
attention she lavished on the son that she wanted to call Thomas, after a
much-loved uncle. Peter let her, but to be difficult he refused to call the
baby by his given name, saying it wasn't the right name for his son. Thomas,
he would huff, only a sissy would have a name like that, and his son was going
to be no sissy. Not wanting to fight, Barbara relented and called the baby by
his middle name, except when she was alone with him, cooing his given name in
his ear like a soft secret between them. It was enough for her to be able to
enjoy her new baby.
At times, she was so enraptured by Todd, by the sweetness of his smell, the
touch of his silky blond hair, the bright intelligence she saw in bright,
hazel eyes, that Peter had to call her several times before she heard him.
Then, when he told her what he wanted, she'd just dismiss him and go back to
giving the baby all her attention. Peter didn't like that at all. He was
losing control and he couldn't have that. He began to resent the tiny child,
and abandoned his promise not to hit her after they got the baby. He began to
hit her progressively more often and progressively worse. Barbara endured it
because of Todd, but eventually she couldn't take anymore. She had to get out
or, she knew, he would kill her. She wanted so badly to take Todd with
her...but she couldn't. Walking out the door, and leaving her sweet, sensitive
son behind was the hardest thing she'd ever had to do, but she could see no
other choice. Peter promised to take care of Todd and she had to believe him,
telling herself that she would come back for him someday, and they would both
be free.
When she left, all Peter had was Todd, and he couldn't help but look down on
his young son with disgust. His strong, brave, self-assured son was small,
quiet, timid, and different from him in every possible way. He thought he
would choke on the disappointment. His nightly "lessons" for his son weren't
just for punishment. He wanted to see how much Todd could take. He wanted to
build him up, make him strong, more like him. He was weak and Peter Manning
did not want a weak son. Watching Todd sleep, a bit fitfully and moaning
softly, beads of sweat dotting his brow, Peter knew he had many more lessons
to teach his son before he would get it. If he ever would.
But part of him didn't want Todd to get it. He was sickened by the "weakness"
he saw in his son, but he could use it. He liked having control over the boy,
making him do what he wanted. Keeping him in line and showing him who was
boss. If he couldn't get to Barbara, well, she'd left her little bastard
behind and he would do just fine.
He grinned down at his son and shook him awake. It didn't take much. Todd was
a light sleeper, used to being awakened by his father in the middle of the
night. Peter often drank before his visits and the smell of gin clung to him
like a blanket, making Todd hold his breath. Peter was just a sillhouette,
bathed in the lemony light coming from the hallway. Todd couldn't see his
face, couldn't focus on familiar features. All he could see was shadows and he
was frightened. That, at least, was familiar.
Peter sat on his bed and clutched his thigh through the thick blankets. In the
dark, his smile seemed ghoulish. A disembodied cheshire cat grin. Todd blinked
blearily as he tried to pull the blankets up to his chin. He felt very cold
all of a sudden. Peter grabbed his hand gently and forced the blankets back
down.
"Todd...you love your daddy, don't you?"
Todd closed his eyes and sighed imperceptibly. This was a familiar refrain and
he knew how to answer.
"Yes, Daddy."
"Say it."
"I love you." He tried to stop from trembling, not understanding why he felt
so cold. This wasn't new. Why was he still so afraid?
"I love you, what?"
"I love you, Daddy."
"Again. Said it again." His voice was starting to sound terribly hoarse to
Todd, somehow alien. He hoped with everything he had in him that Peter
wouldn't notice him trembling.
"I love you, Daddy," he sighed, staring down at his hands.
Peter reached out and lifted his chin so he could stare into his son's eyes.
He smiled and it was warm, genuine. Todd stopped shaking and took a deep
breath. Waiting. Fearing. Hoping. Wishing.
"That's very good, Todd," Peter said in his croaking voice and his smile
turned predatory, making Todd's heart race in his small, thin chest. "That's
very good."
Want to discuss your ideas? — Server.com Sponsor
At The Bayberry FanFic Board -- The Gutter