"No, no, no, I won't go," yells Jack. "I'm not going to rehab, I don't need it. It was his idea, wasn't it?" he continues to yell, "he convinced you to send me away. He can't deal with it and the fact that I'm a mess because of his sorry ass. You can't make me go," Jack yells at Blair. "Hey," shouts Todd at his son, "stop yelling." "Go to hell," Jack shouts at Todd. "I've been there son, and I'm not going back just yet," answers Todd. Blair takes hold of her sons hand, "Jack you need help, I love you and I don't want to lose you. I lost you once, but not this time." "Yeah, you lost me once," says Jack glaring at his father, "and who the hell's fault was that? Yours you sorry son of a bitch." He then looks at his mother, "And your just as sorry for forgiving him." Blair can't believe what she does next when she slaps her son hard across the face. Jack is stunned as he looks at her with disbelief. Blair is trembling and begins to cry. Todd slams his fist down hard on the dinner tray table. Both Jack and Blair are startled. "I told you never to talk to your mother that way, God dammit," shouts Todd at his son. Todd goes to her, "look what you're doing to her. You're going to rehab whether you like it or not, do you here me?" scolds Todd. "Call me every name in the book, but you will not disrespect your mother ever again." Jack sits there silent, stunned and startled as Todd escorts Blair out of his room. Blair sobs as Todd holds her to him. I am coming around the corner when I see them. I stop short and stand slightly behind the wall and watch them. His hand is on her head and his other around her waist as he comforts her. I then lean back against the wall and shut my eyes. "Their son is ill, their son is ill, their son is ill," I repeat to myself silently, hoping this mantra will calm me and make me feel more at ease with their having to be together now. But deep down in my being, it isn't doing a bit of good.
I walk up silently to them and clear my throat. Blair quickly pushes herself from Todds arms. "Um, I have to call Dorian and um, thank you Todd for the hanky, I have to go get some air," Blair says as she scurries off. I had seen her tears but she and I did not say another word to each other. I look at Todd and can see that he is upset. "What happened?" I ask. Todd shoves his hands in his pockets and looks back at the door to Jack's room, "Jack is going to have to go to rehab and he is angry as hell at Blair and me." "I'm so sorry Todd," I say. He shakes his head, "nothing to be sorry about," he replies, "Jack has to go." I go to him and take his hand from his pocket, "he will be alright and so will you and Blair." He looks at me and then pulls me to him. We hug tightly. I breathe in deeply and I smell his cologne and as usual it mesmerizes me. "C'mon Todd, let's go back to the hotel. You need to try and relax. How does a nice long hot bath sound?," I ask him softly. "It sounds really good," he answers as he rolls his head back and rubs his neck. "Then let's get going," I say, " let me take away your stress even if it's just for a little while." I slip my arm through his and he takes my soda from me and starts to drink. "Ugh, diet cola!" he exclaims. "Yes Todd," I say. After a few more steps, he asks, "will you give me a massage while we have our hot bath?" "Oh you bet," I answer, "that and maybe more, you need to relax buddy." "More, you promise?" he asks. "Yes Todd, I promise."
After speaking with Dorian whom is in New York spending the weekend with Langston, Blair inhales the fresh air. She then looks at her right hand. It still stings from slapping her son. She makes a fist and she begins to cry softly. She walks to a bench and sits. She then reaches into her pocket and pulls out Todds handkerchief. She wipes her eyes, then her nose and she smells his cologne. It isn't the same one he used to wear when they were together, the one she had bought for him for many years. The scent is different. Different for her, she thinks, different for Dee. She then dials another number on her cell. "Hello," answers the male voice. "It's me," says Blair, "I really need to see you, can you come to Llanview Hospital?" "Of course" he answers, "but why are you at the hospital?, are you alright?" "Yes and no," she answers, "just please come and I will explain everything, just hurry, I need to feel your arms around me right now." "I'm on my way," he answers. "Thank you," says Blair and they hang up. She sits for a few more minutes. "Okay Blair," she says aloud to herself, "let's go fix your face." She stands and before entering the hospital again, she wipes her eyes one last time with Todd's handkerchief, then turns and tosses it in the trash.
Damien had taken the day to get to visit Llanview a bit. Now that he and Ellie would be making their new home here, it was best he get to know his new surroundings. After making notes of several places he will have to investigate for Mr. Manning concerning the supposed deaths of Cole and Hope Thornhart, he is feeling a bit hungry. He goes to his cell phone to find information on the best place in town for home cooking. He is at this very moment craving Kelly's Diners meatloaf. He finds out about a diner called "The Buenos Dias," Llanviews best for what kind of food he seeks. His information leads him through a place called Angel Square. He stops to look at the statue of the angel in the middle of the park. He learns from his cyber info that it is modeled after a former resident of this city. A woman named Luna Moody who has long since passed away and the very one who had marked the face of the man named Todd Manning. The very man he is now working for. Damien knew of Mr. Mannings past and what he had done in college, but this current Mr. Manning was so far from that. He could still be hard, bad and cruel, but nothing like the man he had been then. Damien shakes his head a presses on. Making his way through the square, he sees a building that reads "Angel Square Hotel." Reading through more info, he finds that in actuality it is not a hotel but apartments. He decides to head inside to check it out. This could maybe be his and Ellies new home. He walks in and proceeds to the front desk. He turns to ring the bell on the counter and is startled by a huge stuffed porcupine sitting there. Damien looks at it closer and makes a face and exclaims, "who in there right mind would have this horrid creature sitting here!" "Me, that's who, got a problem with that?," Damien hears a woman ask somewhat annoyed. He turns to find a woman standing there. Her hair is bleach blonde and piled on top of her head. With a hand on her hip and towels in her other arm, she asks again, "you got a problem with Morris?" "Excuse me," says Damien, did you just call this Morris?" "He ain't a this," says the woman, "he's a porcupine, my Morris." She walks around the counter and begins talking to the stuffed rodent. "Don't pay any attention to this guy Morris, clearly he ain't got no taste. Who are you anyway?" asks the woman, "what do you want?" Uh well, I am Damien Spinelli and I am interested in perhaps renting accommodations from you." She looks at him, "yeah well, Mr. Spinetti..." Damien interrupts her, "it's Spinelli." "Whatever," she replies, "after you insulted my Morris, it seems that we're all full." She turns to enter the back room with her towels. "Wait please," says Damien, " I apologize most wholeheartedly to you for speaking ill of your porcupine." She smiles at him, "don't apologize to me, apologize to him," and she gestures with her head toward Morris. "Will this perhaps get me in to your charming abode?" asks Damien. "Don't know," she answers, "first let's hear what you have to say to Morris." Damien can't believe he is about to apologize to a stuffed animal, but he does. He clears his throat, "please, um Mr. Morris, will you accept my most humble apologies for speaking rather rudely of you?" His eyes dart back and forth between the critter and the woman. She leans in as if the porcupine were whispering in her ear, she nods. "Well, Mr. Spinetti..." Damien does not correct her this time. "Morris accepts your apology," she says. "So then, says Damien, "might there be a vacancy?" She smiles at him, "Yeah there might be, are you alone?" "Well, says Damien, "my girlfriend will be arriving tomorrow and we are in dire need of a dwelling." She smiles again, "you know what kid, I like the way you talk, and yeah, I got a nice little place for rent, wanna see it?" "Oh yes by all means," answers Damien. "Then follow me," she says as she leads him to the stairs. "So, she says as they walk up, "it seems I know your name but I forgot my manners and didn't introduce myself, I kinda got caught up in the Morris thing." "It's quite alright," replies Damien, "and again, I do apologize, so if I may inquire, what is your name?" She stops and turns to face him, "I'm Roxanne Balsom," and she holds her hand out to him. He takes it and shakes, "pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Balsom." She laughs, "oh honey, it ain't Miss, it's Ms., and you don't have to call me that." "Then what shall I call you?" asks Damien. "What everybody calls me," she answers, "you can call me Roxy."