PREVIOUSLY

“Remove your glasses… you have beautiful eyes…”
“Fiore! Ride with Manning in his car back to Llanview,” instructed Bo.
Fiore was the detective who had jumped in the water.
“It’s my wife’s car…” muttered Todd walking down the docks.

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July 2001…

Téa Delgado Manning held her sons in her arm and clutched her stepdaughter, Starr Manning’s hand as she walked past her car, past the registration cabin and down the road to where the ambulance was waiting. She had heard her son, Trevor’s soft whimpers before, but everytime she heard them, her heart broke. He had hemophilia because of her – and she prayed to God, her other son, Tyler, would be spared. The paramedics were standing against the ambulance talking. One looked up when he noticed Téa walking toward them with the kids. He walked over to her.
“Is something wrong?” asked the paramedic, “I’m Joe. Joe Tyler.”
Her other son’s name…
“Téa Manning. It’s my son, Trevor. He’s an hemophilic and he’s having an episode – in his ankle,” said Téa.
Trevor’s lips quivered as tears flowed down his cheeks.
Joe held out his arms and took Trevor from her. Trevor franticly looked at his mother, “Mommy!”
“It’s o.k. T.D. He’s going to help us…” replied Téa. Starr clutched Téa’s hand even harder.
“How about your eye? That’s quite some shiner you got there,” said Joe, “Oh – you’ve got stitches all ready…”
“Yeah, my eye will be all right,” replied Téa, “Ah…”
The driver got behind the wheel and the other paramedic opened the rear doors.
“What is it?” asked Joe.
“You are going back to Llanview General?” asked Téa.
“Yep,” said Joe. He carried Trevor into the main cabin and gently lay Trevor out on the stretcher, the other paramedic had prepared. Téa and Starr followed them inside.
“Good. Dr. Hart is his attending physician and his supply of clotting factor is there…” added Téa.
“I’ll have Eddie radio ahead and notify them. Until then, we’ll just keep him warm and do our best to prevent him from going into shock,” said Joe. The other paramedic secured the ambulance’s door and slowly the ambulance began to go down the road.
Starr sat down beside Téa and took Trevor’s hand into hers. Trevor’s eyes danced from his mother to Starr. Joe took Trevor’s vitals and covered him up with a blanket. Téa put her hand over Starr and Trevor’s.
“Ah, how long till we get back?” asked Téa.
“About forty minutes,” said Joe.
“Do you mind if I make a call on my cell phone?” asked Téa.
“It will be all right. We’re not using any medical equipment,” replied Joe.
“Thanks,” said Téa. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She dialed a few numbers. As she waited for the other party to pick up, her eyes met Trevor’s…
“If I could take the pain away…” she whispered to him.
“Blair? It’s Téa…”
“Téa? Is Starr all right?”
“Starr’s here with me. She’s all right. Starr, Trevor, and I are heading back to Llanview now…”
“Oh Thank God! How long will it take? Where can I meet you at?”
“Ah – it’ll take about forty minutes. We’ll meet you at Llanview General…”
“Llanview General? I thought you said Starr was all right?”
“Starr is fine. It’s Trevor…”
“Trevor?”
“My son is hurt Blair…”
“I’m…I’m sorry, Téa…”
“Is Del there?”
“Not yet? How’s Todd?”
“I don’t know about Todd. He’s with Fiona…”
“Oh. Can I speak to Starr?”
“Sure.”
Téa gave the phone to Starr and took Trevor’s hand. “Mommy!”
“How’s my little girl? Are you o.k.?”
“I’m fine Mommy, but little Tee is sick…”
“Téa told me. Look, Mommy will meet you and Tee at the hospital o.k?” “O.k. Mommy. I love you.”
“I love you too…”
CLICK.
Starr looked at Téa and then Trevor and then put her hand over Téa and Trevor’s.
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Llanview General…

The ambulance parked at the emergency room doors. Joe Tyler wheeled the stretcher with Trevor through the doors. Téa and Starr, holding hands, followed him inside. Dr. Hart quickly smiled at Trevor. Trevor closed his eyes tightly to deal with a sudden blast of pain. Tears rolled down his eyes.
“I heard about your crisis Téa – I’m sorry. Is your eye all right?” asked Dr. Hart. It pained him to look directly at her.
“Thanks. My eye’s o.k.,” started Téa.
“Starr!” came a voice.
“Mommy!” exclaimed Starr.
Blair came running over and took Starr into her arms showering her with light kisses on her face.
“How long he has been bleeding?” asked Dr. Hart.
“Ah…at least an hour…” said Téa.
“Little Tee started bleeding when we got to the cabin…” said Starr.
Téa, Blair, and Dr. Hart turned their attention to Starr who was in Blair’s arms.
“When did you get to the cabin?” asked Téa.
“About two,” said Starr.
“Do you know how the bleeding in his ankle started?” asked Dr. Hart.
Téa reached down and took Trevor’s hand. It’s a wonder he hadn’t passed out by now. She gave up fighting against the tears and let them freely flow down her cheek.
“He was kicking the car door. He wanted to get out,” said Starr.
Dr. Hart turned to an attending intern, “What room is open?”
“Two…”
“Put him in two. Start an IV and bring up two pints of his clotting factor from the lab – it’s marked, Manning, T….” instructed Dr. Hart.
The attending intern wheeled Trevor off.
“Téa?” questioned Dr. Hart – his eyes darting back from Téa to Trevor to Téa.
Téa wrapped her arms around herself, “I need a minute… to compose myself… Trevor doesn’t need to see me like this…”
“Sure,” said Dr. Hart. He turned around and walked off.
“Me and Mommy will go in with little Tee,” said Starr. Blair opened her mouth, looked at Starr, wrinkled her brow, quickly closed her mouth and looked at Téa.
“Yeah, Starr and I will stay with him…” mumbled Blair.
“Thanks,” said Téa trying to smile.
“C’Mon Mommy!” said Starr. Blair put Starr down and they walked toward Trevor’s room while Téa went into the nearest bathroom.
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Dr. Hart was attending to Trevor.
Trevor was clearly in physical pain, Blair could see that. He would make faces and cry…his face was pale…but it seemed as though…he held most of it in…in an heroic attempt not to let others see just how much pain he really was in. Or maybe…he was hiding it from Téa – as she tried to hide it from him how much she hurt, seeing him like this.
An intern walked in past Blair, “I’ve got those two pints you’ve requested.”
“Good,” said Dr. Hart. He put the IV needle into Trevor’s arm.
Starr walked up to Trevor and took his hand.
“Where’s Mommy?” asked Trevor.
“Tee had to use the bathroom,” said Starr, “She’ll be back soon.”
“Mommy’s scared…” muttered Trevor through his tears.
Blair stepped up behind Starr and put her hand over Starr and Trevor’s, “Hey, Trevor – remember me?”
“Bear?”
“Yeah. Starr’s Mommy. And you know that sometimes Mommies get scared. I got scared when that evil Fiona took Starr and you. Sometimes…it’s a Mommy’ s job to be scared…” started Blair.
The door opened and Téa walked in. Blair pulled away.
Dr. Hart looked up and smiled quickly, “I think it best to leave the sneaker on for now – until the swelling goes down. I’ve just administered the clotting factor…”
“I know. It will take a good eight hours before he can feel the effects,” said Téa walking up to Trevor’s bed.
His face lit up as soon as he saw her.
Her eyes were puffy but dry. And she gazed lovingly at him.
“Thanks Starr, Blair. You don’t have to stay,” said Téa.
Dr. Hart stepped away from the bed and began writing in Trevor’s chart.
“I want to stay Mommy…” said Starr firmly looking at Blair.
“Ah, all right,” said Blair. She pulled up a chair for her and Starr.
“Do you want me to sing to you T.D?” asked Téa softly, gently, touching him.
He nodded his head.
She sang him a Spanish lullaby. One that Starr remembered hearing a long time ago. Slowly, the hour passed.
************************************************************************************************

The door to Trevor’s room flung open and Todd stood there – his clothes damp – his hair slick – but he was happy to be alive.
“Todd!” exclaimed Téa standing up.
Trevor had passed out about twenty minutes ago.
“How is he?” asked Todd.
“I think he’ll be all right,” muttered Téa in shock.
“Hi, Daddy!” said Starr smiling at him.
“Hi Shorty,” said Todd returning the smile.
“You’re wet, Daddy,” said Starr.
“I know,” said Todd, “And right now I don’t care.” Slowly, he turned his gaze back to Téa who was just standing there, looking at him, dumbfounded. Their eyes met and then she bolted into his arms and her lips were upon his – his hands running through her hair – her arms holding him tight. “C’Mon Starr,” said Blair taking Starr’s hand, “Let’s give your Daddy and Téa some privacy.”
Starr nodded her head and they left.
“I’m getting you all wet…” muttered Todd between kisses.
“Right now, I don’t care…” said Téa holding him – savoring him, “Your alive! Alive!”
“Yeah – I’m no dream Delgado…” said Todd picking her up off the ground twirling her around, “And Braxton is on her way to Bellevue as we speak and out of our lives!”
Again, her lips found his and slowly he let her down.
“Oh – it feels so good to hold you – thinking I might never hold you again….” muttered Todd as he freely let Téa kiss him, his face – his neck – his arms wrapped around her just as tightly as hers were around him.
“Hold me Todd. Hold me for the next seven hours and don’t let me go…” she requested.
“Gladly,” he replied. He took his hand and found her chin, titling her face up, finding her eyes…
“You have the most expressive black eye I know…” he whispered.
“You don’t find it unattractive?” she whispered lost in HIS eyes.
“Nope.”
And slowly he leaned into her, sharing one of the most passionate, intimate kisses he’d ever known with her – and she responded with the same intensity – and he didn’t want to stop kissing her – each kiss becoming more deeper – hungering for more –
“I love you, Téa…”
“I love you, Todd…”

TO BE CONTINUED

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