This phase of the TnT storyline is not long after Todd and Téa’s first “business contract” marriage. Todd presents Téa with a gold watch and she is stunned. Todd says he bought the watch and had it engraved with their initials and wedding date, just to make everything look “legit”....TD - TM, 7/15/97.

Todd: Look if you don’t like it, you know, you can exchange it.

Téa: No, it’s.... it’s exquisite, and incredibly expensive.

Todd: Yeah, that’s the point. Hey, check out the back. I got it engraved. It’s got our initials and the day that we got hitched. Sentimental enough, right?

Téa: Very effective.

Todd: Yeah. Show it off, you know? That will make people take us serious.

Téa: (small laugh, watching Todd very closely as if trying to see if there is another ulterior motive behind this gift) Well, it’s quite a gesture.

Todd: Just the kind of thing that fools in love do, right?

Téa: Yeah. Well, I’ll take good care of it. And when this charade is over, you can have it back.

Todd: Not my style.

Téa: Trade it in for a sports car.

Todd: No, you keep it. Think of it as a bonus for being so good with Starr.

Téa: (all of sudden annoyed, raises her voice a little) I don’t have to be paid to be good to her. She’s a wonderful little girl.

Todd: (surprised) You don’t need to be as prickly about it as me.

Téa: Well, then give me some credit, Todd.

Todd: I thought that’s what I was doing. My mistake.

Téa: (calming down) I’m glad if you think I’ve helped with Starr.

Todd: (staring directly into her eyes) Look, I know that’s not why you got into this, alright? I know that it’s hard for you. A little close to home. A motherless child and all that, so thank you.

Téa: (quietly, but holding his gaze) You’re welcome. (tense moment b/w them passes).

Todd: You going to try it on?

Téa: Give me a hand? (As Todd is clasping the watch around Téa’s wrist, Moose begin squawking)

Todd: (looking over at Moose) What are you bent out of shape about? You jealous? Téa’s just here to help us out. You are my one and only bird.

This scene ends with Téa looking over her shoulder at Moose as Todd was speaking to the bird, with this look on her face like she did NOT trust Moose. At this point, Téa and Moose had NOT learned to ‘appreciate’ each other, LOL! I smiled watching these scenes because it highlighted for me, once again, just how much alike Todd and Téa actually were from the very beginning of the TnT relationship. Both of them had this ‘cocky attitude & prickliness’ as they discussed WHY Todd had really gone to all the trouble of gifting Téa with such an expensive watch. Téa was prepared to be offended if Todd had it in his head that the only way she would even attempt to become a loving, stepmother to his little girl was if there was another price tag at the end of it. Todd was surprised she had jumped to that conclusion and was just a “leettle” irritated that she couldn’t see he was genuinely appreciative and grateful that she was settling into her role as Starr’s stepmother quite nicely, despite her anxieties (before the marriage) about her ability to do this. Remember, it was Todd who had encouraged Téa that she COULD do this, when they were working out “the terms” of the business marriage.

This next scene shows just how comfortable Todd and Téa had become with each other, they had become friends, no 'awkwardness' between them. A couple nights later, Todd and Moose are watching TV in the dark, both of them munching on a bowl of popcorn. With his mouth full of popcorn, Todd raises his voice to Téa, who is in the kitchen getting herself a drink, having only arrived home a few minutes earlier.....

Todd: (to Moose) She’s just kidding.

Moose speaks: Petty girl.

Todd: Did you just say “petty girl?”

Moose: Cement shoes.

Todd: Watch it. That’s my.... wife.... you’re talking about. Why are you giving Delgado such a hard time for, huh? She’s just trying to be nice. Didn’t have to go and bite her.

Moose: Cement shoes.

Todd: Are you jealous? Is that it, huh? My God.... you are jealous! (pointing towards the tube) Check it out. The birds are gonna blow up a gas station. Look you got nothing to be jealous about, alright? Delgado, she’s just here to help make sure I hold on to Shorty. But you - doesn’t change the way I feel about you. You’re still my one and only bird. (puts Moose down) I’m going to get a Scotch, you want one? (Moose squawks) Whatever. (Todd goes into the kitchen..... and Moose heads up the stairs).

The scene changes to Téa’s bedroom. She is already asleep, but she’s not resting comfortably, she seems to be dreaming. Apparently, having watched that little portion of Hitchcock right before going to sleep had affected Téa (use to affect me in the same way, LOL). As Téa is tossing and turning in her sleep, Moose enters her room, gets up on the foot of her bed, starts flapping his wings. Obviously dreaming about the horrors of “The Birds”…. Téa is very abruptly jolted out of her sleep, wakes up screaming to the top of her lungs! When she ducks under the bedcovers, still screaming, Moose goes over to her dresser, picks up the gold watch and “gets the hell out of Dodge” before Todd rushes into Téa’s bedroom....

Todd: Delgado? What’s going on? What are you screaming about? (Téa still has her head under the covers so Todd reaches over and shakes her to get her attention) Hey, Delgado!

Téa: (coming out from under the covers, hysterical) Todd! Where’s the bird?! What happened to the bird?!

Todd: (standing at the foot of the bed) What are you talking about?

Téa: The bird! He was here! He was gonna attack me!

Todd: (walking over to turn on the lamp beside her bed) Calm down, alright? There’s nobody here but you and me.

Téa: (turning sideways to look under the bed) Oh, no! I swear! No, he was at the foot of the bed!

Todd: (walking back towards the foot of the bed) You’re having a nightmare, alright? The bird is downstairs eating popcorn. No more Tippi Whatever-Her-Name-Is movies for you.

Téa: (confused, starting to doubt herself now) I’m - I’m telling you.... he was ... he was here.

But all of a sudden, the atmosphere in the room “changes”.... Todd has suddenly become aware of that sexy little red negligee Téa has on and Téa has “noticed” Todd..... looking. Noticing “this look” in his eyes, she looks down at herself, and then back up at him, nervously. Todd immediately tries to sound as though he is unaffected, and says in this ‘business-like’ but nervous tone of voice, making QUITE an effort to look into her eyes (rather than AT her) as he spoke.....

Todd: (moving around, kinda antsy as he spoke, like it took quite some effort to get his words out and concentrate on what he was saying) Uh, you’re..... you’re having a nightmare. And the bird’s downstairs eating popcorn.

Both Ts are staring directly at each other and there is something decidedly ‘different’ in the way they’re ‘looking’ at each other now. Todd is backing out of the door, but has not broken eye contact w/Téa.....

Todd: (nervously) Uh, there’s nobody here - but you - and me.

Lingering for just a moment longer than he should have, staring directly into her eyes, Todd then finally turns around and beats it out of the door, and as the scene ends, Téa is left with this confused look on her face. Confused about the events that had taken place with Moose, yes (did she actually ‘dream’ that?) but even MORE confused about what had just taken place with Mr. Manning!

Ladies and Gentlemen.... this IS the EXACT moment in the TnT storyline that we can point to as THE moment it was finally revealed to the audience that even though Todd and Téa were in a marriage of ‘convenience’, unbeknownst to them, an “attraction” was growing between them! The scenes started out funny and ended up being downright electrifying! As usual, RH and FL played the scenes perfectly and the sizzling onscreen chemistry they shared was really starting to come into its own..... especially in this last scene.

The minute that Todd becomes aware of that little red negligee, the change that comes over him is very visible. He is clearly affected AND attracted. In the next minute, Téa becomes aware that “he’s aware”, and we see the same thing happening with her... this 'change' which comes over both of them. All of a sudden, the air between them becomes very heavy and thick, tense, electrifying.... as they both make a HUGE effort to play it off as though “nothing has changed” between them. But anyone with eyes could see that EVERYTHING had changed in this exact moment!

Although it would still be quite some time before TnT got around to realizing and admitting there WAS an attraction between them, as always, the LOOKS they shared in these scenes said it ALL. Yes, there would be plenty of heartache and pain for both of them as their relationship progressed, but there would also be..... MUCH love. These scenes marked the beginning of something which would become very special and precious to both Todd and Téa..... the beginnings of a love which would cut very ‘deep’ in both of them, the beginning of an eternal bonding of their two hearts, for a lifetime..... the beginnings of a love which would connect the essence of their innermost beings, their very souls, for all eternity..... then, now, and…… 'forevermore'

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