The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
Chapter 2
Tea laid back on her bed staring at the ivory wedding dress that hung from a satin hanger on a hook outside her closet door.
“Two more weeks,” she told herself, admiring it as she sipped a glass of wine.
The bodice was of silk brocade and the skirt of fine, filmy tulle that flowed softly to the floor. It was strapless accept for the silk roses that fell off the shoulders forming delicate sleeve of flowers on her upper arms.
“Such a lovely dress...” she whispered, almost as if it belonged to someone else.
The knocking at her front door startled her out of her whimsy. Glancing quickly at the clock she saw that it was 10:30 and slipping her robe on she raced to the door, looking out through the peephole.
“Del, what the hell are you doing here at this hour?”
Tea pulled the door back and looked up at her older stepbrother, looking urban and artsy in a black leather jacket and beret.
“Hey, this is New York, mija. It’s early. Besides, I got off work sooner than I thought and wanted to check in on you. Two more weeks, little sister, and you’ll be off the market. How does it feel?”
Tea shut the door as he swept into her comfortable livingroom like a brisk wind and sat on the sofa.
“Well...it’s great! I’m a bit nervous, though...so damn nervous. I can hardly sleep. I don’t think I’m very good at this marriage thing.”
“How would you know? You’ve never been married before.”
“Del, you know that’s not true,” said Tea, wounded by his callous words.
“Oh, come on, Tea, what you had with Manning wasn’t a marriage! The first time was a business deal, the second time it was a scam to keep his ass out of prison...and that last insanity, running away together, turned into a disaster.”
Tea turned away from him, pulling her robe tightly around her, recalling her time with Todd.
“You don’t know how it was between us. When we took off together, we were happy...well, for a while, anyway...”
Del sprung up.
“Oh, yeah, Tea, you were so happy, the dude came back to Llanview and within months was shacking up with his ex and having another kid.”
Tea’s eyes misted and she turned to him angrily.
“Shut up, Del!”
“Well it’s the truth, Tea. Someone has to make you face it. And don’t forget how the man left you to die on a deserted island. Baby, I’m so glad he’s out of your life. Paul Adams adores you! He’s handsome, he’s successful and he looks at you like you’re fresh, boiled lobster swimming in butter. You’re not his second choice, girl, you’re his first. No woman should settle for less, specially not a woman like you.”
Tea smiled at him.
“You’re right. Yes, of course, you’re right. I guess it’s just pre-wedding jitters or something. The closer the wedding gets the more anxious I become. I haven’t been sleeping well. I keep having these strange dreams...” she said, walking to the kitchen and pouring them both some wine.
Del followed her.
“What kind of dreams,” he asked, taking the wine from her hand.
“You won’t like this, but...they’re about...” she said, looking up at him cautiously, “Todd.”
“Oh, those aren’t dreams, Tea, those are nightmares.”
Tea laughed and slapped him playfully.
“I know that dreams are pretty meaningless, but, I keep seeing him, and he keeps calling to me. He’s in this cold place...and so alone...”
“Tea, he’s not cold...or alone. He’s with Blair.”
Tea looked away.
“Well, no...he isn’t. Well, not technically, anyway. When I spoke with Carlotta she said they weren’t together anymore and that Todd had disappeared.”
Del smiled and nodded his head sarcastically.
“Oh, now I get it. So poor Todd got thrown out on his ass by Blair and you think he’s going to come looking for you, is that it, chica? Looking for someone to patch him up again so he can go running back to Blair once again? Is that what you want, Tea? You want to be his nursemaid?”
“No!”
“Tea. When will you stop taking crumbs from this man?”
Again, Tea turned away.
“I loved him, Del! I can’t make you understand that but...it was more than love. I know I’ll never feel love like I did for Todd with anyone again...I don’t want to. And, I’ve accepted that he loves Blair and not me. But, a part of me still care what happens to him. Can’t you understand that?”
“No! Betrayal is betrayal. No way to white-wash it.”
“He didn’t betray me...he just chose someone else,” she said sadly, shaking her head a little to disengage the memory of rejection that still clung so stubbornly to her brain. “Besides, this discussion is moot. I’m marrying Paul in two weeks and nothing will change that. I think I’ve finally earned the right to be happy, don’t you?”
Del hugged her.
“Now, that’s what I want to hear. It’s going to be a great wedding. All the Delgados in one place, the Vegas are coming, Paul’s family from England. You know, at first I had my doubts about him, but no more. That man worships you. But...if I had one reservation it would be how fast all this happened. You’ve only known each other for less than six months. What’s the hurry? Are you pregnant, Tea?”
Tea spat out her wine and started laughing.
“Are you kidding? No, I’m not pregnant?”
“Hey, I’m just looking out for my little sister, man. It just seems like you’re rushing, that’s all.”
“Well, what’s the point in waiting, Delmonico? I’m not getting any younger waiting for my prince to come along. And I want to start a family, and so does Paul.”
Del placed his wine on the coffee table and approached her.
“But, you love Paul, right? You’re not just marrying him to forget Manning, Tea, are you?”
Tea looked up at him.
“No, of course not. I love Paul. He’s intelligent and funny and kind, we have so much fun together. Being with him is...so easy, like it’s suppose to be. He’s just the sort of father I want for my children.”
“And he plays a mean game of B-ball! That white man can certainly jump! I’m happy for you, baby. It’s time you had a real life of your own. Now...I hate to leave, but, the bureau called and I’ve got to be on the next plain to Washington.”
Tea pulled away from him, looking disappointed.
“But, what about my wedding? Don’t forget you’re giving me away, mister?”
“I’ll be back in plenty of time, don’t you worry,” he said, as she walked him to the door.
“Del?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you realize that every time I see you you always bring up Todd? Why is that?”
Del reached down and brushed the hair away from her cheek.
“Because...even though you’re good at hiding it from everyone else, I do know how much you loved that loser. I know you gave him your heart and soul...and he trashed it. And I saw the pain you were in from this last round with him, you were devastated when you came off that plane from Hawaii, like you’d been through a war. I wanted to kill him for hurting you like that. I always bring him up because I don’t want you to forget that heartache. I want you to remember that pain, Tea, the pain HE caused you. You know the old saying about those who forget the past...”
“Yes...they’re condemned to repeat it. Don’t worry, Todd and I are most definitely over. When we were on that island together, it was different Del. I can’t explain it but Todd just seemed different to me like he was trying desperately to recapture something that he couldn’t quite remember. Maybe it was just because he had stopped loving me, but...something just didn’t feel right between us. He just didn’t look at me the same way he use to, like we’d lost that connection we’d always had. I can’t really explain it.” she said, shaking her head. “Anyway, stop worrying so much about me. I’m happy, really, I am!”
“Good, that’s what I want to hear. Now, I gotta go. I’ll be back in a week. Hasta la vista, chica,” he said, leaning down and kissing her. Then he was gone.
Tea shut off the lights in her living room and stood there in the darkness for a minute, her words to Del hanging in the air like a specter of lies.
“I’m going to be happy, damn it...even if it kills me!”
Finally she headed back to her bedroom. Removing her robe she approached the beautiful gown that seemed to mock her from the door. She caressed the delicate roses along the sleeve and crushed the tulle of the skirt between her fingers.
“I promise you my laughter, my understanding and my love, for now and forevermore,” she whispered as a single tear fell down her face, a noisy buzzing filling her ears as her wounded illusions of love flew around aimlessly inside her head and spiraled downward, crashing down into her injured soul.
Grabbing the satin hanger from the top of the door, she shoved the gown deep into the dark closet and slammed the door shut, holding her body against it as if the gown would come out and threaten her future happiness with it’s affectations of truths and forevers.
“No more illusions...no more tears...”
Pulling a legal pad and pen from a nearby drawer she laid back down and started writing with determination and professional discipline.
“Time to think up some new vows...”
*****
2003 Copyright by Trog

FanFiction Home
Home