"Téa?"

"Todd?"

"Téa?!"

"Todd?!"

"Delgado? W-what the hell?! It’s actually you? I...I...I...I thought it was just an amazing look alike...I..." Looking extremely embarrassed, Todd pushes down hard on the accelerator and drives away, leaving a significant amount of rubber on the pavement.

Téa stands there in complete shock, coughing and waving away the stinky smoke from Todd’s tires. Her mind races. Todd. That was Todd...in that car...pulling up to what he thought was a prostitute...someone he thought looked like her.

She turns, as she hears the van pull up beside her. "Mija, what’s wrong with you, chasing away all our customers, huh? We gotta eat, you know...," teases Del, poking his head out the window. "Get in and let’s go home."

"You saw what just happened?," she asks, in a daze.

"Yeah, I saw some car make like a bat out of hell to get away from you. You’re a lousy hooker, Téa. You’re supposed to draw the customers to you, not drive them away from you," he jokes.

"Did you hear any of that?"

"Not really. There’s so damned much static. I could tell you were talking, but I couldn’t make out what you were saying. That’s why I came down the alley so fast. You were scaring me. You gotta fix this audio system before tomorrow night, okay?"

Téa doesn’t respond. "Téa? Did you hear me?"

"Yeah, I heard you."

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"If nothing’s wrong, why do you look all spacey? Did that guy show you his winkie or something?"

"No."

"Téa..."

"I knew that guy."

"Oh, great! Will this guy blow your cover?"

"No."

"Well, who was it? Anyone I know?"

"Yeah, actually, you do know him."

"Oh? Who?"

"It was, uh...it was Todd."

"Todd? Todd Manning?"

"Yes. Todd Manning. It was Todd."

Del does a take at that and is about to make a nasty comment, when he looks more closely at his sister’s face. "You never thought you’d see him again, huh?," he asks, quietly.

Téa takes a deep breath and sighs. "No. I never thought I would."

"Especially in this situation, right?"

"You could say that."

"Get in, let’s go home. You look wiped out, and you need to get some sleep. Forget about that idiot and let’s get out of here."

"Yeah, I’m sure I’ll have no trouble falling asleep tonight, Del. Too bad I don’t keep a journal, you know? Because, tonight’s entry would be quite special. Let’s see, ‘Dear Diary, Tonight, I spent 4 hours pretending to be a hooker, and while I was playing, I learned that my ex-husband, whom I haven’t seen in nearly 2 years, is a John who picks up prostitutes who look like me. Hugs and kisses, Téa.’"

Del gets out of the van and gently takes Téa by the arm, leading her into the van. He gets back in, pulls out onto the street and drives home.

~~~

Several blocks away, in the opposite direction, the black sports car is parked, with its occupant trying desperately to control his breathing. His pulse is racing, and his rapid breathing is causing the windows to fog up, even though the engine is on and the defrost is on high. Todd closes his eyes and leans his head back on his seat, willing his body to become calm...but, it’s not working. He can’t think, he can’t do anything but say one word, over and over..."Téa."

As minutes pass, he begins to relax a little, and he tries to process what just happened. Téa. He just saw and spoke to Téa. Téa Delgado. His Delgado. His beautiful Delgado. The love of his life. His love. His hope. His inspiration. His dream. His fantasy. His...hooker?

Todd’s brow creases, as he tries to make sense of that last thought. Everything else fit, everything else made sense and was right and true and real...but that last part. That was none of the above, and he can’t quite wrap his brain around what he saw tonight. He knows he has to return to that street corner tomorrow night, to see her, again, to find out what’s really going on with her. Téa...in that outfit...God, that outfit...she looked so...those legs, that ass... Todd groans, roughly rubbing his hands over his face, before finally opening his eyes. "Snap out of it, you pervert!," he yells at himself. He puts the car in gear and drives back to his apartment.

~~~

The next night

In an effort to get a better angle for the video camera, Del parks the van on the opposite side of the street from where Téa stands. They both await the arrival of the red Porsche, just like they have every night for the past couple weeks. They have already been here for over an hour, but their target hasn’t shown...and neither has Todd.

Téa isn’t sure if she’s relieved or disappointed that Todd chose not to return. Maybe it’s a little of both...and, it’s probably better that he stays away. She tucks her hands into the side pockets of her tight leather jacket. It barely reaches her waist and doesn’t provide much warmth, but it definitely turns heads. The leather is stiff and squeaky, in the cold night air, but her hands are warming up a bit. Téa is grateful for the warmth her jeans provide her, but she doesn’t think she will be able to last as long tonight, since it is getting colder by the minute.

She is just about to tell Del that she is quitting for the night, when she sees Todd’s car coming down the street. Del notices that he suddenly can’t see Téa’s breath, and as he follows her eyes to the black sports car, he realizes it’s because she’s holding her breath. "Téa, are you alright? Téa? Answer me!"

"Yes, Del, I’m fine."

"Then breathe, okay?"

"What?"

"Breathe. You were holding your breath."

"Was I?"

"Yes, now cross the street and get into the van. Do not talk to that psycho ex of yours! I know that’s his car. Téa?!"

Téa doesn’t respond, as the car pulls up beside her and the window comes down. She takes a deep breath and walks up to the passenger side. She leans down enough to see the man inside, to make sure it’s Todd...and, it is. He looks at her with a combination of nervousness and determination. "Get in," he says.

"Go to hell."

"Get in."

"Go away." Téa steps away from the car and returns to her post, walking backward and never taking her eyes off him. She sees him grin in amusement, and she watches his hand move to the door handle and open it. He gets out and walks around the car, coming to a stop directly in front of her, only a few inches separating them.

"I said, get in, Téa."

"I said, go away, Todd."

He looks into her eyes for a long moment, admiring her beauty and enjoying her attitude, before softly asking, "Please?"

"I’ve gone with you too many times in the past...and, where has it ever gotten me? Nowhere, Todd, that’s where. I won’t make that mistake ever again. Now, go away."

"Seems to me a person should keep trying, until he–or she–gets it right."

"Leave me alone. I’m busy."

"Yeah, I can see that. What I don’t get is why? I’ve heard of lawyers having corner offices but never a corner that is the office. Apparently, the dress code for ambulance chasers has changed, too. God, I hope Sam doesn’t try this look."

"I’m not a practicing attorney these days, not that it’s any of your damned business."

Todd swallows hard, feeling scared and a little sickened by what he fears may be Téa’s answer. "Delgado, why are you dressed up like a hooker? Why are you here every night? What’s going on?"

Téa tilts her head to one side and smiles up at him, coyly. "Well, Todd...if it walks like a duck and looks like a duck and..."

"You’re telling me you’re a hooker?"

"You tell me...you tried to pick me up last night, so you must think I am one."

"No, I didn’t try to pick you up last night."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn’t. I tried to pick up someone I thought was a dead ringer for you, but I never in a million years thought it actually was you."

"Oh, of course! You didn’t think it was me, so that explains why you were looking to have sex."

"Téa..."

"Go away."

"Téa..."

As Todd takes a step toward Téa, he feels a hand clamp down hard on his shoulder. "Not one more move, Manning!"

Todd pulls away from the man’s grip and turns around to look at him. Todd’s expression shows his dismay. "Aw, shit, not you! Del? What are you doing here?"

"Looking out for Téa, which is something you wouldn’t understand. Now, get away from her and don’t come back."

"Would one of you tell me what the hell is going on?," yells Todd.

Téa and Del exchange looks, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Todd. "What? I’m supposed to believe that Téa is a prostitute and you’re what? Her pimp or something?! I mean, Jesus! How stupid do you think I am? I...wait a minute..." Todd’s eyes move from Téa to Del to the van and back to Téa. His eyes narrow. "Who are you looking for, Téa? Who is he, what’s his name and why are you and Big Brother here trying to catch a John?"

to be continued...

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