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| SOULMATES BY CAROL |
CHAPTER 3 |
Daylight broke on the springtime forest. The ground was still white and pure of interruption. The frozen brooke down the way glistened like diamonds throughout the countryside. It had been a long time since Todd had returned to his mother's cabin.
He had decided that he was once again willing to be in this place. This place that had held such mixed emotions for him. He loved his mother, this much, he knew. But parts of him hated her for leaving him with that monster. That so-called adoptive father she had made the mistake of marrying. Marriage! What an institution! Institution was the right word all right. "Anyone who could ever be dumb enough to marry SHOULD be institutionalized," his mind wondered.
His memories of her were powerful and overwhelming all of a sudden, especially, here, in this place. But this time seemed different. He glanced over to the passenger side of his car. He smiled inwardly, not wanting to totally show his happiness outwardly, but truly feeling giddy again, this springtime, staring at his guest. He was here with a new woman, this time. One that wanted to be with him, here, in this place of twisted torment. The world was not a place he wanted to be. But this little piece of it was possible to exist in. Especially, now that Delgado had agreed to exist in it with him.
Existing in it was made more comfortable by Tea's insistance that they shop for supplies. He had told her where it was he wanted to take her and she was touched that he would want to share that place with her. She saw it as an effort for him to open himself up about some of his childhood torment. If, in her opinion, they could possibly get through some of the muck that was his childhood, they stood a chance together, for real!
When they had stopped at the Exxon up the road from the cabin, she had insisted on only a few items out of the norm, which he had no problem buying for her, if it kept her near him, at least for a little while. She had always been so easy to please. They bought the staples they would need for a few days there, with a promise of a trip to a bigger store for stocking the place, if they decided to stay longer. He wasn't sure how long his urban-tainted woman could stand the wilderness, but he honestly knew she would try.
Convincing Todd to stay in this place forever would not be a problem. He was where he wanted to be and with whom. Tea was the one who needed convincing. He had to prove himself in his actions as well as his words. He wasn't ready to give her all that she wanted. This he knew. But he was prepared to give her the things he had recently said he would. Although he would no longer push her away, he was hopeful, she would understand, that it was now all up to HER, not to immediately do the things that would make him want to push her away. Things would now have to be either slow in coming or possibly not do them at all. Tea didn't know any of this, of course, but he would get her to see things his way. He always got what he wanted. After all, he's Todd Manning!
Upon entering the cabin, Tea could tell that Todd had already been here for a while. "So this is where he's been," she thought confidently to herself. "He's telling me his secrets without saying a word," she thought. "And I love him for it," she grinningly smiled.
Todd: What's up with the look, Delgado?
Tea: What look? This is my normal look.
Todd: Yeah, right.
Tea: So this is your mother's cabin. It's lovely Todd.
Todd: I don't know about lovely, but it's quiet and away from everyone I hate.
Tea: There's no such place for you Todd. You'll always find someone to fight with.
Todd: Are you trying to start a fight right now, Delgado?
Tea: No, no, no. I'm just trying to get my bearings. Remember, I'm a product of the inner city.
Todd: I wouldn't exactly call Manhattan the inner city.
Tea: Well, it's not exactly a rural area either, Todd.
Todd: Enough of the chit chat, let's get this stuff put away and settle in.
Tea: I'll put the groceries in the fridge.
Todd: No, that's okay, I got that. You look around and make your self comfortable. (pausing) But not too comfortable.
Tea: (smiling) Okay.
Tea watched as Todd went back and forth from the car to the kitchen, the kitchen to the car and back to the kitchen. He stopped once, in between treks for a slice of bread. Tea had mistakenly thought that Todd was making himself a sandwich. The thought, for an instant, appealed to her. Until she saw Todd, in his completely Toddian way, fold the bread, dip it into the mayonaise jar and cover it, actually saturate it, in heavy abundance of the white substance and then proceed to eat the slice, goop and all, in one fell
swoop. Appetite lost, for Tea, at least.
She decided that a walk outside was more to her liking after that episode. She strolled out onto the deck and looked at the overlook behind the house. They were high upon this mountain and truly away from everyone and everything. Her life, as she had known it was on a completely different path. She was nervous and scared and a bit apprehensive, but only for a moment. What was it she was scared of? Todd? Certainly not. Money and security? Nope, that was covered too. Stimulation? What on earth could be more stimulating than being alone with Todd Manning in the middle of nowhere? One could only imagine!
The peacefulness of where she was became shattered in an instant.
Todd: Damn!
Tea: (running back inside the cabin) What's wrong?
Todd: I forgot the black olives.
Tea: (bursting into laughter) Black olives? You're this upset over black olives?
Todd: Go ahead and laugh. They were going to be my topping for my ice cream tonight. Now I'll have to settle for plain m&ms.
Tea: I'm glad to see your sense of taste hasn't changed throughout the years.
Todd: I'm glad I'm able to still make you laugh, Tea.
Tea: You always could. Even when I felt like crying, you could make me laugh instead.
Todd: You always feel like crying, Delgado.
Tea: Not always........
To be continued.......
