Hours have past since the last words of the evening were spoken. Todd fell asleep watching Tea sleep, as he has done many a night. All is still in the cabin. The fire is still burning, but running down. Todd has managed to get under the covers where Tea already was, but even through his slumber, remains on his side of the bed. They’re bodies are near each other, but not touching. It’s warm under the blankets. It’s comfortable.
Tea hears a noise that startles her from a peaceful slumber. She looks over and realizes it’s Todd. He’s having another nightmare.
Todd: Go away! Go away and leave me alone. I’m not like you. I’ll never be like you. You can’t make me. You can’t. I won’t LET you.
Tea: Todd. (reaching over and touching his shoulder) Wake up, Todd. It’s me…Tea. Let me help you.
Todd: (screaming) If you ever touch me again like that, I’ll kill you. I swear, I’ll kill you with my bare hands.
Tea: (trying a trick to see if it will work) Help me, Todd. I need your help. Todd, save me!
Todd: (waking up startled and screaming) Tea!!!!
Tea: I’m right here, Todd.
Todd: I swear I heard you calling for help.
Tea: You did. I mean, I did. I mean, you did hear me because I did scream out for help.
Todd: What’s wrong? Why were you screaming for help?
Tea: It was a trick to wake you up from your nightmare. It obviously worked.
Todd: Well, it won’t work again. My brain won’t fall for that trick again. You should have saved it for some time when you’ll really need it.
Tea: When would I really need it, as opposed to this time when I felt like you needed it?
Todd: For example, if you were not around. Then I’d really need it.
Tea: But Todd, how could I do it then, if I wasn’t around?
Todd: You always have to be right, don’t you?
Tea: I don’t always have to be right, but I was this time.
Todd notices the sweat running down his face. He’s flushed and his heart is beating rapidly. Tea wipes his forehead and pulls his hair back.
Tea: I guess I didn’t do too good of a job as Monster Spray tonight.
Todd: You did great. I’m the one who’s (pauses and lowers his voice) twisted.
Tea: You had a nightmare. Big deal. I’m still here. You haven’t frightened me away.
Todd: Well, that’s just because it wasn’t that bad of a nightmare this time.
Tea: This was an example of a not so bad one? Sheesh. I’d hate to be around for a really bad one.
Todd: I’d hate for you to be around for one of those too.
Tea: (patting her shoulder) Come here. You look like you could use a pillow this time.
Todd: I don’t think so.
Tea: How can I help then Todd?
Todd: (patting his shoulder) You come here. I just need to sit here for a little while. Talk to me Delgado. That always seems to work.
Tea: Ooooo Kkkkkkk. (cautiously moving toward his shoulder)
Todd: I need to know I didn’t hurt you.
Tea: Didn’t even scare me. (looking up at him, their eyes meeting) (speaking sincerely) I’m fine, Todd. Really, I am.
Todd: I talked to Him tonight.
Tea: Your father?
Todd: Yeah, him too. But I was talking about Him.
Tea: God?
Todd: Yeah. I needed to tell Him something.
Tea: Feel like sharing?
Todd: I could, but it would probably go to your head. (He reaches down and with a fist, rubs the top of her head. She laughs.)
Tea: Good. I could use an ego rub.
Todd: I thanked Him. I thanked Him for you. I’ve never done anything in my life to deserve you. I know that. He knows that. I just thought I’d let Him know that I knew it too. Just in case, in case He was listening, you know? Not that I always think that He is, but after what you told me tonight, I thought I’d give it a try.
Tea: (deeply moved) Oh Todd.
Todd: That’s it. I’m not telling you anything else. I didn’t want you turning all mushy on me.
Tea: I’m not mushy Todd. I’m just trying to understand why you decided tonight was the night to do this.
Todd: I believe in Him, Tea. I know I don’t always live my life like I do (Tea turns and looks deeply into his eyes), okay, I know I never live my life like I do, but I want to try.
Tea: But why NOW, Todd?
Todd: I guess I want to now because of us. I want us to work. I want you to stay with me as long as you can, until you can’t any longer……as long as we both shall live.
Tea: Wow.
Todd: Yeah, big one huh?
Tea: I’ll say.
Todd: Peter makes (pausing) he makes me angry Tea. I hate what he did to me. I hate that what he did to me has made me who, who I am. I don’t want him to have that power over me any more. Especially, not when I’m around you. You don’t deserve this, this, (Todd stops.)
Tea: Don’t deserve what? Please don’t stop now Todd.
Todd: Me. Sicko me.
Tea: Too good for me, is that it?
Todd: You know that’s the farthest thing from the truth, Delgado. YOU of all people, should know that. What Peter did to me, it was unspeakable.
Tea: Todd. (Tea sits up, turns and looks deeply into Todd’s eyes) Are you trying to tell me something? Are you trying to tell me that what you said on the stand at your fake trial wasn’t fake at all? I mean, (getting out of the bed and rising to her feet) the accusations you made about your father were true? I mean, when you duped me at the wedding…
Todd: I didn’t dupe you anywhere.
Tea: (tilting her head giving Todd a curious look) As I was saying, when you duped me at the wedding with that little pink tape, I thought that meant you lied about everything and I mean EVERYTHING Todd. (Raising her voice and looking right at him) Are you trying to tell me now that some of what you said was true? How do you expect me to react? Do you expect me to believe you?
