Tea watched incredulously as Todd walked away from their playfulness and just jumped right into hunger. Didn’t he understand that intimacy can be just as overwhelming a necessity as hunger? Didn’t he realize it was incredibly unfair of him to start something he had no intention of finishing? Didn’t he realize how tempting he had been in those moments at the desk? How could he do this to her? Worse still…how could he do this to himself? It had to be getting to him too.
Ever since they had left Viki’s cabin, things had been chemical, just as they always had been, but this time, Todd seemed more comfortable with the entire interaction. Had he just become so lonely that he didn’t care what it took to keep her here with him? That couldn’t be it, because if it was just loneliness, he could have moved back to Llanview.
Could it be that he was only keeping his promise that while he still couldn’t do what she needed him to do, that he wasn’t going to do anything to make her feel he was taking those dreaded steps backward? “No one will ever know for sure what has led him to this point,” she thought to herself.
She entered the kitchen area, but dare not enter while he was in it. He was too instantaneous in there and it could be lethal with a knife in his hands. She watched from a nearby distance, as he clumsily chopped his lettuce into five or six big pieces, thinking to herself, that he must be doing this to keep the lettuce whole enough to use his hands again for utensils. They had only really nibbled before and this seemed to be his first attempt at a sit down meal at the cabin since they had arrived there together just two short days ago.
Todd: Okay, Delgado, what are you looking at?
Tea: Nothing. I’m just waiting until your done to come closer.
Todd: (Waving the butcher knife at her) What is making you wait? Are you afraid of me?
Tea: Not at all. I just don’t want to get in your way. (mumbling) I also don’t want to be confused for a butcher’s block!
Todd: I heard that! (Throwing the knife down on the counter) Now do you feel safer to come on in?
Tea: I’ll wait. I’m enjoying watching you cook.
Todd: This isn’t called cooking. It’s called eating.
Tea: (watching him nibble as he listens) Are you making something with the lettuce or do plan to just stand above the counter eating your lunch?
Todd: This isn’t lunch, it’s too late for lunch.
Tea: Well, it’s too early for dinner.
Todd: Not really. Darkness will descend upon this cabin within the hour and I just want to eat. I don’t care what you call it Delgado.
Tea: Todd? Lettuce? Plate? Table setting?
Todd: I haven’t decided yet.
Tea: Well let me know.
Todd: You’ll be the first. (softening his voice) Really Tea. It’s okay if you come on in here. I won’t mistake you for my lunch.
Tea: (Playfully speaking) I thought this wasn’t lunch.
Todd: It’s not. But I won’t mistake you for a piece (he pauses coyly and for quite a long time) of lettuce. But I would proceed in here with caution.
Tea: Okay, if you insist.
Tea enters the kitchen with trepidation. She’s not even sure what she’s going to fix for herself, but she knows she’s getting in and out in about two minutes flat. She peeks in to the fridge and notices some luncheon meat. She grabs a few pieces and her jar of mayo. She pulls them off to the side and begins placing the mayonnaise on her bread. She reaches over toward the lettuce that he’s been nibbling on.
Tea: May I?
Todd: If you must.
Tea takes a few pieces of the smaller pieces and breaks them onto one side of her bread. She places the meat on the other side of the bread and folds the two together. She reaches over toward the butcher knife.
Todd: Must you?
Tea: ‘fraid so.
They both laugh. She takes the knife and cuts the sandwich into two pieces, corner to corner.
Todd: Figures.
Tea: What?
Todd: You’re a triangle person. Triangle people are complicated.
Tea: Why am I a triangle person?
Todd looks at her sandwich. She follows his glare and realizes he’s referring to the way she’s cut her sandwich.
Tea: Is being a triangle person a bad thing?
Todd: Well, Viki…she cuts her sandwiches down the middle. Kind of one of those people who’s always trying to make everyone happy. She doesn’t chose a side often, but when she does, she’s loyal to that person. As for the triangle thing, I’d take it badly. I’m a triangle person.
Tea: Then I’m in good company.
Tea takes a bite of her sandwich and moans. She was more hungry than she realized and it just came out.
Todd: That good huh?
Tea: Sorry. I’m just hungrier than I thought I was.
Todd: More hungry.
Tea: The hungriest!
Todd: Well if it’s that good, you can go ahead and make me one.
Tea: You want a sandwich like mine?
Todd: Yeah. (He watches Tea crack a smile.) Don’t make more out of it than it is. It looks good.
Tea: (Handing him the other half of her sandwich) Here ya go.
Todd: You’re sharing with me? I wouldn’t do that for you. I can’t take it.
Tea: Why not?
Todd: Because you said you were hungry. I can’t take your food.
Tea: There’s more Todd. I can make us both another one if you want.
Todd: Why are you being so nice?
Tea: I guess you put me in the mood a minute ago.
Todd: I have no idea what you’re talking about Tea. (wondering if she can tell that he’s lying.)
Tea: If you say so. (Tea walks away from Todd, leaving the other half of her sandwich behind and sitting at the kitchen table.)
Todd: (smirking) Whatever!
Todd reaches for the other half of the sandwich and walks toward the table as well. While he’s walking, he takes a bite of the sandwich.
Todd: Ack! This is terrible. That’s why you’re so willing to share. What is making it taste like, like….FEET!
Tea: Maybe the meat is bad.
Todd: I don’t think it’s the meat. (He walks away from the table and back to the counter. He picks up the jar she had used and notices the label. It says “fat free mayo.” He gives her a stare that feels like he’s shooting daggers at her.)
Tea: What?
Todd: How can you eat this crap?
Tea: You get used to it Todd.
Todd: No I won’t.
Tea: When you really want something, you accept it for what it is and not for what you wish it were.
Todd: Are we talking about the food or something else?
Tea: The food of course.
Todd: Why do you feel the need to torture yourself like this everyday?
Tea: It’s not torture. I eat healthy and I exercise.
Todd: You don’t need to.
Tea: Thank you, I think. But trust me, if I didn’t, you wouldn’t feel that way.
Todd: I like the way you look Tea. You don’t need to do all this stuff for me.
Tea: Thank you, but that’s why I do it for me.
Todd: Well just keep that stuff away from me in the future. (He plops down what’s left of his half of the sandwich on the table in front of Tea.) It’s all yours.
Todd walks toward the front window, smacking his tongue against the top of the roof of his mouth. He and Tea both here a loud crackling noise as he strides across the room.
Todd: Ouch! What was that?
Tea: Aye dios mio! It’s my CD.
Todd: I’m sure there’s a really good reason your CD is just strown about the cabin?
Tea: They’re not strown. It rolled away earlier and I forgot to pick it up. Are you okay?
Todd: I’m fine. I love being cut to shreds for no apparent reason.
Tea: (Walking toward him) Let me look at it.
Todd: Go away. I don’t need an ambulance chaser playing doctor.
Tea: I’m not going away. Hold still and let me look at it.
Tea lifts Todd’s right foot which throws his balance off. He grabs hold of her which takes both of them stumbling a few steps back. Thank goodness the bed broke their fall.
