The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
| SOULMATES BY CAROL |
CHAPTER 52 |
chapter 52
Todd awoke and worked the cricks and wrinkles out of his neck and mind. He stretched and moaned, instantly waking the girls. For a moment, he had forgotten where he was, but when reality struck him right between the eyes, he found himself in double trouble. He had to hurriedly prepare for the day and he had two little shadows following him about the bedrooms. They jumped in his bed and watched him shave at the sink. They just sat and watched him. It was definitely a weird feeling. No one had ever watched him shave before. He had grown his goatee back, feeling more comfortable with his father image sporting the more mature look the goatee gave him, he felt. His hair had also grown out. It was approaching the middle of his back and he recalled that it hadn’t been that long since Starr was a baby. He closed the door to the bathroom, taking a rushed shower, donning a robe as he exited the steam filled room and locked the walk in closet door behind him as he quickly dressed, the girls only inches away from him. They watched his every move. He raced them down the stairs, to be greeted with a very chipper and very awake Sam. He provided them milk and cereal and grabbed Sam quickly by the arm and led him out onto the back porch.
He turned to see if the girls were paying attention to their actions, but they seemed caught up in the flavor of the morning. Starr poured a bowl of Frosted Flakes and Marissa copied her every move. Starr then proclaimed that she no longer wanted Frosted Flakes and proceeded to pour the entire bowl of cereal, milk and all, down the sink. Marissa of course, still mimicking her every move, did the exact same thing. Starr then declared that she wanted Fruit Loops. Marissa made the same proclamation. They poured the new cereal in new bowls and covered them with milk. Starr got up, as if to pour her cereal down the sink again, and Marissa was ready to follow.
Starr: Stop copying me. Eat your own cereal.
Marissa: I am.
Starr: (whispering) See, it’s working. He thinks we can’t hear him.
Marissa: Okay. What do I do now?
Starr: Eat. But quietly okay?
Marissa complied. She and Starr could hear every word of Todd and Sam’s conversation.
Todd: Okay, so you see that blue house on the corner?
Sam: Yes. Is that where you and Tea will be?
Todd: After about 2 o’clock today, that’s the plan.
Sam: And you’re just going to trust me to make your request with Marissa happen?
Todd: I don’t trust you. I don’t trust anybody.
Sam: So what are your instructions?
Todd: Handle it. That’s what I pay you to do.
Sam: Handle it in my own way?
Todd: You’re trying to tell me something here and I’m obviously not getting it. You want to spell it out?
Sam: Nothing, Todd. I get it. I know what you want and I’ll do it.
Todd: Good. Now leave me alone.
Sam: Good luck Boomer. You can do this.
Todd: You have more faith in me…but you still have to stop calling me Boomer.
Sam: Why? Don’t you want that old football fight behind you? I think you’re going to need Boomer for the next four weeks.
Todd: I haven’t been Boomer since I was 18 years old, Sam. I think I’ve done just fine without him.
Sam: Really?
Todd: Okay, so maybe I’ll use some of his tenacity. But Todd’s going to have to run solo on this one. Besides, Sam. I am probably so going to screw this one up.
Sam: I think you have to try. And you may just end up surprising everyone.
Todd: That’s funny. I used to tell Tea that I wanted to surprise her…that I missed surprising her. And now all I want to do is love her and I could never tell her that.
Sam: I’m sure she knows. Deep down inside, I’m sure she knows.
Todd: That’s just the problem, Sam. I don’t want it so deep down inside of her that she can’t pull it out to the surface and show me.
Sam: Well, well, well. Todd Manning wanting surface feelings. I never thought I’d live to see the day.
Todd: Thanks for the pep talk there Coach. This is really helping. (Todd is oozing in sarcasm.)
Sam: Get going. You have a beautiful woman waiting for you.
Todd: Waiting for me, I can handle. Counting on me, that’s spooky.
Sam: You can do this Todd. You can.
Todd: I don’t have a choice, Sam. I have to.
Sam: It will all work out. You’ll see.
Todd: For once, I hope you’re right.
Sam: I’m always right.
Todd: No, I’m always right.
Both men laugh. It was just the tension releaser they both needed. Sam had his plan laid out in his head and knew exactly where he was going to start. He told Todd good bye and walked him to his car. The girls came out and stood on the front porch and waved good bye to Todd. Sam walked back up to the front porch and approached the girls.
Sam: Starr, do you think that Marissa and I could have a moment alone?
Marissa ran inside the house, through the living room, through the dining room, through the kitchen and out the back door. She stood on the back porch, staring into space.
Sam and Starr followed the little Short Cake, out onto the back porch and stood behind her watching her glare. Sam realizes what it is that Marissa is looking at.
Sam: (Taking Starr aside) You guys were listening again, weren’t you?
Starr: Listening to what?
Sam: Starr?
Starr: Okay, we might have heard some of what you said.
Sam: It’s really important that you guys not go over to that blue house. Your daddy needs some time alone with Tea.
Starr: I understand when my daddy needs time alone. But Marissa might not understand that.
Sam: Then you have to help me make her understand. Keep her busy. I’m going to take her into town for a little while. Would you like to come with us?
Starr: What’s in it for me?
Sam: What do you want?
Starr: NSYNC has a new CD out. Will you get it for me?
Sam: You strike a mighty hard bargain there Starr. You’re just like your daddy.
Starr: Is that a yes or a no?
Sam: Yes, yes. Anything else?
Starr: Yes. You need to take Marissa and me to the Sonic in town. We want foot long chili cheese hot dogs.
Sam: Anything else?
Starr: Slush puppies. Cherry slush puppies.
Sam: I won’t ask anything else.
Starr: Doesn’t matter. I’ll think up more once we get into town. I haven’t been shopping in two whole days! I need to get some things.
Sam: I can see you’re quite the negotiator.
Starr: I’m nowhere near done. This is actually fun. No wonder my daddy likes you.
Sam: Let’s go get Marissa and get ready to go. It’s going to be a very long day.
Starr: Okay.
Starr walks up from behind Marissa. She can tell that Marissa has associated the blue house with her mommy.
Starr: Come on Marissa. Uncle Sam is feeling bad about us being stuck in the house and he wants to take us into town to go have some real fun.
Marissa: I don’t want to go.
Starr: You have to go. We have to go have fun.
Marissa: I don’t want fun. I want my mommy.
Starr: I’ll make you a deal. If you do this for me, I’ll take you over there later, when we get back. But you have to do it my way. If you do it my way, I’ll make sure you get to see your mommy.
Marissa: Okay.
Starr: So you’ll come inside and get your shoes on?
Marissa: Okay.
Starr runs away feeling her job is done. She goes inside and starts getting ready for the day. So much to choose from, so little time.
Marissa reluctantly moves back toward the house. Her steps are slow and calculated. She watches until she can no longer see a view of the blue house on the corner. She stops, turns back toward the house, seeing only a corner of it in her vision.
Marissa: (Aloud) Bye mommy. I’ll see you later. Starr promised.
To be continued…
2001 Copyright by Carol
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