The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
| SOULMATES BY CAROL |
CHAPTER 58 |
chapter 58
Nothing was quite as lonely as the darkest hours of the morning. Todd had waited hours for Tea to awaken, but still nothing. He could have forced the issue, but it seemed so cruel of him to force open her mind that had fought so hard to shut down, to go behind her protective wall and hide.
He remembered back to a time when voices had sung out to him, a long time ago, years earlier. They had fought so hard to awaken him from a catatonic slumber and all he could do was scream on the inside, his words falling short of their intended recipient. He had wiggled a finger for Sam, and although it was like waving a white flag to him, through his catatonic eyes, it was totally and completely useless. Utterly defeated though he was, Sam didn’t even catch a glimpse of it. Days later, he tried again, moving his hand for Tea, an almost volcanic reaction from deep inside his soul, trying desperately to reach hers, still unsuccessful. He closed his eyes and remembered even later that evening as Tea had softly touched his head with her hand, playfully tugged at his beard with her fingers and had tenderly kissed his lips, evoking a single tear. A tear-drop-in-an-ocean of feelings and emotions that came flooding out of him through that single tear, but had gone unnoticed by her. Through it all, he remembered her words, beseeching him to signal her, through his dark-filled barriers, just for a simple sign that he was going to be all right. He realized in this moment, that it was her words, her simple expression of love that he had finally found a way to return to her, back through the darkness. But he had never shared that with her. And right now, he was scared he might never be given that opportunity again!
He had sat and stared at her for hours. The girls had retreated to slumber, all of this excitement being too overwhelming for their little minds to fully grasp. All Starr knew was that Tea wasn’t feeling well and Daddy was going to stare at her until she felt better. Too boring for her taste, she had told Todd. Marissa had sat in his lap, holding his hand because it was covering her mommy’s and her hand was too little to intrude. She had fallen asleep, against his chest, their hearts beating in the same calm rhythm, awaiting Tea’s return to them. She WAS so much like him. They were unrelenting in their tenacity and patience to wait until morning for Tea to awaken naturally. A little past midnight, Todd had carried Marissa into the bedroom down the hall, tired of watching every breath Tea took, but only straying a little distance, convincing his brain that it was the right thing to do. Starr had already found the empty bed and had availed her self totally of its amenities.
Todd had taken to pacing during these wee, dark hours. Food was out of the question until she awoke. He wasn’t about to have her feasting without him and he knew her appetite was one thing he could count on to assist her in awakening at some point very soon. She was like him in that respect. She had a hearty appetite and had the metabolism of Twiggy. And he knew she would awaken, ready to be fed. He counted on it.
His travels around the estate took him in to the adjoining room, complete with talking parrot that, like him, was not a predator, but a night owl. Moose was checking out his own amenities as well and completely disappointed with the lack of pizza sauce at his beck and call.
Todd: You’re going to have to wait until morning for pizza.
Moose: DeGerno.
Todd: Pizza Hut.
Moose: Mario’s delivers.
Todd: I’m sure they do, but not at 4AM.
Moose: Pizza sauce.
Todd: No.
Moose: Pizza sauce.
Todd: Shut up! I have more important things on my mind.
Tea: Like what?
Todd: Tea! (Moving toward her. She takes a step back.) Are you okay?
Tea: Where is she? (Tears flowing from her eyes.)
Todd: (Continuing toward her, holding out his hand) Come on. I’ll show you. I’ll take you to her.
Tea: She’s here? I wasn’t dreaming?
Todd: She’s sleeping. Just like a little princess.
Tea: (Taking his hand, leaning in on his shoulder) Oh Todd. It hurts. It hurts so bad. I’m remembering and it hurts so much.
Todd: I’m here. And so is she. And so is Starr. You’re surrounded by people who love you and will help you through this.
Tea: I can’t think about that right now. I just need to see her.
Todd: (Leading her down the hall) She’s right here. Just a few more steps. (He can feel her legs buckling and wobbling underneath her. He leans in even more, placing his arm around her back for support.)
Tea: Todd! Help me. Don’t let me fall.
Todd: I gotcha. You’ll be fine. (He walks her to the bed that Marissa is sleeping in.)
Tea: Oh my God! It really is her. I didn’t dream her. I didn’t make her up.
Todd: She’s the real thing, Delgado. She’s beautiful.
Tea: (Petting Marissa’s head and rubbing her back) She is, isn’t she?
Todd: Just like her mom.
Tea: (trying to hold back more tears and trying to remain calm in her daughter’s presence) Todd, how did you? How did you find her? How did you even know to look?
Todd: You’re better than you think, Delgado. You gave us all the clues. Your subconscious wouldn’t let you screw this one up. It wouldn’t let you let her down.
Tea: Oh but I have let her down. How will she ever forgive me for abandoning her there in the woods?
Todd: You didn’t abandon her. You left her in safe keeping. Besides, who could hurt a little Short Cake like that?
Tea: (She smiles) Short Cake? You call her Short Cake? (Her face quickly changes from happiness to sadness, her emotions getting the better of her, as she realizes how much she loves this child and how overwhelmed she is that Todd has taken a liking to her. She is blown away that she left such a gift, such a beautiful gift, exposed to Powell for as long as she did. She looks away) I could. That’s who. Me, Todd. I could hurt her.
Todd: (reaching over Marissa and lifting Tea’s chin to make her eyes meet his) It’s not possible.
Tea: It was possible. (raising her voice) It was not only possible, I did it.
Todd: (Getting off the bed, walking around, he takes Tea out of the bedroom. As they walk down the hall, he let’s her have it.) You can talk about anyone you want in a horrible and despicable way, but I’ll be damned if I ever let you talk about yourself that way!
Tea: (Pulling away from him) I can’t do this right now. I just want to sit with her. (She turns and heads back down the hall toward Marissa.)
Todd: (Grabbing her arm, she pulls away, but he physically fights with her to force her back into the parlor) You’re not going back in there in that state of mind. When you can pull yourself together, you can go back in. I’ve worked too hard taking care of her all this time, to let anyone, including you, Tea, say degrading things about her mother in front of her. (The tension between them is evident. Todd attempts to lighten the situation.) Except me. That’s MY job. Always has been, always will be. (He sees her eyes lightening and he’s pleased that she seems to be responsive to reality. At least the reality that they’ve developed between them. He hesitates and waits for her to fully respond to his latest attempt to calm her down.)
Tea: You always could see right through me. Better than I can myself.
Todd: Welcome home, Tea. There are a lot of people that missed you.
Tea smiles. They both hear a noise and turn in the direction of the mouse-like sound. Tea bends both knees and positions herself on the level of their wanted and enthusiastic intruder. She throws both of her arms open and it takes only about two seconds for Short Cake to cross the distance between them and come crashing into her mommy’s arms.
Marissa: Mommy!
Tea: Oh Marissa. Is it really you? I love you, so, so much! (Tea is crying as is Marissa.)
Todd: (Looking down at the greeting card moment, his sarcasm unable to contain itself) Ewwww. No doubt she’s YOUR daughter!
Todd continues to watch but thinks to himself about this duo sitting before him, crying happy tears for each other and probably themselves as well. Other doubts on paternity can remain just that at this moment. Todd isn’t even concerning himself with the DNA of Tea’s child. He is just happy that mother and daughter can finally be with each other. He is concerned, however, with what the daylight will now bring. He knows first hand that just because you shine the light on the beast, it doesn’t always make it go away. Sometimes, the darkness of the beast can overpower the daylight, like none of God’s clouds ever could.
To be continued…
2001 Copyright by Carol
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