 |
 |
|
| E-mail this page to a friend | Tell me when this page is updated |
| ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 1 - 5 |
chapter 1:
At Viki's cabin on Llantano Mountain...
[Tea contemplates the hand before her, stretching toward her...offering to meet her halfway.
So many thoughts are congesting her mind all at once yet it takes no thought at all for her to make the decision. A decision that will change her life...complicate her life...repair her life.
Nothing has felt right to Tea since he left but as her hand rises to meet his, and their hands come into contact, immediately Tea begins to feel right again.
Todd feels a tremendous relief as the missing puzzle piece of his life finally is found and put into place...his heart.
There's concern, anxiousness, maybe even some panic filling the room but for the first time in far too long both Tea and Todd feel they have something worth looking forward to...a reason to get up in the morning...a reason to struggle through the day...a reason to struggle through life.
Finally, they both have what they want, what they need, and that person is standing in front of them, holding their hand.
There is a tremendous awkwardness as they each realize that they have no clue what to do next. They both have just committed themselves to each other but what does that mean and what does the other person think it means? What did they just agree to? Now what?
Several minutes pass with nothing but silent gazes between them and the continued connection of their hands.
Finally, Todd knows that he has to speak.]
Todd: We have to get out of here.
Tea: Okay.
Todd: People will figure out that you came to meet me.
Tea: Especially when I tell them.
Todd: You're already turning on me?
[Todd lets go of her hand and turns from her as he walks into the living room of the cabin.]
Tea: I need to say good-bye to people, Todd. They'll want to know where I'm going and why. I won't lie, Todd. I'm not ashamed.
Todd: Since when?
Tea: I have never been ashamed of my feelings for you.
Todd: Do you really want to start off this thing between us again by lying to me?
Tea: I'm not lying. I never cared if anyone approved of my choice to be with you, at least not while we were together. When we were apart, I'll admit, I wasn't always honest about my feelings for you but I couldn't be. The only way that most of the people in this town would want to talk to me was if I let them think whatever they wanted to about my feelings for you, about our relationship. When we were together I didn't care if they talked to me, if they acknowledged me, but when we were apart it was different. I needed human contact. If it couldn't be with you then I took it where I could get it.
Todd: Oh, let's not even get into you and your need for human contact right now. I just ate.
Tea: Todd, honestly, I don't care about most of the people here so I could leave without a word to them but there are a few people that I have to see before we go. It's important to me.
Todd: You want to kiss your boyfriend good-bye, is that it? Maybe a little good-bye...
Tea (quickly interrupting): Don't you dare finish that sentence.
Todd: Am I wrong?
Tea: I would like to explain to R.J. why I'm leaving. It would be the decent thing to do.
Todd: I did a decent thing once. I didn't like it. I don't recommend it.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Write him a letter.
Tea: That's too impersonal.
Todd: You think he'll like it any better if you stand in front of him when you tell him that you never loved him, that you were using him, that you're ditching him to go off with me?
Tea: That's not true.
Todd: What?
Tea: I do love him.
[Todd stares at Tea for a moment before silently grabbing his jacket and quickly walking out of the cabin.]
Tea (speaking loudly): Todd, come back in here and let me explain or I'm not going with you.
Todd (returning to the doorway): Damn right you're not going with me. I'm ditching you here. It was great while it lasted.
[Todd exits again. Tea knows that he's standing outside the doorway so she speaks in her normal voice.]
Tea: Just give me a chance to explain.
Todd (still standing outside, out of her view): Go ahead. Give it your best shot.
Tea: Never use that phrase again.
[Tea walks to the doorway but stays inside the cabin.]
Tea: I do love R.J.
Todd: Where's my gun?
Tea: Todd, shut up. If you threaten him, even as a joke, I will not go with you.
Todd: You love him that much, huh?
Tea: I don't know how to explain this to you.
Todd: That's okay. Just think of me when you're boinking him tonight.
Tea: He's a good friend.
Todd: Do you boink all your friends? Oh...wait...I think you do.
Tea: You never cease to amaze me in how crass you can be.
Todd: I do my best. You know, I guess that's why you never boinked me, right? You didn't think of me as your friend.
Tea: You were the one who didn't want to make love. I was more than willing.
Todd: Then why did you ditch me on our wedding night just as we were getting to the good part?
Tea: Because at just that moment I learned that you had been lying to me about having a serious mental illness. But, gee, I guess I should have boinked you first before getting angry about your deception, huh? After a good boinking I would have forgiven you anything, is that it?
Todd: You do understand.
Tea: Forget it. This obviously wasn't meant to be. We're not even remotely compatible.
[Todd steps closer to the doorway and the cocky expression changes to a serious one.]
Todd: Look, okay, maybe I can understand why you got so upset when you heard that tape playing. If it had been the other way around I would have been a little upset myself.
Tea: A little?
Todd: Okay, I would have torn the room apart. When I came back, though, months later, and I saw you with that corrupt cop... I hated it, Tea. That creep was making a play for you while we were still together. How could you get involved with him? How could you do that to me?
Tea: To you?
Todd: You knew I wanted you back.
Tea: No, I didn't.
Todd: I sent you that key that led to...
Tea (interrupting): That was a mind game that you were playing with me.
Todd: I was just trying to keep you interested until we could be together again. When I saw you toss the key like that...
Tea: Wait! You saw me? You were in the diner?
Todd: I've never been far, Tea...not for long. Even when I tried, I could never stay away for very long. You just kept pulling me back.
Tea: Why didn't you just come into the open? Why were you stalking me instead of just letting me know that you wanted to be with me?
Todd: I didn't want you to say no.
Tea: I was miserable for more than a year because of you.
Todd: But lately you've had the love of your life, R.J.
Tea: That's not what he is. I do love him.
Todd: You can stop saying that.
Tea: It's true. He's been a good friend, Todd. I should have kept it at that. I know that. All this time I've known that. I've been trying so hard to make it real, to convince myself that maybe if I just give it a little more time it could turn into something more. I knew that it never would but I wanted it to. I hate that I used him like that. Just like I used Andrew.
Todd: Did you have to mention him? I haven't thought about him since I left. Did he move away or something? I haven't seen him during any of my stalking expeditions.
Tea: I have to talk to R.J. I have to ask him to forgive me.
Todd: Trust me, Tea. No guy wants to have a woman he cares about stand in front of him and tell him that she doesn't feel the same way about him but was just using him to try to forget someone else.
Tea: I need to try. It's only fair.
Todd: Let him have some pride. Let him scream and yell and throw things and hate you. Don't try to be nice while ripping his heart out. It will just take away all the fun of being ticked off at you. Besides, R.J.'s gone soft. This could be good for him. He needs a reason to hate the world again.
Tea: I'd rather not be that reason. You know, I also have to go to the diner and tell Carlotta. I don't want her to worry about me.
Todd: She will anyway. She'll think I'm forcing you.
Tea: I'll explain it to her.
Todd: She hates my guts. She probably would hit the silent alarm as soon as she learned about our plans. The cops would come and arrest me even though I didn't do anything and they'd probably try to force you to have a mental evaluation.
Tea: Didn't do anything? Todd, you shot at R.J. You tried to run him down. You could have killed both of us with that gas leak you caused at his apartment.
Todd: What gas leak?
Tea (walking back into the cabin): Don't even try to deny it.
Todd: I didn't hear anything about a gas leak. It wasn't in the newspaper.
[Tea turns back toward Todd as he re-enters the cabin and walks toward her. She studies his eyes carefully, trying to discern if he's telling the truth.]
Tea: You didn't cause the gas leak?
Todd: No. What the hell happened? Why wasn't it in the paper like when you got shot?
Tea: You knew about that? (speaking softly, pain evident in her voice) You didn't come.
Todd: Yeah, I did. You know, the security in that hospital really stinks.
Tea: You were there?
Todd: Yeah. It was lucky, really. I mean, not your getting shot, of course, but that I was in town at the time. I wasn't watching you, though. I was checking up on a few other people when it happened. I had to learn about it on the news. Really, Delgado, I look away for just a little while and you go and get yourself shot.
Tea: Well, I really didn't want to. I've had it with hospitals.
Todd: Now I'll be able to watch you full time so I know you'll be okay.
Tea: You'll protect me?
[Todd looks intently into Tea's eyes. Tea is touched by how much affection she sees for her in Todd's eyes. Todd becomes uncomfortable with his own feelings and also with the way Tea is looking at him.]
Todd (looking away): Let's get out of here.
Tea: Good. We're going into town so I can say good-bye.
Todd: Tea, we can't.
Tea: Todd, I need to. If you're worried about being arrested for shooting at R.J. then stay here and I'll be back soon. I promise.
Todd: Do you still think I did it?
Tea: You admitted to me that you did.
Todd: I was just kidding.
Tea: Todd, I need you to be honest with me.
Todd: If I had said that I wasn't the guy taking shots at R.J. would you have believed me?
[Tea looks away. She knows that he's right. She never would have believed him if he had tried to deny it.]
Todd: You never would have stuck around long enough for me to show you that you needed to come with me.
Tea: You can't go into town. They'll lock you up for sure. I'll go by myself. Stay here.
Todd: They'll come up here looking for me. They may already be on their way. That's why we need to get out of here now.
[Todd approaches Tea until he's standing directly in front of her.]
Todd: You know they'll try to talk you out of going with me. They might not even let you leave. They'd all swarm around you, trying to hold you there. They'd call the police. If you did leave, they'd follow you. Our only chance to escape is if we go right now.
[Todd watches as acceptance washes over her face.]
Tea (her voice filled with emotion): You're all I'll have.
Todd (his voice also filled with emotion): You're all I'll need.
[Todd leaves a note in the cabin, knowing that the police will eventually be there searching for him after they realize Tea has disappeared.
Together, Todd and Tea drive away from the cabin...away from Llanview...away from their past lives. They ride off together into a future that is full of nothing but uncertainty, except that they know they'll have each other as they take the next step in their journey.]
chapter 2:
[Later that night...hundreds of miles from Llanview...
After driving for hours, Tea finally convinces Todd that they need to stop at a motel and try to sleep for a little while before continuing on. He begrudgingly agrees.
Todd opens the door to their motel room and enters first, followed closely by Tea. As Todd flicks the light on, they find a relatively small room with two beds crammed into it. A television sits atop a dresser in front of the beds. Tea squeezes passed Todd and walks further into the room.]
Tea: I'll take the bed by the bathroom.
[Tea looks at Todd and is surprised to see a look of disappointment on his face.]
Tea: What's wrong?
Todd (looking away): Nothing.
Tea: Then what's the look for?
Todd: What look?
[Todd plops down on the end of one of the beds and turns on the television set and begins flipping through the channels.]
Tea: You didn't expect us to share a bed, did you?
Todd: Me? Of course not. I don't share...especially beds.
Tea: That's what I thought. It's a good thing they had a room with two beds available.
Todd (sounding very disappointed): Yeah...a good thing.
Tea: You did ask for that, right?
Todd: What?
Tea: A room with two beds.
Todd: I'm gonna check out the bathroom.
[Todd gets up and quickly walks into the bathroom, closing the door.
Several minutes later, Todd returns to the room.]
Tea (picking up their conversation where it left off): Obviously, we couldn't share a bed tonight.
Todd: Obviously.
Tea: That isn't even what you want. I offered at the cabin and you made yourself extremely clear about any prospect of that kind of relationship happening between the two of us.
Todd: Right.
Tea: Has something changed?
Todd: I'm tired.
[Todd turns off the television, walks over to the light switch near the door and turns all the light off in the room.
Tea stands in the darkness for a moment as she hears Todd climbing into his bed. She gets into her bed and crawls over to the other side so she's near the bed Todd is lying down on.]
Tea: You should know by now that turning the lights off won't turn my questions off.
[Todd begins to snore very loudly in an overly-fake manner. Tea laughs.]
Tea (speaking loudly): Forget it, Todd. It won't work. I caught you.
Todd: You didn't catch me at anything.
[Tea pauses for several moments before continuing to speak in a soft tone.]
Tea: We can't share a bed...
[Todd starts snoring again.]
Tea: Not until you prove to me that I can trust you not to push me away again this time.
[Todd stops pretending to snore.]
Tea: I'm here, Todd. I chose you. That means something.
Todd: What does it mean?
Tea: I don't know. I still can't believe that so much has happened in one night. My world has completely changed. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. I did choose this. I know it's the right thing. It's just different. Being with you, just the two of us, every day, all day and all night...alone...no one to interrupt us...to distract us...no newspaper for you to escape to...no job for me to escape to...just you and me...every day and every night for the rest of our lives.
Todd: What the hell was I thinking?
[Tea throws a pillow at Todd. He grabs it and places it under his head.]
Todd: You're not getting it back.
Tea: I'm going to go brush my teeth.
Todd: Don't expect this cheapskate motel to have toothbrushes in the bathroom. I was surprised they even sprung for toilet paper.
Tea: I have one in my purse.
Todd: Wait. You carry a tooth brush around in your purse? Oh, that's right. You never know whose bathroom you'll end up in, huh? Not to mention whose bedroom.
Tea: You're right. I had no idea I'd end up in yours.
[Tea walks into the bathroom and closes the door.
Todd lies in bed wondering what to do. When he paid for the room in the motel's office he didn't specify how many beds the room would have. He was expecting only one bed. If they spend the first night in separate beds then it will probably be expected that they'll spend future nights separately, too. That's not what he was hoping for. He knows that maybe they aren't ready to be intimate with each other, on this their first night back together again, but he was hoping to end his self-imposed celibacy soon...very soon...and with Tea.
After finishing in the bathroom, Tea opens the door and turns off the light. She tries to walk slowly through the bedroom, while her eyes adjust to the darkness. As she slowly makes her way to a small table on the other side of the room where she left her purse, she feels her way so she won't bump into anything and accidentally touches Todd's foot at the end of his bed.]
Tea: Aren't you going to take your shoes off?
Todd: I like to be ready in case I need to escape.
Tea: Don't worry. I won't be trying anything you don't want me to tonight.
Todd: Why not?
[After retrieving her purse, Tea slowly walks back toward her bed. She sits downs on the side of her bed and applies lip balm...just in case.]
Tea: Did you want me to try something?
Todd: Why would I want that?
Tea: Besides, I already humiliated myself enough for one evening trying to throw myself at you.
Todd: That didn't count. You were just testing me. I knew you didn't really want me to do anything.
Tea: I knew you wouldn't go through with it.
Todd: Not like that.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Tea, let's just forget the talking, okay? You wanted separate beds...you got separate beds. Just go ahead and sleep.
Tea: Did you want separate beds?
[Todd doesn't say anything. After several minutes of uncomfortable silence Tea speaks again.]
Tea: What did you want, Todd? When you gave Starr that map to give to me, what were you expecting?
Todd: That you'd follow it. I knew you'd show up. You always do when you know I need you.
Tea: Do you need me now?
[Todd is silent again.]
Tea: You must, right? Otherwise, you would have continued on alone. You knew that being with me wouldn't be the easiest way for you to live. You knew that I would ask you questions that you didn't want to answer. You knew that I would push for more intimacy than you're comfortable with. Why did you want me with you?
Todd: We already talked about this at the cabin.
Tea: I still need to understand. What exactly have I committed to here?
Todd: Don't you know?
Tea: I know it from my side but I need to know where you're coming from.
Todd: I'm coming from all over the world. It feels like I've been almost everywhere since I gave up on Llanview. It was all a waste of time, though.
Tea: How?
Todd: People tell you that you should go to these different places and see these certain things as if it will somehow add this great meaning to your life but you get there and it's just a bunch of old buildings or a mountain or something. It's so pathetic. It's a total waste of time. Everywhere I've been has been a complete waste of time. There wasn't anything that I saw that mattered to me.
Tea: Some people feel that it's experiencing new things with someone else that makes it a valuable experience.
Todd: Well, now you're here.
Tea: I am. Why don't we try to sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow.
Todd: I'm sure you'll try. You never shut up.
Tea: You knew that before you asked me to come so deal with it. I'm not going away, Todd.
[There is silence for a long moment before Tea speaks again with noticeable emotion in her voice.]
Tea: I'm counting on you not to go away either, Todd. I'm counting on you.
[Todd and Tea both lie in their separate beds in the silent room until they each fall asleep. For the first time in far too long, for both of them, finally sleeping together...not in the same bed but at least they're in the same space again, each hoping that the days ahead will lead them even closer to each other.]
chapter 3:
[The next morning, Todd awakens before Tea does. He startles awake at the sound of noise in his room. His body jerks upright as his mind tries to quickly discern what the noise is as it prepares itself in case there's danger that Todd needs to protect himself from.
After a brief moment of panic, Todd calms down as he realizes that there isn't any danger. The noise he awoke to is just the sound of Tea sleeping in the bed next to his.
Todd looks around the small room. It's even uglier and smaller looking in the daylight than he recalled it to be the previous night when they arrived at this small, extremely inexpensive motel.
Todd looks back at Tea. She's sleeping on her back with her head turned away from him. During the night, Tea tangled her body up in the sheets covering her. Her legs are sticking out. Todd quickly realizes that she isn't wearing her pants anymore. He notices them on the corner of Tea's bed, neatly laid out, along with her shirt.
Todd slowly gets out of bed and moves to the other side of Tea's bed so he can see her face more fully. He has an urge to sit down on the bed beside her, maybe even lay down with her. Instead he enters the bathroom and takes a long shower.
Minutes later, as Tea awakens, she hears water running, the bed feels different than she's accustomed to, the sheets aren't the same and the aroma in the room isn't even remotely floral the way it normally is. Suddenly, Tea sits straight up in bed, her eyes opening widely with panic.
As she looks around the room, it takes a few moments for Tea to realize where she is and with whom. She also realizes that she's barely dressed. She wonders if Todd noticed on his way to the shower. Quickly, Tea untangles herself from the bedsheets and dresses as fast as she can as she hears the water shut off in the bathroom, signaling the end of Todd's shower.
When Todd reemerges in the small bedroom, he finds Tea standing in the narrow space between the two beds, frantically trying to button the last few buttons on her blouse. He tries desperately to forget the image of her bra-covered chest that he just got a brief peek at...he's unsuccessful but he does try.]
Todd: If you want to shower before we run screaming from this horror movie reject of a motel you better hurry up. There's only one towel in there so I left it for you.
Tea: How did you dry off?
Todd: I prefer to air dry.
Tea: Your clothes must be soaked.
Todd: Let's leave my attire out of this, okay?
Tea: Well, you may enjoy wet clothing and wearing the same outfit every day and sleeping in the same clothes at night that you wore during the day but I don't.
Todd: Is that why you got naked when I wasn't looking?
Tea: I was not naked.
Todd: You took all your clothes off.
Tea: I did not. I left my...uh...my undergarments on. I didn't want my clothes to get wrinkled.
Todd: See, that's why I put my clothes on when my body is soaking wet...it gets the wrinkles out.
Tea: Well, that may work for you but I need to go shopping. I don't have anything with me. I need new clothing...deodorant...um...
Todd: Don't you keep deodorant in your purse with your toothbrush? I mean, just in case you end up spending the night in some new guy's place where you don't already have a designated toothbrush and bottle of deodorant.
Tea: That isn't why I keep a toothbrush in my purse.
Todd: You knew that someday I'd come and whisk you away from the boredom of Llanview and you wanted your breath to be minty fresh just in case?
Tea (sarcastically): That's exactly why. You have no idea how long I've waited for you to come and rescue me. I had no life without you. You're all I've ever existed for.
Todd: Okay, okay. You're going to give me a big head again. So, if it isn't because of your extracurricular activities then why do you carry a toothbrush around with you? You know, not all people do that.
Tea: I like to be prepared. I always brush my teeth before going into court.
Todd: This is your ritual?
Tea: One of them. It makes me feel more confident when my breath is fresh and...
Todd: Do judges often get close enough to sample your breath?
Tea (angrily): I have never slept with a judge so don't even try to imply that.
Todd: I was just kidding, Tea. Lighten up.
Tea: You lighten up on the references to my sex life. Just because I prefer not to go into court with food stuck between my teeth you've decided that I've slept my way to every win I've achieved in my career. I won't put up with that. I've worked very hard at my job. I won't have you insinuating...
Todd (interrupting): Relax, Delgado. You'll have to get a sense of humor if we're going to last through the day here.
Tea: Stop making cracks about my personal life.
Todd: I can't.
Tea: Well, why not?
Todd: Because...it's the only way I can deal with knowing that you've had one that involved people other than me.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Just go take your shower. Enjoy your towel. I'm going to go out to the car and get some of my stuff. Believe it or not, I do have deodorant. We can share, if that's acceptable to you. You can also wear some of my clothes if it's such a hardship for you to wear the same thing two days in a row.
Tea: Thank you. Do you think we could do a little shopping today so I can get a few things?
Todd: We should probably keep running. We gave them a chance to catch up to us by giving in to sleep like we did last night.
Tea: Sleep isn't a weakness...it's a necessity.
Todd: Yeah, well, I slept last night so I'm set for the rest of the month.
Tea: I'll go take that shower now. You will be here when I finish, won't you?
Todd: You think I'll take off on you?
Tea: There is a precedent.
Todd: If you keep talking like a lawyer people might get suspicious. You need to learn to blend in...like me.
Tea: You? Blend in? I highly doubt that.
Todd: You want me to get us something to eat while I'm out?
Tea: That would be great.
[Todd leaves to retrieve his things from the car. Tea takes her shower. When Tea finishes her shower she wraps the towel around herself and opens the bathroom door. She spots a duffel bag on the floor in front of the door. She's uncertain if Todd's in the bedroom since there's a slight wall blocking her view in that direction.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd (his voice muffled as he eats): Yeah?
Tea: Is this bag the clothes I'm borrowing?
Todd: Yeah. Take whatever you want and be snappy about it. We're leaving in a few minutes.
Tea: I haven't eaten yet.
Todd: You can eat in the car.
[Tea takes the bag into the bathroom and picks through the clothes inside, looking for something to wear. When she returns to the bedroom a few minutes later she finds Todd sitting on one of the beds, shoving food into his mouth without pause.]
Todd (with his mouth full): Hurry up. We've got to get out of here.
Tea: Thanks for the clothes. They don't quite fit but they'll do until I can get some more of my own.
Todd: As long as they don't fall off you they're fine. We don't need to waste time with you shopping.
Tea: I still need things, Todd. I...uh...still need...(looking away uncomfortably and lowering her voice)...underwear...and some other things. We can go to a large city and find a mall. That way we'll just blend in with the crowd more easily.
Todd: No way. I don't do malls.
Tea: Fine. I'll go alone. You can stay in the car. By the way, how are we going to handle the finances? I don't have much cash with me and we can't use credit cards or checks if we don't want to be traced.
Todd: Don't worry about it. I've got it covered.
Tea: I don't want to be a part of anything illegal.
Todd: You already are. You took off with a criminal. That's against the rules, Tea. Unless, you're planning on claiming I snatched you if we ever get caught...which we won't since I'm smarter than the entire Llanview Police Department, even after they've all put their tiny little brains together.
Tea: I came with you willingly. I won't lie to anyone about that. Technically, though, that wasn't a criminal act since you weren't, to my knowledge, officially being pursued in connection to any crimes.
Todd: You're already spinning it, huh?
Tea: Maybe they're not even pursuing us. Maybe we can relax and travel leisurely without worrying about the law. We could go back to Llanview and visit Starr.
Todd: You could see your boyfriend again.
Tea: Obviously, he's not my boyfriend anymore.
Todd: He never should have been to begin with.
Tea: Are we going to stay here and argue? I thought you wanted to leave?
Todd: I do. Grab your stuff. You can dine in the car.
[Tea picks up a few packages of junk food that Todd got out of a vending machine.]
Tea: This is breakfast?
Todd: You got a problem with that? This is how I eat every morning.
Tea: It's not very healthy.
Todd: Do I look sick?
Tea (smiling while checking him out as his back is turned toward her): No. Actually, you look pretty great.
Todd: Enough chatter. Let's go.
[Todd grabs his stuff and walks out the door. Tea quickly gathers her things, along with her breakfast, and follows him out the door.]
chapter 4:
[Tea and Todd are in Todd's car, driving through a sparsely populated area. Tea finished her breakfast of junk food more than an hour ago. Neither has spoken much since they left the motel they had stayed in the night before.]
Tea: Where is everyone?
Todd (startled out of his thoughts): Huh?
Tea: We haven't seen anyone else on this road for more than thirty minutes.
Todd: Maybe they're all dead and we're the last two people alive in the world.
Tea: That's a little doubtful, don't you think?
Todd: It could happen. It happens in movies.
Tea: Ah, yes...those horror movies you favor so much.
Todd: I prefer to think of them as realistic depictions of everyday life.
Tea: Maybe your everyday life...
[Tea stops talking, feeling terrible since she knows that there have been times in Todd's life when he probably did feel like he was in the middle of a real-life horror movie.]
Todd (sneaking a peak at her for a second before looking back at the road): It's no big deal, Tea. Sure, every film monster is a joke compared to Daddy Manning.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Just forget it, Tea.
[Several minutes pass in silence.]
Tea: Are we going to Chicago?
Todd (surprised): What?
Tea: We're heading in that direction, aren't we? Is that where you're taking me?
Todd: No. I...uh...I'm just driving. We're not going anywhere.
Tea: I was surprised last night when you didn't head straight for Canada.
Todd: I've been there already.
Tea: Is that where you were for those fifteen months and, uh, eight days?
[Todd doesn't respond. He keeps his gaze fixed on the road ahead of him. His facial expression gives nothing away to Tea's inquisitive gaze. Several minutes later, Tea decides to end the deafening silence.]
Tea (speaking seriously): So...let's talk about my panties.
[Todd suddenly swerves the car as Tea laughs at his reaction.]
Tea (still laughing): Well, at least I got a reaction.
Todd: That's not funny.
Tea: The look on your face was...and still is, actually.
Todd: Do we have to talk so much?
Tea: If we're going to spend all our days driving around together...yes, we have to talk. You can pick the topic, if you'd like. Although, I do still need to purchase underwear at some point. I just thought I'd remind you.
Todd (pointing out the window): Distract yourself looking at that pony coming up.
Tea: That's a cow.
Todd: Whatever.
Tea: Do you have any plans at all about where we're going?
[Todd doesn't respond again.]
Tea: I just thought that if you did and if you had a map then maybe I could help navigate since I doubt you'll ever let me drive.
Todd: You have much experience with police chases?
Tea: What makes you think that I don't? Besides, we're clearly not being chased.
Todd: Maybe they're being sneaky about it and they'll swoop down on us when we're not expecting it. They'll probably come after us when we're sleeping.
[Tea is reminded of Todd's sense of vulnerability when he sleeps. She recalls the time he told her about the monsters under the bed, waiting for him to close his eyes so they could attack him.]
Tea (speaking softly): Maybe we should sleep together.
[Todd looks at her for a moment before looking back at the road.]
Tea: I think I would feel safer if we did. We could still have separate beds like last night, of course, if that's what you want.
Todd: So, you want to be roomies, is that it?
Tea: I don't really like sleeping in strange motel rooms. I would feel better if you were in the room with me.
Todd: People might think it's weird if a married couple checks in asking for two beds.
Tea: So, you didn't ask for that last night?
[Todd doesn't respond.]
Tea: You want to pretend to be married?
Todd: We've done it before. We should be pretty good at it by now.
Tea: I don't have my rings with me. They're back in Llanview, along with everything else that I own. We could go back and...
Todd (interrupting): I'll get you a new ring.
Tea: What about all of my things back there?
Todd: What about them?
Tea: Everything I own is there. I should make arrangements.
Todd: You want to get us caught?
Tea: I could call Roseanne. She wouldn't tell anyone.
Todd: I thought she hated your guts.
Tea: She did. We worked some of our problems out, though. Things are better between us. She's been staying with me. I could just let her know that I won't be back for a while and make sure she's set financially so she doesn't start sell my things for the money.
Todd: It's not a good idea.
[Several minutes of silence pass as they continue to drive quickly through the countryside.]
Todd: If it matters that much to you, I'll call Viki.
Tea: Wait. I can't call my family but you can call yours?
Todd: I know mine. I trust mine.
Tea: Well, maybe I trust mine, too.
[Todd gives Tea a questioning look.]
Tea: Okay, fine. You call Viki but if she tells you that the police are not after us then I'm calling Roseanne, Carlotta, my grandmother...
Todd: The Delgado clan will have to wait at least a few days.
Tea: Why?
Todd: I'm not ready to talk to Viki yet.
[Tea watches his facial expression carefully, sensing that there's something wrong. Todd waits several minutes before he speaks the words that he dreads to say out loud.]
Todd (speaking quietly): She might have cancer.
Tea: Viki?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: Let's go back, Todd.
Todd: Can't do that.
Tea: If the police do arrest you, I'll get you off. You know that. I'll defend you and we'll win. You can be there for Viki. You can be with Starr. Let's go home.
Todd: No.
Tea: I know how much you love your sister. She's more than a sister to you. She's more like your...
Todd (interrupting): We're not going back. She wouldn't want me there anyway. I'd just be another problem for her to deal with.
Tea: She must want you there or she wouldn't have told you.
Todd: She didn't tell me. I found out on my own.
Tea: How?
Todd: I told you before that the security in that hospital is a joke.
Tea: What if she tells you while you're talking to her on the phone? What if she asks you to come back for her?
Todd: Right. I won't call her.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Drop it.
Tea: Well, then, let's talk about my panties again.
Todd: That joke wasn't funny the first time.
Tea: No joke. I need to buy new underwear unless you want me to share yours.
Todd: Fine. We'll get you some...uh... Well, we'll just get you some.
Tea: Great. I could also use some shoes, pants, blouses...
Todd: You're demanding.
Tea: You don't want me to keep wearing your clothes, do you?
Todd: Well...
Tea: I look ridiculous.
[Todd looks over at Tea for a moment before looking back at the road in front of him. Tea doesn't notice the slight grin on his face as he realizes that Tea has no idea how appealing she looks in his clothes. She's wearing a pair of his jeans, with the bottoms rolled up and a belt to keep them from falling down since they're noticeably too big for her. She's wearing the only white shirt he currently has in his possession. Her sleeves are rolled up and the top two buttons are undone. Todd's in no hurry for Tea to return to wearing boring business suits all day long.]
Todd: You know, there is a limit to how much stuff we can fit into this car.
Tea: We could get a bigger car...maybe a van...or one of those big campers. We should change vehicles anyway, shouldn't we? You know, to keep ahead of the fuzz.
Todd: The fuzz?
[Todd looks over at Tea for a moment and notices the smile on her face.]
Todd: You're enjoying this, aren't you? You're getting a kick out of feeling like a criminal.
Tea: Well, as long as the police aren't actually surrounding us, with their guns aimed at our heads, it's kind of fun. Just you and me, traveling the back roads, no responsibilities.
Todd: So, that's the real reason you're enjoying this...you're playing hooky.
Tea: I couldn't really tell anyone back in Llanview but I wasn't really all that happy working in the D.A.'s office.
Todd: Did you ever think you would be?
Tea: I thought that maybe once I settled in and had some time and distance away from the defense side it might not be that bad.
Todd: Sometimes you're really stupid about yourself. I could have told you how miserable you'd be working on the wrong side of the law like that.
Tea: Yeah, well, you weren't around for me to discuss my job prospects with, remember? You had taken off while your wife...your brand new, by only a few hours, wife was fighting for her life in a hospital.
Todd: You weren't quite new. It wasn't our first time doing the getting hitched thing, remember? Besides, I waited until after they released you from the hospital before taking my brief trip.
Tea: Brief?
Todd: I even got your ring back to send to you before I left.
Tea: Were you in the penthouse while I was there? Were you hiding in a closet or something?
Todd: No. I left right before you showed up. When I saw that you were there, I waited. I don't know why but I knew I had to go back in after you split. It was a good thing, too, since that ring accidentally slipped off your finger while you were packing your stuff up.
Tea: I left it there on purpose.
Todd: Why would you do that?
Tea: Our marriage was over. Not that it was much of a marriage anyway. It only lasted a few hours and ended with me being publicly humiliated and then almost dying.
Todd: There were some good moments.
Tea: Like what?
Todd: You didn't do that shoving cake into my face thing. I was pretty happy about that. We exchanged gifts, didn't we? We danced. We...well, we almost...
Tea: Yeah, well, we didn't. The dance ended...the gifts burned along with everything else in the cabana.
Todd: No, they didn't.
Tea: I was told that everything was destroyed.
Todd: I went back and got them after I pulled you out.
Tea: You? You pulled me out?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: Of the cabana?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: You pulled me out of the fire in the cabana on our wedding night?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea (angry): Stop the car!
Todd (looking at her, surprised by the angry expression on her face): What's wrong?
Tea: Stop the damn car right now or I'll jump out.
chapter 5:
Tea (yelling): Stop the car!
[Todd pulls the car over to the side of the road. Tea quickly jumps out and starts walking rapidly down the road.]
Todd (yelling out the window): Tea, what the hell is wrong with you?
Tea (turning back and yelling at Todd while continuing to walk away): Go to hell, Todd Manning!
[Todd leans over and closes the door on the passenger side of the car that Tea left wide open. He slowly, and carefully, drives forward, next to Tea, who is still speed-walking down the road.]
Todd (through the open window): Get in the car, Tea.
Tea: No.
Todd: At least have the decency to fill me in on what you're ticked at me about this time.
Tea: Decency? How dare you mention decency after lying to me like that.
Todd: Look, if I had known the tape was circulating in the ballroom, I would have taken you somewhere else for our wedding night. I should have anyway since everything would have worked out different and we wouldn't be driving down some stupid road right now having this stupid fight.
[Tea suddenly stops walking, causing Todd to drive ahead of her. He stops the car but Tea continues to stand where she is. Slowly, Todd backs up the car until he's next to her again.]
Todd: You tired of walking? Are you going to get in the car now?
Tea: You saved me from the fire?
Todd: Yes. We already know this. Get in the car so we can fight about something else while actually moving.
Tea: You were in the fire with me?
Todd: Did the smoke you swallowed mess with your memory retention? (reciting the events of that night long ago) I was in the fire with you. I busted down the door. I found you. I carried you out. I made damn sure you were breathing. After they took you to the hospital, I went back in and got the presents and your wedding ring. You know, you must have skinny fingers because your rings keep accidentally slipping off.
Tea: I think I threw it before the fire started.
Todd: Well, it's a good thing I found it so I could return it to you while you were still out. I made sure that you woke up in the hospital with it on your finger, where it belonged.
Tea (leaning her head into the car): Todd...I was told that Sam rescued me.
Todd: Yeah, well, Sam always did like to play the hero, whether he really was one or not.
Tea: I remember having this dream that you were there. I thought that's all it was but I guess it wasn't. You really were there. You did save me. You did plead with me not to die...didn't you?
Todd: It doesn't really matter anymore, does it? Come on, get in the car or I'll leave you here.
Tea (smiling): You wouldn't do that. You wouldn't leave me here where I'm not safe.
Todd: Those goats over there do look kind of menacing.
Tea (looking in the direction of his gaze): Those are cows, Todd. (getting in the car) Maybe you should spend some time on a farm so you can learn about different animals.
Todd: If I wanted to hang out with animals I'd go to a butcher shop or a Buchanan family gathering.
[After Tea closes her door, Todd quickly speeds down the road.]
Tea: Thank you for saving me, Todd.
Todd: Don't mention it. I mean that. Never mention it again.
Tea: I won't...
Todd: Good.
Tea: ...for the rest of the day.
[Todd groans and pushes down on the gas a little more as Tea smiles at him.
Hours later...
Todd and Tea are sitting in a small roadside diner.
Tea is studying a book of maps she talked Todd into buying when they stopped at a gas station earlier.]
Tea: We could go to Mount Rushmore.
Todd: Why would I want to go there?
Tea: Well, we are moving in that direction. It might be interesting to see in person.
Todd: It's just a bunch of dead guys. What's so great about that?
Waitress (approaching their table to take their order): You two on vacation?
Tea: We're on our honeymoon.
Waitress: Oh, that's wonderful. Where are you on your way to?
Tea: Actually, we're just traveling around...no destination in mind. We both have highly stressful jobs so we're just looking to relax and enjoy our time alone together. (to Todd) Isn't that right, sweetheart?
Todd (not happy about Tea's chattiness): Yeah, right...whatever. (to the waitress) Could we get some food?
[The waitress takes their orders, as she and Tea continue to chat. Todd is relieved when the waitress finally leaves their table.]
Todd (trying to whisper): What the hell was that?
Tea: What?
Todd: All that garbage you were telling her.
Tea: I was just having fun. I thought I'd create a history for us. You know, who we are, what we do for a living, where we're from. I didn't use anything real. I don't know why you're so upset.
Todd: Just remember the more lies you make up the more you have to remember.
Tea: You can teach me. You are the expert.
[Todd groans unpleasantly.]
Tea: Sorry. That wasn't necessary. Seriously, I'm just trying to have fun. (noticing the waitress returning with their beverages) After all, this is our honeymoon, dear.
[Todd grunts.]
Tea (to Todd): Is my honey in a bad mood?
Todd: Not at all, my marmalade.
[The waitress sets their glasses down and leaves again.]
Tea: So, if you don't want to go to Mount Rushmore, where do you want to go?
Todd: Nowhere.
Tea: Well, we have to be going somewhere. We can't just drive around going nowhere.
Todd: Why not? I've been going nowhere for fifteen months.
Tea: And eight days.
Todd: Right.
Tea: But now I'm going nowhere with you and I'd prefer to feel like we're going somewhere.
Todd: We are.
Tea: Where?
Todd: Nowhere. Pay attention.
Tea: Can't we pick just one place and then go there?
Todd: You can pick as many places as you want but you won't be getting there in my car.
Tea: You're really impossible sometimes.
Todd: Thank you.
[Tea and Todd eat their lunch in silence before returning to their car and to their apparently aimless wandering.]
to be continued...
