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| ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 136 - 140 |
PREVIOUSLY...
Tea: I didn't do anything to Moose, Todd. I didn't cause any harm to come to him.
Todd: We don't know that.
Tea: He probably flew into some other wealthy publisher's window.
Todd: You think?
Tea: I'm sure he's okay, Todd. If he wasn't, he'd probably be haunting me.
Todd: Well, that is true.
Tea: I'm sorry that you lost your friend, Todd. I really am.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 136:
[Several waiters finally arrive with their dinner. Todd and Tea are silent as their meal is laid out before them on the dock. Several lanterns are placed near them for illumination.
When the waiters finally leave them alone again, Todd ignores Tea as he focuses fully on his dinner.]
Tea: Todd?
[Todd is silent, except for the noise of his chewing.]
Tea: This is great, Todd. I'm glad you thought of it.
Todd: I didn't.
Tea: What?
Todd: I didn't think of it.
Tea: You didn't?
Todd: No.
Tea: Who did?
Todd: I just told them to do whatever they thought a chick would be into.
Tea: So, you didn't ask for any of this specifically?
Todd: Nope.
Tea: Not the location?
Todd: Nope.
Tea: Not the romantic lighting?
Todd: Is the lighting romantic? We could toss these things into the water if they're bothering you.
Tea: How would we see our meal?
Todd: Right. I guess they'll have to stay, even if neither of us wants them.
Tea: You're not planning on denying that you arranged for this specific menu, are you?
Todd: I just told them to give us whatever the most popular meal was around here.
Tea: Grilled cheese sandwiches?
Todd: I think it's their specialty here? People come from other countries...
Tea: Just for grilled cheese sandwiches?
Todd: Rich people are weird. You should know that by now. You've met the Buchanans.
Tea: What about the cotton candy?
Todd: Snobs can't have decent taste in dessert?
Tea: You already admitted you were forced to substitute cotton candy for candy corn.
Todd: I never admitted anything.
Tea: You did. I remember it.
Todd: Maybe you imagined it.
Tea: What about the sancocho?
Todd: The what?
Tea: Sancocho. You do remember sancocho, don't you, querido?
Todd: Is this something you used to cook?
Tea: I remember that time at the diner, too.
Todd: What time at the diner?
Tea: Stop playing dumb, Todd.
Todd: I have no idea what you are talking about, Delgado.
Tea: Who did you have them call for the recipe?
Todd: Huh?
Tea: I know that you put them in touch with someone to give them the recipe.
Todd: They make this stuff all the time.
Tea: Was it Carlotta or my grandmother?
Todd: You really think either of them would do anything to help me out?
Tea: My grandmother would if she thought it would make me happy. That's who you had them call, isn't it?
[Todd returns to being silent. Tea reaches for her purse. Todd quickly grabs it away from her before she can take out her cell phone.]
Tea: Don't do anything stupid.
Todd: It's already too late for that.
Tea: If you throw my purse in the water, you'll be going in after it.
Todd: Only if you push me.
Tea: Don't tempt me.
Todd: Why don't you put more time into eating and less time into talking?
Tea: Why are you so determined not to admit that you did something romantic? Are you afraid that I'll expect continued romance from you in the future?
Todd: You'd be disappointed, if you did.
Tea: No, I wouldn't.
Todd: You're really determined to start a fight, aren't you?
Tea: I definitely do not want to fight with you right now.
Todd: Then drop the subject.
Tea: Fine. Drop my purse...and, not in the water.
[They return to silently enjoying their meal together.
Minutes later...]
Todd: Are you ready for dessert?
Tea: You go ahead.
Todd: You're full?
Tea: No.
Todd: So, you're ready for dessert?
Tea: I think I'll skip dessert tonight.
Todd: You have something against cotton candy?
Tea: I don't like it.
Todd: You don't like it? It's a classic.
Tea: It's something kids eat.
Todd: Exactly. Kids know good food.
Tea: You can have mine, Todd. I'm not interested.
[Todd picks up the cotton candy and moves closer to Tea.]
Tea: Todd, I really don't want any.
Todd: Sure, you do.
Tea: Believe me, I don't.
Todd: Just one taste.
[Todd pulls some of the cotton candy apart and places a small portion at her lips. A small amount sticks to her moist lips as she keeps them closed. He moves his hand away from her mouth and brings his mouth to hers, licking the sweet snack from her lips. Her mouth opens, inviting his tongue inside. Instead, he pulls his mouth away and offers the cotton candy in his fingers again. This time she accepts his offer and removes some of the cotton candy from his fingers and allows it to dissolve in her mouth. He reaches for more. As he places it at her lips, she bites into it but doesn't allow all of it into her mouth. His mouth immediately lands on hers, sharing the sweetness of the treat with her. After it dissolves, their lips continue their connection, their tongues enjoying a slow exploration.
Several minutes later...]
Todd: More?
Tea: Yes.
[Todd reaches for the cotton candy again but Tea stops him.]
Tea: That isn't what I want more of.
Todd: What do you want more of, Tea?
Tea: You.
[Todd touches the side of her face lightly.]
Todd: That could be dangerous.
[Tea takes his hand in her own and places her mouth around each finger individually and removes the sticky cotton candy that has stuck to his fingers.
When Tea finishes, she looks seductively at Todd and opens her mouth to speak. He places his fingers at her lips to stop her.]
Todd: Whatever you're about to say, Tea...don't. Don't blow it.
[Tea smiles. Todd groans. They're both thinking of the same unintended imagery created by his choice of words.
Todd knows that he needs to escape from this moment, from what she's thinking, from what he's thinking, from what he's feeling because of what they both are thinking.
His body won't cooperate and physically leave her right now so the only way to escape the way she's looking at him is to keep from looking at her. The only way to keep himself from saying something stupid is to occupy his mouth. The only way to prevent her from flirting with him is to occupy her mouth.
Todd closes his eyes as he brings their mouths together again, in a sensual kiss that neither wants to ever end.]
chapter 137:
[Numerous minutes later...
Todd removes his lips from Tea's, causing her to groan in dissatisfaction at losing their physical connection.]
Todd: We have to stop.
Tea: No, we don't.
Todd: Those waiters are probably hiding nearby, watching us, waiting for us to get out of here so they can take this stuff away.
Tea: Fine. We'll go back to our room and continue what we've been doing.
Todd: Eating cotton candy?
Tea: It's been many magnificent minutes since we stopped pretending we were sharing dessert.
Todd: Well, I don't know what you were doing, but that's what I was doing.
Tea: I was kissing the man I love...the man I adore...the man...
Todd (interrupting): The man who really hates all this communication garbage you're so disgustingly hooked on.
Tea: Let's go back to our room and not communicate...at least not verbally.
Todd: I thought you wanted to go for a walk.
Tea: We did that earlier.
Todd: No, you had an attitude and ditched me while I was torturing myself trying to do that romantic stroll thing with you.
Tea: Romantic stroll? You were speed walking several feet ahead of me, not telling me where we were going.
Todd: Exactly. I tried doing the romantic stroll thing for you and you weren't cooperating.
Tea: Well, let's try it again. This time, holding hands and walking at the same pace...a slow one.
Todd: I'm not in the mood anymore.
Tea: It's either that or we go back to our room right now and find something else to occupy our time.
Todd: Sleep?
Tea: I'm not tired. Are you?
Todd: I'll agree to walking with you, if you agree to no flirting.
Tea: Will you be holding my hand?
Todd: No.
Tea: Conversation?
Todd: No.
Tea: A slow pace?
Todd: That I'll give you.
Tea: I'll take it.
Todd: Really?
Tea: I know you'll surprise me.
Todd: Is that what you're expecting?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: You might be disappointed.
Tea: You never disappoint me, Todd.
Todd: That's a lie.
Tea: You frustrate me sometimes.
Todd: You still want to be here with me?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: You haven't come to your senses yet?
Tea: I came to my senses when I gave up a life where I was secretly miserable while outwardly smiling too much of the time, to come with you where I could be truly happy, where I could openly love, and maybe even be loved.
Todd: Maybe?
Tea: I still can't believe that you could love me, Todd. I want to, but it's so hard to believe.
[Tea lightly strokes her fingers over the scar on Todd's cheek as she looks into his eyes, seeking reassurance.
Todd leans closer to her and lowers his voice.]
Todd: I hate it when you do this to me, Delgado.
[His lips gently caress hers as his arms reach around her. For several minutes, they kiss. Each has their arms wrapped tightly around the other.
As they kiss, Tea's body leans too far backwards and she feels herself losing her balance. Concerned that she'll fall into the water, she grabs onto Todd even harder, trying to keep her body from going over the side of the dock.
Todd feels himself losing his own balance and instinctively reaches his hand out but his hand lands on the very edge of the dock and quickly slips off. The extra weight of Todd's body pushing against her forces Tea's body further back.
Todd panics. He knows that they're about to fall into the water but he has no idea what's behind Tea or how deep the water is where they are. In the brief seconds it takes for them to hit the water, he grabs the back of her head with one of his hands and holds it close to his body. He extends his other hand behind her back, hoping to brace their fall and keep her from any injury.
Seconds later, their bodies splash into the water. Tea holds her breath as the weight of Todd's body holds her under the water.
After landing in the shallow water, Todd quickly pulls himself off of Tea, pulling her body to the surface. The sound of her deep intake of air scares him.]
Todd: Are you okay? Are you hurt? Delgado, speak to me.
Tea: I'm fine, Todd.
Todd: You sure? Did you swallow a lot of water?
Tea: No. I sensed what was about to happen and held my breath.
[Todd stands up and walks out of the water.]
Todd: We're never doing this again.
[Tea stands up and follows him.]
Tea: Why?
Todd: You could have drowned. You almost died again because of me.
Tea: We fell into the lake, Todd...into the very shallow water. Neither of us was in danger of death.
Todd: What if you had hit your head?
Tea: You protected my head before we went into the water.
Todd: Let's just get the hell out of here. I knew this was a stupid idea.
Tea: You're not going to deny your thoughtful act?
Todd: What thoughtful act?
Tea: Protecting my head.
Todd: I was protecting myself. If something had happened to you, they would have locked me up again.
Tea: That's why you did it? Not because you care about me? Not because my safety matters to you? You did it to save yourself some jail time?
Todd: I hate jail.
Tea: You also hate it when I'm injured, don't you?
Todd: This is all your fault anyway. What the hell were you doing sitting that close to the edge?
Tea: Are you going to blame me for pulling you in, too?
Todd: Well, you did.
Tea: I was losing my balance. I grabbed the biggest thing in front of me. That happened to be you. I didn't do this on purpose. It was an accident. Let's get back to our romantic evening.
Todd: What romantic evening?
Tea: Right. You don't do romance.
Todd: That's right. I never have. I never will. Deal with it.
Tea (raising her voice in frustration): Fine!
[Tea turns and storms off, rapidly walking toward the resort. Todd quickly returns to the dock they had been making out on minutes earlier and grabs Tea's purse before rushing to catch up to his furiously frustrated, soaking wet ex-wife.]
chapter 138:
[Tea and Todd both rush towards the resort's main building as the cool night air and their soaked clothing has both of them shivering.
Todd knows that there is also a deep emotional chill blowing in his direction because of Tea's frustration with him. He had really tried to give her some of the romance that he knows she wants from him. As usual, though, everything fell apart. Falling into the lake and having another fight wasn't part of his plan but he's not surprised. Romantic gestures usually seem to backfire on him in some way...eventually.
As they finally arrive at one of the resort's side entrances, Tea pulls it open and quickly stops. Several guests stare at the young, soaked couple.
Tea's stomach lurches as tears threaten her. She feels like a little girl again, inappropriately dressed, with everyone staring at her with pity...or is it disdain? She was never very good at discerning between those two looks. What she does know is that she doesn't belong here. She doesn't belong in this fancy building any more than she belonged in the fancy building she grew up in.
As a child she would stick her chin out and walk defiantly passed those staring eyes, refusing to allow them to see her hurt. She would save her tears for her small windowless bedroom, where no one but her would know her pain.
As a teenager she was tempted many times to release her pent up anger and tell off the 'helpful' new tenants or guests to the building who were 'kind' enough to inform her, as she entered the building she had lived in for most of her life, that they were certain that she must be lost. She knew she couldn't truly express her anger or frustration for fear her father would lose his job. She would smile as pleasantly as she could and proudly inform them that she did in fact live in the building.
She always enjoyed the embarrassed expressions that would follow, along with the stammering of apology for misjudging her. Usually, her joy would only be allowed to last for a few seconds before the doorman or another tenant of the building would burst her bubble and inform the unconvincingly apologetic snob that Tea's father was the building's maintenance man and her apartment was appropriately in the basement of the building.
Tea would again wait until she had reached the safety of her bedroom before allowing herself to show the hurt of having to watch yet again, that smug look cross another snob's face.
For Tea, the amount of time spent standing in the resort's doorway, enduring the stares of the wealthy patrons, is an eternity. For Todd, it's only been a few seconds, but for Tea it's simply a continuation of every day of her life until she moved out of her father's basement apartment. In this moment, the years away from that upscale apartment building in Manhattan have faded completely. This is just another instance of the poor child stepping into a vast world of opulence that she clearly doesn't belong in.
For Tea, the laughter aimed in her direction isn't because her clothes are soaked and her hair is a mess after her fall into the lake. In her mind, it's because her clothes aren't fancy enough and her skin isn't the right shade.
Despite her years of training on how to stubbornly hold her head up despite disapproving stares and loud whispers, Tea feels unable to move forward. Her body tries to back out of the doorway she's standing in but Todd's body behind her blocks her path. She feels scared and trapped.
Todd brings his mouth close to her ear, whispering to her.]
Todd: You're better than these snobs, Tea. You're better than all of them. Pretend you're walking into that snooty country club back home. Remember? You would put every jerk in their place. You do it here. You show them how much class you have compared to them.
[Todd places his hands on her back and gives her a little push. Tea enters the building slightly. Todd slides his body through the slight opening now available to him and quickly places his arm around Tea's waist. She follows his lead as he pulls her through the sitting area near the fancier of the resort's several restaurants.]
Todd (loud enough for others to hear): Well, that's the last time we're going for a romantic stroll by the lake when it's this windy out. It's a good thing we dressed down tonight.
[Several resort staff members try to approach the Mannings but Todd waves them all off, knowing that Tea isn't up for interaction right now.
Luckily, when they reach the elevator, they don't have to wait more than a few seconds and after the doors close behind them they find themselves alone.
Tea moves into one of the back corners of the elevator, avoiding eye contact with Todd. He tries to touch her but she pulls away from him. Todd moves to the front of the elevator.
Suddenly, the elevator comes to an abrupt stop. Tea looks up at him.]
Todd: Don't let them get to you like this.
Tea: Start the elevator up again.
Todd: Good. You can still speak. Let's go back down there and tell those idiots off.
Tea: I just want to go to our room.
Todd: Is that really where you want to go? Are you sure you don't want to leave this place all together?
Tea: We could.
Todd: Why the hell should we? You deserve to be here just as much as anyone else.
Tea: I don't belong here. We both know that.
Todd: I don't know that.
[Todd pulls his wallet out of his soggy pants. He takes out his credit cards and cash, discarding his wallet on the floor. He approaches her and grabs one of her hands, placing the paper and plastic money into her hand.]
Todd: This is all you need to be here. They don't care about who's staying here. They don't care if it's people who have actually earned their millions, or billions, of dollars. They don't care if they inherited their money. They don't care if it's people who barely make any money who have been saving for years for the stupid privilege of coming to a lousy place like this, where they'll feel as out of place as you do, to waste the money it took them so long to save. They don't give a damn who you are, where you're from, or where you got your money. All they care about is that the cash you tip them with isn't phony and that your credit card doesn't get rejected. Nothing else matters. You belong here. The money in your hand right now says that you do.
Tea: But, I know that I don't. I see it in their eyes.
Todd: Why do you care? I don't care. I don't give a damn what those idiots think. Let them stare.
Tea: You haven't spent your entire life being stared at that way, like I have.
Todd: You think that people don't stare at me? I've got a big, ugly scar across the side of my face. You think people don't notice that?
Tea: That's different.
Todd: Yeah, I earned my stares the hard way...the disgusting way. I deserve those stares. You don't. Stop letting them do this to you. Stop giving them so much power over you.
Tea: How? You tell me, how am I suppose to walk into a place like this and not feel like I did every day of my life when I was a little girl walking into that fancy lobby? How am I supposed to feel when I walk into upscale boutiques and am immediately told that there are no openings for employment? How am I supposed to feel when I'm standing at the entry of an expensive restaurant and it's assumed that I must be the hostess? How am I supposed to feel when I go to pick my step-daughter up from a play date and I'm told to wait outside because those sons of bitches don't want the hired help muddying up their entryway? How was I supposed to feel every time I was introduced as Starr's nanny...in front of her? Or, what about all of the snide remarks I had to put up with when person after person would comment on my being your new 'wife', as if it were some dirty word? Like, they all knew that I was just some slut who had whored my way into your penthouse. Because, I sure as hell didn't belong there any other way, right? How the hell was I supposed to feel? Right now, you tell me, how was I supposed to feel?
[As Tea takes a few seconds to calm down, she realizes that she's been yelling at Todd and pushing him in the chest.
He's just staring at her, not saying anything, not moving. He's stunned. He wasn't expecting her to unleash on him. He didn't know how much she had been holding in, beyond her childhood experiences.
Tea feels exhausted and embarrassed. Her hands are still on his chest as she moves her body into his, needing his comfort. She adds moisture to his already soaked shirt, as her tears begin to fall at the feeling of his arms pulling her snugly into his body.]
chapter 139:
[Todd holds Tea tightly in his arms for several moments. When he feels Tea try to pull away from him, he doesn't let go, not ready to give up comforting her yet.
Normally, he would hate this kind of moment but for some reason right now he wants to hold her, to comfort her, to feel like he's making her pain go away.
Tea doesn't want to be comforted, though. She did a few seconds earlier but now she wants to shut down and push away the pain and being in Todd's arms is too tempting for her to let go even more and flood him not only with more tears but also with more of the painful memories from her past and right now she doesn't feel like doing that.]
Tea: Todd, let go of me.
Todd: I'm not done doing the sensitive guy thing yet.
Tea: Yes, you are. Let go of me.
[Todd removes his arms from around her and takes a step away from her body. The expression on his face concerns Tea. She doesn't want to hurt his feelings.]
Tea: You should start the elevator up again before someone realizes that it stopped and they panic and send people to rescue us.
Todd: Let them panic.
Tea: Todd...
[Todd leans closer to her and lowers his voice slightly.]
Todd: They have cameras in here. They know I caused the elevator to stop. The only reason they haven't reacted yet is that there's probably some guy sitting in a dark room waiting for us to make up after what he thinks was a fight so he can get a good show. Maybe we shouldn't disappoint him.
Tea: What?!
[Tea looks around the elevator, looking for a camera.]
Tea: I don't see a camera.
Todd: It's hidden.
Tea: You're trying to get a cheap feel, aren't you?
Todd: Yeah. So?
Tea: So, this is a really lousy time, in case you haven't been paying attention.
[Tea moves to the front of the elevator and starts it moving again.]
Todd: Now you're ticked at me?
Tea: It's fine, Todd. We'll just go back to our room and...
Todd: And, what?
[Tea doesn't respond.]
Todd: Well?
Tea: I don't know.
[The elevator arrives at their floor. Todd reaches in front of Tea and presses a button to keep the doors closed.]
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Why is it okay when you use every moment of every day to try to get a feel off of me but when I want...
Tea: What do you want?
Todd: I don't know. You've got me confused, like you always do.
Tea: Well, there's no confusion for me. I'm in a lousy mood. I'm cold. I want to get out of these soaking clothes and into a warm bath. That's all I want tonight, Todd.
Todd: So, you don't want to make out with me at all?
[Tea hesitates to answer. She really isn't in the mood right now but she doesn't want to eliminate the possibility of something happening later, after she's had her bath, warmed up and had some distance from her current mood.]
Todd: Do you want to spend the night with me? Do you want me to leave you alone completely?
Tea: No.
Todd: What do you want?
Tea: I don't know.
Todd: You don't want me to hold you?
Tea: I do and I don't.
Todd: Well, either I'm doing it or I'm not. Which is it?
Tea: I really don't know, Todd.
Todd: You kind of like the idea of having me around right now but you want to be doing something safe where you don't have to worry about feeling too much, is that it?
Tea: Something like that. Have you felt that way with me before?
Todd: I guess. You want to talk about that?
Tea: Sure. As long as we don't have to talk about how I feel right now.
Todd: Great! No more talking about feelings tonight.
Tea: Just tonight?
Todd: You're right. No more talking about feelings ever again.
[Todd lets go of the elevator button and the doors open. He quickly exits the elevator, followed closely by Tea.]
Tea: You do realize that the mood I'm in won't last forever and I will want to talk about our feelings again, right?
Todd: Yeah, but when that happens I won't be in the mood so we won't be able to talk about them then either. Darn!
Tea: Oh, I'm sure that thought upsets you greatly.
Todd: Oh, it does. It really does.
Tea: Well, then it will be lucky for you that I won't allow you to ignore your feelings when you try to.
[As they reach the door of their suite, Todd stops and looks at her.]
Todd: But, I'm supposed to ignore your feelings right now, right? Or, am I supposed to do that thing that you do where you push and push until I cave and you squeeze my supposed feelings out of me?
Tea: Let's just get warm first and go from there. Okay?
Todd: Okay.
[They enter the suite and immediately go into the bedroom together. Tea pulls dry clothing out of the dresser. She's startled when she turns toward Todd and sees that he has the front of his jeans undone and one of his hands is inside his pants.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: Yeah?
Tea: Would you like some privacy?
Todd: For what?
Tea: Whatever you're doing.
Todd: I'm getting your purse.
Tea: What?
Todd: You forgot it back at the dock. Remember, you fell in the lake and pulled me in with you? Then you started a fight and stormed off. You forgot your purse so I went back and got it for you.
Tea: And you put it in your pants?
Todd: It wouldn't fit in my jacket pocket. I don't know why you need such a big purse.
[Todd looks up at the sound of Tea's laughter.]
Todd: Well, I wasn't going to walk into that place carrying a purse. If I had, we would have gotten even more stares.
Tea: Instead people must have been staring at that interesting bulge in the front of your pants.
Todd: So, now you think they were staring at me and not at you?
Tea: I still think they were staring at me.
Todd: We should talk about that, Delgado.
Tea: Maybe later. Right now, you should see yourself. Look in the mirrors.
Todd: I don't think so.
Tea: Do you need me to give you a hand?
Todd: So, now you're back to being in the mood for trying to get your hands in my pants.
Tea: My mood does seem to have improved. You have a way of doing that, Todd. Thank you.
Todd: You think I got your purse stuck down my pants just to make you laugh?
Tea: It wouldn't surprise me if you did.
Todd: Yeah, well, it's starting to itch.
Tea: Should I offer to scratch?
Todd: Get your bathing suit.
Tea: How will that help?
Todd: You're going to go into the bathroom and put it on.
Tea: Why?
Todd: We're both cold because of you. We'll warm up in that hot tub in there.
Tea: Together? Are you sure?
Todd: I know I shouldn't trust you around water again but I'm willing to give you another chance.
Tea: I just realized, my bathing suit is in with our dirty laundry. We haven't picked it up yet, remember? I could call and see if they'll send it up. Either that or I could wear a bra and underwear. Or, one of your T-shirts and a pair of your shorts, I suppose.
Todd: You in a wet T-shirt, huh?
Tea: Do you like that idea?
Todd: Take off your jacket and I'll tell you.
[Tea opens the jacket she's wearing and holds the material out at her sides, giving Todd a full view of the white T-shirt she's wearing that is clinging to her chest and stomach because of their fall into the lake. Todd grimaces.]
Tea: Are you okay?
Todd: Wear whatever you want but could you go into the bathroom right now. Your purse is doing something to something that really shouldn't have that particular something done to it like that.
[Tea gathers several articles of dry clothing and quickly goes into the bathroom.]
chapter 140
[Several minutes later...
Todd enters the bathroom through the door Tea left slightly ajar.]
Todd: You decent?
[Tea is surprised to find Todd standing in front of her wearing only the swim trunks she had previously purchased for him.
Todd notices Tea staring at his almost-naked body and is tempted to leave the room but forces himself to stay.]
Todd: So, are we getting into that stupid tub or are we just going to stand here staring at each other?
Tea: Huh?
Todd: You're staring, Delgado.
Tea: Oh. I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting...
Todd: You've seen my knees before. You know how ugly they are.
Tea: I don't think your knees are ugly. I don't think any part of your body is ugly.
Todd: You want to start a fight or do you want to do that hot tub, whirlpool, Jacuzzi, whatever...thing together?
Tea: Let's get in. You can hang your wet clothes...
[Todd promptly drops his soaked clothing onto the floor.]
Tea: Or, you could just throw them in a lump on the floor, I suppose. Do you want to get in first or do you want me to?
Todd: Whatever.
[Tea steps into the oversized tub and sinks into the water, enjoying the warmth of the water against her cold body. Todd watches her. She's wearing a black bra and a pair of his shorts.
Noticing that Tea notices him staring at her, Todd quickly gets into the water. There are several awkward moments as they each try to find a comfortable position to stretch out in.]
Tea: So, you were able to eradicate my purse from your...um...
Todd: Why do they make those things so uncomfortable?
Tea: Well, they normally don't recommend that you shove them down your pants.
Todd: What did you expect me to do? You were so out of it, you wouldn't take it from me.
Tea: Did you try to give it to me? If you did, I didn't realize.
Todd: You were pretty messed up down there.
Tea: I thought we agreed not to talk about that?
Todd: No, you tried to get me to agree to it. I only agreed to postpone talking about it while we were cold and wet.
Tea: Well, we are still wet.
Todd: Yeah, but you're not cold anymore, right? It's a couple hundred degrees in here.
Tea: Would you prefer it cooler?
Todd: I can take it, if you can. Stop trying to change the subject.
Tea: I'm not doing that. This really is comfortable. Are the jets okay for you? Do you want more? Less? I think you can adjust them.
Todd: It's not going to work, Delgado.
Tea: In fact, you could probably aim them at any body part you think would particularly enjoy the sensations.
Todd: Do you want to know what I would really enjoy?
Tea: What?
Todd: I want to talk.
Tea (not believing him): Sure, you do, Todd.
Todd: I do. I really do. You start.
Tea: I really don't...
Todd: Look, we're sitting in this thing together. We're both practically naked. There's nothing else for us to do but talk about how screwed up you are.
Tea: I'm sure if we put our heads together, or perhaps some other body parts, we could come up with something more interesting to do in this tub than talk.
Todd: So, you want to do stuff with me just to avoid looking at who you really are instead of that distorted view you have of yourself?
Tea: I don't want to look at anything right now but you.
Todd: Right!
Tea: That is the truth, Todd. I like looking at you.
Todd: Because I'm funny looking and it makes you laugh?
Tea: Maybe we should talk about the distorted view you have of yourself.
Todd: Why can't you just admit that you're screwed up?
Tea: Fine. I'm screwed up. I don't want to talk about it.
[Tea closes her eyes and leans her head against Todd's feet, which are resting against the wall by Tea's head.]
Todd: That's disgusting.
Tea (opening her eyes): What is?
Todd: You don't see me putting my face in your feet.
Tea: You could. I wouldn't mind.
Todd: You don't even know the last time I washed them.
Tea: Well, we can solve that easily enough.
[Tea reaches for a small bar of soap, provided by the hotel. As she lathers up her hands and reaches for his feet, Todd tries to pull them away, forcing his body to slide further into the tub until his face submerges in the water.
He tries to put his hand on the bottom of the tub to push himself up but his hand lands on Tea's leg instead.
Tea quickly pulls her legs away and brings them toward her body, sensing that Todd isn't comfortable with touch right now.
Todd pulls himself up and out of the bathtub. He quickly grabs a large bathrobe and puts it on.]
Todd: This is over. I hate this.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Forget it. I can't do this. I can't pretend I'm a normal guy in a normal bathtub with a normal chick. I hate water. I hate touching. I hate all of this.
[Todd quickly storms out of the room. Tea stays in the tub. She raises her voice so he'll hear her.]
Tea: Do you hate me, too?
[When Todd returns to the bathroom several moments later, he has a dry pair of slacks on and is pulling a dry T-shirt over his head.]
Todd: Why do you always do this to me?
Tea: Do what?
Todd: Get me to do stuff that I don't want to do.
Tea: I didn't force you to get into this tub with me. It was your idea, remember?
Todd: I only did it to make you feel better.
Tea: I was feeling better. You didn't have to leave. If you don't want me to touch you, I won't.
Todd: It's kind of hard to avoid it when we're in a small tub like that.
Tea: Fine. I'll stay in here and you can sit on the edge. We can just be together.
Todd: You wish you were with a normal guy, don't you?
Tea (smiling): I don't want normal. I want you.
Todd: You're just saying that.
Tea: Because it's true. I really do appreciate that you gave this idea a try. You don't have to put yourself through misery for me, though. It's not what I want.
Todd: What do you want?
to be continued...
