| SMALL BLESSINGS BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 6 - 10 |
chapter 6:
[The next day...
Tea is pushing her nephew, in his stroller, through a park near her apartment. At a distance, she spots a man who looks suspiciously like her ex-husband, sitting on a bench, reading a newspaper.
For a moment, she considers turning and walking in the opposite direction, but ultimately decides to proceed toward the man. If it is Todd, she's curious what he wants with her this time.
When Tea gets close enough to the man, she not only discerns that it is in fact Todd, but also realizes that he's only pretending to read the newspaper and is really trying to covertly watch her as she approaches him.
Tea takes a seat on the bench next to Todd.]
Tea: Interesting editorial?
Todd: Hardly! Nobody gets trashed at all.
[Todd looks up with a mock surprised look on his face.]
Todd: Tea? Is that you? What are you doing here?
Tea: Coincidentally, I happen to live nearby.
Todd: That is a coincidence.
Tea: Why are you here, Todd?
Todd: I heard this place has the best hot dogs.
Tea: Actually, they're not bad. You'd like them.
Todd: Is that your way of inviting me to join you for lunch?
Tea: If I do, will you tell me why you came?
Todd: I told you.
Tea: So, we're still playing games?
Todd: You always did like games, Delgado.
Tea: Not these kinds of games. I take it Viki gave you my message?
Todd: She mentioned something about you having a nephew.
Tea: What if he wasn't my nephew, Todd? What if he was my son?
Todd: You think that would matter to me?
Tea: It did a couple of days ago.
Todd: Not really.
Tea: Why did you walk away?
Todd: I didn't want to intrude. It's not like you called me yourself to tell me. You went through Carlotta, hoping she'd go through Viki, to get to me, instead of just telling me yourself. I was hurt.
Tea: I thought about calling you. Frankly, I didn't think you would care.
Todd: Some people think I have feelings. I don't. But, some people seem to think I do.
Tea: I know that you do. I've seen those feelings on display many times.
Todd: Is this kid old enough to eat hot dogs?
Tea: He doesn't have any teeth.
Todd: Bummer! I'll just get five hot dogs. Four for me and one for you.
Tea: I don't recall agreeing to have lunch with you.
Todd: That's never stopped me before.
[Todd stands up and walks toward a hot dog vendor.
Tea looks into her nephew's stroller and speaks quietly to him.]
Tea: I told you he was a frustrating man.
[Minutes later...
Todd returns to the bench with their lunch.]
Tea: Are you sure you want to eat four hot dogs?
Todd: If I'm still hungry when I finish, I'll get a few more.
Tea: You'll make yourself sick.
Todd: I've survived living in Llanview again, for more than a year, without barfing. I think I can handle a few hot dogs.
[They both are quiet for several moments as they each begin to dine on their hot dogs.
Tea is halfway through hers when her nephew begins to cry. She places her food down on the bench between them and reaches into the stroller, trying to soothe him. It doesn't work.]
Tea: I should go.
Todd: Kids cry, Tea. That's what they do.
Tea: He's been really cranky.
Todd: Maybe he's teething.
Tea: He's too young for that...I think.
Todd: Maybe he's advanced for his age.
Tea: I think he misses his parents.
Todd: Parents? Plural? It wasn't just your brother?
Tea: No. My brother's wife, also.
Todd: I didn't know. That's rough. At least the kid's got someone he can count on.
Tea: I just hope I do a good job.
Todd: You were great with Starr.
Tea: I was a step-mother. Starr had you. She had her mother. She had nannies. She had aunts and cousins.
Todd: And, she had you.
Tea: I tried to do my best with her.
Todd: Your best was pretty good. Stop worrying that you'll screw the kid up. You'll be a great mom.
Tea: I'm not his mother.
Todd: You are now.
Tea: That doesn't feel right.
[The baby's cries increase in volume.]
Tea: I really do need to go. Thanks for lunch.
Todd: Yeah, sure.
[Tea stands up. Before she leaves, she looks at Todd for a moment.]
Tea: Thank you for coming the other day. It meant a lot to me, despite your misunderstanding of the situation.
[Tea pushes her nephew's stroller out of the park. Todd watches them closely as they leave.]
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chapter 7:
[The next day...
Tea is surprised to receive a delivery of baby items related to teething. She searches the packaging but doesn't find any indication of who sent them. Even without confirmation, she feels certain that she knows the identity of the anonymous sender.
In Llanview...
Todd is working in his office. His mind is wandering from the editorial he's been trying to write for much of the last hour.
He finally gives up trying to focus on his work. He stands up and removes a painting on the wall behind his desk, revealing his safe. He quickly opens it and looks inside. He doesn't touch the objects housed in the safe. He just stares at them. There are two santa hats from the time he spent at the Bayberry Inn with Tea. There is an invitation to their wedding. His wedding ring. And numerous other mementos from their time together. Finally, he reaches his hand inside the safe and pulls out a framed photograph.
The intercom on his desk buzzes, startling him. Todd puts the picture frame back into the safe and closes it. He bellows into the intercom at his secretary. When he's informed that his ex-wife is calling him, he grimaces. He's not in the mood for this right now.
Begrudgingly, he picks up the phone and angrily speaks to the caller.]
Todd: You're not seeing Starr. You've got your consolation price. Deal with it!
Tea: I wasn't calling to ask to see Starr, although I would certainly love to see her again.
Todd: Tea?
Tea: Didn't your secretary tell you it was me?
Todd: She just said it was my ex-wife.
Tea: So, you naturally thought of Blair?
Todd: She calls me more than you do, these days.
Tea: Why are you keeping Starr from her?
Todd: Why did you call?
Tea: I called to find out why you're keeping Starr from seeing her mother.
Todd: I'm not. I'm keeping Blair from seeing Starr.
Tea: Isn't that the same thing?
Todd: Starr doesn't want to see Blair. That's not my fault. I'm just following my daughter's wishes.
Tea: Are you really?
Todd: Look, if you called to give me a lecture, I've had enough of those this week because of you.
Tea: I don't recall lecturing you.
Todd: Because of you, Viki has been whispering in my ear, the way that only she can...with a sledgehammer.
Tea: Well, you can relax. You did your good deed. She can stop lecturing you now. Thank you for the gifts.
Todd: What gifts?
Tea: A delivery came today with a number of teething related items.
Todd: What does that have to do with me?
Tea: Could you, just once, admit you did something nice, without making me drag the admission out of you first?
Todd: Delgado?
Tea: Yes?
Todd: I don't know if you noticed, but the kid and I really bonded in the park yesterday.
Tea: You didn't speak to him, hold him, or even look at him.
Todd: I looked. He looked like a miniature old guy...bald and drooling on himself.
Tea: Where is this leading, Todd?
Todd: I thought maybe we could see each other again...me and the kid, that is.
Tea: I would have to be there, too, you know.
Todd: If seeing you is the price I have to pay to see the kid again, I could deal with that.
Tea: Are you sure? He might be cranky.
Todd: I'm always cranky. We'll get along great.
Tea: Would you like to meet in the park again? Next week, maybe?
Todd: Most kids, when they have a play date, it's at one of the kids' homes.
Tea: I'm not really interested in going back to Llanview.
Todd: Why?
Tea: I have my reasons.
Todd: Right! You've got a town full of exes here.
Tea: Don't start!
Todd: If I come to your place, will you let me in?
Tea: I might, as long as you behave yourself.
Todd: There's just one thing that we have to clear up first, Tea.
Tea: I'm afraid to ask what.
Todd: What's the kid's name? You never told me.
Tea: Enrique, Jr.
Todd: What do you call him? Enrique? Junior? J.R.?
Tea: Mostly I've been calling him sweetheart.
Todd: Do you want to screw the kid up? If you're going to use a nickname, it has to be something manly.
Tea: His parents called him, Little Enrique, but it's too painful to call him my brother's name right now. I'm trying to keep the sadness from him as much as possible.
Todd: You could call him E.
Tea: E?
Todd: Sure. He could be the only kid in school with a one letter first name.
Tea: I don't think so. I'll think of something. I should go now. He's sleeping and there are some things I'd like to get done before he wakes up. If you'd really like to stop by sometime, give me a call and we'll arrange something.
Todd: Whatever!
[Todd and Tea end their phone call, each looking forward to seeing the other again.]
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chapter 8:
[That evening...
There's a knock on the door of Tea's apartment. When she looks through the peephole, she's shocked to see her ex-husband standing in the hallway.
She takes a moment and tries to comb her fingers through her hair. She looks down at her clothing and considers rushing to the bedroom to change her clothes, but decides not to. This isn't a date. It shouldn't matter how she looks.
Tea opens the door and leans her body in the doorway to block Todd's path into her apartment.]
Tea: I wasn't expecting you.
Todd: We talked on the phone earlier today, remember? You said I should come over whenever I felt like seeing the kid.
Tea: We agreed that you would call first, before you came.
Todd: You look like hell. So does your place.
Tea: Call me in a couple of days and you can visit when things are less hectic.
Todd: Things won't be less hectic until Little E goes away to college.
Tea: Little E?
Todd: You need to call the kid something. Are you gonna let me in so I can see the kid?
[Tea moves out of the doorway, allowing him to enter her apartment.
Stepping further into the living room, Todd notices the baby is sleeping in a motorized swing.]
Todd: You promised me someone as cranky as me.
Tea: Wait until he wakes up. He's just taking a short break.
Todd: He's a little guy. He has to build up his strength before he can be cranky all day without taking a break, like me.
Tea: Maybe it's all the changes he's had to endure. Or, maybe I'm just lousy at this. I don't know.
Todd: I could stick around for a while, observe you, give you some pointers.
Tea: You don't have anything better to do with your time?
Todd: Of course I do. For the kid's sake, I'm willing to stick around for a while.
Tea: If you're expecting dinner, I should warn you, I don't have much food in the kitchen right now.
Todd: You need a nanny. I'll send one tomorrow.
Tea: You will not. Besides, where would I put another person. I only have one bedroom.
Todd: You can't afford to give the kid his own room?
Tea: I didn't know I would be taking him in. I'll look for a bigger place when I have a chance. For now, we'll manage with what we have.
[Tea moves several piles of baby clothes off her sofa and gestures for Todd to sit down.]
Tea: I haven't had a chance to unpack all of the baby's things yet and put them away.
Todd: I saw whatever her name is...the one who went through the whole male side of the Vega family, at the funeral.
Tea: Her name is Roseanne. She was your niece, by marriage, for a while, remember? It took days to track her down. She's taking it pretty hard. She hadn't seen her father in years and when Enrique got back in touch with the family, I guess she resented that he had settled down and was starting another family, so she refused to see him. Now, her chance to reconcile with him is gone.
Todd: You knew about the kid before this happened?
Tea: Yes. I saw him the first time a few days after he was born. I visited several times after that.
Todd: So, you're not a total stranger to him?
Tea: No. But, someone who's only visited a few times isn't even close to the people who were there with him every day. I'm still essentially a stranger to him. I'm working on it, though. I took a leave of absence from the law firm I work for. I plan on spending some time just getting to know my nephew for a while.
Todd: And, then you'll hire a nanny?
Tea: I'm not hiring a nanny.
Todd: Can't you afford it? Don't lawyers make as much money as they did back when you worked for me?
Tea: I'm paid very well. Not as well as I was when I worked for you, of course, but I'm doing fine financially.
Todd: If they can't pay you your going rate, maybe you should find a new firm to work for.
Tea: I'd have a very difficult time finding anyone stupid enough to pay $5 million a year.
Todd: That's not normal?
Tea: No.
Todd: I feel robbed.
Tea: It was your idea.
Todd: Are they paying you while you do that bonding thing with the kid?
Tea: I'm using some vacation time. The rest will be unpaid.
Todd (reaching into his pocket): You need some cash?
Tea: We'll be fine. You don't have to worry about the baby. His needs will be taken care of.
Todd: Did he inherit millions of dollars, like I did?
Tea: No.
Todd: Then, stop being stubborn and let me give him some cash so he doesn't have to starve.
Tea: He won't starve. I make a good living.
Todd: Enough to afford a decent nanny?
Tea: My grandmother will be taking care of him, when I return to work.
Todd: Isn't she over a hundred by now?
Tea: No, Todd. Why are you suddenly so worried about the baby, anyway? When you thought he was my son, you had no interest in him at all. You probably even hated him. Now that you know he's my nephew, you suddenly care. Why?
Todd: Why do you think?
Tea: Because you're petty and immature?
Todd: Not wanting you to act slutty and get knocked up, is petty and immature?
Tea: If this is going to be exactly like when we left Llanview together, I wasn't interested then and I'm not interested now.
Todd: I figured you weren't interested when you ditched me.
Tea: I was interested in you. I was very interested. I made that clear. I, however, wasn't interested in having you insult me on a regular basis because I moved on after you abandoned me.
Todd: I moved on after you abandoned me. How does it feel?
[Tea sits down on the floor in front of her nephew's swing and watches him while he continues to blissfully sleeps.]
Todd: Well, Tea? Tell me. I came all this way. I want to know how it feels.
[Tea looks up at Todd]
Tea: That's why you came? Is that why you came to the burial, too? You just wanted to rub my nose in your happiness?
Todd (laughing): Happiness? Good one, Delgado.
Tea: You're not happy?
Todd: Do I look happy?
Tea: It's hard to tell. The only time you usually allow yourself to really show happiness is when you're with Starr, or when you're in revenge mode.
Todd: Do you think I'm in revenge mode with you right now?
Tea: I don't know what your real reason is for being here. What I do know is that I'm not interested in playing any games with you. My nephew is my number one priority now. If you're feeling neglected by everyone back in Llanview and you thought that I would shower you with all my attention again...forget it! It won't happen ever again.
Todd: If I told you to ditch the kid with your grandmother and run away with me, you're claiming you wouldn't do it?
Tea: I wouldn't even give it a second of consideration.
Todd: What if I said we could bring the kid with us?
Tea: Are you serious?
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chapter 9:
[Todd doesn't answer Tea's question. He spoke without thinking it through first. He had no prior intention of asking her to leave with him. The words exited his mouth before his brain had time to fully analyze the ramifications of what he was saying.]
Tea: It wouldn't matter if you were serious, anyway. I would never place my nephew in such an unbearable environment.
Todd: Being around me is that bad?
Tea: Do you really need to ask, after what you put me through? You made it impossible, Todd. I tried. I really did. But, you refused to try. You refused to be anything other than mean and insulting to me. I had to give up, for my own sanity. I couldn't stay with you, when you were like that.
Todd: Things might have gotten better.
Tea: I believed that was possible...at first. But, it didn't get better. It got worse. You got more and more angry. I couldn't let you take that anger out on me. I will never let you take it out on this baby.
Todd: I would never hurt a kid.
Tea: I know you wouldn't, not on purpose. But, if I were to force him to live in an environment of so much hate, it would hurt him.
Todd: Why'd you even let me in the door if you think I'm such a lousy person?
Tea: I don't think you're a lousy person. When you came to my brother's burial, you showed me that the anger wasn't your strongest emotion anymore.
Todd: That's what you think.
[Todd stands up and quickly walks toward the door.
Tea continues to sit on the floor as she watches him open the door.]
Tea: Todd?
[Todd stops in the doorway and looks back in her direction.]
Tea: Are you happy?
Todd: Since I've been back in Llanview... I've made just about everyone in that stinking town miserable. I've messed up all their lives. I've done things to hurt them. I've done things to destroy their careers. I've told people they were adopted who had no clue. I've told enemies that they were really parent and child, more than once. I've sent people to hell and barricaded the door so they could never leave there again. I've been the reason that people have had their worst nightmares become their realities. Screwing everything up for everyone else is what happiness is, right? So, yeah, I'm happy.
Tea: I don't believe that.
Todd: You never did know me, Tea.
Tea: I know you, Todd Manning. I know that you lash out at everyone else to avoid giving your own wounds the attention they need. You'd rather shower everyone else with your pain, than do what you need to do to eliminate that pain from inside yourself.
Todd: Is that what you think? You think I should let everyone walk all over me, that I shouldn't make them pay for treating me like dirt on the bottom of their shoes?
Tea: Did all of the people you hurt really hurt you first?
Todd: No one can hurt me. I won't let them. But, I also won't let them get away with trying.
Tea: You're hurting yourself more than you're hurting them.
Todd: You have no idea the destruction I've caused. I've been very productive since you ditched me.
Tea: If revenge is so important to you, are you planning revenge on me?
Todd: I already got my revenge on you.
Tea: My life has been going fairly well. The only really bad thing that has happened is...
[Tea looks at her nephew and then back at Todd.]
Todd: You think I would do that?
Tea: You just finished bragging to me about all the damage you've done to the people you think crossed you.
Todd: I didn't take out your brother, Tea.
Tea: What was your revenge against me?
Todd: I went back to Blair.
[The response on Tea's face, makes Todd smile.]
Todd: Revenge...it can be so intoxicating.
[Tea stands up and approaches Todd, a mask of disinterest now on her face.]
Tea: If you really returned to Blair then the joke's on you. Blair is a worse revenge on you than anything I could have ever attempted myself.
Todd: Yeah, but it hurt you, right?
Tea: You returned to your ex-wife just to hurt me?
Todd: No. Starr wanted it, too.
Tea: So, you're really back with Blair again?
Todd: I was. I decided to move on.
Tea: What did she do?
Todd: We grew apart.
Tea: It must have been something really bad. Have you gotten your revenge on her?
Todd: I've done a few things, but the biggest revenge is currently in her stomach.
Tea: You poisoned her?
Todd: She got knocked up by Max. Now, she's marrying the guy again. Can you think of a worse revenge than that?
Tea: Not really. So, your relationship with her is definitely over this time?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: Would you like to have dinner together tonight?
Todd: Are you asking me out on a date?
Tea: Of course not.
Todd: Good, because Todd Manning does not date.
Tea: It's just two friends sharing a meal together.
Todd: You're talking about me and Little E, right?
Tea: Of course. You and I being friends is a ridiculous thought.
Todd: Yeah, it is. It is obvious that you do need my help with the kid tonight.
Tea: In what way?
Todd: You need to take a shower. I'll take care of the kid while you do that.
Tea: Are you saying I smell bad?
Todd: You smell like a diaper.
Tea: I've changed enough of them recently.
Todd: I can cover things out here, unless you don't trust me.
Tea: He might wake up. He might need his diaper changed.
Todd: Don't worry. I'll hold off and let you have the fun.
Tea: Todd... If I were to trust you, you wouldn't do anything that would make me regret that trust, would you?
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chapter 10:
Todd: You really think I would hurt Little E just to hurt you?
Tea: I haven't seen you in a long time. I don't know where your head is at right now.
Todd: You think I've lost it so much that I would do something to a kid?
Tea: I don't want to believe that you would purposely harm anyone. But, my nephew is my responsibility now. I can't take any chances. I have to be certain.
Todd: And, you're not certain about me? You think I might do something?
Tea: When you've been in revenge mode in the past, you have done things that hurt people, haven't you?
Todd: I wouldn't hurt this kid. That would be like hurting your kid.
Tea: When you first saw this child, you thought he was mine. You walked away, without speaking a word to me. Can you honestly tell me that you didn't have any negative thoughts about him, before you learned that he was my nephew and not my son?
Todd: I didn't want him dead, or anything. I just didn't want to be anywhere near him.
Tea: Give me some time. Come and visit Little E a few times. Show me that trusting you won't lead me into heartache again.
Todd: Heartache? You were salsa dancing for joy when you finally got rid of me.
Tea: I was heartbroken.
Todd: If that's true, why'd you leave me like that?
Tea: I couldn't stay. I couldn't take it anymore. It hurt too much.
Todd: I didn't lay a hand on you.
Tea: You also didn't touch me with tenderness.
Todd: I touched you.
Tea: Barely, and only when I initiated it. You often put an end to it quickly by choosing to insult me.
Todd: I had a right to be angry after what you did behind my back.
Tea: My relationship with R.J. wasn't behind your back. It was after you abandoned me.
Todd: That doesn't make what you did okay.
Tea: Yes, it does. I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't deserve to be treated the way you were treating me. If you still don't understand that, this latest attempt to renew some sort of relationship between us is destined to fail.
Todd: Are you trying to pretend that whatever I did with Blair is okay with you?
Tea: We're not with each other, in that way. It's none of my business what you're doing, or with whom.
Todd: I know you're lying. I can see it on your face.
Tea: This isn't the time for us to talk about this.
Todd: You always did like to run when things got to you too much.
Tea: If you and Little E are planning on continuing your male bonding, you and I will have more time to get to know each other again, to talk about things from the past. I'd rather not continue this particular conversation right now, okay?
Todd: Are you telling me to go?
Tea: Maybe you should.
Todd: When I come back tomorrow, this place will be empty. You'll disappear on me again.
Tea: You want to come back tomorrow?
Todd: I accept your invitation.
Tea: Aren't there things, and people, in Llanview that you need to be there for?
Todd: Starr likes staying at Viki's. I have no idea why, but she does.
Tea: How is she?
Todd: Just as annoying as ever.
Tea: I was asking about Starr.
Todd: Starr's...you know...Starr. Probably a little different from what you remember.
Tea: I'm sure she's matured a lot.
Todd: She is into more adult stuff now.
Tea: You could bring her with you tomorrow. I would love to see her.
Todd: I don't know if I should.
Tea: You don't think she'd want to see me?
Todd: She's been bounced around a lot. She was forced to live in Buchanan hell, before I went back and got her out of there. That messed with her head. There have been times that she's gotten close to people and then those people abandoned her father, and her at the same time.
Tea: I never abandoned Starr. After you abandoned me and left town, Blair threatened to have me arrested if I tried to see Starr. What was I supposed to do? Go to court? It's unlikely that I would have won, and Starr definitely would have lost. I couldn't put her through that, no matter how much I missed her.
Todd: So you just ditched her instead? You just left her out there in Buchanan hell, all by herself?
Tea: What options did I have that wouldn't have hurt Starr?
Todd: You're a lawyer. You're supposed to know how to use the courts against people that tick you off.
Tea: Starr's well being was my priority, not getting even with Blair.
Todd: Do you want me to explain to Starr why you abandoned her? Because, she already hates Blair right now, anyway.
Tea: I think you should do what's best for your daughter.
Todd: I'll tell her tonight.
Tea: You don't really believe that's the best thing, do you?
Todd: The more she knows the truth about Blair, the better it is.
Tea: For you, maybe. What about what's best for Starr?
Todd: Staying away from Blair is what's best for Starr.
Tea: You don't really believe that.
Todd: Remember all the horrible, lousy things she did before? She's done a lot worse since you abandoned me.
Tea: Because she broke your heart by choosing Max over you?
Todd: Please! Even if I had a heart, I wouldn't care about that. She can roll around with that glob of slime all she wants. She's not going to hurt my kid anymore, though. Starr deserves to finally have some people in her life who will put her first, instead of third behind money and Max.
[Little Enrique begins to cry. Tea immediately steps away from Todd. He closes the door and watches as Tea turns off the motorized swing and removes her nephew from it. He listens to her calming voice as she speaks to the baby in Spanish.
The baby doesn't calm down, though. His cries only increase in volume.
Tea looks toward Todd and raises her voice to be heard over the loud cries.]
Tea: Would you like some bonding time now?
Todd: Now you want me around the kid? Now that he's screaming?
Tea: You could hold him, while I get his bottle.
Todd: That's all? Just hold him?
[Tea hands the baby to Todd.]
Tea: Check his diaper, too. Thanks!
[Tea quickly leaves the living room and enters the kitchen, leaving Todd alone with the baby.]
to be continued...
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2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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