| SMALL BLESSINGS BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 11 - 15 |
chapter 11:
[Todd sits down on the sofa and lays Little Enrique on the cushion next to him.]
Todd: Chick lesson #1 -- They always expect the guy to do the dirty work. You're the one who has to squash the bugs. You're the one who has to dispose of the dead pets. You're the one who has to do all the work getting revenge. And, of course, you're the one who has to do all the thinking. Chicks, you know, they're not as bright as us guys are. They think they are, though, so you need to be careful. If you're smart...which we both know you are, because you're a guy...you'll let them think they have something, other than the obvious, to contribute. It makes things easier. But, really, us guys know the real truth.
Tea: What truth is that?
Todd: That it's the job of women to change diapers.
Tea: Is Todd Manning afraid of a little dirty diaper?
Todd: I just don't want to take away what makes you feel like a woman.
Tea: If you're not going to change him, let me sit there, so I can do it.
[Todd stands up and moves out of the way. Tea sits next to her nephew. She grabs a nearby bag and changes his diaper as she, again, speaks to him softly in Spanish.]
Todd: You're pretty good at that, Delgado.
Tea: I'm learning. You're pretty good, too. You got him to stop crying.
Todd: We had a little man-to-man talk.
Tea: I heard. I'm looking forward to hearing chick lesson #2. I have to finish getting his bottle so you have another chance to impart your wisdom.
[Tea stands up and leaves the room again. Todd picks the baby up and follows her into the kitchen.]
Todd (to Little E): Chick lesson #2 -- They hear everything. You have to watch what you say, whenever there's a chick hovering around...and, they're always hovering. As a guy, you need to learn when to use this to your advantage. You wait until you're really in trouble, or until there's something that they're resisting giving in on. All you have to do is say a bunch of sappy stuff, but pretend that you think they can't hear you. That way, they'll get all mooey and gooey, thinking you're this sweet, caring, sensitive guy...yeah, right!...and give you whatever you want. Since they're chicks, they won't figure out that it's all really a trick.
[Tea smiles as she holds out a small bottle for Todd to take.]
Todd: What's that for?
Tea: You're feeding the baby.
Todd: Do I look like a chick?
Tea: This chick still hasn't taken that shower yet. Since you're the one who told me I smelled like a diaper, I think a little chick work is an appropriate punishment.
Todd: I didn't say you smelled like a dirty diaper.
Tea: It's too late. I'm enjoying the thought of a leisurely shower now, maybe even a long bath.
Todd: I thought you didn't trust me?
Tea: I want to, Todd. Tell me that it's safe and I'll believe you.
Todd: Feed him first and then take your shower.
Tea: You fed Starr bottles, didn't you? You know how to do it.
Todd: What if he decides, like everyone else, that he hates my guts and starts screaming again?
Tea: He seems to like you. I don't think that will change in the next few minutes. If you don't feed him soon, though, he will start screaming again, if he's hungry.
Todd: What if he's not?
Tea: Then continue talking to him. You can turn on the television. He seems to like that...sometimes. There's also a rocking chair in the bedroom that you can use.
Todd: No way. Real men don't do rocking chairs.
Tea: You never sat in a rocking chair, late at night, trying to soothe Starr into sleep when she was a baby?
Todd: If I did, I sure as hell wouldn't admit it.
Tea: Well, it's there, if you need it. You'll be fine. Just watch him while you're feeding him. He tries to take too much sometimes and has difficulty swallowing all of it.
Todd: He's a guy. We're supposed to take as much as we can, whenever we can. It's the gluttony gene.
[Todd returns to the living room and sits down on the sofa. He places the bottle in the baby's mouth.]
Todd (to Tea): Go ahead. Go do that cleanliness thing.
[Todd looks up at Tea, at the expression on her face, as she watches him feed her nephew.]
Todd: Do you want me to give you my pants?
Tea: What?
Todd: Is that the only way you'll trust that I won't take off with the kid?
Tea: I trust you. I really do.
[Tea looks at them for a few more seconds before leaving the room and entering the bathroom.]
Todd: Chick lesson #3 -- Women don't trust men. I don't know why. So, we lie to them constantly. Is that any reason to be so distrusting all the time?
[Todd and Little Enrique continue their bonding as Todd continues feeding the baby while waiting for Tea to finish her shower so he can resume his additional bonding efforts with his ex-wife.]
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 12:
[Several minutes later...
Tea exits the bathroom, wearing a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel.
She returns to the living room to check on the boys.]
Tea: How's it going in here?
Todd: It must be a Delgado trait.
Tea: What?
Todd: He's sucking this stuff down in record time.
Tea: You're making sure he's not taking too much, aren't you?
Todd: You don't think I know how to do this?
Tea: I just don't want him to choke.
Todd: I pull the bottle out of his mouth when he takes too much and give him a chance to swallow. Okay? Will you stop worrying?
Tea: I can't help it, I'm new to all this.
Todd: You got in some practice with Starr.
Tea: She was older than E is, when I married you.
Todd: You like his new nickname?
Tea: It's growing on me. I don't know how the rest of the family will take to it.
Todd: Who cares?
Tea: You're still as sensitive as ever, I see.
[Tea picks up a baby blanket from the coffee table and tosses it onto the sofa, next to Todd.]
Todd: He's warm enough already. He doesn't need that.
Tea: You might want to cover your shirt when you burp him.
Todd: No way! I came here to play with the kid, not do all the work for you. Do you treat all your guests like this?
Tea: You're my first guest, besides my grandmother, since I brought the baby home.
Todd: Don't you have any friends?
Tea: I have plenty of friends. I asked everyone to give me a few days to adjust, before they started coming by to see him.
Todd: I don't think E would enjoy having a lot of strange people around, especially strange men.
Tea: You were a stranger to him, and now he seems to really like you.
Todd: He likes whoever holds the grub.
Tea: I should get dressed. Don't forget to burp him when he's done eating.
[Tea leaves the room and goes into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.]
Todd: Chick lesson #4 -- They always expect you to do whatever they tell you to do. If you don't... Chick lesson #5 -- they hold grudges longer than anyone. A normal person...you know, a guy...when they're ticked off at someone, they take action and make the person pay, while the person still remembers what they did to deserve retaliation. Chicks slowly squeeze the payments out over a long time. Even when you think you've paid, years later, they'll toss some stupid little thing, that you don't even remember anymore, into your face and use it as a reason to screw you over.
[Seeing that the baby is done eating, Todd puts the bottle down on the sofa cushion next to him and picks up the small blanket. He places it over his shoulder and places the baby so he's facing the blanket and begins tapping his hand against Little Enrique's back, encouraging him to burp.]
Todd: Chick lesson #6 -- Even though it goes against all logic, sometimes you have to do what chicks want you to do. I know, you're a guy, you shouldn't have to degrade yourself like that. But, you see, sometimes when a chick's got your balls in her hands, you have to do what she wants. And, there are times, with certain chicks, that you actually want to have your balls in her hands. Someday you'll know what I mean about that. And, that leads us to Chick lessons 7 through 82 -- Sex. I know that sounds like a lot of lessons, but chicks are high maintenance. They have all these rules. The problem is, they all have different rules. Plus, they're chicks so the rules they have keep changing. For instance, if you try jumping them all the time they think you only want sex from them and they get upset. If you don't jump them all the time, they think you're not attracted to them and they get upset. Basically, chicks are all nuts.
Tea: Are we?
Todd (to Little E): All except your aunt, of course.
Tea: Nice try.
[Little E lets out a loud burp.]
Todd: He sounds just like you, after you've had dinner.
Tea: Don't you mean, he sounds like you? Speaking of dinner, what kind of food do you want to order?
Todd: I don't care.
Tea: You say that now and then you'll complain, when the food gets here, that it's not what you wanted.
Todd: Yeah, so?
Tea: It will be just like old times.
[Tea calls one of her favorite local restaurants that delivers and orders their dinner. When she finishes on the phone she sits down on the sofa next to Todd.]
Todd: Do you want the kid back?
Tea: You can hold him. He looks comfortable.
Todd: Does he do any tricks?
Tea: He eats...sleeps...
Todd: Wets himself.
[Todd hands the baby to Tea and stands up, allowing her room on the sofa to change E's diaper.]
Tea: I guess I'll never be able to leave the baby alone with you.
Todd: You don't trust me?
Tea: When he needs his diaper changed, he needs someone with him who will actually do the job, not someone who insists on waiting for a chick to come along and do it for him.
Todd: But, there's a chick in the room. I don't have to do it.
Tea: It's a good thing we never had a child together. You would have driven me nuts with all your chick rules.
Todd: Yeah, you wouldn't want to screw your life up having one of those things with me.
Tea: I meant...
Todd: I know exactly what you meant.
Tea: If I recall our pattern correctly, this should be the part where you misunderstand, refuse to believe anything other than what your paranoia tells you, and storm out on me. Am I right?
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 13:
Todd: Things aren't the same as they were before.
Tea: Really?
Todd: I'm here to see Little E...not you.
Tea: It's a good thing you keep reminding me. You wouldn't want me to misunderstand your purpose for being here and actually think that you might care about me.
[Tea finishes changing the baby's diaper and leaves the baby lying on the sofa. She stands up and gestures for Todd to return to sitting on the sofa with the baby.]
Tea: Now that I've done the woman's work, you can continue your male bonding while you change him into his pajamas.
Todd: You can go ahead and do it.
Tea: Is that chick work, too?
Todd: Technically, but since you're getting that look like you're ticked off and about to toss my ass out into the hallway, I guess I can degrade myself, this once.
Tea: Watch your language around the baby.
Todd: Why? He doesn't understand what the fuck we're saying.
Tea: I think maybe it is time for you to leave.
Todd: You take things too seriously.
Tea: Do you understand how horrible I feel right now? How depressing the last couple of weeks have been? Do you care, even a little? It might have been nice if you had come to see me, to help me through this. But, instead I get a jackass who would rather make me feel worse right now.
Todd: Watch your language in front of the baby.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: You still look horrible. That shower didn't help at all.
Tea: Did you think it would?
Todd: I don't know. I thought chicks relax in water. I don't know. I really don't. I'm as clueless as I ever was about this stuff.
Tea: Did you come here to help me through this?
Todd: If you really want me to degrade myself, hurry up and give me his pajamas, before I change my mind.
Tea: They're in the bedroom. I'll be right back.
[Todd picks up the baby and follows Tea toward her bedroom. He stops in the doorway of her room and watches her rummage through one of several piles of baby clothes on her bed.]
Todd: No wonder the kid's cranky. This place is a mess.
[Tea turns in the direction of his voice and gives him an exhausted look that threatens to melt his heart.]
Tea: I'm doing the best I can.
Todd: I didn't say that you weren't. I guess it's not that easy inheriting a kid.
Tea: There's so much to do, so much to learn, and dealing with losing my brother, and comforting my grandmother, and my niece, and...
[Tea sits down on the bed and exhales an exhausted sigh.]
Todd: Viki's been wanting me to leave Starr with her overnight. I could do that. I could spend the night.
Tea: You want to spend the night? Here? With me?
Todd: You look like you'll pass out pretty soon if you don't get some sleep. I don't sleep anyway. I could stay and take care of the kid while you sleep, unless you don't trust me.
Tea: It's not an issue of trust, Todd. Or, maybe it is. I don't know if it's a good idea for me to rely on you. I especially don't know if I should allow Little Enrique to get close to you. We both know that whatever brought you here is most likely temporary.
Todd: If it is, what's the big deal about me spending one night here? Are you afraid your boyfriend will find out and get jealous?
Tea: He's not the jealous type.
[Tea enjoys the brief uncomfortable look on Todd's face.]
Tea: I was kidding. I'm not really seeing anyone seriously right now. Like you, I'm between relationships.
Todd: I'm not between them. I'm through with them.
Tea: Until the next time your heart can't resist.
Todd: My heart better resist or I'll cut open my own chest and rip it out to ensure it stops screwing things up for me.
Tea: You're still trying to deny yourself love?
Todd: Love sucks.
Tea: I can't argue that.
Todd: Finally, something we agree on.
Tea: I think there are many things we agree on.
Todd: I disagree.
Tea: Do you really want to spend the night?
Todd: I could.
Tea: You would take care of the baby? That means feeding him and changing his diaper.
Todd: I could wake you up for that part.
Tea: You don't have to stay, Todd. I am tired, but the baby does sleep for part of the night. I'll get some sleep then. I'll be fine. You can go back to your life in Llanview.
Todd: You don't get it, Delgado.
Tea: Explain it to me.
Todd: I'm not just offering for you. Except for Starr, being back in Llanview is worse than it was before. I hate it there.
Tea: Why don't you leave? You could work something out with Blair, to share custody of Starr.
Todd: I have full custody. Why would I screw that up, sharing my kid with her now?
Tea: Why haven't you moved? Why stay where you're miserable?
Todd: I don't know. Why'd you stay with me so long? We both know you were miserable back then.
Tea: I wasn't...not all the time.
Todd: No matter how much it sucks in that town, at least I know where I am, you know? When I was traveling around the world, it sucked, too, but I never knew where I was. I never felt like I was where I belonged.
Tea: Do you feel that you belong in Llanview?
Todd: I don't belong anywhere.
Tea: I don't believe that's true. If Llanview isn't the town for you, keep looking. Someday, you'll find the perfect place for you. Besides, with Starr, you'll always have one place that you know you belong.
Todd: Enough of this heart-to-heartless garbage. Where's the kid's pajamas?
[Tea picks out one of the baby's footed pajamas and walks toward them.]
Todd: As E's representative of the male perspective, I reject those.
Tea: Why?
Todd: They have those ugly little romping animals on them.
Tea: I think they're cute.
Todd: Exactly! This may be a little guy, but he's still a guy. He has standards.
Tea: Would you prefer images of motorcycles, or footballs?
Todd: Anything manly.
Tea: E has yet to express any objections to me about animals on his clothing.
Todd: You did say he was cranky.
Tea: And, you think that's the reason?
Todd: If I was forced to wear cute outfits with animals on them, don't you think I'd be cranky?
Tea (smiling): Todd Manning in footed pajamas with pictures of animals on them...
Todd: The thought of that amuses you?
Tea: So few things have recently, but that definitely does.
Todd: So, I get to stay?
Tea: You can spend the night...on the sofa.
Todd: When you have a guest, aren't you supposed to offer them the bed and you take the sofa?
Tea: I would offer to share the bed with you, but we both know you don't share...especially beds, at least not with me.
Todd: I've done that sharing a bed thing with you before.
Tea: That would be a mistake tonight.
Todd: You don't have a television in here, anyway.
Tea: So, we agree that you'll spend the night in the living room?
Todd: Am I at least allowed to use the john?
Tea: You are allowed anywhere in this apartment, but if you spent the night in here, we both know...
Todd: ...that you'd be a chick and read a bunch of stuff into that.
[Tea turns from Todd and returns to the piles of clothing. After rummaging through it for a few seconds, she pulls out a pair of solid blue footed pajamas. She again walks toward her nephew and her ex-husband, in the doorway.]
Tea: Do these meet with the approval of E's agent?
Todd: I think I can agree to that on behalf of my client.
Tea: Change him in the living room. I need to straighten up in here before the food comes.
Todd (to E): I told you chicks were bossy, right?
[Todd takes the pajamas from Tea and returns to the living room.]
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 14:
[Moments later, in the living room, Todd begins to remove Little E's current outfit so he can change him into his pajamas. The baby immediately begins to cry.
Todd whispers to the baby, trying to calm him, not wanting to lose the points he feels he's already amassed with Tea because of Little Enrique's apparent liking of him.]
Todd: Calm down, kid. You're gonna blow this for me.
[The baby continues crying.]
Todd: If you stop crying, I'll buy you a car when you're older.
[The baby continues to cry.]
Todd: If you're expecting me to start singing, or do any of that stupid baby talk stuff, you've got the wrong guy.
[The baby continues crying.
Tea returns to the living room.]
Todd: I didn't do anything. He just started screaming for no reason.
Tea: This isn't screaming. When he's hungry and you don't have a bottle ready immediately, then he screams. This is just a little crying.
Todd: Crying that I didn't cause.
Tea: Did I forget to mention that Little E hates it when his clothes are removed?
Todd: That's a dirty trick, Delgado.
Tea: I did warn you before that he can be cranky.
Todd: I get cranky, too, when people try taking my clothes off.
Tea: That explains a lot.
Todd: Am I supposed to keep doing this, even though it's ticking him off?
Tea: He can't wear the same thing all the time.
Todd: Why not? I've gone days wearing the same thing, lots of times.
Tea: Hopefully, he'll calm down after he's in his pajamas.
Todd: Hopefully? What if he keeps crying?
Tea: Then, you hold him, talk to him, comfort him.
Todd: Me?
Tea: You offered to take care of him tonight, remember?
Todd: That's later, after you're asleep.
Tea: You should start now and see if you really want that responsibility for a whole night.
Todd: You'd really trust me to take care of him?
Tea: You've been doing a great job so far, except for refusing to change his diaper.
Todd: I didn't refuse. I was giving you the practice you need.
Tea: For the rest of the night, you can have that joy.
Todd: Does he sleep in that crib in your bedroom? Because, if I'm out here and he's in there, I might not hear him right away when he cries.
Tea: You think you should sleep in the same room as the baby?
Todd: Maybe I should.
Tea: Okay. The baby can sleep out here. The crib doesn't seem to be his favorite place to sleep anyway.
Todd: He likes that swinging thing?
Tea: That, and there's another thing he has that vibrates. That's still in one of the boxes, though. I haven't had time to unpack everything yet, or the space to put much of it.
[Todd finishes changing the baby's outfit, just as their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of their dinner. Todd stands up and hands the baby to Tea. While he gets their food, Tea places Little Enrique in his swing and turns it on. His cries soon end as the swing lulls him into sleep.
Tea enters the kitchen and gets drinks for both of them. When she returns to the living room, she finds Todd staring at the baby.]
Todd: He goes from crying to out, that fast?
Tea: That swing works magic on him. Without it, I would be even more stressed out than I already am.
Todd: How long will he be out for?
Tea: That's hard to know. It could be a few minutes or a couple of hours.
Todd: Are you sure you don't want me to send you a nanny?
Tea: I'm sure. This is a major adjustment, but it's one that I can handle.
Todd: It would be easier to handle with a nanny.
Tea: I want to do this myself. My grandmother will help, of course, but I want to be the one who raises him, not a nanny.
Todd: Are you saying that you think I screwed my kid up by having a nanny?
Tea: Of course not. I do hope that you've had some stability with that, though. You used to change nannies every year, it seemed.
Todd: Now it's more like every two months.
Tea: Why? You can't possibly be harder to live with than you were before.
Todd: You think it's my fault those chicks can't hack it?
Tea: You did make it difficult on them, I seem to recall.
Todd: I make it difficult for everyone. I also pay them a hell of a lot of money. For that kind of cash, they should be willing to put up with me for a long time. Look how long you lasted because of the cash.
Tea: It wasn't the cash, and you know it.
Todd: Whatever!
Tea: I could give you a detailed list of what drew me to you and kept me trying, long after I probably should have given up.
Todd: I'm trying to eat. Do you want me to throw up?
[Tea smiles as she watches Todd quickly shove a large amount of food into his mouth.]
Tea: I guess I can wait to give you all the gory details of what attracted me to you.
[For several minutes they quietly dine together, before Tea chooses to break the silence.]
Tea: How is Starr? You said she doesn't want to see Blair. What happened?
Todd: I don't know.
Tea: You must have asked Starr why she doesn't want to see her mother anymore.
Todd: It's none of my business.
Tea: I take it you won't be filling me in on whatever happened.
Todd: I have full custody of my kid now, that's all that matters. Can we drop this?
Tea: We can finish our meal in silence, if you prefer.
Todd: I definitely prefer.
[The former spouses continue their meal silently as they each watch Tea's nephew sleep, to avoid anymore awkward eye contact with each other.]
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 15:
[Two hours later...
Tea is going through boxes of Little Enrique's things, trying to find places in her apartment for them.
Todd is staring at the television, not really paying attention to the program that's currently on.
They both feel awkward with the baby asleep. While he's awake they can more easily avoid any uncomfortable conversations, such as anything pertaining to the separate lives they've been living for more than a year, or the reasons for their previous breakups. With him asleep, neither knows what to say to the other. They both want the evening to go well, but both are wondering if Todd spending the night is really a good idea.
When Tea goes into her bedroom, Todd makes his move. He approaches Little Enrique in his swing and turns it off. Within moments, the baby starts to make noise. Todd considers that his cue to remove Little E from the swing.
Tea returns to the living room.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: He woke up.
Tea: Leave him in there. He's not crying. Maybe he'll fall asleep again.
Todd: I thought I was supposed to do all that holding junk when the kid's awake.
Tea: Go ahead. If he ends up cranky, you'll have to deal with it.
Todd: I'm not afraid of a cranky kid.
[Todd lies down on the sofa and lays the baby on his chest. Little E quickly falls back to sleep.]
Tea: I think I'm almost done. I still have more boxes, but I just don't have enough space here for all of his things.
Todd: Why'd you bring so much of it, anyway? He doesn't really need all this stuff.
Tea: I wanted him to have all of his things. He's lost so much, and had to adjust to so much change, I wanted him to at least have all of his familiar things around him.
Todd: What happened to his folk's stuff?
Tea: You're not really interested in this are you?
Todd: The kid conked out on me again. If I can't play with him, I guess I'll have to talk to you, instead.
Tea: Don't feel that you have to burden yourself.
Todd: I'm curious.
Tea: Roseanne took a few mementos.
Todd: Let me guess, stuff that she can pawn for the cash?
Tea: Sentimental things.
Todd: I thought the only thing our niece was sentimental about was cash.
Tea: Our niece?
Todd: She got enough cash out of me, when you and I were hitched...or in between hitchings...I should get to still call her that.
Tea: You gave her money? How much?
Todd: It was a long time ago. It doesn't matter anymore.
Tea: I don't want my niece owing you any debts. I'll pay whatever she owes you.
Todd: I already told you, it doesn't matter anymore. Did you inherit anything else, besides the kid?
Tea: I didn't think I could fit anything else in this apartment. Besides, the most valuable item my brother and sister-in-law had is currently sleeping in your arms.
Todd: He's not really in my arms. I'm just making sure he doesn't roll off in his sleep.
Tea: He can't roll yet.
Todd: I could tell earlier that he was trying.
Tea: He is getting stronger every day.
[Tea walks over to the coffee table and lifts several items searching for a small camera she knows is hidden among the clutter. When she finds it, she points it at Todd and the baby.]
Tea: You both look so adorable right now.
Todd: You think I look adorable?
Tea: You know what I mean. I have to capture this moment.
Todd: Capture his moment, not mine. Besides, my image doesn't show up on film, for obvious reasons.
[Tea ensures that they're both in the shot and takes their picture. She moves to a different angle and takes their picture again.]
Todd: That's enough. You're gonna wake him.
Tea: I thought that was what you wanted when you turned his swing off.
Todd: I turned it off because he woke up.
Tea: I think the sequence of events was slightly different than that.
Todd: You don't believe me?
Tea: Not when you're lying.
Todd: You're not a very trusting person, Delgado. You should work on that.
Tea: I know you woke him up.
Todd: Does this look like a kid who's awake?
Tea: I'm sure you'll have him awake as soon as I leave the room again. If you wait he'll probably wake up on his own soon anyway to eat.
Todd: He just ate.
Tea: He likes to eat every few hours.
Todd: The kid's a pig.
Tea: He's a growing boy. An adorable, precious growing boy.
[Tea again aims the camera at her ex-husband and her nephew and takes another picture of them.]
to be continued...
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
FanFiction Home
Home
