| SMALL BLESSINGS BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 31 - 35 |
SMALL BLESSINGS
chapter 31:
[One night earlier than they had agreed upon...
Tea is startled when she opens her apartment door and finds her ex-husband standing before her.]
Tea: Todd! What are you doing here?
Todd: We had a deal, remember?
Tea: The deal was that you would give me until tomorrow night.
Todd: I thought it was tonight. As long as I'm here...
[Despite Tea's attempts to keep him in the hallway, Todd enters her apartment. His anger explodes as he finds a man sitting on Tea's couch.]
Todd: Who the hell are you?
[The man stands up and faces Todd.]
Man: I'm Richard Head. Who are you?
Todd: I'm her dangerous, pissed off, don't fuck with me, or my wife, ex-convict husband.
[Tea quickly steps between the two men.]
Tea: Ex-husband.
Todd: Since we're sleeping together again, I'd say the divorce is off.
[Tea's guest looks to her, seeking understanding.]
Richard: Tea?
Tea: My ex-husband has trouble understanding that I get to make decisions for myself now.
Todd: Wait a minute. Your name is Richard Head? Dick Head?
[Todd begins to laugh hysterically at his realization.]
Tea: Todd...
Richard: My name is Richard.
Todd (still laughing): Dick Head! Your parents must have hated you at first sight.
[Tea turns towards Richard and touches his arm.]
Tea: Richard...
[Todd pushes Richard away from Tea.]
Todd: Get your hands off my wife!
Tea: Todd! Get out! Right now!
Todd: Dick Head's the one who's leaving.
Tea: No, you are.
Todd: I'm not leaving my wife with some Dick Head in her apartment.
Tea: That's right, it's my apartment. I want you out. Now!
Richard: You heard the lady.
[Richard grabs Todd's arm. He quickly pulls it away.]
Todd: Don't touch me, you Dick Head.
Richard: Tea doesn't want you here. I won't allow you to interrupt our evening any further.
Todd: Your evening?
[Todd turns to Tea with anger, and hurt, in his eyes.]
Todd: What did I interrupt between you and your Dick Head, Delgado? Did I interrupt the part where Dick Head puts his dick head...
Tea (quickly interrupting): Stop! Right now!
Todd: That's it, isn't it? You're hot for Dick Head's dick head? Were you planning on taking Dick Head into your bedroom and having Dick Head put his dick head inside you. Did you want Dick Head to pound away at you with his dick head, Delgado?
Tea: You just made my decision for me, Todd. You're not getting anywhere near me, or my nephew, ever again. Now, get out!
Richard: The lady wants you to leave. Either leave on your own, or I'll throw you out.
Todd: Try it, Dick Head, and your dick head will never work right again.
Tea: Todd, just leave. Go back and make your other ex-wife's life miserable. Leave me alone.
[Todd looks at Tea. She can see the hurt in his eyes, beyond his obvious anger. Right now, though, her own anger is too great for her to respond to his hurt.]
Todd: I'll leave if he leaves.
[Tea thinks about his proposition. She doesn't want to make any concessions to him right now but she does want this moment over, as quickly as possible. After contemplating her options, she turns toward Richard.]
Tea: Maybe you should go.
Richard: Don't let this creep ruin our evening. That's obviously what he wants to accomplish.
Tea: It's okay. He's ruined so many of my evenings already. One more won't make any difference.
Richard: You're sure? Because, I'm willing to throw this creep out and return to where we left off.
Tea: I'm sure. We can reschedule this again, if you're still interested, after tonight.
Richard: You can count on it.
[Richard leans toward Tea and kisses her on the cheek. Todd's cheeks redden with rising anger. Richard catches Todd's reaction and decides to make his position in Tea's life clear to her ex-husband. He surprises Tea with a kiss on her lips.
Todd doesn't outwardly react as he watches, his anger beyond the boiling point, but forcing himself not to show it.
When Richard steps away from her, Tea watches Todd carefully. She's surprised he hasn't exploded from Richard's move to mark what he apparently considers his territory.
Richard stands directly in front of Todd, towering over him by several inches.]
Richard: Let's go.
Todd: You first.
Richard: You're leaving this apartment, either by walking out on your own, or by the paramedics carrying you out on a stretcher. The choice is yours.
Todd: You don't intimidate me. I've had cell mates that make you look like a little girl.
Tea: Todd, just leave.
Todd: Fine. I'll be a gentleman, but I'm still not leaving until this Dick Head leaves. Despite our differences, you are still my wife.
Tea: I'm your ex-wife. I would think your resuming your relationship with your other ex-wife would have cemented that idea for you, long ago.
[Without another word, Todd turns and walks to the door, angrily flinging it open. He stands in the doorway and waits for Richard, who is still standing near Tea.]
Richard: Are you sure you want me to leave? What if this creep comes back tonight? You should have someone here protecting you.
Tea: I'll be okay.
Richard: Call me if he comes pounding on your door.
[Richard again kisses Tea on the lips. When he pulls away he approaches Todd in the doorway.]
Richard: Why are you still here?
Todd: The deal was that I would leave if you did. I always keep my end of a deal. I'm waiting for you to keep yours.
[Richard grabs Todd's arm with one hand, pulling him into the hallway, as his other hand closes the door to Tea's apartment.]
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SMALL BLESSINGS
chapter 32:
[Less than an hour later...
Tea is leaving her apartment building when she notices Todd sitting on a bench in the park across the street from her building.
She walks across the street and enters the park, sitting down next to him.]
Todd: What do you want?
Tea: Nothing. I just thought this would be a good place to do some thinking.
Todd: About Dick Head?
Tea: Please, stop calling him that?
Todd: You could end up being Mrs. Dick Head. Have you thought about that?
Tea: He hasn't asked. And, even if he did, I would have no desire to accept.
Todd: Because of his name?
Tea: Because, he treated me like I was his possession that he was showing off to you. If he had been a dog, he would have peed on me to mark his territory.
Todd: He did seem like a creep. You deserve better than a possessive creep.
[Todd stands up and begins to walk away.]
Tea: Wait! Where are you going?
[Todd stops and turns back toward her.]
Todd: If you don't want that possessive creep, you're not going to want this possessive creep. Did he play pro?
Tea: What?
Todd: Football. Did he play in the pros?
Tea: He still does, actually.
Todd: He can't be very good. I've never heard of him.
Tea: I wasn't dating him because of his job.
Todd: You were dating him because you like guys with huge necks?
Tea: I thought he was one of the rare nice guys. Maybe I was wrong.
[Todd reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. He takes out a business card, walks back to where Tea is still sitting, and hands the card to her.]
Tea: What's this?
Todd: My new accountant. If you ever need anything for the kid, or for...anything else, give her a call. She'll take care of whatever you need.
[Todd again turns and resumes walking away.]
Tea: Todd Manning has a female accountant?
[Todd again stops and turns in her direction.]
Todd: I had this chick lawyer a few years ago. She wasn't like most chicks who've worked for me, or dated me, or hated my guts for whatever reasons. She actually treated me like I was a decent person. That worked out. I thought I'd give a chick accountant a try.
Tea: You're not planning on marrying her, too, are you?
Todd: Nah. She doesn't look at me the same way my chick lawyer did.
[Tea stands up and walks toward Todd.]
Tea: Have you calmed down?
Todd: In the morning, when there's more light, you'll see how calm I've been.
Tea: Did you get your anger out trashing the park? Can I trust you now?
Todd: Did you ever trust me?
Tea: I trusted you to come tomorrow night, not tonight.
Todd: If I had, I never would have known about your Mr. Dick Head.
Tea: I would have told you, Todd.
Todd: Sure!
Tea: I would have. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want you to show up tonight and cause a scene.
Todd: Were you planning to sleep with that creep?
Tea: We have had that kind of relationship.
[Todd's anger again threatens to boil over.]
Tea: We had a date scheduled that I had to postpone when my brother was injured. I was making it up to Richard tonight.
Todd: By fucking him all night long?
Tea: I can't tell you what would have happened if you hadn't shown up.
Todd: Because you're afraid I'll lose control?
Tea: Because I don't know what would have happened. I don't even know what my decision would have been about having you back in my life again. I've thought about it so much, but I've been having trouble making up my mind.
Todd: You could have asked me. I would have told you what to do.
Tea: A part of me is drawn to you. That hasn't changed. I wish it had. I wish that, when I saw you again, I could have just walked away. I could have allowed your mistaking my nephew for my son to continue. You never would have sought me out again. But, I couldn't do it. I couldn't let you hurt, thinking that I had a child with someone else, when I hadn't. I didn't even know if it really did hurt you, or if you just wanted an excuse to leave without speaking to me. I just knew that I couldn't allow you to continue thinking that if there was any chance that knowing the truth would bring you back into my life again.
Todd: That's what you wanted?
Tea: Yes. Why I wanted that...I can't tell you, because I don't understand it myself. But, that is what I wanted.
Todd: What are you saying?
Tea: I'm saying that I'm confused. The time apart didn't help me clarify anything.
[Tea pauses for several moments before continuing to speak.]
Tea: I don't trust you, Todd. I think that if I allow you back into my life, I'll end up regretting it, just like every time in the past that I trusted you to make an effort and you couldn't, or wouldn't, even try.
Todd: I tried.
Tea: Not enough.
Todd: You're the one who was always walking out on me.
Tea: I wanted it to work so badly, Todd. I put up with so much that I never should have, because I kept hoping that if I stuck it out a little longer, you would finally trust me enough to stop making it so impossible for us to have a future together.
Todd: What about now?
Tea: Is a future with me what you want? Are you ready to really try?
Todd: What about Dick Head?
Tea: Apparently, he has some of the same worst qualities as you do. I think I need to get out of that relationship before it develops any further.
Todd: If you're going to be with a possessive creep, you want it to be me?
Tea: Something like that.
Todd: You want to be with me?
Tea: Will you stop being possessive?
Todd: No.
Tea: The answer is that I don't know, Todd. I truly don't.
[Several moments pass silently.]
Todd: Where's the kid?
Tea: He's spending the night at my grandmother's.
Todd: Because you were planning on fucking a Dick Head tonight?
Tea: I was either going to fuck him, break up with him, or both.
Todd: I thought you didn't think about ditching him until tonight?
Tea: I thought about it before. I figured that if I didn't break up with him tonight, I would make it clear to you that nothing more than friendship was possible between us.
Todd: So, if you decided that you wanted to keep fucking him, you would have told me to fuck off?
Tea: I would have said it more sweetly than that. And, I would have allowed you to still see my nephew, if you really wanted to. I know you were using him to get to me, but in case he had genuinely won you over, I would have been willing to work something out so you could still see him. I sensed that maybe you needed to be around a baby right now.
Todd: Why would I need that? They're just little people who puke on you and do disgusting stuff in their diapers.
Tea: They also love unconditionally. Everyone could use some unconditional love sometimes.
Todd: Not me.
Tea: Are you sure? I was just on my way to pick him up. You could come with me. You could spend a little time with him tonight before going home.
Todd: Or, you could let him stay at your grandmother's and you could comfort me tonight.
Tea: The way you wanted to comfort me?
Todd: That sounds good.
Tea: I'm not going to reward you for your atrocious behavior tonight.
Todd: Fine. I'll be back tomorrow night.
Tea: I don't think that would be a good idea.
Todd: I won't force you, Tea.
Tea: I know.
Todd: So, let me come over. Let the kid stay at your grandmother's tomorrow night, instead of tonight. That way you won't see me with him and get deluded into thinking I'm a nice guy. We'll spend the whole night doing whatever the hell you want. At the end, you can either fuck me or tell me to fuck off...or both.
Tea: What if my choice is neither? What if I want to go slowly and get to know each other again? What if I don't want to rush into this?
Todd: Either, you're giving up Dick Head, and all other dick heads, and I'm going to be around every night, whether you fuck me or not. Or, you have to tell me to get the hell out of your life.
Tea: I have to decide this tomorrow night?
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: I need more time.
Todd: You can't keep stringing me along while you string along a whole football team full of other guys.
Tea: I've only been casually dating a couple of guys recently, and only one is a football player.
Todd: Who's the other guy?
Tea: It's not important.
Todd: It is to me.
Tea: If you want this to work between us, I need to feel safe believing in you again. I don't want to end up hurt and alone, like I did before.
Todd: I'm willing to take that chance. You have to decide if you are, too. Now, let's go get the kid.
Tea: You're coming with me?
Todd: This might be my last chance to see him.
Tea: You're not spending the night tonight.
Todd: I just want to make sure the kid gets back here okay.
[Tea and Todd walk side by side as they exit the park.]
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SMALL BLESSINGS
chapter 33:
[Later that evening...
Tea and Todd return to her apartment with her nephew.
After opening the door, Tea prepares to enter her apartment, expecting to leave Todd in the hallway.]
Tea: Don't leave yet.
Todd: I wasn't planning to.
Tea: You're not coming in.
Todd: I need to check the place out and make sure it's safe. I don't want anything to happen to the kid.
Tea: Fine. We'll wait out here while you check things out inside.
Todd: Something could happen to you out here. I think you need to come inside with me.
Tea: You're not spending the night.
[Tea leads the way into her apartment. Todd follows her, a smile on his face, certain that he'll be spending the night again, despite Tea's frequent declarations otherwise.
Todd quickly plops himself down on the sofa and kicks his shoes off, placing his feet on the coffee table in front of him.]
Tea: I thought you were checking the apartment, to make sure it's safe?
Todd: Oh, yeah, I am.
[Todd stands up and walks through the apartment as Tea enters her bedroom with her nephew.
Moments later, Todd joins the Delgados in the bedroom and lies down on the bed.]
Todd: It's all clear.
Tea: Then, it's time for you to leave.
Todd: I should stick around in case that steroid case comes back.
Tea: Unlike some men, when I ask Richard to leave, he does, and he doesn't try to maneuver his way back in, when he knows I don't want him here.
Todd: Have you checked with Little E about how he feels about Dick Head?
Tea: The one time he met him, he was very cranky.
Todd: Dick Head or Little E?
Tea: I would really appreciate it if you would call him Richard, instead of...what you've been calling him.
Todd: It's Dick Head's fault for having that name.
Tea: It was Little E that was the cranky one.
Todd: Did he puke on him?
Tea: What did you do, train my nephew to spit up on all my gentlemen callers?
Todd: If he doesn't like Dick Head, that's not my fault. Just remember that your nephew thinks I'm cool.
[Tea walks out of the room. Todd gets off the bed and approaches the crib. The baby is still awake but clearly ready to fall asleep.]
Todd (whispering): Good work, kid. You've earned yourself a company.
Tea (returning to the room): What company is that?
Todd: My company. I was just letting him know that he's lucky enough to have me spending the night again.
Tea: You're not spending the night.
Todd: Do you think that if you say that enough times it will suddenly become true?
Tea: It is true.
Todd: I disagree.
[Todd returns to the bed and lies down again.]
Tea: If you want me to agree to going out on a date with you, you have to show me some respect and leave when I ask you to. Before you go, I wanted to give you something. It's a present from your young friend over there.
[Tea hands Todd a small photo album. Todd opens it and finds the pictures that Tea had taken of him and her nephew together, along with a few other pictures of Little Enrique.]
Todd: Don't you have any pictures of you and Little E together?
Tea: My grandmother has taken some.
Todd: Hand them over.
Tea: Are you sure?
Todd: This is from Little E, right? He would definitely include pictures of his favorite aunt.
Tea: I'm his only aunt.
[Tea again leaves the room. When she returns a few minutes later, she finds Todd shirtless and lying under the blankets.]
Todd: Turn out the lights before coming to bed.
Tea: You're not spending the night.
[Tea tries to hand Todd several pictures of herself with Little Enrique but he instead hands her the small photo album, wanting her to put them in for him. She finishes the task and hands the album back to him.]
Tea: Now that you have the photographs, it's time for you to leave.
[Todd looks through the photo album again, this time spending considerable time studying the pictures that include Tea.]
Tea: Todd?
[Todd doesn't respond as he continues to stare at one photograph in particular. Tea leans over and looks at which picture he finds so interesting.]
Tea: I look horrible in that picture.
Todd: No, you don't.
Tea: I didn't have any make-up on.
Todd: So?
[Tea moves over to her nephew's crib and watches him sleep for a few moments, while Todd watches her.
Finally, Tea turns back toward her ex-husband.]
Tea: He's asleep. It's time for you to go.
Todd: I'm kind of tired, too.
Tea: Either, you leave, or I'll leave and go back to my grandmother's with the baby. It's your choice.
Todd: You'd have to wake the kid. You wouldn't do that.
Tea: I'd rather not. If you refuse to leave, we'll have to go.
Todd: Why are you being so impossible?
Tea: Me?
Todd: Yeah, you. I just want to spend the night groping my ex-wife while I sleep. What's the big deal?
Tea: You have another ex-wife, if that's really want you want.
Todd: I want this ex-wife.
Tea: Well, this ex-wife isn't interested.
Todd: I don't believe you.
Tea: Tough!
Todd: Come on, Delgado. I came all this way. You put me through hell tonight. You owe me.
Tea: I don't owe you anything, except perhaps a well placed kick, for how you've treated me in the past, and how you're treating me now.
Todd: How am I treating you?
Tea: Like, you don't value my choices at all.
Todd: You've made some lousy choices. Does the name Dick Head mean anything to you?
Tea: It means that you showed up at my apartment when I had specifically asked you not to.
Todd: I had a right to know if you were cheating on me.
Tea: I wasn't cheating on you.
Todd: Only because I got here before you had the chance.
Tea: We're not together. How can I cheat on you if we're not together?
Todd: You've done it before.
Tea: I never cheated on you when we were together. I'm allowed to have relationships with whomever I choose during times that we are not in a relationship together. And, I don't have to answer to you for any of those relationships.
Todd: How many have there been?
Tea: How many have there been for you?
Todd: How many chicks have I plowed? Let me count.
Tea: It doesn't matter, Todd. It's none of my business. It's late. I'm tired. Please, just leave.
Todd: You really want me to go?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: Did you see my chest? Because, the last time you saw it, you were begging me to stay.
Tea: If you leave now, I may still consider having that date with you, but not if you continue to frustrate me like this.
Todd: Our date's tomorrow night, right?
Tea: After the frustration you've caused me tonight, I think you'd have a better chance if we waited a few days.
Todd: Okay.
Tea: You're agreeing?
Todd: I'll just spend every night hanging out with a friend, until you're ready for our date.
Tea: Let me guess...his initials are E and D.
Todd: His initials spell Ed. You can call him Ed.
Tea: I like calling him Little E.
Todd: That's okay for now. But, trust me, when he gets older, he won't appreciate having the word little attached to him.
Tea: For now, it's fine.
Todd: You look tired. You should get into bed and snuggle up to whatever you can find that your body fits perfectly against.
Tea: I give up.
Todd: Good!
[Tea returns to Little Enrique's crib and gently picks him up.
Todd sits up in bed.]
Todd: What are you doing?
Tea: I'm going back to my grandmother's. I can't spend all night doing this dance with you. She'll be going to sleep soon. I want to get back there before then.
Todd: Okay! I'll go. All you had to do was tell me you didn't want me to stay. You didn't have to wake the kid up.
[Tea returns Little E to his crib. He quickly settles back into peaceful sleep.
Todd gets out of bed and retrieves his shirt.]
Todd: Are you sure you want me to have these pictures?
Tea: I have other copies of them.
[Todd leaves the bedroom. Tea follows him into the living room. He finds his shoes near the sofa and puts them on, before approaching Tea near the door.]
Todd: Is this the last time I'll ever see you?
Tea: I'm sure you'll show up tomorrow night, whether I want you to or not.
Todd: Do you want me to?
Tea: I think Little E probably does.
Todd: That's what counts, right?
Tea: Right.
Todd: And, he hated Dick Head, right?
Tea: I won't be seeing him anymore, because I don't want to, not because you don't want me to.
Todd: Just so long as that Dick Head is out of your life.
Tea: He will be. And, hopefully, I will never have to hear you say his name again.
Todd: Come on, admit it, he's got a fun name.
Tea: Fun for you.
Todd: Say his name...just once. Come on, you know you want to.
Tea: Goodnight, Todd.
[Todd steps into Tea's personal space. Tea waits for him to kiss her, but he doesn't. After a few unnerving moments for Tea, of being so close to him while he still has his shirt off, Todd steps away from her, opens her door and leaves her apartment.]
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SMALL BLESSINGS
chapter 34:
[The next morning...
Tea is sitting on the sofa, feeding the baby. There's a knock on her door.]
Tea: Who is it?
Todd: Your date.
[Tea stands up and walks to the door. She talks to Todd through the closed door.]
Tea: Why are you here?
Todd: We have a date, remember?
Tea: I thought we agreed to wait a few days, until I've had a chance to calm down after last night?
Todd: Do you keep all your dates waiting in the hall so long?
[Tea stops feeding the baby to unlock the door. He instantly cries, wanting his bottle back. After opening the door, Tea returns the bottle to Little Enrique's mouth.]
Todd: You should give me a key.
Tea: No, I shouldn't.
Todd: If I had a key, I could let myself in and the kid wouldn't have to cry about you being so slow about letting me in.
Tea: He was crying because I couldn't hold the bottle in his mouth and let you in at the same time.
Todd: I think he was crying because he missed me and wants me around more.
Tea: I don't think so.
Todd: Has he told you something else?
Tea: He hasn't been very chatty so far today.
Todd: When he figures out how to say it, I know he'll tell you to give me a key.
Tea: If you had a key, you'd be here all the time.
Todd: I'm here all the time, anyway.
Tea: I only agreed to one date with you. If it happens today, your visits here will be over.
Todd: I thought you weren't going to keep me from hanging out with the kid?
Tea: I'm not. But, your play dates with Little E don't have to be in my apartment.
Todd: You can bring him to my penthouse instead, if you want.
Tea: I'm not going back to Llanview.
Todd: I could get a place around here...to be near the kid. Are there any vacancies in this building?
Tea: I'm sure if there aren't, you'll just buy the building and evict someone.
Todd: I have been wanting to expand my real estate holdings.
[Tea gives Todd a disapproving look. She also hands the baby to him.]
Todd: Are you getting ready for our date now?
Tea: What did you have planned?
Todd: Whatever the hell you force me to do.
Tea: I'll call my grandmother and see if she'll be able to take him today.
Todd: We could take the kid with us.
Tea: You think that if I spend the day watching you bond with my nephew, I'll melt and invite you into my bed?
Todd: It worked before.
Tea: I thought you were hoping for more from this date than platonic bed sharing.
Todd: The kid can sleep out here tonight. Or, he can sleep in the bedroom and we can do it out here. I'm flexible. I'm very flexible...as you'll see when you finally say yes.
Tea: If I were to say yes, what would happen tomorrow?
Todd: Is that a yes?
Tea: That's a question. What would happen?
Todd: We could take things one fuck at a time.
Tea: That sounds like my relationship with Richard.
[Tea smiles, knowing that her comment hurt Todd, the way she wanted it to.]
Tea: Is our date off?
Todd: Is that what you were hoping?
Tea: Actually, yes.
Todd: Then, no, it's not. You made a deal. You'll have to go all the way with it.
Tea: Are you calm enough to look after the baby for a few minutes while I call my grandmother?
Todd: I wouldn't hurt the kid, no matter how many times you try to shove your Dick Head in my face. Speaking of that, later tonight...
Tea (interrupting): Let's just get through the day first, okay? I'll decide later, what comes next.
Todd: If you're a lousy date, I might decide for you.
Tea: Good! I seem to have a difficult time making the right decision when it comes to you. I wonder why that is.
Todd: Because, I'm Todd Manning.
Tea: It's amazing how you can have such a low opinion of yourself, and yet somehow have such an inflated ego.
[Tea leaves the living room and goes into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Todd sits down on the sofa with the baby and continues to feed him his bottle.]
Todd: Have you been working on your aunt for me, kid? Have you been telling her how cool I am. It's okay to answer me while you eat. I talk while I eat all the time. Although, your aunt will probably tell you that it's rude, or something. But, she's a chick so you have to ignore whatever she tells you about manners and all that other junk that chicks are always getting uptight about.
[Minutes later...
Tea returns to the living room and finds Todd sitting with Little Enrique in his lap, while they watch television together.]
Tea: Did you burp him?
Todd: Do I look like someone who doesn't know how to do this?
Tea: Did you check his diaper?
Todd: I don't smell anything.
Tea: You don't have to wait for it to smell before you change him.
Todd: The kid seems okay about whatever's going on down there.
Tea: Let me check him.
[Todd lays the baby next to him on the sofa and stands up. Tea takes his place on the sofa. Todd leaves the room and goes into the kitchen.
Moments later, he returns to the living room with a bottle of soda and a bag of potato chips. He grabs the remote control from the coffee table and plops himself down in a chair facing the television and begins flipping through the different channels, looking for something interesting to watch.]
Tea (sarcastically): Make yourself at home.
Todd: I intend to.
Tea: My grandmother can't take Little E until later.
Todd: So, this doesn't count as our date, right?
Tea: We'll have our date tonight.
Todd: If I can't get the whole time, it shouldn't count.
Tea: Dates don't usually last fourteen hours.
Todd: Don't you mean twenty-two hours?
Tea: Why only twenty-two?
Todd: Okay, fine! If it's what you want, I'll stay longer than a normal date.
Tea: I have not invited you to spend the night. You understand that, don't you?
Todd: You're just going to fuck me and then toss me out?
Tea: I've asked you not to say that word in front of the baby.
Todd: He can't talk yet.
Tea: I don't want that to be his first word.
Todd: I thought he already said his first word?
Tea: I was probably hearing what I wanted to hear.
Todd: I want to hear him say fuck, especially in front of your grandmother.
Tea: You just can't resist the urge to rile people up, can you?
Todd: Nope. You like that about me.
Tea: How did you get that idea?
Todd: From every time you laughed while I was doing it. You know, you really look like hell. Aren't you going to do yourself up for our date?
Tea: I didn't get much sleep last night.
Todd: Because you were thinking about me?
Tea: There is much more to my life than you.
Todd: Like what?
Tea: My nephew.
Todd: Besides him.
Tea: The rest of my family.
Todd: Besides your grandmother, didn't they all take off again?
Tea: They went back to their lives, but they're still a part of mine.
Todd: What else?
Tea: My work.
Todd: I thought you quit.
Tea: I took a leave from work to spend some time with my nephew, but I will be going back.
Todd: You don't have to.
Tea: I want to.
Todd: I could commit a crime so you can defend me and get me off. You'd enjoy that, wouldn't you?
Tea: Getting you off?
Todd: You have a dirty mind, Delgado. I like that!
Tea: Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if you have something illegal brewing right now.
Todd: The cops back in Llanview are even stupider than they were before. They can't catch me at anything anymore. They hardly even bother locking me up for stuff I didn't do, either.
Tea: That's a good thing, isn't it?
Todd: Yeah, but I'm bored.
Tea: Is that why you've been spending so much time here?
Todd: I'm here because of the kid.
Tea: Right.
Todd: You don't believe me?
Tea: You didn't even know he existed until after you had already chosen to come back into my life.
Todd: I was looking for a lawyer.
Tea: To defend you against crimes you haven't been charged with?
Todd: I don't want to wait until I'm desperate. You might up your rates, knowing you can get away with screwing me. Speaking of screwing...
Tea (interrupting): Don't say things like that in front of the baby.
Todd: We can't talk business in front of the kid?
Tea: No profanity and no sexual innuendo.
Todd: You're the one who's been tossing sexual innuendoes around.
Tea: I've only been picking up on yours.
Todd: It's not my fault that you assume meanings to my words that aren't there. You need to get your mind out of the gutter, Delgado.
Tea: You have made numerous sexual references.
Todd: You're imagining things. It's probably a sign that you haven't had really good sex in a long, long time...maybe never.
Tea: Until tonight?
Todd: Were you planning on ditching me so you can screw Dick Head's dick head tonight?
Tea: Richard is out of the picture, but I might consider yours if you play your cards right.
[Tea takes the baby into the bedroom and leaves Todd alone in the living room, a smirk on his face.]
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SMALL BLESSINGS
chapter 35:
[Todd follows Tea out of the living room. He watches from the doorway of her bedroom as she begins to change her nephew out of his pajamas. Tea notices his presence.]
Tea: Are you here to give your approval for Little E's outfit?
Todd: Where were you planning on us going with him?
Tea: Wherever you want, I guess.
Todd: We could take him to a toy store. He can pick out whatever he wants.
Tea: He's not old enough to play with much.
Todd: That doesn't mean that he shouldn't have tons of stuff.
Tea: We don't have much room here. I think the toy shopping spree will have to wait.
Todd: I could go ahead and buy him his own room, like I've been wanting to.
Tea: I don't want you to buy us a place to live. I'll take care of that myself.
Todd: What do you want me to buy you?
Tea: Nothing.
Todd: So, tonight, you're buying?
Tea: I could.
Todd: If you bought me dinner, I'd have to put out, right?
[Tea smiles at Todd, and chooses to change the subject. She opens a drawer under the baby's crib that holds many of his outfits.]
Tea: What do you think he wants to wear today?
Todd: Nothing that has any cute animals on it, or anything with a theme.
Tea: What do you mean a theme?
Todd: If we're taking him on a boat, you can't put him in one of those sailor outfits. Even if we're not going on a boat, you can't put him in one of those sailor outfits.
Tea: He doesn't have a sailor outfit.
Todd: Good. The kid's too cool to be dressed like a dork.
Tea: Did you have a sailor outfit when you were a kid?
Todd: How the hell should I know?
Tea: I thought maybe you had pictures of yourself in one of those outfits and that's why you thought of it.
[Todd looks through the contents of the drawer and picks out a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt.]
Todd: Where do you keep his leather jacket?
Tea: He doesn't have one.
Todd: I'll buy him one.
Tea: Don't be silly.
Todd: Chicks go for that look.
Tea: He's a little young to be cruising for chicks.
Todd: Guys are never too young. Girls, on the other hand, shouldn't date until they're old enough to drop out of college.
Tea: Starr isn't dating yet, is she?
Todd: She'll probably start soon, now that I don't completely control her life anymore.
Tea: So, she's interested in boys now?
Todd: She laughs about them...or giggles, actually.
Tea: It's okay, Todd. You'll survive this.
Todd: She's only nine. She's way too young.
Tea: I agree, that is young. But, I also remember being that age, and it didn't seem as young then.
[Tea finishes changing her nephew into the clothes that Todd picked out.]
Tea: Take him into the living room so I can get ready.
Todd: Are we going out to get him a jacket so he can look cool, like me?
Tea: It would be a waste of money to buy him one right now. He would grow out of it soon.
Todd: I'll buy him another one, when he does. I'll buy him one of those toy motorcycles, too.
Tea: At least you're not offering to buy him a real one.
Todd: I could do that.
Tea: You will never do that. Do you understand?
Todd: What if he really wants one?
Tea: Too bad.
Todd: Don't you want to be a cool mom?
Tea: Not about something that could endanger him. I have years before I have to worry about him wanting a motorcycle. Right now, I need you boys to leave the room so I can get dressed.
[Todd carries the baby into the living room. Tea closes the door and begins to change her clothes.
Minutes later, Tea joins them in the living room.]
Todd: That's how you dress for a date?
Tea: You didn't dress up.
Todd: Yeah, I did. I wore socks.
Tea: Wow, Todd! You put on socks, just for me?
Todd: I even made sure they were clean ones.
Tea: I've been meaning to ask you, did you even go back to Llanview last night?
Todd: What's the point? Blair's busy brainwashing my kid against me.
Tea: I doubt that.
Todd: Do you really? Have you forgotten who Blair is?
Tea: Starr loves you. Nothing will change that.
Todd: I'm sure Blair's trying to think of something right now.
Tea: If you want to postpone our date so you can go back and spend time with your daughter, I'll understand.
Todd: Let's just get this over with.
Tea: You sound so excited, Todd.
Todd: I am excited. This is me excited. Look at the kid, he's excited, too.
[Tea looks at her nephew, in Todd's arms, who looks like he's about to fall asleep.]
Tea: He needs a nap. Maybe we should stay in.
Todd: The kid can sleep on the way.
Tea: Where are we going?
Todd: Florida...California...wherever you want.
Tea: I think we should stay in the area.
Todd: Someday, the kid will be really ticked that you're turning down all kinds of cool stuff, on his behalf.
Tea: He's too young to enjoy any of those things right now. Wait a few years and you'll be his hero for filling him with junk food, taking him on scary rides, and buying him whatever he wants.
Todd: You'll let me spoil him?
Tea: Only a little. I don't want him to equate you with money.
Todd: Why not? That's the only reason anyone else even bothers pretending that they can almost stand me.
Tea: That's not true of everyone, Todd. Besides, I'd prefer that you let him see the size of your big heart, rather than the size of your big wallet. Spoil him with attention and love. He needs that more than he needs things.
Todd: This is starting to turn into chick talk. Let's go!
Tea: We don't even know where we're going.
Todd: We'll figure it out on the way.
[Tea gathers together everything the baby may need while they're gone and they leave her apartment.]
to be continued...
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2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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