PREVIOUSLY [Todd dreads the rest of the evening but resigns himself to the punishment Starr is doling out. He hopes that she'll be more humane the next day. Maybe she'll even speak directly to him by then.]
[Todd suffers his way through the rest of the day as Starr continues to ignore
him and forces him to watch many horrifying hours of a female oriented cartoon
he knows must certainly be the worst animated series ever made.
When the day finally ends, Starr asks Tea to spend some time in her room
with her before she falls asleep, leaving Todd to linger outside her door.
As Tea finally exits Starr's bedroom, she and Todd silently walk down the
hallway together, toward their own bedroom.
As they enter the room, Todd closes the door behind him.]
Tea: I don't suppose you'll be spending the night in here?
Todd: I'll go downstairs after you fall asleep.
Tea: You don't have to.
Todd: Yeah, I do. So, did Starr say anything about me?
Tea: Don't you know? Weren't you outside the door the whole time we were
talking?
Todd: Yeah, but I thought maybe she showed you a diary, or something, where
she wrote about how much I've destroyed her life.
Tea: You haven't destroyed her life. And, she was showing definite signs
of coming around, don't you think? By tomorrow, she'll think you're the most
wonderful daddy again.
Todd: I doubt it.
Tea: Have a little faith.
Todd: I've never been good at that.
Tea: Try.
Todd: I thought you were going to sleep.
Tea: I am.
Todd: Are you going to sleep in your clothes?
Tea: No. I'll go change and brush my teeth. I'll be right back.
[Tea enters their walk-in closet, followed closely by Todd.]
Tea: Did you need something to change into, too?
Todd: Nah.
Tea (smiling): Did you want to watch me change?
Todd: Pregnant chicks faint sometimes, right? I should be with you when you're
exerting yourself. You know, just in case.
Tea: If you think it's too much exertion, perhaps you should assist me.
Todd: If you think you can't handle it by yourself.
Tea: I think I could use some help.
[Todd leaves the closet and locks the door of the bedroom, not wanting to
chance Starr walking in on them. He doesn't want to traumatize his daughter
anymore than he feels he already has in her young life.
Tea exits the closet behind him and notices him locking the door.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: Yeah?
Tea: Are we...uh...being intimate?
Todd (lowering his voice): Not so loud.
Tea (whispering): Is that why you locked the door?
Todd: I thought it would be a good idea...just in case.
Tea: So, it's up in the air, right now?
Todd: I don't know. We probably shouldn't.
Tea: Are you worried that you'll panic and feel you have to leave again?
Todd: Are you?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: You could have lied and pretended that you trusted me.
Tea: I do trust you. I still worry that you'll leave again. I can't help
it.
Todd: Well, I'm not leaving tonight. I won't do that to Starr...or to you.
Tea: Then perhaps we should wait to...
Todd: To what? What were you planning?
Tea: Well, actually, since you...uh...helped...me last time...
Todd: I remember that.
Tea: I thought that maybe I could help you. We'll wait until we have the
house to ourselves, okay? Assuming that you would even want me to help you,
in that way.
Todd: Which way exactly? Wait. Don't answer that. Not tonight, okay? Not
with Starr here.
Tea: Okay. You'll have a couple of days to think about it and decide if you
even want me to do that for you...with you...to you.
Todd: Even though you're afraid I'll bolt, you want to do that kind of thing
with me?
Tea: I don't want you to bolt. I do want to give you pleasure.
Todd: You have.
Tea: I could again.
Todd: In a couple of days...if I want it?
Tea: Right. You let me know what you decide.
Todd: I'll definitely do that. So, are you ready to go to bed? You're probably
really tired, right?
Tea: I am a little. I'm glad you're here. It was hard to fall asleep when
you were gone.
Todd: Tea, what if I can't stay. I'll definitely stay for the rest of Starr's
visit, but what if I need to take off again after that?
Tea: Will you go back to the motel you bought?
Todd: Yeah, I guess.
Tea: And, you'll call me and let me know that you made it there safely?
Todd: I could do that.
Tea: I won't stop you, Todd. If you need some distance, you can have it.
Just keep in touch this time, okay? I don't want to have to worry about where
you are again. I want you to call me every day so I know that you're okay.
Todd: You'd have us on the phone so much that it would be like I wasn't even
some place else. Maybe I shouldn't even bother going.
Tea: Maybe you shouldn't.
Todd: I don't want to think about this right now, okay? I just want to make
sure that I keep everything together so I don't hurt Starr by ditching her
again. I don't want to hurt you either, you know that, but I know that you
can handle it. You understand what's going on with me. Starr doesn't. I don't
want her to.
Tea: It's okay, Todd. We can talk after this weekend is over. If you need
to go, I really will understand. I'll miss you. You know that, don't you?
You know that I love you and I miss you when I'm not with you?
Todd: Yeah, I know. But, you're not alone anymore. You've got our kid inside
you.
Tea: I guess I won't really be able to say I'm alone again for a while, huh?
Todd: Do you like it?
Tea: What?
Todd: Being pregnant.
Tea: I'm thrilled that I'm pregnant. You know, it really hasn't been that
bad so far. Maybe it's because I was so sick before, but I really haven't
had the severity of physical symptoms that some women have during the earlier
part of their pregnancy. It's really just been a great feeling knowing that
I'm carrying our child.
Todd: Well, you haven't gotten fat yet. Pretty soon you won't be able to
fit through the doorways around this place anymore. Maybe we should have
them widened now.
[Tea picks up a pillow near where she's sitting on the bed and tosses it
at Todd who's standing across from her. Todd ducks and lets the pillow hit
the door behind him.]
Todd: Just wait. You'll be bursting into tears because you can't see your
toes.
Tea: Actually, that is one thing that I have had...mood swings. It's so incredible
sometimes how strongly I feel everything...good or bad. It's almost overwhelming
at times. Maybe it's because I almost died.
Todd: Don't talk about that, Tea.
Tea: Okay.
[They both are silent for several moments.]
Todd: Okay. You can talk about it.
Tea: It's okay, Todd. I really am tired now, anyway.
Todd: Go ahead and change for bed.
Tea: Are you still staying?
Todd: Sure. I could still help you, if you want.
Tea: Sure.
[Tea stands up. Todd approaches her. They both work on removing her clothing,
except her underwear, and then Todd helps her into her nightgown.
Todd picks up the pillow that Tea had playfully thrown at him moments earlier
and disappears from the room for a moment, while Tea goes to brush her teeth.
When he returns he places a clean pillowcase on the pillow and fluffs it
up for Tea. He places it on the bed and fluff all of the other pillows, wanting
Tea to be completely comfortable. Tea returns to the room and slides into
bed under the covers that Todd is holding up for her. After she settles her
body, he tucks the blankets in around her, making sure she's warm.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: Yeah?
Tea: Could you join me under the blankets? Just until I fall asleep.
Todd: Yeah, sure, I guess.
[Todd gets under the blankets and turns onto his side, facing her.]
Todd: You need anything else?
Tea: Your touch.
Todd: Anywhere in particular?
[Tea reaches for his hand and places it on her stomach, on top of her nightgown.
They share a tender kiss before Tea closes her eyes and tries to sleep.
Several minutes later...]
Todd: Tea?
Tea: I'm still awake.
Todd: Good, because I wanted to ask you something. Do you believe that kids
can feel stuff before they're born?
Tea: Are you asking if I think our child can feel your hand on my stomach?
Todd: It probably couldn't, right?
Tea: Our child will feel your love, Todd. You don't have to worry about that.
Starr feels your love.
Todd: Starr hates my guts.
Tea: Starr is upset. But, even through her anger, she feels your love. That's
part of the reason that she's been so upset.
Todd: Because my love hurts people?
Tea: No, because your love makes people feel good. You made Starr feel loved.
She felt it so strong, and believed in it so unquestioningly, that she was
thrown off guard when you left, each time that you did. She still feels your
love, it's just hard for her to understand why you left since she doesn't
know the details.
Todd: I never want her to know those details.
Tea: I think that she also wasn't prepared for her own anger at you. It's
probably hard for her to be angry at you since she loves you so much. Her
feelings are probably very confusing for her.
Todd: So, what do I do?
Tea: Follow your instincts.
Todd: My instincts told me to go away. My instincts stink.
Tea: You'll figure it out, Todd. You'll know what to do and what to say.
Just trust yourself. And, trust your daughter. Trust that she loves you enough
to forgive you.
Todd: Do you forgive me?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: You're sure?
Tea: I'm positive.
Todd: More trust, huh?
Tea: Can you handle it?
Todd: I'm trying.
Tea: I know you are, querido. That's all that any of us are asking of you.
[Todd removes his hand from Tea's stomach for a moment and grasps the material
of her nightgown, pulling it up enough so he can slip his hand underneath.
He quickly returns his hand to her stomach, this time lightly caressing it
without any barrier between his hand and her bare stomach.]
Tea: That feels good, Todd.
Todd: You liked it when you were sick.
Tea: I like it now, too?
Todd: Can you fall asleep now?
Tea: I think so.
Todd: Okay. Do it!
Tea: Yes, sir.
[Tea moves her head so that it's resting against his and allows the comfort
of his loving touch to help her fall into a peaceful sleep.]
