| IN SICKNESS BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 96 |
PREVIOUSLY:
[Todd leans into her and places a gentle kiss on her lips. As it ends, he reaches for the material of her nightgown and pulls it over her body. He leaves her underwear on and takes her hand, as they return to the bed.
He intends to spend hours, if necessary, physically sharing his loving touch with her, until her nightmare of losing him is a faded memory that no longer haunts her.]
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chapter 96:
[Tea is sitting on the bed in the guest bedroom of their home as Todd sits behind her, massaging the back of her completely bare upper body. Tea's earlier nightmare of her family being violently taken from her fades further and further away in her mind as the feeling of Todd's gentle, yet strong and reassuring, touch forces it away.
After spending several minutes massaging up and down her back, Todd moves his focus to her shoulders and neck.]
Todd: Do you still have those pictures from when you were bald?
Tea: Of course. What made you think of those?
Todd: Your hair.
Tea: Do you think I looked better bald?
Todd: You do have a weird style going on right now.
Tea: I was sleeping. That's why it's a mess.
Todd: What's your excuse during the day?
[Tea playfully swats at his leg that is stretched out at her side.]
Todd: I was thinking about it and maybe we should burn your bald pictures. You could have one of those 'burning my bald pictures after I kicked the big C's butt' party.
Tea: We could have a party, if you really want to, but why would we burn those pictures?
Todd: I don't want a party. I hate crowds of more than three people, remember? I just thought that we really don't need those pictures anymore. They'll just depress you, if you see them, and they're from the distant past. You don't want reminders of that time, do you?
Tea: It's not too distant.
Todd: It is for me. You don't want our kids to see them, do you?
Tea: I think our children should know about that part of our past, especially this child.
Todd: Why would you want that? You want to freak the kid out seeing what shape your head really is?
Tea: We can hope that he'll inherit your head, if you think mine is so odd.
Todd: I've been hoping that since I found out one of my little guys hit pay dirt inside you.
Tea: Seriously, if I had never been sick, this child never would have been conceived.
Todd: You don't know that.
Tea: Were you planning on coming back to me, before you found out that I was sick?
Todd: Absolutely.
Tea: How long had you been planning it?
Todd: Since the day I left.
Tea: How much longer would I have had to wait, without the cancer?
Todd: Don't say that word. I hate that word.
Tea: If it weren't for cancer, we may never have found each other again. It's possible that none of the moments we've shared since we've been back together would have ever happened without that disease entering our lives, forcing us both to face our immortality, forcing us to stop waiting for another day to swallow our pride and seek each other out.
Todd: You think that's why I waited...pride?
Tea: Did you have a different reason?
Todd: I didn't want to screw your life up again. But, then you got that thing and you were so certain that your life was over, anyway. So, I figured, how much could I really screwed it up, if that thing was about to end it, anyway.
Tea: That thing is cancer and I'm not afraid of that word anymore, not like I was before.
Todd: Because you beat it?
Tea: Because we beat it. I don't know if I would have made it without you. Actually, I know for a fact that I wouldn't have. I was ready to give up, remember?
Todd: You just didn't want to give up the chance to stick around and torture me some more.
Tea: Is this torture?
Todd: Yes.
Tea: Then, why am I enjoying it so much?
Todd: Maybe you're into torture.
Tea: Maybe I'm into loving you and being loved by you.
[Todd places his arms around Tea as she leans her back against his chest. She waits several minutes before speaking again.]
Tea: Cancer can't hurt us now, Querido. We fought it and together we won. Nothing will be able to separate us now.
Todd: Something will try. This can't last.
Tea: Our happiness?
Todd: Don't say it out loud.
Tea: I'm not afraid to tempt fate.
Todd: You should be.
Tea: Why?
Todd: Because, I'm the guy who's next to you in this thing. Fate has always held a grudge against me.
Tea: Not anymore. We earned this happiness.
Todd: What do I have to do to get you to stop risking everything by saying this stuff out loud?
Tea: You could kiss me.
Todd: I already did that tonight. You mean I have to put myself through more of that, just to get you to shut up and stop spitting at fate?
Tea: I'm not spitting at it. I'm just refusing to afford it any power over me, or my family.
[To stop her from speaking anymore, Todd turns her face and kisses her. Tea returns his kiss as she turns her body more in his direction. He quickly ends their kiss.]
Todd: I'm not done here.
Tea: Neither am I, so why did you stop?
Todd: I meant the massage.
Tea: You did such a wonderful job on my back, but I think it's time for you to begin on my front.
Todd: So do I. Now, sit still and let me do my job.
[Tea returns to sitting in front of him with her back pressed against his chest. His hands immediately begin to lightly rub her stomach.]
Todd: Do you think the kid's awake?
Tea: He's been pretty quiet.
Todd (worried): He's okay, right?
[Tea reassuringly places her hands on top of his suddenly still hands and encourages him to return to rubbing her stomach.]
Tea: He's fine. He's just resting.
Todd: I guess he would be exhausted. Forming eyebrows is probably hard work.
Tea: You've been reading development books again, haven't you?
Todd: And, since he's a boy, he has some extra stuff to do this week.
Tea: What?
Todd: You read the same books.
Tea: But, I no longer seem to be able to remember much of anything anymore. I hope I get my ability to retain information back after the baby is born so I can go back to being a lawyer at some point.
Todd: At what point?
Tea: I haven't decided yet.
Todd: I thought you wanted to give up your career and do the being with the kid every second thing.
Tea: I will go back to work...someday.
Todd: You don't have to, at least until I get arrested again.
Tea: Do you think that may be happening soon?
Todd: Are you looking for a way to get rid of me already?
Tea: I was just wondering if you're up to anything I don't know about.
Todd: I don't need to be up to anything. Since when have the cops needed me to actually do anything illegal to toss me in jail? They'll make something up, like they always do and put me away for as long as they want to.
Tea: Not on my watch.
Todd: You would defend me?
Tea: I always have, haven't I?
Todd: Maybe I shouldn't go with a lawyer who can't even remember her husband's name.
Tea: I remember your name...uh...Ted, right?
Todd: Very funny. But, you do seem to be calling me that other thing a lot lately.
Tea: I like calling you querido. It makes me feel good.
Todd: Whatever. You're memory isn't as shot as you think it is, anyway. You remember your nightmare, don't you?
Tea: That's one thing I would gladly forget. Let's change the subject back to something pleasant. Tell me more about what our baby's doing.
Todd: Well, I don't know if he's doing it this very moment.
Tea: Tell me.
Todd: I think this is the week his...well, it's a guy thing, you don't need to know about it.
Tea: What if it's a girl?
Todd: Then her testes wouldn't be descending.
Tea: Is that what our son is doing this week?
Todd: Unless he's advanced for his gestational age.
Tea: I'm sure he is.
Todd: If it is a girl, though, she's already got one of those things.
Tea: Which things?
Todd: Uterus.
Tea: When would she have developed that?
Todd: Do you think I have this whole thing memorized?
Tea: I wouldn't be surprised if you did.
Todd: I don't get to be hooked up every second to the kid, like you are. I'm completely useless right now. I have plenty of time to read. It's no big deal.
Tea: I think it is a big deal. I think that it's very sweet that you're so interested in our child's development. But, you play a much greater role in the development process than you think you do.
Todd: Greater than zilch?
Tea: Much greater.
Todd: How?
Tea: You keep me calm.
Todd: Like the wonderful job I did keeping you calm while you were having your nightmare?
Tea: You're doing a wonderful job now.
Todd: I should have been next to you. You shouldn't have been coming down here screaming and throwing yourself on the floor.
Tea: I thought I had lost you.
Todd: So, you were on your knees giving thanks?
Tea: The thought of losing you...
[Todd senses Tea's stress level increasing again. He rests his head against hers and whispers, trying to keep her calm.]
Todd: You can't get rid of me, Tea. So, give up that thought. You're stuck with me.
Tea: Do you promise?
Todd: Sure. Now, close your eyes and relax. I want our kid born relaxed and carefree, like me, not all stressed and paranoid, like you.
[Tea sits up and moves a little further forward on the bed. As she leans back again, her head rests against his chest. For several minutes he massages her forehead before moving his hands down to her shoulders and gently kneading out the last remnants of stress from her body.
Tea is nearing sleep when she hears Todd whisper to her.]
Todd: Tea?
[Tea sleepily moans in response.]
Todd: Do you want the full treatment?
[Tea doesn't respond verbally. She reaches her hands up and takes his hands in her own and places them on her breasts. She then lowers her arms to her sides, prepared for her husband to continue the wonderful job he's doing of massaging her into a peaceful sleep.
Todd's fingers gently encircle her expanding breasts. He's amazed at how much bigger they've gotten since the first time he touched them and they still seem to be growing. As he looks down at the sight of him cupping a breast in each hand, he wonders how much bigger they'll get before they stop growing.
To Tea's relief, his fingers start to move along her skin and she's able to return to drifting off to sleep with the sensual feeling of the man she adores lovingly caressing her.
Several minutes later, Tea is almost asleep when she senses something isn't right. The fingers of one of his hands has been concentrating in one spot for what seems like a long time and his body feels less relaxed than it was moments earlier.]
Tea (groggily): Todd?
Todd (concern evident in his voice): Tea?
Tea: Is something wrong?
[Todd doesn't respond but his fingers continue to focus on the same part of her breast. Tea wakes up more fully as her worry increases.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: You need to feel this.
Tea: You're doing a fine job on your own.
Todd: I'm not kidding.
[Tea can feel herself beginning to panic. She keeps her hands to her sides, fearing what she senses is causing the concerned tone in Todd's voice.]
Todd: Tea?
[Tea refuses to acknowledge it. She can't. She fears that Todd was right earlier. She spit at fate and if she feels where Todd's fingers are right now she'll be faced with fate's retaliation.
Todd wants to ignore it, too. Each time his fingers move over the same part of her breast he hopes he'll feel something different, that he'll discover that his fingers earlier lied to him, but each time he feels the same thing and the same panic shoots through him.
Todd finally reaches down with his other hand, picks up Tea's hand and brings it to her breast. Tea takes in a loud, painful breath as she feels what Todd felt...a lump.]
to be continued...
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2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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