| IN SICKNESS BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 100 |
PREVIOUSLY:
Todd: Admit it. It's growing on you.
Tea: Not at all.
Todd: It will. I grew on you, didn't I? If that miracle can happen, anything can happen.
Tea: You're my miracle. I'm so lucky to have you.
Todd: No more talking. Just relax. Picture our family after Manny's born. Focus on the miracle growing inside you and on what a great life we're all going to have together.
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IN SICKNESS
chapter 100:
[That afternoon...
Tea stares out the car window as Todd drives them to the hospital. She's dreading hearing the doctor tell her that she again has cancer. She was hoping that the doctor wouldn't be able to see her for at least a few days so she could put this moment off longer. She wants to maintain a positive attitude until she knows for certain if she has cancer again, but each moment she becomes a little more convince that she does.
As they near the hospital, Tea looks over at Todd, while they're stopped at a red light. She can see that his hands are gripping the steering wheel tightly. She knows that he's just as scared as she is in this moment. She wants to reassure him, despite her own doubts.]
Tea: Everything will be okay.
[Todd looks at her. She smiles at him.]
Todd: I should be the one saying that kind of stuff right now.
Tea: Go ahead.
Todd: Everything will be okay, Delgado.
[Todd returns his gaze to the road ahead of him as the stoplight changes and they continue on the journey that both wish they didn't have to take ever again. They've both had enough of hospitals and illnesses. They were looking forward to the next major medical moment for either of them being the birth of their baby.]
Tea: Manny's letting me know that everything's okay where he is, too.
[Todd smiles.]
Tea: I only agreed to call our baby Manny while I'm pregnant, so don't start smirking. There is no way I am naming my child Manny Manning.
Todd: It's our kid, remember?
Tea: You're the one who said that you wanted me to name him, or her.
Todd: Maybe I changed my mind.
Tea: I never will about that name. We'll have to come up with something else before Manny's born.
[As the hospital comes into view, they both become even more tense.]
Tea: Tell me again.
Todd: Everything will be okay. I won't allow it to go any other way but the way I want it.
[Minutes later...
After parking the car in the hospital's ramp, Todd is about to open his door when Tea stops him.]
Tea: Wait!
Todd: We have to do this, Delgado.
Tea: We have a few minutes before we have to go in.
Todd: You want to make out? Here?
[Tea gives him a questioning look.]
Todd: Don't look at me like that. You have been more into me lately.
Tea: I've always been into you. I love you.
[Todd looks at her with sincerity.]
Todd: I love you, too. Now, stop stalling. Let's get this over with so we can find out that you're okay and you can stop torturing me like this.
Tea: Okay.
[Tea reaches for the door handle.]
Todd: Hold on. Don't move.
[Todd exits the vehicle and rushes to the other side of the car. He opens the door and extends his hand to her. Tea smiles as her husband helps her from the car. As she stands up, she immediately embraces him. He looks around the parking ramp, uncomfortable with her public display of affection. Within seconds, though, he forgets about everything, and everyone, else and embraces his wife.]
Tea: I love you.
Todd: We already did this part.
[Tea pulls back from him slightly and looks in his eyes.]
Tea: Are you sure you want to be there for this?
Todd: I won't let you go through hell without a trained guide.
Tea: I'm sorry that I'm putting you through hell again.
Todd: It's not your fault. Besides, you're only visiting hell for a little while. I won't let you live there full time, like I do.
Tea: You may have in the past. Not anymore. Now you're living with me.
Todd: Like I said, I live in hell.
[Tea playfully pushes at his chest in mock anger.]
Todd: Right now, we're going in there and we're going to find out that you don't really have the big C again.
Tea: What if I do?
Todd: That would suck.
Tea: Are you prepared to go through all this again?
Todd: No.
Tea: Neither am I.
Todd: It sucked the last time. It would suck this time. If it happens, we'll kick its ugly ass again. I know that much.
Tea: Promise?
Todd: I'm not letting you go. Big C, or no big C, you're not getting rid of me, Delgado.
Tea: Good. I never want to lose you.
[Tea buries her head in his chest as she tries to keep her emotions from overwhelming her.
Minutes later...
Todd is tightly holding Tea's hand as they enter the doctor's outer office. Tea is surprised to find Viki in the waiting room. Todd is surprised to see Carlotta.]
Todd (to Tea): You called Carlotta?
Tea: You called Viki.
Todd: That's different.
Tea: They're both family. Obviously, we both felt that we needed our family with us right now.
Todd: You'll be okay. You have to go in there believing that.
Tea: I'll try.
[Later...
Todd returns to the waiting room to apprise the family about Tea's situation.]
Carlotta: Is it...?
Todd: The doc says that the tissue in that area of a girl's body gets screwed up when girls get pregnant. It gets denser, or something. He thinks that might be why there was a lump in Tea's thing.
Viki: Her breast.
Todd: Whatever.
Carlotta: You said that he thinks that might be the cause. Are they going to run tests to be certain?
Todd: Tea's in there trying to talk the guy out of it right now, but it's happening, whether she wants it or not.
Carlotta: Would the test hurt the baby?
Todd: The doc says it's totally safe for them to shove a needle in and pull some stuff out and check it over.
Viki: When will they do the biopsy?
Todd: As soon as Tea stops being stubborn. She keeps trying to argue that since she won't do any treatment while she's pregnant, it doesn't matter if they find out right away. She wants them to wait until after the kid's out. That's not going to happen.
Viki: It is her body.
Todd: She's my wife.
Viki: She didn't give up the right to make decisions concerning her own body when she married you.
Todd: Don't try giving me that women are equals speech. I hear enough of that junk from Tea.
Viki: Perhaps you should tell her how much you care about her and encourage her to have the procedure, instead of alienating her with your attitudes.
Todd: My attitudes are not alien to Tea. She knew who I was going in. Besides, I'm right about this and we all know it. She needs to get stuck with that needle.
Viki: I'm certain she just wants peace of mind right now.
Todd: She wants to hide from this. Normally, I'm all for ignoring the stuff that you don't want to deal with. But, ignoring this could...
[Todd can't bring himself to say out loud that she could lose her life if it is cancer and she puts off treatment too long.]
Todd: It could screw everything up. I won't allow that. I have to go back in and make sure this happens. You can both stick around if you want to. Tea would probably do that polite thing and insist that you not bother. Too bad I'm not polite.
[Todd leaves the waiting room to return to the room Tea is being examined in.]
to be continued...
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2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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