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| LAST CHANCE BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 141 - 150 |
PREVIOUSLY...
Todd: The check...
Tea: Yes?
Todd: You have to take it because...because...
[Todd pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath, forcing himself to speak.]
Todd: ...because of my mother.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
chapter 141:
Tea: I don't understand. What could this check possibly have to do with your mother?
Todd: I gave you the reason. Now, take the check and let's not talk about it anymore.
[Todd begins to stand up. Tea places her arm in front of him to stop him.]
Tea: Wait. I need more.
Todd: It's never enough for you, is it? I spill my guts and you always want more.
Tea: I want something that makes sense, Todd. You want me to accept three million dollars from you because of your mother. Why?
Todd: Just because, Tea, isn't that enough?
Tea: No. I need to understand. Help me understand.
[Todd leans his head against the wall behind him. Tea knows that he doesn't want to delve further into his reasoning for needing her to take the money but she feels that she needs to understand.]
Tea: Todd, you don't have to go into a lot of detail...
Todd (standing up): Great! Let's get out of here.
Tea: I do need a little bit more detail, though.
[Todd's posture noticeably slumps.]
Tea: Do you think I won't understand? Do you think if you tell me whatever this is that it will change something between us?
Todd: You'd stick around, right?
[Tea rises and approaches Todd but stays outside of his personal space.]
Tea: I want to be with you. You know that. There is nothing that you could tell me about your childhood that would change my feelings for you.
Todd: I don't know about that.
Tea: What is it, Todd? What could be so horrible that you think I would walk away from you because of it?
Todd: It's more like you'd run screaming.
Tea: I won't.
Todd: It's not pretty.
Tea: I know that.
[There is a long silence as they both stare intently at each other.
Tea walks back over to the steps and sits down again. Todd slowly approaches her and sits beside her.]
Tea: Tell me about your mother.
Todd: What do you want to know?
Tea: What was she like?
Todd: I don't know. She was like a mom...I guess...sometimes...whatever that means.
Tea: My mother...before she left... What I remember the most, I think, are her hugs. She would just hold onto me, sometimes for several minutes. Did your mom like to hug you?
Todd: She did that sometimes...when Peter wasn't around.
Tea: He didn't allow hugging?
Todd: He didn't want me to grow up soft. He wanted me to be a man.
Tea: Men hug.
Todd: If you say so.
Tea: I know that you know that because you hug Starr.
Todd: Yeah, well, she's a little girl.
Tea: And you were a little boy.
Todd: If you're looking for warm and fuzzy stories, you're out of luck. I didn't have that kind of childhood.
Tea: Tell me why you want me to accept that check from you and what it has to do with your mother.
chapter 142:
Todd: She wasn't very happy.
Tea: Your mother?
Todd: I don't blame her, really. She was married to a guy who was an even worse husband that me, if you can believe that.
Tea: Being married to you wasn't all bad.
Todd: Yeah, it was. I was there, remember?
Tea: Then you must also remember the talks we had, the comfort you gave me when I was hurting, the encouragement you gave me to be proud of who I was, the laughter...
Todd: I don't remember any of that.
Tea: I know that's not true.
Todd: Okay, maybe there were about forty seconds when things were okay.
Tea (smiling): They were a great forty seconds. The best forty seconds of my life.
Todd: Most of it was lousy.
Tea: Seriously, some of it was lousy...some of it was horrible...painful...
Todd: Exactly.
Tea: But some of it, a lot more than forty seconds worth, has been really wonderful, Todd. I want more good times with you.
Todd: But, what if what you get is just more of the lousy stuff?
Tea: I'm counting on you to...
Todd (interrupting): That's a mistake. That's a stupid mistake.
Tea: Why?
Todd: Because...I'm my father.
Tea: No, you're not.
Todd: Pretend all you want but that bastard is inside of me. He's like a monster that eats away at my insides. He won't just let it be enough that he hurts me, he'll go after you too.
Tea: You can control that monster. I've seen you do it.
Todd: You've also seen me lose it. If I could have protected my mother I would have. I tried.
Tea: You were a little boy, Todd. It wasn't your job to protect your mother from your father's brutality.
Todd: Yes, it was. She didn't have anyone else. I let her down.
Tea: No, you didn't.
[Tea recognizes that she'll probably never be able to convince Todd that protecting his mother wasn't his responsibility.]
Tea: Todd, did you ever physically try to stop your father from hurting your mother?
Todd: Sure. When I was young and stupid.
Tea: What happened?
Todd: He lost it even worse. He hurt her even more. She got angry with me. She told me never to do that again.
Tea: Did you stop trying to help?
Todd: No. I just had to get sneakier about it. I knew that she was right, that it would just make it worse if he knew I was trying to protect her so I had to do it in a way that he wouldn't figure it out.
Tea: How?
Todd: When he would start going off on her I would distract him. I'd drop something, break something, anything that would make him angry at me so he'd come after me and leave her alone.
Tea: Did it work?
Todd: Sometimes. He had a lot of anger, enough to nail both of us with when he wanted to. He would hurt me and then he'd still hurt her most of the time but maybe he hurt her a little less because he already got his thrills doing stuff to me.
Tea: That was very brave, Todd.
Todd: Eventually, she got away...left me behind...but at least she got away.
Tea: Do you know why she didn't take you with her?
chapter 143:
Todd: If you had a chance to get away and leave me behind, wouldn't you?
Tea: No.
Todd: You're just saying that now because of what I did for you earlier. You could find someone else who would do that.
Tea: No, I couldn't. No one else touches me the way you do. I don't just mean physically. There's something about you that touches me in a way that I want to be touched, on a level so deep it scares me sometimes but now that I've felt it I want to keep feeling it. I've had orgasms with other men...
Todd: Oh, I really don't want to hear about this.
Tea: Never have I known anyone who could fill my heart or break it with just a brief look, the way you can.
Todd: But, isn't that more of a reason for you to get out? Wouldn't it be better to be with someone that doesn't matter, where you don't feel anything? Feeling stuff sucks.
Tea: But it can also be good, can't it?
Todd: Never has been for me...not for long, anyway. Things always fall apart and if you were stupid enough to feel something...expect something...then you just feel stomped on.
Tea: I know what that feels like...we've broken up enough times.
Todd: That doesn't count.
Tea: Why?
Todd: We never actually ended things.
Tea: I'm pretty sure we did.
Todd: Nope.
Tea: Then what was all that time we spent painfully apart?
Todd: A break.
Tea: Exactly. We broke up.
Todd: No, we took a break. We didn't end it.
Tea: Then, what would ending it be?
Todd: When neither of us even wants to try anymore.
Tea: I see.
Todd: So...Tea...we did the blabbing thing...are you taking the check or what?
Tea: What exactly is it for?
Todd (standing up quickly): Oh, forget it. I put myself through that and you weren't even paying attention.
Tea: Yes, I was. I'm just wondering what specifically you were expecting me to do with the money.
Todd: Get away from me.
Tea: Not right now, though, right?
Todd: No. When you need to.
Tea: And, when would that be?
Todd: You'll know.
Tea: You know, Todd, I don't need your money. I'm a lawyer. I have my own source of income. I'll support myself just fine.
Todd: It's not for that.
Tea: Then, what?
Todd: It's not for paying rent or buying food or that kind of stuff. It's for when things get really bad and you need to disappear. I have millions to spend to track you down so you need millions to make sure I can't find you.
Tea: You're planning ahead so you can protect me from yourself?
Todd: Basically.
Tea: You could make sure that things never get to that point.
Todd: I'll try. I need to know that if it does get bad that you won't keep sticking around trying to save me. Let me self-destruct. Save yourself instead.
Tea: It's not guaranteed that it will happen, Todd.
Todd: But it could. It could happen to anyone, really. Some people probably think they're above it...that they would never lose control or hit bottom but they're just stupid. I'm not. I've seen it. I know it could happen to me...well, happen again, I guess. When it does happen, I don't want it to hurt you. So, you take the money and put it somewhere safe so that you can get to it when you need it and then you disappear and don't look back.
Tea (correcting him): Not when...if.
Todd: So, you'll take the money?
Tea: I'll take the money. I am counting on you, though, to fight that monster inside yourself. I've been without you, Todd, and I didn't enjoy it.
Todd: The sex is that good?
Tea: The sex is great...and so are the moments like this when you actually talk to me and let me know what's going on with you...when you share with me.
Todd: Sharing sucks.
Tea: Sharing helps us grow stronger.
Todd: It doesn't really feel that way.
Tea: I know talking about things can make you feel vulnerable and that can be uncomfortable but I promise it's a good thing.
Todd: I don't feel like talking anymore.
Tea: Let's go back upstairs and eat. You can't talk while your mouth is stuffed full of food.
Todd: That's never stopped me before.
Tea: Don't I know it.
chapter 144:
[Todd and Tea silently walk back up the stairs, toward the penthouse. When Todd opens the stairwell door on their floor he's surprised to see Viki getting off the elevator. Tea, not expecting Todd to stop so suddenly, bumps into him.]
Tea: Todd...
[Todd closes the door so it's only open a crack and peaks through the slight opening, waiting for Viki to return to the elevator and leave.]
Tea (instinctively whispering): What is it?
Todd (also whispering): Viki.
Tea: Then why are we standing here?
Todd: Just keep quiet until she's gone.
[They both stand there quietly. Tea takes advantage of the situation and keeps her body pressed against Todd's, pretending that she's also trying to look through the door opening but really just enjoying being physically close to Todd.
Finally, Viki returns to the elevator, clearly disappointed that no one answered the door at the penthouse. Todd feels bad since he knows that avoiding his sister is hurting her but he knows that he's not ready to face her yet after all of the things they discussed at her cabin.
As the elevator doors close, with Viki inside, Todd pulls open the door leading out of the stairwell and steps away from Tea's body as he quickly walks toward the penthouse.
When Tea catches up to him inside the penthouse he is already pacing.]
Tea: I'll get lunch ready.
Todd: Forget it.
Tea: Todd, don't do this. Don't push me away because of whatever is going on between you and Viki or because of what we talked about in that stairwell.
Todd: What makes you think this has anything to do with Viki or whatever we were talking about? Maybe I just don't feel like trying to choke down your cooking right now.
[Tea laughs at the painful realization.]
Tea: You can't do it, can you? You can't allow us to have even one close emotional moment without instantly distancing yourself. (her own hurt and anger coming out) Well, go ahead. Why don't you just take off, huh? Let's see...last time you disappeared for a day. What will it be this time? Two days? A week? Just go ahead and do it. I'm having lunch.
[Tea storms into the kitchen. Less than a minute later she hears the front door slam. A handful of lettuce hits the kitchen wall a few seconds later.
As Tea cleans up her mess, she determines that she won't seek him out this time. He'll have to come back to her without any prodding. She also won't wait around for his return this time, either.
Within minutes, Tea can feel her resolve fading as she finds herself staring at the telephone. She has a tremendous urge to call her former sister-in-law and find out what Todd talked to Viki about that has him so determined to avoid her. Maybe if she knew she could help him deal with it.
Tea finally places a dish towel over the kitchen phone and continues preparing her meal. She makes enough in case Todd returns even though she knows that he won't...at least not for this meal and possibly not for the next six or seven meals.
After eating lunch, Tea returns to the living room and isn't surprised to find Todd still gone. She is, however, surprised to find the check Todd had tried to give her earlier, lying on the coffee table. She determines that it's a sign from Todd that he does plan to come back and still wants her to take the money so he'll feel safer about her being with him.
The hope that he will be returning doesn't fully eliminate the emptiness of knowing that Todd will probably avoid her for a while...possibly days...but at least it does give her hope.
Tea wonders if there will ever be a time when she and Todd can connect emotionally without him needing to leave.]
chapter 145:
After leaving the penthouse, Todd drives around for a while, uncertain what to do or where to go. He can't go to Viki to talk about Tea and he can't go to Tea to talk about Viki. Finally, he realizes who he needs to talk to.
Todd waits outside Starr's school for the end of her school day to finally come. When he spots Starr's latest nanny arriving to pick Starr up, he approaches her car and informs her that he'll be spending the afternoon with his daughter. The nanny protests that she can't allow Starr to go with him without permission from her boss first.
The nanny takes out her cell phone and calls Blair. Todd grabs the phone away from her. After haggling with his ex-wife for several minutes, she finally agrees to Starr spending the next several days at the penthouse.
After finishing his conversation with Blair, Todd tosses the phone back at the nanny and walks back to his car and leans against it, waiting for his daughter. The nanny drives away after being reassured by Blair that she can have the upcoming weekend off.
Todd checks his watch every thirty seconds, impatiently waiting, tempted to storm into the school and take Starr out of class early. After an impossibly long wait...almost four minutes...children finally begin flooding out of the school.
When Starr sees Todd she immediately rushes to him and hugs him, surprised to find her father waiting for her.
Hours later...
Todd and Starr arrive at the penthouse after having spent hours together, first picking up some extra clothes for Starr and then eating fast food together and playing games at an arcade.
As he enters the penthouse, Todd hesitates, uncertain about the situation with Tea. He bellows out her name several times with no response. As Starr goes to her room to unpack, Todd searches the penthouse to see if Tea was just ignoring him or if she really isn't there. While in her bedroom, he checks to make sure her clothes are still there...they are. He feels reassured that she'll return but still concerned about where she is.
More time passes and Todd allows Starr to stay up later than normal to watch a video they had rented. They eat junk food while Todd makes fun of the silly movie Starr is forcing him to watch. Starr laughs at her father almost as much as she does at the film.
Finally, the film ends, to Todd's relief, and Starr prepares for bed. Todd spends some time with his daughter, talking to her, before he leaves her to fall asleep.
Returning to the living room, Todd sits on the couch for several hours, staring at the front door, wanting to know where Tea is but refusing to make any effort to find out. He won't have people laughing at him for calling around town looking for his ex-wife...lover...whatever she is...especially when she's probably...
Todd tries to force the thoughts out of his mind of what Tea could be doing...without him...with some other guy...
Finally, after midnight, Tea returns home and is shocked to find Todd stretched out on the couch, a look of contempt on his face.
Tea takes a few steps further into the apartment and tosses her keys on the desk, ready to do battle with an obviously seething Todd.
chapter 146:
Tea (surprised and happy): You're here. You came home.
Todd (angrily): Yeah, I'm here. Where were you? What the hell were you doing this late at night? Maybe I should ask...Who the hell were you doing?
[Tea stares at Todd. She was pleasantly surprised that he didn't stay away for days like she thought he would but now his anger is spreading very quickly within herself.]
Tea: How dare you?
Todd (jumping up from the sofa): How dare you, Tea? I don't do what you want so you go out and find some other guy the second I step out of the penthouse for a few minutes.
Tea: A few minutes? The last time you took off it was for more than a day. The time before that you were late for dinner...by eight hours.
Todd: So?
Tea: Don't you dare get angry at me for taking some time to myself when I didn't have any reason to think that you would even be here tonight.
Todd: Time to yourself, huh? You really expect me to believe that you were all alone...this late at night...(gesturing to her outfit)...dressed like that?
Tea: I'm not dressed any differently than I normally dress.
Todd: That skirt's kind of short, don't you think?
Tea: You never had any problem with my dressing like this before.
Todd: I bet the guy you were with didn't have a problem with it either. Who was it? Andrew? Sykes? Kevin? R.J.? How many guys do you have lined up now to take my place whenever I don't do whatever the hell it is that you want me to do?
Tea: You don't know what you're talking about.
Todd: You pretend like you give a damn about me and then you start boffing anyone you can find with the right equipment.
Tea: Shut up! I will not allow you to continue to talk to me that way. You don't know where I was.
Todd: Well, where the hell were you?
Tea: Why should I tell you now? You left, walked out on me again. I didn't know when, or if, you'd be back. Now, I come home and you instantly start insulting me. You don't ask me politely how I spent my evening. You don't apologize for hurting me by pushing me away and walking out on me.
Todd: Why should I apologize? I'm not sorry.
Tea: Typical, Todd.
Todd: You don't have any excuse this time either because I was right here all night long. You can't give me any garbage about how I abandoned you and how that makes it okay for you get nailed by whatever guy with a hammer came your way.
Tea: Speaking of getting hammered, how many of those have you had tonight?
Todd (taking another drink from the beer bottle in his hand): Not enough.
[Todd drinks the rest of the liquid from the bottle and goes into the kitchen to get another. Tea follows him and takes the new bottle from him after he's opened it but before he can drink from it. Todd watches as she takes a generous amount of the liquid into her own mouth and swallows.]
Todd: You planning on getting drunk?
Tea: Why not...you are.
Todd: No, I'm not.
Tea: That's not how it looks to me.
Todd: Starr's upstairs.
Tea: What? Why didn't you tell me? What if she heard us?
Todd: She's out for the night.
Tea: But what if she woke up and heard us? You should have told me she was here as soon as I walked in.
Todd: Why? She's my kid...not yours.
Tea: Believe me, I'm quite aware of that, Todd.
[Todd's anger softens a bit as he sees the sad expression on Tea's face. Todd takes the bottle from Tea and takes a drink from it. They both stand in the kitchen watching each other, neither certain what to do, or say, next.]
chapter 147:
Todd (trying to force his voice to sound calm): So, uh, where were you?
[Tea studies Todd's face carefully for several moments, trying to decide if she should try to speak in a civil manner to him or allow her anger to continue speaking for her.]
Tea (taking a seat at the table): Carlotta's.
Todd: Liar.
Tea: Would you like to call her and check up on me?
Todd: What's her number?
Tea: Forget it, Todd. Either you trust me or you don't.
Todd: Oh, great. Here we go again. You screw some guy and I'm supposed to trust you.
Tea: The only guy I screwed today is you, you jerk. Well, we didn't actually...
Todd: I know what we did this morning. I also know that Carlotta's diner isn't open this late so you better come up with another cover story.
Tea: I was at Carlotta's house, not her diner.
Todd: Nice save.
Tea: It's the truth. I wasn't with any other man, unless you count Antonio Banderas.
Todd: Carlotta's kid bared his ass?
Tea: It's the name of an actor, Todd.
Todd: Never heard of him.
Tea: Well, maybe if you broadened your cinematic endeavors beyond those old horror films you like so much and watched some more modern films...
Todd: I did that tonight with Starr. It was horrible. The video is still in the living room. Maybe you should watch it as your punishment.
Tea: I promise you, Todd, I wasn't with another man. I wasn't doing anything inappropriate. I was at Carlotta's house, watching a film for the last few hours.
Todd: Last few hours, huh? What about before then?
Tea: You're not going to stop being paranoid, are you?
Todd: It's worked for me so far.
Tea: I disagree.
Todd: So where were you before you went to Carlotta's? Here?
Tea: No. I was here for a while after you stormed out but then....
Todd (interrupting): Wait. You're the one who stormed out. You threw that little fit in the living room and stormed out, remember?
Tea: But, I stormed into this kitchen. I didn't rush out the penthouse door like you did.
Todd: I didn't rush...I walked normally. So, you were here for a while and then...
Tea: Do you really need to know the details of my day?
Todd: Yes.
Tea: Fine. Sit down and I'll tell you how I spent my day.
Todd: I'm fine where I am.
Tea: Todd, let's just try to pretend that we're having a civil conversation, okay? We can pretend that we're a normal couple discussing our day over drinks in the evening.
Todd: I tried that a long time ago, remember? That and jigsaw puzzles. It didn't work.
Tea: Because, it wasn't real. It wasn't us.
Todd: It was the only way I knew how to do normal. I didn't learn it growing up, you know?
Tea: I know. Neither did I. We need to find it on our own, not by copying how Mr. Briggs and his wife do it.
Todd (sitting down at the table): Viki and Sam tried to shove their ideas of normal on me, too. I never understood what they were talking about.
[Tea places her hand lightly over Todd's as it rests on the table. He's tempted to pull it away but resists.]
Tea: We'll find our own way to make this work...our own way of having a relationship.
Todd: I kind of liked the way we had it before where I told you what to do and you did it.
Tea: That was never our relationship.
Todd: I was your employer, remember?
Tea: That was a business deal...this is a relationship.
Todd: But, it was easier back then, wasn't it?
Tea: We can't go back. If we're going to go forward we need more trust and more behavior that encourages trust.
Todd: Does that mean you have to tell me where you were?
chapter 148:
Tea: I have no problem telling you where I was, Todd. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow, though.
Todd: Why? I'm not too tired to do this now.
Tea: It might be better that we wait until Starr's visit is over.
Todd: That won't be until the end of the weekend.
Tea: Oh, really? That's great.
Todd: So, where were you?
Tea: Are you sure you want me to tell you now? I was hoping we could...uh...celebrate...after I told you.
Todd: No celebrating...like that...when Starr's here.
Tea: I know. So, can we schedule some time to...celebrate...Sunday night...all night?
Todd: Sure...I guess. I still don't know what we'd be celebrating.
Tea: Well, just going that long without...
Todd: Yeah, I get what you're saying. You have a hard time resisting me.
Tea: Actually, I do.
Todd: I'll be sure to lock my door tonight.
Tea (smiling): You may have to.
Todd: So, what would we be celebrating, besides just having survived that long without...well...doing that?
Tea (getting up from the table): I'll be right back.
[Tea leaves the kitchen. Todd starts to take another drink from the bottle of beer but changes his mind and walks to the sink and dumps it out instead.]
Tea (returning): You're done drinking for the night?
Todd: Were you with any other guys today?
Tea: No, I wasn't. I'm not interested in being with anyone but you.
Todd: So, what were you doing?
Tea (handing him a legal document): Here.
Todd: You couldn't have spent your day divorcing me again. One of the benefits of not being married to you is that you don't get to divorce me anymore. Are you suing me?
Tea: Read it.
Todd: It's late and this was written by a lawyer who uses too many words. Just tell me what it says.
Tea: It says that Kelly Cramer no longer owns 49% of The Sun.
Todd: You got my newspaper back for me?
Tea: Well, uh, not quite.
Todd: I'll be able to get Blair's shares from her, no problem.
Tea: Are you sure about that? You wouldn't have to...
Todd: What? (realizing what she's thinking) Why would you even think that?
Tea: You worry about me being with other men why can't I worry about you?
Todd: Because it's me. Women beat down my door to get out, not in.
Tea: Well, during the next couple of days, I may be beating down your door to get in, Todd.
[Todd becomes uncomfortable with the look of desire in Tea's eyes.]
Todd: I think it's time for bed.
Tea: Great idea.
Todd: You go to your bed. I'm going to mine.
Tea (moving closer to him): Could we at least kiss goodnight?
Todd: I don't think that's a good idea.
Tea: Why?
Todd: It might lead to...other stuff.
Tea: And, that would be a bad thing?
Todd: Why are you doing this?
Tea: Because I want to be with you tonight. We don't have to do anything that you're not comfortable with. We could just be together...talking...kissing...sharing a certain closeness.
Todd: I'm not comfortable with any of that.
Tea (disappointed): Right. Well, goodnight.
[Tea leaves the kitchen. Todd knows what Tea wants and he feels certain that he can't give it to her, not just because Starr is spending the night but more because of himself.]
chapter 149:
[More than an hour later...
Tea is lying in bed, missing Todd too much to sleep. She doesn't just miss the way it feels to make love to him but also the way it feels just to be physically close to him. She wants to smell his cologne and listen to his breathing. She wants to feel his arm draped across her body or maybe rest the side of her face on his chest. She wants to feel what it's like to be held by him for more than just a few minutes...to know what it feels like to share his personal space when it's about more than just sex.
Tea rolls over onto her side and closes her eyes, trying to force herself to sleep.
A few moments later, Tea hears her door slowly opening. She knows instantly that it's Todd. She soon realizes that she'll at least have one of her desires fulfilled tonight as she smells his cologne as he kneels down on the floor next to her bed.
Todd stares at her in the dark for a moment before his hand reaches up and lightly moves across her cheek.]
Todd: You're awake.
Tea (opening her eyes): How did you know?
Todd: I'm not going deaf from the snoring.
Tea: Very funny.
Todd: Why aren't you asleep?
Tea: Why aren't you?
Todd: I never sleep.
Tea: Neither do I.
Todd: That's not true. I've seen you do it enough times.
Tea: But it's not easy for me, Todd. I think it might be, though, if you would lie down next to me.
[Todd removes his hand and quickly stands up and leaves her room.
Tea fights back the tears. She didn't intend to scare him away. She was just being honest with him about what she wants...what she needs.
Suddenly, Todd bursts into the room again, closing and locking the door behind him.]
Todd: I'm not spending the whole night here so don't get it into your head that I am.
[Tea sits up, facing him. Todd stands by the door, uncertain about his next move now that he's here, alone with Tea in her bedroom.]
Tea: Did you want to watch me sleep for a while?
Todd: I can't. You're not asleep.
Tea: I could try. You could help me.
Todd: This was a stupid idea. I shouldn't have come in here.
Tea: Then why did you? And, why did you lock the door?
Todd: I didn't lock the door.
Tea: I heard it.
Todd: Maybe it locked itself.
Tea: Right. Do you want me to lie back down the way I was when you first came in?
[Todd is silent. He knows what he wants but he's hesitant to act on that desire.]
chapter 150:
Tea: What do you want, Todd?
[Todd is silent for almost a minute as he stands by the door, staring at Tea. When he finally speaks, his voice is barely above a whisper.]
Todd: You.
[Tea isn't quite certain if she heard him correctly. She wonders if perhaps her desire for him has affected her hearing.]
Tea: Did you just say...
Todd: Yeah.
Tea: Did you mean...
Todd: Yeah.
[Todd turns toward the door.]
Todd: I'll see you tomorrow.
Tea: Wait.
Todd (still facing the door): Tea...
Tea: Todd, you don't have to go. If we both want...
Todd: But we can't.
Tea: We could.
Todd: No.
Tea: Or, we could...
Todd: You know that I can't.
Tea: We could try. I want to. I want you to stay here with me tonight.
Todd: If it were that easy for me, don't you think we would have already been doing that? Do you really think that I prefer sleeping on the couch alone?
Tea: Come over here and try with me. If it doesn't work out...
Todd (interrupting): It won't. It can't.
Tea: Why?
[Todd doesn't speak, uncertain himself why he can't share a bed with Tea when it's what they both want and need.]
Tea: Tell me how you feel about me.
Todd: You already know.
Tea: I need to hear it.
[Todd turns back around and faces Tea again. Slowly he walks toward her until he is standing beside her bed. Tea positions her body so she's sitting directly in front of him, her legs on either side of his. Her hands gently caress the sides of his legs.
Todd's hands reach out for her and tilt her face up. He leans over and kisses her mouth. Tea reclines back onto the bed, bringing Todd's lips, and the rest of his body, with her.
As Todd's body presses down on her, Tea's legs wrapped around him, pulling him tightly against her.
They kiss for several minutes...their tongues exploring.
Todd finally ends their kissing and they both try to catch their breath. Tea keeps her hold on Todd, not wanting to lose the feeling of his body against hers.]
Todd: Tea, you're really not being fair here.
Tea: How am I not being fair?
[Tea kisses his chin. Her tongue extends and slides across his skin toward his lips.]
Todd: Uh...
[Todd can't resist and gives into his desire to kiss her again. Several minutes later, he again ends their kissing.]
Todd: Your legs are wrapped around me pretty tight.
Tea: Is that unfair?
[Tea releases her legs from his body but instead of her shift in position lessening his passion, it increases it. Todd wishes there were no clothing between them as he grinds himself into her. They kiss again as his hand moves down her leg to the bottom of her nightgown. His hand slowly moves back up her leg under the garment until he suddenly stops kissing her, rolls to the side and sits up next to Tea on the bed.]
Todd: See? You're being unfair.
Tea (innocently): Me?
Todd: Yeah, you. No fair getting me all...
[Tea sits up next to him and whispers in his ear.]
Tea: Excited?
Todd: A decent person wouldn't do that to another person when that other person can't do anything about it.
Tea: I hate to point this out to you because I really don't want you to stop what you're doing but you are the one who has his hand on my leg...under my nightgown...and...uh...my leg isn't all that you're touching.
Todd: You really can be cruel sometimes, Delgado.
Tea: Todd, do you want to continue this? Because, I know I'd like to. I really like what your hand is doing and I would love to do more but if you really don't want to tonight then maybe...
[Tea stops speaking as she feels Todd's fingers move aside her underwear. She clamps her mouth down on his shoulder to keep herself from screaming in ecstasy.]
to be continued...
