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| REACHING OUT BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 1 |
chapter 1:
[Todd Manning's penthouse...
The phone rings several times, unanswered. The answering machine activates and a gruff voice informs callers not to waste their time leaving a message since the owner of the answering machine has no interest in calling them back.
After the pre-recorded message finishes and an annoying beep is activated, laughter fills the spacious living room of the penthouse, before the caller calms down and begins to leave a message.]
Tea Delgado Manning: Thank you, Todd. I'm sure when you made that message your intent wasn't to entertain, but I needed to laugh so much right now. Thank you for helping me. You always could make me laugh, couldn't you, Manning? It's good to know that at least a few things in life never change. Most things do, don't they? I'm sorry. I'm sure that my voice is probably the last one you want to hear as you stand near your desk going through the day's pile of mail, tossing anything that doesn't interest you into the nearby trash can, without opening it. I miss that. Isn't that silly? I miss watching you go through your mail. I miss a lot of things about you, about our time together. You probably don't believe that, do you? No, I'm certain that you don't. You never did believe how much I enjoyed our time together. Not all of it, certainly, but so much of it. You must be wondering why I'm calling. You're probably standing there tapping your fingers on the desk, telling me to hurry up and get to the point. I am calling for a reason. It isn't because I want anything, so stop scowling. [The sound of Tea sniffing fill a lull as she stops talking for a moment.] I should just say it, right? Just get to the point so you'll stop rubbing your forehead, worried that it's something bad. It is bad, certainly, but not really, not for me. I'm one of the lucky ones. [The sound of Tea sniffing is again heard for several seconds.] There was an accident. Maybe you'll already have heard about it by the time you hear this message. Oh, that's right, I heard that you were back at the newspaper again. I'm so happy for you, Todd. I know how much that paper always meant to you. As the editor, you probably have access to information that I don't right now. I haven't really asked much, though. It's too fresh right now, you know? Of course, even with all of the information that your staff has gathered, I know things that they don't know. I know the sounds. I know the smells. I know the fear. I guess I should just come right out and say the words, shouldn't I? It's hard, though, you're the first person I'll be saying it out loud to. They're just words, though, right?
[There is a long pause. The pause is so long the answering machine mistakes it for the caller ending the conversation and disconnects the call.
Moments later, the phone again rings, the answering machine again answers, and the caller again laughs at Todd's rude message that tries to prevent anyone from wanting to leave a message.]
Tea: That message of yours... Don't be surprised if you get some hang-ups in the near future. I may be calling from time to time just to hear that message again. Your machine rudely disconnected me a minute ago. I guess it mistook my hesitancy to say what happened as an indication that I was through speaking. I remember several times that you took a pause in my speaking as reason enough to leave the room, even though you knew I wasn't finished talking to you yet. I guess I shouldn't expect anything different from your machine, should I? Okay. This time, I'll just say it. I won't give your machine a chance to hang up on me again. The airplane I was on crashed. [The sound of Tea sniffing is again heard.] Don't hang up. [This time the sound of Tea blowing her nose is heard.] I'm not through talking. [There is another slight pause.] Okay. I think I'm okay now. I had to blow my nose but I didn't want to be disconnected again. I'm doing okay, if you're worried about me. I hope you are. I don't mean that I hope you're worried. Well, I suppose that is what I hope, but not because I want you to worry. Oh, I hope you know what I mean. My head feels lousy and I'm in no shape to explain myself to you right now. You're probably pacing right now, wondering why I'm calling you at all. I don't know why. Or, maybe I do. They asked me who I wanted to call to tell that I was okay and the first person I thought of was you. I don't know if you would have ever known that I was even on that plane. If you did hear that I was, I don't know if you would have cared. [There is a slight pause again.] I think you would have. Wouldn't you? I know that I would care if anything happened to you, despite everything. I'll always care, no matter what happens, no matter where either of us is in our lives and no matter how much time passes without us seeing each other. I'll always care about you. I want you to know that. With the way things ended between us, I didn't have the chance to tell you that. You weren't in the mood to hear it the last time we saw each other, anyway. And, frankly, I wasn't in the mood to say it. But, I can say it now. And, I truly mean it. I care so much about you, Todd. I want you to have whatever it is that you're looking for in your life. I want you to have love, and laughter, and kindness, and joy, and everything else that you deserve. I'm sure right now you're trying to argue with me, or is it yourself, that you don't need any of those things. But, you do, Todd. If you've found them with someone else, I'm happy for you. If you haven't, I hope you find them soon. I had wanted to be the one to give them to you and, when I'm honest with myself, I suppose a part of me still wants to be the one that you allow in, that you allow to have that access that I always so wanted to your heart. You do have one, so don't even bother trying to argue right now that you don't. It's me, remember? I've seen that great big heart of yours. For a time, I felt... You don't want me to travel back into that right now, do you? I'll just get all sappy and sentimental and you always did hate that, or at least you pretended that you did. Really, I just called to let you know that I'll be okay. If it were you in the hospital, I would want to hear from you and know that you were okay. I always want to know that, Todd. I'm not angry about anything anymore. I forgive you. [The sound of Tea's laughter again fills the room.] I know you. Right now, you're probably insisting that there was nothing for me to forgive because you did nothing wrong. Well, I forgive you, Todd Manning, so you'll just have to deal with knowing that. I hope you forgive me, too. I hope your anger at me has been replaced by something better, something that allows you to remember me fondly. That's how I always think of you now. I won't give you a phone number to call me. I don't want you to feel obligated to do so, not that you would anyway. I just won't, okay. If you really wanted to talk to me, we both know that you would find a way to reach me. It's okay if you don't want to, it really is. I understand. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that I was okay, just in case you heard what happened to me. I didn't want you to worry. And, I guess I needed to hear your voice, which I guess I have thanks to that message on your machine. [Tea's laughter is again heard.] Do me one favor. Never change the outgoing message on your machine. I think I just may need to hear it again in the coming weeks while I recuperate. Take care, Todd. If you haven't yet, let go of the bitterness and remember me with love. That's how I remember you. Adios.
[The penthouse fills with quiet again. Moments later, the only occupant of the penthouse, approaches the desk where the answering machine is located. The occupant's finger reaches toward the erase button and firmly presses against it, eliminating all evidence that Tea Delgado Manning ever called.]
to be continued...
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