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CHAPTER 17 |
PREVIOUSLY:
[Tea again looks away. She realizes that she may have an opportunity to get rid of Todd for good. She's torn. She wants to push him away. She wants to push anyone away who may show any genuine concern, or affection, for her. She doesn't want to hurt him, though. She doesn't want to encourage him to think the worst of himself, like he often seems to want to.]
Todd: I'm alone now, too. We could be alone...together.
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chapter 17:
[Tea returns her gaze to his eyes.]
Tea: You're not alone. You have so many people that care about you.
Todd: Name one.
Tea: Starr.
Todd: She's not speaking to me. Well, she is, but only to yell at me, and tell me how much she hates me for screwing everything up.
Tea: Because you didn't marry Blair again?
Todd: See? You were concerned about Starr, instead of jealous of Blair, and you could say her name.
Tea: Let's stick to discussing Starr. I think we both would prefer that.
Todd: I already told you, Starr hates me. There's nothing more to discuss.
Tea: Why do you think she hates you?
Todd: I don't think it, I know it.
Tea: That can't be true. I remember how much she adored you. There's no way that I would ever believe that she could ever hate you. You need to go back and work on whatever problems you're having.
Todd: She doesn't want me anywhere near her. She told me that I should...
[Todd stops speaking and again stands up, realizing that he was too close to revealing something to Tea that he doesn't want her to know.]
Todd: When did you say the grub was getting here?
Tea: What did she tell you?
[Todd stands near the window and opens the curtain, staring out at nothing in particular, wishing that time would speed up and dawn would come, hoping that Tea would get distracted by daily activities and stop questioning him, although he knows that she wouldn't. He knows that he's already revealed so much, she'll keep pushing until he reveals everything. He considers lying to her. He knows that he could make up a story to satisfy her curiosity, to keep from having to hurt her with the truth.]
Tea: Maybe if you told me, I could help you. It might help having a new perspective on whatever the problem is.
Todd: You don't want to know this, Delgado. Just trust me on that. You don't want to know this.
Tea: Why? Because, it involves...
Todd: No, it doesn't involve Blair. It does, but it doesn't.
Tea: Whatever it is, you can tell me.
Todd: It would hurt you. You're already hurting so much. You don't want to know this, too. Just let it drop. We'll just do this alone, just you and me.
[There is a long silence as Todd continues staring out the window and Tea watches him, wondering what it could be that he thinks would hurt her so much.]
Tea: Have you spoken to Starr since you came here?
Todd: She told me not to bother going back.
[Tea's eyes begin to fill with tears as she realizes what Todd didn't want to tell her.]
Tea: I thought it was Blair. I thought for sure it was her. Who else could it have been? No one else would have had the motive necessary to be so cruel. I just wanted you to know that I was okay. And, I wanted you to...
Todd: You wanted me to come. Even if you didn't say that in your messages, we both know that deep down that's what you wanted. Starr knew it, too. That didn't fit into her plans.
[Tea's crying increases. The pain of knowing Starr was the one who erased the phone messages that she left for Todd after the plane crash, is overwhelming for her. She feels like she had already lost so much and now she realizes that she has lost Starr, too. Even though she hadn't been allowed to be a part of her former step-daughter's life for several years, she had always held a special place in her heart for the little girl she had come to love so dearly while married to Todd. It hurts her to realize that she clearly doesn't hold a similar special place in Starr's heart.
Todd turns toward Tea again as he hears her crying increase.]
Todd: Tea...
Tea: Go away.
[Tea places her hands over her face, wanting to hide her tears from his view. Even more now, she wishes her heart would stop. If it would just stop beating, it would stop hurting.
Todd slowly moves toward her, wanting to comfort her, but feeling like he doesn't know how.]
Todd: Tea...
[Todd cautiously sits on the edge of her bed. He feels horrible for causing her more pain. He knew that he should have kept this from her. He knew that it would hurt her. The realization of the depth of her pain, though, surprises him.]
Todd: Tea... I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Just tell me and I'll do it.
[Tea finally moves her hands away from her face.]
Tea: I thought she loved me.
[Todd reaches for a nearby tissue box. He uses a tissue to wipe at the tears on her cheeks.]
Todd: She did love you.
Tea: Not anymore. No one... Everyone...
[Tea bursts into tears again. Todd doesn't have to wonder what to do, as Tea leans forward and pushes her face into his shoulder. His arms reach around her and hold her tightly. He knows that she's feeling like she's lost everyone who loves her. He wants her to know that she hasn't, that she'll always be loved as long as he's around.]
Todd: I love you, Tea.
to be continued...
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