The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
| REACHING OUT BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 26 |
PREVIOUSLY:
Del: Come on, Manning, we'll find you some ice for that big bruise I gave you.
Todd: Like you could punch someone hard enough to leave a bruise.
[Tea watches as her brother and ex-husband exit the room together. She hopes that they'll at least be civil with each other but dreads the idea that they could become friendly, especially if either of them reveals things to the other that she'd prefer they not know.]
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chapter 26:
[Minutes later, Del knocks on his sister's closed door.]
Tea: Come in.
[Del enters the room. Tea immediately wonders why Todd is no longer with him.]
Tea: What did you do with Todd?
Del: Are you hoping I convinced him to return to the mainland?
Tea: If I haven't been able to, I know you could never achieve that.
Del: So, you do want him to leave, but he won't?
[Tea doesn't respond.]
Del: I can't believe you would want him back after everything he's put you through.
Tea: I never said that I was getting back together with him.
Del: But, that is what he wants, isn't it? That's why he came?
Tea: I guess.
Del: He told me that you called him.
Tea: Did he also tell you that he never got my messages? He came because he learned through his newspaper connections that I was on that flight. I never intended to tell him where I was. I never would have asked him to come.
Del: Because of that stubborn pride of yours?
Tea: Because I had enough to deal with already.
Del: And, because you didn't think he'd bother showing up, even if you asked?
Tea: But, he did show up. Without even getting my messages, he came. He wants to see me through this.
Del: And, what about when you're not in that wheelchair anymore? Will he stick around after that?
Tea: I may always be in this wheelchair.
Del: Does he know that?
Tea: He says he doesn't care.
Del: You know, he said a lot of things to you in the past that he never meant. I was there that time he proposed to you. I heard him make promises to you that he had no intention of keeping.
Tea: You don't know that.
Del: What I do know is that my baby sister ended up with her heart shattered because of that bastard.
Tea: This is my life.
Del: That's the only reason I didn't hurt him.
Tea: You punched him, Del.
Del: I barely touched the man. If I had wanted to hurt him, I would have. Despite your words, I can see that look in your eyes when you look at him, when you talk about him. I know you've fallen for his charms again. Although, how you see anything charming in that man, I'll never understand.
[Tea looks away. She's having trouble herself accepting, and dealing with, her own feelings, she doesn't know how to explain them to her over-protective brother.]
Del: Now that Manning's here, you should call Carlotta and let her know what's going on with you.
Tea: I don't think Todd would tell anyone back in Llanview any of the details about my situation.
Del: But, if he does, and if Carlotta hears about it from someone else, she'll be even more upset that we kept it from her. She doesn't understand why you haven't spoken to her since the accident, anyway. She's worried about you. I don't know if I can keep making excuses for you much longer. She really wants to come and see for herself that you're okay.
Tea: I haven't felt up to seeing anyone, yet.
Del: Except Manning?
Tea: I didn't invite him.
Del: Why did you call him?
Tea: I was on heavy medication at the time.
Del: Was this the same day you called me?
Tea: None of this is important now.
Del: You weren't that out of it when we talked. You knew what you were doing. You wanted that creep to show up, didn't you?
Tea: I didn't know what I was doing.
Del: You really think you need that loser, don't you?
Tea: I didn't know that Tomas had died when I called Todd. No one seemed to know what his condition was or, if they did, they weren't telling me.
Del: If you had known, that would have changed everything?
Tea: Yes.
Del: And, now you feel guilty that instead of wanting Tomas to be the one who comforted you during that time, you wanted that bastard ex-husband of yours?
[Todd, standing outside Tea's room, strains to hear Tea's response, but all he hears is silence.]
Del: I don't know what you see in that bastard of yours, anyway. He's got the ugliest mug I've ever seen. I feel sorry for the guy, having to walk around looking like that.
[Todd is upset to hear Tea laughing, but that doesn't stop him from continuing to stand outside her door, eavesdropping.]
Tea: Stop it.
Del: I'm serious.
Tea: So am I. (raising her voice) Todd, get in here.
[Todd doesn't move.]
Tea: Fine. Leave and never come back.
[Todd enters the room.]
Tea: You always do the opposite of what I tell you to do, don't you?
Del: Listening at the door? That's really pathetic, Manning. And, you're lousy at it, too.
Todd: I was being sensitive and waiting until you were done talking.
Del: You were letting Tea's ice cream melt.
Todd: I was waiting until it softened enough to eat.
Del: I expected you to be a better liar, Manning.
Todd: I respect you so much, Del. Was that a good enough lie for you?
Del (to Tea): What do you see in this guy?
Tea: He brings me ice cream.
[Todd hands each of them a cup of ice cream.]
Del: That was my idea. I could always get a smile out of you when you were a little girl, when I bought you ice cream, remember?
Tea: I remember. After mami left, I started gaining weight from all the ice cream you were wasting your money on.
Del: It wasn't a waste when I saw that smile of yours.
Todd: At least I don't have to bribe her with ice cream. She smiles at me whenever I walk in the room.
Del: That's because she's laughing at that ugly mug of yours.
Todd: You really shouldn't talk, with a face like yours.
Tea: So, instead of throwing punches, you're instead going to throw juvenile insults at each other?
Todd: We could talk about something else.
Tea: Like, what?
Todd: I found a place for us to live.
Tea: That quick?
Todd: If you toss enough money around, things happen fast. I just called the real estate agency and they have something for us to look at. We can go right now, if you want.
Tea: Now?
Todd: Now...in ten minutes...whatever.
Del: Give her a break. She's about to throw her life away on you, yet again. You should give her some time to think about it before she stupidly goes ahead and does it.
Tea: I never agreed to anything. In fact, I made it clear that I have no intention of living with Todd again.
Todd: I need to call them back and let them know when we're going out to look at this place.
Tea: We're not.
Todd: So, an hour?
Del: This boy is determined.
Tea: He's also not listening to me.
Del: I'll go, too. I'll check out the security and make sure it's safe for my baby sister.
Tea: Good. You both go. I hope you'll be happy living there together.
Todd (to Del): It does have three bedrooms. So, we will have a couple of spares. I guess, for Tea's sake, you could stay with us when you come to visit. As long as I only have to put up with you for a few days at a time.
Del: Believe me, I wouldn't want to spend more than a few days with you, either. I don't know how Tea managed to stomach you as long as she did.
Tea: Do either of you ever listen to me? I'm not interested.
Todd: You haven't even seen the place yet. How can you turn it down without seeing it?
Del: You should at least see it.
Tea: Are you on his side?
Del: I'm on your side. If this creep makes you happy, I'll support you. I'll think you're nuts, and your taste in men is horrible, but I'll support you.
to be continued...
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2001 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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