The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
| REACHING OUT BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 28 |
PREVIOUSLY:
Todd (to Tea): You want to be in the front seat with me, right?
Del: She wants to be in the backseat with you. And, she wants me to drive.
[The thought of sharing the ride while snuggled in the backseat together, convinces Todd and he places her in the backseat. He tosses the keys to Del and quickly moves to the other side of the jeep and gets in alongside Tea.]
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chapter 28:
[Minutes later, they arrive at the house Todd's considering renting.]
Todd: Are you okay?
Tea: I'm fine.
Todd: Was it too bumpy?
Tea: I'm fine.
Todd: Are you sure?
Del: She's fine. Leave her alone before you tick her off and she takes it out on both of us.
Todd: You're the one who was driving like a maniac.
Del: It's not my fault we had to travel on that unpaved road.
Todd (to Tea): You're really sure you're okay? It didn't shake something up that shouldn't be shaken?
Tea: It didn't do any damage. How could it? You were holding me so tight.
Todd: I was trying to protect you.
Tea (not believing him): I'm sure that's the reason. You do realize, don't you, that having to go through so much to get here is definitely a major strike against my agreeing to live this far from civilization? If I was going to live with you again, which I'm not, but if I were, I would choose somewhere that didn't require a boat ride to get to my physical therapy appointments. And, I would choose a place that's more urban. I grew up in the city, remember? I'm more comfortable with tall buildings and lots of pavement, than I am with all this green stuff.
Todd: And, all that ugly clear, untainted water surrounding the island, and all those ugly fish swimming around that aren't deformed, like they should be. And, the lack of crime. What was I thinking suggesting we live in paradise instead of where there's lots of people, noise and pollution?
Tea: I'm surprised you'd want to live in paradise at all.
Todd: I don't. But, I'd suffer through it, for you.
Tea: Seriously, what about my therapy?
Todd: If I get all the equipment you need, we could have your physical therapist come to us. That way you don't have to deal with traveling back and forth.
Tea: Buying equipment would be silly when there's a perfectly fine facility with all of the equipment I need that I'm currently staying at.
Todd: That's not being silly, that's being wealthy. Rich people do stuff like that.
Tea: I'm not rich anymore, remember?
Todd: I am.
Tea: But, I'm not. I'll take care of my own expenses.
Del: We don't need you're money. We've got it covered.
Todd (to Tea): So, you'll take money from him, but not from me?
Del: I'm her brother.
Todd: I'm her husband.
Del: Ex-husband.
Todd: You're really starting to irritate me.
Del: You've been irritating me since the moment you destroyed my sister's life by convincing her to marry you.
Tea: Before this escalates, let's just look at this house. Although, I have no intention of living here.
Todd: You'll change your mind once you see it.
Tea: It would have to be one amazing house to accomplish that.
[After helping Tea out of the jeep and into her chair, they approach the house. They are greeted by an employee from the property management company that rents the house out, usually to short-term vacationers.
Todd quickly makes it clear to the agent that he's not interested in any sales pitch. He wants to be able to look around without someone chattering constantly.
The agent waits in the home's foyer while the visitors roam about the house.
Del focuses his attention on security concerns, while Tea and Todd tour the house together.
As they move through the spacious one-level home, everything appears to be going well, until they enter the main bedroom and Tea tries to wheel herself into the attached bathroom. She quickly realizes that she can't fit her chair through the doorway.]
Todd: Where the hell is that real estate idiot? They said this place was accessible.
Tea: I did get into the house.
Todd: But, what the hell's the point if you can't use the john? Do they expect you to use the pool?
Tea: Do not cause a scene.
Todd: Why shouldn't I? They shouldn't say it's accessible, if it isn't.
Tea: There was probably an error of ignorance. I'll point it out to them so they don't make the same mistake again. You need to stay calm.
Todd: You think I can't tell someone off without losing control?
Tea: Del seems to be on your side right now...just barely. If you give him a reason to question your ability to control your temper, he no longer will be.
Todd: You'll ditch me if Del tells you to?
Tea: Of course not.
Todd: So, you're admitting that we're together again? We're a couple?
Tea: I didn't say that.
Todd: Well, what are you saying? Come on, Tea, stop stringing me along.
Tea: I'm not. I made it clear that I don't plan to live with you again.
Todd: Because you have that other plan to off yourself?
Tea: Please, don't say that...and, lower your voice.
Todd: Because you don't want your brother to know? Maybe he should know. If I can't convince you to stick around, maybe he can.
Tea: We'll talk about this later, when we're alone.
Todd: Alone in our house? Once we find one that really is accessible, that is.
Tea: I don't feel like arguing with you right now. Obviously, this will not be our house. Let's just leave. Okay?
Todd: Next time, I'm going to the house first with a wheelchair and make sure it's accessible before I get your hopes up that we've found our dream home.
Tea: I didn't realize we had a dream home?
Todd: Any home that we're living in together would be your dream home. Wouldn't it?
Tea: I never agreed to live with you again. You need to remember that.
Todd: You will, as soon as we find the right place.
Tea: Well, this obviously isn't it.
Todd: You don't have anything scheduled for the rest of the day, do you?
Tea: I have a lot of work to do.
Todd: But, your therapist thinks you're overdoing it, right?
Tea: I thought you haven't met my therapist yet?
Todd: I haven't. But, you're trying so hard to get out of that place, so you can get out of your life, that you're doing too much, too fast.
Tea: I thought we agreed not to talk about this right now?
Todd: Agree to have dinner with me and I'll agree to stop talking about it.
Tea: Fine. We'll have dinner together.
Todd: At a restaurant.
Tea: In my room.
Todd: We'll compromise.
Tea: Todd Manning is willing to compromise?
Todd: If it will get you into my hotel room, sure.
Tea: That wouldn't be a good idea.
Todd: Don't you want to see where I'm staying?
Tea: Todd...
Todd: It's either that or a restaurant.
Tea: Fine. We'll eat out, but my brother is dining with us.
Todd: You want to ruin my appetite?
Tea: I want to spend some time with my brother.
Todd: Because you think you'll never see him again?
Tea: I may not.
Todd: I won't let you do it, Tea.
Tea: I'm not talking about... I didn't mean... I meant, you never know what will happen, or when it will happen. Right now, my brother is here and I want to spend time with him. If you want to spend time with me, you'll have to spend time with my brother. You'll have to be polite to him.
Todd: Our deal doesn't say that I have to be polite.
Tea: What exactly is our deal, in your view?
Todd: Our deal is that you'll live with me.
Tea: In exchange for your having dinner with my brother?
Todd: We have a verbal agreement now. You can't get out of it. You have to live with me now.
Tea: We have no such agreement. I will consider it, though.
Todd: I knew you'd agree.
Tea: I haven't agreed. I'm only considering it.
Todd: I knew you'd agree.
[Tea smiles as she shakes her head. His determination frustrates her but it also makes her feel good, knowing that he doesn't intend to back down on what he wants and what he wants seems to be time with her.]
to be continued...
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