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CHAPTER 37 |
PREVIOUSLY: Todd: Just shut up and drive, Delmonico.
[Del mutters to himself in Spanish, frustrated that he has to spend an entire day with his ex-brother-in-law. Todd smiles, enjoying Del's frustration. He closes his eyes and tries to sleep, knowing that he needs to sleep now, because he plans to stay up all night again, holding Tea's hand and watching over her while she sleeps.]
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chapter 37:
[Later the same day...
Todd and Del are finally leaving the third house on Todd's list of possible homes for himself and Tea.]
Del: How many more?
Todd: Two.
Del: What was wrong with the ones so far? They all seemed okay.
Todd: Okay isn't good enough.
Del: Let's take a break and get something to eat.
Todd: What's more important to you, food or Tea's happiness?
Del: For the sake of Tea's happiness, I should be keeping her away from you.
Todd: You could try, but she wouldn't allow it, and you know it.
Del: I must have misunderstood, all the times I've heard her tell you to leave her alone.
Todd: You must have, if you think she meant it.
Del: You don't think any woman can resist you, do you?
Todd: I'm not forcing her to do anything.
Del: I didn't say that you were.
Todd: I know what you were trying to say.
Del: You're being too sensitive.
Todd: Tea doesn't look at me that way.
Del: Are you sure about that?
Todd: Are you trying to tell me that you think she does?
Del: I was just trying to tell you that I'm hungry and we're stopping for lunch.
Todd: I know the perfect place for us to eat.
Del: Tea wants us to stay away until dinner. That's what we're doing.
Todd: She shouldn't eat alone.
Del: Relax. She won't try to hurt herself with her fork.
[There is silence in the car for almost a minute as they both contemplate Tea's current mental state.]
Del: Okay...but if she tells us that she doesn't want you around, we're leaving.
Todd: You're the one she was trying to get rid of today, anyway. It's because of you that I'm missing out on being with her.
Del: It's because you won't give her any space.
Todd: I'll give her plenty of space. I'll give her a great big, spacious mansion to live in. She'll have lots of space to move around in. And, lots of closet space. Chicks are into that.
Del: She didn't seem too happy to being sharing closet space with you at the rehabilitation clinic.
Todd: She was fine with it.
Del: When she told you that you weren't staying with her, numerous times, you heard that as an invitation?
Todd: She didn't toss my stuff out the window. She wants me to stay. She just doesn't want to make it too easy for me.
Del: You don't deserve easy after what you did to her.
Todd: You keep saying stuff like that. What exactly did she tell you I did?
Del: Are you afraid I know too much?
Todd: She's the one that walked out on me the last time. Did she tell you that?
Del: Don't try lying to me, Manning. It won't improve my view of you. And, you definitely shouldn't try it with Tea, or you'll just make her angrier at you.
Todd: Who's lying? She ditched me. She took off so fast, she left all her stuff behind.
Del: I know that's a lie. She took her things with her when she moved in with our grandmother.
Todd: She must have gotten new things, because her old stuff is still in the place where we were shacking up together.
Del: You've been back there to check on them?
Todd: I've been kind of busy. I'm still paying rent on the place, though. I can send for her stuff whenever she wants me to.
Del: So, how long was it, after Tea left you, before you left, too?
Todd: Why do you care?
Del: I'm just curious.
Todd: I wasn't going to hang around waiting for her to come back. I knew that she wouldn't.
Del: If you didn't think she would come back to you then, why do you expect it now?
Todd: If I had gone after her then, she would have come back to me.
Del: So, why didn't you?
Todd: None of this is any of your business.
Del: You're really a stubborn bastard, aren't you? Your ego was more important to you than being with the woman you love.
Todd: If I had gone after her, I would have found her with another guy. Been there, done that...several times.
Del: Do you blame her for trying to find a guy who doesn't treat her as horribly as you have? Why should she be alone while she waits for you to figure out that you want to be with her again. And, from the way Tea tells it, you weren't exactly alone during your most recent separation.
Todd: Are we almost there yet? Because, I really don't want to have to put up with you anymore.
Del: I think you hurt her, man.
Todd: What did she tell you?
Del: I'm not talking about the pain you put her through when you were together. I know there was plenty of that so I have no idea why she bothers to put up with you at all anymore. But, I was referring to your taking up with your ex-wife again. That hurt her.
Todd: You think she's jealous?
Del: You get off on that idea, don't you? You like thinking that it eats away at her. Maybe you should go back to Pennsylvania and get it on with your ex some more and really hurt Tea.
Todd: You're not getting rid of me. Tea needs me. I'm not leaving.
Del: Doesn't your other ex need you, too? Or, are you really only here to make her jealous, and it actually has nothing to do with Tea at all.
Todd: Remember when I said that you could stay with us when you come to visit, after we find a place? The offer is withdrawn.
Del: I must be getting too close to the truth.
Todd: You don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Del: So, you don't have feelings for your other ex-wife anymore? So, I could go and visit Carlotta in Llanview and just happen to run into your ex. You know, we met before when I was working that case in Llanview. I could ask her out. She's probably in the mood for a real man after settling for second rate with you. How long did you last this time, anyway?
Todd: Long enough.
Del: How long is that?
Todd: A few weeks.
Del: So, it isn't just my sister? You can't make a commitment to any woman, and keep it, is that it, Manning? You're a little boy who gets bored easily and starts looking around for a new toy to play with. Does your ex-wife even know that you dumped her again, or does she think you're on a business trip, or whatever pathetic excuse your unimaginative mind could come up with.
Todd: I dumped her at the altar. I revealed her secrets to the whole town. Because of me, she'll be going on trial for trying to murder her most recent husband. And, I had my newspaper report all the details on the front page. I'm pretty sure she knows we're through.
Del: So, you murdered this guy and set her up?
Todd: The creep didn't die, unfortunately. And, no, I didn't do it. Although, if you wanted to pin it on me, you'd find plenty of people who'd be glad to help you, back in Llanview, including my ex-wife. Maybe you should go there and leave Tea and me alone.
Del: So, it isn't just your ex who you managed to alienate during your recent stint in Llanview?
Todd: Nope. I work fast. I managed to get the whole town against me within the first few months.
Del: So, you ran out of victims and thought you'd come and destroy Tea's life again?
Todd: Her life already seems pretty ruined.
Del: Then move on and find a new victim. Tea's hurting enough. She doesn't need you making it worse.
Todd: Tea needs me. She's the only one who does. She's the only one that ever forgives me for screwing everything up.
Del: Your other ex must have forgiven you, if she was ready to marry you again.
Todd: She just didn't want me to reveal that I knew she tried to murder her hubby, who she thinks is her ex-hubby, but really isn't.
Del: She's still married to this guy?
Todd: Yep.
Del: But, she doesn't know it?
Todd: Nope.
Del: But, you do?
Todd: She thinks I took care of getting her divorced. Actually, he does, too. It's too easy playing with their minds.
Del: So, that's the real appeal of my sister? She's more of a challenge to you. You can't manipulate her as easily, is that it?
Todd: I'm not manipulating her. She needs me right now. Someday she won't. But, right now, she does.
Del: You think, because she's in a wheelchair, she needs you?
Todd: No way. That wheelchair won't hold Delgado back.
Del: Why do you think she needs you?
Todd: I think this is the part where I refuse to speak anymore.
Del: If you can really convince me that you're here for Tea, not yourself, maybe I'll go back to the mainland and trust my sister to your care.
Todd: You want me to spill my guts to you?
Del: You've already revealed a lot. Why not go all the way?
Todd: What I told you doesn't matter. You're not going to go to Llanview and spill any of it. There'd be no benefit to you.
Del: Some people tell the truth just because it's the right thing to do.
Todd: I don't understand that.
Del: I didn't think you would. You know, Carlotta's a close friend to our family. I could let it slip, while talking to her, all of the things that you've revealed to me. She's a decent person, unlike you, and would let the right people know the truth.
Todd: I don't care. Go ahead. Go to Llanview yourself and take up with Blair, if you want to. She'd eat you alive and get her nails done while she digested your puny body.
Del: I don't think you want to compare bodies with me.
Todd: I would win. I have a better body than you, just ask Tea.
Del: I don't think she would be a fair judge.
Todd: She does have the hots for me.
Del: That's my baby sister, you better back off.
Todd: Or, what? You'll sucker punch me again?
Del: You are a sucker.
Todd: No, I'm a suckee. Just ask Tea.
[Todd closes his eyes and moans with pleasure.]
Todd: That mouth of hers. Oh, yeah! Oh, baby, yeah!
[Later that afternoon...
Tea is alone in her room, emotionally exhausted from her earlier session with the staff psychiatrist. Her phone rings. She ignores it the first couple of rings before finally answering it.]
Tea: Hello?
Todd (from a local jail): Come bail us out.
to be continued...
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