[Simon Donner had been sound asleep when the shrill noise of the telephone forced him awake on one of the few days he allows himself to sleep late. His frustration at someone calling so early and interrupting his much needed rest quickly fades as he hears the voice of the woman he loves, obviously emotionally distraught.]
Simon: Tea? What's wrong? Is it the baby?
[Tea tries to calm herself. She's already regretting her need to talk to him.
She knows that he'll be understanding, like he always is, but she hates how much it hurts him to be reminded that her heart belongs to another man.]
Tea: The baby is fine. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called.
Simon: That's okay. I was only planning on sleeping for a few more hours, anyway.
Tea: I'm sorry. I didn't even think about what time it is, or what day. I'm sorry that I ruined your favorite way to spend your Sunday morning.
Simon: Stop apologizing. You know I always want to hear your voice. At least you sound calmer than you did a minute ago.
Tea: Talking to you always does that for me, unlike...
Simon: You can say it...unlike Todd.
Tea: I'm sorry.
Simon: What do I have to do to stop the apologies?
Tea: I really am sorry. I wish... I don't know what I wish anymore.
Simon: What happened?
Tea: I shouldn't have called you.
Simon: The morning after isn't what you hoped it would be?
[Tea is silent. There's no way for her to proceed without hurting the dearest man she's ever met.]
Simon: Am I right? Or, are your tears because you couldn't work your legal magic and get him out of jail?
Tea: You know me better than that. He's out.
Simon: Who blew it this time?
Tea: I did. In every way.
Simon: I'm okay being your confidante, but no details, please.
Tea: I didn't mean it in that way. I didn't... This is so awkward. I shouldn't be leaning on you for this.
Simon: Why not? You leaned on me when you were trying to get over him. You need me even more now that you're trying to be with him again.
Tea: I never wanted to hurt you.
Simon: I know. You can't control how you feel. Neither can I. I'd rather have you in my life than not. If that means being your friend, instead of your lover, I'll adjust.
Tea: If I were stronger, you wouldn't have to.
Simon: You were fighting your feelings for Todd. That didn't make you stronger, just more frustrated...and, more unhappy. I want the mother of my child to be as happy as she can be, even if it means that she needs to be with someone else.
Tea: I don't feel happy right now.
Simon: How do you feel?
Tea: Confused.
Simon: Reuniting with Todd didn't help clarify things?
Tea: It never does.
Simon: Did you tell him how you feel?
Tea: I told him.
Simon: How did he respond?
Tea: He told me that he loves me.
Simon: That's a good thing, Tea.
Tea: Why doesn't it feel that way?
Simon: Maybe for the same reason you told me he doesn't feel good when someone loves him.
Tea: That's different.
Simon: Is it? You know why it's so hard for you to accept that anyone loves you. You told me that Todd has similar reasons. If you can recognize, and be understanding about, his fears, why not your own?
Tea: You're not my shrink.
Simon: No, but I am a shrink.
Tea: You're the only one that I've ever met that I could actually tolerate.
Simon: People who fear self-discovery fear us shrinks the most.
Tea: How do I do this, Simon?
Simon: Do what?
Tea: Love...be loved... With you...
Simon: It's easy.
Tea: It is. You know what I'm thinking. You complete my sentences. You understand me. You don't confuse me the way Todd does. You don't change directions in mid-step. You're sweet. You're thoughtful. You're everything I should want.
Simon: But, you want someone else. I'm just glad you didn't figure that out until after we made our baby. It's selfish, I know. I'm sure you wish now that you had waited.
Tea: I'm glad you'll always be in my life.
Simon: And, it was your pregnancy that led you to finally venture back to your past, where you found your heart's fulfillment again.
Tea: No more romance novels for you.
Simon: I only read them so I can discuss them with you.
Tea: You take away all the fun by over-analyzing the characters.
Simon: Speaking of characters who could use some analysis...did you pick a fight with Todd, or walk out while he was sleeping again?
Tea: I picked a fight, sort of.
Simon: Good! It's much easier to forgive a fight than the woman you love walking out on you while you're sleeping.
Tea: I really don't know if I can do this.
Simon: I know you can. If you really love Todd, trust him. Talk to him. Share the things with him that you've shared with me.
Tea: It's different with you.
Simon: All I did was listen. Give Todd the chance to do the same. You told me before you left that this time you wouldn't allow your fears to interfere in your own happiness anymore. You're not going to start lying to me, are you?
Tea: What if I do tell him everything? What if...
Simon: Are you afraid he won't understand?
Tea: He understands.
Simon: What are you afraid of...that he won't be able to handle it?
Tea: I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it. I love you. You know that. This is different. It's painful.
Simon: I'm lucky. Being in love is a great feeling for me, at least when the object of my love feels the same way.
Tea: I'm sorry.
Simon: I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. You can't control how you feel, only how you act on those feelings.
Tea: Right now I feel like I shouldn't have acted on them at all...ever.
Simon: You equate love with pain. You have very good reason for that. If my mother had walked out of my life when I was as young as you were, I would probably be just as afraid of that feeling as you are now.
Tea: You're not afraid? Not at all?
Simon: Not the way that you are. Even now, I don't regret falling in love with you. It gave me something. It gave me a baby, obviously. But, more than that, it felt good to love you. It still does. I know that being in love with you isn't what's best for either of us, but I'll always love you, Tea. Someday, I really look forward to a time when you'll be able to honesty tell me that you love yourself.
Tea: Don't hold your breath.
Simon: It will happen. I won't give up on you, no matter how long ago you gave up on yourself. You're worth loving, just ask Todd.
Tea: I can't talk to him about any of this.
Simon: Why not?
Tea: He's not like you. He doesn't appreciate talking, and sharing, and anything else that's healthy.
Simon: You hate talking, too. I guess you really are perfect for each other.
Tea: Be serious.
Simon: I am serious. I know I'm really pushing this wonderful, understanding jilted lover thing I've got going, but I really do want you to be happy. That would make me happy.
Tea: I told Todd my theory. You know, that in our relationship, yours and mine, I'm him and you're me.
Simon: Is he prepared to play my role for you?
Tea: I don't know. I don't know if he could really deal with what's inside me. I don't know if I want him to. I've kept it hidden for so long, some of it even from you.
Simon: And, from yourself.
Tea: What if I try to let some of it out and it all just pours out? What if it drowns all of us?
Simon: You fell in love with him. You must have had a reason.
Tea: Temporary insanity?
Simon: Perhaps. Or, maybe you sensed a kindred spirit. Maybe you instinctively knew that he would understand all of your hurt, fear, anxiety, guilt...
Tea: You shouldn't have to work on Sunday, Doctor.
Simon: This isn't work. This is pleasure. Someday we'll sit across from each other, sharing coffee and stories about our child, and you will finally tell me that you've found happiness and contentment. You'll be telling me about your life with Todd and that beautiful smile of yours won't just play on your face but will actually reach your eyes. I look forward to that day.
Tea: You're too perfect.
Simon: I know. I should be more of a jerk. All the best women fall for all the worst jerks.
Tea: Someday you'll find a woman who's looking for a sweet guy like you.
Simon: Sure, she'll be looking for me, because she's trying to get over a jerk. And, then, she'll dump me to go back to that jerk.
Tea: Am I sensing some bitterness, doctor?
Simon: Not at you.
Tea: I know.
Simon: Life is definitely interesting.
Tea: Speaking of interesting, someday I'd really like for you to meet Todd.
Simon: If he's going to be in my child's life, we'll have to meet.
Tea: He doesn't plan to be a part of our child's life. He insists that our relationship will have to end when the baby comes.
Simon: I thought you said he loved children?
Tea: He does. I won't go into the details but he has reasons to fear being a step-parent.
Simon: Issues from childhood can be the hardest to deal with, but it is possible. Avoidance certainly isn't the answer.
Tea: If you do meet him, don't view him as a patient, okay?
Simon: He doesn't like to be shrunk?
Tea: Who does?
Simon: My patients seem to appreciate my input.
Tea: So do I. Todd won't. Trust me.
Simon: Do you feel better?
Tea: Yes. Just like I always do when I talk to you.
Simon: Are you ready to confront your fears and finally allow happiness into your heart?
Tea: I'll never be ready for that. I guess I do need to face Todd, though.
Simon: I'm just a phone call away, if you need me.
Tea: I'll take you up on that. Thank you for being the sweet guy I knew you were when we first met.
Simon: I'm surprised you ever gave me a second glance, considering that I lack the one quality you're most attracted to.
Tea: That's part of my pattern. I leave the jerk and find a good guy. Then, I leave him to find another jerk. Todd's the first jerk I just couldn't seem to move on from, at least not for long.
Simon: Good luck! Don't let yourself get too stressed.
Tea: I won't.
Simon: I love you.
Tea: I love you, too.
[Tea hangs up the telephone. Upstairs, Todd hangs up the extension he was eavesdropping on.]
[Todd paces in the bedroom while he awaits Tea's return.
As several minutes pass without Tea appearing, his frustration and anger increase until he finally storms out of the room and down the staircase into the living room.
His raging anger become raging agony as he finds the room empty. He slowly walks toward the large window that overlooks the city and rests his hands on the glass as he painfully cries out for her.]
Todd: Tea!
[Tea rushes into the living room from the kitchen.]
Tea: What's wrong?
[Todd spins his body around and stares at her.]
Todd: What the fuck are you still doing here?
Tea: Did you expect me to leave in just my robe?
Todd: That tent you were wearing before is still on the floor over there. Squeeze your fat body into it and get the hell out.
Tea: No!
Todd: No?
Tea: No!
Todd: You're the one who wanted to leave. You're the one who was acting like a terrified little kid after being fucked by the big, bad wolf.
Tea: You were no wolf. You were a pussy cat.
Todd (yelling): Get the fuck out! Right now! Don't bother coming back. This cat won't be licking your pussy ever again. You better start training your Semen Donor how to do you right so you don't get so horny you ever try coming back here again.
Tea: Why are you pretending to be angry?
Todd: Pretending?
Tea: I know you. I know when your anger is real and when you're faking it. Why are you doing this? Wait...I see. You were eavesdropping at the top of the stairs, weren't you? You heard one side of my conversation with Simon and you're overreacting.
Todd: Is it overreacting to want a whore to leave when her services are no longer needed?
Tea: You couldn't get enough of this whore just a few minutes ago. Why do I bother? I don't know why I ever thought you could put aside your juvenile behavior long enough to be the man that I need. I'll go upstairs and pack.
[Tea walks with determination toward the staircase. As she reaches the bottom step, she stops and turns around, facing him.]
Tea: Just to prove I can be as juvenile as you can, get yourself another attorney. This whore is tired of looking like an idiot every time she rushes to your aid when you do something asinine. I've learned my lesson. You can fall apart on your own this time. I have more important things to do than take your crap while I pick up the pieces for you.
[Tea turns and storms up the stairs.]
Todd: Delgado, wait.
[At the top of the stairs, Tea again turns to face him.]
Tea: I've waited long enough. I treat you with respect and you treat me like a whore. Enough!
Todd: You split on me. You call that respect?
Tea: I didn't do it to hurt you.
Todd: But, you did it. That counts.
Tea: I didn't hurt you. You would have to give a damn about me for that and clearly you don't. You're good at the game, though, I'll give you that. You had me going for a minute there. You can be very convincing when you want to be. I'm through falling for your lies and manipulations.
[Tea turns and disappears down the hallway. Todd runs his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out how everything exploded in his face again.
Noticing the telephone on his desk, he goes to it and picks up the handset, dialing a number in desperation.]
Viki: Todd, I'm busy right now. I'll call you later today.
Todd: This is important.
Viki: So is what I'm currently busy with.
Todd: I said I needed you. You want me to beg?
Viki: Since you're asking me for help, instead of Tea, I assume you pushed her away again.
Todd: Not on purpose. You have to get over here and take care of this.
Viki: Take care of it yourself. I'm certain that's what Tea would prefer.
Todd: How the hell do I do that?
Viki: Try being honest with Tea, about your feelings for her.
[Todd groans.]
Viki: Women...human beings...generally prefer kind words and sweet gestures, rather than yelling and angry words.
Todd: All I know how to do is make everything worse. You have to get over here and tell her what I really mean.
Viki: I can't help you, Todd. You need to handle your relationship yourself.
Todd: Since when? You always got in the middle with me and whoever before.
Viki: And, each of your relationships fell apart, despite my attempts to help you.
Todd: You think you're a jinx?
Viki: I think your relationship with Tea will only work if you truly want it to and if you genuinely try to share your heart with her this time. I have to go now.
Todd: You're just going to bail on me again?
Viki: I have my own life, and my own relationships, that I need to give my time to.
Todd: I get it. You don't give a damn about me anymore, either. I should have known.
[Todd angrily hangs up the telephone. He quickly rushes up the stairs. He startles a half-naked Tea as he bursts into the bedroom while she's dressing.]
Tea: Get out!
Todd: I need to talk to you.
Tea: It's too late for any phony attempts at apologizing.
Todd: I agree. You don't have to bother with any of that. I forgive you.
Tea: You forgive me?
Todd: Yeah. Everything's okay now.
Tea: I'm not the one who was throwing around the whore references.
Todd: Yeah, you were.
Tea: I am so tired of playing these games with you.
Todd: We can try some games that I know you like. You know, games that involve you, me and a bed.
Tea: I'm not interested.
Todd: Really?
Tea: Really!
[Todd moves closer to her. She steps back until her legs touch the bed.]
Todd: You're really beautiful, Tea.
Tea: A minute ago you were calling me fat. Which is it?
Todd: Both.
Tea: Wrong answer!
Todd: You want me to lie to you? Okay, I'll lie to you. You don't look fat. You don't look like you're carrying a kid around in your belly. Is that better? Now you can stay.
Tea: Now, I'm leaving.
[Tea tries to move passed him. He lightly grabs her arm to keep her next to him.]
Todd: I'm trying.
Tea: It's too late.
Todd: It's never too late with us. You always understand. You always come back, or stick around, or whatever.
Tea: Not anymore.
Todd: Because you're scared, right?
Tea: Because you're a total ass.
Todd: You can't use that as an excuse to ditch me.
Todd: I know the other creeps you've hung out with...Kevin...that creepy cop...R.J.
Tea: None of them hurt me as much as you have.
Todd: Only because you didn't give a damn about any of them. I get it, Tea. I know why you want to get out of here. It has nothing to do with anything I said.
Tea: Yes, it does.
Todd: Okay, it's because of one thing I said. I lost my mind for a minute and told you how I feel about you. That's why you want to split, not because of all that other junk I said.
Tea: It is because of your insults that I'm leaving. No matter what you say now, I won't stay this time. I was willing to try. I was willing to open my heart to you, even though I knew how much it would hurt. I hoped that you would do the same and we could share some time together just loving each other and helping each other through our shared fears. But, I won't put up with being treated the way you so enjoy treating me.
Todd: I enjoy making you feel beautiful.
Tea: You enjoy tearing me down. You enjoy calling me a whore.
Todd: I don't enjoy that.
Tea: Then, why do you do it?
Todd: I don't know.
Tea: Maybe you should try to find out the reasons and do something to stop it, before you ruin your next relationship the way you've ruined this one.
Todd: You are my next relationship. You're my last one. You're my only one.
Tea: I can't do this. I can't keep pushing passed my own fears only to painfully slam into your anger and hatred.
Todd: I don't hate you.
Tea: That's how it feels. You make me feel small, worthless, disregarded, disrespected, unloved, ugly... You're the person that I need to make me feel...
Todd: What? Tell me. Tell me how to make you feel whatever way you want me to make you feel. I'll do it. I'll do anything for you.
Tea: You're just scared of being alone again. I'm scared, too. But, I need my dignity and self-respect. I only seem to find them when I'm not with you.
Todd: You can't leave. You don't want to.
Tea: I didn't, but after your display downstairs...
Todd: You don't love him, Tea. It doesn't matter how many times you say it. You love me. You're staying here with me.
Tea: I may not be in love with Simon, but at least he makes me feel loved and adored. You insult me. You humiliate me. You take pleasure in my pain. I don't need that. I don't need you.
Todd: He doesn't love you. He just feels sorry for you. He's a shrink. He probably gets a hard-on every time he hits the jackpot and gets a patient who's as screwed up as you are.
Tea: Thank you, Todd. First, you do a wonderful job of convincing me that you don't love me. Now, you're trying to convince me that Simon doesn't love me, either. Will my grandmother be next? How about my unborn child? You won't feel successful until I feel completely unloved, will you?
Todd: I love you.
Tea: No, you don't. People don't gleefully hurt someone they love.
Todd: You do it to me all the time.
Tea: I loved, past tense, the man I thought you wanted to be. I don't love the sadistic monster you really want to be.
Todd: I want to be whatever the hell you want me to be so you won't split on me again.
Tea: I can't do this anymore. Find a new fool who is willing to play your sick games with you. That isn't me anymore.
