| THE UNEXPECTED BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 1 |
[Tea is alone in her hotel suite when she hears a knock on the door. When Tea opens the door there is no one there. Tea finds this odd but assumes that perhaps the person realized they had the wrong room. As Tea is closing the door Todd suddenly appears and bursts through the doorway. Tea tries to shut the door on him but isn't quick enough to prevent him from entering her room.]
Tea: Get out!
Todd: Can't do that. We need to talk.
Tea: We have nothing more to say. Now I told you to get out and I meant it.
[Todd grabs Tea and kisses her roughly...possessively. His hand mauls her breast roughly through her shirt as his other arm pulls Tea's body hard against him. Tea ends the kiss and pushes Todd away from her. Todd surveys the room before leisurely sitting down on the sofa.]
Todd: Nice place. I think I'll be comfortable here tonight.
Tea: You weren't invited.
Todd: I don't have to be invited my wife lives here.
Tea: Get out or I'll call security.
Todd: And tell them what? That your husband wants to talk to you? To spend the night with you? They're not going to do anything. You're my wife. I can talk to you whenever I want to. No one can stop me from talking to, or being with, my wife.
Tea: Well, I won't be your wife for long. I'll sign the annulment papers and end this farce of a marriage right now.
[Tea leaves the door open and walks to her briefcase and pulls the annulment papers out. She grabs a pen and is about to sign them when Todd grabs the papers away from her.]
Tea: Give them back.
[Todd folds the papers and shoves them inside his shirt.]
Tea: Fine. Be childish. You can't stop me from having new papers drawn up. I will end this (speaking with contempt) marriage. Count on it.
[Todd moves to the door and slams it shut.]
Todd: This marriage ends when I say it ends. I don't happen to be in the mood to end it right now.
Tea: What does that mean?
Todd: It means exactly what I said. You're my wife. You're married to me. You made a commitment to me. You're not getting out of it now.
Tea: You still want to be married to me?
Todd: That's what I said.
Tea: Okay, fine. Then let's be married. (Tea moves closer to Todd) Let's be really married.
[Tea starts to caress Todd's chest and move her body against his. Todd pulls uncomfortably away from her.]
Todd: Don't think you're gonna get those papers back by coming on to me.
Tea: I don't want the papers. Tear them up, burn them, eat them for all I care. That's not what I want.
Todd: What do you want?
[Tea approaches Todd again.]
Tea: I want you in my bed, right now.
Todd (moving away from her): Ha! Ha! Very funny. Nice try. You're not getting these papers.
Tea (unbuttoning his shirt): I told you I don't want the papers.
[Tea pulls the papers out of his shirt and tosses them across the room.]
Tea: I want you, Todd. I want to touch you, to kiss you, to feel your naked body next to mine.
[Tea has his shirt half unbuttoned and is kissing his chest and moving her hands inside his shirt.]
Todd (uncomfortably): Stop it, Delgado.
Tea (while kissing his neck): It turns me on when you call me that.
[Tea kisses his neck again and then kisses his chin. As her hands start to unbutton his pants her lips hit his with a force that propels his head slightly back. As her hand enters his pants he pulls away.]
Todd (buttoning his pants back up): What the hell do you think you're doing, Delga...Tea?
Tea: I'm giving you what you want, what you obviously came here for.
[Tea approaches Todd again and tries to take off his shirt but he prevents her from removing it.]
Todd: What are you talking about?
Tea: Do you want me naked first? Is that it? Fine.
[Tea kicks off her shoes and starts unbuttoning her shirt.]
Todd: What are you doing?
Tea: I'm sorry, did you want to be the one to undress me?
Todd (walking toward the door): I'm getting out of here.
Tea (angrily) Fine! Leave. Run away like you always do. This time stay the hell away from me.
[Todd stops with his hand on the doorknob. He doesn't look at Tea or say anything for more than a minute. Tea feels unsteady and sits down. She waits to find out what Todd will do next.]
Todd (in a quiet voice): Why did you just do that?
Tea: That's what you wanted when you came in here. (pause) You didn't talk to me first. You didn't ask me how I was. You didn't apologize for hurting me. You grabbed me. You touched me in a place you had never touched me before. It wasn't gentle. It wasn't loving. It was sex. That's what you came here for. I've had men treat me that way before. I knew what it meant. You didn't come here to love me like I always wanted you to but to have sex with me. So, fine. Let's have sex...(her voice filling with sadness)...and then you can go away.
[Todd lets go of the doorknob and turns to face Tea. When he looks in her eyes he can see how much pain she's in.]
Todd: That's not why I came here.
Tea: Then why did you do that?
Todd: I don't know. That isn't how I imagined the moment would be.
Tea: Then how did you imagine it?
Todd: What you said, you know, gentle...loving...that kind of junk.
Tea: Then why?
Todd: I don't know. Nothing ever comes out the way I want it to when I'm with you. The words that I want to say...the things that I want to do...it always comes out wrong.
Tea: Then try again.
[Tea stands up as Todd slowly walks toward her. Todd stops directly in front of her.]
Todd: It will probably come out wrong again.
Tea: Try anyway.
Todd: You're sure?
Tea: Yes.
[Todd tentatively places his hand on Tea's back. Tea reaches up and caresses his hair. Todd leans his head forward as he gently pulls her body closer to his. Their faces remain close but don't touch. They both have their eyes closed, savoring the sensation of being close to each other again.]
Todd: Do you really want this?
Tea: I've always wanted this. Do you?
Todd: Yes.
Tea: Then kiss me.
[Todd opens his eyes and lets go of Tea causing Tea to open her eyes and look at him. Todd puts his hands on Tea's waist for a few seconds and then removes them and steps back from Tea only to reposition himself against her body again this time with his hands on her lower back. Within a few seconds Todd removes himself from Tea's body only to return again immediately. Tea patiently waits as Todd does this several times.]
Tea: If this is going to take awhile maybe we should sit down.
Todd (gesturing to the sofa): Great. We'll sit.
[Tea takes a seat in the middle of the sofa. Todd sits down near her and slides his body until he's touching hers. He awkwardly puts his arm across the back of her shoulder and then moves it down her back. Finally satisfied with the position of his one arm he stares at the other uncertain what to do with it. Before he can do anything Tea takes his hand in hers.]
Tea: It's okay. There are no wrong answers here.
Todd: There was when I first came in here.
Tea: That was different. This is fine. The way we are now is fine.
[Tea lets go of Todd's hand. He quickly grabs hers before she can move it away. He draws her hand up to his face and slowly slides his lips across her palm while looking deeply into her eyes. He lets go of her hand and she moves it to the back of his neck. They look in each others eyes as they slowly move their mouths closer. Just before their lips touch they both close their eyes. As their lips gently touch they both slide their arms tightly around each other and slide closer together on the sofa. When the kiss ends they stay in the same position, their faces still touching.]
Todd (nervously): Was that okay?
Tea: That was...that was good.
Todd: Do you want to do it again?
Tea: Okay.
[They kiss again - a longer and more intense kiss this time. After the kiss, Tea moves her head so that her chin is resting on his shoulder as she continues to hold him tightly. She feels so at home in his arms.]
Todd (softly): I love you, Tea.
[Tea feels herself crash back to reality. She pulls away from Todd and stands up.]
Todd: What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?
Tea: No, of course not.
Todd: Then why did you get up?
Tea: I just remembered I have to get up early in the morning so maybe you should go.
[Todd stands up and walks toward Tea.]
Todd: I was hoping maybe I could...
Tea: Not tonight, okay?
Todd: We don't have to kiss anymore if you don't want to. I could just stay here...on the sofa...if you want.
Tea: You should just go.
Todd: Tell me what I did wrong.
Tea: You didn't do anything wrong. I just think you should go now.
[Todd tries to lightly caress Tea's cheek but she pulls away.]
Todd: I understand.
Tea: Do you?
Todd: You don't feel that way about me anymore. I waited too long.
[Todd turns and walks toward the door.]
Todd: Go ahead and sign the papers, end the marriage. You always deserved better than me anyway.
[Tea closes her eyes as she feels a pain stabbing her in the chest.]
Todd: I won't bother you anymore, Tea. You're free.
[As Tea hears the door close she falls to the floor in agony. Her body convulses with uncontrollable sobs. For several minutes Tea stays on the floor, her eyes closed, crying into her hands as she cries out and curses herself in Spanish for ever allowing herself to feel something. When a hand gently reaches out and caresses her hair Tea jumps up startled and is surprised to see Todd kneeling in front of her. When he tries to wipe away the tears from her cheek she pulls away and stands up.]
Tea: Get away from me. Go away. (yelling) Leave! Now!
Todd (emotionally): I don't want to.
Tea: Yes you do. You always do. You always leave.
Todd: Not this time.
Tea: Get out now!
Todd: I don't want to leave you, Tea. I don't ever want to leave you again.
Tea: Why do you want to be with me? Do you want to hurt me again? It wasn't enough for you to humiliate me publicly on my wedding day? You have something better planned? Huh?
Todd: I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to humiliate you. I love you.
Tea: You don't have a clue how to love someone.
Todd: Then you can teach me. You can show me how.
Tea: No.
Todd (gently touching her face): Show me how you want me to love you.
Tea (pulling away from his touch and yelling): Get out!
[Tea starts pushing on Todd's chest forcing him to move backward toward the door.]
Tea: Get out! Get out right now!
[Todd grabs Tea's hands and stops her from pushing him. Her body collapses into his embrace.]
Tea (quietly): Go away. Go away. Go away.
[Todd holds Tea uncertain what else to do or what he could possibly say to ease her pain. After several minutes he leads her toward the bed and gently sits her down on the end of the bed as he takes a seat next to her.]
Todd: It's okay, Tea.
Tea: No it isn't.
Todd: Tell me what's wrong.
Tea: Why won't you just leave me alone?
Todd: Because I love you.
Tea: No you don't.
Todd: Yes I do.
Tea: No you don't. You never did.
Todd: How could you think that? After everything we've been through how could you think that I don't love you?
Tea: Gee, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the times you told me I meant nothing to you. Or maybe it's because you told me, on our wedding day, that you weren't sure if you loved me. Or perhaps it's the times you threw me out of the penthouse. Or...
Todd: Okay. I get it. I was a jerk sometimes.
Tea: Sometimes?
Todd: You knew...you knew that I loved you. No matter what you always knew that I loved you.
Tea: No, I didn't know that. How could I? I never had a chance to know that, to truly believe that, because something always happened to prove to me that you didn't love me...you didn't even care about me.
Todd: But I told you that I loved you.
Tea: So what. It's not enough. I needed you to show me that you loved me.
Todd: You said we could wait.
Tea: You could have showed me by coming home at night, by not throwing me out, by sticking around when things were difficult.
Todd: I thought you wanted me to leave.
Tea: I didn't want that. I never wanted that.
Todd: You didn't?
Tea: But I do now. So, please, go away. Stop doing this to me.
Todd: What am I doing to you?
Tea: Just leave.
Todd: Tell me.
Tea: You're making me think that maybe...maybe this time it will happen. Maybe this time you really will stay. Maybe you really do love me. Maybe this time I won't end up alone. Maybe this time the pain will finally end. Maybe this time...maybe this time...
Todd: Maybe...
Tea: No. Not this time. I'm not going to do it. I won't let you make me think that it will work out this time. I won't let you hurt me like that again.
Todd (touching her face): I don't want to hurt you.
Tea: It doesn't matter if you want to or not. You will hurt me if I let you. I won't let you this time. I won't.
Todd: This time it will be different, Tea. This time I can do it.
[Tea gets up and goes to the dresser. She removes something from her jewelry box and returns to the bed.]
Tea (holding up her wedding ring): You put this on my finger in the hospital.
Todd: That shows that I love you, doesn't it? I wanted you to wear it forever.
Tea: You put this on my finger and then you left. I could have died in that fire.
Todd: I saved you.
Tea: I'm grateful for that. I am. When I woke up, though, you weren't by my side. You were gone. This ring was on my finger and there was a check made out to me in the amount of my usual fee. You didn't love me...you owned me. I was an employee to you. No, not even that. I was a possession. I was no more important to you than a piece of property.
Todd: That's not true.
Tea: That's how it felt. You may have honestly thought you were showing me your love but all you did was prove to me that I had no real meaning, no real value, to you. I was something that you had bought and that you didn't want to lose possession of.
Todd: That's not how I meant it.
Tea: But that's how it felt. Love doesn't have a dollar amount, Todd. It's priceless.
Todd: You are priceless to me, Tea.
Tea: No, I'm not.
Todd: Yes, you are.
Tea: Then why did you give me that check?
Todd: Because I wanted you to stick around.
Tea: I would have done that without the check.
Todd: I didn't know that. The only reason that I could understand someone wanting to be with me is if it's about the money. It's the only thing of value that I have to give.
Tea: What about your heart?
Todd: What heart?
Tea: Go away, Todd. I can't do this anymore. I can't be the one who does all the work. I can't be the only one who makes an effort to make our marriage work. Having a relationship with you is exhausting and I'm too tired to do it anymore.
Todd: But I need you.
Tea: That isn't enough. I needed you and you never even tried to give me what I needed.
Todd: I tried. I gave you that wedding.
Tea: That wedding wasn't for me.
Todd: Yes, it was.
Tea: Do you honestly think that my idea of a dream wedding included the groom arriving in a coffin?
Todd: Okay, maybe that part wasn't such a good idea.
Tea: That wedding was about you. You're the one who wanted all the Buchanans there. I certainly didn't.
Todd: Okay, so we'll have another wedding. You can plan all of it, okay? You can invite whoever you want to be there.
Tea: I don't want another wedding, Todd.
Todd: Then what do you want?
Tea: I want you to go away and stop building my hopes up because we both know that you will never allow us to have a real marriage. You will never allow yourself to be happy which means that as long as I'm tied to you I will never be happy.
Todd: I can change. I have changed, Tea. Give me another chance.
Tea: It's too late. I have tried so many times and I have given you so many second chances. I can't give you anymore. I can't keep giving you everything I have and receiving nothing in return. It hurts too much. You've taken everything, Todd. I have nothing left to give.
Todd: You don't mean that.
Tea: Yes, I do. I had hoped that I could trust my heart to you and I hoped that in time you would trust yours to me but you never did and I can't risk my heart again. I have to save what little I have left. I'm sorry.
Todd: You really mean this?
Tea: I have to mean it. I have to save myself.
[Todd stares at Tea's eyes for a moment then gets up and leaves her hotel suite.]
