| UNFINISHED BUSINESS BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 13 |
[Todd walks away from their house until he's standing on the spot that he spent so much time in while he was living here with Tea. He stares out at the darkened ocean before him.]
Tea: What were you planning, Todd?
[Todd doesn't respond.]
Tea: Where you planning to walk out there into that ocean and keep going until you disappeared permanently?
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chapter 13:
[For several minutes neither speaks. Todd finally sits down. Tea sits beside him and puts her arms around him, sharing the comforter with him.
Several minutes pass silently.]
Todd: You knew?
Tea: Why do you think I spent so many nights out here with you even when you wouldn't speak to me or acknowledge my presence? I was scared that I would wake up one day and you'd be gone forever.
Todd: Is that what you thought that morning?
Tea: No. I knew you hadn't walked into the ocean. You took your car so I knew you were just leaving me. I was relieved a little, I guess. I knew you were out there somewhere. I wanted you to find what you needed here but I knew that you couldn't so I was glad that you were finding it somewhere else, even if it was with someone else.
Todd: You still think I'm the stud of Llanview?
Tea: I think you have a lot more to offer than you realize.
Todd: A lot more misery. A lot more pain. Although, there are a bunch of people back there that I don't mind passing on some misery and pain to.
Tea: Is it the same people as before or have you started some new feuds?
Todd: Some of your old boyfriends have come after me a few times.
Tea: And, you did nothing to provoke them?
Todd: Maybe a little something. You know, you've dated some real creeps.
Tea: I guess I have better taste in husbands than I do in dates.
Todd: Was that an attempt at humor?
Tea: It's late. You can still spend the night, if you want to.
Todd: Okay. I'll be out here when you wake up.
Tea: Come into the house with me.
Todd: Why?
Tea: Because, you can sleep on a bed instead of on the ground.
Todd: Your bed? Our bed? You know what I mean.
Tea: I don't know.
Todd: Earlier...
Tea: Earlier, we got caught up in the moment.
Todd: We could do that again. We could start another moment.
Tea: That wouldn't be a good idea.
Todd: Why?
Tea: You don't really want this.
Todd: I don't?
Tea: You weren't planning to come here tonight.
Todd: No, I wasn't. At least not inside.
Tea: What does that mean?
Todd: What do you think it means?
Tea: Have you been here? Have you watched me?
Todd: Honestly?
Tea: I think honesty would be good right now.
Todd: No, I haven't been here since I left.
[Tea laughs slightly at the bizarre realization that she's disappointed that her estranged husband hasn't been stalking her.]
Todd: I've been in the area for business a bunch of times. I thought about coming. I did start driving here a couple of times. I always stopped, though.
Tea: Why?
Todd: Because I knew that if I walked into that house again, and if you were okay with it, I would never leave again.
Tea: Do you want to come back?
Todd: You know, this morning, while you were being rude and keeping me waiting for that meeting, I was thinking about you.
Tea: You were?
Todd: I was in Manhattan to meet a lawyer. Of course I was thinking about you.
Tea: But, you didn't know I was the lawyer you were meeting?
Todd: I didn't have a clue.
Tea: Why were you thinking about me?
Todd: Lawyer...Manhattan... Either one of those would have made me think about you. Everything makes me think about you.
Tea: Really?
Todd: Are you sure you didn't slip some booze into me sometime tonight? I'm talking like I'm loaded.
Tea: Maybe you're talking like you're...
Todd: Mentally ill?
Tea: I don't think that you have to lose your mind to be in love with someone.
Todd: Well, a person would have to be nuts to be in love with me.
Tea: I resent that.
Todd: You do?
Tea: If you kiss me, I'll show you how much.
Todd: You will?
Tea: Will you stay, Todd?
Todd: You want me to?
Tea: I love you, Todd.
Todd: You're just saying that because you want to stick with this so you won't have three failed marriages on your record.
Tea: That's just an extra bonus.
Todd: You really think you're ready to go through this with me? Because, you know, being with me will mean that you'll have to journey through hell on a regular basis, right?
Tea: I've been ready for this for a long time. I've been waiting patiently for you to be ready.
Todd: Patiently, huh? Are you expecting a reward, or something?
Tea: Yes. Come inside with me. We could start another fire and you could hold me all night. Or, we could spend the night in bed together, making love until we pass out again.
Todd: You were the one who passed out that last time. I was wide awake after...after everything we did...after everything we said.
Tea: Did you mean everything that you said to me back then?
Todd: Yeah. I really am screwed, Tea. I can't force myself to get over you.
Tea: Well, then stop trying. You're making us both miserable...assuming you have been miserable without me.
[Todd reclines his body and lies on the ground. Tea lies down next to him, snuggling up to his body.]
Todd: Life sucks. Mine does, anyway.
Tea: Mine has drastically improved this evening.
Todd: You know, you should really see a shrink for thinking that my presence in your life improves anything.
Tea: I love you. As long as you love me, my life is enhanced by your presence.
[Several minutes pass quietly.]
Tea: Todd?
Todd: Yeah?
Tea: Could you promise me one thing?
Todd: Just one?
Tea: Promise that I won't wake up tomorrow morning with my face in the dirt.
Todd: You think I'd shove your face in the dirt?
Tea: No, that's not what I meant. The last time I fell asleep against your body, I woke up with my face in your pillow. I never want to wake up and find you gone again.
Todd: You'd prefer that I leave you when you're awake?
Tea: I'd prefer that you don't leave at all...ever again.
Todd: You want this?
Tea: How many times do I have to tell you that this is all that I want?
Todd: Millions before you'll convince me that this is real and not some sort of trick.
Tea: Maybe you'll believe it when we have a big celebration on our fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Todd: Don't you think someone will have finally been successful at murdering me by then?
[Tea pulls herself tighter against his body. He knows that his semi-joke isn't funny to her. He moves his hand under the comforter and places it on her arm that's draped across his stomach.]
Todd (speaking softly): Tea? Have you thought about what our kid would have looked like?
Tea: Many times.
Todd: How ugly do you think the kid would have been?
Tea (smiling): I think our child was beautiful.
Todd: Only if the kid looked like you.
[For several silent moments, he strokes her arm.]
Todd: You said before that you weren't sure if you wanted to do that again.
Tea: I'm scared. I know I'm not ready right now. But, sometime...maybe. I do know that I want it to be with you.
Todd: You sure about that?
Tea: I don't have any doubts about that.
Todd: I do. I was so screwed up before. I still am. It's still so dark, Tea. I don't want you to be stuck with more darkness in your life because of me.
Tea: I have darkness, too. It's not because of you.
Todd: Don't lie to me.
Tea: The only darkness that I've felt because of you is when we're not together. When we are together, you give me light.
[Todd suddenly sits up, forcing Tea's body away from his.]
Tea: Don't do this.
Todd: Don't do what?
Tea: Don't push me away because you're not prepared to accept the truth.
Todd: That isn't truth. It's a bunch of lies.
Tea: I'm not lying. You give me light, Todd.
Todd: No, I don't. I'm darkness. I'm the mold that grows in a cold, dark place.
Tea: Your love is warm and bright.
Todd: My love is painful. It hurts people. It destroys people.
Tea: That's not true. Your love fills me. It makes me feel good. It has brightened my life. It has added to it immensely.
Todd: It's added misery and pain. Just stop lying to me.
Tea: I'm not lying. If it were some hideous thing, don't you think I would run from it? I wouldn't want it this much. I wouldn't need it this much. I need your love, Todd. I need your presence. I need your comfort. I need to be held by you. I need to be loved by you. I need you to stay, to be with me, no matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts to risk your heart again. I need you to do it for me. I need to matter enough to you that comforting my pain is more important to you than running from your own.
to be continued...
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