| UNFINISHED BUSINESS BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 14 |
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.
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chapter 14:
Todd: I've spent my whole life running, Tea. You expect me to just suddenly stop because you want me to?
Tea: Yes. That's what I need, Todd. You can still be scared. But, you need to stop running from it or I can't do this again. I can't put myself through this again and again and continue ending up alone every time. I need you to permanently stay this time or I need you to leave right now.
Todd: So, I do it your way or I get out, is that it?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: Shouldn't I get something out of this deal?
Tea: You get to be with me. Isn't that what you want?
[Todd is silent. Tea's heart is broken.]
Tea: I'll still be your friend, Todd. Maybe that's all I ever should have been.
Todd: So, we'll be buddies? Buddies who've done stuff together while naked, that is. We're gonna hang out, drink beer together, watch sports. Is that what you had in mind?
Tea: No. I don't know if I can handle spending too much time with you, at least not right now. If you ever really need me, though, I'll be there for you.
Todd: So, if someone tries to pin a murder on me again...
Tea: I'll be there. I'll defend you. I'll win.
Todd: You've still got a huge ego.
Tea: I'm good at what I do.
Todd: Yeah, you are.
Tea: Is that a compliment?
Todd: I don't do compliments.
Tea: It sounded like a compliment to me.
[They both are silent for several minutes, neither wanting to be the one to make the next move, whether that move is toward, or away from, each other.]
Tea: What's your biggest regret?
Todd: My birth.
Tea: I'm serious.
Todd: So am I.
Tea: The biggest regret for something you had control over.
Todd: I don't know. I've done a lot of stuff I probably should regret. Some I do. Some I don't.
Tea: What's the biggest thing you have no regrets about at all?
Todd: Starr. What's this about, Tea? Why are you asking me stupid questions?
Tea: I don't think they're stupid.
Todd: Well, they are. Why don't you answer them? Not that you have to, though. I know what your biggest regret is.
Tea: It's not you, Todd.
Todd: Sure it is.
Tea: I don't regret any of the times that I married you.
Todd: Sure you do.
Tea: I honestly don't.
Todd: Because they were all such phenomenal successes?
Tea: Actually, each was, in a way.
Todd: You're drunk, aren't you? You hid the booze from me so you could keep it for yourself, right?
Tea: Each marriage had it's beautiful moments, Todd.
Todd: Yeah, when they ended, right? Because, nothing involving me could ever be beautiful.
Tea: Starr is.
Todd: She got lucky. She didn't inherit anything from me. Well, maybe her ability to pick winning stocks.
[Despite the seriousness of their overall discussion Tea can't help but smile thinking of Todd holding Starr in his lap while she pointed to the stock market page of the newspaper, randomly picking stocks for him.]
Tea: Are you still playing the stock market with her?
Todd: Who's playing? That kid's got a knack. She's made me a ton of money.
Tea: You already had a ton of money.
Todd: Well, now I have another ton.
[They both sit beside each other silently again for several moments.]
Todd: I could bring her by. She could see her room. Unless, you turned it into a sewing room, or some other chick thing.
Tea: It's still the way it was when we decorated it.
Todd: She should see it at least once, right?
Tea: I don't know if that's a good idea.
Todd: You don't want to see her?
Tea: Of course, I do. I just don't want to confuse her.
[Silence again falls between them. Tea is tempted to lean her head against his shoulder but she knows he wouldn't be comfortable with that.]
Tea: Are you still planning to stay out here tonight?
Todd: I thought you wanted me to go away?
Tea: I never said that.
Todd: So, it's still okay for me to spend the night out here but not in our house?
Tea: You can spend every night in that house, but only if...
Todd: I meet your demands.
Tea: I don't think I was asking for too much. Right now, I really don't feel up to doing this anymore, okay? If you'd like, we could arrange to meet at a neutral place sometime soon and we can discuss any legal matters involved with ending our latest marriage.
[Todd suddenly stands up and begins walking back toward their house. Tea looks back at him for a moment, not knowing what he's doing. She quickly follows him.
Moments later, Tea finds him in their kitchen, with his head in the refrigerator, allowing her a great view of his butt.
A moment later, Todd places the dessert he had brought with him onto the counter.]
Tea: Todd, what are you doing?
Todd: We agreed to one meal, right? Dessert is part of the meal. This night doesn't end until we've eaten this stuff, whatever it is.
Tea: You don't know what it is?
Todd: Everything in that place had weird names. I just pointed at the thing that looked the most edible.
Tea: Well, it does look delicious.
Todd: So, you're up for this?
Tea: A small portion, sure.
Todd: This whole thing has to be gone before you can throw me out.
Tea: I'm not trying to throw you out. I want you here. I don't want you to leave.
Todd: But...
Tea: But, what?
Todd: You were about to say but. So, go ahead. But...
Tea: I think your butt looks great. Have you been working out?
Todd: Don't change the subject.
Tea: Why not? You do it to me all the time.
Todd: Well, it's okay when I do it.
Tea: You do look great, Todd. You look tired, though.
Todd: Maybe I should buy one of those tapes that has the sound of the ocean.
Tea: Is that a comforting sound for you now?
Todd: Nothing is comforting for me. It would probably just make me think about you, anyway. It was a lousy idea. It would just make it even harder to sleep.
Tea: Let's eat this dessert and then maybe we can come up with a way for you to sleep. Maybe tonight we'll both sleep better than either of us has in a long time.
to be continued...
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