The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
LIES FEARS & LOVE
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
3 |
chapter 3
THE SUN:
Vicki stepped out of the elevator of the Manning building carrying two cups of coffee as she headed for Todd's office. It was rather early and his secretary wasn't in yet so she politely knocked at his office door. There was no response from inside so she peered through one of the glass panels and noticed that he wasn't at his desk, but lying on the sofa fast asleep. She let herself in, closing the door quietly behind her as she walked over toward him, placing the coffee and her handbag on the coffee table ever so gently. It was then she noticed the empty bottle of scotch beside him on the floor. Todd wasn't asleep, he was passed out. While shaking her head with quiet disapproval she noticed him clutching the morning edition of The Sun in his hand and she reached down and removed it carefully from his grasp. When she opened the paper she was startled by the headline. "Local Citizen Honored," it read and below it was a huge color picture of Carlotta and her family, including Tea, and the Mayor.
She walked over to his desk and placed the newspaper on it when she noticed his computer screen. The same picture that was on his paper was on his monitor only it had been cropped and enlarged showing only Tea's face. Vicki looked over at Todd and shook her head slowly, the reason for his little bender becoming all too clear.
She heard Todd stirring and walked over to him, shaking him gently by the arm.
"Todd. Todd, wake up, it's Vicki."
Todd moaned slightly and opened his eyes slowly, blinking and adjusting them to the harsh light of morning. The lovely irises of his hazel eyes swam in a sea of crimson and the circles beneath them were dark and hollow. His skin was pale and unshaven, his lips were dry and cracked. The odor of stale whiskey emanated from his hair and clothing.
"What the hell do you want," he growled.
"Well good morning to you too, little brother," she said in her most saccharine voice.
Todd sat up slowly, stiff from the sofa, and immediately grabbed his head with both hands in obvious pain.
"You don't have to shout...I may be drunk, but I'm not deaf."
"I'm not shouting, Todd. You're just hung over."
Todd stood up and started pulling the blinds down on all the windows, trying to block out some of the sunlight before turning to face his sister.
"Why are you here? Nothing better to do? Or did you come here to moralize cause I'm not in the mood for a lecture."
"Well, if you must know, your daughter called me this morning. She was worried because you didn't come home last night...and with Blair out of town..."
He walked over to her. His face showing genuine concern.
"Is she okay?"
Yes, Todd, she's fine. Her nanny dropped her off at day camp."
Vicki watched him as he suddenly placed a hand on his stomach and bolted for the bathroom.
She walked over to the bathroom door and knocked, but all she heard was the coughing sound of retching over and over again. Finally she heard the flush of a toilet, the sound of running water and what sounded like him brushing his teeth. Vicki calmly walked back to the sofa and sat down. She opened their coffees and fished through her bag for a bottle of aspirin. Todd finally emerged, looking a little better.
"Look, I brought you breakfast. Coffee and aspirin," she smiled handing the bottle to him playfully.
He walked over and sat beside her. He opened the bottle of pills and spilled a bunch into his hand which he quickly swallowed followed by a gulp of coffee.
"Feeling better?"
"Oh yeah, I feel great."
"Care to tell me what brought this on?"
"What? A man can't have a drink now and then? I worked late last night and had a few too many, big deal!"
Vicki walked over to his desk and brought over the latest edition of The Sun shoving the front page in his face. Todd looked at the picture then up at Vicki. She held his bloodshot gaze for an instant and saw the pain in his eyes before he quickly got up and turned his back to her.
"Is Tea being in town what's got you so upset?"
He spoke with his back turned, shrugging his shoulders limply.
"Why should I care if Tea's in town. She dumped me."
"Yes, it's funny you should mention that because I had a chance to talk to her last night and she seemed rather surprised when I mentioned her leaving you."
Todd turned to her inquisitively.
"Why? What did she say? What did she tell you," he said approaching her with obvious fear in his shaky voice.
"Calm down, Todd. She corroborated your story, but I got the feeling that she was lying to protect you. Why is that?"
Todd breathed with obvious relief.
"Tea left me. End of story."
He walked over to his desk and sat down. Vicki saw him staring at the computer monitor and reaching out to caress the screen before he noticed her watching him and quickly turned it off.
"Are you still in love with her, Todd?"
Todd stood up and started pacing manically, his voice erratic and laced with hostility.
"I'm with Blair now. I'm with the mother of my kid, and soon we'll have another one. Isn't that what you've been pushing for, Vicki? I'm Blair's problem now, not yours, so you don't have to spend all your time pitying me. You can go off and play with Ben, or your brood, or whatever. I have my own family now--aren't you happy for me? Isn't this what you've always wanted for me?"
"I've only encouraged this because I thought this was what you wanted--I thought you loved Blair!"
Todd walked closely to her, his voice filled with anger.
"Why? Did I tell you I loved Blair? NO! You told me I loved Blair! Sam told me I loved Blair! Blair told me I loved Blair," he shouted, "I am so sick of everyone telling me how much I love Blair!"
He raked his hands through his hair in frustration and groaned loudly.
"What does it matter who loves who? I slept with Blair. She's having my kid. That's it," Todd said dejectedly, his face twisted with a sadness that caused Vicki to walk over and take his hand.
"Sweetheart, I don't really understand what's going on here, but if you don't love Blair, than you shouldn't be with her."
Todd yanked his hand away.
"You're wrong, Vicki. She's exactly who I should be with. She's a liar, an unethical schemer, a tramp and an altogether selfish bitch. She's perfect for me. Todd Manning the rapist and Blair Cramer the whore. No, Blair isn't who I want, but she's damn well who I deserve," he said with a sad resignation in his voice.
"My God, Todd. How can you say that. After all you've been through, all we've been through. You deserve some happiness. Even Tea thinks that, despite everything, she told me so last night."
Todd looked at Vicki at the mention of her name, his face relaxing and softening.
"Did she ask about me," he asked quietly, almost shyly.
"Yes. She asked how you were. And she said that if Blair can make you happy, than that's what she wants for you."
Todd smiled sadly.
"I think in Greek tragedy that's what's referred to as irony," he said walking back to his desk and laying back in his chair closing his burning eyes.
"How is she?"
Vicki strolled slowly over and stood in front of his desk.
"Well, she looked beautiful, but I think you gathered as much from the pictures, but there was something new about her, a depth and inner radiance. And she was charming and polite, but if you're asking me about her state of mind, I couldn't tell you. She's as clever at disguising her feelings as you are."
Todd's eyes wandered as Vicki continued.
"Apparently she's living in New York, working as a defense attorney, and that's all I got. You know, Todd, she's in town until tomorrow. Are you going to see her?"
Todd looked down at the floor.
"I can't see her. I can't let her see me. Not now."
"I don't understand, Todd."
Todd got up and walked over to the table taking another swallow of coffee. He looked into the bottom of the empty cups as if searching for something he'd lost.
"No, you don't understand, but I do. And so does Tea. That's all that matters."
He picked up Vicki's purse and handed it to her.
"Good by, Vicki."
Vicki took her bag and placed it over her shoulder. She felt confused and frustrated by their conversation and hated leaving him in this ragged, wired state, but she knew he wouldn't divulge any more to her. She put her hand up lovingly to his cheek in an almost maternal gesture.
"Promise me that you'll go home and get some sleep."
Todd smiled at her motherly fussing.
"Yeah, I will."
He let Vicki kiss him on the cheek before she walked out.
Todd returned to his desk and turned the monitor back on. He laid back in his chair and stared at the screen.
to be continued...
2001 Copyright by Trog
FanFiction Home
Home
