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| NEVER AGAIN BY TIMA |
CHAPTER 3 |
NEVER AGAIN
chapter 3:
Tea: The state of your life is none of my concern...not anymore.
Todd: How do you just shut it off like that?
Tea: How do you?
Todd: I never said I did.
Tea: You've said it many times.
Todd: I never meant it.
Tea: It certainly felt like you meant it.
Todd: Skippy is only a rebound guy, right?
Tea: His name is Kip.
Todd: His name doesn't matter. He doesn't matter.
Tea: What does matter?
Todd: I need you.
Tea: Are you ready to tell me why?
Todd: No.
Tea: Come back when you are ready.
Todd: You're inviting me?
Tea: Since when does that matter? You show up whenever you feel like it. You leave whenever you feel like it, too.
Todd: You know why I had to leave. I couldn't stay away from my kids that long.
Tea: Why aren't you with them now?
[Without answering Tea's question, Todd stands up and leaves her home.
The weekend that Tea had previously been anticipating with Kip is ruined, not by Todd's presence, but by Tea's continuous expectation of his presence. Kip tries to be understanding about Tea's ex-husband's arrival in their lives but they end up fighting over meaningless things that neither genuinely cares about. They agree to return home early.
Several weeks later...
Tea and Kip have returned to their comfortable routine. Tea assumes that Todd has returned to his life in Llanview. In quiet moments alone, she wonders why he returned to her life, what the secret was that he wouldn't reveal to her, and why he gave up more quickly then he ever had before when he wanted something from her.
Knowing that, with Todd, she'll probably never have any answers, at least not complete ones, she tries to distract her mind with her work.
Late one evening...
Tea is pacing in her office, rehearsing the closing argument she has to deliver the next day.
Her phone rings. She answers.]
Tea: Arnez, Cruz, Delgado, Jimenez and Washington. Delgado, speaking.
Guard: Ms. Delgado, this is security. Are you expecting any visitors tonight?
Tea: No.
Guard: I didn't think so. You always let us know when you're expecting someone.
Tea: Who is it?
Guard: A suspicious looking gentleman by the name of Todd Manning.
Tea: Let him in.
Guard: Are you sure? I don't know if that would be wise.
Tea: I've never been wise when it came to Todd Manning in the past. I'll be fine. Let him in.
[The guard does as Tea instructed.
Minutes later, Tea is standing in the doorway of her law firm when Todd exits the elevator and saunters down the hallway toward her.]
Tea: Why are you here?
Todd: I brought grub.
Tea: I'm not hungry. Why are you here?
Todd: You've been working all night on your closing argument. I know you're hungry.
Tea: You've been spying on me again?
Todd: Do you want the food, or not?
Tea: I suppose I could nibble on something.
[Todd tosses a large paper bag filled with their dinner at her as he walks passed her.]
Todd: Nibble on this. I got you your next big case, after you win this one.
Tea: I'm nervous.
Todd: About my table manners?
Tea: About my closing arguments. We'll eat in the conference room.
Todd: You're not going to show me your office?
Tea: Are you interested in seeing it?
Todd: Not really.
Tea: Let's speed this up and get on with dinner so you can head back to Llanview tonight.
[They enter the conference room. Todd sits down as Tea opens the bag and places their dinner on the table in front of them.]
Todd: You're not going to put me up again?
Tea: That wouldn't be wise.
Todd: I thought that's what ex-spouses do. I'd do it for you. You don't have a jealous hubby, or something, do you?
Tea: Let's change the subject.
Todd: To what?
Tea: Business. What are the charges against you this time?
Todd: Your faith in me is so touching, I think I'm going to cry.
Tea: You do have a history of shooting yourself in the foot and expecting me to clean up the blood.
Todd: No blood this time. Not mine, anyway.
Tea: Whose?
Todd: Don't you have anything to drink around here?
Tea: I'll get us something from the break room.
Todd: Make mine booze.
Tea: I think it would be best if we both remain sober.
Todd: What makes you think I'm sober?
Tea: I know you well enough to know when you've been drinking, and when you just wish you had been drinking.
[Tea leaves the room. Todd begins to devour his food. Tea returns.]
Tea: Somethings never change.
Todd (with his mouth filled with food): What?
Tea: Nothing. Go ahead and eat. You can have mine, too. I'm too nervous to eat.
Todd: Why are you nervous?
Tea: A woman's future depends on how convincing I am tomorrow.
Todd: You already nailed everything up to this point, right? All you have to do is put the final nail in the bad guy's coffin.
Tea: By bad guy, are you referring to the district attorney?
Todd: Who else?
Tea: Are you and Hank Gannon still having disagreements on how to interpret the law?
Todd: It's not my fault Llanview has a D.A. who doesn't have a clue.
Tea: I hope you're not getting yourself into too much trouble.
Todd: If I did, you'd know about it.
Tea: My days of defending you, in court, and out, are over.
Todd: Whatever.
Tea: You never did tell me who needs my legal services.
Todd: Viki.
Tea: Your sister?
Todd: Who else?
Tea: Why would she need an attorney?
Todd: It's a long, really weird, story.
Tea: Start with why she wants me, instead of her previous attorney.
Todd: She doesn't exactly know that I'm hiring you for her yet. It's one of those surprise things.
Tea: Whatever is happening, allow her to find her own representation.
Todd: She needs a good lawyer. One that isn't afraid to get dirty.
Tea: What's this about?
Todd: I told you, it's a long story.
Tea: One that I need to know before I could possibly know if I'll be able to help her.
Todd: Finish eating first. Trust me, you'll lose your appetite after you hear this one.
to be continued...
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2002 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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