The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
| ONE LAST TIME BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 67 - 69 |
ONE LAST TIME
chapter 67:
[The next day...
Todd is standing in his office, staring blankly out the window. It's nearing midnight but he has no interest in going home to his painfully empty penthouse.
The sound of a female clearing her throat in the doorway of his office places a smile on his face. He quickly turns and enjoys the sight of his ex-wife with their daughter in her arms.]
Todd: You came! I knew you would.
Tea: We have a deal.
Todd: Deals are broken all the time, you know that.
Tea: Not this one. Valencia missed her papi.
Todd: I missed her, too.
[Todd takes a deep breath. He's spent all day alone thinking about how to handle his relationship with Tea. He's come to a decision. He's not certain it's the right one, but he hopes that it is.
Todd moves closer to them.]
Todd: I missed her...and I missed you.
[Tea looks away. Todd notices but ignores her avoidance attempt. He takes his daughter from Tea and holds her close to him.]
Todd: I made a decision.
Tea: If it's about us...
Todd: It's about all of us. I heard all that junk you said to your grandmother about how loving me always gets you hurt.
Tea: How dare you eavesdrop on a private conversation!
Todd: Stop pretending you're pissed off. This is serious.
Tea: I have every right to be pissed off. You have invaded my privacy for the last time.
Todd: It won't work, Tea. You can't talk yourself into being angry enough at me to stop what's going to happen between us.
Tea: Nothing will be happening between us. We share a daughter, that's all.
Todd: We share a hell of a lot more than that, and you know it. We're going back to my place and we're doing that opening our hearts to each other junk. We'll both hate it but we're doing it anyway.
Tea: I'm not going anywhere with you. Say goodnight to your daughter. I'll bring her by in the morning and you can spend a few hours with her before we go back home tomorrow.
Todd: Your home isn't with your grandmother. It's with me.
Tea: You're right about one thing, our home isn't with my grandmother anymore.
Todd: She kicked you out because of me?
Tea: Why do you think everything in my life is about you?
Todd: Because it is.
Tea: That's not true. Valencia and I will be moving into our own apartment soon. I'll also be returning to work.
Todd: It doesn't matter where you live or how much you work, you'll still be thinking about me every second.
Tea: Your ego is outrageous.
Todd: I sit at that desk every day, making life miserable for all the losers in this town. I should be enjoying it but every brilliant headline I come up with, all I can think about is what you would say to try to convince me to play it safe so I don't get sued. And, I'm always seeing your face in my head, with that disapproving lawyer look that you use to cover up the smile I know you really want to show when you read what I'm about to print about those hypocrites.
Tea: I'm certain you go ahead and print the most slanderous headlines you can think up, despite knowing you shouldn't.
Todd: Of course.
Tea: You never did take my advice.
Todd: You liked what I did to those losers.
Tea: I didn't like what they could have done to you.
Todd: You were always trying to protect me, in your own way. I was doing the same to you, in my own way.
Tea: Your way was painful.
Todd: So was yours. You were always telling me to open my heart up to you. You didn't care how much it hurt, for either of us. You wanted it anyway. Now, you'll have to pay for giving me that advice. I'm ready to do it.
Tea: I'm no longer interested.
Todd: Let's go back to the penthouse, get naked and talk about this.
Tea: Seducing me will not work.
Todd: I won't have to seduce you. You'll be seducing me the minute the door's closed, and we both know it.
[Todd walks out of the office. Tea quickly follows him.]
Tea: We're not going with you.
Todd: Sure you are.
Tea: No, we're not.
Todd: We have to hurry. I need to pick up a pizza on the way.
Tea: Listen to me...
Todd: Listen to me, Tea. I'm offering you everything that you want.
Tea: I don't want that. Not now. Not ever again. I'm through playing your games.
[Todd hands the baby back to a surprised Tea.]
Todd: I won't force you. You know where the penthouse is.
Tea: We could stay here a little longer. You can spend more time with your daughter.
Todd: I'll see her at the penthouse.
[Todd enters the elevator. Tea holds the door open as she continues their conversation.]
Tea: I won't be coming.
[Todd moves closer to her as his voice takes on a sexy tone.]
Todd: Delgado...
[Tea steps back, too tempted by the cocky man before her.]
Todd: You've been back in Llanview for seven hours, twelve minutes and fifteen seconds.
Tea: Have you been having me followed?
Todd: It took you that long to get the nerve up to come to me. I know it didn't take that long because you were afraid to let me see Valencia. It was because you were afraid of what would happen between us when there isn't an old lady holding us back. There won't be anyone at the penthouse stopping us from doing what we both want to do. You can pretend it's only sex, if you want, at least at first. We'll both know that sex is only part of it. I love you, Tea. You'll be coming to me knowing that...and you'll never be leaving me again.
[Todd steps back, allowing the elevator doors to close between them. The smirk on his face disappears as he fears Tea won't have the courage to come to him, or that if she does, he won't have the courage to keep from pushing her away.
Several hours later...
Todd is slouched on the sofa in his living room, a box of uneaten pizza on the coffee table beneath his feet. Tea never came. He should feel relief, but he doesn't. He always knew that if he continued to push her away, someday she would stop coming back. He fears his last chance with her may have passed him by.
The telephone rings. Todd jumps up and rushes to the desk, pouncing on the phone. He's initially disappointed that the caller isn't Tea, but soon has a smirk on his face.
He quickly ends the call and goes to the door, opening it, and confidently strutting toward the elevators.
Moments later...
As the elevator doors open, Tea is startled as Todd rushes into the elevator and backs her against the wall while he kisses her passionately.]
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ONE LAST TIME
chapter 68:
[Tea is unable to resist Todd's surprising kiss as the elevator doors close and the ex-spouses descend toward the lobby.
Seconds later...
As Todd pulls away from her, Tea grabs onto his shirt, trying to prevent him from leaving her personal space.]
Todd: We can't stay in this elevator. There are things I want to do to you that I can't do here.
[Tea relinquishes her hold on his shirt and her facial expression changes as she fights desperately to push aside her lust.
Todd pushes the button to return them to the floor that houses his penthouse.]
Tea: I'm not staying. I only came to tell you...
[Todd brings his body against hers again, pressing her against the back of the elevator, forcing her mind to struggle against her lust for him.]
Todd: What did you come to tell me? That you wouldn't be coming tonight? You blew that by showing up.
Tea: I didn't want you to wait unnecessarily.
Todd: I would wait for you forever.
[Tea smiles at him as her internal walls are successfully re-instated.]
Todd: You think that's bull?
Tea: I know that's bull. You only said it to get me to agree to stay tonight.
Todd: You're right. I said it because I figured it was the kind of thing you wanted me to say. But, you're wrong, if you think I didn't mean it. I'll try, Tea. I'll try to say all the stuff that's inside me that I would rather cut my tongue out than admit to you.
[The elevator doors open. Todd takes Tea's hand in his and leads her toward his penthouse.
As he opens the door and passes the threshold, Tea halts her movement. Todd turns toward her.]
Todd: You want me to carry you?
Tea: I need to leave.
Todd: You need to stay.
Tea: The baby...
Todd: If she needs you, Carlotta will call.
Tea: She does need me. She's the only one.
Todd: I need you. You know that. You've always known that.
Tea: You've always hated my knowing that.
Todd: Not anymore.
Tea: What's changed?
Todd: Everything, except I still don't like talking about stuff where nosy losers could hear.
[Todd walks away from Tea and further into the penthouse. Tea considers leaving but finally relents and enters the penthouse, closing the door behind her.]
Tea: I'm not staying.
Todd: If you really don't want to be here, why did you come?
Tea: I knew you'd be awake, waiting for me.
Todd: And, you claim I have a big ego.
Tea: Clearly, you were awake.
Todd: The doorman called me when you showed up. That's why I woke up.
Tea: You returned to self-preservation mode easily enough.
Todd: It's a habit.
Tea: One I don't want you to break.
Todd: I was awake the whole time. I wasn't sure if you would have the guts to come.
Tea: It wasn't guts that brought me here.
Todd: What was it?
Tea: Hormones.
Todd: Really?
Tea: Really. Since the baby was born, my hormones have been all over the place.
Todd: Why didn't you show up on Simple Simon's doorstep, or that sanctimonious piece of scum you cheated on me with when we were married, or R.J., or...
Tea: Clearly, coming here was a mistake. You haven't changed at all.
[Tea turns and begins to leave. Todd rushes up behind her, reaching her as she reaches the door.]
Todd: You're not leaving.
Tea: I won't put up with your insulting comments.
Todd: Do you think it's easy for me knowing what you let other guys do to you?
[Tea turns and faces him.]
Tea: That doesn't excuse your behavior.
Todd: What about your behavior?
Tea: My behavior is fine.
Todd: You're sending mixed signals.
Tea: I am not.
Todd: You came here because you wanted to be with me, but then you got scared and now you're pretending you didn't.
Tea: Maybe I'm just reminded of what being with you is really like.
Todd: You knew that before you came.
Tea: I had hoped you had changed.
Todd: I'm trying. I didn't call you any names, did I?
Tea: Is that supposed to be enough?
Todd: Nothing is ever enough for you.
[Todd turns away from her and moves toward the large window on the other side of the room.]
Tea: Now, we're at the part where you block me out and make me feel more alone than I've ever felt while in the same room with another person.
Todd: Go ahead and walk out on me again. I don't need you.
Tea: What a perfect re-creation of so many moments we shared during our first marriage.
Todd: This isn't my fault. I tried. You're the one shutting me down.
Tea: Because I don't believe you. Because I know, no matter how hard you try, you'll never be able to truly allow us to be together.
Todd: What about you?
Tea: I tried for years. You only lasted a few minutes.
Todd: It's been days.
Tea: I stand corrected.
Todd: You can't dump all of this on me. You were always backing away from me, whenever things started working out.
Tea: When was that? You never allowed us to even approach an honest, open relationship.
Todd: In that ugly cabana, on our second wedding night, you were the one who pulled away.
Tea: Because I found out you had been making a fool out of me by faking a personality disorder.
Todd: That's no excuse.
Tea: That is a perfect example of an excuse, an exclamation, a reason, for why I couldn't be with you anymore, why I still can't be with you.
Todd: What about when we went away together? I was playing it totally straight with you then.
Tea: You were playing games with me, like you always are.
Todd: Every time I tell you that I love you, you think I'm playing games with you.
Tea: Because you are.
Todd: I mean it, Tea. I love you. I'd rather chew on glass than admit that to you, especially to you.
Tea: Why especially me?
Todd: You know why.
Tea: Tell me.
Todd: You don't want to know. You'll go running out of here if I tell you.
Tea: Tell me anyway.
Todd: If I do, I'll lose you again.
Tea: Risk it.
Todd: People walk out on me all the time. I expect it. Hell, I help them out by speeding things up.
Tea: You make it so difficult for anyone to care about you.
Todd: But, you do care. No matter what I do, you never stop caring.
Tea: That doesn't mean that I can be with you.
Todd: Other people, when they get pissed off and walk out on me, I know they mean the junk they say about me. You don't.
Tea: I most certainly do.
Todd: You might know it's true, but you don't mean it. You know I'm scum, but you don't care. It's not the money that makes you not care, it's not what I can give you, it's not because you're afraid of me. You love me because you just do. You love me because, when you look at me, there's something else that you see. There's something that you've always seen. When I look in your eyes, I can almost see it, too. With everyone else, I'm just scum that has a ton of money. With you, I'm... I don't know what. When I was a kid, nothing I did was ever enough. I wasn't smart enough. I wasn't athletic enough. I wasn't anything enough. With you, I'm enough. That's what you do for me. You make me feel like me just being me is enough. All I want is to make you feel the same way. Let me.
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ONE LAST TIME
chapter 69:
Tea: I need to leave.
[Tea turns toward the door.]
Todd: You're a coward, Delgado.
[Tea turns back toward her ex-husband.]
Tea: You're calling me a coward?
Todd: That's right.
Tea: We both know that nothing you're saying now would matter anymore, if I give in and let you have my heart again. You'd promptly smash my heart to pieces, like you have every time I gave you the chance in the past. No more!
Todd: I spilled my guts to you. I did all that making love junk. You walked out on me. You left me with nothing but a note...a fucking note. I was naked in front of you...in every way. All I got was a fucking note.
Tea: All I got was a fucking check. Don't you dare try to make me feel guilty for one mistake when you've made so many I've lost count, including rejecting me while I stood in front of you totally naked. Do you remember that?
Todd: That was different. And, you don't have to worry about remembering the count between us. I know exactly what our stats are. You've screwed me over way more times.
Tea: Well, then, congratulations! You're finally rid of me...for good.
Todd: You don't want one last fuck? Isn't that why you came tonight?
Tea: You've managed to cure me of that hormonal problem I was foolishly having.
Todd: So, you won't be walking out that door and fucking the first guy you see?
Tea: I didn't say that.
Todd: No way are you doing that with anyone but me.
Tea: Save your possessiveness for your wife. Adios, Todd! From now on your visits with our daughter will be with my grandmother, or Viki.
[Tea walks out of the penthouse, slamming the door behind her.
Days later...
Tea is sleeping in the bedroom of her grandmother's apartment. She's having a wonderful dream that Todd is lying beside her, lightly stroking her hair, whispering her name, encouraging her to open her eyes. She snuggles closer to his body and breathes in his lust-inducing scent.]
Tea: Oh, Querido!
Todd: Come on, Delgado, we don't have a lot of time. You have to open your eyes.
Tea: I don't want to stop dreaming yet.
[Tea's hand moves down his body, seeking to equal his arousal to hers. His hand clasps hers as she begins to caress him through his pants.]
Todd: Delgado, I can't let you do stuff if I don't know for sure you're awake. You need to open your eyes.
Tea: If I open my eyes, my dream will end. You won't be here anymore.
Todd: That's true, your dream will end, and your nightmare will begin again.
[Reality begins to filter through the continued dreamy haze she feels.]
Tea: Todd? Are you really here?
Todd: Open your eyes and find out. Start salsa yelling at me so I know everything is back to normal between us.
[Tea moves away from his body as she opens her eyes and fully awakens.]
Todd: You always did like surprises, remember?
Tea: Did you come to see the baby?
Todd: I already saw her. I've been hanging out with her for the last couple of hours.
Tea: Continue your visit. I won't stop you.
Todd: That old lady of yours took her to visit other old people.
Tea: She did say earlier that she wanted to take Valencia to meet some of her friends.
Todd: She just left so, if you hurry up and apologize, I can forgive you and we can do that making up fucking thing before they get back.
Tea: We're not making up. I'm certainly not apologizing for anything. If Valencia isn't here, you need to leave.
[Tea gets off the bed and leaves the room.
Minutes later...
Tea enters the shower. She's lathering her hair as she hears the bathroom door open and then close again.]
Tea: I told you to leave.
Todd: I thought you asked me to strip down to nothing and join you.
[Tea rinses the shampoo from her hair and opens her eyes as a naked Todd steps into the bathtub in front of her.]
Tea: Todd...
Todd: This always works out better when we don't talk.
[Todd moves closer to her and takes her into his arms. Their lips meet in an anxious kiss.
Tea pulls away, but places her hand against Todd's thigh to let him know that she doesn't want him to move away from her.]
Tea: This must be a dream. You would never be the first to give in and admit you were wrong.
Todd: I'm only here for the sex.
Tea: Is that so?
Todd: Ever since the baby came, my hormones have been really out of whack.
[Tea laughs as he presses their bodies together and kisses her again while the spray from the shower falls down on them.]
Todd: We need to go somewhere else. It's too wet in here.
Tea: It is a shower.
Todd: All this water is getting in the way of what I want.
Tea: What do you want?
Todd: I want to be inside you, where I belong.
[Tea's facial expression turns pensive.]
Todd: Don't think about it, Delgado. Thinking always screws everything up for us. Just go with the flow. But, turn the flow off first. I don't want to have to explain to anyone how you got hurt if you fall while we're doing stuff in here.
Tea: We should stop before this goes any further.
Todd: Is that what you really want?
to be continued...
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2002 COPYRIGHT BY TIMA
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