The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
AFFLICTION
BY TROG |
CHAPTER
56 |
CHAPTER 56
The sun streamed through the black grated window and warmed Todd’s face as he watched the quiet harbor in the pale morning light. Leaning his head back against the wall he laid across the wide, stone sill and closed his eyes listening to Tea moving around in the bathroom...the sound of the shower, the blow-dryer, water running, brushing her teeth with his tooth brush, humming a Spanish song...the background noises of an ordinary morning that filled him with a sublime joy.
Looking down at himself he touched the front of his jeans, feeling the delicious soreness of last night’s over-indulgence in her warm and giving body. Grinning to himself he thought of this wild and unpredictable woman who never stopped amazing him, transporting him to places physically and emotionally that he had only once imagined in his darkest, most secret fantasies. Blair had pretended to be the wild, unpredictable one, pretended to be like him, but in the end she was just dull and conventional. It was Tea Delgado, the sensible lawyer with a beautiful mind, who turned out to be his soul’s companion, conquering his reckless nature with her daring willfulness, liberating his imprisoned passion from the confines of his ugly, violent past. It was Tea who gave him back his manhood, a manhood he’d feared for so many years, but now celebrated. It was Tea who knew how to handle him...how to heal him...how to love him.
There was a knock at the door and Todd walked over quickly.
“Yeah?” asked Todd cautiously before opening it.
“It’s me man...Antonio.”
Todd opened the door a bit and leaned against the door frame staring at Antonio who looked tired and unshaven.
“Well...you look like hell, Antonio. Didn’t you sleep.”
“Yeah...for a about five minutes...but then...this couple next door started moaning and groaning and knocking over the furniture all night long and kept waking me up...and probably the rest of this hotel as well! Four freaking hours...don’t you two ever sleep?”
Todd flushed a little and looked annoyed.
“Hey...don’t look at me. Delgado and I slept through the whole night...we didn’t hear a thing.”
“Yeah...right! Listen, I’m going down to see Jorgo...he said he’d keep a look out for Aaron all night. This port is the only way into the city.”
“Okay...but our plane leaves in few hours...”
“I’ll be back. How’s Tea?”
“She’s okay...she’s good,” said Todd, unable to stifle a little smile.
Antonio smiled and began to walk away.
“I’ll be back...later,” said Antonio as he disappeared down the hall.
Todd closed the door and went back to sitting on the window sill just as Tea walked out of the bathroom.
“Do I look totally ridiculous, amor?”
Todd smiled at the site of her in his clothes. She was wearing his black shirt with the sleeves rolled back, tied at her waist exposing a sliver of silky belly. His jeans fit her loosely, barely clinging to her slim hips and rolled up at the bottom revealing only a bit of toe and sandal. Peaking slightly below her waist, and above the waistband of the jeans, was the telltale elastic of a pair of Todd’s briefs. Looking down at herself, she pushed her long hair back away from her face as she walked toward him.
“You look...uhm...good...really, really good,” he said.
She stood before him, her hands raking her hair nervously as she stared at him anxiously.
“Todd?”
“Yeah?”
“I think I’m pregnant.”
Todd stared at her in silence, his mouth opening slightly.
“I...I’ve missed two periods since I’ve been here. I haven’t taken a test or anything, but...I’ve been getting sick a lot...specially in the morning...and...well...I feel a little different...a bit over-emotional. I think I’m pregnant, Todd.”
Todd stood up and walked toward her still saying nothing as Tea began to ramble nervously.
“I know this is the last thing you wanted...and the timing...well it couldn’t be worse...and you’re married to Blair...and you just lost Jack...and I...I know we didn’t plan this...but...I’m pretty sure....I’m pregnant...and....” she stopped talking as Todd pulled her into his arms and gasped softly into her shoulder.
Minutes passed and Todd still said nothing and when he finally pulled away Tea noticed an anxious look in his eyes.
“Are you scared, Tea? Of having a kid with me? I mean...look at what I did to Blair’s kid. I don’t blame you if are...if you don’t trust me with this.”
Tea pulled away and looked up at him, her eyes shiny and wet.
“I am scared...this all new for me...but mostly...I’m just so happy I think I’m going to spontaneously combust right here and now.”
“Yeah? Really?”
Tea nodded.
Todd stared at her, his eyes misting over as he stared down at her body and fell to his knees. Pushing her shirt up he kissed her belly and rubbed his stubbly cheek against her skin as Tea laughed and wrapped her arms around his head, her fingers playing with his hair.
“I’ll make up for everything, Tea...I promise,” he whispered.
Tea moved down and sat on the floor beside him.
“I’m not Blair, Todd. And...I don‘t want this child to be a hook in you...so...don‘t make me promises that you think I want to hear. I...I love you...that’s where this baby comes from...and the only reason I want you with me. But...I need to know that you want this....”
Todd stared at her then looked away.
“I guess I don’t deserve this, Delgado...I haven’t exactly been much of a father to either one of my kids...well...to one of my kids. It’s just that...I never got to enjoy it...this part of it. It’s like I’m a father by proxy...every time I turn around...I’m told I’m somebody’s father...but...I never got to have the experience...to earn it. I want that this time...I want to watch your body change... feel it moving around...to be a part of it...I want this with you.”
Tea looked away.
“Todd...I know that you’re hurting...about losing Jack, but...I don’t want this child to be a...a substitute for losing him.”
Todd turned her toward him.
“My whole life these past two years has been a substitute life...for losing you. I want this...I don’t have the words to tell you how much. Maybe I don’t deserve it...but I want it...and I only want it with you.”
“But you’re scared about it aren’t you? I can tell.”
“Scared shitless. Scared of hurting it...of hurting you. Besides...I’m always scared when I want something so badly that the fear of losing it takes away the enjoyment of actually having it. I‘m scared to love anything that much...the way I love Starr...and...the way I love you. But...I’m more scared when I’m alone, that‘s when I do crazy shit...I don’t mind being scared with you around. We‘ll be scared together.”
Tea smiled and pushed him to the floor, jumping on him.
“Aye, Dios mio, querido...we’re having a baby! A baby! A little Delgado-Manning.”
“Don’t you mean a Manning-Delgado...I think I have dominant genes.” Todd laughed as she planted dozens of kisses on his face. Suddenly Todd sat up looking anxious. “Delgado...why the hell didn’t you say something last night? We got kind of crazy...banging up against the headboard and the walls...maybe we were too rough ...maybe we hurt the kid in there!”
Tea laughed as she laid back across the floor.
“Don’t worry...last night you made me feel so good, querido...and what’s good for the mommy is good for the baby.”
Todd stared down at her, his eyes taking in her slender body.
“Man, Tea...you’re so thin...you have to eat. You’re suppose to be gaining weight not losing.”
Tea sat up and looked down at herself, touching her belly.
“All I did was swim on that island...I guess I lost some weight...but I feel okay. I’m healthy, amor.”
Todd stood up and pulled her up to him.
“Come on...we’re getting you some breakfast...healthy...fattening...pre-natal junk.”
Tea smiled, slipping her arms around his neck and pulling his face down to hers.
“Well...I am kind of hungry,” she said as she kissed his mouth slowly, rubbing her body against his.
“Delgado...what are you doing?” he asked between her delicious kisses.
“I can’t help myself, amor...I think it’s hormones or something but...I can’t stop thinking about....sex,” she whispered as Todd pushed her toward the bed.
As they fell back against the mattress her hands worked quickly at his zipper, opening it and slipping her fingers in.
“I think I’m going to enjoy this pregnancy thing,” he said, climbing on top of her, kissing her throat.
“Te quiero,” she whispered. “Let’s make love, amor...you and me...and our baby.”
Todd stopped and looked down at her misty-eyed.
“Our baby...Christ, Delgado...we‘re having a kid,” he grinned as Tea laughed and pulled him down to her.
“TODD,” shouted Antonio, pounding on their door.
Todd and Tea jumped up, breathless and startled. Lost in their happiness they had forgotten where they were...and the imminent danger they were in every second.
Todd straightened his clothing as he ran for the door and opened it quickly. Antonio rushed through it as Tea got up quickly.
“Tonio...what’s wrong?” asked Tea.
“It’s Jorgo...he’s missing. I went down to his boat but noone was around so I went below. His cabin was a mess...like some kind of struggle had taken place...and...this was lying on the bed. It’s addressed to you, Tea,” he said, holding a white envelope out toward her.
Tea saw her name scrolled elegantly across the envelope and began trembling, recognizing Aaron’s handwriting immediately. Looking up she stared at Todd before taking the letter from Antonio’s hand. As she began to remove the note from inside Todd reached out and stopped her.
“Don’t! Don’t read it, Tea...let’s just get the hell out of here,” he said.
“You know I can’t,” she said as she removed the note from inside and began to read aloud. There was only one line:
~COME, HELEN, GIVE ME BACK MY SOUL~
Todd and Tea stared at one another knowingly.
“What the hell does that mean?” asked Antonio.
Tea walked to the window and looked out toward the island.
“It’s a line from an poem by Christopher Marlowe. It tells the tale of man, Faustus, who sells his soul to the devil...and in the end he believes that the love of Helen’s beauty can save him from his own damnation,” said Tea sadly, before turning around. “I have to go back...or he’ll kill Jorgo.”
“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?” yelled Antonio. “Todd...help me here...tell her how crazy this is.”
But Todd said nothing as he and Tea continued to stare at one another. Tea came up to Antonio and took his hand.
“You have been such a good friend, Antonio...thank you. But, if I don’t go back he’ll kill Jorgo...and he probably won’t stop there...not till he kills everyone who is important to me. He killed Ben Davidson...and that poor, innocent man, Mikos...I couldn’t live if I let Jorgo die knowing it was within my power to save him. It is a sin I could never forgive myself for,” she said, walking over to Todd and touching his face. “You understand, don’t you, querido? There have been way too many casualties between us...no more. You do understand, don‘t you my love?”
Todd nodded, understanding only too well as their eyes locked.
“Okay...you’re both nuts! Aaron Blackmoor will kill you, don’t you get it?”
“Antonio...give me that gun,” said Todd as Tea looked on.
Antonio shook his head but pulled the gun out of his pocket and reluctantly handed it to Todd. Todd then walked over to his bag and started fishing through it until he found a piece of paper. Walking over to Antonio he placed it in his hand.
“This telephone number is for a man named John Swift. He’s an agent with interpol who’s been looking for Tea and Aaron Blackmoor. Give us an hour’s headstart and then call him...call the fucking cavalry...but give us an hour to get Jorgo free.”
“Todd, this is madness. You can’t fight this man...are you going to prove this by sacrificing your life...and Tea’s life?”
Todd walked over to Tea and took her hand, kissing it softly.
“Tea and I will be fine...because we’ll be together...no matter what happens, right?” he said looking into her wet, shining eyes.
She smiled sadly, and nodded her head slowly with perfect understanding, two souls of one mind.
“Don’t do this,” pleaded Antonio.
Todd looked at him and walked over.
“We have to go. You’ve been decent, Antonio...thanks for everything,” he said, putting out his hand but Antonio wouldn’t take it.
“No...I’m not saying good-by! Tea...please, don’t do this. I‘m begging you...por amor de Dios, chica, no vas.”
A tear fell from Tea’s eye as she hugged him warmly.
“We need to go, Tonio. Adios, mi amigo. Hasta la vista.”
Todd walked over and took her hand and together they went out the door leaving a bewildered and devastated Antonio behind wondering if he’d ever see them again.
to be continued...
2002 Copyright by Trog
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