The Florencia Lozano Homepage - Fan Fiction
Chapter 10
Tea listened to clock in the foyer strike 8:00 PM. She’d called everywhere trying to find Todd and Starr…but no one had seen them. There was no answer at Blair’s, he wasn’t at The Sun, or Vicki’s and he wasn’t answering his cell phone.
Tea looked up as Hedda came down the stairs, her white apron flying and bulky legs pounding the boards as she fingered her tight, blond curls, this plump, feisty woman who’d become such an important part of their family.
“Alma is asleep…like an angel. Any word from Mr. Manning and Miss Starr?”
“No,” Tea said quietly, shaking her head. “Something is wrong…I can feel it.”
“Don’t worry, they probably stopped off somewhere and forgot to call, yah? I kept their dinner warm…don’t worry. I’m sure they’ll be home soon.”
Tea paced around, her hands tugging nervously at her black sweater…Todd’s sweater. She’d developed the habit of wearing his clothes when he wasn’t around, loving the scent of his skin against her body. Todd had been so distressed earlier that Tea had rushed home and asked Hedda to prepare his favorite meal for Starr’s homecoming after spending 2 days at Blair’s. She had lighted all the fireplaces and pinned her hair up the way he like it. His agitation earlier had left her uneasy and she wanted to reassure him that their life was secure…and their home safe.
“No. When I saw Todd earlier…he was desperate to bring Starr home. Perhaps…they’ve had an accident…I’m going to call the police,” she said, picking up the phone and dialing Bo in Llanview. Hedda listened as Tea explained Todd and Starr’s absence, but Bo assured her that nothing had been reported. Tea hung up, then quickly picked up the phone again and dialed Blair’s number once more. This time, Blair answered.
“Blair…it’s Tea. Did Todd go by and pick up Starr a few hours ago?”
There was a long pause.
“Blair? Did you hear me?”
“Yes…I heard you. Todd was here…but he left hours ago. And…Starr is staying here?”
“Todd let Starr stay another night?”
“Starr is not staying another night, Tea. Starr is living with me from now on. Have you forgotten that I’m her mother? Besides…it was her choice. And…don’t call again,” she snapped before hanging up. Tea was stunned as she listened to the hum on the other end of the line. Quickly she redialed Blair’s number, but this time she got a busy signal.
“Mrs. Manning? What’s wrong? Is Miss Starr okay?”
“Hedda…I’m going out. Call me on my cell phone if Mr. Manning comes home while I’m gone,” she said, grabbing her leather jacket from the coat rack and quickly running out the door.
* * * * *
“He wants another drink,” said a weary, middle-aged waitress with swollen ankles to the bartender as they watched the man in the corner booth, slouched over and half conscious. Now and then he’d raise his hands, swatting something away and muttering under his breath…then he’d close his eyes again.
“Shut him off! He’s had 13 drinks in the last hour…I thought he’d be out by now,” said the bartender, looking back up at the basketball game that was playing on the television above him.
“Yeah, but…he gives me one of these for every glass,” said the waitress, flashing him a twenty-dollar bill. “A few more drinks and my rent’s paid up for the month.”
The bartender shook his head but poured another double shot of cheap scotch into a grimy glass and watched the waitress walk over and place it in front of him. She reached over his head and took another twenty from the wad Todd had left on the table. His instructions had been simply to “keep them coming.”
Todd blinked, looking up slightly through thick, heavy lids at the sound of the glass hitting the table, watching the golden liquid dancing in front of him. His head was buzzing and splitting with thick intoxication as the room spun around in a dark blur…barely able to make out the whiskey in front of him.
Suddenly, he felt a light draft, something flapping lightly against his head, picking away at him relentlessly…something black and winged, mocking him.
“Go away…leave me alone,” he slurred, slicing his hand across the air before picking up the glass with a shaky hand, spilling half of the scotch on the table, and drinking it back quickly. “Keep ‘em coming…” he gasped as he laid his head back on the table, his ugly memories battling with the alcohol for dominance.
A young woman with brown hair and a short, denim skirt entered the place. Looking around at the mostly empty bar she checked out a group of rowdy bikers in the corner, and a few patrons scattered along the bar watching a basketball game. She noticed a man in the corner booth, his head lying next to a large roll of new, green bills that glowed like neon, beckoning her from across the room. Her red, high-heels scraped the floor loudly as she made her way over and stood by Todd’s table. Immediately she took in his expensive clothing and gold wedding band.
“Hey, baby…you want some company?”
Todd struggled to open his eyes, but couldn’t.
“Go away…” he muttered.
The waitress came by, brought him another drink and seeing the young woman eyeing his money, grabbed it and shoved it into Todd’s jacket before heading back toward the bar.
The young woman slid in beside him, taking a swallow of his drink. Slipping her hand under the table she began rubbing his thigh.
“You feeling bad, baby…cause…I can make you feel better. You wanna feel better?”
Todd opened his eyes but couldn’t make her out. The light bounced off her long, brown hair and he reached out his hand to touch it.
“Tea?” he whispered.
“Tea? Who’s Tea? You want me to be your Tea, tonight, baby?”
The young woman looked around but everyone’s attention was focused on the television as she slid out of the booth.
“Come on, baby, let’s get out of this dump…come with…uh…Tea,” she said as she helped him out of the booth, to his feet. He towered above her as he leaned his dead weight against her tiny frame, his legs buckling beneath him as she struggled to hold him up. Pushing him forward, using the wall to brace him up, they began to walk toward the entrance.
As they stumbled out of the bar, the waitress and bartender shook their heads.
“Ain’t love grand,” said the bartender as he turned back to the game.
The young woman pushed against his heavy bulk as they came out of the stale bar into the cool night air, the chilly wind hitting Todd in the face, alerting him slightly. Everything was spinning and the lights in the parking area were melting and blurring into long, garish streaks as they moved along from car to car. Finally she slammed him against the nearest car, unable to carry him any further.
“Baby…you’re a heavy dude,” she said, breathing hard as she braced him against the car to keep him from falling.
His eyes were closing again as he struggled to stand.
“Tea’s here, baby. Tea’s going to make you feel good, baby…okay,” she said getting on her knees before him and undoing his belt. She felt his hand in her hair and pushed it away quickly as her wig loosened in his grasp and began to slip off.
“Tea,” he whispered, just making out her dark, shadowy head below him. “Love me…please…”
*****
Tea drove along the darkened waterfront. Todd always seemed to wind up down by the Llantano River when he was troubled and she was hoping to see his dark, pensive figure looking out across the water in the mist. He seemed to find solace in the thick, gray fog that rolled off the river nightly and blanketed everything in its soft, cloudy comfort transforming harsh reality into a dark and beautiful dream world filled with water-smoke.
“Todd Manning does love to escape rather than face his troubles,” she said to herself.
Suddenly she saw his black Jaguar…the sleek, silver cat perched on the hood gleaming beneath a tall streetlight. Pulling over quickly, she noticed it was parked in front of a bar called The River-Rat, a notorious biker bar known for violent gang wars and drug activity.
“What the hell are you doing here, Todd Manning,” she said as she parked beside his car and got out.
She peered through the dark windows but he was not inside and taking a deep breath she headed for the entrance of the bar when she noticed Todd’s tall figure leaning against a car in the parking area nearby.
“Todd,” she called out, her heart beating with joy and relief as she began hurrying toward him, weaving through an array of motorcycles and parked cars.
He didn’t respond and as she got closer she noticed that his eyes were closed and that his head was leaning toward one side as if he were asleep…only standing. When she came around the car that he was leaning against she saw a young woman on the ground in front of him. She was on her knees, her mouth on Todd’s genitals.
Tea gasped loudly as she covered her mouth to keep from screaming, a thick wave of nausea gripping her as she retched uncontrollably.
The woman leapt up and stared at Tea.
“Hey lady…get lost. This sucker’s mine?” she slurred.
Todd’s eyes flew open, looking directly into Tea’s eyes.
“Tea,” he whispered.
“Oh my god…my god,” she whispered, shaking her head slowly. She felt sick, warm, noxious liquids rising into her mouth and swirling around her tongue as she took a few steps away, her legs unsteady as she stood there stupefied.
Todd stared at her, disoriented and unable to understand why she seemed so far away when she had felt so close a moment ago. Putting his hand out to touch her he lurched forward unsteadily, tripping on the clothing that were wrapped tightly around his thighs and falling forward onto the pavement.
The young hooker stepped forward to claim him.
“DON’T TOUCH HIM,” yelled Tea, her voice coming back to her suddenly, powerful and territorial.
“Are you his…uh…woman?”
“I’m his wife,” said Tea indignantly, staring at the young girl who shivered in the cold in her skimpy clothing and red high-heels, her eyes glassy and disoriented, obviously high. Todd moaned, getting to his knees and pulling himself up by holding on to the hubcap of the car in front of him, his body limp and exposed, his eyes red and blurry as he struggled to stay conscious, his world spinning out of control all around him as he gripped the car like it was a life preserver. Tea walked up to him smelling the alcohol that emanated from his every pore.
“You bastard…you bastard,” she cried. “How could you? How could you do this to me….how could you do this to us? I hate you…I HATE YOU!” She began to strike him with her fists, gripped by a furious insanity, her pain and anger erupting all over him, but he barely responded in his lethargic stupor, unable even to lift his arms and deflect her painful blows. “LOOK AT ME…LOOK AT ME YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH! AT LEAST HAVE THE GUTS TO LOOK ME IN THE FACE…YOU COWARD!” Shaking and crying bitterly she turned suddenly and began to walk away from him but suddenly stopped, and walked back over to him.
“Give me your car keys,” she said, her face stained with tears as she put her hand out. His eyes fluttered at the sound of her voice but he didn’t respond. “GIVE ME YOUR FUCKING KEYS, TODD!”
Tea reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his keys then she walked away from him and started running toward her car.
His eyes opened and he saw her figure moving away from him, disappearing into the white fog of his drunken dream.
“Tea.”
Calling out her name he attempted to follow but he tripped over his clothing again and fell. His face slammed against the pavement and all he could hear was the sound of tires screeching loudly as her car peeled away and all he could feel was the sharp impact of bone on concrete and the sting of broken, bruised skin as his eyes finally closed and he slid into the dark, sweet oblivion he’d been seeking all night.
*****
2003 Copyright by Trog
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