The smell of alcohol permeated the room, seeping through the pores of her father. Stale alcohol, a scent as familiar as soap in her house. She could always tell when her father was home, she would smell him, then hear his yelling, long before she saw him.

Papi, please don’t, please stop.

This is between me and your mom. Go to your room.

No, I’m not leaving.

Tea, this has nothing to do with you, now go.

His voice is loud and slurred. He has a beer in his hand and gulps it hungrily. With a backward glance, she looked at her mother, who motioned for her to do as her father said.

She went to her room and lay on her back; pillows pressed tightly around her ears. The sounds of her mother’s pleas, only slightly muffled by the feather barrier. Fist connecting with jaw, foot connecting with stomach, painful cries of her mother.

*****

Todd’s blood boils as he sees Ben emerge from the elevator. “What the hell is he doing here?” He asks himself. Quickly, he runs toward the door, and yanks it open, startling Ben.

“Hello again,” Ben says. He lays the two bags of Chinese food and bottle of champagne on the ground, freeing his hand for Todd to shake.

“I thought I told you to forget you ever saw my wife,” Todd says angrily, slapping his hand away.

“If you’re so concerned about your wife, why aren’t you with her?”

Todd glares at him, knowing in his heart that Ben has a point. “That’s none of your business.”

“I’m not trying to come between whatever it is that’s going on between you and Tea, but she obviously needs a friend right now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I ran into her earlier today, and she just looked upset.”

“It’s not your job to take care of her.”

“Hey, man, this is not a competition between the two of us. I just wanted to come by and try to cheer her up.” Ben rings the penthouse doorbell, turning his back on Todd.

“If you lay one hand on her, I swear I will kill you!” Todd slips back into his penthouse, seething with anger.

*****

Penthouse 2

The doorbell rings, jerking Tea back to reality. “Papi?” She rubs her eyes, and looks around, still waking from her nightmare. “Oh, god, it was just a dream.” She glances at her watch and yawns. Tea reluctantly lifts herself from the couch to answer the door.

“Who is it?” She asks through the door.

“Ben.”

She goes through the ritual of opening the door, surprised to see him standing on the other side of the door. Gone is his expensive suit and tie, alligator shoes and Rolex watch. Instead they are replaced with black jeans, a white t-shirt, leather jacket and boots.

“May I come in?” He asks.

“Uh, sure. I really wasn’t expecting company,” she says, taking the bags from him and placing them on the coffee table.

“I just dropped by to check on you. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes,” she lies.

“Well, you’re probably not up for company, so I’ll leave.”

“Don’t be silly. Have a seat, I’ll go and get some plates.”

He makes himself comfortable; removing his jacket, carefully folding it and setting it on the arm of the chair, just as Tea reenters the room.

“Here you go,” she says, handing him a plate and taking to food from the bag. He uncorks the champagne, and pours each of them a glass.

“Could you show me where your bathroom is? I need to wash my hands.”

“Go upstairs, turn left, and it’s the third room on your right.”

“Thanks.”

*****

The bathroom looked as if no one used it. The white monogrammed towels, hung perfectly from the towel rack. Todd’s shaving kit was still on the counter, and his robe hung from the back of the door, right next to hers. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was just as much in love with Todd as he was with her.

He stared in the mirror at him self, remembering the two loves that were lost long ago. Two women whom he loved with every fiber of his being, and whose losses nearly destroyed him. He splashed cold water on his face, shaking the loose droplets onto the floor; shaking the memories from his head. He tears a few sheets of paper towels, and wipes the water from the floor.

*****

Tea and Ben enjoyed their dinner, accompanied by wine and the smooth sounds of Billie Holliday. Conversation flowed easily between them, laughing and joking, temporarily easing Tea’s troubled soul. As they sat on the couch, Tea’s legs tucked beneath her, they devoured dessert consisting of lemon meringue pie.

“Dr. Ben, I never pictured you as the leather jacket wearing type,” Tea jokes.

“Yeah, well I have two personalities. The professional, conservative doctor, and the jazz loving, motorcycle riding, daredevil.”

A cloud of sadness passes over Tea, and hovers as she thinks of Todd and all of his lies. Ben instantly regrets his statement about the two personalities, wishing that he had been more sensitive.

“Tea, I’m sorry. I should have thought-“

“No,” she interrupts, “it’s okay. You ride a motorcycle?”

“Yep. My mother used to hate it when I went out on my bike, but I couldn’t give it up, even for her. The only concession that I made was deciding to wear a helmet.”

“You liked to feel the wind blowing through your head?”

“Very funny, but yes, it did feel good.” He rubs the stubble on his head. “Back then, I did have hair, it was very short.”

“What made you shave your head?”

“I had a girlfriend who suggested it. She said that there was something about a man with a bald head, and I’ve been hairless ever since.” They both laugh.

Penthouse 1

Todd paces frantically, itching to know what’s going on between Ben and Tea. Trust, that’s what she always said. Trust her. It was good that she had a friend, but he would much rather it was a female friend. He couldn’t take not knowing what was going on, so he did the only thing he could, called Viki.

Viki, on her way home, answers her cell phone on the first ring. “Viki Carpenter.”

“Yeah, it’s me. What the hell is that Ben guy doing with my wife?”

“It’s nice to talk to you too Todd. I’m fine, how are you?”

“I didn’t ask how you were. Answer my question, will you?”

“If you’re so concerned about what your wife is doing with him, why don’t you ask her?”

He is silent, unable to think of a smart remark.

“Todd, as far as I know, he’s just a friend. She needs a friend right now,” she says calmly, hoping her voice would sooth him.

“That’s what Carlotta is for. Why does she have to be friends with some guy anyway?”

“Because the one guy that she wants and needs and loves more then anything in the world, is fifty feet away and won’t reveal himself to her. Ben, as wonderful as he may be, is no substitute for you in her heart, but he does make her feel safe.”

“How do you know so much? Did she tell you she still loved me?”

“No, but a woman can tell these things. When a woman has been raped-“

“Don’t say that word.”

“Todd, that is what happened to her. There’s no way to sugar coat it. When a woman has been raped, it takes quite awhile to begin to trust again, especially trust a man. It is a good thing if she feels comfortable with him, he may help her through this ordeal.”

“Yeah, help himself to her.”

“I don’t get that impression at all. I did a little digging through his past this afternoon-“

“Well, tell me.”

“I will in just a few minutes, I’m in the parking garage,” she presses the end button on her phone, leaving Todd listening to the empty sound of a dead line.

*****

Penthouse 2

Tea enjoyed Ben’s company. They spoke easily to one another, laughing and joking. For a little while at least, she was able to feel somewhat normal. Ben was fascinating; study in contradictions. The capable, superior surgeon. The daring, almost dangerous, jazz-loving, motor cycle riding, cool as they come man. Running into him on the streets, there was no way that anyone would guess that he is a cardiologist. In some ways, he reminded her of Todd. His cool, confident, borderline cocky demeanor, a cover for something deeper.

She noticed a change in him briefly, when he mentioned a past love. Her lawyering instincts were starting to kick in, something that they had not done in awhile. There was a quick flash of pain in his eyes, a flicker that most people would have let pass. Though wanting to ask him about the woman, she refrained. He would tell her if, and when he was ready.

He watched her twisting her wedding ring. Physically, she was still sitting next to him, emotionally; she was a million miles away. She had the same look on her face earlier, when she mentioned Todd. He imagines how hard the past year must have been for her. First, the man that she still loved faked a mental disorder and left her, then she’s raped. Here she was, all alone, trying to deal with more then any human being should ever have to endure. But here she was, alive, surviving, trying to move on. She was amazing.

*****

Penthouse 1

Todd had barely grumbled a “hello” to Viki before questioning her about Ben. “So, what’d you find out?” He asks.

“I think you might want to sit down for this,” she says, patting the seat next to her.

“Don’t tell me what to do! Just tell me his story.”

“Todd, you are so rude. I’m going to excuse your behavior because I know that you’re going through a rough time-“

“Whatever,” he says, rolling his eyes and sitting next to her.

“I think I know why he’s taken such a special interest in Tea. Apparently his mother and grandmother in New York raised him and his sister. He was the man of the house ever since he was a young boy. When he was away at college, his younger sister was gang raped.” She pauses before continuing, letting her words sink in. “At the time, he was majoring in psychology. He tried to help his sister cope, but she was unreachable. She ended up killing herself, and he never got over it. I think that by helping Tea, he is able to ease his own conscience.”

Todd said nothing, stunned beyond words. Once again his mind returns to the night of the Spring Fling. He can almost hear Marty begging them to stop. One after the other, they took their turn with her. Tearing her apart, literally and figuratively. Tears fill his eyes, and one by one, they slide down his cheeks. His body convulses, racked with sobs. “I did that to her. I did that to Marty. She begged us to stop. We kept doing it. We didn’t stop.” Viki wraps her arms around him, and pulls him into her warm embrace.

“Shh, it’s over Todd.”

“No, it’s not. She’ll never be the same, Viki. We destroyed her,” he sobs. “And Tea, she’s never gonna be the same either.”

“Todd, look at me,” she commands. She lifts his head from her shoulder, and looks directly into her eyes. “What you did was wrong, absolutely wrong, but you are not that same person. Sweetheart, just because a woman was raped, doesn’t mean that she is somehow tainted or less of a woman. I was sexually abused, but it did not destroy me. It is possible to recover, I did, and I believe Tea will too.”

*****

Penthouse 2

Tea and Ben were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tea looked at her watch, surprised that someone would be knocking on her door so late at night.

“Would you like me to get it?” Ben asks.

“Please. I don’t know who it could be at this hour.”

Ben looks through the peephole at the tall, balding guy, recognizing him as John Sykes. He unlocks the door, and opens it. Sykes stands in the doorway, stunned that some other guy would be answering Tea’s door, especially when she wouldn’t even take his calls.

“John,” she says, approaching the foyer, “what are you doing here?”

“Uh, I, uh, just wanted to check on you,” he stammered. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” he asks, trying to hide the contempt in his voice.

“Oh, this is Benjamin Michaels. Ben, this is John Sykes.” The exchange weary glances then shake hands.

“Nice to meet you,” says Ben.

“You too. So, how have you been? You haven’t returned any of my calls.”

“I’m okay, I guess. I’m sorry about not calling, I haven’t been calling anyone back.”

Ben reads their body language. Sykes leans in toward her, she shrinks back. There is tension between them. It is clear that she doesn’t want to be bothered. They share a few more words then with one last warning glance Sykes leaves.

“Thank god he’s gone,” she says, leaning against the door.

“I take it you don’t care for him.”

“He’s just very….persistent.”

The phone rings loudly, scaring them both. Tea checks the caller i.d. before answering.

“Hello?”

“Tea, it’s Bo. I need you to come down to the station as soon as possible. There’s been a development in the case.”