After finally ending her meeting with the company's board and making her recommendation on which offer would be most prudent, Tea heads home to her oceanfront home.

During her long commute, she pushes all thoughts of business out of her mind as she focuses solely on her worries about her ex-husband. She knows that she took Todd by surprise earlier today. She did enjoy doing that but now she worries about how Todd will handle it.

Even though she knew in advance that she would be seeing him today, it still didn't completely prepare her for the reality of being in the same room with him again. And, now they are planning on spending the evening dining alone together at the home they shared. She doesn't know what to expect. She doesn't know if he misses her as much as she misses him. She doesn't know if he regrets leaving their bed the morning after they made love on their wedding night and never coming back. She's unclear about what his current status is. She knows that he has been seen around Llanview with certain women but she doesn't know if he's in a serious relationship or even in a relationship at all.

The biggest question of all for Tea as she drives toward her home is whether Todd will even show up tonight. He has been known to run when things were too uncomfortable. Sharing this evening together could certainly lead to some uncomfortable moments. It could even lead back to the bedroom. Thrills move quickly through Tea's body at the thought of being intimate with Todd again. There's also fear at the thought, though, since the last time they made love she woke up to an empty bed and no word from Todd for months. Their meeting again today wasn't even his idea. If he had known she would be there he probably would have abandoned the opportunity to steal another company from Asa Buchanan just to avoid her.

As Tea approaches her home, she's uncertain what she would do if the evening were to turn romantic. She knows she would be scared of waking up alone again but the temptation to give him another chance, if he wants one, is so great.

Finally, Tea arrives home and the internal questions and battles are tossed away as she finds an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway of her house...their house. She assumes it's Todd's car and can't stop herself from smiling. Regardless of what happens tonight, at least she will have more time with him. Tea determines to focus on that happy reality, for now.

As Tea gets out of her car and carries several bags of groceries into her house, she determines that she'll let the evening flow however it does. She won't initiate anything...that should guarantee that she doesn't have to worry about anything happening...unless, Todd...

Tea shakes her head, trying to force any such thoughts out of her mind. Tonight is just dinner...unless, Todd pursues more.

Tea smiles to herself. She knows what she wants but she truly is determined that Todd will have to be the one to show an interest in their relationship this time. He will have to prove that he wants them to be together, if in fact he does. If not, Tea will accept that and genuinely wish him happiness in his life because his happiness is something that she has always wanted...even if it couldn't be with her.

After placing the groceries in the kitchen, Tea looks around the house. It's completely quiet. There's no sign of Todd. She expected him to be plopped down on the sofa in front of the television. She realizes that he may have thrown out his key a long time ago so she decides to look outside.

Through the patio doors she spots him sitting, staring at the ocean in front of him. For a moment she watches him, reminded of so many times when they were together that she watched him from this very spot. So many nights that she wished she could be where he was but she knew he didn't want her with him, physically or emotionally.

As Tea watches him raise a bottle to his lips and take a large gulp, a sadness come over her. She had told him earlier that she wanted him to be sober tonight. She did not want a repeat of so many nights when he drank until he passed out, successfully avoiding her in the process.

Tea unlocks the patio doors and walks out to where Todd sits, catching him by surprise.]

Tea: Trying to make up for lost time?

Todd: What?

[Todd looks up at Tea and smiles at the pissed look on her face.]

Todd: What'd I do this time, Delgado?

Tea: Go back to Llanview, Todd. Go back to whomever it is that is putting up with all your garbage and your unpredictable mood swings now. I have no desire to return to our pattern.

Todd: What pattern?

Tea: You getting drunk. Me worrying about you, trying to wake you up and take you into the house.

Todd: You just didn't want the neighbors to see me. You always cared more about them than you did about me.

Tea: That's not true.

Todd: Sure, it is.

Tea: What about all the nights I came out here and covered you with a blanket? What about the nights I spent out here with you, watching over you, making sure you were okay.

Todd: I didn't need you to do that. I didn't ask you to do that.

Tea: I was your wife, Todd.

Todd: Not then, you weren't.

Tea: This idea was a mistake. Just go home, Todd. This isn't your home anymore. You made that painfully clear...

Todd: Right...when I abandoned you on our wedding night...whatever. I already heard it earlier. You should have known better than to marry me again anyway.

Tea: You seemed different. You seemed...

Todd: Nuts? Crazy? Bonkers?

Tea: I guess that's the only reason you would want to marry me, right?

[Todd offers the bottle he's been drinking from to Tea.]

Todd: Here. Take a swig of this. I'm hungry and I want to move on to the grub.

Tea: Todd, I already said that this dinner is called off. I won't spend another night cleaning up after you.

Todd: Just take the bottle, Tea.

[Tea takes the bottle from him and continues to stand over him.]

Todd: Go ahead and take a drink.

Tea: I'm not interested.

Todd: Tea...

Tea: Todd...

Todd: Fine.

[Todd stands up and surprises Tea by taking her hand in his own and leading her up to the back porch of the house. As they stand by the patio doors, he turns to her.]

Todd: Look at it.

Tea: What?

Todd: The bottle.

[Tea uses the light from the house to look at the label on the bottle in her hand.]

Tea: This is non-alcoholic.

Todd: Exactly. You always did think the worst of me.

Tea: I did not.

Todd: So, am I invited to dinner again?

Tea: I suppose you should be since I don't feel like cooking tonight. I did stop at the store and picked up some of your favorites. I hope you will stay, Todd.

Todd: You just want someone to pamper you tonight.

Tea: That actually sounds pretty good.

Todd: Yeah, well, don't get carried away.

Tea: I won't, Todd, I promise.

Todd: I'll go get the stuff I brought.

Tea: What did you bring?

Todd: Nothing much. I only know how to cook a few things so I had to make sure you'd have stuff I could work with.

Tea: I guess we have enough food for two meals now.

Todd: Whatever. I'll be right back.

[Todd rushes to his car, while Tea enters the house and prepares the kitchen for Todd.]

to be continued...