In the kitchen, Tea is questioned by Viki and Carlotta.]

Viki: Tea, the most important thing...is he okay?

Tea: Basically, yes. Now, that he's with Starr I know he must be feeling really great.

Carlotta: Has he been in intensive therapy? Because, if he hasn't I can't understand why you would believe any of his lies again.

Tea: He's not lying to me. There's nothing for him to lie to me about. I haven't asked him where he's been. I don't know if he's been in therapy. Maybe he has and maybe he hasn't.

Carlotta: How can you be so casual about something so serious, Tea?

Viki: As soon as Starr is in bed that's one of the first questions I'll be asking him myself.

Carlotta: Tea, why are you so unconcerned about such an important thing?

Tea: I'm not. Look, he hasn't asked me if I've been in therapy, either. We'll get around to discussing that. We've had other things...

Carlotta: More important than his mental health?

Tea: Yes, at the time there were things that were more immediately important. I'm not saying that I wasn't concerned in the beginning. Believe me, early on I watched him carefully, studying his words, his actions. What I found is that he's different. He's very much the same but he is different.

Viki: How is he different?

Tea: He's calmer. He's still the most frustrating person I know. His habits and manners are still atrocious but I fell in love with him when he had those habits and manners so I don't really mind that they're still there. In fact, some of them are kind of endearing. He just seems more at peace with himself right now. Whether that came from therapy or solitary introspection doesn't really matter.

Carlotta: I think it matters.

Tea: What matters to me, in terms of our relationship, is how he treats me and he's treated me really great so far?

Carlotta: So, you've fallen in love with him again?

Tea: I never fell out of love with him.

Viki: Tea, exactly how long have you and Todd been back in touch with each other?

Tea (looking away): About two months.

Carlotta: Two months?!

Tea: It's not really that long. Although, a lot can happen in two months.

Carlotta: I'm afraid to ask.

Viki: Why has he kept himself hidden from everyone else. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that the two of you are together again.

Tea: If it were up to him, I probably still wouldn't know he was back in Llanview.

Viki: You went looking for him?

Tea: No. We bumped into each other. Neither of us planned it.

Carlotta: And, you just ran back into his arms?

Tea: Not quite. We both realized immediately, though, that we both still felt a connection. We both still cared about each other...loved each other.

Viki: So, you've been together for two months?

Tea: For the most part. Viki, it isn't that Todd didn't want to return to the rest of his family. It was just hard for him. It became one of those things where he had waited so long that it became more and more difficult for him to think of how to explain his absence, especially to Starr. He gave himself Christmas as his deadline to reveal his presence to everyone because he did want to come back even if he didn't quite know how to do it.

[Todd and Starr enter the kitchen. They both look happy but emotionally drained. Starr immediate approaches Tea.]

Starr: Tee, daddy says we get to be a family again.

Tea: Well, I never stopped thinking of you and your daddy as my family.

Starr: He said that he saw us together in the park on Thanksgiving but he had to wait to see me because he wanted it to be a special Christmas surprise.

Tea: And was it?

Starr: Daddy's the best gift anyone ever gave me.

Todd (uncomfortable): That's enough of that. Starr, isn't it time for you to go to bed?

Starr: I get to stay up later now because I'm older.

Todd: Oh.

Starr: Tee?

Tea: Yes?

Starr: Daddy, said you have a gift for all of us but we have to wait to get it.

Tea: Well, that's true. My gift isn't quite ready yet.

Starr: Can I see it?

Tea: See what?

Starr: Where the baby is.

Carlotta: Baby?! Tea!

Viki: Todd!

Todd: Starr!

Starr: What?

Todd: It's not a good idea to ask ladies to look at their bellies. Sometimes they don't like that.

Tea: Well, this lady doesn't mind showing off, especially for this young lady.

[Tea lifts the bottom of her shirt and places her hand on her stomach.]

Tea: This is where the baby is.

Starr (after studying Tea's stomach carefully): It doesn't look like there'd be much room in there.

Tea: Well, right now the baby's really small so it doesn't need much room. When the baby gets bigger so will my stomach.

Starr: Will I be able to see it when it's bigger?

Tea: Of course.

Starr: Will I be living with you and Daddy?

Todd: Starr, I already told you that I would talk to your mom about you spending lots of time with me and Tee and Tee's belly.

[Starr climbs into Todd's lap and cuddles next to him.]

Starr: Can I at least stay with you tonight?

Viki: Starr, your mother is picking you up here very early in the morning, remember? What if all three of you...well, all four of you, I suppose it is now...spend the night here tonight?

Starr: Can we, Daddy?

[Todd looks at Tea for her response.]

Tea: It's fine with me.

Todd: Fine, we'll stay but it's late...(looking at Viki)...too late for answering anymore questions.

Viki: That's fine with me. By morning I'll have even more questions for you. Don't even think about trying to sneak out.

Todd: Why would you think I would do something like that?

[They continue to talk about safe subjects until Starr falls asleep on Todd's lap. Todd carries her upstairs. The next morning, after Starr leaves, Todd and Viki sit alone for several hours while she grills him about everything, in their own unique version of a therapy session.

Seven weeks later...on Valentine's Day...

Todd and Tea arrive at the diner after an appointment with Tea's doctor. Viki and Carlotta are already sitting in a booth waiting for them.]

Carlotta: How did it go?

Viki (seeing the shocked look on their faces as they seat themselves next to each other in the booth): Is something wrong? Is there bad news?

Todd: No, well, I don't know...no, it's not bad. (to Tea) Is it?

Tea: No, it's not bad. Just...

Carlotta: What? What is it? Fill us in.

Tea (smiling at Todd): This is good, isn't it? Surprising but good, right?

Todd: Well, it does speed things up.

Tea: It certainly does.

Todd: So, go ahead and tell them.

Tea: We're not having a baby like we thought.

Carlotta: What? I don't understand.

Todd: Why have a baby...one single baby...when you can have three instead?

Viki: Triplets?

Todd: That's what they tell us. It does explain why Tea's gotten so fat so fast.

Tea: Yeah, I have three little excuses inside me, each with a voracious appetite. Which reminds me, can we eat? I'm hungry.

Todd: When aren't you hungry?

Tea: Hey, back off. I'm eating for four here.

THE END