*********************************************************************

August 1999
The Banner newsroom…

Blair Cramer, with a pencil in her mouth, continued to type away at her computer terminal, totally engrossed with her article.
“She-devil,” came a voice.
Blair dropped her pencil, stopped typing, and looked up, “Drop Dead Asa.”
Asa Buchanan stood over Blair, his arms crossed, looking intently down at Blair.
“I need to know where you stand Cramer,” said Asa.
Blair stood up and got in Asa’s face, “What do you want?”
“You know Manning is suing me, Kelly, and YOU - trying to get the Sun back,” said Asa sneering at her, “You do own forty-nine percent of the Sun.”
“Well, I’m not giving that forty-nine percent to you I’ve got other things to worry about,” said Blair in a pissed off tone of voice.
“Like what? The only thing you care about is you,” observed Asa.
“That forty-nine percent isn’t mine. Not really. It’s Starr’s. And I’m watching out for my daughter’s best interests. Play your little games with Todd - I don’t care. I’m not getting in the middle of it,” explained Blair icily.
Asa snarled at her.
Viki walked up, “Is there a problem here?”
“I need to talk to you too Viki,” said Asa.
“Fine. My office. Now,” said Viki turning around. Asa followed her and Blair got back to work.
Viki was standing behind her desk as Asa waltzed in and shut the door.
“What do you want?” asked Viki crossing her arms.
“You know jury selection begins on Manning’s trial today,” said Asa.
“And? I’ve got a Banner reporter covering it,” said Viki, “Get to the point.”
“Manning’s whole case fall apart if he isn’t legitimately married to that current wife of his…” began Asa.
“I don’t keep up with stuff like that,” replied Viki coldly.
“So is he married or not?” bullied Asa.
“Do you see a wedding band on my brother’s finger?” asked Viki sarcastically.
“That’s not the point woman!” bellowed Asa, “Manning’s claiming incapacity and you had to sign the dotted line on that marriage of his!”
“Asa, I thought you’re game was poker, not fishing,” said Viki firmly.
“Damn you woman!” said Asa crossing his arms.
“And tipping me off to Nora’s legal strategy is not a good idea. Guess you’ll just have to wait until the trial to see,” said Viki grinning.
“I’ll find out Viki. I will,” said Asa storming out.
Viki watched the door for a few minutes to make sure Asa wasn’t coming back. When she was convinced he was gone for good, she sat down at her desk and pulled out a locked box from a drawer. She unlocked the lock and pulled out a piece of paper, grinning at it.

*********************************************************************

That afternoon,
Llanview General…

Téa paced in front of Dr Michael’s door. She had met Todd’s therapist once or twice but had never really talked to him before about Todd. She stopped and stared at the door, lost in her thoughts. She felt a tap on her shoulder and twirled around.
“Oh, Hank! You startled me,” she said putting her hand over her heart.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean too. This isn’t OB/GYN,” he remarked.
“Ah, no. My sonogram’s in an hour,” she said.
“So, why are you here?” asked Hank.
“It’s personal,” she replied.
“Oh. So, did you finish that Memo for the state DA?” asked Hank.
“It’s with Jeff now. He’s typing it up. It should be on your desk by the end of the day,” said Téa.
“All right. Just don’t spread yourself too thin,” said Hank.
“I won’t,” said Téa.
Hank walked off.
Téa bit her lip and went inside. She went to the receptionist and inquired about Dr. Michaels. Within minutes, Dr. Michaels walked out.
“Mrs. Manning. What can I do for you?” he asked pleasantly.
“Ah - can I talk to you? About Todd?” she asked softly.
“Sure,” said Michaels gesturing for her to accompany him into his office. Téa went in and he closed the door.
She hesitated and played with her fingers.
“I want…to talk about Todd and some recent…memories he’s reliving…” she started.
“Mrs. Manning, before we start, I should tell you I’m governed by doctor/patient confidentially rules. Also, have you and Todd talked about these memories? Is Todd aware that you’re here?” asked Michaels.
“I haven’t told Todd but I’m not going to lie to him. We’ve talked…about Angela…” started Téa.
“I see,” said Michaels.
“You can call me Téa,” she added.
Dr. Michaels smiled at her. There was an awkward pause.
“So, how far along are you Téa?” he asked.
“Ah…twenty weeks,” said Téa shyly, “I have a sonogram in an hour…”
“Well, I’m happy for you. And Todd,” said Dr. Michaels.
“Todd. Right. I know that look - you know, when he’s sad. When he’s thinking…about his father. Sometimes Todd is so, you know…elated…about the pregnancy…and sometimes he’s moody. He tries to cover it up…by asking me questions like…how much have you gained? What do you eat? But I know his mind is elsewhere…” rambled Téa, “I can only imagine what he witnessed…hurt him greatly.”
“Yes, Téa. What Todd’s dealing with is very heartbreaking to him. I think you must know how he feels about children,” said Michaels selecting his words carefully.
“I know. Look, I was thinking if I found Angela for him and he could see her - see she was all right, maybe he could come to some peace with the issue…” added Téa softly, looking at the ground, playing with her hands.
Michaels paused and walked into Téa’s personal space but didn’t touch her.
“Téa, look at me,” he directed.
Her eyes found his.
“How do you even know if Angela is alive? And well?” he asked.
“I don’t. But I want to try…and help Todd,” said Téa firmly, “I love him…so much.”
“So you want Todd to talk to Angela?” asked Michaels.
Téa nodded her head ‘yes’, “I want to…see Todd…happy. I want him to…let his heart go and really enjoy this…pregnancy with me.”
“Todd is a man who can never completely let go of the pain in his heart,” said Michaels.
“No…but…I want to help him…ease that pain…” said Téa firmly.
Michaels smiled at her, “Todd is a very lucky man. And you’re plan actually, isn’t bad - provided Angela is still alive, doing well, and wouldn’t mind talking to Todd.”
Téa awkwardly smiled, “Go…good.”
Again, there was an awkward silence between them.
“So what do you suggest?” asked Téa.
“Before you find Angela, tell Todd what you told me. No secrets between you two,” said Michaels, “I don’t think you should find Angela unless Todd agrees.”
Téa nodded her head ‘yes’, “I’ll talk to him today then.”
“Good,” said Michaels.
She left to go to her sonogram appointment.

As Téa walked down the hall, she mulled over the best way to approach Todd with her suggestion.
“Delgado!” came a chipper voice.
She turned around. It was Todd.
“You coming from Michaels office?” he asked trotting up beside her.
“Uh - yeah,” said Téa.
He put his hand on her arm and turned her into him, “So what do you need a shrink for? You’re fine…” he said lightly.
“I had an idea…” she started.
“Oh?” he asked. They paused in the middle of the busy hospital hall.
“I want to find Angela for you. So you can…see…put some peace…to your memories…” mumbled Téa.
Todd paused. She could feel the pressure on her arm.
“You talked to my shrink? About me?” he demanded.
She winced but said nothing, “Todd…don’t be mad. I was only…thinking of how I could ease your…”
“…I don’t need your help Delgado!” he said.
“Todd! My arm!” she finally said.
Todd’s mouth dropped and he immediately let go of her arm, “Are you all right?” he swallowed.
She nodded her head ‘yes.’
“I’m sorry,” he said.
There was an awkward pause between them.
“All right. Maybe I do. Maybe I… it would be all right to see her again,” said Todd softly.
“Todd - just think about it. If you want to, we’ll find her…if not…” said Téa.
Todd nodded his head, “Maybe…you…yeah - maybe it’s a good idea…”
Slowly, her eyes found his.
“Are you mad at me Todd?” she asked.
“No,” he replied.
Someone bumped into him but he ignored it as he drank in the intoxicating presence of his wife.
“C’Mon. Let’s go to our sonogram,” he said.

*********************************************************************

Todd waited silently in the exam room as Téa changed in the adjacent room. At first he thought Téa was interfering but now as he reflected on her suggestion, he was touched and warming up to the idea. She walked into the exam room. It remained silent between them. He noticed her growing tummy and smiled at her.
Dr. Clayton walked in with a clipboard and motioned for Téa to get on the scale. He took her weight.
“Good. You gained another two pounds,” he said.
Todd smiled as he admired his wife’s growing figure.
Téa frowned, “I feel like a horse.”
“Far from it,” said Todd grinning at her.
Téa gave him a playful frown and got up on the exam table. She got as comfortable as she could and the doctor parted her gown and applied the gel. She shivered and in a gesture of comfort, Todd immediately grabbed her hand. Dr. Clayton found the baby and directed their attention to the screen.
“Wow…” muttered Todd, “Is the kid sucking it’s thumb?”
“Can’t say for sure but I can tell the sex. Do you want to know?” he asked.
“No!” exclaimed Todd and Téa together. They looked at each other and laughed.
“We’re not ready…” started Téa.
“…To find out just yet,” finished Todd.
“O.k.,” said Dr. Clayton grinning.
“Can I…hear the heartbeat?” asked Todd.
Téa flinched at the cold stethoscope. Todd placed it in his ears.
“It’s so fast…” he whispered, “It is o.k…?”
“The heartbeat is strong and steady,” added Dr. Clayton.
Téa looked on in awe at Todd’s childlike expression on his face.
“Guys, you’re baby is fine,” said Dr. Clayton.
Their eyes were bright shining stars as they shared warm smiles of love between them.
“Wow…Téa…” muttered Todd, “We made this little person…”
“We sure did Todd…” said Téa.
Visibly moved by the intimate connection between him, Téa, and the their child, he again reached for hand and made intense eye contact with her, “I swear to you…our child…will never know the pain or hurt or fear of abandonment that we did…”
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Dr. Clayton walked out to give them a moment of privacy.