Never Tear Us Apart 4
Tea's heart begins to melt at the sound of Todd calling her Delgado again. A small smile plays on her lips as she looks into his incredible hazel eyes.
"Hi," she answers softly.
They both stand there for a minute, transfixed by each other's presence. Todd awkwardly steps aside and says, "Come on in."
Tea walks into the room, somewhat relieved at its appearance. She had these visions of a sterile, institutional, cold room, and she was glad to see nice furniture, curtains, carpet....it looked like a regular bedroom. She turns to face him.
"So, how are you, Todd?"
Todd answers softly, still taking in her beauty. "I'm doin ok, getting better."
Tea smiles, "I'm glad to hear that." She sits down in a chair, resisting the urge to run straight into his arms.
Todd sits down on the bed across from her, wanting so much to sit closer to her, to touch her, but he knows he needs to approach this very carefully. He doesn't want to blow it.
"I'm kinda surprised you're here, how did you find me?"
"Actually, Todd, you weren't all that difficult to find, you didn't cover your tracks very well," Tea smiles, beginning to nervously twist her wedding ring. She doesn't know exactly why, but she is very nervous.
Todd notices her playing with her ring, shocked that it is still there. He looks down at his own ring, thinking how many times he had prayed she was still wearing hers.
"We're still married?"
Tea looks at him, and hears the mixture of relief and surprise in his voice. She smiles wistfully, looking at the gold band he had put on her finger, "Yeah, I didn't have the heart to get an annulment. There were other reasons, but I guess that's the biggest one," she finishes quietly.
"Still mad?" Todd asks.
Tea takes a deep breath. "I am, sometimes, but I'm more worried and concerned than mad now. I was really mad when you left. It's funny. It wasn't so much that you lied to me, although that hurt, it was that you left, you just bailed on me. Well, then I talked to Viki and she convinced me that maybe it wasn't a lie after all, that you were really sick. I figured that was why you left, so my anger turned to worry."
Todd knows he has to explain, but is so afraid of saying the wrong thing. He chooses his words carefully.
"I didn't know what to do Tea....I was...I was trying to do the right thing, I guess. I thought maybe....if I gave you some time, we could work this out. And...I finally realized how screwed up I was. I wanted to go away and get better,.....for Starr, and you," Todd finishes softly, afraid to look at Tea.
Tea's eyes fill with tears at his words. "I understand," she whispers, " I guess I just wish you would have told me."
There is a silence as they both deal with the emotions raging inside of them. Todd breaks the silence.
"How's Shorty?"
Tea hears the sadness in his voice, knowing how hard it is for him to be away from Starr. "She's good, she misses you, but she's good."
"Do you see her?"
"I try to, Blair doesn't always make it easy, but I usually manage to persuade her," Tea replies, a sparkle in her eye.
Todd smiles, "Well if anyone can handle Blair, you can."
Tea's gaze wanders the room again. Her eyes fall on the pictures of her and Starr. Todd follows her eyes to the pictures. He decides to explain why he took them. "I took those from the penthouse before I left. I guess...to remind me why I was doing this. It was hard for me, you know, to admit that I was nuts....but those pictures, of you and Shorty...they make me remember that I have a little girl to go home to...and a woman that I want more than anything to spend my life with."
Tea feels a tear roll down her cheek. I want that to, she admits to herself. She's so lost in the conversation that she almost forgets the reason she came here to see Todd in the first place. Unconsciously her hand wanders to her stomach, and she looks at Todd. How will he react, she wonders.
"Todd, there is a reason I'm here. I wanted to see you, but there's something else, something I have to tell you."
Todd's heart fills with anxiety. "Good or bad?"
Tea smiles shyly, "Well, I think it's good."
"Okay, shoot."
Tea looks into Todd's eyes, the eyes she can so easily lose herself in.
"I'm pregnant."
To be continued....
Fan Fiction by Kelly
