Never Tear Us Apart 5
Todd's body is filled with shock. He stares wordlessly at Tea, not exactly knowing what to say.
"Pregnant?" he whispers," but we only..." his voice trails off.
"It only takes once Todd," she says, with a weak smile, desperately trying to gauge his reaction.
Todd feels his eyes fill with tears. A smile slowly spreads across his face as her words finally hit him.
"We're gonna have a baby?"
Tea is relieved to see his smile, and returns it. "Yeah, sometime in early August."
"And you're happy?" he asks, not believing she would be happy to carry his child after everything they had been through.
"Yes, I am happy," she replies, "what about you?"
"Delgado, this is the best news I've had, ...well, in a long time."
He wants to go over to her, hold her hand, hug her, something. But he is nervous about pushing things. He decides instead to walk to his window. As he looks out, he thinks about how much his life has changed in the course of an hour.
"So, you tracked me down to tell me about the baby?" he asks as he stares out the window.
"Yeah, and I wanted to see you."
"Why?"
Tea is confused. "Why what?"
Todd takes a deep breath, "After everything that happened, why did you go to all that trouble to tell me about the baby?"
Tea stares at him, thinking about how terribly hard he is on himself.
"Todd, you're the baby's father. Look, I know... I know there's a lot of stuff between us right now. But there is one thing that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt...you are a wonderful father. I would never keep you from our child and I would never keep our child from you."
Todd still has his back to her, so she doesn't see the tear slip down his cheek as he listens to her soft voice.
"There is another reason. I guess I hoped that maybe this would give you some more incentive to get better, so you can come home. You know, you always told me that you weren't around for Starr's birth, hopefully you will be there when our baby is born," Tea finishes, her voice quiet, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Todd has his forehead pressed against the window. He whispers, "I love you," so softly Tea doesn't hear him.
He wipes the tear from his cheek and turns to her. "What about us?" he asks, looking straight into Tea's eyes.
Tea looks at him, wanting to run straight to him and tell him everything will be okay, but too much has happened. They have hurt each other too much. She wants it to happen, their future, but it has to happen slowly.
"Todd, why don't we just let things happen, okay? I'm not closing any doors here. I want things to work out, I wouldn't be here if I didn't. But we have both made mistakes. I just think we should take it slow, okay?"
Todd nods, understanding. He doesn't want to push.
Tea realizes it is getting late. "I should be going," she says, somewhat sadly.
Todd feels his heart constrict, he doesn't want her to go. "Um....could you do something for me?"
"Sure."
He takes out a worn spiral notebook. "These are stories. I would write'em when I missed Shorty a lot, so I could tell her them someday. Could you give them to her? Maybe you could tell them to her."
Tea smiles, "I don't know Todd. I'm nowhere near as good a storyteller as you are."
Todd smiles back, "True," he laughs, "but I'd like it if you did. I could picture the two of you in my head."
Tea takes the notebook. "I would love to."
They stand there awkwardly for a moment, not sure what to do.
"Actually, there's one more thing," Todd looks at her nervously, "you know I can make phone calls. I don't, but I can. Would it be okay if I called you sometimes, you know you could give me updates about the baby?"
"I would like that," Tea replies, "Can I call you?"
"Yeah," Todd smiles, "Maybe I can even swing my own phone in here. Um, wait I don't have your phone number."
"Do you remember my number at the Palace?"
"Delgado, what are you still doing at the Palace? You could live anywhere!"
Tea smiles wistfully at him. "Oh, I don't know. I guess I'm just waiting for the whole package....house, picket fence, 2 car garage, ...springer spaniel..." her voice trails off.
Todd looks at her, her words taking him back to the night before their wedding in the cabana when he had said those words to her. He had meant it then, and he knows that he still wants that with her, more than he has ever wanted anything. There eyes meet, and they both realize the hope that is between them. A realization dawns on them both, that maybe that awful scene in the cabana doesn't have to be the end. It can be a roadblock, one they will clear together on their way to something stronger. In this moment, Todd and Tea know that they are bound together forever, and nothing will ever tear them apart. There will be fights, problems, but they will get through them. Always.
Tea slowly walks to Todd and gently kisses his cheek. Without thinking, Todd grabs her and pulls her close, never wanting to let her go. She wraps her arms around him, cherishing the feeling of being close to him again.
Finally, she pulls away. "I'll talk to you soon, okay?"
He smiles as he gently strokes her cheek, "Okay."
Tea reaches up one last time to brush his hair away from his face, and leaves.
Todd stares after her, a mixture of relief, happiness, love and hope inside of him.
He lays down on his bed, contemplating the future that is now his. In his happiness, he doesn't hear the sinister voice deep in the recesses of his mind.
"You thought I was gone, didn't you Todd? But you were wrong. I'm just laying low so you'll think you're okay, so we can get out of this nut house. But I'm not gone. And I'll tell you another thing......if that hot little Delgado is back, then so am I," Pete says, laughing.
Todd is oblivious. All he can think about is getting home to Tea, Starr, and their new baby.
To be continued.....
Fan Fiction by Kelly
