Three days later
Téa sits at the diner, leafing through the classifieds at the paper. She sighs, sipping from her steaming mug of coffee. It had been three days since she had seen Todd. As she had expected, he had left her apartment before she had awoken. Truth be told, she was really worried about him. She hadn't spoken to him, only leaving messages for him on his voicemail. Knowing him the way she did, she knew he was out there wandering, trying to avoid the pain and fear of facing his sister's situation.
She bites the cap off her pen and makes a big red circle around an ad that catches her eye. Her worrying about Todd had been interrupted this morning by a visit from her landlord. In a strangely rushed manner, he told her that the building had been purchased and the new owner specifically asked for her apartment, leaving Tea out in the cold. Her legal instincts kicked in, wondering what action she could take, as the landlord's eyes glanced around her apartment. She had inquired about the new owner, wanting to speak to him, wondering if it was possible to get a different apartment in the building, but the landlord mumbled something about the new owner not wanting to be revealed yet and rushed off.
After pacing frantically in her apartment, making up a battle plan in her head, she had decided to not even bother. She wasn't all that attached to the place and she had barely unpacked to begin with. So, she had gone out, gotten a paper, and now found herself perusing the ads for available apartments in Llanview. She circles another one that looks promising when she notices, out of the corner of her eye, a figure move into the booth across from her. Looking up, her eyes widen.
"Hello stranger."
"Hey," Todd mumbles, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip. Téa rolls her eyes, and then takes a good look at him. His eyes were red rimmed and obviously tired. It was what she saw in his eyes that tugged at her heart the most though. The sadness, the fear of losing someone so important to him.
"I've been worried about you. I left you a couple messages."
Her soft tone disarms him completely. He expected her to give him a hard time about being gone when she woke up the other morning, but looking into her eyes, he knew she understood.
"Yeah, sorry I didn't call you back."
"It's okay, I'm just glad to see you," she pauses, looking again over his tired face. "Have you seen Viki?"
Todd glances at her, then back down, shaking his head 'no'. "Some brother huh?"
"Todd, don't ..."
"Don't what?"
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I know that when Viki needs you, you'll be there."
"Yeah because I've always been there for everyone in the past," he says, the self hatred ringing in his voice.
"Oh really? What about Starr huh? When she was sick? Or when I was hurt after Blair pushed me out of the window?"
"Okay, what about when you were shot huh? Or when Viki had...was sick before?"
"So, you'll be there for her this time Todd."
"And what if I can't be?"
Téa gives him a strange look. "Are you going somewhere?"
"No...I don't know. Maybe I'm not strong enough to help her."
Téa leans forward, trying to look into his downcast eyes. "You are one of the strongest people I know. Viki needs you Todd, she needs your love and support."
Todd pushes his hair back off his forehead, sighing loudly. "How did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"When your grandmother was sick, how did you do it?"
Tears come to Téa's eyes as she thinks of her grandmother. "I don't know, you just do it Todd. You do it because you love the person and they need your strength."
He stares into her eyes for a few seconds, wanting to believe it, wanting to believe he was the strong man she said he was. After a moment, he shakes his head. Glancing down at the newspaper in front of her, he clears his throat.
"Whatcha doin'?"
Realizing he needed to change the subject to something less threatening, she plays along. "Looking for a place to live."
"Yeah? Well, ya know if you need a place, I got room at my place."
Téa almost chokes on the sip of coffee she had just taken, looking at him wide eyed.
"Huh?"
"Yeah if you need a place."
"Wait, I mean, before a few days ago, you were barely speaking to me Todd."
"Hey, I'm just trying to be a decent guy, but whatever," he glances around, then gets out of the booth abrubtly. Téa watches him strangely. "I gotta go," he mumbles, and quickly heads for the door, leaving Téa staring after him.
She leans back against the booth, wondering what just happened. She replays the conversation in her head, wondering where on earth it came from. Her eyes narrow as a thought occurs to her. She reaches in her back for her cell phone and takes it out, dialing the number of her landlord.
"Yes, hi, this is Tea Delgado, apartment 3B? I know I asked you earlier, but I was wondering if I could have the name of the new owner? ...Yes I have some furniture they might like and I'd be willing to sell it to them...oh...oh he wants to remain anonymous? Could you at least tell me when he bought the building?....Last night? ....no I'm just surprised that something like that happened so quickly....is anyone else in the building losing their apartments? ...Really? So I'm the only lucky one huh? ....yes...yes thank you."
Téa clicks off her phone and places it back in her bag. A small grin adorns her face as she looks at the door Todd just walked out of. Carlotta stops by the table to refill Téa's mug.
"What's the smile for?"
"Huh?" Téa turns, startled by Carlotta's presence. "Oh, just my life seems to be full of surprises."
"Any luck finding a place?"
Téa smile broadens. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I have."
To Be Continued...
