Tea wasn't used to seeing her babies so...fully dressed. In all the time they'd been home, the most they ever had on in the way of clothes were their pajamas. Most of the time, though, the boys were content to lie around in diapers and little shirts. No pants, no shoes...and certainly no outerwear. She sighs as she looks through all the gifts they'd received...looking for anything resembling a jacket. But she can't find any. The closest she'd gotten were two little gray sweatshirts Sam had bought for them. Sighing again, she takes them out of the box and rips the tags off - walks back over to the bed.
Suddenly, and for no particular reason, she looks out the window. The sky has darkened, the city lights bright now, and traffic grinds with homebound anxiousness. She looks at the clock on the table, and realizes she has to get moving. She sits down on the bed, picking up the boys one at a time, and putting a sweatshirt on each of them. It wasn't as warm as a coat, but it would have to do. She zips up the only bag she's packed and drags it down the stairs, leaving it by the door. So lonely it looks there, unpaired. Then she runs back upstairs, scooping the boys up into her arms. They lay lazily on her shoulders as she carries them down into the living room. She eases them down into their respective seats, and starts buckling them in. Evan grabs at the hair that's fallen down in her face, tugging on it.
"Ow! Hey..." she says, pulling her hair out of his little fist, and pushing it behind her ear. She kisses his hand, skin soft as cream, then she moves over to Brendan, and straps him in. She glances at him quickly...but then has to look back, drawn to his eyes, little versions of Todd's eyes...which seem to be looking right into her. She stops for a second, shutting her eyes...asking herself, again...
...what am I doing?
When she opens her eyes again, they're wet with tears. She sniffs, trying to shake it off...then she looks back at her oldest boy, leaning in to kiss his forehead. He feels warm ... for a moment, she considers whether he has fever or not, but then rejects the possibility. He's always warm, she reminds herself. Just like Todd...with blood running fast and hot, a trait of a creature who's always on the alert, about to pounce. Shuddering, she focuses again, finishes buckling him in, and picks them both up, carrying them into the foyer and setting them down again.
She goes back and empties her purse, taking only what she absolutely needs...her keys, her wallet, and her passport, surfacing after years in the bottom of a drawer. The boys are so quiet, as if they know they have to be. No tears now, no cold feet now...gotta move away from the devil before he catches on - cause if he catches you, there'll be hell to pay. Hell ... she stuffs her things in a pocket of her jacket as she puts it on, then walks into the foyer, and picks up the bag, swinging it over her shoulder. It weighs heavily on her, as she opens the door, and walks out to call the elevator. She picks up the boys' seats, bringing them out into the hallway. They're heavy, and the bag feels like it's going to slip off her shoulder any second. Grunting softly, she puts the boys down again...adjusts the strap...and turns back.
With one hand on the knob, Tea leans against the door for a moment... taking in the empty living room. She hesitates again...thinking about the effect her leaving will have on Todd...something she hadn't allowed herself to do for the last hour.
I don't know...I don't know...
And suddenly, all she can think of is how much she loves the person she's about to leave. Her chest tightens up, remembering him kissing her up in the bedroom while Carlotta was there...she thinks of his lips on hers, the way he tastes, the way he presses on her ... god, how she lived for that barely-able-to-breathe feeling that only he gives her. And for a moment, her need to be with Todd overrides all her other emotions ...
Go back ... it'll be okay...go back inside ...
Then the elevator announces its arrival with a chime, opening its doors for her. She turns and looks at it...then back inside...then back at the elevator.
*****
RJ yanks open the door of his apartment, about to head over to the club. But he stops short, grabbing the doorframe as he nearly trips over Todd, who's sitting dead-center on the floor in a big, messy heap.
"Whoa ... the hell happened to you?!"
Todd looks up at him through fuzzy eyes, squinting at what he thinks is a really bright light in the hallway. He gestures broadly, in the general direction of his door.
"I was...tryin' to..." he starts, blinking...trying to shake himself into a coherent state. "...knock...but I...ended up down here...somehow..."
RJ cocks an eyebrow...then leans in, sniffing the air. He immediately makes a disgusted face. "Oh...god...you smell like...like...ugh..." he says, then makes a 'screw it' gesture, as he bends down to help him up. Todd grabs onto him, basically letting RJ pick him up, and drag him inside. RJ pushes Todd in the direction of the couch, then closes the door. He watches as Todd collapses onto it, sprawling out, and covering his face with his hands. RJ shakes his head at him, as he walks into the kitchen.
"What the hell you been doin'??" he yells, from the kitchen. Todd just lies there, face covered, not answering, because he knows there's a reason. But it's currently playing hide and seek with him. RJ comes back out with a wet towel and a glass of water, and sits down on the coffee table.
"Here," he says, tapping him with the glass. Todd pulls himself up into a sitting position, and reaches for the glass, guzzling the water.
"Hold up," RJ says, handing him some aspirin. Todd gives him a look, taking the pills and knocking them back in his throat. He finishes the water, and RJ throws the towel at him. "Wipe that ugly face...shit...shouldn't even let you sit my damned couch, you smell so bad."
Todd covers his face with the towel. "I'll...buy y'another one," he says, muffled. Then he leans back, closing his eyes, letting the wet coolness wake him up. RJ tosses his long braids back, leaning forward on his knees.
"So?"
"Hmm?"
"The hell'd you come HERE for, man? You got a WIFE to clean you up." Todd opens his eyes at that, rubbing his neck with the towel as he leans forward again.
"Yeah, well...maybe not for long."
RJ makes a face. "What?"
Todd sighs, his head pounding...hoping the aspirin would hurry up and get up to his temples.
Hoping the whole day would disappear, that the truth would fizzle into an un-truth. No such luck, he thinks, as an image of fear-stricken eyes shifts in the dark recesses of his mind.
"I did something...really stupid today," he mutters.
"Mmm...I'd say goin' out and gettin' yourself pickled like this is pretty stupid, yeah."
Todd rolls his eyes at that. "Not THAT...well...that's not what I meant." RJ waits, noticing the look in his eyes as he rubs his forehead. It was a look he hadn't seen in a while...and
it wasn't a good one.
"I...I scared my kid...got angry at her, and...ohhhh...." he trails off, covering his face again, groaning from behind his hands. He can see Starr vividly, can see her shock ... can hear her voice asking about rape ever-so-innocently. The word, rape, blowing out of her mouth and popping pink all over her face ... sticking to her - can't get that sticky pink gum off her soft skin.
RJ puts a hand to his lips, chewing on his thumb a little. "So...what, you yelled at her?"
"My things...she's gotta stay outta my things..." Permanent pink, he thinks, on those lips, cheeks ... just rub it off, roll it off ... god, it's on my hands, on my clothes, my hair.
"Huh?"
"She said it..."
"Said WHAT? Talk, man!!"
Todd drops his hands away from his face. "Starr found these old newspapers with MY picture on them...nice, BIG headlines that said DADDY was on trial for rape. You get the picture, NOW?" His jaw tightens and he grinds his teeth, looking at RJ intensely.
RJ sits back a little. "Oh."
"Yeah...my little girl...my beautiful, beautiful girl. Know what she said to me? She goes...'Daddy, what's RAPED?' And I just...I totally lost it...scared the shit out of her...and ... and Tea..." For a moment, Todd remembers being in the mausoleum with the gorgeous, faceless woman that somehow reminded him of her...sort of...but not really. Remembers how good and real it was, how accepting the vision had been of all his ... angry energy ...
He sighs again, as does RJ. "Wow. That's, uh...hmm. I don't even know what to say about that."
"I don't expect you to say anything. It's my problem. It's my fault." Todd slumps back, keeping a watch on RJ, on the memories pecking at him.
"Well...no offense, but...what are you doin' here? You should be at home."
"She told me to leave," Todd replies, quietly.
RJ wags his eyebrows at that. "Oh...well...how long ago was THAT?"
Todd stares off at some miscellaneous point in the air, thinking of Tea ... of her horrified face. "I've been out all day."
RJ tips his head to the side, getting in Todd's way, making him look up. "Y'know...this is gettin' over my head. I ain't no marriage counselor, and I don't pretend to know anything about your personal shit, okay? But...you ain't doin' anybody any good sitting here. What you gotta do is just sober your ass up, and go home. Go home and talk it out with your girl, and talk it
out with Tea."
Todd stares at him, his eyes remarkably steady, considering how drunk he is. RJ does a slight take, at his piercing stare...it felt like a flashlight, a concentrated beam, looking for something. So RJ makes a questioning face right back.
"What...you expecting me to get pissed at you or something?"
Todd blinks at that, his glare softening a bit...taken off-guard. He sniffs, considering his next move, but it's all pointless because he sure as hell isn't ready to start interrogating RJ just yet ... oh yeah, that's right, that's why I'm here. Here to poke around RJ's do-main, see what's up because Tea .. Tea ... she's been out there and RJ ... he knows what's up. He's the one she'd turn to, sure she would. He knows, he knows it all ... but ... nope, too damned sick at the moment to start in, too ... damn ... sick.
RJ stands up, stretching his neck as he shuffles around the room. "Look, man...Tea and I've been friends a long time. I know better than to get involved in what goes down between you two, so...if you're waiting for me to jump down your throat, it's not gonna happen. At least...not THIS time."
Now it's Todd's turn to raise an eyebrow, because even though he called the closeness of Tea and RJ right, he's kinda pissed again. Swallowing to calm his churning stomach, he grumbles, "Not THIS time? What, so...it's okay for me to beat on my own kid, long as I don't beat on Delgado, is that what you're sayin'?"
RJ does another take, this time at the accusatory tone in his voice. "Did I SAY that?" he replies, and Todd just glances away, grimacing at the nausea, starting to hit him hard now. Studying him, RJ half-laughs, folding his arms.
"Y'know...I'm getting SERIOUS vibes off you, man...SERIOUS VIBES. So why don't you just cut the shit already, and say whatever you gotta say."
Todd's glare returns, as he shoots it back over in his direction, standing up quick. Say what you gotta say, brother, say it loud. Yeah. His sour stomach seems to be churning up some leftover rage as well...he feels it mixing in, and starting to go to his head as he takes a step toward RJ.
"'Not THIS time,'" he mimicks. "Gonna kick Todd's ass NEXT time. Isn't that right?" That fury, it was so close to him, so near and dear. It gurgles beneath his skin, zips about, popping ... deep red. He shakes his head like a bull and sees RJ's defenses go up in the way the man stays silent, in the cool grin beginning to break out across hard features. Mildly tasteful rage rushes to his head ... and clears it, somewhat.
Now...he felt ready for the interrogation. "Hmmm. RJ Gannon ... the great protector. That what you are? Huh? Tea's protector?"
RJ just stares back at him, a little confused ... but not intimidated. He tips his head slightly ... knowingly. "Damn straight." His matter-of-fact tone only serves to make Todd angrier, as he approaches.
"Protector ... friend ... keeper of ... her secrets..." he says, low and cold. RJ runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek at that, half-laughing again, as Todd gets right up to him.
"...y'know, I thought we had an understanding about all this."
"You accusing me of something? What?" RJ replies, bluffing ... living up to his promise.
"What? Aww ... don't be that way, Gannon. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about ..."
RJ just shakes his head, keeping his eyes steady ... trying to make Todd second-guess himself and back down ... and although Todd grits his teeth, showing bulldog determination, RJ's cool has obviously rattled Todd's delicate state of being, his hands tightening into fists and his voice straining with impatience.
"Look ... I've had a really, REALLY shitty day so far...and I'm in no mood to fuck around with you, so you better start talking...like RIGHT NOW! There's something you're not telling me, and I wanna know what it is!!"
RJ tips his head back a little, studying him. Taking his sweet time. "What do you want me to say? What, that Tea confides in me about what a lousy father you are? What a lousy HUSBAND you are? What??"
"FUCK YOU, RJ!!! I'm not gonna lose Tea again because of YOU!!!" he yells, right in his face. RJ backs up a step, but only to get a better look at him. Something was definitely up ... and it wasn't just that the guy was drunk off his ass, upset that he'd lost his temper with his kid. He was really freaked out ... about TEA, not Starr ... and not just because of what had happened. He was really ... paranoid. RJ makes another face, suspicious now ... trying to put it all together in his head.
"Lose her? Why would you lose her?"
Todd throws his hands up, all control over the situation shot to hell. "Shit!! He-LO! HI! Have you been listening to me AT ALL??"
"Yeah, I've heard every word outta that smelly mouth of yours. But you haven't answered my question."
Todd just looks back at him, confused and pissed, mumbling something in aggravation. RJ's eyes look him over carefully, from top to bottom, and back to top ... finally spotting something. He stares at it ... then looks back up at his face, even more suspicious.
"Are you so goddamned drunk that you don't remember whatever it was you two were doing last night? Things can't be all THAT bad."
Todd's mouth falls open at that. "What did you say?"
RJ shakes his head at him ... then lifts a finger to his own neck ... and taps it. Todd looks back at him, totally confused for a moment ... then slowly ... ever so slowly ...
RJ watches him carefully, as Todd runs hesitant fingers over a deep red mark on his neck. Todd glances at him in passing, as he looks around wildly for a mirror. He spots one over by the front door and runs over to it. RJ strolls up behind him, watching him examine the hickey he obviously didn't know was there.
"The hell...?" Todd mutters, eyes wide...as he keeps touching the spot, like it would rub off somehow. "...ohhhh, no...can't be...oh, fuck..."
"You cheating on her?" RJ asks, flat out...and in the mirror, Todd glares at him ... but he just shoots it right back.
"Don't gimme that look. YOU'RE the one sporting the new hickey ... the one that Tea obviously DIDN'T give you."
Todd looks back at the spot ... and remembers his ... dream? Yes ... it had to be. That woman ... that ... ghostly woman couldn't have actually BEEN there, couldn't have appeared out of thin air, and disappeared back into it the way she seemed to, unless it was a dream. Things just didn't work that way in the real world, only in fucking fantasies did it happen like that ...
... but ... nevertheless, here he was, with a mark, a REAL mark on his skin. He remembers the feel of her mouth on his neck, sucking on that spot ... it felt so real ... it had weakened him and pushed him beyond his limits of control. He remembers it ... all of it. Jesus ... what the fuck was that?
RJ starts pacing around behind him. "I can't believe you, man. And just when I thought I might be starting to like you, too...you go and pull this shit. The fuck is wrong with you??"
Todd turns to face him, shaking his head. "I'm not...this isn't---"
RJ whirls around, pointing. "Ohhh, don't even start with the 'this isn't what it looks like' crap. You're screwing around on her, aren't you?"
"No...no...no, I'm not..." Todd replies, his breathing becoming harsh, and irregular. It was a dream ... just a dream ... it didn't really happen ... he'd never do that ... what the FUCK was THAT?!
Seized by a sudden, panicky feeling that starts mixing in his sour stomach, he sinks down to the floor, grasping the leg of the table in front of the mirror, sweating. Something is wrong, really wrong with this picture and he feels like when he was a kid and his dad was on the verge of killing him, fist raised and mouth twisted and there wasn't a goddamn thing he could do about it other than wait for the blow to come ... just close your eyes and wait for the mind- blowing hit. Somebody ... was kicking his ass and it wasn't RJ ... something, something ....
RJ opens his mouth again, ready to rip him a new one ... but he has to stop when he sees him all folded up on the floor, holding on to the table leg for dear life. It wasn't the kind of reaction he expected ... it certainly wasn't normal ... and it suddenly makes him think twice about the conclusion he's jumping to. He watches him for another moment ... then squats down to
be at eye-level with him. "What the hell's goin' on with you, man?"
Todd shuts his eyes, his cheek pressed against the table leg, still hugging it. "Falling apart ... it's all falling apart ..."
"What ... what is?"
Todd swallows again and again, trying to calm his stomach, and concentrates on slowing his breathing down. After a few seconds, the panic seems to pass ... leaving him a bit more clear- headed. Slowly, he lets go of the table, and looks up at RJ.
"Something ... is happening, RJ. I don't know what it is ... but I can feel it. It's got something to do with Tea ... and YOU ... know exactly what I'm talking about," he says, still somewhat breathless.
RJ sits back a little, fairly sure now that he was wrong ... Todd wasn't cheating on her. He didn't know how he knew that, but it was clear to him now. He studies him for another moment ... trying to tune in to him, in a way ... but still says nothing.
Todd moves closer to him. "Tell me what you know. Please ... "
RJ makes a face, not knowing what to think. He promised ... promised not to say anything ... but there was just something so desperate, and scary about his tone, his eyes, his look, his ...everything. It was really throwing him off ... and he sits back farther, reluctant to speak at all. Todd's shoulders sink, and he has to put both hands on the floor to steady himself. He felt so sick ... so tired ... and suddenly, now ... so very afraid ... but of whom, or what, or why ... he didn't know. But one thing for sure, whatever this was, had gotten to him, had gotten to his insides, had gotten into his mind and drawn out the most perverse, the weakest, part of him and above all, it had laughed at him. Marked him and set him loose.
"I don't know how to explain it...I just know...something's wrong, RJ...something is VERY wrong. I just...I feel it coming...something bad..."
RJ sighs, sitting all the way down on the floor. He looks at Todd for another moment, then shakes his head. "This bad thing, you think it could hurt Tea?"
"Yeah ... I do."
A second or two passes. "Alright...alright," he says, quietly. Todd looks up at him through his matted, messy hair, as RJ sighs again.
"But I'm only gonna tell you this if you promise me ... that you're not gonna take it out on her."
Todd makes a face at that, glancing away for a moment because he knows what he's capable of...knows it lurks inside of him. But he takes a leap of faith.
"I would...I would never hurt her, RJ ... you know that," he whispers. RJ nods.
"Yeah, I know ... but I just ... I want you to REMEMBER that after I say what I'm gonna say, that's all." Todd just shrugs, weakly. So RJ takes a deep breath.
"Alright...uh..." he starts, trying to ease into it, but he finds that he can't think of a way to do that. Finally, he tips his head, at a loss. "Shelton's been calling the penthouse," he says, and the only way he knows that Todd even heard him is his blinking. RJ sighs again, gesturing with his hand a little.
"Uh...Tea, y'know, she's...she's putting up a good front. She's real short with him, keeps telling him not to call, but ... that doesn't seem to be stopping him," he says, watching as Todd closes his eyes, dropping his head.
"Look, the problem is that...the calls are too short, and he's gotta be using a special hook up. A cell that's bouncing the signal, something like that ... 'cause I can't get a lock on him. Every time I try, it tells me the call's coming from a dozen different places. He could be anywhere."
Todd feels his arms tiring, from holding his body up ... shaking slightly, as his mind fills with images of himself and Tea, on the floor of the penthouse that awful night ... their closeness, their intimacy ruined ... corrupted by Tea's memories of what had happened to her ... corrupted by him. And now it seemed the trauma she suffered wasn't good enough anymore ... now Shelton felt he had to keep himself in her world, in THEIR world. Then he hears a voice in his head, that of the ghostly woman who had left her mark on him. He makes a face remembering their encounter ... how beautiful she was, how good she smelled ... and how ready he'd been to give himself to her ...
"You're nothing but a boy...a hurt, ruined, cursed boy..." her sweet voice had said, while she ran her fingers through his hair... "...your woman sees it - and she runs. She wants protection ... but you can't give it to her. She wants to be free of her pain, but you can't release her because you are too broken. So she looks elsewhere for that protection now - and in doing so she betrays you..."
RJ notices Todd's face...eyes closed, concentrating hard...like he was trying to remember something. And in his head, Todd hears the words repeating...showing him what he'd missed.
"Your woman sees it..." "...and she runs..." he whispers, barely audible.
RJ makes a confused face. "What? You say something?"
"...she wants protection..."
"...but I can't give it to her..." Todd says, a little louder. RJ's face gets more confused, as Todd opens his eyes, and stares with a spaced, entranced look.
"She wants to be free of her pain...but I...I can't release her because I'm too...broken. So she looks elsewhere for that protection now..."
RJ raises an eyebrow. "Todd...hello...yo, Todd...wake up, man!"
Todd blinks, suddenly looking at him with wide eyes, breathing hard and fast again. RJ tips his head, concerned. "Man, what the HELL are you babbling about?"
"Oh...no...this is not happening..." Todd mutters, covering his face.
RJ throws his hands up. "Oh, for chrissake..."
"Elsewhere...she looks ELSEWHERE now...oh my god...why didn't I think of this before..."
"Look, if you don't get a hold of yourself, I'm gonna have to start slapping you. SPEAK ENGLISH!! What the FUCK are you TALKING ABOUT???"
"Shelton," he says, dropping his hands.
RJ waits for more, then shrugs. "Yeah...what about him??"
"Tea...she's gonna leave me...for him...she's going to HIM."
RJ does a take at that. "Wh---what?? Are you NUTS??"
"That's it...that's it, RJ...she's gonna leave me," he says again, starting to pull himself up. RJ stands up with him, and follows him to the door. When he sees that Todd's about to leave, RJ blocks his way.
"Get outta my way, RJ...I gotta get home!!"
RJ shakes his head. "No...you're gonna calm the hell down, that's what you're gonna do. I mean, listen to yourself! 'She's gonna leave me for him'...are you outta your mind?? She would NEVER do that!!"
"Yes, she would ... THINK, RJ!! You haven't been listening to her!! NOBODY'S been listening to her!!" he insists, and RJ's shoulders sink.
"Nah...I can't believe she ..."
"She thinks ... I can't protect her, and the boys. She's scared of me ... she saw what I did to Starr, and now she thinks ... I'll do the same thing or worse ... to the boys ... or to her."
There's a silence, as RJ finds he can't think of anything to say to that...because he realizes he'd been missing the signs, not been firm enough, not been ... protective enough. Todd steps toward the door, and after a second, he moves aside, with a sigh.
"Look, I'll...I'll get over to the club and start making calls...see if we can get a line on Shelton, just in case you're right."
Todd opens the door and starts out...then he stops, and RJ notices his eyes...beaten down, and full of exhaustion. "God, I hope I'm not too late," he whispers...then he walks out, down the hall. RJ watches him for a moment, then makes a face, grabbing his keys and running out after him.
*****
"Five minutes, ladies," the harsh female voice says, announcing to all the inmates that TV hour was just about over. Sitting at one of the tables in the recreation room, Oba looks across from her to Roseanne, watching her. She'd been watching her very carefully since her little... "trip" to the outside world. It had clearly affected her...she'd hardly said a word since. And Oba grins to herself, knowing how it had scared her, even though she kept denying it. Roseanne was learning, and learning very quickly. She had a real connection with the dark arts, Oba could see...and if fostered properly, Roseanne's abilities could become some of the most powerful that ever existed... ...and what an advantage that would be. Oba sniffs, taking a last drag off of her cigarette...seeing Roseanne's efforts to keep her thoughts down, away from where she might see it. She grins again, shaking her head a little, as she crushes the cigarette out.
Roseanne sighs as she hugs herself, absent-mindedly, staring at the television...but not really seeing it. All she could think about was the lingering scent on her skin ... and the bite on her shoulder - the one she'd discovered, the one she'd gotten as payback for the one she'd given.
*****
The elevator doors open at their usual, leisurely pace, but Todd forces his way out, shoving his key in the door, and pushing it open. It swings back, revealing the dark insides of the penthouse. The only light coming in is through the big window...the moon throwing a bluish light on everything. He walks in, slowly ... looking all around as he gets to the middle of the living room.
He stops, listening to the sounds of ... nothing. The house was empty. He didn't have to check any other rooms, or go upstairs to make sure...he just knew. He could feel it...the absence of her, of his kids. Tea and the boys were nowhere near him ... and he could feel them receding, getting farther and farther away with every passing moment. He stands there, frozen...helpless...not having any idea what to do now...
...and the silence starts to fill with the noise of different voices...
"...she wants protection ... but you can't give it to her...she wants to be free of her
pain, but you can't release her because you are too broken..."
"...Marty Saybrooke. Who's that? And what's 'raped?' Is that something bad...?"
"...DON'T YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT RESPECT?!! THESE ARE MY THINGS, STARR!! MINE!! STAY OUT OF MY THINGS!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!! STAY OUT OF MY THINGS!!"
Todd cringes at the sound of his own voice...and at the image it brings with it...
"...Daddy, please...I didn't mean to, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, PLEASE!"
"...DON'T EVER!! EVER DO THIS AGAIN!!! DO YOU HEAR ME?!! DO YOU?!!"
...the monster...with Starr in his death grip...and Tea, looking at him in horror...
"...get outta here, Todd..."
"...so she looks elsewhere for that protection now...and in doing so she betrays you..."
"...yeah...she's bad ... she's ... so ... bad..."
The voices seem to swirl around him like ghostly breezes, getting too close...going right through him...cutting him to pieces...
"...what's wrong...? You still afraid...? Don't be ... it'll be easy to love me, to be mine...come on ... love me..."
...and before Todd even knows what he's doing, he's grabbed the closest thing he can find ... a huge vase off of the mantle. The noise in his head was reaching a horrible pitch ... too loud
... too many...surrounding him...closing in...
"...like me this way, Pops...don't I deserve this ... ain't it all jus' perfect? The curse of the
Mean Old Daddies ... ha ha ha..."
With a gut-wrenching cry, Todd throws the vase...and it smashes against the big window, with a piercing sound...sending pieces flying everywhere.
*****
Roseanne nearly jumps out of her skin, and she lets out a harsh breath, her eyes wide. A few of the other inmates look over at her, but Oba just raises an eyebrow.
"Somet'ing wrong, cher?"
Roseanne looks at her with dinner-plate-sized eyes. "Ohhh..." she breathes, touching her chest. "Ohgod...I just...I dunno, I...I felt...something..."
"Mmmm...dat is...obvious."
Roseanne looks around quickly, then leans in closer. "Something just happened...something...BIG."
Oba nods. "Mmm...dat is...also obvious."
Roseanne licks her dry lips, sitting back again...taking deep breaths to calm herself. Oba watches her for a moment, then grins. "I t'ink...jou feel t'ings...falling into place. Dat's what *I* t'ink," she says, quietly.
Roseanne looks up at her...then grins too, nodding in agreement...but then the grin quickly disappears.
At least, she thinks she agrees.
To Be Continued...
