Roseanne walks in, dressed for travelling, hauling a backpack and carrying an overnight bag.

Carlotta looks up and smiles. "There you are...I was wondering where you disappeared off to."

Roseanne smiles as she slides onto one of the stools, dropping her bag and backpack.

"Had some things to pick up before I catch the train. Can I get some of that?"

"Yeah, sure," Carlotta says, reaching under the counter for another glass. She looks at Roseanne carefully as she pours the tea. She pushes the glass toward her.

"Well, YOU'RE in a good mood today."

Roseanne smiles broadly, but says nothing, stirring sugar into her tea. Carlotta smiles back, warily.

"Meeee-ha....como estas?"

Roseanne cracks up, amused by Carlotta's curiosity. She sips her tea, making Carlotta wait. Finally, she puts her glass down and looks up at her.

"Well, let's just say I can't WAIT to get back to work tomorrow."

Carlotta makes a face. "You like the place THAT much, huh?"

Roseanne grins back, thinking of where she's headed. After the semester ended at the university, she decided to head up to New York and look for a summer job, not wanting to spend the entire summer in Llanview where she'd have to see Cristian, Jessica, and Will all the time. And waiting tables in Carlotta's diner wasn't exactly her idea of a great job, either. So she took the train up and moved into a cheap hotel for the time being. After a couple of weeks of hunting, she landed a hostessing job at a nice sports bar / restaurant. It was a fun place to be, especially in the middle of Manhattan. She'd met a lot of weirdos and creeps of course...but also, some really interesting people. She grins wider, thinking of one in particular...

Carlotta raises an eyebrow, leaning in closer, resting on her elbows. "Ohhhhhh...met someone?"

Roseanne shrugs. "Well...I HAVE been seeing this guy for a while."

Carlotta's face brightens more, dying for dish. "Uh-huh..."

Roseanne's coolness fades for a moment, becoming giddier, more girlish.

"I'm TRYING not to get too obsessed, but...oh, GOD is he cute...and sweet...and romantic..."

"Does he work there too?"

Roseanne does a take at the question, her mood suddenly changing again. She glances down.

"No...but I did meet him there."

Carlotta nods, waiting for details...but doesn't get any, as Roseanne sips her tea quietly. Carlotta looks her over carefully...never knowing what to make of this troubled girl who always seems to be planning something, scheming silently. She squints, wanting to press her on it...but decides not to. She sighs, just glad that Roseanne's found something else to do besides making trouble for her son.

She shrugs, patting her hand gently. "That's wonderful, Roseanne. I'm so glad for you."

Roseanne rests her head in her hand. "Thanks."

"Sounds like you're gonna have a great summer."

Roseanne looks up at her for a moment...then smiles a most evil smile. "Oh...you KNOW it."

Carlotta looks at her strangely, about to say something...when Tea comes in, in a big t-shirt, track pants and sneakers, her hair up in a small ponytail...dressed comfortably, but looking very un-Tea. They both turn to look at her. Carlotta smiles...Roseanne doesn't. Tea makes her way over on the crutches and sits down on the stool on the end. She rests the crutches against the counter, and leans forward, resting on her elbows.

"Hi."

Roseanne makes a face. "What, no power suit?"

They both look at her. Tea laughs to herself, taking the hit casually, not even bothering to respond.

Carlotta shakes her head, then turns back to Tea. "Can I get you something?"

"Um...got any orange juice? I could use another folic acid shot."

Roseanne rolls her eyes, not at all charmed by pregnancy talk. Carlotta smiles, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Sure. Hang on a sec, I'll be right back."

She walks through the swinging door, out to the back, leaving Roseanne and Tea alone at the counter. They look at each other uncomfortably. Tea futzes with her ponytail. Roseanne sips her tea.

Tea glances over at her niece and sighs, never knowing how to deal with her. She feels bad, because she IS family...but they just don't get along. Tea knows she herself hasn't been the best aunt...and she can see why Roseanne would think she doesn't care about her Delgado relatives at all, as she's been preoccupied with Todd and his problems for so long. But no matter what she says or does, it's never good enough to get back in her good graces...and if anything, she feels that Roseanne is USING her guilt against her, making her feel like she OWES her.

She looks down and sees the backpack and overnight bag. She swallows hard, trying to be as nice as possible.

"So, uh...how's that job going?"

Roseanne bristles at the very sound of Tea's voice. She finishes her tea and pushes the glass away, taking a deep breath.

"It's...it's going well. It's better than being stuck here all summer," she answers, coolly...

...then turns toward her. "So, where's your other half?"

Tea looks her up and down...then rubs her neck. "He left with Starr this morning."

Roseanne eyes her with a strange look on her face. "Mmmhmm...so, what...didn't feel like playing in the woods?"

Tea laughs to herself again, shaking her head. "Actually, I DO feel like it. But I can't go just yet...I've got work, therapy and all that. I need a whole week just to wrap things up here."

Roseanne nods, slowly, then glances back down, as Carlotta comes back out with a small glass of juice. She sets it down in front of Tea, and pats her shoulder.

"So, mija...how's that leg?"

Tea takes a gulp. "Thanks. Oh...not too bad. Hopefully I'll be walking by myself again pretty soon."

Carlotta nods, taking Roseanne's glass and putting it in the dishpan under the counter.

"And how are the little ones treating you?"

Tea slugs the rest of the juice, then licks her lips. "Mmmm. Okay, I guess...I was a little nauseous this morning, but it's pretty much gone now."

Carlotta leans on the counter, grinning. "I still can't believe you're having twins...that's so wonderful."

Tea smiles, nodding. Roseanne looks between them, disgusted by Carlotta's gushing, and feeling her deep-seated bitterness rising to the surface. Every time she looks at her aunt, she sees the biggest phony who ever lived...someone who hates who she really is, and ignores her relatives because she's obviously embarrassed by her roots, coming from a poor immigrant family. Tea would rather link herself to the world of the white and the wealthy...and doesn't care how she does it, even if it means marrying and having the children of a convicted criminal. In her mind, Tea is a pathetic woman who's made a mess of her life, but still gets all the attention, all the sympathy...and all the money.

Her bitterness gets the better of her, as it usually does whenever she's around her aunt...her voice even colder and meaner now.

"Yeah, great, just what the world needs...two MORE of TODD'S offspring populating the planet."

Tea and Carlotta's heads both snap over in her direction. Tea gapes at the remark, speechless. Carlotta makes a face at her, horrified. Roseanne looks between them, feeling a tiny pang of guilt as she looks at Tea...she can tell her words cut deep. But the guilt quickly turns itself into contempt...and she gets off the stool, moving over closer to Tea and whispering to her.

"Tell me something, tia. How's it feel to know you're going to have the children of a schitzoid rapist?"

Tea's eyes widen in shock, still gaping. Carlotta leans forward and reaches out, roughly grabbing Roseanne's chin and turning her face toward her.

"Stop it RIGHT NOW."

By this time, the few customers sitting around the diner have stopped their conversations to listen to them. Roseanne swats Carlotta's hand away, mock-laughing, her voice louder now.

"Oh, you're such a hypocrite, Carlotta. You hate Todd as much as everybody else does...and why not? I mean, on a good day, the guy's only SLIGHTLY insane. But you still gush ALL OVER Tea and these babies...awww, they're gonna be soooo cute. Yeah, RIGHT."

Carlotta shrinks back at Roseanne's utter lack of respect. "What the hell has gotten into you, chica?"

Roseanne looks back at Tea, who still sits, silent. She laughs again, snidely, getting up and grabbing her stuff.

"Well, obviously, I'M the only one with a clue around here..." She leans back in, to whisper in Tea's ear.

"...and I'm gonna tell you something...I think the life you've chosen for yourself is a HELL of a lot more embarrassing than coming from a poor family. But hey, it's cool...you'll have two constant reminders of the mess you've made. And you'll get to spend the rest of your life wondering if they'll turn out to be nuts like their father."

Carlotta looks at Tea, who closes her eyes, feeling a horrible knot in her stomach, a mixture of rage and hurt. She sniffs, then stares straight ahead. Roseanne glares at her for another moment, then pushes back from the counter, tossing her backpack over her shoulder. She grabs her bag off the floor, then looks up at Carlotta.

"Well, thanks for letting me crash, but I got a train to catch. I'm outta here."

Carlotta says nothing, and just watches her as she storms out, letting the door swing back and forth. The customers listening in all make faces at each other, then go back to their business.

She leans forward on the counter. "Tea...I'm...I'm so sorry..."

Tea closes her eyes again. She sniffles again, trying desperately to hold it together. She tosses her head, and starts to get up. Carlotta comes around the counter.

"Oh mija, don't go..."

Tea grabs her crutches and stops. She takes a deep breath, her shoulders sinking.

"Damn...I just remembered, I took a cab here."

Carlotta holds her arms, making Tea look at her. "You're not going anywhere."

Tea looks into Carlotta's eyes and almost loses it. She has to take another deep breath to keep the tears down. Carlotta hugs her tightly...Tea gives into it, resting her head on her shoulder and sighing heavily.

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

A handsome young man enters a busy restaurant in Manhattan, walking with a cane. He stops in the big doorway and looks around. The host comes over from the bar, a well-dressed Italian guy from the Bronx, and smiles, recognizing him. He walks up to the young man, holding out a hand.

"Yo...Dean, my man..."

The young man grins back, shaking his hand. "Hey, Tony."

Tony leans on the host stand. "So...here to see your girlfriend?"

Dean runs a hand through his peroxide-blonde hair, sharply cut into a flat top. "Well, I was hopin' to, but I guess she's not on today, huh?"

"Nah. She should be here tomorrow night..."

Tony smiles wide, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. "...and I can't WAIT to see her walking around...oooh...she is SO hot."

Dean laughs, pointing a finger at him. "Hey, you watch your mouth there, dude...that's MY woman."

Tony laughs back, as a few customers walk in. "Yeah, yeah, yeah...rub it in, why dontcha..."

He slaps Dean's shoulder, then grabs some menus. "...take it easy, man."

"Later," Dean slaps back, then turns and heads out.

He walks out into the busy street, stopping by the door to check his watch. Then he moves out into the crowd, heading for the subway.

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

Dean gets back to his tiny apartment an hour or so later. He tosses the cane on the floor and limps over to the dresser. He opens up one of the drawers, pulling out a manila envelope and opening it up. A bunch of newspaper articles fall out...all from the Banner and the Sun...

...all about Todd and Tea. He spreads them all out, looking them all over.

His eyes fall on a photo of Tea...he grins, stroking the picture with his finger...he'd gotten to know this picture so well. He actually felt like he really KNEW the Mannings now, the people whose daughter he'd been hired to kidnap. After that whole disaster, Dean had surgery on his knee and spent a few months in lockup, reading everything he could get his hands on about Todd and Tea. Rolling over on Sykes and perfect behavior had gotten him out early; and now he laid low in this dingy little efficiency, doing work here and there for his connections in town, to support himself until he could go forward with his plan.

He gathers up all the articles, and puts them away. He takes out his pack of cigarettes and his lighter and walks over to the window, opening it and turning on the fan sitting on the floor. He gets up onto the window sill and lights up, putting his feet up on the opposite frame. He sighs, leaning his head back, and blowing smoke out the window.

He checks his watch again, wondering when Roseanne will finally show up. It was sheer coincidence that he met her in the restaurant...he just thought she was really hot and wanted to date her. But when he found out she was Tea's niece, it was a huge stroke of luck...and finding out that she hated her aunt on top of that was just the icing on the cake. As far as his own feelings toward her...he didn't really have any. He could tell Roseanne had it bad for him, she wasn't terribly good at hiding anything. And he didn't mind playing along with her little romantic fantasy for a while, for the sake of the plan.

The plan...that was all there was in the world to him. He smiles, taking another drag...thinking how excellent life will be after it's all over...

...a knock at the door breaks his train of thought. He takes one last drag, then crushes the cigarette, flicking the butt out the window. He gets down off the sill and limps over to the door, peering through the peephole.

He takes a deep breath, stretching his neck, preparing to put on his act. He opens the door and looks down at Roseanne, standing there smiling, holding her bags.

"Hey," she says sweetly, as she walks in. She puts her stuff down on the floor and stretches, revealing her midriff as her top rides up.

Dean shakes his head as she shuts the door and locks it. He walks over to her as she turns to face him. She smiles, stepping up to him and rubbing his chest through his flimsy t-shirt.

"Did you miss me?" she whispers.

"Terribly," he answers, as he strokes her chin gently. "So...how'd it go?"

She wags her eyebrows. "Well, I pretty much found out everything from Carlotta...she can't keep anything to herself. But I saw Tea right before I left...and she confirmed it. Todd's gone. He's headed off to Montana with Starr..."

She starts to run her hands along his well-defined arms, feeling all the muscles underneath. She stands up on her tiptoes and whispers into his ear as she nibbles on it.

"...and Tea's ALL by herself, for a whole week. Our window of opportunity has just opened wide."

He grins, nodding. "Good girl," he says, seductively...

...then he locks his arms around her tiny waist and lifts her up. She giggles, wrapping herself around him as he kisses her.