TODD ASKS TÉA TO STAY
TODD: "I told you I don't want you to go."
TEA: "You said stick around, but on your terms where we don't get any closer than we
already are."
TODD: "Any closer... ok, I.. I can't."
TEA: "When you say can't, I hear won't. Where did your
beautiful daughter come from? You and Blair had something."
TODD: "No. May.. whatever it is, I'm still paying for it."
TEA: "Oh, I get it. So, your heart was shattered and, what, you can never love
again?"
TODD: "Well I'm glad you think this is so funny."
TEA: "That I'm gonna hurt you? Todd, it's pretty hilarious. For starters, I'm not
Blair. I mean, I'm sane. But more importantly, you don't love me and I don't love you, so
how am I gonna hurt you?"
TODD: "You said you liked me once. I remember that, `cause I called you on
that."
TEA: "Of course I like you. But so what? The point is... you don't like me."
TODD: "Right. Well, you have your moments."
TEA: "Well then can't we be friends? Or if that is too loaded a word -
companions?"
TODD: "Look, I don't do companions, alright? I don't... I'm not that whole warm,
fuzzy thing. I don't... it's got nothing to do with you, alright? Don't take it
personally, this is all, it's my problem..."
TEA: "Ah, then you admit that it's a problem, ok. That is a first step. The next
question is.. can you do something about it?"
TODD: "Oh man, ya know, I thought I already was, alright? You said you wanted to do
this family thing and I, I did that, right? We, we, we, you me and the kid, we went to the
cabin and bleah! And the whole Halloween thing, and Thanksgiving? We did that... sort of.
And now Christmas. That covers the family connection thing. But what you're talking about
is a couples thing, alright? What happens between you and me in the privacy of our own
home, when nobody else is watching."
TEA: "Starr is watching."
TODD: "Yeah, well are you sure this is all for her? Or are you asking for you?"
***
TODD: "Answer the question."
TEA: "When I signed on with you, I thought I could take the money and run. I'd play
your loving wife so you could show the court you were a familiy man. I'd get 5 million,
you'd get Starr, everything would be fine."
TODD: "Which is exactly what happened, so what's the problem?"
TEA: "The problem is that I live in this beautiful penthouse with Starr, a little
girl I love very much, and you, a man I can't help liking
TODD: "Well, you have friends, why don't you go play with them?"
TEA: "I tried. With Andrew, remember? All it did was make you very angry and harder
than ever to live with."
TODD: "Yeah, well, Andrew's a yutz. He's a phony."
TEA: "He's not a phony. He's very down to earth. He cares about me. He's interested
in me as a friend. I need that kind of human contact. I mean.. how can you live without
that?"
TODD: "I guess you don't miss what you never had."
TEA: "But you could have it with me. Right now. You must want something like it, or,
why would you ask me to stay? Look, ok, we may never be a "conventional" couple,
if by conventional you mean sharing a bedroom, but there are other things to build on.
Plenty of people do that. They grow older, maybe the passion fades, and what they have
left is a kind of closeness. Raising children, sharing dreams, needing the other person to
be there just to hear about your day, what you want for dinner, watch a little tv, give
each other backrubs, laugh at jokes that nobody else would find funny, look at the other
person and know what they're thinking without any
words, ya know? Closeness. I need to do that. I feel like I'm gonna go crazy if I can't
find something, a little warmth, it's so simple Todd. You and I are so lonely together.
How can you stand it?"
*****
TODD: "Who are you? And what did you do with Tea Delgado?"
TEA: "What are you talking about?"
TODD: "You're like a pod person or something cuz the Tea Delgado I know would never..
I mean, you sound like a, like a... greeting card."
TEA: "Sorry to disappoint you, Todd, but I am human, and so are you."
TODD: "Right, and I'm supposed to want all of this closeness and not want to be so
alone. Well, I'm sorry, I don't, ya know, I'm not wired like that. I don't need
anybody."
TEA: "Well then, that's it."
<it's Blair at the door>
TEA: "Blair!"
BLAIR: "Aren't you gonna invite me in?"
TEA: "Actually, I don't think so."
BLAIR: "Early Christmas gift, Tea? You shouldn't have."
TEA: "I didn't."
BLAIR: "Well, looks like you're leaving Todd, which is exactly what I wanted."
*****
BLAIR: "So, where will you be secluding yourself until the divorce is final, that is. I hear Casa Mel (???????) is very nice this time of year..."
TODD: "This is not a breakup, in fact, this is a very
happy reunion."
BLAIR: "Right, and the two of you look so overjoyed."
TEA: "Not that we need to explain to you, but I just got back from a business trip to
New York, I'm very tired. Nighty night, Blair."
BLAIR: "Actually I've had a very tough day myself, and I would really love to hold my
little girl for a minute or two."
TODD: "You have a sanity test coming up, don't you? Why don't you go cram for it?
Because unless a shrink says that you're ok, you're not going anywhere near my kid."
BLAIR: "You're serious. I can't see Starr?"
TODD: "Merry Christmas, Blair."
BLAIR: "I will pass that psychological evaluation, and I will get my little girl
back! Forever! And then you will be left with nothing! Not even a *fake* family."
***
TODD: "Thank you for covering for me."
TEA: "I wasn't covering for you. I just couldn't stand to see that woman gloat. As
soon as she's had time to leave the building, I'm outta here."
TODD: "Not without saying goodbye to Starr. And if you love her the way you say you
love her, you will wait here until she comes back downstairs."
***
TEA: "Did you wake her?"
TODD: "No. We're gonna stay up and watch `How The Grinch Stole Christmas'.
"We're gonna root for the Grinch, isn't that right? Huh?"
TEA: "Oh, like a real family?"
TODD: "I think it'll be 100%. I don't know, we'll take the bandage off... ...and then
you're gonna want to play with Tea, aren't you? Well, Tea's not gonna be here."
TEA: "Don't use her."
TODD: "You're right. Sorry."
TEA: "So am I. Because when I see you with Starr, I see how loving you can be. So
you're lying to yourself and to me when you say you can't get close to people. You can,
but you don't want to. I hope that's something Starr never learns from you - how to harden
her heart."
TODD: "Delgado. I want you to stay."
TEA: "Because you're afraid of losing Starr? Or because you're afraid of losing
me?"
TODD: "I don't know. A little of both, probably."
TEA: "That's a start. Say it again."
TODD: "Don't push your luck."
------------------------
Candace
willow4@gte.net