PREVIOUSLY

Tea: (Offended:) "My girl"?

Todd: (Softening:) Yeah, you're my girl. You're the only girl for me.

Tea: (Bristling:) Oh. That sounded possessive the first time.

Todd: I am possessive. You're my lifeline. You bring me to shore when I'm drowning.

Tea: I try. You usually fight me.

Todd: I fight you the least.

[Scene ends]

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

[Scene: At the dinner at Viki's, two days later, evening. Todd and Tea are almost the last to arrive at Viki's, but people are still milling around and chatting.]

Todd: Hi, Sis. C'mere. (Hugs Viki, and kisses her cheek.) I-I-I missed you.

Viki: It's only been a day or so, Todd. What's wrong? You never offer me hugs and kisses. I'm not complaining, mind you.

Todd: (Evasive:) Later, Sis. I promise.

Viki: (Not quite convinced:) Ok, but I'll hold you to that. We haven't talked much lately.

Todd: We will, soon. Is Starr here, yet? (Looking and listening for her.)

Viki: Blair isn't here, yet. She was running late. Some story or other.

Todd: (Looks at Viki:) I really hope they make it over. I miss Starr.

Viki: (Concerned:) Didn't you see her yesterday?

Todd: (Baffled:) I did?

Viki: (Alarmed:) What's wrong?

Todd: (Evasive:) I can't talk about it now, Sis.

Viki: (Firmly:) We will talk later, Todd.

Todd: (Sincerely:) Ok. (Crosses with Viki and Tea into the study.)

Kevin: (Coolly:) Uncle Todd. Hello. Hello, Tea.

Todd: (Coolly:) Hello, Nephew. (Evenly:) Hi, Cassie. How's Physical Therapy going?

Cassie: Arduous, but all right. Thank you for asking.

Todd: You're welcome. (Todd and Tea continue into the room and begin to mingle.)

Mel: (Approaching Todd:) Hello, Todd. Listen, I've been doing some research into your past, something that began during the summer. I -- Look: I'd been on the fence early on about your DID, and I wanted to apologize for that, and to let you know I'm on your side, despite the tape.

Todd: (Surprised:) Well, thank you, Mel. I'm surprised, considering you're married to a woman who hates my guts.

Mel: (Smiles:) Obviously we don't see eye to eye on everything.

Todd: (Shrugs.) Guess not. Thank you.

Mel: (Smiles at Todd:) She's been spitting nails.

Todd: (Grins at Mel.)

Tea: Todd, there's Carlotta. (They go toward the rear of the room)

Andrew: Todd.

Todd: Andrew.

Tea: (Watches them greet each other, warily. They continue towards the french doors at the rear of the room, where Carlotta and Roseanne are talking with Will.)

Carlotta: Hello, Tea.

Todd: Hi, Will, Roseanne. Hi, Carlotta.

Will: Have you talked with Dad, Todd?

Todd: No, should I?

Will: He was asking if I'd heard from you, he didn't say why.

Todd: I haven't seen him in maybe a week.

Tea: I think I know why. You should call him.

Todd: About --?

Tea: (To him only:) The trip.

Todd: (Figures it out.) Oooh... I'll go call him now. Excuse me. (Walks through the crowd into the foyer, where he pulls his phone out and calls Sam. Sits down on the stairs by the front door.) Sam, me. Yeah, Will said you were asking him about me. Look, I'm sorry I haven't talked to you. I'm ok. Yes, I am..... (Closes his eyes, he is not ok, but is trying to be calm for the dinner and for Sam.) I know. No, you know I'm a bit freaked out by crowds. Ummm.... look, I'm at Viki's for that big dinner thing, I want to get you all together here soon. I have some things to go over with my family...... Ok. (Hangs up and puts his cellphone back in his blazer pocket, moves to stand, Tea is standing over him. He looks up.)

Tea: Your "family"?

Todd: (Averts his eyes.) Yeah..... (Looks at her furtively.)

Tea: That's a big step for you, to say that.

Todd: (Growls:) Don't let it go to your head. (Moves to stand.)

Tea: (Takes his arm and sits on the steps next to him. He sits again.) You're being very brave, you know.

Todd: What's bravery got to do with a simple phonecall to Sam?

Tea: I know you're upset with him.

Todd: What makes you say that?

Tea: I was there, ok? You won't even speak to him.

Todd: I just did.

Tea: Look, I can see this is difficult for you, I know you hate crowds and big family things make you very uncomfortable.

Todd: (Conceding:) Yeah. It is.

Tea: (Reassuring:) You're being very brave, you know. If we stick together, we'll be ok. Ok?

Todd: (Apprehensive:) Half the people in that room hate me.

Tea: (Gently:) And the other half don't. (Stands and extends her hand to him.)

Todd: (Follows her reluctantly, holding hands.)

[They re-enter the party together.]

Will: (Approaches them.) You talk to Dad?

Todd: (Not giving Will anything:) Yeah.

Will: What'd he want?

Todd: (Evenly:) Personal.

Will: (Considers this.) Ok...

[Bo approaches them. Will wanders off.]

Bo: Manning, I need to speak to you alone a moment.

Todd: (Bristles.) So you can arrest me for something?

Bo: No, I have some private business to discuss with you a moment.

Tea: You go ahead, I'll wait here.

Todd: (Wary:) Make it quick, I wanna get back to my wife.

Bo: This'll only be a second, Manning.

[They walk to a quiet corner of the room.]

Bo: (Low voice:) I spoke to Judge Calloway.

Todd: And?

Bo: I asked her to lay off you for a little while longer, until you can get your life back in better order.

Todd: When did you do that?

Bo: Couple weeks ago. I just had a sense it was important.

Todd: Why did you do that? There must be a catch.

Bo: Yeah. You have to keep behaving yourself until the next custody hearing.

Todd: I've been a very good boy since my return.

Bo: Only so far as I know, Manning. (Walks away.)

Todd: (Raises his eyebrows and watches Bo walk away. Tea approaches Todd.) He bought me time, Delgado. He's the one who got Calloway off my back, at least for a while.

Tea: (Joins him, puzzled.) Where's the catch?

Todd: There must be one. First he apologizes and feeds me information on Asa, then this. What's he up to? What am I going to owe him?

Tea: ( [Todd and Tea continue into the room, so Tea can talk to Carlotta.]

Todd: (To Carlotta, a slight sneering smile of defense on his face, sarcastic:) We're baa-aack.

Carlotta: (Coolly:) Todd.

Tea: Carlotta, you could be a little more civil to my husband. He's on his best behaviour today.

Todd: (Gives Tea an uncomfortable look, squirms a little.)

Tea: (Looks at him and smiles sweetly, an 'I love you' smile.)

Todd: (Leans over and tenderly kisses her mouth. He seems nervous.)

Carlotta: (Observes this silently, but suspiciously.)

Tea: (Holds Todd's hand at their sides quietly, and they look back at Carlotta.)

[Cut to: Shot of Todd and Tea's hands clasped together tightly, then Todd's face.]

Todd: (Squeezing Tea's hand tight, his face bland innocence.)

[Cut to: Carlotta's face.]

Carlotta: Tea, may we speak alone a moment?

[Cut to: camera pulls back and frames just Todd, Tea, and Carlotta tightly in center of frame.]

Tea: (Looks in Carlotta's eyes.) Carlotta, I know that tone. No, if you have something to say to me about my husband, he's a big boy, he can stand it. We both know you don't like him very much.

[Cut to one-shot of Todd as he looks at Carlotta.]

Todd: Carlotta, I know you've never approved of me with Tea. For Tea's sake, I'd rather we didn't discuss it here. You don't have to like me, but I will not have her or her judgment attacked, not by anyone.

[Cut to: tight framing again of all three of them. Carlotta looks from one to the other.]

Carlotta: (To Todd:) Fair enough. For now. (To Tea:) Tea, you and I will talk about this later. (She moves on.)

[Camera briefly follows her as Todd and Tea turn to face each other. Camera returns to them framed as a two-shot.]

Tea: (When Carlotta has gone. Whispers urgently:) Ow! Not so tight. Your hand is like ice....

Todd: (Exhales.) Well, that was delightful.

Tea: (Warning tone:) Todd....

Todd: (Confident:) I think I handled that rather well (leans over and whispers in her ear:) Tom and Rod were helping.

Tea: (Looks at him suspiciously.)

Todd: (Defensively:) What?

Tea: You're not going to cause a scene, are you?

Todd: (A little taken aback:) Not that I know of.

Starr: (Sees her father and pushes her way through her family to him.) Daddy!

Todd: (Turns around and spots her, drops Tea's hand and prepares to pick up Starr.) Starr!

Starr: (Runs into Todd's arms and hugs him tightly around the neck.)

Todd: (Swings around with her in his arms tight.) I miss you when I'm not with you, Starr, so much!

Starr: Me, too, Daddy!

Todd: (Kisses her hair and holds her tight.)

Tea: (Strokes his back. Her expression indicates she senses something really is wrong.)

Todd: (Swings from his waist holding Starr, rocking them both side to side in an arc.)

Starr: (Pulls her face away a little.) What's wrong, Daddy?

Todd: (Covering.) I just missed my Princess Shorty.

Starr: I missed you, too, Daddy. I wish I could live with you again, just us and Tee.

Todd: I don't know if that will ever happen, Shorty. We'll have to see.

Starr: I love you, Daddy.

Todd: I love you, too. (Kisses her cheek and holds her close again.)

[Dinner is announced and everyone assembles in the diningroom and takes their places.]

[Todd and Tea walk in, Starr and Todd holding hands on one side, Todd's other hand holding Tea's. Blair glares at this entrance, but they don't see this. Todd and Tea sit together, with Starr next to Todd, and Blair across from Starr. Once everyone is seated:]

Viki: (Lifting her water goblet and getting everyone's attention:) Everyone! First, thank you everyone for coming. This is a dinner party to welcome my baby brother back officially, and just to have a dinner party. I love my brother, and he's been going through some pretty awful times lately. I know some of you don't like him very much and are really just here for the food, and to see me, but Todd is back and I think here to stay. At Thanksgiving, when Todd left us, I made the announcement in my toast that I felt that Todd had taken the love of those of us who love him for granted. I don't really think that's true anymore, or mostly not. We still have a lot to work out, my brother and I, but for right now, we're all here to enjoy each other's company and maybe get to know each other a little differently than before. One way or another, everyone in this room is a member of my family. This is a family dinner. (Raises her goblet) To family. May none of us ever lose sight of its deep importance in all of our lives.

[Everyone, even the children, raises their water goblet and drinks a toast of water, many saying: "To Family."]

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: After dinner, as everyone files out of the dining room.]

Viki: Todd?

Todd: Sis?

Viki: You were very good at dinner tonight. Tea says you haven't been eating. You ate tonight.

Todd: Even though you embarassed me with your gushing toast. I did eat, yes.

Viki: You did well. I meant it all.

Todd: I know you did. Thank you. It was still pretty embarassing, Sis.

Viki: You were very good today. I won't pry, ok?

Todd: Ok. Thanks. I was trying very hard to make it a good time for Shorty. I want CJ and Sarah to remember this as a good time with their Uncle Todd. So I tried hard to behave well.

Viki: (Kids him:) You ate with utensils! Even used a napkin.

Todd: Yeah. It was quite an effort to remember. (Smirks at her.)

Viki: (Smiles:) I know you know what to do at table, you usually just want to be comfortable so you eschew such things as table manners.

Todd: Eschew?

Viki: Look it up. (Smiles at him.)

Todd: (Smiles back, despite himself.) My Mom was teaching me proper table manners before she left, and I've watched other people. When it's important, I can do a good job with it.

Viki: It just usually isn't.

Todd: Nope. And I don't care. Sometimes I do my thing just to annoy other people, make them squirm, and because I want to be comfortable, like you said. If I can bug someone else by my eating with my hands, I'll do it and not think twice about it. I know not to drink from the finger bowl.

Viki: You can be very polite sometimes.

Todd: When I care, and when it matters.

Viki: In some ways that's a sign of good manners, to know when it's important, when it really matters. Otherwise, it's just usually very forced.

Todd: It's sappy. Anything sappy is just the worst. And you can tell when someone's lying by using that etiquette stuff.

Viki: True.

[CJ approaches his uncle and aunt.]

CJ: (Cautiously:) Uncle Todd?

Todd: (Warmly:) Yeah?

CJ: I need to talk to you alone. Can we go to the kitchen or something?

Todd: (Looks at Viki questioningly.)

Viki: (Shrugs at him.)

Todd: Uh, sure CJ, I guess.

[They exit to the kitchen.]

Todd: What's up?

CJ: (Directly:) Did you know that my Great-Granpa' Asa wants your newspaper?

Todd: (Shrugs.) He's always wanted my newspaper. I print nasty things about him and his family in my paper, and he doesn't like that.

CJ: Not about me??

Todd: (Quietly reassuring:) No, CJ. You've done nothing wrong.

CJ: From the sounds of it, I hope I never do. Great-Granpa's really mad at you.

Todd: (Smiles. Quietly:) So is most of Llanfill.

CJ: (Seriously:) Mom's not.

Todd: (Surprised:) Why not? I wouldn't let her have any of our father's money when she tried to trick it out of me.

CJ: (Shrugs.) She doesn't need it now. She's not mad at you.

Todd: Why not?

CJ: (Calm:) You're her brother. She's got a good job. She's invested her money well, and Sarah and I are not hungry.

Todd: Good. I hate to see children suffer.

CJ: (Smiles:) You should have seen him. Great-Granpa' gets so loud when he talks about you! He doesn't know I heard him and Uncle Bo.

Todd: Stand up to him when he yells, CJ. Don't let him win.

CJ: (Confidently:) Oh, I won't. I think I know how to handle Great-Granpa'.

Todd: (Quietly:) So do I.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: Next morning. Asa's study.]

[Asa is at his desk, yelling at someone on the phone about getting The Sun out of Todd's clutches once and for all.]

Todd: (Walks in just as Asa angrily hangs up the phone yelling his name.) Nice to see you, too, Sunshine.

Asa: (Still angry.) Get out!

Todd: Not until I'm done here. I know you want The Sun. You'll never get it.

Asa: Oh, I will, Manning.

Todd: You'd have to get me to sign it over to you, or your representatives. That's never gonna happen.

Asa: Don't bet on it, Manning. You have your price just like everybody else.

Todd: You'd be surprised. I'm not like everybody else. Everybody tells me so.

Asa: You little --

Todd: Snake, Asa? Surely you can be more creative than that?

Renee: Todd! Asa, I can hear you all the way down the hall!

Todd: I was just leaving. (Grins at Renee.) Nice to see you again, Renee.

Renee: The feeling isn't mutual.

Todd: (Keeps grinning as he leaves, mission accomplished.)

Asa: I'm going to put that little weasel out of business!

Renee: (Warning tone:) Asa.

Asa: WHAT?

Renee: You know Todd always wins in the end. You're too old for this. The last fight you had with him was at the lodge and you nearly died.

Asa: Because of Manning!

Renee: My point, Asa. You also tried to set him up for a murder you knew he didn't commit. What does it get you to fight Todd like this? Who do you leave whatever you get out of this fight to? Do they even want it?

Asa: My descendants.

Renee: All your descendants are already taken care of, Asa. Todd isn't worth another heart attack.

[Scene ends.]

[Scene: A week later. Mid-afternoon. In the park, Todd and Tea are walking together. ]

Todd: (Smiles shyly, glances sidelong at Tea. Then:) You're my favorite waste of time.

Tea: Thanks. I think....

Todd: (Laughs. They walk a little bit. Holding Tea's hand in his as they walk. He is serious now, seeming nervous.)

Tea: You have such a sweet laugh. I've missed it.

Todd: Oh. There are few things that give me much pleasure in this life.

Tea: (Looks up at him.) What does?

Todd: (Not looking at her. Shyly:) Being with you.

Tea: (Touched. Trying to catch his eyes.) Just being with me?

Todd: (Nods. Slowly, cautiously:) Sometimes that's enough. To be in the same room with you, quiet and together..... Sometimes I wish we held hands more.

Tea: (Quick smile.) Me, too. What else gives you pleasure?

Todd: (Pauses.) Touching you, looking in your eyes. (Deep sigh.)

Tea: Because I don't look at you as a monster?

Todd: (Looks at her and stops walking.) Yeah, and because your eyes tell me the truth.

Tea: (Looking in his eyes.) Truth of what?

Todd: (Looking in her eyes.) Of how you feel about me. Sometimes it's just the truth of how you feel, period. "You're in those eyes tough as nails." "It's like we share something." Remember?

Tea: (Touched:) Yes. Your letter..... (Quietly:) What else gives you pleasure?

Todd: Starr.

Tea: Clearly.

Todd: Playing with Starr and seeing how comfortable she is, how happy and secure. Seeing that she can laugh with her Daddy and how safe we both feel together. (Closes his eyes.) How much my daughter loves me. (His eyes flutter open, and he looks in Tea's eyes.)

Tea: You're a completely different person with Starr than with anyone else. More open and relaxed. What else do you like?

Todd: (Pauses. Quietly:) Holding you and being close. Your touch is electric for me. Kissing you. (Lifts her hand to his lips and softly kisses the back of her hand, never letting it go. He holds it to his cheek and seems to melt for a moment. Quietly intense:) I think that's the most pleasure for me, kissing you and nuzzling you. That's so hard for me and when I can do it with you, it just feels so good it's scary. (Puts their hands to his chest and holds on.) I could kiss you and hold you all day some days. (Plays with her hair.) Like I said a long time ago, you're nice to look at and you're nice to think about. Sometimes all I want is just to be near you all day.

Tea: (Quietly:) Me, too, Todd. All of that.

Todd: Is this love?

Tea: I think it is, Todd. I feel the same way. All of it.

[Scene ends.]

TO BE CONTINUED