HAZY SHADE OF WINTER - PART SIXTEEN

PREVIOUSLY

“I can’t live…without you,” he whispered in reply intently.
It was silent between them as they connected – like they did so many times before.
“I need to go…” muttered Todd.
They turned around and walked into the living room. Téa watched Todd as he walked out.
“I’ll be back,” he whispered opening the door looking at her.
“I know,” she replied as he turned around and closed the door behind him.

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

Late February 1999 Roseanne’s Apartment…

It was mid morning when Roseanne Delgado walked into her apartment. She was agitated. She threw her backpack on the living room couch. She picked up the phone and placed a phone call. Cris Vega assured her he would be over shortly. She started to pace. It was a nice apartment – she liked it.
She liked the Spanish décor that her and Téa had decorated it in. Téa… she didn’t want to think about Téa right now but her thoughts wouldn’t allow her to think of anything else. There was a knock on the door. Roseanne looked at her watch. Cris had come quickly. She opened the door and let him in.
“What’s up? You sounded frantic. How was New York? What did you find out?” asked Cris taking off his jacket and throwing it next to her backpack.
“You won’t believe what I found out. You know why I went right?” asked Roseanne, her voice shaking.
“Yeah – your father and Téa’s mother had an affair and you wanted answers,” summed up Cris.
“Well, I got answers Cris. I know everything now and it’s not nice. Do you know why they had an affair?” spat out Roseanne.
“No,” said Cris, “Momma won’t talk about it.”
“Because they discovered my mother and her father were having an affair!”
Roseanne was clearly upset.
“Sounds like some in breeding was going on,” said Cris trying to get Roseanne to crack a smile.
“Thankfully it wasn’t biological,” said Roseanne sarcastically, “And do you know how they found out about my mother’s affair?”
“No,” said Cris.
“Because she got pregnant with me,” said Roseanne, “And there was no way Enrique Delgado was the father.”
“What?” muttered Cris.
Roseanne went to her backpack, dug out a letter and handed it to Cris. He read it.
“Wow,” said Cris after reading the letter, “Rico had his sperm count checked and found out that it was too low.”
“Yeah. Too low to father a child. Leon Delgado is my father. That’s why Rico took off – that’s why Téa’s mother spilt. No one could deal with what happened.”
“So, Téa’s not your aunt?” asked Cris.
“No – Téa’s my sister,” said Roseanne evenly.
“Does Téa know this?” asked Cris.
“I don’t know. The only thing I know is that she knows her mother and her half-brother had an affair,” said Roseanne, “I need to figure out if Téa knows about her father and my mother.”
“O.k., what if Téa knows the truth and just didn’t tell you?” asked Cris. “I don’t know,” said Roseanne.
“O.k., what if this is news to Téa? What if she just didn’t know?” asked Cris.
“I guess I have a sister,” muttered Roseanne.
“You have a sister regardless,” said Cris, “So what are you going to do?”
“I can’t stay here,” said Roseanne, “Not with Téa…not knowing if she knows or not…”
“Well, you can stay with me if you want,” offered Cris.
“Thanks,” said Roseanne. She wrote a brief not to Téa telling her she was moving out. She grabbed some stuff from her room and walked out. Cris followed.

Boston, Massachusetts The Alton Estate…

Cameron watched as Samantha and Starr played together by the bay window over looking Boston Harbor. Starr was teaching Samantha her favorite game, tea party. It warmed Cameron’s heart to hear Samantha rich laugh. Samantha hadn’t laughed like that in quite a while. Samantha was feeling better but she was still weak.
Blair, who was sitting next to Cameron, smiling at Starr and Samantha quickly glanced at her watch and then stood up, “Starr, we need to go.”
Samantha and Starr shared an affectionate hug.
“Bye, Starr,” said Samantha.
“Bye Samantha,” said Starr. She took Blair’s hand and they walked toward the door. Suddenly Starr turned around and looked at Samantha intently, as if something had just dawned on her, “You’re nice – just like Tee.”
“Tee?” asked Samantha. She stood next to her father.
Cameron felt his body tighten.
“Ah, Starr,” began Blair.
“My daddy thinks Tee is nice too. They’re married,” said Starr, “She looks just like you.”
Samantha wrinkled her brow.
“Ah, Starr, is talking about her stepmother, Samantha,” said Cameron nervously.
“Starr, we really need to go,” said Blair.
Starr waved to Samantha and Cameron walked them out. Cameron walked back into the living room. Samantha was sitting on the couch, deep in thought.
Cameron sat down next to her, “Whatcha’ thinking little “S?”
“Blair’s nice. And she likes you. Starr’s nice too,” said Samantha softly, “Maybe you and Blair…”
“Hold it right there. Are you playing matchmaker?” asked Cameron taking her hand.
“Maybe,” she said finding her father’s eyes. How different they were from hers.
“Why?” asked Cameron.
“I want you to be happy Dad and I…” started Samantha.
“What?”
“I…want…I want…a mother,” finished Samantha.
“You miss Susan too?” asked Cameron.
Samantha nodded her head, “But she can’t be my Mom anymore.”
“Sam, Blair doesn’t love me. She loves what I represent – money – power – she doesn’t know the man in here,” said Cameron pointing to his heart.
“How do you know?” asked Samantha.
“Blair and I have talked,” said Cameron, “I know when someone likes me for me and when they like me for my money.”
“Oh. Do you think my real mother would like you for your money?” asked Samantha.
Cameron took a deep breath, “I don’t know. Why do you bring her up?”
“Do you think she’s nice? Do you think she’d want to meet me?” asked Samantha.
Cameron was nervous, “She’s probably nice – there’s probably a lot of her in you. She probably thought she was the doing the right thing giving you up, you know?”
“Can you find her Dad?” asked Samantha.
“Is that what you want?” asked Cameron he tried hard not to show Samantha just how much her request bothered him.
Samantha nodded her head and hugged him.

The Next Day,
Llanview, Pennsylvania,
Office of the District Attorney
11:30 a.m.

Téa was sitting behind her desk, a stack of paperwork waiting for her to wade through. She paused, took a breath and ran her hand through her hair. She had gotten behind in her work because she was attending therapy with Todd…in fact, they had another appointment at one. And things had gotten very intense during therapy sessions. So intense, they were the only times she really saw Todd. But what…moved…her the most was the effort Todd was making and she found herself making – to come closer together. And then Roseanne had moved out with no explanation. God! Her niece was so weird. It bothered her that she couldn’t get through to Roseanne no matter how hard she tried. There was a knock on the door. She looked up.
“You’re not Todd,” said Téa smiling. The man standing before her was about Todd’s height, well built, with sandy blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes and chiseled features.
“Ah, no, I’m not Todd,” he said smiling at her.
Téa stood up. Her office was a mess. She thought his smile was…charming in a boyish way.
“My name is Cameron – Cameron Alton,” he said with an air of authority.
Téa offered her hand, “Assistant District Attorney Téa Delgado.”
He walked into the office and shook her hand. Her handshake impressed him. “Should I know you?” asked Téa returning his smile, “Because you act as if you’re familiar with me.”
“Alton?” he inquired.
“Alton?” she said imitating him.
“FutureTech computer software?” he said.
“What about it?” she asked.
“I’m the founder…” he added.
“Are you trying to impress me?” asked Téa.
“What if I were?” he asked lightly.
“I’m a married woman Mr. Alton,” she replied.
“I know,” he said pausing, “I know a lot about you.”
Téa raised an eyebrow, “Well, I know nothing about you.”
“Call me Cam,” he said trying to relax.
“Call me Téa, Cam…” she replied, “Now is there something I can do for you?”
“No. I just wanted to meet you,” said Cam awkwardly crossing his arms.
“Ask me out on a date right?” said Téa kiddingly.
“No. No. Not that…you’re married…” muttered Cameron.
“Then what?” asked Téa.
“I should go. It was nice meeting you. We should do this again,” mumbled
Cameron. He turned around and literally sprinted out of her office.
Téa raised an eyebrow, “Who are you Mr. Alton?”

Llanview General…

Téa walked into Susannah’s office. Todd was all ready there. They exchanged awkward, friendly smiles. These last few weeks were so intense for both of them. And they had dealt with a lot of issues. They had discussed what occurred between them in the shed, the blizzard, Todd had talked about the emotional and physical abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father, and they discussed Marty’s rape and how it had…effected Todd. And between them they had shed a fountain of tears. Téa hadn’t seen Pete, Rodd, or Tom, - just Todd. Susannah had told her that was a good sign.
“Hi Todd,” said Téa softly.
“Hi Téa,” said Todd shyly.
“Are you ready?” asked Susannah from behind her desk.
Téa held out her hand to Todd and he took it in his, smiling at her. They nodded their heads.
“Todd has one last thing to tell you,” started Susannah.
Téa turned to face Todd.
Todd’s face grew serious and he took a deep breath, “Téa…wow…you know I’ve practiced this in front of the mirror a million times and now you’re here – you’re really standing in front of me and all my words are…gone…”
“Todd, you know you can tell me anything…” she whispered trying to encourage him.
He pulled his hand away from hers and crossed his arms. He began to pace, becoming intense.
“He doesn’t want me to tell you,” said Todd.
Susannah grew concerned and raised an eyebrow.
“Who?” asked Téa.
“Pete,” said Todd.
“Pete is afraid if you tell me you won’t need him anymore?” asked Téa.
“All I need…is you. And Shorty. I want – to be loved – I want to stop feeling HIS hate…” said Todd awkwardly as if he was stumbling over the words.
“Focus on that Todd,” said Susannah, “Focus on the love, not the hate…”
Todd’s eyes grew distant, “Rape. It’s an ugly word you know,” he muttered.
“Todd, you know I asked you to forgive me for saying that word to you. You know how much…I’ve regretted saying…that word to you. I – will – never – use – that – word again. You know that,” replied Téa.
“I know – you won’t. But I’ve been so afraid – that I would hurt you – I’ ve raped before – I’ve been raped before…” he paused realizing he’d told her what he wanted to tell her…that he had been ‘raped’ before.
“Todd – you just said…” began Téa.
“I was – fourteen…” said Todd closing his eyes as the scene played out once again in front of him and his heart shattered into pieces…
“He – he saw Michelle – had given me a birthday cake – and he thought she loved me – and he didn’t want anyone to love me – but him…” said Todd balling up his fist as he spit out the words.
Susannah’s body tensed up. Todd had relieved his before with her and it had been painful to him them.
“…He threw her out – and he went for me – taunted me – but not that night – never again after that night. My father NEVER…raped…me again after that night…” continued Todd, his body shaking, his voice quivering.
Tears freely flowed down Téa’s cheeks. She approached Todd tentatively reaching her hand out to him in a comforting gesture. His eyes opened suddenly and he grabbed her hand squeezing it tight. She winced from the pain.
“Todd…”
“Am I hurting you Téa?” asked Todd – his voice rough.
“Todd would never hurt me…” said Téa. The grip on her hand relaxed.
“Téa would never hurt me…” said Todd his voice shaking – his confusion apparent.
“Believe in me Todd! Believe in what you feel for me in your heart! Fight for us. You don’t disgust me Todd – You can’t scare me away – I love you!” said Téa with a fierce passion in her voice.
Todd fell to his knees, crying, confused and Téa joined him, embracing him in her arms.
“I trust you Todd. With my soul – my heart – my body…”
He looked at her with his tears filled eyes and he could feel the tension draining away…everything draining away with only her – in front of him.
“I want to share everything with you Téa – I have…” he choked on the words, “For you – I’ve done all this – for the love – your love – for you…”
“Todd – this – is all for you too. I don’t want you to be afraid anymore…” “I won’t – anymore…” he replied, his face red, buried into her shoulder as he clung to her.
Susannah breathed a sigh of relief as she watched them cry in each other’s arms.

TO BE CONTINUED