HAZY SHADE OF WINTER - PART NINETEEN

PREVIOUSLY

“You don’t hate me because of what I did…” she asked, “Because I know how much you love kids…”
“Nope. I don’t hate you at all,” he replied, “I love you, Mrs. Manning.
You’ll be a good mother… to our child…”
The desire and passion between them led to another intense filled love making episode between them.

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Late February 1999 Llanview Sunday Evening…

Todd was teasing Téa with gentle, tender kisses as they rode the empty elevator up to her apartment. They were dressed in casual clothes. Their embrace was relaxed and Téa couldn’t help but giggle between Todd’s kisses. “This weekend was…great, wasn’t it Delgado?” grinned Todd.
“It doesn’t have to end Todd. Why don’t you…stay the night? Roseanne’s moved out. I just don’t know why,” hinted Téa smiling at him. Todd hadn’t shaven this weekend and she found his five o’clock shadow incredibly sexy.
“Yeah, I could do that,” he grinned. They melted into a smoldering kiss.
The elevator stopped. They continued kissing. The door opened and an old lady attempted to go inside. They parted, as flustered as the old lady.
They exited, not saying anything and held hands as they made their way to Téa’s apartment. Téa put the key in the lock and they stumbled in, touching each other, laughing, and giggling…
They looked up into Roseanne and Anton’s hard stares.
Roseanne and Anton got up from the couch.
“Roseanne. This is a surprise!” exclaimed Téa. Todd stood behind her, “Did you get my note?”
“I got it. So what’s up with you and…Todd?” asked Roseanne.
“Well, ah, we’re ah…together…again…” Téa replied, giddy from the happiness that Todd had instilled in her.
Roseanne and Anton looked at each other.
“Help me Uncle Anton,” mouthed Roseanne.
He nodded his head and looked at Téa. Todd protectively placed his hands on her waist as he stood behind her.
“Roseanne has something to tell you,” said Anton seriously.
“Oh. O.k.,” said Téa, “I’m listening.”
Roseanne took a breath.
“O.k., well, do you know why your mother and my father had an affair?”
asked Roseanne, the tone of her voice nervous.
“Ah, no,” said Téa, “I take it you found out.”
“Your father and my mother were having an affair,” Roseanne’s voice shook.
“Oh,” said Téa. She wrinkled her brow and face. Todd squeezed her shoulder, “What are you saying Roseanne?”
Roseanne picked up a letter off the coffee table and handed it to Téa, “Read it.”
Anton stood behind Roseanne and put his hands on her shoulders for support. Whatever happened, she would always be his niece.
“My father isn’t Enrique Delgado,” said Roseanne dropping the pitch in the tone of her voice.
Téa dropped the letter and looked up into Roseanne’s eyes – her own a wave of confusion, “Your father was…my father?”
Todd’s grasp around her waist got tighter.
Téa’s eyes found Roseanne’s. Both sets of eyes were moist. Téa brought her hand to her face and rubbed her brow, “Is this possible? Could we…Do we…have the same father?” she muttered.
“Téa – you have read the letter. AnnaRosa refers to the affair – in fact, there are more…passionate letters between them – Roseanne has chosen to show you this one about her paternity…” added Anton.
“Did you know? Did you and Del and José know? Did you all agree to keep it a secret?” rattled off Roseanne raising her voice.
Todd sneered at Roseanne, “Settle down, Junior.” He didn’t like the way Roseanne had addressed Téa.
Téa nodded her head furiously, “No – I didn’t know – I didn’t – I’m pretty sure José doesn’t know – Del – I don’t know – I didn’t know…” she muttered tears falling down her face. Todd could feel his wife’s body trembling.
Roseanne’s eyes of confusion and fear met Téa’s, “You didn’t know?” asked Roseanne more softly.
Téa wrapped her arms around herself, “No – I swear to you – I didn’t know…I had…a sister…”
The word – sister – visibly moved both women. They took awkward steps towards each other before growing confident and then slowly, Téa reached out the same time Roseanne did and they embraced each other.
Todd looked at Anton and made a face, “Ah, I’ll get the tissues…” he muttered.
Anton nodded his head.
Slowly, Téa and Roseanne looked into each other’s tear filled eyes and silently acknowledged their change in status – they were no longer aunt and niece – they were now sisters…
“I have a sister…” whispered Roseanne.
“So have I…” whispered Téa smiling through her tears.
Todd handed them the box of tissues and they did their best to dry their faces.
The doorbell rang.
“We have a lot to talk about…” said Roseanne.
“I suppose we do,” replied Téa.
“Ah, I’ll get the door…” said Todd.
Anton walked up behind his niece and rested his hands on her shoulders in another gesture of comfort.
“Who are you?” came Todd’s voice.
Téa, Roseanne, and Anton turned toward the door.
“My name is Cameron Alton,” came the reply.
Slowly, Téa walked toward the door and stood beside Todd, “Cameron? What brings you here?” asked Téa.
“You know this guy?” asked Todd looking at her – trying to fight off another wave of jealously.
“We briefly met before,” said Téa wiping her eyes dry with her tissue.
“I left a message…” said Cameron standing in the doorway fumbling the words.
“I haven’t had a chance to check them,” answered Téa.
“Oh,” said Cameron, “I have someone who would like to meet you…” his voice shook. Todd raised an eyebrow in a suspicious manner.
“Now?” whispered Téa.
“It can’t wait, trust me,” said Cameron.
“All right,” said Téa.
Todd felt uncomfortable with this.
Roseanne and Anton took a step towards the door.
Slowly, Cameron walked into the apartment with Samantha by his side. Her physical resemblance obvious to everyone in the room. She wore a pair of casual dress pants, a dress sweater, and a winter coat draped over her shoulders.
Everyone’s mouth dropped in shock. Tears began to flow freely down Téa’s face as she realized who Samantha was. Samantha stared intently at Téa.
The silence in the room was deafening.
“That girl looks just like you Téa,” muttered Roseanne. A million emotions flowed through Roseanne’s body.
“Marisa?” whispered Téa.
Anton walked up in back of Téa and stood close to her. Todd gave him a dirty look but Anton disregarded it. This was his daughter…!
“My name is Samantha. Samantha Alton…mother…” Samantha said, tears welling up in her own eyes – her own voice shaking…amazed at how she resembled the woman standing in front of her – her mother.
“My God,” muttered Todd
“Our daughter…” muttered Anton. He thought he was never going to find her!
“She’s my daughter,” said Cameron firmly, “I have legal custody.”
Roseanne got in Téa and Anton’s faces – incensed – over this secret…
“You two – had a daughter?!” yelled Roseanne.
Samantha grabbed Cameron’s hand but didn’t run away, unsure who this other person was in the room.
“Yes, Roseanne…” whispered Téa still reeling from the shock.
“How can I believe a word you two say? When were you going to tell me??” demanded Roseanne.
“What occurred between Téa and I…all those years ago was…intensely private between us. You did not have a right to know – you do not have a right to know – our intimate secrets…” said Anton firmly. He placed his hands on Téa ’s shoulders, unconsciously digging into them, a gesture that reflected his own inner turmoil.
Todd reached for Téa’s hand and they quickly exchanged a look.
“Well, I guess that means I don’t have a right to be a part of this family…” said Roseanne. She spat at Téa and Anton and flew out the door.
Todd intently looked at Téa, “You want me go after her?”
Téa brought her free hand to her face as the tears fell from her eyes. She nodded her head ‘no.’
Todd’s lip quivered as he looked at the shattered soul of his wife.
Slowly, Téa looked past her hand and found Samantha’s questioning eyes filled with tears.
“You’re my parents? My real parents?” questioned Samantha as she began to realize who Anton was to her.
“Yes…” whispered Téa finding strength, “I’m Téa. Téa Delgado…Manning,” she said pausing looking at Todd. It had been so long since she had used that name.
“And…this is Anton. Anton de la Rocha…he’s your…biological…father…” said Téa fumbling the words.
Samantha smiled through her own tears, “Now I have a mother and two fathers…”
Cameron squeezed her hand. This was so very hard for him.
Téa reached out hesitantly and brushed the bangs out of Samantha’s face, “Why now? Why do you want…me?”
Samantha grew confused, “Aren’t you nice? Dad said you were nice…”
“Nice?” whispered Téa.
“She’s very nice…” added Todd, clearly moved by what was occurring. Téa had to be reassured this was what Samantha wanted.
“Sam, honey,” said Cam scared out of his wits all though he knew deep down in his heart Samantha would never leave him, “Tell her what you told me.”
Samantha found Téa’s eyes – her mother’s eyes – her eyes. Téa saw her reflection in her daughter’s eyes.
“Its just that – my mom – my adopted mom died a few months ago and I – I didn’t want to – I didn’t want to grow up without a mother,” said Samantha, her voice shaking.
Téa immediately reached out and took her daughter into her arms – holding her tight. Cameron, Anton, and Todd looked on.
Téa pulled away and looked into her daughter’s eyes, “If this is what you want – I swear to you I will be the best mother – I can be – to you…”
Samantha nodded her head ‘yes’ as Téa studied her daughter’s features.
“Ah, Alton,” muttered Todd crossing his arms looking at Cameron, “Maybe we should give ‘em some time – you know – so they can get to know each other…”
Téa looked up at Cameron through her tear filled eyes, “I’d like that.”
“So would I,” added Anton.
Cameron found Samantha’s eyes, “If that is what you want…”
Samantha nodded her head yes.
“All right Manning,” said Cameron, “Where too?” The thought of leaving Samantha pained him but knew that Téa needed the time.
“How about the palace? They have a bar there. When Téa is done, she can bring Samantha over there,” suggested Todd. It was so important for him to do the right thing by Téa, he just wished he knew exactly what that was…
“Samantha and I have a room there. That would be fine,” said Cameron.
Todd reached for the door but Téa got up and put her hand on his arm. He turned into her and she impulsively gave him a tender, soft kiss, “Thank you Todd,” she whispered, “I love you.”
“I…love you…too…” whispered Todd trying hard to be strong for her. He pulled her into a hug.
Samantha and Cameron also exchanged a warm hug.
Todd pulled away, “I’ll see you in a bit.”
Téa nodded her head.
“I love you Sam,” said Cameron to his daughter as he walked out.
“I love you too Dad,” whispered Sam.
Todd closed the door behind them.

Late that night, The Sun…

Kelly Cramer briskly walked into her cousin’s office at the Sun. Blair looked up from her desk.
Kelly threw a proof at Blair, “I’m disgusted. You can’t mean to print this for tomorrow’s headline!”
Blair looked up at the proof, “I sure do.”
“Have you forgotten Téa has 55 percent of this paper? You do this to her and she’ll do doubt retaliate or worse yet – Todd will now that he’s back in town!” spat Kelly.
“Todd’s still psycho and Téa won’t do a thing…if she wants to see her precious little stepdaughter again. Besides, legally, she can’t do a thing about it…as long as it’s true…” said Blair grinning.
“You’re despicable Blair,” said Kelly walking out.
Blair’s eyes fell on the headline, “Judge disbarred over a year ago. The Manning marriage that wasn’t.”
Blair laughed. Revenge could indeed be sweet.

TO BE CONTINUED