PREVIOUSLY

“Téa? Is that you? Is it really you? Why did you run out?” choked Todd. He took a step toward her but she held up her hand and in it she held the hunting knife.

Todd stopped, visibly scared. She began playing with the knife.

“Do you really? Do you really…love me?” she said, her voice cracking.

He found her eyes, seemingly empty and he drew in a deep breath, so very scared for both of them…

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

Early evening,
The docks…

"Aw C’Mon Téa – you know I do," he said. He was making eye contact with her but something seemed off. He stood, feet away from her, trying to stop his body from shaking.

She brought the tip of the knife up to her face and placed it next to her delicate skin, "What’s love Todd? Do I even know what it is? Do You?"

"Téa – you’re scaring me. Put the knife down, huh?" he asked softly.

"Nope. Not yet," she said.

"Téa, I don’t want to see you hurt yourself. Or our…baby…" he said wanting to get closer to her, "Téa – I really want us to have a family…"

"You want me to a mother Todd? Do you know what you’re asking? I’m not mother material…" she said, her voice empty. She trailed the knife along her cheek, reminiscent of the scar he had.

"You are. You know you are," he said firmly, "And you know I know it.."

"I can’t be the mother I want to be Todd…" she replied.

"But you can!" screamed Cameron jumping out of the shadows running toward them. Todd freaked at Cameron’s presence and turned around grabbing him, holding him back from Téa.

"Get out of here Alton! Let me talk to her – alone…!" yelled Todd.

Cameron reached into his pocket and pulled out his legal document waving it in the air past Todd, "Téa! Look! I did this! It recognizes your legal rights as Samantha’s mother and gives us – me and you – joint custody of Samantha!"

"Alton!" yelled Todd, "I don’t want you upsetting Téa anymore than you have. Shut up!"

Téa’s hand dropped to her side but she still clutched the knife, "Todd…?Does he mean it? Is he willing to make me her legal mother?" her voice cracked.

"Yeah Téa – he means it. All you gotta do is sign it…" yelled Todd turning his head to face her. He desperately sought out her eyes and found that spark of life within them.

"Samantha wants you Téa. She wants you to be her mom more than anything!" yelled Cameron.

Todd grabbed the lapels of Cameron’s coat and shoved Cameron into his face, "Now shut up! You’ve said what you’ve needed to say. I want you to leave and give me and my wife some time alone together."

"Todd – she’s suicidal! You saw what she did with the knife!" replied Cameron.

"She’s not. She’s not going to hurt herself. And you know how I know? Because…deep in her heart she would never hurt our baby," spat Todd, "Now leave us alone."

He shoved Cameron away. Cameron took a step back and brushed off his lapels, "All right, fine, Manning." He turned around and walked off.

Todd turned to face Téa. Téa was still holding the knife. Tears streamed down her face. That’s when Todd noticed Téa was holding something else in her other hand.

Cameron walked into the shadows and out of sight of Todd. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He paused to take a deep breath and dialed a few numbers.

"Viki – it’s Cameron…"

Pause.

"Todd’s found Téa. We’re on the docks…"

Pause.

"I think Téa’s suicidal. She’s got a knife…"

Pause.

"No. I don’t think Samantha should see her mother like this…"

Pause.

"O.k., bye." He hung up the phone praying he had done the right thing.

"…Téa – what’s in your other hand?" asked Todd. She sniffled and held up the pill bottle. Todd’s face lost all it’s color. "Téa…what kind of pills are they?" he asked.

"Prescription painkillers Todd…" said Téa, "From when I was burned…" her voice fell off. Todd took a step closer but Téa held up the knife again. He stopped.

"Look Téa – Alton’s giving you what you want. Put the knife and the pills down…" said Todd.

"How can you still love me after all this Todd?" asked Téa waving the knife around.

"Because…" stammered Todd, "I just do. Look – I’m the crazy one in the family – not you. Because…" Téa bit her lip and put the knife to her throat. "Téa – please…put the knife down. I want you in my life. I don’t have the words…I love you Téa," he pleaded, "I did all that therapy stuff ‘cos "I" wanted to get better – I wanted to have a family – with you…" He paused. He could tell his words were reaching her.

Again, she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "But Todd…family…it’s more than just me and you…" she said.

If only he could hold her in his arms and allow her to feel his love…damn words!

He heard noises behind him. He turned around. Viki, Carlotta, and Roseanne walked up beside him, visibly upset. Téa gasped. Todd freaked.

Carlotta put her hand over her mouth and quickly removed it, "Oh Téa –please put the knife down…!"

Téa swallowed, "Carlotta – you know…I can’t…"

"Téa…I don’t want you to hurt yourself. You know I’ve always thought of you as part of my family…as the daughter I never had…" started Carlotta. Téa was totally focused on Carlotta. Todd slowly stepped away.

"She haunts me Carlotta…she makes me…doubt myself. How can I love my own daughter when I’ve never known her love?" asked Téa.

"You’ve known my love. Build on that Téa," said Carlotta, "Let your mother’s ghost go. Allow yourself to set new standards. Téa – I want you in my life…"

"Me too!" yelled Roseanne. Her arms were crossed and she was clutching herself.

Téa dropped her hands to her side.

"You Roseanne? You want me – in your life?" asked Téa taken aback from Roseanne’s statement.

"I know…I don’t want you to leave. Remember what you told me about breaking the chain? Break it Téa! Break it now…please?" said Roseanne choking back tears, "I love you…" she barely whispered.

"Téa," said Viki, ‘There’s a lot of people who love you and want you in their lives. I know I want to get to know you better – as a sister-in-law…"

Téa could feel a presence near her. Todd stepped out of the shadows in front of her and placed his hand over her hand that held the knife. It dropped to the ground. He found her eyes – intensely locking his gaze with hers. Her eyes danced with life – with hope. He reached for her other hand taking it with his. The pill bottle dropped to the ground – full.

"Tell me you didn’t take any pills Téa," said Todd, his voice scared.

"I didn’t take any pills Todd. Todd, I…" she paused caught up in his presence over her. "I…did put a pill in my mouth but then I spit it out immediately. A good mother…would never hurt…her child…" she said.

"Oh, Téa…" he said pulling her into him wrapping his arms all around her, engulfing her, "I knew you wouldn’t harm yourself. I knew it."

She got lost in his arms. He parted just enough to look into her eyes.

"You scared the hell out of me Delgado…" his voice trembled with a mix of fear and love.

"I scared the hell out of myself Todd. I’d understand if you were mad at me…" she replied her body shaking in his arms.

"I’m not mad at you Téa. I’m a million things but I’m not mad at you…I understand why you did what you did…" he replied. He placed a hand on her stomach and found her eyes – intimately connectingwith her. "Baby’s all right?" he whispered.

"Baby’s fine…"she replied.

"Téa, we can have that family…" said Todd.

"If I were you I’d be mad at me…" she said.

"Téa – stop it. You’re safe. You’re healthy. We’ll deal with what happened later. Right now I just want to feel you – hold you – I just want to know you’re here," he answered. He could see the fear in her eyes of his rejection and slowly, he leaned into her, brushing his lips against hers, confirming to her everything he had just said. "But if you scare me like this again Delgado…" he said lightly.

Viki walked up behind them, "I’m glad you’re fine. I suggest a check by a doctor at a hospital just be on the safe side."

"And I second that," said Carlotta embracing Téa. Téa sniffled on Carlotta’s shoulder.

"I’m so sorry…" whispered Téa into Carlotta’s ear.

"Hush, mija, hush…" said Carlotta softly. Téa looked up off of Carlotta’s shoulder and found Roseanne staring at her.

"It’ll be o.k…" choked Roseanne.

Cameron stood stoically behind Roseanne and mouthed, "I’m sorry." Téa just nodded her head.

Todd put his hand on her back, "C’Mon, let’s go…"

THE END

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