MASKS - PART FOUR

PREVIOUSLY

Georgie's eyes widened as the baseball bat struck her. She cried out as her body crumpled to the floor. Just one word. One name. Rawley. And he watched her eyes, horror-stricken as they glazed over and finally died. The monster turned towards Todd, its face covered in a blank mask. And when it slowly, consideringly stripped the mask away, Todd whimpered, and shoved a fist against his bloodied mouth.

Flash.

"Hushabye, don't you cry, go to sleepy little baby........."

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Autumn came with the hushed whisper of changing and falling leaves. In late October it was early yet for snow, but the air was brisk while the wind carried a stiff bite. Fall would retire late to the unforgiving winter this year. Humming quietly to the radio's soft melodic tune, Tea turned the Mercedes onto Esperanza Street, heading north towards Carlotta's Diner. Maneuvering the sleek sports car between a mangled Buick and an Explorer, she paused as the radio announcer broke into the song.

"This just in...Commissioner Bo Buchanan has been officially suspended by the Internal Affairs Board of Inquiry for the alleged beating of murder suspect Thomas Todd Manning. Todd Manning, a convicted rapist is currently comatose in Llanview General Hospital after allegedly being beaten by the commissioner and three other officers, also suspended and under investigation: Jonathon Perry, Benjamin Adams, and Ethan Garrison..."

Tea turned the radio off with a quiet, shaky breath. Emotion surged within her. Pain. Weariness. Sorrow. And a deep and overwhelming anger. Alleged beating? Madre de Dios. Todd had been handcuffed, surrounded and secured by police, and it was still alleged. Only in America.

She visited Todd every day, after work, had just, in fact, come from the hospital. And though she treasured every minute she could spend with him, every touch, every chance to speak to him, a secret part of her hated it. Hated the emptiness in his still body. Hated the choking fear that this could be all they'd ever have together. Hated him for not fighting his way back to her. But it's not his fault that he's lying in that bed. I have to believe that. He couldn't have murdered Georgie Phillips. He couldn't.

She had to admit the evidence mounted against him was difficult to get past. The gloves with his fingerprints and Georgie's blood covering them. The footprints outside of the Buchanan Lodge matching Todd's Feragamos. The bill proving Todd paid for her funeral. The lilies. Assuming the gloves and footprints could be explained away, Tea could not, for the life of her, understand the funeral arrangements and the lilies. If he hadn't killed her, why pay for a stranger's burial? Why have flowers delivered daily to her grave? It made no sense. But then, when did anything Todd ever do make sense? But still, there was a quiet, nagging voice deep within her. And she cringed as it sneaked past the love and trust she had for her husband. It ate through her like a viciously quiet cancer. Todd had raped, stalked, even murdered before. What's to say he's changed? What's to say he isn't really the same monster?

She whispered quietly, fiercely as her hands gripped the steering wheel. "No. I can't believe it. I can't......I can't." She closed her eyes for a moment, drawing a deep calming breath as she pulled the keys from the ignition, unbuckled her seat belt, and opened the car door. Stepping out into the chilly air, she drew her coat around her and made her way to Carlotta's, mustering up a smile as Carlotta spotted her stepping inside. "Tea! Well this is a nice surprise.."

Gesturing towards an empty booth, Carlotta poured two fresh cups of coffee and handed one to Tea. "I haven't seen you for a few days, how is-" Carlotta paused, never sure how to broach the subject of Todd. "-everything?" The two women eased into the booth, Tea cupping her coffee to warm her chilled hands. She glanced up at Carlotta, catching the hesitation and meaning behind her words. "Todd is still the same. No change... it's like he sleeping. I expect him to just wake up and start grumbling at me. God, I'd kill for Todd to-"

Carlotta bit her lip as Tea grimaced, and her words hung in the air. Setting her mug down carefully, Tea stared down at the table, whispering. "He didn't do it, Carlotta. I cannot believe he is capable of that anymore. I refuse to believe it." Sympathy filled Carlotta's face as she reached across the table, clasping Tea's hands. "Forgive me, amiga, but it sounds to me as if you're not trying to convice me, but yourself, of Todd's innocence."

Tea's eyes shimmered with tears. "He would not hurt an innocent woman, Carlotta. He has too much to live for now. He was a scared boy when he did all those other things-" Carlotta tipped her head, interupting her. "You mean when he raped Marty Saybrooke, killed that bartender, and stalked Nora Buchanan? Do you honestly think anyone can change that much, Tea? Do you think that kind of violence and evil simply goes away?" Suddenly weak with the nagging doubts and questions, Tea burried her face in her hands and murmured, her voice thick with tears, "I don't know anything anymore, Carlotta. I tell myself he can't be the same man. I've seen him with his daughter." Raising her face, she wiped at the tears covering her cheeks. "You haven't seen how he is with her. How loving and gentle and tender he is. And there were times that he was the same with me." Laughing quietly, sadly, she stared past Carlotta, past the diner and into her memories....

Todd had humbled himself, in front of everyone, by getting down on his knees. By showing them all he really had feelings, by professing his love for her there in the Palace Bar. By giving her hope for their future. He'd opened himself to her that night. Offered her his heart, a little damaged, a little bruised, a little broken, but nonetheless hers. And she'd never loved him more than she had at that moment....

"This is a uh-this is a ring that was handed down to me by a woman that who will have to go through a hell of a lot. Well she went through more roadblocks than you'll have to if you marry me. "

"Marry you? We're already married."

"Yeah, but we're gonna get divorced, so we'll get married again and it-it'll be different this time. "

"You mean… "

"N-not like a business agreement, I mean something that-that we want to do. " "I don't know what to say. "

"Then say yes. Come on, say yes before I think about how crazy and stupid this is, huh? You'll have it all. The gown. That thing in front of your face. Music. I love you Téa."

...He was the most confusing man she'd ever known. Why can't I understand you, Todd? Why can't I read you? Why can't I figure you out? Why can't I figure us out? Why can't this be easy, Todd?

And she heard his voice, as she often did these days. And as always, it made her smile. And it broke her heart just a little more....

"What fun would easy be?

TO BE CONTINUED