TRIALS OF THE HEART - PART EIGHT

PREVIOUSLY

Todd's wrists had major weals where the cuffs had bit deeply into his flesh. His eyes fell on the steel chair that sat by the doorway. He picked it up, held it over his head and sent it crashing across the cell. Next he tore the mattress and all the bedding off the top bunk, viciously stomping and jumping on it. He picked up the dented chair and smashed it down on the torn mattress again and again. Finally, he stopped in mid strike and tossed the chair against the bars across the cell. Trembling, he slowly sank to his knees and covered his face with his hands.

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Absent-mindedly, Todd paced across the cell and stood for a minute in front of the fan blowing air from the corridor. He was reading a heavy, bound document and the pages fluttered in the artificial breeze. Pulling a pencil from behind his ear, he scribbled a few notes in the margin and turned the page. It was getting toward evening on the 4th of July, and he had spent the day reading the annual budget of The Sun, going over it line by line, and writing scathing comments about perceived over-expenditures on practically every page. It was boring and mind-numbing, but it was exactly what he needed to keep his mind off the fact that the rest of America was out celebrating peace and freedom while he was enjoying neither.

Todd looked up as the door to his cell slid open. Officer Drew Buchanan placed a metal divided tray on the dented chair. "Here's your dinner, Manning," he said. "Looks like the cafeteria went all out for the holiday." Two pathetic hot dogs occupied the big section of the tray, accompanied by a couple of ketchup packets. The other sections contained a bag of chips, a juice box, an anemic slice of under-ripe watermelon and a square of gooey white cake with blue and red sugar sprinkles.

"Oh goody," said Todd sarcastically. "Actual hot dogs from the Revolutionary War era. You don't expect me to eat this, do you?"

"Suit yourself," answered Drew, sliding the door closed and locking it. "But it's a long time to breakfast and that's all you're getting."

Todd closed the Sun budget and looked at the young officer through the bars. "So how badly did you screw up to get stuck with this duty on the 4th of July?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to be out busting kids for illegal fireworks or something?"

"I traded shifts with another guy who wanted to spend the day with his family," answered Drew.

"And your old man knows you're working down here?" asked Todd. Drew nodded. "So I'm the only one on the planet that has a problem with you guarding a man accused of killing your girlfriend and unborn child?" asked Todd, disbelief on his face. "Is the plan to have me meet with a little accident tonight?"

"Dad knows I won't let my personal feelings interfere with my job," said Drew. "Besides, you keep insisting you didn't do it."

"And you don't believe me," said Todd, watching him carefully. "Or has something changed?" Drew fidgeted under his gaze.

"I don't like the situation any more than you do, Manning, so keep your mouth shut and we'll both get through this in one piece." He went out the gate and locked it behind him, disappearing around the corner. Todd put down his work and investigated the meal. He carried the tray to the toilet and dumped in everything but the drink and the chips. It took several flushes, but he managed to dispose of it all. Next he sat on the lower bunk and ate the bag of chips, dipping them in the ketchup and washing them down with the juice.

"This is pathetic," thought Todd after the meager meal. He picked up the budget then threw it back down on the bunk. After roaming around the cell restlessly for a few minutes, he stretched out on the lower bunk and turned his face to the wall. His wife slipped unbidden into his thoughts, dredging up painful memories of missed opportunities and lost chances. "Is it too late for us, Delgado?" he wondered.

An hour later, Todd was still in the same position and still miserable. His stomach rumbled loudly and he regretted discarding the unappetizing dinner. The cell door slid open, then shut again, and he figured Drew was collecting the empty plate. The barest hint of a familiar scent filled his nostrils. "Tea's perfume," he thought. "Great, Manning, now you're hallucinating." Soon, other smells mingled with the scent-delicious smells. Eyes widening with realization, in a flash he flipped over and sat up. And there she was: Tea herself, smiling gently and standing in the middle of the cell. Todd drew in his breath sharply and stared at her in silence. He was almost afraid to let himself believe.

Tea was dressed casually in white shorts, a pale yellow halter-top, and sandals. She carried a large wicker basket with a blanket folded on top. A red and white ice chest sat by the door with a portable boom box. Todd finally trusted himself to speak. "You're supposed to be in New York," was all he could think of to say.

Tea giggled self-consciously. "I came back early," she said. "I spent all day yesterday with Abuelita, met a few friends for drinks, but this morning I was feeling restless. I decided I wanted to spend the holiday here, so I caught an early train home." She leaned over and set the basket on the floor.

"Sure," said Todd, shaking his head. "When it comes to celebrating a holiday, there's just no contest between New York City and Llanview. And especially the Llanview City Jail."

Tea looked at her husband fondly. "What can I say? There are some things about the City Jail that I like. Such as the current resident."

Todd swallowed hard and looked at the basket. "What's all this?" he asked.

"Well, when I got back to Llanview, I had a lot of nervous energy, so I decided to cook some of my favorite foods. I made way too much to eat myself, so I thought I'd drop by and see if you were up for a little 4th of July picnic."

"And Bo let you bring all this in here?" he asked.

"No, Bo doesn't know I'm here. I called Carlotta for some advice on a recipe and she knew that Drew had your guard duty tonight. She also had his cell phone number, so I called him directly and asked." She smiled. "I guess I'm guilty of bribing an officer, because I had to promise him some food to get him to agree."

"Whatever. I'm starved!" said Todd. "What's in the ice chest?" he asked as she began spreading the blanket and removing food containers from the basket. Sliding back the top, he discovered 6 beers nestled in crushed ice. "Delgado, remind me to give you another million dollars!" He smiled gleefully and began to guzzle one of the beers. "Yuck!" he said, pulling it away from his mouth and making a face.

"It's non-alcoholic," said Tea in a matter of fact tone. "I didn't want to push Drew too far, Todd." He continued to make a face at the bottle, then put it back to his lips and drank more slowly.

"How pathetic is this?" he asked. "I'm so desperate, I'm drinking it." He sank to his knees and watched her display the food. There was fried chicken with some kind of red sauce, a rice salad, and some other side dishes he didn't recognize. One container held large, lucious ripe strawberries. Todd looked at his wife in amazement. "You made all this?" he asked. Before she could answer, they were interrupted by the sound of Drew unlocking the outer door. The Commissioner of Police was suddenly staring at them in disbelief, then looking at his son with anger and disappointment in his eyes.

"It's just a little dinner, Dad. I didn't see the harm…"

"You just broke at least twenty rules, Officer. Open this door! Now!" Todd and Tea exchanged a quick glance then rose to their feet as the commissioner stormed into the cell, leaving his chastened son hovering in the open door. "Well, Counselor, I heard you were in the building and I came down to ask a few questions while you were conferring with your client, and this is what I find. You know, I could have the judge sanction you for bringing contraband to a prisoner."

Tea crossed her arms over her chest. "Now Bo," she said in a friendly manner, "let's not over-react here. It's just some food…"

"That's a glass bottle he's holding there. Do you know how easily that could be turned into a weapon?"

"I'd thought of that, Sir," said Drew from the doorway. "I told Tea every bottle that went in had to come back out."

"This is Manning we're talking about, Son! You'd never see it coming!" Bo turned. "Tea, pack this stuff up and get out of here, now!"

"Bo, be reasonable, please. I promise you Todd won't…."

"Don't beg, Delgado," cut in Todd angrily. "It won't do any good. You tried to do something nice for me, and that's the worst crime of all in this jail." Tea looked at Bo with tears in her eyes. Seeing his unyielding face, she sank to her knees in defeat and looked helplessly at the ruined picnic. Todd squatted next to her, swallowing his rage. He was determined not to lose it in front of his wife.

Tea looked up at Bo. "Can I at least leave him some food?" she asked with open hostility.

Bo nodded. "Just make it quick," he answered. Tea grabbed a paper plate and began filling it with the various offerings, watched with growing interest by the commissioner. When she started serving the dessert, Bo couldn't keep silent any longer. "Is that real Key Lime Pie?" he asked, obviously favorably impressed.

A little light went off behind Tea's eyes and she looked up. "Sure is," she said pleasantly. "My grandmother's special recipe from the island. Would you like to try some?" She could feel Todd tense and open his mouth, but she managed to kick him discretely on the ankle before he said anything. He turned his head toward her and abruptly closed his mouth. "Here, you may as well take some of this other food, too," she said, piling up a plate. "There's way more than Todd can eat and I just lost my appetite. You take some, too, Drew." The commissioner looked with admiration at the plate she handed him, especially the four-inch thick piece of pie. He watched Tea packing up the food and cleared his throat.

"Look, I guess it wouldn't be a big deal if you stayed for a little while, Tea," he said reluctantly and turned to the door. "You keep a close eye on them, Son," he cautioned as a relieved Drew locked them in. Bo stared through the bars at the couple who were now looking into each other's eyes. He couldn't resist adding, "Enjoy it while you can, Manning. Soon you'll have two inches of plate glass between you."

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Todd munched slowly on a chicken leg as Tea packed up the leftovers. "And so Abuelita has lived in New York almost 50 years and this was the first time she's ever been up the Empire State Building," prattled Tea. "She rarely leaves her neighborhood, you know. Have you ever been up there Todd?"

He shook his head. "No, I only go to New York on business and I get the hell out of there as fast as I can. What's the big deal, anyway? It's just another tall building."

"You're wrong!" said Tea with feeling. "It's always been one of my favorite places. There's something about it that's just…special. For a couple of bucks you can ride the elevator to the top of the world! When I was in law school, I'd spend hours up there, just looking at the view. It's a great place to contemplate life." She looked thoughtful. "You spend a lot of time looking out the windows of the penthouse. I think you'd like the Empire State Building."

Todd sighed and threw the chicken bone in the basket. "I'd like just about anywhere as long as it isn't here," he said wearily.

Tea quickly ripped off another paper towel before Todd could wipe his fingers on his shirt and handed it to him. "Are you sure you don't want any more?" she prompted.

"Delgado, I just ate the equivalent of three meals, and I'm not sure trying to make up for a month of starvation in one sitting was a good idea." He leaned back against the bars and patted his stomach. "Did you pack any Alka Selzer in that basket?" His hazel eyes looked mischievous.

"Oh, c'mon! You didn't eat that much." She picked up a large strawberry and dangled it seductively by the stem. "Are you sure you can't eat just one more?" The strawberry moved closer to his lips, but he ignored it, looking into her eyes instead. Without breaking eye contact, she moved the strawberry to her own mouth and took a bite, dribbling juice down her chin. Todd reached out and wiped the drop with his finger, then moved it to his mouth. This time when she offered the strawberry, he took a little nibble, then reached up and removed the fruit from her hand. He playfully licked the juice from her fingers, then dangled the berry in front of her. When she went to bite it, he moved it beyond her reach. Laughing, she tried again, but he moved it even further. "That's not fair!" she giggled as she lunged for it. Off balance already, she tipped over and fell right on top of him, face to face. The two of them looked at each other in surprise. The mood grew serious as their eyes locked. Ever so slowly, Todd reached up and began to pull her head down to his. But when the outer door slid open, Tea pulled away abruptly and moved off Todd.

"Y'all finished eating?"

"Um, yes we are," said Tea, pushing nervously at her hair and hoping Drew couldn't tell how hard she was breathing. "Drew, could I stay a little longer, please? It's not that late, is it?"

"Tea, you heard my dad. I'm already pushing my luck as it is." But the young officer couldn't help but be affected by the beautiful woman looking at him from the cell. "Oh, all right. I'll give you a half hour longer. But have everything packed up and ready to go, OK?" He disappeared out the gate. Tea stood up and moved the packed basket and ice chest to the door, then folded the blanket on top. She clicked on the boombox, and fiddled with the tuning knob. Finally, a salsa dance tune filled the air.

"Let's dance!" she said brightly. Todd groaned.

"Tea, give me a break. I can hardly move after that meal, and besides, I don't know how to dance."

"What about dancing with Blair in the golden balloons?" she asked.

"Who told you about that?" he said, rolling his eyes.

"You did. I heard you telling Starr about it one night. Now get up. If you can dance with Blair in a golden ballroom, you can dance with me in a jail cell." He stood up reluctantly and moved close to her.

"Well, we weren't dancing to this stuff then," he said. "This is impossible."

"No it's not. Now hold on to me and I'll teach you." After a brief explanation, Tea counted the beat and they took their first step. Todd stepped forward when he should have stepped back and Tea stomped right on his bare foot with her wooden sandal. Todd hopped around the cell.

"Who needs sadistic guards with you around, Delgado," he said with a little laugh.

"Ha ha, very funny. But you're not getting off that easily. Now get over here." It took a couple of songs, but in a few minutes they were doing a reasonable facsimile of some Latin dance steps. They both smiled as the song ended. "See, I told you it wouldn't kill you," she said with a laugh. The next song was a slow, captivating number, and Todd looked suddenly scared. Tea moved closer to him. "I don't need to tell you the steps to this one," she said seriously. She pressed her body to his, put her head on his chest, and began to sway seductively. Todd slowly moved his arms around her, sliding his hands over her bare shoulders. He closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of her head.

After a few moments of listening to the Spanish lyrics, he whispered, "Tell me what they're saying." Tea explained in a muffled voice that it was a man describing his lover: her eyes, her lips, and her long neck. Tea pulled her head back and looked at him.

"It's like that letter you wrote me," she whispered. He pushed her head back against his chest and began to move with her again, listening intently to the music. They were still in the embrace when Drew opened the cell a few minutes later. He cleared his throat loudly.

"Sorry, Tea. You really have to go now," he said apologetically. "I go off shift in a few minutes and we don't want my replacement asking a lot of questions." The couple pulled apart, looking at each other with regret plain on their faces. They moved to the door, still holding hands. Drew looked back and forth at them, then shrugged. "Look, I have to go through all this stuff and inventory it before you leave," he said. "Why don't I take it out and check it, and that will give you a couple of minutes to say your good-byes." Tea nodded and Drew dragged the basket and ice chest out of the cell and locked the door.

When his guard had gone through the second door, Todd said, "This was fun. Imagine that! Me having fun. And in here of all places." She chuckled.

"You know, this was exactly the kind of evening I begged you for all those times last winter," she said wistfully. "The irony is that you had to be locked in jail before I could finally get you to give it a try." Todd turned suddenly serious.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me, Delgado, and I won't forget it. You said you were going to be my lawyer now and wait and see on the wife stuff. Well, last time I looked most lawyers don't cook a meal for their clients then keep them company in jail." Tea reached up and caressed his jaw, which was covered with two days worth of stubble.

"This one does," she said softly. "But only for very special clients." She stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Todd's arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly. He closed his eyes and returned the kiss, gently at first, then growing more urgent. Tea trembled in his arms as she sensed that he was opening up to her, giving her more of himself than he had ever dared before. Her lips parted slightly, and Todd moved his arm up behind her head, pressing her to him as he moved his lips over hers. Tea slid her hands up his back, feeling the strong muscles through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. Moving his attention to the corner of her mouth, he left a little trail of kisses across her cheek as he moved to her ear.

"I love you, Tea," he whispered softly. She crushed him to her as tightly as she could.

"Oh Todd, I love you so much!" she cried out. Drew looked absolutely mortified as he unlocked the door. He stood to the side, not saying a word. Tea and Todd reluctantly pulled apart, enjoying a long last squeeze of the hand. As the bars slid closed between them, a tear trickled down Tea's cheek. She reached up to caress Todd's chin one last time, then followed Drew out the gate with her head down. Todd turned around slowly and surveyed the cell with a deep groan.

It had never seemed so empty or so lonely as it did now.

TO BE CONTINUED