|
The Tessarae Inn |
|
Regrets In Jade Tones
CHAPTER 25 Téa fingered the envelope of the letter over and over again. She could feel Carlotta’s eyes burning into her. “It was a kid who left that,” said Carlotta managing to sound curious and reproachful at the same time. A kid may have left it but it was from Wyatt. How had he managed to get the paper and pen? She knew the answer to that. His attorney was most likely a woman. He’d have her out of her panties in a week or less. “Aren’t you going to open it?” “It’s private.” “I see. Is it from that criminal?” Téa glared her for a moment then walked to the last booth by the window. Her plane was not leaving for another six hours and this was better than waiting at the airport even with Carlotta’s curiosity and intrusiveness. For a long time she stared out of the window and watched the local traffic on the street. How had things gone so wrong with Wyatt? She had really loved him but did he really expect her to let her life go down the drain for a man who couldn’t walk a straight or narrow much less legal path for the life of him or, more importantly, couldn’t use his intelligence, legally or not, to make some real money? That stupid burglary was so lame that it was embarrassing. If he had to get caught committing a crime why couldn’t it have been something worthy of her time and effort? Why did he always have to disappoint her? Why couldn’t he have at least killed Blair? There was no reason for that witch to be alive. She felt her stomach clutch when she realized what she was thinking. Had she become a monster like Antonio accused her of being? Maybe Blair didn’t deserve to die but Todd needed to be freed from her clutches. He never seemed to get that. Everything that went wrong in Todd’s life could be traced back to Blair. Téa ran her fingers along the smooth surface of the table. She had to face up to some hard truths too. She finally had to face the fact that Todd had never really cared about her. Never. If she had any delusions before, she didn’t after the way he went off on her about Blair’s little adventure with Wyatt. He couldn’t have EVER cared about her and talked to her the way he did. She was actually terrified of him. She shuddered as she thought about the things he said to her. The things he said…She forced herself to stop thinking think about it. Too much pain. But even if Blair hadn’t been more than happy to let herself be trapped by Wyatt it would have been too late to try again with Todd. Todd knew the truth. She denied it as loudly as she could but he knew. He had just been a substitute for Wyatt. Even she had to finally admit that. Todd was richer, almost as pretty, and nearly as dangerous but still just a substitute. Her relationship with him had been a farce and they both knew it, although until now she was loathed to admit it. She had to work overtime to get any sort of spark out of Todd and even when she did it was just a reaction to something about Blair. She was frustrated as hell ninety-nine percent of the time and Todd had no idea why. But she knew because knew what it felt like to be wanted. When she walked into a room wherever Wyatt was, sparks flew all over the place. People ducked to keep from getting zapped by the charges flying between them. The two years she spent with him in Arizona were the most humiliating and the most exhilarating of her life. That man loved her, he worshiped her, he needed her but she could never get him to do things the way she wanted it. Leaving him had been her last resort. She couldn’t control him so she decided that maybe the Arizona Penal System had a better chance. Todd had seemed so easy by comparison. Controlling Todd had been about managing his access and exposure to Blair. It was as simple as that. She hadn’t meant to end up pinning her damn dreams on him. If he had just loved her, wanted her and needed her, the way she wanted him to, then the two of them could have built something worth having. Todd would have been twice the man he is now. But no-o-o-o. Todd had to lie to her, pretend to need her, pretend her love could save him. If only… What was the point of thinking about all of that now? There was no place to hide any longer. She had not loved Todd but she was the best thing he ever had in his life. She had loved Wyatt but he was never willing to do what he needed to do to keep her. Nothing good had come out of any of it. Nothing good had come out of this trip either. Téa fingered the letter again. She went to the hospital and stood outside of Wyatt’s room. She couldn’t allow herself to go in. There was too much at stake. Even from that distance she could feel the heat. He saw her and just before she turned and walked away she saw the searing pain in his eyes. That man loved her. Pity things weren’t different. She ran her fingers along the rich-rough edges of the letter then finally tore it open. This time she was not careful as she snatched the sheet out. Dorothy Dix said this in her autobiography: “Confession is always
weakness. The grave soul keeps its own secrets, and takes its own punishment in
silence.” But some people are worth the risk. What the hell? What was he trying to say to her? Damn him! She tore the letter into shreds then let them fall through her fingers. She looked at the small mound of paper on the Formica tabletop and then burst into tears. ====== Blair crossed her leg and waited on the plush couch. The lounge was sparsely dotted with people. The passengers slated to take the Concorde were given special accommodations. The only way she was able to get into the lounge was to buy both a first class ticket to New York and a ticket on the Concorde to Paris. Didn’t matter. It was worth every penny. When she saw Téa stroll into the lounge with her nose elevated upward at what Téa assumed was the perfect angle for someone on the A-list, Blair had to laugh bitterly. Always aspiring. Always trying to pretend to be something she wasn’t. Not that there was anything wrong with that. God knows she had perpetrated a grand illusion or two in her time but this wasn’t about that. This was about Starr. Téa spotted her then glanced around the lounge frantically. Blair sat calmly and waited for her to realize that this meeting was inevitable. Téa walked to the refreshment bar and got a glass of wine. She then sat on the couch next to her. “What do you want, Blair?” “I probably should have buried your skanky ass four years ago, but Todd is a big boy and he needs to learn to clean up his own messes.” Téa flipped her hair and tapped her long lacquered nails against her wine glass. “There’s no need for this attitude. I’m not after your husband. If he wants to continue to make self-destructive choices it is no longer my problem.” “Despite what you say, I know you set me up. I know you wanted Wyatt to kill me.” “Prove it.” “This is not about proof, counselor. It’s never about truth. I thought as an attorney you knew that.” “What do you want, Blair?” “Are there any other sick mothers out there you’ve sent pictures to of my child?” Téa dropped her head and tears glistened on her cheeks. “No,” she said softly. “I know people think Todd is the dangerous one but you need to know something. If I ever get so much as a whiff that you are coming after my family again…” “I didn’t…” “Even a whiff of a whiff, I will kill you.” “You just threatened me!” “Prove it.” “He doesn’t love you, Blair. He never did. You’re just a brood mare to him.” “What Todd feels or doesn’t feel for me. What Todd wants or doesn’t want from me. You are incapable of understanding.” Téa placed her wineglass on the end table, crossed her legs, folded her hands and placed them on her knee. “I understand plenty.” “Impossible. There is a hollowness inside of you. Most people assume that beneath all of that glib self-assurance there is some substance but they’re wrong. Even your so-called friends realize that now. Carlotta and Antonio send their regards by the way.” Téa’s lower lip began to tremble. “I guess you have a right to be a little bit upset but I’m not the one who put Starr in danger.” Blair stood up and walked behind the couch. She tossed her tickets in the trashcan. She leaned close to Téa and whispered, “Spin all you want but take me seriously. If you ever come after my family again I will wipe you off the face of the earth. And the sad thing is that nobody will give a damn.” Chapter
26 Regrets In Jade
Tones FAN FICTION
|