Chapter 7
Liliana looks out the window and watches as the rain continues to fall. She tucks her hair behind her ear listening as the girls continue their conversation in the living room. Since their conversation the day before, things have been a little tense between Ted and Liliana. Not necessarily bad, just different from what it had been. The only one to blame is her. She hadn't meant for this to happen.
Turning around, Liliana sees Ted standing at the counter of the connecting kitchen. She wants to say something to him, but she doesn't know what. What can she say to a man who probably hates her now? Okay, she's probably over reacting about his feelings toward her.
"Do you need any help?" Liliana asks hoping Ted would need something.
"Umm…no, I think I have everything pretty much finished," Ted answers.
"Okay." Liliana lets out a soft breath as she looks back outside. They'd been stuck inside all day, which hadn't helped the tension that fills the cabin. Liliana didn't want to upset Ted, but she didn't want to lie to him either. But now they're barely speaking. She's not even sure why he's worried about it. After this trip, she'll probably never see Ted again. No, she knows that's a lie. Because she knows that when Lacey and Rachel get together it'll have to be at her place, not that she'd ever mind this.
Liliana jumps when Ted's phone rings unexpectedly. She hadn't been ready for that in any way. Turning again, she sees Ted wiping his hands on a towel.
"Sorry," he says as he grabs his phone. "Hey Dad."
Liliana sees the smile on Ted's face disappear. It's not something she'd seen over the last week. She'd seen Ted talk to his father on a few occasions and he was never without a smile. But now, that's all changed. Liliana wants to know what Ted's dad is saying, but knows she can't ask because it's none of her business.
"You didn't give it to her, did you? No, I know. What makes her think she can come back like this?" Ted sighs heavily and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, just keep me informed. I will. Love you too Dad. Bye." Ted hangs up and growls.
"Daddy," Rachel says. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Cobra. Grandpa says hi."
Liliana can see Ted's still going over his conversation with his father. Walking over, Liliana pulls plates out of the cabinet. "Listen," she says softly. "I know you don't exactly like me, but if you need to talk, I'm here."
Ted glances over and snorts. "Why would you think I don't like you? Because of our conversation yesterday?" Ted shrugs. "Don't worry about that. I don't understand your need to read me, but I can see why it bothers you." Ted shuts the burners off. "Dinner's ready."
Liliana looks across the table at Ted to find him looking back at her. It's almost as if he's trying to read her now as well. Although, there's really not much about her that would be very interesting. Of course, maybe that's only her because she knows her life story. She does, however, want to know Ted's life story.
"So is it confusing?" Liliana asks.
"Is what confusing?"
"You're a junior, right?"
"Right."
"Is it confusing at home?"
"Oh, no. Never has been actually because I've always been Teddy at home. Unless I'm in trouble, then it's 'Theodore Marvin, you are exactly like you're father'." Ted smiles when Rachel giggles at that. "I'm glad you find that funny."
Liliana smiles herself at Ted's imitation of his mom. "How close was that to your grandma?" she asks looking at Rachel.
"Not very," Rachel answers.
Ted chuckles. "I've mastered Grandpa, but not Grandma. Mostly the laugh, but mastered it."
"No you haven't. You'll never be able to laugh like Grandpa."
"Grandpa tells me the same thing." Ted winks at Rachel. "Maybe I'll have to work harder."
"Never going to happen, Daddy."
"Sounds like Grandpa has a very unique laugh," Liliana says.
"It's a million dollar laugh."
Ted laughs softly. "Did you hear the laugh on the ringtone when Dad calls?" he asks looking at Liliana.
"Yes," she answers raising an eyebrow.
"That's Dad."
"That's a good laugh."
"Please don't tell him that. His ego is big enough." Ted chuckles when he sees the look on Liliana's face. "I'm kidding."
"I'm going to have to figure that out soon, aren't I?"
"Daddy likes to joke," Rachel says.
"So does Lily," Lacey finally speaks up.
"Lily, huh?" Ted asks. "That's the first time I've heard that."
"She's the only one who calls me Lily," Liliana says. "And she only does when Mom isn't around. Mom hates Lily."
"She does realize Lily is what most people will go to with the name Liliana right?"
Liliana nods as she sets her glass down. "She said if she wanted me to be Lily that's what she would have named me."
"What do you say?"
"It all depends on who's calling me Lily. Mostly, I don't care."
"So what if I start calling you Lily?"
"Can I start calling you Teddy?"
Ted grins and shrugs. "If you really want to. Honestly, that's what I'm known as most of the time."
"Then maybe I'll start calling you Teddy."
"Okay then."
******
Ted closes the door to the girls' bedroom before walking out to the living room. He finds Liliana sitting on the couch with a text book resting on her lap. As he sits down beside her, he raises an eyebrow. "Are you supposed to be at school right now?" he asks.
"No," Liliana answers. "I just wanted to get a head start with this. Tough teacher, I've had her three times already so I know what to expect."
"When do you graduate?"
"If I pass all my classes, it'll be after fall semester. I'll be doing my internship during that time as well. I need to go through my list to start sending out resumes for that. Luckily, I'll only be taking three classes in the fall. Unfortunately, they'll all be online. I hate online classes. But it's the only way offered at this time."
"But with the internship it may be the easiest way too."
"True. I never thought about it like that."
"Then it's a good thing I'm here."
Liliana laughs softly. "I suppose so."
Ted looks at Liliana and lets out a soft breath. "Amanda is my ex, Rachel's mom. Seems she's back in town and wants Rachel."
Liliana looks over at Ted, a little surprised that he's telling her this. "Can she?"
"Legally? No. I have full custody of Rachel and I have since she was two, which is when Mandy and I split up. She…" Ted sighs and rubs his face. "I was an idiot honestly. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't let Rachel go for anything. But I should have known Mandy and I would never work. We were too different. I realize people can have lasting relationships despite being different from each other. Mandy and I couldn't. After she got pregnant, we tried working out our problems. But then the problem became she didn't want to take responsibility of having a child. And I know what I did after she was born. I did go to school full time and I was still involved in sports. But I also raised that little girl. I wanted to quit everything and just be with her."
"Why didn't you?"
"I loved playing football and soccer. The look on Rachel's face every time I stepped onto the field or met her after a game or even a practice told me I couldn't quit that. She loved it more than I did I think."
"What about school?"
"My parents. Dad mostly. He told me if I really wanted to pursue a wrestling career, I needed something to fall back on. He always said 'you can't wrestle forever, son, so have something else'. So I did. It was hard. But it was all worth it."
"So you always wanted to be a wrestler?"
Ted shrugs. "It wasn't out of the question. I wasn't sure. Honestly, I'm still not sure. But I know I love it and I know Rachel loves that I am."
"You'd do anything for that little girl, wouldn't you?"
"In a heartbeat. You seem to look at Lacey as your own."
Liliana nods. "I pretty much raised her. Mom…honestly, she should have never had kids. She's a good aunt and all that, but not a mom. I love her, I really do. But she's not a mom. Lacey always comes to me when she needs something."
"Well, you'll make a great mom someday."
"You are a great dad."
Ted smiles at that. It's nice to hear from someone other than those who are close to him. Liliana is definitely not someone he's close to. With everything that has gone on, he doesn't see that changing. At least they're able to get along. Liliana may not be able read him, as she says, but they can at least look past everything and enjoy their time here. Ted can't say he's ready to leave, which he supposes a good thing seen as they're here for another week.
"If you ask me, if all dad's were like you, there wouldn't be any problems," Liliana says with a slight shrug. "No one can take away the way you would do anything and everything for Rachel and if people can't see that, then they're crazy. I don't know your ex, but I hope she doesn't do anything to ruin what you have with your daughter." Liliana lets out a soft breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to just let that all out."
"No, it's okay. It's nice actually. I hear it from my family all the time. It's just nice to hear from someone else."
"Listen, I know my mom is a whack job some times, but Lacey stays with me on weekends most of the time. I think it would be great if Rachel would want to come over. I haven't seen Lacey this happy with a friend in a long time. Don't think I'm trying to force anything…"
"No, you aren't. That's great actually. How Rachel got to be so shy, I'll never know. I'll remember that."
Liliana nods. She closes her book and sets it on the coffee table. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Do you have any regrets?"
Ted lets out a soft breath. "Trying to pick my brain?"
Liliana shrugs. "Not really."
Ted watches Liliana for a moment. "No, I have no regrets. I have several moments where I'm now disappointed in myself, but no regrets. Everything happens for a reason and I can't change it now. Now I just remember what I've done in the past and try to better things for the future."
"Is that why you aren't married?"
"No. I'm not married because of two reasons. Reason one, a lot of women look at me as Ted DiBiase Junior and don't see the real me. Reason two, and the most important reason, those that do look at the real me, want nothing to do with Rachel. I'm not just some bachelor. I'm a single Dad. Rachel will always be in my life and if people can't handle that, then I can't be with them. So, is there a reason you're not married? Or is it just because you're still young and going to school?"
"I have scared myself away from marriage. Now, don't get me wrong, I would love to be married someday. But I look at the marriage my parents had and now the one Mom has with my step-dad. I love Bill, I do. But his relationship with Mom is ridiculous. My Dad's new marriage has worked out nicely, but I wouldn't really know about any of that. Growing up, Mom didn't want me to have much to do with Dad."
"I can understand that. My parents…how my Mom has put up with my Dad all these years, I'll never know. Dad's great, but he's stubborn."
"So are you like him or your mom?"
"Oh I'm definitely Ted's son. Everyone always says my parents did right by naming me Ted." Ted pulls his phone out of his pocket after it starts ringing. "Sorry."
"No problem."
"You missed my daughter by about ten minutes," Ted says after opening his phone.
"Well damn," Randy says. "Guess I should have called earlier."
Ted laughs softly. "Maybe so. So what's going on Orton?"
"My wife has been bugging me about your party."
"That's over a month away."
"You tell Sam that. She wants to know what she can bring. So please tell me something before I end up sleeping on the couch."
Ted laughs and rubs the back of his neck. "Well…" Leave it to Samantha Orton to want to know this early. "Tell her to bring some kind of salad, noodle or potato…I don't really care. But that'll work."
"Oh God, thank you. I will remember not to kick your ass for a week when you come back."
"You already did that. My neck still hurts from that RKO."
"Good! Bastard deserved it."
"Hey, you may be able to push Cody around, but I can kick your ass."
Randy chuckles. "Prove it Rookie!"
"Not worth my time. Hey, while I have you on the phone. Who do you know who's coming to the party who makes good brownies? Rachel has been begging for brownies. The last time I tried to make them, they were as hard as a rock." Ted looks over at Liliana when she laughs softly.
"I have no idea. If I find out from anyone, I'll tell them to bring those."
"Okay. Thanks."
"I'll see you in a week."
"Right. Bye Orton."
"Bye DiBiase."
Ted closes his phone. "I'm glad you find that funny."
"How hard is it to make brownies?" Liliana asks.
"I've tried on numerous occasions to make them. They always turn out bad. Even the ones you just have to break apart. I manage to burn those."
"Wow."
Ted grins. "You and Lacey should come."
"What?"
"To the party. It's a July 4th party. You and Lacey are welcome to come. I mean, if you don't have any plans."
Liliana nods. "I'll have to see what's going on. Maybe I'll make brownies."
Ted chuckles. "Whatever you want, although if you do come you really don't need to bring anything."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm thinking of getting some more salad."
"Stay here. I'll go get you some."
"You don't…"
"It's fine. I was heading in there anyways."
Liliana nods. "Okay. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Liliana watches Ted walk over to the kitchen. Maybe she's completely wrong about him. Or maybe he's just trying to make her think he's someone different. She's still having a hard time reading him. But at least she can say they're getting along.
