Part XI

"What are you intentions towards Teresa?"

Fox looked up and down. He concentrated on what was on his plate.

"It's a fair question, maybe you should answer it."

Again, Fox looked up and looked back down as Dylan sighed with exasperation.

"Look, you and I used to talk about everything, we were and are still best friends to the best of my knowledge."

"I don't know what my intentions are towards her."

"Please! If you don't want to answer the question, all you have to do is tell me."

"Well then, since you know what I think of your question, how about you stop asking it."

"Look Fox.I know how close you and her are and I would like to know how you feel about her because I really like her."

"And I told you, Dylan. You need to stay away from her."

This time, it was Dylan's turn to look up an then look back down.

"She is out of your league, Dylan."

"Why? Because my wallet is not as big as your wallet? You and I are one and the same Fox. We do the same things, we think the same way. The only difference is that I have to work for what I want I have and you don't."

"Is that resentment I hear in your voice?"

"What I don't understand is how you can sleep in the same bed as her and not go out of your mind. What's up with that, Fox? You are not one to keep your hands for yourself."

"Look, Dylan."

"No, you look Fox. If you're going to pull that Whitney stuff again, just don't."

Fox didn't say anything. He pushed the food around in his plate and contemplated it.

"Do you want desert?"

Dylan shook his head.

"Well then, it's your turn to pay."

"This conversation is not through, Fox."

The tab was paid and they both left the terrasse of the restaurant they were at. They walked to Fox's car and got in.

"Why don't you just admit how you feel?"

"Fine, Dylan. You want to know how I feel about her?"

"Where have you been, Fox? I've been asking the same question for the past two hours."

"The truth is, I don't know how I feel about her. I know that I feel something, but I find everything so confusing. I know that she still has it bad for Ethan, and I know that if he were to leave his wife tomorrow, then Teresa would be back in his arms before he even finished asking her."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, I am."

"But doesn't she share your bed every night? Doesn't she fall asleep in your arms and stay there until the morning?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe? You are full of it Fox. So full of it and you don't know a good thing when it hits you in the face. Do you know what I think?"

"No, but you'll say it anyway.so why don't you save the pointless questions and just get to the point?"

"I don't think Teresa will go back to Ethan. I think that she likes you. But then again, maybe you are as dense as Ethan and you are willing to let the best thing in your life pass you by."

"And how do you know that? Psychic powers?"

"No, let's just say that I'm a good observer. Remember when I took her out to dinner?"

"How can I forget?"

"Well, she was sitting with me and the only thing she could think of was how she was going out with you after dinner."

"Doesn't mean anything."

"Well then if it doesn't mean anything to you, then I will ask her on another date. Like I said, I like her and I see myself end up with her. This is not a woman I want to toy with. This is a woman I want to love and spoil and be happy with."

Fox didn't say anything. He drove silently until they had reached Dylan's beach house.

"Want to come in for a drink?"

"No, I have to get back to my place."

"I'll see you the next time I pick up Teresa for a date."

He slammed the car door and walked inside his home as Fox watched and drove off to the Courtyard.

*****

"How many great loves can one get in a life?"

Whitney looked at Teresa wondering why she would ask the question.

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, I guess I've been wondering a lot about it."

"I guess if you have one great love in your life, then you are lucky."

"I see."

Whitney sat beside Teresa and looked at her, trying to read her.

"You wouldn't ask this question unless you had something on your mind, Teresa."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"Look, let me know when you stopped talking in riddles, Teresa. I'm going to bed."

*****

Fox walked in the bedroom and got undressed. He made his way to the bed and to his surprise it was empty. He put a shirt on and went to the living room where he sat down. He got up a few times and paced around the room.at last he heard a key in the door and saw it open. Teresa walked in and closed the door slowly behind her. She put the keys on the table and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Fox sitting under the dimmed light.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why aren't you?"

"I had a lot on my mind, so I went out on the roof to clear my head."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

She laid her head on his lap and stared at the ceiling.

"It's just stupid stuff."

"You know I like stupid."

"What happens when everything you ever believed in becomes this lie?"

He didn't say anything. He know exactly where she was going with that. He looked down at her face and saw that she was looking into his.

"Well, Teresa.when things become a lie, you just have to pick up your life and start over."

She sat up next to him and brought her legs under her.

"What's wrong Teresa?"

"I'm just feeling confused about everything. What I want I can't have and whom I want is taken. Maybe love is not what I thought is was."

She kissed him on the cheek and got up.

"Good night, Fox."

"Good night, Teresa."

He sat there for a while after she had left. He knew that she was talking about Ethan.

"Dylan was wrong, Teresa isn't over Ethan and she never will be."

*****

Teresa walked in the bedroom and got changed for the night. She crawled in the bed and waited for Fox to join her but he wasn't coming. She had hoped that he understood that she was talking about him and that he understood that she had feelings for him and that she was trying to sort everything out. She looked at the time and wondered why he was taking so long to come to bed. She left the bed and walked in the living room. She saw the door of the balcony open and went outside.

She found him standing there, staring at the Los Angeles skyline.

"L.A is beautiful in the dark. It looks like one of those postcards they sell downstairs at the drugstore."

He turned around and looked at Teresa.

"About love, maybe it isn't an emotion or a feeling. Maybe love is just a fact, maybe it's just a truth."

Teresa looked into Fox's face, into his eyes searching them, but they didn't give anything away.

"Why haven't you come to bed?"

"Because I didn't feel like sleeping."

He turned his back to her and stared at the city again. She came and stood beside him.

"Do you know how wonderful you are, Fox?"

He didn't answer her but looked at her, he then cleared his voice.

"Is it really worth it to be wonderful when you can't have what you want?"

He moved away from her towards the door.

"You mean your mystery woman?"

"Something like that.good night, Teresa."

She looked at him as he made his way back inside. Fox disturbed her in so many ways. He disturbed her sometimes with anger, sometimes with pain and sometimes with curiosity. He was this perpetual contest to her. Tonight, she had wanted desperately to be close to him. She wanted to understand and know everything about him, but he had become distant and she couldn't understand why.

"Maybe the trueness and the greatness of love can be understood only by time."

She took a seat and looked in the city. Fox was right, it looked like a postcard and it was beautiful. She closed her eyes and whispered.

"I miss you when I sleep, then I find you in my dreams."

She would be spending the night out in the balcony tonight. She was feeling too desperate for Fox to want to share his bed tonight.