Two:
An insistent ringing pushed through the thick fog of sleep. Kimberly tried to ignore the incessant call, but when she slapped at the alarm clock, the noise didn't stop.
"Phone," Tommy muttered drowsily. When Kim roused herself to answer it, he tried to draw her back into his arms. "Don't," he protested, loathe to be deprived of her body next to his.
"Tommy," she scolded. She was tempted to let the answering machine pick up, but it should have already done so. Most likely, the power outage last night had freaked out the temperamental device, and whoever was calling was being awfully persistent.
"Hello," she mumbled into the receiver. Sleep quickly vanished as she listened to the other party. "What? No... oh, no...!"
Her shocked tone snapped Tommy from his morning lassitude. He rolled over and rested a hand on her should in a show of concern.
"What a mess.... All right, I'll be there as quick as I can."
"Who was that? What's wrong?" Tommy queried as she hung up the phone.
"That was Jennifer from the day care," Kim explained as she forced herself to abandon the bed. She playfully slapped his hands away as he tried to pull her back into bed.
"I thought you said you didn't have to work today," he pouted.
"The storm damaged the building; we've got to go in and clean up, otherwise the center won't be able to open on Monday," she said with a regretful sigh. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and wrap herself around her lover... to feel him moving with her and within her. Tommy always did look yummy all disheveled first thing in the morning.
Tommy understood, both the situation with work and the desire to further their intimate play by the light of day. Kim looked nigh irresistible standing there naked, bathed in the morning sunlight, her hair all tousled and her eyes full of desire and regret. He had so wanted to spend the day with her amid the rumpled sheets of the bed.
"Tell you what," he began, forcing himself out of bed as well. "You catch a quick shower, and I'll get breakfast."
"Promise not to burn it this time?" she teased with a giggle, recalling one of the last times Tommy had attempted to cook for her.
"Hey! I've been practicing!"
She eyed him skeptically, and he made a face at her.
"Anyway, once we're done eating, I'll run home and change my clothes, take care of a couple of errands then, I'll meet you at the day care. All right?"
"Sounds like a plan to me," she agreed. However, when she turned to retrieve her robe, Tommy held her back. She eyed him wonderingly.
"Mornin', Beautiful," he murmured with a tender smile as he pulled her into his arms. She melted into the embrace as he took her breath away with a deep, heated kiss.
"Mmm... much nicer than a phone for a wake up call," she purred, reveling in the feel of him all around her.
"Then we'll have to try it out tomorrow morning."
~*~
Tommy had taken care of his errands before heading home to get some fresh clothes. Things had happened so quickly last night that he and Kim hadn't stopped to consider protection, and he figured that it'd be best if he picked up some supplies for the remainder of the weekend. Neither of them were ready for the possibility of a family.
Upon arriving home, he made a bee-line for the refrigerator as soon as he cleared the kitchen door, and found a note from his mother there. He scanned it over as he snagged an apple from the fruit drawer.
Gone to pick up Aunt Elsa at the airport—surprise visit. Will you and Kim be home for dinner?
Of course he and Kimberly would be there for dinner! His mom's aunt rarely visited, and he genuinely liked his grandfather's sister. And he knew Kim had always wanted to meet her. Still, he couldn't help but think, so much for a romantic evening for two!
Munching his fruit, he meandered into the living room en route to the stairs and noticed the light flashing on the answering machine. Thinking that Kim may have tried calling, he hit the 'play' button.
"Tommy, it's Jase. No big deal. Give me a call when you can."
Tommy frowned and replayed the message. Jason sounded really bummed out. Concerned, he dialed the Scotts' number.
"Hello, Jase...." Tommy began before the answering party could speak. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Scott. Is Jason... oh, okay. I'll meet him there. Thanks." And he hung up the receiver. Now he knew something was wrong. According to Jason's mom, he was in the park shooting baskets. Tommy knew his long-time friend well enough to know that the only time Jason did that was when he was too troubled to lose himself in a kata.
As he sped through his shower, Tommy pondered what could be the matter. Jason had mentioned that he had a date with Emily last night.... Oh, he hoped nothing happened between Jase and Emily. She was the first serious girlfriend Jason had ever had, and the way his best bud had been talking of late, things had been heating up between him and the pretty blonde... though probably not as hot as things had become between him and Kim last night.
Tommy smiled lopsidedly at the memory, but he quickly dashed it away as he rinsed off. While he'd been running around this morning, he had thought about filling Jason in on what had happened last night; it was like if he didn't tell somebody, he would burst. He and Kim hadn't discussed the issue of sharing this with their friends, but he knew she would probably tell Trini and Aisha, both of whom Kim kept in touch with. However, his happy news could keep until he knew what was up.
~*~
When he arrived at the basketball courts, Tommy found Jason listlessly heaving the ball at the rim without any pretense at aiming then plodding after the wayward ball. If Jason had noted his arrival, he gave no indication, so when the next shot caromed off the hoop, Tommy snagged the rebound.
"Hey, Jase." His companion looked surprised to see him. "I got your message, and your mom said you were here. What's up?"
"Not much," was the monotone reply.
For several minutes, nothing further was said, but Jason seemed more intent on getting the basketball through the net. Frustrated that things were going nowhere, Tommy finally asked, "So, how was the big date?"
"Em broke it off with me last night," Jason admitted quietly. This time when the ball swished through the basket, Tommy let it roll away.
"Why?" he gasped, astounded. "I thought you said you both were looking at your relationship in a more serious light."
"I don't know," the distraught young man confessed helplessly. "She said that she loved me.... I think she got scared or something—she hasn't exactly had the greatest luck with past boyfriends. She said she needed to be sure about 'us'... needed some time to think.
"I told her I'd step back and give her whatever space she wanted, but she said that it wouldn't be fair to either of us. I'd be left hanging, and she'd feel pressured to make her decisions. A clean break would be best... no promises, no expectations. When she left, she said that if we were meant to be, we would be."
"I'm sorry, bro," Tommy murmured, his heart going out to his friend.
"What did I do, Tommy?" Jason implored, anguished. "What didn't I do? At least when Kim broke up with you, you knew why—even if you were helpless to do anything about it."
"I wish I had some answers for you," Tommy sighed. Emily obviously meant more to Jason than he'd let on, since he was taking the break-up so hard. "The thing is, it sounds like even Emily doesn't know what the answers are. I know I don't have a lot of room to talk, but if you love her, you have to respect her decision and let her go for now."
"I know," was the resigned reply.
"So, what will you do? Wait for her?" he wondered.
"I'm not going to go looking for someone else, but I'm also not going to sit by the phone. I'll just see what happens."
"If you can do that, you'll be in a lot better shape than I was," the long-haired racecar driver conceded.
"I don't ever want to be that pathetic," Jason said, finding the jibe irresistible.
"Hey!" But Tommy was happy to see the half-hearted grin that tugged at his friend's mouth. "C'mon; let's get out of here. I'm sure we can find something to do...."
"To take my mind off this?" Jason queried wryly. "That didn't exactly work when we tried that with you, did it?"
"No, but you guys sure enjoyed beating the stuffings out of me without half trying when we sparred," Tommy teased.
"Uh-uh, no sparring. Unlike you, I'm not a glutton for punishment!"
"Well, I know you don't want to be 'that pathetic' and sit around and mope, so we have to do something," Tommy persisted, and he knew Jason couldn't argue with that.
"I thought you and Kim had plans for the day," Jason demurred.
"Kim got called in to work; the day care was damaged by last night's storm."
"Oh, man...."
"Yeah, she's really worried about what the kids will do Monday if the place is messed up. I was going to go over and lend a hand; they could probably use all the help they can get...." He let the implication hang, knowing full well Jason wouldn't refuse to help out for the kids.
"You've been hanging around Kim too long," Jason groused. "This is exactly the sort of tactic she'd use."
"Hey, if it works...."
"C'mon; let's go see if she needs any help."
~*~
Kimberly and her co-workers were very grateful for the extra pairs of hands; even so, the crew was at the clean-up for most of the day. Still, it had been hard work, and it had helped Jason take his mind off his troubles for a while.
At the moment, the trio was back at Kim's apartment. She wanted to clean up before they did anything else. Jason should have known better than to go anywhere near Kimberly. She had taken one look at him as he walked in the day care door and then hauled him off to a corner to find out what was wrong. He sighed quietly. Kim hadn't said much to his news, merely hugging him tightly, but he had glimpsed her stricken expression and knew that she was feeling his pain and reliving that which she and Tommy had gone through. Then, she got that determined glint in her eyes... she was even worse than Tommy in her desire to offer him solace and support, and he resigned himself to being unable to rid himself of his well-meaning friends' company.
Tommy regarded Jason speculatively as his friend sat dejectedly on the couch. He was at something of a loss; Jason had always been his rock in his times of trouble. It was hard to know what to do for him. For all their talks, Jason tended to be a very private person when it came to matters of the heart. He hoped Kimberly would be able to come up with something that would help.
Finally unable to stand the silence, Tommy asked, "Want something to drink?"
"Sure," was the disinterested response.
Sighing, Tommy disappeared into the kitchen.
It was the first time all afternoon that Jason had a minute to himself. While he was grateful for his companions' efforts, he wasn't good company at the moment, and he knew the two of them probably had better things to do—without a fifth wheel. Tommy's visits home didn't occur as often as either of the couple would have liked, nor did they last long enough. They didn't need to be spending their precious time together trying to cheer him up.
"Tommy, I really appreciate what you and Kim are trying to do for me—really—but I'm sure you've got other things you'd like to do, with you leaving on Monday and all," Jason said, turning towards the kitchen.
"Sorry, buddy, but Kim's got her mind made up; you're stuck with us," Tommy answered blithely. However, his demeanor sobered as he studied Jason's melancholy expression. "Jase, tell me honestly—do you want to be alone? When I got Kim's letter, I thought I wanted to be by myself... to lick my wounds, pout, sulk or what have you, but I wound up in your dorm room... Kat and Billy took me on a ski trip.... For once in my life, I didn't want to face my problems alone; I really needed my friends. And you're less of a loner than I am.
"Don't worry about inconveniencing us. This is about what you need right now."
Jason bowed his head and stared past the drink clutched in his hands to the patterns in the carpet. What did he need? He needed the hole in his heart to heal. He needed the emptiness in his soul filled. He needed to hear Emily tell him that is was all a misunderstanding. What he didn't need was to be reminded of what it was like to be with the woman he loved, and every time he saw Tommy and Kim share a glance... a smile... the brush of a hand... a hug... a quick kiss, he couldn't help but see himself with his girlfriend.
Ex-girlfriend.
However, every time he saw Tommy and Kim, he was also reminded of what they had gone through. He was reminded that there was a chance that things could work out all right in the end... that there was always hope.
He and the others had gotten Tommy through his darkest times by filling his emptiness with their love and companionship, and that's all Tommy and Kim were trying to do for him now.
"Much as I hate to admit it, I think I need to hang with you guys a while longer," he confessed at last, smiling wanly.
"We're here for you," Tommy assured him. He slipped his arm around Jason's shoulders and gave him a friendly hug. The gesture was very much appreciated. However, the moment was suddenly disrupted by a hauntingly familiar tune. The two jumped as Tommy's pager unexpectedly went off.
"I really hate this thing," Tommy grumbled as he pulled the device from his pocket. His mother had given the pager to him some time ago—after having Billy make some modifications.
"If it wasn't that loud, you'd never know when it went off," Jason laughed. The chime was almost as loud as their old communicators.
Tommy sighed, grumbling good-naturedly. "There are still some days when I could shoot Billy for making it sound like the call to summon the DragonZord."
"He knew you wouldn't be able to ignore that," Jason snickered. "You'd better answer that."
"It's Mom," Tommy said, eyeing the number on the screen. "I wonder what's up. She and Dad were supposed to be at the airport picking up Aunt Elsa," he mused as he headed once again into the kitchen to use the phone.
"Aunt Elsa... your infamous Aunt Elsa?" Jason queried. Over the years, he had heard plenty of stories about Tommy's colorful great-aunt.
"Aunt Elsa—what?" Kimberly asked as she rejoined the guys. Jason shushed her as Tommy began talking.
"Yeah, Mom? Her plane's late... I heard that, Dad!...sure, no problem; I'll run by the house now... of course we'll be there... Jason, too.... Uh huh... all right. See you guys later."
Tommy hung up the phone to discover he had an audience hanging on his every word. "That was Mom."
"Obviously," Kim snorted.
"Do you want me to tell you what's going on or not?" he retorted. She answered him with her most fetching smile. "Mom said Aunt Elsa's plane is running late...."
"And your dad said...?" Jason prompted, grinning as impishly as Kimberly.
"That now he knows who in the family I get my punctuality from." Kim and Jason laughed out loud, and Tommy rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I need to run by the house to take the meat out of the freezer; Mom asked if we'd be there for dinner."
"Of course we will," Kim asserted, just as Tommy had promised his mother.
"And you included me," Jason noted.
"I've been wanting you to meet Aunt Elsa for ever," Tommy replied. "Both of you," he amended when Kim cleared her throat.
He had regaled the pair often enough with anecdotes about his grandfather's feisty sister. At nearly eighty, his aunt still had a lot of spirit and spunk. She made his mother's family gatherings endurable.
"Why didn't you say something about his visit before now?" Kim wondered.
"I didn't know about it until this morning," Tommy answered. "I don't think Mom even knew Aunt Elsa was coming today; I got the impression it was a surprise visit."
"Then there's probably plenty around the house that your mom wishes she could have taken care of," Kim realized.
"Uh oh," Jason gulped, eyeing Kim warily. "Bro, I think we've just been volunteered for housekeeping detail," he groaned.
~*~
Tommy was at the front window every five minutes, it seemed, watching for the arrival of his parents and his aunt. Jason pulled back from the 'saloon' doors that separated the kitchen from the living room, shaking his head and chuckling under his breath.
"He's a total nutcase," he remarked amusedly.
Kim looked up from checking the roast. The three of them had tidied the house then started dinner.
"Can you blame him? He hasn't seen her in years," she said. "Tommy always said that after his grandfather died, his aunt pretty much took up the role of grandparent in his life."
"I think she's the only one outside the immediate family who knows he's adopted," Jason added, inhaling deeply. His stomach was already rumbling at the prospect of dinner. "According to Tommy, she was the first person after his folks that he told about David."
"That's a reunion I would have liked to have seen—Tommy meeting David," Kim murmured as she poured off some pan drippings to make the gravy. She had met David Trueheart shortly after she and Tommy began dating again. She was still astounded by that particular turn of events.
"Same here. I couldn't believe it when he called to tell me...."
"They're here!" Tommy exclaimed, bounding into the kitchen en route to the backdoor, his face beaming with excitement. However, he paused abruptly and drew in a deep breath. "Mm, that smells incredible," he murmured then took off at a mad dash once again.
"I'm impressed," Jason chuckled. "He actually stopped."
"Why don't you start setting the dining room table," Kim recommended. "I'm almost finished here."
"The dining room table?" he queried. To his recollection, he'd never eaten at the Olivers' dining room table.
"Unless you can get six of us around the kitchen table," she continued pointedly.
"Gotcha. Should I use the good china, too?" he snickered.
"This is family," she replied as if Jason were being dense. Neither she nor Jason had been 'company' in quite some time... probably since their respective first visits, and if the Olivers claimed someone as family, then you were treated as such—down to helping with the dinner dishes.
Jason shook his head with amusement as he carried out Kimberly's orders. He wondered if she realized just how well she fit in with Tommy's family. She had certainly taken over the kitchen as if it were her own!
Privately, he speculated on what was up between his companions. He had noticed something different about the way the two interacted. It wasn't anything major... just little differences that only someone who knew them well would be aware of. It was as if they were... closer somehow. More affectionate—if that was possible for the king and queen of mush! Several times throughout the day, Jason had the impression that Tommy had wanted to tell him something but had held off. Why? Unless Tommy was afraid of saying something because of Emily splitting up with him.
He'd have to find a way to let Tommy know not to hold back on his account. He didn't want his friends to put their happiness on hold for his sake.
Just then, there was a commotion at the front door, and Jason poked his head out of the dining room to see what was up. He remembered teasing Tommy once, wondering if the front door actually worked since he'd never seen anyone use it. It wasn't that the Olivers' living room was a show place—like his Aunt Mabel's; on the contrary, the room was very cozy and very much lived in, but the front door was reserved for company. Even on his first visit to Tommy's house, he'd been brought in the kitchen door.
"I am perfectly capable of walking to the backdoor," came a waspish comment.
Jason already knew that Tommy's aunt was not a soft-spoken septuagenarian. She spoke her mind with a razor keen wit.
"I know that, but with Tommy's truck in the way, the front door is closer," Tommy's dad pointed out reasonably. Jason smiled; Mr. Oliver's unflappable good humor would be the perfect foil for Tommy's aunt.
"I hate it when you're right," Elsa snapped, but it was without rancor.
Jason was a little surprised to see how tiny and frail-seeming the feisty woman was. Her gnarled fingers gripped a cane, and she appeared to be so thin that a strong breeze might blow her away. Snow-white curls formed a typical 'grandma's' hair-do, but her blue eyes still shone with intelligence, spirit and determination. If Jason was any judge of character, she was someone who shouldn't be underestimated but quite often was.
Mrs. Oliver followed her aunt in.
"Have a seat, Aunt Elsa, while I get dinner...."
Jason wanted to laugh at Tommy's mother's flummoxed expression as she realized that she smelled dinner in progress. She shot a look at Tommy, who was grinning from ear to ear as he brought up the rear—and the luggage.
"Thomas, take the bags from your son so I can have a good look at my nephew," Elsa directed. "You haven't changed except to get thicker around the middle. I haven't seen the boy since he shot up like a weed."
"Sorry, Tommy, I spared you for as long as I could," Mr. Oliver joked as he collected the suitcases from his son.
"Dad...." Tommy chided even as he surrendered his burden and willingly crossed the room to greet his aunt. He caught her hands and kissed her cheek. "It's good to see you again, Aunt Elsa."
"Lord, boy, why'd you have to grow so tall? You're going to give me a crick in the neck," Elsa muttered as she gave him an appraising once-over such that only an elderly relative could give. Jason waited for the inevitable disapproving comments about the long hair and earrings; however, they were not forthcoming.
"Hmpf! Your school pictures don't do you justice, boy; you're enough to make a gal wish she were fifty years younger."
Jason nearly choked on his laughter as Tommy blushed to the roots of his hair. He was really starting to like Tommy's aunt!
He must have made some kind of noise because Tommy suddenly looked up and glanced his way.
"Aunt Elsa, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Tommy said, waving him forward.
"Don't worry, Jason; she doesn't bite," Mr. Oliver whispered as he passed him on the return trip from the guestroom.
"This is Jason," Tommy announced brightly, and Jason felt for all the world as if he'd just been introduced as Tommy's fiancée or something!
"Hello, Miss Michaels," he said, recalling that Tommy mentioned that his aunt had never married as he offered her his hand. She didn't take it, eyeing him impatiently.
"That's no way to greet family, boy," she said crisply.
Jason smiled and repeated the ritual Tommy had enacted with his aunt. "Hi, Aunt Elsa; it's nice to finally meet you."
"I don't know if my ticker can stand having the two of you boys around," she murmured, offering him a smile.
"You're too late, Aunt Elsa; they're both taken," Tommy's dad supplied oh-so-helpfully.
"By each other or a couple of young ladies?" Elsa shot back baldly.
Jason tried not to show his surprise. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Tommy's stunned expression.
"Aunt Elsa!" Tommy's mother protested. "I don't think Kimberly and Emily would be very amused by that."
"Well, he introduced the boy just about the same way you introduced Thomas to the family."
"Jason is my best friend," Tommy elaborated once he could find his voice.
"I didn't mean anything by it, Tommy-boy," his aunt assured him. "It's no skin off my nose; you wouldn't be the first in this family to prefer his own kind.... Not exactly something you'd want gettin' around, though. What the rest of the family don't know won't bite you in the butt later."
In the kitchen, Kimberly bit the inside of her cheek to hold in her laughter. She had delayed coming out to meet Tommy's aunt because she had to keep the gravy from getting lumpy. Even so, she had caught Jason's introduction. His aunt's comments had served Tommy right. She couldn't believe the way he had presented Jason to her... and yet, it had been touching to see him all puffed up with the love and pride he felt for his long-time friend. She had often wondered if Tommy had come out to the rest of his family; apparently that secret had been kept as close to home as his adoption.
"Hey, Beautiful, you coming out sometime today?"
Kim had been so preoccupied with her musings that she hadn't heard Tommy enter the kitchen.
"Somebody had to make sure dinner didn't burn," she replied lightheartedly. She smiled at him over her shoulder. "I take it your aunt's remarks caught you off guard."
"Now I know where Mom gets it from," he said ruefully, referencing his mother's keen perceptivity. "Was I that obvious?"
"Only to those who know the truth," she soothed him. "As for anybody else, all they'd see is that Jason means a great deal to you."
"I had thought about telling her," Tommy admitted. "I know I would have told my grandfather; his understanding and approval always meant a lot to me, and Aunt Elsa and Grandpa always seemed to be of the same mind on things."
"Then you have nothing to worry about; your aunt just gave you her approval," Kim said, smoothing a hand over his cheek as if to erase the worried frown. Tommy slipped her a quick kiss then enthusiastically tugged her into the living room.
"...the reason for dropping by?" Elsa was saying as they entered. "Simple. It was time for Lotta's annual let's-go-see-the-ol'-bat-and-kiss-up-to-her visit. I didn't want to be there when she showed up, so I decided to go somewhere too inconvenient for her to follow me."
"Tell me you didn't leave her standing on your doorstep without a clue," Tommy's mom moaned.
"Don't worry, Jan; I left a note in the mailbox along with the spare key," Elsa responded unconcernedly.
"Aunt Elsa...." Mrs. Oliver scolded.
"Aunt Elsa?" Tommy interrupted, and Kim was surprised to hear the note of hesitancy in his voice and was taken aback by the way he folded his arms around her as she stood in front of him.
"Another 'friend' for me to meet, Tommy-boy?" the septuagenarian asked knowingly.
"This is Kimberly," he said. Although his tone was more subdued than when he had introduced Jason, there was no mistaking his feelings. Kim could feel the warmth of his smile and love surrounding her, and when she gazed up at him, she saw his heart shining in his eyes.
"So she is," Elsa murmured, smiling as well.
"Hi, Aunt Elsa," Kim said, stepping forward to offer her own kiss of greeting.
"You're Tommy's little girl, eh?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Kim was momentarily perplexed as Elsa's eyes shifted from her to Tommy then to a point beyond Tommy—to Jason. The elderly woman looked puzzled, as if knowing there was more to meet the eye here but unable to figure out just what it was. Then Elsa's questioning gaze returned to her. Kim merely smiled and caught the hand Tommy had rested on her shoulder. Whatever Tommy's aunt imagined that she saw between the three of them was dismissed.
"You have some good friends here, Tommy-boy," she remarked at last. "I think Walt would have approved."
~*~
Tommy was still positively floating as he and Jason took their turn at the dinner dishes.
"What is with you?" Jason wondered bemusedly. "You'd think Kim just gave you your first kiss or something. You've had that silly grin plastered on your face all evening."
"It's just that I've always wished Grandpa could have met you guys," Tommy began, "and hearing Aunt Elsa say he would have liked you is almost as good."
"I bet you could have done without that comment about the two of us," Jason continued as he handed Tommy another plate to dry. "I about had heart failure!"
"Aunt Elsa once said that the best part about being old was being able to speak your mind and getting away with it," Tommy replied. "Kim's pretty sure Aunt Elsa suspects something's up with you and me."
"Are you going to tell her?" Jason's concern was legitimate, not so much for his reputation with Tommy's family, but for Tommy's feelings, knowing how terrible it was to have your family turn on you—as had happened to his cousin.
"I don't know... I don't want this coming back to bite me in the butt," Tommy joked, yet knowing from where Jason's concern had stemmed.
"According to your dad, she doesn't bite," Jason ribbed. He added thoughtfully, "She sure liked Kim, though."
"Yeah, she did," Tommy beamed proudly.
"Did you notice the way she kept checking out Kim's hand—like she was looking for an engagement ring?"
"I noticed," Tommy answered reflectively. A thoughtful silence fell over the pair, the only sound in the kitchen was the splash of water and the clink of plates being stacked.
"Have you ever thought about proposing?" Jason asked.
"Sure," was the other young man's reply, a fond smile tugging at his lips. He had envisioned the scenario hundreds of times.
"Are you ever going to ask her?"
"When the time is right." After everything she had endured for him, he wanted that special moment to be the most romantic, the most perfect moment in the world for Kimberly.
"I know you guys are still kind of young and you've only been back together about a year, but I wouldn't wait too long." He didn't need to add, before something comes along again to mess things up for you two.
That was Tommy's big fear... that he'd lose Kimberly again, but he also didn't want to rush things and maybe scare her off. However, last night had gone a long way towards reassuring him that their relationship was more solid than ever.
"You know," Jason went on with a chuckle, "I half expected you to tell me that you had proposed to Kim last night."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"All day you've been acting like you've wanted to tell me something, but for some reason you don't want to. Is it because of what happened between Emily and me?"
Tommy ducked his head guiltily. "I just didn't want to say anything to make you feel worse than you already do."
"Tommy, you don't have to try and protect me. To be honest, it does me good to see you and Kim doing so well and being so happy. It kind of gives me something to hope for, y'know?"
"Yeah, I guess I do."
"So...?"
"So—what?"
"Are you going to let me in on the big secret?"
"Later," Tommy demurred. He didn't want his aunt or his folks finding out that he and Kim had sex last night.
Jason gave him a disbelieving look.
"Trust me, Jase; if it was something as awesome as Kim agreeing to marry me, I'd have already announced it to the whole world." In truth, it was as awesome, but it wasn't something you blurted out at the dinner table. And if he had proposed, this would have been the ideal opportunity to tell the family. All the people who matter most to him—excepting David—were gathered together....
"Okay, you two, your tour of K.P. duty is over," Tommy's mother said as she entered the kitchen. "I'll finish up."
"But you already did your turn," Tommy pointed out.
"I know, but your father has dragged out the photo albums and...."
"Oh no," Tommy groaned.
"I thought you might want to do some damage control," Mrs. Oliver continued knowingly.
The boys quickly dried their hands and hurried towards the living room; however, Tommy took a detour at the stairs.
"Tommy?" Jason wondered.
"I gotta get something," he answered.
"To divert your dad?"
"Something like that."
~*~
Tommy descended the stairs two at a time, pausing in the middle of the flight. Laughter greeted him, and he took a moment to observe the scene in the living room. His friends and family were absorbed in pouring over the old photo albums.
"Tommy's never shown me these before," Jason chuckled as he cocked his head to try and get a new perspective on the picture. "How'd he wind up like that?"
"You know, Jase, you're probably going to owe him a peek at some of your less-than-dignified moments," Kim tittered. "Fair is fair. How 'bout those pics from that family reunion where your cousins pinned you down and stuffed you into that dress?"
"How'd you find out about that?" he demanded.
"Trini and I got bored waiting for you one afternoon, and we pulled an album off the shelf at random. That was hysterical. You almost look better in pink than I do!"
"Well, what about some less-than-dignified photos of you?" Jason challenged, his cheeks feeling a trifle warm.
"There aren't any... that Mom hasn't already shown him."
Tommy smiled, absorbing the warmth of the moment.
"You really shouldn't have done this to your boy, Thomas," Elsa scolded even as she tried to stifle a giggle as she examined the next photograph. "Oh, goodness gracious...."
"It's a parent's sworn duty to embarrass his kid," Tommy's father replied.
"I'll get you back one of these days, Dad," Tommy promised, announcing his presence and joining the happy group.
"I thought you went to find something to forestall this," his mother said.
"Actually, I had something I wanted to show Kim."
"Oh?" his girlfriend queried.
"It's a little something I picked up while on the road with Uncle John," he continued.
"I'd forgotten you were driving with John," Elsa interjected. "Men and their hot rods! You be careful, Tommy-boy; don't want you winding up as a skid mark on the race track."
"I will, Aunt Elsa," Tommy assured her.
"Or Kim will have something to say about it," Jason jibed.
She obliged the good-natured ribbing by making a face. Then she turned her attention back to Tommy, hopping up from her place on the couch. "Is this a surprise? Should I close my eyes?"
"No, I want you to see it coming," was his enigmatic answer. Briefly, his gaze flickered past her and caught Jason's inquiring look. He flashed his friend a quick grin before devoting his full attention to Kimberly.
"You know how you said you always wished you had a place in my heart?" She nodded. "Even though I've told you that you've always had that place and always would, I wanted to find something special for you to hold on to so you'd never have to wonder ever again."
"I don't wonder, Tommy; I know now," she assured him, her eyes getting misty.
"Kim, I want to spend the rest of my life letting you know how much I love you, and I'd be off to a great start if you'll accept this ring and marry me."
Tommy held up the item he had concealed in his hand—a ring with a heart-shaped diamond. The shanks of the delicate band had open-worked hearts on each side. Tommy had intended the ring to simply be a Christmas or birthday present, wanting to buy her a larger engagement ring. And the setting... it wasn't the romantic evening he had wanted to give Kimberly, but somehow, this moment had been too good for him to pass up.
Kim could not speak, her wide-eyed gaze held captive by the sparkling stone.
"Kim?" he prompted hopefully. By the couch, his audience held their collective breaths with hopeful anticipation.
When Kim at last raised her eyes to his, happy teardrops glistened on her cheeks.
"Yes, Tommy, I will," she murmured, and Tommy had to steady her hand as he slipped the band onto her left ring finger. There wasn't a dry eye in the Oliver living room as their mouths met.
~*~
While Kimberly placed a call to her mother in Paris, Tommy drove Jason home. Other than congratulating his friends, there hadn't been a whole lot for the broad-shouldered martial artist to say. He couldn't have been happier for the couple, but he had to wonder....
"Why?" he asked as Tommy pulled his truck into his driveway. "Why'd you propose tonight?"
"Besides the fact that I had all the people I cared for around me? Because you needed me to."
"I needed this?"
"Yes." Tommy fixed him with a lopsided smile. "You needed to be shown that there is such a thing as a happy ending... that dreams do come true."
Jason opened his mouth as if to refute his friend's claim, but he couldn't. He had said as much himself earlier in the evening.
"Don't give up hope," Tommy added. "That's what you told me when Kim sent me that letter. Be patient and don't give up."
"Time for me to take my own advice, eh?"
"If you believe that you and Emily belong together the way I believed that of Kim and me, then yes."
"It won't be easy."
"I know, but it'll be worth it."
E-mail: kittiec@starpower.net