Always a Ranger - Part 32
Against All Odds
By Jeannine Trevizo
If anyone had
told Tommy the day he got the letter breaking his heart that nearly eight years
later he’d be engaged to the love of his life he would have laughed in their
face. It was against all the odds that he and Kim had found their way back
together.
On the other
hand, maybe it wasn’t. Jason had always said that they were meant for one
another. Perhaps that was what had led them back to one another. When no one
else would do for either of them, it was the only thing that they could do…
find their way back to each other so they could be whole again.
He thought of
that as he made his calls. He’s spoken to Kim briefly after arriving back in
the states, and they’d agreed to start calling people about the engagement. He
was only now, days later getting around to it. The first call had been to his
parents, who were more than a little surprised. While he’d kept them in the
loop about how he and Kim had finally settled things between them and were
friends again, he had been a bit behind on informing them that he and Kim were
serious again, even though that hadn’t happened until six months ago.
Next had been
a call to David to let him know that his gift was going to be used sooner than
later. He’d ended up talking briefly to Sam, who had simply said that he would
be happy to accompany David to the wedding after Kimberly arrived in Reefside.
As usually, Tommy took the older shaman’s words in stride. He’d long ago
learned that Sam knew more than anyone really should, and simply thanked him
again for advising David to send the rings.
Once he hung
up with his brother, he knew he had one more call to make. He had to call the
person that was going to give him hell about the engagement – Jason.
Flipping the
pages in his address book, Tommy got to Jason’s page, and started to dial the
phone. The other end rang a few times and finally Jase picked up.
“Hello?”
“Jason, hey…”
“Tommy,”
Jason replied, recognizing his friend’s voice, “what’s news? Everything in
Reefside okay?”
“Yeah, I
just…” Tommy began and then paused, not sure how to tell his friend the news.
“What?”
“You’ve got
maybe a month to finish the speech,” Tommy said finally with a slight hint of
humor in his voice.
“You… I, she,
you finally asked her?” Jason fired off in stuttering surprise. While his best
friend had asked him about how to ask Kim, he was shocked at how soon it had
happened.
“I did.”
“Congratulations!”
“So, you know
you’re going to have to stand up for me,” Tommy stated, rather than asked,
smiling widely at the thought of Jase by his side as Kim walked down the aisle
at their wedding.
“Why else
would I be writing the damn speech?” remarked Jason, and Tommy laughed on his
end of the phone. “Who else knows?”
“Kim’s
calling her parents and Aisha when she has time at the games. I already called
my brother, and my parents…”
“And what did
they think of having Kim as their future daughter in law?”
“They were
surprised…”
“Why… I mean
once I knew you two were back together I knew…”commented Jason, and as silence
greeted him, he realized why Tommy’s parents would be surprised. “Don’t tell me
you didn’t tell them?”
“I kept
planning on telling them. But with the teaching job, Mesogog, Kim, the new
rangers, me being back in uniform and the evil ranger… I just never got around
to it.”
Jason sighed
on the other end of the line. His friend was a good man, but had a horrible
memory and even worse sense of communicating long distance. He still was amazed
that Tommy had been able to make things work with Kim this time.
“Fine. So,
have you set a date yet?”
“Not
officially. We, well *I* sort of figured to wait for a few weeks until Kim got
settled here before…”
“Okay, late
September then. If I know you, you’ll have the ring around her finger before
she can change her mind. I’ll put in the vacation request.”
“Sounds
good.”
“You mind if
I call Zack, Adam and Rocky?”
“Sure, no
prob. Why do you want to tell them the news?” Tommy asked, curious.
“They owe me
twenty bucks each,” replied Jason with laughter in his voice.
“You… you bet
on how long it was going to take me to propose to Kim?” asked Tommy
indignantly.
“They figured
you’d wait at least until she got to Reefside, or a few months after that. I
knew you wouldn’t be able to wait much longer, especially after you called about
the ring.”
“I don’t
believe you were betting on my love life,” Tommy sighed on his end of the phone
and shook his head.
“How about I
use my ill-gained winnings to buy the first round of drinks at your bachelor
party. Will that make up for it?”
“Maybe.”
“Speaking of
the proposal, she’s in Athens still, right? So how did you ask her? I mean, you
had to ask her over the phone? Man, that’s really bad bro. You should have
waited to do it face to face.”
“Uh, that’s
not really how it happened…” Tommy started, his voice unsure, and he knew Jason
would pick up on it, which he did
“Spill it
Tommy. You know I’m going to find out anyway,” Jason reminded him in his own
stern leader-like voice.
“Uh, I was in
Athens two days ago,” admitted Tommy uncomfortably.
“What? Whoa,
wait a second. Why did you do that? I mean, yeah, I know you love the woman and
couldn’t wait to get that ring on her finger, but to fly to Greece?”
“It really
wasn’t my idea… the team sort of said I should…”
“Wait, your
team? Conner and the rest?”
“Mostly Kira,
the new yellow ranger and Conner, but yeah. It’s a long story, and most of it
not very good.”
There was a
silence on Jason’s end, and Tommy knew that he couldn’t keep things like this
from his friend. As it was, what he and Kim had gone through was something that
he really needed to talk about. So he decided to go ahead and explain. With a
sigh, Tommy began his tale of how he’d seen the picture of Kim with Chris, and
then been persuaded to follow his gut and go ‘rescue’ her. He skimmed over the
more intimate parts, and then went into the whole terrorist bombing.
“You guys
okay?” asked Jason in shock and concern. He’d heard about the terrorist
bombing, but had not been concerned about Kim because he hadn’t seen her name
on the list of casualties. Now his concern was for their state of mind.
“Yeah. Kim
got a bit scraped up, and I ended up getting a few paper stitches before I left
for the states for a cut in my shoulder. Overall, I’ve been through worse. It
was just the willful destruction and death, you know? I mean with Zedd and Rita
and the others, even Mesogog, they’re aliens; they don’t care about humanity.
But for other human beings to do that to people… it just…”
“It’s hard to
think we can do that to each other,” Jase remarked, and Tommy confirmed his
hypothesis. “So, you and Kim were there, being heroes, huh?”
“Yeah. You
know, once a ranger…” Tommy said, and Jase laughed in understanding.
“So was this
what prompted the proposal?”
“I didn’t
want to leave without asking her, just in case…” Tommy explained, and Jason
understood.
“How did she
like the ring?”
“Uh… I didn’t
have it. I promised she’d get it when she got to Reefside.”
Jason sighed.
After all these years, he’d have thought that his friend would have invested in
memory enhancing supplements or something. But no, he had to be so impetuous
that he ran off to make sure he still had a girlfriend that he ended up not
having the engagement ring with him when he finally got the courage up to ask
her.
Greatest
ranger ever, maybe… best memory, never.
“Well, as
long as you asked her… You know bro, I’m really glad you and Kim are where you
belong you know.”
“So am I.”
“E-mail me
with the date, okay?” said Jason.
“Alright.
Talk to you soon.”
With that,
Jase hung up his end, and Tommy hung up his. Then like clockwork he reached for
his remote control and turned on the Olympics, looking for that elusive shot of
his fiancé, tape delayed and half a world away.
-
Kimberly Hart
sat with the phone glued to her head in the athletes’ pavilion. She had finally
been able to find the time to call Aisha about the engagement, who was now
nearly screaming her ear off as Kim told her the news.
“You’re
kidding?” Aisha asked, shocked beyond all reason. She knew things were serious
with her best friend and their former fearless leader, but engaged…
“No. It was
so… You wouldn’t believe the whole thing if I told you ‘sha,” demurred Kim, not
wanting to air the disaster of Chris Masters, the catalyst of the whole thing
even to her best friend. She was still upset with herself for even saying two
words to the man.
“What’s the
ring look like?”
“I don’t
know. He didn’t bring it with him.”
“Same old
Tommy – forgetful to the end. I mean, not bringing your engagement ring when he
proposes to you. True to form.”
“He hadn’t
really planned on asking me. It was a spur of the moment thing, you know?”
“Yeah. So,
when are you finally making it legal?”
“I’m not
sure. I mean I’m not out there yet, and we haven’t talked about how long we
want to plan this out…” Kim rambled, and then realized there was something she
still hadn’t brought up with the person who’d been her best friend since nearly
the day they’d met. “You’re going to be with me in this, right?”
“Of course I
will. I mean, no one could be happier about this than me. I knew you two were
meant for one another. Just tell me when it’s going to be and I’ll be there,”
Aisha stated.
Confused at
Aisha’s reply, Kim wondered if she’d been clear, and decided to state her
wishes more specifically.
“No… Aisha, I
mean… will you stand up for me?”
“Oh my God,
Kim… I’m so flattered, of course I will. I’m… Thank you,” Aisha said, shocked.
“Kim, I know that you probably would have asked…”
“Stop it,”
Kim snapped, and then softened her tone. “You’re one of my best friends. Yeah,
I wish Trini could be here, but it just means I don’t have to make you flip a
coin to see who got the job.”
Aisha
couldn’t help but laugh at the image, remembering the raven haired ranger and
thought that there might have been a fight to push for the best two out of
three. Or maybe really fighting… Kim listened, and waited.
“Sorry, I was
just imagining Trini and I arm wrestling for the honor.”
Then Kim
laughed, and they both shared the moment. No matter Trini wasn’t with them in
person, her spirit lived on in all of them.
“So, I’ll
contact you after I get to Reefside with the date.”
“Sounds good
girlfriend. You take care out there, and get those girls a gold, alright?”
“You got it.
Bye ‘sha.”
Kim hung up
the phone with a smile. There had been no doubt that Aisha and the rest of the
team would be happy for her. However the last two calls she had on her list
were the ones she was worried about – her parents. Her mom and Pierre were
still in Paris, with Pierre’s art still selling very well and keeping them
comfortable. Her dad was another matter. She had a number for him, but she was
still torn if she wanted to call him. After the divorce, things had been tough,
but in the last six years they’d drifted further and further apart.
Hell, she wasn’t
even sure she wanted him to walk her down the aisle.
Still, that
could wait. She needed to call her mom. Taking the phone back off the hook, she
dialed her calling card number, then her mom’s number in Paris. The phone rang
a few times before her mom answered in French.
“Hi mom,” Kim
said.
“Kimberly!
How are you?” Caroline asked, shifting from French to English in a second.
“We’ve been watching the games. You’re girls are doing wonderfully.”
“Thanks.
Anyway, that’s not really why I was calling.”
“Oh?”
“You remember
I told you Tommy and I were talking again…”
“I remember.
So, have things changed?”
“You could
say that… he asked me to marry him yesterday.”
“You’re
kidding!” Caroline exclaimed.
“Nope.”
“And?”
“What? I said
yes.”
“This is so wonderful,”
Caroline gushed, making Kim wonder what had happened to her normally
conservative mother. “I knew that you were never happy after your breakup with
him. He always seemed to make you so happy. I know that you probably thought
that I was oblivious, but I knew you two really cared for each other.”
“I always
thought you weren’t pleased with my being with Tommy, especially in the
beginning.”
“Maybe, but I
think I gained a new perspective after meeting Pierre. I learned that being
with the person you love is the most important thing in the world. And I’m so
happy that you’re finally going to get that chance again.”
“Thanks mom.”
“So, when is
the wedding?”
“Sometime
after I get to Reefside I guess. Maybe a few months, or longer depending. We
haven’t gotten as far as to set a date.”
“Well, you
call me when you get settled and let me know when Pierre and I need to come
out. Have you called your father?”
Kim paused
and wondered for the hundredth time since Tommy had asked her about her
inviting her father to the wedding. She loved him, but things between them
weren’t like they used to be. Still, it was her wedding, and he was her father.
“Not yet.
Actually, I don’t have his number with me… I packed my address book to send to
Reefside, and only had you and Aisha’s numbers memorized. Could you call him
for me?”
“Kim…”
“Really mom…
I’m not sure he’ll be happy, let alone want to come. And I don’t want to deal
with it right now. Besides, I have to get to dinner with the team in fifteen
minutes.”
Caroline
sighed and wished again that her divorce with Kim’s father had gone better, and
that her ex-husband had been more involved in his daughter’s life. But the
choices had been made, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it. She
was only glad that Kim had been able to find happiness with someone she really
cared for.
“Alright, but
you should call him when you get back to the states.”
“I will,
thanks. Love you mom.”
“Love you too
sweetie.”
With that,
they hung up, and Kim turned and headed for the athletes’ cafeteria.
-
Gauging the
time zone difference had been tough, but Kim was pretty sure she had figured it
out. It was 9pm her time, which meant Tommy should be up in the U.S. and her
calling wouldn’t wake him. Still she felt like the distance now was more an
annoyance than ever. She just wanted the last of the finals to be over, so they
could hand out the medals and she could get on a plane for home.
She’d gotten
her ticket… for the first flight out the morning after the last of the women’s
gymnastics medal ceremonies. When she’d explained to Anton she was planning on
leaving on that first flight out, he’d nodded in understanding and informed her
that she needed to check in with him before she left. Once that agreement had
been finalized, she’d spent the rest of the last week in a daze: between the
aftermath of the bombing, her engagement and the girls’ performances, she had
been in a whirlwind of activity. And there was still the individual all around
medals and the apparatus medal competitions still to go.
As it was,
this was only her second call to Tommy since he’d gotten back to the U.S. The
first had been right after the opening ceremonies had ended, and he’d just
gotten into Reefside. The conversation had been brief, consisting of a lot of ‘I
love you’s’ and ‘be careful’s’.
This was her
first call to really speak with him, including giving him her flight number.
Her hands
nearly trembled as she dialed her calling card number, and then the
international code followed by Tommy’s number. The line rang with the slight
transatlantic buzz before the ring, and after only the second ring on his end,
she heard the line pick up.
“Hello?”
“Hi you,” Kim
said, her voice suddenly full of emotion at just the sound of his on the line.
“Kim, God I’m
so glad to hear from you,” he replied, his voice matching hers in its tone.
“I’m sorry I
haven’t called sooner. I had so much going on here, and then I had to call
Aisha and my mom about the engagement…”
“How did your
mom take it?” Tommy asked, slightly worried.
“She’s
thrilled. You’d think that I won the lottery or something,” she remarked, and
then amended herself. “Which I think I did in a way.”
“Me too. I
called David and my parents. They’re looking forward to you being Mrs. Oliver
almost as much as me,” said Tommy, and Kim laughed on her end, shifting on her
seat in the small phone booths in the athlete’s lounge. “And I called Jase. He
was surprised that I asked you already, considering he knew you were there, and
well… I ended up telling him about my flying to Athens.”
“What did he
say?” Kim asked, concerned about what her dear friend might have thought of the
circumstances of Tommy having to tax his credit card more to fly to Athens to
make sure Kim hadn’t been stolen away by her ex.
“He was more
concerned about the bombing. While he hadn’t seen your name in the injured or
casualty lists, he’d been concerned for you, and when I told him how we’d been
across the street…” Tommy explained in detail, “he was more than a little
worried that we both were okay.”
“And are you?
I know that I had a hard time sleeping that night, and the security here for
the athletes has tripled. We’re being told that for our safety that we should
stay close to the village or our venues.”
“I had a
nightmare or two,” he admitted slightly, but refused to share more.
The last
thing he wanted to tell her was he’d woken up after coming in from Athens in a
cold sweat, his dream being of Kim walking alone along that street when the
blast had occurred, and no one had been there to shield her, and the concussion
blast had thrown her violently to the pavement, her body bleeding from a
million shards of glass embedded in her skin.
“You know I’m
okay, and I’ll stay that way,” she assured him, knowing instinctively that he
was probably thinking up the worst that could happen before she could make her
way to the safety of his arms. “Besides, I’m going to be so busy with the
finals with the team, I will probably barely get time to eat.”
Tommy nodded
on his end, still awed by this woman. How had he been so lucky…
“I saw they
got the silver overall. You must be proud.”
“I am, but
I’ll be glad when it’s all over.”
“When are you
coming home? Which, by the way looks like a storage area.”
“The boxes
got there? Oh good, I was starting to think they’d lost them…”
“They showed
up three days ago. I guess you shipped them super cheap freight. Anyway, I
would have called, but you really don’t have a number there that I can
guarantee reaching you at.”
“I
understand. And in less than a week I’ll be there.”
“That soon?
But aren’t the closing ceremonies on the 29th…”
“They are,
but the last of the individual women’s gymnastics competitions are on the 23rd,
so I got the first flight out the next morning. Coach Gregor already said it
was fine by him since I’ll have finished my job as soon as the last of the
scores are announced. The rest is just pageantry.”
“Alright
then, if you’re sure. What’s the flight number?” Tommy asked, getting up
quickly to grab a piece of paper and pen from his desk.
“1572/601 on
KLM. I’ll be leaving Athens at 5:45am, and arriving after a connection in
Amsterdam in Reefside around 2pm. You think you can remember to come and pick
me up at the airport?”
He laughed
briefly as he wrote down the information in bold block letters.
“I can
guarantee that I’ll remember. And if setting every alarm clock, computer
meeting reminder and e-mailing our friends to make sure I get to the airport on
time will convince you that I’ll be there then I’ll do it.”
Kim smirked
on her end, and fought to not start laughing herself. She hated to tease him
about his memory, but it was just so easy.
“Good.”
“So, how are
things with the individual all around and the apparatus competitions looking? I
know you guys had some problems in the preliminaries and the all around team.
It looked a lot like little mistakes.”
At the
mention of the team’s little errors, Kim groaned.
“Well, we got
the silver, which you already know about, which wasn’t bad with everything we
had to go through. I was worried about this kinda thing happening, the little
mistakes that happen when you’re not as polished as you should be, as
comfortable with the routines, and we got really lucky it wasn’t worse. As for
the individual all-around, Carly’s most definitely looking good. But I’m just
trying to focus on the things I can control… offering advice and assistance for
the girls during the competition.”
“Which you do
very well. I noticed you talking to Courtney after her placing fourth in the
qualifying round. I think she really was glad you were there,” Tommy remarked.
“You saw
that? Ugh, I looked horrible. I couldn’t get my hair to cooperate that morning,
and had ended up just pinning it up and out of the way,” complained Kim.
“So? You will
always look beautiful to me Beautiful.”
“That’s why
I’m willing to marry you. No matter how I look, you still think I’m beautiful.”
“That’s it?”
he remarked, a fake hurt tone to his voice.
“Well, maybe
it’s because I love you and can’t live without you,” she relented, her voice
dropping to a husky whisper.
“That’s
better. I love you too Kim, and I can’t wait to have you here with me instead
of looking for glimpses of you on delayed TV footage.”
“I feel the
same way handsome.”
“Kim… you
know I’d love to talk longer, but I have a syllabus due to the principal
tomorrow at 8, and I…”
“Haven’t
started it. Why am I not surprised. I’ll let you go and call you as soon as I
can.”
“Love you,”
said Tommy, his voice nearly cracking on the last word.
“Love you too
handsome. Good luck.”
“You too.”
With that,
Kim hung up and sighed. She missed him, and hearing him on the phone just
reinforced that. Still, she had to remind herself as she got up and exited the
booth, she was almost there… where she belonged.
And she could
manage being alone just a little longer knowing that he was there waiting for
her.
-End-
tbc…
A/N2: The
next chapter will be posted next SATURDAY, August 28, which will get us back on
our Saturday posting schedule. This will also be the true departure from the TV
series, so chapters will no longer be tied to the weekly show.
GO TO THE PG VERSION OF CHAPTER 33
GO TO THE NC-17 VERSION OF CHAPTER 33
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