Old wounds
Kimberly Hart sighed and rubbed her neck. The puddies and the monster she and her teammates, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, fought really worked her over. Her ranger suit protected her for the most part, but bruises and sore muscles were still the norm. She took her pink backpack off her aching shoulder and continued walking home. She was tired and wanted to get home and take a nap before dinner. With any luck, her mother was still out of town with her new boyfriend, Ted. Kim walked slowly up the steps and began rummaging through her backpack for her house keys. She placed the key in the lock and the door was opened from the inside, leaving her face to face with her mother.
"Kimberly, there you are darling!" Her mother threw her arms around Kim, giving her a big hug. Kim winced from the pressure on her back and bit her lower lip to keep from moaning in pain. She returned the hug as best she could and backed away from her mother.
"Mom, " she said, a smile on her lips, "when did you get into town?"
"About an hour ago, my goodness Kimberly, you look tired."
"Uh, I was practicing really hard this week, " Kim said, "rumor has it the gymnastics coach for the Pan Global games is in town and I want to be in perfect form, in case he stops by the Youth Center to find talent for the team."
Kim hated lying to her mother, but she couldn't exactly tell her she was a Power Ranger, and that she had been knocked off a cliff by a monster. Besides, it was partially true, since the coach of the Pan Global games could be in town this week.
"Well, I'm glad you're home! Ted and I are going to take you out to dinner tonight, so run upstairs, shower and change into something nice."
Kim smiled and made her way up the stairs to her room. Great, she was being taken to dinner. So much for the nap she wanted to take. She closed the door to her bedroom and collapsed on the bed. She fought the urge to close her eyes and sighed. She'd better take that shower and get ready. She slowly got to her feet and kicked off her shoes. She pulled her pink shirt off and tossed it in the clothes hamper, then pulled off her jeans, which joined her shirt in the hamper. She walked to the mirror and studied the bruises on her back, wondering what to wear that would hide them from her mother.
Suddenly, the door to her bedroom opened and her mother entered the room with some clean towels.
"Kimberly, I hope you don't mind, but I thought you might need…" she dropped the towels and gasped at what she saw. Kim's back was nearly completely covered in bruises. Tears welled up in her eyes and she rushed forwards, gathering her daughter in her arms.
"Oh, my poor baby! Did Tommy do this to you?" Kim pulled away from her mother.
"Wh-what? No! Tommy didn't do this, I, I, fell off the beam a couple of times today while practicing, " she said quickly, grabbing one of the towels and covering herself.
"Kimberly, don't lie to me! I know Tommy did this to you, and I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"
"MOM! Listen to me! PLEASE! Tommy doesn't hit me, he's the sweetest person I have ever met,"
"Kimberly, please, " her mother said, "I'm your mother and I know what's best for you! Now, if you don't want me to say anything to Tommy, then I won't. But you will not be alone with that boy. You will come straight home all this week. I will pick you up from school if I have to, but you will NOT be seeing that abusive boy any more!"