As with every chapter to follow, Kim Possible and all related characters (other than those of my own creation for the purpose of this story) are the property of The Walt Disney Company. Everything else is all mine.
Early in the spring before Kim was set to move from Middleton Junior High over to the High School, a major scandal rocked the Varsity Cheerleading Squad. The town newspaper broke the story that the squad's co-captain, who abruptly left school soon after the beginning of Fall Semester, had indeed, as was rumored, been pregnant. However, the father was not --- as been rumored --- the football team's star running back. Paternity tests revealed that the father was actually the well-respected, dashingly-handsome and very-married assistant head coach of the varsity football team. He initially and vehemently denied involvement, but within days was clearing out his office and seeking gainful employment elsewhere.
The evening the news hit the paper and local broadcast news, James, Kim's father, who wasn't all that keen about her joining the cheerleading squad in the first place, went ballistic. There was simply no way his daughter would have anything to do with the Middleton High School cheerleading squad, and, given some of the other "nonsense" --- as he put it --- that took place at the High School, he thought that maybe his "Kimmie-cub" might be better served attending a private all-girls academy in Upperton.
The shouting match that followed between father and daughter was of epic proportions, and afterward Kim fled in tears from the house to the sanctuary of her and Ron's tree house. Meanwhile, James stormed into his home office and slammed the door so hard several family pictures were knocked off of their wall mounts onto the floor.
Kathleen Possible, who had tried in vain to calm down her husband and daughter before the situation got out of hand, collapsed on the family room couch, her own nerves frayed, unsure of what if anything she could do.
James was right: there was a lot of "nonsense" going on at the High School, more than even he believed. She saw the results of it up-close-and-personal every day while working at the hospital. Was it, as he constantly claimed, far worse than when they had been in school? The government statistics comparing the '80s with the present seemed to bear out that conclusion, but she knew statistics only told part of the story.
Cheerleaders got pregnant where Kathleen went to high school, too. Even though the school administration and parents involved tried to keep it under wraps, everyone knew what was going on. Other girls got pregnant, too. The 1980s may have been more politically conservative, but the "anything goes" personal morality of the '60s and '70s was still very much prevalent. She should know. She got caught up in it early in college and very nearly derailed a promising medical career because of it. This was a period of her life that only James knew completely about, and it was his willingness to unconditionally love, accept and forgive her that confirmed to her that he was the man she wanted to marry and spend the rest of her life with.
As much as Kathleen yearned to share this part of her life with Kim, it was one topic that she never felt comfortable discussing with her. Now, when the situation seemed to almost demand it, she held back. Why was she hesitating? Maybe she wasn't ready to open her heart with her daughter about this just yet. If not now, though, when?
Picking up the cordless phone Kim had slammed to the carpet during the argument, Kathleen dialed her best friend's number.
"Hello, Stoppables."
"Rachel? This is Kate."
"Kate? You sound pretty stressed. Is anything wrong?"
"Rachel, that's an understatement. Have you heard about the scandal over at the High School?"
"Who hasn't heard? It's not only the headline story in the paper, but it's the top story on the t-v and radio news. You'd think with all the problems in the world they could find something more important to cover."
"Well, we're all to blame for that. As an old college girlfriend of mine, who's now working for one of the networks, used to tell me, "Scandal sells. It has since Adam and Eve's days and probably always will." Anyway, the reason I'm calling is Jim and Kim had a major argument tonight after he heard about it. He's now absolutely dead-set against her joining the cheerleading squad, and is even thinking about sending her to an all-girls school."
"And Kim, being her father's daughter, didn't exactly take that very well, correct?"
"You got it. Right now she's balling her eyes out up in the tree house, and, from the sound of things, Jim is taking out his frustrations in his office sharpening a new box of drafting pencils. Thankfully, the twins are off playing soccer and not within earshot."
"Jim can use some colorful language at times."
"V-e-r-y colorful, I'm afraid."
"So, how can I help, Kate?"
"Bless you, Rachel! I don't even have to ask, do I? Well, could you send over that wonderful son of yours so he can take Kimmie's mind off her troubles for awhile?"
"Consider it done. You know, it sure would be nice if those two had some gadget that would allow them to communicate with each other. You know, like a cell phone or a beeper?"
"Well, Kim has asked for a cell phone, but they're just too expensive. Maybe we'll get her one when the prices come down."
"Let me know when you decide to get Kim one, and I'll talk with Jonathan about getting one for Ron."
"Will do. Thanks, Rachel."
Kathleen hung up the phone, took a deep breath and then pressed another speed-dial button. This wasn't a call she relished making, but it needed to be made nevertheless. Four rings later, the receiver was picked up at the other end.
"H-e-l-l-o?"
"Nana? This is Kate… I mean, this is Kathleen, James' wife."
"Kathleen? How are you, dear?"
"Well, Nana, I've been better."
"And my son? How is he? I haven't heard from him for awhile, you know."
"Oh, he's fine, or at least he was up until about an hour ago. He's been very busy at the Space Center preparing a new satellite for its launch this summer."
"That's nice, dear."
"Nana, the reason I'm calling is I need your help."
"Isn't that usually why you call, my dear?"
"Yes, Nana, it is." Kathleen's face was beet-red as she admitted this, not only because it was true but because her mother-in-law wasn't exactly shy about reminding her that it was.
"So, dear, what is it this time?"
"James and Kim had a nasty argument earlier, and now he's locked himself into his office and is fuming." Kathleen walked over to the office and held up the phone next to the door so Nana Possible could hear the sounds within.
"O-h-h, m-m-y-y-y. It does sound like James is rather angry, doesn't it?" commented Nana.
"Oh, he's angry alright", agreed Kathleen.
"You know, my dear, I used to wash James' mouth out with soap whenever he used words like that."
"Yes, Nana, I remember you saying that. Unfortunately, he's a little old for that now."
"So, dear, what would you like for me to do?"
"Could you please talk with him and try to calm him down? This is one of those times when I think he'll only listen to you. He certainly hasn't listened to me so far."
Kathleen desperately hoped Nana would be willing to help, and, thankfully, she was.
"Of course, dear, I'd be happy to. Just hand James the phone and I'll see what I can do."
Kathleen pressed the "Mute" button and knocked on the office door.
"What… ", came a gruff reply from inside.
"Jim, your mother's on the phone."
The door's lock "popped", the knob turned, and slowly the door opened a crack.
"Kate, you didn't call my mother again, did you?"
"Yes, Jim, I did. You know I can't handle you when you get in one of these moods."
Kathleen handed the phone to James, who roughly grabbed it and closed the office door.
"Hello? Mom? Yes, this is James. Yes, I know I haven't called you for awhile. Things have been rather crazy at work lately… "
As James' voice faded, Kathleen deeply sighed, turned and walked down the hallway toward the kitchen. Now that those two hot spots had been taken care of for now, she had a mess to clean up from dinner and then the twins would need to be picked up after soccer.
"I sure hope this whole cheerleading thing settles down quickly", she thought. Little did she realize just how wrong she was.