That Friday, Tommy once again woke to find the other side of the bed empty, and Kira standing over the kitchen sink. Standing by her as she composed herself, he led her through to the living room.
"Is the ginger helping?" He asked, sitting her down beside him.
"A little bit." She replied, reaching for a packet of dry crackers and a bottle of water. "But he doesn't seem to want mommy to forget he's here."
"Well you just try to get a little rest in." Tommy reminded her. "I've just got today to go, and then tomorrow it's time for the move."
"So when can I expect you?" She asked.
"Well my Friday class normally finishes at 5." He began thoughtfully. "But I guess they'll understand if I cut it a little short. So when are we expecting the guys?"
"No doubt they'll be here by the time you get back." Kira answered him as she took a long gulp of water. "Conner's driving. Apparently he can't stop talking about the baby. He's really enthusiastic about being an uncle."
"Uncle?" Tommy commented. "You have reminded him that he isn't actually related to either of us right?"
"And that would matter to Conner?" She asked in response. Tommy had to concede the point. Conner had always seen himself as kind of an overprotective older brother to Kira, and no amount of conversations would convince him otherwise. "What about Michael, Chrissy and her boyfriend?"
"Michael will be over for breakfast tomorrow morning." Tommy informed her. "I gave Chrissy the address. She and her boyfriend will meet us there."
"It'll be good to finally meet this guy." Kira mused, thinking about all the times Chrissy had talked about him. "I still think it's a shame I couldn't have set her up at the wedding."
"Well, we were a little busy." Tommy reminded her. "Anyway, it's almost time for me to go honey. Anything I can get you?"
"Another stomach?" She grumbled, stroking her abdomen. "One that can hold stuff down?"
"I'll see what I can do." Tommy laughed. "I'll see you tonight."
As Tommy left, Kira flicked on the TV and settled down into the cushions. It was odd to think that this was the last day they'd spend in the apartment. Instead she contented herself with the thought that soon she'd get to meet Chrissy's mystery man.
Tommy spent much of the day hiding in his office. He had to leave for his second and fourth period classes, but other than that he spent the whole day just sitting in his office pretending he wasn't there. 'No doubt someone will want help with something.' He thought to himself. 'And no doubt that'll keep me back for ages.' There was no way he was going to be held back today, even if he had to run to his car with his eyes shut and his fingers in his ears to prevent him seeing and hearing anyone asking for help. As he surveyed his E-mail account, he took note of the names and subject lines.
Dr. Ramsay: Subject – Math tutorials. Deleted unread. Ms. Bell: Subject – cafeteria rotas. Deleted unread. Mr. Lancer: Subject – PTA meeting." That one was DEFINITELY going to be deleted unread. Why was it that people only ever urgently wanted his attention when he was trying to clear his in tray? The last one caught his attention though. Adam Park: Subject – House warming.
Double clicking the subject line, Tommy read the message.
"Hey man, how are things? Is Kira feeling OK? Is everything coming along well with the baby? Well, I got you a little something for the nursery that I think you and Kira will get a kick out of. Anyway, I've got to go, there's a few things I need to take care of over here. Hope we catch up soon. Adam."
As Tommy thought about replying to the message, Chrissy gently knocked the door, entering before Tommy could come up with an excuse to turn her away. "Could you do with a visitor?" She asked as somewhat of an afterthought.
"Do I have a choice?" He replied, gesturing to her to sit down. "I take it you want to talk about the move?" He put down, hoping she wasn't going to come out with a list of things to do just before the end of the day.
"Oh, it's nothing important." She answered him, placing a bag on the desk. "I just wanted to give you a little housewarming gift."
Tommy smiled at her as he picked up the bag looking inside. "A baby monitor." He commented. "Thanks Chrissy, I'm sure it'll come in handy."
"My cousin swore by hers." She informed him. "I just thought that Kira could use it to keep track of the little one while she's in the studio."
Tommy suddenly thought about that for a second. It was something that hadn't occurred to him for some reason. If she was in the recording room of the new house, then she wouldn't be able to hear the baby through the glass.
"Good thinking Chrissy." Tommy complimented her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." She replied as she got up. "Anyway, my boyfriend will be arriving at the airport in a little while. He hates having to get cabs."
"Ok, see you tomorrow Chrissy." Tommy said, putting the bag on the floor. As she left, Tommy checked his watch, realising it was time to change for his class. "Not long now." He reminded himself.
As the class wrapped up, Tommy began packing away his things as Michael came to his side. The massive teenager completely dwarfed him physically. Almost seven feet tall, and heavily muscular, Tommy was glad the school's basketball star had agreed to help with the move some of Kira's music equipment was heavy.
"Hey Dr. O, what time do you want me at the apartment?" He asked, dragging his fingers through his thick, brown hair.
"About 10 should be fine." Tommy suggested. "You sure you remember where the apartment is?"
"I've got it written down." Michael informed him. "Before you go, I just wanted you to know that I got a letter in from MIT. They've accepted me."
"That's great Michael, congratulations." Tommy responded with genuine happiness. Michael had been one of his biggest success stories. At one time he couldn't maintain a C average, and was a few weeks away from expulsion. Now here he was being accepted to college. Tommy never even knew he had aspirations of going to college, much less anywhere as prestigious as MIT. "I knew you'd do great if you just tried."
"Well it's like you always told me." Michael commented, gathering his gym equipment. "A healthy body can last 10 or 15 years, a healthy mind lasts the rest of your life."
"Well I'm glad you listened." He replied. "Too many kids on the athletics teams seem to rely on sports scholarships to get by."
"Anyway, I've got be going Dr. O." Michael said, bowing before turning to leave. "I told my mom I'd pick her up from work."
Collecting the last of his things, Tommy made his way to the parking lot, and hopped into his car. "Hope the guys arrived in one piece." He said to himself, firing up the engine. "Why they let Conner drive, I will never know."
Tommy arrived back at the apartment a little after six, finding that Conner, Ethan and Trent had indeed arrived before him. "Sorry I'm late." He greeted them as they all came over to hug him. "Some guy with a huge Bentley blocked me out of my parking space. I had to park at the other side of the lot."
"Oh, sorry about that Dr. O." Ethan replied. "I'm still getting used to the size of that thing."
"That's YOUR car?" He asked. "I thought you were running your business out of your mom's garage?"
"The room above it actually." Ethan corrected him. "And that was only until about a month ago. My latest security software sold really well. Now I have my own office in the middle of town."
"It must have sold well." Tommy commented. "Do you know what those things cost?"
"I did buy it." Ethan reminded him. "It really impresses clients if you have a flash car."
"Anyway Conner I heard you graduated." Tommy greeted the former red ranger. "So I suppose it's off to a professional club now?"
"Actually I started my first soccer camp." Conner answered him matter-of-factly. "I borrowed some money off my uncle and decided to put my business qualifications to good use. The way I see it, I could have played professionally for a few years. By the time this business has expanded, I should be pretty well set."
"Expansion?" Tommy inquired. "That sounds impressive."
"By this time next year, another three will have opened across California, and within five years, all going well, I'll expand across the country." He boasted the pride evident in his tone. "Not bad for being the dumb jock of the group."
"I never would have figured you for the business type." Tommy commented honestly. "But you've found something you enjoy, so I couldn't be happier."
"The publishers have started my new line of comic books." Trent informed them. "The first print run should be on the shelves in a few weeks."
"That's pretty good going." Kira complimented him "How does your dad feel about it?"
"He's still not thrilled by my career choice." He answered her, placing an arm around her. "But I think he's just about accepted it. I'm happy and that's all that matters to him."
"Well I'm glad he finally feels that way." Tommy interjected. "So what's new in Reefside?"
"Nothing really." Conner commented bluntly. "Nothing really newsworthy has happened there since your affair."
"Come on, surely the town that was inhabited by mutant dinosaurs can't be that quiet." He pressed on.
"Seriously. After the two of you left it's been like, the least newsworthy town in history!" Trent confirmed. "It's like Dr. O was a one-man controversy machine. Soon as he left, Cassidy had nothing else to report on and went to New York."
"So is this all the help you could round up?" Conner asked.
"Not exactly." Kira interrupted. "Chrissy's coming over." She noted the smiles appearing on the guy's faces and felt the need to dash their hopes there and then. "With her new boyfriend." She tried hard not to laugh at the looks of disappointment in the guys faces as she said this. Chrissy had obviously made an impression at the wedding. "And Tommy has one of his students, Michael coming over."
"Yeah, you guys would like him." Tommy continued. "He's sort of a protégé…"
"AGAIN!" They all shrieked. Tommy and Kira just laughed.
"Why is it whenever I spend time with a high school student, everyone thinks I'm a Ranger again?" He asked. "Occasionally I DO actually spend time with students you know."
"Well given your track record, you can't blame us for asking." Trent chuckled. "I mean that is how you met all of us."
"Yeah, if you aren't turning students into Rangers, you're…"
"Finish that sentence at your peril!" Tommy cut Conner off, ending with a long, evil Green Ranger laugh.
"It still creeps me out when you do that." Ethan stated with a slight shudder.
"So when does the van get here?" Conner asked.
"It should be here by 10." Kira answered him, pulling the packet of crackers closer to herself. "Oh, and for the sake of my husband's blood pressure, do try and keep away from the boxes marked 'fragile'." Ethan and Trent just laughed as Conner turned away pouting at this slur on his legendary clumsiness.
The following morning, the assembled group gathered the boxes near the entrance to the apartment as Kira quietly packed away the few remaining items they had left out to allow them to make breakfast. Looking around again at the apartment, she couldn't help but think how empty and lifeless it felt without all their things. It just seemed like it wasn't theirs anymore.
"Feels weird, doesn't it?" Tommy interrupted her thoughts. "It doesn't seem that long ago we moved in."
"The landlord will be around shortly." She reminded him. "Sorry about the security deposit."
"Hey, never mind about that." Tommy laughed. "It was a small price to pay. We'll soon be over at the new place."
As the doorbell sounded, Tommy just called through to the living room. "Would you get the door please Ethan?"
Ethan made his way to the door, opening it. As he stood, open-mouthed, he panned his head upwards, craning his neck to see the stranger.
"Is Dr. O here?" The stranger asked. "He's expecting me."
"Hey Ethan what's…" Conner began, coming to the hall to see what was taking so long, before finding himself shocked into silence. "Holy mother of god, that guy's huge!"
"Michael." Tommy greeted him, inviting the teenager in. "Sorry about them, they just didn't expect you. They're a couple of my former students. This is Conner and Ethan, the one in the living room is Trent, and I'm sure you can figure out which one's Kira."
"Good to meet you all." He answered nervously, shaking Conner's hand, and almost causing him to collapse in pain from his powerful grip. "I saw the van down in the loading area. Want me to get started?"
"Thanks Michael." Tommy replied, handing him a box. "Guys, give Michael a hand please."
As Michael and the former Dino Rangers got acquainted, while they removed the few boxes from the apartment, Tommy held Kira close while they took one last look around their now empty apartment. "This is it." He commented, leaving the key on the kitchen worktop. "Time to go." As they left the apartment for the last time, Kira couldn't help but shed a little tear.
The van arrived at the new house, just a little after midday, pulling up into the driveway. Trent followed in Kira's car, bringing it in behind the van while Conner and Ethan arrived in their own cars, finding parking on the street.
"Nice digs." Ethan complimented them, surveying the house thoughtfully. "Very nice."
It was a little two story detached property just at the edge of the city. The neighbourhood seemed completely unlike the rest of the city, being further out than the guys were used to seeing when they visited. Neighbours pulled half-empty garbage bags out to their respective trash cans, feigning domestic chores as they desperately pounced on any excuse to get a look at the new neighbours.
"They seem friendly." Tommy commented as one of the neighbours waved over. Returning the gesture, he opened the back of the van. "Right, just get this stuff into the living room. We need the van empty so I can get our stuff from storage."
As he finished, Chrissy's car pulled up out front. Seeing an all-too-familiar face appearing out of the passenger door, he groaned loudly and began hitting his forehead repeatedly off the floor of the truck. Kira came over to him laughing a little at his reaction.
"I'm never going to forget this, am I?" He asked, finally turning back round.
"What kind of wife would I be if I ignored the chance to say 'I told you so.'?" She asked, greeting the new arrivals with a hug. "Chrissy, Adam how are you?"
