If lovin' you is wrong….
Disclaimer/Author's Notes: Kim Possible and all the characters of the show are owned by the Disney Corporation. All other characters are the creation of the author and may not be used without his permission.
This is a strictly not-for-profit, just-for-fun work…at this time.
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Zaratan's challenge: Something Different, Something New – Contest - This is your chance to write something completely different.
And, now, for something completely different, Zaratan.
This is not a part of the (shameless plug) Blue Eyes, Shining stories, the JadeKimVerse, the Define, Hell universe, or a reading from the California King Bedtime Stories; it has become another part of the new 'lovin' story.
A/N Forward:
Your soul-mate has married her school mate.
You're looking for a lawyer to help settle a personal matter.
Wade opens the door to a law office and walks into an unexpected personal adventure with a cheerleader from his past; no, it's not Kim….
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If lovin' you is wrong….
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Chapter 3: Wade, in the water
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He parked his car and got out, smoothing his suit while looking in the side-view mirror to check his tie. Straightening the tie knot one last time, he reached into the back and picked up his portfolio, closed the door, and turned.
He read the sign on the glass door:
Law offices of Bluem, Porter, Smith, and Golden.
He smiled: he remembered Jamie Golden from his classes. A short, feisty raven-haired fireball, she was a good student, but she wasn't interested at all in developing software; rather, she was interested, even then, in the legal issues surrounding successful development and delivery and the ramifications of failure to do so in the commercial world. Latent defects and project failures were costing companies a fortune, and that became her specialty; that wasn't the reason he was here, though, so he'd ended up with Ms. Bluem, instead.
'Oh, well,' he thought, and Dr. Wade Load opened the door and walked into the foyer.
The receptionist looked up as the door opened, smiled, and asked:
"May I help you?"
Wade glanced quickly at the nameplate: Scarlette Olivia Hairaigh.
"Yes, Ms. Hairaigh, I have an appointment to see Ms. Bluem, please. I'm Dr. Wade Load."
"Yes, Dr. Load: Ms. Bluem is expecting you," the receptionist stood, came from behind the desk, and led him down the hall.
Dr. Load followed, enjoying the view of the young receptionist, her short brunette hair bouncing as she walked.
"In here, Dr. Load," Scarlette opened the door, and he walked into the office.
"If you'll have a seat, Ms. Bluem will be with you momentarily," she pointed to the fine Italian leather chairs at the desk front, and Scarlette closed the door as Dr. Load sat down. He instantly relaxed as he felt his body melt into the custom-crafted material.
'Now, this is unexpected. With furnishings like this, they'd better be good at what they do.'
He was only alone for a moment as the door behind him opened and a blonde blur came through the office to the desk, talking the entire time into a slender headset, obviously voice-activated.
"I don't care, Jonathan: my client won't settle for less than US $25 million; you know we'll get more than that in a jury trial, so convince him to settle, take your pound of flesh out of him, and get the hell off my phone!"
The blonde slammed her headset, and then she noticed that she had a client in her office.
'Whoa, Nellie! A gorgeous, well-dressed man, and an ebony hunk, to boot!' she thought.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that Scarlette had left you in here, er..."
Wade had already stood as she had entered the office.
"Dr. Wade Load," he offered his hand, and she shook it.
"Tara Bluem, Attorney at Law."
""Didn't you used to work for the County, Ms. Bluem?" Wade asked as he sat, still trying to remember where he'd seen this lovely whirlwind before.
"Yes, I worked for the County as District Attorney," she sighed, and Wade grinned.
"So, you were-"
"Yes, I was Tara Bluem, D.A. You happy now?" she finished his question for him, exasperated.
"So, 'we have no school, today,' correct? 'Did the teacher pass away?" he sang, remembering the song he'd learned back when he was four, and she thrust her arms up as if she were cheering.
"That's it!" Wade smiled, and Ms. Bluem looked at him, confused.
"You went to Middleton High, didn't you?"
She nodded.
"And, you were on the cheer squad your last three years, with Kim Possible, weren't you?"
"Yes, and…"
"Remember the computer in her locker?"
Ms. Bluem thought for a few moments, and then recognition.
"Wade?" she asked tentatively, and he nodded.
"In the flesh; and, you're Tara. You dated Ron, once or twice, before the cactus," Wade continued, and Tara giggled.
"You cut your hair," he observed, and she nodded, and looked at him in surprise.
"How did you remember that?"
"Hey, I was 14, and Kim was around high school cheerleaders all the time, and she had a Kimmunicator, so I watched practice…a lot," he grinned.
"You were incredible, Ms. Bluem," and she blushed. "That long, blonde mane was the subject of more than one guy's fantasies," and now, she blushed.
"Was yours one of them?" she smiled, and now it was Wade's turn to blush.
'It was!' She thought, and the thought of her and him danced in her mind for microseconds and then ran away.
"Do you have the information I requested, Dr. Load?"
"Wade, please."
"All right: Wade," she smiled again.
'Damn, she's still got it, even now,' Wade thought as he reached down and picked up his portfolio.
"Here are the paper copies of the multiple sets of DNA reports on Mom and Dad, from before their death and from the exhumation; the doctor's contact information is on the attached card, and she and several of her colleagues are willing to testify to the accuracy of today's DNA sampling, so I think we have a solid defense," Wade handed her the sealed envelopes. She checked the seals, confirming that Wade had not tampered with them by running a quick scan.
"Very good, Wade.
"Why do you think that these people decided to challenge your parents' will?" She queried, placing the folder on her desk.
"Money, plain and simple. Mom was worth, as far as the public knew, several million dollars by herself from her novels and royalties, and Dad's musical compositions were and are still legendary in the rock world, so these people are looking for a quick sting and run, hoping to collect as much as they can, as fast as they can.
"They were counting on the chance that I wouldn't want to have DNA exhumed so soon after their funeral; they didn't count on Mom and Dad's planning for every contingency.
"Like parents, like son," Tara said, and Wade smiled.
'She's still so beautiful…
'Forget it, Wade: she's got to be married!'
"I think we can knock this out with one phone call," Tara said as she reached for her BlueBerry. "Would you be willing to take a DNA exam, as well, and also file a countersuit for damages to your parents' reputation by their filings?"
"My DNA exam is in the sealed package, Tara; and, yes, let's take it to them," Wade grinned wickedly.
"Good," Tara replied. "Let's have some fun," and she looked up the number she was after, and dialed it on her desk unit and hit the speaker 'On' button.
"Law offices of Grabbitt, Enrun, Toking, Jamison, and Associates: how may I direct your call?"
"Good afternoon, Jamie: it's Tara. When are you going to leave those jerks and come to work for me? I'll make you a paralegal while you go and get your law degree."
"Tara! Hi; let me guess, you want Geordi Grabbitt, right?"
"You got it, Jamie: thanks."
"He's tied up at the moment: let me put you to the top of the list of incomings, and I'll go wake him up."
"Thanks, Jamie, and I'm serious about that offer."
"One sec, Tara," and the ubiquitous hold music came over the speaker, and Wade chuckled inwardly: the 'good-ol'-girl's network' still worked, even today.
Wade laughed.
Tara looked puzzled.
He pointed to the phone: "That's one of Dad's originals, from the 80s: somehow, it's poetic justice, don't you think?"
The music stopped, and a deep male voice came over the speaker
"Geordi Grabbitt, here. Good afternoon, Tara: what can I do for such a lovely young woman as you?"
"Not much, you lecherous old goat: unless you're planning to drop the lawsuit against my client, Dr. Wade Load, and his parents' estate. I've got DNA evidence and doctors lined up to testify as to the accuracy of the tests: your clients have zero case. I just sent the electronic/mobile-link to the information on the court servers to you on your BlueBerry for discovery.
"Drop the suit by close of business today, or tomorrow's headlines will have you sued for fraud, as well as them," Tara smiled a thin smile. "Your call, Geordi," and she delicately clicked the Off button.
Wade was impressed: she handled her cases like he handled his students: direct, and to the point.
"He'll have them withdraw the lawsuit," Tara said with confidence.
"Espresso, Dr. Load?" Scarlette came into the office with a coffee cart.
"Yes, please," Wade smiled as he watched Tara drink her espresso.
'Those lips…head in the game, Wade!'
Tara was watching Wade drink his espresso.
'Those hands are gorgeous, and that smile…watch out, Tara, that's what got you 'Bluemed,' remember?'
They sat as Scarlette left, then the intercom beeped almost immediately:
"Tara: it's Geordi: line 3."
"Thanks, Scarlette," and Tara clicked the flashing light on the phone.
"Geordi: what do you have for me?
"It'll be gone by close of business today, Tara. I just got off the phone with my clients, and in the face of the evidence they've chosen to drop the case."
"Good boy, Geordi: make sure they understand that, if my client even gets a whiff of them it's your ass I'm coming after, after theirs is sufficiently fried and fricasseed, understood?"
"Crystal, Tara."
"No, Crystal was on the cheer squad, Geordi. Later." She punched the button, and Wade noticed her hands for the first time.
'Look at those fingers: so long, so delicately and deliciously luscious….'
"…and we should have the papers for your signature in two days, Wade."
"Great! Thank you so much, Tara," Wade stood and extended his hand across the table, and Tara reached out to shake his hand.
'Was that static electricity?' She thought.
Wade had glanced around the room when he entered, and now he noticed the single 8.5x11 framed picture on her credenza with her and a little girl, both smiling.
He nodded in the direction of the credenza. "Forgive me for being forward, Tara, but I see one picture of you and your daughter: is there a Mr. Bluem? I remember that not being your name in high school."
"That's because there isn't one anymore, Wade: he ditched me for an auburn-headed floozy," and Tara thought about her and Ron, and then Kim re-establishing herself….
"Well, then, since I've been this forward, may I take you and your daughter to dinner to celebrate? I know a lovely little restaurant that I doubt you've tried since it just opened two days ago, but the buzz is that it's 'to die for.'" Wade smiled hopefully.
"Why, thank you, Wade; I'm afraid it'll only be me tonight: she's sleeping over with her friends in Pixie Scouts," Tara smiled as she came around the desk.
'About six feet tall, 200 pounds, most of it looks like muscle, those abs…whoa, Nellie! I'll bet they're as hard as…STOP IT GIRLFRIEND!'
"Very good, then. Shall I pick you up at, say, seven?"
"Come by here, Wade: I'm afraid I'll still be here until well after 6:30, working on another case," she opened her office door and watched him walk out.
'Buns…oh, my, and they're already toasted!'
"Not a problem, Tara: you don't have to change, anyway: you're beautiful just as you are."
'Did I just say that out loud?'
"Why, thank you, Wade: I don't get a lot of that lately, and I certainly didn't get it much at all when I was married," she walked him to the front door.
"Then, he must have been an idiot: for letting you go," Wade took her right hand, brushing his lips against it.
"Until this evening, then. We can catch up on all of the 'Kim stories' that aren't classified," Wade smiled.
'That smile: wow,' was all she could think as Wade walked out the door.
"'Black man, black man: carry me away!'" Scarlette sang when the door closed, and Tara turned, blushing.
"You're at least not watching TVTrashHeap anymore: you've upgraded," Tara noted, and Scarlette stuck her tongue out at her.
"He is a hunk, isn't he?" she grinned, and Tara smiled.
"He's a client, Scarlette, who I just happen to know from High School."
"You went to school with that, and you married Dick? Girl, you were touched in the head."
"I didn't go to high school with him. He already had his first PhD by the time he was 13.
"You didn't recognize him, did you?" and Scarlette shook her head.
"That's Wade Load, of Team Possible," and Scarlette gasped.
"That was THE Wade Load, and I didn't get an autograph? My son's gonna kill me!"
"Amp down, Scarlette: stick around this afternoon, and you can get one from him when he comes back:
"He's taking me to dinner to celebrate getting his parents' case tossed."
"And your daughter?"
"Sleepover at Megan's; Megan has the girls for Pixie Scouts at her house tonight to prep them for the weekend."
"So, Tara and her daughter both have sleepovers planned for tonight, eh?" Scarlette laughed as Tara tossed a brief at her from Scarlette's desk.
"I'm going back to my office, now," she wheeled and stormed back, Scarlette still laughing as Tara slammed the door, laughing after she closed it as she stepped back to her desk, sniffing and smiling when she recognized his cologne, lingering in her office.
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At precisely 6:48 PM MT, Tara looked out the front window for the 12th time.
Scarlette laughed…again as Tara turned away and stared at her.
"Tara, I've never see you like this, even when you were preparing your case for the State Supreme Court.
"Personally, I think it's cute," she added as Wade pulled up.
"GF, he's definitely got it goin' on," Scarlette exclaimed as she pointed out the window:
"He's driving a Panther, and it's the top-of-the-line, the Stealth, at that," Scarlette drooled as Wade stepped out of the car.
"Tara, that's one prime side of Texas beef you've got there," and they were laughing when Wade opened the door, wearing his tan BayDocs and a red BlazeIT! polo shirt. Scarlette stood behind the counter, pushing a pen and paper towards Wade as he stepped to the counter.
"Dr. Load? If it's not too much trouble, could I have your autograph? My son would kill me if I didn't get your autograph for him; his name's Alexander."
"Certainly, 'Miss Scarlette,'" and Tara laughed as Scarlette blushed while Wade signed a piece of paper.
"There: how's that?" He handed it to her, and she smiled.
'Alexander: live your dreams and no one can best you. Wade Load, Team Possible.'
"That's perfect, Dr. Load. Thank you," she gushed.
"No big, Scarlette," he replied, then extending his arm for Tara. "Are you ready, Barrister Bluem?"
"I am, indeed, sir," and Tara took his proffered arm, and they headed out the door.
"Don't wait up, 'Mommy.'" Tara called back, and she and Wade both laughed as Scarlette blew her a gigantic raspberry.
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Tara had already noticed the lack of a wedding ring.
"Kim told us about you and Joss getting together, Wade. So, did that ever happen?
"It never did, Tara," Wade replied, still watching the almost-nonexistent traffic for this time of day.
"What happened?" Tara asked, and Wade smiled.
"Stephen Michael Lopez, that's what, Tara," Wade smiled, but not without a twinge of regret on his face.
"Joss and I still see each other, as you can see by the shirt," he pointed at the logo. "The company is still thriving, but Stephen has her heart now. They've been married for the past eight years, and she's due with her second in the next two weeks: twins, in fact, this time," and Tara smiled knowingly at Wade's response.
"I'm their children's Godfather," he added.
"OK, Wade, that's enough BS."
"What do you mean?"
"I could tell when I mentioned her name that you still love her, right?"
"You got me, counselor," he smiled a sad smile.
"We just had too many things going against us, and not enough going for us. The distance distracted her, and the fact that I already had two doctorates was something that she never got comfortable with, no matter how hard I tried to convince her that, in love, it didn't matter. No matter how hard I tried…I finally had to 'fold 'em,' in the poker terms, and tell her good-bye.
"I think that that was, probably, the worst time in my life, Tara.
"So," Wade smiled and turned his head to glance at her. "What about you? I figured that you'd never be back here after you and Gerald got married," Tara was surprised that he knew her ex's name.
'I've certainly tried to forget it.'
"Well, I never figured I'd find my husband in bed with our daughter's nanny doin' the 'nasty,' either," Tara replied calmly, and Wade laughed as he pulled up to the stoplight.
"It was pretty funny later, but not when I found them, especially with their attire," Tara grinned.
"Attire?" Wade glanced at her, then started as the light turned 'green.'
"Yea: him in hers, and her in his."
"Oh - OH!" Wade grimaced.
"They looked happy, so I closed the door and waited until they finished and came out; then, I went in with my last two suitcases, packed my things, and left.
"Of course, while I was waiting for them, I packed our daughter's clothes and some of her toys and some of my other personal things and loaded the car, so I wasn't in there for very long.
"I had to admit, though: he had good legs, especially in his silk stockings: his legs looked better than mine," and Wade laughed even harder this time, joined by Tara.
"Here we are," he pulled up in front of a new building with no signage.
"What is this?" she asked, and he jumped out and went around and opened her door.
"Thank you, sir," she giggled as she stepped out.
'Oh, man: now I remember why I loved watching cheer practice: those legs…' Wade thought as Tara stood.
"This is a surprise, Tara: a real blast from your past."
"What's the name of the restaurant?" she asked as they stepped through the un-signed front door.
"Welcome to BonNed, may I- WADE!" the hostess screamed and dropped the menus, running over and hugging Wade.
"You made it! And, you brought a guest?" the hostess stared for a moment, then recognition washed over her face in a huge smile:
"TARA!" The hostess screamed again, and she struck a MHS cheer pose. "Go, Mad Dogs! Go, Go, Mad Dogs!"
"Bonnie? Is that you?" Tara ran and hugged the former MHS cheer co-captain.
"Tara, you look wonderful!"
"You certainly don't look bad yourself, Bonnie. Getting older only made you better, as opposed to some of us. Are - You're working here?" Tara looked confused, and Bonnie laughed.
"It's our place, silly," she replied as the head chef came out.
"I thought I heard a familiar squeal, so I came out of the kitchen to see if it was true:
"Hello, Tara," and Ned Rorem held out his hands, and Tara hugged him.
"Ned? You and Bonnie?"
"'Stranger things have happened,' Tara," Bonnie reached over and wrapped her arm around her husband's waist.
"I finally figured out why I always left Bueno Nacho with as much money, if not more, than I came in with: this wonderful man was paying for my meals every time I came in, out of his own pocket.
"I finally asked him why, and he told me that it was the least he could do to be that close to Heaven on a regular basis, just to be in the same room with me.
"How can you fight logic like that?" Bonnie laughed, and Ned pinched her arm and then grabbed her rear. She pulled her arm from his waist in a vain attempt to defend herself from his pinching and grabbing assault, giggling the entire time.
"We went out a couple of times in high school, but you all never knew; 'food chain,' you remember. In college, it didn't matter, and I fell in love with him. I was lucky: he was already head-over-heels in love with me.
"He proposed, I accepted and nearly gave Daddy a heart attack," Bonnie laughed. "Then, Daddy found out what even I didn't know:
"Ned was getting Naco royalties, too, for managing the store that created the Naco," she smiled. "They weren't as big as Ron's but they paid for his college and a few 'extras,'" she flashed her wedding ring, "so, after we got married and we both graduated: Ned with his BA and MBA, and me with my BA, we took his MBA thesis/business plan and started a small restaurant in Go City. We ran that restaurant for a few years, tweaking the menu and recipes, and then we decided to open the second one back here in Middleton: the demographics are great for the business, and the attendance these first two days has been wonderful!
"I thought about following Great-Uncle Ned, but I just couldn't write music near as well as he does," Ned grinned, and Bonnie grinned and hooked her arm, once again, around his waist. "Actually, I couldn't carry a tune in a Bueno Nacho Grande-size bag," Ned confessed, and Bonnie and Tara laughed
"And now, you're here, too!" Bonnie smiled, and she reached down and pinched Ned's rear.
"Want some 'rump roast,' Tara?" Bonnie smirked.
"I was thinking 'BonBons,' myself," Wade replied, straight-faced, and Ned roared as Bonnie blushed and he headed back into the kitchen.
"Let me get you two a table, T," Bonnie grabbed two menus and led them to a secluded table near the rear of the restaurant, away from the kitchen door.
"I'm glad you left that jerk," Bonnie whispered to Tara as Wade pulled out Tara's chair for her, then took his own and reached for a glass of water.
"We just got cross-ways with each other, and it didn't work," Tara replied in her normal voice, and Bonnie was luckily out of the line of fire as water shot out of Wade's mouth.
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"So, Wade, what's the theme here?"
"Eclectic 'mountain food,' Tara; Ned makes a mean buffalo chicken-fried steak; he has a jalapeno-induced cream gravy to go with it," Tara made chocking sounds, so Wade offered another suggestion. "You could try the 'Rocky Mountain Oysters,'" he said, straight-faced, but Tara crinkled her nose.
"I'm not eating those," Tara smiled, then broke up when Wade laughed so loud that patrons two tables over looked at him strangely.
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Tara decided on the "ladies' sirloin;" it was only 8 ounces; Wade went for the gusto: the buffalo chicken-fried steak, Grande-sized, and they shared the "exploding onion" as an appetizer. Wade offered, but Tara declined, wine, so they went with the BonNed special: a lemon/limeade mixture.
"So, Tara, your daughter?"
"Kathrine Elizabeth Bluem; I'm seriously considering changing her last name, especially since he's providing no support and only providing messes for me to clean up when she comes back from his visits," and then their food arrived. They each spent some time eating, not talking, but their eyes did surreptitiously glance at each other, then dropping back to their food when they each caught each other looking.
"I understand a father's rights better than anyone," Tara continued. "Heck, I've argued more cases for dads than moms in Middleton. But, you don't suggest to an 8-year-old that piercing body parts and multiple tattoos are the norm, especially when no kids in the school have any.
"It's just 'sick and wrong,'" she added, and Wade chuckled between bites of his onion.
"What?" Tara asked, and Wade swallowed.
"You've held onto your Ron-isms, I see," Wade smiled, and Tara just shrugged.
"What can I say, Wade?
"None of us knew back then, or really even suspected, what we know now: Ron is the ideal husband, the ideal father, the perfect man, for the entire cheer squad. I found out at Kim's bachelorette party that all of us had crushes on him at one time or another," Tara sighed, then grinned. "I think it must have been the ears; that, and Kim's stories about the 'falling pants,' she added, and Wade almost choked on his lemon/limeade.
"You girls are wicked," he replied, taking a cut of the last hunk of his chicken-fry.
"And, you never snuck a look at Kim, Wade?" and Wade stopped eating. "I remembered seeing the pictures of Kim and that supersuit," she grinned, "and there's no way you could have made that without taking some 'special measurements," she added, and Wade's smile gave him away.
"Don't tell Kim," he leaned forward, towards her, "but I had a full holographic model of Kim before her junior year, and the Kimmunicator gave me updates on a regular basis."
"A 'full' model, Wade?" Tara smirked as she took the last bite of her sirloin.
"A 'full model,' Tara: after all, I am a scientist, and accuracy is critical in all experiments," Tara laughed at Wade's excuse.
"What about me, Wade: did you ever create a 'full model' of me?" Tara asked.
"Oh, you don't know how much I wanted to, Tara," Wade confessed. "I just couldn't do it," he lowered his eyes.
Tara wanted to ask why he couldn't, but the waiter came over with the dessert menu; they both declined, settling instead for hot tea (for him) and coffee (for her).
"Tara, I've had fun this evening, and I would like to see you again, socially," and Tara smiled inside. "Would you consider seeing me again?"
"Wade, you're the first man I've been out with since Richard, and you've treated me way better than he ever did." She stopped, took a deep breath, and continued. "I have to ask, before we go any further: how do you feel about kids? My daughter is the most important thing to me, right now." She set her coffee cup down after draining it.
"I love kids, Tara; I tutor students and help out at MHS and both middle schools when I'm not teaching at the MIST," and they looked at each other and laughed at the same time:
"Barkin!"
Tara laughed, but her laugh had a feeling in it.
'I could enjoy being treated like this,' she thought as Wade stood and came over, pulling her chair back.
'I could really get used to this,' she thought as he held the door open for her as they left the restaurant, and as he opened her car door.
'I could really, really get used to this,' she thought as he pulled up to her office, and he left the car and opened his car's door for her. After she got out, he took her keys and opened her vehicle door for her.
"Wade, I had a wonderful time: thank you," and she brushed his cheek with her lips and stepped into her Gourd Wilderness, taking the keys from his hand.
'I'll never wash that cheek again,' Wade thought as he put his hand up to his face and pulled back a hint of pale red lipstick after she closed her door and started her vehicle, backing away and driving off.
'Head in the game, Wade!' he shook his head several times, then walked back to his Panther and got in. He sniffed, and her perfume was still in the car. It was subtle, yet sensual.
'Could it be?' he asked himself as he pulled into traffic.
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"Tara, you're in love," Scarlette stated categorically as Tara walked in the office door.
"What happened to 'Good Morning, Boss,'" Tara asked, pouting as she looked over the counter at Scarlette, who by now was on her second large cup of coffee, even by 7:45 AM.
"Good morning, Boss, and you're head over heels in love with him, aren't you?"
"He's wonderful," she replied dreamily as she turned and walked towards and into her own office, Scarlette following right behind her into the inner sanctum with today's load of work.
"We've been out so many times over the last three months, I've lost track; but, he's never been anything but a gentleman to both me and Kathrine."
"How is he with her, Tara?" Scarlette asked as she placed the stack of folders on Tara's desk. Tara grimaced, and Scarlette smiled and held up the flash drive with the same information on it and reached over to Tara's BlueBerry, plugging it in as Tara mouthed "Bless You, My Child."
"They're great together; I honestly didn't know what Kathrine would say or how she'd react, but we talked after she first met him. The only thing she wanted to know was if I loved him and if he loved me. When I told her that I knew my answer, and I thought his answer, were both a resounding 'YES,' she wanted to know one thing: What the heck was I Waiting For?
"'Mom,' she said with her arms crosses over her chest, 'so, he's African-American: this is the 21st century, Mom: that shouldn't matter to you: it certainly doesn't matter to me. Heck, most of my friends who have both parents have at least one of a different ethnicity: I guess I'm lucky we live here in Middleton, and the Space Center has attracted so many brilliant minds that aren't worried about the petty items like skin color.
"'Love is all you need,' Mom," she sang to me, then giggled: "See: I've even been listening to Graddad's 'oldies;' the ones that are coming back again, at least," she kissed my cheek and bounded out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs."
"'Out of the mouth of babes,'" Scarlette mused, and Tara nodded.
"And, tonight?" Scarlette asked.
"He's coming over to the house and having dinner with us tonight."
"What does she think about this, T?"
"I haven't told him, but she loves the idea for several reasons, the first being that she can get guaranteed tutoring for Algebra in a couple of years," Tara replied, and Scarlette laughed with Tara.
"She likes the idea of having a father that loves her mother, and, more importantly, I think my daughter has a 'little girl' crush on him."
"Oooo, now that could end up as a, how you used to say, a 'sick and wrong' sitch."
"It's just one of those crushes like we had at her age: good for a solid two days before then next one comes along. You remember those, don't you, Scarlette?" Tara laughed as Scarlette turned scarlet.
"Let's get to work; who's on, first?" Tara asked, and they got into the day, but Tara's mind would occasionally wander over to Wade and his smile.
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Wade got out of the car, the flowers in his now-moist hand along with his small duffel bag. This was his third time here, and he was still more than a bit nervous.
'Why am I so nervous?' he asked himself one last time as he walked up the sidewalk to the front door. 'Mainly because of her, and likely because of what's in the bag,' he thought with a grin, and then he laughed out loud.
Tara had been doing some home upgrades, and she had upgraded her home entryway. She now had twin front doors with frosted glass side panels, and the entry now had two huge antique brass items, one on each door.
'What a set of knockers,' he laughed to himself. 'Only Tara would have done that,' he thought as he reached up and pressed the doorbell, noticing a shadow move behind the frosted glass.
The door opened, and two ladies stood, framed in the light coming though the door, smiling at him.
"I've died and gone to Heaven," Wade clutched his heart, and both ladies giggled.
Tara had been letting her hair grow over the past few weeks, and it was now a bit past shoulder length, her full blonde hair framing her face. She wore a simple blue skirt and white blouse, but the blouse was silk, clinging to every portion of her body, and the skirt was a light material, nowhere near her knees. She had what had to be two-inch heels, and they made her calves look even lovelier to Wade.
Kathrine was a miniature version of her mother in the face, only with long, almost abaddon-black hair instead of the blonde, as full as Wade remembered Tara's was when she was in high school. She was a beautiful 11-year-old, and her smile lit the porch. She had dressed up, too, and she wore the blue BlazerIT! shirt that he had given her along with a blue-and-white pleated skirt rather then her usual jeans and tee.
"Hello, Wade," Tara's smile grabbed Wade's heart and stopped it, then slammed into it twice to restart it.
"Good evening, ladies. Tara, these are for you," and he handed her a bundle of 18 red roses. "And, Kathrine, these are for you," and Wade handed her 11 yellow roses. "For your age, and the birthday I missed," and Kathrine beamed.
"Oooh, they're pretty! Mommy, can I put these in water?" Kathrine asked, and Tara nodded.
"Thank you, Wade," she called as she bolted towards the kitchen.
"They're lovely, Wade," Tara leaned forward and kissed him. "Thank you, love," as he walked into the house and she closed the door.
"Thank you, Tara, for inviting me for a home-cooked meal tonight. Kathrine's almost as lovely as her mother," and Tara pink'ed. "Now, I understand James Possible and his 'black hole probe' idea," they both laughed as they walked into the kitchen, chatting.
"I can one-up James, though," Wade chuckled as they entered the kitchen.
"How's that?"
"I've got access to satellite real-time feeds, and I've done work for DOD and GJ on 'special' weapons systems, and that doesn't even include the Team Possible training I received from Kim," and he rubbed his backside, remembering the number of times it had slammed onto the mats as she counted 'coup' on him, "or my throwing knives, so I think I've got Kathrine's future BFs taken care of."
Tara grimaced and grinned, and Kathrine, from the kitchen entry, stuck her tongue out at Wade and blew him a gigantic raspberry, much to Wade' delight at both reactions.
"Kathrine, you're finishing the fifth grade, correct?"
"Yes," Tara replied before she could talk, "but she's moving to the sixth grade in the fall, and she's already reading and handling math at the eight-grade level."
"Smart, like her mother," Wade smiled, then laughed as Kathrine held her hands in a halo form over her head.
Wade held the first vase as Tara added water, then trimmed the roses and placed them into Kathrine's vase, and then did the same for hers.
"I hope you like red snapper, Wade," Tara grinned: she remembered the stories that Wade had told her of Ron and Dr. Director and her snapper-fetish.
"Anything I can do to help?" Wade asked. "I'm pretty handy around the kitchen."
"Mommy, he cooks, and he brings flowers," Kathrine stuck her head around the door, roses-in-vase in hand. "Can we keep him?" she laughed as she headed up the stairs to her room.
"Well, Tara, I think I passed another test of the 'daughter approval system,'" Wade laughed as Tara handed him salad greens and pointed him to the cabinet where the plates were hiding.
'You've passed every test with flying colors, you wonderful man, you,' Tara thought as she sliced Roma tomatoes, blushing a bit as she looked at him in his fitted shirt. 'Joss, it's your loss!'
Wade sniffed, then smiled. 'Fish is ready," he announced as Tara opened the oven door and pulled out the broiled fillets.
-----
"Dinner was wonderful, and the company was exquisite,' Wade thought as he helped Kathrine with the dishes.
"Wade, have you ever been married?" She asked, and Wade shook his head.
"Have you ever been in love?"
"KATHRINE!"
"That's all right, Tara. Yes, Kathrine, I have been in love before. I loved Kim and still do, but in a different way: she was, and still is, a very dear friend who has stuck by me all these years.
"I loved Joss, but things just didn't work out for us."
"Was Kim your first love?" Kathrine asked.
"No, that was Stephanie: I was nine, and she was 17, but she pulled my heart strings."
"What happened to her?"
"She's teaching in DC now, at Georgetown, when she's not contracting for Global Justice."
"And, let me guess," Kathrine grinned. "All three were redheads, right?" and Tara grinned and waited for that answer.
"Guilty as charged, Kathrine," he handed her another glass, and she placed it in the cabinet.
"You've experimented enough, don't you think?" Kathrine asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, three redheads, no 'forever love:' sounds to me like you need to change hair colors," she placed the last glass in the cabinet and closed it.
"I'm going to go watch TV: there's an excellent documentary coming on that I wanted to watch," Kathrine walked up to Wade and kissed his cheek. "Thanks again for the roses; I hope you and Mom have 'fun' in the hot tub tonight," She turned and walked out, but stopped as she reached the door and turned back, facing the two adults.
"I most heartily approve, Mom: good catch," she winked and bounded up the stairs, leaving a blushing mother and a confused Wade: confused only because he hadn't expected her response to be…well, so exuberant or vocal.
"Ready?" her voice broke his thoughts, and he turned.
"Hot tub?" she asked, and he nodded, pointing towards his bag in the other room.
"Guest bath, or upstairs?" he asked, and she pointed to the guest bath.
"See you in a few, Wade," she kissed him and headed down the hall.
He watched as she walked away. She looked over her shoulder, smiled, and exaggerated her walk down the hall.
Wade enjoyed the view.
He headed to the guest bathroom after going outside and starting the hot tub.
-----
Wade walked out of the guest bath wearing his swimsuit and his robe, a towel around his neck, and headed out to the hot tub.
He was not disappointed.
Tara was sitting on the edge of the hot tub, lounging back, and Wade felt he could look at her forever, her figure now burned into his memory.
She had grown from a cute teenager into a beautiful, vivacious woman, Wade thought, and he heartily approved of the transformation: 'I could live with her for the rest of my life,' he thought with a smile as he cleared his throat to get her attention.
She turned her head and looked over at him, and her heart fluttered.
'Wade's gone from that pudgy kid in Kim's locker computer to a man: a man who deserves love, more than anyone I know.
'I think I'm the one to give him that love: I know Kathrine thinks so, and she really likes him, almost as much as he likes her.
'This is the one, Tara. He's the one, with the body, mind, and spirit,' and she giggled inside as her removed his robe and her eyes moved down to his abs.
'Just look at those abs: that's better than a King-Aire grill, and I could cook on those abs, especially with all that beef!
'And, he loves me, like I've never been loved before…'
She stood, and stepped down into the hot tub.
Wade walked over, up the steps, and then down into the water next to her.
"It's perfect," he sighed as he sat.
'Yes, you are,' Tara thought, and Wade smiled.
"Thank you, Tara."
"Did I say that out loud?" She blushed, still visible in the outdoor lights.
"Yes, you did, and that's all right: I was thinking the same thing about you in that bikini: That's better than the one Kim wore at the swimming hole in Montana, remember?"
She moved her foot over and found his leg, running it up and down.
"I love you, Tara Bluem," Wade smiled, and her heart sang.
"I love you, too, Wade," she replied, but he held up his hand.
"No, Tara, that's not what I mean," she looked perplexed.
"From the day I walked into your office, you've occupied my thoughts. My students have laughed because I've become 'The Absent-Minded Wade,' and you're the cause," he smiled as he reached for her hand.
"You're in my thoughts, my dreams-"
"Like you've been in mine, Wade," she jumped in, and he looked up, surprised.
"Oh, yes, Doctor Load, I've had some very vivid fantasies about you," and he grinned.
"Me, too," he blushed. "There was that particular one about you and the guacamole dip…but that's not important," he added as she laughed and blushed at the same time.
"What is important, Tara, is that I love you, and I love Kathrine, and I think she just gave me her blessing after dinner; that, and instructions," he said as he reached down into his swim trunks.
"WADE!"
He pulled a plastic-bagged box out of the pocket and opened the bag, pulling the box out.
Tara's brilliant blue eyes began to grow.
He placed the bag on the deck and opened the box, revealing the diamond and sapphire engagement ring.
"This was my mother's ring, Tara, and I can't think of a better hand to see it on than yours.
"Tara," he looked into her blues, "will you marry me?"
"OF COURSE I WILL, YOU IDIOT!" she sloshed to him and hugged him, kissing him as he tried to put the ring on her finger.
"Hold still, Tara," he finally got her attention, and she extended her hand as he slipped the ring on her finger. She looked at the ring, looked at Wade, and then kissed him passionately.
When they finally separated, she sat back down on the seat next to him in the tub and ran her foot up Wade's leg again.
"Pretty proud of yourself, aren't you?" she smirked, and his grin answered her question.
She reached down up and removed her bikini top underwater, letting it float to the top of the water as she sank lower in the water. Wade's eyes grew as she sank, then the smile was burned onto his face as he watched her; only her head and magnificent shoulders and collarbone were visible to him above the water, her hair floating on the water like gossamer wings around her head.
"I have to be the luckiest man on the planet," he commented to the air, then looked directly into her eyes, "even if you are the world's biggest tease," he complained.
Tara moved her hand underwater and-
"I guess it is true," she smiled as she squeezed.
She looked into his eyes and saw a wicked gleam forming.
"Tara," he smiled, looking downward, "darling, that's my arm," and the raucous laughter caused Kathrine to open her bedroom window and look down, watching the outline of her mom and her future dad embracing and kissing in the hot tub.
"Jeez, you'd think they'd at least get a room," she groused as she stuck her head back in her room, closed the window, and, then threw her fist into the air and Ron'ned:
"BOOYAH!"
-----
"Kim, here's a letter from Wade," Ron said as he thumbed through the stack of mail.
Kim took the letter from Ron and squealed in delight.
"Joss, here's a letter from Wade," Stephen said as he thumbed through the stack of envelopes.
Joss took the letter from Stephen, grinned, and shouted "Snakeskins!"
"Bonnie, there's a letter here from Wade and Tara," Ned smiled as he handed the letter to her.
Bonnie took the letter from Stephen and jumped for joy: she could tell, by the thickness and shape, what it was before she opened it.
"Sarah, there's a letter from Wade-" Sarah Janine Best-Design snatched the envelope from her husband's hands.
Sarah had been waiting for this envelope, and she eagerly and carefully opened it. She glanced at the card and smiled.
"Steph, this is addressed to you," her secretary handed her the envelope. "It's from a Dr. Wade Load in Middleton."
Stephanie took the letter from Jason and smiled.
Scarlette picked up the mail off the counter and thumbed though it, grinning when she saw the addressor's name.
'He finally DID IT!' all of the women thought after they carefully ripped the envelope open and removed the contents.
-----
The large card enclosed read:
Miss Kathrine Elizabeth Bluem is pleased to announce the joining in matrimony of
Dr. Wade Agamemnon Load
and
Mom, a.k.a. Ms Tara Strong Bluem.
Kathrine requests your presence at their ceremony.
Saturday, September 2, 2024, at 2:00 PM MT,
at the home of Dr. Wade Load.
RSVP to the Team Possible website.
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Inserted in each envelope were personal notes, addressed to the individuals to whom the invitations were addressed.
-----
Kim and Ron:
I finally decided to give blonde a try, and it worked!
Love you both, and we couldn't have a wedding without you.
Wade.
Ron:
I'll never forget you.
Will you walk me down the aisle?
Love, T.
-----
Sweet Tea:
You'll always be in my heart, because that 'swimming hole time' really paid off for both of us: thanks! I've got the sparkling grape juice chilling just for you, my juice lush, so come and watch me get as happy as you!
(almost) All my love, Wade.
Joss:
He's mine now, so NO TOUCHEE MY HUSBAND!
Thanks for being there for him all these years.
Love ya, Tara Bluem (soon to be Tara Load!)
-----
Ned:
Bring 'BonBons' to the wedding, and thank you for the dinner that started Tara down the path to her senses.
WL.
Bonnie:
You were right: I finally followed my heart.
Love this younger man, and I'm especially fond of rich, dark chocolate now!
Love, T.
-----
Chip:
I wasn't as lucky as you were, but I finally found my dream. Thanks for being such a good friend.
WL.
Hey, gorgeous!
So, I'm slow: give me a break!
I finally found 'A man like yours,' Sarah, and I'm not letting him go! So, he was next door to you through high school: no one ever told me!
Could use someone beside me when I do it this time, and I'd love for it to be you.
Let me know, S.
Love, T.
-----
Steph/Simon:
I finally found my 'Steph' replacement, and I've never been happier. Hope you can come.
Love , W.
Stephanie:
Whatever you taught him Stephanie, thank you: He's an amazing man, and now he's mine!
Hope you two can come so I can meet you both and thank you.
Love, Tara Bluem (soon to be Load!)
-----
M/M Hairaigh:
Look forward to seeing you all.
And, Miss Scarlette, thanks for giving a damn.
Love, Wade Load.
Scarlette:
Thanks for the push: It's twue! It's twue!
Love, T (the, now, forever-smiling boss!).
-----
Sarah was finally able to meet Stephanie, and the two ladies marveled at their similarities in backgrounds and experiences with Wade. Stephanie begged off, having promised Tara to see her before the wedding ceremony.
Before she found her husband, Sarah found Ron, standing in the kitchen. He saw her and smiled, then stepped over and gave her a big hug.
"How'ya doing, Sarah?"
"Just great, Ron: How's Z?"
"Same ol', same ol," he replied, a slight grin crossing his face different than anything else he's done all day.
"Have you reached the next level?"
"Last year," she replied, and he bowed. She bowed in return.
"You're still one ahead of me," he pouted.
"Always, Ronster, always," and she kissed his cheek and bounded away.
Sarah then found her husband, talking to Stephen, and they were also comparing Wade stories. She sighed and found a seat for a moment, next to Monique and her husband, Josh Mankey. The two artistic mavens, one of them doing it as an avocation, were having fun discussing the different pairings that were coming in, several people they hadn't seen in years. They were also talking about the background music, also telling Motherboard stories.
Sarah had already laughed at the background music playing when Chip they had walked in the door: it was his 'Motherboards' oldies were playing, and she had looped her arm in his when she heard him come on and begin singing 'A Woman Like You' and then smiling even bigger when he vamped on the recording and moved into 'Deeper Blue.'
"Wade asked, dear, and I couldn't say no," Chip explained, and Sarah rewarded him with a kiss.
Sarah left to get ready, and Monique chuckled as she saw Jim and Tim Possible enter, both so tall and distinguished after all of the grief they had given Kim as they grew up: the idea of both of them now as criminal court judges seemed incongruous, yet somehow fitting. Doctor Justine Flanner-LeBlanc had even come over from Paris, where she and her husband were conducting research on the newest disease that had struck Europe by surprise and was taking lives in ever-growing numbers. Mike Cotton was the new Middleton North Middle School principal, and his students were already describing him as 'Barkin-2: the first time was only a warning," a reference that made Steve Barkin light up with pride.
Monique has seen Wade and Joss talking, away from everyone, and she saw the tears in Joss' eyes, but they proved to be tears of joy as she hugged Wade and kissed him, then turned and walked away smiling.
Monique had slipped the note to Wade and nodded, but Wade didn't let her go that easily: he grabbed her and hugged her, then shocked her by kissing her on the lips.
"Thank you, Mon," he had smiled and hugged her a second time, slipping the note into his inside tuxedo jacket pocket.
"'No big,' Wade," she replied, and they had laughed and hugged once more before he had gone back into the room to wait.
Monique and Josh looked up as they heard the door open, and the minister, Wade, Chip, Ned, Stephen Michael Lopez (she'd met him the previous day and laughingly chastised him for keeping Joss busy with babies), and Tim Possible come in to stand.
Kim slipped in and sat next to Josh, reaching around him to hug Monique.
"Babysitter issues," Kim whispered.
"And, that's a surprise, considering it's your child?" Monique snarked back, and Josh laughed as Kim blushed.
Kathrine had come in as the flower girl, scattering yellow and red rose petals along the way. She walked up to Wade and tossed a handful over Wade's head, and the guests all laughed as Wade grinned and gave her a big hug, saying something that caused her to hug him even more.
The bridesmaids came in: Jessica Aurom, Tim's latest supermodel/date, Joss Possible-Lopez, and Bonnie Rorem.
Sarah came in as the maid of honor, and Monique couldn't help but chuckle as she passed: her dress was a lovely lavender color, but Sarah had pinned a very small yet tasteful blue ribbon to the lower right hem of her dress.
The Wedding March began, played by the string quartet, and Tara stepped into view. Ron offered his arm to her and began to escort her down the aisle.
Tara had really planned to go with a simple white dress, but Wade said it was his first and last wedding, and he wanted his bride to be as beautiful to everyone else as she was to him; 'go and get your dream dress,' he told Tara, and she kissed him and took his guidance.
The bottom was a rich bridal satin with a small beaded and lace train, and the top was adorned with seed beads and silver stitching on the front and tool eyelets in a V-pattern on the front, designed to present the bride in the best manner possible. The two thin straps holding the dress accentuated Tara's shoulders. As she walked by, Monique noticed that the back was all hand-beaded straps. It definitely caught the eye.
But, the most brilliant thing was not Tara's dress: it was Tara's smile: The smile could have powered Middleton for several months, and it continued to shine as she stopped in front of Wade,
"Dearly Beloved," and the ceremony began…
Wade had asked Tara, and she had readily agreed, to having Wade's cousin and some of his friends perform Wade's mom's favorite song, and the quartet began to sing, a capella, the old spiritual "Wade in the Water." Tara saw the tears form in Wade's eyes, and she realized that she had some forming, as well. She reached over and took his hand, and they smiled at each other, both knowing that Ryan and Rachel were looking down on them and enjoying their son's happiness….
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride, Dr. Load," and Wade wasted no time kissing Tara hungrily as the guests and the wedding party all applauded.
When they separated, Wade held up his hand for silence, and the sound vanished almost immediately.
"Tara and I have one more announcement to make:
"Thanks to the magnificent and miraculous efforts of The Honorable Justice Monique Mankey," Monique grinned as people turned and looked at her, "we have, what I would consider, the best news of the day.
"I would like to introduce to you, for the first time anywhere, our daughter, Kathrine Elizabeth Load," and Kathrine stepped over to even more applause when Wade motioned to her.
"We're a family now, in love, and officially," Tara and Wade said together, and Kathrine grinned.
"Let's go party, everybody!" Wade announced as he offered one arm to his bride and the other to his new daughter, and the three of them went down the aisle, escorted by applause, and headed for the reception and the future.
-----
Author's afterward:
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Several fellow writers and readers, including, but not limited to, CajunBear73, JAKT, King in Yellow, Pharaoh Rutin Tutin, Sir Sebastian, Star-Eva01, and Slyrr for virtual beta'ing me over the past week or two as I slammed them with multiple passes at different ideas for sections of this story.
Sir Sebastian, for asking me to write something that didn't make him cry in every page. Double-S, hope this hit the mark.
To KT, of JAKT, and pinkymint: thank you ever so much for the extra-special gift that you each gave me for this story. Megan and Kathrine say thank you, as well….
KT, of the writing duo JAKT, provided me with the inspiration and ideas for Tara's daughter Kathrine Elizabeth Bluem. Thanks, KT: It's YOU who rocks!
Thanks, guys: I can only hope I've he helped you as much as you have helped me.
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What all is used in this story? We have and eclectic mix, not unlike the menu at BonNed's:
The classic movie, Gone with the Wind (you couldn't have Tara without it, or Miss Scarlette O. Hairaigh)
The children's song "Tra-La-La Boom, de ay" (I grew up with it as Ta-Ra-Ra, so it worked for me);
References to the television shows "Star Trek: TNG" and "Designing Women;"
A reference to an amazing 20th century American composer Ned Rorem, used with great respect (I'm a huge fan of his!);
A quick reference to Abbott and Costello; and
references to two of Mel Brooks': Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles (complete with a deleted line from the movie).
This doesn't include the various references to characters in other KP FanFiction stories of mine and as well as work of JAKT, for whom I thank profusely for their amazing skills and talents.
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Address all complaints to Zaratan at XXX-XXX-XXXX (phone number black-out authorized by CSIS – if you don't know who they are, you're safe); this contest was his idea.
Address all good reviews to me.
Seriously, PM or email me (sorry, no Kimmunicator or PosComm) if you have any questions or comments that cannot be included in a review.
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Next, on If lovin' you is wrong….
Chapter 4: Scarlet Innocence: the death of Kim Possible.
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Thanks again for reading, and please review.
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