The next few weeks were really rough on Caroline. She was having trouble with buying groceries and having enough money at the of the month to pay bills. While Tommy and Kimberly were at school Jan and Caroline had a chat.
"I'm having trouble making ends meets," explained Caroline. "And I've just been laid off from work. I don't know how I'm going to pay bills and buy Kimberly the things that she needs."
"You can move in with us," smiled Jan. "I was going to have a talk with you about this any way. James has just found out that he'll have to have transfer for his job. He is a pharmacist at the hospital. However, they've laid him off too. He's been offered at job in Los Angles. James is going to have to leave Seattle at the end of the month."
"How does Tommy feel about this?" asked Caroline.
"He isn't taking it well at all," warned Jan. "As soon as he found out, he had a melt down. He said he wasn't going without Kimberly. I told him that I'd have talk with you about this. Tommy already knows that we've already offered to let you and Kimberly move in with us. We've been friends our whole life."
"When can we move in?" Caroline.
"We'll start this weekend," smiled Jan.
They heard the bus stop at the house. Tommy and Kimberly were getting off the bus and were headed to the Oliver house. Jan noticed that they were holding hands, when she came to the door to let them in.
"Mom, we've come up with an agreement," declared Tommy.
"Caroline and I have came up with an agreement too," smiled Jan.
"Kimberly and I have decided that we are always going to be together no matter what. When I told her about us leaving at the end of the month. Do you know what she did when I told her?" asked Tommy.
"I have no idea," answered Jan.
"She cried," Tommy said angrily. "So, we've decided that we're going to run away together."
"Where will you go?" asked Caroline.
"We haven't decided yet," answered Kimberly. "We're going to pack our things and go."
"You both won't be small forever," warned Jan. "You'll out grow your clothes and need clothes. Neither one of you will stay little for ever. You'll both need food, water, and shelter. What will you do for clothes, food, water, and shelter. Have you two decided what you will do?"
"Yes, we have!" declared Tommy. "We've decided that we'll live in the wilderness and find a cave to live in. We'll pick fruit from trees and get water from the stream."
"Have you decided to what you'll do about clothes?" asked Jan. "You're going to out grow all your clothes won't have nothing to wear."
"Mom, Kimberly and I realize that," answered Tommy. "We've decided when we out grow all our clothes we'll find things to make clothes out off. I've seen in Hawaii that people wear grass skirts. The boys only wear a grass skirt and the girls wear a grass skirt and small top. That's what we'll wear."
"What if you can't find any of those things?" asked Jan. "What will you do then? Have you two thought about that?"
"Yes, we have!" answered Kimberly. "We talked about that today."
"Kim and I decided if we can't find anything to make clothes out of, we'll do without clothes," declared Tommy.
"You'll get cold in the winter months," warned Jan. "What will you do to keep warm?"
"I'll find sticks and build a fire," smiled Tommy. "If not, we'll make do."
"You'll get lonely living in a cave," interrupted Caroline. "You'll only have each other."
"We realize that and are okay with it," stated Kimberly. "We're staying together no matter what. I love Tommy."
"And I love Kimberly," added Tommy.
"Let us tell you what we've decided," interrupted Jan. "Caroline and I were talking. She said she was having trouble being a single parent. You remember Caroline telling you that there was a possibility that they could be moving in with us."
"I remember," answered Tommy.
"Well, they are moving in with us," smiled Jan.
"Does that mean I get to keep her?" asked Tommy.
"Yes, you she's going to be coming with us," answered Jan. "Are you happy now? Are you still going to run away?"
"I'm thrilled that she's going," gasped Tommy.
"No we aren't running away," promised Kimberly. "Since we'll be together there's no point in it now."
The two children went up to Tommy's room. Both mothers were relieved that their children weren't going to run away. They both knew that Tommy and Kimberly really would run away if that was they only way they could stay together.
"They love each other so much," smiled Jan.
"He's my daughter best friend," answered Caroline. "And as much as I hate to say it, he's the only friend she has. But, I'm glad that she at least has Tommy. She told me the other day she is going to marry Tommy."
"I know," answered Jan. "Tommy came home from school last week told me the same thing. Even though they are seven, they are serious about each other. If you know what's good for you, you won't even try to separate them. I'm going up to Tommy's room to check on the kids."
Jan walked up to Tommy's room. She opened the door and saw Tommy was wearing his black suit, a white shirt, and a green tie. Kimberly was wearing a pink dress.
"What are you all doing?" asked Jan.
"We're practicing getting married," smiled Kimberly. "It's going to happen in the next several years. So, we've decided to start planning our wedding now."
Jan walked out of the room and let them have their pretend weddings. She pictured what their wedding would be like several years from now. Jan pictured Tommy being tall and his hair being pulled back in a pony tail. He was in a black suit, a white shirt, and a green tie. She pictured Kimberly being beautiful and petite. Kimberly had her hair in bun and she was wearing a fancy pink gown.