Second Chances
Conner, Kira, and Ethan filed into Hayley's late the next morning. If it weren't for the fact that the redheaded proprietor and genius had called Kira and told her to bring both guys, Conner wouldn't have wanted the former blue ranger along on he and Kira's outing. But Kira reported that Hayley had said it was an urgent matter concerning Dr. O, and the red ranger couldn't exactly complain about Ethan's presence.
The trio walked into the café to see Tommy taking a deep sip from a coffee cup emblazoned with the Hayley's Cyberspace logo. His glasses were folded on the table, his warm brown eyes bloodshot, and his clothes disheveled. Hayley was in the chair next to him, looking sympathetic and occasionally patting Tommy's arm gingerly.
"Whoa, Dr. O. You look like death warmed over. What happened to you?" demanded Ethan, plopping himself down in a third seat. Hayley sent a glare towards him.
"Jason is dead," Tommy choked out.
"Your best friend," Kira clarified. 'I'm sorry, Dr. O."
"You mean the one who stole that babe from you?" asked Conner. Kira smacked his arm, her tawny eyes narrowed at her friend.
"Have a little respect, Conner. The guy was the first red ranger on earth, a friend of Dr. O's and you're talking about him being married to Dr. O's ex."
"Sorry," mumbled Conner sheepishly. He thought for a moment. "Does Jason being…well…dead, have anything to do with Kim and those kids being here yesterday?"
All Tommy could manage was a nod. "They had a fight and he got into an accident."
"Poor kids," said Kira. "What are they gonna do?"
"Move here. They're staying with me for awhile, just until Kim finds an apartment or a little house to rent."
Under other circumstances Conner would have made a little joke about Kim and Tommy getting it on. But the lost sort of look on his mentor's face was an indication that he should definitely hold his tongue.
"I just need to lean on the four of you," continued Tommy, looking at each of them in turn. "Me and Kim both do, even if she doesn't know you. It's what being a ranger is really about. It's going to be hectic here, even more so than when Mesagog was terrorizing the city."
His companions nodded. "Of course," said Hayley. "You should have Kim come down so we can get introduced properly. If we're going to be doing our best to help you two out, we might as well be real friends and not just acquaintances."
"I will," promised Tommy, rubbing the creases in his forehead. "But not today. She's trying to break the news to her kids right now."
A moment of silence passed over the five. From inside of her purse, Kira's phone chimed loudly. "Sorry," said Kira as she pulled out her silver phone. "I'll take it outside."
The former yellow ranger pressed the phone to her ear and headed out again, pausing briefly to send a sympathetic look at Tommy. "Hello," she answered as she stepped out onto the light gray sidewalk. She fell silent as her agent's flamboyant voice broke out cheerfully.
"Kira babe, glad I caught you," said Chris Parker. "Look, I got a call from that Reefside station KREF. The local listeners out there in your hometown are totally in love with your single. The management is simply begging you to do an autograph session at the Reefside mall. I told them that you would love to."
Kira forced herself not to sigh. She was far too tired for an autograph signing session right now, and she'd much rather be catching up with her friends or trying to help Dr. O out with Kim. "When exactly do I have to do this, Chris?"
"Tomorrow morning at ten, doll. You're supposed to meet a Samantha at the fountain in the middle of the mall. I'm sure you know where it is. And remember, it's all publicity! Ciao, darling." Chris had hung up before Kira could even protest. She let out a sigh pf frustration. This was supposed to be her summer, not the record label's.
"Everything alright, Kir?" came Conner's voice in a soft question. Her red ranger approached her almost cautiously, as if he were certain she was about to explode on him.
She shook her head, her loose honey brown waves swinging around her face. "Not exactly," she answered in his same soft tone. "That was my agent. I have to go sign a bunch of autographs for some ten year olds at the mall tomorrow."
Conner winced. "That sounds painfully boring," he mused. "But you know what they say, the price of fame and all that…"
"I know that I shouldn't complain. I have a great label and an agent who really knows the business. But it's just that I've worked so hard on this debut CD, the music video is finished shooting and it's all being wrapped up. The CD isn't out until the end of August, but all they're doing is some last minute stuff. They don't need me right now; I'm supposed to be on vacation."
Conner scrubbed a hand through his shaggy chocolate locks. "Well, I think I know a way to make this tortuous activity a little better," he said after a moment. "I could go with you. And then we could go eat some undercooked hot dogs from the food court and make fun of Ethan when we see him come out of the gamer store carrying a bunch of anime stuff…come on, it'll be fun."
Kira managed a smile. "I'd like that, Con. But I'm sure you have something much better to do than hang around watching me write my name over and over again."
"Yeah," agreed Conner, "But you would do the same for me."
"Have I told you lately that I adore you, Conner?" asked the former yellow ranger. She grinned hugely and swooped in and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll come get you so you can talk me into actually going and not ditching."
Conner beamed back at Kira. "Sounds good. I'll see you then. Ethan's dragging me off to look at video games. I owe him a favor for looking over my term paper for me."
Kira chuckled lightly. "Have fun. Catch you later, Conner." She hugged him to her and headed off to her car, waving as she went. Conner watched her drive away from him for the second time in two days and forced himself to stop staring after her. At least he'd have tomorrow to hang around with her, just the two of them.
And a bunch of screaming fans.
