Tenisha drove Kimberly home after her doctor's appointment. Tenisha kept eyeing Kimberly who was just starring out the window. The appointment had not gone as well as they hoped.
"It will be okay, Kimberly." Tenisha said.
"I guess." Kim replied sadly.
Kimberly just kept thinking about the day the accident happened. She knew she should have listened to Jason, if she had she would not have broken her arm. Kimberly's mother's voice kept echoing though her head.
"You are not going to risk your health for a stupid competition!" Caroline had said.
Kim just shook her head. The first time and the only time she heard those words was when she was 11 and wanted to compete in the preliminary city trials. 2 days before the trials, Kimberly became anemic and competed anyway. She won, but it had taken every ounce of energy she had and then she running on pure adrenalin. When it was over, she was so weak that she could barely move. After that, everyone knew they could never stop her from competing.
Tenisha knew eventually Kimberly is going to break and let that emotion out. They arrived home, Jason and Tommy were barbequing. They saw them arrive and Tommy went to see how her appointment went.
Tenisha stopped the car and turned off the engine as Kimberly open the door. Once the engine was off the automatic seat belt shoulder strap went back in place. Tenisha unbuckled Kim's wait belt so that she could get out.
"Hi, how did it go?" Tommy asked.
"When is the surgery?" Jason asked.
Kimberly looked up at him, the tears forming in her eyes.
"The surgery was canceled. You were right Jason; I never should have done the uneven bars that day. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong. I took a gamble with my health and I lost. Now I am paying the ultimate price. I lost use of my arm for good. Insane Kimberly Hart, remember that is what people called me the first time. Insane and they were right, along with my parents and yours." Kimberly cried.
Jason and Tommy just looked at her; they thought she still had a chance of getting better, so what happened? Tenisha, who knew, said nothing. She figures she will tell them later. The twins were upstairs playing; everyone else was in the yard watching as Kimberly exploded in emotion.
"Kimberly-" Tommy started to say.
Kimberly looked at him, he wanted to help and she knew it, but she didn't want his help.
"Tommy, you can't fix my arm, as easy as when you fixed my float for the parade that got destroyed. Nothing will make my arm better, NOTHING!!" Kim yelled as she ran into the house.
Tommy and Jason looked at each other, she was hurting. Jason sat down on the step of the porch. He carries as much guilt over what had happened as she does.
"Mom, what happened? This morning, she had a small chance of getting better, but it was still a chance." Tommy asked.
"The appointment didn't go well and we had to postpone her surgery." Tenisha said.
"Postpone? Why?" Tommy asked.
"The steroids shot in her arm, appears not to be working. The nerves will not respond to it, unless they respond, we can't do the surgery. It would be pointless. She is taking it hard. Not all hope is gone, but most." Tenisha explained.
"What are her chances of her nerves responding to the steroids?" Tommy asked.
"5 percent, maybe less. The anemia, especially at the time of the break left her nerves damaged. She will have to start facing the fact that it will not get better." Tenisha said.
Jason was sitting on the porch listening to them talk, as well as everyone else. Mercy was holding back, she didn't know these people. She knew Tommy and the teens, but she just met Jason and never knew Kimberly.
"This is my fault." Jason said quietly.
Tenisha heard him and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"I was with her, when she fell. I saw the toll that the anemia was taking on her body. I am bigger then she is, I am stronger then she is. I could have picked her up and carried her out of the gym, and made her rest. But, I didn't, I took a seat and watched her perform and watched her as she fell from the bars. For years, I always supported her, rather then trying to reason with her. The adults thought she was insane for even attempting gymnastics while anemic, the kids our age thought she was brave." Jason explained to the others.
"I never knew she had an iron deficiency. She never said anything." Tommy said.
"It comes and goes. She will hide it. You question why she is so tired and what did she say." Jason asked.
"She has a big meet coming up and has been putting in extra practice. How could I not have noticed that she was in trouble?" Tommy said feeling guilty about how many times Kimberly was dragging through the day. So tired, that he had to carry her home.
"You didn't notice, because you didn't know. I knew that the exhaustion was from the anemia, but I promised her I wouldn't tell you. She had said that she couldn't stand having you worry about her like that." Jason said.
Tommy shook his head, he loves her and she is hurting and he doesn't know how to help her.
Mercy could see that they have their hands full caring for Kimberly. They don't need one more person hanging around and started to leave. Jason saw her leaving.
"Mercedes, where are you going?" Jason asked getting in front of here.
"You have your hands your full right now, you don't need me here." Mercy said and tried to get past Jason.
"Mercedes, you are not going anywhere. Yes, we do have our hands full, since my sister will not be getting better. I still plan on filing for emergency custody in the morning. Once, I get custody, I will start the adoption preceding, you will stay here with me." Jason said.
"My dad is not going to just let you have me. He will fight you all the way." Mercy said.
"He can try, but he won't win. So you might as well get used to seeing all these people everyday, as we will continue to live here." Jason said.
Mercy smiled and Jason wanted to hold her, but he knew he couldn't. It has to be her decision. Mercy came to give Jason a hug. He didn't hug her back; he didn't want to risk touching one of her many bruises.
"Jason, a question?" Mercy asked.
"Yes"
"May I start calling you dad?" Mercy said smiling at him.
Jason smiled, "Yes sweetie, of course you can, and don't worry about Michael. He won't be taking you away from me." He said.
Mercy headed back to the house.
"Well bro, what are we going to do about your daughter dating my son and living in the same house." Tommy asked coming up to him.
"We will have to set up some rules, but it'll be fine. Now what are you going to about Kimberly." Jason asked.
"I am just giving her some time to herself. This changes nothing. I still want her in my life, no matter what. Are you ready to take on a 16 year old?" Tommy asked.
"I have helped with the twins, it can't be that different. Were you ready for the 4 you have?" Jason asked.
"We have been playing it by ear. The hardest part is to remember at school, I am their teacher. Sometimes I forget what role I am playing when it comes to Conner and occasionally Ethan. As for Kira and Trent, not much trouble there. Not yet anyway, Kira is so much like Kimberly." Tommy said.
Kira went upstairs to Kimberly's room.
"Mom, can I come in." Kira said.
Kira knew that it was just a matter of time before her adopted father asked this girl to marry him, so she might as well start calling her mom.
"Dad said you play the guitar." Kira said.
"I used to play and write songs. I don't anymore. I don't do a lot of things anymore." Kim said.
"I was wondering if you could help me choose what song to sing at tonight's gig." Kira said holding her notebook filled with songs.
"I used to have one of these. I haven't seen it in years." Kim said.
"Mom, you can let us help you out, you know." Kira said.
"I know, I guess I don't want people thinking that I am helpless. It goes back to high school." Kim said.
"The 'Girl Ranger Syndrome' I heard about that." Kira admitted.
"Yeah it drove me crazy too. Jason and Tommy always thought I was helpless on and off the battlefield. Even though there were times I had to save their behinds in battle." Kim said.
"On, I get, why off?" Kira asked.
"The first time I actually met Tommy and talked to him was when he had to save me from these 2 bullies who were harassing me. Tommy and Jason always had to save me from them." Kim said.
"Wow, did they ever learn." Kira asked.
"Bulk and Skull those were their names. Skull had a thing for me; he would continue to ask me out even after I was dating Tommy. I'd say no and he never understood that word. That and they were as dumb as anything. Although, I do have to admit that insulting them didn't help." Kim said smiling; it was the first time she smiled since her appointment.
"You told dad that he can't fix your arm as easy as he did a float." Kira asked.
"I had designed this float to be in a peace parade. I put in a lot of work and effort into it. The putties showed up and destroyed it on the day it was due. I was devastated. Tommy fixed it just in time and it won prizes." Kim explained.
"How romantic, I didn't know that dad could be that romantic." Kira said.
"He is, with me he is. You had better change for your gig tonight." Kim said kicking her out of her room.
