Chapter 11: Conversations and Inquiries
(Oliver Residence)
Tommy and his parents watched Kimberly smiling as she was on the phone talking. Tommy's parents offered to let Kimberly make a long distance call from their house. They were still waiting for Virgil and Rosaline to arrive for dinner at the house. The twins were busy testing out Gabriel's mobile skills. By the summer the toddler was already taking his first steps all over the place. However, it didn't stop the mischievous toddler from getting his hands dirty and running a muck in his grandparents' living room.
"No Gabe don't tug on the dinner cloth!" Elena replied taking the toddler away from the dinner table. "Granny Melissa will be angry if you break her plates!" However, Gabriel was making his way towards the bookshelves eying some of the crystal figurines. Hayden saw what his little brother was doing trying to grab hold of his figurines.
"Hey mobile baby drop the crystal animal figurines!" Hayden said taking the figurine away from Gabriel. "You don't want to break that do you buddy? It's really expensive according to granddad and granny." Suddenly Gabriel started crying which started driving the twins crazy. "You can't play with that Gabriel! I'll give you a new toy if you stop crying?"
"Tommy have you baby proof the boarding house yet?" Melissa asked her son. "Because apparently now your father and I now have to baby proof the house again. It looks like since since our grandson started walking on two feet he is becoming a wrecking and grabbing machine."
"What do you expect from babies mom?" Tommy smiled. "I wasn't much of a problem when I was a baby was I?"
"Not really if you don't include drawing on the walls and breaking a couple of lamps after you discover the joys of walking," his mother teased. They notice Kimberly was preoccupied with her conversation on the phone.
"Whoa there sport not today," they heard James pick up Gabriel who tried venturing towards his grandparents' record collection. "You're not going to grow up with a kleptomania problem are you bud?"
"Alright yeah I understand. really this is wonderful!" Kimberly smiled on the phone. "Okay in a few days. Well the kids will be excited to see you again. I know the twins tend to have a gab and it's difficult for them to keep a secret. I'll make sure they don't ruin the surprise for Rosaline. I know she's debating whether or not to come during the summer. Oh...she suggested it then. Is she flying out with you too? Right, I'll let her know to check her emails. She's going to love this surprise and I know it's been a long time since you last saw each other. Okay, I'll send you the address to the boarding house and we'll be expecting you in a few days. Alright take care and goodnight. I'll let the kids know the relatives said hello."
Once Kimberly hung up the phone she turned to Tommy with a grim on her face. He figured out that the telephone conversation was good news as she came up and gave Tommy a kiss.
"I'm guessing that this is good news then huh Beautiful?" Tommy smiled at his wife. "So did she book the ticket?"
"It's booked and she'll be here by Friday. However, she flies back on Tuesday so at least five days in town should be alright with the. Hopefully by the time she arrives everything will be securely safe and most of the mess at the boarding house stored away." Kimberly replied before they heard a knock on the door. James went to answer it letting Rosaline and Virgil inside the house. Virgil watched Rosaline greet her grandparents before introducing Virgil to Tommy's parents.
"So Rosaline, whose the young man you decided to bring with you to our house?" James asked his granddaughter.
"Right, okay so guys this is Virgil and we've been dating for a few weeks now," Rosaline smiled introducing Virgil to Tommy's family. "He and I went to high school together. Virgil here goes to UCLA. He's doing an undergrad study in both Philosophy and Sociology."
"That's pretty impressive Virgil. Are you planning to pursue your masters degree?"
"Actually after I finish I was hoping to get into teacher's college so I could apply for my teaching license," Virgil added. "I would like to pursue my masters in the future. However, for now I want to focus on trying to establish a career. You must be proud of your granddaughter sir, she's studying music at Juilliard School of the Performing Arts in New York. I heard it's been her dream school since she was a kid."
"Well technically Rosaline's parents right over there brag about this young lady's accomplishments during her first year of college," Tommy's parents teased as the young couple laughed. "They practically built a shrine somewhere in that big boarding house of theirs by the lake."
"Come on is there a problem with parents being a bit too tad joyous of our daughter's accomplishments?" Kimberly smiled.
"You're just like my adopted parents back in Beaufort," Rosaline replied recalling an old memory of her life back in Beaufort. "They had a wall which was like a shrine of all my awards, photos, trophies, and ribbons I won at every music competition I competed in. Look I may come off as some sort of musical prodigy but I don't rub it in other people's faces of all the stuff I did. Because I don't want to feel like an overachiever and a showoff. It's nice you guys are proud of all I did...but still I want to be treated equally with others."
"We get where you're coming from sweetie," Tommy said.
"Hey I don't care about all the awards and the stuff you won, you're still the same girl I fancied since high school," Virgil said giving Rosaline a kiss.
"Look Rosie and Virgil are smooching one another," the twins teased. "That's what they do all day."
"Hey Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum we don't kiss all day," Rosaline playfully teased the twins, "Sooner or later when you reach my age you two will be smooching faces with your boyfriends and girlfriends."
"Okay guys knock it off because you're going to give Virgil a bad impression about the Oliver family," James teased as everyone prepared for dinner. Virgil was enjoying getting to know Rosaline's family and that of Tommy's parents seeing that they were nice people. He was surprised to learn that Tommy was adopted by the Olivers just like Rosaline who was adopted by the Bennetts for the first sixteen years of her life. It gave him the chance to see a different side of their mentors on a personal level learning about their lives as teenagers and their family life.
(Six Days later: The Boarding House)
It was Friday morning and the last five days was nothing but extensive training and a few late night coffee dates with Virgil. She had to make breakfast this morning because her parents headed out to run a few errands in town. However, her parents instructed her to stay behind for the day while the others headed off to NASADA for training and debriefing. Besides, she had to look after the twins and Gabriel once everyone cleared out for the morning. She straighten up her table when she came across a picture of her and her cousin Amanda as kids. Rosaline was about six years old during the time the picture was taken, in front of Amanda's house back in Beaufort.
Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted when Kimberly and Tommy knocked. "Rosaline, may we come in?" they asked. Hannah looked up at the door before returning to tidying up her room.
"Come in, sorry about the mess," she replied. "Just haven't had time to clean up ever since the whole Progeny crisis."
The two of them came in and shut the door and Rosaline continued dusting off her pictures on top of her bookshelf. "Hey sweetie, we got a surprise for you," he replied.
"Okay but is this something good or bad?" she answered.
"Probably more like something close to home we like to say." Kimberly said opening the door. "Okay, Ellie, Hayde bring it in. We're actually entertaining a new customer this weekend and she paid up in advance." Elena and Hayden appeared at the door but they weren't alone. Rosaline smiled at the guest standing in front of her bedroom. She squealed in delight hugging her cousin Amanda.
"Oh my lucky stars I don't believe this! Amanda you're here! It's been so long! How is this possible?"
Tommy and Kimberly smiled watching the reunion between the young ladies and the twins as they were holding Gabriel. "Your parents called and suggested the idea," Amanda pointed out. "Aunt Marine said I should drop in and see how you guys were doing. Besides, I miss the three amigos here. Boy, you guys are doing well for yourselves here in sunny California. The relatives back home send their regards and greetings to you guys."
"Yeah and Aunt Marine sent Hayden and I some stuff," Elena answered. "And also she even included some clothes to Gabriel also. Mom and dad video chatted with them the other night."
"We did talk to your family back in North Carolina." Tommy replied, "So Rosie, you like the surprise?"
"Yeah, and this was a surprise I didn't expect. However, I do love it and thank you so much." Rosaline replied hugging both her parents. "You two are the best. Do you mind if it's okay we take a walk by the lake? I want to show Amanda around afterwards if it's not too much trouble?"
"Why do you think we told you to stay behind today while the others went out?" Kimberly informed as she watched the twins, Rosaline and Amanda leave. "Hey keep an eye on the twins the both of you.
"Don't worry about the dynamic duo they'll be fine under our watch," Amanda replied as they headed out. Tommy and Kimberly finished tidying up Rosaline's bedroom after she headed out with the twins and Amanda. He handed Gabriel off to Kimberly as he stared at the pictures Rosaline was dusting off earlier. He noticed the picture his daughter was staring at earlier. It was the picture of Rosaline as a little girl with Amanda back in Beaufort. He put the picture down as he stared out the window.
"She does have a bit of you and I when she was a little girl," Kimberly said. "However she does still have your eyes."
"It was a good idea having Amanda fly out here to see Rosaline and the twins," Tommy replied.
"Well you know after hearing the news of Colbert something told me that there was some reluctance in our daughter to visit her old childhood home," Kimberly added. "So I thought if she won't go to Beaufort, then why not bring apart of Beaufort here to Angel Grove? Besides, apart of her still wants to retain parts of old life of her childhood life."
"We can't blame her and knowing the relationship between Amanda and Rosaline they're really close. They opened up to one another about what they went through with Colbert and it still bothers you. Maybe bringing Amanda out here can finally help them find some last minute closure to what happened to them as kids. According to Marine, if anyone can get our daughter to open up and confide in, Amanda can do the trick. Besides, they're like sisters growing up. They've been through so much together."
"Yeah from everything Amanda said on the car ride over here Handsome, I'm hoping by today at least our daughter does find some sense of closure for whatever is troubling her."
"I hope so too Beautiful. But it's always nice to be reminded of where you're from every once in awhile."
(Angel Grove Lake)
Meanwhile, Rosaline and the twins showed their cousin Amanda around the city. She told Amanda about life in Angel Grove, going to school in New York and about her relationship with Virgil. However, she intentionally left out the part of her being a Power Ranger and luckily hoped that no monster attacks occurred during the day. She made sure the twins didn't mention about the secret rooms or the basement command center in the boarding house. They took a walk by the lake and it was obvious that one more subject she didn't want to discuss was the news of hearing that her uncle was out of jail.
Amanda was onto her cousin and figured hearing the news about her father still bothered her. After they bought some stuff to feed the ducks near the area she gave the food to the twins so she could use this opportunity to talk to Rosaline. They sat down on the bench staring out at the water.
"I like it out here, it reminds me of back home by the boardwalk when our dads used to go fishing during Memorial Day weekend," Amanda said watching Rosaline stare out at the lake.
"Yeah, I remember how every year we couldn't catch anything because something about the bait on our rods didn't attract the fish to bite," Rosaline slightly giggled. "I remember you used gummy worms because we didn't like touching the real ones."
"And dad said that fish aren't attracted to sweet candy and didn't want to get cavities."
"Those were fun times weren't they?" she said with a sigh.
"Your parents, Tommy and Kimberly told me you about how you reacted hearing the news my dad is out of prison," Amanda said getting straight to the point of their conversation. "They said originally you were planning on coming down for a visit with the twins until you heard about my dad. When they were talking to us, Aunt Marine suggested I come out for a few days to spend time with you guys and get you to open up. Is there something you want to share with me? Come on Rosie, we're like sisters and we grew up together."
"What was it like? I mean...Aunt Marine said he showed up six weeks ago at the house wanting to talk to you," Rosaline sighed. "How did you feel seeing him after all these years?"
"I was maybe fifteen or sixteen years old the last time I saw my dad. It used to be different before. I mean we were happy and a normal family. Does it bother me still being reminded of what he did to me? To us as little girls yeah it still bothers me. However, he's still my father and I can't choose who my parents are. Sometimes, I wish I didn't make things obvious until he started doing the same thing to you too. I'm guessing you told your biological parents about what happened to us kids with my dad?"
"They wanted to know about my life in Beaufort after the truth of my paternity came out. I told them about my childhood, including that. It wasn't that bad thinking back at it was it? We didn't have it much worse than other abused or molested kids did we? However, we knew it was wrong and sometimes in the back of my mind I feel like if we told anybody, do you think they believe us? I remember the fights we used to have because you got jealous that your dad started buying me stuff when you got older, especially the dresses. He referred to me as "his little sunshine" whenever I wore the clothes he bought."
"No matter how many times I keep saying this, I'm always sorry for the way I treated you. I was pretty pettish back then and angry because I think after when I turned eleven it was like my own dad was favoring you over me, his own daughter. He's the reason why you don't want to come back? Aunt Marine says it's understandable because knowing her older brother being capable of doing that, it's unimaginable. She always says you guys are lucky to be out of Beaufort. She wishes bad things about him and sometimes curses that it should have been him instead of Uncle Patrick who died. It started dawning on me when I was little, that the things dad was doing, made me feel on edge." Amanda explained.
"I remember the time he bought you the kite when you were ten and the thing about the pajamas," Rosaline sighed, "I think it was unintentional slip up. But in the back of my mind, it was when you started figuring out things with him were off."
"The pajama thing when you let it slip...some part of me knew something was wrong," Amanda said staring out at the lake.
FLASHBACK
Rosaline's parents dropped her off at her Aunt Marigold and Uncle Colbert's house for another weekend. Her parents decided to repaint the house after ripping down the old wallpaper. By the time she arrived at her cousin Amanda's place, she saw her aunt and uncle out in the front doing some gardening while Amanda wanted to show her cousin her new kite.
"I like your kite Amanda did your daddy buy it for you?" she asked her cousin.
"Yeah she buys lots things that sometimes mommy thinks I'm spoiled by daddy too much." Amanda said looking at her dad. "When I was small sometimes my pajamas would be on the wrong way that daddy helps me fix them properly. He always be rubbing my back to get the loose threads off. It's fun when he always used to do airplane with me but he says I'm too big for that now. Well you're lucky because you're smaller than and he can do airplane with you easily."
"You're lucky to have a daddy who loves you very much," Rosaline replied as helping her cousin fly the kite. "He does that sometimes too with my pajamas."
"What does he do?" Amanda asks curiously.
"Uncle Colbert fixes my pajamas too sometimes if I put them on the wrong way," Rosaline said unexpectedly. "Sometimes he brushes my legs if loose threads come off too. Is it normal for your daddy to always brush the threads off like that?"
"I think so...but mommy says that my pajamas don't have that much loose strings on it," Amanda added as Colbert came up to his daughter and niece. "Hi daddy, I like the flowers you and mommy planted especially the tulips."
"Well you know your mommy she always loves to plant things doesn't she princess?" Colbert replied lifting up his daughter playfully. Rosaline noticed the interaction between her uncle and her cousin watching him show affection towards Amanda. Being only six years old and watching her ten year old cousin be extremely close with her father it's the typical paternal love her mind knew. "Hey peanut, do you want to help your Aunt Marigold water the plants?"
When he asked Rosaline he gently put his hand on her back. However, she felt her uncle's hand rubbing up her back going up and down in a way that kind of made her feel weird. "Rosaline? Hey peanut is everything alright?"
"Huh yeah Uncle Colbert," she suddenly smiled looking at her aunt's direction. Suddenly Amanda's kite flew into the tree and got stuck. "Oh no, Amanda your kite is stuck."
"Colbert, Amanda, is anyone going to help me with the garden?" Marigold called out.
"I'll help you Aunt Marigold!" Rosaline smiled running towards her aunt. "I want to help water the plants and flowers!"
"Come on princess I'll help get that nice bright kite out of the tree for you," Colbert replied taking a hold of Amanda's hand walking towards the tree with the kite stuck.
END OF FLASHBACK
"I remember two weeks later that kite flew away," Rosaline said, "We chased it down the street trying to grab hold of the end of the string but then it was out of our reach."
"To be honest...I'm glad that we lost it. I didn't tell you this but I remember when he bought me the kite. He told me that it was a special present for his "little sunshine princess." Mom thought he just spoiled me too much but after he went away, I realized why he bought me so many presents." Amanda said suddenly getting up. "Look he maybe my father Rosie, but the bastard deserved to go to jail for what he did. If I said something back then, you wouldn't have become a victim too. It was sad to realize after he was arrested who he really was, a pedophile. I guess he turned his attention to you because you were younger and obvious to what he was doing to me all these years. I can't stop loving him because he's my dad, but forgiving him that's another question. Do you want to know what it felt like seeing him after all these years?"
"Are you okay to share with me?" Rosaline asked.
"Everything I felt, all the memories just flooded back and it was like...it suddenly reminded me of that memory when he bought me the kite," Amanda said. "You were young but you figured the way he would touch me, rub my back and you saw the look on my face it told you I felt weird. Your mom and dad told me when you first got together with your boyfriend you were scared he didn't feel the same way about you?"
"I thought because of what happened to me I'd be damaged goods and unfixable being a victim of abuse."
"But it didn't stop you from getting together with him did it? Because you're with him and that's all that matters. It's okay whether or not you want to ever visit Beaufort but we didn't let that stop us from doing the things we want in life right? It's going to stay with us and we can't change it, but we shouldn't let what my dad did to us rule our lives. Aunt Marine wanted me to ask you if you'll be okay after this? She still worries about you and after seeing my dad she reminded me that her and the family did right for you guys. They did right by letting you and the twins live with people who love you and care about you. You're beginning to worry your parents again and if it didn't take a phone call to snap you out of whatever funk you're in, then I don't know."
"My parents really do love me don't they?"
"Well duh silly of course they do because they're suppose to do that," Amanda chuckled. "After what happened with the car accident and you taking off for months searching for your real parents I'm glad you found them. But you know what Tommy and Kimberly told me to do before I leave? They said tell our daughter whatever funk she's going through you're the only person that could snap her out of it. Whether you end up seeing my father in the future one day or not, don't let what he did to us get the best of you. We learned a long time ago to stop being victims. He has to live with the consequences of his actions, I did the right thing for the both of us. Always remember nothing wasn't your fault."
(NASADA)
Back at NASADA, the others helped Billy test out a new teleport transportation machine for long range travel across the globe and to other planets. Aidan contacted the Ranger compound in Johannesburg where Tanya was the the designated compound leader training the squad down there. Unfortunately, they were hearing news of the Ranger Compound in South Africa being short supply on essentials due to some political conflicts going on in the country.
Tommy and Kimberly consented with the others to teleport Aidan, Quincy and Aisha to deliver a cargo of basic essential inventory supplies to give to the Ranger squad stationed there. They also planned to test out the transportation machine once they arrived to test out teleporting if in case a repeated incident like the Sydney compound attack occurred again.
"Well the long range communication contact will work," Tommy said, "Are you sure that the transportation machine will work this time and teleport them straight to NASADA."
"Don't get me wrong Tommy, it's a lot of pressure being the Director of NASADA," Billy replied establishing contact with Tanya.
"Hey guys this is Tanya in Johannesburg," they heard Tanya reply on the other end. "My little brother, Aisha and Quincy arrived and thanks for the supplies. It's well needed knowing the whole political and social scene going on back home. You know after more than 20 years I was hoping things changed."
"Well we can't anticipate where the social climate of society is heading towards," Kimberly said sympathetically, "How are you holding up with your squad there?"
"I can't complain after all this is my home where I was born and raised," Tanya said. "You know I get my squad to volunteer once a month with those world relief groups that visit the city. I thought I give the squad here a chance to give back to the less fortunate. Anyways, once the guys here are done here I'm sending back something with them that maybe of some interest."
"What is it?" Adam asked.
"I'm not sure but it's been here the first day I took over as compound commander here. It looks like something of reference to one of the historical African tribes that resided here before in the country. However, when I heard this thing was discovered by Andrew Hartford I thought it was best I got it out of here after hearing about the incident in Sydney." Tanya added. "Also, there's something else that you guys may want to see. My parents found it during one of their digs but then when I noticed the symbol of the Order of the Meridian on it...I convinced them to let me have it."
"Well I hope the cargo we sent should hold you guys up for at least a few months for now," the others replied cutting communication contact with Tanya and the others on the other end, "The guys are going to work on the second transportation machine to establish teleporting between there and NASADA. If anything should happen, get your squad out and contact us right away."
"Anyone want to take a guess that maybe Andrew Hartford's death was more than just because of his association with trying to establish the whole training the next line of Power Rangers?" Jason informed.
"The guy was some sort of an archeologist and historian," Adam suggested, "It was what I learned meeting the guy. I think there's more to why he was killed than what we assumed."
"Is there some way we can pull up the obituary on the murder case of Andrew Hartford?" Tommy asked.
"I mean the guy doesn't leave a bunch of items willed to us by no coincidence does he?" Kat replied.
"Well I guess it's a start then," Billy said fixing his glasses, "I'm going to retrieve Andrew Hartford's obituary and last will and testaments. Knowing that NASADA's original plan for the potential Power Rangers and the compounds, I think he may have unintentionally attracted some unwanted attention in the process during the whole Lokar crisis."
"You think...he may have stumbled upon something also related with the Source and the Progeny?" Kimberly inquired.
"He may have and I think we're already going round two with more of the Source of Evil's forces," Billy said, "There's something they don't want us to know. As we always say...everything in some shape or form is always connected to one another."