Chapter 26: A Tattoo Is Crazy
Tommy came by the gym later that night and found Kimberly training alone. He dropped a small overnight bag at his feet as he walked to Kimberly. She was on the bars, trying to make her routine above average for Coach, who would not have an excuse not to use her during the Olympics. Kimberly wanted to finish up tonight on a good note after Coach Béla Károlyi was very upset about the unannounced guest earlier. She was great on bars, going through her whole exercise as if it was a competition. Kimberly mounted the bars with her swing to the lower bar. And she was on tonight. She hit her release move, Gienger on the first past, and her transitions move back down to the lower bar was spot on. Her pirouettes were fantastic, and accurate with toes pointed to perfection. Kimberly stepped out back from her double layout dismount, but earned a clap from Tommy nonetheless. Kimberly looked back.
"Tommy?"
"Hey!" Tommy was standing there smiling.
"You came back?"
"Of course I came back!" Kimberly rushed over to him after tearing off her bars' handgrips from her fingers. They hugged tightly as Kimberly jumped into his arms. Kimberly cupped his face and kissed Tommy as her legs wrapped around his waist. Tommy's hands held her up high against him.
"I just thought… you were so angry…and upset about…" Tommy hushed her with another passionately kiss. Tommy's tongue ran along her bottom lip, before he took her bottom lip between his lips before he slightly bit down. Tommy's tongue slid into Kim's mouth. Kimberly moaned. Quickly, their tongues came together, slowly at first, before fighting for supremacy. Tommy slowly pulled away, both breathing hard. Their eyes locked together as their foreheads were pressed against one another. Kimberly caressed Tommy's cheek with one hand as her other arm wrapped around his neck. She caressed the back of his neck.
"I'm so sorry Kimberly. I should have realized how important this was, is to you and I shouldn't have…" It was Kim's turn to hush Tommy with another round of kisses.
"You were just trying to be a great boyfriend, which you already are completely." They kissed again.
"Thanks."
"Did you have fun on the slopes?" Kimberly asked as Tommy slowly put her down to her feet.
"Yeah, it's pretty amazing out there. Zack had the most fun though, plus we got some funky video on Rocky's skiing skills. It's hilarious." Kimberly and Tommy shared a laugh.
"I'll bet. I'm glad you guys had fun."
"Yeah, me too. I mean, I can't believe how it can be so beautiful on the mountains and cold, yet so tranquil and warm down here in the valley less than an hour away."
"I know. I can't believe it sometimes as well."
"We should go some time," Tommy said.
"Oh, I don't know about that Tommy…"
"Why not?"
"I just… I just can't tiger."
"Why not, Beautiful?"
"I can't Tommy, I have so much work yet to do and…"
"You looked amazing up there on bars, the best I have seen you in a while. You have improved so much, what's one day off." Kimberly smiled. She reached up and kissed him softly on the lips.
"Plenty. Trust me."
"You are amazing Kim."
"The funny thing, I can do this, I mean, I can do everything with no mistakes all alone, but when Coach Károlyi is around. I freak out."
"Why?"
"He's great. I mean he is one of the greatest coaches in gymnastic history, who has lead some pretty amazing women like Nadia Comenci to Olympic Gold, and Mary Lou Retton to Olympic gold medals just seemingly a few Olympic years ago, and ever since I was a little girl I have always just wanted to meet him. And here I am, training under him and I…"
"Freak out."
"Completely. I don't know what to do Tommy."
"And that's why I am here. I'll help you get through this last week and a quarter."
"But what about skiing and the guys…"
"Hey, I am your coach too! I came here to help you." Kimberly smiled. "I'm staying here to help coach you no matter what."
"I don't know how Coach Russo would feel or say about that…"
"Forget him, I am the coach that matters." Kimberly giggled.
"You are so crazy!" They kissed again.
"Now, why don't you show me that new bedroom of yours?"
Kimberly went to clean her hands after she removed her handgrips completely. She packed her gym bag, as Tommy took it from her to carry. Tommy picked up his bag on the way out as Kimberly led Tommy out the gym once she shut off all the lights. They walked back to the suites holding hands, which was a quick less than 10-minute brisk walk away from the gymnasium. Coach Béla made their homes conveniently close to the gym. It was a brick building with a gate surrounding it for the security. Each girl had to memorize the 4 number-code to get inside the building. It was called a Holly House; it was a brick house, 4 stories high. Kimberly stopped at the gate.
"I don't know about this, Tommy."
"What's wrong?"
"Well, don't you have a perfectly good hotel room…"
"No, I'm sharing with Rocky! And I would much rather share a bed with you tonight." Tommy put his hands on Kim's waist, kissing her neck from behind. Kimberly sighed. He always knew where to kiss her to make her cave, just like she knew the spot on him to make him become her slave, not that he wasn't most of the time. Kimberly smiled.
"See! You want me to come up too!"
"I wouldn't say that…"
"Then, what's that smile for?"
"I was smiling?"
"Yes, the smile that says I have done something right." Kimberly smiled again.
"If it was up to me, you could stay, but…"
"But what?"
"There are rules and… Coach Károlyi is all about the rules and keeping things in order."
"Oh, what are rules if not meant for breaking at times."
"It's just that…"
"Fine, I'll just walk you up to the your dorm and make sure you are safe inside your place."
"Okay." They walked up to the building door.
"This is it? Whew, nice place." Kimberly smiled as Tommy looked up.
"It's okay."
"Well to you, yeah… but to us normal folks, this is a slamming big place." Kimberly giggled.
"Well, I guess we say goodbye…"
"I can't see your room?" Tommy asked as Kimberly pressed the code to open the door to get into the building.
"Tommy…"
"5 minutes I swear." Kimberly smiled. "Okay?"
"Okay." Kimberly pulled out her keys for the second door.
Kimberly led Tommy into the building, holding his hand as they climbed 2 flights of stairs.
"Man, how many more steps?!"
"We are almost there tiger. It's good exercise anyways, I think that's why Coach put us on the top floor." They climbed the final stairs to Kim's floor. The building had 4 floors; each floor was a suite for the group of ladies, basically a house on each floor. Kimberly came to their door.
"Now, just 5 minutes."
"I said 5 minutes?"
"Tommy…"
"Hey, you said you're not allow to break curfew and be outside your house after hours, this way you're not if I stay with you. You can to sleep in your dorm bed, just with me."
"But, but…"
"Come on, it'll be just like old times."
"We are not to have unannounced guest spending the night."
"Who is unannounced? I am Tommy Oliver! I am spending the night with my beautiful girlfriend…"
"Hush!" Kimberly quieted Tommy's mouth with her hand. Tommy kissed her. She had hope none of the other girls on the other floors below heard him.
"What? I drove from California to spend this week with you. You are not pushing me away again."
"I just…" Tommy cupped Kim's face and kissed her passionately.
"You never had a hard time sneaking me in places before. Just like old times then." Tommy smiled. "Nothing's different." Kimberly smiled as she reluctantly placed her key into the lock and opened the door. She took a deep breath as she opened the door.
The girls looked up as Kimberly and Tommy came into the suite. They were fixing dinner. All the girls stopped to stare at the handsome young guy with a long silky brown ponytail appearing behind Kimberly. He was a good foot taller than Kimberly, nice tan skin and deep dark brown eyes. Shannon even had to shake her head of the naughty thoughts attempting to enter her mind about the young guy.
"Hi girls! Um, this is Tommy…my boyfriend that I talk about all the time. He drove over from California to see me and…"
"Well hi!"
"Come on in Tommy! It's so great to finally meet you, Kim talks about you all the freaking time."
"Hi ladies." Tommy shook hands with everyone standing there. "Hi, hi…" Tommy repeated shaking all the ladies hands before Kimberly took his arm.
"What is he doing here?"
"Becky!"
"Hi, Becky it is…" Tommy held his hand out to her. "Tommy, Kim's boyfriend. Nice to meet you too." Becky looked down at his hand, before she final shook his hand. Tommy smiled.
"You too. I repeat however, what is he doing here?"
"It's okay. Tommy will just spending a few nights with me, with us, I hope that's..."
"Coach Károlyi would not allow this," Becky said.
"Come on Becky, Tommy won't bother us. He'll be just sleeping here, it's not a problem! It will be like he's not even here. I promise!" Kimberly said. "Come on, let me show you the room." Becky shook her head as Kimberly held Tommy hand and led him to her bedroom. Becky followed them into Kim's room.
"Don't go starting anything," Shannon said. She was the head captain to this suite. Her duty was to make sure all the girls got to the gym on time, left basically together, unless a gymnast was asked to stay longer. She had to do a head count at 11pm to make sure all the ladies were present in their beds.
"What, I didn't say..?"
"You don't have to," Dominique said.
"Yeah. I know that look. Let her have a few days of normalcy and if that means he has to stay here to help her, let it," Shannon said going back to the food.
"But we..."
"Hey, none of us said anything when you invited that waiter guy to come back with you."
"Or the masseuse guy from the gym…."
"Or the hot pool guy from the park…"
"Yeah, but each barely stayed a night, if it was one night."
"Good, consider your debt over with then if you let this go."
"Still…"
"Tommy will be staying here a few days, and that's final. Now, who's hungry!"
"Me!"
"Me too!" Angie said.
As soon as Kimberly door closed, Tommy's lips were on Kimberly. He cupped her face, kissing her passionately. They slightly fell back against the door in a somewhat loud thud, causing the girls outside to smile, knowing what might be going on in there. Tommy lifted Kimberly up against the door so she wouldn't have to be on her toes so much and he didn't have to bend down. The normal slow kisses where tossed out the room; these kisses were hard, short and to the point. A burning desire from being so far away from each other for so long. This kind of kissing was seconds from exploding over and filling the room. Kimberly pulled away rather harshly, breathing hard. Tommy looked at Kim, his mouth left open. When Kimberly opened her mouth to speak, he went to kiss her again, but Kimberly covered his mouth with her hand.
"We can't…"
"What?"
"Not with the girls on the other side of this door. Please…"
"Okay." Tommy let Kimberly slowly fall to her feet.
"Thank you."
"I need a shower then." Kimberly smiled. "Nice and cold." Kimberly laughed.
Tommy stripped down to his boxers as Kimberly changed into her PJs, pink floral top and white eyelet boxer shorts. Kimberly did notice the slight tent in front of Tommy's boxers, however Tommy noticed a bruise on her side before she slid on her boxers.
"What's that?"
"Nothing." Tommy went to look, but Kimberly backed away and picked up his fallen clothes. She placed them over her basket.
"It looks like a bruise, Kim. A bad one at that, doesn't it hurt?"
"I fell and crashed to my side pretty hard, like last week. It's nothing."
"Let me see then."
"Tommy…"
"Kim…" Tommy sat on the bed as he pulled Kimberly in front of him. He pushed the side of her shorts and panties down. Tommy looked at the purple bruise. Tommy caressed the bruise and got a slight hiss when he pushed too hard on it.
"You said last week?"
"Or a few days ago, whatever. It's a bruise. It happens."
"You never got bruises like this before. Are you eating alright?"
"Of course!"
"Kim…"
"I am!"
"Okay! Just making sure," Tommy outlined the bruise. He kissed the bruise looking up at Kimberly with a smile.
"Tommy…"
"Just kissing it to make it better." Kimberly smiled. Angie came into the bedroom and stopped. Tommy had one hand on Kim's butt, as he kissed her bruise again.
"Oop, just getting my pillow and blanket." Kimberly quickly pulled up her boxers.
"Angie, you don't have to leave! We were just…"
"It's okay! And Shannon said dinner is ready if you two want…"
"Maybe later," Kimberly said. Angie smiled as she picked up her pillow and throw blanket.
"Okay." Angie closed the door behind her.
"You should go get something to eat, I ate with the guys after the slopes."
"I ate, at the…the gym," Kimberly said, but Tommy knew she was lying. Tommy pulled Kimberly to straddle his lap. Tommy pulled her ponytail band out. Kimberly shook her hair out.
"I missed you."
"I missed you too." Tommy hugged Kimberly. She sighed wrapping her arms just as tight around Tommy. "I'm so happy you're here."
"No other place I would rather be, Beautiful." Tommy kissed Kimberly slowly this time, enjoying her lips against his lips. They make out with heavy kisses and moans on her bed, but no sex though. Tommy pulled Kimberly against his front as he molded against her body both facing each other. Her fingers intertwined with his hand, as her other arm wrapped around his back. Tommy kissed Kim's shoulder again before they leisurely just lay there enjoying being back in each other's arms yet again.
Becky calls Coach Béla Károlyi who stops by the building within the hour. He knocked on the door and Dominique opened the door since she drew the short straw and had to load the dishwasher. No one else wanted to get up and answer the door.
"Coach!" Shannon and everyone turned to the door quickly. Shannon jumped from her seat on the couch.
"Is that boy here?"
"Coach, we were just about to go to bed. What boy?"
"That boy earlier with Kimberly. Is he still here?"
"I don't… yeah maybe he's with Kim in her room."
"Why wasn't I called earlier?!"
"I didn't think it…" Coach Károlyi went into Kim's bedroom without even knocking. Shannon hit Becky on the arm.
"Ow!"
"You called him!"
"Well, someone had to!"
"Fine, the next time you are late for curfew, I'm calling Coach too," Dominique said.
"I don't want some boy staying with us! He'll be a distraction!"
"Yeah, maybe to you!" Shannon yelled. Kimberly and Tommy were laughing about some joke, when the door opened. Kim's smile faded as she saw Coach Károlyi standing there. She sat up with a gasp.
"Coach!"
Tommy and Kimberly sat on the couch in the living room. The girls were excused to their bedrooms, but all were pressing their ears against the door to listen in. Coach was standing before Kimberly and Tommy.
"Do you realize how many rules you have just broken Kimberly?" Kimberly looked up at Coach somewhat scared, knowing she was in trouble. "I could have you kicked out this camp for this."
"No!" Kimberly shook her head. "But sir, we were just sleeping…"
"No unannounced guests are allowed in your bedroom period!"
"But I…"
"And no boys sleeping over!"
"Look, Coach Béla or Coach Károlyi or whatever your darn name is…"
"Tommy!"
"No, Kim! Sir, I'm sorry about breaking some stupid rules about guests and sleeping over, do not blame Kimberly. I pushed her into letting me stay because I missed her and I wanted to be with her. You can not punish her because of my actions. I know how important this camp is for Kimberly and it's for you to decide who goes to the Olympics, but you have to know something. No one knows Kimberly better than me, and if you want the best from her, I better be here. Only us being together can great things happen. And I don't have to spend the night here, I can get my own room, but I will be with Kimberly, through the rest of her training and there is nothing you can say or do that will stop that." Coach Károlyi looked at Tommy.
"We shall see. Now, kindly leave."
"I will for now." Tommy and Kimberly went back into her room. Tommy got quickly dressed and picked up his bag.
"What you said, you are either brave or stupid," Kimberly whispered.
"We shall see."
"I hate you can't stay though."
"Me too. But I will be there bright and early," Tommy said.
"6 o'clock."
"Okay." Tommy kissed Kimberly and walked out her room. Kimberly walked both gentlemen to the door.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Beautiful." Tommy and Kimberly kissed passionately in the doorway. Coach Károlyi stood at the door to the steps. Tommy pulled away only to kiss her again. "I love you."
"Love you too."
Tommy was waiting outside the gate as Kimberly came out the building with the other girls the next morning. They were all carrying their bags with something to eat or drink, or both in their hands. Kimberly saw Tommy first.
"Hey tiger!"
"Hey Beautiful!" They hugged.
"Awww, they even have sweet nicknames," Becky said. She walked on passed them, chomping down on her egg sandwich.
"Man, you were right, she is a bitch," Tommy whispered after kissing Kimberly on the lips.
"Just the half of it." Tommy took her bag as Kimberly drank some OJ.
After Tommy had been there just 2 short days, Kimberly felt an overwhelming uplift.
Coach Károlyi didn't like Tommy and the distractions it can cause with the other gymnasts as Kimberly had her boyfriend training with her now. Kimberly didn't care what or how the other gymnasts felt, Tommy was like another coach to her, just like some girls that had 2 coaches too. But Coach Russo ensured Coach Béla Károlyi that Tommy had become like an assistant trainer, helping Kimberly through her training this past year. Coach Béla Károlyi knew that privilege would upset the others, claiming favoritism if continued. But he hated to admit that Kim's gymnastics was spot on with Tommy cheering her on now, being by her side. Kimberly was on beam, going through her full routine.
"Come on Kim! You can nail this sequence in your sleep," Tommy said as Kimberly did her 3 back walkovers again. Kimberly had another slight pause again. Kimberly hopped off to give another girl a chance to do her routine.
"I can't concentrate today."
"You need to eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"You hardly are." Tommy had noticed the lack of eating from Kimberly the past few days he has been here. It worried him the weight she had dropped in just 2 weeks. He was happy she was in her last week and he would get her back to strengthen before the Olympics. "Come on, I know what you need and you need to eat something."
"No, I need to hit this routine!"
"After you eat something! Food will strengthen your mind."
"Fine, a salad will do."
Kimberly and Tommy were sitting inside in a café eating their food after leaving the gym. Kimberly had her USA jumpsuit jacket unzipped, as she sat there with her white sport bra showing, with black and pink capri tights and black sneakers.
"So I was thinking about training, we might go up to the mountains tomorrow, catch up with the guys and do some skiing together." Kimberly shook her head as she drank more water.
"Coach would kill me!"
"It's just a little fun, some down time would do you some good."
"I can't."
"Don't you like your salad? Have some of my burger then."
"Ew no, all that cheese, bacon and mayo."
"You have to eat something Kim."
"I am! Stop trying to boss me around!"
"You have barely touched your salad! I want you to eat!"
"No, you're bossing me around!" Kimberly dropped her fork and knife around her plate.
"I'm not! I'm trying to get you eat!"
"And I say I have eaten what I wanted!" Kimberly threw her napkin into plate. "I will eat how much I damn well want to and not because you are making me!" Kimberly grabbed her purse as she got up and walked out. Tommy picked up his jacket and rushed after Kimberly. She started speed walking down the street. Tommy had to run to catch her.
"Man, when did you get so into power walking."
"New exercise."
"Well I can hardly keep up."
"Maybe you're not in as much shape as me."
"Oh! Is that right?" Tommy put his arms around Kimberly's waist to stop and tickle her.
"Let me go! Stop it!" Kimberly shoved Tommy off her.
"Wha, what's wrong?" Kimberly stopped and looked up at Tommy.
"Nothing. I'm sorry." Kimberly touched and patted his chest before she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "I'm sorry."
"Me too. Now, can we go back and finish our food?"
"Yeah. And maybe I'll even have some of that burger because that salad was so dull."
"Great." Tommy put his arm around Kimberly and they walked back to the café.
Kimberly stood on the scale after being weighed after lunch. Tommy watched. Coach Károlyi didn't get a chance to weigh the girls this morning because of his round of interview successions with the coaches again. All the girls were lined up; Tommy couldn't believe this was made public to everybody. A few girls were told to keep working on losing their few more pounds. Kimberly watched Coach move the bar along the line.
"Okay, okay, you are…93, no, 92 pounds." Tommy let out a gasp. She was 92 pounds. But what shocked him even more, that earned a high five from Coach Béla Károlyi. "Very good Kim. Very good!" She smiled as she stepped down. Kimberly walked over to Tommy. Another gymnast got talked down for still being below weight. Becky got a high five from Coach for keeping her weight, as did several other girls.
"92 pounds?"
"Isn't it great!"
"No. It's not great."
"Tommy, it's fine! I needed to lose a couple of pounds, that's all."
"A couple?"
"Yeah, now help me warm up. We only have a few days left here!" Kimberly walked over to warm up with her group on floor.
"I just can't wait to until you are selected and we are home," Tommy muttered.
The day before the last day of Coach Károlyi's Olympic camp, Coach had all the ladies lined up, and warm up together. His staff just watched, along with the other coaches around the gym watching as well.
"Alright ladies, as we all know, we are coming to an end of this camp. Over the last 3 weeks, I have enjoyed watching you all grow into a wonderful group of gymnast ladies and you all would make great to representation of America's team, however only 7 will compete in this year's Olympics down in Atlanta. We will be leaving, July 12th to Atlanta that is roughly less than 2 weeks away from today. Now, I want you all to continue to do your best these last few days. We will be having a final rotational practice, not a competition with scores, but take it as if you are getting scored. Okay, let's keep warming up ladies." Coach Károlyi's drill were tough. He had set up mock competition to mimick Olympic events. On the last session, he started the ladies off with consecutive handstand presses, holding the handstand for 60 seconds, and climbing the rope.
The beams were brought closer together to the area in the gym, as the girls stretched. Kimberly brought her hands on the beam, as she bent down to stretch out her back and shoulders. Coach Károlyi had the ladies do 50 leg lifts. Kimberly and Becky exchanged looks as Becky and Angie came and stood next to her. Dominique Dawes or DD, smiled at Kimberly as they continued to warm up. DD, Michelle, Dominique and Kimberly shared beam with Becky and Angie. Each took a portion of the beam to start off with. They lifted themselves to the beam and had to hold themselves up by their hands along with every other girl in the gym.
"Chest up ladies, tight knees, just relax…. Relax…." Coach walked around. "I know it's tough, but keep your feet above the beam, tight, tight ladies…. Good…good….tight knees…" Coach passed Kimberly, who was breathing the best and holding her handstand. "Good…" The girls moved to doing push-ups with their feet on the beam. As the morning moved along, Coach would pat some girls to release their handstands and move to another exercise. Kimberly was doing her skin the cats with 5 other ladies on one bar apparatus.
"Just 4 more skin the cats ladies, I need to see your best ones now." Kimberly groaned.
By the end of the day, Coach had all the ladies sitting down on the floor mat. It was one of days at this camp where the ladies just trained exercises, not their own performances, but exercises to strengthen their minds and bodies. It was a great change, welcomed from the tiring of doing their skills over and over until perfect.
"Now, I am really proud of you all. Tomorrow morning we will have the morning Compulsories competition, and in the afternoon the Optional competition. And by tomorrow night, we will have made our final picks for the Olympic team selection before a full room of media, cameras, coaches family and guests. So, get some sleep and be prepared to give it your very best tomorrow."
Next day
It was the end of June, June 29th, and Tommy's birthday. Kimberly got up early to bring Tommy a small cake in bed. Rocky didn't like the early wake up, but happy for cake. Kimberly said goodbye to Tommy with a birthday kiss because she had to get ready for the last day and selection day at the gym. Today the committee was to select which ladies of the group to make the team, Coach Béla Károlyi set up an in house competition, but there would be no scores given out to the ladies but to Coach Károlyi and his staff. It was a final chance for someone to make a splash. All the ladies came into the gym with their rainbow of shiny bodysuits. Kimberly was the only one in a sparkling light pink bodysuit. Tommy felt pink would bring her luck. All the girls stretched together on the floor. The gym filled up with family members, friends, coaches, a huge media crowd because this was important along with the 16 judges for today's events. Each judge was a former coach, now judging competition throughout the world. Coach had the girls split into 4 groups to simulate the Olympics format, where all exercises would be going on simultaneously. Kimberly did a handstand and walked a bit before she stood up straight. Her morning Compulsories went as well as any competition could. Though it was hard to judge, not receiving scores, but most of the ladies had an idea where they stood.
"Man, I am so nervous," Michelle said fidgeting with her hands. The Optional competition in the afternoon was 10 minutes from starting. Dominique and Kimberly were standing next to her stretching still. Kimberly bent back and smiled.
"You have a great chance to make a splash like coach said Elle," Kimberly said.
"Still…"
"Well, I would be nervous too, I mean, that middle judge, hates steps you had better stick your landings on every floor pass or just have fun watching the Olympics on tv," Becky said smiled.
"Oh yeah, and that judge on the end in that group, you don't meet your vertical on every giant handstand, pretty much better luck next time because she won't score you over 9.5." Donna and Becky smiled as Michelle got even more worried.
"Well, not like Coach will ever pick someone with an injury and couldn't compete at Nationals or Trials."
"She got an exemption for those."
"Whatever," Becky said.
"Don't let them get to you," Dominique said. "I missed Nationals."
"Yeah, they are trying to get you out of your game with some mind tricks," DD said.
"Remember, this is not a job, this is not the Marines, and it's not life or death, it's gymnastics. It's something you love to do and you are great at doing it. Just do your best and everything else will fall into place," Kimberly said putting her arm around Michelle. "But do watch your landings. I know that judge from a competition in Germany, she does love to mark you down for under rotations on tumbling passes and dismounts, so do make sure you stuck those landings to make it up."
"Thanks."
"No problem, besides, I would much rather see you on the team than Becky." Michelle smiled.
Tommy went over to Kimberly before the afternoon competition started. Kimberly needed a few inspirational words from Tommy. He never failed to bring.
"You look ready."
"I am, ready that is. I just hate you had to spend your birthday to be here with me."
"Hey, you're throwing a huge party for me once we get back home."
"Who said that?"
"I just figured…." Kimberly laughed when Tommy pouted a bit, his head bowed, thinking she wasn't gonna have a party waiting for him once they get back home.
"Of course I am, tiger. Huge party." Tommy smiled as Kimberly hit his arm. She almost got him there once again.
"You're gonna be great. This is the best present I could ever want, watching my girl get selected to the Olympics, I can't wait."
"Thank you." Kimberly wrapped her arms around Tommy's neck and hugged him.
"Now, go win it Beautiful." Kimberly smiled.
The place got packed fast and was loud with the music, cheering family and friends. Since Coach wanted to treat this as a Compulsories and Optional competition, Kimberly turned this last day into one.
Kimberly started first on vault. She stepped into the chalk panel and pressed her hands to it. She wiped and stretched her arms above her head.
"You can do it Beautiful! Control your power and stuck your landings!" Kimberly smiled as she looked up at Tommy. She winked at him. A green flag went up. Kimberly took a deep breath before she walked to the white line.
"Focus Kim," Coach Russo said as he walked down the a bit from the top of the ramp. Kimberly raised her arms above her head. She did her first pass, a front handspring into a front double tuck. She landed perfect. Feet planted to the mat. On Kim's second pass, a Yurchenko with full twist, she had slight hop and step to the side, but nothing major.
Kimberly moved to beam, where she was fabulous, hitting each element, and not one bobble or balance check. On bars, Kimberly was above her average, but not spectacular on her bars routine like Dominique Dawes or Amy Chow, who were top girls and always amazing on bars, but Kimberly did her routine to the best of her abilities and stuck the landing of her double layout. Finally Kimberly moved to floor and had the crowd erupting once she was finished. She had the moment of the day. Her performance to Maksim Mrvica's Handel's Sarabande piece was remarkable, she stuck all 4 of her passes and her moves brought the roof off the building with the loud cheers. It was her day in the end.
The Olympic team selection was a strenuous task. Coach Károlyi had to make sure each of the 7 ladies selected fit together to make the strongest team in American history. He knew the front-runners of the camp, the ones definitely going, but they did have to show they were ready mentally under the Olympic rings and lights to perform. Coach Béla Károlyi choose a mixture of ladies to compete, a few that had been to the Olympics and upcoming stars that would shine the greatest in Atlanta. After 2 hours, Coach and his staff along with the other coaches went into the backroom to discuss all the scores that were held in secret from the gymnasts. Coach Béla Károlyi, with the media cameras going on, made the announcement of the chosen 7 girls. Tommy watched with all the coaches and family, when their daughter's names are announced. The 7 ladies selected: Shannon Miller, Amanda Borden, Amy Chow, Dominique Dawes, Kimberly Hart, Dominique Moceanu, and Kerri Strug. The 1 alternate was Michelle Jackson. Tommy jumped up in a loud cheer as soon as Kimberly walked from the backroom to the floor mat after her name was called. All the ladies were wearing matching USA blue jumpsuits, jackets and pants over their bodysuits.
"Here is the American team that will win gold in Atlanta, congratulations ladies!" The crowd clapped. Each lady was brought aside to give their comments on making the team, Tommy carried over 2 roses for Kimberly as soon as she finished.
"Congratulations Beautiful."
"Aww!" She took them and did a deep sniff of the roses. "I love you."
"I love you too, Olympian." Kimberly smiled and hugged him again. Coach Károlyi came over to Kimberly.
"Miss Hart…congratulations again."
"Thanks Coach."
"You know you won the competition."
"I did?"
"Your combined scores were the highest of everyone out there."
"Wow."
"You continue to train for these next few weeks, because I suspect something of great magnitude will happen in Atlanta, thanks to you."
The Olympian ladies chatted amongst themselves as they were in a room after the competition.
"So, we need a captain."
"I say Kim, she did win the competition and she is reigning World Champion."
"Oh, I don't know if I can handle that too. I mean, it would be an honor nonetheless, but I…"
"Come on, you would make a great captain!" Dominique said.
"Yeah!" Kerri said.
"Maybe, but, I don't know, shouldn't the captain be someone with a bit more experience than me. Someone that has actually been on an Olympic team, like Shannon or Amanda."
"Well, what you ladies think?" DD asked.
"I think Kim's right, Amanda would make a great captain," Shannon said.
"Wait, what? She named you first?"
"Well, I'm naming you."
"Wait! You actually have won an Olympic medal, shouldn't you…"
"I'm voting for Amanda to be our captain, who's with me?" Shannon asked.
"I'll second that," Kimberly said with a smile.
"Me too!"
"Wha.. ladies!"
"Me 3!"
"Me 4!"
"I guess me too," Amy said with a shrug and a smile.
"There you have it. Unanimous decision, babe. Congratulations Amanda, old lady you are our captain." Amanda smiled and shook her head.
"Okay." They all came together in a big group hug. "Now, I want you ladies to stay healthy, stay well minded and just get your butts to Atlanta on time, Kimberly…" Everyone laughed at Kimberly. Kimberly laughed too.
"Deal."
"Team USA on 3… 1, 2, 3!"
"USA!"
Kimberly was finished up her packing to leave with Tommy the following morning. They were back in the Holly House.
"I want to do something crazy."
"Crazier than making the Olympic team Beautiful?"
"Of course!"
"I don't know anything crazier than that Kim," Tommy said with a laugh. "I mean, maybe a… A tattoo is crazy…"
"Yes! Yes, let's get a tattoo together!" Kimberly said. Tommy looked at her. He was only joking.
"You want to get a tattoo together?" Tommy asked.
"Yes! Only if you hold my hand."
"Kim, that's crazy!"
"Exactly! I want crazy! My life is going to be crazy from now on! And a tattoo fits!"
"Oh no! Your parents are gonna kill me for suggesting this!"
"Not if we get it together!"
"I don't know…"
"Come on Tommy! You're not scared right?"
"Of course not!"
"Then let's get a tattoo!"
"I don't know Kim, a tattoo is a lifetime, you can't change it like your hair or your fingernails, it's permanent!"
"I know! Making the Olympic team is permanent too! I want one, I want a tattoo! I want us to share one!"
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay, let's get a tattoo!" Tommy said shaking his head.
"Yes!" Kimberly hugged Tommy.
Tommy and Kimberly quickly packing, knowing they would be leaving in the morning. Rocky, Zack and the others already left after the Olympic women's team was announced. Tommy gave Zack the car to drive back, not Rocky, knowing Zack was the safer driver and Kimberly would probably kill him if she found out Rocky was driving her car. It was almost 9pm when Tommy found a perfect place. It was a little ghetto looking tattoo parlor on the perhaps the wrong side of the town. They knew they couldn't find a legit one, because they were underage without proper ID. But once Kimberly dropped the load of money on the guy, he took them up quickly.
"So, what do you two want?" Jim, one of the tattoo guys standing there. It was a slow nigh in Dragon Tattoo Parlor as Kimberly and Tommy were going through the hundreds of wall designs.
"Something matching for the both of us."
"But cute," Kimberly said.
"Beautiful, I don't want cute on my body."
"Fine! A heart, there are like millions of hearts here," Kimberly said.
"No."
"I want a heart."
"Then the next time you want a tattoo, you can get a heart." Jim smiled at the couple's banter.
"Oh, I like that one."
"I am not getting a flower," Tommy said. "A flower is girly. Very girly."
"How about this," Kimberly said as she thought. "We get a snowflake."
"A snowflake?" Tommy looked around, he didn't once pass a row of pictures on snowflakes with Kimberly, so where did this idea come from.
"Yeah, you know what they say about snowflakes right?" Tommy shook his head. "You never see the same snowflake. We can get the same snowflake on our backs because we share one soul, our love is unique like snowflakes, because you will never find a duplicate."
"I love the idea of getting the same thing, but, and let me stress this… I will not put a snowflake on my body."
"Fine." Kimberly walked away from Tommy. He knew she was pissed, but it would be a cold day in hell before he puts a snowflake even if it pleases the woman he loves. Kimberly would get over it. Tommy came up behind Kimberly as she was looking at the wall of stars.
"How about a star?" Tommy asked. "I'll put your initial in my star, you put my initial in your star."
"A star is so blah!" Kimberly swung the boards over in disgust.
"Okay. I'll put Kimberly on my back and you put Tommy on yours."
"No, I don't want names on our backs, that's lame!"
"This is forever. And I don't about you, but I don't see myself nor do I plan on being with any other girl, but if I do, she will be named Kimberly too." Tommy smirked.
"Very funny. How about doves?"
"A bird?"
"2 doves, for love."
"Now that's lame!"
"Doves are cute and have great representation!"
"Why don't we just freaking put 'Love' in Chinese on our arms and call it a day."
"Because that's common and very lame!"
"Hey, in karate it's all about the yin and yang. You know, you have to have both, working together, mutual connection of opposites. The yin is the dark, the consuming and overpowering night, where the yang is sun, day, in all it's brightness, and powerful too. Now, I know you're my yang and I'll be your yin. I am dark, and you are my light. I'll get half of one, and you get the other half." Kimberly looked at Tommy. She smiled.
"I like it," Kimberly said. "I can dig the yin and yang."
"We have some great yin and yang tattoos, one with a dragon on the black side and the other side has a white tiger."
"I like tigers," Kimberly said with a smile. Tommy laughed. "What, they are so cute, why do you think I call you tiger."
"I thought it was superb skills in bed."
"Ha! You wish!" Kimberly hit his stomach and followed Jim. But when Kimberly saw how big the tattoo was she withdrew away from it. "It's just too big."
"It has to be in order to get all the detailing in of the tiger."
"I want a tattoo, but…"
"It's okay, Beautiful, we can find something else."
"I mean, I loved the idea, it was so sweet and, just wonderful, but I think the whole tattoo together would look best just on you. It fits you."
"Well, maybe my next tattoo I will get it."
"Okay."
"How about something in Kanji?" Another tattoo artist guy asked. His name was Carl. Tommy and Kimberly looked at him. "Not many people get tattoos in that language, usually in Chinese like you said before, but not in the Japanese writing system."
"What do you think?" Tommy asked.
"I like that, something original, not always used. Can we see some symbols?"
"We just have a small collection in a book since it's not used often. Let me find it," Jim said.
"Maybe we could get 'forever', or something like 'love eternal' in Kanji!" Kimberly said getting all excited. Kimberly called Aisha to look up something for her while they looked over Kanji symbols.
"Okay, so Aisha says, Kanji are ideographic characters. And each Kanji character represents an entire object, idea, or meaning in a visually expressive way. Like when we saw the symbol for human, its character represents two people leaning against each other. One is on the right hand side; and the other is on the left. And this symbolizes that human being is living by supporting each other."
"Cool," Tommy said. "What else?"
"Uh, right, right, there are 3 distinct and different Japanese scripts for the same word. She says, Words in Japanese can be written three different ways. The Kanji characters can be used to represent an entire object, idea or meaning. Words and names can also be spelled out using one of two different Japanese alphabets, the what Aisha… Oh okay, hiragana and Katakana," Kimberly said, knowing she probably mispronounced. "And the choice depends on what you want to say, and what the writing will be used for. Sometimes it is best to use a combination of all three methods."
"Okay, we'll just used the first one, Kanji for the whole meaning."
"Aisha asks what is this about?"
"Tell her just resource," Tommy said.
"She asked are we getting tattoos?" Tommy laughed.
"Man, how does she always know things?" Kimberly finally convinced Aisha they were not getting tattoos, just researching the idea. Aisha hung up, but Kimberly knew Aisha knew they were really getting a tattoo.
Tommy and Kimberly ended up getting matching Kanji tattoos of eternal to express their love forever for each other. It took about a good hour as they got their tattoos at the same time, holding each other's hands, as they lay on their stomach head to head. Kimberly did let a cuss slip when the needle first pressed against her back. She cringed and jerked a bit. Tommy was bit smarter and held the pain inside. At first it was tickling like the guys said, but eventually that tickling sensation turned to pain.
Their tattoo cost nearly 400 dollars because they got the no question asked agreement, where they couldn't question or sue if something went wrong with their tattoos once they left the shop, infection or if it's the wrong word. Kimberly and Tommy took turns to look at their new tattoos on the back of their back right shoulder blade. Tommy and Kimberly looked at their tattoos together in the mirror before Jim took a photo of them together.
"Wow, they look great."
"Yeah, you guys did great, thanks."
"Hey, we're happy you like them. Now, here is your pamphlet on how to take care of your tattoo." Kimberly and Tommy took the papers. "Congratulations again."
"Thanks." Tommy and Kimberly knew that getting this tattoo proved their true commit and love for each other.
AN: Thanks bunches everybody!
:P
Teaser to Chapter 27: Hello Atlanta!
He knew she was lying, holding it back yet it filled him with anger. Tommy gave Kimberly one last chance to come clean.
"So what stuff exactly?"
"Nothing Tommy," Kimberly laughed. "You know how I get at the stores. Most of this, I probably don't need, but I wanted a few new tops and dresses for Atlanta. I hear it's like a whole different hot down there during the summer. Now, help me with this stuff, I got you some things too for Atlanta…"
"I don't give a damn what you got me!" Tommy exploded. Kimberly looked at him from his shocking outburst, dropping a bag in fright. "Why were you with him?"
"What?" Kimberly didn't have a clue where all this anger was coming from with Tommy. She hadn't said anything or done to warrantee this explosion at her.
"Don't act like that Kim. I saw you, so I'm asking you again, why were you with him?"
"With him? Who?!" Kimberly asked, though she guessed what Tommy was thinking. 'Oh no, Tommy must have seen me with Jason'Kimberly thought.
"Don't lie to me Kimberly!"