A/N: Hey guys! I hope everyone is well. If you're anything like me, you might be doing some self-containment to stay healthy during the little apocalypse we're going through right now. I've been using my time wisely to finish this! Here is the second half. I hope you enjoy.
As always, I own nothing and love when you R&R!
1:38 PM
January 12th, 2000
611 Anderson Road Extension
Newport, Vermont
Everything hurt and annoyance was pretty much radiating off of Tommy as he sat in the front seat of the rental car. He hadn't planned on needing to get a rental car, the original plan being that Kim would pick him up at the airport when his flight landed. But seeing as she was three hours late, he had gotten fed up and decided to just leave. He had been lucky and landed himself a small SUV, something that was good in the snow fall they had gotten the night before. It was quite the shock to the system, the snow a vast difference than the sun in California. Tommy welcomed the change but at the moment, all he could think about was the fight him and Kimberly were probably going to get into. He didn't want to fight with her at her mother's but he knew it was bound to happen.
He used the directions that the built in GPS on his car gave him, driving down some snow covered roads. He crossed a few seasonal roads that had signs pulled across them, warning drivers to stay clear of them due to the weather. For a moment, he wondered if his soon to be mother in law had a snowmobile he could play around on while they were here. He could use the relaxation of shredding up some snow for a bit. Hope would have a ball too, the snow flying everywhere. He missed Kim and Hope the last day and a half, wishing that he could have flown out with them. It had been the smart thing to stay behind. Zordon had needed his help with the new team. They all ended up in some hot water (or hot pizza dough he supposed he could say) and he had been there to help them out of the sticky situation. But now, he was just glad to be on his way to his two favorite girls for a nice vacation away.
Pulling into the driveway of a log cabin, Tommy cut the engine of the truck and grabbed his back from the back seat. He spotted a silver car in the garage next to the house and a snowmobile tucked under a tarp next to it. Score, he thought as he climbed out. He tossed his bag over his shoulder and jogged up the front steps. He rang the doorbell, preparing himself for the hugs he was about to get. He was happy to see his girls again. He'd be the first one to admit that he never saw his life like this. When Kim walked out of his life, he thought for sure that it was the end for them. But when she came back and the two of them found out they were going to be parents, it was one of the happiest moments in his life. It was only topped by the day Hope was born. When the doctor placed her in both his and Kim's arm, Tommy had never cried so many tears of happiness before in his life. He knew from that moment on that that little girl captured his entire world, save for the part that revolves around Kimberly. He was certain that God or whatever higher power was out there gave him a second chance of life when he brought them back together.
"Tommy!" Sandra Hart exclaimed when she opened the door. The slender petite brunette looked surprised to see him, a red sweater pulled around her frame as she stepped aside to let Tommy in. As he passed, she gave him a quick hug and peeked out the door behind him.
"Hi, Sandra. How are you?" He asked, setting his bag down in the foyer.
"Fine. Fine. What are you doing here? Are Kim and Hope with you?" She crossed her arms and gave him an expectant look. Tommy pulled his jacket off and laughed. It was good to see that Kim's mother took her decor style with her when she left Cali. The home was a cabin and she took that to almost a level of extremeness. There was wood panelling on all the walls, and the decorations were also made from wood: wooden bears statues, wooden bird figurines, wooden picture frames with winter wildlife photos. The carpet was a light blue hue that made the wood pop a darker color and it felt very homey. There were also some paintings that reminded him of the one that hung in their bedroom. Her mother had sent it to Kim when she moved back, saying it was from PAris. Tommy guessed these were as well, showing her time spent in France.
"No. Let me guess. Kim went to the mall." Sandra raised an eyebrow at him. Her brown hair had greyed some since that last time he had seen his future mother-in-law. For a moment, Tommy grew nervous at the idea of telling her the big news. Sandra had always been nice to him but he knew she had some reservation about the two of them having a baby before getting married. He had heard her say something to Kim about it when she was on the phone with her one night. He didn't blame her for that. It wasn't something that his own mother hadn't brought up when he announced their good news. But it wasn't like the two of them were 17 and still living at home. It was 2000. Clearly, living in the past was something their mothers had in common.
"Did you drop her off there or something?" Tommy was the one that felt confused now. He set his coat down on top of the bag and poked his head into the next room. It was the living room and there was no sign that Hope or Kim had been in there at all. He had at least expected to see Hope's pack-n-play set up or even some toys laying around. He for sure had suspected that Sandra would have taken the two of them out last night to spoil her granddaughter with something new to play with while she was at grandma's. There was nothing there though.
"No. When did you see her last?" He asked.
"When I left California, remember?" She replied. A sense of dread filled his chest. "Tommy?"
"They flew in yesterday. They were supposed to be here yesterday afternoon." He felt the color drain from his face as worry instantly washed over him. Kim was missing. Hope was missing.
"Oh no. Okay. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. I'll call the airport and see if they made their flight and got a rental car. They could have gotten a flat tire somewhere or something." Sandra said, heading for the phone on the wall in the living room. Tommy grabbed his coat and pulled it back on. "Where are you going?"
"To find them." He replied, walking out the door. Tommy jogged down the steps of the cabin and headed to the truck, pulling the keys from his coat. Where was he going to look first? He wasn't too sure. He hadn't seen any sign of them at the airport when he had waited for them. Maybe Sandra was right. Maybe they had gotten a flat tire on the way here and they were somewhere until it was fixed. He hadn't seen any cars on the side of the road on his way here so it was possible they had been towed to help. Climbing in, he settled on checking all the mechanic shops he could find. As he went to back up, he noticed Sandra flagging him down from the front door. He rolled down his window and she held up a piece of paper.
"She rented a car from the airport yesterday afternoon. It's a silver station wagon. They said that they hadn't heard from their insurance company of needing any kind of road side assistance." She said, walking down the steps. "Knowing Kim, she's probably waiting with the car somewhere. Someone might have stopped to help them."
"I'm going to drive around and ask some people. Can you call around and see if any of the car shops have helped someone with that car with a flat?"
"Yes. Here." She handed him a cell phone. "It's my emergency phone. Take it, alright? My house number is programmed in it. Call me the moment you find them."
"I will."
5:38 PM
January 12th, 2000
Somewhere off Route 32
Newport, Vermont
Behind the car, I could see the bright golden rays of the sun begin to climb up the hill as the sun started to set. There was only a thin section of the back window I could see out of now, snow covering the rest of it. The windshield was completely covered, ice forming where the sun had beat on it and then cooled. It helped keep some of the warmth in the car but with the setting sun, it was growing cold again.
Hope was sitting in the back seat, playing with a couple of her toys I had found in our bags. She was smiling and laughing, enjoying her time. Every now and then, she'd hold one up for me to show me and then go back to playing. It was relieving to see that she was oblivious to our current situation. I had used the last of our water for her morning bottle, resulting in me using snow I melted on the heating vent for the rest of her bottles. She was running low on formula now, only enough for one bottle tonight. I felt awful, wishing I had continued breastfeeding. That way, at least she could eat. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn't eaten in so long now. I had searched the car and found nothing to eat. I did drink some of the melted water and it did somewhat fill me up. It also caused me to need to pee. It took everything in me to climb out the driver side window just enough to go to the bathroom. My wrist was throbbing and I wished with everything in me that I could just pop it back into place. I didn't dare though.
Leaning forward, I turned the key in the ignition. The engine sputtered for a moment but eventually flipped over. Air blasted from the vents, fogging up the windows. A few minutes later, it turned from cold air to warm. A loud ding caught my attention. I glanced down at the dashboard and saw that the gaslight was now on. We were very low on fuel, the only thing keeping us warm. Dread filled panic came over me. I shook my head, trying to fight the feeling. I lifted my hand and switched on the radio. The end of a song was playing and soon, the radio announcer came on.
"Hey, guys! Hope you enjoyed the latest hit from No Doubt. We just got some late breaking news from local police. They are currently searching for a young mother and her one year old daughter. Their names are Kimberly Hart and Hope Oliver. They were last seen leaving the airport and heading to Newport, travelling in a silver hatchback car. Anyone with information is asked to contact the authorities." The woman announcer said. I sat forward, listening. They were looking for us! It must mean that Tommy had made it here and had realized that we had never made it to my mother's house.
"You hear that, baby?" I said, turning back to face Hope. "Daddy is looking for us! He's going to be here soon and we will be at Grandma's house in no time." Hope giggled, clapping her hands together. The glint in her eye reminded me of Tommy so much that my chest hurt. I wished he was here right now. I wished we were together at my mother's, safe and warm. I could picture us sitting in her living room, looking at old pictures while Hope played on the floor. Then, I'd show Mom my ring and we'd tell her our big news. I know she's going to be excited. Tears clouded my eyes. What if Tommy doesn't find us in time? There would be no wedding. There would be no more days together. It would be the end of our story. It would have all been for nothing.
There was a shudder and suddenly, the car kicked off. I grabbed the key and turned it, the engine sputtering loudly. It wouldn't turn over though, no matter how many times I tried to start it. Swearing, I punched the steering wheel with my good hand. There was no way we would last long in the car without the little bits of heat we were getting from it. The news had said earlier that it would be dropping in the single digits tonight. We couldn't stay here. I had no other choice. Glancing out the window, I saw it was getting increasingly darker now. Leaving the car at night wouldn't be the best move, especially with the wild animals out there. We would have to wait until morning. My only hope now was that the car would be at least warm enough to last the night.
I pushed my hand onto the horn, the sound blaring out into the night. I did it again and again, anguish filling my chest with each bellow of it. Tears streamed down my face now and I could feel the sobs building in the back of my throat. I hated that we were here and I hated that I was petrified right now. The Kimberly who fought to save the world in her teens wouldn't be this afraid. She would have sat and thought of a plan of rescue. She would have been able to climb up that hill without getting hurt. She would be able to save Hope without an issue. The Kim I was now was unable to do any of that it seemed. What kind of mother couldn't protect their own child?
After a few moments of crying, I calmed down and cleared the tears from my face. I had things to do to make sure we were going to last the night. Climbing over the seat, I grabbed out bags and unzipped them. I pulled all the clothes out of them, making a pile on the seat between Hope and I. Starting at the window next to me, I rolled the window down just enough to have a small crack. Cold air blew in at the chance and I shoved the end of a shirt into the crack before rolling it back up. Stretching the fabric, I tied the end of the shirt around the handle of the door. I felt around it and could no longer feel as much of the cold as before. I went to every window that could roll down, repeating this. For the windows in the back that couldn't roll down, I hung the baby blankets I had backed for Hope from the clothes hanger hooks on the ceiling and tied them to the head rests of the back seat. This cut off the back end of the car to us but also blocked the cold air a bit. Climbing back up front, I took the rest of the clothes we had and piled them on the dashboard. It covered most of the window, the draft seeming to stop. It wasn't the warmest but it didn't feel like bitter cold any more. This would last us until morning, at least.
Grabbing a bottle from the floor board that had water in it, I mixed some formula in it for Hope before climbing into the backseat again. She crawled right into my lap and I curled up into a ball around her, giving her the bottle. My entire body ached, especially my wrist and my head. I was beginning to think that I had collided with the steering wheel in the crash and might have a concussion. I remembered what they felt like from my time on the team and this was similar. I was just glad that Hope's car seat had held up and done its job in protecting her. Hope sucked at the bottle, little noises coming from the nipple. Outside, I heard the wind begin to pick up. It rattled the car and I could hear it whistling between the trees. Resting my chin on top of Hope's head, I let out a soft humming noise. As long as I had her with me, it would be okay.
2:36 AM
January 13th, 2000
Somewhere off Route 32
Newport, Vermont
I was pulled from a deep sleep by a loud cracking noise. I hadn't realized I had fallen asleep until I jerked awake. Looking around the dark car, I tried to find the source of the noise. Hope was still sleeping in my arms, her head nozzled against my chest. I shifted, setting her in her car seat carefully. The noise happened again, this time louder. I climbed over the front seat and peaked out the window. The pale light of the moon lit up the area but I didn't see anything that could be causing that sound. Sitting back in the seat, I closed my eyes and rested my head against the headrest.
The noise repeated, only this time it was followed by a horrible shudder that shook the whole car. As my eyes popped open, something slammed into the car. I covered my face as the windshield seemed to explode, broken glass flying everywhere. I let out a scream as a crunching sound was deafening around us. I felt digs into my skin as the glass rained down on me. When everything came to an abrupt halt, I lifted my head. The dashboard, which was not severely cracked and damaged, had a large tree branch on it now. The jagged end was pierced into the passenger seat, ripping the cloth on it. Glass was everywhere, along with the clothes I had placed on the dash. I noticed that my leg was right next to the branch, just inches from where it was sticking out the seat. I pulled it back, feeling my fingers tremble as I sat up. Turning, I saw that Hope was still sleeping. She had a small cut on her cheek now from the glass but otherwise, seemed alright.
The wind was still howling and it whipped right into the car from the now gaping hole that was the windshield. There was no amount of clothes that could block that. Another gust came in and it was like the cold went through me. I shivered, pulling my thin jacket tighter around me. I turned and looked back at Hope. We were going to have to go. There was no way of staying here now.
Reaching down, I grabbed the backpack that had her formula and bottles in it. There were two bottles in it but only half full. I had rationed out the rest of her food to last longer. I moved these into the front pocket and zipped it shut. I found a sharp piece of wood on the seat next to me and grabbed it with my good hand. Putting the backpack strap over the head rest, I stabbed two holes into the bottom of the bag, one on each side. Searching in the glove box, I found a seat belt cutter velcroed to the side of it. Taking this, I cut the driver side seat belt the best I could with one hand. It took a few minutes but I was able to after a while. I wrapped the seat belt piece around my shoulder, tying it in a knot. Taking Hope, I picked her up from her car seat and wiggled her into the back pack. She was taller than the bag but she still fit inside. I yanked the blankets down from the back of the car and wrapped one around her body and one around her head after pulling her hood up.
Ripping the shift off of the back driver side window, I cranked the handle until it was all the way down. I climbed out, sinking up to my thighs in the deep snow. Reaching back into the window, I grabbed Hope and the bag. Pulling her out, I put her on my back. I heard her whine before snuggling into my back. I tucked my bad arm into the seat belt sling I had made and turned to look around. Going up wasn't an option. I couldn't climb that steep hill. I would have to go left or right until I found a road or something. I shifted right, considering I had come from this direction. There would have to be a road or something up ahead seeing as it was going down the hill. It had been the direction I had come from.
Lifting my leg, I pushed forward. I stumbled a bit in the deep snow but was able to keep my balance. Ahead, I could see thick trees and snow, the white surface reflecting the moon. I didn't see tracks of any kind, hoping that it meant our visitors from before were nowhere near us now. It didn't take long for my entire body to become numb from the cold, especially my legs that were buried in the wet and cold snow. I hugged my arm close to my body, hoping to reserve as much body heat as I could. I searched for a light of any kind but saw nothing but the moon.
"This is horse shit." I muttered under my breath as I rested against a tree. I had so much snow in my shoes that my socks were soaked. Glancing back, I saw I was far enough from the car that I could only just make it out in the dark. Was this a mistake? Should we have stayed there? I heard Hope cue in my ear and I had my answer. She wouldn't have made it there much longer. I turned back and pushed off of the tree, going forward. I followed the tree line, going around a curve of the hill. Under the snow, I felt branches and bushes, making it a slow process in some parts. The wind cut through like a knife and each time it hit us, I felt Hope burrow deeper into my back. It gave me comfort feeling her move. Even though I wouldn't let myself think it, I was terrified she would stop moving and that would be the end. The very thought made myself want to vomit so I shoved it from my brain as I kept walking. Sweat was pouring down my forehead from the effort and it didn't help as it froze from the wind. It made my hair freeze and harden on my head.
After about an hour, I had to stop and take a break. I could no longer see the car and had made it well enough into the tree line that it was all I could see around me. I strained my eyes to see lights or anything else but came up short. I leaned up against a tree, catching my breath. There was a deafening silence around us when the wind would die down. It seemed to be slowing, the gusts coming few and far between now. It made walking easier but did little to ease the cold. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw that Hope was asleep again. She had her little hands tucked in front of her as she slept. Her nose and her cheeks were red and chapped from the wind. I knew mine were too. I could feel my entire face sting each time it blew.
I started walking again, the sound of running water catching my attention. Soon, I could see a small creek ahead. It wasn't very deep, the winter weather probably freezing parts of it further up stream. There was a faint glow off in the distance now, the sun beginning to rise. It was still dark around us but I could see things further off now. About fifty yards away, I could see some kind of structure. As I crossed the river, I could see that it was a small shack. Probably for hunting or ice fishing. Relief poured into me at the sight of it and I rushed forward.
"Hello!" I called out. "Is someone there?" The snow thinned here and I moved faster. It was more like a small cabin, a wooden porch attached to it. I ran up to the door and banged on it. There was no noise inside. Grabbing the door knob, it opened and the door swung forward. "Is someone here?" I called out into the dark room. I searched the wall near the door for a switch but found none. The pale light of the sun made some light in here and I saw there was no electricity. It meant there was no phone either. But we were out of the cold and in some kind of shelter. Looking around the one room shack, I saw a wood stove and a counter in one corner. There was a couch in the middle and what looked like a cot built right into the wall on the other. I pulled Hope off of my shoulders and set her gently on the couch. There was a blanket draped over the back of the couch and I covered her in it after pulling her out of the bag.
Searching the room, I tried to find wood for the wood stove. I found some under the cot and I made quick work of building a fire in the stove. Shortly, the small shack was filled with warmth that I could barely feel through the wetness of my clothes. On the counter, I found a tea kettle and there were a few cans of food in a cupboard above it. Checking Hope, I saw she was still sleeping on the couch. I took the tea kettle and walked outside, heading to the river. I could heat up some water to warm her bottles and to have something warm to drink. Bending over, I pulled the lid off of the top of the kettle and stuck the opening in the stream.
A loud howl made me jump as it pierced through the area around me. I turned, looking for the source. It still wasn't bright enough for me to see everything around me. The howl happened again, this time closer and from a different direction. I put the lid back on the kettle and stood up. There was yipping now and I could hear movement around me. I started running, my eyes on the front door of the shack. Behind me, the yipping grew louder and I could hear snarls. I dared a glance back and saw two coyotes right behind me. I gasped, turning back to run faster. The sounds were so loud and terrifying that I felt my blood run cold. I urged my sore and frozen legs to run faster. I was getting closer to the shack, maybe ten yards away. That's when I felt the teeth sink into the back of my right half. I let out a loud cry as I was dragged down, landing on my dislocated wrist.
The teeth let go and I rolled on to my back. There was a light brown and golden colored coyote circling me. I could see blood on it's hackles and I knew it had come from my leg. We made eye contact, it's amber eyes locking with mine for a moment. I grabbed the handle of the kettle tightly in my hand and when the coyote lept towards me, I swung. I heard it connect with it's jaw, the impact making my hand arm vibrate. It howled in pain, bowing its head as it backed away. I took that as a chance to pull myself to my feet. I took three steps and fell down to my knee, my injured leg unable to bear any weight on it. I heard the coyote coming behind me and I saw another with it. Gritting my teeth, I pushed off the ground and ran forward. I hobbled as I moved, ignoring the pain as I tried to run as quickly as I could. I could hear the yipping again and felt like they were closing in on me everywhere.
As I reached the wooden porch, I felt something grab the back of my coat and yank back. I nearly toppled over, the only thing saving me was grabbing the support pillar. Looking over my shoulder, I saw another coyote. He had the bottom of my jacket in his teeth and he snarled as he pulled on it. I tried to swing the kettle at him but him pulling on my jacket restricted my arms. Letting go of the pot, I pulled my arms out of the coat and he skidded backwards from the force he had been using to tug at me. I was justled as well, sending me on my back side. I was close enough now that I could reach the door knob of the cabin. I pulled myself up to my feet, my leg giving up. I managed to get the door open, though, and I dragged myself inside. I slammed my body against the door, shutting it. Something collided with it on the other side, the door bouncing against me.
Searching, I saw there was a sliding lock on the upper part of the door. I reached up from the floor and grazed it with my fingers. Pain shot out of my leg as I tried to put weight on it. I ignored it, reaching again. This time, I was able to make contact and slid it over. It locked the door and I was able to roll away from it. The coyotes pushed and scratched at the door, their paws visible in the crack under the door. I could also see their snouts, loud sniffing coming with them. My heart thundered in my chest as sweat poured down my face from the running. I laid there, trying to catch my breath.
9:36 AM
January 13th, 2000
Sip-n-Go Gas Station
Route 32
Newport, Vermont
Tommy swore as he climbed out of the rental truck. He had just pulled into the last gas station in the ten mile radius he had assigned himself. After having no luck with the mechanic shops, Sandra insisted on calling the police. They had come to the house to get a statement from him and a description of what they were wearing the last time he had seen them. They had also taken a picture Sandra had of the two of them to put on the news and to spread around as they searched. There were no words to describe the amount of worry that was building with each passing moment that Tommy didn't know where they were. He had been out all night, searching everywhere he could for them. He had no clue where he was expecting to go, given the fact he didn't know the area whatsoever. That wasn't going to stop him though. He had gone back and forth on the roads that led to Sandra's house from the airport at least six times now. There were no signs of them or the car. It vanished into thin air in a matter of an hour.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Tommy headed into the tiny gas station. It wasn't large at all to say the least; two pumps out from and three shelves of goods in the middle of the store. There were coolers along the south and west walls of the building, beer, soda and other beverages shoved in here. Behind the counter, Tommy saw a woman in her probably late fifties or early sixties. She had short grey hair and thin framed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She was slender, wrinkles on her facial features. She smiled when she saw Tommy and he approached the counter.
"Morning! Rough night?" She asked.
"You could say that." He replied, feeling the tiredness in his body. He hadn't slept since the night before Kim and Hope had left. He felt sluggish and his eyes were burning for sleep. He couldn't though. Not until he found them.
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm trying to find my fiance and my daughter. They've been missing since the night before last." Tommy pulled the picture from his pocket and held it out to her.
"Yes! I saw them on the news." She replied, taking it to look at it better. "I'm sorry but I haven't seen them here."
"Could you ask your co-workers if they have?" He asked. She nodded.
"I can but we don't do shift change until about four. I'll have them call the police if they've seen anything."
"Thank you." Tommy felt defeated as she handed him back the picture. He put it back in his pocket and headed towards the door.
"What kind of car were they in again?" She called, causing Tommy to stop at the door. He glanced over his shoulder.
"A silver station wagon." He replied. "It was a rental from the airport."
"I'll keep an eye out, okay? If I were you, I'd be worried sick. Have you checked all the body shops around here?" Tommy nodded.
"All the ones listed in the phone book." He said.
"Hold on." She walked over to the corner behind the counter and grabbed a map from the pamphlet holder. Walking back over, she opened it and grabbed a marker from the register. "There are only a few shops in the phone book. There are a ton of guys who do mechanic stuff from their homes. Check these ones." Using the marker, she circled some places on the map. Tommy stepped closer to see, leaning against the counter. "Chances are if she had car issues, one of these guys might have seen her and tried to help." She folded up the map and held it out to him. Tommy took it, glancing down at the paper in his hands.
"Thank you. I really appreciate your help." He said.
"No problem. I'll pray that you find them. Your daughter looks very sweet."
"She is." Tommy gave her a smile before walking out. Back in the truck, he unfolded the map and looked at the areas she had marked off. He saw there was one about five miles away. Setting the map in the passenger seat, he turned the truck on and pulled back onto the road.
3:15 PM
January 13th, 2000
Route 32
Newport, Vermont
Fatigue was starting to hit Tommy to the point his eyelids felt heavy. He ignored it, continuing to drive as he cruised along Route 32 for the fifteenth time that day. He had gone to all but one of the places the cashier had told him about and unfortunately, came up empty each time. On older man at the last stop had called his son-in-law to make sure he hadn't seen any sign of Kim either. There was no luck though. Now, he was left with his last option. There was a circle around a place a couple miles away. Tommy hoped with every fiber of his being that they would have some kind of clue that would lead him to his family.
As Tommy drove down the highway, he spotted something on the side of the road. Slowing down, he saw it was an A shaped mount with a sign hanging off of it. Stopping, Tommy climbed out of the truck and walked over to it. It was sticking out of a snow bank, the sign bent like it had been hit by a hard force like a snow bank. He could make out the word ROAD and CL after that. "Road closed." Tommy muttered, glancing around. Had this been on the beginning of the road? Tommy had used the GPS provided in the rental car to get to Sandra's house. There was a chance that Kim's did not have that installed in hers. If that was the case, she would have needed to follow the directions he had printed off for her the day before. He couldn't remember them off the top of his head, however.
Tommy walked over and climbed back into his truck. He took the turn, heading up the road. He saw it was the same road the last place on the map was and some hope built in his chest. The sun was beginning to sink deeper into the horizon, the sunset coming soon. As he drove up the hill, he saw that it was more wooded here than any other part of town. He went slower than the speed limit, looking back and forth on each side of the road. He saw nothing, however, as he went about three miles. At the top of the hill, Tommy spotted a garage with blue aluminum siding on it. There were lights in the windows and he noticed that there seemed to be a junkyard attached to the garage. He pulled into the open gate, a man standing at the front of the building looking up as he did.
"Hello." The thirty something year old man called out as Tommy killed the engine of his truck. He climbed out and the man waved at him. "We're gearing up to close. I can take your info though and help ya out first thing in the morning."
"I don't need help with my car, thank you." Tommy replied, pulling the picture out from his pocket. "I'm trying to find my daughter and my fiance. They went missing somewhere around here."
"Oh." The man replied, frowning. "Sorry to hear that." He took the picture and examined it for a minute. Tommy glanced around, seeing a large number of vehicles in different kinds of conditions around them. There were a lot of places to hide or get lost in here; especially if you were Hope's size.
"Have you seen them?" Tommy asked. The man shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. I don't get many people from out of town up here. Course, I wasn't here all day yesterday as it was. You can look around if ya want. Maybe one of my guys brought her car in or something. What was she driving?" He asked, handing the picture back.
"A grey station wagon." Tommy replied. "It's a rental car."
"I'll go check my books. All of our newer cars would be towards the back behind the garage." He pointed behind him with his thumb.
"Thank you." Tommy took the picture and tucked it back into his pocket as he walked in the direction he had indicated. Tommy made sure to examine each heap of twisted metal, checking to see if there was any sign of Kim or Hope. He saw a few silver cars but none that seemed new enough to match what she had been driving. He rounded the back of the garage and saw some not so damaged cars and trucks aligned here. He scanned the rows, looking for the station wagon. It wasn't here.
Swearing, Tommy put his hands on the top of his head and kicked the ground. Snow and gravel flew into the air, rolling away from him. Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes as they burned the back of them. He couldn't believe this. He had one job to do and he couldn't even do that. He couldn't protect the two most important people in his life and he couldn't find them. What if something horrible had happened? What if they had been taken by someone? What if one of their old enemies had come looking for revenge and had used them to obtain it? Tommy felt sick at the idea of someone using his family as a tool for revenge against him or the Rangers. It also made him sick to think of some just random person taking them. More than anything, he wished he hadn't given up his powers when he did. He would have been able to find them in a heartbeat if that were the case.
"Any luck?" The man asked as he came from around the building. Tommy sniffled, edging his tears away. He shook his head, staring out behind the cars. He saw there was a large valley there, trees filling it that were snow topped. He walked over to the edge, looking out. "I checked my logs and we haven't had anything new in a couple of days. I'll tell them to keep an eye out though, okay?"
"Okay. Thank you." Tommy said, glancing over his shoulder. He let out a sigh, looking back over the trees. The sun was setting behind them, an orange and red glow coming from it. It lit up the forest with bright bands. "Quite the view." He said, feeling the hope draining out of him.
"Yeah. It is." The man stepped closer, standing next to Tommy. "Main reason my father bought the place, I think. My mother loved coming out here and looking out."
"I can see why." Tommy tucked his hands into his pockets and kicked the ground. As he raised his head, something shiny caught his eyes. He turned, trying to figure out what it had been. He saw it again, something between a cluster of trees down towards the bottom of the valley. "What is that?" He asked, pointing.
"Huh?" The man asked, turning to look. He squinted, leaning forward. "I'm not sure. Hold on. I've got binoculars in the garage." He jogged back towards the building, returning a moment later with a small pair of bird watching binoculars. He brought them to his eyes and adjusted the dial on the top of them. "There's something in the snow down there." He said, holding them out to Tommy. He took them, bringing them to his eyes. He adjusted them so he could see better. He was right. Something was covered in snow at the base of a tree. Tommy leaned in closer, trying to get a better look.
"Is there anything down there?"
"No. That's where everyone usually goes hunting. Popular place for deer and coyotes." He replied. Tommy moved slightly to the left and that's when something red caught his eyes. It was a glimpse of red glass. It reminded him of the glass used for brake lights.
Like those of a car.
Suddenly, he realized that they were looking at the shape of a car under the snow. He could see the silver tone of the paint from what was visible under the snow. The back was domed shape, similar to that of a station wagon.
"It's the car!" Tommy exclaimed, looking for any sign of Kim or Hope. Dread really filled him now. They had gone off the road. Were they hurt? Were they alive? "What the best way to get down there?"
"There's an access road about a mile south. I'll take you." The man said, gesturing to a pickup truck behind them. The two ran towards it, Tommy fishing the cell phone from his coat pocket once he was inside. The man brought his truck to life and squealed out of the parking lot. Tommy called Sandra, her picking up on the first ring.
"Did you find them?" She asked, sounding tired.
"I think we found the car. I need you to call the police. It's off the road over an embankment off of Route 32. I'm heading down there right now."
"Oh my god." She said, Tommy hearing the fear in her tone. "I will right now." She hung up as the man took a right hand turn onto a barely plowed seasonal road. The snow was deep here and even his truck was having issues getting up the hill. It managed to after getting stuck in a couple spots and he stopped at the very top. Tommy jumped out of his seat, running over to the side of the road. Looking over, he could see the back end of the car now.
"Kim!" Tommy called, starting to climb down.
"Hold up." The man called. He grabbed something from his truck and ran around. Tommy stopped, seeing rope in his hands. He handed Tommy one end of it and tied the other to the grill of his truck. Tommy also saw he was carrying a rifle in his hand and he put the strap over his shoulder. "LEt's go."
Tommy tossed the rest of the rope down and the two of them began to repel down the deep embankment. It was nearly a ninety degree angle and Tommy could see why no one had been able to see the car from the road. As he neared the wagon, he noticed that it was pinned to the tree in front of it and that the hood was bent up at an odd angle. The snow grew deeper the closer they walked, coming up to his knees once they were on more level ground.
"Kimberly!" Tommy called out, pushing towards the car. When he reached the back, he looked into the window. He couldn't see anything, something blocked the glass. He shuffled further down, seeing a bare place. Cupping his hands on the window, he looked inside. He could just make out Hope's car seat in the back. He noticed that the window in the back on the driver side was rolled down and he ran to that side as quickly as the deep snow would allow. Sticking his head inside, he saw no sign of Hope in the car seat and no sign of Kimberly anywhere. He did see that the windshield had been shattered, a tree limb resting on the dash and the front seat. Pulling his head out, he looked around.
"Are they there?" The man called out. Tommy shook his head, turning to look around the area. It was growing darker now, the light between the tree fading.
"KIMBERLY!"
8:55 PM
January 13th, 2000
In the woods near Route 32
Newport, Vermont
After being attacked by the coyotes, I laid on the floor for what felt like hours. The pain was awful, though, nothing compared to that of my wrist which had doubled in size now that I had pretty much landed on it fifty times now. My entire body ached and burned, my mind wishing to drift off to sleep. I allowed myself for a while, my vision coming in and out as I drifted. I was awakened though, by the sound of Hope stirring from the couch. I lifted my head and saw that she was looking down at me from there.
"Hey, baby girl. Give me one minute, okay?" I said, slowly sitting up. It took so much energy out of me that I had to stop to take a breather. On the floor, I saw there was a large pool of blood under my legs. My pants were chilly from being wet and I wasn't sure if it was from snow of blood. I felt dizzy, wobbling as I sat there. Shaking my head, I reached out my good hand until I found something to pull myself up with. It was a slow moving process but I made it to my feet. I put all my weight on my uninjured leg and hobbled forward. I stumbled, colliding with the couch. I was able to catch myself before flipping over the back of it, my stomach doing flips. Thankfully it was already painfully empty or else I might have fainted.
The cabin seemed to spin as I tried to focus. I saw that the fire was dying down, the wood burning at a good rate. It was dark out now and I needed to keep this little shed warm for the night. I dragged myself over to the stove and used all my energy I could muster to lift a piece of wood from the puile so I could shove it into the oven. I felt back onto the floor, my head spinning. I knocked everything off the counter in the process, a loud clattering noise coming from it. Hope let out a loud cry, scared from the noise.
"Shhh." I said, trying to stand again. I couldn't get my eyes to focus now. "It's okay, baby girl." I whispered, feeling myself lay down on the floor. "It's okay."
10:55 PM
January 13th, 2000
In the woods near Route 32
Newport, Vermont
The police arrived shortly after Tommy had climbed down to the car. They used special equipment to get down there and had Tommy stand ten feet away while they examined the car. He hadn't touched anything, not wanting to contaminate anything before the police had arrived. He was struggling to keep it together. They had found the care but they were nowhere to be found. There weren't even any signs of them outside of the car like footprints. It was like they hit the tree and just vanished into thin air. Tommy had noticed some blood on the steering wheel, however, that made his stomach churn to think about now.
"They'll find them." The man, who had told Tommy his name was Earl, said as they watched the cops dig through the station wagon. It was growing increasingly colder with each passing minute, forcing Tommy to shiver. His jeans were frozen where they had soaked in water during their climb down. He was growing impatient and more worried with each passing second. Where could they be? Had they crashed and Kim went somewhere for help? Had someone found them and brought them to a hospital?
"Well, I wish they'd tell me something." He muttered, crossing his arms. There were four police officers combing over everything in the vehicle, each holding a long flashlight. Tommy watched as they pulled out article of clothing after article of clothing. It was like Kim's bag had exploded all over the back of the car.
"You know police officers. They tend to follow the rules more than they should." Earl said, let out a sigh. His eyes traveled over towards the car. "It looks like she was trying to insulate the car a bit."
"Huh?" Tommy asked, looking at him. Earl nodded his head towards the car.
"The clothes. She has them on all the windows. I think she was trying to keep warm inside of there." Tommy turned towards the wagon and saw what he was talking about. There had been clothes on all but one of the windows when they had arrived. And there was a heap of them on the dashboard. Kimberly must have been trying to block out the cold draft from outside. The two of them must have been in the car for a while then.
"They can't be too far from here then." Tommy said, stepping closer to the car. "Last night was colder than the night before. She must have known they had to leave or else it would be too cold for them to stay. Are there any buildings around here?" Earl shook his head.
"Nah. This is all just a wooded area. It's about three miles from here to the highway though."
The sound of a loud engine caught their attention. Looking over his shoulder, Tommy saw as two bright lights came from the east side of the valley. Soon, he realized they were two people on snowmobiles. They rode up, coming to a stop near him and Earl. The closest one to them killed the engine of his machine and pulled his Ski-Doo helmet from his head. Tommy saw a younger version of Earl, a teenage kid who couldn't be more than 18. He climbed off his snowmobile, his friend behind him following suit.
"What's going on, Dad?" The kid asked, walking over to them.
"Trying to find the missing girl I called you about. What are you doing out? Your mother will skin you alive if she knows you're out riding this late." Earl said. His son shrugged, patting his brown hair down on his scalp.
"She went to bed already. We saw all the police lights on the hill and thought we'd investigate."
"Figures. Tommy, this is my son, Mark. Mark, this is Tommy. It's his fiance and daughter who are missing." Earl shifted so Tommy could shake Mark's hand.
"I'm really sorry." Mark said, giving Tommy a sad smile. "I sure do hope they find them."
"Thank you." Tommy said, getting tired of hearing that.
"Mr. Oliver?" A voice called from the station wagon. Tommy turned on his heel towards the source, hope in his chest. The chief of police was by the back of the car and he motioned for Tommy to walk towards him. He did, maneuvering through the thick snow.
"Did you find something?" He asked.
"We don't think they've been here for at least a few hours. There's no sign of any kind of struggle besides the tree limb through the windshield. My guess is that she walked somewhere. Does she know her way around here?" He asked. Tommy shook his head.
"No. This is our first time here."
"Okay. We did find a couple empty cans of formula in the front seat but no bottles. Your daughter must be alright. There was no damn to the car seat which is a good sign. I think it'll be best if you head back to your mother-in-law's and let us look for her."
"What?" Tommy balked, shaking his head. "I'm not going anywhere until I know they are safe."
"I understand your concern, Mr. Oliver but we can handle this."
"Concern? That's my family out there somewhere! I haven't seen or spoken to them in almost three days now. I have no idea if they are safe or if they are in danger. And you just want me to go home? Do you have a family? Would you go home and just sit around, waiting for answers?" He hesitated, shaking his head. "I didn't think so."
"Look, we are doing everything we can do but in the dark it's hard-." He was caught off by the sudden and loud shrill noise that seemed to echo around them. It sounded like a wounded animal, screaming for help. Tommy glanced around, confused by the noise. He seemed to be the only one. "Coyotes." The chief said behind him.
"Coyotes?" Tommy asked. The chief nodded.
"Yeah. They are popular in this part of our area. From the sound of it, they have something pinned." Tommy felt his mind race as the noise grew louder. Something pinned. Something that couldn't out run them.
Something like a petite brunette carrying a one year old.
Tommy ran forward, heading towards the snow mobiles. He hopped onto the one Mark had just climbed off of. The key was still in the starter and Tommy turned it, bringing the engine to life under him. Mark turned as he did this, the small group surprised. Earl, however, nodded at Tommy and ran over to the one the other boy had rode in on. Tommy grabbed the throttle and moved forward. It sputtered a bit on the deep snow but quickly found treading. The howling echoed and Tommy took off towards it. As he sped through the trees, he did his best to avoid hitting them. Now and again, he would catch sight of a flash of fur in the moonlight. His eyes and skin burned from the cold air hitting him at such a speed but he didn't care. Behind him, he heard Earl on his right. There had been calls following them from the police, telling them to come back that both men ignored.
He was going to find them if it was the last thing he did.
12:00 am
January 14th, 2000
In the woods near Route 32
Newport, Vermont
I did my best to cling to a conscious state of mind as I laid on the floor. I could make out a blurry picture of the fireplace, the orange embers beginning to die down from a lack of wood. I tried to move to add more but I found myself only able to raise my head slightly. Hope was crying loudly from the couch, her cries seeming to circle around me as I faded in and out. I tried to focus on it to gain some clarity but it didn't work. The pain in my entire body was now gone and I felt relaxed. It was nice compared to the hell we had gone through since we arrived in Vermont. I found myself smiling, imagining laying in a warm bed with Hope and Tommy with me.
Loud yipping brought me out of my happiness. MY bleary eyes opened and I knew it was the coyotes. Turning my head, I could see Hope on the couch. Her face was red and tears streamed down her face. Rattling above my head made me slowly turn my head. It was the door. They were scratching at the door again. It was moving too, opening a little bit with each movement against it. The lock was holding on by a prayer, the nail keeping it in the wood coming loose.
"Hope." I whispered, trying to roll over. "Come here." I closed my eyes but I heard her shifting. Soon, I felt her crawl on top of me. It took all of my strength to lift my arm and drape it over her. She snuggled into my chest, her sobs continuing as I lost consciousness again.
"Kimberly. It's time to wake up, Beautiful." Tommy's voice said sweetly in my ear. "It's okay. It'll all be okay."
"Where are you?" I whispered. All I could see was darkness. There was nothing around giving off light.
"Hold on. I'm on my way."
12:00 am
January 14th, 2000
In the woods near Route 32
Newport, Vermont
Snow sprayed out from behind Tommy as he sped forward. He was starting to see the coyotes better now, the creatures running and darting out between the trees. One sprinted out in front of him and Tommy had to dodge left to avoid hitting him. The animal took off and Tommy followed. Ahead, he could make out some kind of river or creek. He turned the throttle up, speeding through the water. The cold liquid spewed upwards, coating him from head to toe. Droplets splashed into his eyes, blurring his vision. This caused him to slow. He shook his head, doing his best to clear his eyes.
"Tommy!" Earl called over the roar of the engines. Tommy stopped, looking over his shoulder. Earl pointed ahead of them at something. Tommy shifted, seeing that there was a pale orange flicker up ahead. He squinted to see better in the dark. When he couldn't, he pulled the snow mobile forward until it became more clear. It was a small cabin, set back in a cluster of pine trees. The moon was reflecting off of the windows and inside, he could just see the pale orange glow. Someone was inside of there.
The coyotes were circling the cabin, pouncing on the door. It made it wobble, the thing only seeming to be attached slightly at this point. He counted four or five animals, the brown haired coyotes taking turns trying to get inside. They all turned to look at Tommy as he approached. He killed the engine of his snowmobile as he stopped about ten feet from the shack. Earl came to stop as well, pulling the rifle from his back. He pointed it up into the air and fired three shots. The loud banging echoed around the trees, causing the coyotes to flee. Tommy leapt off of the snowmobile and sprinted towards the door.
"Kim!" Tommy called, banging his hand on the door. There was no answer but he could hear a baby crying inside. He listened and he recognized it as Hope's cry. He banged harder, closing his fist. There was still no answer and it was locked when he tried the door knob. Stepping back, Tommy lifted his leg and kicked the door as hard as he could. It budged slightly, him seeing a crack of light from the jam. He did it again, this time springing open with a loud crack. Running inside, he saw Hope's bag on top of an old couch with a blanket bunched around it.
"Dada!" Hope's voice whimpered out from the right. Turning, he saw her sitting on the floor. She was still in her winter coat she had been wearing when they had left, her hat on her head and heavy pants on her legs. Tommy saw something red on her hands and blotched on her face.
"Hope." He said, bending down and scooping her up. He looked her over, looking for any signs of injury. He realized there was blood on her but she didn't have any open wounds he could see. Behind Tommy, he heard Earl come inside. Tommy turned to face him.
"Is she alright?" He asked, panting. Tommy nodded as he turned back to where he had found her. That's when he saw Kim's foot. Stepping forward, he saw her laying on the floor behind the couch. Her eyes were closed and her face was pale.
"Kimberly!" Tommy exclaimed. He held Hope out to Earl who took her before Tommy knelt down next to Kim. "Beautiful, open your eyes." Tommy put his hand behind the back of her head and lifted it up from the floor. When he moved her, he saw the blood that had soaked into her pants. There was also a pool underneath her. Tommy cupped her cheek in his hand and her skin was cold to the touch.
"Is she…" Earl trailed off. Tommy put his hand on Kim's neck, feeling for a pulse. He felt relieved as he felt one but it was very weak.
"She's alive. We gotta get her out of here." Tommy scooped Kim up in his arms and followed Earl out of the cabin. "Where's the highway?"
"Head straight out through there." Earl said, pointing north. "I'll take your girl. You get her." Tommy nodded, heading towards the snow mobile. He climbed on, setting Kim in front of him. She fell against him, her eyes not even fluttering open.
"Hang in there, Beautiful." He whispered, starting the snow mobile. He wrapped an arm around her and grabbed the throttle with his other hand. Tommy drove forward, heading in the direction that Earl had told him. It was difficult driving with just one hand, causing him to go slower than he liked. After about ten minutes, he started seeing lights. They were cars going up and down on the highway. Tommy let go of Kim and grabbed the controls with both hands, speeding up.
He burst through the tree line, coming out onto the highway. Tires screeched and a horn blew as a pick up truck skidded to a stop in front of him. Tommy killed the engine, climbing off of the snowmobile. He scooped up Kim again and ran over to the driver side of the truck.
"What are you doing?!" The guy inside exclaimed before he saw Kim. "Oh lord."
"Please. I need to get her to the hospital."
"Get in."
1:00 pm
January 15th, 2000
Newport County Hospital
Newport, Vermont
"They said I might find you here."
"Yeah. When it's nice out, I sometimes like to come here and practice. Helps get my mind off things."
"I can see why. Tommy, about me leaving-."
"I know, Kim. I know."
"I don't want to go."
"You have to though. It's your dream. And I'll be here waiting when you get back."
"Do you promise?"
"I promise."
"Tommy…" I whispered, my head feeling like it was swimming. I fought to pull myself out of the darkness around me. It felt heavy and thick, like a dark pool of water I couldn't swim to the surface of. I struggled, trying to find something around me that told me where I was. There was nothing though, just a soft buzzing noise and that heavy feeling. "Tommy!" I called out, hoping he could at least hear me.
"Kim." His voice said from a distance. I froze, trying to figure out which direction it came from. "Beautiful, I'm here."
"I can't find you, Tommy." I said, spinning in the murk. "Please, help me."
"Kimberly. Kimberly." His voice chanted, speeding up and repeating over and over again. I covered my ears to try and block it out but it didn't work. It was screaming around me, vibrating everything.
"Stop it! Stop it!" I screamed, squeezing my eyes shut. "Make it stop!"
"Kimberly." Tommy's voice said, it seemed to whisper in my ear. I opened my eyes but this time, I was greeted with a bright light. Squinted, I turned my head away from it. Everything was blurry as I tried to make out my surroundings. All I could really make out was green and white. After blinking a few times, my sight cleared and I realized I was looking at the tiled floor and walls. The walls were a dark green color and the walls were an off white linoleum. Shifting, I turned my head back and saw there was a fluorescent light above my head. It burned my eyes when I looked at it. Bringing my eyes down, they landed on Tommy who was sitting on the edge of the bed I was laying in.
"Tommy!" I exclaimed, springing forward. Pain shot through my body and I winced but I didn't care as I wrapped my arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and I felt sobs escape my lips. "Oh my god. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."
"I didn't think so either." He replied, stroking the top of my head. I pulled away to look up at him. He was sporting a slight goatee at the moment, signs he had been shaving or taking care of himself the last few days. I could only imagine what I looked like. The thought of what I must smell like crossed my mind but I pushed it away. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my sweetly. "When I got to your mother's and you weren't there, I knew something was wrong."
"Tommy, it was awful." I said, shaking my head. I noticed the bandage around my wrist now and remembered the fall. "I took that road because the one in the directions was out. I figured it would be quicker. But then there was a white out and a gust of wind took the car right off the road. The next thing I knew, we were stuck. I tried to climb out for help but I fell and injured my hand. We stayed in the car as long as we could but the tree branch came through the window. I packed Hope up and started walking." I froze. "Hope! Where is she? Is she okay?"
"She's fine." He said, taking my hands. "They looked her over and released her a little while ago. Your mother has her."
"Oh thank god." I said. "When we got to that cabin, I went to get water and a coyote attacked me. I fought it off and managed to get away. That's the last thing I remember. How did you find us?"
"Well," He shifted on the bed and took my right hand in both of his. "I was driving around looking for you. I ended up at some junkyard. That's when I saw the car in the ravine. When we got down there and saw you weren't there, I figured you left to find help. Then we heard the coyotes. I got there as fast as I could." He paused, turning away from me.
"Tommy?"
"I thought I lost you for a minute there." He whispered, his voice thick. "You were pale as a ghost and there was so much blood. When we got you here, they weren't too sure if you'd make it through surgery. I've never been so scared in my life."
"Hey." I said softly, cupping his cheek with my good hand. My other was in an ace bandage, wrapped to keep it in place. "I made it out okay. So did Hope. The entire time we were trying to survive, I knew that you would come find us. I never gave up my faith in you or in us. Though, I might have told Hope we were Rangers so hopefully that stays a repressed memory or I'll have some explaining to do to Zordon." Tommy laughed, wiping a tear from his cheek.
"I'm sure he's betting on her becoming a Ranger at some point."
"Oh, that'll never happen. Believe me." I leaned back against the pillows behind me. "I guess I sorta ruined our vacation out here."
"You didn't ruin anything. I was able to get new flights home next week. I figured you would want more time to spend with your mother. Jason is going to look after the apartment until we get back."
"So, what happened? Why did I lose so much blood?"
"The coyote must have just grazed the artery in your leg to slowly bleed out. You have to get some follow up rabies shots in a couple days, too. They were telling me about it after your surgery was over. But they don't think you contracted anything from it. I can't believe you were able to fight off a coyote by yourself." I scoffed.
"Please. Compared to them, Goldar was a piece of cake." I smiled at him. He looked tired, bags under his eyes and his hair a bit unruly. But, he was here. My knight in shining white armor had come to my rescue again. The one man in my life I'd always be able to count on, continuing to remind me day after day just why he was the one I was meant to be with. "I love you, Tommy."
"I love you, too." He leaned down and kissed the back of my hand. "Sp, I have a question for you."
"Oh, yeah? What's that?" I asked.
"Will you marry me?" He replied. I giggled, shaking my head.
"I know I've been through an epic adventure here but I'm pretty sure you already asked me that before we got here." He nodded, smiling at me.
"Well, I know that. I mean will you marry me here? In Vermont."
"What are you talking about?"
"I do not want to spend another minute without you being my wife. I almost lost you and Hope in the blink of an eye. I couldn't even imagine what my life would be without you in it. So, I want to get married as soon as possible. I figured this way, your mom could be there and we could always have a bigger ceremony back home when we're ready."
"Are you sure about this? What about your family?" He shrugged.
"I'm sure they'll understand. As long as I have you and Hope there, it doesn't matter who else needs to be there."
"Then, yes. Yes, I will marry you."
I was released from the hospital the following day and was reunited with Hope. IT was amazing to see her again and great to see my mother. We broke the news of our engagement to her then and asked her the best way to get married around here. I thought she was going to keel over when we said we wanted to get married as soon as possible. She helped us plan out all the details and secure a minister. She helped me find a dress and some flowers. She found an outfit for Hope to wear and together, we found a small gazebo that was snow covered that was perfect for the occasion. Mom has a friend in town who does photography as a hobby that agreed to take pictures for us. It was fun seeing Mom get all excited about planning a quick wedding. I knew it was something she always dreamed of and I was glad Tommy had talked me into this.
Tommy and I were married the next day. Mom was my witness and Earl, the man who had helped Tommy save us, was his. He had apparently met Mom in the waiting room and had struck up a conversation. I could tell my mother liked him a bit and it was clear from the way he catered to her that he had taken a fancy to her as well. It was cute. Mom's never been with someone who put her first always and it's something she deserves. I was incredibly thankful that Earl had helped Tommy that night and that his junkyard had overlooked where we had crashed.
The car had been pulled from the ravine and totaled. I was grateful I had opted for the insurance on the car when I rented it. The police told me that if I had gone any faster, there was a good chance Hope and I might have died. They said we were lucky to be alive as it was. If it wasn't for the fact it had snowed and it had insulated the car some, we would have more than likely froze to death the first night. The engine had leaked oil which caused it from running that last night.
After our wedding, we went back to Mom's where she had a small little get together for everyone involved. I stood in the doorway of the kitchen as I watched Mom talk to Earl and his son, Mark, while she was holding Hope in her arms. One thing I learned from all of this was how thankful I was to have my daughter in my life. If Hope had not been with me throughout our ordeal, I don't know if I would have had the strength to make it out alive. She was the entire reason I made all the choices I did and the reason we were able to survive. I would do anything for that little girl and I was thankful for that.
"Hello. Mrs. Oliver." Tommy whispered in my ear, wrapping his arms around my waist. I smiled, turning my head to look up at him.
"Hi." I whispered, kissing his cheek. "It has a nice ring to it."
"It sure does." He replied. I turned my body to face him. "I think today was a success."
"Me too. I was thinking about our next vacation." He rolled his eyes.
"I don't think I'm letting you out of my sights again."
"What? I was just going to suggest a nice quiet and relaxing weekend skiing when we go back. I hear Trini knows the perfect place."
"I think I want to avoid snow for a while. Like, the rest of my life." I laughed as he leaned in to kiss me.
"I think it's growing on me now."
Thank you for reading, guys! Stayed tuned for more things to come. :)