Disclaimer: See previous chapters. I have no delusions about owning them.
Author's note: This is what happens when one is insane enough to decide to take a credit overload! Stories get abandoned for months, and I sincerely apologize for the delay. Now that midterms are over, I should have a teeny bit of free time…
To those who have reviewed this, a huge thank you!!! About Tommy or any of the others appearing in this story, Tommy may or may not appear briefly (I haven't decided yet), but this story is the first in a series of young ranger fics I've begun writing that will eventually include the following: "Tried Foundation" (Rocky, Adam, and Aisha), "Genesis" (Tommy), "Phoenix Rising" (Tanya), "Sweetheart of Surrey Hill" (Katherine), and "World Apart" (David).
Zack grumbled softly as Cheryl Taylor marched him out of the house and into the family station wagon. "Mom," he protested, "why do I have to do this? It's summer vacation, and I only have two more weeks left! This is boring!" And everyone will laugh at me if they find out.
His objections were in vain, as Cheryl breathed a sigh of frustration and turned to her son briefly. "Zachary Evan Taylor, I am going to count to ten. If you are not in that car by that time…" The threat hung unspoken in the air.
Zack grouchily climbed into the car. Cheryl slid into the driver's seat and smiled at her son in a reconciliatory way. Zack huffed and shot her a look only a wrathful eleven year old could. "Zack," said Cheryl finally, exasperated, "I know you enjoy your dance classes. What's really the problem?" she challenged, curious.
Zack knew his mother meant business when she took that tone of voice. "Nothing, Mom. I'm sorry." It was more prudent, he decided, to just apologize instead of getting into a long discussion on the narrow-mindedness of anyone who would tease him about taking dance lessons.
"You'll put it to good use someday!" Cheryl smiled. "Charming the girls and all."
Zack rolled his eyes. He was rather doubtful about that scenario, but girls were becoming interesting creatures to him. The two drove, listening to the radio in silence. At last, they arrived at the studio, located in Stone Canyon. Zack climbed out of the station wagon, grabbed his bag with his shoes and apparel, and headed into the studio as Cheryl drove out of the parking lot. Stone Canyon, a full half-hour away, had better shops than Angel Grove, and usually she took advantage of them in her rare hour of free time while Zack was in class.
The crowded studio teemed with students from pink and spangle clad little girls with ballet slippers, older girls in black leotards and pointe shoes, boys in white shirts and black sweat pants, to the jazz and tap kids clad in leotards of all colors and varieties with their black shoes peeking out from under sweatpants and cover-ups. Zack walked into the restroom and changed into a white muscle shirt, loose fitting black sweats, and his pair of split flex-sole black tennis shoes. Checking his watch, he walked back into the mild roar of the waiting room to wait for the class using the studio to finish.
Glancing around as he sat, his arms sticking to the vinyl seat, Zack tried to pretend to be cool and above the whole thing. Truth was, he really did love dancing, but it was not as…generally accepted…as his karate lessons. Despite the fact that Jason and Zack's friendship spanned several years, Zack had managed thus far to keep his friend in the dark about exactly what he did in the afternoons he couldn't play but wasn't in karate class. Never exactly lying, but always ducking questions, Zack always felt a little guilty. He realized that Jason would probably be cool with it, as would Billy (he supposed at least, since Billy was involved in activities that were about as socially acceptable as Zack's dancing), but there was no way he was telling either of the girls who would certainly find out if he let the guys in on his secret. Bad enough, he thought, being African-American and different like that, but to admit that he danced? He'd never stop being harassed.
Seeing the studio door open, Zack jerked himself out of his musing and stood up. As several young women in ballet slippers came out of the door, his breath caught as he recognized one in a pale pink leotard. Ducking as quickly as he could, Zack flew into the restroom, only a few steps away. Leaning back against the wall, he exhaled with relief.
"Zack?" said a certain familiar voice.
Zack didn't open his eyes for an instant while his mind raced. "You're not allowed in here," he finally replied weakly.
"Silly, of course I am. This is the girl's bathroom."
"Oh."
Kimberly Hart studied her friend. Possessed by a terrible urge to giggle at his discomfiture, she realized quickly that he was deeply embarrassed and sensed that her laughter would cut. "Uh, let's go back out there," she said finally after an uneasy silence. "Where we're both allowed to be." Zack obliged, his face heated.
Back in the chaos of the waiting room, Kim smiled gently at her friend. "So what do you take here?"
"Jazz and hip-hop" said Zack, his normal outgoing demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic burst of shyness. "Um, what do you take? I thought you were into gymnastics."
"I am," replied Kimberly. "But a little bit of dance helps with grace and learning choreography. My gym doesn't offer anything much, so my coach recommended this studio."
Zack nodded mutely. He blushed slightly. "You're...you're not going to, er, tell the others are you?"
Kimberly shrugged. "I think it's kind of cool," she said offhandedly. "I mean, we've got that school dance coming up when school starts in a couple weeks. You'll, like, be able to actually dance."
"Yeah. Uh, thanks." Kimberly's compassion touched him and gave him a modicum of courage. "Kim?"
She raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue. "Would you go with me to that dance? As friends and all, of course."
Kim smiled, flattered and considered. She searched Zack's eyes and face for any sign that he had feelings other than friendship for her. She didn't mind going with a friend if he really meant it as friends only, but she didn't want to lead him on if there was more to it. However, she correctly interpreted the signals he sent all as purely motivated, and she smiled. "Just as friends?"
"Yeah," said Zack. He hoped Kimberly wasn't reading into his intentions more than they deserved, he knew inwardly that Kim was a wonderful girl, but not really his type.
"Okay," said Kim with a grin, "As long as you promise to dance and not stick to the wall all the time!"
"Never fear, Zack-man is here!" Zack thrust out his chest proudly and positioned himself in a mock-hero pose. Kim groaned. "I've got to go. I'm going to be late. Uh...thanks." He turned toward the door to the studio.
"'Bye," said Kim glancing after him bemusedly. Relief rose in her. She'd been called by a couple of the bolder boys and asked to the dance, but if truth had been told, despite her love of flirting, she knew she wasn't ready for a boyfriend or even a real, romantic date. It would be fun to go as friends with Zack, she thought, and then I can tell everyone that I've already got someone I'm going with.
Glancing out the door, Kimberly saw her mother's minivan pull up, and yanked open the glass door to step out into the California sunshine.
~*~
Parking in front of the supermarket, Mary Scott squinted slightly against the bright sunlight. What a gorgeous day she thought to herself, grabbing a shopping cart from one of the cart corrals in the parking lot and pushing it through the door. Consulting her shopping list, she headed first for the produce aisle. What with three growing boys running around the house, she always tried to make sure there was healthy food on hand for them to snack on. Browsing by a large display of apples, she calmly pulled a bag off the role and began selecting. Engrossed her thoughts about the boys and in inspecting the smooth round fruits, she barely noticed a slight Asian woman walk over. "Mary?"
Mary turned. "Hello, Hei." She said, facing the small woman. "How are you?"
"Quite well, thank you, and you?"
"Also well, thank you."
Hei Kwan smiled. "Is Jason looking forward to middle school?"
"Yes, indeed," said Mary with a smile. "Though I'm not sure how I feel about putting sixth graders in with the middle schoolers. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, because it feels like Jason's growing up so fast."
Hei gave a slight nod. "Are you allowing Jason to go to the dance when the year starts?"
Mary sighed. She and Dean had been over this a few times and had mixed feelings on it. On one hand, her son was growing up, and it was probably coming time to begin teaching him how to relate to the opposite sex as she recently began noticing him shooting an occasional covert look at particularly pretty girls they encountered. He was, after all, getting close to twelve, and the dance, she knew, was not only being held in the afternoon directly after school, but also going to be well chaperoned. However, she felt slightly uncomfortable at the idea of him asking a girl to the dance. "We are," said Mary with a slightly defeated air to her tone. "I know it's going to be well-chaperoned and in broad daylight."
Hei caught the reserve in Mary's tone. "Henry and I are not at all certain," she confessed, "but I agree that it will at least be in a decent location, and with reliable chaperones."
Mary smiled. "I thought seriously about not letting him go," she confessed, "but I remember junior high dances. Nothing too untoward happened, and most of the time the boys and girls are too nervous to do more than stand at opposite corners of the room and try to work up the courage to ask someone to dance with them. Besides," she added, "I know they're still accepting chaperones, so if you and Henry wanted to go…"
Hei flushed slightly. "No, Henry and I trust our daughter and the school. I just wanted to consult with…well, another parent."
"I completely understand. It makes me feel better to know that someone else is as nervous about this as I am," Mary said.
Hei nodded. "Indeed." The two women said their good-byes and proceeded with their shopping.
~*~
Listening to her daughter chatter on the drive home, Carolyn Hart sighed inaudibly. She forced a smile to her lips as Kimberly announced that Zack was going to escort her to the dance as friends. That was one small relief to her in the miasma that blanketed her mind, Kim could be overly feminine at times and seemed to have been born flirting. Carolyn feared for her daughter. Kimberly's precocity with boys coupled with an early developing figure and childish naïveté tended to be the sort of combination that led to disaster and attracting older boys who were interested in disabusing girls like Kim of their innocence.
At least she's not trying to date yet Carolyn thought. She had noticed a few outfits that tested the boundaries and the pink lip-gloss Kim kept trying to wear surreptitiously to get around Carolyn's rules against makeup. Thanking God for small favors, Carolyn focused again on her daughter's voice and the road. As much as she wanted to listen, however, she could not ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as they turned onto their street. Carolyn had allowed Kim this half-hour of happiness, knowing when they got home, Kevin would be there waiting for them. She wanted now, just as she had the whole ride, to blurt out the news to Kimberly right then and there and get it over with, but she had given her word to Kevin that they'd break the news to Kim together, and even when angry, Carolyn was a fair woman at heart.
Pulling into the driveway, Kimberly's chatter instantly turned into a single exclamation of surprise. "Daddy's here!" she smiled, turning to her mother. Kevin had visited his daughter a number of times over the summer, but had rented an apartment by his workplace. It was a rare treat indeed to see her father at home, and as soon as Carolyn turned off the ignition, Kimberly hopped down and into the house. Carolyn followed reluctantly.
"Daddy!" squealed Kim, flinging her small arms around him.
"Baby!" said Kevin, embracing his daughter with equal joy.
"Why are you here?" babbled the girl gracelessly. "Are you taking me out?"
"No, no," replied Kevin slowly, extricating himself from his daughter's embrace. "Actually, your mother and I have something we need to discuss with you."
Kimberly's eyes lit up. She had noticed her parents talking – not fighting – over the telephone a couple of times in the last few weeks, and Carolyn had made several trips to see Kevin. This is it! she thought, Daddy's going to come home for good and he and Mom are going to stop fighting.
"Are you coming to live here with us again?" Kim's eyes sparkled, unable to contain her enthusiasm. I knew I could help them get back together! Every time she saw her father she reported glowing things about her mother, and vice-versa. Maybe, she thought, they'd see how great the other was and realize that they wanted to stay married. It had been an industrious task for the girl, and as she waited for her payoff, she bounced slightly.
Kevin looked at Carolyn, swallowing hard. Carolyn looked slightly stunned, but collected herself and took a deep breath. "Sweetheart," Kevin spoke with as much gentleness as he could muster. "Baby, your mother and I…" he trailed off. Gathering every ounce of courage he could, he faced Kimberly and looked her straight in the eye. "Your mother and I are getting a divorce."
The room fell silent. Seconds ticked past. Kim's face changed, almost as if in slow motion, shattering, and tears springing into her eyes. Then she brushed past both of her frozen parents out of the room. Both heard the front door slam.
~*~
"Ki-yah!" shouted Jason as Trini blocked his punch. They were sparring together, with Billy looking on.
"Ai-yah" answered Trini, as she launched a kick and noticed Dean Scott watching them out the kitchen window, and then turned her full attention back to her form. Ending the match, she bowed to Jason, and looked to Billy. "What did you think?" she asked the boy, trying to make sure he felt included, even if he had not the expertise to criticize them truly.
"An effective demonstration," murmured Billy shyly. Glancing at his watch he straightened. "I believe, however, that my father requested me home by three today if I wished to see the guest lecturer at the University on the basic principles of chemistry, and as I would very much enjoy it…" he trailed off.
Jason slapped him on the back. "Go on, man. Trini and I'll be fine."
Billy nodded and excused himself after the three had promised to meet in the park the next day and set a time. Trini grabbed a towel off the porch railing. "I'd also better get going," she said lightly.
"Wait," said Jason softly, a pang of nervousness working its way into his stomach. "Uhm, Trini?"
The willowy girl nodded gracefully. "Yes?"
"Would you go the dance with me?"
Trini was taken entirely aback. No, no, she thought to herself. This isn't who's supposed to be asking me! Her voice failed her for an instant, but unbidden by her mind, she suddenly heard herself say "Yes."
To Be Continued