Chapter 2: Ann Bridget Oliver
Tommy backed up in shock. "Our d-daughter, we have a daughter?" He asked. She nodded and sniffed. She wiped her tears away and picked up a photograph that was in her suitcase. She handed it over to him and watched as he sat down with the photograph in his hands.
The young girl looked to be about three. She seemed to inherit everything from her mother, the only thing she got from him was his eyes.
"What's her name?" He asked. Kimberly sniffed again before answering.
"Her name is Ann Bridget Oliver. Before you say anything, I had her name changed so Jake couldn't find her. I hid her, because I knew that if he could abuse me in such way, he could abuse Ann. I would rather die than see that man beat her," she explained.
Tommy walked over to her and sat next to her. "Where is she now?" He asked. Kimberly wiped her tears away that kept falling.
"She's in France," she replied sadly.
He knew what to expect, Kimberly's mother was taking care of her while she was with Jake. "The last time I saw Ann, my mother was taking her onto the plane. My mother wasn't fond of taking Ann back to France with her. When I told her that I was pregnant, she never believed in abortion so she tried to get me to put Ann up for adoption. I refused to give up the last memory I had of you, so…I kept her. Then I got into this Jake mess," she explained. She started to cry again. "I miss my baby," she sobbed. Tommy pulled her into an embrace and sighed as she cried against him. "I want her back, Tommy," she sobbed. He held her close while trying to calm her.
"Don't worry, she'll be back," he whispered.
Kimberly fell asleep in his arms and Tommy carried her upstairs to the guest room. He walked pass her suitcase and found a videotape in the bag. He picked it up and began to read the title. "Mommy and Ann," it read. He placed it into the VCR and watched it. He smiled and knew that it was one of Kimberly's friends from the team taking these shots.
"Here's mommy," the girl laughed as Kimberly entered the house with a bundle in her arms. "Introducing Kimberly Ann Hart with Ann Bridget Oliver," she announced.
"Come on, Karen, turn the camera off," Kimberly yawned.
The shot switched and Kimberly was holding the camera now holding it over the crib. He was looking at his daughter as she slept. "Here's Ann Bridget Oliver. If only daddy could see you," she sighed. Ann giggled and opened her little arms out to the camera.
Tommy watched as shots changed repeatedly and he was slowly watching his daughter grow as he watched the tape. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" A voice asked. He turned to see Kimberly standing behind him.
"Yes, she's very beautiful," he replied.
He stood up and looked outside. Tommy Oliver made a promise to himself; he was going to get his daughter back no matter what. Kimberly then placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ann is also the reason why I sent you the letter," she added. Tommy looked at her with a quizzical look.
"Ann was the reason why you broke up with me?" He asked.
She nodded and lowered her head in shame. "I did it because I was afraid of what you would say. I thought you wouldn't want Ann," she replied. Tommy grabbed her shoulders and had her look at him.
"Kimberly, if I knew about Ann I would have taken care of the two of you. You could have told me," he snapped.
"I WAS AFRAID OF WHAT YOU'D DO!" She wailed.
She spun around with her back towards him. "I was scared like any other young mother," she snapped. Tommy sighed and leaned against the wall as Kimberly sat down. "Jake wanted to adopt Ann, but I refused, so he beat me in front of our own daughter. After that, I called my mom and asked her to come get Ann. She was hesitant to get her, she didn't care for her much, but she did get her. Oh! Tommy, I want Ann back," she sobbed. Tommy pulled her close and repeated his promise that he would get Ann back.