Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Well, actually, I do! I own AnneMarie! YAY ME!!!!!! LOL =)
Summary: This may be out of order in whatever way, but hey, its my story, I get to decide how it goes. ;-) Sorry if it takes a
while for me to get it posted, but I've been writing it in whatever time I get between classes and stuff and I'm laptop less so
its all scribbled down on paper and I've actually gotta find time to type it all up. But hopefully I'll find enough time
somewhere. =) Happy Reading!
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Meeting & Greeting
One Week later:
Hi Anita." Diana said as she walked into her house, with the Oliver family right behind her.
"Diana . . ." Anita said smiling. "Thanks for coming."
"You're welcome. I brought the Oliver family to meet you."
"Thank you . . . AnneMarie is next door playing, but she should be back soon."
"Well that's ok. I'll at least introduce everybody . . . . . This is Daniel and Christine Oliver. They're the ones who adopted AnneMarie's brother."
"Its nice to meet you." Anita said cheerfully.
"Its our pleasure!" Daniel told her.
"And this is Thomas, AnneMarie's brother, and his girlfriend Kimberly."
"Thank you for coming. Its nice to meet you all."
"You're very welcome!" Tommy said shaking her hand.
"AnneMarie should be back in a few minutes. She's looking forward to meeting you."
"That sounds great." Mr. Oliver told her.
"Can I ask you something?" Tommy asked.
"Sure."
"I know this must be extremely hard on you, especially considering the circumstances . . . But I was wondering how you feel about all of this?"
"In all honesty? . . . . . . . . . I'm sacred to death! . . . . . I'm 34 years-old, and I'm dying of breast cancer! There's nothing scarier than that! . . . . . . . . . . But then the other scary part, is that I have to leave my daughter behind . . . .. My baby girl, who I never thought I'd have . . . . . I'll never get to see her grow up." Anita said as a tear trickled down her face. "I won't be there when she goes into second grade, or high school . . . I won't get to buy her a prom dress, or watch her graduate . . . I won't even get to see her smile after a day long shopping spree . . . . . But on the other hand, I've accepted my disease, and I know what its costing me . . . . . But I also know what I want what's best for my daughter, and that you can give it to her . . . . ."
"I hope you don't mine, but we've all been talking a lot about this, and what would be best for AnneMarie . . . . ." Tommy started. " . . . . . And at first, the most logical thing to do, was have my parents adopt her . . . . . But then I got this idea to adopt AnneMarie myself . . . . But now, I'm thinking that maybe that's not the best idea after all . . . . .AnneMarie is your daughter, and we would never wan to take your place. You're her mother, and you deserve to always keep that special place in her life . . . . . So what I think, is instead of adopting AnneMarie, I'd much rather be her legal guardian . . . I know I"m young, and that I don't' know much about anything, but I"m the only family she's got, and I'd rather be her brother and friend, than her parent. And I would never want to step on your toes, or make you feel unappreciated, because you're her mother. And if anyone deserves the credit of raising her so well, its you! . . . . . So if its alright with you, Kimberly and I would like to honor your memory, and become AnneMarie's guardians." The room was silent as everyone looked at Anita, who had tears flowing down her face. She looked at Tommy as Kimberly slipped her arm around him, then to Daniel and Christine, before moving her eyes to Diana, then eventually back to Tommy.
"If its any consolation, Tommy is the most kind and gently, and incredibly loving man that I've ever known." Kimberly told them. "Tommy and I both absolutely love children, and can't wait to have a family of our own someday."
"And Daniel and I will be right there if they need anything. And I'm sure that the same goes for Kimberly's parents." Christine added.
"Mommy Mommy Mommy!!!" AnneMarie cheered as she suddenly ran into the room. "Mommy, you're crying! What happened?"
"Nothing Sweetheart . . . I'm ok." Anita said she wiped her tears and reached for her daughter. "Remember how I told you that Mommy is going to visit the angels in Heaven soon?"
"Yeah . . ."
"You see these nice people here?"
"Uh huh . . ."
"You get to go live with them when Mommy leaves."
"I don't want you to leave Mommy."
"I know Sweetie. Mommy doesn't want to leave either. But you know what? You get to go live with your big brother in California!"
"Why?"
"Because he loves you and wants you to go be happy with him."
"Mommy?"
"Yes Sweetie?"
"Can Sammi come with me?"
"You have to ask Tommy."
"Who's Sammi?" Tommy asked.
"Why don't' you go get Sammi." Anita told her.
"Is Sammi a pet?" Christine asked.
"He's her rabbit. The neighbor said she'd take him."
"Rabbits aren't bad . . ." Kimberly said softly.
"Come on Sammi, let's go see Mommy." AnneMarie said as she carried the pet back into her mother's room.
"What a cute bunny!" Kimberly said with a warm smile.
"His name is Sammi." AnneMarie told her.
"Hi Sammi! I'm Kimberly!" Kimberly said crouching down to AnneMarie's level, and gently petting the rabbit. "He's soft!"
"Mommy says he's a fur ball."
"But a cure fur ball." Tommy said crouching down next to Kimberly.
"Are you Tommy?" Anne Marie asked.
"Yes I am!"
"Can I bring Sammi with me when I go to your house?"
"Is he your favorite animal?" AnneMarie nodded her head slowly as she buried her face in the rabbits fur. Tommy turned his head to look at his parents, who just shrugged. "I don't see why not. I think we can find a place for him in California."
"You promise?"
"I promise!"
"Cool! Did you hear that Sammi? You get to come to California with me!!!" AnneMarie said excitedly.
"Can I hold your bunny?" Kimberly asked.
"You promise to be careful?"
"Cross my heard." Kimberly said moving her fingers in an "X" motion over her heart, as AnneMarie slowly let her hold the rabbit.
"Is he your only pet?" Tommy asked.
"I used to have a puppy, but he ran away."
"What was your puppy's name?" Kimberly asked.
"Punky."
"Punky? That's a cute name!"
"Do you have a puppy?" AnneMarie asked.
"No, but I've always wanted one."
"You should get one. They're fun."
"That's what I hear! Maybe we can get one someday."
"Really?"
"We have to ask Tommy, but I think we can probably convince him to let us have a puppy."
"Cool!!!"
"Sweetie, why don't you go put Sammi back in his cage."
"Ok Mommy." AnneMarie said taking Sammi back from Kimberly, and slowly leaving the room.
"She seems to like you guys . . ." Anita said as Tommy and Kimberly stood back up.
"She's adorable!" Kimberly told her.
"AnneMarie is very smart. She loves to red, and doesn't really like TV. She's advanced for being only 7 years-old. Her school wanted her to move to third grade this year instead of second, but I thought it was better to leave it up to AnneMarie. She's very advanced for her age, but outside of school, she's just another 7 year-old."
"What are her favorite interests?" Christine asked.
"Mostly, AnneMarie likes to read. I've been very lucky with her so far. My daughter would rather sit in her room reading than do anything else. But she does like to play house and dress-up just like any other little girl. And I've been thinking about signing her up for dance or sports. Her teacher says se likes to run in PE, so I think it will be good for her."
"Dance and sports won't be a problem." Daniel told her. "Tommy and Kimberly are both very athletic. And I know as soon as Tommy gets that cast off his arm, he'll be back to his karate classes and all day workouts."
"Sports have always been a huge part of our family." Christine added. "Tommy has been teaching karate since he was 10, and Kimberly teaches gymnastics when she has time."
"And I know an excellent dance teacher in Stone Canyon, who I think AnneMarie will love!" Kimberly told them.
What about her favorites?" Christine asked.
"AnneMarie's favorite colors are pink, green, white and blue. She loves all kinds of music, and a lot of the time, I'll find her dancing around to the radio, in her room. Um . . . . . Her favorite movies are Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, and if she watches TV at all, she likes the movies on the Disney Channel, or anything with Jim Carey or Julia Roberts. I've tried to not let her watch too many movies, but since I've been sick, we've had a hard time finding things to do together."
"Does she have a favorite song? Or something she loves to do more than anything else?" Kimberly asked.
"She loves "My Girl" by the Temptations. I've been singing it to her every night before bed. She knew every word by the time she was 2, and she'll sing it with me until she falls asleep . . . . . AnneMarie just learned to roller blade a couple weeks ago, and she's learning how to skate backwards the way all the ice-skaters do."
"Can she ice-skate?" Christine asked.
"I'm sure she can because she's great on roller blades, but I've never taken her. I was going to over the summer, but it doesn't look like its such a great idea right now."
"Where's AnneMarie's favorite place to go?" Daniel asked.
"Her Dad and I took her to Disney World when she was two, and AnneMarie fell in love with Cinderella Ever since, she's loved carnivals and fairs. Anything with rides."
"What's her favorite book?" Kimberly asked.
"Secret Garden. She's seen the movie about a million times. Her Dad used to read to her every night, and that's the book she always asked for . . . . . I think she read it on her own about a year ago."
"If you don't mind my asking," Christine started. "What happened to your husband?"
" . . . . . He was killed in a car accident about two years ago . . . . ."
"Oh, I'm so sorry!"
" . . . . . Its ok . . . . .I've come to terms with it, and even though AnneMarie is still too yong to really understand, she believes that her Daddy is in Heaven with the angels. I told her that the angels missed him, and wanted him back. So now he's in heaven where he gets to be an angel and watch over us until we get to be with him again."
"That's a great way of explaining it." Christine told her. "Better than I would have done."
"AnneMarie loved her father. She still misses him a lot. She's always been a Daddy's Girl."
"I was a Daddy's Girl too . . ." Kimberly told her.
"Dow did you lose your Dad?" Anita asked.
"I haven't . . . . . My parents go divorced a few years ago, and my Dad moved to Ontario."
"So he's only a few hours drive."
"Actually, it was Ontario, Canada . . . . .He was there for about six months, but now he's in Augusta, Maine."
"Do you get to see him very often?"
"About once or twice a year, wen he flies in on business."
"I'm sorry to hear that. It must be very hard on you."
"It is . . . . ." Kimberly said softly as Tommy gently laid his arm across her shoulders. "But being with Tommy helps. His parents adopted me as their own daughter, so its like I've got a real family again."
"What happened to your mom, if you don't mind my asking."
"She's still around, most of the time . . .She's remarried now, to this Persian painter, so she spends a lot of time with him in Paris . . . Petro hates America. He says its too boisterous and doesn't have enough tradition. So my mom commutes back and forth a lot."
"That must be hard. I can't imagine doing that."
"I don't know how she does it either. But if it weren't for me, she'd move there permanently . . . . . But I'm happy in Angel Grove, with my friends . . . And with Tommy. And my mom doesn't want to move without me, so she commutes instead."
"You don't like Paris?"
"I do. Its beautiful there! And Petro is right, there is a lot of tradition . . . But its not home. I guess maybe if I grew up there, I would feel differently. But I love Angel Grove. And I wouldn't leave it unless I had a very good reason."
"What is Angel Grove like?" Anita asked as AnneMarie rejoined them.
"It's a small town in California, about 2 or 3 hours from Los Angeles. We're right on the coast, and its absolutely beautiful there!" Christine told her.
"Its one of those towns where you can raise a family and never worry about anything happening to your children. And even though the east part of the city is usually the epicenter for monster attacks, the Power Rangers are always there to save the day." Kimberly explained.
"Its just a safe little city, where you know everyone around you, and a lot of the families who live there, have strong roots. Like Kimberly's family . . . . . Her great great great great grandfather was the first doctor in the city, back in the olden days of the Wild West." Tommy added.
"And Tommy even tracked down one of his distant relatives, not too long ago . . . . ."
"Sounds like a wonderful place." Anita smiled.
"It is . . Its home." Kimberly said happily. "I think you'd love it there."
"Probably. But I k now AnneMarie will."
"Angel Grove has an interesting history." Diana told them. "It was named for its people . . . . . Back in the old days of the wild west, the residents were all close, and helped each other in ways you can't imagine . . . . . And when things got rough, they banded together and went to work fixing the problem. It was like they were all each other's guardian angels, sent to help out and watch over the town."
"And its still like that today." Christine added. "When Tommy got hurt, the entire town banded together to help out family through it. I can't tell you how many hot meals and flower arrangements we received. And Kimberly too. Her mother kept calling me, asking what to do with all of it."
"How did you hurt your arm?" AnneMarie asked.
"I got hurt trying to help with a monster. But the Power Rangers saved me, and I'm ok! I even get my cast off in a couple more weeks!" Tommy told her.
"Did it hurt?"
"A little. But it's a lot better now. I just have to be very careful."
"People rarely get hurt int eh monster attacks though." Kimberly told them. "Tommy just happened to go looking for trouble that day. But he's ok, and he knows better for next time."
"Yes I do!" Tommy agreed.
"You know, I have an idea!" Christine told them. "School gets out in a few weeks, so I'm thinking it would be fun for all of us to go to Disneyland. It'll give everyone a good opportunity to get to know each other, and Anita and AnneMarie can check out California and Angel Grove. We can all spend some time together. And if you'd like Anita, you and AnneMarie are more than welcome to move into our home. We'd all love to help you out, if you'll allow us."
"That's awfully nice of yo, but if you don't mind, I'd really like to think about it." Anita said as AnneMarie climbed up on the bed next to her.
"No, I totally understand! Don't' worry about it. Tommy and Kimberly have another year of highschool anyway. But summer is coming, and I know how hot Arizona can be. So our house is open if you'd like to come over, and we've got the beach close by, so its nice there."
"Sounds Wonderful."
"It is, its beautiful." Kimberly told her.
"Angel Grove is Amazing!" Tommy agreed. "Of all the places we've lived over the years, the past three have been the best. I wouldn't leave Angel Grove unless you paid me!"
To Be Continued . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .