Chapter 16
4pm
Guest arrived pretty early. Kim sat around listening to all the stories, Tommy's family was sharing. She laughed as Tommy's uncle demonstrated how he put out a fire when he and his wife tried cooking one year. Tommy sat beside her holding her hand. Tommy and Kimberly were very happy to find Ernie come by for dinner with his family. Mrs. Oliver was bringing out more wine when the phone rung. She answered it.
"Kimberly, it's your mother." Kim excused herself.
"Hey, Mom."
"Happy Thanksgiving."
"You too, Mom. What's up... Excuse me?"
"Explain to me why you lied to me?" Kimberly held the phone by her hand when Tommy came over.
"Mom wants to start on dinner in like 20 minutes."
"Okay. Mom, I'm sorry, but right now it not a good time."
"Make it." Kim sighed. Tommy watched Kimberly turn her back to him as she started talking softly. He left her alone to talk. Kimberly came out a while after that. Tommy took her hand and led her to a seat besides him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He cupped her face.
"Liar, talk to me."
"After this, I promise." They kissed. He opened the chair for her. Kim smiled and pulled her napkin out.
"Now we can truly begin," Mr. Oliver said carrying out the turkey. Everyone oowed and ahhed at the nearly 30 pounder. Tommy and everyone laughed when his little cousin yelled out.
"It's bigger than me!"
"Almost," his mother said putting the napkin around him.
9pm
The last guests were leaving, as Kimberly and Tommy stood loading dishes into the dishwasher.
"So, what's going on?"
"My mother doesn't understand, why I'm not on the team."
"UCLA team?"
"Yea," Kim said handing him another plate.
"The gymnast team?"
"Apparently my mother called the coach and found out I never joined the squad."
"Why does that matter now?"
"Ummm..probably because I told my mother the only reason why I decided on not going to Florida or Georgia, was because I wanted to be a Bruin."
"And?"
"I'm a Bruin, but not a gymnastic Bruin. She's mad!"
"Hence, why does it matter?"
"I lied, Tommy. I told her, I was joining the team. I told her I got the free tuition, because I was going to be on the team."
"But you're not on the team. You got in because of your academic grades."
"I know. I refused the gymnastic scholarship. But I never told her that."
"Oh."
"Yea."
"And?"
"She's a wee bit mad at that." Tommy laughed as he finished another wine glass
"What did you not tell her?"
"I didn't want to be on the team, and I couldn't find the words to tell her that."
"How did she take that?"
"She wants me to re-think that."
"But if you don't want to be on the team, why should you re-think anything?"
"She's paying for my rent and my car, Tommy. She could..."
"Then stay with me, forget her. You don't want to be on the team, you shouldn't have to be."
"At first, I mean, I miss it. I haven't done real competitions in a over year and my drive is not there anymore since the Olympics."
"You have 4 gold medals, you don't have to have a drive anymore! You got what you always dreamed of, why should gymnastic in college be so important?"
"It's not, that's why I didn't take the scholarship, because I didn't want it."
"So, what's going to happen?"
"I'll call her in a few days with my decision."
"Which is?"
"I don't know. Honestly, I don't know. I never thought I would have the chance to try since I refused them this summer, but my mother talked to the coach, she says she still would like to still see me."
"You might still have a chance?"
"Yea."
"But the season started, you haven't been training or..."
"I know, I haven't keep in gymnastic shape, but I could do it. Not that I would, but.." Kim said quickly.
"You can think about it." Tommy turned on the dishwasher. He took her hands. "You should think about it, Kim. I know you can do it if you wanted to."
"That's just it, do I really want to? It will take a lot of time and more aches and pains, that I really don't think I want to go through all over again."
"I'll be there to help you with anything."
"I know." She hugged him. "That's one of the reasons I love you so much." They kissed.
"Seriously, you should think about it."
"I will, I'll think about it." They kissed again. "I love you."
"I love you too, Beautiful."
Teaser: "At least this is only one day son, trying 364 days of this."
"I would kill myself." Mr. Oliver laughed.
"Try marriage." Mrs. Oliver dragged her shopping cart in another direction from Kimberly and Tommy.
"Marriage, that would nice," Tommy whispered.
Does Kimberly join the team it, you decide, please email me with your thoughts