Chapter 36

It took Tommy about an hour to get Kim's breathing in order. A panic attack like that, is very hard to get over, especially, the she was having now, the last time she couldn't catch her breath, the fight over the letter. Tommy just remembered standing behind her, holding her by the waist she tried to breath. He had to talk her through that one, and tonight, he laid there, just talking to her again.

"Just breath, Beautiful. Listen to my breathing. Feel my breaths, feel me breath. Follow me. Follow my breaths. Deep breaths, Beautiful. Let them calm you." Kimberly finally looked up at him. She placed her face in his neck, where she fell asleep. Tommy softly laid her to the bed and covered her up. He laid there watching her sleep. Watching her breath in and out. He rubbed her face.

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Next day

6:30 am

Daylight had broke. Tommy on his side, wide awake watching Kimberly still. He had gotten up many times through the night. Walking around, pacing like a caged tiger. When Kim's breath would catch in her sleep, he would rush to her side and make sure she was okay. With the sun finally shining, Tommy kissed her forehead and left the room.

"What in the world?" Mr. Hart woke to knocking on his bedroom door.

"Get the damn door," Maria said rolling over. Mr. Hart grabbed his robe. He flung open his door, closing his robe in the process as he found Tommy standing there.

"It is 6:30 in the morning. What do you want?"

"To talk."

"Later." Mr. Hart went to close the door, but Tommy's hand stopped that.

"Pardon me, sir. But we need to talk, and we need to talk now."

"You are a guest in my house, don't you dare over step your grounds!"

"I mean you no disrespect you, sir. I need to speak to you." Mr. Hart looked angrily at Tommy before closing his door behind him.
"Fine." They went downstairs. Coffee was made. Tommy thanked Mr. Hart of the cup. "Well, what was so fucking important at 6:30 in the morning!"

"Kimberly and I are truly sorry to have sprung this on you. It was wrong on our part and I wish to apologize for that. This, our marriage, was something Kimberly and I felt we couldn't tell you over the phone. That is why we came here. We didn't want any secrets and we realize how much a shock all this..."

"A shock! Hell an engagement is a shock! To skip that and go straight for marriage is an astonishment!"

"Kimberly and I have been engaged for a while before we got married."

"Really, I didn't even know she was dating you again. She never called and told me, you never called to ask permission."

"I am sorry, sir. If I had known it was such a tradition, a rule, I would have called you weeks ago to tell you..."

"If you had then, I would have save myself, my daughter, her mother the grief. I would have told you then, you are nothing! You are not worthy to marry my only daughter, my babygirl."

"Your daughter, my wife, sees that differently."

"My daughter is 18 years old, a child! A foolish one to be married that young. She has little to none experience of life, love or marriage! This is a joke! Her own brother is 22 and no where near marriage, how can Kimberly?"

"Your daughter, sir, has more experiences in life than you can ever imagine. She has lived, we both have. And we have been in love for a very long time."

"Foolish love! Foolish teenage love! Means nothing."

"Means the world to us."

"You are not worth my daughter's time! This marriage is a shame. An idiotic shame and I will make damn sure you don't ruin my daughter's life. You too will get this annulment, if that's the last thing I do."

Kimberly woke up to find Tommy gone. She slid on her robe and went to find him. She found her father yelling at Tommy about not allowing her marriage to continue.

"You cannot change this! Our marriage, sir, we will.."

"Never! You will end this or I will.."

"Stop it, Daddy!" Kimberly walked in. "There is nothing, you or Mom or anyone can say that will change this! Our marriage stays. We love each other. Why can't you see that!"

"You are a child! My little girl!"

"I am not a child, Daddy! I'm sorry, but I've grown up. These last few years without you or Mom. I've deal with so much on my own, andwith Tommy. My decision stays." She hugged Tommy. "Our marriage stays."

"Then don't expect me to accept this ever. You stay with him, that is fine. You do that, but don't expect me to be kind to either of you." Mr. Hart walked out and slammed the bedroom door. Kim cried against Tommy.

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10 am

Tommy wanted to get them out of the house. He wanted to take Kimberly around the town to shop after that horrible fight. Kimberly came down carrying her light blue foxy coat. Dressed in light blue layered mock turtleneck, white pants and black igloo boots. It was pretty cold. Around 40 degrees for the high. Snow like weather.

"Will you tell my father, Tommy and I will be gone all day?"

"Of course, dear," Maria said. She handed over some white gloves and scarf. "Go to Macy's. 25 floors for shopping."

"On our first stop."

"Great. " They hugged. "Your father is a stubborn man, a good man, but a hardass stubborn one at that. He loves you. So much."

"I know." Tommy smiled as Kimberly put on her scarf. He came over and placed her hat on her head and held her face.

"I'll have Jeff drive you around the city, so have fun."

"Thanks. We will," Tommy said taking Kim's hand.

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3 pm

"Let's stop for a hotdog!" Kim pulled Tommy. He was carrying 8 bags already after Macy's only. "Oh, plenty of sauerkraut and ketchup."

"And you sir?"

"Onions and mustard." Kim made a face at him, then bit into her hotdog. She moaned. Tommy wiped the corner of her mouth before kissing her.

""Let's check out the park."

"What about the other stores!"

"We still have like 8 days left!"

"Fine." Jeff pulled up.

"Where to my newlyweds?"

"Central Park."

"Excellent."

"Oh and the Museum of Natural Art and History."

"I believe there is that chocolate show still going on."

"Chocolate?" Kim asked.

"There first," Tommy said.

"Yay!" Kim leaned her head against Tommy's chest. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. He was happy to see her smiling again.

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2 am

Kimberly helped Tommy carried her many bags inside, as they tried to sneak inside. The lights came on as soon as they closed the front door.

"Daddy?"

"It's 2 in the morning! Where have you been?"

"Just sightseeing and shopping. I didn't think you cared, Daddy?"

"You didn't call all day!"

"We were with Jeff, you couldn't have worried much. I'm sure Jeff beeped you every hour!"

"Don't get smart with me, young lady."

"First, I'm child, now I'm a lady."

"You're right, you're not a child anymore. And it's time I start acting like you are an adult." Mr. Hart went upstairs into his room.

"I don't like the sound of that, Beautiful."

"Me either."

"Should be barricade ourselves in the room?"

"Not yet, let's get some sleep."

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2 days later

9 am

Breakfast was quiet, like all the other meals over the last few days. Kim's father had been giving the couple the silent treatment since their last blow-up at yesterday's lunch. Kimberly thought to lighten the mood with plans about New Year's Eve.

"So, Daddy, when do you think we should head out to Times Square?" Mr. Hart continued to read his paper and drink his coffee. "Daddy? Daddy, I asked you a question." Maria nudged him.

"I heard you. What do you need me to hold your hard. You are an adult now, married. You can't figure out when to head over yourself?"

"Well, of course, but I thought as a family, we would all you know go together."

"You have a new family now. Your husband, remember. You two go together. Maria and I won't be joining you."

"I thought the plan was for us was to spend this holiday happy and together," Kim said with tears in her eyes.

"The plan didn't involve you being married. But seeing how I can't stop that, you and your husband go. Have fun." Tears rolled down Kim's face.

"I'm sorry. I just...as a family...we could.."

"I thought you wanted not to be treated like a little girl?"

"I did! I do!"

"Then stop crying at my table. Act like an adult, Kimberly." She got up quickly and walked out, crying. Tommy put his fork and knife. He wiped his mouth.

"I understand this is not easy, us being married." Tim got up and left the table after his sister. "If you can't accept it, then Kimberly and I will leave and you won't ever have to worry about us bothering you. But until then, you will respect us, respect our marriage and for once, stop acting like a stubborn old man and like her father! Be an understanding father! You are killing her! Do you hear me! You are killing your daughter! This fighting doesn't have to be! Now, Kimberly and I are married and as her husband, we are leaving for Times Square around 3. So be ready at 3, okay."

"You will not give me orders in my house!"

"I am not asking you, sir. I am telling you. We are going to spend New Year's Eve as a happy and loving family and that's final! If that has to be our last holiday together, then so be it. This New Year's can be our last. You understand me! You will be there if I have to drag you kicking and screaming, for Christ's sake! We are a family now! It's time we started acting like one!" Tommy stood up and went to comfort Kimberly.

Teaser:" You are smarter than any woman I have ever met, besides Mom and Maria, of course. You are more mature than me!" He kissed her forehead. "I won't lose you because of this and I know Dad feels the same, he might not want to show it, but he does. You are two are soo much a lot, that's why you two are fighting like this. He'll come around."
"Yea right." Tim wiped her face.
"I'll make him."