Chapter 13
"Okay, Tommy, you got some explaining to do." Kim said as they sat down in the cafeteria.
"We both have some explaining to do." He corrected.
"You first."
"Where do I begin?"
Kim thought for a moment before replying, "Right after Muranthius."
"Okay. Immediatley after that, Zordon and Alpha left for Eltar. A wormhole had opened up and they decided that it was time to go home. Then we transferred our powers on to a new team and we went our seperate ways. I tried to go on with my life but without the power, it was tough. I'm sure you know how that feels. I tried stock car racing but going around and around in circles gets pretty repetitive. After that didn't work, I went back to school. I took a keen interest in science. It's funny, in high school, science was the one class that I couldn't stand and here I am taking nothing but science classes in College. I guess a part of me wanted to be connected to Zordon in some way. It was during this time that I met Hayley and we became really close. Not long after however, she was transferred to MIT."
"Is she your girlfriend?"
"No. I look at Hayley as Jason looks at you: as a sister. I told her everything. From the time Rita made me her evil green ranger to passing my powers on to T.J. I proceeded to get my doctorate in science, specifically paleontology. I sent in my resume and it was accepted, so I got the opportunity to work with Anton Mercer."
"The Anton Mercer? Owner of Mercer Industries?"
"The same one. Anyway, our island laboratory was attacked by a creature named Mesogog. I barely made it off of the island.
So when I did, I tracked Hayley down and asked her to help me make a team of rangers. She handled all of the technical stuff.
Those three kids just happened to find the gems."
"So the gems are the power source?"
"Yeah, those gems are pieces of the asteroid that crashed into the earth, destroying the dinosaurs. After Hayley and I finished with the ranger stuff, I decided to put my doctorate to good use. So I came here to Reefside and started teaching High School science."
"If you had a choice, would those kids be rangers?"
"If you had asked me that question when they first started, I would have said no. Those kids come from three completely different worlds. Kira keeps to herself a lot, Ethan is a computer whiz, and Conner is a soccer player. Now, I can't picture this team without any of them. I have not seen a group of people this close in a long time."
"How long?"
"Since the original team. By the way, how did you know that I didn't have a choice?"
"The look in your eyes. I know that look. How did they come to power?"
"The gems chose them. They didn't choose the gems. Beleive me, I didn't want to become a ranger again but when the gem makes it's decision, you don't have a choice but to listen."
"Wow." Kim was clearly surprised.
"I'm not the same guy you knew in high school Kim. I couldn't stay a kid forever, although, when I'm with them, I feel like a kid again."
"I"m not the same girl you knew either. I had to grow up. I didn't want to but I had to."
"How's your husband?" Tommy asked.
"Husband?"
"Anna's father." Tommy stated.
"I"m not married to Anna's father, Tommy."
"You're not?" Tommy asked, surprised.
"No. The guy's name was Mike. The guy in the letter. At first, I told him about you and how I was taken and we became friends.
As time went by, we went beyond friendship, so I wrote the letter. We were together for two years and we talked about getting married after we finished school. Everything was going great and then I got pregnant with Anna. At first, he was excited and then as it closer to the birth, he became scared, which is understandable. Then when she was born, we were just so happy that she was healthy. However, when Anna turned two, Mike became very controlling. I gave him the ultimatum: do what's right for you or do what's right for us as a family. He walked up the stairs, packed his bags and walked out. Neither Anna nor I have seen him since."
"That's tough. Why do you let her keep his name?" Tommy wondered.
"Because one day, she won't have that name anymore and that name will be removed from our lives forever. I also don't want to force her to do so. If she came to me and said 'Mom, I want my last name to be Hart' I'd get it changed but it has to be something that she wants, not what I want."
The two former high school sweethearts sat there in stunned silence, not knowing what to say to each other. After a few more minutes of silence, Tommy started chuckling.
"What's so funny?"
"I never imagined that I'd ever in a position where I didn't know what to say to you."
Kim laughed.
"People change, Tommy."
"People change with the seasons Kim. We're the same people we were in Angel Grove and yet we're so different."
"Do you think that these two people sitting here can be friends?"
"No matter how we may change, we'll always be friends."
"Thank you Tommy. For everything. For listening to me. We should have had this talk a long time ago."
"Yes, we should have. And I thank you for everything as well. Who knows, Tommy and Kim were more than friends, maybe Thomas and Kimberly will be as well."
"You think so?"
"Only time will tell, come on, let's go see how Conner's doing."
With that, Tommy and Kim walked out of the cafeteria and returned to their fallen friend.
TBC.