Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers, or any of the characters in this story. Not even the ones I made up. Go ahead and use them, I don't really mind.
Blooming
Chapter 3 / Oh, What Convenience
Reefside, California
That Thursday, Katherine showed up at Reefside High extra early to catch up on her plans and future teachings. She started looking for papers, files, and a lot more around the cabinets, trying to get familiar with the place and to figure out which students are going to get the rough report cards at the end of the year.
"Oh, hello Ms. Hillard," said a fellow Reefside High teacher. "My name is Mrs. Foster. You can call me Edna." She said, while extending her hand to greet Katherine.
"Hi, nice to meet you; but you can call me Kat" she replied.
Edna Foster was about 5' 9", of African descent. She was around her early 50s yet didn't look a day over 40. She had short black hair flowing down. It was fake, yet still beautiful. Katherine could tell she was very nice. She was dressed in a dark blue track suit with the Reebok logo on the upper left side of the suit.
"I teach, history, economics, government, and track," Edna stated. Then asked, "what are you teaching here child, my you're young."
"Well, I'll be teaching Literature for two freshmen classes and three senior classes. And thank you, but I'm not as young as I'd like to be," Kat said with a smile, a small chuckle, and a bit of a blush on her face.
"Oh, let me tell you, with age comes wisdom. Our life is a pyramid of steps. As soon as you see that first wrinkle on your face, just know that it's your first step up the entire woman empire. Once you hit each one, just know you will be getting brighter and brighter; not by the warmness of the sun, child, but from the intelligence in our mind." She said with her eyes meeting Katherine's and not letting them out of her sight.
"Wow,…I never looked at it that way before" she confessed.
"Just know, child, many of us might seem old, but we've been there and back. By the time you're going, I had already been there, sat down, taken a nap, and hitched a ride back." She said in a prudent voice.
Katherine, not knowing what to say after that just nodded her head and smiled slightly in comprehension.
"Well, it's getting late, I have to meet the track team and give them a couple of words of wisdom before the final meet." She said, before heading to the door.
"Good luck," said Katherine.
"Oh, thank you. Hope to see you at lunch time, I didn't see you in the lounge yesterday. I better see you today child. You really have to put some meat on them bones of yours" she advised Kat looking at her from head to toe with a smile on her face.
"Okay", she said chuckling, "I'll try."
Mrs. Foster then left the room and headed for the field.
By lunchtime, Tommy was still in his classroom getting his keys. He would go to the Teacher's Lounge to greet the new teacher, then head on over to Hayley's Cyberspace for lunch.
Tommy had already gotten wind of a new teacher being there at Reefside High. He had heard her name was Hillard, but couldn't get her first name. He raised his hopes, then dropped them again by thinking it was Kat, then thinking it was not.
As he made his way to the lounge, he started getting a little sweaty and thought, why am I getting sweaty? It's not like if it's actually her. God, I really hope it is though. Then again, what would she be doing in Reefside anyways? It's not like she would take up teaching after going to such a famous school like the Royal Academy. Then again, it 'is' a small world. Na', it can't be her. He finished his thoughts as he made his way inside the lounge.
Inside the lounge, he looked around to see if he found a familiar face. He didn't, although, he did in fact see a woman at about 5' 7" turning her head around. He could feel his heart stop for an instance as the woman turned completely around. She had long flowing blond hair with the prettiest light green eyes one would ever see. Oh, damn, he thought.
He made his way towards her to introduce himself then to get out of there as soon as possible.
"Hello, I'm Thomas Oliver, I teach Science, one of my hobbies you know." He said, trying to speed it up as much as he could.
"Well, nice to meet you Mr. Oliver, my name is Kathy. I'm sub-" she got cut off by a large thump. One of the other teachers had accidentally dropped his coffee on the table while the others who were sitting at the same table stood up with the fear of getting burned.
Seeing his chance, he quickly said, "oh, well, it was nice meeting you Kathy, but I really have to go. Hope you have a great time here at Reefside High." With that, Tommy turned and made his way out of the lounge.
"Thanks," Kathy said in an undertone with a bit of confusion.
As Tommy was making his way out of the lounge, the door opened and in walked a woman with earlobe level short blond hair. He felt his blood rush to his head. He started feeling weak, as if he was going to pass out. He just stood there,…frozen. He couldn't breathe then actually after a second realized that he had to inhale.
Tommy blocked the entry, while she blocked the exit. Both of their eyes widened at the sight they had in front of one another.
Oh, my God, went through each of their heads.
"Kat?" Tommy asked in a voice with such excitement behind it.
Kat raised her eyebrows, and couldn't believe what she was seeing. She opened her mouth slightly, but nothing came out. No 'hello', no 'hi', no 'how you been?'…nothing.
"Oh my God, what are you doing here? I thought…I thought you were back in London in the Royal Academy?"
He waited for a second. After he didn't hear a response, he thought if she had at least recognized him.
"Kat,… it's me,… Tommy." Tommy gestured with his hands on his chest as if speaking to a person with a bad case of amnesia.
Finally, something came out of her mouth, "Tommy? What…what happened to your hair?" Is the only thing that came out.
Tommy blushed at her reaction and rubbed the top of his head which was spiked upward saying, "well, I cut it a while after you left Angel Grove."
Kat, then realizing what they were talking about, snapped back into reality, "I mean,… it's good to see you!" she said, wrapping her arms around him.
Tommy opened his arms as he saw her coming to cling on to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her mid-back. He pulled her in a little as he closed his eyes, cocking his head towards the left side of her neck and breathing in her wonderful, kissable-like smell.
She felt his embrace on her. She too closed her eyes as she hugged him tighter. His smell brought back so many memories for her like the night she first felt his soft lips press against her linger body when they first made love back in high school. The memory she would hold on to for a lifetime:
It was Friday, December 12, 1996; on a fresh winter night, five months into their relationship, inside a warm cabin. The two of them decided to spend the night together after being certain they had not been spending as much time together as they pleased.
Tanya was nice enough to spend the night at their friend Sherry's house, making Katherine's mom believe they were both spending the night there. Tanya was always there for her dear friend whenever she needed her, and vice versa.
They were sitting on a loveseat before the fireplace holding each other in their arms. Tommy looked down and kissed his girlfriend's forehead before saying, "man, there is no one in the world I'd rather be here with, Kat."
She looked up with devotion in her eyes, as she said those lyrics to her boyfriend's heart, "I love you, Tommy".
"I love you too." He countered.
She then leaned up against his features and opened her mouth while closing her eyes firmly.
He too leaned his head towards her and closed his eyes, meeting her with a passionate kiss, which he felt she returned with the same amount of passion; but with something she had never kissed him with before; lust. As they were infatuated with each other's kisses, her tongue circling inside his mouth aroused him. She retrieved it, only to have his come in behind hers as she welcomed it by gently sucking his tongue enough to get a small moan out of him.
She put her hand softly on him, covering his ear, while she rose from her sitting posture to turn and get up on him on a straddle position. She laid her body up against his, pushing him slightly backward.
He ran his hands from the top of her back to caressing her curvaceous butt; compressing his fingers tight against it…
They separated after a few seconds of hugging.
"Its been too long, Kat." Tommy sighed.
She smiled saying, "well then, I guess we should make up for lost time"
"I think we should." Tommy agreed. "How's lunch at Hayley's Cyberspace sound."
"It sounds good,…as long as it's on you" she joked.
"Well, it's good then." He answered.
"My appetite, your car." She said.
With that said, they both headed to Hayley's Cyberspace with a huge smile on both their faces.
Tommy and Katherine were on their way to Hayley's Cyberspace for lunch in Tommy's jeep.
"So, have you been here long?" Tommy inquired.
"No, I just got here yesterday." Kat answered.
"Well, how have you liked it so far?"
"Oh, it's nice. I haven't seen much of it yet, but I like what I've seen so far." She said.
"And, how have you been getting around?"
"I call a cab to pick me up from the hotel to school and from school to the hotel. I'm picking up my car on Saturday." She responded.
He then thought for a moment and asked, "well, why don't you let me pick you up tomorrow at your hotel and drive you to school? Then, I'll just drive you back."
"Oh, no, it's ok, it's just for one more day."
"Come on, I'll feel awful if you have to call a cab having me knowing that you need a ride." He carried on.
"Well, alright." She said with a smile that made Tommy melt.
At Hayley's Cyberspace, Tommy and Kat were just talking up a storm about each other's life and how they both have been doing and been up to; as Conner, Ethan, Kira, and Trent arrived as well.
"Hey, Mr. O!" Conner yelled from the distance as they made their way towards the two old friends at the table.
Kira saw that her teacher was with a young woman, assuming that he was there on a more personal note; she grabbed Conner and Ethan by their shoulders and turned them towards their usual table. Trent, having witnessed this, realized what Kira was doing, and followed behind them.
"Hey, what's your problem?" Conner demanded.
"Besides the fact that I have to see you every day?" She said in a sarcastic tone, and then she added in a lower voice, "don't you see Dr. Oliver is with a woman? Give them some privacy, will you guys?"
Ethan turned and saw them. He then turned back to his friends and said, "that's not a woman, she's just the new teacher for Literature."
"Could you be any more dumber?" Trent asked.
"You know what I mean", Ethan answered innocently.
"That's some Literature teacher. Sign me up for the next class" Conner stated raising his eyebrows.
"I guess Dr. O jumped on that boat as soon as possible" Trent said.
"Dude, wouldn't you?" Ethan asked Trent.
"Oh, yeah, man, she is just what the doctor ordered, and I have a prescription right here", Trent motioned to his shirt pocket.
"Man, that girl's a tall glass of water, and let me tell you, I'm thirsty" Conner added to the remarks.
Kira rolled her eyes and stopped them before they went any further like she knew they would. "Guys, put a lid on it, we get it, you like her. Point proven."
"Uh oh, do I detect a sense of jealousy coming from this direction?" Ethan asked, motioning to Kira.
The boys just laughed as Hayley came to get their order.
Tommy was now bursting out in laughter as Kat finished her story about what had happened the day before.
"…so it had turned out that I had set the alarm for 2:20 a.m! I got up just not knowing what to do!"
"Man, Kat, I wish I would've been there! To see the look on your face!" he said, still chuckling.
"Yeah, well, let's just say it was not my cup of tea" she continued. "I mean, my day had been going fine till that instant."
"Well, it wasn't much of a day seeing as you spent it all day sleeping" he mocked.
"Hey, I resent that." Kat said jokingly.
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, but I had to take a shot" Tommy said, while still having some laughter inside of him.
Hayley then got there with their orders and they both began to eat and chat in between bites.
Tommy and Kat arrived at Reefside High just in time for their next class. They both didn't have to worry about taking a quick lunch because they both had the period after lunch off.
During lunch, Kat had asked him if he could help her next week to look for an apartment. He happily agreed to do it. He then asked her if she needed a place to stay for the mean time, but she respectfully declined his offer. After a bit of a dispute in the sense that Tommy really wanted Kat to stop wasting her money on a hotel, Kat gave in, and accepted his invitation.
After school let out, Tommy drove Katherine to the hotel where she was to pick up her things and go over to his house.
Upon arriving there and going inside the room, Katherine felt a bit of apprehension.
"I don't know Tommy, I mean; we barely saw each other again after so many years." She said walking towards the bed looking down.
"Hey," he said, while placing a hand on her shoulder causing her to turn around. "Kat, what's wrong?"
"I dunno, I…I just feel as if I'm intruding or something", she said with embarrassment in her voice.
"Kat, you could never impose; especially not when I practically begged you for you to stay in my house."
"Well,…you did sort of beg me didn't you?" She said, with a small joking sigh.
Tommy laughed a little, while saying, "Yeah, now come on, let's go get your stuff."
They arrived at Tommy's house a bit after sunset. They both disembarked his jeep with Katherine's belongings.
As she made her way up the driveway, she couldn't help but compliment Tommy's home while looking at it from the top to the bottom, and from left to right.
"Wow, you have a beautiful home" she said.
"Thanks" he said, smiling at the comment.
Then she added jokingly, "well, the part that's showing anyways".
"Here we go…" Tommy said rolling his eyes jokingly as they both made their way inside.
Kat's eyes widened at the beautiful home, "I could get used to this, who needs an apartment? Tommy, scratch off 'look for apartment' on your to do list, I'm staying here forever", she joked.
I just wish you were serious, beautiful. Tommy thought as he put Kat's things down on the side of the door before going over to close it.
"So, are you hungry?" He asked.
"Oh, no, I'm stuffed after that meal this afternoon" she said while rubbing her abdomen.
"Alright, anyways, let me show you to your room, madam" Tommy said with a French accent.
Katherine chuckled a bit at the mien he was making and the voice as they headed up the stairs to the guest room.
Tommy was in his office making next week's lesson plans when he didn't mean to eavesdrop on Kat's conversation she was having on her cell phone next door.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop…
"Anyways, what happened with my things? Did you get them out of the apartment?
"Okay, well, how much is left?
"Well, good, I can handle that…
"Why, what's wrong with my underwear?
"Oh my God, I feel like I'm talking to a child…
"No one is telling you to fold 'em, besides, I just wanted you to take care of the furniture…
"How much is the storage gonna be?
"Aw, you're so sweet. How will I ever repay you?
"Oh, no, I don't have that much time in the world…
"Well, anyways, getting back to what's really important, me…
"I am too important!
"Oh, and I suppose you think you're so much better?
"As I was saying before I got so rudely interrupted, I can get my clothes by myself on Saturday…
"Who's that?
"I mean that girl in the background…
"Oh, tell her I said hi…
"Well, tell 'er thank you and I can't wait to see her again.
"Why, where are you going again?
"Oh, well, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Are you gonna pick me up at the airport?
"What do you mean you don't know, I'm relying on you, you know…
"Okay, okay, I'll let you go, but just tell me so I can arrange something…
"Promise?
"Alright, bye."
As she ended her conversation, she couldn't help but be startled at the figure standing in front of her.
"Oh, my God, Tommy," she gasped as she jumped a little with fear.
"Well, I haven't heard those words in a while" he smiled.
"I didn't see you there" she was still shaken up a bit.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said.
"That's alright."
"Listen Kat, I couldn't help over hearing you conversation from my office and…"
"Mr. Thomas Oliver, were you eavesdropping?" She asked with a devious tone.
"No, more like taking notes on how Literature is spoken through the phone."
"Yeah, more like snooping," she mocked.
"Well, maybe just a little, but just the part that I heard about you having furniture in storage."
"Yeah, I don't know how I'm gonna get it over here."
"Well, you know, I have a pretty strong jeep. I'm sure it'll be no trouble having it pull a U-Haul," he said. Then added before he was cut off by her, "I was wondering if you wanted to…"
"Oh, no, Tommy, you are not doing this. It's bad enough you letting me stay at your house. Now you want to help me move my furniture over here? No, thank you, then I'd really feel like I'd owe you big."
"I happen to know a guy that owns a storage company and he could give you a good price too. Well, as long as you look for an apartment, it won't be as expensive as the other one."
"Well, I don't know, besides, Jess already said that," now she was cut off.
"Look, how 'bout you think about it, and we'll talk about it tomorrow."
"Alright, it's getting late anyways."
"Okay, I'll be right down the hall if you need anything", he said as he made his way out the room.
Yeah, I need something ... you. She thought.
