A/N: Hello, everyone! I am so sorry for such a big gap between chapters. Things have taken a turn in our adoption and not in the greatest terms. We've been working hard to fund-raise to make sure we can pay our legal fees. If only fanfiction paid haha. Anyway, thank you all for hanging in there and please forgive me for making you wait.
December 25th, 2004
Angel Grove, CA
Tommy helped Marci set up her computer in her room while Mom and I worked in the kitchen to cook Christmas dinner. I could hear the two of them laughing upstairs as I chopped the potatoes to boil them. Mom stood next to me, humming, while she stirred green bean casserole together in a bowl.
"You're in a good mood." I said, glancing over at her. She nodded.
"Why wouldn't I be? It's Christmas day, I'm here with my gorgeous daughter who is going to make me a grandmother, and we're going to be eating an amazing meal. What more could I ask for?" She questioned, putting the casserole in a cake pan before popping it in the oven.
"I know. This has been a great Christmas this year. It feels like the ones when I was a kid. I'm really glad you're here."
"Well, I'm sure it's not all me being here making today enjoyable." She said, shooting me a wink.
"What do you mean?" I asked, looking away from her.
"Kimberly, don't play coy with me. I know what I saw when I came down here last night. You two were as snug as a bug in a rug on that couch together. Why on Earth haven't you two just swallowed your prides and made it official? Is it because of Katherine? I'm sure she would understand if Tommy decided he wanted to be with you instead."
"Mom! Keep your voice down." I hissed, glancing towards the stairs. I could still hear Tommy talking to Marci, telling me he hadn't heard Mom.
"It's true though." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "It's not that complicated. Tell the boy how you feel and get it over with."
"There's more to it than that." I muttered, stabbing a potato. "Trust me."
"It's never too late. Trust me. If your father can decide twenty years later he would rather be with his ex-girlfriend, I think you two can work things out as well." She angrily chopped a stalk of celery. Of course. It always came back to Dad and that divorce no matter the topic. I rolled my eyes where she couldn't see it as I dumped the rest of the potatoes into the pot of boiling water.
"Mom, at some point you're going to have to get over what Dad did. I know it was shitty but you've moved on since then. You have a new ex-husband to hate on." I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the hard boiled eggs I had made last night for deviled eggs.
"Don't get me started on that one." She said, shaking her head. "I think I moved with Pierre too fast in my book. I should have tried dating more and looked into my other options before hopping on a plane to Paris with the guy. Don't get me wrong. I love living there and the experience. I just don't know if it's going to be my home forever now."
"No one said you can't have roots and wings." I said, smiling over at her.
"That's very true." She replied, smirking at me over her shoulder. "Maybe I will look into being closer so I can watch my granddaughter grow up."
"I think that is a great idea. You can move in here with Marci and I." I offered. She made a noise, shaking her head.
"That's sweet, honey. Really. But I don't think you'll want to have another person here on top of a newborn. That's stressful enough as it is. Besides, I think I'd want to have my own space. There's always that little condo community over by the mall. My old hairdresser, Theresa, lives over there. She says it's gorgeous inside."
"You really want to leave Paris?" I asked. She shrugged her shoulders, leaning over to stir the potatoes.
"Why wouldn't I? I have more important things going on here than I do there. I mean, it wouldn't be tomorrow. I would need to put my apartment on the market and get things situated. But, I could have that all wrapped up or close to it and be back here by the time the little one is due." She paused, glancing over at me. "Unless you don't want me to move back."
"Mom! Of course I want you to move back here," I said, smiling at her. Turning, I held my arms up for a hug. She smiled, wrapping her arms around me. "I wouldn't want anyone else here as I'm about to jump off the cliff into motherhood."
"You're going to love it." She said, holding me at arm's length. "It might seem scary but you'll get the hang of it after a while."
"Great cause I'm terrified." I said, laughing. Over my head, I heard footsteps followed by cheering. This told me that they must have gotten everything hooked up correctly.
"Marci really does treasure her relationship with you two." Mom said, grabbing my can opener. "I talked to her for a bit last night before bed. She's the sweetest thing. She reminds me a lot of you at that age."
"She's something else, that's for sure." I replied, mixing the egg together for the yolk part of the devilled eggs. "She hasn't had an easy life. I'm just glad she feels at home here. Tommy and I have to talk to her later though."
"About Katherine?" Mom asked. I nodded, sighing.
"I get why she acts the way she does towards Kat but she can't keep doing it. It'll put a wedge between her and Tommy and I don't want that to happen. I'm hoping the sooner we do it, the more time she will have to adjust to the idea of the two of them being together."
"She's awfully protective of you." Mom replied, dumping corn into a mixing bowl. "Her heart is in the right place."
"It's not her heart I'm worried about. It's her mouth." Mom laughed, nodding.
"It's one of her more powerful assets."
"Yeah and it's going to get her into some hot water one of these days. I give her credit though on being strong enough to speak her own mind when she wants. She's got no fear about anything."
"Just like you." Mom said, popping the corn casserole into the oven. "It's not a bad thing to be willing to stand up in what you believe in. She's young and lacks a filter but you were the same way when it came to things you were passionate about. Sometimes, as we get older and get through things, we forget just how to ignite that fire without being fearful of burning down the village in the process."
"This is California. I'm more fearful of burning down the whole west coast." I muttered.
Once dinner was ready, we all sat around the table and enjoyed the meal. I had to admit I was quite impressed with myself and how everything had turned out. I wasn't much of a cook but everything tasted great. I could tell Tommy and Marci felt the same from the multiple helpings each had. While we ate, we talked about the new year and what we all hoped would happen. Mom revealed her plan to move back for the baby and Tommy offered to help her find a place to live if the condos didn't work out. Marci also seemed thrilled at the idea of having my mother around. For a small moment, I saw her regard my mother like she would her own grandmother. It was then that I realized that Marci had really become my own child. Granted, I would have been 14 when I had her but still, I loved her like my own and I was pretty sure I would have done anything for her at this point like a mother is supposed to. Her own mother hadn't even bothered to call or send her anything resembling a present today. It made my heart hurt for MArci but she didn't give any hint that she had even thought about it.
"That was delicious." Tommy said, leaning back in his chair. "I don't think I could eat another bite right now if I tried."
"I made dutch apple pie for dessert." Mom said, picking up the empty plates from the table as she stood.
"Well, I mean I guess I could have a little bit more," He replied, grinning at me. I shook my head, taking a sip of the tea in front of me. "What? I'm a sucker for apple pie."
"I remember." I replied.
"We have a little while. I just popped it in the oven to let it get nice and warm." Mom said, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
"Kim, you should come check out my computer!" Marci said, grabbing other used dishes and walking them over to the sink. Tommy glanced over at me and I nodded.
"Sure." Standing up, I followed behind Marci as she bounded upstairs to her room. Tommy was behind me and I could hear Mom in the kitchen, checking on the pie. I followed Marci into her room and saw she had set the computer up in the corner across from the closet. The empty box and the packaging for it was shoved in front of the closet, the instruction manual near the keyboard. She sat in the chair in front of her desk and moved the mouse, the screen powering up. Tommy had done a great job in finding this and getting a great deal. OTherwise, there was no way in hell I would have been able to afford this.
"Tommy helped me get hooked up to the phone line. He said he can help me get the internet tomorrow once the holiday is over with. I think I still have an AOL CD laying around here somewhere from when they had them for free at the book store. We were using them as frisbees in the parking lot after school." She said, clicking on a few things. "But now, I can get my homework done on here and work on some of my art!"
"That's great. I'm glad you like it." I said, sitting on the edge of her bed next to her. "Tommy and I were hoping you would."
"Are you kidding? This is the nicest thing anyone has ever bought for me!" She said, smiling at the both of us over her shoulder. I looked over at Tommy who was leaning up against the door frame. I didn't want to do this. I knew that Marci wasn't going to take this very well. Especially since she knew the truth about the baby.
"Can we talk to you about something quick?" I asked. She looked at me confused.
"What's wrong?" She asked, concern growing on her face. "Is there something wrong with the baby?"
"No. Nothing is wrong." Tommy said, closing her door and walking over to sit on the bed next to me.
"Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to be a good conversation then?" She asked, taking a look of instant guarding.
"It's nothing bad. I promise." I said, smiling at her. "We just wanted to talk to you about some changes that are going to be going on around here, that's all."
"Changes?" MArci asked.
"You know that Kat and I have been spending a lot of time together." Tommy said, leaning forward and linking his fingers. "Recently, we've discussed getting back together. I've spoken with Kim about this and I think it's important to also talk to you since you're an active part of our little family here."
"You want my blessing or something?" Marci asked. Oh no. I could tell right from the tone of her voice that this wasn't going to go as well as Tommy was hoping.
"Not necessarily." Tommy said. I knew he was trying to sugar coat this and it wasn't going to fly. I took a deep breath.
"Tommy and Kat are getting back together, Marci. And I'm happy for them. They deserve to be with each other and to have a happy relationship. We just wanted to let you know that Kat will be around here more and we didn't want to wonder. It's your home too and you have the right to know." I said, putting a hand on her arm. "It also means that we should do our best to make sure Kat feels welcomed in our home. She will be a guest here and we need to remember that."
"So what? She's like moving in here or something?" She asked. Tommy shook his head quickly.
"Oh, no." He said. "She's staying with her sponsor parents until she can get her own place. And as long as you two will put up with me, I'll be here until the new dojo and my appartment is built. It'll still just be the three of us living here. Well, until the little one comes along." He smiled over at me. Not now, Oliver.
"I know this will be different." I said, casting a look at Marci. "But it's going to be okay. Once you get to know Kat some more, you'll get to like her. She's a nice person and I think the two of you will be quick friends." Tommy nodded, agreeing with me.
"I do too. Kat likes makeup and hair and stuff like that. Maybe you can teach her a thing or two about it." Tommy offered. Marci held an expression on her face that was hard to read. She looked between the two of us, her lips in a thin line.
"You okay?" I asked.
"Talk to us, kid." Tommy said softly. Marci sighed, shrugging her shoulders. I held my breath, waiting for her snarky comments I knew would be coming at any moment.
"What can I say?" she asked. "I want you to be happy, Tommy. If Kat makes you happy, then I guess I'm okay with it."
"Are you sure? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable at all." Tommy said. I eyed Marci who didn't look at me.
"Yeah. I'm glad you guys talked to me first. But like I said, I just want everyone to be happy. The more the merrier I suppose!" She smiled at Tommy but I could see her knuckles whiten as she gripped the back of her chair.
"That's great! Would you two mind if I called and invited her over for some pie and coffee?" Tommy asked standing. He looked at Marci.
"I don't care." She said. He shifted his eyes towards me. I gawked at Marci for a moment before answering.
"Sure. Mom loves any excuse to brag about her pie making skills." I said. Tommy smiled, nodding.
"Awesome. Thank you so much, ladies." He gave each one of us a hug before walking out of Marci's room. I waited until I heard him climb down the stairs before I looked back at Marci.
"Should I check you for signs of a stroke?" I asked. She snorted, rolling her eyes.
"Talk to me after she leaves. What did you want me to say? Clearly, I have no choice here really. What about you? You're just gonna let him bring her here all the time while you're still in love with him?"
"Yeah. I guess I am." I said, standing up. "There's no other real option here. Tommy is an adult and he's going to do what he wants to do. The only thing we can do is support him. I'm proud of you, Marci. I expected a very different reaction from you than this one."
"I do my best." She said, smirking. I paused, trying to decide what her smile meant.
"Kim! I need some help down here in the kitchen." Mom called up the stairs.
"I'll be right there." I called back. I smiled over at Marci. "You sure you're okay?"
"I'll be fine. I'll actually be right down. I just need to do something quick first."
"Alright. See you in a while."
It didn't take long for Kat to make her way over to my house. I wondered for a moment if she had even hung up the phone before hopping in the car as she knocked on the door. Tommy let her in and I noticed she was wearing a black fur coat over a red sweater dress and tights. Her hair was pulled back in a braid at the back of her head, a ruby clip at the top.
"Thank you for having me over, Kimberly." She said as Tommy helped her with her coat.
"Of course. It is Christmas, afterall." I said, a nauseous feeling hitting me after I said it. I swallowed down the gross feeling and smiled at her. I heard footsteps down the stairs and Marci appeared next to me.
"Careful, Tommy. That's my new fur coat. My sponsor parents bought it for me for Christmas. Isn't it gorgeous?" She said, watching Tommy hang her coat up on the hook by the door.
"It really is." Mom said, walking into the living room. "You must be Katherine. I'm Caroline, Kimberly's mother."
"It's lovely to meet you." Kat said, shaking Mom's hand.
"You too. Is this your first fur coat?" Mom asked, gesturing towards the coat. Kat shook her head.
"No. I've always collected them. It's a tradition in my family. My parents would always go to exotic places and bring back mink coats and other furs for my sister and I. My sponsor's parents wanted to keep up with the tradition."
"That was nice of them." Tommy said, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Kat, you remember Marci, right?"
"Of course! How are you, Maci?" She asked, smiling at Marci.
"It's Marci." Marci replied. "I'm fine."
"Did Santa bring you everything you wished for?" Kat winked at me before looking at Marci who looked at her like she was an idiot.
"Yeah. Sure he did." She replied. "I'm not five."
"You never know when people stop believing! I always thought it's best to keep up the story until you know for sure."
"Who wants pie? I could go for some pie." Tommy said, walking towards the kitchen. Kat followed him like the lost puppy dog she was, Mom behind her. I started towards the kitchen but stopped when I noticed that Marci was lingering.
"You coming?" I asked. She nodded.
"Yeah. I just wanted to check something real quick. Save me a piece."
"Okay. Hurry." I walked into the kitchen and saw that my mother was putting the pie on the freshly cleaned table. Tommy was getting coffee cups and the pot of coffee, setting them on the table as well. I smiled when I saw him tuck a tea bag under my cup before getting forks. Kat was sitting in my seat from before so I took the chair across from her. Tommy walked over and sat next to Kat. Mom sat between Kat and I, leaving the seat between Tommy and I for Marci.
"This smells delicious!" Katherine said as Mom cut into the pie.
"Why thank you! It's a recipe that's been in our family for generations." She explained, putting pieces on the small dessert plates in front of her. She passed them out as she went along. "Kimberly knows how to make this. You should bug her to do it for you sometime."
"I'll have to keep that in mind." Tommy said, smirking in my direction.
"Mine doesn't come out quite the same." I said, dunking my tea bag into the hot water of my cup. Marci slid into the seat next to me, sounding out of breath. I gave her a questioning look but she shook her head.
"How was Christmas with your sponsor parents?" Mom asked, looking over at Kat.
"Wonderful! All of their extended family came for presents and dinner this afternoon. It was quite an event. It always takes hours to open everything because there are just so many gifts. They spare no expense." Kat replied. I heard Marci mutter something next to me as she stabbed her fork into a chunk of baked apple. "Kimberly, I saw your new car outside. Are you excited?" I nodded.
"Yes! It was such a generous surprise. I told Tommy that you guys didn't have to do that."
"Oh, it was no big deal." Kat said, waving her hand at me. "I know that Tommy is excited about not having to drive you everywhere anymore." Tommy coughed, choking on the bite in his mouth.
"I didn't realize you felt that way." I said, eying him. He shook his head frantically.
"I don't. I never said anything like that." He turned to Kat.
"You said that you'll be happy when she got a car." She said, shrugging her shoulders.
"So Kim could have some of her independence back. Not because I didn't want to help her out anymore." He explained, giving me a pleading look.
"My apologies then. Guess I misunderstood." Kat took a bite of her pie, smiling.
"Either way, it was a wonderful gift from you all." Mom said, breaking up the tension. "Now we will need to find you a car seat for the little one!"
"It would probably be smart to get more than one." Marci said, sipping her coffee. "When my aunt had her baby, they had a car seat for her car and my uncle's truck. You'll want to get one for Tommy's truck too. Or even a car seat with more than one base to it."
"Well, with Kim having her own car, I don't see why Tommy will be having the baby in his truck with do you think he would?" Kat said, a tight smile on her face.
"Because he lives here." Marci replied flatly. Under the table, I reached over and put a hand on her knee. She shot me a look as I gave it a squeeze, warning her.
"Marci's right." Tommy said, pointing his fork at her. "Besides, you never know when a second car seat will come in handy if someone else will need to watch her when Kim goes back to work. We can look around and see if we can find one you like." He gave Marci a wink who smirked back at him, taking a bite of her pie.
"There's still plenty of time for all that anyway." I said, smiling. "There's a lot more going on before that to worry about."
"That's right. The trial starts soon, correct?" Kat asked. "How are you holding up with everything? It must be terrifying to know you have to face the man who nearly killed you in court."
"I'm alright." I lied, nodding. "I know I need to do this and luckily, it'll be just a week long ordeal. And hopefully, he will take a plea deal or something. I was hopeful that I wouldn't need to testify but I haven't heard otherwise."
"I wish I could stay for it." Mom said, rubbing my arm that rested on the table. "I also wish I could get my hands on the sleaze ball."
"Kim did a pretty good job at kicking his ass." Tommy said. "He was in rough shape before Jason and I even made it to him."
"That's my girl." Mom smiled, taking my hand in hers. "Maybe I should just stay until it's over."
"I'll be fine, Mom. I have the support of everyone here. I would rather you go home and get everything situated so you can be here before the baby is due."
"Are you sure?" She questioned. I nodded.
"I'm sure. But no more talk of the trial, okay? At least not until the holidays are over. I want to enjoy them with everyone and not have to think about it looming over my head." I finished my pie and put my napkin on the table.
"I think that's a great idea. Are you coming to Aisha and Rocky's New Years Eve party? I know Aisha is really looking forward to it. Her last big blow out before the baby comes." Katherine said, finishing her coffee.
"We'll all be there." Tommy said, nodding. Kat bristled at the answer, making Marci stifle a laugh as she stood up next to me.
"Oh, Marci. Could you be a dear and get me some more coffee?" Kat asked, shaking her empty cup at Marci. Marci froze for a second, looking at the cup. I held my breath, waiting for the tension to boil over. She surprised me though by smiling, taking the cup.
"Of course." Marci said. She turned, walking over to the coffee pot.
"So, Kim, do you have a theme or color in mind for the baby?" Kat asked, turning her attention towards me. I looked over at her.
"Oh, I really haven't thought about it." I replied.
"Pink." Mom and Tommy said at the same time. I laughed, shaking my head. They knew me way too well.
"I'm not that predictable." I replied. Mom scoffed, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling.
"Like you would pick any other color. It's your favorite! It's all you ever wore in high school and I'm quite positive if I went up in your closet right now, there would be an abundance of pink." She responded, crossing her arms.
"She's not wrong." Tommy offered, causing me to playfully glare at him. He knew damn well why there was so much pink to be had in my wardrobe. I could let him have it for the amount of green and white he owned in high school.
"I think you should go with purple." Katherine said. "It's a pretty color for a girl. And it's different than pink. I always said that when I have a girl, it would be in all pink as well." She gave me a look and I knew what she was implying. She didn't want me to use pink for my daughter because she wanted to use pink. She did realize that because she wore pink doesn't mean she has ownership of it, right? Besides, I was the original. If she wanted to go there, I gladly would. I put a tight smile on my face and crossed my arms in front of me.
"I like pink and white." I said. "They go together well." Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"They sure do." She said. "But they tend to fade quickly."
"Here's your coffee." Marci said, setting Kat's cup in front of her. My anger was a soft bubbling in my gut and I turned my attention to my plate to refrain from making a Marci like comment. She climbed back into her seat next to me, giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Katherine, are you a natural blonde? If so, it's a gorgeous shade!" She asked. Kat sipped her coffee, nodding.
"Yes! Thank you. My mother and I have the same color hair." She ran a hand over her braid.
"I think I want to try blonde highlights next. Do you think you could help me with that? I never get the bleaching right."
"Sure! How about I come over tomorrow and we can go to the store and pick out the right kit? I usually go to the salon but this will be a fun new adventure." Kat replied, smiling at Marci. Tommy looked happy as well, more than likely pleased to see the two of them getting along so well. I was amazed myself.
"That would be great." Marci said. "Do you guys want to watch a Christmas movie? One should be coming on shortly."
"Yes. And then slip into a food coma." Mom said, standing up. We got up and cleared the table, Marci helping me put everything in the sink to clean later. Tommy went with my mother and Kat into the living room.
"You're acting very friendly." I said, eyeing Marci.
"Who said it was acting?" She asked. I raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged. "You guys told me to give her a chance. This is what I'm doing."
"Well, I appreciate it." I said. I turned the water off in the sink and wiped my hands on the dish towel.
"Anytime. Also, if you want pink, every single thing the baby owns for the rest of my life will be pink. Screw her for thinking otherwise."
"There's the Marci I know and love." I gave her a hug before leading her into the living room. Tommy and Kat were sitting on the couch and Mom was flipping through the channels.
"I think I saw the Grinch on one channel." I said, sitting on the loveseat.
"Kimberly, can I use your bathroom?" Kat asked. I glanced over at her and saw that she appeared to be a little pale.
"Of course." I said. "Are you alright?" She nodded, standing.
"Yes. Thank you." Tommy told her where it was and she nearly sprinted out of the room. Marci sat next to me, a cup of coffee in hand.
"Is she alright?" She asked. Tommy nodded.
"I'm sure she's fine." He replied. Mom sat down in the chair after finding the Grinch, the opening starting. Ten minutes passed and Katherine still hadn't come back from the bathroom. Tommy got up and walked up the hall, going upstairs. I could hear him knock on the door and some muffled talking after that.
"I hope it wasn't the pie." Mom said, glancing over at me.
"I'm sure it wasn't." I said, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Probably the stick that's shoved up her ass." Marci muttered, causing Mom to laugh quietly.
"You're not helping." I said to my mother before turning to give Marci a look. "I thought we passed this."
"Sorry. Old habits die hard." She replied. The sound of footsteps on the stairs came and Tommy walked around the corner, leading a very sick looking Kat by the arm. She was sweating, white as a ghost, and was holding her stomach with her other hand. I gasped, standing up. I moved to help them but Tommy held his hand up.
"Don't get too close. We can't let you get sick." He said. "I'm going to bring her home. I'll be right back, okay?"
"Oh, dear. I hope you feel better, Kat." Mom said, walking over and opening the door for them. Kat let out a grunt before Tommy walked her out the door. Mom and I followed, watching from the porch as he helped her into her jeep. He gave me a wave before climbing into the driver seat.
"I hope the rest of us aren't going to be that ill." I said, watching the tail lights of the jeep fade away into the distance.
"I'm sure we won't." Mom said, crossing her arms in front of her. "It was probably something she ate with her rich sponsor parents." Mom rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. I laughed, nodding.
"Probably." We headed back inside, Marci still sitting on the couch watching the movie.
"Is she okay?" Marci asked, looking up at us. I nodded.
"Yeah. He's going to bring her home. It was probably some food poisoning or something." Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair as Mom said next to Marci. She wrapped an arm around hers and snuggled in close. "You guys want some cookies? I'm in the mood for some."
"Sure!" Mom said. "Need some help?" I shook my head.
"I think I can manage putting them on a plate." I said, smiling. I walked into the kitchen and went to the container in the corner on the counter where we had put the leftover baked goods. I grabbed a plate and opened the lid. I grabbed some cookies and some of the fudge we made before putting the lid back on. Grabbing the plate, I turned to head back into the living room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something tucked behind the edge of the coffee pot. Walking over, I reached out and grabbed it. It was a small container of eye drops. I recognized them as my mother's that she takes with her when she travels. I saw that the lid was not on it correctly.
Marci.
Kat was probably experiencing explosive diarrhea right now because Marci snuck some of the drops into her coffee when she made her get her more. Groaning, I looked between the drops and Kat's cup of coffee that was sitting next to the sink. I tucked the drops into the drawer under the counter and walked over to the cup. Setting the plate down, I ran the water and dumped the rest of the coffee down the sink. I rinsed the cup out, making sure there was nothing left in it. Tomorrow, I would need to talk to the little psycho I was keeping as a ward about not poisoning our house guests. For tonight though, I was going to let her have this little victory.
And hope that Kat doesn't keel over.
