Rated M for Everything. Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers.
Please Read and Review.
-x-
CHAPTER THREE
If you Say So
Water World Family Fun Park
Wednesday, June 20th, 12:05pm
Reefside, CA
2010
Three was a magic number. Tommy had donned three different Ranger colors. Miles was three years old. Tommy and Kim had dated for three years, and they'd seen each other three times since they'd broken up. Trini and Jason had been married for three years.
And now it had been three weeks. Three weeks since Kim had arrived on Tommy's doorstep. Three weeks since she'd come back into his life.
He'd told himself for years that whatever he still felt for Kim was just the result of not having seen her in all that time. She'd become almost mythical, in a way. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, blah blah blah.
Something was happening. He wasn't sure exactly what, but he knew it wasn't entirely unwelcome. But it also made everything complicated.
Kim relinquished her hand from Tanya's stomach. "How has it been?"
Tanya ran her own hands over the huge bump and shrugged, "Sometimes great. Right now, not so much."
"Do you get sick a lot? Or is it just, general aches and pains?"
Tanya groaned, "No. My morning sickness wasn't that bad. It's just been these last few months. I can't get comfortable. I'm moody. I feel like a damn penguin, waddling around. I'm over it. Today's the first day I've felt somewhat normal."
"Well, you look amazing." Kim beamed. "Your skin is glowing."
"That's just sweat." They laughed. Tanya sighed and finally conceded.
"Thank you. I don't feel amazing, but thank you."
"Have you guys picked out names and all of that?"
Tanya nodded. "We have a bunch. It's mostly just getting our families off our back. Everybody wants to be immortalized."
Kim laughed. "Totally get it. My grandmother's name was Ann, but my mom had already decided her baby girl was going to be named Kimberly, so they made it my middle name instead."
The girls sat back in the lounge chairs, idly watching their friends as they played in the water with the kids. Jason and Adam trying to coax Vanessa to into the shallow kiddie pool.
Kim turned back to Tanya. "You guys usually come in for the summer reunions, yeah?"
Tanya nodded. "When we can. We'd like to stay longer of course but that's just not possible right now, obviously. Better to be stay close to home, my OB and all that."
"And you guys are back in Stone Canyon, right?"
"We're close to Adam's parents' place. Not too close, thankfully. "
They shared a knowing laugh. Adam turned and waved back at them. He and Tanya shared a brief exchange. Their intimate shorthand of wordless gestures and signals.
Kim smiled as Tanya laughed, finally getting her husband to turn away.
"I swear, he thinks I'm made of glass."
"His whole world is one body right now. You and this one," Kim said, placing her hand back on Tanya's swollen belly.
"So, how about you? Kids? You seeing anyone?" Tanya wondered.
Kim gave an indelicate snort. "Oh, that's a long story. Short version is no."
Tanya snickered. "I know we've never been as close as the rest, but, Adam always spoke well of you. And it's been nice to get to know you better. You've been missed at these things."
Kim smirked. "Well, remind me to thank him for not dragging my name too much. I know your first experience of me was probably not the greatest."
Tanya shrugged. "Oh I only knew what I knew, ya know? I had no reason to dislike you. I just knew Tommy seemed upset about the break up at the time. But I don't think anyone hated you."
Kim nodded. "Yeah…."
"So you still seeing that guy from Florida?"
Kim cackled. "Oh, no. That's—no. That's a whole other story."
They looked up as they heard excitable shrieks coming from the play area. Rocky splashing with the toddlers by the big mushroom shaped water shower. His laughter and hijinks almost louder than the children's.
Tanya groaned. "Oh god, I just know Adam's gonna make that man our child's godfather and then we're never gonna hear the end of the jokes."
Kim laughed hysterically, her best impersonation of Rocky's best Don Corleone on her lips. "You come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married and you ask me to do murder…"
Tanya's shoulders bounced in laughter. "Ugh. Talk about give me justice."
Kim snorted. "I can't wait for Rocky and Aisha to have kids. And then we all get to watch him have to be a grown up finally."
Tanya snickered. "Don't bet on it."
"Well, let me say an early congratulations to you again. I'm glad you and Adam were able to make it down for a little bit."
"Well thank you. Yeah, we figured this might be our last viable reunion for a little while so..."
Miles sat perched atop Tommy's shoulders, the man crouched into a raptor stance as the boy traded between roaring and laughter. Tommy spun quickly on a heel, as if the fearsome dinosaur had heard something.
He locked eyes with Kim and gave her a smile, briefly dropping character. She smiled back as Miles held up his hands and pointed.
She heard him yell her name, Tommy dropping back into predator mode and jogged toward her, Miles bouncing against his back.
"RAWR!" Tommy snarled.
"Rawr!" Miles snarled too.
Tanya snickered they approached. Kim held face in her hands, attempting to look scared. "Oh no!"
"Raptor gets Kimbree!" Miles growled. Tommy stalked closer.
"Raptor gets Kimbree!" Tommy echoed.
Miles wrapped his hands around Tommy's face, covering his eyes and mouth.
"Raptor…umm, can't talk. Only I'm raptor can talk."
Tommy grumbled in a sheepish raptor voice. "Sorry."
Miles resumed. "Raptor go! Get Kimbree."
Tommy nudged Kim with his head, allowing Miles to reach for her.
"Agh! Oh no! Raptor's got me!" Kim swooned. She inclined her head to allow the boy to place his claws against her face. She flinched beneath his graceless hands as he poked and prodded her.
Tommy groaned in a pain, his back and knees screaming from having been bent over for so long.
He lowered himself, sliding Miles off his back.
"Raptor needs a break," he grunted, collapsing up against the deck chair.
Miles looked about to protest before Kim held out her arms and brought the boy to sit in her lap. "Come here. I got you."
The boy sat facing out as Kim wrapped her hands around his waist. He squirmed, bracing himself as he tried to stand up.
Tanya handed Tommy a bottle of water. "You look like you're about to keel over."
Tommy nodded his thanks and doused himself before chugging the rest.
Kim snickered. "How are you overheating? You just came out of the water."
"You play raptor next time," Tommy panted. "See how you like it."
Kim steadied the boy as he planted his feet atop her thighs.
"I have got to go bathroom," Miles announced.
Tommy squinted, nodding tiredly as he motioned for Kim to hand the boy over.
Kim placed a pitying hand to his shoulder. "You just rest, ya invalid. I'll go find one of the other guys."
Tommy laughed gratefully as Kim stood up with Miles.
"Come on, honey. Let's go find your uncles and get you a bathroom ok?"
"Ok…" Miles said.
Tommy smiled at the boy. "Go on, buddy. I'll be right here when you get back."
"Ok…" the boy said again. Kim waited for him to grab her hand before the two went off in search of the other guys.
Tommy's stretched his arms out across the seat of the chair. He lolled his head back and sighed.
Tanya snickered. "Is this what I have to look forward to? You look exhausted."
Tommy shot her a smile. "Have fun."
Tanya shook her head. "Have children, they said. It'll be fun, they said."
Tommy sat up and cracked his back, "Between the two of you? One baby? Pfft. Piece of cake."
Tanya's eyes travelled to where Kim had left with Miles. "Looks like you've got help."
Tommy glanced over his shoulder, "Yeah, those two became fast friends."
"I can see that," Tanya said. "That must be nice."
Tommy nodded, mindlessly looking out onto the rest of the water park. "Yeah, it has been."
"Now I see why you were so anxious to pawn us off on Jason and Trini."
He shot her a look. "What?"
Tanya smirked. "You two look like no time has passed."
He snickered. "How would you know?"
Tanya laughed. "Oh please. I didn't have to know Kim personally to guess what you two were like. And right now you two look more together than Adam and I do."
Tommy shook his head. "She ended up staying with me at the last minute. And her—she and Miles just hit it off. I'm just grateful and I'm not trying to read into it."
Tanya quirked an eyebrow. "If you say so."
-x-
Scott Residence
Wednesday, June 20th, 3:03pm
Reefside, CA
2010
Jason and Tommy looked up as Trini came down the stairs. "Tanya's resting. She said not to worry about waking her when the pizza gets here."
"All that sun she got today probably knocked her right out," Jason said.
Tommy shrugged. "Adam said she was doing better today than she has in a while."
"Well, I say let her sleep," Jason said, smiling down at the toddler in his arms. "At least someone gets to."
"Where's Kim?" Trini wondered.
"She's checking in with Zack about the club," Tommy motioned to the back porch. "Just waiting 'til she's done, then we'll probably take off."
Trini frowned. "You're not staying for pizza?"
Tommy shook his head. "Already told my mom I'd make dinner for her."
The phone rang in the kitchen. Trini excused herself, dodging the two little boys running around the room.
Jason adjusted Vanessa on his hip. "Are you sure you don't want to just bring Miles over here while were in LA? Don't want Patty to think you're taking advantage of her."
Tommy chuckled. "I'm sure. Tanya and Adam are gonna have their hands full with the twins as it is."
They looked over at the two boys. Miles had collapsed abruptly to the floor, knocking over an earlier constructed pile of blocks. While Howie waddled furiously around him in circles, looking very much like a lost duck, his diapered bottom sticking out beneath his t-shirt.
They shared a laugh as Jason looked back at him. "Bah, it's good practice for 'em, right?"
Tommy snickered. "My mom's already said she'd do it. Dinner tonight is basically my thank you. Believe me, if she felt like I was abusing her goodwill, she'd let me know."
Jason laughed. "Yes she would."
Kim emerged from the patio, sliding the door securely shut behind her.
"Okay, just got off the phone with Zack, we are meeting at a place called NEON at Ten. He said he'd text me the address on Friday when we're on our way."
Jason nodded. "We got a dress code for this thing?"
Kim rolled her eyes, "Umm, it's a dance club, Jase. I don't know. Dance club clothes?"
He shot her a simpering look. "I'm a suburbanite now Kimmie. I don't know what that means anymore."
Kim rolled her eyes. "Just have Trini pick out your outfit. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. " She patted him on the head.
He stuck his tongue out and looked to Tommy. "Bro, what're you wearing?"
Tommy shrugged. "I don't know. Dress shirt and jeans, I guess?" He looked to Kim, gauging her response. "That's okay, right?"
Jason smirked at the pair in front of him.
Kim studied Tommy as if imagining the suggested outfit. "Yeah, like what you wore to dinner the other night? That's totally fine."
"Yeah," Tommy said, sharing a pleased smile with Kim before they both looked back at Jason.
Jason rolled his eyes as Trini popped her head from the kitchen.
"Babe, can I get your help real fast?"
Jason looked back to her, briefly unsure what to do with his daughter. Kim reached for the little girl eagerly as Jason gratefully handed her off.
Vanessa dragged her finger in her mouth, looking around for the man who'd just held her as Kim cooed at her.
"Hi, oh my goodness. Look at you," Kim bounced the girl in her arms.
Vanessa gurgled and squeaked out a sharp squeal, reaching out to touch Kim's face curiously with a slimy finger.
Jason looked at his wife expectantly as he entered the kitchen. She glanced over at him, the phone cradled between her ear and shoulder as she grunted out a response to the caller.
She mimed carrying something and pointed to the table. Jason followed her hand and nodded.
"Well, no of course you're more than welcome. But please don't feel like you're obligated in anyway," Trini spoke into the phone.
Jason opened the new package of paper plates and napkins Trini had pulled out, as well as some plastic flatware.
Trini laughed. "I'm impressed you even remembered all that."
Jason held the stack of items and waved to get her attention.
"Well, I can't wait. I'm glad you changed your mind." She smiled.
"Where do you want these?" Jason whispered.
Trini looked up, covering the receiver with her hand. "In the den," she whispered back.
Jason nodded and headed back out. She uncovered the phone and laughed once more. "Okay. Sure. We'll see you then. Okay. Bye."
Trini hung up the phone, detangled herself from the cord and headed back into the den. Jason glanced over his shoulder as he set the stack on the coffee table.
"You're all smiley. Who was that?"
Trini spared a quick glance toward the front door where Kim and Tommy were still entertaining Vanessa. She turned back to her husband.
"Do you remember that guy from Marketing? Rob Stetson?"
Jason frowned. "Is he the sweaty pits guy?" He couldn't remember.
Trini snorted, "Good god, no. He's the cute one, remember? About our age, blue eyes, dark hair, tall? The one I said reminds me of what's his face."
Jason laughed. "Babe, that doesn't give me much …"
Trini groaned, trying to place the actor's name. "Well, anyway. He's the one I was gonna try and set up with Kim a few years ago. Remember? Before she started dating Erik and all that?"
Jason gave her an uneasy look. "So what? You're gonna try and set them up again?"
Trini blustered. "Well, I had invited him to the cocktail party late last year, before Kim RSVP'd for the summer. Just to, ya know, be friendly or whatever. Well, he said no at first. But then before the office closed for break, he asked if Kim was coming, and by then she had RSVP'd, so he said he'd think about it. Well, that was over a month ago. I hadn't heard from him since and so I just assumed he wasn't coming."
The sound of their friends returning home broke her of her thoughts as she and Jason looked up.
"We come bearing pizza!" Aisha announced, holding onto a liter of soda in each hand as Rocky and Adam followed her holding three boxes of pizza and bags of salad and breadsticks, respectively.
Tommy and Kim moved to follow their friends as everyone migrated toward the den, Kim still bouncing Vanessa in her arms.
Jason looked back at Trini. "So, what? This Rob guy is coming to the party now?"
Trini nodded. "Is that bad? I mean, I wanted him and Kim to meet but that was three years ago. She'll kill me if she thinks I'm trying to set her up now."
Jason feigned innocence. "I don't see why."
Trini shot him a withering look. "Really?"
Jason stared back her incredulously. "Hey, everyone's always telling me to shut up and stay out of it. So that's what I'm trying to do."
"Babe, you know as well I do—Hey! Yay! Pizza!"
Trini helped her friends set down the food at the table. She shot Jason a look as Kim and Tommy dawdled in last together, baby Vanessa in between them.
Kim pouted as she returned the little girl to her father. "Bye honey."
Tommy made his way over to the table. Howie and Miles studied the adults removing the food with great interest.
Kim clutched her chest as she and Jason moved back into the room. "Oof, my heart. Jason, don't let me alone with your daughter anymore. I might steal her."
Jason laughed. "Some days, I might let you."
Kim smacked his arm. "Stop. She is a perfect angel baby."
Jason rolled his eyes and looked back at his daughter. "Nessa, you want pizza?"
Vanessa stared back him before looking around and down at the table. She let out a single shrilled note, pointing down.
Kim reveled as Jason set the girl down, watching her shaky steps as she toddled to the food.
Trini helped Howie on the couch. Adam and Aisha sat across the table on the floor. Dishing out the drinks, salad and breadsticks. Rocky sat on the floor in front of Tommy, examining which boxes contained which toppings.
"Alright, who can only have plain cheese?"
Tommy sat all the way back in the overstuffed chair. Miles sat in his lap, gumming at a breadstick.
Jason turned and balked. "I thought you said you weren't staying for food?"
Tommy rolled his eyes. "We're not. This one snuck a breadstick in his mouth before I could stop him."
Kim laughed as she sat on the arm of the chair. "How did you get that?"
Miles laughed, the breadstick dropping into his lap. He stared down at it for a second before picking it back up and offering it to Kim.
Jason shook his head before bending down to help Vanessa.
"So, who knows where we're going on Friday?" Aisha said, doling out a plate of food for Trini.
"Oh, I do," Kim said, holding up her cell phone.
"That's good," Trini whispered to Aisha. The other woman nodded and handed off the plate.
"It's called NEON," Kim said. "Zack's all plugged into the place, apparently. He said it's super trendy and has tons of amenities."
Adam smirked. "Wouldn't really expect anything different, knowing Zack."
Rocky passed off some food to Jason. "Yeah, guaranteed it's going to be super heavy dancing, right?"
Tommy groaned. Kim glanced over her shoulder. "You're not excited?"
"A super trendy heavy dance club? Oh gosh, so excited."
Kim poked him. "Come on, Tommy, it'll be fun."
Jason chuckled. "Bro, we can always escape to the bar if things get crazy."
"Oh no," Trini countered. "No way are we driving three hours to LA just so you two can sit at the bar and drink."
"I hate clubs like this," Tommy frowned. "What happened to just hanging out with friends and talking?"
Kim and Trini shot each other a look, harrumphing in unison. "Back in my day…"
Tommy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
"Well, I for one plan on dancing all night long," Aisha said. She shot a playful warning. "You better be ready."
Rocky smirked at her. "Oh, I'm always ready."
Tommy shoved Rocky with his foot. "Yeah, sometimes too ready."
Rocky scowled as he lurched forward. "Well excuse me for thinking my wife's hot."
"We all know you do, Rocko," Jason said. The group laughed. Aisha blushed.
Rocky looked back at Tommy. "Just cause you're hard up—"
Tommy kicked him again. The half eaten breadstick tumbled out of Miles' hand and onto Rocky's plate of food.
Miles started laughing, sending the rest of the room laughing as well.
Rocky grimaced at the limp and chewed up log. "Aww, man…."
Tommy smirked. "Serves you right."
"Matt Bomer!" Trini shouted. The group looked back at her.
Jason snickered.
"The actor?" Kim asked.
"What about him?" Adam said.
Jason scratched his chin to keep from laughing. Trini floundered.
"Sorry. I was just trying to remember his name. I got it now."
Tommy shook off the seeming non sequitur and made to stand.
"And on that note, we should head out."
He helped usher Miles off his lap as Kimberly rose from her perch on the arm.
Jason nodded and stood up as well. Rocky squirmed as he tried to avoid touching the devastated breadstick without disrupting the rest of his meal.
Aisha rolled her eyes and snatched it off his plate. She buried it inside a napkin.
Jason gave Kim a hug. "We'll see you guys on Friday? We should leave by seven, no later."
"What time are Billy and Kat getting in?" Kim asked.
"They're meeting us down there and then coming back after with Zack."
Tommy nodded, exchanging a high five with Jason as everyone else waved goodbye.
"Alright bro, have a good dinner. Tell Patty I said hey."
-x-
Tommy's House
Wednesday, June 20th, 6:13pm
Reefside, CA
2010
"Well this is certainly a nice change of pace," Patty chuckled as she watched her son at the stove.
He scoffed. "What are you talking about? I cook all the time."
"But not for me. The last time you tried this hard was when you crashed your dad's truck in that ditch."
Kim snickered as she laid out the table settings.
"You were there for that, weren't you Kim?" Patty asked. "You weren't in the car too were you?"
Kim shook her head. "Oh no, ma'am. But I heard about it. Believe me, you wouldn't have had to ground him if I had gotten to him first. He got an earful as it was."
Tommy rolled his eyes and popped the lid on the pot to check the cornhusks he'd left steaming.
Patty laughed. "Oh yes, I seem to recall his punishment might have interfered with your social lives back then."
Tommy groaned. "It was one thing to take away my driving privileges. It was a whole other thing to not let me see my girlfriend."
Patty snickered. "You were grounded, you nit. What did you think we were gonna do?"
Kim came up beside him, fetching the silverware from the drawer next to the stove. Tommy sighed spared her a frown, recalling his reaction at the time.
Patty smiled at them from her seat. "I'm sorry we had to separate you two for that week."
Kim glanced over her shoulder. "Oh, it was fine, we lived." She shot a wink back to Tommy.
Tommy returned her look with a smirk of his own. They'd made up for it plenty after that week. But his mother didn't need to hear about that.
Patty kept her face serene as Kim returned to the table with the flatware.
"So how was the water park?" Patty asked.
"Fun," Tommy answered. "Miles was a champ."
"Will I be getting to see my grandson this evening?"
Kim smiled at her. "I can get him before we start eating."
Patty waved her off. "Oh, I'll do it. Let's me feel useful. I hate just sitting around."
She turned to address her son, "I mean, thank you for cooking sweetheart, but I'm also itching to make sure you're not going to poison us."
He halted his stirring and shot her scowl. "They're tamales, ma. I couldn't poison you if I wanted to."
Patty shrugged. "Well just remember to cook the pork so it gets tender."
She pointed to her mouth. "I paid good money for these teeth and I can't afford to have bits of food stuck in them."
Tommy gagged. "Mom, seriously?"
She laughed. "So who all went with you guys today?"
"Adam and Tanya got in this morning, so we took the kids with Jason and Rocky," Kim said.
"Oh that's nice. How are Jason and the twins?"
"Good," Tommy said. "Jase says hi by the way."
"Well, tell him I said hi back," Patty nodded. "So where did the other ladies go?"
"Aisha and Trini stayed home," Kim said.
Patty chuckled. "Oh, and you decided to go with all of these jokers instead?"
Kim shrugged, a content smile plastered to her face.
Patty nodded. "So, you said Tanya's pregnant, yes?"
"Yep." Tommy answered.
Kim cut in. "She's nearly due. Like any day now."
Patty brow rose in a wistful sort of acknowledgment. "Oh, well, that must be very exciting. I imagine."
Kim felt a pang as the woman spoke. She'd hardly let on, but Kim could see it in her posture. Patty was a little sad. At nearly 60, Patty would not be having her own children anymore. Nor had she ever. But maybe that didn't matter. She'd raised Tommy since he was a baby, and he was in nearly every way her son. Kim pondered the thought for the briefest moment.
She'd grown up watching Tommy and his mom. And to see them now, Kim couldn't imagine a more enviable relationship. She didn't even feel that close to her own mother.
"Ma, would you sit back down?" Tommy groused.
At some point in Kim's musings, Patty had risen to invade her son's space by the stove. A tall woman herself, she barely had to struggle to peek over his shoulder.
"I just want to see how it's going over here," She gently insisted, "I can't see a thing from where I was sitting."
Tommy rolled his eyes. "Yes, that was on purpose. I'm the one cooking. You don't need to see what's happening."
She pointed to a particular bundle he'd already completed. "You should wrap that one tighter before it hits the water, the filling's gonna fall right out."
He spun on her, trying in vain to not snap. "Mom, go sit back down. Please. You're making me nervous."
Kim bit her lip to stifle a laugh. Patty shot her a wink, pulling a face that indicated her amusement at her son's defensiveness. Holding up her hands in surrender, she backed off and slinked back to her chair at the table.
Kim loved watching Tommy fret over this stuff. He tried so hard, so earnestly to impress his mother. All the time, even making tamales.
Kim reached into the fridge to retrieve their drinks.
"So, how's Mr. Oliver? Tommy mentioned he'd been having some health issues the last few years."
Patty sighed. "Ah yes. James is okay, thank you for asking. Yeah, he's due for Back surgery here in about a week. And before that he went in cause we thought he'd broken his hip. And then twice before that is was plantar fasciitis—or well, that's what he thought it was. I tried to tell him he was full of shit, cause if anyone knows what plantar fasciitis feels like, it'd be me. Turns out it was just a sprain and it had disrupted the nerves in his foot. But we think that may have exacerbated whatever was going on in his hip, so—did you know, they call it Policeman's heel, right? I mean not that a Writer couldn't get it, I suppose. But he's hardly on his feet for very long nowadays, so I knew it wasn't that. And I was right! But don't tell that to the doctor! They don't like to hear that you might know more than they do—"
"Ma. Kim doesn't need to hear all of this."
Patty caught herself. "Yes. No. You're right. Sorry," she sighed. "Yeah, he's just getting to that age, ya know? Everything's gotta be removed or replaced. I mean, aren't we all? We're all gonna be cyborgs over here by the time we're done."
Kim laughed, popping open a beer and handing one off to Patty. The older woman nodded her thanks and took a small sip.
"Well, that's enough about that. Kimberly, how are you, my dear? What have you been up to in the last— what was it? How long has it been?"
Kim took a sip of her own drink. "Since I last saw you? Umm, like, 12-ish years, I think."
"Wow. That's a whole other lifetime, isn't it? Goodness."
"So, I don't know what all Tommy's told you but uh, I moved back to Angel Grove about eight, nine years ago."
"Oh that's right. Where we you? In Georgia? No, Florida!"
"Yeah. I left in the late fall of Junior Year."
Patty nodded. "That's right. Now I remember. Yes, cause you came back that same year for Christmas!"
"Yep." Kim gave a small giggle.
"Yes, how did I forget that?" Patty snickered, thumbing in Tommy's direction. "This one nearly broke the front door leaving the house to pick you up from the airport. We were lucky he didn't crash the truck all over again."
Tommy shot his mom a dirty look, but it was half-hearted. She wasn't exaggerating. He had been so damn happy when Kim had flown home for Christmas that year. She'd only been gone a month and he was already losing his mind.
Patty smiled at Kim. "I should stop embarrassing him. I'm ruining his cool guy persona by reminding us all what a silly idiot he was with you."
Tommy shot her a playful glare, "No one in this room doesn't already know how I was back then, ma. You can't embarrass me. So go ahead. Keep talking."
"No, no. You made your point," she resigned, sparing Kim a smile. "Besides, I'm sure if anybody knew it best, it was you, am I right dear?"
Kim felt her face flush. "Yes. Your son always made sure I knew how much I was appreciated. He was the perfect boyfriend. I was very lucky."
Patty saw the slight shift in her son's posture as he kept himself occupied by the stove. Their reminiscing had touched a nerve.
She cleared her throat. "Well, I'm gonna step outside for some air and call your father."
She made to stand, grabbing her purse. "Be right back. And then I would like to see my grandson."
"We got another half hour on these tamales, ma."
Patty called out behind her. "That's fine. It'll take me that long just to get your damn father off the phone."
Tommy watched her as she disappeared behind the door. He glanced back over at Kim and gave her sheepish grin.
"I'm sorry about my mom. She—she still likes to talk a lot."
"It's okay. I kinda like it." She opened another beer and handing it to him.
He snickered and took a sip of his beer. He turned back to the stove, adjusting and shutting the knobs accordingly.
Kim slid up beside him. "It's worth it to watch you get embarrassed."
He snorted. "Well Patty is a professional embarrasser."
"You're kinda cute when you get like that."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Think I'm cute, huh?"
She shrugged. "I mean, you're ok I guess."
He turned to face her directly, folding his arms across his chest. "Just ok? I thought you said I was the perfect boyfriend."
"That was then. Who knows what you're like now?"
He laughed ruefully. "Well, I can think of at least one person who thinks there's room for improvement…"
She laid a hand on his arm and smiled brightly. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner with you and your mom. I hope I'm not intruding. I could have stayed and had pizza with everyone else."
He smiled back at her, grateful for her abrupt change in topic. "Well, thank you for accepting the invite. And you're hardly intruding. My mom adores you. She always has."
"Yeah…" Kim ducked her head with a bashful grin.
"And I needed someone to help me take care of Miles on the way home from the pool, anyway," He smirked. She gave him a playful smack.
Tanya's earlier comments echoed in his head. Kim's hand on his arm snapped him back.
"Are you ok?" She asked earnestly. "I was giving you a bad time earlier, but I'm actually a little worried. You looked really worn out."
He frowned. "Yeah of course, I'm fine. Miles is just demanding. But that's a three year old for ya, right?"
She eyed him carefully. "Okay…."
He sighed. "Kim, I'm fine."
"It's just—you're like, one of the healthiest people I know. You're in the best shape you've ever been—"
A smart comment about her attention to his physique was on his lips, but it was cut short as she went on.
"I just get nervous, you complaining about your back and knees. And to hear your mom talk about your dad and all his health things—"
He scowled. "Well it's not like those problems are genetic—and I'm fine. Like you said, I was just worn out. Look, it's just a lot of work doing this on my own—and yeah, I have my mom to help, and thank goodness. I don't know what I'd do without her—"
"Well, I'm here to help too—"
"And you've been awesome, seriously. But after you leave it'll be back to the same. And my mom can't take him all the time, and with my school schedule, I know he'll be back with Heather more. And maybe I overdo it when I'm with him cause our time always gets split. So I just—I want him to enjoy his time with me, ya know?"
Kim frowned. "He's not gonna forget about you, Tommy. You're his father."
He sighed. "I know, I just—I don't know what Heather says about me when he's with her. And now she's seeing someone—and what if they get married? He's gonna have this other guy in his life, ya know? He's gonna have—"
"Is that what you're worried about? Some new guy replacing you?"
He clenched his jaw. It certainly felt like a running theme in his life. He looked down at Kim. She seemed to intuit his thoughts.
She smiled up at him and brought a hand up to cup his cheek.
"No one will ever replace you."
He leaned into it for a moment. The telltale sounds of Miles stirring from his bedroom broke the tension. Kim let her hand fall.
"I'm gonna let Patty know Miles is up."
He nodded. "Dinner's almost ready."
She spared him a final smile before heading out the door.
-x-
