Chapter 3: The Dead End Roads in Miami
About two weeks after Ben's party, Tommy took Kimberly and the kids down to Miami to begin their search for Louise. It was going to be difficult for the two of them to find out the whereabouts of their daughter. Being back in Florida brought a lot of memories back for Kimberly. She remembered coming down here to try to fulfill her dreams of training in the Pan Global Games, but how she had to give that up after she found out she was pregnant. To her, Florida was a place now of lost dreams and heartbreaking regrets. She still kept in contact with some of her teammates she trained with during the Pan Global Games. Tommy saw the look on Kim's face the minute they arrived at Miami International Airport.
"Hey Beautiful is everything alright?" Tommy asked, "You seem a bit down."
"I haven't been down here in the last couple of years since the time of Louise's birth," Kim sighed, "I was forced to leave the team…because of my pregnancy. The letter, the fallout with my parents, the pregnancy, and leaving the team was too much to handle. When my mother came to visit me she…tried to get me to abort the baby. I refused to because I didn't believe in killing an innocent life. You know my mother tried to pay me five hundred dollars to terminate the pregnancy."
"Oh my goodness Kim I'm so sorry," Tommy sighed as he embraced her, "If I only knew then I would have been there to help you through. I can't believe your mother would try to pay you off to terminate the pregnancy and losing your spot on the team because of that."
"Thankfully despite losing my spot Coach Gunthler let me finish off the rest of my contract doing some assistant work for the games," Kim continued, "It helped pay for my doctor's appointments but without any help I knew I would have difficultly trying to provide for her. I wanted to tell you so badly but you were still back in Angel Grove and if our enemies found out about Louise, then she would be in greater danger. I couldn't put either your life or Louise's in any danger. Writing the letter was also the worst thing I've done next to the whole adoption ordeal. During the last week before my due date I went to see Ellie at the adoption agency to consider putting our daughter up. I was hesitant at first…but it was the only option I had. Three weeks after I gave Louise over to Ellie at the agency, I packed up and left Miami and I haven't been back since."
"I promise you Beautiful that everything will be fine. We'll find Louise wherever she is. We're not going to stop our search and I know we're not going to leave Miami without knowing the whereabouts of our daughter. Do you ever miss coming back?"
"I've never dreamed…in my life ever facing my past and the mistakes I made. Tommy…I just want to get this over with okay?"
"Sure thing Beautiful," Tommy smiled as he led his family out of the luggage claim.
Tommy and Kimberly checked into a motel near downtown Miami. They spent about the first three days sightseeing with their kids. The next day they decided to at least head to the beach with Courtney and Ben for a swim before heading to the Adoption Agency to see Ellie Fowler, Hayley's cousin. Kim was sitting on the sands watching a sleeping Ben and spying at Tommy playing with Courtney. Kim was picturing what life would have been like spending a day at the beach with her whole entire family, but it wasn't complete. There was still one person missing…Louise. Kim began to think back days after putting up Louise for adoption in particular her decision to leave Florida.
FLASHBACK- Six Years Ago (Kim's apartment)
"Are you sure you want to do this?" her roommate Lacey asked.
"It's been over a week since I put up Louise for adoption," Kim sighed, "Being here reminds me of everything I wanted to pursue in my life. My dreams of competing in the Pan Global Games are finished the minute I found out I was pregnant. The letter I wrote to Tommy was even painful, being disowned by my parents was heartbreaking and Louise…giving her up was the hardest thing and yet the biggest regret in my life."
"Look we'll help you get through this," Lacey added patting Kim on the back, "You're my friend and I'll help you see through this. I know it must have been hard giving up your daughter but I know why you did and I understand."
"I gave her up…without even giving Tommy the chance to meet his daughter. He'll never know what she was like, how she looked like or what she will become. It is my fault that I made Tommy believe that I fell for someone else in that letter I wrote. I made up lies in that letter to cover up the real truth."
"The truth behind the letter was Louise wasn't it?" Lacey asked.
"He doesn't even know…he has a daughter that exist," Kim sighed, "And that…for the benefit to give her a better life I put her up for adoption."
"What happens now?"
"Lacey…I can't stay here in Florida any longer," Kim replied, "I came here almost a year ago to pursue a dream, instead I come here to find heartache and regret. I know there's nothing left for me here. I got no dream to pursue anymore and a lifetime of regret to follow with it. All I know about Florida now is it's nothing but a city of broken dreams and heartache. Lacey…I'm going to turn in my two weeks notice to Coach Gunthler and then I'm leaving Florida."
"Kimberly where will you go?" Lacey asked completely shocked.
"I don't know," Kim sighed, "It's my final decision. I rather be anywhere but here right now. I know I got no one to turn to right now but I think I can manage on my own. I just need to get away from Florida as soon as possible. As long as I stay here it will just remind of how much I lost here. Do you understand Lacey?"
"I know Kimberly," Lacey answered, "So…when will you leave?"
"As soon as my two weeks are up," Kim replied, "I'm leaving Florida…and I wouldn't dare looking to come back here unless I have to."
END OF FLASHBACK
"Mommy!" Courtney smiled running up to Kim and Ben, "Come play with us!"
"Hey Courtney are you having fun?" Kim smiled at her daughter snapping out of her daydream, "Hey Handsome!"
"Okay sweetie let's give mommy some breathing space okay?" Tommy replied, "Hey Beautiful is everything alright?"
"Huh it's nothing I was just thinking about the time I talked to my roommate Lacey about my resignation from the team," Kim replied, "It happened about a week after I was discharged from the hospital. It was…when I decided to leave Florida to get away."
"Hey it's alright we'll get through this," Tommy assured her, "Once we find Louise then everything will be alright."
"Do you promise Tommy?" Kim asked, "That everything will be alright?"
"Would I lie to you Beautiful?"
"I know you wouldn't," Kim replied, "But I'm worried of giving up your hopes of meeting your first born daughter."
"If that might be the case…then we'll get through this together okay?" Tommy replied, "We know that we didn't go down without a fight okay?"
"Yeah let's go we don't want to be late for our appointment with Ellie," Kim said.
Later on that afternoon, Tommy and Kimberly arrived at the Adoption Agency to meet up with Hayley's cousin, Ellie. Kim luckily kept in contact with her former roommate Lacey and asked her to watch Courtney and Ben. The two of them talked to Ellie before arriving at the Adoption Agency on the phone. Although she was a bit hesitant to the concerns of obtaining info about Louise, Ellie was reluctant to meet with them. They entered the Agency and approached the receptionist.
"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes we're here to see Ellie Fowler," Kimberly replied, "My name is Kimberly Oliver and this is my husband Tommy Oliver."
"Oh yeah the Oliver couple," the receptionist replied, "Ellie will be with you shortly. You can take a seat in the lobby till she's ready."
"Thank you," Tommy replied holding Kim's hand, "C'mon Kim let's wait." A woman who appeared to be in her mid twenties appeared at the front with hazel eyes and long blonde hair. Tommy and Kim assumed that must be Ellie.
"Tommy and Kimberly Oliver," Ellie Fowler replied, "Hi I'm Ellie Fowler. My cousin Hayley gave me the updates of your visit to Miami. C'mon we'll step into my office. Huh Liz if anyone calls for me just take a message and tell them to call back in an hour."
"Sure thing Ellie," the receptionist replied. The two of them stepped into Ellie's office and took a seat while Ellie sat at her desk.
"So Miss Hart it's been six years since we last met," Ellie replied, "I see that a lot of things have chanced since then."
"Actually I'm married now," Kim replied, "This is my husband, Tommy Oliver."
"My cousin talks about you Tommy," Ellie added, "You went to MIT with Hayley and I bet you might have met Kimberly in college. Hayley sent me the wedding photos. Congratulations."
"Thank you," the two replied, "We appreciate it."
"Ellie…Tommy here is actually Louise's biological father," Kim said, "I told him about Louise and the whole thing with the adoption. That's why…we're here."
"Oh I might known," Ellie said, "This is about Louise. Hayley filled me in on the details…you want to find your daughter don't you?"
"Isn't that is why we're here in Florida," Tommy replied, "I didn't have any knowledge about Louise two weeks ago or the fact that she is my daughter. Despite the fact I found out about the adoption six years later…Kimberly and I decided that we want to know about the whereabouts of our daughter."
"Look Ellie I know that when I signed the papers six years ago it was a Legal Adoption Contract stating that I don't have any rights as a parent anymore," Kim added, "But since I sighed it without Tommy's consent, is there a possibility that Tommy's rights as Louise's father still applicable?"
"The contract stated that you signed away any rights you had as a parent or the chances of regaining custody back," Ellie stated, "Unless otherwise the contract will be overturned. The question of your husband's parental rights to reclaim the child is still the question. Legally, when you signed the contract to put your daughter up for adoption Kimberly…there was also a chance you might have signed both your rights and Tommy's rights since he had no knowledge of your daughter's existence back then."
"We're not here to fight for custody back for Louise," Tommy replied, "We're fully aware of the fact that there is a question that the both of us no longer have any rights as parents to her but that's why we're not here."
"Then what is the real reason you're here?" Ellie asked.
"We just want to know…about the whereabouts of our daughter," Kimberly answered, "Ellie I know we can't get Louise back because she was legally adopted, we just want to know where is she or who adopted her."
"I haven't dealt with your daughter nor the adoptive parents in over 6 years," Ellie said, "I know for a fact that according to our records Louise was adopted by a couple that lived here somewhere in downtown Miami about three days after. That is all I know to my understanding of the record but they haven't dealt with the Agency for over 6 years. They still might be at the same address but I'm not sure."
"Do you think you can give it to us?" Tommy asked.
"This is actually considered illegal to be giving out information about the whereabouts of your daughter because the adoptive parents will file a complaint with the authorities," Ellie said.
"We just want to know if our daughter is doing alright," Kim begged, "Do you know the name of the couple that adopted Louise?"
"According to the file the last name stated on the adoption form was Healy," Ellie added, "But there are about twenty-two residences of the Downtown Miami area with the last name Healy. Wait here we go I got something. The name of the adopted parents are Jeff and Mel Healy."
"What were they like?" Kim asked.
"About in their thirties I believe," Ellie added, "The husband works as an instructor for recreational sports and the wife is a paralegal at some firm. They make a pretty high paying income. The reason they adopted Louise was because the wife was infertile to conceive a child so adoption was their only solution. When I did my first three month reviews of the couple and Louise's living situation it was actually well. The couple that adopted your daughter are happy with her and they love her. At one point they asked about Louise's biological parents but I know for your own safety I wasn't able to release any information about the two of you to the adoptive parents."
"That seems a bit easy," Tommy replied, "Do you think you can give us the address?"
"Here it is," Ellie replied giving the address, "Remember…be careful because the adoptive parents don't have any knowledge of the two of you being Louise's biological parents will make them hostile to think you want to regain custody. I suggest you reconsider or maybe think about heading there."
"We already made our decision," Kim sighed, "It was made six years ago…all we just want to know is if our daughter is happy."
"I understand," Ellie smiled, "Good luck to the both of you. I hope everything works out."
"Thank you for your help," the two of them replied as they left, "We'll tell Hayley hi for you."
Moments later Tommy and Kimberly got into the taxi cab and drove to the Downtown Miami area to finally see their daughter for the first time in six years. It took about a twenty to thirty minutes to drive there. There was a lot of anxiety for the two of them at the moment. They pulled up into the street and house that Ellie gave. The two of them got up and stepped onto the front poach and knocked on the door. A minute later, an elderly woman answered.
"Huh can I help you?" the old woman asked.
"Huh yeah I was wondering…if the Healys lived here?" Kim asked.
"Oh I'm sorry dear I don't know anyone with the name Healy," the old woman replied.
"Is this 426 Royal Road?" Tommy asked.
"Of course this is 426 Royal Road," the lady answered, "Why do you asked?"
"We were told that Jeff and Mel Healy lived here," Kim replied, "Are they the residence of this household madam?"
"Oh…you mean the previous owners of this house," the lady replied, "I've been living here for over 3 years now. The last residence of this household moved away over 3 years ago. I only met them to finalize the deal to the house. The last I heard about them was they moved out west somewhere I don't know where but the wife was offered a new job."
"Are you saying…that Jeff and Mel Healy don't live here anymore?" Tommy asked completely shocked, "They moved away?"
"That they did," the lady replied, "Was there a particular reason you're looking for them?"
"Huh no madam," Kim sighed as she was about to breakdown, "It's nothing…personal. Sorry for the disturbance. Have a nice day." After they left the house, Tommy and Kimberly went back into the taxi cab completely devastated especially Kimberly. It was heartbreaking again to come back to Miami and to discover that their daughter was gone…once again. After they picked up Courtney and Ben, they returned to their hotel:
"Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking
When you fall everyone sins
Another day and you've had your fill of sinking
With the life held in your
Hands are shaking cold
These hands are meant to hold"
"Kim," Tommy replied giving his wife a hug, "C'mon don't worry it's not the end of the world."
"We just flew down here…to find nothing," Kim sighed, "I come back down here after six years and I'm just left with what I left behind…heartbreak and regret. She's gone once again from our lives Tommy."
"I promise you we'll find her we'll just start all over again," Tommy replied, "I can't believe she wasn't here. I wish…I could have seen her again."
"Me too Handsome," Kim sighed, "I wish…we have gotten the chance to see her again. I guess we just hit another dead end road and we hit it hard. I can't stand this anymore Tommy! Why don't we just give up now while we still have a chance?" Tommy was heartbroken to hear his wife talking about giving up their search. Now he regretted ever bringing up the idea to find their daughter after coming down to Miami. Listening to the radio made the two of them think:
"Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
Move along"
"So a day when you've lost yourself completely
Could be a night when your life ends
Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving
All the pain held in your
Hands are shaking cold
Your hands are mine to hold"
"What…do you want to do now?" Tommy asked as the two of them sat on the bed while their kids were playing, "I don't want to give our hopes up of finding Louise at the cost of putting ourselves and our kids in so much grief. I shouldn't have suggested it in the first place to you Beautiful if it meant coming back to Florida. Our friends warned us of the consequences of going on with this search. I want to be strong for you…but how can I when I'm not?"
"How can you say that?" Kim asked, "If it weren't for your support I don't know how could I have this much courage to come back down here alone? We took a chance together to come down here and find our daughter only to hit another dead end. We're in this together remember? I know you're strong and you were strong enough to stand the truth of what I did and stand by me. Knowing if I told someone about that…they would have just left me."
"We'll never know how she looks like now or what she'll become," Tommy sighed, "But all we got left is the hope of knowing she'll be happy and successful in her life. I wish I could see what she has become now."
"Me too Handsome," Kim sighed, "But remember we brought her into this world to make a difference and live her life to the fullest. Whoever is raising her or wherever she is she'll have people who will stand by here. I wish…we were the ones there to see her fulfilling her lifelong dreams and goals. Remember, we're in this together okay?"
"Yeah we're in this together Beautiful," Tommy smiled, "No matter where is she or whether or not we're no longer Louise's parents…she'll always be our daughter no matter what."
"You're right," Kim said, "Tommy…I don't want to hit anymore dead ends in this search. We know that she's happy wherever she is. Ellie assured us she's happy wherever she is right now with the Healys. We did come here to accomplish one thing?"
"What is that?" Tommy asked.
"To know…that our daughter is alright," Kim replied, "Wherever she maybe right now."
"Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through
Move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong we move along
(Go on, go on, go on, go on)
When everything is wrong, we move along
Along, along, along"
"I guess you're right," Tommy slowly replied, "We know…Louise is alright with the Healys like what we wanted to know. Maybe we should just let it be for now."
"So what do you we do now?" Kim asked, "Do we stop and let things be for now?"
"We still have Courtney and Ben to think about," Tommy added, "They still need their parents to keep them in line. We're thankful for those two right?"
"Yeah we still have to look after Courtney and Ben," Kim replied as the two of them held their two other children in their laps, "They need us to be there for them. Tommy, let's go home and just move on with our lives. I know Louise maybe our daughter but she's already getting on with her life now."
"I guess we can do that," Tommy replied, "I guess coming to Miami meant hitting dead ends and making choices then?"
"Yeah Louise is happy wherever she is Tommy," Kim assured her husband, "We can leave it at that right now. One day…maybe we'll see her again. We promise each other that."
"When all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through"
The next day, Tommy and Kimberly took the kids and left Miami to head back home to Reefside. The search for Louise in Miami left them hitting another dead end but also with the assurance of knowing that their daughter was happy with her new life wherever she. For now they needed to stop for awhile and focus on raising Courtney and Ben. Once again…Louise was gone out of their life. Maybe one day, Tommy and Kim would see her again, just maybe.
(Author's Notes: Okay that's the end of another chapter. The song featured in this chapter is "Move Along" by The All American Rejects so I don't own it. The next chapter will actually get interested. Jason and Kat will be introduced in the next chapter. Keep on reading and send in those reviews.)