Chapter Five: Catching Up and Recalling Hard Times
After having dinner that night, Tommy and Kimberly brought Jason and Kat back to their house to show them their home. They even took them into the basement where the headquarters of the Dino Thunder Rangers were based in. Jason and Kat found it not yet surprising that Tommy and Kim were involved in Ranger Duty again. After giving them the complete rundown of Conner, Trent, Kira and Ethan as Power Rangers and the two of them coming out of retirement to become Rangers again, the four of them hung out in the basement catching up on old times.
"So Tommy got his PhD in Paleontology and Kimberly is now a gym teacher?" Jason asked.
"The ironic thing about this honey is the two of them work together at Reefside High," Kat added, "I'm surprised to see that Tommy is a science teacher. Jason and I thought you would open up your own dojo or something but it was obvious that Kim is still doing gymnastic."
"What about you two?" Kim asked, "I know that Jason is opening up the dojo what about Katherine? Are you still dancing?"
"Actually I am," Kat smiled, "I was offered to open up a dance studio here in Reefside. Jason and I have been married for over six years. Actually it was more like we eloped while I was studying dancing in London."
"You two eloped in London?" Tommy asked.
"Kat and I have been dating since she was pregnant with Liam," Jason added, "Kat left Angel Grove a year earlier and finished her last year of high school in London. I followed her to London and decided to finish up my year too there. Hey we were young and in love and my parents thought I lost my mind after pulling out of the World Peace Conference in Switzerland. I stayed with the Hillards while they were living up in London. The night of the Hillards' dinner party was when Kat and I first slept together. Unfortunately it got her pregnant as a teenager and the two of us decided to raise the baby together. We were worried that Liam was going to be born out of wedlock so one night Kat and I eloped to Essex and got married."
"How did you explain this to your parents?" Kim asked out of curiosity, "I mean you were in the same position as me when I was pregnant with my first born daughter but I made a heartbreaking decision to give her up for adoption. How did you and Jason cope with Liam? How did explain the marriage to your parents?"
"My parents flipped out at first but they accepted the fact that I married the girl I loved and that I was going to start a family with her…despite being teenagers," Jason said holding Kat's hand, "Liam changed our lives the day he was born. Both of us continued our studies until we left London and moved out to San Antonio. The rest afterwards consisted of meeting up with Jefferson and going into partnership with him at the dojo in San Antonio."
"I see a lot has changed in the last six years," Tommy added, "Do you two still talk to the others?"
"Well the last I heard from Rocky was he was he has a daughter named Bianca. He's enjoying life as a single father," Kat added, "I heard that Billy and Trini are married and still living up in Angel Grove with their kids. Adam and Tanya have a son named Spencer. Zack and Angela are married with their kids and Aisha is still working as a veterinarian up at Stone Canyon. She's still single."
"Yeah everyone is together except for Rocky and Aisha," Kim replied, "Rocky decided it was best to layoff dating for awhile and focus on raising Bianca. He still never talks about Bianca's mother knowing that it was Shauna Henderson he got pregnant. Aisha's career keeps her busy too much these days to consider dating."
"I like your place Mr. and Mrs. Oliver," Lulu smiled as she was playing with Courtney, "Your daughter and son are really cute. I like Courtney and Ben. Jason, Kat did you really go to school with Mr. and Mrs. Oliver."
"Hey Lulu you can call them Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kimberly," Kat smiled as she patted the little girl on the back, "Besides, your part of our family now okay? Tommy and Kim are also family too okay? As for your answer to your question earlier, we did all go to school together."
"Alright then," Lulu smiled, "Is it okay if I play over at Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kim's place anytime I want?"
"Sure thing kiddo," Jason smiled, "You kids can come here anytime if that is okay with Tommy and Kim?"
"You guys are always welcomed here," Tommy smiled as Kim and him were intrigued by her presence, "So…Jason, Kat how did you end up with Lulu? I thought she was your daughter at first. But when I heard that she was a foster child I thought otherwise."
"As I said earlier, Lulu's father Jefferson used to be a good friend of mine," Jason sighed, "He was the one that was my business partner at the dojo in San Antonio. We were planning for over a year to open a dojo up in California. Jefferson and his wife Melanie moved to San Antonio about 3 years ago from the east coast. We were good neighbors and we used to babysit Lulu everyday after school. Liam and Lulu have been friends since kindergarten. About seven months Melanie and Jefferson were attending a dinner party downtown. They were driving home one night when their car got cutoff by a drunk driver. The impact caused their car to slam into the guardrail from the police told us. Jefferson was instantly killed at impact while Melanie died 5 hours later at the hospital."
"It was terrible for Lulu to deal with the death of her parents," Kat added, "Social Service put her under our care as foster parents since they didn't have any other family in the area. Lulu had a hard time to adjust living with us and she still does…sometimes she just sits all day in the living room playing piano and practicing her gymnastic routine in the backyard. She kept quiet the first few weeks and we really didn't talk to anyone much. Every night Jason and I would always hear her play Castle on a Cloud from Les Miserable on the piano. She told us her mother would sing her that song every night before she went to bed."
"Lulu must have been loved her parents a lot," Kim replied, "It must have been hard for Lulu to cope with the death of her parents for the last seven months."
"Trust me it was hard for her," Jason sighed, "Jefferson and Melanie's funeral that day changed for us. Social Services spoke to us and requested to take Lulu in. I really didn't know much about Jefferson and Melanie's family history, but they told us that Kat and I were the next of kin to look after the girl. Those two didn't like talking about their family history nor revealing much to Lulu about it."
"Oh no Ben needs a diaper change," Kim replied as she picked up her son, "Oh what's wrong little guy? Don't worry mommy and daddy are here. Tommy would you mind helping me?"
"Sure thing Beautiful," Tommy smiled as the two went upstairs, "Do you guys mind excusing us for a minute? Kim and I just need to head to the nursery to change Ben. Can you watch Courtney for a minute?"
"No problem just take your time," Kat and Jason replied, "We'll watch Courtney."
"You still think about that day at the Healy's funeral?" Kat asked her husband, "Life is full of surprises isn't it?"
"Yeah you remember when we first broke the news to Lulu about living with us?"
"I remember Social Services put her under our care Jason. She was still sad and quiet the day of the funeral. Your eulogy was nice and then you had the deeds to the dojo handed over to you in the Jefferson's will."
"We got more than that Kitty Kat," Jason sighed as he recalled the day that Lulu was put in their foster care.
FLASHBACK: 7 months ago (San Antonio)
"Thank you very much for your co-operation Mr. and Mrs. Scott," the social worker replied, "It is such a tragic time for Louise to deal with the death of her parents. I know that you two were very close with the Healys that's why I believed they would trust you with the care of their daughter. We arranged for her to talk to a therapist to help her cope with everything that is happening. Listen it's going to take some time for Louise to adjust so please…try to be gentle with the girl."
"We sure will," Kat and Jason replied, "We promise to take good care of Louise."
As the social worker left, Kat and Jason spotted Louise standing at the newly dug gravesite of her parents. It's been over two hours since the funeral ended and Jefferson and Melanie Healy were laid to rest. The young little girl looked sad standing over at the gravesite. Now that Social Services had put Louise in their care, Jason and Kat now had to begin trying to help Louise Healy cope with the new life ahead of her.
"Should we go talk to her Jason?" Kat asked her husband, "I mean…she's now our foster daughter. Jeff and Mel left us to take care of her now."
"I know…but she hardly doesn't even know us well enough," Jason sighed, "But we are her family now. C'mon let's try to talk to her." The two of them approached Louise at as she just stared at the tombstones.
"Hey Louise…how are you holding up?" Kat asked as she patted her, "I know you miss your mommy and daddy. Even if they are in heaven right now with the angels and God, they'll always be watching over you. Remember that your parents will always be with you in your heart."
"I miss them," Louise sighed, "Will I ever see them again?"
"Of course you will," Jason assured her, "One day you guys will be together again."
"What's going to happen to me now?" Louise asked, "I'm never going to hear daddy call me Lulu or mommy sing to me every night. I'm never to hear mommy playing the piano or going to see daddy at the dojo. They're in heaven right now and I'm still here. I'm all alone."
"You're not alone and you'll always have the memories of your mommy and daddy with you," Kat added, "We promise you Louise you'll never be alone."
"Where will I go now?" she asked.
"Social Services asked us…to look after you from now on," Jason smiled, "You're going to live with Kat and I at our home. You see you do have people who will take care of you. We promise you Louise that we will treat you like you're part of the family. We promised on behalf of your mommy and daddy to take care of you. I know that you're going through some hard times but we want to assure that no one is going to take the place of your parents okay?"
"Does that mean I have to call you mommy and daddy then?" Louise asked.
"Whatever suits you," Jason said, "We're here to help you and I know it's going to be weird and different from now on. Kat and I promise that we'll try to make life as normal as possible. If you need we'll always be there for you. You don't have to think of us as your new parents…just think of us as caregivers okay?"
"Do…you really want me to live with you?" Louise asked, "Or it is because you were asked by those grownup people to look after me?"
"Oh sweetie that's not true," Kat assured, "Jason and I don't think of you as a burden but we care about you a lot. We've openly agreed to Social Services on taking you in…only if you let us?"
"I would…like that," Louise slowly smiled, "Promise you'll look after me?"
"We promise we would," Jason smiled as took her hand, "Welcome to the family."
"Daddy used to call me Lulu for short," Louise said, "Can you call me Lulu?"
"Whatever you want," Kat said, "Is there anything else?"
"Please don't go yet…I want to stay a little bit longer," Louise said, "Can you stay with me a little longer? I just want to say goodbye to mommy and daddy. Kat, Jason thank you so much. I feel a little better now…but I still miss mommy and daddy. Will I be always sad?"
"Just give it some time okay?" Jason said, "Time can only tell what happens next. I guess we can stay here for as long as you want. We'll leave when you're ready."
They stood a few more moments at the gravesite with Louise. A lot was changing for the little girl. She was very young and going through a traumatic time dealing with the death of her parents and now living with Jason and Kat. For the two of them, the easy part was over agreeing to letting Louise live with them, the weeks ahead included the healing process and trying to get life back to normal for Louise. She stood by the grave and she began to sing what her mother used to sing to her at night. Louise started singing "Castle on a Cloud."
"There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep. Aren't any floors for me to sweep. Not in my castle on a cloud," Louise sings, "There is a room that's full of toys. There are a hundred boys and girls. Nobody shouts or talks too loud. Not in my castle on a cloud."
"There is a lady all in white, holds me and sings a lullaby. She's nice to see and she's soft to touch. She says I love you very much," Louise continued singing, "I know a place where no one's lost. I know where no one cries. Crying at all not allowed. Not in my castle on a cloud."
END OF FLASHBACK
"I see that Louise is now healing right now," Jason replied, "Look at her now. Thanks to the two of us she's at least at peace. She's been part of our family for seven months now."
"I know hun," Kat smiled giving her husband a kiss, "I'm beginning to fall in love with her. Do you ever consider…actually permanently making her part of our family?"
"You mean Louise?" Jason asked surprised, "I've…never thought of adopting her. We already got Liam, and the twins to deal. It's another big step…but let's see what happens."
"I'll wait," Kat replied, "But it would be nice to adopt Louise wouldn't it?"
"The thought of another child…seems like a good idea," Jason replied, "She seems happy right now at the moment and pretty much adjusting to her new life. I promise you and our family that life in Reefside would be great."
Upstairs: Ben's Nursery…
Meanwhile Tommy and Kimberly were upstairs changing their son's diaper and getting Ben ready for bed. Ben was beginning to fall asleep in Tommy's arm until he was sound asleep. They placed the toddler in his crib and they began to tidy up the changing station. It was nice for them to invite Jason and Kat over to their place. It seemed like forever that they haven't seen their best friends. Jason and Kat looked happy with Liam, Keira and Darren. What surprised them was the fact that they became foster parents to Lulu. However, there was something about Lulu that they couldn't figure out. Why did it feel like Jason and Kat's foster child seemed so familiar to them?
"Well our little guy is asleep," Kim replied, "Look at him he's tuckered out isn't he?"
"Yeah he had a long day," Tommy said, "Well tomorrow is another day. C'mon why don't we head back downstairs before Courtney runs a muck in the basement?"
"Sure thing Handsome," Kim replied while fixing Ben's changing station, "It was nice to see how much a lot can change in six years. Can you believe that Jason and Kat eloped once she got pregnant with Liam? I must say that must have been some solution they had. But I'm happy for them. They're married and have three kids together. At least they're madly in love with each other just like you and me."
"Oh yeah and don't forget they're foster parents to Lulu," Tommy added, "That part pretty much surprised the both of us didn't it? I feel bad for Lulu losing her parents."
"I know it must be hard for a six year old to go through life without her parents. Tommy can I ask you something? I don't want to sound like I'm creeping you out…but I'm getting this weird feeling being around Lulu."
"What kind of feeling is that Beautiful?"
"I know we just met her today and she's only six years old…but I feel like I've seen her from somewhere but I don't know. I get this feeling like these parental instincts growing in me that I feel attached to her for some reason. How am I feeling these things for a child I don't know anything about? How about you Handsome?"
"I'm kind of feeling the same thing too," Tommy said, "When I first shook hands with Lulu it was like I felt this strange connection to her. I don't even know her just like those feelings that began surfacing when you first revealed about Louise."
"I still miss her…but she's happy wherever she is right?"
"I guess so," Tommy replied embracing her, "We promised to leave things as they were. But I assure you Kim we'll see Louise one day. But I don't know why…suddenly we're beginning to feel this attraction to Lulu."