Chapter Seven: From Clashing to Discovering Theories

(Author's Notes: A note to all readers of a minor typo error in chapter 4. I made a slight adjustment in terms of the characters of Keira and Darren Scott's age. Before it was stated that they are two years old before, but actually they are 7 months old. That's the only thing that was changed in that chapter and that's all. One more note the following chapter will consist of a phone conversation and it will be written in italics. I hope you are all still enjoying the story and keep sending in those reviews.)

Supermarket…

Six weeks has passed since Lulu went to see the Reefside High Gymnastics Team practice at school. However, it wasn't sitting too well for Jason and Kat. The two of them worried that Lulu's involvement with gymnastics was beginning to put a strain in their relationship with the girl. She was beginning to spend too much time with Tommy and Kim and it filled a bit of anxiety in them. One afternoon Kat took the kids grocery shopping at the supermarket.

"Okay remember you guys I don't want you buying too much junk food," Kat ordered Liam and Lulu, "Especially you Liam Mark Scott. I know what you're like when we go grocery shopping. You guys have to learn how to eat healthier okay?"

"C'mon mom can't I just buy some Pop Tarts please?" Liam begged.

"Fine one box okay," Kat smiled at her son, "But if I find out your sneaking more than one box in this cart you're in trouble buster got it?"

"Mommy Kat can we buy some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese?" Lulu asked holding a box.

"Sure just put it in the cart."

After finishing their grocery shopping, Kat and the kids finished paying. They were in the parking lot loading the groceries into the car. Minutes later Lulu ran as she spotted Kimberly with Ben and Courtney. Kat followed to retrieve Lulu.

"Aunt Kimberly!" Lulu smiled running towards Kim, "Hi Aunt Kim! Hi Courtney! Hi Ben!"

"Lulu come back! Lulu!" Kat replied grabbing Lulu's hand, "Honey you aren't suppose to run off like that! You could have gotten hurt. I don't want you running like that okay?"

"But mommy Kat I'm sorry," Lulu sighed, "It's Aunt Kimberly!"

"Honey why don't you go wait in the car while I talk with Aunt Kimberly?" Kat asked as Lulu went back to the car, "Hey Kimberly do you mind if I can ask you a favor?"

"What seems to be the problem?" Kim asked with concern.

"I'm a bit concern about Lulu," Kat said, "Look I know that since she's been getting into this whole gymnastics thing…she's been spending a bit of more time with you guys. Jason and I were wondering if it was possible…if you guys mind keeping a bit of distance from Lulu?"

"Are you asking me…to stay away from Lulu?" Kim asked in shock, "Are you assuming that Tommy and I are spending too much time with Lulu?"

"I'm not trying to put it in that way…it's just Lulu is going through a lot right now and it's going to confuse the girl. I'm not trying to say to completely keep away from her but I'm worried that the amount of time Lulu spends with you two…it will affect her in the long run to interact with kids her age."

"Maybe…you're overreacting Katherine. I know you and Jason have Lulu's best interest and if you don't mind me suggesting…maybe you should pay attention more to what the girl wants to do. You guys maybe her foster parents…but if I were you, start relating to Lulu as if she was one of your own kids."

"Kimberly…just let me and Jason deal with Lulu," Kat snapped, "It's not any of your concern of how we look after Lulu alright? She's our foster child and not yours so just layoff! I got to go I need to take care of some things at home."

"I was just trying to give you some advice," Kim argued, "We're friends aren't we?"

"We are but let me deal with my foster daughter in my own way," Kat said as she left, "Just keep away for awhile. There are a couple of things we need to deal with Lulu right now."

Oliver Residence…

Kimberly came home and headed downstairs into the basement. She found Hayley and the teens just lounging around. She placed Ben in the playpen while Courtney was playing with Conner and boys with some of her toys. Tommy was suppose to debrief them about some of their new weapons and how to operate them. However, they grew worried after waiting for half an hour and Tommy didn't come down.

"Hey Hayley have you happen to know by any chance what happened to Tommy?" Kim asked.

"Well he's been upstairs in his bedroom for over an hour," Hayley replied, "Apparently Jason stopped by earlier. For some apparent strange reason…Jason completely went ballistic for some reason…"

"What's going on then?" Kim replied very confused, "Why…would Jason be mad?"

"I wasn't suppose to say anything to you about this Kimberly because…I didn't want to get you involved in the conflict," Hayley sighed, "The reason Jason is upset is because…apparently Tommy was trying to hack into Lulu's file from Social Services using our computer here at the base. When Jason found out what he was doing he just lost it and lashed at Tommy for trying to invade privacy."

"Why would…Tommy be so curious to know the contents of Lulu's file?" Kim asked.

"He said he was doing this…for the both of you," Hayley answered, "Tommy…has this crazy idea that Lulu is not what she seems to be. I think that Tommy must have lost his mind when he was saying to Jason that he and Kat are making the mistake of considering adopting Lulu."

"Has Tommy lost his mind?" Kim yelled, "No wonder why Jason snapped."

"Kim where are you going?" Hayley asked as Kim headed upstairs.

"To get some answers!" Kim replied heading upstairs to her bedroom.

She found Tommy finishing up a conversation on the phone assuming that it was Jason on the other end. There was some speculation that Jason was upset on the other end and Tommy was yelling back to justify his answers. Quietly Kim sneaked into the study room and picked up on the other end to hear the conversation.

"What the hell were you trying to do hacking into Lulu's profile with the San Antonio Social Services Centre?" Jason asked, "You had no right to be reviewing that profile and that crap you were trying to pull off is strictly prohibited against the law! What did you want out of Lulu's profile?"

"Jas listen to me…you don't even know much about this girl and you've been her foster parents for over eight months," Tommy replied, "There is something odd about that girl if you haven't noticed."

"That's why I was hesitant of letting Lulu take gymnastics if it meant hanging around you and Kim too much! For some apparent reason Kat and I are concern about the wellbeing of our foster daughter. Tommy…she's been through enough already and we don't need to put too much stress on a six year old."

"This is bullshit Jason! All we're trying to do is bond with our niece is there a problem with that?"

"Yes there is a problem because I don't know what you're definition of bonding is if it means hacking into her social services file and reading up on some dirt about her. What do you think she was like adopted or something? I assure Tommy nothing is going on with Lulu and her parents weren't keeping secrets from her."

"I have my reasons to look into that profile and believe me the contents of that file is something you didn't at least expect! Lulu's parents Jefferson and Melanie are not what they seem. There is something about Lulu that causes Kim and I to feel emotionally attached to that girl! I can't explain it but you have to trust me."

"No I'm not hearing anymore of your psychological bullshit about my foster kid! I'm sorry for what happen to your first born daughter but this absolutely hasn't got anything to do with why all the sudden interest of digging up information about Lulu! With the state of mind you're in and maybe Kim too…Kat is right to advised Kim to stay away from Lulu for now! Like what Kat said to Kim I'm advising the same thing…back off and lay off on trying to dig more about Lulu she's been through enough already end of discussion!"

"I'm not ending this until you explain to me one thing…" Tommy yelled as Jason just hung up the phone on Tommy.

Minutes later Kimberly hung up the phone in the study and then she went to her bedroom to get an explanation on Tommy's erratic conversation and argument with Jason concerning hacking into the San Antonio Social Service file of Lulu. It was kind of odd, but also at the same time it began to raise some curiosity and speculation of their sudden interest into a foster child they met six weeks ago.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kim asked her husband, "What…is with keeping all these secrets behind my back? Doing something erratic like hacking into a San Antonio Social Service file that is kept confidential? What's going on Tommy?"

"Will you believe if…I told you?" Tommy replied, "Whatever I say to you…please trust me on my word okay?"

"I just want to know…what is with the sudden interest in Lulu? I know deep down…I'm feeling this sort of emotional attachment to her. Is it because she would have probably be Louise's age by now if I didn't put her up for adoption? Tell me the truth Tommy…are you still upset with hearing the fact about Louise six years after I gave her away? Look if you're doing this just to fill the voids of not knowing about your daughters six years earlier…then do not jeopardize our friendship with Jason and Kat."

"It's not about that…I was never upset with you for giving up Louise and knowing that she is happy. I owe you an explanation as to why I hacked into Lulu's profile."

"What is the explanation then?" Kim asked.

"Jason freaked out when I revealed to him…that there maybe a possible chance that Lulu's parents aren't her biological parents. I read the profile and Lulu wasn't exactly born in San Antonio Texas. Lulu was actually born…in Miami Florida. Kimberly there is something odd about Lulu every time I look at her. Don't you feel it?"

"Okay so…what does that got to do with hacking into the system then?" Kim replied.

"Kimberly…if you look at Lulu's eyes carefully it looks like as if she has my eyes," Tommy added, "It explains everything. Lulu's real name is Louise Healy. Kim…I beginning to believe that Lulu maybe our daughter Louise. I don't know how to explain it to you but you got to believe me. I've never met Louise when she was born but I'm telling you that our daughter maybe here in Reefside and we don't know about it."

"That…can't be possible Tommy," Kim was saying as she began to sound nervous, "How…do we know that our daughter if by any chance maybe the Louise Healy we tried tracking down in Miami? How is that possible? Tommy…we don't even know how Louise looks like now! You've never even met her and your speculating that Jason and Kat's foster kid maybe our biological daughter? I…can't go through this again! I cannot go through the pain and heartache of hoping maybe I'll have the chance of seeing our daughter again! I can't stand it anymore because I'm tired of having my dreams crushed over and over again!"

"I'm not lying to you Beautiful I don't have real proof yet but I know in my heart that Lulu is our daughter," Tommy said as he tried to comfort Kim, "Please Kim I know we hit one dead end after another but I'm sure this time. If I get all the proof I need we'll be with her again. I know that Lulu is Louise and there is that chance she maybe our daughter."

"Stop it I can't hear anymore!" Kim snapped in tears, "Tommy don't you think we've been through enough already? We promised each other that we stop this for awhile and focus on Ben and Courtney! They need you to be there as their father! Now you're planning to go on this pointless investigation based on facts instead of truth! Do you want some real facts and truths Tommy? The fact of the matter is that can't be our daughter! You want to know why because I made the mistake of putting her up for adoption six years ago! She cannot be our Louise because we don't hardly recognize our daughter!"

"If you didn't put Louise up for adoption six years ago then we wouldn't be stuck in this situation right now!" Tommy suddenly yelled back at Kim, "If you have given me the chance to discover you were pregnant six years ago then I would have stopped you from making the biggest mistake of your life! Do you really want to know I truly feel about finding out six years later about a daughter I never knew about? It felt like someone has taken a dagger and stabbed it right in my heart because my wife didn't have the guts to tell me that she's been keeping a secret for four years that could have destroyed our marriage! The only reason why I did this look into that profile was because of you because I loved you so much to give you a sense of closure! I wanted to give a sense of knowing that there was still hope! Frankly…I don't know what more I can do!"

"How can I believe your word?" Kim asked in tears, "How…can I believe that this is no fabricated illusion? Answer me Tommy…how can you make me believe that our best friends' foster child is Louise?"

"I don't know," Tommy quietly said as he left the room, "All I can say Kim is…believe what you want to believe because I question whether or not if I can convince you anymore. It feels like that you're losing faith in me when you know how much I love you more in this world than anything."

Scott Residence…

"Tommy is out of his mind to say that bullshit like that!" Jason replied back to Kat, "He had no right in prying into a confidential file especially Louise's!"

"C'mon we can't let that ruin our chances of giving Louise a real home," Kat assured her husband, "Jason…are you sure you definitely want to go through with this?"

"Kat…I believe it's about time," Jason added as he was looking through documents, "We talked about this with Louise right? She seems frankly excited about being part of the family. Hey Kitty Kat what's bothering you? Is it that phone call you got from your folks concerning your brother Ian?"

"Jason you know I'm worried about the state my brother Ian and Cindy are," Kat sighed, "I know that right now we got something exciting happening and to fret worry about Lauren, I fear for my niece's security and safety. Mom and dad are taking care of her right now while my brother and my excuse of a sister-in-law are in rehab."

"I'm sure Lauren is in safe hands besides you got your folks to look after her," Jason smiled.

"I know but she's only eight years old and imagine her living in a situation like hers," Kat sighed, "But…at least she's fortunate to have people who care about her just like Louise does."

"That's the spirit!" Jason smiled, "Anyways I talked to the adoption agency in San Antonio and I asked for the request of legal adoption for Louise. So far the verdict is they're in the process of setting up the whole deal. I know I got a karate tournament going on San Antonio in a week with Liam and you have that dance competition too so we're head down there to see if we can finalize the deal."

"It sounds like a great idea," Kat replied, "I can't believe…we're adopting a new daughter. Is this the right thing to do?"

"Unless otherwise I wouldn't have it any other way," Jason said, "We both love Louise and she'll be happy here. I promised Melanie and Jefferson that."

"Anyways…I was just wondering Jason. Exactly what were you and Tommy arguing over the telephone?"

"Oh that…don't worry it was nonsense. That's just Tommy and Kim being paranoid again. I was worried about having Louise spending time with them too much. It was wise…to confront them about it."

"Yeah Louise has been through enough…the last thing we don't need is having Tommy and Kim put a damper in Louise's progress," Kat answered, "The loss of her parents has been too much but she's healing and she's accepting the fact of being part of our family."

It still bothered Jason concerning Tommy's argument on the phone. The fact that his best friend hacked into Lulu's profile was extremely erratic. The two were watching the kids play in the living room and celebrating the news of Louise's adoption plans. In Jason's mind the comment that startled him was the resemblances of Louise's eyes to Tommy's. It seemed odd that she did have Tommy's eyes and Kim's looks as a child. He didn't want to spook Kat because he wanted to give her the moment of celebrating but the doubt in Jason's mind prevented him from celebrating.

"It can't be possible…can it?" Jason thought to himself, "Can Tommy and Kim be suspicious of Lulu? Is there a chance…that Lulu might have been adopted? And if that is the case…is she really the daughter Kimberly gave up for adoption six years ago?"