"Uncle Tommy, maybe later at home but I am not eating a sundae in front of cute boys," Tori shakes her head as if her uncle should have known better. "Besides Ms. Kim is joining us for lunch and you did not invite her to eat a sundae with us.
Tommy holds up his hands. "Oh excuse me for not remembering that my niece cannot eat it ice cream when hormonal boys are around."
"Well, on that note, Tori how about you go change and I will tell Maggie that I will be having lunch with you two," Kim holds in a chuckle as she walks off.
"Really Uncle Tommy, hormonal boys," Tori rolls her eyes. "Now Kim will think that you have turned into an old fart," Tori walks away to the locker rooms.
Tommy watches his niece walk off. "I do not think that I am an old fart," Tommy mumbles. "I will be waiting in the main lobby for you," Tommy tells her before she is out of hearing distance.
"Okay, I will meet you two there," Tori smiles as she opens the locker room doors.
"We are only going for lunch there is nothing more to it," Kim blushes as Maggie winks at her. She turns and sees Tommy approaching. "I sure hope he did not hear you," Kim whispers before she faces Tommy. "I would ask where Tori is but I know that she dresses slow."
Tommy grins, "I for one am glad I have more than one bathroom in my house."
Maggie eyes Kim. "Oh Tommy, I am sure she cannot be that bad besides Kim has made it an art form to be in and out the bathroom room in an hour." Maggie smiles at Tommy. "She must be every man's dream to be able to do that; Kim has even taken less time to get ready before."
Kim coughs as she glances at Tommy. "Well, I guess owning my own business has made me speedy in case I am needed here."
"Right," Tommy gives Kim a little smirk. "So thank you again for helping my niece and me with everything; we really appreciate it."
"No problem, I am always willing to help a… uncle and his niece," Kim bites her bottom lip.
Maggie giggles, "Ms. Hart I have everything under control here so you can stay out as long as you like." Maggie smiles at Tommy. "Kim could really use a break; she works so hard."
"How about we sit and wait for Tori; okay," Kim gestures towards the sitting area. "Maggie has to get back to work besides I can use a seat."
"No biggie," Tommy escorts Kim to a chair. "This is a nice company if I have not told you so before." Tommy sits down in a chair next to Kim.
Kim gives a small smile. "Thank you; for a while I did not know what I wanted to do then one day I realized that there was not really a lot of places for preteens and teens to hang out and do something constructive."
"What better way than to do something that you love mixed in with that," Tommy nods his head. "No one thought I would be a science teacher or a paleontologist for that matter; so I guess we are both full of surprises huh."
"Right; I guess when you lose contact with someone things can change dramatically the next time you run into that person," Kim clasps her hands to stop from twirling her hair like a teenager or a person who is nervous.
Tommy clears his throat. "How do you like living here so far?"
"I enjoy the weather here," Kim adjusts her shirt that did not need adjusting. "The weather in Florida can be humid and the weather in Paris sometimes has a mind of its own."
"Yeah I can understand that," Tommy nods his head. "Going on expeditions predicting how the weather may be had me packing like well… you," Tommy blushes. "I…mean our trip to Hawaii you packed a bag with winter clothes just encase it become too cold."
"In my defense, the weather was acting like the mid states and being very unpredictable," Kim giggles. "I remember you having to lug a few of my bags around and even though you complained about carrying them I knew you secretly liked it."
Tommy was about to response when he notices Tori walking towards them. "I guess we had better be going," Tommy stands up and offers Kim his hand.
"Still such a gentleman," Kim smiles as Tommy helps her up.
"I see you two had a good chat while I was getting dressed," Tori smiles at Kim. She will make a prefect Aunt. "I think we should take one car; to save the environment or I can see if Ethan or Conner can pick me up since I want to ask them what they are doing later anyway."
"I am sure you will have your fill of them at the café if we see them," Tommy grumbles.
Kim stifles a laugh. "Besides I wouldn't want to take up too much time; Tommy still has to buy the items you will need Tori."
"I have an idea," Tori's face lights up. "How about you go shopping with my Uncle, Ms. Hart." "He could really use the help he really has no idea what I like or what is cool unlike you."
"Tori I am sure Ms. Hart has other things to do than to go shopping with me," Tommy looks at his niece. "She does have a life outside of her company." He hated to say the words as soon as they left his mouth. "Ms. Hart also has other students to consider."
"Ms. Hart knows what it is like to be a teen and that boys are not right for picking out clothes for a girl; so I am sure to save the reputation of her company she will want to make sure you do not buy me anything tacky or so last season." Tori gives Kim a hopeful look.
Kim gives Tori a small smile. "I understand completely what you mean. "My father was not a fashion expert and while my stepfather had flair he still was not on the up with style." "I am sure Tommy can manage to buy you something nice besides I am sure your Uncle has a friend who can help him find you some nice items."
"Actually Uncle Tommy is as single as the number one," Tori sees that her Uncle has taken out his car keys out his pocket. "He has been single for some time now." Tori grabs the car keys from her Uncle. "I will be waiting in the car for you two." She begins walking towards the main entrance of the edifice.
Tommy glances at Kim. "Teenagers huh."
"Yeah well I see no getting out of this so I guess we will be spending the day together and I will need to call my assistant and let her know she will be taking over classes for the day and night." Kim looks at the door as Tori exits the building. "She certainly has her Uncle's stubbornness."
"Excuse you, I am staying right here," Tommy shakes his head. "Yes, she is a stubborn one but she gets that from her dad more so than me."
Kim cocks an eyebrow. "As much as I would want to argue with you we still have a small audience besides Tori is waiting in the car."
"Okay," Tommy glances at Maggie who only winked at him. "I guess I can wait while you make that call." Tommy looks sheepishly at Kim. "I am a little afraid to be with my niece at the moment she seems to be in one of those teens' moods right now."
"No problem," Kim takes her phone out of her purse.
Tommy watches as Kim speaks to her main assistant. What is Tori's angle? Could she really think that I have no sense of style or does she think Kim and I can have a romantic relationship like we once did but she does not know that we dated though. Maybe there are sparks flying between Kim and me that I am unaware of yet I do not think I would want to relieve the heartache if she broke up with me. Why would I let her get that close to me again? Kim looking at him shakes Tommy from his thoughts. Had I said any of my thoughts aloud? "Ready to go eat lunch," Tommy finally asks after a minute of silence.
"Yes, everything is taken care of," Kim gives Tommy one last curious look before walking to the main entrance. "I have never been to Hayley's Café."
Uh oh can she still read me like an open book. "Oh my friend Hayley opened the café a few years after college." Tommy walks out the building with Kim. "She likes to cook and is into technology so she invented a place where people can do both." "Funny she kind of reminds me of you now that I learned about your occupation."
Kim stares at a tree in the distance. He seems very fond of this Hayley person. "Oh it sounds like a nice place." "I did not take you for the sports car type well… in a way I guess I did especially when Kat first moved into town." Kim looks at a car with Tori shaking her head to music.
Tommy glances at Kim. "I was a race car driver for a while besides I own a jeep and I still have my truck from high school, so why not have a fast car."
"Right," Kim nods her head slowly. "I remember how much you loved your truck."
"Yeah she is still my baby," Tommy opens the passenger door for Kim.
Kim slides into the car and watches as Tommy walks over to the driver's side and hops in. "It is a roomy car to be a sports car."
"I thought about that when I was searching for the right car to buy," Tommy starts the engine.
"He needed a car that was suitable to take women out on dates," Tori teases her Uncle.
Tommy shakes his head. "On that note, Kim… Ms. Hart this sounds like the song you recorded back in high school for me."
"Really, shut up!" Tori sits up right in her seat. "Ms. Hart wrote a song for my Uncle and I am just now finding out about it." Tori casts suspicious eyes on Tommy and Kim. "Wait how well do you two really know each other?"
Kim bites her bottom lip. "For starters you can call me Ms. Kim and Tommy can call me Kim since he is an adult and we were friends." "Secondly I am flattered that Tommy remembered the song and lastly we were good friends and he moved away so I wrote him a song and Zack and I sung it for him before he left."
"Oh right you must know Uncle Zack if you went to Angel Gove High," Tori settles back into her seat. "If Zack and you wrote and sung a song for my uncle than you must have known him well enough to be part of their gang yet no one has mentioned you."
"I um I was never brought up in conversations well I guess I can understand that since I moved and had little contact with most of the gang." Kim looks crestfallen.
Tommy wanted to put a sleeping spell on his niece or one to close up her big teenage mouth. "We talked about you from time to time when we would reminisce or something made us think of you but it was never when Tori was around really." Tommy turns a corner.
"Oh that is to be expected," Kim, tells Tommy and Tori with a blank face. Kim get it together; do not let him see how hurt you are that he does not talk about you much. Besides why would he?
"So, Kim, guess what," Tommy, asks to lighten the mood.
Kim glances at Tommy for a second. "What?"
"I have garden and plants all around my home," Tommy chuckles at Kim's expression. "You were always an excellent gardener and I picked up some tips to start my own garden." "I have to say you would be very impressed with it."
"Well I must say that I am impressed that you even have a garden and the fact that it sounds wonderful makes me wish I could view it." Kim smiles at Tommy.
Tori hands Kim her cell phone. "I took a picture of him next to it."
Kim eyes the picture. "Wow it is nice; I am proud of you Oliver."
"Thanks, it was nice to have something to look forward to with my meditation especially since it takes a while for things to go." Tommy pulls into the parking lot of Hayley's café.
"Unless you are Rita or Zedd," Kim replies without thinking.
Tori takes her phone from Kim. "Who are those people?"
"Um… people who were not that nice," Kim looks out the window. "So this is Hayley's Café," Kim attempts to change the subject.
Tommy holds in a laugh. "Yeah this is it; it does not look like much but it is a nice spot." He watches as Tori hurries out the car. "That was a close one loose lips but I guess not having anyone to talk to about our history has made you long to spill to someone."
"Tori dropped it so thank the teenage brain," Kim attempts to open her door.
"Not so fast if she remembers to ask me later I am saying you will have a chat with her about the not so nice people and Rita actually turned out to be nice," Tommy realizes he is still holding Kim's arm and lets her arm go. "I see why Tori hurried out the car; I see my old ranger team."
Curiously, Kim turns in the direction of the entrance and sees Tori smiling at a group of boys and one girl with a guitar in her hands. "Looks like history repeats itself with the ranger teams."
"Yeah, Conner was a mixture of Jason and Zack, Ethan was like Billy and Trini, Kira was like you, and Trent was like well me," Tommy opens his car door. "The only good thing is that Trent is dating Kira so that makes me happy because the last thing Tori needs…"
"Is a good and bad guy combo right," Kim finishes for him. "Come on it's only a crush they are like what eighteen and she is only thirteen so she is safe." "No spells to make her more grown up, so just relax and let her hang out with them." "They seem like a good bunch."
Tommy shakes his head as he exits the car. "Let's see you say that when you have a niece to protect from hormonal boys."
"I have a long wait; all my siblings are middle age or early teens," Kim glances at Tommy. "Both my parents remarried and had children."
"So the girl that always wanted siblings now has them just not close in age," Tommy laughs as he holds the door open for Kim.
Kim rolls her eyes. "I will not have that problem for a long time."
"Hey Mr. O over here," Conner waves his hand in the air.
Tommy walks over with Kim following right next to him. "Hey guys how is college going?"
"Excellent to have minds like mine is fantastic," Ethan smiles at Tommy.
"Hey Ethan we are right here," Trent laughs at Ethan's expression. "Just kidding bro."
Kira shakes her head. "Rude much guys; Mr. O has a date with him. "Hello I am Kira and this is Ethan, Trent my boyfriend, and Conner."
"Oh I am not Mr. Oliver's date and my name is Kimberly Hart and I am Tori's coach." Kim shakes Kira hand.
"You look familiar," Conner stares at Kim. "I do not know how I can forget a pretty face like yours though." "I feel as though I have seen you or met you before."
Kim blushes, "I was a gymnast and I was in the Olympics; you seem like someone who likes sports so maybe you saw me on television."
"No, that is not it," Conner thinks hard. "When I think of it I will let you know."
"Know that you mention it she does look familiar," Ethan scratches his head.
Tommy hides a smile. I wonder how long it will take them to remember that she was in the power rangers' video diary. "Well while you guys think about that we will be sitting down and having lunch." "Come along Tori."
"Aw but I want to eat with my friends," Tori looks hopeful at her uncle.
"Yeah we will take good care of her," Trent rubs Tori's head.
Tori turns tomato red. "Can I eat with my friends?"
"Okay," Tommy walks with Kim to a booth. "So much for her getting to know you."
"She will have plenty of time for that," Kim moves hair out of her face. This should be interesting sitting alone with Tommy again.
Tommy feels eyes on him and looks up. "Hey Hayley this is my…uh this is Kim Hart and she will be Tori's new coach."
"Howdy Ms. Hart I am Hayley the owner of this café and Tommy's good friend." Hayley sets menus on the table. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Kim picks up the menu. "Your café looks really nice."
"Thank you," Hayley grabs a pen and pad out of her apron. She gives Tommy a look. "What looks good to you two today."
"Well Tori was supposed to eat with us and we were going to have a sundae but she ditched me to hang out with the gang 2.0 but I am fine with it." Tommy looks at the menu. "A burger and fries will do for me and to drink a root beer."
Kim looks at the interaction between the two. Were they more than just friends? "I would like a chicken sandwich and fries and I will drink a Sprite."
"Sounds like two good choices and what about dessert, since Tori abandoned you two," Hayley looks at the pair.
"I guess I will see how I am feeling after I eat but the chocolate cheesecake looks great," Kim hands Hayley her menu.
Tommy nods his head. "I think I feel the same way but just in case add that cheesecake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream." He hands over his menu.
"Alright than," Hayley walks off to take another order.
"So, Hayley seems nice," Kim, asks hoping to learn more about Hayley.
Tommy nods his head. "Yes, she is and she is brilliant just like Billy and Ethan." "She helped me with the tech stuff for the mission."
Kim nodded her head. She knew from her time, as a power ranger that mission was code for that. "She was never one right?"
"Correct she was our tech woman and that made her a viable part of the team," Tommy stretches out his long legs. He knew Kim wanted to know more about their relationship but he was not going to give her the satisfaction.
"Oh, so you met her in college," Kim probes.
"Yes, we met our semaphore in college," Tommy sets his hands on the table. We both shared a few of the same classes and paired up a lot for projects."
Kim stares in the direction Hayley walked off. "How did she become an unofficial member of the mission; I doubt you would go all loose lips since you have people to talk to about it."
"I needed help with technology and she was the perfect person for the job since Billy was busy living his life and I could not ask him." Tommy moves his hands as Hayley sets the food on the table. "How is it going over there?"
Hayley knew whom Tommy was talking about. "She is just trying to fit in." "Someone should tell her that eating in front of boys is acceptable and not an abomination." Hayley sets down the drinks and pulls out two straws. "Enjoy the meal."
"Thank you," Kim opens her straw and adds it to her glass. "Smells good," Kim looks at the food on her plate. "Maybe I will eat dessert; I can always work out later."
"The last thing you need to do is work out sweetie; if I had a body like yours I would never work out and eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted," Hayley smiles at Kim. "Am I right Tommy?"
Tommy nearly chocks on his root beer. "Kim has always had an amazing body." Tommy looks at Kim waiting for a reaction. He sneaks a glance at Kim's breasts hugging her blouse. Wow, she looks good to bad she can turn my veins cold and hot at the same time.
"Thank you both," Kim blushes at the compliments. Although she was used to them she felt shy when Tommy paid her a compliment or looked at her a certain way.
Tori bounces over to the booth. "Can I go with the gang to the beach?"
"Now wait a minute; eating with them is one thing but going to the beach is another thing altogether," Tommy sets his glass down.
"Aw come on now it's not like they are strangers or not of age," Tori argues back.
Conner walks over to the booth. "Can she come or not we have to get going."
"I do not…" Tommy started.
"Dr. O, I will be there to watch over her plus Cassie will be there with Devon," Kira interrupts Tommy. "We have proved to be trustworthy."
Ethan nods his head. "I even will add my new app that makes it easy to track our whereabouts."
Trent holds the doggie bags in his hand. "How can you say no to that?"
"I am going past the beach on my way home and I can check in on her," Hayley adds.
Tori blushes. I feel like such a baby. "So can I go?"
"Sure but since you are leaving then Kim can spend the night how she wants to and does not have to go shopping with me later," Tommy takes a bite of his burger.
"No way, Uncle Tommy, you still do not have the best fashion sense," Tori pouts at him. She turns to Kim. "Please Ms. Kim can you take him shopping for me."
Kim looks at Tori's pleading look. "I guess so since I have no other plans for the night."
"Oh thank you," Tori hugs Kim. "I will need to get my beach stuff out the car." Tori grabs the keys from her Uncle and walk out the café.
"I know where I have seen you from," Conner smiles at Kim. "From the video diary; you are one awesome fighter Ms. Kim."
Kira nods her head. "Duh you had the same dinosaur as me besides the color." "Wow it is an honor to meet you the first one at that."
"Thank you and it is an honor to meet a fellow one even if we did not share the same color," Kim smiles at Kira. "I noticed you have a guitar and I play guitar myself."
"Really, we should jam sometime," Kira grins at Kim.
Tori looks at the two women as she reenters the cafe. "Can I join in on that jam session?"
"Sure, you can," Kira pats Tori on the arm. "We had better be going."
"I want to ride next to Ethan or Conner," Tori smiles at both boys.
Tommy shakes his head. "Be safe and not too much horseplay."
"They were part of the mission relax; we were that young once," Kim sips her soda.
"Yeah, that is what I am afraid of," Tommy grumbles as the teens walk out the café.
Kim giggles, "Boy, you are an old fart; look I am sure they will have fun but be responsible." "Like we were at that age besides if they are like us then you have nothing to worry about."
Hayley smiles at Kim. "I knew I would like you the video diaries were not enough."
Tommy looks from Hayley to Kim. "At least I have food and you two to keep me occupied."