Chapter Fifteen-Life Goes On
Kimberly and Donovan broke up soon after that. But for a well over a month I did not see her or Jonny. I knew Kim was afraid. I was certain the reason why she didn't want to see me was because she was confused. For so long, I was just a friend to her and now, all of a sudden, I wanted to be more.
It was on a Monday, that I saw Kim again. She was a beautiful as I remembered, even more so now that I realized I was in love with her. She was in the market grocery shopping. Jonny was at her side, trying to grab some fattening snack. Kim was refusing to buy him the snack.
I was tempted to go see her, say hi, but I knew she wasn't ready to see me. I was going to walk down to another aisle when Jonny turned and saw me.
"Tommy," he exclaimed and ran to me. He hugged me tightly and I smiled.
"Hi, little man," I greeted. "How have you been?"
"Good, I miss you," he said. "Mommy miss you too."
"Jonathon," Kim scolded slightly. She was embarrassed.
"But it's true," Jonny whined. "I heard you talking to Auntie Aisha and Auntie Trini. You said that Tommy kissed you and you missed him."
Kim turned almost as pink as her old Ranger suit.
I chuckled.
"I missed her too," I said as I boldly stared into her eyes.
I held her gaze, daring her to turn away. When she didn't my smile broadened and she smiled back.
For a moment, there was just us. It was like we were alone and I saw the glimmer of love that I knew she still held for me.
"What are you doing?" Jonny said. His voice broke the spell that held us.
Kim cleared her throat and moved back to her cart.
"Jonny we should get going," she said. "We have to finish shopping so we can eat dinner."
"Ok Mommy," Jonny said softly. He obviously didn't want to be parted for me.
"Maybe, if Tommy isn't busy, he can join us," Kim offered.
I nodded.
"Yeah," I said. Of course."
I ate with them that night and for two weeks straight we ate together for most nights.
Dating came naturally for us. It just seemed to happen. I didn't ask her, she didn't ask me, we just decided to go see a movie without Jonny. It was some romance I didn't remember because sometime during the film Kim and I began kissing like a couple of teenagers. We made out until the lights came on and the usher told us to leave. We laughed embarrassed slightly by our behavior.
Without saying anything, we were a couple again.
Three months later, Kim and I found our way to my bedroom. We made love for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. It was better than I remembered, but just as special. Kim was just as beautiful that night as she was our first night.
From that night on. We were inseparable. We were like one of those couples who couldn't be apart for long and whenever we got the chance we made love. Surprisingly, was quite often. It was like we were making up for lost time. It was so bad that our friends just knew when we had sex. They teased and joked, but we didn't care we were in love. At least, I thought we were. Kim still hadn't say she loved me or not.
It was late one Saturday that Kimberly told me she loved me. We had just finished making love in her bed. Jonny was over a friend's house, a birthday sleepover.
Kim's head was resting on my chest. My fingers played with her hair.
"I love you," she sighed the happiest sigh I ever heard.
"I love you too," I returned.
I was the happiest I have been in a long time.
Kimberly Ann Hart loved me and I loved her. It was like it should have been.
A month passed and I decided that I shouldn't wait years before proposing. I couldn't think of a more perfect time to ask her. It was spring and school was nearly done and all the stresses with it.
I had found a small pond in the park. Water had always been a big part of our relationship. It was by a lake I had asked Kim to date me the first time, it was by the water I told her to follow her dreams and now it was by water I would ask her to be my wife.
I prepared a picnic. It was a bright and sunny afternoon. I had asked Kim to meet me alone. When I saw her, I smiled. She was wearing a pale pink sundress and her hair was down and flowing. She looked just as young as she did when we first met.
"You're beautiful," I said in an awed whisper.
Kim blushed.
"Thank you," she said shyly.
I held out my hand and she took it as I guided her to sit on the green and white checkered blanket.
"What is all this for?" she asked.
"I just wanted to do something special," I answered as I opened the wicker basket and began to pull out some of her favorite foods.
"Wow, this must be a very special occasion," she said impressed.
I smiled, keeping my silence.
We ate happily before I stood. I held out both my hands for Kim to take. When she placed her hands in mine, I helped her stand. We walked over to the water's edge.
Just like the first time I asked her out, I kissed her. When I pulled away she had the brightest smile that I couldn't help but return.
"This is starting to feel familiar," she said knowingly.
"Well, I'm hoping it will be just as memorable as the first time I asked you to be my date," I said reaching into my pocket. I dropped to one knee, smiling as I watched Kim's hands go to cover her mouth in shock.
"Kimberly Ann Hart, I love you more than I can ever tell. You stood by me when I lost my powers for the first and second time. We've fought side by side as solders and as equals. You were my second in command when I needed you. We've supported each other and though we parted ways we've found our way back to each other.
"You're beautiful, strong, and a wonderful mother. I cannot think of anyone else I want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?"
I held up the platinum ring, with its two small round cut diamonds and between them a princess cut pink diamond.
For a moment, Kim was silent. Tears came to her eyes and her hands remained over her mouth.
"Kimberly," I said knocking her out of her shock.
"Yes, of course I'll marry you," she said joyously and I slipped the ring onto her finger.
I stood and lifted her in the air, spinning happily.
"I love you," I said after I set her down.
"I love you too," she said pulling me down to kiss her.
Later that day we told Jonny the happy news and I never seen the boy so happy. He hugged us both before he ran through the house shouting with happiness that I was going to be his dad.
Kim and I laughed before we calmed him down and went out to it as a family.
We were married on the day we met all those years ago. It was a beautiful, warm day. The sun was shining. We had decided to get married in Angel Grove City Park by the same lake I had first asked her out. It seemed fitting.
It was small intimate affair. My closest family and hers. Adam, Billy, Rocky, and Zack were my groomsmen. Jason was my best man. Aisha, Kat, and Tanya were bridesmaids. Trini was her maid of honor. We decided to use traditional vows, saving more intimate promises for privacy.
I wore a black tux, with a red, silk tie. My handkerchief was white.
When Kim began walking down the aisle, my eyes were only on her. She looked unbelievable gorgeous in her wedding dress. The dress was the palest pink I had ever seen.
The ceremony was all a blur from the moment she stepped beside until our lips touched sealing our bond as husband and wife.
The reception was at the old juice bar. We invited as many former and current Rangers as we could. It was a huge party and even though we had fun, I couldn't wait to get my new bride all alone.
We sat for hours, through speeches and congratulations, jokes and well wishes. We danced, we laughed, but after so many hours it was time to say our farewells and off to our wedding night.
When we were alone in our hotel room, Jonny was staying with my parents, we quickly shed our formal clothes. Kim disappeared into the bathroom and when she came out she was wearing a white, sexy, slip of lingerie. I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped to the floor at the sight of her.
"Wow," I said with a gulp. "You look, wow."
"I kind of got that," she said sweetly.
She walked up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I held her by her waist.
"How am I supposed to concentrate on my vows with you looking like this?" I asked her before giving her a passionate kiss.
"Well, you're just going to have to try," Kim said cheekily.
"Okay," I said. "Kim, from the moment I met you I wanted you to be my girl. You were so nice and friendly. When we first started to date I was so scared that being a Power Ranger and being a couple would not work, but we made it worked. When I ended things after I lost my Green Ranger powers, you insisted we keep in touch. When I decided to come back and became the White Ranger was the happiest days of my teenage years.
When I told you to go to Florida, my heart broke. By that time, I loved you so deeply. I knew you had to go. I know you needed to follow your dreams. I was sure I made the right choice, but then the letter came. I was devastated. I was depressed for a long time after. When I saw you again, I wasn't quite ready, but I put on a brave face.
It felt like it took forever for me to get over you completely. And when I finally saw you again, I knew I wasn't over you, I would never be over you. I love you. You are my heart."
Tears were in Kim's eyes before I was done. She kissed me sweetly. When we pulled away, she cleared her throat.
"I don't know how I'm going to follow that," she said in a choked up voice. "But I'll try."
She took a deep breath.
"Tommy, when I first saw you, I was instantly attracted to you. When we met at school, I couldn't help but want to be your friend and when we became more I was overjoyed. When I was in Florida, breaking up with you was the hardest thing I ever had done. And when I came back to visit, seeing you with Kat crushed me. I was miserable and you were happy. I shouldn't have slapped you but I couldn't control my anger and jealousy. I was still in love with you.
It took me many years to find someone who I could love as much as I loved you and when I lost him, I never thought I would love again. Then Donovan came into my life and I thought he could be the one. I'm glad that it wasn't him. I'm glad it was you. I can't imagine any other man in your place. This was meant to be, we were meant to be. I love you so much."
We kissed again. There was no need for words for the rest of night.
We spent a blissful week alone in a cabin in the woods. A lake nearby. We had nothing but privacy making love and getting to know each other in a way we never had a chance to before.
Six months later and I was Jonny's father. It wasn't a hard decision. I already felt as if he was mine. We just made it official. We told him on his 8th birthday. It was a present he or I would never forget. He instantly called me daddy.
We were finally a true family and I was incredibly happy.
END OF CH. 15