A mistake
Chapter 2
Sun rays cracked through the heavily clouded sky, spreading warmth and illuminating the beautiful grounds extended in front of Emily's house. The yellow ranger sat in her bed, yawning and stretching her arms lazily, slowly shaking away her sleepiness.
She looked at her right side where Jayden spent the night on the couch she had in her room, it was empty. Jayden must've woken up way before she did.
"Where could he be?" She wondered. Emily slowly descended from her bed, placing her small feet inside her fuzzy yellow slippers and making her way towards her window. She opened it, and spotted Jayden on the fence. He looked so content and at peace. It made her feel happy that he was letting himself go a little bit, he always worries too much about everyone and everything.
With a positive kick to start the day, she charged out of her room and went to the bathroom to do her morning routine. Teeth brushed, face washed, hair combed, she knocked on Serena's door giving her sister a kiss on the cheek while she was asleep before heading to the kitchen to help her mother prepare breakfast.
Morning kisses were handed out again, then mother and daughter were working in harmony beside each other.
"So, Jayden sounds like a catch" Emily's mother playfully nudged her little assistant while she was making scrambled eggs.
"Mom! Jayden and I have nothing going on between us". Emily blushed.
"Alright, if you say so". Her mother grinned and switched into flipping pancakes.
Moments later Jayden came back inside the house. He had to admit, the aromas filling the house made his stomach churn.
"Oh! Good morning dear. You're here just in time, breakfast is almost ready" Emily's mother greeted Jayden.
"Good morning ma'am. Anything I can help with?" The dirty blonde boy humbly offered.
"As I said dear, we're almost done. And please, call me Donna"
"Come on Jayden, we'll have breakfast out in the garden. Help me set up the table". Emily grabbed some dishes and dragged Jayden enthusiastically behind her.
"Ha ya!".
A little boy yelled while he was practicing his sword techniques. It was early morning, the sun was beating down on his face, and he felt extremely tired.
"No, no, no! You're doing it wrong Michael! Your stance is completely misplaced".
An older version of the young boy berated the small figure, who was now staring at the ground trying to compose himself and keep his tears at bay. The boy's mother, who always observed their training sessions rushed to him and embraced him in a hug, all while shooting daggers at her husband with her eyes.
"Dave, you're being too harsh on him. He's only three years old for god's sake!".
The caring mother protested, gently running her fingers through her son's chestnut locks.
"Laureen, stay out of this. I will train him as i see fit. We have lost our red ranger in battle, and we have to honor his sacrifice by making sure our son will not come out as an incompetent warrior. Your constant smothering is what's making him weak!".
The husband firmly replied. Laureen stood up and was now looking at her husband eye to eye, with little mike tugging at her feet.
"I think he's had enough for today".
It was clear to the former green ranger that his woman was not going to budge, so he took a deep breath to conceal his anger and he retreated back to the house.
"Mommy". The three year old whispered
"Yes baby". The mother sat beside her son, pulling him closer to her.
"Why daddy don't love me?". Little Mike innocently asked, his sparkling hazel eyes so wide and filled with hurt that it tore his mother's heart to pieces.
"Baby, daddy is just being sad. He lost a very good friend, and he feels like its his fault somehow"
The little boy was confused, he didn't understand what his mother was telling him.
"Mommy, where he lost him? If i find him, daddy no more sad? I good finding tings. Teddy always get lost, i find him".
Laureen felt like mentally smacking herself on the head. Her son did not understand the concept of life and death yet, and she did not know how she was going to explain it to him, not with that hopeful look he's giving her right now that he can actually find the long gone red ranger.
"Come here". She patted for her young boy to come sit in her lap, and she lifted his eyes to meet hers while she explained to him why his father can't find his friend.
"Mikey, your daddy's friend didn't get lost the same way you lose teddy. Daddy's friend died. That means he went up to the sky to a very pretty place called heaven. But when people go to heaven, we can't see them anymore, and we can't find them anymore no matter where we look. That's why we say we lost them, because we can't get them back"
Little Mike gasped. He felt sad because his dad can't see his friend no more. Then a question suddenly formed in his head.
"If daddy go to heaven, he can see his friend?". His mother held him closer to her and kissed the top of his head. Even at a young age, she knew he had a good heart, and she hoped it would never change.
"Yes, daddy can see him if he went to heaven. There is a catch though sweety. Not all people go to heaven, only the good ones. Bad people go somewhere else very terrible. So you be a good boy, always help people who need help, so that one day we can all be in heaven together when our time comes"
The little boy nodded, his exhaustion finally catching up to him. He buried his head in the hem of his mother's shirt and drifted to the safe haven of his dreams...
A bittersweet feeling awakened the teenager as the long distant memory from his childhood made itself present. He missed his mother dearly, she always was the one to make everything better since his father never seemed to accept him. Mike knew for sure that he got his playful personality from his mother. Whenever his father was at work, she would take him to the arcade where they'd both play off against each other.
There was no pressure, no high expectations, he can just be free spirited and let himself go like all the kids his age should. That is why he loved video games so much, for they became the release for all his frustrations and they truly made him feel happy.
Later on when trips to the arcade were difficult to keep up, his mother started buying him small portable gaming devices and she'd stash them away from her husband whenever she felt he was starting to doubt her innocence.
Soon enough, Mike stood up and his muscles ached.
"Ah! Sleeping out here was a bad, bad idea!" He lectured himself.
In that particular moment, master J.I made an appearance and greeted his remaining student.
"Good morning Mike. Care to join me for breakfast?"
Aching muscles forgotten, Mike nodded.
"You really gotta ask master J?"
The old man smirked and walked side by side with Mike to the kitchen.
"This is so good". Jayden commented after taking a bite of his maple syrup dripped pancakes.
"I told you so". Emily reminded him.
"So tell me you two, how is J.I doing? I haven't spoken to him in such a long time". Donna asked curiously.
"He's doing ok, a little over whelmed with having six kids living together under the same roof. Other than that, he's fine". Jayden replied with humor.
"I also wonder how the other rangers are doing. Chrystal, Markus, Dave. I know Markus has a son who's a great swimmer, Kevin is his name right? All we have of him are some baby picture"
"Ooooh! Can we see?". Emily snickered.
Donna laughed and knew her daughter was up to no good. "Finish your breakfast first and then we'll talk about it".
"What else do you know about the other rangers?". Jayden resumed the conversation, his anxiousness getting the best of him.
"Well we all still contact each other, its just that we haven't been able to meet. Markus writes to us every now and then. Chrystal and I though are very good friends, we write each other all the time. She has been meaning to send Mia over to improve her cooking skills, but it never happened"
Jayden and Emily looked at each other, stifling a laugh. Donna knew it probably had to be an inside joke between the teenagers, after all she was their age once.
"And finally we have Dave. Now Dave stopped writing to us a long time ago, and i'm worried and haven't been able to reach him. If i was correct, his son should be a high school student still?"
"Yeah, Mike is still in school". Emily confirmed.
They were silent for a few moments before Emily's eyes suddenly sparkled and she had a contemplative look itched on her soft features.
"Hey! I was just thinking if we could get all the rangers together for a gathering at the Shiba house! You guys will get to meet again and we can listen to how you guys kicked Nighloks' butt old school!"
"Old school? What do you mean by that you cheeky little moneky?" Donna faked being hurt.
"I think its a great idea. Master J.I will love seeing all of you again". Jayden agreed.
"And i really want to know more about my dad, what he was like". The current red ranger added.
"One thing i know for sure dear, I see the same fire your father had in your eyes. So i know, we're all going to safe". Donna squeezed Jayden's hand compassionately.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me". Jayden gratefully replied to the former yellow ranger.
Contrary to the good vibe in Emily's house, there was an awkward and heavy silence between Mike and master J.I.
"So uh, did you like your breakfast?". Master J.I tried opening a conversation.
"Well its better than anything i had for a while" . Mike honestly admitted without realizing. His voice had a sad tone to it, which his mentor picked up on.
"What do you mean by that Michael?". Master J.I questioned suspiciously.
The normally outspoken teenager realized his slip up and tried to cover it up.
"Nothing! You know how Mia cooks master J". He smirked, but it didn't quiet reach his eyes.
"Mike, we may have started on the wrong foot in the beginning, but I really do care about you, and i sense there is something bothering you greatly. I will not force you to tell me anything, I just want you to know that i'm here to listen when you need someone to speak with"
The green ranger sighed.
"Its nothing really, I just wanna finish Emily's surprise in time. Thats all"
Master J.I did not seem to be convinced, but he let it go.
"Maybe Dave could help me understand the way his son thinks, because lord help me i can't figure him out!" He silently thought.
Some time around the evening, master J.I received an unexpected phone call from a certain yellow ranger.
"Emily! What a wonderful surprise for you to call me. How is your time off going? And how's Jayden?"
"Jayden is having a great time! And we're all so happy to have him with us"
"How are Donna and Anthony doing?"
"You mean my parents? Its always so weird hearing them called by their first names. They're doing ok considering.."
Master J.I heart's really went for Emily and her family. It was difficult watching a loved one suffer slowly like that.
"Isn't she getting better?"
"No.." . The young girl's enthusiasm quickly faded at the mentioning of her sister.
"Do not worry Emily, i'm sure it will all turn out just fine in the end, i have a good feeling about this". The old man tried to assure his student while his thoughts drifted to Mike and his surprise for Emily.
"You think?"
"I know"
A sad smile graced Emily's lips as she held on to her phone, trying to compose her feelings.
"Thank you Master J.I"
"Do not thank me my dear child. I will always be there for you"
After clearing her throat, Emily prepared herself to tell her mentor the reason behind her phone call.
"Umm, master J.I. Uh, how can i say this? Well, my parents were talking about how much they miss the other past rangers, so I came up with the idea of having a gathering at the Shiba house were we all get to meet once again. I already spoke to Mia, Kevin, and even Antonio's parents. They all happily agreed to come. Jayden spoke to his mother too. Mike's the only one left"
"That is a splendid idea Emily. I'm afraid though that Mike's parents will not be able to attend seeing as they are in Europe on vacation"
"Oh. Its such a shame because my mom says she hasn't heard from Mike's parents in years"
Mentor J.I stored this piece of information in his mind. Something was not right here.
"Maybe we'll arrange another reunion once they're back. When are you inviting everybody?"
"Well Jayden and I decided to drive to the Shiba house tonight so we can prepare everything and have it ready by tomorrow"
"Sounds like a plan. Drive safe Emily"
"You know it!"
A/N: there you have it people, chapter 2. If its possible i need some help with this story, i'm stuck at a place and i need an extra brain to think with me so i can defeat this dreaded writer's block! If you are interested and want this story to continue message me please. Oh, and of course don't forget to leave those precious reviews :).