Title: Left at the Altar
Chapter 6 - Final Resolution
A/N: This is the last chapter of this story. I've had a blast working on this, a story that never would have happened if not for jps1926 and her awesome idea, so kudos to her in a major way.
Original Posting Date: March 29, 2009
--
Brandishing a hand truck stacked high with boxes, Tommy carefully wheeled them out of Kimberly's house and down the winding path that led from her front porch to her driveway. As he approached the U-Haul van parked in the drive he saw Kimberly leaning against the vehicle, a For Sale sign embedded in the lawn behind her, and gave her a bright smile. Even in sweats and a sweatshirt he could not help but find her to be the most beautiful woman on the planet.
"I'm pretty sure that this is the last of it," said Tommy, proceeding to start his transfer of the boxes from the hand truck into the back of the van. "You might want to double check, though," he added, Kimberly nodding as she started towards the house. "Or, you know, help me load up these boxes and everything."
Kimberly grinned. "No, that's okay," she replied, shooting Tommy a wink. "You look like you've got it all under control; and besides, I would probably just get in your way."
Tommy just rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he continued loading the boxes into the van. Though he had done the majority of the heavy lifting during the move, he was not about to complain, mostly because he and Kimberly had gone nearly a full month debating who was going to move where now that they were engaged; she into Tommy's house, or he into hers. In the end, he had used the vast amount of top secret Ranger information stored in his basement to convince her that moving into her house was going to be a much more difficult task than if she was to move into his.
Exactly forty-four days into their spur of the moment engagement, Tommy could honestly say, without a doubt, that he had never been happier than he was right now. Everything that he had endured over the years—the pain and the misery and the heartbreak—had all become worth it the very second that she had said yes to his lakeside proposal.
"Yeah, you were right. That's everything," said Kimberly, a few minutes later as she exited the house and approached Tommy, who had just finished with the boxes and was now in the process of hoisting the hand truck into the van.
Tommy nodded, but did not say anything until he had closed and locked the garage-style. Once he was finished he: turned to Kimberly; took one of her hands; and gently pulled her in against his chest. "C'mon," he murmured, embracing her warmly, rubbing up and down her back ever so softly. "Let's go home."
Smiling, Kimberly nuzzled the side of her face against his chest and quietly replied, "Yeah, let's do that."
"Jason sent me a text when you were inside," said Tommy, slackening his hold on her. "They were almost forty-five minutes ahead of us, but Rocky made them stop to get lunch—"
"Which, knowing Rocky, means they won't be to Reefside for at least another hour," said Kimberly, Tommy nodding as they shared a knowing laugh, followed by Kimberly shaking her head as she continued, "How is it that a person could have to stop halfway through a ninety minute drive to get lunch? I mean, I know it's Rocky and everything, but—"
"That's exactly it," Tommy interrupted, tilting her chin up slightly. "It's Rocky," he added, placing a single kiss to her lips, just enough contact to tide him over until they were together again in the van. "Now let's get out of here, or we're gonna be the ones that are late."
Kimberly just smiled and turned for the passenger side of the van, but not before giving Tommy a kiss of her own. Then, in less than two minutes time they were off, driving hand-in-hand from the house as she bad it farewell with a wave, a whispered goodbye, and a smile that was only slightly sad. After the years of work, not to mention money, that she had put into it she thought that she would miss her home far more than this, but most of the disappointment was masked, banished and replaced by joy that this move was just one of many steps on the road that was her new life with Tommy.
--
"Let's go, let's go!" yelled Tommy, fiddling with the cuffs of his dark green dress shirt as he bustled about the house in search of his various personal artifacts on this Friday evening a few weeks later. He found his keys on the kitchen counter and quickly stuffed them into his pocket, then adjusted the hem of the black V-neck sweater he wore over his dress shirt as he added, "I'm going to be old enough to need Viagra if you take any longer, Kim!"
"If you keep rushing me like that you won't have any need for Viagra!" Kimberly fired back from the bedroom, walking out moments later in search of her fiancée with an irritated look on her face. "I swear, Tommy, some times it's like you have the patience of a seven year-old with freaking A.D.D. or something!"
Tommy rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be impatient if it didn't take you two hours to get—oh!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up like a small child on Christmas morning as he set his sights on Kimberly, looking as gorgeous as ever in a black strapless cocktail dress ending just above her knees. "How is it you always do that?"
"Do what?" asked Kimberly, still visibly frustrated at Tommy's impatience as she stood with her arms folded across her chest.
"Take two hours to get dressed and kill any irritation I'm feeling by looking so damn beautiful," Tommy answered, grinning as he reached out for Kimberly and pulled her in close to him, kissing ever so softly.
When the kiss broke, a blushing Kimberly replied, "Probably the same way you yell at me for thirty minutes and then kill any irritation I'm feeling by saying something like that."
Tommy chuckled and said, "God, Kim, that dress almost makes me want to say 'screw it' to going out tonight, you know that?"
"That good, huh?" said Kimberly, freeing herself to do a little twirl as Tommy nodded approvingly. "Well I'm glad you like it so much, but I didn't spend two hours getting dressed to stay home and do the hanky-panky. This dress requires at least twice the amount of time spent out that it took to get ready."
"Then we should probably get going if you plan on staying out for four hours. It's already eight o' clock," said Tommy, walking away to retrieve his cell phone from the coffee table in the living room. Upon returning to Kimberly, he stopped just inches in front of her and quietly asked, "Are you ready?"
Smiling, Kimberly nodded and followed Tommy towards the front door. Tommy paused at the coat rack to the side of the door, grabbing a black shawl which he then offered to Kimberly. Slowly turning around, she looked back at him with a smile as he started to place the garment around her shoulders, murmuring, "You just won't let chivalry die, will you?"
"Can't," Tommy whispered, brushing some hair back to kiss the nape of her neck. "Mom and Dad would kill me," he added, in between his kisses and the soft moans that he was eliciting from Kimberly as a result of them.
"Mmm…so would I," whispered Kimberly, freeing herself for she knew that they would never leave if she let him continue like that for very much longer. "Save it for later, 'k stud?" she said with a wink, standing on her tiptoes to give him a fleeting kiss.
Tommy laughed. "Alright, alright, let's go," he replied, needling her ribs playfully, causing her to shriek hysterically as she ran for safe haven outside as fast as she could in high heels. Tommy just shook his head and continued laughing as he walked after her, locking the door behind himself before proceeding to his Jeep where Kimberly was already waiting inside.
"You're an ass, you know that?" said Kimberly, grinning despite herself as Tommy climbed into the driver's seat.
"Yeah, and you didn't wait for me to open your door, so there," Tommy replied, sticking his tongue out at her.
Giggling, Kimberly shook her head and said, "Just shut up and drive, Tommy."
Feigning hurt, Tommy tore his eyes from Kimberly and refused to look at her while backing out of the driveway, simultaneously muttering in a very whiny, mocking voice, "Just shut up and drive, Tommy. Just shut up and drive because that's all you're good for. That and cooking a decent meal since I am completely incapable of making anything edible that doesn't involve boxes, a microwave, or both."
"Hey, I can make the best peanut butter and jelly you've ever tasted, and that doesn't require a box or a microwave, thank you very much!" Kimberly replied matter-of-factly, as they took off down the street for a destination he had not yet disclosed to her. Tommy's head snapped to look at her with an expression that called bullshit, their eyes locking for a few silent moments before both suddenly burst out laughing. "Okay, okay, fine," she continued, waving her hands in defeat, "I can't cook to save my life, but you can and that's all that matters. Besides, I'm a very progressive woman, Tommy. One minute it's just cooking dinner and then the next I'm barefoot, pregnant, doing housework, and baking cookies all day!"
It continued like that for the better part of the hour long drive down one of Southern California's coastal highways, Tommy and Kimberly bantering back and forth, spending a good majority of their time in the car laughing like two kids without a single care in the world. Unbeknownst to Kimberly, they were only a few minutes away from their destination when she turned to Tommy and said, "So you still haven't told me where we're going."
"And I'm still not going to either," said Tommy, smiling and winking at her. "If we've made it this far without me saying anything, I think it's safe to assume that it's going to stay like that the rest of the way. Just relax and enjoy the rest of the drive; we're almost there."
Content to do exactly that, Kimberly sat back and smiled brightly as the cool ocean breeze brushed across her face. They were so close to the sea she could the smell the salt, almost taste it even, one of those sensations she had fallen in love with at a very young age. The ocean had always been particularly fascinating to her, the way it was very much its own world, so entirely different and yet so strikingly similar to its much drier counterpart. Now, whenever she visited the ocean she was instantly taken back to her childhood memories of long afternoons spent building sand castles while daydreaming about the creatures in the water and what it would be like to swim alongside them.
They pulled off the freeway a few minutes later, driving down an old road so far out of the way that it literally ran alongside the beach itself, separated from the water's edge by only a row of trees and a mere fifty or so feet of sand. Aside from the Jeep's headlights, the severe lack of illumination on the road had Kimberly feeling quite confused, and if she was honest with herself, a bit scared as well. She trusted Tommy completely, of course, but she could not seem to shake the feeling that this road was the start of a bad horror movie just waiting to happen.
Then the trees suddenly ended for a few feet, creating a space just wide enough for a vehicle to fit through, and Tommy made a hard turn right, driving right onto the beach and stopping just short of the water's edge. Tommy hastened to turn off his headlights, but before things went completely dark Kimberly was able to catch sight of a small motor boat bobbing in the water.
"The drive was just part of the journey, I see," said Kimberly, smiling brightly.
Tommy looked at her and nodded before turning in his seat and hopping out onto the beach. Kimberly barely had time to open her door before he had appeared at her side, offering her his hand which she took with a gracious smile.
"That's for not letting me open the door for you when we left," said Tommy, winking as he helped her out of the Jeep.
Kimberly just laughed as their hands dropped, fingers interlocking as Tommy led them towards the boat. "So who does the boat belong to?" asked Kimberly.
"Father of a friend," Tommy answered cryptically, but when Kimberly gave him a glare he decided that he could at least spare her one small detail. "It's Alan Collin's, Wes's dad. Only a few people even know about this place."
"Well you're just full of connections, aren't you?" Kimberly replied, she and Tommy sharing a laugh as they reached the boat.
"Alright, easy does it," said Tommy, carefully helping her inside. Once she was seated safely in the boat, he took off his shoes and socks and handed them off to her, then rolled up his pants to just above his knees and started pushing the boat further into the water. When he was knee-deep in the salty water he came alongside of the boat and attempted to throw himself in, grimacing after his hip hit the edge, causing him to spill inside and land hard on his butt, clearly to Kimberly's delight and amusement.
Laughing heartily, Kimberly clapped and said, "Encore, Tommy, encore! A move so graceful even Bulk and Skull would be proud!"
Tommy rolled his eyes, pushing himself onto his feet and muttering something intentionally incoherent as he proceeded to the motor at the back of the boat. After a few tugs on the pull-string he was able to bring the engine to life with a tremendous roar. He turned back and looked at Kimberly, wearing an all-too-proud expression as he headed to the controls in front.
"Hang on!" he yelled to her over the rumbling engine.
"What?" Kimberly shouted, unable to hear him. Unfortunately, Tommy was already thrusting the throttle into gear, the boat springing forward with a great jerk that threw Kimberly out of her seat and onto her back.
Craning his neck, Tommy looked down at her and winked. "I told you to hang on, Kim."
With a look that said she had every intention of violently murdering him as soon as they had reached dry land, Kimberly crawled back to her seat and did not say a word for the rest of the ride. By the time she noticed that they were approaching a small island, though, her frustration had died significantly.
"Is that a house?" questioned Kimberly, pointing towards the island with a confused yet intrigued expression. Tommy just nodded, forcing her to continue by asking, "Is that Wes's dad's as well?"
Again, Tommy nodded, but this time also said, "Yeah, this is where we came to celebrate after the moon mission. It took damn near two hours to shuttle all twenty of us back and forth in this tiny ass boat, but damn!, the party was so worth it."
Kimberly furrowed her brow as Tommy killed the engine, allowing the boat to slowly drift in its final approach to the twenty-thousand square-foot private island and the house that occupied half that space. "Twenty?" she asked, visibly curious. "I thought there were only ten of you."
"There were, but Aurico obviously didn't come, so there were only nine Reds, but most of us had Ranger girlfriends that came and a few other Rangers tagged along as well," said Tommy.
With an Oh-I-Get-It expression Kimberly nodded, but also appeared slightly disappointed as she replied, "I wish I could have been there. I mean, I see Kat and she has all these great friendships with Ranger girls from all these different teams, and I don't even know who any of them are. I'm the original Pink Ranger, but I couldn't pick out any other Pink in a lineup except for Kat."
Tommy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as they reached the water's edge. "If you really want to meet some of the girls I'm sure I could introduce you. Most of them are just as passionate about being Rangers as the guys, and I bet that they would all love to meet the first Pink Ranger."
Kimberly grinned. "You really think so?" she asked, taking Tommy's helping hand and rising to her feet.
"Yeah, I do," he answered, leading her to the edge of the boat before hopping back into the water. He held out his arms and motioned for her to come closer; once she was with in reach, Tommy hoisted her off her feet and carried her bridal-style until they had reached the sand.
"What are we doing here, Tommy?" Kimberly asked as he set her down, watching him wade back into the water to retrieve his shoes and socks.
With footwear in hand, Tommy padded back towards her and answered, "Spending a romantic weekend away from the real world."
Back on dry land he ignored the confused look on Kimberly's face while he approached her, using one arm to sweep her against his chest as he haphazardly disposed of his socks and shoes in the sand behind her. Before she could say anything he was kissing her passionately, and for the briefest of moments Kimberly did not know what was happening, but then suddenly it all became very clear and she was kissing him back just as intensely, their lips clashing hot as he led them towards the house.
Only when the need to breathe became overwhelming did she tear her lips away, breathing heavily as she murmured, "I didn't pack any clothes."
"Neither did I," Tommy whispered, winking at her as they stopped at the front door, using his free hand to retrieve his key ring from his pants pocket. "Let's just say that everything we need for the weekend is here and leave it at that."
"I take it that doesn't include a wardrobe?" Kimberly questioned, raising her brow as Tommy reached behind her to unlock the door.
"Robes, maybe; wardrobe, no," he replied, pushing the door—and themselves—inside the house. He flipped the lights on and released his hold on Kimberly, allowing her to step back and take a good look at where they would be spending the rest of their weekend. "Have a look around," he continued, drifting off down a long stretch of shiny hardwood floor. "I have something to take care of in the kitchen."
Kimberly said nothing, barely able to nod as she looked around at the foyer with her mouth agape in disbelief. It was easily the most gorgeous house she had ever seen, and she had decided that after only seeing the entrance room with its maroon and gold walls, gilded mirrors, and many handsome paintings.
She wandered along aimlessly for quite some time, losing track of it entirely in just a matter of a few minutes. Every kind of room she could imagine was in this house: there was an entire sports wing with an indoor regulation sized basketball court and Olympic sized swimming pool, three-lane bowling alley, and a billiard room; ten bedrooms, each with their own bathroom and designed in various color schemes, each more beautiful than the one before it; there was even a home theatre only, instead of the rows of standard uncomfortable chairs, the progressive incline to the top of the room was occupied by leather recliners and couches.
By the time she had made it to the kitchen she had only seen half of the house and was so in awe of it that she failed to notice Tommy standing behind her. Luckily, he had seen her and was able to take hold of her around the waist just before she had stumbled into him. "Gotta watch where you're going there," he murmured into her ear, releasing her and smiling as she turned around to face him.
"This place is amazing," she breathed, Tommy laughing and nodding. "Wes's dad must really be loaded."
"Yeah, you could say that," Tommy replied, taking Kimberly's hands, pulling her deeper into the kitchen as he added, "Dinner's ready."
"Already?" said Kimberly, clearly surprised. "Have we been here that long?"
"Little over an hour and a half," Tommy answered, Kimberly's eyes going wide in disbelief. Laughing heartily, he continued, "It's easy to get lost in this house, huh? Imagine how great this place would be for a house party."
Kimberly chuckled and shook her head. "I don't even want to think about the kind of trouble that you boys got into here."
Tommy just laughed right along with her and a short while later they were seated on the back patio overlooking the beach, feasting on a delicious candlelit meal of: chicken marsala, wild rice, fresh steamed vegetables, piping hot French bread, and a bottle of Italian Chianti from 1950 that Kimberly was certain had to be worth at least a thousand dollars—in reality it was closer to two thousand dollars, though Tommy would never tell her that of course.
At one point in the meal Kimberly's curiosity got the better of her, and as she stabbed at a piece of chicken with her fork, she murmured, "This is so incredible, Tommy. I-I don't really know what to say. I mean, this was so out of left field. What brought this all on?"
Smiling, Tommy shrugged and said, "We've been going a mile a minute since you moved in: working, trying to get everything planned for the wedding, and all that. I figured we could use a weekend away from all that stuff, you know? Just you, me, the ocean, and this huge freaking house, with no one here to interrupt us."
Kimberly laughed. "No ulterior motive whatsoever?"
"I don't know," Tommy answered, shrugging helplessly once more. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"
Rolling her eyes, Kimberly said, "Waiting and seeing isn't exactly my favorite thing in the world to do, Tommy."
Tommy grinned. "I know," he replied, rising to his feet and offering his hands to Kimberly. "Come on, let's go take a walk."
Getting the suspicious feeling that this walk would inevitably lead to at least a portion of this surprise, Kimberly took his hands and allowed Tommy to pull her onto her feet. Barefoot and-in-hand they walked across the patio, down the steps, and onto the beach, approaching the shoreline in silence. Only when they had reached the water's edge, walking alongside it with the waves crashing just feet away from them, did Tommy speak once more.
"Okay, so obviously I didn't just bring you here for a quiet getaway," he murmured, Kimberly looking up at him with a bright smile. Sadly though, just as he was about to continue speaking he felt Kimberly's leg collide with his, and then the next moment they were both falling to the ground. Mid-tumble he was somehow able to turn and grab hold of her waist, pulling her around so that she landed on top of him, saving her from most of the impact.
Hovering over him, Kimberly looked down at Tommy and they locked eyes, simply staring at each other for many a silent moment. Then, without warning, both started to laugh and Tommy pulled her into a playful hug that saw them roll topsy-turvy in the sand, alternating positions and unknowingly growing closer to the water with each roll. They were moving so fast that it took both a little while to recognize that their clothes were dampening more and more by the second, but by that point it was too late. A relatively large wave came crashing against the shoreline, drenching them instantly and completely.
Not surprisingly, Tommy was visibly caught off guard, and stared down at Kimberly with his mouth agape, dripping water from every inch of soaked clothing, skin, and hair. "Did that really just happen?" he asked in a near whisper.
Kimberly simply nodded her head, biting down hard on her lip as she looked up at him while trying desperately not to smile at his expense. The sight of Tommy hovering over her, soaking wet, was undeniably sexy, making her want nothing more than to take him right then and there. At this point, her cardinal urges were simply too much to overcome; with one quick motion she had seized Tommy around the neck, pulling his lips to hers in a kiss driven by her desire to have him as soon as possible.
The waves continued to crash around them as they kissed, though much calmer than the one that had caused their initial wetness. With one hand in Kimberly's hair, Tommy slowly moved his hand towards his pocket, deciding that the speech he had planned out was no longer necessary. He fiddled inside his pocket for a few moments, and then regretfully pulled his lips away, gazing into her eyes with a wry grin as he showed her what he had retrieved. Kimberly's eyes went wide in disbelief, her right hand flying to her gaping mouth for Tommy had seized her left wrist, rendering that hand useless as he kissed the tip of her fourth finger.
"This is for you," Tommy murmured, slipping onto her finger the most beautiful ring she had ever laid eyes on.
Tears flooded her eyes as she stared at the ring, her body paralyzed in shock at what she was seeing. The band was eighteen carat hold, triple-crowned with a two carat Leo diamond that glimmered iridescently in the shining moonlight.
As her senses started to come back to her, Kimberly was barelu able to hoarsely choke out, "Tommy." Blinking her tears away rapidly she smiled brightly, shook her head, and grinned from ear to ear as she added, "You are amazing. I love you so much."
"I love you too," Tommy replied, kissing her softly. "I take it you like the ring?"
Smiling down at her as Kimberly admired the ring, Tommy gave her just enough time to nod her head once and then he was kissing her again, this time with the passion they had been showing minutes earlier. The beach would be but the first of many locations where the pair would make love this weekend, a weekend that both would remember for many years to come.
--
Time seemed to fly by without notice in the following months, and before either of them had time to realize it, it was already the new year. They had spent their first holidays together in years, almost all of it with Tommy's side of the family seeing as how her mother still lived in France and she had not spoken to her father in nearly a decade. Even so she was welcomed with nothing but open arms by the Oliver family, finding herself right at home as she shared in their many holiday traditions.
Never in her life had Kimberly felt so wonderful than she had these past few months with Tommy, and it was with those thoughts in mind that she found herself staring at him from across their kitchen table one Saturday morning in January, a smile plastered on her face as she watched him reading a newspaper, his own face hidden behind the spread out pages of the Reefside Gazette.
"You're staring," Tommy commented, his wry grin going unnoticed thanks to the newspaper.
Kimberly's eyes went wide, wondering how in the world he could have possibly known that she had been staring at him without being able to see her. "No, I'm not," she lied, hastily immersing herself in the myriad of paperwork resting on the table in front of her. "I'm just trying to go over all this stuff for the wedding. You haven't even bothered to rent tuxes yet, and it's going to be April before you know it."
Tommy calmly folded the newspaper up and set it on the table, smiling at Kimberly as he did so. "It's the middle of January, Beautiful. I'll be fine as long as it's taken care of by the end of March," he replied, taking a sip from his coffee mug. "Besides, it's a lot harder to get five guys together to get measured for tuxedos than it is to get five girls together to try on dresses."
"Five?" Kimberly replied, shaking her head. "Try three, Tommy: Aisha, Trini, and Adriana."
"Jason and Adam are going to look pretty goofy then, walking up and down the aisle by themselves. Maybe they can go on each other's arms," supplied Tommy, chuckling. "I know you don't feel like you're all that close with Kat and Tanya, but I think they'd both be tickled pink if you asked them to be in the wedding. I mean, we are the original Power Couple, right?" he continued, sharing a laugh with Kimberly, who nodded as he added, "It just wouldn't seem right without them, you know? At least not to me, anyway."
A tiny sigh escaped Kimberly's lips. The truth of the matter was that she had been thinking about asking Katherine to be a bridesmaid for awhile now, especially seeing as how the only reason there was going to be a wedding at all was due to her and Jason, but she simply had not had the time to ask, mostly because things had been so damn hectic between dealing with the stresses of regular life, compounded with the recent holidays, while also trying to plan a wedding at the same time.
"I'll call Kat in a little bit and ask her," said Kimberly.
Tommy nodded. "And Tanya?" he questioned, raising a curious eyebrow.
"Well, I can't really have every other Ranger girl be a bridesmaid and not ask her to do it as well, can I?" Kimberly replied, Tommy chuckling as he shook his head. "So I guess I'll call her after I call Kat."
"Just think of it as saving Adam and Jason from being the Ambiguously Gay Duo on our wedding day," said Tommy, grinning triumphantly as Kimberly, in the midst of taking a drink of coffee, snorted into her cup.
With that, Tommy returned to his newspaper, while Kimberly began perusing the wedding paperwork with much more diligence than she had been prior to being caught staring at him. She looked at all the plans and figures with a smile on her face, all because of the man seated across from her, whom she knew without a doubt would not abandon her on the day of their wedding. The smile, however, quickly disappeared when she laid eyes on the guest list, replaced by a sad expression upon noticing a missing name.
"I really wish my dad was going to be coming," she murmured, attempting to bite back the flurry of emotions coursing through her.
"I know, Kim," Tommy replied, folding up the newspaper and returning it to the table once more, "But you didn't even send him an invitation."
"Because I know he wouldn't have said yes even if I had," said Kimberly, shaking her head. "Hell, he probably wouldn't have even said no. I bet he would've completely ignored the invitation just like he did the last time."
Tommy sighed deeply, not really sure what to say. It saddened him to know that Kenneth Hart's absence made her so upset, but at the same time he could not think of anything he could do to help her. Foot rubs, massages, and sweet whispered nothings worked quite well after she had had a bad day at work, but he severely doubted their ability to ease her tension now. In fact, he could only think of one thing in the entire world that could possibly make her feel better.
And that's when it hit him.
Suppressing the urge to smile, he quietly rose to his feet as Kimberly asked, "Where are you going?"
"Potty break," Tommy replied, earning a small laugh from Kimberly as he turned for their bedroom. He did not, however, go to the restroom as stated, instead stopping at Kimberly's side of the bed and retrieving her charging phone from the nightstand. Less than a minute later he had what he wanted, dialing a number on his own cell phone as he slipped through the sliding glass door that led to the backyard. He listened patiently as the line rang, until finally a female voice answered on the other end. Tommy just smiled and said, "Yeah, hi, can I speak to Ken Hart, please?"
--
"I feel like such an idiot," Kimberly grumbled, two weeks later, unable to see anything as Tommy held her arm, guiding her to whatever their destination was. So far, the only hint that she had been given was that they were outside, evidenced by the calm, evening breeze blowing ever so gently across her face. "Remind me again why I have to be blindfolded for this?"
Tommy smiled and answered patiently, even though she had already asked the same question at least half a dozen times already. "Because I don't want you to see what it is until we're there. Just be patient, I promise it's only a little bit further."
"You said that ten minutes ago, Tommy," Kimberly replied, reaching up for the blindfold with her free hand only to have it immediately seized by Tommy.
"Uh-uh," Tommy murmured admonishingly, shaking his head slowly. "You do that and you won't get to see the surprise."
Kimberly rolled her eyes beneath the black bandana that covered them. "I was just trying to scratch my eye through the blindfold, thank you very much," she innocently lied, Tommy chuckling while not believing her for a second.
"Uh-huh, sure, I bet," said Tommy, shaking his head again as they came to a stop. "Alright, this is it."
Grinning as Tommy's hand brushed her cheek on its way to the blindfold, Kimberly suddenly no longer felt irritation at her eyes being covered, but a clear sense of nervousness and excited anticipation for whatever it was that was about to be revealed to her. Obviously, since Tommy had gone to the trouble of blindfolding her, she knew that it had to be something big; not necessarily in size, but at least in meaning.
Then the blindfold was gone and she saw nothing, merely that they were in the parking lot of a fifteen-story office building that she had never seen before. Before she could speak, however, Tommy slowly turned her around and suddenly Kimberly had lost the ability to stand entirely, her legs giving way as she latched onto Tommy's arm with tears in her eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing. It had been more years than she cared to count, but the time apart became nonexistent when she set her sights on her father, standing less than fifteen feet away from she and Tommy.
"Daddy?" Kimberly whispered, her ring-bearing hand going to her mouth in shock, instantly doubting that this was indeed reality and not just one of the hundreds of dreams that she had had over the years about reuniting with her estranged father.
"Princess," Kenneth Hart murmured, his emotions visibly conflicted as his upper lip quivered slightly beneath his salt and pepper moustache.
"W-what are you doing here?" questioned Kimberly, the tears in her eyes threatening to fall at any given moment.
Mr. Hart half-smiled. "I think that's a question for Tommy," he replied, nodding his head in the direction of the former White Ranger.
With wide eyes, Kimberly turned her head to look up at Tommy, wearing a look of disbelief on her face. "You did this?" she asked, Tommy smiling and nodding. Swallowing hard, she continued softly, "Why?"
"You said you were upset that he wasn't going to be coming to the wedding," Tommy answered, putting his arm around Kimberly's shoulder, pulling her against his side. "Now you can ask him yourself."
Swallowing once more, Kimberly nodded slowly and then, without warning, took off running towards her father. She all but launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck as she clung to him with every ounce of strength that her tiny body could possibly hope to muster.
Mr. Hart, however, did not immediately reciprocate the hug, instead looking over her shoulder through tear-filled eyes at Tommy, as though waiting for some type of confirmation that it was okay to hug his daughter back. Truthfully, after going almost ten years without seeing her, a guilty Mr. Hart felt like he had lost the right to hug her quite some time ago; but Tommy just smiled and nodded, watching proudly as Kimberly and Mr. Hart both burst into tears as soon as his hands had found their way around her slim waist.
For what seemed like hours—though it had really only been a few minutes—Tommy merely stood there, more than willing to be a casual bystander to this emotional reunion that he himself had arranged. When their extended embrace had finally ended, Mr. Hart set his daughter down and took her face in his hands, placing a gentle kiss to the center of her forehead.
"I am so sorry for abandoning you, Princess," Mr. Hart croaked, smiling through watery eyes as he brushed some stray hair from her face. "When your mother and I got divorced, I knew it was my fault, and as selfish as it sounds, there came a point where I just couldn't bear to see you or your brother anymore because of what I had done to our family. I know you can't forgive me overnight, but—"
"It doesn't matter," said Kimberly firmly, shaking her head fiercely with eyes just as teary as her father's, whom she hugged tightly once more. With her face buried against his chest, she continued, "None of it matters anymore. All that matters is that you're here now."
"I love you so much, Kimberly," said Mr. Hart, looking over her shoulder at Tommy once again. This time, though, it was Mr. Hart who smiled; a bright smile that conveyed all the thanks his words would never be able to do.
"I love you too, Daddy," Kimberly murmured, relishing the fact that he still wore the same musky cologne he had worn throughout her childhood, a scent she had never been particularly fond of until this very moment. Pulling back slightly, Kimberly looked up at Mr. Hart and said, "I want you to be there when Tommy and I get married, and I also want you to be the one to walk me down the aisle."
"I-I couldn't," Mr. Hart replied, shaking his head. "I don't deserve to, Princess. Certainly Jason, or Zachary, or B—"
Kimberly shook her head. "No, it has to be you," she countered adamantly. "When I walk down that aisle, there is no arm I'd rather be on than yours. Please, Daddy, just say that you'll do it for me."
Looking down at her, Mr. Hart brushed the back of his hand against her cheek gently and murmured, "I was never very good at saying no to you when you wanted something, was I?"
Stifling a giggle, Kimberly shook her head once more. "So you'll do it, then?"
Mr. Hart smiled and nodded. "It would be an honor to walk you down the aisle, Kimberly, especially to a young man who loves you as much as Tommy does."
Grinning, Kimberly looked back at Tommy briefly, and as she brought her eyes back to her father she murmured, "Sometimes, I still wonder how I got so lucky. I've never been this in love before, Daddy."
"And I'm very happy for you, sweetie," said Mr. Hart, brushing another kiss to her forehead. "Now, Princess, I really must be going. I have a big presentation in the morning and they," he continued, jerking his thumb towards the large office building where he worked, "will never let me hear the end of it if it's anything less than absolutely perfect."
"You work here? Are you still doing advertising?" asked Kimberly, Mr. Hart nodding to both of her questions. "Will you call me when you have some free time, so we can catch up and everything before the wedding?"
"Of course, Princess," answered Mr. Hart, smiling down at his daughter. "How does dinner this weekend sound?"
"That sounds great," Kimberly replied, beaming ever so brightly. "I'll talk to Tommy and then call you, okay?"
Mr. Hart smiled and nodded, hugging Kimberly one last time as he bade her farewell, though he did not head for any of the few cars that still remained in the nearly deserted parking lot. Instead, he went straight for Tommy with an outstretched hand.
"Thank you so much, Tommy," Mr. Hart murmured, shaking Tommy's hand firmly. "What you've done here tonight…I can't—" he tried, choking on his words.
Quickly sensing that Mr. Hart was about to have another emotional breakdown, Tommy hastily interjected. "You don't have to thank me, Mr. Hart. In fact, I'd prefer it if you didn't," he said with a laugh, adding, "Just promise me that you won't let Kimberly go another ten years without seeing her father."
"I have no intention of ever going that long without seeing my daughter again," said Mr. Hart, releasing his hold on Tommy's hand as he heard Kimberly's approaching footsteps. Turning back around, he looked at Kimberly and smiled, opening his arms wide as he added, "Goodbye, Princess."
"Bye, Daddy," Kimberly murmured, stepping into his embrace, holding onto him for as long as she could, until Mr. Hart regretfully released her. She watched as he turned to walk away, falling back and seeking the comfort of Tommy's awaiting arms, continuing to stare at her father until his blue sports car had disappeared from sight completely. Then she looked up at Tommy and smiled, her eyes brimming with tears once more. "I love you so much, Tommy. I can't even begin to describe how much this means to me."
"I love you too, Beautiful," Tommy replied, his hands rubbing up and down her back, his chin resting atop her head. "And I'm glad you're so happy. I honestly wasn't sure how you'd react after not seeing him for so long, you know? I thought you might be mad that I called him and set this little meeting up without your permission."
"Never," Kimberly whispered, nuzzling her face against his chest. "This is the most incredible thing that anyone has ever done for me. I mean, I really thought I was going to go the rest of my life never seeing him again. What I'm feeling right now…you have no idea what you've done for me, Tommy. I just hope Jason isn't too disappointed when he hears the news."
Tommy chuckled slightly and said, "You know, I don't really think he's going to be too busted up over it to be honest, seeing as how it saves him from having to pull double duty with all of his Best Man stuff too."
Kimberly laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right," she murmured, stepping out of Tommy's embrace, her hands immediately seizing his. "Come on, let's go home so I can show you how thankful I really am."
Grinning, Tommy just nodded and allowed Kimberly to lead the way, pulling him off towards where his Jeep sat at the opposite end of the parking lot. Walking hand-in-hand, Kimberly rested her head against his arm and smiled softly to herself, reminded once again by Tommy that there were still good men left in this world.
--
They were now just a little less than one month away from their April wedding, and Kimberly simply could not believe the downright terrible luck that she had been having these past few days. Currently hunched over the toilet on her knees, flu-like did not even begin to describe how she was presently feeling, nor did it help matters any that Tommy was stuck at work while she felt like she might keel over and die at any given moment. Okay, she might have been overreacting with the whole dying thing, but dammit, she wanted him at home, with her, holding her hair back for her while she vomited, gently rubbing her back and whispering to her that everything was indeed going to be okay.
It was now two o'clock on Thursday afternoon and she had yet to go to work this week, although she had tried on Monday only to turn back just ten minutes after leaving the house, her stomach a gurgling mess that made her sick at the mere thought of trying to do flips and cartwheels for nine hours a day. She felt utterly useless, to be quite honest, and even a bit guilty that Tommy was running around like a chicken with its head cut off at her expense.
When she had fallen ill Tommy had seized control brilliantly, taking on the task of sorting out some rather complicated last minute wedding details while rushing home every day on his lunch break just to check on her, not to mention all the times he had gone out at her request—to video, grocery, and drug stores alike—all in the name of trying to make her feel as close to comfortable as she could possibly be at the moment.
His performance this week had been better than she ever could have imagined, though deep down she knew his efforts were futile, at least when it came to her well being. Kimberly knew her body well, knew that this was not just some common cold or flu bug; this was much, much more than that.
Once she had ridden her body of what little nourishment she had been able to consume on Tommy's lunch hour, she slowly pushed back onto her feet and proceeded to brush her teeth before trudging back into the bedroom, crawling under the sheets and pulling them up to her neck, gripping them tightly as knowing tears started to fill her eyes. The answer had been there from the beginning, but up until now she had chosen to ignore it. Flipping onto her side, she gathered her phone from the nightstand and dialed the only person she wanted to speak to at the moment.
"Hey Kim," said Trini cheerfully, once the line had clicked, but the first Yellow Ranger's pleasantness disappeared when she heard Kimberly sniffling loudly. "Kim, what's wrong, sweetie?" she continued, but still there was nothing. "Kim, what's going on? Talk to me."
"I need you to come over, Trini, as soon as possible," Kimberly replied, stifling the urge to bawl right then and there.
"Kim, I'm kind of in the middle of work here—"
"Please, Trini, I need you," said Kimberly, firmly.
There was a long pause on the Trini's end of the line, then a sigh, followed by, "I, uh, I guess I can be there in forty-five minutes or so, but will you please tell me what's wrong so I at least know what to expect when I get there?"
Kimberly shook her head, despite the fact that she knew Trini could not see her. "No, I-I can't," she answered, her voice a hoarse whisper. "Just…please get here as soon as you possibly can, okay?"
"Okay," said Trini, though her dislike for the lack of information regarding this situation was evident in her voice. "I'm leaving in five."
After a thank you and goodbye, Kimberly returned the cell phone to her nightstand and then huddled beneath the sheets once more. Some two hours later she and Trini stood silently in the master bathroom, staring at each other in disbelief; but just as Kimberly was about to speak, Tommy's voice reached their ears from the front of the house, announcing to Kimberly that he was home while apologizing for being late due to a spur of the moment faculty meeting as he approached their bedroom.
"Kim, where are you?" said Tommy, upon seeing that their bed was empty. Looking around the room, his eyes fell on the closed bathroom door and the faint light creeping out from underneath it. Realizing that she was most likely throwing up again, he headed for the door and turned the handle only to discover that it was locked from the inside. "Kim," he continued, knocking lightly, "can you let me in, please?"
For nearly two minutes he waited, staring at the door in silence, not a single sound coming from behind it. When finally it opened, he was caught off guard to see that it was Trini who had done it, a teary-eyed smile on her face as she looked to Tommy and said, "I think you can go in now."
"What's going on?" asked Tommy, his head swiveling to follow Trini as she started to move passed him.
"Oh, I'll let Kim tell you. Bye Tommy," Trini replied, waving over her shoulder en route to the bedroom door.
Furrowing his brow, Tommy slowly turned around and entered the bathroom, his concern becoming evident the second he saw Kimberly sitting atop the toilet, holding her legs with her chin resting on her knees, the same knees her face was buried against. "Kim, sweetheart, what's wrong?" he questioned as he walked towards her, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder..
"I'm scared, Tommy," Kimberly whimpered, unable to meet his eyes. "I'm scared to death and I don't have half a clue what to do."
Lowering himself down to one knee, Tommy took her hands and murmured, "Just tell me what's wrong, Beautiful. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can get through it. What's the matter, are you feeling nervous about the wedding?"
Sniffling loudly, Kimberly shook her head. "No, it's not that," she replied, taking a very long and deep breath. "I-I'm," she stumbled, trying desperately to find the right words, only to nonsensically blurt out, "TommyI'mpregnant."
"What was that?" said Tommy, chuckling. "One more time, in English, please."
Finally raising her eyes, Kimberly stared deeply into Tommy's and, much more clearly, stated, "I'm pregnant, Tommy."
A loud thud came next, followed by Tommy grimacing in pain as he seized the knee that had just been elevated before his foot had slipped, his knee crashing into the hard linoleum floor as a result of his shock. Biting back the urge to punch something hard, like a wall, the same urge all men felt after doing something stupid like he had just done, Tommy returned his gaze to Kimberly and, very slowly, said, "You're pregnant?"
Kimberly nodded. "According to the stick I just peed on, I am."
Tommy breathed in deeply and held it that way for quite some time, not letting it out until he was back on his feet and running his hand through his hair. "Oh man, I can't believe this," he muttered calmly, looking around the room, everywhere but at Kimberly, making her feel like she had just delivered the most terrible of news; but then his eyes settled on Kimberly once more, and a wry grin crossed his lips as he exclaimed, "I'm going to be a dad! I can't believe it, I'm really going to be a dad!"
With that, the smile on Kimberly's face became just as bright as Tommy's. She should have known he would be happy, after all he had often made note of the fact that never knowing his blood parents only increased his desire to have a family of his own. His adoptive family was amazing, and he loved them all dearly, but he could hardly imagine a greater joy than starting his own family, evidenced by the smile on his face as he gently pulled Kimberly onto her feet.
"I take it you're happy, then?" said Kimberly, grinning against Tommy's chest as he embraced her warmly.
"Beautiful, I'm more than happy, I'm ecstatic," Tommy replied, pulling back just enough to kiss her forehead. "I can't believe this, first Ranger baby, you know," he continued, rambling on so fast it left Kimberly trying desperately to catch up. "Oh man, there are so many people I have to call: Mom and Dad; Sam and David; Jason and Kat; all the other Rangers! This is by far one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me!"
Kimberly was remiss to end his natural high. "Don't get too excited, Tommy. It's a home pregnancy test, and those can still be wrong. I'm going to need to call my OB/GYN to schedule an appointment in the next few days to confirm it."
Tommy, however, did not miss a beat. Only now noticing the three empty boxes on the sink counter, he seized them and asked, "Were all three positive?" Kimberly nodded and he added, "I'll take those odds, Kim."
Resting her head against his chest, Kimberly sighed and said, "Do you really think we're ready to be parents, Tommy? I mean, I don't think either one of us has the first clue of what it takes to raise a child."
"Neither do most parents when they have their first kid," Tommy replied, gently rubbing her back. "But we'll learn as we go along, and we'll get better with time. I've always wanted a family of my own, Kim, you know that as well as anybody; and, well…I'm ready if you are."
It did not take Kimberly long to find her answer, veiled as it was, delivering it as she slowly pulled herself from Tommy's embrace. "I think I'm gonna go call my doctor now."
--
And at last the day had arrived, a warm Saturday afternoon in April that could not have been more perfect if Tommy himself had been given full control over the weather. The sun was mild, no more than seventy degrees outside, exactly what Tommy was hoping for seeing as how this wedding was to occur outdoors. A sudden gentle breeze made him smile as he stood on the spacious lawn of one of Southern California's most exclusive country clubs in an all-white tuxedo, looking around at the many people seated before him: his parents, grandparents, and other assorted family of both he and Kimberly; Sam and David; Hayley and Dino Thunder Rangers, along with a multitude of other ex-Rangers as well, most of them Reds that he had served with on the moon mission with their fellow Ranger girlfriends and wives in tow.
That he was actually about to be marrying Kimberly after all these years was a fact that he still could hardly believe was real. It seemed like it had only been yesterday when she had come tumbling back into his life, though it had really been just over a year ago. They had gone through a lot throughout the past year, but it had all been worth it to get to this moment, mere minutes away from when Kimberly Hart, his fiancée, would become Kimberly Oliver, his wife.
And if that was not enough to have him grinning from ear to ear, there was also the fact that roughly seven months time would bring to him fatherhood, making him smile every time he thought about cradling a bundled up baby boy or girl in his arms; the child's gender did not matter, only that the child was his.
"This is it, bro, the big moment," Jason murmured, clasping Tommy on the shoulder, clad like all the other groomsmen in black tuxedos with ties and pocket squares that highlighted their various Ranger colors. "Are you ready for this?"
Exhaling deeply, Tommy looked back at Jason and nodded. "I've been waiting for this day since I was a kid, Jase, and now that it's here…let's just say I've never been more ready for anything in my life."
Jason smiled. "That's good, bro," he replied, releasing his hold on Tommy's shoulder with a pat. "That's real good. I know Kim's feeling the same way right now."
Tommy started to reply, but before he could get a single word out he was interrupted by the bridal march playing on the oversized speakers surrounding the crowd. All at once every head in attendance, including Tommy's, turned to face the country club's back door, waiting with baited breath for the bride to appear. When the doors finally opened and Kimberly stepped out on her father's suit-clad arm, it took Tommy a few moments of staring at her to realize that it was indeed his bride-to-be that he was looking at.
Her dress was vastly different than the one she had worn before, as was the way in which she had done her hair. The dress was a satin A-line halter with a floral lace pattern, accentuated with a pink ribbon just below her bust as well as in the veil flowing behind her head, while her hair remained straight, sleek and shiny as it bounced against her exposed back. Never in his life could Tommy recall a time where she had looked more beautiful than she did at that very moment, walking towards him with a smile on her face and a bouquet in her hands that was a cloud of pink and white baby's breath.
"Who gives this young woman to be married?" the casually-dressed minister asked, as Kimberly and her father came to a stop just feet in front of he and Tommy.
"I do, sir, her father. Her mother, too," Mr. Hart answered, indicating Caroline Dumas seated in the front row, beaming as he looked between Kimberly and the minister, then to Tommy. "She's all yours, son. Take care of her for me, okay?"
Smiling, Tommy nodded and said, "You have my word, sir." Then, reaching out to Kimberly, he took her hands and gently guided her around until they faced each other, the crowd to the left, the minister and wedding party on their right. "You look amazing, Beautiful."
"Thanks," Kimberly murmured, smiling brightly as she bit down ever so slightly on her bottom lip, relinquishing her hold on his hands to pass off to Trini—her once again, regretfully-pink-clad Maid of Honor—the bouquet, before slowly turning back to Tommy and adding, "You look pretty spiffy yourself."
Tommy winked and, turning to the minister, said, "I think we're ready, sir."
"Very well," said the blonde haired, goateed man, nodding as he stepped a few feet closer to them. Quietly clearing his throat, he addressed the crowd, "We are gathered here today on this beautiful afternoon to share and celebrate with Thomas and Kimberly as they exchange vows of their everlasting love for each other. Should anyone in attendance oppose this holiest and most sacred of unions, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."
In unison, the heads of Tommy and Kimberly swiveled to fact the crowd, both of them with looks that said any opposition to their marriage needed to be kept to whomever it belonged to. Many in the crowd chuckled at this, as did all of the wedding party, and even the minister as he nodded and pressed on.
"As Thomas and Kimberly take their vows today, we are all privileged to witness the joyous love of a new family, a family that will be nourished and nurtured through the devotion of two individuals growing together through the common bonds of love. An essential requirement for a good marriage is a strong bond of real friendship and trust. Thomas and Kimberly, your love for each other will only grow stronger and deeper with each passing day, but it is important for you both to remember that your love stands on a foundation of genuine, mutual affection and respect for one another. To truly love another person is to be willing to accept both their strong points and their weak points, with equal measures of understanding and respect.
"The vows you are about to exchange here will serve as a verbal representation of the emotions that are as real as any thing that can be seen, smelled, tasted, or touched. For it is not the words that you will speak today that will bond you both together as one, but the strength of the love and commitment found deep within your hearts and souls. At this time I'll ask you, Tommy, and you, Kimberly, to take each other's hands so that you may share the vows that you have written for each other."
Swallowing hard, Tommy smiled at an already teary-eyed Kimberly and said, "Many people don't believe that love at first sight exists, but from the moment you entered my life back in high school I knew that it did. For nearly ten years I have loved you, Kimberly Hart, even when I didn't want to. We've been to hell and back together more times than I think either one of us cares to count, and I'm sure there are at least a few people here with us today who never thought we'd actually make it this to this point, but even when we were apart I never stopped hoping that this day would eventually come for us.
"Our relationship has changed and evolved quite a bit over the years, as all relationships eventually do, but there has always been one constant for me and that is the undying love that I had, and will always have, for you. As your husband, Kimberly, I promise to be your partner in life, your best friend; to cherish your friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever; to trust and honor you, laugh and cry with you; to be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live."
Biting back the urge to cry, Kimberly took a few deep breaths as she prepared to deliver her own vows. Any fears she might have had, any reservations if this was the right thing to do, disappeared the second her doe brown eyes met the chocolate color of Tommy's. Then, without warning and for no apparent reason, she abandoned her vows completely.
"A few months ago I sat down and wrote some things, things I thought that I wanted to say to you today, but now that today is finally here and we're standing in front of each other about to be married, those words just don't feel like enough. Ink on a sheet of paper will never be able to do justice to how I feel about you, Tommy. I'm one of those people here today that thought we might not ever make it this far, but like you part of me never stopped hoping that this moment would someday come. You mean everything to me, Tommy, the one man I've been with who I know loves me unconditionally; and not just parts of me, but all of me.
"Standing here now, I can't help but look back on what it took for us to get here, and despite everything we've been through over the years I wouldn't change a thing because every moment, no matter how big or small, has helped shape us into the people we are today, people committed to a lifetime of loving each other. As your wife, Tommy, I promise to be your partner in life, your best friend; to cherish your friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever; to trust and honor you, laugh and cry with you; to be faithful through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live."
Quite a few sobs could be heard in the crowd, causing Tommy to smile slightly for he was certain that at least two of them belonged to his mother and Caroline Dumas. His eyes were just as teary as Kimberly's as he stroked the tops of her hands with his thumbs, waiting patiently for the minister to interject once more.
"I must say that those were beautiful vows, beautiful vows indeed," the minister finally spoke, smiling between Tommy and Kimberly. "Now, Jason," he continued, turning back to the best man, "the rings, if you please."
Jason nodded and hastily approached them, retrieving the rings from inside his jacket, which he then handed off to the minister prior to returning to his place with the rest of the groomsmen. Then the minister gave one of the rings to both Tommy and Kimberly, waiting until they had been exchanged before declaring, "Now, through the power invested in me by God and the State of California, it is my distinct honor and privilege to declare Thomas James Oliver and Kimberly Ann Hart man and wife. Thomas, as the old adage goes, you may kiss your bride."
Nodding silently, Tommy gently took her face in his hands and brushed a few stray tears away from her face as he whispered to her, "I've been waiting a long time to do this, Beautiful."
"You better make sure it counts then," Kimberly murmured, smiling for only a second before Tommy had captured her lips with every intention of doing exactly as she had requested of him.
In the moments that followed it became only the two of them, just Tommy and Kimberly, both of whom were blissfully uncaring to the fact that they were kissing passionately in front of at least a hundred other people, all of whom happened to be applauding thunderously; and why should they have cared? After all, this was their moment, one that they had both suffered through years of pain and heartbreak to get to.
When Tommy finally broke the kiss his cheeks were flushed, as were Kimberly's as they looked at each other and smiled. "I love you, Kim."
"I love you too, Tommy," Kimberly replied, unable to resist the urge to kiss him again.
"C'mon," said Tommy, still smiling as he turned towards the crowd and offered his arm to Kimberly.
She took his arm, and side-by-side they made their way down the white carpet that served as a makeshift aisle between the section of folding chairs on either side, music playing in the background though neither much cared what the tune was. Jason and Katherine were the first to follow, then Trini and Billy, Zack and Adriana, Adam and Aisha, and lastly Rocky and Aisha, all of them disappearing into a sectioned-off area of the clubhouse to sign documents and take pictures; Tommy and Kimberly's parents would be joining them for photographs shortly.
After being poked and prodded, shuffled around and told to stand straighter for nearly an hour Tommy had finally had enough, especially since most of the badgering was being done by his mother. It took another fifteen minutes to get the room cleared completely, leaving Tommy and Kimberly alone for the brief amount of time that they would have away from everyone else until much later that night.
"Just think, Beautiful," Tommy murmured, taking Kimberly's hands, whirling her around so that her back was pressed against his chest. Kimberly giggled in giddy delight, and even more so when Tommy pulled back some of her loose hair and kissed the nape of her neck before continuing, "This time tomorrow we'll be standing on the deck of the biggest cruise ship ever built, on our way to the Caribbean. No work, no cell phones, no annoying friends and family; just you and me."
Kimberly grinned. "I still can't believe they gave you the week after spring break off, too. I thought for sure that we were going to have to wait until the summer to go on our real honeymoon, and by then I am going to be way too fat to even think about wearing a two-piece in public!"
Tommy laughed. "Yeah, well, when your boss is an ex-general to a half-man half-dinosaur that tried to revert the world to prehistoric times, both of whose lives you saved, an extra week of vacation isn't exactly a hard favor to call in for. And to your other point, I don't care if you blow up like a balloon. You're going to be just as sexy then as you are now."
"You're not going to be saying that when my stomach's hanging over my waistline," Kimberly argued, unable to fathom what it was going to feel like to add an extra twenty-plus pounds to a frame that had never carried more than a hundred-and-seven.
"Yes, I am," Tommy replied, softly but firmly. "Just you wait and see; you're going to be the sexiest MILF-to-be on the block."
Giggling, Kimberly rolled her eyes slightly and said, "Well that's not really saying very much considering ours is the only house on the block, but I appreciate the sentiment anyway. Just promise me you won't get all grossed out and disgusted when my belly prevents you from getting within twenty feet of me."
"Oh, god, it's not gonna be that bad, Kim," said Tommy, laughing as he shook his head. "Besides, we've talked about this before. You're carrying my baby, Beautiful, our baby; there's nothing that could ever be even remotely disgusting about that. To be honest, I can't wait until you start to show more. I want everyone out there to know that the most beautiful woman in the world is about to become the mother of my child."
Slowly turning around to face him, Kimberly patted his cheek gently and said, "You're a good man, Tommy, and I know you're going to make an even better father." Tommy just smiled with the force of a thousand suns, unable to say anything as Kimberly eventually took it upon herself to continue, adding, "Come on, let's go parade ourselves in front of all those people out there that are waiting for us."
"I'd rather just stay in here with you until we have to leave for Long Beach tomorrow," Tommy replied, nonetheless allowing Kimberly to take his hand and lead the way.
"Yeah, me too, but dinner's out there and our bags are at home," said Kimberly, she and Tommy sharing a laugh as they exited one room and started towards another, this one blocked off by a lavish set of double doors with the country club manager standing in front of them.
"Wait here for just one moment please," said the older, gray-haired man, rushing through the doors and into the spacious reception hall. He returned less than two minutes later, and with a smile he silently beckoned Tommy and Kimberly into the room, just as Jason's voice reached them via microphone.
"Ladies and gentleman, for the first time—legally speaking of course, now that all the documents have been signed and everything—Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Oliver!"
As they entered the room to a rousing applause neither Tommy nor Kimberly could help but to laugh out loud at Jason's obviously ad-libbed introduction. They exchanged handshakes and hugs with as many well-wishers as possible en route to the head table, which ended up taking a lot longer to get to than either one of them could have expected. Eventually, though, they were able to reach their seats at the center of the table, Kimberly with her half of the wedding party on her right, Tommy with his half seated to his left.
For nearly an hour and a half they feasted and drank like royalty, laughing and joking casually with their friends while occasionally pausing to greet and thank those they had missed earlier, but whom still wished to offer their congratulations to the newlyweds. After the lavish three-tiered cake had been cut and served, and their dishes had all been cleared away, Tommy put his arm around Kimberly's shoulder, leaning in so that only she could hear him whisper, "I think it's about time for Jason to stand up and start crying."
Kimberly stifled a laugh just as Jason, as if on cue, rose to his feet with microphone in hand once more. Jason looked down at Tommy and Kimberly, smiling brightly as he turned to face the crowd, tapping the microphone to get their attention. Only when everyone was absolutely silent and giving him their full focus did he speak.
"So, um, I'm not sure how many of you out there actually know who I am, but my name's Jason Scott and for as long as I can remember I've had the privilege of calling Tommy and Kim two of my best friends in the world; Tommy I've known since we were sophomores in high school, Kim since I was old enough to realize how funny it was to watch her freak out after finding one of the fake spiders I'd hidden in the sandbox back when we were in kindergarten."
Quite a few people laughed at that, Kimberly rolling her eyes playfully as Jason blinked away some newfound tears and continued on with his speech.
"Needless to say, I've been there for quite a bit over the years, not all of it good, either. Some of you here tonight will never fully be able to understand exactly what these two people went through to reach this point in their lives. They've fought tooth and nail, and dealt with more crap in a decade than most couple's will experience in a lifetime. To see my two best friends sitting here now, married after everything they have been through together, makes me happier than any words could ever express. I want to offer you both my congratulations, and my hope that each year going forward will be even better than the one before it. You guys deserve all the happiness that this world has to offer, and I'm so glad that you have found that happiness with each other…hopefully for good this time."
Jason chuckled at his own joke, which went over the heads of many in attendance who did not know all of the detailed history between the newlyweds, while Kimberly turned her head to Tommy and muttered, "Remind me to kick his ass for that one."
"Right after I'm done with him," Tommy murmured, through his teeth-clenched smile.
After a few more words Jason returned to his seat, and it was not long after that when the disc jockey responsible for the last two hour's worth of music was requesting their presence on the dance floor. Though he dreaded the thought of being the center of everyone's attention, especially when it involved him dancing, Tommy swallowed his pride and went without complaint as Kimberly led the way.
"Don't worry," she whispered instinctively, swiveling her head to face Tommy. "They're all going to be looking at me, anyway."
Tommy laughed quietly and said, "Yeah, well then you better hope that I don't step on your toes any time in the next five minutes."
"Do it and it's going to be a loooong time before we consummate this marriage," Kimberly replied teasingly, she and Tommy sharing a laugh as they reached the center of the dance floor. Then the room went dark, replaced moments later by a single, powerful light raining down on them from the ceiling.
"Spotlight…freaking awesome," muttered Tommy sarcastically, shaking his head. He could have performed a very detailed, complicated kata in front of thousands, but just the thought of being watched by a measly hundred people as he and Kimberly shared their first dance as newlyweds was enough to have his heart thumping nervously against his chest.
As soon as their chosen song started playing, however, he felt every ounce of nervousness and anxiety instantly flee his body. His arms then found their away around Kimberly's petite waist, hers slipping around his neck while once more they both became oblivious to the crowd of people who were watching them, this time as they slow danced to "It's Your Love," by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, a song that would now forever be engraved in their memories of this wonderful occasion.
By the time the song had ended, Tommy was beyond proud of himself for having not even grazed Kimberly's feet once throughout the entire dance. They ended their first dance with a kiss and some more applause, followed by the lights returning as the DJ encouraged everyone else to join Tommy and Kimberly on the dance floor.
For what seemed to be an eternity they continued to dance, exchanging partners more times than Tommy could ever even hope to remember, having lost track somewhere in between Katherine, Kimberly's mother, Aisha, and his grandmother on his father's side of the family, the latter of whom he had found quite a bit of trouble keeping up with during their dance despite the fact that she was already well into her eighties.
Eventually, little by little the guests started to disappear as it grew later into the night, until only the absolute closest of family and friends remained with Tommy and Kimberly. Alas, there came a point where even those that they were closet to had become like the proverbial fifth-wheel, both Tommy and Kimberly wanting nothing more than to be alone with each other after being paraded around like common circus attractions all night long.
As they drove home in Tommy's Corvette a short while later, Kimberly found herself desperately suppressing the urge to throw caution to the wind and have her way with him right then and there. What prevented her from possibly risking both of their lives, though, was the profound knowledge that she now had a lifetime's worth of happiness and having her way with Tommy to look forward to. After all, they were married now; he, unlike Jeff, had not left her at the altar.