"Oh my god..." Kim stared in shock at the computer screen, "Jack! Jack! Come here! Quick!" She could hardly believe what she was reading. In her weekly update from Jordan she had just read the most disturbing news.
"I'm here," Jack ran up," what's wrong babe?"
"It's mim! She is in the hospital. For... For self harm..." She was shocked. What happened to her baby that made her do this to herself, what did Jordan do?
"Oh my god."Jack was just as shocked. Just wait until his little-well big now- daughter got to them. They would protect her and make sure nothing like this ever happened again.
"Kim, what exactly happened?"
"Apparently mim has been self harming for months now. It started after Jordan was sent to the hospital for ...anorexia? Jordan was anorexic? What the heck! How did we not know this?"
A very pissed of Kim asked
"I don't know babe. Just wait. Two more weeks and we will have out precious girl back." Jack assured her
"It's been too long already," Kim laid her head on Jack, "I need my baby girl back."
"I know babe,"Jack kissed her forehead," we're almost there, babe. Soon we will have our little girl in out arms again."
"What if she is...messed up? I mean she cuts herself!" Kim looked him in the eyes, "she was raised by an anorex-oh wait. Jack I'm sorry."
Jack looked away. Obviously, Kim had overlooked the fact that Jack had struggled with anorexia in his past. He pulled away from Kim and stood up.
"Kim, it doesn't matter if our daughter were straight up crazy we would love her anyway! She is our daughter! Parents love unconditionally! You can't determine your love for her based on simple things like that! Besides, she is not crazy or messed up, kim, she's hurting! If you don't like her because of her problems then you can leave and let me be the father and parent she needs me to be. Obviously, she is hurting. Otherwise she wouldn't do this! Jeese, Kim, you of all people. You've always been the one to love through it all. Why not her? Kim, Love her. She's your daughter. Love her because she needs you to. She needs you."
Kim was ashamed .
Dammit, Kim, she thought to herself, you always forget to filter.
"Look, Jack, "she stood up, too ashamed to look him in the eyes," I'm sorry. You're right. She needs love. That's what parents do, they love unconditionally. I'm really sorry, I'm a bad girlfriend. I never think about what I'm saying before I say it. I was so very wrong. I'm sorry." Tears clouded her eyes. The sight of his heartbroken girlfriend made his anger dissipate and he gathered her into his arms.
"Hey now, Kim, I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just really sensitive about that. Forgive me?" He kissed her forehead
"Only if you'll forgive me..." She looked up at him
He kissed her.
"So that's a yes?" She smiled
He kissed her again,"yes... I love you" he smiled
"I love you too" she laid her head down on his chest and they enjoyed each other's embrace as they dreamed about their daughter.
Two weeks later mim reluctantly packed up her suitcase and Jordan and she got on a plane for seaford, California. Their plans were to meet Kim and Jack at the airport and go to dinner, all four of them. As they landed at the seaford airport, Jordan held mim's hand.
"You ready babe?"
Mim took a deep breath, "as ready as I'll ever be."
Kim and Jack stood in the airport waiting eagerly for the arrival of their daughter.
"Oh my God Jack I can't believe it! I can't believe today is the day we finally get our baby back!" Kim jumped up and down in anticipation
"Calm down, Kim, I'm just as excited as you are, but we can't jump all over the airport!" Jack laughed, grabbing his girlfriend by the arms and pulling her into a laughing embrace.
"I'm just so happy!" Kim giggled, kissing Jack on the cheek.
"SEAFORD FLIGHT 218 FROM CHATTANOOGA- UN-BOARDING NOW." A voices aid over the loud speaker.
"Eek! They're here!"Kim laughed, "finally here!"
"Kim- "Jack said
"What?" Kim smiled and laughed giddily
"Kim...look," he said, pointing towards the flight gate.
Kim looked in the direction he was pointing,"oh my god. She's here! Jack, our baby! She's here!" Tears started to fall down her cheeks, "look how beautiful she is, Jack, look at her! "
"I see her. She's gorgeous." Jack was in complete shock, a tear fell from his eye," wow."
Mim and Jordan walked up to the couple.
"Um...hi." Mim said nervously, offering her hand to Kim to be shaken," I'm-"
"Mim." Kim interrupted and nearly knocked Mim over in an embrace. Jordan bit back laughs.
"Um...okay?" Mim stood awkwardly, her so called mother hanging on her.
"Kim. Kim!" Jack whispered," get off her!" He pulled her off of mim," sorry, she's just really loving and REALLY missed you."
"Um...thanks?" Mim laughed uncomfortably
"Hi, I'm Jack. Your-um-father..."Jack smiled uncomfortably and shook mim's hand. Oh, how desperately he wanted to hug this precious girl. She was gorgeous. Long, lean legs. Striking green eyes, long brown hair. How could he create someone as gorgeous as this? It didn't seem possible.
"This is my mom- I mean guardian, Jordan." Mim smiled, gesturing to Jordan, "I assume y'all have met before."
"Yes," Jack nodded, "a longgg time ago. Two years ago to the day." He smiled and grabbed Mim's bags, "here, let me carry these for you. lets go to dinner."
Jack and Kim took mim and Jordan to falafel phill's, a restaurant in their local mall.
As they were walking in Jack pointed to a dojo, "you see that? That's where your mom and I have trained there for years. You'll be there a lot this week. I was thinking I could teach you a little karate?" He smiled at her
"Yea, I'd like that. I've always wanted to do karate!" Mim smiled back at him. She was actually starting to like Jack. Kim she wasn't so sure about.
"Mim, you'll be an EXPERT at karate! Both sides of your family have long histories in karate!" Kim laughed, skipping and grabbing jacks hand, "you know, Mim, we really missed you." She smiled at her daughter.
"Oh...um thanks." Mim didn't really know how to respond.
She put an arm around Jordan and whispered," Kim is a little odd."
"Now I know where you get it" Jordan joked. The two laughed and headed to dinner.
After dinner they headed to the dojo.
"This is where we three are staying for the next two weeks." Jack said and dropped mim's bags. Milton was there.
"Holy christmas nuts! She grew up well!" He exclaimed. Mim laughed but Jack looked at him dead in the eye and said threw clenched teeth "back up man. thats my kid"
"Oh well yes, quite right."he said nervously," well, Jordan, it's nice to see you again. Shall we proceed in the temporary re-exchange?"
"Yes!" Kim practically shouted, "I mean yes, please."
"Alright Jordan, please sign here and here," gesturing to lines on the re-exchange papers. "And Jack, you do the same. This document states that for the next two weeks, all guardian rights belong to Kim and Jack, we will reconvene in two weeks. Then, Mim will decide who gets permanent rights."
"Okay," Jordan said, " I guess that's my cue to leave. It was great seeing you all again."
"Jordan..." Mim embraced her guardian, "please don't leave me," she choked up.
"Hey now, Mim. Don't cry. It's going to be alright. I'll talk to you every night. I promise. I'll see you in two weeks, okay?"
"Okay Jordy," Mim buried her head in Jordan's shoulder.
"I love you, Mim, forever and always."
"I love you, Jordy"
"Goodbye." Jordan kissed Mim on the cheek and walked out the door. Mim watched her leave, fighting to hold back tears
"Bye." She whispered. A tear slipped from her eye.