Family Wedding
Written by: Cheryl Roberts

Rating: NC17

Disclaimer: The Power Rangers characters belong to Saban entertainment and have been used without permission; however, the remainder of Tommy’s family is of my own creation. No profit is being made by the author, and this work is intended simply for entertainment purposes. This story contains adult themes and graphic content. If you are not of age to be reading these sorts of stories, proceed no further. CR January 1997

Feedback: [email protected]

Summary: Kimberly finds out some things about Tommy that she never knew, when she agrees to accompany him to a family wedding. Can she help him to work out some childhood insecurities when it comes to his family?

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 1

"Billy, I'm open!" Tommy shouted, calling for the ball. Billy's pass threaded the needle between Adam and Rocky; Tommy wasted no time in slamming the ball in the hoop.

"All right, Tommy!" Billy cheered, exchanging a high five with his teammate for the two-on-two match.

"We're getting clobbered," Rocky complained as he took the ball on the side out.

"Then we'd better get busy," Adam replied, receiving the in-bounds pass.

The boys were in the park enjoying a rare, uninterrupted game of basketball. Kimberly and Aisha were due to join them but hadn't arrived yet. Tommy was looking forward to spending some time with Kim, even if it was on the basketball court. Things had been kind of topsy turvy of late --apart from their lives as Power Rangers. Kim had just found out that her mother was getting remarried and that the family was supposed to move to Paris. That had devastated both Tommy and Kim. Tommy didn't want Kim to leave. Things were going well with their relationship, and they were starting to talk more seriously about the future. Thanks to a generous gesture from the Campbells, Kim was going to be allowed to remain in Angel Grove for the rest of the school year, but after that....

To Tommy, it seemed as if he could hear the clock ticking. He didn't want to lose Kimberly. Whenever the two of them were together, they hardly talked about her leaving; it was as if they couldn't talk about it, as if ignoring it would make it go away, but her departure loomed out there, a shadow on the horizon that drew closer with every passing day. Tommy found himself jealously guarding their time together, but Kim had demands on her time other than their relationship and duties as Rangers. The district gymnastic finals were coming up, and she was spending all her spare time preparing for them. Tommy knew how much the competition meant to Kim; it would be her last one at Angel Grove. He couldn't begrudge her that.

"Yo, Earth to Tommy," Billy called out as Adam drove right past Tommy to score. "Are you still playing or what?"

"Yeah. Sorry. My mind was sort of wandering," Tommy apologized as he shook off his musings and retrieved the basketball.

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"You have got to be kidding," Aisha murmured as she glanced at the picture in the magazine Kim was showing her. "You'd need to go to a hairdresser to get this braid done."

"Actually, it's easier than it looks," Kim explained. "I just haven't figured out how to do it on myself yet. That's why I want to show you how to fix it."

Kimberly and Aisha were making their way across the park to the basketball courts where they were to join the guys. Kim had felt a twinge of conscience for cutting her practice short, but she really was looking forward to spending time with Tommy and the gang. It seemed of late that she had little free time for anything. Of course, she didn't feel like she had any free time left --period. For once, the school year seemed to be slipping by speedily when she wished with all her might that it would crawl. She supposed she should be excited about her pending move to Paris; most other girls would be, but then most other girls wouldn't be giving up superpowers to go. More importantly, going to Paris would mean leaving Tommy.

Thinking about that always depressed Kimberly, so she shoved the thought away. Still, it crept back. She didn't want to leave Tommy. Objectively, she knew that moving didn't necessarily mean that she'd have to break up with him, but they wouldn't get to see each other much, and what if Tommy found someone else? What if he fell for whoever replaced her on the team? She firmly believed that no one would ever take Tommy's place in her heart; there was too much between them, as Rangers and as friends. Kim almost wished the district finals weren't coming up; she wished she could spend more time with Tommy, but she had put so much time into training for them before her mom remarried. To withdraw from the competition now would be like saying all that time was wasted, and she had sacrificed a lot of dates with Tommy and outings with the gang before her world turned topsy-turvy.

"So, who are you going to get to be your guinea pig?" Aisha queried, returning Kim's attention to the here and now.

"Oh, I have someone in mind," Kim replied nonchalantly. The girls crested the hill; the basketball court lay before them. She had no trouble picking out Tommy, even from a distance.

"No way," Aisha objected, catching the gleam in Kim’s eye. "There is no way you'll get Tommy to sit still and let you braid his hair."

"If I asked really nicely, he might."

"I don't know, Kim."

"Isn't he absolutely gorgeous?" Kimberly sighed, more to herself than to Aisha. Tommy was dressed in loose black trousers and a white tank top, which was wet with perspiration. His long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and it was held back by a white bandanna. As they drew closer, Kim could see the strands that had escaped to flutter in his face. He didn't seem to mind. Kimberly sighed again, this time with almost a growl. "His hair is so sexy; I have been dying to get my fingers into it."

Tommy's physical presence had been preying on her mind a lot lately. She didn't know why, but she was more affected by him than usual. She had thought him drop dead gorgeous the first time she laid eyes on him, and her heart would always skip a beat whenever she'd catch his eye first thing at school. However, she was more aware him now; she'd catch herself staring at Tommy when (hopefully) he wasn't looking. Actually, she started noticing her more intense reactions after Tommy returned to the team as the White Ranger. Perhaps thinking that she had lost Tommy once and had a second chance with him had made her appreciate him all the more. She'd find herself daydreaming about him wrapping his arms around her and holding her or kissing her with more than just the usual affection he displayed. He'd smile at her and flash her his beautiful brown eyes, and her knees would turn to butter. And his hair --oh baby, that hair. Somehow, during his hiatus from the team, Tommy seemed to have gotten sexier, and Kim had definitely noticed.

"Something tells me this is a set up," Aisha remarked, amused by Kim's words.

---------------------------------------

"One more basket, and that's game," Billy reminded Adam and Rocky as Tommy's shot swished in.

"Hey, here come the girls," Adam noted.

"Maybe if both of them were on our team, we could beat these two," Rocky harumphed.

"You couldn't beat us if you had Zordon and Alpha on your team," Tommy jibed good-naturedly.

"Oh yeah?" Rocky threw the ball in bounds and bounced it off Tommy's leg. He recovered and quickly got the ball in the basket with a hook shot.

"I think you spoke to soon," Billy chided his partner. Tommy smiled lopsidedly and shrugged.

"You guys might convince Aisha to play; however, Kim doesn't appear to be dressed for basketball," Adam observed.

"You got that right," Tommy murmured appreciatively as his eyes scanned Kimberly as she walked down the hill. She wore one of her favorite midriff tops and a black mini-skirt. Instead of her hiking boots, she wore lace up sandals. Her hair was brushed back from her forehead and hung long on her shoulders, just the way Tommy liked it. That was another thing on Tommy’s mind of late: Kim's body. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but somehow in the time that he had known her, she had gone from cute to sexy. He couldn't help but notice how full her breasts were and how sleek and round her behind was ... the curve of her legs .... Part of it was due to the change in Kim's wardrobe. Those mini-skirts and shorts, the skimpy tops ... it drove him to distraction to see her belly button peeking out over top of her waistband. However, it was more than that, because she could get a rise out of him wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. It was in the way she carried herself. There was something new in her expression and the way she walked. Tommy found himself staring more and more often, and he had been finding it more and more difficult to keep his appreciation from showing. "Wow."

"Hey, partner, let's finish the game," Billy interjected.

"Yeah, you can ogle your girlfriend later," Rocky teased.

"Personally, I'd rather ogle my girlfriend," Tommy responded, but he did return his attention to the matter at hand. Somewhat inspired by Kim’s presence, Tommy quickly got the ball in to Billy then set himself up in scoring position. Billy's pass was right on the money. Tommy blew past Adam and Rocky, driving to the hoop. His lay-up was virtually uncontested.

"Yes!" Tommy cheered. On the sidelines Kimberly and Aisha were applauding. Tommy grabbed his towel from his gym bag and wandered over to where the two stood. "Hey, Kim, you look fantastic."

"Thanks," she murmured as she gave Tommy a hug. Was it her imagination, or was Tommy lingering a little longer than usual in their embrace?

"Ugh, how can you stand him all sweaty like that?" Aisha queried with mock disgust. Kimberly turned and stuck her tongue out at Aisha.

"I dunno. I kind of like him sweaty," she responded with a giggle. Her statement took Tommy by surprise, causing him to blush. Both girls burst out laughing at his expression. "Actually, Tommy, I was wondering if you could help me out with something, if you're done with your game."

"Sure, no problem."

"You guys don't mind if I borrow Tommy for a little while?" she asked of the others.

"Go ahead; the game was over," Rocky answered.

"Great. Do you have your brush in your gym bag, Tommy?"

"I think so." Tommy exchanged puzzled looks with the other three guys as he retrieved his bag.

"I think you're going to regret agreeing to help Kim before finding out what she wanted," Adam snickered.

"What are you going to do?" Tommy inquired with a touch of trepidation.

"Don't worry; it won't hurt," Kimberly assured him. She directed him to the picnic table and had him sit down with his back to the table top. She clambered up and positioned herself so that she sat directly behind him. She plucked the hairbrush from his hand. "Thank you." Removing his bandanna and ponytail holder, she began brushing out his hair. "Aisha, hand me the magazine."

"Kim...?"

"Hush up and hold still. I'm just going to braid your hair so Aisha can see how this works and can do my hair, all right? I promise, I won't leave the braid in."

"The things love drives a man to do," Billy chuckled as he and the others observed Tommy's plight.

"Anyone for a game of Horse?" Adam queried.

* * * * * *

Kim brushed Tommy's hair out with long, slow strokes, and Tommy felt himself melting under her care. He found he enjoyed having her brush his hair. He loved the feel of her fingers on his scalp and the way they slid through his hair. He had a difficult time silencing his sigh of contentment, but he did relax, resting his back against the table's edge. It was all he could do to keep his head from drooping.

"I think that's enough," Aisha whispered to Kim, indicating that Tommy was swiftly dissolving into a blob of Jello. He wasn't the only one getting into the grooming. Kimberly was really getting off on doing Tommy's hair; her face was almost glowing as she played with it.

"Right," Kim said, shaking herself free of the spell of Tommy's hair. "First, you brush the hair back away from the face, pulling it over the top of the head .... "

Tommy let out a long breath, making sure to stifle the groan he felt working its way up his throat. Kim's fingers were doing incredible things to his hair and seriously turning him on. He never realized how sensitive his hair was. Granted, he had always enjoyed going in for his trim; the hairdresser always managed to give his scalp a good massage, but never anything like what Kimberly was doing to him.

" ... see, you start several tiny braids then merge them into one large one ...."

"I get it now; let me try it on you. Don't pull Tommy's braid out yet so I can use it for a visual aid," Aisha suggested. "You don't mind, Tommy; do you?"

"Uh uh," he murmured. Something in his tone made the girls exchange glances; Aisha grinned knowingly, and Kim blushed. Tommy didn't care; he couldn't see them anyway. His eyes were closed as Kim put the finishing touches on his hair. When she stopped working on him, he was rather disappointed.

* * * * * *

"Get a load of this," Rocky said, indicating the hairdressing trio. He exchanged amused grins with the others.

"I think Tommy is enjoying himself," Adam observed.

"He appears to be the picture of contentment," Billy agreed. "Well, some people enjoy having their hair manipulated by others."

"Tommy must in a big way," Rocky chortled.

"I think it has more to do with Kimberly being the one doing the manipulating than anything else," Billy noted.

"Come on, guys; I want to see what his new 'do looks like," Rocky said, laughing.

"I can't wait until Rocky finds a girl who wants to run her fingers through his hair," Adam murmured to Billy.

"I can't wait until he finds a girl who wants to do anything to him," Billy added. Adam's grin broadened.

"Hey, Tommy," Rocky called out. Tommy didn't respond immediately. "Yoo-hoo! anybody home?"

"Mm?" Tommy murmured dreamily.

"Let's see the new 'do."

"Leave us alone, you dweeb," Kim grumbled, glaring at Rocky with annoyance.

"There, I think I've got it. You were right; it wasn't as hard to do as the picture made it look," Aisha said. Rocky scampered around behind the pair.

"How cute, matching hair styles," he teased.

"That's enough, Rocky," Tommy said without any amusement in his voice.

"You're just jealous because you don't have long sexy hair for your girlfriend to play with," Aisha shot back, embarrassing both Tommy and Kim in the process.

"Come on, Rocky; we were in the middle of a game of Horse, remember?" Billy spoke up, realizing Tommy probably felt foolish enough without having Rocky rub it in.

"Can I get in on the game?" Aisha asked.

"Great, now I can get trounced by a girl, too," Adam groaned.

"I'll try to take it easy on you," Aisha teased him as the three of them carted Rocky off.

"I'll have your hair straightened out in a jiffy," Kimberly assured Tommy as she began undoing the braid. "Thanks for being such a good sport. I'm sorry Rocky had to be such a jerk."

"That's not your fault," Tommy replied. "I didn't mind --not really. Although, I'm glad Bulk and Skull didn't happen along or anything like that."

As Kim unraveled the braid, Tommy felt himself easing back again until Kimberly's body was pressed against his. She shimmied her fingers through the twisted strands, breaking them loose, then she brushed his hair out. Tommy couldn't remember the last time he felt so relaxed, or so aroused. That really surprised him. He really was becoming quite excited by Kim handling his hair. Of all the things he had ever imagined her doing to stimulate his hormones, brushing his hair hadn't been one of them.

"There, that should do it," Kim said at last. Was it Tommy's hyper-stimulated imagination, or did she sound disappointed? She had taken a moment to smooth his hair down over his shoulders. With an almost sheepish grin, she handed him his hair paraphernalia. Her face seemed slightly flushed to Tommy.

"Thanks." He pulled his long brown locks back into a ponytail. "Hey, can I see what Aisha did to your hair?" Kim turned her head so he could see the maze-like pattern of braids. "That's what you did to my hair?"

"Uh huh."

"Pretty wild."

Chapter 2

"Hey, Tommy," Kimberly said as she came up behind Tommy in the hallway at school. He didn't seem to hear her and continued walking. He didn't stop until he reached his locker. Kim caught a glance at his profile. He looked absolutely miserable. She snuck up and shut his locker to get his attention.

"Huh? Oh, hi, Kim," he said morosely.

"What's wrong? I don't remember ever seeing you look this miserable, not even when you were losing your Green Ranger powers," she commented.

"My mom dropped a real bombshell on me this morning. It was the worst thing she could have told me," he began reluctantly.

"What is it? Your mom's all right, isn't she? She's not sick or something?" Kim asked anxiously.

"No, it's my cousin Kyle ... he's getting married, and we're going to the wedding."

"A wedding? What's so horrible about a wedding?"

"It's not the wedding that's horrible; it's my cousins."

"You've never said much about your family."

"With good reason."

"Walk me to my practice at the Youth Center and tell me about it," Kim suggested. They wandered outside and walked over to the park. About halfway across, they found a bench and sat down. Kim was still waiting for Tommy to say something.

"Mom was one of seven kids," Tommy began.

"Ouch."

"Aunt Jean is her younger sister; Kyle is her son. Actually, Aunt Jean has three kids: Kyle, Mark and Rebecca. Kyle is five years older than I am, Mark is three years, and Becca about a year and a half. For a while Becca and I were pretty close. I never got along with Kyle and Mark and vice versa. While growing up, I did my best to stay out of their way, but it never seemed to work. Sometimes I think they went out of their way to antagonize me." Tommy paused, and Kim had the impression that there was a lot he wasn't saying. So far there wasn't anything in his words that explained his dread at seeing his cousins again.

"All you'd hear at family gatherings was ‘Kyle this' or ‘Mark that'; Aunt Jean was always talking the boys up. I think it bothered Mom and some of her other brothers and sisters."

"Did it bother you?"

"Sometimes, but Grandpa always told me not to worry about it. He was the only one who made family gatherings bearable. I really liked my grandfather; he seemed to be the only one who understood me. Kyle and Mark were so outgoing and charming; they seemed to be good at everything they tried --dancing, sports, you name it-- especially Mark. He could probably charm the pants off Lord Zedd. I was too quiet and reserved. It didn't help that I was a gawky, gangling thing as a kid. It was Grandpa's idea for me to try karate; he thought it might help my coordination. I really miss him."

"How old were you when he died?" Kim wondered.

"Eight. I remember the last time I saw him; it was in the hospital. The whole family got together so we could say good-bye. They weren't letting the younger grandchildren in --Mark and Kyle got to go-- but Grandpa asked to see me special. I was kind of scared; I never thought of my grandfather as a frail old man, and I didn't want to. I remember what Great Aunt Eleanor looked like before she died the year before: frail, sick --she looked awful. Grandpa didn't look like that; he just looked worn out. At this point, I was starting to let my hair get long, and I had just gotten my ear pierced; I had heard Aunt Jean say something about the fact that I was turning into a hoodlum. When I went into Grandpa's room, I remember being nervous. He hadn't seen me in a while. For the longest time, he just looked at me. `In my day, boys didn't wear long hair and earrings,' was the first thing he said. I really liked my new look, but I was ready to lose the earring and the ponytail right then and there. Grandpa's opinion meant more to me than Mom and Dad's. However, Grandpa went on to say, ‘But you should have seen the ponytail on my grandfather when he was a boy! It's not the hair or clothes that make a man a man but the way he conducts himself --with honor and dignity.' He started chuckling then coughing. ‘You're going to be a hit with the ladies,' he told me. After that the nurse came in and said I should leave, but Grandpa asked me to sit with him while he napped. He drifted off to sleep talking about something; I was never really sure what it was because I had a feeling ... he went to sleep and never woke up."

Kim put a hand on Tommy's arm. "I'm sorry, Tommy. It must have been pretty special having a grandparent who shared something in common with you. It's great that you took up the martial arts because of him."

"Actually, Grandpa didn't know a thing about karate. He had heard about it from a friend of his; I guess his friend's grandson was into it. Grandpa really loved to dance. I have vague memories of seeing him on the dancing at weddings. According to family stories, he and Grandma were something on the dance floor in the Thirties and Forties. It used to bug me that I had no talent whatsoever for dancing, but Grandpa told me my talents lay elsewhere and that I'd discover them someday."

"Your grandfather was a very wise man. I think he'd be very proud of you if he could see you now," Kim said encouragingly.

"Thanks."

"So, what happened with your cousins after your grandfather died?"

"They really started in on me --about the hair, the earring, the fact that I didn't play ‘real' sports. I tried to let it go, but it hurt, especially when...."

"... they teased you about dancing," Kim guessed.

"Yes," Tommy admitted. "It got so that I hated going to family functions; Kyle and Mark could really rub it in, and Aunt Jean certainly didn't help matters either."

"What about your cousin Becca? You said you and she were close; wouldn't she stick up for you?"

"She tried, but she was pretty cowed by her brothers. I guess the only thing worse than having to put up with them at parties would be having to live with them. Besides, once Becca hit puberty, she didn't want her cousin hanging around all the time. I can't say that I blame her; she filled out pretty nicely, and a twelve-year-old tag along doesn't exactly impress the boys. After Becca turned cool, I stopped attending family functions all together. I guess Mom and Dad figured I was old enough to leave behind."

"So, why is your mom insisting that you attend this wedding, especially if she realizes how miserable you're going to be?"

"I don't know. Maybe she's tired of listening to Aunt Jean's snide comments. All I know is that her ultimatum was delivered in her best drill sergeant voice and she used first and middle names. There's no backing out of this one."

"So what's the big deal? You put in an appearance and you keep to yourself," Kimberly suggested.

"I wish it was that simple. Kyle might be too busy to give me a hard time, but Mark won't. He'll keep after me all night long, and as soon as the dancing starts...."

"Then don't dance."

"You don't understand. It's a family thing that everyone dances, once with the bride and then with whichever relative pulls you out of your chair. Come on, Kim; you know what a horrible dancer I am. Haven't I stepped on your toes often enough? I'll make a complete fool of myself."

"I guess I just don't understand," Kim sighed with exasperation. "In all the time I've known you, you've never run away from anything, and that's what you're doing here: running away from your cousins." Kim tried to catch Tommy's eyes, but he looked away. His behavior was so unlike him that she was concerned. There had to be more to this business with his cousins than mere teasing, but it was clear Tommy wasn't going to say what it was.

"Tommy, you haven't seen your cousins in nearly six years," Kim continued. "They've probably changed, and even if they haven't, you certainly have. You're not twelve years old anymore. You're not a gawky adolescent. You're the White Ranger, leader of the Power Rangers. You have a poise and confidence you didn't back then. You have the respect of your parents, friends, and peers. Does it really matter what your cousins think of you? You've already said that your grandfather's was the only opinion that truly mattered, and he accepted you for who and what you are."

"You're right, I suppose," Tommy admitted reluctantly.

"Tommy, if it really means all that much to you, I could try and teach you to dance," Kim offered.

"You could?"

"Granted, I'm no Ginger Rogers, but I could probably show you enough to keep you from making a complete fool of yourself."

"What about your gymnastics?"

"We can get together when my practice is over. You can meet me at Ernie's and...."

"I'd rather not do this at the Youth Center, if you don't mind. Why don't we practice in my basement? I've set up a makeshift dojo down there with mats and mirrors and stuff; if I bring my stereo down, we could turn it into a dance studio."

"Cool! Why don't we start tomorrow night."

"All right. I really appreciate this, Kim."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

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Tommy was practically pacing the living room waiting for Kimberly to arrive. As soon as he saw her car pull into the driveway, he was at the door to meet her. He couldn't say why, but he was nervous --about as nervous as he had been the first time he had asked her out. His heart skipped a beat when he saw that she hadn't changed out of her practice leotard. The pink bodysuit clung to her oh-so-tightly, but then, bodysuits are supposed to fit like that, he reminded himself. Still, there was something exciting about seeing the old green and white checked shirt he had loaned Kim once upon a time tied around her waist.

"Sorry to be so late," Kim said brightly, tiptoeing to give him a peck on the cheek. "Practice ran long because I had problems with the choreography to my floor routine, but I think I have it worked out now."

"No problem," Tommy replied as he took her gymbag from her.

"I hope you don't mind that I didn't change, but I figured there was no sense in it --at least until we're done."

"Not at all." Tommy led her into the living room.

"Where are your folks?" Kim asked.

"Dad's in his office, and Mom's in the kitchen."

"Something smells good."

"We had spaghetti. Say, I bet you haven't eaten yet. Would you care for some dinner?"

"That'd be great, if your mom doesn't mind."

"Mom tends to overdo it when it comes to spaghetti. We'll be eating leftovers all week."

"I'd better eat light. Dancing on a full stomach is not a good idea."

"Salad and breadsticks, then?"

"Perfect"

The two wandered into the kitchen, and Tommy pulled out a chair for Kim.

"Hello, Kimberly," Janice Oliver said as she finished loading the last of the dishes into the dishwasher.

"Hi, Mrs. Oliver." Kim had always liked Tommy's parents. Jan was a former army nurse and worked at Angel Grove Community Hospital. She was a very no-nonsense woman, and when she used her drill sergeant voice you knew she meant business, but she wasn't a strict parent. Kim got along with her quite well. Tommy's dad, Thomas, was a very easygoing man with a great sense of humor; he was a lot of fun to be around. Kim was never quite sure exactly what he did--a consultant of some sort, but he traveled around an awful lot.

"Kim's going to help me out with my two left feet," Tommy informed his mother, at which she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "She just came from practice, so she hasn't eaten yet; do you mind...?"

"You know where everything is, Tommy. I've got to get ready for work. Just make sure to start the dishwasher when you're done. Good luck, you two."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Thanks, Mrs. Oliver."

Tommy got up to fix something for Kim, and she got up to help him.

"Sit down and relax. I can get dinner for you."

"Yeah, and you'd probably hand me a plate with twice what I'd eat. Besides, I know my way around your kitchen better than you do."

Even so, the two kept bumping into and tripping over each other. Finally, Kim gave up and sat down.

"And I'm going to teach you how to dance?" she sighed with a good-natured grin. While Tommy was busy, she pulled her schoolbooks out of her bag. "I really have to get this history homework done; do you mind if I work on it while I eat?"

"Go ahead." With a flourish, Tommy presented Kimberly with warm breadsticks and the salad bowl. She made a face at him as she served herself.

Tommy sat down at the far end of the table to wait. He propped his head up on his hand as he watched Kimberly. She was looking pleasantly disheveled, stray hairs flying from her ponytail. Her lips were pursed into a charming frown as she concentrated on her schoolwork. Every so often, she would slip the end of her pen into her mouth, and Tommy couldn't help but wish he was that pen. He let his eyes wander from Kim's face. Irresistibly, his eyes were drawn to the scoop neck of her leotard. There were girls in school more well endowed than Kimberly, but Tommy had no complaints. While he couldn't say for certain, he always imagined that Kim's firm, round breasts would fit his hands perfectly. They certainly filled out her bodysuit nicely. As she had no bra on underneath (at least, not that he could tell), and from such a close proximity, Tommy was able to see the outline of her breasts quite well. He found himself unaccountably excited that he could see the faint shadow of her nipples pressing against the Lycra of her suit.

"Tommy?"

"Hm?" he mumbled, Kim's query startling him from his reverie.

"You're staring."

"I ... oh, sorry," he mumbled sheepishly; he hoped he wasn't blushing. "I was daydreaming." Kim flashed him one of those smiles that elevated his heart rate. "Maybe I should go down and see if I have the stereo hooked up properly. Come on down when you're ready."

"Sure."

Tommy waited a moment for Kim to turn her attention back to her book so that she wouldn't see the bulge in his pants.

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"Thank goodness that's done," Kim said as she made her way down the basement stairs. After Tommy had scooted off --rather hastily, she had noticed-- Kim had spent several moments sitting at the table wondering what had gotten into him. He had been staring pretty intently, and while she couldn't be certain, she had a pretty good idea of what he had been staring at. She had debated as to whether or not she should throw something else on, but she preferred working out in her leotard. She had so much more freedom of movement. Actually, she felt rather pleased that Tommy had taken notice of her; secretly, she often hoped that he was scoping her out when she wore something flirty. Sometimes he let his appreciation show, but most times she wondered if he noticed her at all. However, she was grateful that it had been warm in the Olivers' kitchen--otherwise Tommy would have really gotten an eyeful.

She found Tommy warming up and stretching out. She paused on the stairs to watch him. His hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail; she wished he wouldn't wear it so severely. His hair looked much better down or more loosely pulled back. Tommy wore his gi trousers and a tank top. Kim sighed, wishing he would go shirtless a little more often. She liked it when they went to the beach because he rarely wore a shirt when he went swimming (although she hated his baggy swim trunks). She liked his chest. She imagined that it felt as smooth and hard as it looked. Kim sighed, and that helped her realize that she had better regain control of her run away hormones before things became noticeable. As she joined Tommy on the mat, she started to undo the sleeves of the shirt tied around her waist, then thought better of it.

"Hey there," she said as she started stretching out.

Tommy fought to concentrate on his own exercises, but it was difficult when Kim was bending over to touch her toes.

"I found a recent picture of my cousins," Tommy said. "I thought you might like to have some idea of who I was talking about." He handed the 8 x 10 to Kim.

"Which one's which?" she wondered. "Obviously, Becca is the girl."

"Kyle is the shorter of the two guys; Mark has the blue eyes."

Kim studied the picture carefully. The three people in the photo were all extremely good looking. The two young men were handsome, athletically built with dark brown, almost black hair stylishly cut. The young woman had beautiful features and a head full of chestnut colored curls; her dark eyes were trimmed with feathery lashes. Her full lips held an enigmatic smile, and from what Kim could see of her figure, she was well built. All three were very appealing, but for some reason, Kim's eyes were drawn back to the taller of the two men, the one with the blue eyes and the broader shoulders. His smile was engaging, and Kim had a sense of his charisma, but there was something in his expression --in the gleam in his eyes-- that made Kim shudder: a hardness, a cold, almost ruthlessness. He seemed to Kim like someone who, if he wanted something, would take it without a qualm. She found him at once appealing and frightening.

She returned the photo to Tommy, trying objectively to study his features. There was little to no familial resemblance. His features were softer, less chiseled. There was an openness to him that his cousins lacked. When he smiled, one could see and almost feel the warmth, and his eyes were so much more rich. Soft, warm ... and Becca had nothing over him in the lashes department. Kim felt a sigh of longing bubbling within her, and she had to fight to keep it contained. "Gorgeous, the lot of them, but they have nothing on you."

"Thanks," Tommy murmured self-consciously. The two stood grinning sheepishly at each other for several moments. The moment was broken by the sound of footsteps on the stairs.

"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be the newest extension of Arthur Murray's Dance Studio," Thomas Oliver teased as he came downstairs.

"We're finishing our warm-ups," Tommy mumbled.

"Well, don't let me get in your way; I'm just...."

"Thomas William! I sent you down there for my uniform, not to bother the kids!" Tommy's mother's voice wafted down the stairs.

"I'd better scoot before for I pick up my second T.W.," Thomas murmured. He headed for the laundry room end of the basement, retrieved the garment in question, and hurried back up the stairs. "Have fun, kids."

"His second T.W.?" Kim wondered.

"Three ‘Thomas Williams' from Mom, and he's in the dog house," Tommy explained. "I've never seen him get three; I think he'd have to mess something up royally to do that."

"Maybe we should get started," Kim suggested. "It's getting late."

"Okay, so, where do we start?"

"I don't know," Kim confessed. Teaching Tommy shouldn't have been any different than teaching kids at the Youth Center, but somehow, Kim felt really self-conscious. "Do you know what sort of music they're likely to play at the reception? What sort of stuff does Kyle like?"

"Kyle likes whatever Mark likes, and Mark is likely to be the one in charge of the reception," Tommy said. He thought a moment. "They'll probably have some big band stuff for the older relatives, but I imagine Mark and Kyle like a lot of stuff from the 70s and 80s. I don't remember very well; I think they liked Disco, but I can vaguely recall Mark playing a lot of stuff by groups like Van Halen and Kiss." Tommy looked through his collection of CDs. "Actually, I don't think I have any of that stuff."

"I might. In fact, I think I might have stuff like that on my workout tape," Kim said. She fished the cassette out of her bag. She popped the tape in, and the first song up was by Aerosmith. To answer Tommy's inquiring gaze, she said, "I use this stuff for floor routines and warm-ups. I like doing beam routines to music, although I can't do that in competition. Come on; let's see what you've got."

Chapter 3

"So, how are the dance lessons going?" Aisha queried as she plopped down in the chair opposite Tommy. He was sitting at a table in Ernie's outdoor cafe working on his homework.

"I wish Kim hadn't said anything to anyone else about this," Tommy grumbled.

"She hasn't told everyone; the only reason I know is because she had to tell my mom where she was spending her evenings," Aisha said. "That bad, huh?"

"I move worse to music than Frankenstein." Tommy sighed and closed his book. "This is all probably just a waste of time. I mean, Kim's so good ... I think I spend more time watching her than I do following her directions."

"If you think she good now, you should see her when she's zoning."

"Zoning?"

"That's what she calls it. She says its like the music takes control of her body and moves her any way it wants to. I've seen her zone a couple of times; it's pretty amazing. She has some fantastic moves, and the funny thing is, she can come out of the Zone and have no idea of what she's just done."

"Really?" Tommy asked thoughtfully.

"Uh huh. As good as Zack was, he had nothing over Kim when she's zoning," Aisha confirmed.

"What sort of songs take her to this Zone? She's played all sorts of things since we've started working together, and I've never seen her do anything out of the ordinary."

"It's hard to say what it is about a song that sends her. The ones I've noticed all have really strong beats --good bass and drums. ‘Back in Black' by AC/DC was one. Let's see, there were a couple by Van Halen: ‘Runaround' and ‘Poundcake' ... oh, and ‘Black and Blue' is totally awesome. Some stuff by Kiss ... and I don't know if she's actually zoning to it, but she really likes ‘Devil With The Blue Dress On.'"

"All the sorts of things my cousins like," Tommy observed.

"Hey, Tommy. Hey, Aisha," Kim said as she bounded over to their table. She flashed Tommy a quick smile, then she seemed almost to shy away. Tommy barely made eye contact with her, and Aisha was suddenly aware of an undercurrent of tension between the two that hadn't been there before. Except for the fact that they were obviously still friends, she would have sworn they had had a fight.

"What's up?" Tommy asked.

"I'm running late for practice, and...." Just then, their communicator alarms went off.

"You're about to be very late for practice," Tommy noted as the three went in search of a secluded corner to make contact with Zordon.

---------------------------------------

Tommy sat on the mat studying the CD he had just picked up at Used Record Mart. He was debating what to do. Things had gotten weird between him and Kimberly since they started the dancing lessons. They were okay when they were in class or with the gang --if there was some distance between them-- but put them next to each other or leave them alone, and they could hardly look at each other. Over the last couple of days, it had gotten so that Tommy couldn't hold Kim's hand without his stomach turning into a knotted mass of live wires. He had never been so uptight about anything in his life. Yet, he couldn't keep his mind or eyes off her either.

He had been thinking about what Aisha had told him about Kimberly and zoning. He was dying to see just what she meant by that. He liked watching Kim while she danced; she always seemed to enjoy it so much. She had this sparkle in her eyes, and her smile ... Tommy sighed, feeling aroused just thinking about it. How much better could it get? Suddenly, Tommy heard the back door open and heard Kim greet his folks. He scrambled over to the stereo.

"For once, I don't have homework to do before we get started," Kim said breathlessly. To Tommy's disappointment, she was wearing loose fitting gym shorts and a warm-up jacket.

"I have a surprise for you," he said, tripping over the words. What was wrong with him?

"Oh? What is it?"

"I found some stuff at Used Record Mart --stuff I think they'll be playing at the reception," Tommy responded ambiguously.

"That's great."

"I also found some of my dad's old cassettes. I think there's some stuff in here too."

"Let me see," Kim said, joining him by the stereo.

Tommy was acutely aware of how close she was standing to him; it annoyed him that he was so jumpy around Kim lately. If she noticed his discomfort, she didn't show it; she was busy perusing the cassettes.

"Oh wow, your dad has Mitch Ryder," Kim gasped with delight. "I love 'Devil With The Blue Dress On.'"

"Would you like me to put this in while you're warming up?" Tommy offered.

"Sure."

Kim scampered back onto the mats and hurried through her stretches. Tommy breathed a sigh of relief. Even so, he couldn't help but smile; Kim's enthusiasm could be infectious. The intro started, and so did Kim, shimmying and shaking, twisting and turning with kicks thrown in here and there. Her dancing almost looked choreographed instead of spontaneous. It was unlike anything he had seen from Kim in the last couple of days. There was such a sense of abandon to her movements; she was really getting into it. Tommy was sure this wasn't zoning; there was nothing unusual in her dancing save the energy. Although, there was a more playful element to her performance --that was it. Kim didn't seem to be dancing so much as performing for him. Tommy found the idea appealing.

She walks real cool, catches everybody's eye.
I got to be nervous, I can't say hi.
Not too skinny, she's not too fat,
She's a real humdinger,
And I like 'em like that.

Kim sauntered over to Tommy, strutting like the devil in the song. She flashed him an impish, almost wicked grin as she strolled past, sliding her finger under his chin in passing, almost pulling him out onto the floor with her. Tommy swallowed hard. It looked like fun, and he wished with all his might that he could dance with her. The song segued into "Good Golly Miss Molly," and Kim commenced another lively sequence of gyrations. Watching Kim's "Devil with the Blue Dress" decided Tommy. He had to see what zoning was all about. As the music began to fade, Tommy reached for the disk.

The CD was Van Halen's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge; Tommy had selected it because it contained two of the songs Aisha mentioned. He programmed the stereo to play those two songs then hit the start button. "Poundcake" opened with the sound of an electric drill then moved into the drums. Tommy watched Kim carefully. She was still catching her breath from her workout to Mitch Ryder. For a moment, the change in music seemed to puzzle her, then recognition set in. As Kim's hips began to move, a smile unlike any Tommy had ever seen her wear stole across her face. It was a smile that had the testosterone racing through his body. Kim's eyelids fluttered shut, and she began to strut: slow, sexy steps with a swagger to her hips more pronounced and refined that the strutting from her previous dance. Next came deep knee bends where she thrust her bottom out as she came out of the dip. The beat shimmied up into her shoulders and arms.

She's gotta have soul,
Or it won't be right.
It's just plain, clean, and simple,
Wrapped up nice and tight.

Tommy was spellbound as he watched her move. She was doing things with her body that he had only seen in his wildest dreams. Her hands wandered up into her hair, freeing it from its restraint. She shook it out with a toss of her head, then her hands caressed her face and trailed down her body, smoothing over her breasts, gliding down to her gyrating hips. Tommy's cock was as hard as his mouth was dry. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. She toyed with the zipper on her jacket, pulling it down to reveal the racer-back top underneath. She slid the legs of her shorts up her thighs, displaying her bike shorts. Her hands touched herself everywhere. Her movements were sensuous and inviting. The glow in her face was mind blowing. He had caught occasional glimpses of something similar --like at the basketball court the other day when he had caught her checking him out-- but this was way beyond that. Tommy couldn't even begin to describe it, but it had his pulse pounding in his veins.

All too soon, "Poundcake" was over and "Runaround" began. Tommy couldn't imagine that the second song could be better than the first, but it was. Kim stalked him throughout the introduction, approaching him much as she had in "Devil" but with more serious intent. There was something in her eyes that sent shivers running through him. By the time the first verse started, Kim had dragged him out onto the mat with her.

She don't like it when it's cut and dried.
She don't like me making future plans.
And don't want me tryin' to pin her down,
She ain't about to give an inch of ground.

Kim was doing incredible things to Tommy's body; it was like she was using him as a prop. She ground herself against him hotly. She pressed against him and slid down his body. Her hands touched him in places and in ways he had never been touched by another person before --all over his backside, his chest, his hair, his groin.... Tommy fought to stifle the moan that was building in him. He'd dreamed of her touching him like this --quite frequently of late-- but he never believed that she ever would. The things she was doing to him ... incredible!

It seemed as if she was trying to get him to move with her, and he was trying. He just couldn't relax. Her hands, her expression, her body ... Kim was just too distracting. Finally, she seemed to get fed up and positioned his hands where she wanted them --places Tommy had never been bold enough to put his hands himself. He swallowed hard as she guided his hands down her sides, brushing the sides of her breasts in the process, to her hips. Tommy was forced to take a firmer grip as her body suddenly went limp, and she slowly writhed her way up again. She suddenly pressed his hips to hers, her hands squeezing his bottom; her next move made it impossible to keep silent: she ground herself hard against his engorged cock.

After she had teased him unmercifully, she spun away to grind her body into a sexy series of spins and spirals. Tommy's body all but screamed to be touched again, but at the same time, he was almost afraid to let her. This was just too powerful. He couldn't believe that this was Kim. This was beyond the wildest of his dreams. He had always known that there was something there under the cuteness --a sexiness, but he never believed she was so hot. During the guitar break, Kim tore off her jacket and flirted with her shorts. As his eyes latched onto the impression of her nipples straining against her top, Tommy felt his control slipping. Kim stalked him again, and he tried to will her away even as he silently begged her to come closer. She threw her arms around his neck. She turned around and, holding his hips, ground her ass into his groin. Tommy felt a rush of white hot fire shoot through him; his entire body spasmed, and he had to grab onto Kim to keep from falling. He couldn't believe it; Kim had made him come! He barely had time to realize this before Kim wriggled free of his embrace and continued dancing. Tommy's knees gave out, and he sat hunched on the floor, perspiring as if he had been the one dancing.

As the last strains of the song faded, Kim ran her hands indulgently down her body one last time then stopped moving. She held her sexy pose for a moment longer. Then, the silence seemed to register, and she opened her eyes. For a moment she seemed confused, as if she didn't know where she was. She didn't know what to make of Tommy's flushed, sweat streaked face or his expression.

"Tommy, what just happened?" she asked nervously. Her entire body tingled with a familiar fire, and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew what she had done, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself. She had gotten caught up in the music; she had let it carry her away. It wasn't so much that the music took control of her as it freed her mind and body. Aisha had caught her ‘zoning’ once, and Kim had been too embarrassed to tell her that what she had been doing was playing out a fantasy. In a way it could be considered a form of masturbation. Kim would fantasize about Tommy watching her dancing, and with her dance she would show him how much she wanted him. She would draw him onto the floor with her and she would indulge herself, touching him as she always wanted to, which was precisely what had happened.

Kim looked at Tommy almost fearfully. He was gasping for breath, and his body was trembling. She couldn't precisely decipher the look in his eyes. As for herself, she was breathing as heavily as Tommy. Her body ached with wanting --needing-- to be touched. She could feel the wetness in her panties, and the sensation between her legs was almost like an itch one couldn't scratch.

"Oh, man," Tommy groaned softly, his eyes closing.

"Oh no," Kim moaned helplessly. Tears stung her eyes. How could she have let herself lose control like that? How could she have done what she did to Tommy? What did he think of her? Tommy finally looked up and met Kim's eyes. She read surprise and guilt therein. It was too much for her. She turned and fled up the stairs.

For a moment, Tommy was too stunned to grasp what just happened. He met Kim's eyes and was startled by her fear. Then, she bolted. Tommy tried to give chase, but his knees were still weak, and his jeans were cold and wet with his come. He scrambled for the stairs, tugging at the buttons on his shirt and pulling it down so that it hung out of his waistband and over the wet spot. He was thankful he had a t-shirt on underneath. He reached the top of the stairs in time to see Kim shoot out the backdoor.

"Kim, wait!" he called after her as he went charging through the kitchen. Part of him hoped his mother wasn't still there; he'd hate to have to try and explain this --not that he could if he tried. He finally caught up with Kim, who had taken refuge by the large oak tree. "Kim, what's the matter?"

"Why'd you have to play those stupid songs?" she sobbed, pulling away from the hand he placed on her arm.

Tommy felt like kicking himself. Aisha had warned him that Kim didn't seem to know what she was doing when she was zoning. He just never anticipated that she would do the things she did. "I'm sorry. I didn't know ... I didn't think...." He reached for Kim a second time; she tried to pull away, but he held her tighter. Soon, she stopped fighting and simply cried herself out. "Sh, don't cry. It's all right, Kim. Really."

"No, it's not," she shot back angrily. "Dancing like that is really personal to me ... I do things that I would never do ... they're so intense ... it's scary sometimes."

"I didn't mean to hurt you or embarrass you," Tommy apologized. "It's just that when Aisha told me about your zoning, I was curious to see what it was like."

"I wish you would have asked first."

"I'm really sorry."

Kim looked away and wiped at her eyes. She wanted to be angry with Tommy, but she couldn't. Actually, she was rather curious to know what he thought of her dance, but she was too afraid to ask. Kim shivered; the sun had gone down and it was beginning to get chilly outside.

"Why don't we go back inside," Tommy suggested, noticing her chills. He wasn't about to offer her his shirt. If she was this upset, he didn't want her to know that she had gotten him off. Still, he wanted to let her know somehow that she didn't have to be ashamed of what she had done, that he had really liked it.

"Do you feel like continuing tonight's lesson?" he asked, for lack of anything else to say.

"I guess so."

"I promise not to play those two songs again."

"They don't always make me zone out," Kim confessed. "I have to be in the right frame of mind." That wasn't exactly what she meant to say, and when she considered what she had been doing under the power of the music, she blushed to think of what Tommy thought of her frame of mind.

"Although, I wouldn't mind it if they made you zone again," Tommy murmured. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, and he blushed fiercely when he saw Kimberly's incredulous gaze. "I know it upset you and all, but man! That was the most awesome thing I've ever seen."

There, it was said. He hoped that Kim wouldn't be too angry with him for saying that; however, when he sneaked a peek at Kim, she wore an expression of surprise and delight.

"You did? Really?"

The tone of her voice made his heart flutter. Could it be that she wasn't angry, that maybe somehow she had wanted him to like her wild dancing? "If you don't mind me saying so, I'd kind of like to see you dance like that again some time."

"Maybe some day, I suppose," she agreed timorously. They trade bashful smiles.

"Tell you what, I want to go throw on some sweats, and then we'll see what we can do with my lesson for today. Okay?"

"Okay."

Chapter 4

Kim sat at the lunch table with her head resting on her arms, gazing distractedly across the cafeteria. She couldn't get thoughts of what happened the previous evening out of her head. She had danced for Tommy like she had always dreamed ... she had felt him up, and ... and she had gotten him off. Tommy hadn't said a word about it, but afterwards Kim had figured it out, remembering the way he had trembled when he grabbed hold of her the last time she had wiggled against him, the way he wore his shirt draped over his hips, and his eagerness to change his clothes. That had to be it. She wasn't sure whether to die of embarrassment or admit to herself that she felt rather proud of the fact that she had gotten to Tommy so much.

Kim felt very confused and she didn't know who to turn to for help. The things she was feeling for Tommy right now were really powerful, and she didn't know what to do about them. She didn't want to go to Aisha; she doubted Aisha would have any practical advice, and she didn't feel comfortable talking to Mrs. Campbell. She thought about calling her mother, but her mom was probably busy with settling into her new life with Paul. Kim felt very scared and very alone. Part of her realized that thinking about sex and stuff like that was a natural part of being a teenager, but was it supposed to be this intense? What should she do about it? Should she do anything? Her mom, all the teachers and counselors --even the media-- all said to wait until you're older; teens aren't ready for sex. Kim didn't know if she wanted to wait. She didn't know if she could wait. Kim didn't even know if she was ready for sex either. All she knew was that last night had been powerful, frightening, and awesome, and part of her couldn't wait to get her hands on Tommy again. That was the really scary part.

"Hey, Kim, are you all right?" Tommy asked quietly as he joined her at the table.

To Kim, it seemed that he was more subdued than usual; he probably was having trouble putting last night out of his mind too. There was concern in his eyes, and it made Kim realize that this must be as hard on him as it was on her. After Tommy had gone to change his clothes last night, she had wondered if continuing was a good thing. It turned out that things were all right. It was like there had been a lot less tension in the basement. In fact, Tommy had even made a teeny tiny bit of progress. Could that be what the problem was: sexual tension? If so, what could they do about it?

"I'm okay, just a little wiped," she answered, sitting up. She noticed that Tommy sat safely across the table from her.

"Yeah, I imagine it's pretty tough pulling double duty between gymnastics and helping me out," Tommy agreed.

"It's not so bad."

"You think maybe we need a little break?"

Kim's head shot up, and she felt almost sick inside. "What do you mean?"

"It's no big deal. I don't know about you, but I have a major paper to finish for English class. It'll take me all evening, without having to break for our lesson," Tommy explained. "Would you mind if we canceled for tonight?"

"Oh." Kim felt foolish for over-reacting. For a moment, she thought that her actions had somehow driven Tommy away. "Sure, no problem."

"I'll be looking forward to Thursday night, though," Tommy continued. Just then Adam and Aisha arrived, and conversation turned to less difficult matters.

---------------------------------------

Tommy hadn't been lying when he told Kim he had an English paper to finish, but he wasn't making much progress on it. He was just too distracted with thoughts of Kimberly. He could tell she was still really bothered by what had happened last night, and the look in her eyes when he asked for the night off, it was almost like she was afraid he was breaking up with her or something. Severing ties with Kim was the last thing he wanted to do right now. Actually, more than anything else, he really wanted to be down in the basement dancing with her --or even just holding her. Once again, he had had to change his sheets in the morning. He'd been doing that a lot lately. He hadn't had this many wet dreams since he first hit puberty. His mother must be wondering about it; she didn't miss much, and if his mom knew something was up so did his dad.

His folks were pretty cool about sex and stuff like that. He had had a talk with his father long before puberty hit, so he knew what was coming --so to speak. Dad's attitude was it happens to everybody; it's no big deal and there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Still, after that first dream, he had felt funny about having his folks know. That's when he started taking care of his own laundry. He had felt foolish when his mom found him in the basement trying to figure out how to operate the washing machine, but she never said a word. She simply showed him what to do, how much soap to add, and told him he could throw his gis in with the sheets if he wanted to.

Tommy wondered if maybe he should talk to his dad about what was going on. It wasn't exactly something he wanted to share with Billy and the others. He wasn't sure if any of them had ever gone through something like this. He wasn't quite sure if what was happening between him and Kim was leading to sex, but he knew that they should probably wait for that until they were older --at least, that's what everyone always said. However, what about the things happening now? What could they do about them? Before he had fully made up his mind, Tommy found himself wandering down the hall to his father's study; however, when he got there, he found his folks already in conference. He was all set to retreat when he realized that they were discussing him and Kimberly.

* * * * * *

"Do you think we should have a talk with Tommy?" Jan queried.

"About what?"

"About ... Thomas, haven't you been paying attention to a word I've said? About what's going on between him and Kimberly."

"What do you think is going on between them?"

"Nothing --at least, I'm pretty sure they haven't done anything yet. Thomas, haven’t you noticed the tension between them --the looks, the touches or almost touches? I believe their relationship is taking a more physical turn."

"It's not like you to use euphemisms, Jan. You're suggesting that Kim and Tommy are thinking about having sex."

"Yes. The signs are all there; I can see it in Tommy. One minute he’s on cloud nine, the next he looks lost and confused, and he's taken to changing his bed linens again. Even I've noticed that he's practically in a constant state of arousal whenever Kimberly is around."

* * * * * *

Out in the hall, Tommy blushed furiously. He knew his mom was perceptive, but not that perceptive.

* * * * * *

"So? It was bound to happen sooner or later," Thomas replied nonchalantly.

"Thomas, you're not taking this seriously."

"You're just over reacting, Jan. If the two of them want to have sex, they'll have sex whether we like it or not."

"They're not ready for it. They're just children."

"They're not any younger than we were the first time we did it," Thomas reminded her.

That was news to Tommy. He observed that his mother was blushing. He couldn't imagine either of them defying their parents to have premarital sex.

"That was different."

"How was it any different? We were young and in love...."

"We were out of high school...."

"Just barely."

"... and you were being shipped off to Vietnam..."

"... and you joined the Army Medical Corps just to follow me."

"I joined to fund my education since my father wouldn't pay for it. Now quit interrupting. We knew we wanted to get married, but we had to wait because you were being sent off to war. We didn't know if you would be coming back...."

"Just as Kim is having to go to Paris, and the two of them don't know when or if they'll ever see each other again," Thomas reminded her. "Our separation forced us to rush things. We knew we should have waited. Our folks tried to tell us to wait, but did we listen? Kim and Tommy's pending separation is forcing the same sort of thing on them. Do you think they'll listen to us any better than we listened to our folks? We've both accepted that the two of them would eventually be intimate, especially since they've been so close; it's just coming a little faster than we might like."

* * * * * *

Tommy had to admit, his father had hit the nail on the head. The sense that things were hurtling along out of control started when he found out Kim had to leave. He was a little surprised to learn that his folks had figured it out and come to accept the physical aspect of his and Kim’s relationship before it had ever become an issue for him and Kim.

* * * * * *

"You're right, I suppose."

"They're responsible adults, Jan. They know more about what’s going on and the consequences of their actions than we did. I trust them to make responsible decisions."

"So, if Tommy were to come in here and tell you that he and Kim were thinking of having sex, what would you tell him?" Jan challenged.

"I'd tell him just what I told you. I'd also tell him that we'd prefer it if they waited but that we'd respect their decision. Ultimately, Kim and Tommy have to do whatever right for them, and the only ones who can decided what that is are Kim and Tommy," Thomas concluded.

* * * * * *

That was all well and good, Tommy supposed, but what if they didn't know what was right for them? How would they figure it out? He already knew the answer: they'd have to discuss it. That was almost as frightening as having all the feelings in the first place.

"How come you're being so reasonable about all this?" his mom queried as she abandoned her seat on the arm of his father's chair. Tommy felt like asking the same question.

"Because you're already up in arms about it," his father replied. "It wouldn't do any good for both of us to be upset about it. Besides, if I were upset, you'd be the reasonable one --as usual. It's kind of nice being the one with a level head for a change."

"Thomas William...."

It didn't sound like his father was in trouble, but Tommy was pretty sure he'd better not stick around to find out.

---------------------------------------

When Tommy pulled his 4 x 4 into the driveway, he spotted Kimberly's car parked on the street. He hadn't realized he was so late getting home from karate class. Kim would kill him if his mother didn't nail him for missing dinner without calling. Tommy glanced into the front window; his parents were in the living room watching television. He decided to duck into the back door. As he headed down the basement stairs, he heard music --the driving beat of En Vogue's "Free Your Mind." Kim had never played that one before. Curious, Tommy proceeded down the steps silently.

Kimberly's movements were sharp and controlled; she hadn't hit the Zone yet, but she was awfully close. Tommy sat down on a step to watch, marveling at the way her shoulders rolled, the snap in her arms, the thrust of her hips and the fire in her strut. Her head whipped to and fro, her hair splayed about wildly. Sharp, jerky isolations followed gentle swaying and a deep plié right before the refrain. It was more like the way she danced to "Devil With The Blue Dress On." It was still very sexy but it was also safe.

Tommy found himself staring unabashedly at the curve of Kim's legs, her rounded behind, and the way she filled out her tight top. He sighed as he thought of her hands touching him, her body grinding against him, and the hungry, lusty gleam in her eyes as she had danced for him two nights ago. Her sexy moves, the heat of her body ... he had discovered a passionate woman hiding within the girl, but if Kim's reaction upon learning what she had done was any indication, Kim was terrified of the woman within. Tommy longed to set that woman free, but did he dare?

He had lain awake for a long while last night thinking about what it would be like to crush Kim in his arms, to kiss her with all the strength of his emotions. He wanted her so badly he could taste it. Tommy hated feeling like this --so out of control of his emotions, of everything. It was like he was helpless to do anything. He couldn't stop Kim's departure. He couldn't stop wanting her. He couldn't tell her how he felt. He couldn't even do something so simple as dance with her. It was all so frustrating!

"Hey, Tommy, I didn't hear you come down," Kim said brightly, panting from her exertions. She stood at the base of the stairs smiling up at him. "Are you okay? You looked really out of it."

"I'm fine. I liked your dancing; that was something else."

"I was just fooling around; you know, nothing special," she murmured self-consciously.

Had she been aware of how intently he had been studying her? Or was it residual embarrassment from the zoning fiasco?

"I think I've figured out part of your problem with dancing," Kim continued. She walked over to the stereo and killed the music. Then she reached for her warm-up jacket and slipped it on. Tommy wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed. "You hear the music, but you don't feel the music. Your body doesn't seem to understand how to translate the rhythm into movement. Maybe if we can get you to feel the way...."

"I don't follow you, Kim."

"I was watching Dirty Dancing last night; you know, the movie where Patrick Swayze tries to teach Jennifer Grey to be his dance partner. Anyway, there's this once sequence where he's trying to demonstrate how to dance to the song "Love Man," and basically what he does is hold her to him so she can feel how his body moves. Later, he has his hands on her hips, sort of guiding her along. I'm thinking, if I let you hold onto my hips while I dance, you might get a better feel for what I've been trying to show you."

"Whatever you think best," Tommy agreed, trying to keep the quiver out of his voice. His heart leaped at the suggestion. To touch her at all would be wonderful; he was just afraid that he wouldn't be able to restrain himself.

"Stretch out then, and let's get started," she said eagerly, pulling him along with her. She was trying not to let her nervousness show. There was more to her idea than simply showing Tommy how to dance. She wanted to see if she could have Tommy touch her without completely losing control. Tommy had moved better the previous evening once he ... experienced a release of tension. If they could alleviate the tension between them, things would go a lot smoother. Maybe in this small way, they could take a step towards that.

"Where do you want me to hang on?" Tommy queried, swallowing hard. He hoped Kim wouldn't notice how clammy his palms were. He was being ridiculous! They were only dancing together. She wasn't going to ask him to put his hands anywhere suggestive. Trying to force himself to settle down, he grabbed onto her waist. Kim giggled and wriggled free of his grasp.

"Careful, I'm ticklish," she gasped. "No, lower, on my hips." With more than a little trepidation, she placed his hands lightly on her hips. His grip tightened almost at once; it reminded her of how tightly he clung to her the other night. Kim almost lost her nerve. "Don't hold so tightly; I have to be able to move. Let's try walking."

Tommy was dry mouthed as Kim started walking around the mat with him plodding along after her. He probably looked as foolish as he felt. It was so hard to concentrate on what she was saying.

"Ease up a little; flow with me. That's better." Kim walked the pair of them over to the stereo and put on "Time of My Life" from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.

She started out simply, swaying back and forth to the intro, but when the beat picked up with a sort of Latin flare, Tommy was hard pressed to follow along. He was paying attention to her hips all right, but not in the way she had intended. He was very distracted by the sight and feel of her ass wiggling deliciously before him. He could feel the sway she had wanted him to discover, but he could not relax enough to feel it in himself. More than anything, he was conscious of the bulge growing in his pants. Suddenly, Kim spun in his grasp, facing him. He swallowed hard and hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Let's try something different; this isn't working," she sighed.

Tommy dropped his hands, but she put them back where they had been. She rested hers on his hips. If she noticed his erection, she didn't let on. If she was going to ignore it, Tommy was determined to do likewise.

It was very difficult for Kim to concentrate on dancing and the music. She had to fight to keep herself from backing into Tommy just to feel his body against hers. When she turned to face him at last, she noticed his pained expression. It took all her force of will to keep from glancing down to see if he was affected by her dancing as he had been the other night. She shook those thoughts away and returned to the matter at hand. "All right, this is a very simple dance step. Starting on your left, step forward then bring the right together. Step back, bring the right together. Try it."

Tommy did his best, but his movements were very stiff, like his erection.

"You're not Frankenstein," Kim sighed. "You can do this. It's just a simple 4-count step. 1 - 2 - 3 - 4." She demonstrated for him. "Please, Tommy, you're not trying very hard."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, making the utmost effort to concentrate on his feet and not on her hands on his hips.

"That's better. Now, while you're doing that, I'm going to mirror you. When you feel my hip slide back, yours should slide forward. If it doesn't, I'm going to move it for you."

Tommy was trying his best, but his brain kept reflecting on the proximity of Kim's fingers to his hard-on and his fingers' proximity to her ass. Finally, he had to stop; he couldn't take it any more. He released her abruptly and went to kill the music, more to regain control of himself than any other reason.

"Tommy, what's wrong?" Kim asked, putting a hand on his arm. She was almost grateful that he had let her go. It was taking everything she had to keep her hands from wandering, and Tommy looked so uncomfortable, she felt sorry for him.

"Let's face it, Kim. I'm no Fred Astaire; this just isn't working. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to waste your time trying to teach me to dance."

"It's not a waste of time," she insisted. "I don't mind spending the time with you. This is the most time we've spent together in weeks. Tommy, you can do this. I know you have a sense of rhythm; you have to in order to fight and perform katas as well as you do. I don't know why, but your heart just isn't into this. To top it off, you've been distracted ever since you got here. Maybe I should go home for tonight."

"I'm sorry, Kim...."

"Hey, some days, my heart just isn't into my gymnastics either," she replied with a rueful grin and a shrug of her shoulders. She really didn't want to leave. She wanted to work things out with Tommy, but at the moment retreat seemed the best option. "We can try again tomorrow night, okay?"

Kim turned him around and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. She really hadn't been aware of the bulge in his trousers before, but there was no mistaking it as she hugged him. Her eyes went wide with amazement as she looked up at him. Tommy closed his eyes, an expression of misery and mortification coloring his face. Kim's expression softened upon noticing his discomfort. She said nothing and hugged him tighter.

"Don't worry about it, Tommy," Kim murmured softly. She bit her lip with uncertainty. She didn't know if she should say anything else, but she couldn't let Tommy stand there feeling miserable and embarrassed. She smiled up at him sheepishly and fingered the zipper on her jacket. "You’re not the only one who's ... distracted."

Tommy opened his eyes, puzzled by her remark. She glanced away shyly as she unzipped the warm-up jacket and slipped it off. Tommy felt like he shouldn't be looking, but he couldn't help himself. Kim blushed faintly but didn't shy away from his gaze. Tommy observed that her nipples appeared to be as hard and erect as his cock.

Chapter 5

"Tommy, you have got to relax!" Kim harumphed in exasperation. She marched over to the stereo to kill the music. It was Friday, and she had decided that she needed a break from the gymnastics, so she had walked home from school with Tommy. They were going to get the dancing in and then have dinner with Tommy's folks. However, when they started up, matters were worse then they had been the previous evening.

"I'm trying," Tommy insisted.

"I know. I'm sorry. You're not the only one having problems," Kim sighed, flipping a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "What is the matter with us? Why is it we can't touch each other without tensing up? We have no problems working in tandem on the battlefield; we used to be able to dance together. Why is this so difficult?"

"Maybe because...."

It happened so quickly, neither one knew how to react. Tommy swept Kim into his arms and crushed her mouth to his in a passionate kiss. She gave a squeak of surprise, her eyes wide open. Her body was taut and unyielding, but she didn't struggle. As the astonishment wore off, she relaxed in his embrace. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she began kissing him in return. Upon feeling her response, Tommy backed off a little. He didn't hold her as if she might run away. The crush of his lips eased somewhat, allowing more play. His hands began roaming from her hair to her behind. His tongue probed tentatively at her mouth, as if seeking permission to enter. She gave it, and his tongue enveloped hers in a sensual, velvety embrace. He slowly lifted Kim off the floor, and her arms wound themselves around his neck. Her hands lost themselves in his hair, which she pulled free of its rubberband. Kim's heart pounded wildly against Tommy's chest as his thumped against hers.

The heat of the moment, however, gave way to the need to breathe. Reluctantly, their lips parted. Their bodies remained locked together as they drank deeply of the air. Their mouths sought each other's again, in a fierce exchange of hungry nips. Tommy opened his eyes first, and he intently studied the rapturous expression on Kim's face. Her head fell back slightly; her eyes were closed. A scarlet flush filled her cheeks, and her slightly parted lips beckoned to Tommy. He dipped in closer to plant a single, gentle kiss on her lips, then he eased her back to the floor. He was surprised to see that her knees almost didn't hold.

"Oh, wow!" she murmured, swaying unsteadily. Concerned, Tommy helped Kim over to the steps so she could sit down. In fact, he was feeling a little light-headed himself. He took a seat and gazed up at Kim. With her eyes still closed, she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. The throaty purr she emitted made Tommy shiver.

"Kim?" Tommy ventured uncertainly.

Kim finally opened her eyes. They glowed with excitement.

"Why haven't you ever kissed me like that before?" she asked breathlessly. She reached down to touch his cheek and brushed a strand of hair out of his face.

"I wasn't sure if I should," he admitted, just as out of breath as Kim was. He couldn't believe that he had worked up the nerve to kiss her like that; he had been so scared, but the urge had come down on him from out of nowhere, and he had been helpless to fight it back. He didn't know if Kimberly could see it, but he was trembling almost as much as she was. The embrace, the kiss, they had felt good, so very, very good. He reached up to touch Kim's lips. "I wasn't sure how you'd react. I wasn't sure how I'd react, but I've wanted to do that for a very long time."

"I've wanted you to do that for a very long time." Kim's fingers wandered into Tommy's hair, combing through his long locks. Her shivering increased as she played with his tresses. She drew closer, as if held by some sort of spell. It was her turn to initiate the kiss. It was softer than Tommy's but no less heated. Then, to Tommy's amazement, she gathered up his hair and buried her face in it. "Mm, I've wanted to do that for a very long time, too."

"Actually, I kind of like it when you play with my hair," Tommy mumbled self-consciously. "It feels pretty awesome."

Kim forced herself to let go of Tommy's hair and leaned into him. She rested her head on his shoulders. Her left hand found its way to Tommy's chest, and she could feel the pounding of his heart. "What's happening here? My heart's racing a mile a minute. I feel scared and giddy all at the same time."

"Me, too," Tommy said. He wrapped his arms around Kim, and while hugging her, he stroked her hair.

"All I know is I don't want the feeling to stop."

"What do we do about it?"

"I don't know." Kim was content to remain in Tommy's embrace; she didn't want to ever let him go. Then, an idea hit. She pulled away from Tommy and was conscious of his look of disappointment. "I have it! I think I know what to do so we're not afraid to touch each other any more."

"What's that?"

"Let's dance." She pulled him to his feet and led him onto the mats. "Nothing fancy, just slow dancing --really close. We'll just hold onto each other, rocking back and forth until we feel comfortable. Okay?"

Tommy's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed anxiously. "I think I can handle that."

Kim's hands were shaking slightly as she hurried over to the stereo and slipped a cassette with a selection of ballads in the tape deck. With a deep breath, she hit play and rejoined Tommy on the mats. Tommy tried to hold her as they normally slow danced --one arm around her waist, the other holding her arm up-- but she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling her face against his chest. Tommy's arms went around her trembling body. The first ballad came on, and Kim started their side to side rocking. Tommy was stiff --in more ways than one. The thought almost made Kim giggle.

"Relax, Tommy," she murmured. Taking a deep breath, she slid her hand up Tommy’s back and began gently massaging.

"What are you doing?" Tommy asked, surprised as her hands traveled the length of his spine. With each downward pass, her fingers dipped lower and lower past the waistband of his pants.

"Do you mind?" she queried.

"No. Would you mind if I...?"

"If you'd like," Kim offered shyly. She stood on tiptoe and threaded her arms around Tommy's neck so that he might have a better purchase. She could feel the tremors in his hands as they wandered up and down her back. "Don't be nervous."

"I'm trying," he stammered. How could he tell her how badly he had been wanting to do something like this?

"To be honest, I think your nervousness is kind of cute. You're always so confident about everything else; it's kind of nice to know there's something you're unsure of."

"What about you? Are you nervous?"

"A little."

"You just seem so sure of yourself."

"Right now, Tommy, our relationship is the only thing I'm sure about. It's the only certainty I have in my life," Kim answered bleakly. "I don't want that to ever change. It's all I have left."

Her words sent a chill of dread shuddering through Tommy. This was not the time to be reminded of their uncertain future. Tommy held Kimberly even tighter.

"Don't worry, things won't change between us," Tommy said with fierce assurance, but he wasn't exactly certain whether he was trying to reassure Kim or himself.

"I know," Kim responded. The two continued dancing in silence. A certain amount of tension had returned to their embrace, making Kim long for the ease of mere moments ago. She was determined not to let thoughts of the future spoil the here and now. As they continued dancing, she wished Tommy would let his hands roam so that she could let hers do the same. She could tell that he wanted to. A couple of times he let his hands drift lower, almost touching her bottom, but then he'd pull back, leaving her shivering in anticipation for his caress. There was no hiding the fact that he was as excited as she was by what was happening; she was pressed too tightly against him not to notice. She glanced up at Tommy, and something in his expression gave her pause. There was nervousness and eagerness, but there was also hopefulness --almost as if he was seeking permission. Kim suddenly realized why Tommy was holding back. It was out of respect for her. He wasn't going to do anything that she didn't want him to. Kim knew that if she wanted Tommy to do anything more, she was going to have to lead the way --at least for now.

The realization made Kimberly feel bold, and more than a little anxious. She wasn't certain if she could --or should-- take the lead, but she longed to touch Tommy again, although she doubted she could bring herself to do the things she had while zoning, and she really wanted to feel his hands on her body. Kim buried her face in Tommy's chest so he wouldn't see the blush burning her cheeks as she let her hands drift lower and lower to his backside. She was trembling as she finally rested her hands on his ass and started to softly stroke it.

Tommy's eyes snapped wide open at Kim's first touch of his backside. A shudder rippled through him, which had the testosterone flooding his body. Slowly, he began to relax into her caress. Even through his jeans, her hands felt sensational. Try as he might, he couldn't hold back the deep sigh/almost groan which rumbled up from his chest. Almost involuntarily, his hands started down her back, sliding close to the boundary of her waistband.

Tommy's expression of contentment made Kimberly feel rather bold. Grinning mischievously, Kim passed her hand over Tommy's ass and gave it a squeeze. Tommy's eyes, which had been drooping, opened again, filled with an expression of amazement. Kim's smile broadened as she continued rubbing his bottom. "You know something, you feel pretty good."

"So do you," Tommy answered, finally allowing his hands to brush Kim’s derriere. Her sweet cheeks fit the cup of his hands better than he expected. It was his turn to feel Kimberly's shudders of delight and hear her sighs fill his ears. He had wanted to touch her thusly for so long. He wished that Kim's hands would wander to other places so that he could let his hands wander too.

Kim loved the feel of Tommy's hands on her ass. She found it surprising that for all his strength, Tommy could be so gentle. She wondered how it would feel to have his hand on her bare behind. The thought sent fiery tingles shooting through her body, and made her moan deeply. That seemed to snap her back to her senses. Things were threatening to get out of hand. Still, she wished she dared let Tommy touch her breasts; she imagined that his soft but strong touch would feel magnificent on her aching nipples. Kim gave herself a mental shake. It was time to come back down to Earth. "You know something else, Tommy? You're not doing a half-bad job of dancing, either."

Kim's words startled Tommy out of the reverie he had slipped into. He glanced down to see the two of them moving in a slow circle around the mat. Kim’s body was swaying with the beat, and as long as she was pressed up against him, Tommy was able to move with her. Tommy flashed her a smile that made Kim feel weak in the knees.

Through another two or three songs, the two danced, their bodies pressed tightly together and their hands gliding up and down each other's back and tush. Towards the end of the fourth song, Tommy stopped to kiss Kimberly again. It was a deep, lingering kiss that had them both shivering with the emotions it engendered. It was a moment they never wanted to end; however, the door at the top of the stairs opened, and Tommy's father called down, "Dinner!" Reluctantly, the two parted.

"Today's lesson wasn't so bad, was it?" Kim queried.

"Today's lesson was great," Tommy agreed, although he looked a little glum.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Dad's timing stinks."

Tommy and Kim made their way up to the kitchen once they felt sufficiently in control of their hormones. Even so, both were hoping that they weren't blushing as they joined Tommy's parents at the table.

"So, how goes things at Arthur Murray's?" Mr. Oliver joked.

"Better," Kim murmured.

"I think we've got it so I can slow dance --at least as long as Kim leads," Tommy added.

"What are you going to do at the wedding?" his father asked as he passed around the plate of ham. It was a good question. Neither Kim nor Tommy had considered anything beyond the moment.

"Are you going to get your hair cut before the wedding?" Mrs. Oliver asked.

Tommy and Kim exchanged horrified glances.

"No," Tommy answered firmly.

"You're going to have to get it cut one of these days," his mother insisted. "You don't have to get it shorn military style or anything like that. Just shape it up and get it off your shoulders."

Tommy didn't understand what was going on. He and his folks had hashed the whole hair business out a long time ago. It wasn't like his mother to make an issue out of it, and from the expression Tommy observed on his father's face, he had no idea where this topic had come from either. Tommy studied his mother's face. She looked sort of harried, as if something was bugging her. However, Tommy could see that she was warming up to issue a ‘Tommy James’ command, so he had to beat her to the punch. "I'd sooner wear a three piece suit, tie, and dress shoes than get my hair cut." His defiance seemed to catch his mother off guard.

"Fine. I'll hold you to that," his mother answered at last, with calm finality.

"Jan, what has gotten into you?" Thomas hissed under his breath, but Jan took no notice of him.

"Fine," Tommy shot back with equal firmness. He snuck a peek at Kimberly; she looked very uncomfortable as she tried hard to concentrate on her dinner. He wasn't sure which bothered her more, the thought of him cutting his hair or witnessing a family argument. Tommy loathed the idea of wearing a suit; when he dressed up for Kim it was usually with a sports coat sans tie and comfortable shoes, but he preferred that to losing his locks, especially now since he knew how much Kimberly liked them.

"Tommy in a three piece suit," his father murmured to break the heavy silence. He shook his head. "I just can't see it."

"I think Tommy'd look good in a suit," Kim ventured.

"He hasn't worn a monkey suit since before he shot up like a weed," Thomas continued, bantering with Kimberly. "I doubt he has anything in his closet like that."

"Then he'll have to go shopping," Jan interjected, "and he'll have to do it soon in order to have the alterations done in time. We leave next Friday night."

"I hate shopping," Tommy grumbled, shoveling his scalloped potatoes around on his plate glumly.

"I'd be too scared to see what he comes home with," Thomas joked.

"Don't worry, Tommy; if you'd like, I could go shopping with you," Kim offered, putting a consoling hand on his arm. Tommy brightened at that.

"That's very generous of you, Kimberly," Jan remarked. "Helping Tommy out has taken away a lot of your practice time."

"It's no problem, Mrs. Oliver, really. My practices are going well, and helping Tommy has been a lot of fun."

"I'm surprised Tommy hasn't invited you to come with us."

That bombshell had both Tommy and Thomas staring at Jan in wide-mouthed wonderment. Thomas recovered himself first.

"Jan, you said the guest count had to be in three weeks ago," Thomas pointed out.

"There's always room for one more; Jean wouldn't turn Kim away," Jan answered, "that is, if Kimberly would like to join us."

Tommy looked to Kim eagerly. "Would you, Kim? Would you like to come to the wedding with us?"

"Are you sure it wouldn't be a problem?"

"If Mom says it's not, it's not."

"Do you really want me to be there?"

"Of course! Please say you'll come."

"I always did like wedding receptions, especially ones with lots of dancing," Kim agreed.

"Wonderful. I'll go call Jean right now and let her know we'll have one more at our table," Jan said, excusing herself to use the phone in the other room. No one spoke for several moments after her departure.

"Tommy, what's with your mom? She wouldn't really make you cut your hair, would she?" Kim asked under her breath so his father wouldn't hear.

"I don't know. She hasn't bugged me about it in a long time. I was really afraid she was going to hit me with a T.J. command."

"T.J.?"

"Tommy James."

"Your name isn't short for Thomas? I didn't know that," Kim murmured with amusement; however, her demeanor quickly sobered. "What if she had given you a T.J.?"

"I still would have refused," Tommy said with conviction.

"Really?"

"I've never defied a T.J. before, so I'm not sure what would have happened." There was another pause as the two picked at their dinner.

"I hope attending the wedding won't set your practice schedule too far back, Kim," Thomas ventured at last.

"It won't, Mr. Oliver. I don't practice on Sundays, and lately I've been cutting the Friday sessions short. It'll be all right."

"Do you have any idea as to what you'll wear?" Tommy queried.

Kim considered the matter for a moment. "I'm not too sure. You're going to be in a suit and all.... I'm not sure I have anything that formal. I'll look through my stuff and see what I can find. Maybe Aisha has something I can borrow."

"Will you two excuse me for a moment," Thomas said. He left the table and went in search of Jan. He found her on the phone in the living room. "Jan, what is going on?"

"Sh!" she hissed, waving him off for the moment, then she turned her attention back to the person on the other end of the phone. "You have? That's great. I appreciate this, Jean; it'll mean so much to Tommy to have Kim there. Yes, Jean, they know it's a formal affair. What did you think --that they'd show up in torn jeans and leather jackets? They're not a pair of hoodlums, Jean. They're respectable young adults."

Thomas was surprised to hear the sarcasm in Jan's voice. He could not remember her ever taking that tone with her sister before.

"All right. We'll see you on Saturday. Good-bye." Jan hung up the phone with a sigh of frustration. Then she collected herself and turned to face Thomas. "It's all set. There was a cancellation at one of the other tables, so Jean was able to rearrange things to accommodate Kim."

"Why are you doing this, Jan?"

"You mean inviting Kimberly? Because I know Tommy would enjoy himself more if she was there."

"I mean all of it. Why are you insisting that he go to this wedding? You know he never wanted to go. He just doesn't get along with Jean's boys."

"Why? Why can't he and his cousins get along?"

"I think Aunt Eleanor's birthday party might have something to do with that."

"That was eleven years ago."

"Kyle and Mark really did a number on Tommy, and they won't let it go. Hell, your entire family brings it up every time there's a gathering. I wouldn't forgive my own brother if he did to me what those two did to Tommy. I can't blame him for not wanting to deal with Mark and Kyle."

"Well, it's high time the three of them grew up," Jan snapped. "Don't you think I know what happened? Don't you think I know what the family says about Tommy? Has it ever occurred to you that I'm just as hurt by all of this as Tommy? How do you think I feel having to listen to my sister laugh at my son? I'm tired of it. I'm tired of making excuses for him; I'm tired of defending him."

"You're not ashamed of Tommy, are you?" Thomas asked suddenly.

"Of course not."

"Then why do you feel like you have to defend him or make excuses for him?"

"He won't defend himself, so somebody has to."

"Jan, isn't it time you and Jean put your sibling rivalry to rest?"

Thomas' query hit a little too close to home for Jan, and for a moment she didn't have an answer. She had told herself long ago that she was no longer in competition with Jean, and she had almost believed it.

"It's not fair to Tommy --or Mark and Kyle for that matter-- for you to use him to fight your battle with your sister. Tommy's not a kid any more, Jan. He can fight his own battle with his cousins or he can leave it as he wishes. As long as you're not ashamed of your son, why should you care what your sister thinks of him?"

"I suppose you're right," Jan agreed with a heavy sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't have forced him into coming, but I really want him to go. I just want the family to see that I'm not ashamed of my son."

"Then why didn't you just tell him that it meant a lot to you for him to go instead of invoking a T.J. on him? I'm sure if he knew how important it was to you, he would have come. He still might not have liked it, but he would have attended for you."

"So, do I tell him that he doesn't have to go?"

"No, not since you have Kimberly roped into going. By the way, did you stop to consider the imposition on Kim when you invited her? A few minutes ago you were all but telling her she shouldn't be sacrificing her practice time to teach Tommy to dance and then you ask her to cut out three days to go to a wedding. Plus, she probably doesn't have anything to wear for a formal wedding, and with her mother out of the country...."

"I can pay for a dress for her, too; she can shop for herself while she's helping Tommy."

"And what about the accommodations? You've reserved two singles for the three of us."

"I'll call the hotel and see if I can switch them to doubles. That way, Kim and I can share a room, and you and Tommy can share the other."

"What if you can't change the reservations? I have no intention of spending the weekend sharing a bed with my son. Did it ever occur to you that I might have plans for our spare time this weekend?"

"We can't put Kim and Tommy in a room together!"

"That's something we can discuss after you call the motel and see what can be done. Come on, let's get back to dinner. The food's getting cold, and the kids are probably wondering what's going on."

Thomas and Jan returned to the kitchen; Kim and Tommy were still at the table, their dinners hardly touched.

"Aunt Jean says there's no problem with adding Kim to the guest list," Jan said as she sat down.

"That's great," Tommy remarked, actually sounding enthusiastic.

"Tommy, I know you haven't wanted to go to the wedding, and three days is a lot of time to ask Kim to take out of her practice schedule," Jan began hesitantly, startling everyone at the table. "If you really would rather not, you don't have to go to the wedding."

"Do you mean it?" Tommy asked, incredulous.

"Yes." Jan took a deep breath, and Thomas put his hand over hers.

"But you'd really like me to go, wouldn't you," Tommy continued. It was his mother's turn to be surprised at his perceptiveness.

"It would mean a great deal to me," Jan answered.

Tommy looked at Kim, who gave him a warm smile of encouragement. "Well, since Kim said she'd come, too, I guess I don't mind going so much now."

"Thank you, Tommy," his mother said, reaching out and giving his hand a squeeze.

On to Part Two.....

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