Conflicts of Interest Part Three by Gina

Conflicts of Interest
Part Three
Written by: Gina

Disclaimer: See Part One

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Chapter 14: Now What?

For several minutes after Dr. Oliver left, the Rangers remained silent, each of them individually digesting the scene just played out before them in their own way. Haley stood staring at the door, sniffling quietly, her mind replaying the incident over and over again. It didn’t take too long before her intellect regained control and the enormity of the situation sunk in. She had humiliated Tommy in front of his students by revealing details of his personal life that were nobody’s business, and she did it deliberately, knowing that her cruel words would carry more weight if said in their presence. The worst part was that she made what he did sound deviant and sordid, going as far as calling an innocent woman a whore. Now, her friendship with Tommy, not to mention her dream of having him for herself, was history. With a fleeting look in kids’ direction, she non-verbally apologized with the most sincere expression she could manage, and then ran back to her office.

All of the Rangers could only watch Haley go initially, except for Trent. He quickly jumped up and started after her, but Kira’s firm hand grabbed his wrist and encouraged him to sit back down. “Leave her be for a minute. We need to talk about this.” The White Ranger nodded and did as he was told.

“What is there to talk about? Haley just totally flipped out on Dr. O, and we don’t know why!” Conner inadvertently raised his voice in his frustration.

“Chill, Conner. We have to figure out what we’re going to do, because this whole thing could have a seriously negative impact on the team. We’re screwed if we don’t have Haley’s help.” Ethan was the thinker of the group, and the numerous practical aspects of losing their technical expert rapidly began piling up in his head, making him feel rather panicky.

“You’re right, Ethan, and we’re not going to let than happen. They’ve been friends for too long. We have to figure out why it bothered Haley so much that Dr. O… had… has… a girlfriend.” Trent wasn’t exactly sure how to describe the delicate circumstance, so he tried to say it as tactfully as he could manage.

The boys all seemed to agree with Trent’s plan of action until Kira spoke up, clearly irritated by their typical male density. “Are you dufuses blind? Don’t you see that she’s in love with him? Why else would she freak out like that? She’s jealous!”

“In love with him? No way!” Ethan couldn’t wrap his mind around that one.

“Yes, in love with him. Haven’t you guys noticed the way she always looks at him? She was probably just afraid to do anything about it. Now he has someone else, and she’s hurt. A woman just knows these things.” The concept was as simple to her as water being wet.

“Well, what do we do now? It’s really none of our business.” Trent was not the type to interfere.

“Sure it is!” Conner started. “If the team suffers because they aren’t speaking, then it’s definitely our business. We have to talk to them and make them see that.” His leader mode took over, and for once he sounded mature and intelligent.

“Yeah, but you know Dr. O. Haley said herself the other day that he was very private about this stuff. He’s probably totally embarrassed. I doubt he wants to face us right now, and I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not dealing with this whole TMI thing very well, myself.”

“TMI thing?” Conner’s blank expression belied his confusion even if his words had not.

“TOO MUCH INFORMATION!” The Blue, Yellow, and White Rangers practically shouted it at the same time, as annoyed with the seemingly hopeless situation as much as with Conner’s cluelessness.

Kira stepped in again as the moderator, feeling responsible for keeping them on the subject and the testosterone levels in check. “Ethan brought up a good point. We all just sat around the command center yesterday talking about what a gross thought the idea of Dr. O having a sex life was. Now, just a day later it comes back to haunt us! How is he ever going to look us in the eyes again? Our relationship with him might be changed forever!”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little too dramatic, Kira?” Trent was generally a sensible guy, usually not too influenced by his masculinity. “Maybe we should just forget about it. Act like it never happened.”

“How do we do that? Dr. O certainly won’t be able to. Everytime we look at him, he’ll think we’re imagining him… God! What should we do?” Kira was becoming overwhelmed. The more she thought about it, the more she frustrated she got. “And we have Haley to think about, too.”

“Look, guys. All we’re doing is speculating. We have to talk to them. I think we should split up. Ethan and I are closest to Haley. We’ll stay here for her. Kira, you and Conner should go to Dr. O’s. See how he’s doing. Maybe we’re overreacting. He’s probably calmed down by now.” Trent was tired of just sitting there. He wasn’t a talker, he was a doer, and right now, two of his friends were hurting. It was time to do something.

“I think that’s a good idea. Let’s get going.” Kira was reminded again why she found Trent so appealing. He was intelligent, sensitive, and loyal, everything she wanted in a guy.

“Um, Kira? What if we get to Dr. O’s house and he’s, uh…you know? I think I’d be scarred for life if we walked in on that.” Conner was surprisingly the one to put the brakes on an overly-zealous arrangement. While not usually the tactful one, this time, he felt funny about interfering.

“We’ll call him on the way. If he doesn’t answer, I guess we’ll have to wait. But we have to try,” Kira suggested while packing up her books.

Conner did likewise and the two of them made for the door. “Keep in touch. We’ll meet back here later,” he called over his shoulder just before they headed out. It was one of those times when he was happy to forgo the leader role and let Kira take control. He knew that he had a real tendency to stick his foot in his mouth, so as they climbed into his red Mustang, he mentally resigned himself to shut up and let her do the talking.

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Neither Trent nor Ethan was particularly happy about having to talk to Haley. They were all for helping their friend, but didn’t feel they were at all qualified for the job. As they walked towards the back room like they were in a funeral procession, both of them wondered how their intercession would be received. It seemed like Haley’s anger had dissolved, but the fact was, she had made a real ass out of herself and might not be ready to deal with it yet. The office door was open, so the boys took that as a sign that she wouldn’t mind visitors, but they knocked on the door frame anyway. She was in her chair facing the back wall, and upon hearing them approach, she spun around. Her eyes were still red and puffy, and her makeup was smeared down her face, but she wasn’t currently crying.

“Hey, Haley,” Trent began. He had been working at Haley’s for about eight months, but today saw new a side of her. She now seemed almost like a stranger to him.

“Hi, guys.” Haley greeted them with as much of a smile as she could manage. It wasn’t a surprise to see them there. She figured they’d come to check on her, so she tried to compose herself as much as she could. As a role-model, not to mention a decent human being, her behavior was reprehensible. She owed the kids an apology almost as much as she did Tommy. “Come on in.”

The two Rangers sat in the comfortable chairs opposite Haley’s desk, their apprehension seeping from every pore. She realized that it was her job to explain herself, and she was determined to do the right thing. “Um, I really want to say how sorry I am for the way I acted out there. There was no excuse for it. I don’t know what got into me, but now I’ve put you guys in a difficult position.”

“Listen, Haley. You don’t have to apologize to us. We just wanted to know if you’re OK and if there’s anything we can do,” Trent explained.

“Thank you, but I do need to apologize. What I did was worse than just wrong, it was...well, the worst thing I could have done to a friend, especially Tommy. I still can’t believe that was me saying those things. I don’t know what I was I thinking.”

“Everyone makes mistakes, Haley. Can you tell us why you were so mad?” Ethan felt sorry for her. She obviously deeply regretted her actions, and now looked like a lost little girl.

“Well, I guess I’ve revealed so much to you guys already, what’s a little more? I love Tommy. I’m in love with him, have been for years. He doesn’t know, but I was going to tell him. That’s why I went over there this morning, to lay it all on the line. I decided to risk everything to find out how he felt about me. Tommy is very shy when it comes to women, and I was hoping that if I made the first move, he’d finally admit it if he felt the same way about me. You can imagine now why I was hurt when I got there and he was…” Haley’s eyes began to well up with tears again at the thought of what she heard going on and her subsequent reaction to it.

Trent handed her a Kleenex from the box on the corner of her desk. “I’m sorry, Haley. Maybe you should just explain it to Dr. O. He’s a decent guy, he’ll understand.” The White Ranger wasn’t so sure if that was true, but he was trying to be encouraging.

“I can’t face him. I just can’t. What I did was so wrong. I knew what I was saying, and I knew that saying it in front of you guys would really hurt him. I just couldn’t stop myself once I started. The urge to get back at him took over me, and as hard as I tried to fight it, it won. Tommy’s the best friend I’ve ever had, and now I’ve lost him. Not only that, but I’ve ruined his reputation in your eyes.” Haley was sobbing again as the hopelessness of the situation settled in deeper.

“His reputation is fine. I mean, it’s a little creepy to think about a teacher having sex, but we’ll get over it. I think it will be harder for him though.” Ethan was the one of them the most like Haley, and thus more brains than emotions. He hoped his words sounded sincere.

“I know. He’s probably mortified. And for the record, Tommy doesn’t sleep around. I just want you to know that. I don’t know who the woman was, but I’m sure she’s someone he must care about. I had no business calling her a whore. Jealousy is a terrible thing.”

Trent needed to get all of their minds off the subject of the confrontation. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of Dr. O’s sex life again. “You really need to talk to him, Haley. Just apologize. You guys have been friends for so long, and all friends have arguments sometimes. He won’t be mad forever. Do it for us, for the team. We need you Haley.”

That statement really hit her hard. She had gotten into the Ranger thing with Tommy to make a difference in the world. Abandoning the team now might mean that Mesogog would win, a possibility too terrible to think about. It was time to be a responsible adult and set a good example for the teens. That meant admitting her mistake and asking forgiveness from the one she hurt, even if it was possible that he wasn’t willing to grant it for awhile, if ever. “Thank you, Trent. I think I needed to hear that. I’m not so sure that Tommy will want me around, but he’ll do what’s good for the Rangers, and so should I.” Haley gave the two boys a warm smile, not for the first time surprised that kids fifteen years her junior could have so much more common sense and compassion than grown-ups sometimes.

“That’s the spirit!” Ethan was grinning like second-grader. They were one step closer to having things back the way they were. Now all they had to do was develop selective amnesia in order to forget that this whole thing started because Dr. Oliver had sex.

“By the way, where are Conner and Kira?” Haley had a pretty good idea, but she wanted to know for sure.

“They went to Dr. O’s,” Trent hesitantly admitted.

“Oh. I thought so, but that probably wasn’t a very wise plan. I doubt he’s ready to see any of you just yet. He loves you guys, and will get past it, but it’s going to take some time. I can’t even imagine how he must be feeling right now. Again, I’m so sorry.”

“Well, we have to see him in class tomorrow, anyway. When do you think you might try to talk to him?” Ethan asked before he realized he might be trying to force the issue. “Sorry, didn’t mean to be pushy.”

“I’d better give him a couple of days to cool off. If he’s involved with someone, the best thing I could do right now is give them time alone together. In the case of an attack and you need me, that’s different, but if things stay quiet, I want to give him his space.” Haley knew it was a cop-out, but the possibility also existed that Tommy might seek her out first. Whether it would be to tell her off or give her a chance to apologize, though, she wasn’t sure.

“You really don’t have any idea who she is?” Trent asked. The curiosity was killing all the Rangers, despite the fact that the general idea was gross.

“Not a clue, Trent. He’s never mentioned any women, but then again, he’s also very private. I never would have considered telling him I love him if I thought he was seeing someone else. I think he was right, though. I do get myself in a knot when I don’t know something. Being a genius has its problems, too.”

“And you’re sure he doesn’t know you’re in love with him?” Ethan didn’t have the necessary experience with the opposite sex to make any sense of the situation, but he was somewhat disappointed to find out that even adults like Haley and Dr. O sometimes didn’t have all the answers, either. He had been hoping that with age he would understand women better.

“Yeah, pretty sure. Tommy has always been completely oblivious to all the attention females throw at him. He just doesn’t get it, and that’s part of his charm. For a guy to look that good and be so humble…” Haley trailed off when she realized that she might be providing the teens with TMI again. “Sorry.”

“Conner and Kira should be contacting us soon. They’re going to come back here, either sooner or later. If Dr. O wants to be alone like you say, it should be sooner,” Trent wanted them back right away so he and Ethan could share what they’ve learned and decide on the best way to handle first period Science in the morning. It was bound to be awkward.

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Conner and Kira sat in the parking lot of the Cyberspace discussing what exactly they planned to say to Dr. Oliver. They briefly considered just going over there and acting like nothing unusual happened, but then decided that idea would probably draw more attention to the confrontation than if they brought it up outright.

“I don’t want to do this, Kira.” Conner wasn’t afraid to admit his fear. Even if Kira did all the talking, he still had to stand there and look at Dr. O, who would be looking at them, thinking that they were thinking what they were thinking. It was too embarrassing, and now on top of it all, he went and got himself all confused.

“Neither do I, but we have to,” Kira said, trying to keep them on track. Frankly, she was acting much more confident than she actually felt.

“I know. I guess we should call him now.”

“Yeah,” she concurred. She hesitantly clasped the bright yellow stone of her Dino Gem with her thumb and forefinger while concentrating on making a telepathic connection to the Black Ranger. When she mentally felt his bracelet signal him, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Now, they just had to wait for Dr. O to reply.

“What is it Kira?” Tommy answered sounding impatient and only semi-interested.

In the car, the Red and Yellow Rangers exchanged a glance that said they both heard the message behind his tone; however, they had to do what they had to do. “Um, nothing, really. Conner and I were just wondering if you’d like some company. We could maybe bring a pizza, rent a movie…” Kira tried to sound as casual as possible, but they both knew he was well aware of the true reason for the call.

“Thanks, guys, but not today. I think I’m just going to lay low this afternoon. I have a lot of things to think about.” Tommy appreciated the concern, and he knew it was genuine, but he was not interested in socializing with the teens right now. He had some decisions to make regarding how he was going to address with them Haley’s revelation about his personal life. Besides, Kim would be on her way back over soon. There was no way he wanted to introduce the Rangers to her now without telling her first what they knew. He planned on omitting the part about Haley calling her a whore since it would serve no purpose but to hurt Kim’s feelings, and he’d hate for her to serve time in prison for murder.

“We understand, Dr. O.” Kira assured him, and they really did, since they were no more comfortable with the idea of seeing their teacher so soon after what happened than he was. It seemed they all just needed some time.

“I’ll see you in class tomorrow, and we’ll get together after school for some training.”

“OK. We’ll be there,” Conner said, pulling Kira’s wrist to him so he could speak. “Bye.”

“Bye, guys.”

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Tommy cut the connection and sighed to himself to release his anxiety. Kim should be calling any minute, and explaining to her the current morale crisis of the Dino Thunder Rangers was not how he had planned to spent the rest of the day. Just as he was mentally sorting out which details of the altercation he should share, his cell phone rang from inside his thigh pocket. He smiled to himself despite everything that happened when the caller ID read ‘Marriott Reefside.’

“Hi,” he said simply, trying to keep any signs that he was feeling troubled from his voice.

Kim couldn’t be fooled so easily. She had too much experience with Tommy-in-distress. He’d always been a horrible actor. “What is it?” There was no use beating around the bush.

“Oh, I’ll tell you when you get here. Are you getting ready to leave?” He realized he sounded like he was rushing her, but spending time with her was the only thing that would salvage this weekend.

“Yeah. I’ve already checked out. I just have to put my bags in the car. Are you finished with Haley?”

That’s one way of putting it. “I’m home now. You can come whenever you want.” He realized just after he said it that a double meaning could be interpreted from that statement, especially after last night and this morning.

“I can as long as you’re around,” she replied with a sexy little giggle. The implication wasn’t lost on her. “Seriously, though, I’ll be there in twenty, then. Bye.”

“See you soon.” Tommy flipped his cell shut, ending the call. She still had the power to make his day with just the sound of her voice. He thought about working out, but he really didn’t have enough time. There’s plenty of time to get all hot and sweaty later. God, the years of sexual depravation have turned me into a fiend! I just can’t control myself around her. He decided it would be better to relax and watch some TV while he waited for her to arrive.

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Conner and Kira clamored back out of the car and into the Cyberspace to wait for Ethan and Trent. The Red Ranger stopped near the front of the café to move the broken table to the dumpster around the side of the building. He marveled again at Dr. Oliver’s fierce display of temper and deadly skill that caused the thing to be split cleanly in half. While he didn’t blame his teacher for being angry at Haley, it was the last thing he expected from the normally calm and collected Dr. O. After the trash was disposed of, he took a seat with Kira on the sofa.

Not three minutes later, the Blue and White Rangers could be heard coming from the storeroom. They were momentarily taken back at seeing their teammates sitting there, but after a second, they both realized that they shouldn’t have been surprised.

“Back so soon?” Ethan asked anyway.

“We never left. After we got in the car, we called Dr. O to see if we could go over there, but he said he’d rather be alone today,” Conner explained. “Well, maybe not alone, but he just didn’t want us there. Maybe his girlfriend is still around. Were you guys able to talk to Haley?”

Trent started. “Yeah, we did. Kira you were right. She’s in love with him.”

“Of course I’m right! She actually admitted it?” The Yellow Ranger had no doubt in her mind that Haley loved Dr. Oliver, but she wasn’t sure that Haley was aware of it, herself.

“Yep. She was completely honest. The kicker is that the reason she went over there this morning was to tell him. Then she heard them…” Trent couldn’t finish the statement. The idea of saying ‘it’ out loud threatened to make him sick.

“Fucking.” Conner had no such qualms, even though he never would have associated the subject with Dr. O before today.

“Eeewww. You had to say it, didn’t you, Conner? How am I going to sit there in class everyday, now, if I keep picturing…” Ethan, being much more naïve than the others, naturally came out with a more immature response.

“Then don’t picture it! I know it’s a little weird, but face it, guys. Dr. O is just a normal guy. You heard Haley say he had girlfriends before.” Then a thought hit Kira. “She didn’t say she knew who the woman was, did she?”

“She has no idea, but she’s really sorry for what she did. I guess she just flipped out. Imagine finally getting the courage to confess your feelings for someone, then finding them with someone else. I mean, her reaction was pretty harsh, but she was hurt. She also wanted us to know that Dr. O doesn’t sleep around like she said.” Trent didn’t want to make it sound like he agreed with Haley’s tantrum, but he was very loyal, and could tell that she was truly remorseful.

“They say love makes people do some strange things sometimes. Is she going to talk to Dr. O?” Conner needed to take the leader position and think about the team at this point.

“Yeah, but not right away. If he didn’t want to see you guys, he for sure doesn’t want to see her! We have to give them both some time,” Ethan reasoned. “She plans to apologize, and I think eventually, he’ll accept it. He knows we need her.”

“What do we do if there’s an attack before then?” The Red Ranger posed the question without thinking, which was a habit of his.

“Then we’ll all do what we have to do. Let’s just forget about it for now. Remember that it’s none of our business, anyway. Dr. O wants us to come by tomorrow for training. I suppose he’ll say whatever he wants to say about it then.” Kira spoke with they type of authority that told the boys that she considered the subject closed for the time being.

Conner realized she was right, and he would have to be satisfied with that. “So, what are you guys doing the rest of the day?”

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Tommy was vegetating on the couch watching football while waiting for Kim. He had the volume up fairly loud, so it took a few knocks on the wooden door for Kim to get his attention. He jumped up to let her in, and found her standing on the porch holding a beige-and-black-striped tabby cat.

The sight made Tommy smile, and he planted a quick kiss on her lips. “Come on in. I see you’ve met Hobo Kitty.”

“This is your cat?” Kim asked, surprised. She never took Tommy for a cat person.

“Not exactly. I’m more like her human. It’s her house and she lets me live here because I feed her. I think the last owners left her when they moved, but she’s grown on me.” Tommy had allowed himself to be adopted by the sweet little cat after she made it clear that she wasn’t leaving. Since she was very independent, preferring to come and go as she pleased, they had the perfect arrangement.

“What did you say her name is?” Kim wanted to make sure she heard him right.

“Hobo Kitty. My brother used to call her a little hobo because she bums around all day, and it just stuck. She didn’t drop a mouse on the porch, did she?”

Kim shrieked upon hearing that. She frantically looked around for signs of a rodent carcass, but exhaled when she saw no evidence. “Doesn’t look like it.”

Tommy laughed at her squeamishness. She could still be such a girly-girl sometimes, even though she was tough as nails. “Good. She likes to bring me presents. I think she considers it her contribution to the household.”

Judging by the way she was purring, it looked as though the furry little animal made a new best friend in Kim. Tommy grabbed her bags from the porch, quietly chuckling to himself at the amount of luggage she brought for just a few days. He took them up to the bedroom, and then came back down to find Kim and Hobo curled up on the sofa together. “I never thought I would be jealous of a cat,” he teased.

“You’re welcome to join us, you know,” Kim beckoned with an alluring look.

Tommy wouldn’t dream of refusing, so he sat down on the sofa next to her, draping his arm around her shoulders. Kim snuggled into his embrace while the kitty drifted off to sleep on her lap. After a few minutes of watching the game, she decided to broach the subject of his upset voice on the phone. “So, what happened with Haley?” she asked, straight to the point.

He sighed deeply, mentally acknowledging that he couldn’t put it off forever. “It’s a long story…”

Chapter 15: Evolution

“Well, when I got to the café, Haley and I had a sort of…altercation,” Tommy started. He knew that sharing the experience with Kimberly would make him see things clearer, but reliving the event just didn’t appeal to him on any level at all.

“Spill it, Tommy.” Kim recognized the hesitation right away as his natural inclination to stick his head in the sand and pretend it would all go away. Some things never changed.

“OK. The kids were right. Haley was mad. Really, really mad. Spitting-tacks mad.”

“Alright, I get your point. She was mad, but why?”

“I still have no idea, to be honest with you. Anyway, what happened was: I get there and go to talk to her, but she just starts yelling at me, acting completely irrational! Eventually, it comes out that she showed up here this morning to deliver a part for the command center. She heard us, Kim. She heard you and me making love and just freaked out. But I don’t know why!” Tommy’s obvious frustration was seeping from every pore. He threw his head back on the sofa and covered his eyes with his arm, as if to shut it all out.

Kim, being female, and therefore much more perceptive, immediately suspected the true motivation behind Haley’s uncharacteristic behavior, even though she’d never met the woman. “Tommy, are you sure there has never been anything but friendship between you and Haley?”

“Yes, I’m sure. We never dated, never kissed…nothing like that! Ever! We just don’t see each other in a romantic sort of way. What’s that got to do with anything, anyway?” He knew she was trying to help, so hoped he didn’t sound too irritated.

“All I’m saying is, maybe you never saw her that way, but I’m willing to bet that she might have had other expectations for your relationship.”

“What are you talking about?” Tommy sat upright, his face a study in bewilderment. The Black Ranger was an intelligent man, but there were some things that still eluded him, especially regarding the opposite sex.

Kim momentarily took pity on him since he so clearly didn’t get it. Men could be unbelievably dense. “Tommy, have you ever considered that maybe Haley might be in love with you?” She paused, giving the question time to sink in. “I don’t think she was really angry at you. What you saw was pain and jealousy, manifested as anger.”

“I don’t think so, Kim. In the five years I’ve known her, she’s never given me any reason to believe she is in love with me.”

“Why does that not surprise me? Listen, you’ve never exactly been very good at deciphering a woman’s signals. Think about it, what else would generate such a strong emotional reaction except another strong emotion, like love? There’s no other explanation.”

“I don’t know, maybe. I don’t even want to think about it. I haven’t even told you the worst part yet.” Tommy let out another deep breath before continuing. “When she finally decided to tell me what she heard, she deliberately said it right in front of the team, just to embarrass me! Now they know how I spent the morning, too.” He covered his eyes again, subconsciously trying to hide from reality.

“Oh, Tommy. I’m sorry.” Kim didn’t know what else to say. This was a man who was uncomfortable kissing his girlfriend on the cheek in public back in high school. To have his students let in on such intimate things about his personal life had to be the most mortifying thing imaginable.

“She called me a man-slut!” he said with a groan.

Try as she might, Kimberly couldn’t stifle the giggle that escaped her lips, but quickly composed herself when she saw the scowl that came over his face. “Sorry… man-slut?”

The stern expression he was trying to maintain cracked into a slight grin as he observed Kim’s reaction to Haley’s choice of words. “Hey, don’t laugh! She made it sound like I just go around bringing home different women all the time, and I’m sure didn’t help the team’s opinion of me, either, when I smashed a table in half. God, Kim, I was so mad I couldn’t see straight. I’m so stupid.”

The hopelessness in his voice wrenched Kimberly’s heart. It was a difficult situation that had no easy solution, but wallowing in self-pity wouldn’t help. “Tommy, why do you always try to make everything your own fault? You didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t blame you for being mad. What she did was awful, but she was hurt, and it’s over now. Think about the team. You’re the grown-up. If you act like it’s no big deal, then they’ll pick up on that. The worst thing you could do is act ashamed or guilty.”

“I don’t feel ashamed of what we did, but I am their teacher and am supposed to set a good example. I know I don’t sleep around, but now because of this, they think I do. And I’m not saying Haley opening her big mouth was my fault, but I’m upset with myself for the way I reacted. She was trying to bait me, and I played right into her hands.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Tommy. You’re only human. Wait a couple of days until you cool off, then talk to her. She probably feels awful about what she did by now. Give her a chance to apologize. Then talk to the Rangers. You are a great role-model in every way. What goes on in your bedroom isn’t part of the deal. You’re an adult. You did nothing illegal or immoral, so there’s no obligation to explain what was supposed to be kept your own business. Just tell them Haley was mistaken to imply you sleep around, and that you don’t take the decision to have sex lightly. It’ll be hard, but in the end, it might actually teach them a good lesson about respect.”

“Yeah, you’re right, as usual,” he teased. “There’s no way the Rangers can get by without Haley’s expertise. But you really think she’s in love with me?” The whole idea still sounded strange to Tommy, but he had a great deal of faith in Kim’s ability to read people and situations, and he had to admit that it was the only explanation for Haley’s behavior.

“How couldn’t she be?” Kimberly never meant to say it, but as she looked into his deep chocolate-brown eyes, it just slipped out. Panic immediately welled up in her, but was soon squelched when Tommy lowered his lips to meet hers. The kiss started out soft and tender, but soon built in intensity as they shifted on the sofa to gain a better advantage.

“MMMeeeeeeooooowwwww!”

The screeching sound broke the two lovers apart like a couple of teenagers caught by the cops necking in the backseat of Daddy’s Chevy. Hobo Kitty stood on the coffee table, as outraged an expression as a cat could manage on her whiskered little face.

“Oh, we’re sorry Hobo! We didn’t mean to disturb your nap,” Kim apologized to the feline before joining Tommy in a fit of laughter. Hobo was not amused, though, so she jumped down and scurried off to find a place to rest where she wouldn’t be bothered.

“Speak for yourself. I’m not sorry. Come here…” Tommy growled before scooping Kim up in his arms and climbing the stairs to the bedroom. Once there, clothing quickly fell away, leaving only soft curves to brush against hard, angular muscle. They indulged in each other again and again, and the afternoon hours slipped by unnoticed.

Their passion temporarily sated, Tommy lay with Kim’s head resting on his chest, absentmindedly running his fingers through her long auburn tresses, contemplating what a bizarre weekend it had been. The days passed like a whirlwind, and now that it was Sunday evening, the mental recap of events playing in his head reminded him of a soap opera. There had been sex, drama, fighting, flirting, and crying. How it could have been both the best and the worst three days in recent memory at the same time was unbelievable. Monday morning was just hours away, and with it would come a million and one things that Tommy dreaded. He usually looked forward to returning to work, but not this time.

“God, I don’t want to go to school tomorrow,” Tommy whined like he was in the first grade.

“Oh, it won’t be that bad. You’ll see.”

“Sure it will. There’s actually more I haven’t told you.” He had debated telling her about Principal Randall’s advances, but ultimately, he decided that honesty was the best policy. If he and Kim were to make a go of this relationship again, there was no room for secrets. Besides, she usually had a way of making him feel better about most situations. Her questioning expression prompted him to continue. “Friday morning, the school principal, Ms. Randall, asked me out.”

“On a date? Wow, what a stud you are, Tommy! Even older women want you! What did you say?”

“I said no! And she’s probably not even that much older. It was worse than just asking me out, though. She was openly flirting with me, doing stuff like sitting on the edge of her desk with her legs crossed so her skirt would ride up, leaning forward so I could see down her blouse, and massaging my shoulder. It was so creepy. I don’t know what it is, but something about her puts my guard up, besides the fact that she hates kids. I can’t understand why she went into education.”

Kim’s initial inclination to tease him about the principal’s pass at him faded when she sensed his genuine distress about it. He was seriously nervous about the incident. “That’s a tough one, baby, but maybe if you go and act like it never happened, it will blow over. You never know, she might be feeling pretty stupid about it by now, and would appreciate it if you just blew it off.”

“She’s not that demure, but maybe you’re right. I’ll just stay professional, avoid her as much as I can, and save us both the embarrassment. I have enough to worry about with Haley and the kids.” As Tommy set his mind straight about how he was going to handle the next day, another unpleasant topic came to light, and as far as he was concerned, it was far worse than the others. “And tomorrow is our last night together, too, isn’t it?”

Kimberly couldn’t deny that the subject of her and Tommy’s future had been on her mind, as well. Their reunion happened so fast that they were too wrapped up in eachother to think about what would happen when she went home to Florida on Tuesday morning. She rolled off of his chest to lie on her side next to him, gently placing a hand on his cheek to turn his face to her. “Tommy, I’m scared.”

“Scared? Of what?”

“Scared that I’m not going to get the job. Scared that I will. Scared of losing you. Scared of scaring you off because of how I feel. Tommy, I never thought that after all the pain I caused you and all the stupid mistakes I made that I’d ever have a chance at happiness again. I was bitter and jaded about men, no longer the naïve girl from Angel Grove. I didn’t believe in love at first sight anymore. That all changed the minute I saw you walking toward me outside that bank. It was like one of Rita’s spells. I fell so hard for you again, just like I did in high school. I love you, Tommy. I probably always have.” She desperately searched his face for a reaction to her powerful words. It was a big risk to take, telling him exactly how she felt, but she didn’t believe in playing games. If he didn’t feel the same way, at least she’d know the truth before she fell any further.

Tommy didn’t believe he could be so lucky. He had been searching for a way to broach the subject of their next step since that morning, but with everything that went on, he got sidetracked. Once again, though, she proved to be thinking on the same wavelength as him, reinforcing his belief that there were more powerful forces at work drawing them back together than just pure coincidence. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to discuss something with you. Kim, I know it’s sudden, but you know me. I’m a big believer in fate, and once I’ve made up my mind what I want, that’s it.” Tommy turned onto his side so that they were face to face and he could look into her eyes. “I’m in love with you, too. I don’t understand it, but I can’t fight it, either. I know it wasn’t an accident that we met again. This is where we belong. You’re going to get the job, and even if you don’t, you can apply for another one somewhere else nearby. If techs are in such short supply, it should be easy. That said, there’s just the question of where you’re going to live when you move out here. I don’t want to pressure you to do anything you’re not ready for, but I have a lot of room in this house. I’d love it if you’d live here with me.”

“Oh, Tommy, you’ve made me so happy. We might be out of our minds, but yes, I’ll move in with you!”

Her acquiescence to his insane suggestion caused Tommy to release the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding and break out into a huge, shit-eating grin. His reaction was contagious. Laughing, Kimberly flung herself at him, knocking him onto his back and landing on top of him. She braced herself with her hands on either side of his head as they shared the moment, basking in their mutual love.

As the minutes passed, their laughter subsided and eventually Kimberly’s position straddling his stomach began to stir more sensuous feelings in the couple. Their eyes locked as she lowered her mouth to meet his. Tommy grasped her hips as she ground herself into him before he couldn’t take anymore and used his tremendous strength to raise her up and back, sinking himself deeply into her. She rocked above him, their passion culminating in an explosive climax before she collapsed, panting and sweating, into his arms. Tommy barely had presence of mind to reach over and switch on the alarm clock, just in case the peacefulness of having Kim sleeping beside him disrupted his natural circadian rhythm. He gradually drifted off, contented that whatever tomorrow would bring, he would at least have Kim by his side to help him through it.

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Haley sat alone at her kitchen table, sipping a cup of herbal tea, her eyes still red and puffy from crying. She still didn’t understand how she could have been so stupid. The day at the café dragged on forever, and by closing time, the only thing she had to be grateful for were Sunday’s shorter operating hours. The Rangers, bless their hearts, had stuck around, making every effort to cheer her up. Eventually, though, she had asked them to leave. They deserved to have what was left of the weekend to so what they wanted instead of spending it trying in vain to make her forget her blunder. There was no hope of that, and she didn’t need the added guilt of having the kids wasting their valuable time. The same images kept playing over and over in her head: the sound of Tommy and the woman groaning in ecstasy, the look on the his face when she called the woman a whore, him smashing the table, the death glare in his eyes before he walked out. The scenes threatened to drive her insane. There was no hope of repairing the damage she caused to their friendship, but she was determined not to let the Rangers down. Finishing off the last few drops of the tea, she dropped the cup in the sink and went to bed. The last thought on her mind before nodding off into a fitful sleep was that Tommy was probably in bed by now already too, except she doubted he was alone.

Chapter 16: Breaking News

When the alarm clock went off at six the following morning, Tommy didn’t bound out of bed like usual. Instead, he hit the snooze button, then rolled over and spooned himself against Kimberly, shutting his eyes against the rising sun. Seven minutes later, the return of the obnoxious beeping noise reminded him that the start of the day was inevitable whether he liked it or not. Monday mornings were difficult under the best of circumstances, but this one would test him to the limit. Yesterday, for the first time since he could remember, he didn’t work out. Not formally, at least. Lots of vigorous sex definitely counted for something, but it still wasn’t the same as his usual routine. This morning, more than any other, he knew he needed the endorphin rush that only a strenuous, disciplined workout would provide. Groaning, he slid out of bed, careful not to disturb Kim. Pausing for a moment to take in the sight of beautiful her face relaxed in sleep, he shook his head to clear any residual grogginess before retreating to the bathroom.

After brushing his teeth, he dug around in a laundry basket of clothes he was pretty sure were clean until he found a black tank top and a wrinkled pair of red karate pants. Socks and running shoes completed the outfit. Just as he was about to sneak out the door, Kim began to stir, her naked body still wrapped in the soft sheets.

“Good morning,” she moaned sleepily. “You deserting me already?”

He walked over to the bed, sat down on the edge, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “No way. Just going for a run.”

“Want company?”

“Sure, if you really want to get up. You don’t have to, though. I thought the interview wasn’t until three.”

“It isn’t, but I’m usually up early. It would be nice to go running together like we used to. Help me up.” Kimberly extended her arms, expecting him to hoist her to a vertical position, but instead, he leaned into her, descending on her mouth for a deep ‘good morning’ kiss. She responded enthusiastically, her tongue darting past his lips to entwine with his. For a split second, she became self-conscious of her morning breath after tasting his minty-freshness, but soon forgot about it when she realized that he didn’t seem to mind at all.

Just as things were threatening to get out of control, Kim removed her hands from the warm skin they found under his shirt and gently pushed Tommy away. “Not now, Handsome. It’s time to run. We’ve been in bed for almost two days straight. As much as I’d love to ravish you again, we need to do something productive.”

Tommy groaned, forcing himself to stand up before the urge to rip the sheet off and trace every curve of her body with his tongue took over him. “You’re right. I guess I’m just doing all I can to avoid reality today. That, and I find you absolutely irresistible. OK, let’s go, Beautiful,” he conceded, returning the affectionate nickname she used on him. He pulled her up, his eyes wandering over her figure as she seductively walked into the bathroom. She was deliberately trying to arouse him, and it was working.

Five minutes later, she was back in the bedroom rummaging through her luggage for some clothes suitable for working out. A pink sports bra and the grey sweatpants that she originally brought to sleep in fit the bill. After donning them, she slipped on her shoes and followed him downstairs and out the door.

Kimberly and Tommy jogged through the woods on the path that he had inadvertently cleared through many months of trampling down it every morning. Several miles later, they returned to the house to do a little stretching and weight lifting. Finally, Tommy practiced a few complicated katas while Kim performed some gymnastic routines. The hour passed by too quickly for his taste, and he knew that he had better get in the shower soon if he wanted to be at school by eight-thirty.

As tempting as it was to invite Kim into the steaming, hot water, Tommy exercised a little self-control and climbed in alone. He was only marginally surprised, however, when he heard the curtain open and she stepped in. They silently washed one another, soapy hands gliding over slick, wet skin until the mounting passion became too much to resist. There was always time for a quickie. Their mouths fused together as Tommy lifted Kim up and braced her against the tiled wall to facilitate his entry. A few minutes later, she slid down his body to the floor, both of them sated and refreshed. They got out and dried off, and then she left him alone in the bathroom so he could shave and dry his hair.

A quick glance at his watch told Tommy that it was already eight o’clock and he wasn’t even dressed yet. To his delight, when he went back to the bedroom, Kim had ironed a grey shirt and set out a black pair of slacks and a black and white tie. She sat on the bed dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt, proud as could be that she could help him since it was her fault that he was running behind.

“Thank you. I need to keep you around.” This was the first taste of the domestic life that he had been longing for and would finally have when she moved in.

“You’re welcome. Now get dressed. I’m going downstairs because when you take that towel off, it might coax me into something naughty and you’ll never get to school.”

Tommy laughed and dropped the piece of terrycloth with a dramatic flourish. Kim made a show of copping a peek before she left the room, giving him a wink that suggested a promise of things to come. He quickly put the clothes on, still fixing his tie as he ran down the steps. Kim was in the kitchen making coffee, but he knew he didn’t have time to wait for a cup. Kissing her on the cheek, he grabbed his briefcase and keys, slipped on his loafers, and made for the door. Just before stepping out, he realized that he didn’t wish Kim luck in her interview, so he quickly dashed back to the kitchen. “Hey!” he called to her. “Good luck today. See you tonight. Love you.”

The sweet gesture warmed Kim’s heart and reminded her again what a wonderful, thoughtful man Tommy was. She was so lucky to have found him once more. “Thanks. Love you, too. Good luck to you today, too.”

He rolled his eyes at the thought of the deed ahead of him, nodding to her with a grin as he sprinted to his Jeep.

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It was an otherwise typical Monday morning at Reefside High. Everyone seemed to move a little slower that usual, subconsciously trying to put off the end of the weekend. It was eight twenty-eight when Tommy passed through the double doors and rushed through the hallways crowded with teenagers to the science wing. Just as the bell rang, he entered his classroom lab to find most of his students already assembled and ready for class. He had gotten over his chronic tardiness years ago, but it had been some time since he had something, or in this case, someone making him want to be late.

“Good morning,” he greeted his students briefly. The mad rush to get to school on time had temporarily distracted him from thinking about the Sunday morning incident, but now that he was there in class, one look in the direction of his Rangers brought it all back and he knew that it was going to be a very long day. The last thing he wanted to do was become paranoid, but the smirk on Conner McKnight’s face already had his stomach turning. Ignore it, Tommy. It’s all in your head.

“Everyone have a good weekend?” There were various nods and affirmative responses from the kids, but one in particular made him wonder how he could be so stupid as to mention the weekend with the Rangers in the room.

“Did you, Dr. Oliver?” Ethan James was probably just being polite when he asked the simple question, but a muffled snort from the Red Ranger changed the whole dynamic of the inquisition. Despite Ethan’s fairly dark African-American skin tone, Tommy could swear the kid blushed a deep pink.

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” Tommy answered, clearing his throat self-consciously while averting his eyes. He could feel the tips of his ears burning and his forehead breaking out in a light sweat. “Let’s get started.”

A deep breath helped him work up the guts to look at the class, but he deliberately avoided eye-contact with the Rangers. Immediately, the two empty seats that were usually occupied by Cassidy Cornell and Devin DelValle caught his attention. “Does anyone know where Cassidy and Devin are this morning?”

“They said they had to get ready for their Monday broadcast. It sounded like a big deal,” replied Michelle Martin, a plain girl and one of the brainier students in the school.

“Thank you, Michelle.” Tommy tried his best not to react negatively to the information, but he didn’t think he was very successful at keeping his irritated expression at bay. He understood what a privilege it was for Reefside to have their own TV station, and that Cassidy took her position as a reporter very seriously, but it often interfered with schoolwork. There needed to be a limit. “OK, let’s start where we left off Friday. We were talking about the Big Bang Theory. In a nutshell, the Big Bang, or as cosmologists sometimes call it, ‘the Standard Model of Cosmology’, goes something like this. About fifteen billion years ago, the universe erupted from an enormous and still largely unexplained event, referred to as a ‘singularity’. It was from this event that all matter and space was created. But that’s where the name ‘Big Bang’ becomes a contradiction or misnomer, because if before the ‘Big Bang’, there was nothing, how could it have exploded? Nothing can’t explode. It also didn’t happen anywhere. There was no space before it, so couldn’t have happened at a particular location, since basically there was no there, there. Doesn’t seem very logical, does it? For human beings, who are used to seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling their surroundings, it is a difficult concept to wrap our minds around. Something from nothing. Everywhere from nowhere. Any thoughts or questions on that?”

Tommy paused to allow the abstract notion to sink in. The confused faces in front of him told him very clearly that more explanation was required. “Alright, I realize it’s a hard...”

Just as he was about to explain the theory again, the television monitor mounted on the wall in the corner came to life. “Good morning, this is Cassidy Cornell bringing you all the up-to-the-minute news at Reefside High.”

Tommy stopped his lesson and glared at the TV, annoyed at being interrupted at such an inopportune moment. The subject matter was very complex, and the students didn’t need any unnecessary distractions. He couldn’t understand why Principal Randall allowed these unannounced broadcasts several times a week. Taking a seat on the edge of his desk, he turned his full attention to the blonde girl on the screen, setting an example for the kids to do the same. He had no control over the monitor, so he figured if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

“First up, I’m happy to report that the Reefside Falcons varsity football team beat the St. Michael’s Panthers 31 to 14 Friday night. We’re only three games away from the championship playoffs. Go Falcons! In other sports news, the girl’s basketball team was defeated by Beaumont on Saturday, 76 to 68. Despite the loss, the team is still in second place in the district. Good luck, ladies!

Principal Randall asks that I remind the student body to respect the school dress code. That means no exceptionally baggy pants, no undergarments visible and no obscene or drug and alcohol related messages on clothing. According to the student handbook, violations of the dress code can invoke suspension, or even expulsion, so remember to follow the guidelines. Express your individuality, but do it cleanly, please.

Next up, in the Monday morning gossip report, we discovered that one of Reefside High’s most eligible faculty members may not be eligible for long. Friday evening, Science teacher Dr. Thomas Oliver was seen having a romantic dinner for two with a pretty redhead at BellaRosa’s in Little Italy. They followed their meal with a stroll around the historic neighborhood before retiring to the Reefside Marriott. Have a look at the exclusive footage.”

Cassidy signaled to Devin in the control booth to play the tape. Seconds later, every classroom in Reefside high got a look at Tommy and Kimberly leaving the restaurant holding hands, walking through the neighborhood, window shopping, and finally retreating through the side door of the hotel. Together. Of course, there was no footage or mention of the fact that Tommy emerged from the Marriott only five minutes later. Alone.

Tommy was grateful that he was leaning against his desk, because he was sure he would have fallen over when Cassidy began her report. As it was he could do little more than stare at the monitor. The moment felt surreal, unbelievable, as if he were in the middle of some sort of awful dream. There he was on the screen with Kim, the implication that they spent the night together at the hotel made very clear. Again, his ears started to burn and he knew his face had to be bright red. He stood there trying to decide how to react, but his mind was such a jumble of images: of dinner with Kim, the wedding, the incredible sex, the fight with Haley, the talk he knew he had to have with the Rangers. Now this. The whole school would think he was some sort of playboy, too.

Moments later, the nosy reporter had moved on to some other news, but Tommy didn’t hear a word of it. His head was spinning, thoughts moving in every different direction. Before he embarrassed himself any further with a rash show of temper like he did at the cybercafé, he cleared the distance to the door in three long strides and stepped out into the hallway without a word to his class. He couldn’t even look at them.

Tommy’s first inclination was to storm into the principal’s office and demand that Cassidy and Devin be suspended. He found himself holding his head as if to keep it from exploding while pacing up and down the hall, his heart racing. Calm down, Tommy. Be the adult. There’s probably some sort of law against killing students in California, no matter how much they might deserve it. They’re just kids. Just nosy, obnoxious, snooping, irritating, interfering, prying, meddlesome, tactless kids. That sounded real grown-up of me. You did nothing wrong, no matter what was implied. You’re allowed to date.

Pulling himself together with a few deep breathing exercises and a quick meditation, he decided that the best course of action was to be responsible and go back to class. There was still a half an hour left, and then he was free until third period. He would go talk to Randall then, not that he thought it would do much good. Oh, God! Randall. You were going to avoid her as much as possible. She asks you out, you decline the invitation, then are seen with someone else. You think she was a bitch to you before, just wait until she gets a load of this ammunition.

Tommy stared at the classroom door that he had shut just a little too hard when he walked out. He had to go back in, and he knew he wasn’t prepared. The students would naturally be curious. After all, he would have been if when he was in high school he had heard that Ms. Applebee had a romantic tryst at a hotel. EEEwwww, gross thought, Tommy. The truth was, his students didn’t see him any differently than he saw her, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. He was sure he would get some interesting looks and hear a few off-color comments, but the key to getting through this was not to let his feathers get ruffled. Acting like he committed a crime would only encourage more ragging. Intellectually, he knew all of this, but on an emotional level, the humiliation of having his personal life splattered all over every classroom at Reefside was more than he felt he could tolerate. The contradiction of it all was that none of this would have occurred if he hadn’t reunited with Kim. Her landing back in his life was the greatest thing to happen to him in a very long time. How something so wonderful could get so tainted so fast was a real mystery. Why did it seem like he was being made to pay for his happiness? He hoped it wasn’t a sign.

Even the doorknob seemed to require too much effort to turn as Tommy finally gathered the courage to return to class. Walking with his head held high in an artificial show of composure, he ignored the whistle that came from the back of the room and came to a stop in front of the desk, his usual teaching position. For the first time ever, he had the students’ rapt attention from the moment he entered. Usually it took a few seconds to settle everyone down, especially with this first period class. Looking out into the curious faces of the teens, he made no specific eye contact with anyone, but just briefly glanced around to get a feel for the ‘audience’. Although it was possible that pretending nothing happened would draw even more attention to it, he decided that low-key would be the best approach.

“Hey Dr. O! A redhead? You did have a good weekend! Don’t hold out on us, now. Who is she?” It was no surprise that the first kid to speak up was his very own Red Ranger, Conner McKnight.

The lightening in the teacher's eyes could have set Conner on fire. “My personal life is not part of the state-mandated curriculum. I would appreciate it if you’d all remember that. Now let’s move on. Does anyone have any questions about what we were discussing before we were interrupted?” Rudely interrupted.

One hand shot up, attached to a wrist adorned with a silver, yellow-gem-encrusted bracelet. “Dr. Oliver? So what was before the Big Bang?”

Tommy hoped the tiny nod in her direction adequately conveyed his gratefulness for Kira’s sensitivity. He knew she was trying to divert the classes’ attention away from the breaking ‘news’. “Good question, but I don’t have an answer for you. This is the point where we as humans are limited by our finite perception of the universe. Scientists have no idea what, if anything came before the Big Bang. According to the theory, all matter, space, and time was created at the moment of this singularity. By that definition, there was no ‘before’. Essentially, the theory explains everything we have been able to observe and deduct about the universe, but it doesn’t explain itself. The actual cause of the event crosses the fine line between science and theology. We have no clue, so whatever you believe is as valid as anything the finest minds in the world have deduced. The one thing that most scientists agree on, though, is that this is the most probable explanation for the creation of everything. Few experts dispute the theory anymore, although that’s just about where their consensus ends. Within the theory, there are almost as many variations as there are stars in the sky.”

Tommy felt fairly relaxed for the time being. He didn’t think anyone else would have the nerve to ask him about Kim. The complex subject matter gave both his and the student’s minds something to keep them occupied. “Any more questions?”

“You said that few scientists disagree with the Big Bang anymore. What do those few believe started everything?” The intelligent question came from Ethan, who had one of the most vivid imaginations Tommy had ever seen. This topic was right up his alley.

“Well, there are actually several other creation theories out there…”

The rest of the class passed, status quo. By a couple minutes before the bell would ring, Tommy had almost forgotten the rude invasion of his privacy, even though it happened only twenty minutes ago. Sometimes his short memory was a blessing.

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Ms. Randall pictured steam coming out of her ears like in a cartoon. The sudden flash of anger she was struck with when she saw Dr. Thomas Oliver with that woman was unexplainable, not to mention unsettling. She tried to convince herself that her fury stemmed from her failure to complete her mission. Her master expected her to gain his trust, and now the route she planned to take to accomplish that hit a roadblock. He may have declined her invitation on Friday, but eventually she was sure she would have worn him down. She could be very persuasive. Elsa didn’t like competition, and she didn’t play fair in its elimination.

The deeper motivation for her rage was something she chose to ignore for the moment. Hopefully forever. She didn’t recognize the strange emotion that was bubbling beneath the surface of her subconscious. All she knew was that it felt almost like jealousy. That couldn’t be it, however, because for her to be jealous was to imply that she had ‘other’ feelings for the Science teacher. Romantic feelings. The desire to have been the one disappearing into the hotel with him. That just can’t be possible! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!

Elsa repeated the phrase over and over in her mind in order to convince herself it was true. Just the use of the word ‘hate’ renewed the evil power Mesogog bestowed upon her, and the stirring of those unfamiliar emotions that Dr. Oliver evoked left her, replaced by all the wickedness and spite that she would need to defeat the Black Ranger.

The method by which she received the news didn’t even register until a few minutes later, but when it did, Randall was almost tickled pink. The humiliation he must be feeling was icing on the cake. Ruining his reputation just might be the ticket to success. How lucky she was to have such nosy and tactless students in her school. Class was over in less than a minute. It was time to put a plan into action.

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Tommy noticed that the bell would be ringing in just seconds, so he wrapped up the last of their discussion. Now the fun would begin. He was rethinking his decision to go to Randall about Cassidy and Devin. The events of Friday morning kept playing in his mind. Avoidance was probably still the best idea. Avoidance of Randall, of the students’ questions and innuendos. Avoidance of the whole thing. He still had Haley and the Rangers to deal with, but that was later.

The shrill sound of the bell cut through the noise of Tommy’s students packing up their books, causing them to move even faster. Seconds later, the telltale crackling of the P.A. speaker caught everyone’s attention.

“Dr. Oliver, please report to the principal’s office immediately!” came Ms. Randall’s stern voice from overhead. All eyes left in the room, including those of all four Rangers, descended on Tommy.

So much for avoidance.

Chapter 17: Busted!

Tommy didn’t exactly follow Principal Randall’s instructions by reporting to her office immediately. He wanted to wait until Reefside’s students were tucked safely away in second period in order to avoid all of the teasing, staring, and giggling he knew was coming. The Rangers stopped by his desk on their way out of his classroom. Ethan, Trent, and Kira appeared hesitant to approach him, realizing that his privacy had been invaded enough in the last couple of days. Conner, however, had no such reservations. As usual, his bravado and general dinginess had him opening his big mouth before thinking.

“Busted, Dr.O! So tell us, how long has this been going on? Who is she?” His smart-ass grin was wide enough to swallow his whole head. The Red Ranger genuinely seemed to be under the impression that without the rest of the class around, Dr. Oliver would be more willing to dish the dirt on his new lady friend. Boy, was he mistaken.

“I thought I made it clear during class that my personal life was not up for discussion.” Tommy knew it was wrong, but he had visions running through his head of knocking the smirk off Conner’s face with a roundhouse kick in the teeth. He knew that the kid didn’t mean any disrespect, and that it was normal for him to be curious about this new aspect of his mentor’s life, but the Red Ranger sometimes had a tendency to talk to his teacher with the same familiarity he used with his buddies. It had been a struggle to draw the fine line between teacher, mentor, teammate, and friend. The other four didn’t seem to have any difficulty developing a comfortable relationship with Tommy composed of the proper respect, but Conner sometimes didn’t get it.

“Come on! It’s just us. Now that everyone has sold you out, you don’t have to hide her anymore. Don’t you think your teammates should get to meet your girlfriend?”

The other Rangers looked at Tommy hopefully, but didn’t say a word. They were as interested as Conner, but none of them had the impoliteness or the nerve enough to ask. For once, they were glad he had no diplomacy. Trent did have one question, though. “Does she know about us, I mean the Rangers?” The others nodded their approval and agreement.

“Guys, listen to me for just a minute. I’m more than a little perturbed right now about my business being invaded like this. Cassidy had no right. Haley had no right. And you all have no right, either. I would have had to tell you about her eventually, but I didn’t plan on doing it just yet. Since the choice has been taken away from me in the worst way possible, I know we have to talk. School is not the place, though, especially right now between classes. Later on, at practice, I’ll fill you in a little bit, but don’t expect any juicy details. I’m only doing this because I’ve been forced to. I expect that you’ll keep whatever I choose to tell you to yourselves.” Tommy’s expression left no room for argument. “Now get going, or you’ll be late for your next class.” He managed a slight smile to let them know that he wasn’t mad at them, but at the situation.

Tommy returned to his after-class duties before the Rangers even left the room in preparation for the dreaded meeting with Randall. It took him longer than usual to get his papers together in a vain effort to put off the inevitable just a few moments longer. The last thing he needed to do was erase the board. As he removed the chalk notes on the cosmology lecture, he heard footsteps followed by a muffled laugh and a whispered “stop it!” come from behind him. Turning around, he found Conner and Ethan standing in front of his desk. They quickly wiped the grins off their faces once they saw the teacher’s disapproving frown. “What is it, guys?” The second period bell would ring any second now, and the two boys were back in his classroom instead of in Phys. Ed., which he knew they had next.

“Uh, well… we were just wondering… is practice still at four?” Ethan stuttered the question, appearing noticeably hesitant about bothering Dr. Oliver again.

“Yes, Ethan. Four o’clock,” he replied briskly before returning his attention to the blackboard.

Conner couldn’t help the loud snort that unintentionally escaped. He bit his lip to contain any further outbursts just as Ethan smacked him in the arm with another murmured “Stop it, you moron!”

Sighing, Tommy faced the Rangers again, unable to comprehend why the kids were still standing there. “What is it, Conner?” he asked, his irritation at another interruption evident in his voice.

“Uh, nothing, Dr. O,” the Red Ranger spit out, making an exaggerated show of rubbing the back of his neck while shifting his weight from side to side in a self-conscious manner. His valiant attempts at keeping the wise-ass smirk from returning were to no avail. Ethan grabbed his arm and tried to drag his tactless friend from the room, but not before their teacher spoke up.

“Conner! What’s your problem! You’re both supposed to be in gym by now.” Tommy had crossed the line from just annoyed to completely pissed off. He gave the two his most severe, no-nonsense look.

Ethan seemed to want to sink right through the linoleum floor. He glanced at Conner, paralyzed with fear over what he would say next. His terror wasn’t for nothing.

“Youhaveahickeyonthebackofyourneck,” the Red Ranger spit out in a rapid blurb. “Just thought you should know.” This time it was Conner that took hold of Ethan and the boys fled from the science lab just as the second period bell rang.

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Upon hearing those words, Tommy’s stomach dropped to his knees. His hand automatically went to the back of his neck, as if he could feel the mark. Gathering up the rest of his things, he ran from the room himself, headed straight for the restroom in the teacher’s lounge. When he roughly flung the wooden door with the frosted glass window open, the only other faculty member in the room, a pretty, young art teacher named Miss Walsh, startled at the abrupt noise. She accidentally knocked her cup of coffee over, due to both the unexpected sound and the sudden appearance of Dr. Oliver. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, and she became dumbfounded and speechless whenever he was around. Before she could gain enough composure to say ‘good morning’, he disappeared into the restroom without so much as a look in her direction.

Tommy shut the bathroom door with more force than he intended. For just a split second, he realized that he didn’t acknowledge the other teacher in the lounge when he flew by. Oh, well! Manners were the last thing on his mind as he craned his neck in order to find the sucker bite. With a couple contortionist moves, he finally spotted the quarter-sized red mark on the back of his neck towards the right side, just below the edge of his dark hair. The collar of his shirt didn’t even begin to cover it unless he walked around with his shoulders shrugged all day, clearly not a practical solution. Goddamnit! Kim must have done that last night, or maybe even this morning in the shower.

Just the thought of Kim and the activities that got him into this predicament calmed him down. He knew she didn’t do it on purpose, so he wasn’t angry at her. Actually, Tommy was more than a little proud of himself that he could make her lose control like that, but that was beside the point. The lingering evidence of her passion was a serious problem for a high school teacher. What was he going to do, compare hickeys with his students? And he was due in Randall’s office ten minutes ago. What would she say if she saw it? God, I’m so screwed. Bad pun.

Deciding that after Haley’s temper tantrum and Cassidy’s top story, he had been embarrassed as much as humanly possible, and like anything else, how he dealt with it could make or break him. It was up to him not to let it get to him. Taking one last grimacing look at the angry mark and adjusting his shirt collar one last time to no avail, he flushed the toilet to make it seem like he had a reason for being in there, then grabbed his briefcase and took off at a rapid clip for the school office. Halfway there, he remembered that he ignored Miss Walsh in the teacher’s lounge again. A brief twinge of guilt dumped itself right on top of all of the other negative emotions filling his psyche. He was incredibly dense where women’s signals were concerned, but even he couldn’t mistake the petite, blonde art teacher’s intentions. She practically drooled whenever he walked by. It seemed strange to him since she was such an attractive woman. There should have been no lack of male attention in her direction. Tommy had even considered asking her out once or twice, but he didn’t want to take the risk of getting into another relationship full of secrets and lies. Another reason why Kim was perfect for him. She knew and understood everything.

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The office door was upon him in no time. Closing his eyes for a second to center himself, he turned the brass doorknob and let himself in. Mrs. Reynolds immediately looked up from her typing. When she saw him, she rushed from behind her desk to his side. “Dr. Oliver, I saw the broadcast. I’m appalled! That busybody young lady had no business…”

Tommy cut her off. “Mrs. Reynolds, it’s OK. I’m fine,” he tried to reassure her. It was important that he didn’t show his tension to anyone, not even other faculty members. The more he thought about it, this challenge reminded him of one of the many creatures he fought during his tenure as a Power Ranger. They started out small, but still packed quite a punch. Inevitably though, they grew into larger than life monstrosities. Well, there hasn’t been one yet that he hasn’t somehow defeated, and he was determined that the HaleyCassidyMsRandall monster was going to be no different. All it took was honor, confidence, and perseverance. He had plenty of that.

“She’s in there waiting for you, dear.” The elderly secretary laid a gentle hand on his arm in a kind gesture of support. She had seen other good-looking teachers garner unwanted attention from students in her forty years at the school, but this was the worst. Not only did the poor young man have his personal life splattered all over Reefside High, but he had to deal with that nasty Principal Randall, too. Mrs. Reynolds had a sneaking suspicion that the mean woman had a bit of a crush on Dr. Oliver, herself. If that were the case, this news would make her insanely jealous, and of absolutely no help when it came to punitive measures for Cassidy and Devin.

“Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds.” Tommy barely managed a polite smile for the lady. “Well, here I go,” he mumbled as he approached the closed door to Randall’s office. He knocked lightly, and then awaited his doom.

It seemed like eternity, but in reality was only a few moments before Ms. Randall swung the door open and motioned him inside without a word. If that was the game she was playing, Tommy would show her that he could play, too. He strolled in casually, also silent, but rather than taking a seat, he remained standing in a subtle show of insubordination.

After closing them in, Randall slowly stalked Dr. Oliver, circling him like a vulture waiting for her prey. She didn’t speak until she finally came to a stop in front of him. “Sit down!”

“No thanks, I’d rather stand,” Tommy replied defiantly. He didn’t know what the woman was up to, but already he could tell that he could not count on her for support with this matter.

“Fine.” Randall haughtily spun around and strode behind her desk. For several moments, they engaged in a stare-down competition, neither of them relenting in this battle of wills.

Finally, Tommy decided that there was no point in continuing the stubborn match. She had called him in there, but since she didn’t seem in a hurry to tell him why, he figured he’d start the ball rolling before they wasted any more time. “Ms. Randall, did you want to talk to me about something?” His tone was respectful enough, but couldn’t be considered polite.

“Yes, Dr. Oliver, I do,” she drawled. “I saw the school news report this morning.”

“So did I. What’s your point?” In the past, Tommy would have never dreamed of talking to his boss that way, but Randall’s attitude toward him just pushed all his wrong buttons. He was in no mood for her crap today.

“A redhead? My, my, my, Dr. Oliver, don’t we move fast? It looks like you had a nice weekend. No wonder you didn’t have time to meet me for that drink. You were extremely occupied. I suppose I no longer have to worry about your well-being.” Sarcasm dripped thickly from her voice.

“I asked you what your point was.” He was a mere inch from stomping right out the door, but retained enough control to stay put, if for no other reason than curiosity.

“Who says I have a point to make? I just wanted to congratulate you on your new ‘relationship’. The two of you looked very happy together.”

“Thank you.” He could tell she was instigating a conflict, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of giving her the reaction she expected.

“So… who is she, Tommy? You don’t mind if I call you Tommy, do you?”

“Whatever.”

“Well? Fill me in. I want all the sordid details.” Her tone was taking a more seductive turn, reaffirming his suspicion that she would be jealous since he turned down her invitation Friday morning. Her efforts to sound sultry did nothing to cover up her true meaning.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Randall, but that’s personal information. It’s no one’s business but mine and hers, and it certainly isn’t fodder for the school’s gossip pool. Now what do you plan to do about Cassidy and Devin?”

“Do? What would I do? They haven’t done anything wrong.” She knew that Dr. Oliver would want the kids punished in some way, so that was exactly what she would refuse to give him.

“What do you mean ‘they haven’t done anything’? They followed me and my friend around with a video camera, then showed it in every classroom in the school! They had no right. I can’t believe you think there’s nothing wrong with that!” Tommy’s temper was barely hanging by a rapidly-fraying rope. He couldn’t help pacing the floor in the small office, taking one deep breath after another in a vain effort to gain some serenity. In the end, he figured there was no use trying to hide his anger. It was too late now.

“Your ‘friend’? Come now, Tommy. I hardly think a lady you wined and dined all evening, and then escorted back to a hotel could be called just a ‘friend’.”

“What difference does it make what I call her? Cassidy and Devin were out of line, and I expect that something be done about it!” Tommy was about to explode. His irate pacing came to a stop in with his hand in the door knob. He wanted to get out of there before he said or did something that would put his job in jeopardy.

Ms. Randall grinned wickedly at the progress she’d made. Tommy was livid and about to storm out. It was time to move in for the kill. Just as she was mentally planning her final blow, she noticed the bright red blotch on the back of his neck. Perfect. “Oh, Tommy! What did she do to you?” She hoped her innocent tone would cause him to momentarily let his guard down. Slinking over to where he stood with his back to her, breathing heavily, she delicately laid a hand on his shoulder, running it up to his neck in a seductive caress. Her index finger began to lightly circle the mark before he forcefully shrugged her away.

“Cut it out!” He turned the knob, ready to escape, but she wouldn’t let him go.

The attractive principal placed her hand over his on the doorknob, leaning close to him. He was visibly sweating now. She had him just where she wanted him. “You know, Tommy, if you would only give me a chance, I could put an even bigger one on the other side.” Her voice was a delicate whisper in his ear. She allowed her warm breath to float over his face and neck, her lips only inches away from his skin.

Tommy broke out in goose bumps at her touch despite his revulsion to the woman. Damn neck fetish! He was determined that whatever she was trying to do wasn’t going to work, so he broke loose of her using a basic martial arts technique that freed him without injuring her. His briefcase was lying on one of the chairs so he grabbed it and sidestepped her next effort to contain him, deciding that if she put up too much of a fight this time, he wouldn’t be so concerned about hurting her. He fled Randall’s office as well as the outer section where Mrs. Reynolds sat. A couple of students were gathered around the woman’s desk, but he didn’t care. He slammed the door behind him and practically ran down the hall back to his classroom, dodging stray students and their odd stares as he went along.

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Ms. Randall just watched him flee, satisfied that she was able to get under his skin. The pang of envy and desire she felt upon seeing the love bite on his neck flooded her senses and prompted her to come on to him even stronger. Her mind was reeling with the unfamiliar emotions. Maybe the key to winning Tommy, uh, winning Tommy’s trust, might just be to give him what he’s craving. If it’s sex he wants, then that’s what he’ll get. And if his little slut were to find out, even better.

A flash of sinister light flared in the office as Ms. Randall transformed into Elsa, henchwoman of Mesogog and sworn enemy of the Power Rangers. I will make you proud, Master. You’ll see… And she disappeared into the glowing, green invisiportal that appeared in the room, eager to report the news of Tommy Oliver’s relationship and of her plan to ruin it.

Chapter 18: Fancy Meeting You Here...

For the rest of his classes, Tommy forced himself to develop that selective hearing women are always accusing men of having, allowing the stray comments on the ‘news’ from various students to pass in one ear and out the other. He remained in his science lab between periods, never venturing out even for lunch. Eventually, the day-he-thought-would-never-end finally did. The dismissal bell rang promptly at three, and he was able to at last remove the post-it note that he stuck to his desk reminding him not to turn his back to the class. After almost thirty years, he’d accepted and learned to work with his memory skills, or lack thereof. Rather than use the blackboard to write notes, he resorted to the handy-dandy over-head projector that, up until now, had been sitting on a cart in the corner collecting dust. No one seemed aware of what he was up to, or if they were, they didn’t say anything. They were too busy whispering about all the other good gossip.

Once the kids cleared out, Tommy gave it a good ten minutes before he attempted to leave his classroom fortress. He felt like a fugitive on the run, even for a moment even seriously considering climbing out the window and making a mad dash across the school lawn for his Jeep, just to avoid any students sneaking up behind him and detecting his hickey. Staying clear of Cassidy and Devin was also a consideration. The longer he gave himself to cool off, the better. Right now, he didn’t trust himself not to say something inappropriate, like telling them to ‘mind their own fucking business.’ Despite Randall, he wanted to keep his job. Besides, Cassidy never missed a thing, so she was sure to notice the love bite if she came within one hundred yards of him. He even thought about becoming invisible, thereby breaking the sacred Ranger ‘no using powers for personal gain’ rule, but just couldn’t bring himself to it. Kimberly did say Zordon would be proud of him, so he had to live up to that honor.

Sticking his head out into the hallway, he saw that the coast was clear, so he grabbed his briefcase and made a run for it. By the time he reached the Jeep, he was sweating, feeling stifled in his teacher clothes. He ripped off the tie, threw it in the backseat, and unfastened a couple of shirt buttons as he pulled out of the faculty lot, driving much faster than the 20 mph school zone speed limit. Just as he turned onto the main road, he heard a wolf whistle come from the direction of a few students hanging out on the sidewalk. It was a natural reaction to turn towards the sound, but when he saw one kid give him a ‘thumbs up’, he rolled his eyes and gunned the gas, leaving skid marks on the pavement behind him.

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Kim resisted the urge to go back to bed after Tommy left, deciding instead to do a little shopping, but for groceries this time. Typical of a bachelor’s place, there wasn’t squat that was actually edible in the fridge. A six pack of Miller Lite, a quart of milk that expired six weeks ago, and a pound of Starbuck’s House Blend didn’t count. She knew her sweetheart would probably want to take her out for dinner later, but since it was her last night with him until she could move from Florida, she thought it might be a nice idea to stay in and cook him a nice meal. Other than her interview at three, she had all day to plan a romantic feast. Her first stop, the local Wal-Mart Supercenter.

It was only nine-thirty when Kimberly pulled into the mega-mart. She was very proud of herself for finding the store that she only saw in passing Saturday night on the way home from the wedding. Since being on her own, she had become a pretty good cook, learning most of what she knew from trial and error and The Food Network. The menu that she had mentally prepared was a Chinese stir-fry with chicken and fresh vegetables over rice. If she remembered correctly, Tommy loved broccoli, so she hit the produce department and picked up a couple of stalks, as well as some snow pea-pods, bok choy, mushrooms, and zucchini. While there, she also needed to choose some fruit for the mixed-berry-topped poundcake she planned for dessert.

Approaching the strawberry display, Kimberly marveled at how red and ripe they were. In order to focus, she forced herself to push aside her mind’s impish thoughts of forgoing the poundcake and just eating the berries off of Tommy’s washboard stomach, maybe topped with a little whipped cream. A wayward grin crossed her face at that image as she foraged through the fruit, humming a little tune and lost in her own little world, until while daydreaming, she accidentally bumped into another customer also shopping for strawberries.

“Oh! Excuse me!” Kim exclaimed automatically as she turned around to face the woman she offended.

“That’s OK, don’t worry about it! You look like you’re having a great time. They are beautiful, aren’t they?” The woman gave her a warm smile. She was probably in her early-to-mid thirties, average looking except for her gorgeous, long, dark auburn hair. She was wearing a flowing, gauzy skirt and a soft sweater that flattered her fuller figure.

“Yes they are, and I really am sorry.” Kim apologized again to the friendly woman as they both continued to pick their berries. “I’m excited about making dinner for my boyfriend tonight, and I guess I got a little carried away.” Just to be able to call Tommy that again sent shivers through her.

For a split second, Kim thought she noticed a forlorn expression cross the woman’s face, like she was reminded of a past love, but it seemed to disappear again just as quickly. “Well, it’s understandable that you’d be excited about that! What are you cooking him?”

“Chinese stir-fry over rice, and berry poundcake for dessert. It’s a surprise, he thinks we’re going out.”

“Sounds delicious!” She paused, looking closely at Kim. “You know, you look really familiar.”

“Really? I’m not from around here. In fact, I’m flying home back east tomorrow morning. My boyfriend lives here, and I was here interviewing for a job in the lab at Reefside Memorial. Hopefully, I’ll get it so I can move here with him,” Kimberly explained. She knew she had never seen the woman before in her life.

“Well, good luck! That’s a nice hospital. I had a friend there a couple of months ago who was in a coma, and they took really good care of him. He’s fine, now.”

“That’s good to hear. It seemed like a nice place. The people were really friendly.”

“Reefside’s a nice town. You’ll like it. Oh, crap!” she said, glancing at her watch. “I’m way behind schedule. Well, it was nice talking to you…I wish I knew why can’t I shake the feeling that I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

“I swear I’ve never been to Reefside before Friday. I’ve lived in Florida for thirteen years,” Kim assured her. “It was nice talking to you, too.”

“Good luck, again, with your dinner, tonight, too. I hope he’s really surprised.”

“Thanks! I think he will be. He doesn’t know I can cook,” she said with a giggle.

“Well, bye.”

Kim waved goodbye to the lady as she started to push her shopping cart up the aisle towards the meat department. She only got a few steps away when the woman called out to her.

“Hey! By the way, my name is Haley. I own a coffee house in town called Haley’s Cyberspace. You and your boyfriend should stop by when you move here.”

Too stunned at the recognition of the woman’s name to offer her own, Kim could only nod her consent before she almost ran her cart into a large table of bananas. She swerved at the last second and took off at a fast clip towards the chicken case. Once she got there, she finally stopped and caught her breath. Oh, Shit! That woman was Haley, Tommy’s college friend and the Ranger’s technical expert. At least she was his friend before she embarrassed him in front of his students yesterday morning. She must have seen pictures of the original Rangers, and that’s why I looked familiar. Of all the people in Reefside to run into at the grocery store, I had to pick her! Meeting Tommy on Friday was good luck, this was not.

From then on, Kim did a little reconnaissance mission each time she turned a corner into a new aisle. She didn’t want to pass Haley again, just in case the woman remembered where she’d seen her. From there, it wouldn’t be a big stretch of the imagination to figure out who was with Tommy yesterday morning. She wanted him to be the one to tell Haley who he was dating, if and when he wanted to.

Once she had collected everything she needed for dinner, including candles, a linen tablecloth with matching napkins, and a few utensils that Kimberly doubted a bachelor would have, she made a bee line for the checkout. Glad to have managed to escape the Wal-Mart without another run-in with Haley, although there had been a close call in the rice aisle, she loaded up the groceries and headed back to Tommy’s house. I guess I should start thinking about it as my house, too, but we have a lot of details to work out first. I’m going to insist on paying fair rent, whether he likes it or not. Knowing Tommy, he won’t like it a bit.

By eleven-thirty, the food was put away. It was no where near soon enough to get ready for the interview yet, so Kim started setting the table. The tablecloth needed ironed since it was wrinkled from being folded in the package, and the vegetables needed washed. Soon, it was one o’clock, time to jump in the shower. Her playful romp in the steamy water with Tommy that morning got her dirtier than it did clean. An hour and fifteen minutes later, dressed in her best beige suit and a red blouse she was on her way to the hospital, and hopefully, her future with the man of her dreams.

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Tommy knew Kim wouldn’t be there when he got home from work. The interview was at three, and it was three forty-five now. He sent out waves of good luck as he pulled in the driveway and parked the Jeep. In fifteen minutes the kids would be there, and he only had enough time to change his clothes and grab a snack. Quickly throwing on a black T-shirt and olive green cargos, he ran downstairs to the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat. What greeted him was a beautifully dressed dining room table and a refrigerator full of food. He smiled to himself, again looking forward to sharing everyday domestication with Kim. A bowl of fruit on the counter looked inviting, so he picked out a shiny red apple, just enough to tide him over until dinner. She obviously had something up her sleeve, and he wanted to have a good appetite for whatever it was. A knock at the front door signaled the Rangers’ arrival, and along with them, the dread of the forthcoming ‘sex’ talk. Another, more persistent, knock broke him out of his mental preparation. “Come in, guys,” he called to them without much enthusiasm. Here we go…

Conner led the parade of teenagers into their teacher’s house, uncharacteristically hesitant and glancing around for any evidence of something he didn’t want to see. He was sure if he saw pink panties hanging from the chandelier or condom wrappers on the carpet he would lose his lunch. Finding the coast clear, he relaxed slightly just as Dr. Oliver came from the kitchen. “Hey, Dr. O!”

“Hi, guys. Why don’t you all go down to the command center. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Alright,” answered Kira simply.

Once Ethan tripped the lever opening the trap door in the floor, the four Rangers disappeared down the concrete stairs to await ‘the talk’ that they were all dreading just as much as their mentor was. After taking their usual seats, they remained silent for a few moments before the question that was weighing on everyone’s mind was finally voiced by Trent. “Do you think she’s here?”

The others looked contemplative, pondering the question. Kira spoke up first. “We don’t even know who she is, where she lives, or how long they have been seeing eachother. Maybe we should just wait for Dr. O to tell us whatever he wants to say. We’ll have to live with that. The important thing is to get him to forgive Haley so the team stays intact.”

“It couldn’t have been going on long, since Haley didn’t know about it. She usually knows all. Kira’s right though, but do we want to tell him that Haley’s in love with him? Shouldn’t that come from her?” Ethan was there when their technical expert made her admission, and he could tell how genuinely hurt and confused the woman was.

“Well, she told us, and she was going to tell him. It might be the only thing that will cool him down. If he sees that she was reacting emotionally because she loves him, it will be harder for him to stay mad at her,” Trent reasoned.

“Maybe, but won’t it make him feel guilty?” the Blue Ranger asked.

“Yeah, probably, but that’s just because he most likely doesn’t have the same feelings for her. He’s going to feel bad whether we tell him or Haley does…” Kira’s reasoning was cut off by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Dr. Oliver was paused for a second and collected himself before moving to sit down in his chair at the command center desk. He was definitely lacking the usual spring in his step. At first, he just stared at them in silence. It was beginning to make the Rangers uncomfortable, as if he could see right through them. Conner couldn’t take it anymore.

“Dr. O, are you still mad at Haley?” He didn’t know how to bring up the subject of the girlfriend, so he hoped starting with the ‘incident’ would eventually evolve in that direction.

Tommy didn’t answer right away. He knew the kids were squirming in their seats, but he didn’t care. He resented having to have this conversation, and he couldn’t hide it. “Yes and no.”

The team waited for him to continue, but he didn’t seem in a hurry to explain his cryptic answer. Kira knew she was the most tactful of the group, so when she spoke up, the guys visibly relaxed, knowing she was the likeliest one to get Dr. O talking without sticking her foot in her mouth.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Oliver, but I don’t understand.” The Yellow Ranger didn’t want to pry, so she planned to let their mentor lead the conversation wherever he chose.

“I know, Kira. I’m not sure that I understand, myself. Listen, guys, what she did was wrong…very, very wrong…” He knew his dramatic emphasis was a bit over the top, but it definitely got his point across. “…But it’s done, and I can’t do anything about it now. I’m not going to lie to you, I’m pretty pissed off…about Haley, and about Cassidy, but I know my main concern right now has to be the team. I don’t think I can maintain all this equipment by myself. That would take me out of the field, and we can’t afford to be a Ranger short. I’m willing to talk with her, and I would like her to stay on as our resident techie. Honestly, though, it may take a long time for things to be the same as they were, if ever. She seriously violated my privacy.”

“Uh, about that, Dr. O…” Trent figured he’d lay the cards on the table. “She’s really sorry. Ethan and I talked to her after you left, and she told us what made her snap…”

“She’s in love with you.” Kira cut him off. This was the delicate part, and enough wrong words had already been said in the last couple of days. It would be very easy to make the situation worse. “Haley came over here yesterday morning to tell you how she felt. She was tired of hiding it, so when she got here and you were…” That was as far as she could bring herself to go. The rest of the sentence was implied.

Tommy looked down at the floor, his mind a jumble of thoughts and feelings. Kimberly was right. God, I had no idea. I’m such an idiot. “I don’t know what to tell you. I didn’t know, but it doesn’t change what she did. I mean, she deliberately said what she said because you guys were there and she knew it would embarrass me. And it worked. It feels like everyone’s playing some sick game of ‘let’s mortify Tommy Oliver’.”

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed, Dr. O. It was a case of very bad timing, but you weren’t doing anything wrong.” Conner finally had the nerve to speak up without the fear he’d say something absurdly stupid.

“You’re right, Conner. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, but Haley tried to make it seem like I was.” Tommy couldn’t bring himself to look the Rangers in the eyes, but at least he was finally addressing the main issue. “I don’t want you guys to think I sleep around. I take the decision whether or not to have sex with someone very seriously. It’s not like I go around picking up different women every weekend. This woman is very special to me. I’ve known her a long time, we dated in high school. Running into her on Friday was a total fluke. She lives in Florida and I hadn’t seen or heard from her in twelve years. There were some unresolved issues between us from the past, and we worked them out. We had dinner, talked and found we were developing feelings for eachother again. I asked her to my cousin’s wedding Saturday night, then it just happened, and I don’t regret it. I do regret Haley showing up when she did, but like I said, I can’t do anything about that now. It’s important to me that you guys understand that she’s NOT just some girl I picked up at the wedding, and she’s NOT a whore like Haley said.”

“Yeah, that was pretty low of her to say, but damn, Dr. O, you do work fast. You haven’t seen the lady in twelve years, and you pick right up where you left off after just …” Conner stopped mid-sentence, mentally kicking himself for being a dufus yet again. The rest of the Rangers cringed, but they figured it was inevitable that their fearless leader would eventually say something idiotic. At least he got it out and over with.

“Conner! No, that’s not what happened. We dated in high school, but we didn’t have a physical relationship back then. Neither of us was ready to go that far. That’s the point I’m trying to make. We’re adults now, and we thought about what we were doing. I don’t want you to think I’m setting a bad example for you.”

“So you used protection?” Kira jumped from her seat to cover Conner’s mouth with her hand before he could open it again.

“Don’t worry about that, Dr. Oliver. It’s your own business, and you don’t have to explain anything to us. We just want the team back together again,” Kira explained sincerely and apologetically, still muzzling the Red Ranger.

Tommy chose to ignore Conner’s question and address Kira instead. “Yeah, I know, and it will be…someday. I just need time, and I do need to explain, because there’s a good chance that my girlfriend will be coming back to California to live. She’s at a job interview right now, and if she gets it, she’s going to move in with me.” He let the news sink in for a moment. “I know your next question…Yes, she does know about the Rangers. I had to tell her, because I lost a relationship once before by keeping secrets.”

“I understand your wanting to be honest with her, but so soon?” Ethan thought it was a pretty rash decision to reveal their identities after being back together again for only a day. The rest of the Rangers nodded their agreement wholeheartedly. Their mentor was usually the most careful and rational person they knew.

“I know it sounds like a stupid decision, but she’s not just any woman. Her name is Kimberly Hart, and she was the original Pink Ranger. There’s no reason I need to hide anything from her.”

“Oh, well that’s different…So, do we get to meet her?” Ethan just got the question out when he heard a female voice coming from upstairs in the house.

“Tommy! Tommy, are you down there?” Kim yelled down to the Command Center. She knew the Rangers were there, and probably should have been more discreet, just in case he hadn’t gotten around to talking with them yet, but she was too excited.

“Yeah…come down!” Tommy answered as he got up and walked to the bottom of the stairs.

A flurry of footsteps echoed loudly through the vast cavern as Kim bounced down the steps in her high heels. Tommy was waiting for her, so she flung herself into his arms. He barely caught her, just avoiding toppling over himself from the unexpected affection.

“I got the job!” Kimberly practically screamed before pulling Tommy’s head down to her and plastering her lips to his. As much as he wanted to lose himself in her, he was still momentarily conscious of the kids only a few feet away, but when her soft, wet tongue suddenly invaded his mouth, he was a goner. All he was willing or able to do was turn his back to the team as he gave himself to the kiss, holding her body tightly against his. She, in turn, grabbed a hold of his short, thick hair and clawed at his muscular shoulders.

“UH-HEM!” Conner cleared his throat as noisily as he could manage, not knowing any other way to break his teacher and the woman apart other than getting out a can of WD-40 and a crow bar. He didn’t need to see this scene. Now he would have nightmares.

Tommy and Kim parted lips, but remained in eachother’s arms, neither acknowledging the team’s presence yet. “Are you serious? You got the job?”

“Yeah! We talked for about a half an hour, then said he was very impressed with me and my credentials, and just offers me the position! He wants to know how soon I can move here!”

“So…how soon can you move here?” Tommy was beside himself with relief. The prospect of sleeping without Kim by his side for long was not very appealing.

“Oh, God, Tommy. I don’t know. I have to pack up my apartment, find movers, and sell a bunch of other stuff and my car. I decided to buy another one here instead of driving all the way from Florida. It’s a piece of crap, anyway. Maybe two weeks, three, tops?”

“I wish I could help you, but it’s right in the middle of the semester and I have mid-terms to give. I do have an idea, though…”

“UH-HEM!” The Red Ranger announced the team again, and this time, he got results.

“Sorry, guys,” Tommy sheepishly apologized. He reluctantly disengaged himself from Kim’s embrace and tried to gain some semblance of dignity by wiping the lipstick off his mouth with the back of his hand. A quick glance in her direction told him that her face was as red as his felt. “Rangers, this is Kimberly Hart, the first Pink Ranger.”

“Hi, guys. It’s nice to meet you. Tommy’s told me a lot about you. He’s very proud.” Kim gave them a warm smile, hoping to distract them from their little ‘display’ with her charm.

Conner, as the leader, stepped forward first. “Hi, I’m Conner McKnight, Red Ranger.” He extended his hand politely, and she took it.

Next up, Ethan introduced himself. “I’m Ethan James, the dude in blue.”

“Kira Ford, Yellow Ranger. It’s great to meet another lady Ranger.” There was so much about the proud tradition of female Rangers she wanted to ask the older woman, but she contained herself for the time being. There would be time for the drill later once Kim was around permanently.

“Trent Frenandez, White Ranger. Nice to meet you.”

Once all the Rangers had met Kim personally, a strange silence came over the room while the kids took in their mentor’s new girlfriend. Conner was impressed. She was a real looker. Hhmmm, petite, redhead, shapely legs, nice ass…

Conner’s perusal of Kimberly’s assets was interrupted by a semi-good-natured, firm slap on the back. “Why don’t we have a seat…?” Dr. Oliver had come up behind him, and had a pretty good idea what had the Red Ranger so enraptured. “Watch it,” the science teacher murmured under his breath, giving the kid another smack, on the arm this time, a little harder than before. The message was clear despite even Conner’s usual density.

It was obvious to the team that their mentor’s significant other didn’t share his quiet, shy nature. She made herself right at home in the Command Center, parking herself in the chair at the desk next to Tommy’s that ordinarily would have been occupied by Haley. The kids found it a little strange at first to see Kim in their possibly ‘former’ technical expert’s spot, but the woman’s gregarious nature and sense of humor had them relaxed and comfortable in no time.

The six of them just hung out and shot the breeze for about fifteen minutes. As soon as the conversation started taking a turn towards embarrassing stories about Tommy’s high school days, he decided that it was time for the Rangers to get out so he could enjoy his last evening alone with Kim until she came back permanently. Besides, the kids didn’t need to know how one of his favorite pranks to play on his friends in high school would be to get them all in his car on a trip, crank the heater, and then fart. He used to get them every time, and was very proud of it, but it wasn’t something his students would expect from their dignified, stoic, teacher.

“Well, guys, it’s after five. You’d all better get home for dinner.” Tommy got up and led the way to the cave door. It was the quickest route the Rangers could take out, and the sooner they left, the sooner he could ravish Kim. The team got the hint, with Conner only needing a little coaxing from Kira, and they followed him to the back entrance.

Ethan understood why the couple wanted them out, but they still hadn’t resolved the Haley issue. They were due for an attack from Mesogog any day, and they needed all the help they could get. He got up close to his teacher and tugged on his arm, effectively stopping his progression towards the door. “Dr. Oliver, what about Haley?” The Blue Ranger discreetly whispered, even though he was pretty sure Dr. O had filled Kim in on the problem.

“Good night, guys. We’ll continue both conversations later,” he said with loudly and with finality, addressing the entire team as he approached the panel that would slide the wall open. Tommy realized that he blew Ethan off, but he was just not interested in spending any more of his and Kim’s precious time on the subject. Tomorrow, she would be returning to Florida to resign from her current job and pack her things, and he would have a few weeks to work things out as much as possible. Now was not the time.

“’Night, Dr. O, Kim…” Kira said as she tried her best to round up the guys. She could tell the adults wanted some time alone.

Tommy punched in the code, and soon they all heard the rumbling of the heavy slab as it slid open, but they weren’t prepared for who greeted them.

“Haley!” all six of them exclaimed in unison.

The woman standing at the entrance froze as she unexpectedly came face to face with the entire team, accompanied by the familiar woman she met in the grocery store earlier in the day. Haley’s stomach sunk to her knees as it suddenly hit her where she recognized the tiny redhead from.

On to Part Four.....

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