Last one, people … thanks for the ride and staying with me! I had fun on
this, not the least because you all kept me going. ( Feedback, as always,
is appreciated … DB
Letters 2: Epilogue
By Dagmar Buse
Tommy and Kimberly to their friends
"You are cordially invited to attend the Wedding of
Kimberly Anne Hart
And
Thomas Grant Oliver
At 5o'clock pm
On New Year's Eve 20..
At St. Magdalen's Church, Angel Grove."
"That's the last one," Kim said relievedly and wrote the address with a flourish. She handed the white envelope to Tommy, her handwriting looking neat in red ink even though her fingers had started to cramp about fifteen minutes ago. He accepted the green-marbled rectangle, peeled off the last stamp, grimacing when the gumming left his fingertips sticky, and smacked it in place with a satisfying thud.
"Great! Then let's mail them right away – I can do with a walk after sitting still for so long."
What a great idea! Eagerly, the young woman nodded and jumped up.
"Yes, let's!"
With a happy smile, Kim put the stack of wedding invitations into a minuscule backpack that rode low over her shapely rear. Following her out onto the street, Tommy rather enjoyed the view. Hand in hand, the engaged couple marched off towards Angel Grove Park; there was a mail box near the picnic area. The weather was nice – sunny, but not too warm, a perfect late October day to take a stroll through the familiar area.
By ones, twos and fours, the envelopes clunked into the blue container, and Tommy grinned at Kimberly when they were done.
"Well, that's that. No turning back now," he teased.
"Would you want to?"
He shook his head. "Nah. If it had been completely up to me, you know we would've done this much sooner." There was no sting in his voice, and Kimberly twinkled up at him merrily – while sticking out her tongue in a very unladylike manner. Tommy had to laugh.
"Come on, let's go," he invited, meaning to take Kim's hand again, but was stopped short when a small person suddenly careened into his legs from behind.
"What the ….!" He exclaimed, turning. A little girl, barely two years old, sat on her diapered bottom right at his feet, staring up at him with big black eyes under a crop of curly hair caught up with bright purple bows. Her chocolate-brown skin was smeared liberally with what looked like strawberry icecream, and a chubby fist still clutched a now-empty cone. A pink blob had barely missed Tommy's pants, and was now slowly melting on the warm asphalt. Clearly, the tot was undecided whether to grin or to cry. Before either Tommy or Kimberly could react, though, the baby's mother ran up.
"Are you okay, honey?" she asked her daughter, who nodded. Her tears never materialized, now that she felt safe. Then the young woman gazed up at Tommy. "I'm sorry Leesha bumped into you," she apologized. "But she ran off before I could stop her while my husband was putting the stroller into the car …"
"It's allright," Tommy reassured the woman who was maybe a couple of years or so younger than Kim. "Nobody got hurt. Not even my pants." He smiled at the baby, who hid her face in her mother's hair … but couldn't resist a peek at the tall man. Tommy winked, and was rewarded with a gap- toothed shy grin. Getting another smile and thankyou from Leesha's mother, he watched them cross the parking lot to a somewhat battered old compact car, where a man hugged both his wife and daughter before hustling them into the car.
Tommy heaved a silent sigh, then looked down at Kimberly, who stood motionless beside him, her eyes switching back and forth between the young family and her fiancé. She had paled slightly, even if her face was calm and composed.
"Cute kid," Tommy said finally, his voice carefully neutral.
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed, just as quietly.
Then, their eyes met – full of sorrow, regret, love and acceptance. This was what they would be missing out on, and they couldn't help but feel the loss every time a small event like this reminded them of it. But, in the year or so since they had become engaged, Kim had learned not to apologize any more … while Tommy had learned not to hide his lingering grief every time he saw a young family. Their deep feelings for each other helped them cope with their shared pain, and brought them ever closer. Together, as they had promised each other.
Finally, Tommy found a smile that chased away the slight melancholy in the depths of his eyes. He held out his hand, which the petite brunette grasped without hesitation.
"Let's take that walk, shall we?"
"Uh huh." Kim smiled back, basking in the easy affection she'd missed so much throughout their separation. Her expression became positively radiant when Tommy pulled her towards him and dropped a brief kiss on her lips.
Hand in hand, they wandered off towards the duck pond, where their relationship had begun not once, but twice.
~*~
"This'll be the perfect place to put up a tree next year, Kim," Aisha declared, pointing to a corner of the living room in the house they were putting in order. It was three days before the wedding, and the group of friends was helping Kimberly and Tommy move their belongings.
"Yes," the bride agreed. "My Mom's been collecting ornaments for me for years, and I can't wait to use them." She opened another box and took out her assortment of framed photographs, starting to arrange them on a sideboard. The shadow flitting over her face as she added a recent addition, of her brother with his wife and new baby, was unmistakeable. But it vanished almost instantly when Trini, who noticed, gave her a warm hug. "It's okay," she sighed and reached for the next frame.
"It shouldn't be," Kat murmured to Tanya. "Not when there are people out there having more kids than they know what to with, and people like Kim and Tommy can't have any at all."
"Yeah." The two shared a frustrated glance, then continued to sort books into a wooden cabinet. Outside, a passel of children raced past, their enthusiastic shouts telling of fun and freedom. All her friends saw Kim wince slightly, then paste a determinedly bright smile on her face as she returned to her task. It didn't hold for long.
"Kim, do you think it was wise to move into a street with lots of young families?" Sarah asked as tactfully as possible. She and Rocky had gotten married that summer, and were saving up to buy a house just like the one Kim and Tommy were moving into. The young woman couldn't help thinking that they were causing each other unnecessary pain by their decision.
The friends were silent for a minute, during which they could hear the grunting and good-natured taunts from the second floor where the men were wrestling the heavier pieces of furniture into place. A loud thump, an 'OOF!' from what was unmistakeably Zack, and the heartless laughter of the others that followed brought a small grin to Kimberly's too-serious face.
"Not wise, maybe, but necessary," she said at last.
"Necessary? How?" Tanya wanted to know.
"Well … Tommy and I aren't really cut out to live in an adults-only condo, or some other Yuppie place. We don't want to have to apologize to the neighbors every time you guys will bring however many kids you produce eventually." She winked at Tanya and Sarah, and Kat who, thinking herself unobserved, was once again admiring the ring Jason had given her for Christmas, only a few days ago. The blonde caught the look, blushed and laughed – Kim hadn't behaved much differently a little over a year ago when she'd been newly engaged. With a teasing, understanding glance, Kim continued. "Besides, we've made up our minds that we're going to be the best honorary aunt and uncle you all could wish for," she stated bravely.
"You will be, I'm sure of it," Aisha staunchly declared.
"Who knows, maybe one day you'll find a baby to adopt, too, just as Tommy's folks found him," Kat suggested.
"Yeah. Maybe," the petite brunette murmured.
"Haven't you ever considered going to a fertility clinic? It's not only men who donate sperm; Tommy could still sire children, with another woman's help …" Trini's voice trailed off as Kim shook her head, sadly but decidedly.
"No. We talked about it once, but Tommy said that he doesn't want kids with anyone but me." There was resignation, but also a lot of gratitude and pride in Kimberly's expression. "When he said that … I thought I couldn't love him more than I already did. I was wrong." Kim brushed a stray tear from her eyes at the tender memory.
Trini embraced her childhood friend once more. They all felt for their friends.
"I know I've said it before, but I really wish there was something I could do," she whispered. "You two are so great with kids … it's a shame."
"Unfortunately there isn't," Tanya interjected, hugging Kimberly as well. "After all, it's not as if someone else could have children for you."
Suddenly there was a loud clang. Aisha had let a brass candlestick she was polishing drop to the floor, where it rolled clattering around. The doctor of veterinary medicine looked as if she'd been thunderstruck.
"Aisha? What's the matter?" Sarah asked, bending to pick up the candlestick. "You look as if you've been hit by a truck."
"Or Zack's charm," Kat murmured under her breath with a dry glance upstairs, referring to the fact that recently the first Black Ranger had developed an intense interest in the second Yellow Ranger.
She succeeded in provoking a fit of giggles from everybody. Even Aisha smiled through her blush. *Darn it, I thought nobody had noticed …!* But her eyes shone excitedly as she turned to Tanya and Kim.
"You said it, girlfriend," she declared, pointing emphatically at Tanya.
"I said what?" Tanya frowned. Aisha didn't seem to hear her, all her attention focussed on Kim.
"I can't believe I didn't see it before," she castigated herself. "There's the solution to your problem right in front of us, it's been around for ages, I'm dealing with it several times a year at the clinic, and I never made the connection!" She smacked her forehead theatrically. "How could I miss something so obvious?!?"
"What connection?" Kat wondered. The other young women exchanged puzzled glances; neither had any idea what Aisha was getting at.
"What you just said – about another woman having children for Kim and Tommy."
Trini felt as if a whole chandelier had suddenly lit up her brain. "Of course!" she exclaimed, busily extrapolating mentally on Aisha's brainstorm. "Kim – when you had your operation, they didn't remove your ovaries, did they?"
"Er, no," Kim stuttered, thoroughly mystified. "The doctor said that by leaving them in, I wouldn't have to cope with premature menopause symptoms, osteoporosis and stuff. Why?"
"Don't you see? If your ovaries are still working, you're not sterile, and if Tommy isn't either, you could try for in vitro fertilization – have a lab do the actual insemination, then implant the fetus into a host mother!"
Aisha nodded, fairly dancing with excitement.
"Exactly! They would still be your children – yours, and Tommy's – the only thing you wouldn't do is carrying the baby to term and giving birth!"
Kimberly started to tremble with a veritable jumble of emotions. Fear, hope, excitement … she was running the full gamut in a matter of seconds. She blindly reached for Trini's hand, needing desperately to hold on to somebody or she'd collapse.
*Oh my God … is it possible? Can Tommy have at least one child? Can I be a mother after all, when I believed for years it was never going to happen?* It was almost too much to take in.
Her eyes were huge in her face, and fierce blushes chased ghastly pallor as she tried to compose herself. That was what Tommy saw when he peeped through the door on the way from the kitchen where he'd gone to collect drinks for the guys. His errand forgotten, he unceremoniously dumped the six-pack of cold sodas onto the nearest surface and rushed up to his fiancée.
"Kim! Beautiful, what's wrong?" he asked urgently as she clung to him and sobbed once into his chest. "What happened?" he demanded to know, fixing the other women with a near-frantic glance.
"Tommy … oh, Tommy!" Her slender frame shook as she struggled for coherency. To suddenly find a ray of hope where before there was none … it was almost too much to bear. "Aisha … she said … no, Trini did … I … oh my God," she wept, holding on to him for dear life.
Puzzled, Tommy glanced at Aisha and Trini, who looked both somewhat guilty over having upset their friend, and yet subtly excited for having found a possible solution to their friends' dilemma. "What did you say to Kim to make her cry?" he asked, somewhat mollified now that he could see no- one had intentionally hurt his love. His arms tightened protectively around Kimberly.
The two former Yellow Rangers exchanged a look, then Aisha, as the medical 'expert', drew a deep breath. "Tommy … we didn't mean to stir up things, honestly we didn't … but we heard some kids outside and got to talking …"
"What Aisha means to say," Trini interrupted with a gentle smile, "is that maybe – just maybe – there is a way for the two of you to have your own family after all."
Tommy blanched as well, and it took all his training not to sway with the force of the emotions hitting him at gut level. His throat went dry as dust all at once, and he had to swallow several times before he managed to speak. Even so, his normally pleasant tenor voice was rough.
"…what …?" he rasped.
Briefly, Aisha outlined her train of thought, corroborated by Trini while the others listened intently. Even the men, who had filed in one by one when Tommy didn't return and lured by the sudden silence from downstairs, heard them out in respectful silence while they tried to remember their biology. None of them was all that scientifically minded, after all – that had always been Billy's domain. They looked at each other.
"Man … I never thought of that," Rocky murmured in an aside to Jason, whose dark eyes shone with affection and hope for his friends. "A host mother! Wow."
Inwardly, Jason had to second the sentiment. "Me neither, but still …!"
"Yeah," Adam agreed, his trademark smile quirking his mouth, while Zack just nodded. His admiration of Aisha rose another notch.
*Not only pretty, but brains, too!*
"I'm not saying that it's going to work," Trini cautioned at the end of their recitation. "In fact, I'm not at all sure if it's even possible, but …"
"But it's more than we had before," Kim whispered hoarsely, looking beseechingly up at Tommy.
"Oh Tommy, if there's just a tiny chance I could give you your own baby, I'll take it, no matter WHAT I have to go through!"
Dazedly, Tommy shook his head. This was almost too much to take in. But deep inside, something he'd believed he'd buried forever cautiously rose from the ashes.
"Yeah," he muttered, feeling rather stunned and not daring to hope. Not yet. Instead, while his friends waited for his reaction, he tried to focus on a practical aspect.
"But … but where would we find someone to do this for us? I mean, how can we be sure this woman won't run off with our baby, if we succeed in doing this at all?"
Kim deflated a little bit as her eyes clouded over.
"It would take an awful lot of trust," she whispered, fresh tears welling up. Where would they search for such a person? Would they ever find one?
Behind her, Trini sucked in her breath. Could she do this? Even for someone as dear to her as Kimberly? *You said you wanted to help Kim and Tommy any way you can. This IS a way. Are you going to chicken out now?* Her inner voice commented. The lithe Asian squared her shoulders. Trini Kwan had never gone back on her word – nor was she a coward. She stepped forward and touched Kim's shoulder.
"Would you trust me that much?" she asked softly, her almond eyes luminous.
The couple gasped in mingled shock and joy.
"Trini, we couldn't …" Tommy tried to decline, but his heart clearly wasn't in it. Trini just raised a finely-drawn eyebrow, daring him to deny his deepest wish, and smiled when he was unable to bring himself to do so. Kim wordlessly reached for her hand, squeezing it for all she was worth.
"Oh Trini," she choked. "You're such a good friend …!"
The young woman blinked back her own tears. "Our friendship is solid as a rock, remember?"
Kim nodded, her lips wobbling around a small grin as she recalled the spell Zedd had put her under once, making her a first-class brat.
Kat exchanged a long look with Jason, asking silently 'do you mind?'. He started to smile slowly and nodded his assent, awed at his fiancée's generosity of spirit. He knew it wasn't just for Kimberly's sake that she offered this, but also because it was one last thing she could do for Tommy. Once more, he realized exactly why he'd fallen in love with the blonde Australian.
"Or me?" Kat joined Trini, looking between her former love and her friend. "I'd be willing, too, provided I'm suitable."
"Yes," Aisha declared firmly, only to find Tanya right at her side. Adam beamed with pride at his wife's dedication to their friends, and Rocky didn't need to search out Sarah's gentle eyes as she disengaged herself from his arms to join the circle of women. She was a part of this special group now, too.
"It seems you have enough volunteers," Sarah smiled mistily. "If you want me, count me in!"
"Do I want you!" Kim finally let go of Tommy and tried to hug all her friends at once. "Oh you guys … if you could only know how much this means to me!"
"I think we can make quite a good guess," Jason said, offering his own brotherly hug to Tommy, who still seemed somewhat dazed by this unexpected turn of events. His deep voice sounded decidedly husky as he went on. "Let's just hope that Aisha and Trini's idea works!"
"Amen!" Zack exclaimed, then jumped up from his perch on the back of an armchair. "I'd say this calls for a good-luck toast – whaddaya think, guys?"
"Definitely," Rocky grinned, feeling more elated than he had in a long time for his friends' sake. "And I seem to remember a magnum bottle of champagne in the 'fridge that just begs to be opened!"
"You fetch the bubbly, I'll get the glasses," Adam said, thinking that there were only so many places the women could have stowed the stemware. Sooner or later, he'd find them. Somewhere.
In a matter of minutes, the twelve gathered in a circle, a still weepy but hopeful Kim and a rather bemused Tommy in the center. Glasses were raised and clinked against each other, giving out a musical tinkle that sounded merry and optimistic.
"To Kim and Tommy," Jason said solemnly.
"To the family they hope to have." Kat's accented voice was warm and understanding.
"And Aisha and Trini," Zack was quick to add, giving credit where credit was due as he sent an openly admiring glance towards Aisha. She blushed, pleased. "May their idea be successful!" He got several approving 'hear, hears' for his toast.
"Shouldn't that rather be to the passel of little Olivers-to-be?" Rocky suggested impishly, but was immediately shushed by several of the others. This wasn't a joking matter, especially not for Kim and Tommy. "Okay, okay, sorry – I don't wanna jinx it!"
Kimberly raised her glass to her lips, but didn't take a sip right away. Instead, she looked earnestly at everybody.
"To the best friends we can ever hope to find," she murmured. "Even if this doesn't work out … just to know what you're willing to do for us …"
"Uh huh," Tommy agreed. "To friendship. And …" he hesitated only for a second, but there was no other word to describe what permeated the room right now and united them all. "And love."
~*~
It was a warm, typical California spring day as the group of friends assembled in the waiting room of Doctor Hennessy, Assistant Director of the Stone County Fertility Clinic. The big, hearty Irishman strode into his office, a pile of manila folders under his arm and greeted them all with a friendly smile. In his long practice, this was the first time that he'd seen such support among his patients.
"Well, the test results are in," he boomed, singling out the six women with his frank gaze. "I have some good news, and some bad news." Seamus Hennessy leaned back in his leather chair, picking up the top folder. "First, the good. Mr and Mrs Oliver … you're in luck. You, sir, are fully fertile, and as for you –" he winked at Kim, who could hardly breathe with suspense, "I think we can manage to scare up a few healthy ova. Now, assuming that in-vitro fertilization is successful – and I have to warn you, sometimes it will NOT work, for no reason we can determine – and if we find a suitable host, we can indeed implant an embryo into her."
A sound that was halfway between a cry and a sob escaped Kimberly's throat, and she turned blindly towards Tommy, who caught her up in a crushing embrace. The two clung to each other, overcome with emotion, as the rest of the group swarmed around them, exchanging hugs and congratulations. Seamus let them take their time; it was moments like these which made his work worthwhile. The only times better were when a healthy baby was delivered to parents who'd given up hope before. But even overwhelming joy had to subside at one point, and as soon as everybody had calmed down again, the physician reached for the next folder. He smiled at a radiant if teary-eyed Kimberly before opening it, though.
"Mind, we will only find out if a baby can be carried to term when we actually do it; this is no guarantee there won't be miscarriages or other unforeseeable accidents."
She nodded. "I know. But … this is a chance we'd given up on. Just to know it's possible … at least we will have tried."
"Yes," Tommy agreed. "I mean, we won't ever know if Kim would've been able to have a baby naturally at all if it hadn't been for the cancer," he said seriously. "We looked up all the problems and talked about how we'd feel if … well, if something went wrong anyway. But as Kimberly said – we'll have tried. If it's still not meant to be, we can deal with it. Together." He shared a long, loving glance with his wife of four months and took her small hand in his. Then, Tommy turned back towards Dr. Hennessy.
"But … you said you had bad news, too?" *God, I hope he didn't find anything else wrong with Kim, or me, or any of the girls!*
"Ah yes," the big man said and opened the second folder. The friends waited with bated breath as his eyes swept the room, coming finally to rest on Sarah. "Mrs. DeSantos," he sighed a little.
Sarah and Rocky paled slightly, and Rocky draped a protective arm around her shoulders. "Y-yes?"
"Mrs. DeSantos … I'm sorry, but I won't admit you as a candidate to be host mother for your friend."
"Why not?" Sarah whispered, her dark eyes wide and slightly frightened. "I-is something wrong with me?"
"Not wrong exactly. But the blood tests … I'd strongly suggest you see a specialist about this, it's not my area of expertise, but it looks as if you have a light case of diabetes. Nothing to be overly concerned about; in my opinion some medication will take care of it. You probably have had some symptoms for a while, but they may have been so light, you dismissed them as normal fatigue and whatnot. However, a pregnancy …" he shook his head dubiously. "I'd advise against it. At least when your own DNA isn't involved. I'm sorry, but the risk to both you and the fetus would be more than I'm comfortable with."
"Does that mean we can't have children, either?" Rocky asked through stiff lips. It was one thing to talk about it in the abstract, but now …
But Dr Hennessy shook his head reassuringly. "No, that's not what I meant. You just have to monitor a possible pregnancy much closer than usual, and my advice would be to limit yourself to one or two children at most. But to have another couple's embryo implanted – that's out of the question. I won't put endangering your health on my conscience. I'm sorry," he repeated.
But Sarah had calmed down again already. Her gentle, practical nature accepted the limitations imposed on her by this revelation with admirable calm and aplomb. Rocky and she could still have a family – small perhaps, but a family nonetheless. And she wasn't suffering from any dangerous or fatal illness, gracias a Dios. Diabetes she could live with.
"I understand. And I'll make an appointment with my doctor right away," she promised. Then she looked at the couple sitting next to them.
"I'm sorry, Kimberly …"
The pink-clad young woman gave her a hug. "No need to apologize, Sarah. I truly appreciate that you agreed to be tested at all, and I'd never want to harm you in any way."
Hennessy cleared his throat. He liked this group of people, but his time WAS limited; they could have their love-fest after he'd delivered the rest of his news. The sound had the effect of calling the friends to order almost immediately, and he grinned to himself. All he displayed outwardly was a fatherly smile, however, as he reached for the next chart.
"Mrs. Park."
Adam stiffened in alarm. There was bad news for his Tanya?!? Sensing his disquiet, Tanya slid her fingers into his hand, offering comfort to Adam even as she desperately wanted, no needed to be reassured she was okay. Not quite holding her breath, she didn't say a word, but just tilted her head questioningly at the doctor, who understood.
"I'm afraid you're ineligible, too," he announced, and Adam flinched, his imagination providing all kinds of horror scenarios right away.
"What's wrong with Tanya?" he managed to ask, his voice little more than a squeak. Rocky let go of Sarah and moved towards his oldest friend in support, and Aisha patted his knee while trying to give Tanya a reassuring smile.
The big medic barely hid a broad grin. This was a part of his job he definitely liked!
"Nothing that won't clear up on its own within the next seven to eight months," he said, letting his grin spread as he watched the apprehensive faces before him. He'd eat his stethoscope if this bunch wouldn't be as excited for their friends' fate as if he'd just magically restored Kim Oliver's womb.
"Mrs. Park – you can't act as host mother for your friend because you already are pregnant. It's early stages yet, but …" whatever he wanted to say was drowned in the happy pandemonium that broke out in his office, with the women cooing over Tanya and the men congratulating Adam as the two kissed blissfully, for once unconcerned about having an audience.
*Looks like my 'scope is safe.*
"Oh Tanya, I'm soooo happy for you," Kimberly gushed, genuinely glad for her friends. Not even in her darkest hour, when she'd thought parenthood would be forever out of her reach, had she begrudged any of the others such a possibility. Neither had Tommy, who was congratulating Adam as heartily as the rest.
"Thanks, Kim," Tanya beamed, her eyes shining. "I'm just so-"
"Don't you dare say you're sorry, 'cause I know you're not!" Kimberly interrupted her firmly. "I love you for wanting to help Tommy and me, but just as it's not Sarah's fault she can't, it's not yours, either. All you should do now is look forward to having your baby," she smiled, wiping away a single tear. She wasn't lying when she said she was elated for Adam and Tanya, but oh, how she wished she could share that experience! To feel a child grow within her, to watch her body change … to give birth.
As things stood, she would never now what that was like, but if she was lucky and all went well, she'd get at least second-hand knowledge should Kat, Trini or Aisha succeed in carrying a baby for Tommy and herself.
*Not what I dreamed of at seventeen. But I'm not complaining … just please, God – let it work? Once? Just one baby for Tommy …* Kim prayed as she'd never done before.
"What about us, then?" Kat asked curiously when everybody had settled down again. She indicated herself, Aisha and Trini. "Would one of us be suitable as host mother?"
Dr. Hennessy weighed his words carefully, looking over the test results once more. He didn't like to raise false hopes, no matter how much he believed the couples seeking his help deserved to have a baby. And the Olivers certainly qualified in his book.
"I see no reason why you shouldn't be," he said slowly, but raised a hand to stall any premature jubilation. "But please – are ALL of you aware of the procedures and dangers involved? Extracting the ova from you, Mrs. Oliver, implanting the embryo … all comparatively pretty minor operations as these things go. However, any kind of surgery carries its own risk. Then there's a chance of rejection, just like with a transplant – for obvious reasons, we can't medicate as we would with an organ like the liver, say. In a worst-case scenario, we might successfully fertilize a number of ova from you, and none will ever mature into a healthy baby, despite everything we can do. We can't rule out birth defects or genetic damage, either – just as with any normal pregnancy. What if any child you'll have will be handicapped in some way? Have you thought about THAT?" The physician's whole demeanour was deadly serious, and he stared intently at Kimberly and Tommy, who returned his look with steady eyes. It was Tommy who answered.
"Yes, we have. And we'd love her or him just as we would if our baby was born to us." The petite woman clinging to his hand nodded.
"Definitely."
"Just let us try," Trini pleaded.
"We're sure," Kat declared.
"We want to do this," Aisha added.
The doctor assessed the three young women and the couple before him for a long, long moment – a period that was a small eternity for Kim and Tommy. They were so close to having their dream fulfilled; surely this man wouldn't deny them at the last possible instant? Finally, he smiled and closed his files.
"Very well then. We will make the attempt. Who of you is volunteering?" he asked, letting his eyes wander from Kat to Trini to Aisha and back. The three looked at each other, then at their friends' hopeful expressions. At last, Aisha drew a deep breath and grinned.
"Why not all three of us?"
"Yes – surely at least one will be able to carry the baby to term," Trini consented.
"Plus, I'm certain you two wouldn't mind if you ended up with more than one baby, would you?" Kat teased, her blue eyes suspiciously moist as she saw the relief and happiness spread through Tommy and Kimberly.
The first Pink Ranger was laughing through her tears as she hugged one after the other.
"No … oh no … thank you …"
Tommy kissed each young woman warmly, knowing that Kim wouldn't mind.
"Yes. Thanks, ladies. You're the absolute best."
"Then let's get started," Seamus Hennessy declared.
~~***~~
Ten months later …
Kimberly and Thomas Oliver are proud and grateful
To announce the births of
Ann-Kathryn Oliver (January 10)
Jason Jeffrey and David Samuel Oliver (January 13)
And
Billie Alicia Oliver (January 20).
~~***~~
The End.
Author's Note: My thanks to everybody who bore with me through this, helped and encouraged during the writing process and kept me going with their kind words. All scientific gaffes are mine. Until next time … DB, January 2002.
Letters 2: Epilogue
By Dagmar Buse
Tommy and Kimberly to their friends
"You are cordially invited to attend the Wedding of
Kimberly Anne Hart
And
Thomas Grant Oliver
At 5o'clock pm
On New Year's Eve 20..
At St. Magdalen's Church, Angel Grove."
"That's the last one," Kim said relievedly and wrote the address with a flourish. She handed the white envelope to Tommy, her handwriting looking neat in red ink even though her fingers had started to cramp about fifteen minutes ago. He accepted the green-marbled rectangle, peeled off the last stamp, grimacing when the gumming left his fingertips sticky, and smacked it in place with a satisfying thud.
"Great! Then let's mail them right away – I can do with a walk after sitting still for so long."
What a great idea! Eagerly, the young woman nodded and jumped up.
"Yes, let's!"
With a happy smile, Kim put the stack of wedding invitations into a minuscule backpack that rode low over her shapely rear. Following her out onto the street, Tommy rather enjoyed the view. Hand in hand, the engaged couple marched off towards Angel Grove Park; there was a mail box near the picnic area. The weather was nice – sunny, but not too warm, a perfect late October day to take a stroll through the familiar area.
By ones, twos and fours, the envelopes clunked into the blue container, and Tommy grinned at Kimberly when they were done.
"Well, that's that. No turning back now," he teased.
"Would you want to?"
He shook his head. "Nah. If it had been completely up to me, you know we would've done this much sooner." There was no sting in his voice, and Kimberly twinkled up at him merrily – while sticking out her tongue in a very unladylike manner. Tommy had to laugh.
"Come on, let's go," he invited, meaning to take Kim's hand again, but was stopped short when a small person suddenly careened into his legs from behind.
"What the ….!" He exclaimed, turning. A little girl, barely two years old, sat on her diapered bottom right at his feet, staring up at him with big black eyes under a crop of curly hair caught up with bright purple bows. Her chocolate-brown skin was smeared liberally with what looked like strawberry icecream, and a chubby fist still clutched a now-empty cone. A pink blob had barely missed Tommy's pants, and was now slowly melting on the warm asphalt. Clearly, the tot was undecided whether to grin or to cry. Before either Tommy or Kimberly could react, though, the baby's mother ran up.
"Are you okay, honey?" she asked her daughter, who nodded. Her tears never materialized, now that she felt safe. Then the young woman gazed up at Tommy. "I'm sorry Leesha bumped into you," she apologized. "But she ran off before I could stop her while my husband was putting the stroller into the car …"
"It's allright," Tommy reassured the woman who was maybe a couple of years or so younger than Kim. "Nobody got hurt. Not even my pants." He smiled at the baby, who hid her face in her mother's hair … but couldn't resist a peek at the tall man. Tommy winked, and was rewarded with a gap- toothed shy grin. Getting another smile and thankyou from Leesha's mother, he watched them cross the parking lot to a somewhat battered old compact car, where a man hugged both his wife and daughter before hustling them into the car.
Tommy heaved a silent sigh, then looked down at Kimberly, who stood motionless beside him, her eyes switching back and forth between the young family and her fiancé. She had paled slightly, even if her face was calm and composed.
"Cute kid," Tommy said finally, his voice carefully neutral.
"Yeah," Kimberly agreed, just as quietly.
Then, their eyes met – full of sorrow, regret, love and acceptance. This was what they would be missing out on, and they couldn't help but feel the loss every time a small event like this reminded them of it. But, in the year or so since they had become engaged, Kim had learned not to apologize any more … while Tommy had learned not to hide his lingering grief every time he saw a young family. Their deep feelings for each other helped them cope with their shared pain, and brought them ever closer. Together, as they had promised each other.
Finally, Tommy found a smile that chased away the slight melancholy in the depths of his eyes. He held out his hand, which the petite brunette grasped without hesitation.
"Let's take that walk, shall we?"
"Uh huh." Kim smiled back, basking in the easy affection she'd missed so much throughout their separation. Her expression became positively radiant when Tommy pulled her towards him and dropped a brief kiss on her lips.
Hand in hand, they wandered off towards the duck pond, where their relationship had begun not once, but twice.
~*~
"This'll be the perfect place to put up a tree next year, Kim," Aisha declared, pointing to a corner of the living room in the house they were putting in order. It was three days before the wedding, and the group of friends was helping Kimberly and Tommy move their belongings.
"Yes," the bride agreed. "My Mom's been collecting ornaments for me for years, and I can't wait to use them." She opened another box and took out her assortment of framed photographs, starting to arrange them on a sideboard. The shadow flitting over her face as she added a recent addition, of her brother with his wife and new baby, was unmistakeable. But it vanished almost instantly when Trini, who noticed, gave her a warm hug. "It's okay," she sighed and reached for the next frame.
"It shouldn't be," Kat murmured to Tanya. "Not when there are people out there having more kids than they know what to with, and people like Kim and Tommy can't have any at all."
"Yeah." The two shared a frustrated glance, then continued to sort books into a wooden cabinet. Outside, a passel of children raced past, their enthusiastic shouts telling of fun and freedom. All her friends saw Kim wince slightly, then paste a determinedly bright smile on her face as she returned to her task. It didn't hold for long.
"Kim, do you think it was wise to move into a street with lots of young families?" Sarah asked as tactfully as possible. She and Rocky had gotten married that summer, and were saving up to buy a house just like the one Kim and Tommy were moving into. The young woman couldn't help thinking that they were causing each other unnecessary pain by their decision.
The friends were silent for a minute, during which they could hear the grunting and good-natured taunts from the second floor where the men were wrestling the heavier pieces of furniture into place. A loud thump, an 'OOF!' from what was unmistakeably Zack, and the heartless laughter of the others that followed brought a small grin to Kimberly's too-serious face.
"Not wise, maybe, but necessary," she said at last.
"Necessary? How?" Tanya wanted to know.
"Well … Tommy and I aren't really cut out to live in an adults-only condo, or some other Yuppie place. We don't want to have to apologize to the neighbors every time you guys will bring however many kids you produce eventually." She winked at Tanya and Sarah, and Kat who, thinking herself unobserved, was once again admiring the ring Jason had given her for Christmas, only a few days ago. The blonde caught the look, blushed and laughed – Kim hadn't behaved much differently a little over a year ago when she'd been newly engaged. With a teasing, understanding glance, Kim continued. "Besides, we've made up our minds that we're going to be the best honorary aunt and uncle you all could wish for," she stated bravely.
"You will be, I'm sure of it," Aisha staunchly declared.
"Who knows, maybe one day you'll find a baby to adopt, too, just as Tommy's folks found him," Kat suggested.
"Yeah. Maybe," the petite brunette murmured.
"Haven't you ever considered going to a fertility clinic? It's not only men who donate sperm; Tommy could still sire children, with another woman's help …" Trini's voice trailed off as Kim shook her head, sadly but decidedly.
"No. We talked about it once, but Tommy said that he doesn't want kids with anyone but me." There was resignation, but also a lot of gratitude and pride in Kimberly's expression. "When he said that … I thought I couldn't love him more than I already did. I was wrong." Kim brushed a stray tear from her eyes at the tender memory.
Trini embraced her childhood friend once more. They all felt for their friends.
"I know I've said it before, but I really wish there was something I could do," she whispered. "You two are so great with kids … it's a shame."
"Unfortunately there isn't," Tanya interjected, hugging Kimberly as well. "After all, it's not as if someone else could have children for you."
Suddenly there was a loud clang. Aisha had let a brass candlestick she was polishing drop to the floor, where it rolled clattering around. The doctor of veterinary medicine looked as if she'd been thunderstruck.
"Aisha? What's the matter?" Sarah asked, bending to pick up the candlestick. "You look as if you've been hit by a truck."
"Or Zack's charm," Kat murmured under her breath with a dry glance upstairs, referring to the fact that recently the first Black Ranger had developed an intense interest in the second Yellow Ranger.
She succeeded in provoking a fit of giggles from everybody. Even Aisha smiled through her blush. *Darn it, I thought nobody had noticed …!* But her eyes shone excitedly as she turned to Tanya and Kim.
"You said it, girlfriend," she declared, pointing emphatically at Tanya.
"I said what?" Tanya frowned. Aisha didn't seem to hear her, all her attention focussed on Kim.
"I can't believe I didn't see it before," she castigated herself. "There's the solution to your problem right in front of us, it's been around for ages, I'm dealing with it several times a year at the clinic, and I never made the connection!" She smacked her forehead theatrically. "How could I miss something so obvious?!?"
"What connection?" Kat wondered. The other young women exchanged puzzled glances; neither had any idea what Aisha was getting at.
"What you just said – about another woman having children for Kim and Tommy."
Trini felt as if a whole chandelier had suddenly lit up her brain. "Of course!" she exclaimed, busily extrapolating mentally on Aisha's brainstorm. "Kim – when you had your operation, they didn't remove your ovaries, did they?"
"Er, no," Kim stuttered, thoroughly mystified. "The doctor said that by leaving them in, I wouldn't have to cope with premature menopause symptoms, osteoporosis and stuff. Why?"
"Don't you see? If your ovaries are still working, you're not sterile, and if Tommy isn't either, you could try for in vitro fertilization – have a lab do the actual insemination, then implant the fetus into a host mother!"
Aisha nodded, fairly dancing with excitement.
"Exactly! They would still be your children – yours, and Tommy's – the only thing you wouldn't do is carrying the baby to term and giving birth!"
Kimberly started to tremble with a veritable jumble of emotions. Fear, hope, excitement … she was running the full gamut in a matter of seconds. She blindly reached for Trini's hand, needing desperately to hold on to somebody or she'd collapse.
*Oh my God … is it possible? Can Tommy have at least one child? Can I be a mother after all, when I believed for years it was never going to happen?* It was almost too much to take in.
Her eyes were huge in her face, and fierce blushes chased ghastly pallor as she tried to compose herself. That was what Tommy saw when he peeped through the door on the way from the kitchen where he'd gone to collect drinks for the guys. His errand forgotten, he unceremoniously dumped the six-pack of cold sodas onto the nearest surface and rushed up to his fiancée.
"Kim! Beautiful, what's wrong?" he asked urgently as she clung to him and sobbed once into his chest. "What happened?" he demanded to know, fixing the other women with a near-frantic glance.
"Tommy … oh, Tommy!" Her slender frame shook as she struggled for coherency. To suddenly find a ray of hope where before there was none … it was almost too much to bear. "Aisha … she said … no, Trini did … I … oh my God," she wept, holding on to him for dear life.
Puzzled, Tommy glanced at Aisha and Trini, who looked both somewhat guilty over having upset their friend, and yet subtly excited for having found a possible solution to their friends' dilemma. "What did you say to Kim to make her cry?" he asked, somewhat mollified now that he could see no- one had intentionally hurt his love. His arms tightened protectively around Kimberly.
The two former Yellow Rangers exchanged a look, then Aisha, as the medical 'expert', drew a deep breath. "Tommy … we didn't mean to stir up things, honestly we didn't … but we heard some kids outside and got to talking …"
"What Aisha means to say," Trini interrupted with a gentle smile, "is that maybe – just maybe – there is a way for the two of you to have your own family after all."
Tommy blanched as well, and it took all his training not to sway with the force of the emotions hitting him at gut level. His throat went dry as dust all at once, and he had to swallow several times before he managed to speak. Even so, his normally pleasant tenor voice was rough.
"…what …?" he rasped.
Briefly, Aisha outlined her train of thought, corroborated by Trini while the others listened intently. Even the men, who had filed in one by one when Tommy didn't return and lured by the sudden silence from downstairs, heard them out in respectful silence while they tried to remember their biology. None of them was all that scientifically minded, after all – that had always been Billy's domain. They looked at each other.
"Man … I never thought of that," Rocky murmured in an aside to Jason, whose dark eyes shone with affection and hope for his friends. "A host mother! Wow."
Inwardly, Jason had to second the sentiment. "Me neither, but still …!"
"Yeah," Adam agreed, his trademark smile quirking his mouth, while Zack just nodded. His admiration of Aisha rose another notch.
*Not only pretty, but brains, too!*
"I'm not saying that it's going to work," Trini cautioned at the end of their recitation. "In fact, I'm not at all sure if it's even possible, but …"
"But it's more than we had before," Kim whispered hoarsely, looking beseechingly up at Tommy.
"Oh Tommy, if there's just a tiny chance I could give you your own baby, I'll take it, no matter WHAT I have to go through!"
Dazedly, Tommy shook his head. This was almost too much to take in. But deep inside, something he'd believed he'd buried forever cautiously rose from the ashes.
"Yeah," he muttered, feeling rather stunned and not daring to hope. Not yet. Instead, while his friends waited for his reaction, he tried to focus on a practical aspect.
"But … but where would we find someone to do this for us? I mean, how can we be sure this woman won't run off with our baby, if we succeed in doing this at all?"
Kim deflated a little bit as her eyes clouded over.
"It would take an awful lot of trust," she whispered, fresh tears welling up. Where would they search for such a person? Would they ever find one?
Behind her, Trini sucked in her breath. Could she do this? Even for someone as dear to her as Kimberly? *You said you wanted to help Kim and Tommy any way you can. This IS a way. Are you going to chicken out now?* Her inner voice commented. The lithe Asian squared her shoulders. Trini Kwan had never gone back on her word – nor was she a coward. She stepped forward and touched Kim's shoulder.
"Would you trust me that much?" she asked softly, her almond eyes luminous.
The couple gasped in mingled shock and joy.
"Trini, we couldn't …" Tommy tried to decline, but his heart clearly wasn't in it. Trini just raised a finely-drawn eyebrow, daring him to deny his deepest wish, and smiled when he was unable to bring himself to do so. Kim wordlessly reached for her hand, squeezing it for all she was worth.
"Oh Trini," she choked. "You're such a good friend …!"
The young woman blinked back her own tears. "Our friendship is solid as a rock, remember?"
Kim nodded, her lips wobbling around a small grin as she recalled the spell Zedd had put her under once, making her a first-class brat.
Kat exchanged a long look with Jason, asking silently 'do you mind?'. He started to smile slowly and nodded his assent, awed at his fiancée's generosity of spirit. He knew it wasn't just for Kimberly's sake that she offered this, but also because it was one last thing she could do for Tommy. Once more, he realized exactly why he'd fallen in love with the blonde Australian.
"Or me?" Kat joined Trini, looking between her former love and her friend. "I'd be willing, too, provided I'm suitable."
"Yes," Aisha declared firmly, only to find Tanya right at her side. Adam beamed with pride at his wife's dedication to their friends, and Rocky didn't need to search out Sarah's gentle eyes as she disengaged herself from his arms to join the circle of women. She was a part of this special group now, too.
"It seems you have enough volunteers," Sarah smiled mistily. "If you want me, count me in!"
"Do I want you!" Kim finally let go of Tommy and tried to hug all her friends at once. "Oh you guys … if you could only know how much this means to me!"
"I think we can make quite a good guess," Jason said, offering his own brotherly hug to Tommy, who still seemed somewhat dazed by this unexpected turn of events. His deep voice sounded decidedly husky as he went on. "Let's just hope that Aisha and Trini's idea works!"
"Amen!" Zack exclaimed, then jumped up from his perch on the back of an armchair. "I'd say this calls for a good-luck toast – whaddaya think, guys?"
"Definitely," Rocky grinned, feeling more elated than he had in a long time for his friends' sake. "And I seem to remember a magnum bottle of champagne in the 'fridge that just begs to be opened!"
"You fetch the bubbly, I'll get the glasses," Adam said, thinking that there were only so many places the women could have stowed the stemware. Sooner or later, he'd find them. Somewhere.
In a matter of minutes, the twelve gathered in a circle, a still weepy but hopeful Kim and a rather bemused Tommy in the center. Glasses were raised and clinked against each other, giving out a musical tinkle that sounded merry and optimistic.
"To Kim and Tommy," Jason said solemnly.
"To the family they hope to have." Kat's accented voice was warm and understanding.
"And Aisha and Trini," Zack was quick to add, giving credit where credit was due as he sent an openly admiring glance towards Aisha. She blushed, pleased. "May their idea be successful!" He got several approving 'hear, hears' for his toast.
"Shouldn't that rather be to the passel of little Olivers-to-be?" Rocky suggested impishly, but was immediately shushed by several of the others. This wasn't a joking matter, especially not for Kim and Tommy. "Okay, okay, sorry – I don't wanna jinx it!"
Kimberly raised her glass to her lips, but didn't take a sip right away. Instead, she looked earnestly at everybody.
"To the best friends we can ever hope to find," she murmured. "Even if this doesn't work out … just to know what you're willing to do for us …"
"Uh huh," Tommy agreed. "To friendship. And …" he hesitated only for a second, but there was no other word to describe what permeated the room right now and united them all. "And love."
~*~
It was a warm, typical California spring day as the group of friends assembled in the waiting room of Doctor Hennessy, Assistant Director of the Stone County Fertility Clinic. The big, hearty Irishman strode into his office, a pile of manila folders under his arm and greeted them all with a friendly smile. In his long practice, this was the first time that he'd seen such support among his patients.
"Well, the test results are in," he boomed, singling out the six women with his frank gaze. "I have some good news, and some bad news." Seamus Hennessy leaned back in his leather chair, picking up the top folder. "First, the good. Mr and Mrs Oliver … you're in luck. You, sir, are fully fertile, and as for you –" he winked at Kim, who could hardly breathe with suspense, "I think we can manage to scare up a few healthy ova. Now, assuming that in-vitro fertilization is successful – and I have to warn you, sometimes it will NOT work, for no reason we can determine – and if we find a suitable host, we can indeed implant an embryo into her."
A sound that was halfway between a cry and a sob escaped Kimberly's throat, and she turned blindly towards Tommy, who caught her up in a crushing embrace. The two clung to each other, overcome with emotion, as the rest of the group swarmed around them, exchanging hugs and congratulations. Seamus let them take their time; it was moments like these which made his work worthwhile. The only times better were when a healthy baby was delivered to parents who'd given up hope before. But even overwhelming joy had to subside at one point, and as soon as everybody had calmed down again, the physician reached for the next folder. He smiled at a radiant if teary-eyed Kimberly before opening it, though.
"Mind, we will only find out if a baby can be carried to term when we actually do it; this is no guarantee there won't be miscarriages or other unforeseeable accidents."
She nodded. "I know. But … this is a chance we'd given up on. Just to know it's possible … at least we will have tried."
"Yes," Tommy agreed. "I mean, we won't ever know if Kim would've been able to have a baby naturally at all if it hadn't been for the cancer," he said seriously. "We looked up all the problems and talked about how we'd feel if … well, if something went wrong anyway. But as Kimberly said – we'll have tried. If it's still not meant to be, we can deal with it. Together." He shared a long, loving glance with his wife of four months and took her small hand in his. Then, Tommy turned back towards Dr. Hennessy.
"But … you said you had bad news, too?" *God, I hope he didn't find anything else wrong with Kim, or me, or any of the girls!*
"Ah yes," the big man said and opened the second folder. The friends waited with bated breath as his eyes swept the room, coming finally to rest on Sarah. "Mrs. DeSantos," he sighed a little.
Sarah and Rocky paled slightly, and Rocky draped a protective arm around her shoulders. "Y-yes?"
"Mrs. DeSantos … I'm sorry, but I won't admit you as a candidate to be host mother for your friend."
"Why not?" Sarah whispered, her dark eyes wide and slightly frightened. "I-is something wrong with me?"
"Not wrong exactly. But the blood tests … I'd strongly suggest you see a specialist about this, it's not my area of expertise, but it looks as if you have a light case of diabetes. Nothing to be overly concerned about; in my opinion some medication will take care of it. You probably have had some symptoms for a while, but they may have been so light, you dismissed them as normal fatigue and whatnot. However, a pregnancy …" he shook his head dubiously. "I'd advise against it. At least when your own DNA isn't involved. I'm sorry, but the risk to both you and the fetus would be more than I'm comfortable with."
"Does that mean we can't have children, either?" Rocky asked through stiff lips. It was one thing to talk about it in the abstract, but now …
But Dr Hennessy shook his head reassuringly. "No, that's not what I meant. You just have to monitor a possible pregnancy much closer than usual, and my advice would be to limit yourself to one or two children at most. But to have another couple's embryo implanted – that's out of the question. I won't put endangering your health on my conscience. I'm sorry," he repeated.
But Sarah had calmed down again already. Her gentle, practical nature accepted the limitations imposed on her by this revelation with admirable calm and aplomb. Rocky and she could still have a family – small perhaps, but a family nonetheless. And she wasn't suffering from any dangerous or fatal illness, gracias a Dios. Diabetes she could live with.
"I understand. And I'll make an appointment with my doctor right away," she promised. Then she looked at the couple sitting next to them.
"I'm sorry, Kimberly …"
The pink-clad young woman gave her a hug. "No need to apologize, Sarah. I truly appreciate that you agreed to be tested at all, and I'd never want to harm you in any way."
Hennessy cleared his throat. He liked this group of people, but his time WAS limited; they could have their love-fest after he'd delivered the rest of his news. The sound had the effect of calling the friends to order almost immediately, and he grinned to himself. All he displayed outwardly was a fatherly smile, however, as he reached for the next chart.
"Mrs. Park."
Adam stiffened in alarm. There was bad news for his Tanya?!? Sensing his disquiet, Tanya slid her fingers into his hand, offering comfort to Adam even as she desperately wanted, no needed to be reassured she was okay. Not quite holding her breath, she didn't say a word, but just tilted her head questioningly at the doctor, who understood.
"I'm afraid you're ineligible, too," he announced, and Adam flinched, his imagination providing all kinds of horror scenarios right away.
"What's wrong with Tanya?" he managed to ask, his voice little more than a squeak. Rocky let go of Sarah and moved towards his oldest friend in support, and Aisha patted his knee while trying to give Tanya a reassuring smile.
The big medic barely hid a broad grin. This was a part of his job he definitely liked!
"Nothing that won't clear up on its own within the next seven to eight months," he said, letting his grin spread as he watched the apprehensive faces before him. He'd eat his stethoscope if this bunch wouldn't be as excited for their friends' fate as if he'd just magically restored Kim Oliver's womb.
"Mrs. Park – you can't act as host mother for your friend because you already are pregnant. It's early stages yet, but …" whatever he wanted to say was drowned in the happy pandemonium that broke out in his office, with the women cooing over Tanya and the men congratulating Adam as the two kissed blissfully, for once unconcerned about having an audience.
*Looks like my 'scope is safe.*
"Oh Tanya, I'm soooo happy for you," Kimberly gushed, genuinely glad for her friends. Not even in her darkest hour, when she'd thought parenthood would be forever out of her reach, had she begrudged any of the others such a possibility. Neither had Tommy, who was congratulating Adam as heartily as the rest.
"Thanks, Kim," Tanya beamed, her eyes shining. "I'm just so-"
"Don't you dare say you're sorry, 'cause I know you're not!" Kimberly interrupted her firmly. "I love you for wanting to help Tommy and me, but just as it's not Sarah's fault she can't, it's not yours, either. All you should do now is look forward to having your baby," she smiled, wiping away a single tear. She wasn't lying when she said she was elated for Adam and Tanya, but oh, how she wished she could share that experience! To feel a child grow within her, to watch her body change … to give birth.
As things stood, she would never now what that was like, but if she was lucky and all went well, she'd get at least second-hand knowledge should Kat, Trini or Aisha succeed in carrying a baby for Tommy and herself.
*Not what I dreamed of at seventeen. But I'm not complaining … just please, God – let it work? Once? Just one baby for Tommy …* Kim prayed as she'd never done before.
"What about us, then?" Kat asked curiously when everybody had settled down again. She indicated herself, Aisha and Trini. "Would one of us be suitable as host mother?"
Dr. Hennessy weighed his words carefully, looking over the test results once more. He didn't like to raise false hopes, no matter how much he believed the couples seeking his help deserved to have a baby. And the Olivers certainly qualified in his book.
"I see no reason why you shouldn't be," he said slowly, but raised a hand to stall any premature jubilation. "But please – are ALL of you aware of the procedures and dangers involved? Extracting the ova from you, Mrs. Oliver, implanting the embryo … all comparatively pretty minor operations as these things go. However, any kind of surgery carries its own risk. Then there's a chance of rejection, just like with a transplant – for obvious reasons, we can't medicate as we would with an organ like the liver, say. In a worst-case scenario, we might successfully fertilize a number of ova from you, and none will ever mature into a healthy baby, despite everything we can do. We can't rule out birth defects or genetic damage, either – just as with any normal pregnancy. What if any child you'll have will be handicapped in some way? Have you thought about THAT?" The physician's whole demeanour was deadly serious, and he stared intently at Kimberly and Tommy, who returned his look with steady eyes. It was Tommy who answered.
"Yes, we have. And we'd love her or him just as we would if our baby was born to us." The petite woman clinging to his hand nodded.
"Definitely."
"Just let us try," Trini pleaded.
"We're sure," Kat declared.
"We want to do this," Aisha added.
The doctor assessed the three young women and the couple before him for a long, long moment – a period that was a small eternity for Kim and Tommy. They were so close to having their dream fulfilled; surely this man wouldn't deny them at the last possible instant? Finally, he smiled and closed his files.
"Very well then. We will make the attempt. Who of you is volunteering?" he asked, letting his eyes wander from Kat to Trini to Aisha and back. The three looked at each other, then at their friends' hopeful expressions. At last, Aisha drew a deep breath and grinned.
"Why not all three of us?"
"Yes – surely at least one will be able to carry the baby to term," Trini consented.
"Plus, I'm certain you two wouldn't mind if you ended up with more than one baby, would you?" Kat teased, her blue eyes suspiciously moist as she saw the relief and happiness spread through Tommy and Kimberly.
The first Pink Ranger was laughing through her tears as she hugged one after the other.
"No … oh no … thank you …"
Tommy kissed each young woman warmly, knowing that Kim wouldn't mind.
"Yes. Thanks, ladies. You're the absolute best."
"Then let's get started," Seamus Hennessy declared.
~~***~~
Ten months later …
Kimberly and Thomas Oliver are proud and grateful
To announce the births of
Ann-Kathryn Oliver (January 10)
Jason Jeffrey and David Samuel Oliver (January 13)
And
Billie Alicia Oliver (January 20).
~~***~~
The End.
Author's Note: My thanks to everybody who bore with me through this, helped and encouraged during the writing process and kept me going with their kind words. All scientific gaffes are mine. Until next time … DB, January 2002.