Chapter 16: TV Romance
A Turn Of Events
Kimmy’s eyes opened slowly, the
bright morning sunlight slipping through the blinds in thin golden lines that
stretched across the floor and up the side of the bed. She squinted, adjusting
to the light, and turned her head just enough to see Mark still sleeping
soundly beside her. His breathing was steady, peaceful, the kind of deep rest
that didn’t come easily after a long stretch of thinking and decision-making. A
soft smile formed as the thought crossed her mind—I’ll get the coffee
today…let him sleep.
She slipped out of bed with
exaggerated care, moving quietly, almost playfully, as if she were on some
covert mission. Jeans, Panthers hoodie, a quick glance in the mirror—good
enough. At the doorway she paused, turning back to watch him for just a moment
longer. There was something about seeing him like that—unguarded, still—that
filled her chest in a way she could never quite put into words. She smiled to
herself and eased the door open.
Brad’s room was next. She padded
in softly and stood over the bed, her expression softening even further. He lay
tangled in his white clown blanket, one arm draped over it protectively while
Mickey and Peter stood propped nearby like loyal guardians. Kimmy reached down
and brushed a strand of hair from his forehead, then quietly stepped back,
leaving the little world of his dreams undisturbed.
As she closed and locked the front
door behind her, she paused again, glancing back through the house. The quiet,
the stillness, the life they had built—it all settled over her at once.
We have the best life.
The thought stayed with her all
the way to the parking lot.
Allan spotted her immediately, his
eyebrows lifting in surprise as she stepped out of the car. “Hey Kimmy,” he
called, walking toward her with a grin, “what’s wrong with my boy Mark?”
Kimmy laughed softly, adjusting
the hoodie as she met him halfway. “Nothing’s wrong,” she said, shaking her
head. “I think after dinner last night—going over all the Viking options—he was
just drained. Out cold.”
Allan nodded, falling into step
beside her as they headed inside. “So…did you guys make any decisions? Heard
anything back yet?”
Kimmy slowed just inside the
doorway, balancing the thought for a moment before answering. “We made
decisions about what we’d be open to…and what we wouldn’t be,” she said
carefully. “But no, we haven’t heard from them yet. And honestly? We’re not in
a hurry. No pressure. We’re really happy with our life right now.”
Allan gave her a knowing look and
pointed toward the counter. “Papers with puzzles over there. Coffee station
right here.”
“Perfect,” Kimmy said with a grin.
She slipped back into the house
quietly, balancing the coffees and folded paper, closing the door with a soft
click behind her. For a moment she just stood there, listening.
Nothing.
Complete silence.
Her eyes lit up.
The idea came all at once.
Moving quickly now, she set the
coffee down on the counter and hurried down the hall. In one fluid motion she
shed the hoodie and jeans, leaving them in a small heap before slipping back
under the covers in just her Minnie underwear and one of Mark’s shirts. She
nestled in close beside him, placing her hand gently over his heart just as she
always did.
He stirred almost instantly.
“Morning, baby…” he murmured, his
voice thick with sleep. “You sleep okay?”
Kimmy bit back a grin, keeping her
tone soft and even. “I did…you seemed out like a light.”
Mark pushed himself up onto one
elbow, his hand finding her hair, smoothing it back with that familiar,
absent-minded affection. “I’m sorry I slept in,” he said quietly. “A girl
shouldn’t have to wait for her puzzle and coffee.”
He leaned down, kissing the top of
her head as he began to slide out of bed.
That’s when the giggle slipped
out.
Mark paused mid-motion and turned
back, one eyebrow lifting. “And just what is so funny, missy?”
Kimmy sat up cross-legged,
trying—and failing—to keep a straight face. “Maybe I did something…”
The giggles spilled over into full
laughter now, uncontrollable, her shoulders shaking as she fell back onto the
pillow, covering her mouth.
Mark just watched her for a
second, his grin spreading slowly. “You gonna let me in on the joke?”
She shook her head, still
laughing, unable to get the words out.
Mark chuckled under his breath,
shaking his head as he pulled on his jeans and hoodie. “Women…” he muttered,
heading down the hall.
He made it as far as the kitchen
before he stopped.
“I smell coffee…”
The realization hit him all at
once.
He turned on his heel and walked
back down the hall a little faster this time, stepping into the bedroom to find
Kimmy curled into the pillow, still smiling.
“When did you—what if I hadn’t
seen them and headed out to Wawa?”
Kimmy burst into another round of
laughter. “THAT would have been funny, right?”
Mark couldn’t help it—he laughed
too, sitting down beside her and pulling her into his arms. “We have lanes and
roles,” he said softly. “You stay in your lane, girl—that’s my job.” Then,
gentler, “But…I do appreciate you saving me the trip. Love you, baby.”
The next morning felt more like
normal.
Mark pulled up and found Allan
waiting by his truck again, coffee in hand. “Hey, dude,” Allan called, “that
was weird seeing Kimmy here yesterday. You good?”
Mark smiled as they walked inside.
“I was out,” he said simply. “She was sweet to make the run. She and Sally are
off to pickleball after drop-off today, so I’m taking my time.”
When Mark got home, the house was
quiet again. He set the coffee down, carefully unfolded the paper to the puzzle
page—just so—then grabbed his laptop and stepped out onto the porch.
The creek moved steadily below,
its soft rhythm filling the space as he opened the computer.
At the top of his inbox:
“Your order is out for shipment
today.”
A grin spread across his face. He
clicked, read, then saved it neatly into the folder labeled “US.”
Then he kept scrolling.
Deleting.
Clearing.
Routine.
Until—
“Viking TV: Offer Sheet.”
Mark stopped.
He took a breath, then clicked.
He read it once. Slowly.
Then again.
More carefully.
When he finished, he didn’t react
right away. He simply closed the laptop, set it on the table, and walked to the
railing, coffee in hand. He stared out over the creek, letting the information
settle, organizing thoughts that didn’t quite want to line up yet.
The front door opened sooner than
expected.
Mark glanced at his watch.
That’s odd…
“Baby?” he called as he stepped
inside. “Why are you home so—”
He stopped.
Sally stood beside the couch.
Kimmy sat with her leg propped up,
a pillow tucked beneath it, offering a small, reassuring smile that didn’t
quite hide the discomfort.
Mark’s chest tightened instantly.
“Honey…”
He crossed the room in seconds,
dropping to one knee beside her. “What happened?”
“It’s nothing,” Kimmy said
quickly, reaching for his hand. “I turned my ankle. Sally helped me—it’s okay.”
Sally’s expression said otherwise.
“She turned it pretty good,” she added. “I told her we should get it looked
at.”
Mark looked back at Kimmy, concern
etched across his face. “Baby…shouldn’t we go to the ER?”
Kimmy reached out and took his
hand. “I had many a sprained injury
playing volleyball in high school and college.
I know the difference between a sprain and something serious. This isn’t that bad. But could you get me some ice to keep the
swelling down?”
Sally stayed with Kimmy until Mark
had her situated with the ice bag and then she headed to the door. Mark walked her out onto the porch.
“Thanks so much Sal, I don’t know
what we’d do without you and Allan.”
“No worries,” she said and gave
Mark a quick hug. “Keep an eye on her, I
know you will. Give us a call or text
this evening to let us know how she’s doing.
And if we can do anything, call….please.”
“What?” Mark said, clueless.
Kimmy giggled, “You are so SO
easily distracted. What’s today baby?”
Mark looked, then his eyes
widened, “OH…it’s Tuesday. But honey,
you’re ankle…”
Kimmy crossed her arms, “Exactly,
it’s my ankle….everything else works fine.
Now stop stalling honey.” Kimmy extended her arms up and curled her
fingers motioning him down onto the sofa.
Heard It Through The Grapevine
Mark eased Kimmy’s arm into the
sleeve of her hoodie, careful not to jostle her balance, then reached for a
pair of shorts from the chair beside them. “I won’t need those for just being
home, baby,” she said with a soft smile, her tone light even as she shifted
slightly to get comfortable. Mark sat down beside her, close enough that their
shoulders touched, but there was a different kind of weight in the space
between them now.
“There’s something I need to tell
you,” he said, his voice quieter than usual, “but…well, kind of distracted.”
Kimmy’s smile lingered for a beat.
“More important than bringing me my puzzle? This better be special.”
The look on Mark’s face erased the
playfulness instantly. Her expression softened, her eyes searching his.
“Oh…honey, what is it?”
Mark reached for his phone,
pulling up his inbox, then hesitated for just a moment before turning the
screen slightly toward her. “It’s Viking…”
Kimmy’s face lit up with
anticipation, a mix of excitement and nerves. “Oh! What did they say, honey?”
Mark let out a small breath, one
corner of his mouth lifting uncertainly. “Well…not really sure what to say,
baby.”
That caught her off guard. She
leaned in a little closer, brow furrowing. “What do you mean? What did they
say?”
He opened the email and read it
aloud, his voice steady but measured, “It says “Greetings…..we’d like to offer
you the opportunity to join Viking TV as a host. We believe you’d be wonderful in any of our
three formats. If you are agreeable we would
like to sit down with you and determine specific programs for you to host. As far as compensation we will cover all
expenses including travel for you and hotels.
If you host an onboard travel adventure, your entire itinerary will be
covered. In addition, for each episode
you host, we want to offer you a flat rate of $1500 USD per week you are away
from home. If this is agreeable, let us
know and we will set a time to determine specific programming. We hope to welcome you officially on board
soon. Regards, David.”
Kimmy didn’t hesitate. Her face
broke into a wide smile as she threw her arms around his neck, careful but
enthusiastic all the same. “That’s wonderful, baby. Oh my gosh…that’s so
exciting.”
Mark didn’t immediately return the
energy. He stared at the phone again, his thumb hovering near the screen.
“Well…sort of.”
Kimmy pulled back, her smile
fading as quickly as it had come. “What do you mean, honey?”
Mark turned the phone slightly,
tapping the screen with his finger. “It says ‘you’…over and over. What does
that mean? ‘You’ as in both of us…or ‘you’ as in just me?”
Kimmy’s expression shifted, the
realization settling in. “Oh…” She looked back at the message, reading it again
silently in her head. “You’re right. It’s not clear. And he didn’t say ‘Hi Mark
and Kimmy’…just ‘Greetings.’” She glanced back up at him. “What should we do?”
Mark leaned in and kissed her
forehead, lingering there for just a second longer than usual. “First concern
is getting you back on your feet…”
Kimmy couldn’t help it—she
giggled, a soft, mischievous sound that lightened the air. “I did pretty good
without getting up though, right?” she said, her cheeks flushing as she looked
at him.
Mark’s grin returned, warm and
familiar. “Yes…you did,” he said gently, brushing a strand of hair from her
face. “But seriously, I need you 100% again. You can’t be chasing our boy
around on one good leg.”
He paused, thinking it through,
then nodded to himself. “How about we sit on it for a day? I’ll email them back
that we are interested…see what they say.” He squeezed her hand.
“Now let me get you some more ice.”
By the end of the week, the limp
had softened to a careful step, and by the time the weekend slipped quietly
behind them, Kimmy was moving almost as if nothing had happened. Monday morning
brought them back into rhythm, both of them riding along as Brad filled the car
with his usual burst of energy.
“Mom…MOM,” he called from the back
seat, his voice bouncing with excitement. “What games do you think we will have
in our Junior Olympics today?”
Kimmy reached into her purse and
pulled out the folded sheet, smoothing it open as she read through the list.
“Well, you get to pick four of them, honey. Do you have any ideas?”
Brad scrunched his face in deep
concentration, his eyebrows pulling together as he thought it through like it
was the most important decision of his young life. “I think I want to race,” he
said finally. “I’m pretty fast, right Dad?”
Mark caught his eyes in the
rearview mirror and smiled. “You are. What about the slapshot game? You’ve got
a pretty wicked shot when we play in the driveway.”
Brad nodded quickly, building
momentum. “Yeah…that one too. And the obstacle course!” He paused, then leaned
forward slightly. “One more…Mom, what do you pick?”
Kimmy scanned the list, then
smiled. “How about the soccer kick? You can do that, honey.”
Brad nodded with certainty now,
decision made. “Cool.”
The parking lot buzzed with quiet
energy as parents gathered, clipboards and smiles everywhere. Mark and Kimmy
signed Brad up for his events, then made their way over to the chain link fence
that bordered the playground. Children began to file out in clusters, laughter
and chatter filling the air.
Kimmy’s hand found Mark’s arm,
giving it a small squeeze. “There’s our little athlete,” she said, her voice
warm with pride. “Isn’t this exciting?”
Mark lifted his hand in a small
wave when Brad spotted them. Brad’s face lit up instantly, his arm shooting up
in an enthusiastic return wave that made both of them laugh. “Proud parents
today,” Mark said quietly, almost to himself.
The early events came and went in
a blur of motion and noise. In the hockey and soccer challenges, Brad gave it
everything he had—swinging hard, running fast—but just missed the net both
times. Kimmy cheered anyway, her voice rising above the others, while Mark
clapped steadily, offering an encouraging nod each time Brad looked over.
The obstacle course proved
trickier. Brad got tangled briefly on the rope climb, his determination clear
but his timing just a step off, and he crossed the finish line behind the pack.
For a moment, his shoulders dipped—but only for a moment. He bounced back
quickly, already turning his attention to what came next.
Then came the final event.
The sprint.
Eight kids lined up across the far
end of the playground—six boys, two girls—each one bouncing slightly on their
toes, ready. Along the opposite side, two staff members held a thin red ribbon
stretched tight between them, waiting.
“On your mark…get set…”
Mark leaned forward slightly, his
hands resting on the fence, every bit as focused as the runners.
“GO!”
They exploded forward.
Brad was quick off the line, his
legs churning, arms pumping. Within seconds he was near the front, right
alongside a red-haired girl and another boy. Halfway across, the boy stumbled,
going down hard, leaving just two.
“GO BRAD GO!” Kimmy shouted, her
voice full of energy and hope.
Mark found himself leaning in even
farther, as if he could somehow will his son forward with sheer focus.
Stride for stride they ran.
Closer.
Closer.
At the ribbon, in one final burst,
Brad leaned just enough—
And broke it first.
The ribbon snapped loose and
fluttered down as cheers erupted. Mark’s fist shot into the air. Kimmy let out
a high, joyful squeal. “YAYYYYY!”
Brad turned immediately, scanning
the fence, and when he found them, he raised both arms high above his head in
triumph, his face lit with pure, unfiltered joy. The other children gathered
around him, clapping him on the back, sharing in the moment.
Kimmy threw her arms around Mark,
laughing. “WOW…what do you have to say about that, Daddy?”
Mark didn’t take his eyes off his
son. His smile was wide, proud, and just a little bit playful as he finally
answered.
“I say…” he paused just long
enough, then glanced at Kimmy, “…cool.”
And they both laughed.
Walk This Way
It was the last day of the school
year and Brad buzzed with excitement as he headed out the door with Kimmy. “Last day Dad!” he called, “…then vacation,
whooo hoooo!” Kimmy gave a little wave,
“I’ll be back in a little bit. Help me
with the puzzle?” Mark waved and
nodded. The house held that quiet,
suspended stillness that only comes at the edges of something meaningful—an
ending, or maybe more accurately, a beginning disguised as one. Mark stood for
a moment at the doorway, watching Kimmy and Brad pull away, the morning
sunlight catching just enough on the windshield to blur the details but not the
feeling. Brad’s voice had carried even as the car turned, all energy and
celebration—last day, vacation, the promise of something new—while Kimmy’s wave
lingered a beat longer, softer, meant just for him. When the road swallowed
them, Mark let out a slow breath, one of those breaths that seemed to gather
everything that had come before and settle it gently inside him.
He moved back through the house
with purpose, though his steps were unhurried. The bedroom, the closet, the top
shelf—each motion felt familiar, almost ceremonial. When he reached for the
box, tucked carefully behind the folded sweatshirts, his fingers lingered there
for a second, as if acknowledging what it held. He brought it down, cradling it
lightly, then carried it to the kitchen where the red marker waited. The words
came easily—To Kimmy, “US”—simple, imperfect, handwritten, exactly as
they should be. He smiled at it, not because it was perfect, but because it was
theirs.
Out on the porch, the creek moved
the way it always did—steady, unbothered, carrying its quiet rhythm forward.
Mark leaned against the railing, the box resting beside him, and for a moment
he let himself drift, not into worry or anticipation, but into memory. Not one
moment, not one scene, but all of them layered together—the laughter, the
scares, the ordinary mornings, the extraordinary nights—each one adding to
something that had become, without either of them realizing it, the center of
everything.
The door opened sooner than
expected, and Kimmy’s voice floated out, light and familiar, the kind of sound
that always seemed to find him no matter where he was. Kimmy leaned out her
short sleeve white sweater still missing the bottom button, just like Mark
liked it. “Help me with the puzzle honey
or you busy?” Mark curled his finger, “I
think it’s time for you to see the surprise.”
Kimmy’s eyes widened and a huge
grin spread across her face. She
literally skipped across the porch and through her arms around Mark’s
neck. “FINALLY…what is it, can I have
it?”
Mark smiled and softly kissed her
forehead. “We need to do this right,
come with me” and he took her hand.
Kimmy instantly felt that inner tingle she was so familiar with, “He’s
done it again. I don’t know what, but
I’m pretty sure somehow he’s going to make me so happy I’ll cry.”
The took the steps down off the
porch and began heading across the yard below.
“Where are we going baby?” Kimmy asked, her voice anxious with
excitement.
“You’ll see….just another minute
or so.” When they reached the clearing
by the creek Mark stopped. Kimmy’s
breath caught, “This….this is where we got married” she said her voice soft and
shaking.
“It is baby, and I think it’s the
perfect spot for me to give you this.”
He reached around his back and
paused, hands on the box tucked into his belt.
“You know how this works.”
Kimmy’s chin dropped to her chest, “Do I have to choose….again?”
Mark chuckled, “OK…no, not this
time.” And he pulled the box out and extended it with both hands.
As soon as Kimmy saw the red
marker greeting her eyes misted. “What
have you done?”
Mark stood beside here, his arm
around her shoulder. “It’s been a lot…we
talked about this at the hotel and I got an idea. I hope you’ll like it. Open the box.”
As she opened it, the world seemed
to narrow to the space between them.
Kimmy pulled it open and pulled
out a small square box, the cover was a color photo of the path along their
creek. Super imposed on it was a red
heart with a blue “U” and a yellow “S” in the center. Kimmy whispered softly as the first tear
slowly inched down her cheek, “Us…oh honey.”
She looked up at Mark who smiled softly.
He nodded, “Keep going.”
Kimmy turned the page and the
first photo was from the sonogram, “Oh….when we heard Brad’s heartbeat” Kimmy
sighed and turned the page. A smile
grew, “On top the tower in Astoria, oh look how big I am!” She looked at Mark again and he whispered,
“You were and are beautiful, turn…”
Kimmy flipped the page, her voice
caught, “Our first picture with Brad, oh he’s so tiny honey.”
“Oh…the shirt and,” she giggled,
“Tuesday and Thursday…my favorite days of the week. She looked up and smiled at Mark. Mark’s face flickered, “I….I didn’t want to
put a picture of me from the accident, but what came out of it…that’s what’s
important.”
Kimmy buried her head in Mark’s
chest, crying softly. “I was so scared
honey….it was awful.” Mark lifted her
face, “The book baby, there’s more.”
“You’re killing me” Kimmy said
softly with a small smile. She turned
the page and laughed out loud, “OH the Disney cruise, Spiderman!” Mark smiled and he put his hand on the book. “Remember honey, only good thoughts….” Kimmy slowly turned the page, “The Bed &
Breakfast in the mountains after…..”
Mark cradled her chin, “It’s all good, remember how every day was a
Tuesday or Thursday” and Kimmy’s face brightened again. “Oh, I remember, boy do I” she smiled. She turned the page. “Oh Santa!
Where did you get this one, right after Brad said we messed up the
bed?” Mark laughed, “I called the store,
they hooked me up with the Santa company and somehow they were clicking photos
thinking he was about to smile.” Kimmy
held the book to her chest, “This one is precious.” And she turned the page again,
“OH, at Allan and Sally’s. Love those guys.” She turned the page again, “Hockey Night –
how great was that, and then….” Mark
smiled, “I know…but we won’t put that in our memory book.” Kimmy giggled. She turned the page, “Derby Day. Oh look how good we all look!”
Mark put his hand on the page and
said softly, “On more….” Kimmy’s eyes
grew watery as she turned the page. “The
night we met for dinner, when I asked….”
Mark nodded and put his forehead
to hers, “Where it all started…the first time we chose US. It’s always you baby. You and me….just US.”
Kimmy closed the book and clutched
it to her chest and buried her face in Mark’s shoulder, softly crying. A muffled, “Happy tears” came as slowly her
breathing returned. Kimmy rose on her
toes, wrapped her arms around Mark’s neck and kissed him deeply. When they parted she said softly, “I don’t
know how you do it over and over, but all I DO know is how very, VERY much I
love you. Always have….always will.”
Mark smiled, took her hand and
said, “Walk with me.”
Kimmy took his hand, but as soon
as they hit the path along the creek she looped her arm though his and pulled
him close as they slowly walked along, lost in the emotions of the
memories. Mark slowed and said softly,
“It was right about here you whispered,”
Kimmy smiled and looked at him,
“I’m pregnant. What a ride, right baby?”
Mark started to walk even more
slowly. “I have to tell you
something. I thought giving you the book
would be a good way to soften, so to speak this…”
Kimmy’s shoulders sagged a little,
“And….”
Mark sighed and stopped, he turned
and took her hands, he paused a beat.
Kimmy’s eyes were anxious.
Mark said slowly, “I didn’t get
the job.”
“Oh baby,” Kimmy said softly.
Mark’s eyes sparkled and Kimmy’s
widened, “They offered it to US.”
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