Just a one shot.
All familiar characters belong to Janet only the plot is mine.
HOME
Finally I'm on the road and it's New Year's Eve. I'm almost home. I stretch my neck and think about what lies ahead. It's been a couple of months after all. Anything could happen. I know all too well not to make plans involving a certain person. I smile and wonder. Somehow things go awry where that blue-eyed curly-haired brunette is concerned. Will it be the same this time? I wonder… I made a little detour and then headed back to the main road.
Thankfully there was little snow on the road and the drive was mostly clear, just that slushy melted mush along the road edges. Coming off the Turnpike into Trenton I notice that the snowfalls have been light, a bit more than a dusting with flurries swirling around lightly. Halos appear around the streetlights as the cold descends and eddies of mist or fog move as a truck and a bus pass through the intersection while I wait for the light to change to green.
Having completed the final discharge papers left me with mixed feelings. It was time to admit that I was getting too old for this. Well, not so much too old but it's time to step down and let the next generation, the next candidate take the lead on these missions. Some of hell holes and jungles of the darkest parts of this world had been harrowing but the job had to be done. Having a good dynamic team, strong, perceptive, skilled, experienced, and always having your back, were paramount and critical. We lost a few along the way, sometimes by sheer bad luck and sometimes from bad intel. We had to trust that intel which we were initially given and there had been times where timing was everything. Hell, every mission was about timing. We'd get the call and within hours we we'd be whisked away, mostly under the cover of darkness.
The new candidate was a relatively easy choice, for this team. I was asked for my recommendations and I gave them my considered professional opinion. He had worked under my command many times and I found him reliable and punctilious. The days when Tank, Lester, Bobby and I were a team were memorable ones. They had already done their discharges and their contracts, like mine now, have been fulfilled. It felt good. The uncertainty of always being on call made me reluctant to get involved with anyone. Relationship was a tricky word. I was always wary, had to be. So, developing and growing this Rangeman business gave me purpose and with the Core Team and the Rangemen we selected, we succeeded. It was exactly the same scenario as on any mission: having a dynamic team, strong, perceptive, skilled, experienced, and always each other's back, were paramount and critical. But instead of jungles, deserts, war zones and other God-forsaken places, the streets were our 'battlegrounds'. Our core business broadened and having multiple branches in other cities was proof of our success. We had a vision and it worked and it was transferrable.
Traffic was minimal so the going was good. As is my routine, I find myself doing my usual circuit. I started this a long time ago. I really wanted to get back to Rangeman. I had called in to say I was on my way knowing that the shifts would be tight at this time of year. Tank had arranged for a vehicle to be waiting for me at the airport in the short term parking. I'm pretty sure he's pulled a double shift tonight.
Morelli's house was in darkness, downstairs and upstairs. He could be on the job, more likely being the time of year where extra man power is always needed. Christmas lights flashed on some of the houses but they didn't go overboard in this neighbourhood. Christmas trees still twinkled in front windows to share the festive cheer.
Driving past Stephanie's old apartment had me subconsciously clenching my stomach. That really was a death trap. It was a crappy apartment but she needed her independence. She didn't want to be living at home with her parents and that crazy grandmother of hers. I drove into the parking lot, on auto pilot and looked up. It was dark as were all the other apartments. Those neighbours of hers were mostly elderly so they went early to bed. How many times did I sit in this parking lot? Sometimes I would go upstairs and enter her apartment to watch her sleep. Somehow just being there, in her bedroom, while she slept, watching her sleep would help me centre myself, keep me grounded, calming. She would murmur in her sleep and make these beautiful sleep sounds. I could tell when she was eating, her lips would move and she would smile in her sleep. Sometimes she was restless and I could only guess that she'd had a bad day but remarkably calmed once I sat in that chair, my chair. Occasionally she would mutter my name and that pleased me no end. I never heard his name, ever.
I turned the car around and headed for Haywood. No sooner had the gates closed when Hector's message came in, "On the roof." I grinned, ever the vigilant one, my hermano. Grabbing my duffel and coat, I locked the vehicle and made my way to the stairs. I jogged up to seven, deposited my duffel just outside the door and proceeded up to the roof.
As I opened the door I could hear music and hear light chatter and laughter. Fairy lights were hanging above the tables which had a selection of festive food. Hector greeted me with our usual bro handshake. Tank spotted me and man hugged me with a mighty back slap. As I made my way through the small crowd of black wearing their thick peacoats and scarves, Bobby and Lester found me and punched my arm in congratulations and the usual elaborate handshakes. They were all in a celebratory mood. In amongst the sea of black I spotted a flash of red, bright fire engine red. The men parted just as she scratched her neck and she slowly around and stopped. Time stood still and I caught my breath. She smiled, put her drink down and walked up to me.
"Hello, Batman. You're back early."
"Babe. You look good in red," as I grabbed her puffy parker and pulled her closer. "I made good time, little snow, minimal traffic and the plane had a good tailwind."
"You look good, Batman. All done, eh?"
"Yep."
"Want some of my nachos?" She offered one with a healthy dollop of salsa, jalapeno and sour cream while she scooped one for herself. "Mm. These are so yummy," she moaned as she licked her fingers. A small bit of guacamole was at the corner of her mouth so I licked it.
"Mm. You taste good."
She blushed. Dios. I love that she does that. I kissed her and pulled her closer. Amid the whistles and catcalls I pulled back to keep it tame, but still tantalising. I glanced at my men and grinned.
"Ooh. Ranger. I have some guacamole here too. Wanna kiss me too?" Only my cousin would do that. But before I could respond Hector eagerly stepped in front of Lester with a shit eating grin on his face and a little shimmy. Everybody cracked up. He raised his eyebrows in invitation and grabbed him firmly and licked it off. Good one Hector. Serves him right.
"Babe. Come with me." She looked at me wide-eyed. I grabbed her hand and led her back to the elevator. We exited in the garage. I kissed her again, long and slow until she nudged me toward the cars.
We drove and she hummed looking at the festive lights still on display, her hand on my thigh, rubbing up and down. Dios mio. I took her hand and kissed her palm placing her hand in mine, our fingers entwined on her lap.
"I'm glad you're back."
"Me too, Babe, me too."
The rest of the journey was in relative silence. We reached our destination and went inside after securing the garage and grabbing my duffel.
After everything was secure we made our way into the large kitchen to grab some snacks and drinks and moved to the spacious living room with the roaring fire. Light music was playing and the lighting was ambient. I looked at the clock. Perfect timing. No rush.
She looked at me as I handed her a champagne flute and clinked our glasses just as the grandfather clock chimed the midnight hour calling the new year in.
"Happy New Year, Mrs Mañoso."
"Happy New Year, and welcome home, Mr Mañoso."
Oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
The End
Thank you to Miss M for planting another idea.