Oh No!

The Complete Story

Disclosure:

I am using JE's wonderful characters for fun, not profit.

Notes and Acknowledgements:

Thank you to Maggie who is the wonderful copy and content editor for my stories.

Thanks to Bonnie for helping to develop Wilbur Wiggles.

Chapter 1: The Symptoms

Frankie Manoso, age three, slumped his way past his mother, Stephanie Plum, Trenton's Bombshell Bounty Hunter, to their Porsche Cayenne and got into his safety seat. He usually gave her a big hug when she picked him up from nursery school. Stephanie followed behind and secured him in his seat. He was unusually quiet. His eyes looked dull, his skin was flushed and his breathing was labored.

"Hi, Angel, how you doing?"

"'kay."

He sounded congested. Frankie coughed. Stephanie, reminded him to cover his mouth when he coughed. She did not like the sound of that cough. It sounded heavy and wet.

"Sure about that?"

Frankie shrugged and coughed again. Stephanie put the back of her hand on her youngster's forehead and cheeks. He felt feverish. Damn, it was early October and this was the fourth time that Frankie caught something. He was a magnet for every germ, virus and ick that the Little Turtles Nursery School had to offer. So much for leaving Frankie off at her parents and working the rest of the afternoon.

"How about this. How about we go home. You take a bath and then you can watch Toy Story."

"Do I hafta? I'm cold."

"The bath will make you warm and then you can put on your favorite jammies."

"And socks, too?"

"And socks, too."

That confirmed it. Frankie officially wasn't feeling well. His little feet were always icy when he was sick.

At least he was a good patient. He always made it to the bathroom when needed. He'd take his meds without fuss. He'd rest. He'd eat soft food, especially if it was tomato soup or chocolate pudding, without complaint. The only thing was . . . was that Frankie liked company when he was sick. He liked to be read to. He wanted someone to watch movies with him. He liked to be cuddled. He wanted someone to hold him when he napped. She had only herself to blame. When Frankie got sick, Stephanie took to the sick bay with her son. She seldom caught his ick, so she looked at these times as mini vacations with her boy.

But right now her schedule was full and Vinnie, her perv cousin and boss, was leaning hard on her make numbers and bring in FTAs. FTA is Bounty Hunter for alleged criminals who Failed To Appear for their court dates.

Stephanie couldn't let her parents take care of Frankie. What if they caught it and gave it to her Grandma Mazur or to her sister Valerie and her girls? No, it was going to be up to Ranger, Stephanie's hot Cuban-American husband, to do daddy duty and help tend to their son.

Stephanie mentally rolled her eyes. She remembered when Ranger nursed her through the flu when Frankie was a baby. He was so military about it. He had the whole care thing regimented. He gave her her meds at the exact times. He made her force liquids. He scheduled her naps. He made her take walks around the apartment. And worst of all, he made her eat healthful foods. When she didn't get better according to his timetable, he gave her germs a lecture and a deadline. Damned if she didn't get better by the deadline. She hoped that Ranger would give Frankie's little germs a little slack.

Stephanie got behind the wheel of the SUV.

Frankie continued to cough. He coughed and gagged. He took his hand away from his mouth, looked at his hand. "Ew."

Stephanie looked at her son through the rearview mirror. "Ew, what?"

Frankie held out his hand. "Lookit."

Stephanie turned in her seat to look. There was phlegm in his hand, bilious green phlegm. She winced. Motherhood had its moments. Stephanie wiped the goo off his hand with an antibacterial wipe. She took a wad of tissues from the box she kept in the Cayenne, gave them to Frankie and asked him to cover his mouth when he coughed.

Frankie coughed again. "Hurts."

"Where does it hurt?"

Frankie pointed to his throat, "Here" and then to his chest, "Here."

Chapter 2: The Diagnosis

Stephanie pulled out her mobile phone and called the pediatrician's office. She told the nurse Frankie's symptoms. She said, "Uh huh". After a short silence, she said, "Yeah. Solid, yellowish green." Then she said, "Fourth time since the beginning of the school year." Stephanie ended the call and started driving to the doctor's office. Stephanie peered into the rearview mirror. "Change of plans."

"Where we goin'?"

Stephanie tried to sound excited so as not to worry Frankie. He didn't like to go to the doctor's. Correction, he hated to go to the doctor's. "We're going to visit Dr. Rose."

"No! No! Her shooted me."

"She won't give you a shot." At least she hoped not.

Frankie put his right hand over his left arm. That's were Dr. Rose always shooted him. "Nuh huh. Her always shooted me. I don't wanna go."

"We have to go. You have a bad cough."

Frankie coughed in reply. "No! Mommy, pull-ease. I don't wanna get shooted. Pull-ease."

"You're not feeling well."

Frankie coughed, "I'm fine Mommy. I'm fine".

"We're going."

Frankie looked out the window, coughed and mumbled, "No fair."

Dr. Rose Koontz was one of three sisters that ran a family practice. Her sister Lilly was an internist and her other sister, Iris, specialized in geriatrics. It was cradle to crypt care.

Of course, everyone joked that Dr. Iris should have been an ophthalmologist. Dr. Iris would often say to her sisters, "If I had a dollar for each time someone said that I should have been an eye doctor, I'd be rich. Wait! I do have a dollar for each time someone said that I should have been an ophthalmologist. I am rich." Dr. Iris was related to Henny Youngman by humerus.

oOoOoOo

When they got to Dr. Rose's building, Stephanie called her mom from the parking lot to tell her about the change in plans. Helen Plum promised to bring over a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup and a jar of Vicks VapoRub that evening. Frankie loved Vicks because his Grandpa Frank told him that it cures everything.

When they entered the Koontz Family Practice office, the receptionist took one look at Frankie and got them into an exam room right quick. Stephanie sat on the lone chair and Frankie sat on her lap. He coughed a bit and snuggled into her. He seemed calm, but his brow was furrowed.

Dr. Rose entered the room with Frankie's chart in hand. She asked Frankie to sit on the examination table. He shook his head and wouldn't budge from his mother's lap. Stephanie whispered in his ear to cajole him and then to bribe him, but Frankie stayed cemented to her. Stephanie scooped her boy in her arms, stood up and plopped him on the examination table. Stephanie looked at Dr. Rose and said, "Sorry."

Dr. Rose, who had seen everything, pshawed. "I always have a few patients that are skittish about doctor's visits. They're usually boys."

Stephanie looked at her son and nodded. Her mother-in-law told her that Ranger was a pill about going to the doctor when he was a kid.

When Dr. Rose approached Frankie to examine him, he held out his hand to keep her from him. "No! You're gonna shooted me."

Stephanie said, "I'm so sorry. He's usually not like this."

Dr. Rose looked at Stephanie as if to say, Please, Mother, I'll handle this. Stephanie backed away and sat in the chair. Dr. Rose approached Frankie again.

Frankie coughed, "No! You're gonna shooted me." Frankie protectively put his right hand over his left arm. "You shooted me last time."

Dr. Rose, in a very kindly, but firm tone, said, "No, Frankie, I didn't shoot you. I gave you a vaccination. It's medicine to keep you healthy."

"You gived me an assassination?"

Dr. Rose smiled at her young patient. "I did."

Dr. Rose approached Frankie again and he allowed her to exam him. She looked at his eyes and ears and felt the glands along his neck. When she asked him to stick out his tongue, he shook his head and told her that his Mommy didn't allow him to stick out his tongue. After Stephanie gave her dispensation, Frankie giggled then did as told and stuck out his tongue at Dr. Rose. But then he started to cough and cough.

Dr. Rose looked at the chart and made some notes. Dr. Rose said to Frankie, "Lift up your shirt so I can listen to your heart."

Frankie struggled to lift up his top, so Stephanie helped him take it off. He shivered and crossed his arms over his chest. Dr. Rose had Frankie warm the stethoscope with his hands and then placed it on his chest and back while he taught her how to do yoga breaths like his daddy did.

Dr. Rose asked Stephanie to put Frankie's shirt back on and made more notes in his chart. "Based on Frankie's recent history, I think it's likely that he has acute bronchitis. But I won't know for sure until we take a sputum culture."

Stephanie internally winced. She didn't know what a sputum culture was, but she didn't like the sound of it. Stephanie meekly said, "Ohh-kay. When can we do it?" Then she whispered to Dr. Rose, "Will it hurt?"

Dr. Rose said to Stephanie, "We need to do it first thing in the morning, before Frankie eats. We can do it here. It's a routine test." Then she looked at Frankie and said, "Frankie, Mommy's going to bring you back to see us tomorrow to do a test."

"Are you gonna assassination me?"

"No, I'm going to have you spit in a cup."

Frankie shook his head. "I'm not 'llowed to spit."

"Tomorrow you can spit for Dr. Rose in her special cup. That way she'll know why you're sick."

Dr. Rose said to Stephanie, "Until then, he needs to rest, drink a lot of liquids, preferably water. Put a humidifier or vaporizer in his room."

Frankie continued to cough. He asked Dr. Rose, "Can I have Vicks va-po rubbed?"

Dr. Rose said to the youngster, "Sure." Then to his mother, she said, "I'm going to give you a 'scrip for an antibiotic, since he probably has a bacterial infection with the bronchitis. It takes a few days to get the results of the culture, and I don't want to waste time. We'll call it in so you can go straight to your pharmacy from here. You may also need to get some cough syrup and some Children's Tylenol, in case he gets achy. No children's aspirin and no dairy."

"No dairy?"

"Produces mucus. Oh, and he's probably highly contagious, so keep him isolated. He'll need at least a week of bed rest."

Stephanie bundled up Frankie, went to the pharmacy for his meds and then took him home to their apartment in the Rangeman Building.

The next day Frankie spit in Dr. Rose's special cup. When the results came back, they confirmed Dr. Rose's diagnosis of acute bronchitis.

Chapter 3: The Health Care Plan

Ranger opened the door to the apartment. Frankie did not coming running to greet him. Strange. As he walked through the foyer into the living room, there was the faint whiff of Vicks in the air. He also heard voices. It sounded like the television was on. Again, strange.

When he entered the living room, Ranger found the sofa bed pulled out with a jammies-clad Frankie lying on it. He was propped up by a stack of pillows and snuggled under a quilt and his blankie watching cartoons. A humidifier, sitting on a snack table by the sofa, was going full blast making the air warm and moist.

Belfry, Frankie's Batman Bear, was wrapped up like a papoose in his own little afghan and was settled in near Frankie. Frankie began calling his Batman Bear, Belfry, after Grandma Mazur, asked if his bear lived in the belfry with all the other bats.

Ranger ruffled Frankie's hair and gave him a kiss on the head. "What's up, Big Guy?"

Frankie coughed and said, "I'm tick." When Frankie was excited, tired or not feeling well, he had difficulty pronouncing words starting with "s" correctly. This is why he told his dad he was tick, when he was really sick. And he really was sick.

Stephanie, upon hearing Ranger, walked into the living room. "Yeah, he's sick, again. I took him to see Dr. Rose."

Ranger moved his eyes slightly from side to side, which was his version of eye rolling. He had taken Frankie to Dr. Rose on a few occasions. "How'd he do?"

"She didn't gived me an assassination, Daddy."

Stephanie looked at her boy and said, "A vaccination, Sweetie. Dr. Rose didn't give you a vaccination today." Then she looked at her husband and said, "But she does think that he has acute bronchitis."

"No, Mommy, I no haved cute bron-kite-iss."

"Yes, Angel, that's wha-"

"Cute bron-kite-iss is for girls. I haved handsome bron-kite-iss."

"Uh?"

"Gramma says girls are cute . . . like you, Mommy." Frankie stretched his arms out to Stephanie.

Highly contagious or not, that child deserved a hug and few kisses.

"Gramma says boys are handsome."

"Did Grandma say that you're handsome?"

Frankie nodded. "That's why I haved handsome bron-kite-iss."

Ranger looked at his son and remarked, "Good to know."

"Are you thirsty?" asked Stephanie

Ranger answered, "I'm good."

Stephanie looked at her husband and smiled. "I meant Frankie."

"I'm thirsty, Mommy."

Stephanie looked directly at her son and asked, "Are you hungry, too?"

"I wait for Gramma."

"Okay. I'm going to get you a bottle of water."

Stephanie walked to the kitchen and motioned to Ranger to join her.

"Babe. Your mom's coming over?"

"And my dad, too. They're bringing homemade chicken noodle soup and a jar of Vicks."

"Another jar of Vicks? How many jars do we need?"

"We're down to half a jar. Did you hear that cough of his? We'll be slathering Vicks on him for a while."

"What did the doctor say?"

"Dr. Rose said that Frankie's going to need at least a week of bed rest."

"A week?"

"At least a week."

"Guess Vinnie will be catching skips with Lula,"

"That's the thing. We're busy right now and I have go to work. We are going to have to do tag team to take care of Frankie."

"Can't do it, Babe. We're busy at Rangeman, too. Have Ella or your parents help."

Stephanie looked at Ranger evenly. "No."

"No?"

"No. According to Dr. Rose, he's highly contagious. I'm not subjecting my parents or Ella to that. We are going to be taking care of Frankie for the duration."

"Then why are your parents coming over?"

"To drop off the soup and the Vicks. I'm not going to let them stay long. They'll understand. I'll take mornings and you can take afternoons."

"I'll check my calendar."

"Check your calendar! This is our son we're discussing here."

Ranger and Stephanie stared at each other. They heard Frankie cough. Stephanie called to Frankie that she would be bringing his water to him soon. "When the government used to call you at a moment's notice to go into the wind on some super-secret assignment, what happened to Rangeman?"

"Tank ran it."

"Then tell Tank that you are in the wind."

"Babe. It's not the same."

"No, it's more important."

"I don't know how to take care of a sick child."

"You took care of me when I had the flu. Trust me Frankie is a better patient."

"Babe."

Stephanie glared at Ranger with her patented burg death glare. The burg was the nickname for Chambersburg, the Trenton neighborhood where she grew up. Chambersburg women were known for their homekeeping and cooking skills and their death glares. Angie Morelli, Stephanie's ex-boyfriend's mother, had a death glare that was widely known to be withering from ten paces. Stephanie hadn't developed homekeeping and cooking skills, but she did have a mean death glare.

Ranger was seared by the intensity of the glare Stephanie was delivering.

She extended her arm and pointed to the telephone. "Call Tank. Tell him that for the immediate future you're in the wind during the afternoons."

Ranger gave his wife an incredulous look. Stephanie glared at Ranger again. Ranger called Tank.

Chapter 4: The Confinement, Part One

Stephanie was a little worried when she left for work. This was the first time that Ranger was going to tend to an ailing Frankie. Not that he couldn't handle it. For God's sake, the man had survived being who know where doing who knows what and lived to not to tell. If he told you, he'd have to kill you. Every government employee involved in covert operations said that. It was their version of a joke. Yeesh!

Frankie was a good patient. He just liked attention and to be cuddled. No biggie. Well maybe it might be a biggie for Ranger. Stephanie grinned. She could just imagine Ranger's face when Frankie said, hold me, Daddy.

Frankie was normally a bit fussy. Like his father, Frankie preferred to be neat and clean. He liked his clothes to be a bit loose. Stephanie always knew when he needed new stuff, because he'd tell her that the clothes were choking him. And he wouldn't wear anything that was purple or yellow. Stephanie had no idea where this came from.

He would not wear robes, much to Stephanie's mother's chagrin. According to Grandma Helen, proper young gentlemen wore robes when parading around the house in their jammies. She made sure that Frankie had two robes. One lived in Frankie's closet, lonely and neglected. The other one roomed at Grandma Helen's. That robe, too, was abandoned and unattended. Wrap around robes just didn't stay in place. That bothered Frankie's sense of order and that was that. He wore a sweatshirt over his jammies when he was cold.

Frankie liked his hair close cropped. Whenever his hair was a bit too long, Frankie would tell his mother that his neck was tickling. A few days later, he would happily go to the barbershop with Stephanie's father, Frank. If they were visiting Ranger's parents in Newark and he needed a trim, Abuelo Enrique would take Frankie to Tio Ernesto's barbershop.

Tio Ernesto, Ranger's uncle, always made a big production of giving Frankie a haircut. He'd say, "Francisco, you're so lucky. I'm gonna give you the best haircut ever. Your gonna be more handsome than your father with this haircut."

Frankie loved it. Stephanie suspected that Frankie liked barbershops as much he liked getting his hair cut. There was something about the chairs and the atmosphere that appealed to him. It was such a guy thing.

He liked his room to be tidy, so he always put his toys and books away. And he liked the sheets and blankets on his bed to be smooth and straight and would not go to sleep until they were.

When he was sick, Frankie was fussier than usual. He wanted fresh pajamas and socks every day. If he could have fresh sheets daily, he'd want that, too. He wanted warmed drinks, like hot chocolate, to be tepid before he'd drink them. He wanted his sandwiches to be cut in triangles. He wanted to have his meals on the bed tray. Stephanie, who saw no reason not to indulge her son normally, saw absolutely no reason not to indulge him when he was ill. She hoped that Ranger would deal well with Frankie's requirements.

Stephanie had taken Frankie to Dr. Rose's that morning for the sputum culture and another quick exam since his cough was worse and his throat was scratchy. Dr. Rose scheduled an appointment to see Frankie again next week. There wasn't a morning slot available, so Daddy Ranger was going to have to take his boy to his appointment. Oh, joy.

Frankie did such a good job of spitting in the cup, that Dr. Rose gave him a lollipop on the way out. She told him that the juices from the lollipop would soothe his throat. He was happy with the lollipop, but he was happier that she didn't give him an assassination.

Since Frankie couldn't eat before his test, Stephanie offered to take him to McDonald's for his favorite breakfast: a bacon and cheese biscuit and hash browns. Frankie, like a lot of kids, was very specific about foods. He did not like eggs and he would not eat them in any form or fashion. Well, that's not quite accurate. He'd eat eggs if they were in a cake or if they were used as binding for Grandma Helen's meatloaf.

Thanks to Grampap Frank, he was also very particular about his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He liked the bread to be multi-grain and lightly toasted. The peanut butter had to be extra crunchy and the jelly could only be grape. But Frankie's food issues were mild compared to some other kids Stephanie knew. Her friend Mary Lou's youngest only ate buttered noodles.

Frankie asked if they could go home instead of going to McDonalds. Like his mother, Frankie rarely passed up an opportunity for fast food.

Gosh, Stephanie thought, He must feel worse than I thought.

He was feeling poorly and he hacked and hacked during the drive home.

"Frankie, use a tissue when you cough."

"Why?"

"When you're sick, your coughs are full of icky germs. When you cough into your hand, the germs stay on you. But if you cough into a tissue, you can throw the icky germs away."

"Bye-bye germs?"

"Bye-bye germs."

"Tissues make me better?"

"Tissues help make you better."

"Okay, Mommy."

When they got home, he was exhausted and went straight to the sofa to cuddle with Belfry. Stephanie gave him his meds and refilled the humidifier. He refused breakfast, but did drink a bottle of water.

Stephanie sat on the sofa bed and read him stories until he fell asleep. Stephanie always held Frankie when she read to him and he had fallen asleep in her arms. She looked down at her boy. When Frankie was sleeping his eyelashes, which were long and thick, looked like fringe. He looked so much like Ranger. She wondered how she had gotten so lucky. He was the most wonderful little boy in the world and he was hers.

Frankie slept well past the hand-off between Stephanie and Ranger. Stephanie went over the timing and the dosage for the meds. She had a stack of books for Ranger to read to Frankie and his lunch was ready to be heated when he woke. She gathered up her purse, kissed both of her guys and headed off to rid the streets of Trenton of FTA's. She was in Wonder Woman mode.

Stephanie had a productive afternoon and hauled in two skips. Since having Frankie, Stephanie became a better bounty hunter. She wanted to come home safe and sound to Ranger and Frankie, so she got some training. Not quite Rangeman level training, but as much as she could handle. And after years of avoiding it, she reluctantly made friends with her gun.

Being a mom helped her to be a better prepared Apprehension Agent. It was the discipline of packing a diaper bag that helped. She always packed the right stuff in the bag, just in case Frankie should need something. So now, before she went to work, she packed the Bounty Hunter's version of a diaper bag. Into her large black Coach bag would go the gun, fully loaded, extra ammo, a fully charged stun gun, metal handcuffs, flexi-cuffs, pepper spray and a fully charged mobile phone along with lip gloss and hairspray. Hey, you never know when you might have to lacquer someone into submission.

After she and Lula took the second skip into the Cop Shop, she took a detour to the Toys-R-Us near Quakerbridge Mall to buy a toy for her little patient. Frankie liked playing with Legos, but it was hard to build something when you're laid up in bed. She found Colorforms. She had them when she was a kid and loved them. She got the classic set. Now Frankie could build buildings in bed. She also bought him the Colorforms Silly Face Game. It was the Colorforms version of Mr. Potato Head and she knew he'd like making silly faces. She couldn't wait to get home to give Frankie his new toys. And she was just a little curious as to how Ranger's first afternoon of daddy duty was going.

Chapter 5: The Confinement, Part Two

Stephanie walked into the foyer of their apartment with the Toys-R-Us bag in hand. The apartment was spacious and took up most of the seventh floor of the Rangeman building. Ranger had had the place professionally decorated in his bachelor years. It was a tasteful mix of antique and modern furniture. Basically, the apartment remained the same since he remarried and became a father again. But now, the apartment was dotted with framed photos, a child's art on the refrigerator and other artifacts that told you that a family lived in this space. Where it had once been pristine, almost sterile, it was now warm and inviting.

Stephanie placed the bag on the floor while she put her purse and jacket in the hall closet. She gathered up the bag and walked to the end of the foyer, where the apartment opened up to the living room and dining room. She stopped and stood dumbfounded for a few beats, then dropped the bag to the floor.

Ranger was sitting at the dining room table with Tank, Lester and Bobby. Stacks of files vied for space on the tabletop with bottles of water. They were hovered over their files in deep discussion.

The humidifier was blasting plumes of steam in the living room. On a pine snack tray by the sofa sat a box of tissues, a half-empty bottle of water and an apple with a few bites taken from it. A wastebasket lined with a plastic bag was placed near the snack table. On the table behind the sofa was a tea towel with Frankie's meds and a digital thermometer precisely lined up on it, and a schedule with a chart to monitor temperature, medicine doses, etc..

Frankie was camped out on the sofa bed, holding Belfry. They were watching Toy Story. He was lying very still. Frankie was wrapped in his robe like a mummy.

oOoOoOo

After Stephanie left for work, Ranger observed his son. Frankie had fallen asleep in his clothes on the sofa bed . Ranger mentally tsked and thought, Stephanie should have changed him into his pajamas before she allowed him to go to sleep. This illness has to be to be managed. What Frankie needs is a regiment that is strictly adhered to. With proper management, Frankie will be better in a few days.

Ranger made a schedule with a chart to monitor Frankie's temperature and medicine doses. Ranger set up a snack table by the sofa bed for the tissues and other things that Frankie would need by his side. Then he put Frankie's meds, the thermometer and the schedule on the sofa table.

Ranger went to the kitchen and reviewed the food supply. They were very low on the essentials. He called Ella, their housekeeper, to discuss the dinner menu for the next few days. He also asked her to go to the store and gave her his grocery list. He was pleased. Everything was in order and under control.

When Frankie woke up, Ranger heated the tomato soup that Stephanie had left out for his lunch. It wasn't his first choice, but until Ella brought the groceries, this would do. He set the bowl of soup on the dining room table and called Frankie to his lunch.

Frankie stared at the soup and asked, "Where's the oysters?"

Ranger looked in the refrigerator for oysters, but didn't find any. He wondered when Frankie started eating oysters.

Frankie was disappointed. He liked to float oyster crackers in his 'mato soup and lead them around with his spoon before eating them. He only ate a few spoonfuls of his soup.

After lunch, Ranger washed his son's face and hands, swabbed his chest with Vicks and put him into a freshly laundered pair of pajamas and socks.

When Frankie said he was cold, Ranger found the robe in the closet and put it on his son. Frankie frowned. Ranger told his boy that the robe would keep him very warm, because it was long. Frankie fussed that the robe wasn't sticking. Ranger patiently arranged the front of the robe so it laid just so and carefully tied the belt with a square knot.

Frankie went onto the sofa bed and gathered up Belfry. He had Ranger help readjust the robe and tuck him in, making sure that the bedclothes were smooth and straight.

Ranger looked at his watch and checked the schedule. He took his son's temperature, noted it and gave him a dose of cough syrup. Frankie soon fell asleep. Everything was on schedule.

Ranger thought to himself, Why couldn't I do some work while Frankie was sleeping? No reason at all. One of the privileges of being the boss was that he could make the work come to him. Ranger called Tank, his second in command. He asked for his Core Team to bring up a stack of clients' files for them to review at his dining room table.

Frankie woke up coughing a few hours later. He saw his "Uncles" Tank, Lester and Bobby sitting with his daddy at the dining room table and said hello to them. He was perplexed when they didn't come over to visit him.

Ranger checked the schedule. He took his son to the bathroom then put him back in the sofa bed after carefully re-smoothing the robe and straightening the sheet and quilt. He gave Frankie his antibiotic and a bottle of water and an apple for a snack. He refilled the humidifier and turned on the Toy Story DVD for Frankie to watch. Then Ranger went back to reviewing the files with his Core Team. All was good.

oOoOoOo

Ranger heard the bag drop and looked up. He saw his wife and said, "Babe." She was home early. He went over to greet her.

Stephanie quietly hissed, "I'll talk to you later."

Ranger shrugged by lifting his shoulders a millimeter and went back to his work.

Stephanie gave a finger wave to the guys, then went over to her ailing child and gave him a kiss on his fevered brow.

Frankie was listless. The antibiotic that Dr. Rose prescribed was kick ass and it wore him out. Dr. Rose had prescribed a ten-day course of this med, so he was going to be docile until his body adjusted to it. He looked up at her and said with a sigh, "Mommy!"

With some gentle prodding, Stephanie heard about 'mato soup without oysters, and 'Daddy said robe would keeped me warm cause it's long.'

Stephanie saw the apple on the snack tray. Had Ranger given Frankie a whole apple as a snack? Yeesh! With his sore throat, a sliced apple would be easier for him to eat. No wonder Frankie had only taken a few bites. She figured out that while her husband had been here and done what was necessary, his care was, at best, administrative.

Stephanie immediately when to make matters right. First, she switched out the robe for a sweatshirt. Then she made him a meal of tomato soup with oysters on the side and a sliced apple, which she served to him on the bed tray. Stephanie sat with Frankie as plunked the oysters into soup and ate the whole bowl and every slice of the apple.

When Stephanie was satisfied that Frankie was feeling a bit better and that her temper was manageable, she asked Ranger if they could speak in their bedroom, now.

Ranger gladly agreed. He wanted to know why Stephanie was undoing his good work. Frankie wasn't scheduled for a meal for another two hours. And what was with the sweatshirt?

Tank, Lester and Bobby huddled up against the bedroom door and heard snippets of conversation.

"Babe, I have him on a schedule."

"Some care, a robot would be more caring."

"Taking precautions. What if I should get it?"

"So you invite your team to get infected?"

"Oysters are crackers?"

"You gave him a whole apple!"

"He doesn't like robes?"

"Who are you? Nurse Ratchett?"

"If you'd stay home with him like-"

"Like what? Like I should?" Stephanie interrupted. "Oh my God! You've turned into Morelli!"

After a moment of quiet, Ranger pulled open the door to the bedroom and ran into Tank, Bobby and Lester. Ranger growled at his Core Team. They dispersed to the dining room and packed up their files.

Chapter 6: The Confinement, Part Three

Ranger spent the next few hours venting his anger by running and then pounding the punching bag in the gym. He was deeply offended that Stephanie called him Morelli. He knew that was patently untrue. He was nothing, nothing like Morelli. The only things they had in common were that they were both male and loved Stephanie. And he had won because Stephanie was his. His. Not Morelli's. He was not Morelli. Ranger hit the punching bag until he tired himself out.

Stephanie spent those same few hours with Frankie. They played with the Colorforms. First, they made silly faces together. Then they made buildings and cars and robots. They had dinner together, Grandma Helen's chicken noodle soup on the bed tray. Stephanie laughed when Frankie slurped his noodles and Frankie was so surprised when his mommy slurped hers.

When Frankie asked, "Where's Daddy?"

Stephanie said, "Taking a run." What she didn't say was hopefully off a high building. She was so flipping angry with him. He sounded just like Morelli. What else? Did he want her to cook, too? Did he think that marriage and motherhood would make her want to become a burg housewife? Was he delusional?

When Ranger returned home, he and Stephanie talked and came to an agreement about caring for Frankie for the duration of this illness. Stephanie would still take mornings and Ranger would be on afternoon duty. Ranger sealed the deal by reminding Stephanie that he always had enough energy to make them both happy.

oOoOoOo

The Next Day.

Stephanie was distracted most of the afternoon. Yes, she and Ranger discussed Frankie's care, but . . . She was still worried that his care would be clinical and remote. She had visions of Frankie on the sofa bed watching Toy Story for the umpteenth time while his father was in the dining room tapping away at his laptop and making a billion calls. It wasn't that she didn't trust Ranger, but right now, she didn't trust Ranger.

Stephanie went home mid afternoon, unannounced. When she saw what was before her, she was glad that she hadn't called. Ella was sitting on the sofa bed making Colorforms' silly faces with Frankie.

Stephanie's blood started to boil. She took a few calming breaths. Perhaps the situation wasn't as it appeared. Maybe Ella stopped in to say hello. Maybe Ranger was in the Little Ranger's Room.

"Hi, Mommy! Guessed what?"

"What?"

"Tia Ella watchin' me."

"Hmmm. Where's Daddy?"

"Ranger had a meeting that he couldn't cancel so he asked me to watch Frankie," answered Ella.

"Mommy, Daddy weared a suit to his meetin'."

Stephanie looked at Frankie and asked, "He did?"

Frankie nodded.

Stephanie looked at the ceiling. "He should have called me."

"Ranger said that by the time that he realized he couldn't cancel the meeting, it was too late to call you," explained Ella.

Right. It was just as it looked. Ranger abandoned their child for work and outsourced Frankie's care to Ella. Stephanie's blood started to re-boil.

"Thanks, Ella. I'll take it from here."

"There's no need, I like watching Frankie."

"I know. But he's has acute bronchitis-"

"No, Mommy, I have handsome bron-kite-iss."

"Right. Thank you, Sweetie."

"What?" asked Ella.

Stephanie whispered to Ella, "Cute bronchitis is for girls. Handsome bronchitis is for boys."

Ella nodded and smiled.

"Anyhow," Stephanie continued, "he's highly contagious and I don't want you exposed to it. Although, I guess you have already been exposed to it. Did Ranger tell you that Frankie was contagious?"

"No, he didn't tell me that. Ranger told me that Frankie was sick and asked if I could watch him for a few hours. I'm glad you told me. I catch everything and Louis falls apart when I'm ill."

"Sorry, Ella." Stephanie paused. "Ella?"

"Yes?"

"Will you be going to Rangeman this afternoon?"

"Now that I'm not watching Frankie, yes."

"When?"

"I usually go down around three thirty to clear up lunch and bring the afternoon snack."

Stephanie looked at her watch. It was nearly three. She had a wonderful idea. A wonderful, dastardly, wonderful idea to give Ranger the wake-up call she decided he so desperately needed.

"Would you mind giving something to Ranger for me?"

"No."

"Good. Give me a few minutes."

Stephanie walked to her bedroom. A few minutes later she handed Ella a small gift bag and sweetly asked her to give it Ranger when she went down to Rangeman.

Ella said good-bye to Frankie by blowing him some kisses. He blew some back to her. Stephanie walked Ella to the door and thanked her for watching Frankie on such short notice.

oOoOoOo

Ranger was in his office reviewing contracts when Ella walked in to deliver the gift bag. He didn't ask who was minding Frankie. He knew. Ranger grinned at Ella and thanked her.

Ranger waited a few minutes before he opened the bag. He was curious, but wanted to ensure that Ella was down the hall first. He waited until he heard some of his team greet her. Ranger opened the bag and looked inside. There was a small drawstring pouch in the bag. He pulled out the pouch and felt lumps in it. He loosened the strings and looked inside. Ranger gave a sigh, sat back in his chair and scrubbed his face with his hands. He leaned forward, placed his elbows on his desk and put his forehead into his palms. He sat like that for a while.

Finally, Ranger went to his office door and took his suit jacket off the hanger. He put on his jacket, scooped up the pouch from his desk and put it in one of the jacket's pocket. He walked down the corridor to the stairwell and climbed the two flights of stairs to his apartment.

Ranger found Stephanie with Frankie on the sofa bed. They were sitting side by side reading a counting book together. Ranger ruffled Frankie's hair. He said hello to his wife and child and exchanged pleasantries. After a few moments, he asked Stephanie if they could talk in private. Stephanie handed the book to Frankie and told him that mommy and daddy would be talking in their room, if he needed them. Frankie nodded. He gathered up Belfry to count with him.

Stephanie walked ahead of Ranger to their bedroom. She stood in front of the bed, feet strongly planted in place and arms crossed over her chest. Ranger closed the door and stood facing his wife. He pulled the pouch out of his jacket pocket and held it in front of her. Stephanie stared at him with a bemused look.

"Babe."

Stephanie looked up at her husband and batted her eyes, "Yes."

Ranger shook the pouched. "Why did you give me your engagement and wedding rings?"

"Because."

Ranger pressed on, "Because why?"

"Because they no longer symbolize a relationship built on love, mutual respect and honesty."

"Babe."

"Don't you 'Babe' me, Carlos Manoso."

"Is this because I asked Ella to watch Frankie?"

"What was your first clue?"

Ranger took a step closer to Stephanie so that he could put his arms around her. He whispered using his most seductive voice, "Babe, I had a meeting that couldn't be canceled."

Stephanie took a step back. Ranger closed in and put his arms around her.

Stephanie cleared her throat. "How long have you known about this meeting?"

"About a week."

"So when we agreed that you would watch Frankie in the afternoons, you didn't cancel or reschedule the meeting?" Stephanie said softly.

"It was an important meeting with a potential new client. A potential large, new client."

"So you couldn't have said to me, 'Can we flip our schedules for the day? I have a big meeting.'"

"I thought the kid would be better by now."

Stephanie pushed herself out of Ranger's arms. "The kid! The kid! This is not "the kid." This is our son. I told you that Dr. Rose said that he had acute bronchitis and would need at least a week of bed rest."

"You said she thought he had acute bronchitis. The diagnosis wasn't confirmed until this morning."

"What! So you think that Dr. Rose, who's been in practice for forever would just come up with a diagnosis of acute bronchitis out of the air? The damned test was to confirm what she already knew." Stephanie paused briefly. "Ranger, you're not doing your part."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I was with him yesterday afternoon. I had Ella take care of him when I was in the meeting."

"Yesterday, you had your team here for a meeting. And today you had Ella here. It doesn't seem to bother you to put your employees in situations where they could get infected."

"We could get infected," Ranger calmly pointed out.

"We're his parents!"

There was a huge silence between them.

"Do you love him?"

"Of course." What kind of question was that? Frankie was his son. Of course, he loved him.

"Then act like it and take care of him."

"I was taking care of him."

"No. You were managing a process."

"Babe."

Stephanie held out her arm and pointed her finger. "Fourth floor." The fourth floor was where Rangeman maintained apartments for its staff, should they need them. Often the fourth floor was fully booked, but at the moment, one apartment was empty.

"Huh?"

"You heard me. You've earned yourself a time out."

Ranger shook his head, grinned. "Babe, you never disappoint."

Chapter 7: The Confinement, Day Three

Ranger was amused when Stephanie sent him for a time out. He expected to hear from her in a few hours inviting him back in. He went to his office on five and finished his paperwork. He looked up acute bronchitis on the internet and talked to his sister Celia, the nurse, about it. He didn't realize that bronchitis could turn into pneumonia if not properly tended to. He started to see why Stephanie had been so adamant about Frankie's care. Of course, that was only after his sister told him to stop being an ass and help care for his son.

When he didn't hear from Stephanie by ten, he dragged himself to the fourth floor to sleep. Maybe, just maybe, he was being an ass. Maybe.

Ranger tossed and turned in the bed. He was so used to sleeping curled around his wife that the bed seemed too large without her. He grabbed a pillow to be Stephanie's proxy, but it wasn't warm and it didn't snuggle into him. After a few hours of tossing and turning, he called his wife and asked if he could come home. Surely, she would say yes. He was convinced that he was irresistible to her. She said no. He had underestimated Stephanie in Mama Bear mode protecting her cub. An hour later, he called again and asked if he could meet her in the hall between the elevator and their apartment to talk. Stephanie reluctantly agreed.

They met in the hall and talked. Stephanie expressed her dismay at Ranger's attitude towards tending to Frankie and his actual "care" of their son. Ranger said that he thought that Stephanie hovered too much over their boy. After about an hour of going back and forth, they came to yet another agreement. This time they agreed that they and they alone should be taking care of Frankie while he had bronchitis. Stephanie begrudgingly agreed that Ranger's schedule did help. Ranger agreed that he would work while Frankie was napping. But when he was awake, Ranger would spend time with him.

After their conversation, Stephanie sent Ranger back to the fourth floor for the remainder of his time out. He was surprised. He thought surely that he'd be spending the rest of the night in their bed with her in his arms. After all, he had made nice and agreed to Stephanie's terms.

oOoOoOo

Ranger took care of Frankie the next afternoon. Frankie was adjusting to the antibiotic and was feeling a bit better, although he was still congested, a bit achy and tired easily. This made it a little easier for his father.

The afternoon was not without incidence.

When Ranger came home for afternoon duty, Stephanie was running late. Frankie hadn't had his lunch. Stephanie asked Ranger to make Frankie's lunch while she took a shower.

"What do you want for lunch?"

Frankie said "A PBJ." Because Frankie was congested, this sounded like 'appbenjay' to Ranger. Frankie expected his dad to know what PBJ was. His mom knew. Tia Ella knew. Grandma knew. Even Grandpa knew. Ranger finally went to Stephanie who explained that Frankie wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, not an appbenjay. What the hell was an appbenjay?

Ranger dutifully made the sandwich with soft squishy white bread and creamy peanut butter. He put the sandwich, uncut, on a plate and gave it to Frankie. Frankie looked at the sandwich and asked what it was. He disagreed when Ranger explained that it was a PBJ.

By that time, Stephanie who was showered and dressed for work, walked by and saw what was happening. She rolled her eyes and provided diplomatic intervention. She put the sandwich in a baggie for her lunch and then pulled Ranger into the kitchen to make a real Frankie-approved PBJ.

"You need to be aware of his preferences."

"He's fussy."

"Just like his father."

"Babe."

Stephanie suggested that Ranger use the Colorforms as a way to help Frankie remember his shapes and colors. He was learning about them in nursery school and Stephanie didn't want him to be too far behind. Ranger liked the idea of meaningful playtime.

After lunch, Ranger brought out the Colorforms and told Frankie that they were going to play a building game. Ranger sat on the sofa bed, handed the board to Frankie and explained the game. Frankie would earn a block to build something after he named the color, counted the sides and named the shape. Frankie was eager to play because he knew his shapes and colors and he could count to ten.

When Ranger held up a blue rectangle, Frankie counted the four sides and told his father that it was a blue wrecked tangle. He also easily identified the square and the circle. Ranger was impressed. However, when it came to the red triangle, Frankie had a little difficulty. He counted the sides correctly and said that it was red. Frankie was getting tired and could not remember the word triangle. Ranger prodded and prompted him, but Frankie couldn't remember.

Frankie held up his hands and made an outline of a triangle with his forefingers and thumbs. He smiled, held out his triangle to Ranger and said, "It's a this."

Ranger looked and said, "Good. What's it called?"

Frankie reached for the triangle and said, "I forgetted."

Ranger held the triangle out of Frankie's reach and said "Rules of the game."

Frankie thought, if he was playing this game with Mommy, it wouldn't be like this. It would be fun. Mommy played nice. Stephanie always did play nice with Frankie. If Stephanie saw that he knew the word, but has having difficulty, she'd help him remember. She'd hold up the triangle and ask if it was a squiggle, and Frankie would laugh and say, "No." Then she'd ask if it was a polygon and Frankie would know that was wrong, cause he didn't know that word yet and he'd shake his head. He'd ask, "Are you bein' silly Mommy?" And Stephanie would put on her silliest face and shake her head. Then she'd ask if it was a triangle, stretching the word out. And Frankie would nod. Then she'd ask if he always knew that it was a triangle and he'd smile. Mommy always played nice. Daddy wasn't playing nice.

Frankie pouted. His eyes welled up and tears rolled down his cheek. He hiccupped as he said, "You're not playin' nice." After a few beats, Frankie said, "I want Mommy."

You're not playin' nice. I want Mommy. Those words were worse than a punch in the jaw to Ranger. He had a moment like the Grinch had when he realized that his heart was two sizes too small. Ranger only loved a few people without condition or boundaries and Frankie was one of those people. He looked at his son. This was his baby and he wasn't feeling well. Ranger was being an ass. Ranger decided to figure out why he was being an ass later. Right now, he needed to fix this situation.

Ranger leaned over and put the red triangle on the board. Frankie flinched slightly when Ranger placed the shape. This was not good. Frankie seemed afraid of him. Ranger said, "This is called a triangle."

Frankie stared at the shape and whispered, "Tried Angle."

Ranger could tell that he memorizing the word. He could also hear that Frankie was congested. He got a tissue and asked, "Do you need to blow your nose?"

Frankie nodded. "I want Mommy."

Ranger gently said, "I know." He put the tissue up to Frankie's face and had him blow his nose.

Then he got a fresh tissue. As he dabbed his boy's tears. Ranger said, "I wasn't playing nice."

Frankie nodded.

Ranger said, "Sorry." He stretched out his arms and said, "Hug." Frankie didn't move. Ranger reached over and bundled his son in his arms. Frankie was stiff. Ranger said, "I love you" and kissed Frankie's pate. Ranger held Frankie and rubbed his back until he felt him relax and heard his breathing become rhythmic and even. He looked down at his sleeping son and thought, He's a great kid and he's my son. Mine. Ranger held Frankie until he awoke from his nap.

When Stephanie came home from work, father and son were sitting on the sofa bed watching an Elmo DVD. Ranger looked tired.

Chapter 8: The Confinement, Day Four

The Next Afternoon.

When Stephanie came home from work, she jostled the doorknob as she entered the apartment. When she walked into the foyer, Stephanie heard garbled noises that told her that the television was on.

Frankie scampered down the foyer to meet her. She knew he was starting to feel better because he had insisted that it was time for him to wear real clothes when he got up that morning. He asked to wear overalls, a long sleeved tee shirt and warm cushy socks, because his little feet were still cold. He hurled himself into her arms and whispered, "Hi, Mommy!" He gave her big smacking kisses on each cheek and a warm hug.

Stephanie waited a beat for Ranger to come to the foyer to greet her, too. When he didn't join them, Stephanie, who was still holding Frankie, whispered, "Where's Daddy?"

Frankie pointed to the living room and then put his index finger in front of his lips and said, "Shhh."

Stephanie said "Shhh?"

Frankie vigorously nodded his head and said, "I show you." Frankie wriggled to be put down. When he was on the floor, Frankie took his mother's hand and led her to the living room. There she found Ranger on the sofa bed with the quilt pulled over him, sound asleep. Her immediate reaction was, What the fuck?, but she kept that on the inside.

Frankie looked at Stephanie and motioned for her to bring her head down to his. He whispered in her ear, "Daddy's a sleepy head" and then put his hand over his mouth to giggle.

Stephanie asked, "Is Daddy sick?"

Frankie shrugged his shoulders, put his hands up and gave her his, I don't know' look. Stephanie leaned over and put the back of her hand on Ranger's brow. He felt hot. Ranger was normally a hot guy, but this was a different type of hot altogether. This felt like a fever. She could tell that Frankie was going to try to wake Ranger to ask if he was sick, but she intercepted him and took him to the kitchen to make a snack.

oOoOoOo

The Night Before.

When Ranger and Stephanie had their usual pillow talk, he had said to her, "Babe, he wore me out."

Stephanie just gave Ranger a wry grin and asked, "Why's that?"

Frankie hadn't told Stephanie about the triangle thing. Ranger saw no reason to mention it either. Instead he said, "He talks and sings constantly."

Stephanie said nothing.

Ranger continued, "He made me sing along with him."

"He's probably a bit lonely . . . and bored", Stephanie offered. "Frankie's used to being with people. He goes to nursery school. He has play dates with his cousin Lisa. He visits my parents. When he's sick, we're his company."

Ranger listened to Stephanie, then said. "That explains something."

"What?"

"He insisted that we call our parents."

Stephanie smiled. "He talks to our parents daily. He loves it."

Ranger shook his head ever so slightly. "He made me give him and Belfry a kiss and tuck them in before he took a nap."

"Frankie thinks Belfry's his baby, so he takes care of him. Surely, you noticed that," she said. "He makes me give Belfry a kiss every night before you put him to sleep. Doesn't he make you give Belfry a kiss?"

Ranger looked at his wife and nodded. "This was for a nap."

"I think it's sweet."

Frankie was nurturing. Stephanie thought it was sweet and encouraged it. She thought it would be a good trait for him to have, in case he wanted to be a doctor and make his Grandma Helen extra proud.

Stephanie leaned over and gave Ranger a kiss and snuggled with him. She was hoping to have some great make-up sex.

Ranger looked at Stephanie and said, "Babe, I've been on full-scale invasions that took less effort than watching our son. I'm exhausted." Mr. I always have enough energy to make us both happy was tuckered out after one afternoon of tending to his son. He gave Stephanie a quick kiss, turned on to his side and quickly fell asleep.

oOoOoOo

After Stephanie gave Frankie his snack, orange slices schmeared with extra crunchy peanut butter, he went to the living room to watch Sesame Street. He bounced on to the sofa bed waking Ranger in the process. Ranger groaned as he awoke. He braced his elbows and gingerly lifted his head and upper torso.

Ranger looked at Frankie and asked, "Is Mommy home?"

"Uh huh."

"Where is she?"

"Kitchen."

"Tell Mommy that Daddy's in pain and needs medicine," Ranger said as he fell back on the sofa bed. Ranger looked at his son and said, "Now . . . please."

Frankie hurried to the kitchen where his mom was organizing dinner. He pulled on the leg of her jeans and said, "Daddy says he's a pain."

Stephanie froze for a second and thought, He's got that right. Then she collected herself and asked, "What did Daddy say?"

"Daddy says he's a pain and needs med-ee-sin."

"Oh. Oh! Okay. Let's go see Daddy."

"You bring med-ee-sin for Daddy?"

"Let's see what's with Daddy first."

"But Daddy's a pain."

"I know." Did she ever. He could be very exacting and specific about so many things. This is what made him successful and so dammed sexy. But it also made him, well, upon occasion, it made him impossible to be around.

Stephanie, with Frankie at her heels, went to the living room to see Ranger. "Does him hurt?" Stephanie couldn't resist.

Ranger gave her a resigned look and said, "Everywhere." He shivered. He sounded congested too. He coughed a few times. Deep, soggy coughs.

Frankie pulled some tissues from the box and handed them to Ranger. "Daddy, cover your mouth when you cough, so you can throw the germs away." Then he said to Stephanie, "Daddy need Vicks va-po rubbed."

Stephanie had Frankie hand her the digital thermometer and they took Ranger's temperature. When it beeped, Stephanie showed Frankie how to read the numbers. She explained that Daddy's temperature was elevated and he had a fever.

Frankie said, "Daddy's sick."

Stephanie confirmed his diagnosis by saying, "You're right Dr. Manoso." He smiled.

Ranger was getting impatient with the tutorial. He wanted some Advil, Tylenol, morphine, anything to ease his achy body STAT. "Babe. I ache."

Stephanie saluted and walked away. A few minutes later, she came back with a blanket, a bottle of Advil gel caps and a glass of water.

Ranger surprised her when he asked for three gel caps. When she gave him her What the fuck look, he said, "I hurt."

She shook three gel caps from the bottle into his outstretched palm. He threw the gel caps in his mouth and gulped the water.

Frankie handed his father the jar of Vicks. Ranger pulled up his tee shirt and liberally rubbed the ointment over his chest and throat. He inhaled deeply, collapsed back on to the sofa bed and pulled the quilt up to his chin. Stephanie went to the linen closet and got an afghan, which she spread over the quilt. Ranger fell asleep within minutes.

Stephanie knew Ranger needed to see a doctor. Ranger didn't have a physician of record. He was never sick. When he was injured or hurt, he either went to the emergency room or Bobby, Rangeman's medic, took care of him. Stephanie called Dr. Rose's office. Tomorrow was Saturday, but the practice was open in the morning and at least one of the Koontz sisters would be in office. She made an appointment for Ranger for nine thirty.

Chapter 9: Another Diagnosis

When Ranger woke up on Saturday, he felt like death on a cracker. He wanted to stay put, but Stephanie rousted his very fine bottom out of bed.

It took her a while to get her two boys ready to go. Well, it didn't take long for Frankie to get ready, but it took Ranger forever.

He went into their walk-in closet and stood there looking at his wall of clothes.

When Ranger didn't come out after a few minutes, Stephanie went in and said, "It's all black. Just grab something."

That wasn't quite true. Not all of Ranger's clothes were black. There were some charcoal grey slacks and suits. There were blue jeans. There were even some white and French blue dress shirts.

Ranger pointed from left to right, "Business formal, work, weekends."

"It's Saturday, pick some things from the weekend wear department and let's get going."

Ranger finally decided to wear black jeans and a black polo shirt. He found Stephanie in the dining room giving Frankie his breakfast.

"Babe, toast me two slices of multigrain."

"No breakfast."

"What?"

"The doctor might need a sputum culture and that has to be done before you eat for the day."

Ranger didn't ask what a sputum culture was. He knew about the spit test from his conversation with his sister. He gave his wife one of his looks.

"It's not my fault."

Ranger continued to give Stephanie, the look.

"It's not my fault that you're sick."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too. If you hadn't-"

"Don't go there, Batman." After a long pause, Stephanie said, "You must be susceptible."

Ranger rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded like, "Just like when I was a kid."

During the elevator ride to the car, Ranger complained that he didn't need to see a doctor. He just needed more rest.

Stephanie, who was sleep deprived because Ranger had coughed the whole night as he refused to take any cough syrup, said, "I have one child, not two. Stop whining, you're going to the doctors'."

Frankie looked up at his parents in confusion. He was the only kid, right?

On the drive to the doctors', Ranger continued to complain. "I'm not going to a pediatrician."

"You're not going to a pediatrician," said Stephanie. But, she thought, you might be seeing one if Dr. Rose is on duty today. "Whoever is in the office will see you. You could be seeing Dr. Lillie or Dr. Iris."

"It sounds like a garden center. Who are Dr. Lillie and Dr. Iris?"

"They're Dr. Rose's sisters. Dr. Lillie is an internist and Dr. Iris is–"

"An ophthalmologist?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and said, "Duh! So clever. Everyone says that. She's a geriatrician."

"So it's possible that I'll see Dr. Iris, who takes care of seniors, or Dr. Rose, who tends to babies."

Frankie chimed in, "I go to Dr. Rose. I'm not a baby. I'm a big kid."

Stephanie grinned at Frankie through the rear view mirror and stated, "You are a big kid."

Frankie nodded and said, "Damn Skippy."

Stephanie suppressed a giggle. Stephanie returned to the conversation that she was having with Ranger and said, "It's possible."

Ranger grumbled and shifted in his seat. He wasn't accustomed to being the passenger. He couldn't find a comfortable spot. And he was in pain.

oOoOoOo

When the Manosos signed in at the reception desk, they were told that Dr. Rose, the pediatrician, was the doctor on duty.

Ranger mumbled, "Of course".

Stephanie poked him with her elbow.

He said, "Babe!" and rubbed his side.

When the receptionist saw that Frankie was with them, she quietly said to Stephanie, "Since he's here, we'll have Dr. Rose look at Frankie too."

Stephanie nodded and said, "Thank you."

The receptionist handed a clipboard with some forms and a pen to Ranger and asked him to complete the forms and bring them back to her. Ranger completed the forms and they waited for Dr. Rose. At nine thirty-five, Ranger was called to go in to see the doctor and Frankie was called too.

Frankie scrunched his face, stamped his foot and pointed in the direction of the exam rooms. He said to his mother, "No! I no see Dr. Rose, Daddy see her."

Stephanie brought Frankie close to her and said, "Since you know Dr. Rose, you have to go help her with Daddy."

Frankie immediately brightened. He took Ranger's hand and said, "Come on Daddy" and followed the nurse to the exam room.

When Dr. Rose entered the exam room, Frankie asked, "Are you gonna shoot me?"

"Hello Dr. Rose. How are you?"

"Hello Dr. Rose. How are you?" Frankie parroted. "Are you gonna shoot me?"

Frankie breathed easy when Dr. Rose said no. Then he asked, "Are you gonna shoot Daddy?"

"We'll see."

Frankie went over to his dad and said, "Uh oh Daddy, you're gonna get shooted."

Dr. Rose examined Frankie first, to show Ranger how it was done. Dr. Rose said that Frankie was doing very well and could go back to school next Wednesday.

Dr. Rose reviewed Ranger's paperwork and asked questions about his health history, past injuries, general well being, etc. She examined Ranger. Dr. Rose said, "Uh huh" and "Hmmm" when she did the check-up and made notes.

"Mr. Manoso, do you catch colds and the flu easily?"

"No."

"Are you often around people that have colds, the flu or other contagions?"

"No."

"No? Not your co-workers?"

"No."

"Um. Are you out and about with the general public?"

"Not much."

"When you were a child, were you susceptible to contagious illnesses?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me more?"

"I'm the youngest of five. I caught whatever my brother and sisters had."

Dr. Rose said, "Hmmm" and wrote more notes. "Well it looks like you have acute bronchitis too."

"No Dr. Rose, Daddy haved handsome bron-kite-iss."

"Handsome bronchitis?"

Frankie put his arms out to his sides, palms up and said, "Because he's a boy", as if it was so obvious.

"Oh." Then Dr. Rose said to Ranger, "Anyhow, I think you may be like a hot house flower."

"A flower. Me?"

"Yes. In the sense that you're in a rarefied environment. When a contagion from outside of that environment is introduced, you're susceptible. You have a three year old in nursery school. He comes across many, many contagions and he gets sick. It's a part of childhood. But now the contagions are coming to you and-"

"And?"

"And based on your health history, it's likely that you'll catch almost everything that Frankie gets."

"That won't happen."

Dr. Rose patted Ranger's arm and said, "It already has."

Dr. Rose went over the course of care for Ranger's bronchitis. She had him do the culture and vaccinated him for pneumonia. Frankie asked Dr. Rose to give his Daddy a lollipop, since he didn't cry when she shooted him.

Dr. Rose held out her cup of lollipops to Ranger and he chose his favorite, orange. Dr. Rose held out the cup to Frankie and he picked cherry, his favorite.

They came back into the reception area with their lollipop sticks dangling out of their mouths like two street toughs. Frankie ran up to his mother and said in one breath, "Daddy haved handsome bron-kite-iss. And he got shooted. Dr. Rose gived him an assassination."

Ranger tilted his head ever so slightly to the left. This was his signal for Stephanie to look at the bandage on his arm.

The reception area had filled up while Ranger and Frankie were being examined. It took a few beats for Ranger to notice that Tank, Lester, Bobby and Ella were sitting by Stephanie.

Chapter 10: The Way Home

Ranger looked at his team and said, "Yo."

Ella replied, "Good Morning, Ranger". She sounded as congested as he felt. She looked like she was ailing, too. Her usual sparkle was dim, her eyes were red and she was slumped in her chair.

The guys said, "Yo." They went on to explain that they had carpooled when they figured out that they were going to the same place at about the same time.

Frankie went over to hug his Tia Ella, but she held her arms out and said, "No, bebé. I'm not feeling well."

"Tia Ella, you sick?"

"Yes."

"Are you a flower like Daddy?" Frankie said this just loud enough for all Rangeman personnel present to hear.

Ranger closed his eyes for a nanosecond. He told Ella that Dr. Rose had called him a hothouse flower and explained why.

"Ranger, or should I call you Primrose?" said Bobby. He was laughing so hard that he was clutching his sides.

"No," boomed Tank, "Can't you see that he's a petal? A delicate pink petal."

Bobby looked at Ranger, then said to Tank, "Now that you mention it, he is a petal."

Ranger clenched his fists a few times. He started to mumble something about a death wish when he was interrupted by a coughing jag.

Bobby said, "Yo, your petal-ness, keep your germs to yourself."

Ranger growled.

Frankie asked Ella, "You goed to Dr. Rose?"

She said yes.

Frankie assured his Tia Ella that Dr. Rose would make you all better. Ella wanted to hug him, but knew that she shouldn't. She thought he was such an endearing child. She hoped that when her sons married and had children that they would be as adorable as Frankie.

Frankie looked at his "uncles", the same "uncles" who ignored him when they were at his house a few days ago, and asked, "You sick? You goed to Dr. Rose, too?"

The "uncles" explained that they were fine, but came for check-ups and flu shots since something was going around.

Lester teased Frankie by saying, "Something bit you and made you sick. I don't want it to bite me and make me sick." As he said this, Lester made his hands into beaks by pressing his thumbs to fingers. He opened and closed his beaks and pretended to bite Frankie on his arms and torso. Frankie squealed with delight.

Frankie must have squealed with too much delight because the receptionist looked over the counter, put her index finger over her lips and said, "Shhh."

Frankie's eyes went wide. He said, "Uh oh." He put his index finger over his lips and said "Shhh" to his Uncle Lester, then erupted in laughter.

Ranger winced. He really wasn't feeling good. He said, "Babe. Home."

Stephanie gathered up Frankie and they made their goodbyes.

Frankie blew kisses to Tia Ella and told her to get better soon.

Ella grinned and said to Tank, "Such a sweet baby."

Tank said, "Damn Skippy".

Stephanie snickered about the hothouse flower, primrose and petal during the walk to the parking lot. Ranger was not amused.

The ride home was to include side trips to the drugstore to get Ranger's medicine and to Stephanie's Mom's to pick up more chicken noodle soup. Helen Plum had called the evening before to ask about her grandson's condition. When she learned that Ranger was now under the weather, she offered to whip up another pot of the cure.

On the ride to the drugstore, Stephanie glanced at Ranger and said, "Ella probably has bronchitis."

Ranger listened and said nothing.

"You know how she got it?"

Ranger nodded imperceptibly and said nothing.

"I don't want to say I told you so . . . actually, I do want to tell you I told you so. If you had listened and done what we agreed to- "

"Babe, I know."

"Tell Ella."

"I will."

"I think you should call her later and tell her."

"Alright Babe." At this point, he would agree to anything so that they could go get his prescription and then get him home so he could sleep.

oOoOoOo

As they were pulling into the drugstore's parking lot, Stephanie said, "Is that who I think it is?"

Ranger looked out of the window. "That's Elwood Steiger. When did he get out?"

Stephanie brought in Elwood Steiger about five years ago when he was FTA on a meth charge. She and Lula had captured him at Trekarama, a Star Trek party that her stoner friends, Mooner and Dougie, had hosted. He was an easy capture. One zap with the taser and he was good to go.

Stephanie said to Ranger, "Got out about six months ago, but got caught cooking meth almost immediately. He's a big dollar FTA for me."

"How big?"

"A hundred thousand bond. Ten thousand for me. Okay, here's how we'll do it. I'll go and taser him and then go and leave off your prescription to be filled. You can put him into the back of the Cayenne and we'll drive him to police department. When we get back, your prescription will be ready. Does it sound like a plan?"

"Babe. I don't feel well. I just want to get my medicine and go home. Please."

"But we're going to have to wait to get the prescription filled, so why not pick up Steiger?

"I don't want Steiger in the car with Frankie."

"Good point. Frankie. Want to watch Mommy catch a bad guy?"

Frankie bounced in his chair and clapped. "Yeah!"

Ranger grimaced. He would have debated with Stephanie about this, but he didn't have the energy.

Stephanie said to Ranger, "I'll taser Steiger, call the cops and then leave off your 'scrip."

Which is exactly what she did. The cops came quickly and picked up Steiger. Stephanie called Connie to tell her about the capture and asked her to get the body receipt. After the cops left, Stephanie picked up Ranger's medicine and drove her family directly to her parents' to pick up another pot of homemade chicken noodle soup.

Chapter 11: Home

By the time Stephanie finally pulled the Cayenne into its parking space in the Rangeman garage, Ranger was ready to kiss its floor, its dirty, greasy, sooty floor. He was so happy to be that much nearer to his bed.

It took a century for Stephanie to pick up the chicken noodle soup from her mom's. It seemed like forever to Ranger. After all, he wasn't feeling well. He was congested, feverish and ached everywhere. Maybe he really was a hothouse flower.

When they parked in front of the Plums', Stephanie insisted that Ranger and Frankie stay in the car. She reminded Ranger since he was highly contagious, he didn't want to come into the house and infect the family. Besides, she was only going to pick up the soup. It would just take a minute.

She didn't even get into the house when she turned around and came for Frankie. As Stephanie was helping Frankie out of his seat, she said to him, "Grandma and Grandpa have been missing you big time."

Frankie said, "I miss them, too." He happily ran up the walk to see his grandparents.

Stephanie promised Ranger that it would be a short visit. "We're only going to say hi and get the soup. We'll be home soon. Promise."

Ranger did not believe her. There was no way that they were just going to say hi, pick up the soup and leave.

oOoOoOo

Grandma and Grandpa Plum were suffering from Frankie deprivation. They hadn't seen him for nearly five whole days. Frankie felt the same way.

"Mommy catched a bad guy."

"She did?" Helen Plum glared at her youngest daughter. "Frank, did you hear that?"

"Yes, Helen." He asked, "How'd you do it?"

"Mommy beeped his neck. He falled down and went boom!"

Helen Plum wrung her hands and sighed, "Olive Cantoni's daughter doesn't beep men in the necks. Jilda Nuzacci's daughter doesn't catch bad guys-"

"Good for you. Another criminal off the street. Who was it?"

"Elwood Steiger."

"The meth dealer?"

Stephanie nodded.

Frank was just about to give Stephanie an atta girl, when her mother said, "A meth dealer! Really Stephanie, can't you catch a better class of criminal?"

"A better class of criminal?" Stephanie asked. She didn't know that criminals came in classes.

"Yes. Maybe someone involved in white-collar crime. Like that Mad-, Mad-, Maddox? Madden? You know who I mean."

"Madoff?"

Helen Plum waved a pointed finger in the air and said, "That's who I mean. He was such a well dressed man."

"Who defrauded his clients of billions of dollars," added Stephanie.

"True, but he wasn't violent and he didn't sell d-r-u-g-s to c-h-i-l-d-r-e-n."

"That does make him a better class of criminal," said Frank.

Helen nodded in complete agreement.

Frankie told his grandparents how his daddy didn't know how to make a PBJ and how Mommy had to teach him. He also told his grandparents that his daddy was a pain because he was sick. Frankie went on to tell his grandparents that his daddy was a flower. Stephanie helped to explain that juicy tidbit. Her parents didn't suppress their laughter.

Stephanie rolled her eyes more than a few times as Frankie told her parents about his week. Then she told them her version.

Ranger was right. It was forty-five minutes before Stephanie came to the car with the pot of soup. Her father followed behind with Frankie in tow. It took a few minutes to secure Frankie in his seat. It took another five minutes for Stephanie and her Dad to secure the pot of soup in the back of the Cayenne. Finally, Stephanie got in the SUV and started the engine. Ranger thought, now we can go home and I can sleep. He was sick and his body ached.

Before Stephanie could put the Cayenne in drive, her dad knocked on Ranger's window and motioned to him to roll it down. He asked about Ranger's health and mentioned his own bout with bronchitis. He made no hothouse flower references. Frank Plum knew that men suffered more than women when they were sick.

Frankie asked his Grandpa if he had handsome bron-kite-is. He explained about the different types of bronchitis.

Frank said to Ranger, "That grandson of mine is one clever kid."

Ranger started hacking and Frank Plum decided that it was high time for Stephanie to get her men folk home.

When they finally pulled away from the Plum household, Ranger, who was thoroughly exhausted, looked at his wife and groaned, "Babe."

"It's not my fault!"

"It is. I'm sick. All I want to do is go home and die."

"I can't help it that my parents were missing Frankie. So we took a little longer than expected. You don't mind. Do you?"

Ranger shook his head. Of course, he didn't mind that they took a little extra time. He was just at death's doorstep, that's all.

oOoOoOo

Ranger gingerly walked into the bedroom. He closed the door, toed off his shoes and went to the bed. He pulled back the covers and collapsed onto it. The bed. At long last, his sore, achy, fevered body made contact with the bed. He pulled the covers over himself, straightened them and settled in to sleep. It didn't matter that he was still in his clothes. He was finally in his bed.

He slept soundly and fitfully, except for a few coughing seizures, for the entire afternoon. He slept until he felt a pair of blue eyes staring at him.

Frankie leaned into the bed and put his face very close to his father's. Ranger's eyelids flickered. Frankie tapped his dad's shoulder and whispered, "Daddy, you sleepy?"

"Huh?" Ranger started to rouse from his nap.

Frankie tapped his shoulder again and asked, "You still sleepy?"

Ranger looked at the clock and wiped his face with his hands. He was sweaty. "I'm up."

"You hungry?"

Ranger thought about it. "I am."

"We got soup. You want some?"

"Yes." Frankie waited. Ranger said, "Yes, please."

"I tell Mommy." Frankie went to the kitchen calling out, "Mommy, Daddy wants soup."

Frankie wasn't talking loudly. He never did. He was like Ranger in that regard. But in his current condition, Ranger felt like he was in the front row of a heavy metal concert.

oOoOoOo

Since he felt like he could sit up and take nourishment, Ranger agreed to eat in the dining room. He never liked to eat in bed, other than . . . ahem, no reason to go there. Food could fall on to the sheets and stain them. Who wants to share a bed with crumbs?

Stephanie placed a large bowl of soup in front of Ranger, then served Frankie and herself. She and Frankie loved her mom's chicken noodle soup. It was Mabel Markowitz's recipe. The broth was clear and bright and so tasty. It was loaded with chunks of meat, carrots, celery, onions and the extra special ingredients, nips and sips, turnips and parsnips. Frankie and Stephanie immediately tucked in.

Ranger was hungry. He hadn't eaten since yesterday. But he didn't approach his bowl of soup with the same abandon that his wife and son did. He moved his spoon back and forth in the bowl. He'd scoop something up, look at it and then put it back in the broth and swish his spoon around some more.

Stephanie watched Ranger as he played with his food. "What's wrong?"

Ranger continued stirring his soup. "Was this defatted?"

"Defatted? Didn't need to. Mom takes the skin off the chicken." Stephanie watched Ranger examine the broth. "It's great soup. Try it."

"Was it made with white meat only?" Ranger, found a chunk of dark meat in his bowl. "Guess not."

"Who makes chicken soup with white meat only?"

"My mom."

This caused Stephanie to roll her eyes. Ranger's mom, like Helen Plum, was a practical cook who operated on a budget. There was no way that she made chicken soup with white meat only when she was raising five kids. No way at all.

"Are these no yolk egg noodles."

"Doubt it. What's the point of no yolk egg noodles?"

"They're healthier."

"Taste the soup. One spoon. It's so good."

"It's sooo good, Daddy," Frankie said as he slurped some noodles.

Ranger pushed the bowl away and pouted as his wife and son continued to eat. Stephanie suggested a variety of alternative meals. He rejected each suggestion. Eventually he agreed to have two slices of multigrain bread, lightly toasted and dry.

Chapter 12: Who's The Baby?, Part I

Stephanie was looking forward to Wednesday. That would be Frankie's first day back at Little Turtle. He was excited to get back to school and see his teacher and friends. And Stephanie? Well, she wasn't sick, but she was tired. She was seriously considering going to her mom's house to sleep.

On Saturday evening after the soup episode, Ranger's parents called to see how their little patient was doing. Stephanie answered the telephone and chatted with Maria Manoso, Ranger's mama. She told her mother-in-law that Frankie, her darling angel grandson, was getting better, but that Ella and Ranger now had bronchitis. Mama Manoso was not pleased to hear that Ella was sick and how she became infected.

Maria Manoso said, "Louis falls apart when Ella's sick. Carlito should have never let Ella take care of Frankie while he was sick. He deserves to have bronchitis. My poor baby."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. Stephanie asked Maria for the recipes for some of Ranger's favorites, so that she could try to make him food that he'd enjoy and eat. Stephanie was renowned for being an eater, but not for being a cook. Mama Manoso immediately insisted that she and Papi would come to visit her baby and bring some of his favorites, including her famous chicken noodle soup. When Stephanie asked what made her chicken noodle soup, famous, Mama told her that it was made with white meat only, no yolk egg noodles and that the broth was defatted. Stephanie rolled her eyes again.

When Stephanie suggested that her in-laws not come to visit because Ranger and Frankie were still contagious, she was told that there wasn't a germ large enough to keep a mother from her ailing child. Stephanie would have argued the point, but she knew it was true.

Stephanie passed the telephone to Ranger so that he could talk to his Mama. If she would have listened in and understood Spanish, Stephanie would have heard the following:

"Hola, Carlito." ("Hello, Carlito.")

"Hola, Mamá." ("Hello, Mama.")

"Entiendo que mi bebé está enfermo." ("I understand my baby's sick.")

"Yo soy". ("I am.')

"¿La bronquitis aguda?" ("Acute bronchitis?")

"Si." ("Yes.")

"¿Está siendo bueno para Stephanie?" ("Are you being good for Stephanie?")

Ranger said nothing.

"Con Frankie estar enfermo-" ("With Frankie being sick-")

"Él está mejorando. Yo soy el que está enfermo." ("He's getting better. I'm the one who's sick.")

"Ya lo sé, hijo bebé. Papi y yo nos viene mañana. Yo voy a hacer tus favoritos y traerlos a usted. ¿Qué quieres que yo haga?" ("I know, my baby boy. Papi and I are coming tomorrow. I'm going to make your favorites and bring them to you. What you do want me to make?")

"Ropa Viejas, flan y su sopa de pollo con fideos." ("Ropa Viejas, flan and your chicken noodle soup.")

"¿Eso es todo?" ("That's all?")

"Si, eso no es demasiado. " ("Yes, if that's not too much.")

"Para tu que nada." ("For you anything.")

"Gracias, Mamá. Te amo." ("Thank you, Mama. I love you.)

"Te quiero también, a mi hijo bebé. Vea usted mañana." ("I love you, too, my baby boy. See you tomorrow.")

"Adios, Mamá." ("Goodbye, Mama.")

With that, Ranger hung up. A few seconds later Ranger's mother called again. Ranger had hung up without passing the telephone to Frankie.

oOoOoOo

Stephanie spent Sunday morning cleaning and straightening the apartment and helping her men folk get ready in anticipation for her in-laws arrival. She was exhausted. Ranger was a very demanding patient. Frankie was feeling much better, thank goodness, but he was still a patient. But, she was not going to let her in-laws walk into a messy household; especially since they were bringing the meal.

It was also a gameday, a Steelers gameday. The game started at one and Stephanie knew that Ranger's parents would arrive in advance of the game and that everyone would want to watch it, but her.

Frankie insisted on wearing one of his many jerseys from his stash of Steelers' gear. Frankie was a third generation Steelers' fan on the Manoso side. Ranger, his siblings and his parents were ardent Pittsburgh fans. She didn't understand why since they lived in New Jersey. Stephanie supported the local team. She was a second-generation New York Giants' fan. When she asked Ranger why his family loved the Steelers, he simply said, "They're fierce."

oOoOoOo

The night before, Ranger reached new heights of fussiness. She kept saying to herself, He's sick. Give him some slack. He took care of you when you had the flu.

After dinner, Ranger decided to watch television. There was only one television in the apartment and it was in the living room. Ranger set up camp on the sofa bed. It had been over a week since they unfolded the sofa to set up sickbay for Frankie. Stephanie wondered if the bed would fold back into the couch. She tried to remember what the living room looked like before it became the Manoso Family Hospital.

The NFL Network was replaying one of the Super Bowls. Ranger insisted that Frankie keep him company and watch the game with him. He had his boy sit right beside him so he could point out the finer details of the game. Ranger kept dozing off and when Frankie would inch away, he would wake up and the cycle would start again.

When it was time for father and son to have their nightly dose of antibiotics, Stephanie insisted that Ranger go to their bedroom and go to sleep.

Frankie helped tuck Ranger in for the night. He pulled back the covers so Ranger could climb into bed and then he helped straighten the covers to his dad's exact specifications. Frankie was just about to give Ranger a good night kiss on the cheek, when he asked, "Daddy, you still a pain?"

Ranger would have grimaced, but that would have hurt. "I am not a pain."

"Uh huh. You said so."

"Did not."

"Did too. You telled me to telled Mommy that you were a pain."

"No. I'm not a pain. I'm in pain. I hurt."

"You hurt?" asked Frankie.

Ranger nodded.

Frankie ran off to his room and came back with Wilbur Wiggles, the glowworm. Wilbur's face lit up when you squeezed his tummy. Wilbur had been in the toy box that Grandma Mazur kept at her house, when she still had her house. That was before Grandpa Mazur went to the all you can eat breakfast buffet in the sky. Grandma Mazur took her toy box with her when she went to live with her daughter, Helen. Frankie found Wilby, as he called Wilbur, when he was visiting his grandparents one afternoon. He played with Wilby whenever he visited his grandparents. Grandma Mazur saw how much Frankie liked the glowworm and insisted that he take it home to live with him.

Stephanie and her sister, Valerie, played with the glowworm when they were girls. Valerie christened him Wilbur Wiggles after Grandma Mazur taught them to shimmy like a glowworm. Grandma Mazur kept the wiggle going in the family when she taught Frankie to move like a worm by shaking his booty.

When Frankie brought Wilby home, he showed his glowworm dance to this parents. Stephanie thought her son's shimmy was adorable. Ranger rolled his eyes, but privately thought that Frankie had the moves to become a very good salsa dancer, like him. Then Ranger recalled that it didn't take him long to go from vertical rumba and mambo moves to horizontal ones. If Frankie was truly a Manoso male, then he'd have to have the birds, bees and condom speech with him soon, like when he was going to the first grade.

Frankie handed Wilby to his dad and said, "You need a cuddly to helped you go sleepy. Wilby help you."

Ranger held the glowworm in his hand and considered it. He said, "I want Belfry."

Frankie gasped. "I can't give you Belfry."

"Why?"

"'Cause he's mine."

"Wilby's yours and you gave him to me." Ranger looked at Wilby. "I want Belfry."

Frankie was flustered. "He's mine. You can't have him. You take Wilby. He taked care of you."

Ranger looked at Wilby again. He wanted the bat bear because, according to Stephanie, he was Batman. "Daddy's sick," Ranger said. "Do you love me?"

Frankie nodded.

"If you really loved me, you'd give me Belfry."

Frankie blinked and choked back some tears. He ran out of the bedroom calling, "Mommy! Mommy, Daddy wants me to give him Belfry."

Ranger heard two sets of footfalls in the hallway. Stephanie came into the bedroom with Frankie behind her. "You want Belfry?"

Ranger nodded.

"You can't have him," said Stephanie.

"Babe, I hurt."

"You. Can't. Have. Belfry."

"It was Frankie's idea for me to have a cuddly. I want Belfry."

"No Daddy. Belfry's mine. Mine. I taked care of him. You'll gived him handsome bron-kite-iss."

"And he didn't get handsome bronchitis from you?" Ranger snarked.

"No. I taked care of him."

Stephanie watched in amazement as Ranger engaged in a pissing match with their three year old over a teddy bear.

"Ranger, you can't have Belfry. He stays with Frankie."

Frankie wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged her.

"Figures you'd side with Frankie," Ranger mumbled.

Stephanie went up to Ranger and whispered, "Of course, he's-"

"He's the baby," Ranger said, somewhat sarcastically.

"No, he's my baby," Stephanie said, trumping her husband.

"He's my baby too," Ranger countered.

"Then why would you want to take his favorite from him?"

Ranger crossed his arms over his chest, looked up at the ceiling and exhaled a puff of air.

"If you hugged Wilby, he lighted up. Then you don't have to be ascared of the dark Daddy." Frankie offered. Frankie gave his father a kiss and told Wilby to watch his Daddy.

Ranger cuddled up with Wilby until Stephanie came to bed, then he cuddled up with her.

Chapter 13: Who's The Baby?, Part 2

The doorbell rang for the second time when Stephanie opened the door. Maria Manoso waltzed into the foyer carrying a box with goodies in it. Enrique Manoso, Ranger's dad, trailed behind holding another, larger box of goodies. Stephanie kissed her mother-in-law's cheek, took the box out of her arms and led her father-in-law into the kitchen.

Ranger, freshly showered, dressed and medicated, was propped up on the sofa bed. The covers were carefully smoothed over his aching body. Wilby sat beside him. Frankie put him there to make sure that the glowworm took care of his daddy. Ranger couldn't wait for his parents to arrive. Only his mamá knew how to take care of him properly when he was sick.

Maria walked to the living room, singing out. "¿Dónde está mi bebé?" ("Where's my baby?").

Frankie, who was in his room checking on Belfry, came running out saying, "Aquí estoy, Abuela" ("Here I am, Grandma."), as Maria went to Ranger and gave him about a million kisses on his cheeks.

She was saying, "Mi bebé. Mi bebé. Mi bebé enfermo pobre. Mamá está aquí para cuidar de ti, mi niño." ("My baby. My baby. My poor sick baby. Mama's here to take care of you, my baby boy.") Maria put her arms around her baby, and gave him a hug. Ranger leaned his head on his mother's shoulder. It was a tender moment.

Frankie stopped short of throwing himself into Abuela Maria's arms. He looked confused. Maria spied Frankie and saw him frowning. She motioned for him to come near, which he did.

"Su papá es mi bebé." ("Your daddy is my baby.")

Frankie giggled. "Daddy no es un bebé." ("Daddy isn't a baby.")

"Él es." ("He is.")

"¿Él es? ¡No! Daddy no es un bebé." ("He is? No! Daddy isn't a baby.")

"¡Él es! Su papá es mi bebé. Pero tú, tú eres mi nieto y que te hace especial. Y puesto que tú eres mi nieto bebé que le hace muy especial." ("He is! Your daddy is my baby. But you, you are my grandson and that makes you special. And since you are my baby grandson that makes you extra special.")

Frankie smiled and gave his abuela a kiss on each cheek.

"¿Cómo se siente, mi hijo querido?" ("How are you feeling, my darling boy?")

Ranger and Frankie spoke at the same time. Frankie said that he was okay. Ranger said that he was sick and hurt all over. Maria laughed when her boys answered together. She thought it was cute. Frankie and Ranger didn't. They were sizing up each other.

oOoOoOo

Maria caught the looks between Ranger and Frankie and thought, Not again. Ranger and his sister, Celia, waged the "I'm the baby" turf wars for years. She thought she solved it when she told her youngest children, "Celia's the baby girl and Carlito's the baby boy." Ranger, who was the youngest, would remind his sister of it. He'd say to Celia, "I'm the baby, 'cause I'm the youngest."

Maria spoiled Ranger. She had had a hard pregnancy with him and was so happy when he arrived safe and sound. Not only did she spoil him, so did Enrique and the rest of the family. Celia, alone, challenged Ranger's place in the family firmament. Frankie was now the youngest member of the entire Manoso family. He would always be the baby. Ranger'd have to get used to that.

Enrique Manoso came into the living room smiling broadly. He patted Ranger on the knee and asked, "¿Cómo te sientes, Pétalos?" ("How are you feeling, Petal?").

Enrique slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. He explained to Maria that the doctor called Carlito a hothouse flower. She tried not to laugh, but couldn't help herself. It was funny.

Ranger looked up at the ceiling. Apparently, his father stopped on the fifth floor to visit the team. He hoped that whoever shared that bit of information was enjoying his last days on earth.

Enrique sat on the sofa beside his son and said, "¿Cómo está mi niño?" ("How's my boy?")

Frankie said, "Estoy bien, Abuelo." ("I'm fine, Grandpa.")

"Tú no eres mi hijo." ("You're not my boy.)

Frankie started to worry. First, he wasn't Abuela's baby, Daddy was her baby. Now he wasn't Abuelo's boy. What next? Was Mommy going to tell him that he wasn't her angel? That Daddy was her angel? Yeesh! "¿No?" ("No?")

"No, su papá es mi hijo. Tú eres mi niño grande." ("Your daddy is my boy. You're my big boy.")

Enrique picked up Frankie and jostled him around a bit.

oOoOoOo

Enrique noticed Wilby when he finished roughhousing with Frankie. He held up the glowworm and asked, "¿Es esto Wilby? ¿Qué está Wilby haciendo aquí?"("Is this Wilby? What's Wilby doing here?")

"Frankie traído a mí." ("Frankie brought him to me.")

"Daddy necesitaba un peluche a lo ayudó sueño," ("Daddy needed a cuddly to helped him go sleepy,") Frankie explained.

"Pensé que abrazó Stephanie para ayudarle a ir sueño?" ("Thought you cuddled Stephanie to help you go sleepy?") Enrique whispered as he elbowed his son.

"Que hago," ("I do,") Ranger whispered back. Then he thought, did his father cuddle with his mother to go to sleep? Nah! But they did produce five children. They seemed happy. Maybe his parents cuddled. Maybe his parents still cuddled. Ranger closed his eyes for a second. This was too ridiculous to think about, especially when he felt lousy.

Abuela Maria motioned for Frankie to come to her. He climbed over Ranger's legs to get to his grandmother's lap. Ranger winced and moaned.

"Usted le diste Papá Wilby abrazar?" ("You gave Daddy Wilby to cuddle?")

When Frankie nodded, Maria gave him about a million kisses. Frankie liked that.

"Tú eres la más dulce niño. Tienes que amar a Papá mucho." ("You're the sweetest boy. You must love your Daddy very much.")

Frankie nodded again and Maria gave him more kisses.

"Él no me dió Belfry". ("He didn't give me Belfry.")

"¿Qué?" ("What?") asked Enrique.

"Él no me dió Belfry. Si él realmente me amaba, que sería..." ("He didn't give me Belfry. If he really loved me, he'd-")

"Yo conozco tus enfermos, pero lo queeslo que te pasa?" ("I know you're sick, but what's the matter with you?")

"Él no..." ("He didn-")

"¡Carlos! Su hijo, sus amores de tres años de edad usted compartir bastante un cariñoso con usted. Debe ser complacido es tan pensativo." ("Carlos! Your son, your three year old loved you enough to share a cuddly with you. You should be pleased he's so thoughtful.")

"Papi."

"Carlito, escuchea su padre, él tiene razón." ("Carlito, listen to your father, he's right.")

"Pero". ("But.")

"No hay pero," ("No buts,') said Maria.

Ranger listened to his mother and kept quiet. What could he say? It was obvious they weren't going to see that he was suffering and deserved to have Belfry.

oOoOoOo

On Wednesday morning, Stephanie packed up Frankie and motored him to Little Turtles for school. She was happy to get a semblance of routine back into her life.

Ranger was still playing the Cuban version of Camille. She knew he felt poorly, but he wasn't really at death's doorstep. If he continued to be such a fuss-budget, she might personally deliver him to death's doorstep.

Stephanie spent the afternoon at her parents, napping. It was a vacation from: I need this. I need that. I'm cold. I'm hot. I ache. Hold me. She awoke feeling revived. Two hours of uninterrupted sleep. It was a tonic. It was magic. Stephanie thought naps should be bottled and put on the market.

At three, she picked Frankie up at school. He schlepped past her to his car seat. No kiss. No hug. No, "Hi Mommy." He looked tired. He sounded congested. Stephanie rolled her eyes and thought, Oh no! Not again.

The End