She Loves Me Part 2
Stephanie came upon her Rangeman Cubicle. There was a large bouquet of flowers. It had daisies of blue, yellow, and white. She recognized the snapdragons, fragrant pink sweet peas, and also blue flowered spikes which she didn't know the name in an old fashioned white pitcher. An image of Grandma Mazur's flower garden she used to grow came into her mind. The old white cast iron table and chairs under the large oak tree she sat having a tea party with her grandmother. Freshly baked cookies on delicate china plates painted with the flowers like the ones all around the little girl.
"Did you leave me flowers?"
Ranger looked up from his desk, his face soft nodding at Stephanie in his doorway. "You're special, Babe."
She walked over to his desk placing a warm palm on his forehead, "No fever." Staring intently at him with her beautiful blue eyes, "Who are you?" She even gently tugged on his cheek almost expecting a mask. Stephanie was still some what in shock Ranger was accompanying her to her father's birthday cook-out. "Where's Ranger?"
"It's me." He was making it a point to show Stephanie how much she meant to him. He had been lax in that. If she truly knew, there would be no nerd in the background.
"Grandma had a flower garden at her house with Grandpa. We would have tea parties amongst the flowers when I was little. Your flowers reminded me of that."
Putting his dark fingers under her chin slowly lowering his head, dark eyes never leaving hers before Stephanie's lips warmed at his soft touch. The kiss deepened. No longer aware of the Rangeman office walls around them. Only this man and this woman existed at this moment in time. Cocooned in each others arms. Two hearts were beating separately but melting into one.
"Babe," Ranger let out in a whisper, his breathing was as out-of-control as Stephanie's.
Before uttering a sound, her cell phone rang. Opening it, both could hear the shouting, "Pumpkin, it's so big!"
Ranger was chuckling.
"Daddy, I hope you meant the TV! Happy Birthday."
Now on speaker, "Of course! I'm not like that porn loving Grandma of yours. What's that noise?"
"Ranger. He's laughing. Do you like your present?"
"He laughs?"
That got a raised Cuban eyebrow.
"I like it, Pumpkin. Thank you. Get your bony fingers off my remote, you crazy old bat.
They could hear Frank and Edna struggling.
"Baby Granddaughter," Edna siad with excitement bubbling in her voice, "this is some TV. If I put one of my tapes in, I'll be right in the action like I'm getting some."
"Mother!"
Stephanie was laughing as hard as Ranger now.
"I going to take a trip to Pleasure Treasures and check out the new movie selection," Edna said. "I'll save the Cuban Package a front and center seat right next to me on the sofa. Look at those big bulges."
"It's a body slam from the Crusher," the announcer said on the wrestling show. "Ouch! That looked painful."
"Stephanie, this is your mother."
"Hi, Mom. How's the big screen?"
"Good, but it doesn't go with the furniture. I'll have to get some new stuff," Ellen explained. "There's this lady on the cooking channel who uses short cuts with store bought stuff. It was just like I was right there cooking with her. She makes cocktails to go with every meal. You'll have to teach me how to find these on that Internet thing." Ellen lowered her voice to just above a whisper, "Does Ranger know we're having steak?"
"Yes, Mom. I'm in his office. He's standing right here."
"Oh."
"Steak is fine, Mrs. Plum. I do eat meat sometimes."
Ellen continued, "Ok. We're having salad and grilled vegetables so Frank can try out this new fangled grill. I can make a baked potato for you instead of French Fries."
"I eat French Fries, also. Don't go to any trouble for me."
"No trouble, Ranger. Stephanie, can you stop at Maraschinos Grocery and pick up a gallon of their homemade vanilla ice cream to go with the birthday apple pie. I also made tiramisu."
"I can do that. Do you need help setting up?"
"No. Albert came over to help with the canopy, but he was useless. Your father chased him home before he could break something."
"I don't know how Valerie could get pregnant if he couldn't get the poles inserted right," Frank grumbled. "Hey, give me that porn disk!"
Edna yelled, "It's mine. Get your own."
"Everything is under control here, Stephanie. See you later," Ellen hung up.
Stephanie was giggling, "Are you sure you want to come? My family seems a little out of control at the moment"
"Wouldn't miss it, Babe."
Her phone rang again, "Pumpkin, how you want your steak? Want about Ranger?"
"Make mine medium well, Daddy. Ranger, how do you want your steak?"
"Same."
"His too."
"Ok, Pumpkin. No porn, you crazy old bat! Bye, Stephanie."
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Stephanie opened the front door to her parents' home. Her mother and grandmother weren't at their usual post at the screen door. The living room was empty except for a long cable running from the living room, through the dining room, out the kitchen door, and connecting to the back of her father's big screen TV sitting on the coveed back deck. Frank had built a ramp so the TV on the stand could be wheeled out.
He was standing in the yard yelling at Grandma, "You are not charging admission into the back yard to watch porno flicks!"
"It would be like a drive-in. Look at these. Pleasure Treasures was having a sale," Edna handed DVD's to Stephanie and Ranger.
There was 'Woody's Woodpecker and the Tree Nymphs', 'Backdoor Becky', and 'Down on My Knees Cecilia'.
Grandma was looking right at Ranger. "Which do you want to watch first?" Pointing to two lawn chairs right off the deck in direct view of the big screen TV, "I saved you a seat."
He looked at Stephanie with pleading in his eyes.
"Grandma, do you want the cops here for Daddy's birthday?"
"If Carl, Big Dog, or Eddie responds to the call, they'll take a seat and watch. Your father can sell popcorn. If I charge $5 a person and $10 for week-end double features, I could make a bundle."
Frank was towering over a small Edna. "You are not turning this backyard into a porno theater."
"I was going to let you in for free since it's your birthday."
"It's my backyard, my big screen TV! FORGET IT, you loon!"
Grandma turned to Ranger, "I'm an entrepreneur like Ranger."
"Dont get me involved in this!" His eyebrow shot up and he stepped back away from Grandma.
"Here, Daddy," Stephanie handed Frank a wrapped gift as did Ranger.
"From Rex," Frank chuckled reading the card and unwrapping a book on the history of baseball. "Thanks, Pumpkin," kissing her cheek. "These are for after dinner during the baseball game," shaking Ranger's hand for the Cuban cigars.
Stephanies mother brought out a platter of steaks for the grill. "There's beer and soft drinks in the cooler," Ellen told them. "I'm glad youre here, Stephanie. Your father and Mother have been arguing over porn all afternoon. I'm actually thinking of calling Jerry Springer so they can duke it out on his show. I'm beginning to think Mother is addicted to Porn!"
"I'm not addicted. I just like getting some!" Edna was eying up Ranger who stepped behind Stephanie.
There was more commotion coming through the house as Valerie, Albert, and the girls had arrived. It was going to be a long evening and Stephanie expected Ranger to run for the hills at any second.
Stephanie was shocked. Stupefied. Between her Grandma's porn and Valeries girls out of control, the night was chaos, but Ranger stayed right beside her holding her hand or playing with her curls. He complimented Ellen on the excellent steak dinner, watched some baseball while smoking a cigar with her Dad. Valerie's family had left early as Baby Lisa was cutting teeth and fussy. To top it off, her sister announced she was pregnant again. When they came out of the kitchen after carrying in the dishes, Grandma was poised in front of the big screen TV watching Cecilia doing it doggie style. The neighbors were gradually filling up the backyard and dropping money in the plate she was passing around. Standing by the hedges with big cop smiles on their faces, Carl and Big Dog. There must have been a bet at the police station, Carl was handing his partner money.
Rangers head was on the steering wheel of the Porsche, his body shaking with laughter, 'Babe, your Grandma is an original."
"Good thing the cops were here. I thought there was going to be a riot when Daddy told the neighbors there wouldn't be anymore backyard porn. I'm sorry, Ranger. The night was pure insanity."
Kissing her palm, "Babe, I had a good time, great food, wonderful company, and watched Cecilia get some with your Grandma." His chocolate eyes were smiling at Stephanie. "Do you have plans for this weekend? Will you go somewhere with me?"
Ranger waited for her answer. He wanted to show Stephanie how much he loved her and how special she was to him.
He had a tentative expression on his handsome Cuban features waiting for Stephanies response she could see. She enjoyed the attention he had given her these last two days. It was almost too much too hope for that it would go on. She nodded slightly, "I'll go with you, Ranger."