Chapter 4

Once I leave RangeMan, I almost feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. I must say, I'm a little proud of myself for not backing down to Ranger. I went immediately to my house and squeezed my boys to me. I went about my day in the normal way, working, drinking coffee and taking care of them, feeling better about my decision every minute. The twins are safe and happy. That's what matters.

Later that evening, when I'm contemplating what to have for dinner, my dad calls. "STEPHANIE," he says loudly into the phone.

I hold the phone away from my ear, "Hey, dad."

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Let me explain something: my poor father still hasn't gotten a hang of this cell phone thing. He's only had his for about a month but he avoids using it whenever possible. I'm convinced he thinks he's talking into a can with a string attached to it. "Dad, it's not on speakerphone. You can talk at a normal volume, you know."

"WHAT?!"

"I said don't yell into the phone!"

"YOU WANT ME TO YELL INTO THE PHONE?"

"No, dad, I want you to stop yelling!" I shout into the phone so he can hear me.

"This stupid…" I can hear him fumbling in the background. "STEPHANIE, I'M COMING OVER AND I SHOULD BE THERE SOON …. STEPHANIE? … stupid modern technology… age of technology my hind foot…"

I can't suppress a giggle. "It's okay, dad, I'm home. Come over whenever."

"OKAY, I'LL BE RIGHT OVER!"

"OKAY, DAD!"

"Cripes!! STEPHANIE, STOP YELLING INTO THE PHONE!"

--

"So what are you going to do?" My father asks me later as I sit digging into the leftovers from dinner he's brought me. We're sitting in the living room and he's playing with the twins on the floor, showing them the new baby tackle boxes he's brought them.

I shook my head and swallowed a bite of chicken. "Find another job."

He nods, "It's that easy?"

I shrug, "Who knows. Maybe, maybe not. I just need something in the mean time. Next semester, I'll sign up to give more classes and I'll look around for other writing opportunities." I watch as he pulls another stuffed toy out of the little tackle box. "Dad, I wish you wouldn't buy them something every week, you're going to spoil them. Besides, my house is small enough and I'm going to have to add on to it if you keep this up."

"This is just the part I forgot about for their birthday. What good is a fishing pole without a tackle box? You tell me that." He grins at Alex who has crawled over to him, waving a stuffed fishy in the air. "Isn't that right, Alex? You can't go fishing without a tackle box can you?" He picks him up and lifts him up high in the air, making Alex laugh. "That's right! I want them to grow up to like fishing." He says to me "It's a good hobby for young boys. Instead of gallivanting on street corners with other teenagers in funny haircuts... doing God-knows-what. Looting stores, sneaking booze, flirting and texting," he says as though its a filthy word, "Nope, not these boys. They'll be wanting to fish. You'll see."

"Ah, yes," I grin in spite of myself. "I wouldn't want them texting," my sarcasm is lost on my father, "Dad, you do realize they can't even stand on their own yet, right?"

My dad does an astonishing impression of me and rolls his eyes. "Honestly, I'm not senile. You're confusing me with your grandfather."

"Grandpa Plum?"

"Not my father, your mother's father. That man used to put spiders into jars and collect them as pets." He grunts, "Crazy old cook."

I stifle a laugh. "Man, dad, you really hated your in-laws, didn't you?"

"Who said I hated him? I loved the man. He kept your grandmother away for months at a time. I should have built a monument in his name."

This time, I can't hold back a laugh. "Well, okay, but let this be it on the presents for a while, okay?"

He nods, though I'm pretty sure he's ignoring me. "So, you need money? I've got some savings."

I shake my head. "No, thanks. I'll figure it out. I've got a little in the bank to hold me over for a while. And I can take up some more skips from Vinnie if I'm desperate."

My father shoots me an annoyed look. "If you were desperate, I should hope you'd come to me for some help."

"You know I would. I didn't mean it like that."

"You shouldn't be too proud to ask your parents for help, you know."

I nod, "I know, but I'm fine for now."

"Fine," he says. He puts Alex back down and helps Tove open his own little tackle box.

I watch silently as I eat my way through some mashed potatoes. See, they have a father figure. When I was growing up, I didn't really appreciate my dad the way I should have. I never realized how much he actually did for all of us. He supported his family, he was always there when he needed to be and he put up with a lot, stuff he'd much rather not have dealt with. This is what a father figure should be. This is a real father.

"Well," he says, turning to me. "Now, Stephanie, I don't know how to bring this up…"

"Uh oh," I say automatically.

He frowns, "Now, just listen to what I have to say. You can do that, can't you? It can't hurt to listen," he grunts. "Look, I know you don't go to church anymore on a regular basis and I'm not sure what your stance on religion is these days but I'm guessing your Catholic upbringing stopped you from ending your pregnancy when you had the chance so there's some hope."

It's my turn to frown now. "What's this about?"

"Baptism." He says, finally. "I want you to have the boys baptized."

I groan, "Dad, I don't want a big fuss at mom's church with all of Trenton flocking in to get a look at my kids. You know all the rumors that will be spreading around after they see them, I mean, they look exactly like Ranger, so it won't be hard for them to put two and two together."

"This isn't about the damn 'Burg! They can all go boil their heads for all I care. No, this is about those boys." He fumbles with the buttons on his shirt, "Now, I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but we did bring you up Catholic, and I haven't asked you for anything and since you're being so stubborn about money—,"

"Hold it," I say. "Are you trying to guilt me into this? Isn't that mom's area of expertise?"

"We share the skills, she just uses them more. Is it working?"

I sigh. "I can't say that I haven't thought about it. I was haven't gotten around to planning it. But I don't want it to be in mom's church. It'll be here or somewhere I choose. And I'm only inviting you and mom and grandma. It's not going to be a big deal."

He smiles. "Good. I don't care where or how you do it, as long as it gets done. And we don't have to invite your grandmother."

I laugh. "Dad!"

He clears his throat a few times, "Well, uh… ahem… uh, thanks," he stammers out.

I put my plate on the side table next to the couch and give him a hug. "No problem. Thanks, by the way."

"For what?" he asks, awkwardly.

"For everything."

--

In the week since my last encounter with Ranger, I haven't heard from him. I don't even hear about him from the guys. Hector just waves it off and mumbles something in Spanish when he comes by to inspect my security system. Lester said he was angry that last day we talked and maybe the next but after that he was eerily calm with a quietness and monotonous, automatic action that was rare for Ranger. It worried me a bit, but I didn't let myself dwell on it. It worries Lester also, I can tell. Celia tells me the same thing after class; that he's not around but he doesn't know that she knows. He doesn't know she's in my class either and, frankly, I think it's better that way. I'm sure Ranger would find a way to get angry about that, too. However, Celia doesn't seem to be at all afraid of him… crazy woman.

I won't have the RangeMan income anymore, but I find ways around that; I sign up to give more classes next semester, I agree to help Vinnie with some other skips on certain days; nothing dangerous and only people I know won't come after me. I even talk to the editor at the Jersey Gazette about branching out my column and start to apply at other places. It will work out. I know it will. It has to. I'm just glad the twins are sleeping through the night so I have time to collect my thoughts and sort things out. I don't even want to go into what it was like when they didn't.

The baptism thing is giving me a bit of a headache. I've decided that I want it done when the weather is warmer because wetting a child's head in the middle of winter seems like a bad idea. Then there is the hassle of dealing with the strict guidelines of the Catholic Church and the questions they ask. It got a little uncomfortable when I talked about being an unwed mother. There would be no father at the ceremony. Godparents? I have no idea.

On Saturday after helping Lula with a skip in the early morning, I pick up the boys from my parent's house and meet Emily and Maggie at the big Barnes & Noble in our town where we chat in the coffee area and browse books.

"Oh, good," Emily says, looking down at a sleeping Maggie in her stroller. "She's asleep. I need to make a quick stop at the romance section."

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Romance section? Seriously?"

"Hey, don't judge, I don't have any man to speak of and I keep having dreams about that Lester guy that make me wake up blushing. I have to do something." She says as I laugh. "Watch Maggie for me?"

I nod and pull her stroller closer to me as I sit with them. Tove's eyes begin closing also, while Alex is flipping through a baby book with a fuzzy cover. I tuck Tove in, smoothing his silky dark hair back and pull his blanket up. Then I do the same with Maggie, tucking a strand of wavy strawberry blonde hair behind her ear as she sleeps. I yawn and take a sip of the scalding coffee in my hands as I scan the first chapters of the books I have on me. I already have two at home that I'm a chapter into each. I'll make time soon. I know I will.

It's not long before Emily is back with a small stack of paperbacks. "Stocking up?" I ask. "Wouldn't it be easier to just get a vibrator and use your imagination?"

She holds one up for me. "This one is for you." She hands it to me.

I look at it and laugh. "A vampire book? I'm supposed to get my jollies off to Dracula?"

We both giggle. "Trust me on this one." She says. "You won't be able to put it down. Just keep it by your bed."

I shake my head, but take the book with me anyway. I buy the boys each one book, plus two for me, including Emily's suggestion, then we wave goodbye to her and Maggie. I make a quick stop at the Whole Foods in my town (I'm trying to instill healthier eating habits to the boys… and sure, I've picked up a few, too) and then another stop at Trader Joe's (best garlic pizza dough ever! It's what I usually end up making for myself; pizza… but it's homemade, so it doesn't count as 'bad pizza') and then one other quick stop at Dunkin' Donuts (come on, I'm still me. Did you think I'd given up on doughnuts?).

When I get home, I immediately put the sleepy boys in their cribs, and then go unload the bags from my car. I'm unloading the last bag when I see a car pull up near my house. It's a grey Cadillac of some sort. Not a cool kind, more like an old man kind of car. I can't see too clearly into it, but there are two men inside.

Feeling a little uneasy, I go inside and lock all my doors.

Half an hour later, I'm finally done putting groceries away and I hear the baby monitor registering two awake babies, so I bring the boys downstairs and feed them. I do a quick check out my window and see the car is still there…

I keep my phone handy, double check my alarm system and keep the boys with me. We play in the living room for a while, rolling a little ball to each other. Alex pushes it towards me, smiling. I push it back to Tove. Tove bangs on the ball when it gets to him.

It's another half hour before my doorbell rings. Feeling weird, I say to the boys. "Stay here, guys." They amuse themselves by crawling around with the ball.

There are the two men standing there when I look through the peep hole.

I don't open the door. "Can I help you?" I ask loudly.

One of the men speaks through the door. "Hello, we're here looking for Stephanie Plum." he says. "I'm Stanley Dwight, Mr. Mañoso's lawyer. We need to speak with you about your children and their safety."

His words don't register right away. Lawyer?! I feel a swift rage piston through me and I open the door just enough for me stare at them. "Excuse me?!"

The man who is speaking looks a little young to be a lawyer; his voice is a little nasally, too. He reminds me of those kids in the playground who are always tattle-tailing and sucking up to teachers with grinning evilly at their peers. "Their father has rights and is suing for partial custody. We have a warrant to get a DNA sample from each twin." He says with a snooty air about him.

I set my jaw and glare at him. "Look, kid, my children are perfectly safe and I'm not letting you anywhere near them. Go play lawyer somewhere else."

The man shrugs. "Either you let us in to see them and get the sample or we call the authorities. It's up to you, lady."

"You'll have to call them, then. In fact, don't bother, I'm calling them." I glare. I'm about to shut the door when a black SUV pulls up in front of the house. My rage starts to bubble inside me and I feel like a volcano that's about to explode. Suddenly, I understand the feeling a grizzly gets when someone goes near her cub… I want to rip someone apart with my bear hands.

Ranger steps out, his face all hard angle. He looks pissed. But I'm more pissed. "How fucking dare you!" I yell at him as he gets closer.

His features seem harder, harsher than usual and he's got a look that clearly states Don't Fuck With Me. He doesn't even look at me, though, but he immediately turns to the men in front of me. "I thought I made it clear that you weren't to come here." He snarls at them, his tone is loaded and deadly with a look in his eyes that could kill.

The one man on the right, the nasal lawyer, his mood goes from smug to scared shitless in seconds. He looks like he might pee himself, "Mr. Mañoso, I'm glad you got my message." He says, though he doesn't look happy at all. He begins fumbling with the button on his coat. "We didn't expect you to get here so soon. I thought we'd get this done as quickly as possible—,"

"By ignoring my orders?!" His voice is like a pistol.

I'm watching, too focused on being livid as hell at Ranger and wanting to tell him off, when I notice out of the corner of my eye that the boys have left the living room and are crawling towards me, Tove in the lead. For a second I'm thinking of slamming the door, but I don't want to alarm them. I scoop them each up and hold them protectively in my arms, trying to close the door with my legs.

The second Ranger sees them, his angry face slips. Something in his eyes forces me to pause for a second and I'm torn between trying to figure out what it is and telling him off.

It's suddenly like time stands still for him. He stops cold. I can see him taking them in; their silky dark hair, their blue eyes, their skin tone that is a mix of his and mine. They have pouty lips that could be from either of us. They even have his perfectly straight nose and the beginnings of what I'm sure will develop into his strong jaw line.

His sons.

In his trance-like state, he doesn't notice when the other man comes forward. "Well, while we're here, we may as well get what we came for," says the nerdier looking man. He's tall and lanky with beady eyes. "I'm a physician hired by Mr. Mañoso's lawyers to examine the children and provide a DNA match," he explains haphazardly to me while looking at the boys in my arms, "I'm going to have to ask you to hand me one of the boys so I can get a sample." He says to me.

"You touch them and I'm going to knee you where it counts." I say dangerously to him, remembering that I need to get the boys away.

I move to close the doors with my legs again but the doctor stops me, putting his hand on the door and holding it open, "Ma'am, your attitude isn't helping." He says, coming much too close for comfort. I prepare myself to launch another verbal attack and kick him in the gut.

But then he does something stupid. He reaches out, puts his hands on Tove and literally pulls at him until he's out of my arms. "No!" I yell at the guy, holding on for dear life to my son who is looking very anxious. He doesn't want this guy to hold him. The doctor guy is grasping on to him rather roughly, and if I don't let go, he'll hurt Tove more as his hand digs into my son's side. I let my hold on him slip for a split-second, then go to grab him back, but the doctor is already stepping away with him.

"Give. Me. My. Son." I say menacingly. Tove is clearly uncomfortable, this idiot is holding him the wrong way and I think he might be hurting him. His face is scrunching and I can tell he's going to cry.

Ranger is still standing in a trance, staring at his son's face; Alex's, as he sits in my arms frowning at the man holding his brother.

The doctor ignores me. He is touching Tove, examining him with one hand as he holds onto him much too tight with another. He has a cotton swab and is practically prying Tove's mouth open with rough hands. Tove squirms to get away. "Stay still." The man orders him. In my anger I'm frozen though I'm trying to figure out a way to grab Tove away from him without hurting my baby.

Then Tove starts to cry and I react, my maternal instincts on overdrive. "GIVE. ME. MY. SON!" I scream.

My scream snaps Ranger out of his reverie and he immediately moves towards Tove. His anger is back in full force, maybe even double, and it's geared right at the doctor. It's so sudden and intense that if he hadn't been an imbecile who forcibly took my son out of my hands, I would have felt sorry for him. "Give him back. Now." Ranger's tone is low, dangerous and deadly. He's a man of few words but the right ones and it's clear that this guy isn't going to get out of this unscathed.

The lawyer guy is standing with his eyes wide, looking very nervous while the idiot doctor tries to reason. "If I could just get him to stop moving… we're already here, we may as well," he says, his voice a little high. But Tove isn't cooperating and before Ranger gets near enough to them, the doctor guy moves him around a little too roughly. "Stay still," he commands Tove who screams some more. The swab slips out of the doctor's grasp and on the way to catching it, his hand hits Tove in the face with an audible slap.

A million things happen at once. My blood drains from me and my mind doesn't work anymore; it's focused on my baby in a stranger's grasp. I can't breathe. I hardly see Ranger's hand moving: one second it's by his side and in the blink of an eye it's wrapped tightly around the man's throat, while his other hand reaches for the Tove. I get there first, though in a furious mixture of rage and panic, and as I grab Tove, who is screaming bloody murder, I knee the doctor in the groin making him immediately let go then go in the house, slamming the door behind me. I don't watch as Ranger's eyes go black with fury at the doctor who looks like as though he can't breathe and wants to pee his pants. I don't watch anything. I lock the door, set the alarm, prop a chair up in front of it so no one can turn the knob, then grab the boys again and bolt.

I lock myself and the boys upstairs in my bedroom. Tears are running down my face and I'm trying to desperately calm Tove down as he screams. I can't believe … I just can't believe …

… I don't know what to do—I can't think—I'm angry and scared—God, I'm so many things. I've got this dull pain in my chest I can't seem to get under control… still can't breathe…

I immediately dial Tank's number.

When he picks up I stammer. "Ranger… doctor… hurt Tove… trying to take …. twins… they're here… I couldn't stop them… I couldn't protect …" I say in between huge sobs before breaking down completely while still on the phone. My chest hurts again and somewhere in the back of my mind I know I have to breathe IN.

Tove is still crying loudly and I'm trying to soothe him at the same time.

"Steph? Calm down. We're on our way." I hear an engine revving in the background.

After hanging up with him I wrap the boys in my arms as I sink onto the floor in the far corner of the room. I frantically kiss Tove's face right where the guy's hand hit him. "It's going to be alright, I promise—I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Not ever again," I cry, huge, racking sobs taking over my body. I hold them both in my arms, gently rubbing their backs, trying to breathe and to stop my own panicked sobs.

I feel completely shaken. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm shaking. I let this happen to them. What kind of mother can't protect her child from two imbeciles? I have a gun, why didn't I use it? Why didn't I keep them from coming to the door?

"Sshh," I say as soothingly as I can to the babies, in between my own gasps. Tove is still sobbing. "Did he hurt you? I'm— so sorry, buddy, mommy is— so sorry." I cry with him. My sobs are bigger than his now that he's quieted down but mine are coming out in gasps for air. He's sniffling in my arms now as I bounce them on my shaking limbs. I watch them intently, checking for any signs of trauma as Alex stretches out a chubby hand and touches his brother's arm.

The doorbell rings incessantly as time passes at what seems like a snail's pace and each time my heart seizes and I freak all over again, but I don't open it. I know its Ranger. That monster isn't coming anywhere near my kids. But what if he tries to break in? What if he doesn't leave? How did he find out where I lived? I begin crying all over again, feeling totally helpless. For the first time since I had the boys, I feel like a failure.

I'm in a total panic. I can hardly breathe and I just want Tank and Lester to get here. Ranger's phone calls go ignored, and there are lots of them. I stay in my room, huddled on the floor in the far corner, rocking my boys in my trembling arms. Alex strokes an arm out and is steadily patting a now much calmer Tove. Then he moves his hand to my face and I kiss his little palm. "I love you. I'm so sorry, you guys." I sob.

They both look calm, though I'm a basket case. My sobs are huge and the noises of the doorbell, the boys' sniffles, the phone and my own gasping do nothing to calm me. My chest is still hurting. I feel incompetent as a parent, I'm scared. I'm nervous that this may have lasting affects with them. I'm pissed as all hell.

"Mommy is never going to let that happen again." I kiss both of them and hold them tightly to me, ignoring the doorbells and the ringing of my phone.

I don't look out the window to see if anyone has arrived. I don't move. I don't let my boys out of my arms.

Time goes by, I don't know how long.

It seems like forever until Tank calls and when he does I've hardly managed to pull myself together.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Steph, let us in. We're outside."

"Is Ranger there?"

He pauses. "Yes."

"Then, no."

"Steph, look, it was an accident. Ranger explained, it wasn't supposed to go down like this."

I shake my head. "I'm not opening the door until those monsters are gone!"

Tank sighs. "I understand you're upset. But we're here and you know Les and I won't let anything happen to the twins, right?"

I feel fresh tears spring into my eyes. "He let some guy grab Tove and hit him!" I say, my voice cracking, "I couldn't stop it! I watched as some stupid, cruel—," Another stabbing pain in my chest and I wince, gasping for air again.

"Those guys are gone, Steph. One of them is on his way to the hospital with some serious internal bleeding. It's just the three of us down here. Those men weren't supposed to just show up at your house like that." He says something to someone else, which I can't hear. Is my ear ringing? He probably put his hand over the receiver.

A couple seconds later someone else talks into the phone. "Babe."

I feel a deep rage rising up inside me. "You are a monster. I never want you near—,"

"I'm sorry, Stephanie, they weren't supposed to show up here. It was something stupid I considered in anger but I wasn't going to pursue it—"

"—you are a bastard! I never—"

"—I came over when I got the call a little while ago that some idiot decided to proceed with it against my authority. They weren't supposed to be here at all. Please, Babe—,"

"—I don't care—,"

"—my usual lawyers got some eager new asshole on the account and he jumped the gun." He interrupts, pleadingly, though at the mention of the men, his voice is rough with anger. "I fired him and the whole law firm, they're never coming back, Babe."

"Leave us alone!" I cry into the phone.

Ranger's voice is soft. "Babe, I'm so sorry. I promise… I swear I won't let anyone hurt you or the boys."

"I'm not coming out until you're gone. I'm going to get a restraining order against you and you are never going to come near my boys again. Do you hear me? NEVER!" I hang up the phone and throw it across the room, where it crashes against the door and breaks into pieces.

Alex and Tove are quiet in my arms but by the looks on their faces I can tell that my anger and yelling has frightened them and they might cry. I squeeze them to let them know everything is alright, even though I'm not sure it is. "I'm sorry I had to yell." I say to them softly but it seems as though my rage is raising my temperature. I continue cooing comforting little nothings at them as I panic and soon they're so quiet that I know they'll succumb to sleep soon. My mind focuses only on getting them to sleep. In minutes slumber takes over.

As soon as I step out of my room and am assured that they're fine for now, the pain in my chest seems to double. I can't breathe correctly and I know something is wrong. I try running downstairs to open the door so Tank can help me but I miss a step and tumble down them instead. The last thing I hear is someone yelling through the door as I'm lying motionless and in terrible pain on the floor: "What the hell was that? Steph?! STEPH?!"

--

Thoughts?