Thoughts After Ten

Chapter 7

We were almost to my parents' house before he asked, "Who knows you're going to Point Pleasant?"

"So far just my parents and you. I'll tell Mary Lou, but no one else needs any details."

"Better that way. Are you sure telling Mary Lou is a good idea? What about your sister and grandmother?"

I shot him a look, needing to defend my friend. "Mary Lou keeps current on all the gossip, and she's kept my secrets since kindergarten." I sighed, "As for Val and Grandma, I don't know. Val won't say anything if I ask her not to, but no one controls Grandma's mouth, not even her."

"I didn't mean to insult your friend, Steph. Do you think your parents would be willing to keep your whereabouts a secret from your grandma?"

I thought about this for a minute before answering, "I think so. If we tell Dad it's safer for me that way it shouldn't be a problem. Mom will go along with whatever he decides. Of course, they may already have told her."

"We'll cross that bridge if we have to. Is your sister still driving the Buick? If so, how were you getting away tomorrow?"

Crap. I'd forgotten I was currently carless. Ranger saw the look on my face and smiled, "You know, you could borrow the Turbo."

I shook my head at him, "I'd rather you loaned it to Val. She's less likely to destroy it, and I don't want her driving Big Blue right now anyway."

He stopped the truck in front of my parents' saying, "That's how they caught you isn't it." It was more a statement than a question. "You wanted to get a car associated with you away from your sister." I nodded as tears filled my eyes.

He took my hand, saying "Don't. You keep saying that it was your fault they got to you. You put yourself at risk to protect someone you care about Steph, there's no shame in that. You were incredibly brave through the whole thing."

I laughed a little, wiping my eyes. "I didn't feel brave. I felt scared to death."

"Bravery isn't about not feeling fear, Babe. It's about doing what has to be done in spite of the fear. You are one of the bravest people I know." He brushed his lips across mine, the barest of kisses.

"You never seem afraid of anything." I told him.

He shook his head, smiling. "I'm just better at hiding it than you are. I've never been so scared as I was when I pulled into that playground. Or so relieved as when I saw you standing there."

I stared at him a minute, thinking, 'Ranger, admitting fear?' Then I realized I was wrong, and smiled. "Thanks Carlos."

His smile was the 200 watt variety, and he pulled me to him, kissing me chastely on the unswollen side of my mouth. "Anytime." He was still smiling as he pulled away, saying, "We better get in there."

I grinned back at him and nodded, unbuckling my seatbelt and getting out of the truck. Ranger grabbed my basket and we headed up to the door.

We reached the door at the same time as my mom and grandma. The four of us stood in the doorway for a few seconds before my mom said, "Stephanie, a few minutes early?" Then she smiled at Ranger, adding, "I'm glad you could join us. Please come in."

Ranger smiled at her and said, "I appreciate the invitation, Mrs. Plum."

"Stephanie's friends are always welcome, and please, call me Ellen."

Grandma chose this moment to speak up. "If either of them had half a brain, they'd be way more than friends. Hey hotstuff, you can call me Edna."

I rolled my eyes as Ranger answered "Only if you promise to stop calling me 'hotstuff.'"

Grandma grinned up at him before sticking her hand out. "Deal."

He shook her hand and turned all 200 watts on her. "Thank you, Edna."

Grandma walked into the kitchen, looking dazed. I was looking at him a little wide-eyed myself. "Did you just tame Grandma?"

"I hope so, but I have a feeling the women in this family can't be tamed."

"Have you met my mother and sister?" I asked him incredulously.

"Okay, some of the women in this family. I want to talk to your dad for a minute. Can you find out from your mom if your grandma knows where you're going?"

"Sure. Come on. Dad will be in the living room." I led him into the living room, and sure enough, Dad was in his usual chair. He stood as we entered and held his hand out. "Glad you could make it, Ranger."

Ranger shook Dad's hand. "Glad to be here. There are a couple of things I'd like to talk to you about."

Dad indicated the couch. "Have a seat."

That seemed to be my cue, so I headed to the kitchen. Mom and Grandma were putting the finishing touches on dinner. Grandma looked over at me. "I'm glad it wasn't any worse."

I put a hand to her shoulder. "Thanks, me too." She nodded, and headed out to the dining room to set the table.

"Something on your mind, Stephanie?" asked Mom as she grabbed the salad out of the refrigerator.

"Actually, I was wondering if Grandma knew where I was going. Thanks for that, by the way."

"No, your Dad and I decided on it last night, and I made the arrangements this morning before your grandma got home. Why?"

"Ranger and I think the fewer the people who know where I am, the better. I know Grandma wouldn't mean to tell if we asked her not to, but sometimes her mouth gets away from her."

"I won't tell her if you think it's best, but Steph, are you still in danger?" Mom looked worried, and I had another guilt attack.

"Not too much Mom, but there's a slayer who may be looking for me. Ranger's men are looking for him, and in the meantime I should keep a low profile. Try not to worry."

This made her smile. "I'm your mother, I'll always worry. You will be careful, won't you?"

"Yes, and Ranger is helping with that too."

That seemed to settle it for Mom. "Good. Now let's get dinner on the table. Your sister and the girls should be here any minute."

Mom had outdone herself. Dad must have told her Ranger was coming to dinner, because she had made spinach lasagne, homemade breadsticks, and a big salad. Mom's spinach lasagne was to die for. Half healthy, half gooey, all delicious.

She noticed me notice, and shrugged "It seemed like a good compromise. I hope he likes it."

"If he doesn't, he's crazier than people say he is. It's perfect." I grabbed the salad and breadsticks and headed to the dining room. Normally, Dad would have already been at the table, but he and Ranger walked in just after I did. Just then Val and the girls came in.

"Sorry if I'm late. Albert won't be able to make it. He's meeting with a client." She looked at Angie and Mary Alice and said, "You girls go upstairs and wash up for supper." She had Lisa in her car seat in one hand, and her purse and some other contraption in the other. She handed me the contraption. "Could you set this up in the living room?" She followed me in as I took whatever it was out of its carrying case. I unfolded the thing, and it turned out to be a mini playpen. Val carefully took a sleeping Lisa out of her car seat and laid her down in the playpen without waking her.

Every now and then, looking at baby Lisa made me wonder what I was missing. Especially when she was sleeping so peacefully. The girls came stomping down the stairs, and I remembered why I wasn't ready for children. We joined the others at the table and sat down. I discovered that Mom had arranged seating so that Grandma was seated farthest from Ranger, and sent her a silent thanks. She winked at me, so she knew exactly what I had been thinking. Does everyone but me have ESP?

We had never really been a family who said grace, but Mary Alice had recently discovered the practice and decided she liked it. I think she liked the idea of talking directly to God, with her family as witnesses. My mother asked her, "Mary Alice, would you like to say grace?"

Mary Alice beamed at my mother and nodded, reaching out to either side of her as she bowed her head. She took my mother's hand with her left hand, and Ranger's hand with her right, and I was suddenly struck by how tiny her hand looked in his. I wondered about his daughter, and what kind of relationship he had with her. Did she feel as close to her dad as I did to mine when I was little? And if she did, how hard was it for both of them to be so far from each other? Then I shook my head a little and stopped wondering, as Mary Alice had begun her prayer.

"Dear Lord, thank you for Grandma's lasagne, my second favorite thing besides chocolate chip cookies. Thank you for the house we're moving into, where Angie and I will have our own room. Thank you for Aunt Stephanie not being too beat up to eat with us. Thank you for her friend Ranger, who helps keep her safe. Thank you for Lisa being asleep, so Mommy gets to eat with us. Take care of all of us." In a much smaller voice, she continued, "Take care of Daddy too, wherever he is. In Jesus name, amen." Val had shot her a startled look at the mention of Steve, but wiped it from her expression as we all said 'amen'.

I think all of us were thinking about her prayer, because the table had never been this silent as we passed the food around. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Val? You said Albert's meeting with a client?"

She smiled at me gratefully. "Yes, that's the third one today. His practice is really starting to take off."

"Wow, that's great! Kinda sudden though, isn't it?"

Now she looked at me a little guiltily, "Promise you won't get mad?"

I was getting confused, "Why would I be mad?"

She blushed a little as she continued, "It's just that people know you introduced me to him. They just assumed he was your lawyer, and helped you. He doesn't tell them he is, but he doesn't exactly deny it either. Your reputation for exploding cars and buildings, and getting bad guys after you, has stirred up some interest in his practice."

I didn't know how to feel about that. My reputation was somewhat deserved but highly exaggerated. "I always hated all the gossip about my life, but if it's helping Albert build his practice, at least some good has come of it."

"Thanks sis, I'd hoped you would understand."

Mary Alice turned to Ranger and said, "I didn't know boys could have long hair and wear earrings."

My dad scowled, the rest of us tried not to smile too much as we turned to see how Ranger handled this. He smiled gently at her and said, "If a girl can be a horse, a boy can have long hair and earrings."

She smiled up at him and shrugged. "Okay."

Wow, does he have to make everything look so easy? Angie spoke up then. "Mom says a man has to be secure in his masculinity to wear jewelry."

I don't know who was blushing more, me or Val. Ranger turned his amused glance to Angie and asked, "Do you know what that means?"

She frowned a little, thinking. "I think it means that you have to know you're a man and not care what other people think."

"Exactly right," he told her as she beamed. "It's always good to know who you are, and not let other people's opinions change you."

I wondered if he'd said that for my benefit. Meanwhile, Mary Alice was turning to me. "Did you really have a fight with a gang?"

"Sort of." I shrugged at her.

"Why do you chase bad guys?" she asked.

"It's my job."

"Do you like it?" This from Angie.

"Most of the time, I do."

"Don't you get scared?" Mary Alice asked.

I sighed as I thought of how to answer her. "Sometimes I do. Lucky for me I have friends I can call to help me when I need to."

Grandma had to put her two cents in "So, I want details! What am I gonna tell the girls at the beauty salon?"

Mom came to my rescue, as I concentrated on chewing. "Mother! That's not appropriate dinner table conversation. You promised you'd be on your best behavior."

Grandma just smiled at her, "Can't blame me for trying!"

I looked down at my plate, suddenly noticing I had already finished half of it. That is not the way to treat Mom's lasagne. Fortunately, dinner conversation drifted to safer topics, mainly the wedding. I looked attentive, but I wasn't. Ranger shocked me by having a second helping of lasagne.

He laughed at my look. "What? Mary Alice was right, this the second best thing besides chocolate chip cookies."

My mother and Mary Alice both beamed at him. Lisa chose this moment to wake up, crying in the living room. I shot a look at Val and said, "I'll get her, you eat." I picked up the baby and she stopped crying immediately. I think she just woke up and didn't know where she was. I cuddled her to me as I walked back into the dining room. This is the great part about being an aunt. You get to participate in some of the fun and cuddly stuff, but I can hand her to Val if she fusses.

Everyone was almost finished eating, so Mom got up to get dessert. I sat down with Lisa in my arms. Mom was dishing out pineapple upside down cake, which Ranger declined. He pulled my plate to him while I stared.

His eyes were twinkling as he said "Looks like you have your hands full, need help?" He proceeded to feed me, right there in front of my family. From anyone else it wouldn't have been a big deal. From Ranger? It was sexy as hell. Of course, so is everything he does. I watched his eyes darken as I moaned over my dessert. I loved that look, and lost myself in it for a minute. We both remembered where we were, and he set the fork down. "Maybe I better hold the baby and let you eat."

I blushed and nodded, handing Lisa to him while I finished dessert. She put her head down on his shoulder and went back to sleep. He was going to help clear the table, but Mom wouldn't hear of it. "Don't be silly, you're a guest! Val and Stephanie can help me clean up."

Val looked at Ranger, "You can put her back in the playpen if you like."

Ranger smiled at the baby in his arms, and suddenly I could picture him as a father. "You mind if I hold her a while?"

"Not at all, I just don't want you to feel obligated."

Grandma's ride for the evening viewing showed up, so she flew up the stairs to touch up her makeup.

Val and I helped Mom clear the table as Dad, Ranger and the girls headed into the living room.

We started the dishes in our old positions. Val washes, I rinse, Mom dries and puts away.

Mom asked, "Steph, what's going on between you and Ranger?"

I focused on the dishes as I said, "I wish I knew."

"It's obvious you two are attracted to each other," said Val. "You always say you are friends, but is something more going on?"

"What about Joe?" asked Mom softly. "Have you two broken up?"

"Mom, Val, I haven't seen Joe since this morning. It's probably over between us. Lord knows we can't go on the way we have been. But we haven't talked about anything. As for Ranger, I don't know. Of course I'm attracted to him. But we are friends. He told me once that his lifestyle didn't lend itself to relationships, and I've taken that at face value. Today, he's shown me more sides of himself than I've seen in two years. What that means, I'm not sure. Would I want a relationship with him? I don't know, in a lot of ways I'm just now getting to know him. Bottom line? The jury is still out."

Mom took the last dish from me as she said, "You've just had a traumatic experience. You should really think about it before you make decisions you can't take back. Maybe your father is right, and Joe isn't the one for you. Maybe Ranger is, and maybe not. But you don't have to decide anything right away. I just want you to be happy."

Val looked at the two of us and said, "She's right, Steph. Take your time."

I smiled at them both. "Thanks"

Val grinned at me. "Come on, help me load up my girls to go home."

I walked ahead of them to the living room and stopped short at the scene in front of me. Dad was in his chair, watching the news. Ranger was on the couch, Lisa up on his left shoulder. Mary Alice was cuddled up to his right side, reading to him as he looked over her shoulder. Angie was standing behind the couch, braiding his hair. And Ranger looked like there was no place he'd rather be. I caught my breath, and just stared at him. Val came up beside me, and smiled at all of them.

Walking into the room, she reached out for Lisa, and said to Ranger, "Well, you certainly charmed them, or did they charm you?"

He handed Lisa to her laughing and said, "I think it was a mutual charmfest. These girls are going to be real heartbreakers someday."

Val shuddered, laughing herself. "I hope that day is a long time coming."

Ranger and I helped Val get the girls buckled in to their seatbelts and carseat. She had a bag of leftovers to take for Albert.

We walked back toward the house, and I couldn't help noticing how distant he seemed. "Hey, you okay?"

He put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Yeah, thanks. Spending time with your nieces just made me miss my daughter."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked him.

He smiled down at me, then kissed me gently. "Yes, but not today. I have some work I need to take care of, and I need to figure something out for transportation for you and Val. I don't really want either of you driving Big Blue until we find Eugene. What time did you want to leave tomorrow?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. Why?"

"If you could wait until eleven or so, I can head out with you, check out the cabin and the area, we can decide what security arrangements you need."

"Sounds good. That will give me time to do some laundry and packing, and figure out if I need anything from Val's."

We went back inside, where he thanked my mom for dinner, and accepted a bag of leftovers from her. I walked him to the door. He nodded toward the bag and said, "I'm going to have to hide this from Tank."

"Tell him it's mine, and if he touches it he's in big trouble."

"Good plan, Babe. Where did you put your gunbelt?"

"On top of the fridge, out of the girls' reach."

"Good. Do me a favor and take it upstairs with you when you go up. Put it somewhere within reach. I don't want you walking me out unarmed, so I'll say goodnight here. Call me when you get up." He put his keys and the bag in one hand, and pulled me to him with the other. His kiss was slow and tender, and it left me a little breathless. He gently touched the swollen side of my mouth, asking "Did I hurt you?" I just shook my head, incapable of speech. "Good. Sweet dreams, Steph." Then he walked out the door.