Chapter 10- Twenty years old
It had been a year since Carlos graduated boot camp. After sixteen weeks with very little communication I was looking forward to seeing him. I had driven Abuela and myself to Fort Jackson in South Carolina so we could watch his graduation. We were both so proud of him. I thought it was impossible but, Carlos looked even sexier than usual in his uniform. He had lost some weight but gained a lot of muscle. I could see the other change in him right away. He was more serious and wore a blank face more than his usual smile.
The Army had already changed him. He thought more before he spoke. He made plans rather than acting impulsively. Sometimes when I looked at him I caught him checking me out from the corner of his eye. I felt his eyes on me when I moved around a room. It made me feel a strange comfort that I couldn't really wrap my mind around. He had three days leave so he drove back with us and his parents hosted a party for him. Lester and many of his other friends had come. Lester was happy to see we weren't playing any games this time around.
****FLASHBACK***
I was at the buffet table when I felt someone behind me. I knew it wasn't Carlos and quickly turned around. The guy was the same height as me with my two inch heels on. He had black hair, brown eyes and was obviously looking me up and down. Before I could even say a word Carlos was at my side glaring at his friend.
"Hold up bro. I didn't know she was with you." the guy raised both of his hands in the air
"Now you know." Carlos spoke flatly
The guy nodded and walked away. Carlos slung his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to him.
"I'm not sure if it's sexy or creepy when you go all jealous boyfriend on me." I whispered in his ear.
"Sexy?" he asked
"You're always sexy." I kissed his ear
"I'm happy to see you smiling Carlos. I would be too if I had this one waiting for me." Lester wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me away from Carlos and to his side.
"Santos." Carlos warned
"I know. I know. She's your woman. You're could share her a little you know." Lester winked at me.
Carlos grabbed my hand and pulled me to his side. "I don't share."
Lester laughed and I joined in. Carlos gave his friend a smirk.
"Oh damn I forgot to tell you two." he rolled his eyes.
"What?" I was curious.
"Remember that chick Rachel from Karma?" he asked us
"Yeah." I rolled my eyes.
"She ended up hooking up with some guy Julio I know." he shook his head. "He knocked her up."
"Wow." I was surprised
"That could have been you." Lester told Carlos
"I don't think so." Carlos shook his head.
"Come on. A few more drinks and no Steph. It could have happened." Lester joked
"But there is a Steph." I reminded him
"And she is Beautiful." Lester wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me to him as he kissed my forehead.
"Yes she is." Carlos tugged me back to his side.
"Oh you wound me." Lester grabbed at his chest.
"Go find your own." Carlos ordered
"Already have a couple in sight." Lester wiggled his eyebrows
He headed over to the dessert table where a couple of girls were chatting with each other.
*****END FLASHBACK****
Carlos was excited because he was invited to join in a new training program. The field is called Criminal Investigations/Special Agent. It's an in demand job so he got a bonus for accepting the position. He sent home twenty thousand dollars to his parents and they used it to pay off the mortgage on their house. I had just finished my third year of school and Carlos was coming home to spend two weeks on leave.
My father won the election and he was now Mayor of Trenton. His opponent was not into mud slinging so it wasn't too bad with the press for us and the affair. He is finally engaged to Anna Costanza and she would be moving in after the wedding. Sal was interning at Princeton Medical Center deciding to go into pediatrics rather than research. He was still single and was yet to have a long term girlfriend. Eddie Gazarra was married to my cousin Shirley and Carl was still dating Allison. Mary Lou had fallen in love with and married Lenny Stankovic. They were already trying to have a baby.
"Hello." I answered my cell.
"Steph, I need you. I need a wingwoman." Colleen told me
"What's up?" I asked
"I have a blind date. I am meeting him at Karma tonight. Kim was supposed to go with me but she is sick. I know you're not single but I need a buddy." she told me.
"No problem. I got your back. What time do you want me to pick you up?" I asked
"Eight o'clock. Is Carlos in town yet?" she asked
"He's supposed to be here tomorrow." I smiled
"I guess I won't see you for a couple of weeks one he gets here." she giggled.
"Shut up. I'll see you at eight." I disconnected
I glanced at the clock and saw it was already five. I called my father to let him know where I was going and he told me he was going to go out to dinner with Anna since I had made my own plans. I heated up some baked ziti Anna had made for us and then headed for the shower. I tamed my wild hair and did the light make-up thing. I threw on a casual flowered dress I had and pulled on my gold sparkly FMP's. I had become an absolute shoe whore, buying at least one new pair every month.
I picked Colleen up at eight and we drove to Seaside. She kept fidgeting and asking me if she looked good. After reassuring her many times I got her to tell me about this blind date. During the drive she told me all about Steve. She had met him on an on-line dating site and arranged to meet him in a public place. I reminded her not to take a drink from him and only from the bartender. I then proceeded to fill her head with all of the safety tips Sal and my father were always drilling into my head. I told her I would keep her in site and reminded her not to leave the club without me. I took being a buddy seriously.
It was a Friday night so the club had a good crowd. It was still early and I knew most of the crowd wouldn't be coming in until after ten. We got our red wristbands and headed in. Being at Karma brought back memories of being here with Lester and Carlos. I shivered at the thought of Rachel hanging all over him. We went up to the bar and ordered two cokes. She glanced around looking for Steve but didn't find him yet. We scanned the bar and Colleen found a few potential back ups in case Steve didn't show up.
I turned my head and saw a tall blond guy headed our way. He was over six feet tall with blue eyes and good looking. He had the body of a swimmer and a friendly smile on his face. He smiled brighter as he approached Colleen. She turned to face him and he extended his hand.
"Colleen?" he asked
"Yes. You must be..." she shook his hand
"Steve." he finished her sentence.
Another guy stepped up beside him. He had brown hair and a pleasant smile. Steve introduced him as his friend Coalton. We moved to a booth and Coalton and I sat there as Colleen and Steve talked.
"So..." Coalton looked awkward. "You in school?"
"Yeah. I'm about to start my last year." I told him "How about you?"
"Nah. I'm an auto mechanic." he explained
"That's cool." I smiled.
"A lot of chicks think it's a crappy job." he shrugged "But I like it."
"That's all that counts." I finished my coke. "I think it sounds like a pretty good job."
The waitress stopped and dropped off a drink for me.
"This is from the gentleman at the bar. It's a Shirley Temple." she told me
I glanced over at the bar and saw a smiling Joe Morelli. I glared at him and he wiggled his eyebrows at me. I stopped the waitress before she could walk away.
"I don't want to drink without my friends." I told her.
"He said you would say that. What's everyone want? It's on him." she told Colleen and the guys.
I shrugged. The guys had on their green bracelets and both ordered red bull and vodka. Colleen got a Shirley Temple like me. I held up my drink and toasted to Morelli as I nodded a thank you. He raised his drink and returned my nod. If he wanted to waste his money then I would make sure my friends benefited. Coalton and I made more small talk but once he realized I wasn't single he left us to go on the prowl. Colleen and Steve were whispering to each other so I excused myself and headed to the bar. I looked for Morelli and spotted him on the dance floor with a couple of women. I went the opposite way around the floor so he wouldn't see me.
"What's a hot woman like you doing sitting alone?" the guy next to me asked
"Being a wingman for my bff." I told him
"Ahh. That means you're available." he smiled
I looked at him for the first time and realized it was Lester. "Hey!"
"Hi Beautiful. You playing games again?" he asked
"Nope. Just keeping the buddy system alive. My friend came to meet some guy she found on-line." I explained
"That's cool. Where is she?" he asked
I looked over to the booth and felt a bit dizzy. I guess I turned my head too fast. I pointed in the direction of the booth and Lester smiled.
"If it doesn't work out you can always introduce me." he wiggled his eyebrows.
"I'll do that." I smiled at him
"I'm off to the dance floor. Wanna join me?" he asked
"Not now. Feeling a little fuzzy." I told him.
"You okay?" he asked
"Yeah." I smiled
"You drinking?" he asked
"No, just a Shirley Temple." I told him.
"Okay. Tell me if you need anything." he took my hand and squeezed it before he headed to the floor.
I was starting to feel a little queezy when the bartender passed me my next drink. I smelled it and drank a small sip to make sure there was no alcohol. Maybe I was dehydrated. I had laid in the sun today and I knew I probably should have had more water to drink. I missed the glass a couple of times when I reached for it and found myself laughing for no reason. I was feeling very relaxed and comfortable after I finished my second drink. I felt someone next to me and realized Morelli slid in to the seat beside me.
"How you doing Cupcake?" he asked
"Mmm good. Thanks." I lifted my empty glass up in the air to toast him.
"My pleasure. We should dance." he told me
I was feeling confused. Didn't I hate him? He was being so nice. One dance wouldn't hurt right? I nodded and he took my hand and pulled me onto the floor. He immediately pulled me against him and ground his pelvis against mine. I pulled away from him and danced on my own. I was feeling fuzzy when he pulled me into him again so I just leaned on him. I was tired and felt like my arms were numb. He flung them around his neck and kept me close to him. I knew this wasn't right and I shouldn't be dancing with him. I was confused and felt light headed. I had never been drunk.
Maybe the bartender screwed up and put alcohol in one of my drinks and I just didn't realize. Maybe in the cherry? I giggled as I considered a cherry filled with alcohol. I wanted to tell Morelli I was done dancing but I couldn't find the words. I knew what I wanted to say but I couldn't get the message to my mouth. I pulled my heavy head from his shoulder and looked at his face. He was smiling and leaned in to plant a quick kiss on my lips. I didn't want it but I didn't pull away. Maybe I did want it. I was confused.
"Hey." Lester grabbed my arm and pulled me away.
"What are you doing?" Morelli asked him.
I was leaning against Lester and I smiled. He smelled nice. I wrapped one arm around his waist.
"Is she drunk?" Lester asked Morelli
"She's fine. Aren't you Cupcake?" he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him.
I nodded and snuggled my head into Morelli's neck. I didn't really care who was holding me as long as I didn't have to stand on my own.
"What did you do to her?" Lester asked
"We're just having fun. You should mind your own business." Morelli told him "Ask her if she wants to go with you."
"Beautiful. Steph." Lester tried to get my attention but I was too dizzy to look at him and my arms felt dead at my sides. I left my face buried in Morelli's neck. He smelled good. I smiled thinking about the way Carlos always smelled. His cologne mixed with his own scent was intoxicating. There was nothing on the planet as good as the smell of Carlos. My body tingled just thinking about it and I leaned into Morelli.
"You see? She's ignoring you. She probably doesn't want to hurt your feelings. You can just move along now and mind your own business before this turns ugly." Morelli warned him
I wanted Lester's attention. I wanted to go with him. I tried to reach out to him but my body didn't move. In my head I was lifting my arms to him but in reality I was still leaning into Morelli. I wanted Lester to get Carlos but I knew he wouldn't be back until tomorrow. Tomorrow? What day of the week was that? I didn't even know what today was. I tried to look at Lester but he was fuzzy. I blinked to try and clear my vision but that only had me seeing two if him now. I wondered if he was even really Lester. Maybe i was imagining him. Morelli started moving us to the music again and I didn't hear Lester's voice anymore. What about Colleen? Where was she? I was supposed to have her back.
"Colleen?" I mumbled
"She's fine." Morelli told me "Lester's talking to her."
"Lester?" I asked
"The guy who wants to be your friend? I'm your friend Cupcake. You don't need him. Probably he just wants to hook up with you. He's gone now." he told me
"I don't want..." I was trying to tell him I don't want to dance but couldn't find any more words.
"I know Cupcake. I got you. Let me take care of you." he offered
I nodded against his chest.
"I promise I'm going to take good care of you. We need to get out of here." he pulled me close to him and started ushering me off of the dance floor.
I tried to tell him no but nothing came out. I wanted to be back with Colleen. I needed to be her buddy. What was the name of the guy she was meeting again? Stan? Seth? Scott? Sean? Steve! Yes, his name was Steve. I should check on her and make sure she's safe. I wanted to talk to Lester. He always had a nice friendly face. Being with him was like being close to Carlos. I should have danced with him. I didn't know why I couldn't reach for him when I wanted to.
My legs were like lead. My whole body was so heavy. I didn't want to leave the club. Morelli was being so nice though. He's a nice guy. He was helping me. He promised to take care of me. He's really hot too. He has a great ass. Every girl in high school had loved his ass. Some said he had the best ass in Trenton. If Carlos lived in Trenton I know for sure he would give Morelli a run for his money. Morelli pulled me through the door and I felt the cool breeze on my face. I smiled and held my head up. I closed my eyes when I felt dizzy. I felt numb like I was floating. My body was thrown up and I realized Morelli was carrying me bridal style. I looked up to see his truck across the parking lot. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck.
"What in the fuck do you think you're doing?" I heard a deep angry voice.
"Oh. It's nice to see you came home for a visit." Morelli laughed "You can go back to Newark now. As you can see, your girl has moved on."
"Like hell she has. You need to put her down."
I knew that voice. It was Carlos' voice. How did he get here? Was he here to dance with girls? He wasn't supposed to be home until tomorrow. I wanted to open my eyes to look at him but it was too much effort. I opened and closed my mouth to say his name but nothing came out. I realized I was in Morelli's arms and I suddenly didn't want to be there. I wanted to be with Carlos. Was it really Carlos? No. It's got to be someone else who sounds like Carlos and Morelli is protecting me. It must be someone bad. It was a trick.
"No." I moaned out
"See?" Morelli snickered "She doesn't want to go with you."
"Set her down." Carlos ordered
"Let me just get her settled in the truck." Morelli kissed my forehead
Morelli began to move forward but was stopped. I felt warm arms reach around my body and pull me from Morelli. I curled up into the warm body and pressed my lips against his neck. He didn't smell like Carlos but he was soft and warm. His chest was strong with lots of muscle. He was better built than Morelli.
"Mmm soft." I whispered and I heard a chuckle.
"What the hell did she drink?" I heard Carlos' voice.
"So angry." I giggled as I suddenly found my voice again.
"I only saw her drink two Shirley Temples." the man holding me spoke.
Lester! There you are again. I kissed his neck. Lester was holding me. He is a very good friend. What a nice guy. I kissed his neck again.
"Take it easy Beautiful." he warned me
"Look, I appreciate the whole hero thing but she chose to come with me. She wants to leave with me. She had nothing funny to drink. Like your buddy said she had a couple of Shirley Temples. We danced and then she was ready to leave." Morelli told them
"What the hell did you give her?" Carlos growled
"Just my sexy smile." Morelli laughed "And the promise of a good time."
"Let's get her out of here. Kick his ass later we need to get her out of here." Lester's chest grumbled as he spoke.
"Just wait one second. You can't just take her away." Morelli sounded angry. "She wants to be with me. Let her speak for herself."
"Steph? Beautiful? Are you okay? Did you want to leave with Morelli?" Lester asked
I wasn't sure if I did or not. I guess I wanted to before Carlos came. I wanted to leave the club. The sounds and lights were giving me a headache. I was feeling much more relaxed now. No not Morelli and not Lester even though he was soft and warm. I opened my eyes and looked into his.
"Nice eyes." I told him
Lester chuckled "Thanks beautiful."
"But not milk chocolate. Amber flecks." I closed my eyes and moaned as I heard Lester chuckle again.
"She's talking about me." Morelli announced.
No. Not Morelli's eyes. I couldn't even remember what color his eyes were right now.
"Mmm Carlos' eyes. Sexy." I needed to correct him
"Did it work?" I heard a voice holler and then "Oh shit!"
"Did what work?" Carlos asked
"Nothing. The uhm dancing. Did the dancing work to make Steph want to leave with you?" the voice asked
"Go back inside Anthony." Morelli spoke through gritted teeth.
I heard movement and opened my eyes. I turned away from Lester's neck and saw Anthony up in the air against the wall. Carlos had him by the collar. I laughed thinking Carlos was helping him fly. I heard more movement and turned my head slowly. I watched Morelli creep around to the driver's side of his truck. There were lightening bugs floating around Lester's head. I tried to reach for one but he stopped me. He grabbed my hand and held it against his chest.
"What in the hell did he do to her?" Carlos growled
"Nothing." Anthony sounded panicked
"Don't make me repeat myself." Carlos sounded scary and I heard Anthony cry out.
"He paid the bartender to..." Anthony choked "Roofie her drink."
I heard a car start and someone said "Fuck"
"He's gone." Lester announced
"You tell that piece of shit brother of yours that if he even looks at Stephanie wrong again it will be the last thing he does." Carlos spoke angrily.
"Okay okay." Anthony sounded like he was crying.
"Let's get her out of here." Lester said
I felt new arms slip underneath my body. When I was pulled into a strong chest I once again buried my head into their neck. I knew that scent anywhere. It was Carlos. I squeezed my arms around him tighter.
"Ahh Carlos" I purred
"Yeah Babe." he sighed "We need to get her to a hospital."
"NO!" I nearly screamed
"What? What's wrong?" he asked me
"No hospital." I whined.
"Get your car." he ordered Lester.
"I don't want to." I pouted "Don't make me."
"Babe"
When I woke up I had a killer headache and my stomach was killing me. My throat felt like it was on fire. It smelled clean like antiseptic. I felt someone holding my hand and someone else was talking in the distance.
"She'll be just fine. We found Rohypnol in a blood and urine sample, but no alcohol. We gave her charcoal to pump her stomach. She's going to have one hell of a hangover."
"Thank you. When can I take her home?" I heard my father's voice.
"As soon as she wakes up."
I worked hard to open my eyes. I wanted to get out of here. I wanted to be home in my own bed. When I finally managed to open them I was blinded by the bright light.
"Bright" I choked out.
He let go of my hand and I heard him move across the room.
"It's off." I heard Carlos' voice a couple of seconds later.
I opened my eyes and saw Carlos standing beside my bed.
"Water?" I croaked
Carlos leaned over and brought up a cup with a straw. He pulled me up and set the straw against my lips. I took a drink and then he pulled it away. I tried to sit up but my head was heavy.
"Easy." he cautioned
I laid back down onto the pillow.
"Dad?" I asked
"Right here Steph." My father came to the other side of my bed
"Where am I?" I asked him
"Monmouth Medical Center. It was the closest hospital. Your brother's already pissed we didn't force the ambulance to go the extra thirty minutes to Princeton." Juniak forced a smile.
He grabbed my other hand and I squeezed it. I could see the pain and worry on his face. I was trying to remember exactly what happened but I only had bits and pieces. I was starting to gather it all together and then a light bulb went off.
"I only remember parts. Is Colleen okay?" I asked
"She's fine. Carlos' friend Lester went back and picked her up from Karma. He took her home." my father explained
"Thank you." I told Carlos as I squeezed his hand.
"How do you feel?" dad asked
"Aggravated. I am trying to remember things about last night but it's fuzzy. It was last night right?" I looked back and forth between my father and Carlos.
"Yes. It's just past noon." my father explain.
Then I remembered. Joe Morelli. Fucking Joe Morelli.
"Joe Morelli Roofied me?" I asked them
My father nodded. I looked at Carlos.
"I'm sorry Babe. I was coming in early to surprise you. Your dad knew and called me when your plans changed. I had Lester go ahead to Karma so he could meet us there. I was almost too late." he looked sad.
"Are you mad at me?" I asked Carlos
"Babe" he shook his head
I turned to my father.
"Are you mad?" I asked him
"Stephanie, I am mad. I am not mad at you. You did everything right. You were trying to be a good buddy to Colleen. You only took drinks from the bartender and you didn't drink alcohol. How could I possibly be mad at you?" he leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"Lester?" I asked Carlos
"In the hall." he answered
"Go get him please." I squeezed his hand.
"Where's Morelli?" I asked my dad.
"Trenton PD picked up him and his brother. Seaside Heights PD has the bartender in custody and they are reviewing the tapes from last night. There are cameras all over that place." he assured me
"Hey beautiful." Lester came over to my side.
I motioned for some water and Carlos moved around him to press the straw to my lips. I took a drink and then a deep breath.
"Thank you Lester. The night was kind of fuzzy but I remember you kept trying to help me. Thank you." I grabbed his hand from the railing and squeezed it.
"I'm just glad you're okay." he leaned down to kiss my cheek and then moved his lips to my ear. "The kisses on my neck were worth it."
He laughed as he pulled away and then let out a quick grunt when Carlos smacked him in the back of the head.
"I just can't imagine what could have happened." my dad exhaled a deep breath.
"I never thought Morelli would do something like that." my eyes were watery
"He has always wanted you Steph." Carlos reminded me
"But still." I paused "Did I do something last night to make him think it was okay? I know I danced with him."
"Beautiful" Lester shook his head "I watched you all night. You didn't dance with him until after your second drink. It wasn't your choice."
"So what does that stuff do to you? What is it called?" I was curious.
"It's called Rohypnol. It lowers your inhibitions. It makes you confused and maybe dizzy. Some people are paralyzed depending on how much they are given. They call it the date rape drug." my father explained
I closed my eyes and gulped. Carlos gave me some more water. I rubbed my temples.
"There were times I felt like I couldn't move my arms. My legs felt dead. I felt like I had no control. I didn't know if I wanted to be with him. Lester tried to help, I know that." I closed my eyes as I felt a tear slide down my face.
"It's okay Babe." Carlos rubbed my arm.
"It was you. It was your voice. Somehow it broke through my confusion." I told him
"You are pressing charges." my father told me
"I don't want to cause problems." I pouted
"Babe, he would have raped you if we weren't there. Do you understand that?" Carlos grabbed my hand and pulled it to his chest
"This is serious Steph." my father cautioned
"But..." I argued
"Dammit Steph you need to understand. If these boys didn't intervene this would be a completely different hospital visit." my father rubbed his face with both hands.
When he dropped his hands I studied his face. There was a mixture of anger and worry. He wasn't going to let me just walk away from this.I didn't want to ruin Morelli's life. I still wasn't convinced he would have gone through with it. I was grateful Carlos and Lester made sure I wouldn't have to find out.
"He needs to be stopped Stephanie." my father told me as I nodded
"Pleas understand how important this is Babe." Carlos pleaded
"How would you feel if he did this again next weekend to another woman?" Lester asked
"Oh my God! That would be awful." I felt a chill run through me.
"I told the station you would be in on Monday to make a statement and press charges." my father was firm.
I closed my eyes and a tear slid down my face. My father leaned over me and kissed my cheek.
"No one is trying to upset you. You have the tendency to look for the best in people. Sometimes it's just not there and you subconsciously make them good in your head. Morelli is not a good person. Don't try to search for his redeeming qualities." my father warned
"Can I go home now?" I asked
"Yeah, let me go get the papers." my father told me
"What time is it again?" I asked Carlos
"Almost one in the afternoon." he informed me
"Shit. I ruined your whole Friday night and now I am wasting your Saturday." I told Carlos and Lester.
"Are you kidding? That was the most excitement I've had in a long time. I got to see Caveman Carlos in action. I got to hold a beautiful girl in my arms and I almost got to see a Burg guido get choked out. Plus I had some hot chick kissing my neck." Lester laughed
I laid my arm across my eyes and felt the blush spread to my cheeks.
"I am so embarrassed." I whined
"Don't be Babe. We all know the only way you would kiss Santos would be if you were under the influence of something." Carlos chuckled
"Hey!" Lester feigned being hurt.
"Okay Steph. We're out of here." My father told us as he came into the room.
"Thank God." I told him
"You guys are welcome to come to the house. Take a nap and then spend the day by the pool." my father suggested as he helped me sit up.
"That actually sounds good." Lester told him
"I had plans with Anna this weekend, but I can cancel." My father explained.
"No. You go. You need the break." I told him
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asked
"I won't leave her side." Carlos assure him
My father rolled his eyes and then smiled.
"There are times I am pleased you two are so close. Then there are times this whole thing just makes me nervous." he looked at Carlos. "You do realize I am quite capable of kicking your ass or at least shooting you if I need to right?"
"Yes sir." Carlos smirked
"Dad!" I whined
"Maybe you should have some other friends over." he winked at me. "A welcome home party for Carlos."
"Maybe" I told him
The guys waited in the hall while I got changed in the bathroom. Lester followed my dad to our house and Carlos rode in the back of my dad's car with me. I fell asleep on the way home. I woke up to a knock on my bedroom door. I covered my head with the pillow and tried to ignore it. It only got louder so I called out for them to come in.
"Time to get up sleepy head." my father came into the room. "It's almost five o'clock."
"Ugh!" I moaned out
"Don't waste the rest of your day." he moved to my window and opened the shade.
"Where are Carlos and Lester?" I asked
"They woke up an hour ago. They went to see Abuela and have late lunch with her. They said they would be back by five." he explained
"Good." I sat up and yawned as I reached my hands towards the ceiling.
"I promised Anna I would take her to see her mother this weekend. Are you sure you don't want me to cancel?" he asked me
"No. You already missed one day. Her mom's in the hospital in Brooklyn right?" I asked
"Yeah." he nodded
"Go. I will be fine. I will have Carlos and Lester with me." I smiled
"Sal came and checked on you when you were sleeping but you never woke up." my father explained.
"I'll give him a call." I assured him
"Okay Steph. Be careful and take it easy today." he warned as he kissed me on top of my head.
"I will." I promised.
I was laying out in the sun next to the new pool my father had installed when I felt arms grab me out of the chair. I squealed as Lester tossed me into the water. I pushed my way to the surface and glared at him. My anger faded away fast when I saw Carlos standing by the edge. He looked amazing. He was wearing a black bathing suit and nothing else. The muscles in his chest and arms were big and toned. Even his legs looked amazing. I focused on his abs and especially enjoyed the v shape. I had looked it up after I had last seen him. It was called the adonis belt and it was damn sexy. I finally looked up at his face and he was smiling. His smile was brighter than the sun and his mocha latte skin seemed to sparkle. He jumped in the water and swam towards me. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me senseless.
"Mmm I missed you." I moaned against his neck.
"You two are disgusting." Lester jumped in and splashed us both.
"Hey idiot. You're lucky I don't kick your ass for tossing her in the pool." Carlos warned "What if you made her dizzy or aggravated the headache I am sure she has."
"Shit beautiful. I wasn't thinking." Lester looked down at the ground.
"I'm fine." I assured him with a smile.
He looked up and shot me a smile. Then he did a cannonball right next to us. The water covered us and made waves in the water. Carlos glared at him when he popped out of the water. I tried to glare at him but when I saw him smile it was hard to be mad at him.
"How's Abuela?" I asked Carlos.
"Her hip is bothering her. She was worried about you." he held me to him
"I'll be fine. I just have a little headache." I assured him.
"Hey Steph!" I looked up to see Colleen and her friend Candace come in through the back gate.
"Come on in." I waved them over.
"Hi Carlos!" Colleen called to him
"Hi Colleen. This is my friend Lester." he introduced them
"we met last night. But I haven't met you yet Candace." Lester greeted them.
He got out of the pool walking slowly up the stairs. Colleen's jaw dropped and Candace smiled like she just won the lottery. He went over to Candace and shook her hand as he winked at Colleen. I was thinking both girls should check their mouths for drool. More friends came by. My father had encouraged me to have a get together as long as there was no alcohol. Colleen must have made some calls. Carlos helped me set up the volleyball net across the pool and then he fired up the grill. I had gone into the house for hot dogs and burgers when I heard my phone ringing. It was on the kitchen counter. I glanced at it but the number was blocked.
"Hello"
"Cupcake. Please don't press charges. It was all a mistake." Morelli's voice was strained
"A mistake?" I asked
"Okay well a bad choice. I wasn't thinking. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry." he sounded pathetic
"I can't do that. You know that was really screwed up. I had to have my stomach pumped. I don't know what the hell you were thinking either." I told him
"I'm sorry. I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you. If you don't drop the charges I will get kicked out of the police academy." he sounded like he was choked up.
"Look Morelli..." I sighed
I didn't know what to say. I was still pissed. I know what could have happened and it infuriated me. At the same time I didn't want to ruin his life. I looked up and saw Carlos with a confused look on his face. I mouthed the word Morelli and he held out his hand for the phone. I shook my head no and his expression changed. It was as if he was pleading with me to hand him the phone. he mouthed the word please and I handed him the phone.
"Morelli." Carlos spoke
"Not going to happen."
"You were going to rape her."
"It is rape even if she doesn't say no when she has drugs in her system."
"She's not. Not now. Not ever."
"Can't you get it through your head?"
"No. She is never going to change her mind."
"She is never going to be your girlfriend."
"Don't question our relationship. It's not going to end."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm going to...you know what forget it. You're not worth it."
"The system will make sure you answer for what you have done."
"It's not her fault. You did this to yourself. If they kick you out it's not her fault."
"I am never going to leave her."
Then he hung up.
"What happened?" I asked
"He is delusional. He thinks you two will end up together." Carlos rubbed the bridge of his nose. "He thought the drug would make you see what you really wanted."
"And questioning our relationship?" I asked
He grabbed both of my shoulders and looked into my eyes.
"He thinks I'm using you." he sighed
"He's insane." I mumbled
Carlos studied my face and then pulled me into his chest. He kissed the top of my head.
"I see smoke Babe and you can just stop now. I'm not good with words. I don't talk about my feelings. But you're mine. I know it doesn't sound very PC but you belong to me." he spoke softly
"Does that mean you belong to me too? Are you mine? " I asked
"Always have been."
He kissed the top of my head again and then pulled back. His lips took mine and he pulled me into him. It started slow and then quickly turned frantic. His hands were all over me. My hands went to his chest and I was gripping him. The kiss was hot and demanding. He pulled away quickly and we were both breathing heavy.
"Not here." he breathed out
"I need you." I told him
"Tonight. We need to be alone. We need to talk." he told me
"Why? Is something wrong?" I was nervous
He cupped my face and kissed my nose.
"Honestly?" he asked
"Honestly." I nodded
"I was going to tell you that I got accepted into the Ranger's program." he smiled
"Wow! That's awesome. That's like special forces right?" I asked
"Yes." he nodded
"I am so proud of you. That's incredible." I kissed him
"It's sixty one days of training. Some say it's the hardest combat course in the world." he hugged me to him.
I squeezed him tight and then pulled away. I grabbed his face and kissed him.
"You can do it. You can do anything." I smiled "When will you go?"
"I have to report to Fort Benning, Georgia on August 12th." he explained
"Then you stay there for the whole time?" I asked
"There are phases. Benning phase. Mountain phase. Florida phase. Desert phase." he announced.
He moved over to lean against the counter. He looked both excited and nervous at the same time.
"According to the internet less than fifty percent graduate." he told me
I smiled and shook my head. He had nothing to be worried about. He was one of the strongest people I knew. I moved in front of him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"So I should make plans to go to your graduation in the end of October." I sealed my words with a kiss.
He grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in tight as he deepened our kiss. My breath caught and I couldn't think straight. I was only focused on his mouth, his tongue and his hard body against mine. We came up for air and the only thing that was stopping me from ripping his clothes off was all of my friends outside waiting for food. I was sure Lester would be busting in here any minutes.
"Babe" Carlos got my attention
"From what I understand I may only get one short phone call. The only other way to communicate will be snail mail." he took a deep breath
"After school I have to go to one more school for two weeks to be an official Ranger." he started to explain.
"You're not a Ranger when you finish Ranger school?" I was confused.
"Nope. You just earn the tab for finishing the school. To be a part of the 75th Ranger Regimen- the actual combat Special Operations Force I need to make it through the next school. I will immediately be sent on a mission after that. I need three training missions before I can become a Sergent. My commanding officer who recommended me for this wants to see me as Intelligence Senior Sergent by February." he paused
"Steph, all missions are top secret. I wouldn't be able to tell you anything except for when I am leaving for a mission."
He cupped my face with one hand. He stared into my eyes as he brushed his thumb over my lower lip. He was trying to read my face for a reaction. I was still trying to process everything. This was scary. I hadn't anticipated this. Everyone I know who goes into the military just does bootcamp and maybe a school and then get stationed somewhere. They still call and visit everyone.
"Up until last night I was going to offer you the chance to see other people." he started to play with my hair
"Like I did before you joined?" I asked
"Yes. I was thinking I could be stronger. Save you the worry." he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.
"Is that what you want?" I asked nervously
"No. Not after last night. Even if it makes me the most selfish man in the world." he leaned in for a kiss
I laughed.
"What?" he furrowed his brow
"Morelli strikes again. If only he knew how he keeps making us stronger." I laughed again
"I'm glad he opened my eyes. Every time I try to imagine my life without you..." he stopped
"You imagine your life without me?" I was hurt
"Not like that Babe. I think about sparing you. I don't want you to be alone just sitting around waiting for me. I should let you go so you can live your life without worrying about me. I don't want you hurt if I don't return." he brushed my cheek with the back of his hand.
"Don't you realize even if we aren't together those things will still hurt? Don't try to placate yourself by thinking they will hurt any less if we are in a relationship. They will probably hurt more because I will wish we were together before you left." I informed him
I pulled away from him and made a sound of exasperation.
"You think I am the kind of girl who is going to sit around and pine for you? I have a life Carlos. I will be finishing school and then finding a job. I have my own goals and dreams." I rolled my eyes
"I didn't mean it that way Babe. I know you are independent. I am messing this whole thing up aren't I?" he asked
"You drive me crazy sometimes. This is what you want. I am going to support you. I am going to live my life and focus on my goals just like you. It doesn't mean we can't still support each other. It doesn't mean we need to end what we have. Are you worried about me cheating on you? Are you worried about my loyalty?" I finally asked
"No. I know you better than that. You've already proved you will stand by me no matter what. If it wasn't for you vouching for me and your father helping me I wouldn't even have this opportunity." He grabbed my face and pulled me into a quick kiss.
"Then it's settled. I will be your biggest cheerleader. My man is going to be an Army Ranger." I gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Hey! Where's the food?" Lester asked as he popped his head in the back door.
"It's coming. Give us another minute." Carlos told him
"I'm starving!" he whined
"Santos!" Carlos growled
"Okay another minute." he closed the door.
"I am going to come home to a successful woman. I'm sure you'll be profiling for some police force, the CIA or the FBI or something when I return." he smiled
"I hope so." I smiled
"I believe in you Babe." he assured me
"I believe in you Carlos and together we can do anything." I leaned against him.
His hand was still cupping my face. He was stroking my cheek with his thumb. His hand stilled on my face and he stared into my eyes.
"I love you."
He spoke softly just barely above a whisper and then took my mouth with his. What? What did he just say? He loves me?
************************NOTES*************
Foxtale3- sorry if I have disappointed you by the ages. I do have a daughter and I do work with kids 2.5 and up every day. This is fiction- think of the Rugrats. LOL