Chapter 10- Recovering
"She looks good, but she is moving around too much. Doing too much. There is still some slight swelling in the brain and the dizzy spells worry me." Bobby told Ranger after examining me."Maybe we should have left her in the hospital a few more days. I would really like her to stay on bed rest."
"No problem, we will work on more rest. I will have Tank pick up some board games and a deck of cards." Ranger smiled.
"I am bored out of my mind. I have been out of the hospital for two days! I am okay." I assured them.
"Stephanie, let's look at this." Bobby spoke sitting down next to me on Ranger's bed. "From the tests I have done and from what I have seen and been told we have some things to still be careful about."
"I feel okay." I said softly knowing that wasn't the whole truth.
"Okay is not good enough. You understand if you push yourself and try to ignore the dizzy spells, blurry vision and headaches you will end up right back In the hospital?" he spoke more firmly. "I am sending your labs and a copy of the CT Scan over to the doctor to get some further input. Just be smart." he finished before standing up.
"Blurry vision?" Ranger asked
"Just once in a while when I have a really bad headache." I admitted
"Well, I am glad you are trying to be honest with Bobby, you can't suck it up Steph. You need to tell him about every little thing." he warned
"Ranger's right, please tell me before it becomes a big thing. I don't want to see you back in the hospital. If you think you are bored here that will be a hell of a lot worse." Bobby warned
"Babe, don't fight this. I will work harder on keeping you entertained." Ranger raised an eyebrow
"Don't you have to work?" I asked
"I go away for weeks at a time for jobs and Rangeman functions fine under Tank's command. I can jump into the control room if I am needed. Right now my only priority is getting you well." he assured me.
"I feel bad, but at the same time I am grateful if that makes any sense. Okay, I will be good and I won't fight." I explained. I meant it. I wasn't going to do anything stupid because I really didn't feel 100% and that scared me.
"I will check in on you soon." Bobby told me before looking at Ranger. "I will let you know if the doctor sees anything differently when I send him the tests." Ranger nodded and Bobby left.
He grabbed his phone. "Tank, send me someone who has time for errands." he spoke quickly
Soon Cal was coming in the door and Ranger gave him a list. "Anything else you can think of go ahead and pick it up."
Ranger pressed the intercom and told Ella we were ready for breakfast. I looked at the clock and it was nine. He walked over and kissed my cheek and sat on the edge of the bed. He patted my leg and kissed my forehead. It wasn't long before Ella came up with bacon and my bite sized pieces of donuts. She sat with me while Ranger went to handles some things in his office and eat his healthy food.
I must have fallen asleep after filling my stomach because I woke up to find Cal and Lester in the room. They were hanging a TV on the wall. I looked next to me and someone had set up a table and a couple of recliners. On the table there were at least ten different board games stacked up and a few decks of cards. I looked around more and saw a stack of DVD's on the floor and next to me, on the bed were a stack of books to read, crossword puzzles and even adult coloring books. On the other side of the bed on the night table there was a new vase of flowers with a little balloon that read Get Well Soon.
Ranger walked in. "You want some water? Ella brought in some juices too. Apple, Orange, Grape, anything you want. What can I get you?"
"This is too much. You are putting holes in your wall to install that TV. Flowers?" I shook my head
"The flowers are from me." Cal smiled as Ranger rolled his eyes.
"Thank you." I smiled back at him. "They're beautiful, and I love the balloon."
"Remember you said you wouldn't fight? You know this rest is important." He walked over to the bed and rubbed my face with the back of his hand and I nodded.
"I picked out a bunch of movies. I know you love Ghostbusters so I raided the whole 80's section. Goonies, 16 Candles, Dirty Dancing, Breakfast Club, ET, Back to the Future, Top Gun. I even got the Karate Kid." Cal spoke excitedly as he was installing a DVD player and Lester was busy plugging in the TV.
"That's perfect." I smiled at him.
"Steph I need to take you out to the couch for a bit." Ranger said after looking at his watch.
"Why? I am comfortable here." I pouted.
"I told Morelli he cold come and visit you and I don't want him in the bedroom." He explained as he lifted me up.
"Agreed" I said quietly as I let him carry me.
I wasn't on the couch long when Cal and Lester came out of the room. I thanked them both with kisses on the cheek. Ranger was on the phone in the kitchen when the door opened and Tank walked Morelli into the living room. He came over to me and kissed me on the top of my head.
"Here's some apple juice. I will head down to my office and give you some privacy. Tank will be right outside the door." Ranger assured me as he was suddenly at my side holding out a glass.
"I think I can manage to protect her while I'm here." Joe glared at Ranger.
"He is there so when you leave he can come in and sit with her if I am working. You will also need someone to get you out of here. You can't get in or out unassisted." Ranger smirked before heading for the door.
"I noticed." Morelli said quietly as Ranger left.
"So how is everything?" I asked.
"Really? That's the first thing you have to say? How about I love you, I miss you? Tell me how you are missing our wild gorilla sex. Bob misses you and my boys are dying without you" he said raising his eyebrows up and down.
"Sorry, I have a headache. Can you please get me something?" I asked him as I laid my head back against the couch.
"A headache huh?" he said as he looked around "I see some stuff on the counter." he stood up and went over to the kitchen counter and came back with two pills. I swallowed them with the apple juice and laid my head back again.
"So, what is he drugging you? There are pills for anti-anxiety, headaches, nausea, and various vitamins." Joe said as he sat down next to me and shook his head.
"Are they all prescription?" I asked as I closed my eyes.
"Yes, except the vitamins." he said with a big sigh
"So maybe he is poisoning me with vitamins. Maybe I will die of good health." I laughed.
"It's not funny to talk about dying. You scared the crap out of everyone." He took my hand and put it to his lips and kissed it.
I sat forward and opened my eyes. "I'm sorry. I know I am not much company, believe me it's hard for me to force myself to just lye around and do nothing ." I tried to explain.
"I can come up with things for you to do." he suggested as he raised his eyebrows. "The boys are missing you remember?"
I laughed out loud. "I think that's definitely on the list of things to avoid. That wouldn't be very restful." I gave him a sideways glance.
"So let me take you out. Lunch? Dinner?" he asked with excitement in his eyes.
"Doctor says bed rest and my stomach can't take too much at once. I can't wait to get back to my life. But I am not quite there yet." I told him.
"Ranger's doctor or a real one?" he asked releasing my hand.
"Both." I sighed "Joe, why are you here? It seems all you want to do is start a fight. I just don't have the energy for it."
"Why am I here? I'm sorry Cupcake. It's just hard for me to be normal when I am sitting in his apartment with the woman I love living here. Come to my house let me take care of you. I can't stand this being at his mercy and coming when he allows me to come. Did he even get you a new phone yet?" He suggested
"I haven't asked him about the phone. Honestly I don't think I have been awake longer than three hours at a time. I know it's hard for you to visit me here and I know you want me at your place but what would I do when you go to work?" I asked
"I can have Grandma Bella come over." he laughed
"No way!" I told him laughing too.
"I know you're right. I can't give you the attention and security right now. It just completely chops off my balls that another man can give you what you need right now. Besides that man being a rival for your affection." He took my hand to his lips again. "and a complete maniac." he added
"There seems to be a lot of talk about your boys today. There is no rivalry, I have not even been thinking about that stuff. I am totally focused on getting better. I want to get back to my life. I hate people taking care of me." I confessed "I just want to forget this all ever happened."
"And he's being a complete gentleman right?" Joe rolled his eyes
"Actually he is. Don't read so much into it and don't make this all about the two of you." I warned "I just don't have the patience for that macho crap right now."
"I know. I just hate seeing you like this. You are always so spunky and now you are...in such control of your emotions. I want my cupcake back." He forced a smile. I brought his hand to mine and kissed it before laying my head back against the couch.
"I'm headed to work. I wish I could stay longer. I will visit again. Can you please try to get him to get you a new cell phone? I want to at least be able to keep in touch with you when I can't be here. I tried calling Ranger's phone last night but there was no answer." Morelli said as he stood and kissed my cheek.
"I wasn't avoiding you, honestly I haven't even picked up any phone." I admitted
"I gotta go" he stood and kissed me on the cheek.
"Thanks for coming. Call me." I told him with a finger wave and a smile. I really didn't care that he was leaving. He made me feel like crap because I needed rest. How could he ever think I would go to his place?
Tank stepped in the door when Joe opened it. "Raphael will take you to the garage." He told Morelli as he closed the door behind him. He came over and sat down next to me.
"Are you resting?" he said patting my leg.
"Trying to. I am feeling guilty." I sighed
"Guilty?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Joe is pissed I am not jumping around and being myself. Ranger is ignoring his business and wasting his time sitting around the house stuck with me. Poor Ella is doing so much extra work. You are assigned to stand at doors for no reason." I babbled on. "Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a burden." I sighed.
"Don't say that again. Not to me and definitely not to the boss. You are not a burden. Ranger doesn't order me to do anything for you, I volunteer. I am doing a fine job of running things like I do whenever Ranger is busy thank you very much." I tried to interrupt him and he put his hand up. "Your one job is to get well and everyone is happy to help you feel better especially Ella. She is so happy to have another woman around. Did I mention Ranger never had a woman here before?" he smiled
"I think I have been told that once or twice." I laughed.
"And as for Morelli well he is, excuse my french, a jealous asshole who can not put his selfishness aside to focus on what is best for you right now rather than what he wants." he said as he looked into my eyes.
"Tank..." I had nothing more to say.
"Come on and let me take you to the bed. I want to play some cards before the boss comes back." He smiled as he lifted me up and carried me to the bedroom.
"I can walk you know." I told him with an eye roll. He just smiled and set me down in the bed.
Tank was sitting in a recliner and I was sitting on the bed involved in a deep card game when Ranger came in. "This looks serious. Is there money involved?"
"Lunch. I win we have pizza with extra cheese, she wins and it's a pizza with the works." Tank explained.
"What's the game?" Ranger asked as he sat on the bed.
"Go Fish." I told him as he fell back laughing onto the pillow. To see him laughing like this made Tank and I join in. IT felt really good to all laugh together like this.
"Okay I will get both pizzas ordered and picked up. Remember to cut Steph's up and no more than one slice every 10-15 minutes to make sure it settles." Ranger told Tank.
"Where are you going?" I asked him
"I have a few things to do and I will be back before dinner. Do you want me to bring you back anything?" he asked
"No," I pouted
" I know you want to go out and you will soon if you rest now. Tank will stay with you and if something comes up he will send Ella or one of the guys to sit with you." Ranger assured me.
"It's okay I understand." I sighed as he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek, the nose, the forehead and finally on top of my head. I closed my eyes and laid back when someone moaned, I think it was me. I opened my eyes to look up at him and he was smiling.
"Babe." and he was gone.
After our game Hal came up and we played a very cut throat Monopoly game. "I'm done." he said smacking his hand down on the board.
"What's wrong?" I asked with a smirk.
"Every time I land on any spot you yell out 'I OWN IT' and it's not fair. You have bankrupt me, I had to sell all of my properties to the bank and if I land on any spot you own it's all over." He pouted
"That's how it's played." I told him.
"Time for a new game." he stated as he packed up Monopoly and pulled out a game of checkers. We went back and forth beating each other before he got a text that he was needed downstairs. Lester was sent up next and we started playing Uno.
"How the hell do you get anyone to pay games with you? You are so evil." he said as he shuffled the deck.
"What?" I asked him.
"UNO! you scream it out and give out this evil laugh." he shook his head.
"I am just very competitive." I explained.
"Sure." he nodded with a glare and dealt the cards. "You should at least be happy and maybe celebrate a little when someone else wins."
When he went back to work Cal came up and sat in the recliner after putting on the movie Dirty Dancing. I fell asleep right before the big dance at the end. I was dreaming about all of the voices I heard in the hospital when they thought I couldn't hear them. I thought about all of the things Morelli and Ranger had said to me before all of this happened. I thought of the beach, how the sand felt. Trying to settle between my heart and my head. Then suddenly I saw water and I was trapped. I tried to move around but it was useless. I looked around, but I couldn't see anything. I was in the dark and my legs were tied to bricks with rope. No one was there, no one was coming for me and this time I would not be saved. This time was the end. I wouldn't have to worry about picking anyone, I would lose them both. I would be alone. I struggled to get out of the rope as the water was filling in all around me. I was alone and scared, I tried to scream but the water filled my mouth, my throat and everything. Save me, please one last time save me. I don't want to drown, my throat hurts. Help me.
"Babe wake up." Ranger was shaking my shoulders.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked opening my eyes.
"You were having a nightmare. You were screaming for help. You were screaming you couldn't breath and you were drowning." He looked at me and his eyes were sad. His eyes were watery but no tears fell. Then I saw one small tear escape from his eye.
"I'm sorry." I said reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck.
"Don't be sorry Babe. Don't ever be sorry." He was holding me close and rubbing my back. "Thank you Cal." he said pulling his head away to look at him.
"I called you as soon as she started tossing around. I should have woken her up." he said with a low voice.
"No, you did the right thing. I was only downstairs." He squeezed me again before laying me down. "I'll be right back." he told me as he motioned for Cal to follow him.
"See you later Steph." Cal patted my leg and followed Ranger to the door.
They stood just outside the door talking low but I could hear them. "What was she saying before I came?" Ranger asked him.
"In her sleep?" Cal asked
"Yes as soon as she started tossing around."
"She said something about the beach. Something about how she didn't want to lose him." Cal explained.
"Him who?" Ranger asked in a whisper.
"She didn't say a name. Then she was mumbling random things." I heard Cal tell him
"Like what?" Ranger pushed
"Actually it was some funny shit. She said 'why does everyone keep talking about Hawaii'" Cal chuckled "Then she said she wanted pineapple upside down cake,"
Ranger gave a small laugh. "and then?"
"Then she started asking why and saying please don't do this. She sounded like she was crying. Then she said Ranger won't like this. She kept mumbling so I called you. She only started screaming a few seconds before you came in." Cal reassured him
"Thanks. I am glad you were here. I will understand if next time you would rather send someone else." Ranger gave out a sigh
"No boss, I have no problem hanging out with Steph. And none of the other guys will appreciate the movies she likes." he said before walking away.
"I'm sorry." Ranger said to me as he stepped back into the room and made his way over to sit next to me in bed.
"You know I could hear that whole conversation?" I told him
"I meant to close the door or take it to another room, but I couldn't." he explained as he pulled me into his chest and stroked my hair.
"Why couldn't you?" I said into his chest.
"I want to always be here for you. I want you to never be alone." he said into my hair.
"I need to confess something to you. It's between us, no Bobby, no doctor, no Morelli." I said softly
"Sure Babe tell me." He took my hand and held it in his.
"Sometimes when I am sleepy, I am kind of out of it. Like really slow to wake up and get with things, if you know what I mean. It's like I need to make it through the fog before I can be fully functioning. These nightmares are not helping me." I looked down the entire time I spoke.
"Babe" he put his hand under my chin and lifted it "The doctor said this would happen. The slow wake up and your thoughts moving slowly. This is all completely normal." he smiled
"That makes me feel better." I nodded
"As far as he nightmares, they will go away and in the meantime I am here for you. I just want to take care of you." He kissed my forehead.
"Just don't do it out of guilt please." I begged
"Babe it is not out of guilt. It's love that keeps me at your side. You are right though I do feel responsible for Jeanne Ellen going after you and I do feel guilty that I wasn't there in time to spare you all of this." he gave out a deep sigh
I gave him a smile. "Now, you will go to sleep and stay away from aggravation like your phone. You will let me take care of you in the small way I can."
"I'm the one giving orders around here. You need the rest. No more games or movies. Just sleep here and let me lay with you." he commanded.
I thought about consoling him over his guilt. I thought about yelling at him for being controlling. I thought about telling him this wasn't fair to Morelli. Instead I just said "Thank you." and wrapped my arm around is waist. I relaxed against him as I felt his breath on my head and his arms tightly wrapped around me. I felt safe.