Chapter 10: Ranger Plays Matchmaker
Daniel helped Stephanie get dressed; after she was dressed they left the medical wing. On their way, upstairs to the fifth floor they bumped into Trixie.
"Stephanie how are you feeling?" Trixie asked her looking her in the eyes. All three of them were in the elevator. "I am doing okay, I am mixed up emotionally, but I am hanging in there." She told Trixie who gave her a hug. "Well you will make it through this." Trixie replied to her then she got off the elevator.
They made it to the fifth floor. Daniel's apartment was the last on the floor on the left hand side.
Daniel swept his access card then he opened the door. Stephanie walked in, she was in aww. "I love the kitchen, the stove is great, it has a microwave about it."
"Where did you get the oval wood table? It looks brand new the chairs go great with the table." Stephanie said as she looked at her sweet heart. Daniel told her I made it and when he said that Stephanie said I didn't know that you did wood work. She then said, "I love the double sink as well, must make it easy to do dishes." She eyed the sink. She walked into the living room, sat down on the couch. The remote on the TV was on a glass coffee table. The TV was attached to the wall in front couch. She then picked up the remote and put it on one of the main channels. She saw that the news was on, and when she did she saw Rangeman taking Morelli out of the shed she was in. A reporter there, "A New Jersey Detective from Trenton is being held for a bail hearing after he kidnapped, and attempted rape of one of his ex-girlfriends."
"Daniel come here quick" She yelled. He came running, "Press found out about the story." She told him. He looked at the TV, sat down next to her; took her into his arms. "We knew it would be on the news, but I did not think the news station would pick the story up this quickly." Daniel picked up his cell, "Ranger we have a problem, one new station picked up my girl's story channel fourteen is the one with the story."
"I will give them a statement" Ranger told him, he hung up the phone.
"What did Ranger say?" She asked as she looked into his deep blue eyes.
"He is going to give the press a statement." Daniel told her then gave her a soft kiss on her lips.
He shut off the TV, picked her up and brought her to the bedroom. He laid her on the bed; he changed and then laid next to her, holding her for the night.
She woke up in the middle of the night from a night mare. "Hey sweet heart you are okay, you are safe." Daniel kissed her softly on the cheek.
"It was a dream; I did not mean to wake you darling." Stephanie looked at him in the eyes.
"Sweetheart, you are going to have these bad dreams for a while now." He told her as he rubbed her back.
Stephanie started to cry again. "It is okay it will be all right" Daniel sweetly told her. He held her until she stopped crying. He brought her a cup of tea. "Here drink this sweetheart. It will calm you down, it is Chamomile tea." He handed her a coffee mug with tea in it.
She drank the tea, and she fell asleep again. Daniel took the mug, to the sink. He walked back into the bedroom took a good look at the bedroom. He noticed the closet to the right end of the wall. He walked to the bathroom that was attached to the bedroom. He started the water, bent his head down and put some cold water on his face. "How am I going to get her through this?" He asked himself looking in the mirror.
He dried his face, and then went back to bed. He woke up at eight am. "Darling we have to get up, so we can go to my parents' house." He said to her sweetly.
"I am up, but I am not sure that I want to go." Stephanie told him.
"Darling please, if you don't come you let Morelli win by not going. You can't let him take your life away from you." Daniel said to her softly but firmly.
"I know that, but I am scared he will get bail, come back and try something again." Stephanie told Daniel.
"You will not be alone in this. I will be with you every step of the way. I will not leave you." Daniel told her while he put his arms around her."
"You are right; do you have some clean clothes for me?" She asked him.
"Yes, I do right there in that bag on the dresser." Daniel told her.
He got dressed in the bathroom, so she could have some privacy. When he was done, he came out saw her in a red dress with flowers on it, the dress came up to her knees. It was the dress she wore the first day they were here. "You look very nice sweetheart. Now let's go to my parent's house." Daniel said nicely to her.
Daniel and Stephanie got downstairs, went to the garage, and took a Rangeman SUV to get to Woody's parent's house.
About fifteen minutes later, Daniel, Stephanie were at his parent's house.
"Mom, Dad we are here." Daniel yelled.
"We are in the living room come in." Roger yelled back.
The young couple, sat down on the couch. "Daniel why don't we go into my office, let mom talk to Stephanie while I give you what I have for you," His dad said to him looking him in the eyes.
"Go ahead darling, I will be fine." Stephanie then kissed him softly on the lips.
Daniel got up and went into his dad's office. He sat down in his chair. "Okay Daniel I am very proud of everything you have managed to accomplished. So I talked it over with your mother, and we want to give you the money from your trust fund. This is so you can buy a house or maybe pay for a wedding if there is one which I think there will be. I also want to give you your grandmother's engagement ring; I think she would want you to have it so you can give your lady sitting out there talking to your mother." He dad gave him the check, and the ring.
"Dad are you sure about this?" Daniel asked him,
"Yes, I am sure please take them" Roger told him. He then held out his hand for his son to take.
"Thanks' Dad" Daniel took and shook his father's hand.
He took the check, the ring. He walked out of the office he noticed Stephanie and his mother were chatting on the couch. Daniel sat down next to his girl.
"What did your dad give you darling?" Stephanie asked her sweet heart.
"I will tell you later, but we have to go do errands, then we have to report to the airport." Danial told him. He helped Stephanie up from the sofa. They both gave his parents a hug, "We will be back to visit promise."
His parents walked them to the front door. The two of them got in the Rangeman SUV then headed to the airport.