A Christmas Wish

Chapter 11

We can't do that!" Stephanie told her daughter and Ranger. "I don't want to take advantage of your kindness. This may not be just a few days, this could be weeks."

"Babe, the apartment is empty. It has a bedroom, full bath, kitchen with eating area and lounge area. You both will be safe," he said quickly averting his eyes to Delaney. "Ella, the Rangeman housekeeper, will make you breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you want."

"An apartment and food? That's way too much."

His jaw was set in a determined way, "It's empty. You will be able to relax. There's a game room, gym, and sauna."

Stephanie's eyes widen, "A sauna?"

Ranger nodded; inwardly he was going 'Yes!' with an upturned fist.

"Only if you let me pay for it."

"Babe."

"I mean it or we can stay at my parent's," Stephanie said with the set jaw now.

He stared right back, "Grrrrr, you're being difficult."

"Mom, don't mess up a good thing," Delaney gave her mother a serious look tilting her head back as she said it. "Mom makes really good spaghetti, we'll cook you dinner for our room."

"Delaney!"

"It's good spaghetti!"

Ranger held out his hand to Stephanie. The little girl shook it first. "All right," Stephanie gave in shaking his hand, "but I'm still paying," she told him.

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Delaney twisted the arms of three muscular men to a game of 'Topple', of which, she won and Lester kept tipping over the game board with his pieces. Just as it was being put away, Stephanie's cellular phone rang. She didn't recognize the number but that it was from the '609' area code for Trenton.

"Hello."

There was nothing. "Hello," Stephanie said again.

Ranger was up out of his seat immediately beside her.

"Where are you?" Joe's slurred voice yelled.

The phone fell out of Stephanie's hand, but he was quick enough to catch it. "I said where are you, Stephanie?" his angry voice filled the room when Ranger put it on speaker. He motioned for her to speak. Bobby and Lester had their phones out recording the call. "Police," Ranger mouthed to her aunt and uncle and they went running to call from another room.

"You aren't supposed to be calling me, Joe," Stephanie spoke trying to sound steady but she was shaking. "I have a PFA."

"Like that will stop me. I'm a cop."

"No, you're a turd!" Delaney yelled into the phone on the table. "I hope someone flushes you cause we don't need crap like you!"

She was so shocked at her daughter no words came out when Stephanie opened her mouth. The three men had to cover theirs so they weren't heard.

Joe screamed, "I'm your father, Delaney! You don't talk to me like that!"

"Says who, Joe?" Stephanie got over her shock. "Where was Delaney's father the night of the carnival or when you missed most of her last birthday party? We're over!"

"We didn't even miss you," the little girl added.

"Listen, Little Girl, I'll take care of you when I see you. You will be sorry for that smart mouth," Joe was saying but it also sounded like he was taking drinks of something. "Where are you?"

"Where we're safe from you, Joe, and you will never get near my daughter! You're nothing but a drunk and a cheat, Asshole!"

A Gatlinburg police officer stepped into the dining room nodding at Stephanie and continued speaking quietly into his cell phone.

"I'll never let you go! You're my wife!"

"Oh, we will be divorced, Joe! There is no doubt about it." Stephanie told him. She wasn't shaking anymore because a strong muscled arm was wrapped around her.

They heard a door bell so Joe must be at the house. It rang again.

"Officer Morelli, it's the Trenton Police," someone yelled. "You are under arrest for violating a 'Protection from Abuse' order."

"Shit!" It sounded like a crash of the phone dropping and maybe Joe tried to run because it sounded like he fell.

"You're under arrest, Joe," that voice sounded like Eddie Gazarra. "Steph, are you there?" he was asking into the phone.

'I'm here Eddie."

"We got him and he'll be locked up for breaking the PFA. It will give him time to sleep off the drunkenness."

"Thank you," the Gatlinburg police officer was finishing up his telephone call. "We have a copy of the order at our station. A Mr. Plum made sure we had one. I'll get statements here and fax a copy of the report to your department."

"We got him," Delaney wiped her hands together smiling at the room.

After the Sergeant left the bed and breakfast with statements from everyone and a recording of the conversation, he was still chuckling at the little girl's part of it walking to his patrol car. It was bed time for a certain little girl; Ranger walked Stephanie and Delaney up to their room.

She was glad Joe's telephone call didn't seem to affect her daughter. Stephanie was worn out emotionally after that. Delaney had collected a few more quarters from Ranger, Bobby, and Lester playing 'Hi and Lo." She even got the Gatlinburg Sergeant for a quarter when Stephanie wasn't looking.

"Night, Babe." Ranger kissed Stephanie's cheek at her door. "Night, Card Shark."

"Goodnight," Stephanie said. Her Blue eyes were uncertain. She didn't want him to leave right then, she felt safe after Joe's call. Stephanie was certain now that the best choice for her and Delaney was in his secure building. She was still married, hopefully not much longer, but it wasn't right to ask him to come into the room. But, Delaney decided differently.

"Want to come in and I'll show you around our digs?" the sprite asked tugging his hand in the door without an answer. "This is Mom's bed," pointing to the wrought iron bed, "and this is mine. This is Benji," Delaney picked up her nubby brown bear, "Mom bought him for me years ago."

"Hello, Benj." He wasn't sure why he did it, but Ranger shook the bear's paw.

"Bath, Delaney," Stephanie came out of the bathroom filling the tub for her.

She jumped down off the bed where she and Ranger were sitting watching 'Aladdin' on the TV. "I'll be back."

He got up helping her raise the trundle side of the daybed. Stephanie no sooner had the pillows in place, when Ghost jumped up and settled across the bottom letting out a contented sigh.

"Lucky dog," Ranger shook his head. He could swear the dog was already asleep.

"Mom," Delaney called from the tub, "I need help."

Next, out she came running in a nightshirt with a teddy bear on the front and jumped in her bed. Stephanie covered her with her favorite soft blue blanket edged with pink stitches and 'Delaney' embroidered in a corner.

Ranger listened as the little girl said her prayers. "Please bless Ranger, Bobby, and Lester so they get to Trenton safe and when I get there I can get some extra jingles in my pocket. You know I'll add a few to the can."

He looked at Stephanie and she mouthed 'I'll tell you."

"Bless Aunt Sarah, Uncle Phil, and all their goats. Bless Grandma Mazur and I hope one day you'll give her that lucky slot machine. Bless Grandma Plum. I hope she bakes me some cupcakes when I get back to Trenton. Bless My Grandpa cause I miss him. Bless Ghost because he protects us and I have fun with him. And, bless Mom because she takes care of me and lets me work on my card skills. Thanks and bless you up there for listening."

"Good night, Delaney. I love you," Stephanie hugged her and kissed her cheek.

"Love you, Mom. Night, Ghost," Delaney hugged her back and patted the dog's belly before she was tucked in again. "Night, Injured Man."

"Night, Card Shark."

Stephanie turned off the television and dimmed the lamp on the nightstand. She stood gazing down at her remarkable daughter drifting off to sleep.

Ranger was propped up against a pillow on the bed and he patted the bed next to him. She sat down on the bed keeping a space between them. He ignored it, tucking her into his side. "Tell me what that was all about."

She was comfortable nestled with a Cuban arm around her. "Delaney always drops her own coins in the canisters around Trenton for the animal shelter. She hopes all the homeless dogs find a home like Ghost did with us. When we are shopping, with her extra money I give her for sweeping the floor or putting away the towels, of course, she'll buy herself something, but will also buy a bone or a dog toy. When she gets a few, she and my father will take them to the shelter so the dogs and puppies have a toy like Ghost so they are happy as he is with his. I may have to limit her gambling for shelter money, but I don't want to stifle her caring nature."

Ranger kissed Stephanie's curls, "Babe, that is the sweetest thing. She really loves your dog. Hearing that, it makes this Bad Ass want to give a shelter dog a home. I'll make sure I have a steady supply of quarters."

"Not too many, OK? I don't want to be attending Gambler's Anonymous with my six year old," Stephanie let out a yawn.

"Babe." He watched the sleeping little girl with her teddy bear in her arms; his dark eyes came to rest on the sleeping beauty in his.