The Best I Could Give

Chapter 11

Ranger watched the thin form of the dying woman on the deck. The bright blue striped umbrella was shading her watching the Atlantic Ocean. Stephanie was changing Austin and unpacking some of the baby things so she was occupied for a few moments so Ranger could speak with Krystal. He was quite unsure the best way to approach his solution to the baby's immediate future with his mother.

"It's beautiful," she said sensing the Cuban presence near.

"It is," Ranger agreed coming to stand next to her seated in the wheelchair. "This is Stephanie's favorite place to come."

Krystal spoke quietly entranced by the water coming and going on the sand. "I can see why. She has happy times here."

Unsure of the exact words to say, Ranger let the leader in him take over. "Krystal, I want to talk about your son. I have a great many connections and money to make things happen when I want quickly," he explained. "My company attorney when we return to Trenton can arrange a very quiet private adoption between yourself and Stephanie if that is what you want still."

She didn't quite respond as Ranger expected. "Stephanie doesn't love you because of that."

The ill woman was very perceptive. Ranger's money never mattered to Stephanie and never will he knew that; he knew she would be taken care of if the worst ever happened to him. She became uncomfortable if he lavished her too much with the expensive cars.

"Will Austyn change what you have with Stephanie? I don't want that." Her dark eyes overwhelmed her thin, pale face more so with the concern in them.

"No," Ranger said with no hesitation, but it was difficult keeping his voice even. "Stephanie and I were both unsure of children in our lives, but I can't imagine not seeing Austyn in her arms when we're together. She's come to love him very much in the short time he has been with her. We'll give him a good life and you'll be proud of him."

"I will and I know he will be loved. Please make the arrangements with your attorney for Austyn's adoption. I want that, Mr. Manoso."

"Call me Ranger."

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"Come on," Ranger quietly said taking Stephanie's hand. "Walk on the beach with me, Babe."

Stephanie wanted to protest but Ranger had anticipated it. "Krystal is resting and the nurse is with her. Austyn is napping. If he wakes up, Bobby and Lester will get him. We'll just walk up the beach a little ways."

"OK," she told him following Ranger down the steps with their fingers intertwined.

They left their sandals on the bottom step choosing to walk barefoot in the warm sand. They just walked slowly along the water's edge; both were in their own thoughts.

Ranger knew the woman beside him still had a nagging doubt in regards to his true feelings for her with the baby boy soon to be without his birth mother. He had to make her understand.

Stopping, the blank faced Bas Ass was anything but facing Stephanie. Tears were in her eyes, the ones she had been holding back at the house so the dying woman wouldn't see. Her watery blue eyes were locked on Ranger's handsome face. It was soft with deep concern playing out in those dark eyes.

"I need to tell you something," Ranger spoke in a low husky voice, his under-control emotions were out-of-control slightly. His throat ached from the rawness he was feeling being a part of the gift Stephanie was giving the very ill young woman. He saw Stephanie bite her lip, it was sign she was uncertain. His free hand was brushing along her cheek. "I love you."

The blue eyes never moved from his face or blinked, he knew she was waiting for him to say more qualifying his love. When Ranger didn't, she voiced her doubt without thinking. "That's it?"

"I love you, Stephanie Plum. Yes, that's it. I need you to know that and more importantly I need you to believe it."

The shock flickered in the perfect blue eyes he loved, but they never wavered off Ranger's face. She saw the unconditional love there. "Austyn."

"Austyn does not change one ounce of my love for you. His sudden appearance threw me I can say honestly, I'm learning here and I hope I can be the father figure you want to be there with you as he grows."

Her tears were falling freely. "I love you, Ranger, and only you. Austyn and I wouldn't want any other Bad Ass." There was happiness and uncertainty in her quiet voice when she questioned him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything, Babe."

"All the times you were 'in the wind' or with the Rangers in danger, were you ever afraid to die?"

He shook his head. "No, it was something doing what I did I accepted very early on. Rangeman would go on, my family would go on. That changed one day when I became very determined to come back."

"What?" She was watching his bowed head.

Ranger's dark eyes came up to hers. "I met you. When Scrogg shot me, even knowing I could die, saving Julie and you was my objective. I wasn't about to let him kill me and take away the 'someday' I realized I wanted."

Her breath caught because it was the second time in the last whirl wind of days the Cuban Man in Black declared their 'someday'.

"And, I hope you begin to believe me, Stephanie Michelle Plum, when I tell you Austyn makes it better between us. We're learning all this baby stuff together. He needs us, Babe."

"Even Bad Ass Sloths learn new stuff?" She questioned with a curve on her lips.

"Even Bad Ass Sloths when they get their heads out of the trees. How about when we return to Trenton, we go shopping for a crib? Austyn is getting a little too big for a laundry basket."

"It's a Moses basket."

"He'll grow out of it."

"But, what about your apartment? The décor isn't really screaming baby."

"I don't consider it just mine and I think an update is in order. It's ours and 'Burg' girls I thought lived to shop."

"Do I eat TastyKakes and chocolate?"

"Big time, Babe." Ranger kissed Stephanie drawing her tightly in his arms. Low, warm waves broke on their bare feet wrapped in each other watching the blue water; it allowed Stephanie to forget for just a few moments.

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"You're so good with him," Krys told Stephanie as their son was bathed. His ill mother was sitting in her wheelchair watching Austyn in the small plastic tub brought from Trenton. His little feet were kicking in the water.

"Austyn enjoys his bath," Stephanie giggled. She was getting wet slightly from the constantly moving feet. She looked up seeing Ranger standing in the doorway watching the activity. He was usually observing and holding the soft baby towel while Stephanie washed the baby, but tonight he let Krystal have the pleasure. The soft blue towel was in her lap.

Even Bobby and Lester noticed their boss and friend was never far away from Stephanie. As emotional as the trip was for all of them, Stephanie bravely kept her smile holding her tears until she was in Ranger's arms out of Krystal's sight.

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She picked at her seafood dinner not having much appetite to feed her dying body but did drink most of the nutrient drink Roma urged Krystal to drink. The Rangemen gathered some drift wood from the beach and with some cords of wood in the bin, there was a fire on the beach below the rented house. Krystal was in a comfortable lounge chair carried from the deck and her toes squishing the warm sand. She knew her time was limited, but she was at peace. Stephanie gave her the beach for these few days, but without being aware, Krystal had an even more special gift. She sat there watching her beautiful baby son safe and contented watching the orange flames in the arms of the woman she chose for Austyn. Stephanie was leaning back in the chaise lounge secure in the support of the man who loved her and his arms were around them both. It was the best family Krystal could give her son.