Disclaimer: All characters belong to Janet Evanovich except for Jonathon Wescott, he's mine.
Thank you Kashy for your expert advice, suggestions and editorship, most of all though, thank you for being such a wonderful friend! There is no way Hindsight would be what it is without you.
Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the previous chapters, please keep your reviews coming, I really do appreciate each one!
Warnings: Rated R for Adult language and situations, angst, violence, LMT spoilers, and character death.
Hindsight
Chapter Eleven
Bobby stood riveted in place for a moment and then walked up to the woman. "Stephanie?"
The woman glanced in his direction, "Excuse me?"
Bobby knitted his eyebrows in confusion. "Stephanie Plum?"
She smiled the same tentative smile he'd known for years and looked towards his face but didn't meet his gaze. "I'm sorry. You must have me confused with someone else. My name is Donna."
He recognized the name as the one Stephanie used when she worked distraction jobs for RangeMan. He studied her closely and moved a little to the left. Her gaze didn't shift until he spoke again. "You look like someone I know. She also has curly brown hair and blue eyes. Mind if I join you?"
Her face took on a serious look. "Actually, I just came in to get out of the cold and was waiting for a friend. She should be back any moment."
Bobby knew she was Stephanie, and his heart sank in his chest when it became obvious to him that she couldn't see him. He needed to call Ranger. "It was nice meeting you Donna. I hope to see you again sometime."
He picked up his order and went back outside, not noticing the bitter cold winds as he settled into the passengers seat. He handed the coffee to Lester, snatched the phone off his belt and hit one on his speed dial.
He heard Ranger's voice come over the receiver, "Talk"
"Boss….um, Ranger….I mean, Carlos…" Bobby stammered. "I found her. I found Stephanie. She's alive."
Bobby could hear the undeniable relief in Ranger's one worded reply. "Location?"
"We're parked outside Starbucks on Broadway and West 57th Street. Stephanie is sitting at a table near the door," Bobby replied.
Ranger wasn't far away but with New York traffic being what it was it would take a while for him to get to her. "Stay with her, ETA forty-five minutes."
Lester stared at Bobby, open mouthed, and listened as he reported Stephanie's location to Ranger.
After he disconnected, Lester slammed him with questions, trying to look past Bobby into the coffee shop. "Are you sure? Are you really sure it's Stephanie? If you're mistaken, Ranger will kill you for leading him on."
Bobby turned towards Lester and laughed. "Yes, I'm certain it's Stephanie, Les. Man, I can't believe it. Here we've been searching hospitals, clinics and even morgues and we find her at Starbucks of all places." He shook his head. "Of course, we are talking about the Bombshell. We should have been thinking outside the box, but then again, New York is a pretty big box."
Lester laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "It doesn't matter man, the fact is we found her, and she's alive and well."
Bobby's face fell as he watched Stephanie through the store window. "She's alive but she's not well."
"What are you not telling me?" Lester asked.
"She doesn't know her name. She told me her name was Donna, the name Hector gave her when he made her fake ID." He sighed and ran a hand over his short cropped hair. "I suspect that she has amnesia. It's the only logical explanation I can think of. She's also blind."
Bobby and Lester sat in the SUV outside Starbucks coffee shop and watched as a woman with blonde hair, driving a black Lexus LS, pulled into a handicapped parking place and went inside the store. She walked over to Stephanie's table, said something to her and then offered her arm for Stephanie to hold on to as they navigated their way out of the crowded store and into the car.
Lester flipped his phone open, called the control room and had Hal run the plates on the car.
As they followed behind Stephanie and the woman at a safe distance, Hal came back on the line with the name and address of the person the car was registered to, Doctor Jonathon Westcott. Lester called Silvio in the Miami office and told him to do whatever it takes, pull strings and call in favors if he had to, but to put a rush on a background search on Westcott.
After he hung up, he called Ranger and gave him an update. "Stephanie's on the move."
They followed Stephanie and the woman as they weaved through the afternoon traffic until they came to a townhouse located in Greenwich Village and parked. Bobby pulled the SUV alongside the curb across the street and turned off the motor. They watched as the blonde woman helped Stephanie out of the car and they disappeared into the house. After fifteen minutes, Ranger and Tank pulled up behind them, and they got out of the car and joined Ranger and Tank.
Neither Bobby nor Lester knew how to tell Ranger about her condition. Lester opened his mouth several times and began. "She doesn't seem to be under any kind of duress but she isn't herself," he cut his eyes to Bobby, "tell him Bobby."
Ranger's eyes met Bobby's through the rearview mirror. Bobby could easily see that it wouldn't take much for him to snap. He told him about his meeting with Stephanie at Starbucks, and his suspicion about her having amnesia. "I think she's blind, too."
Ranger closed his eyes and laid his head back on his headrest. He contemplated everything that had happened in the last hour. Only one thought kept going through his mind. Stephanie's alive. He hadn't given up on her all these months and he wasn't going to give up on her now. "Get Westcott on the phone and arrange a meeting. I want to know what's going on and why Stephanie is with him."
Bobby flipped open his phone and dialed the number Lester gave him. The phone rang three times before Westcott answered.
"Doctor Westcott, my name is Bobby Brown. I work for RangeMan, LLC," He paused, listened for a moment and then continued. "For the past few weeks, we've been conducting a missing person's investigation which involves the woman living in a home owned by you. For safety reasons, I hesitate to divulge too much information over the phone, is there a place nearby where we can meet?"
He listened for a few minutes and hung up. "We're meeting him at Ken's Sandwich Shop in thirty. Get this; he wants to check out our credentials before he'll allow us to meet Stephanie."
Lester's cell phone rang. He glanced at the display and put it on speaker. "Everyone's here Silvio, go ahead."
"Preliminary reports came back on Westcott," Silvio began, "other than being busted for assault and battery when he attacked his sister's abusive husband, and a few moving violations, he's clean."
Ranger had waited so long to find Stephanie. His days were consumed in the search for her and the few hours he did sleep were spent dreaming of her. The last thing he wanted to do now, when he was so close, was to leave her. He trusted his men with his life, and he trusted them with Stephanie's. "Brown, you're with me. Tank and Santos, stay with Stephanie."
They drove to Ken's Sandwich Shop in silence. When they arrived, they parked across the street and watched the front door. Ranger recognized Westcott immediately and remembered the time he watched him and Stephanie dance together at 'The Hot Spot'.
Ranger tucked his laptop under his arm, exited the car and walked inside. He shook Westcott's hand and introduced himself and Bobby before they took their seats at a small table.
Ranger started the meeting by opening his laptop and showing Westcott several pictures of Stephanie. He told him that she worked for him at RangeMan.
He explained that among her other duties, she also worked undercover for him and that was the reason why she introduced herself to him that night at The Hot Spot as Donna Di Meraviglia instead of Stephanie Plum.
He showed him a few more pictures of her taken at different angles while working at RangeMan. There was no denying that Donna and Stephanie were the same woman.
Jonathon ran a hand through his hair. "Everything you're telling me makes complete sense and I believe you, but before we can go any further, I need to know how she sustained her injuries and why she drove her car into the ocean?"
"Stephanie also works for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds in Trenton New Jersey," Ranger explained. "She's a Bond Enforcement Agent and more often than we'd like, she attracts stalkers." Ranger opened another file on his computer. "Last October, a man by the name of Norman Jackson Ambers kidnapped Stephanie and tortured her for days. She found a way to escape him by driving the car into the harbor." He pulled up the videos of Ambers torturing her.
Jonathon tore his eyes from the screen. "There's no way you could have known she was alive." He then told them how he came to be at the pier that evening and that he watched as Stephanie drove the car over the edge and into the harbor.
He then explained that he dove in and saved her. "She wasn't breathing and her heart had stopped. I performed CPR and took her to the hospital where I work. I didn't know if the person who inflicted her injuries would come looking for her, so she wasn't listed on the patient roster. If anyone came looking for her, they were simply told that we didn't have any Jane Doe's."
He looked into their faces and was met with silence. "I have good reason for my actions." He then told them about his sister and how she had died in his arms from injuries sustained from domestic abuse. "My heart went out to Stephanie. It was as if I was being given a second chance. I was compelled to do my best to protect her."
Ranger leaned forward in his chair. "This is very important. Was there anyone else in the car?"
Jonathon shook his head. "I don't know. The water was murky and I could barely see my hand in front of my eyes. After I pulled Stephanie from the water, my focus was on her. I didn't dive back in to look for other survivors."
Ranger and Bobby exchanged a glance. They both thought the same thing. Ambers could still be alive.
"When I saw her, covered in bruises and bleeding, it was as if I was seeing Sandra all over again," Jonathon continued. "Later, when the bandages came off Stephanie's eyes, I recognized her as the woman I had danced with at The Hot Spot, Donna Di Meraviglia. That's why she thinks her name is Donna."
Jonathon cleared his throat and looked at Ranger. "There are a couple things you need to know. Stephanie has amnesia. She remembers a few things from her childhood but nothing more. She's being seen by one of the best psychotherapists available, and right now she's progressing well, considering the circumstances."
"What circumstances are those?" Ranger asked.
"Amnesiacs will often respond with stimuli. Pictures, places, and surroundings they're familiar with. But Stephanie is also legally blind. She can see shadows and some light but not enough to determine her surroundings. She's paced off my home and can get around couches and tables, but when she leaves the house, she needs someone with her to guide her. Because she can't see, the only stimuli that help trigger her memories, so far, are scents."
Ranger looked him in the eye. "I'd like to take Stephanie back to Trenton where she'll be surrounded by friends, family and things which are familiar to her. She can continue her sessions with Dr. Colbert and of course, I'd like to reimburse you for your personal expenses."
Jonathon smiled a sad smile. "Money is no object. I've never given it a second thought. I just don't know if I can let her go from my life so easily. I've come to care about her a great deal."
Ranger felt a momentary pang of jealousy. "Have you and Stephanie become intimate over the past few weeks?"
Jonathon looked at him incredulously. "No, it's nothing like that! Stephanie was my second chance to do for her what I couldn't do for my sister. I feel more of a brotherly affection towards her, and she feels the same towards me."
Ranger studied the man for a few moments. He seemed to be completely honest and trustworthy and he knew Westcott only had Stephanie's best interest at heart. "How do you suggest we explain all this to Stephanie?"
"I'd like to call Dr. Colbert and see what she recommends and then take it from there," Jonathon replied.
Ranger agreed and Jonathon placed the call. After a long detailed explanation, it was agreed that Dr. Colbert would meet with them at Jonathon's home and help explain everything to Stephanie and then let Steph decide if she wanted to go home to Trenton, or stay in New York.
The three men stood and shook hands. "Thank you for everything Dr. Westcott," Ranger said, "I know none of this can be easy for you."
"No, it isn't easy," Jonathon said as he ran a hand through his hair, "but it is the right thing for Stephanie and everyone who loves and cares about her. Am I right, Mr. Manoso?"
Ranger looked him in the eye and nodded his head.
An hour later, after Dr. Colbert arrived at Jonathon's home and he had explained the circumstances to her, Ranger and Bobby knocked on the door. Jonathon made the round of introductions and offered everyone refreshments.
Ranger's breath caught in his throat when he saw Stephanie for the first time after so many weeks. She looked beautiful. She wore cream colored slacks and a long sleeved blue v-neck sweater which accented the deep blue color of her eyes. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail of wild curls and she wore just a little makeup to accent her eyes and tinted lip gloss on her lips. Other than some significant weight loss, she looked like her old self. When she stretched out her hand to shake his, he noticed the scar on her wrist and he wondered how many other scars, physically, mentally and emotionally she bore because of Dickie Orr.
Stephanie turned her face towards Ranger and focused on him, he had a unique scent which was hauntingly familiar to her. "I feel as if I know you. Have we met before?"
Dr. Colbert turned to Stephanie and interrupted, "I have some things I need to speak with you about. Let's go into the den and talk, shall we?"
When they were seated in Jonathon's den, Dr. Colbert began. "There's been a development in your case."
She watched as the young woman's back stiffened and continued. "It's good news actually, and I think you're going to be very happy. Learning the truth will place you on the path of recovery from everything you have suffered from. You need to be brave and face your future head on."
Stephanie nodded her head and picked at her fingernails.
"The men you just met are from RangeMan Security. Does the name mean anything to you?" Dr. Colbert asked.
Stephanie shook her head, "No, it doesn't ring a bell."
Dr. Colbert leaned forward and took Stephanie's hand in hers. "One of the men you just met, Ranger, is your employer. You work for him at RangeMan doing a variety of tasks including background searches."
"I don't remember that at all," Stephanie said.
Dr. Colbert patted her hand. "I know you don't dear, but in time, you will."
She looked over her notes and continued. "You also performed a few other tasks while working for RangeMan. You worked what they call, distraction jobs. The name you used for these jobs is Donna Di Meraviglia. For your own safety, a fake identification was created to protect you."
She studied her face carefully before she continued. "Your real name is Stephanie Plum." She saw the look of disbelief and panic in Stephanie's eyes and gave her hand a gentle, yet firm squeeze. "Let me explain."
For the next ninety minutes, Dr. Colbert explained everything she could to her. There were some aspects of her previous life she didn't elaborate on. It was best that she remember some things, such as her personal relationships, on her own. "No one is going to make you do anything you don't want to Stephanie, you can stay here in New York with Jonathon and Anita, or you can return home to Trenton."
Stephanie sat and weighed her options. "If I go back home to Trenton, I stand a better chance at a full recovery, right?"
"The more you're in familiar environments, the better your chances of recovering," Dr. Colbert replied.
"I'm scared, I don't want to be alone but I can't ask Anita to make the sacrifice of leaving New York and her family to come with me," Stephanie explained.
Dr. Colbert took her hand in hers and patted it. "You don't have to be alone. It's my understanding that before all this happened, Mr. Manoso, Ranger, was helping you and you were staying with him in his apartment." She could see the doubt and worry in her eyes. "I suggest you take things one step at a time. You have remarkable instincts. Follow them, they've brought you this far and should be relied upon. I'm impressed with Ranger. He strikes me as an honorable man."
When Dr. Colbert and Stephanie emerged from the den, all three men stood as they walked into the room.
Stephanie stood in the middle of the room. "Everybody, this is a little hard to take in. Dr. Colbert explained to me who you are, who I am, and who Donna Di Meraviglia is." She put a shaky hand to her brow and continued. "One day, when I'm fully recovered I hope to be able to return to my job and be Donna again, it sounds like working distractions was exciting and a lot of fun."
Ranger smiled his barely there smile.
Stephanie clasped her hands together in front of her to keep from fidgeting. "I'd like to go home to Trenton, and until I get settled, I would like to accept Ranger's generous offer and stay with him." She turned towards Jonathon and continued. "If it's not inconvenient, I'd like to spend my last night in New York alone with Jonathon and Anita. They're a large part of my life and if it wasn't for Jonathon, I wouldn't even be here."
Ranger stepped forward. "Take all the time you need Steph, there's no hurry. We're not going anywhere."
After Ranger, Bobby and Dr. Colbert left, Stephanie, Jonathon and Anita sat in the front room and talked. Stephanie told them how much she was going to miss them. "You two are my family. How can I just walk out on you?"
Jonathon moved from the chair he was sitting in and sat next to her on the couch. He took her hand in his and told her that he would always be there for her, no matter what. "I love you."
She smiled a tentative smile. "You love me?"
Jonathon kissed her knuckles. "Yes, in my own way. You're so much like a sister to me. It's hard not to love you."
Stephanie froze at his words. She felt like she was experiencing some sort of Déjà vu. She knew she'd heard these words before but it was as if she was hearing them through a tunnel. She shook the feeling off and forced a smile. "I want you both to know that I love you, I promise to stay in touch and we'll get together often."
They spent the evening making plans to meet again soon and then Stephanie excused herself and went to bed.
That night, when she dreamt, she saw the man dressed in black again. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist as he held her close to his heart. Although she couldn't see his face, she recognized him as Ranger.
Ever since she came home from the hospital, she'd been waking early in the morning and she and Jonathon would work out together. Her last morning in New York, she woke at five and threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She made her way to the small home gym and started with a few warm up stretches before stepping onto the treadmill.
Jonathon joined her a few minutes later. "Who am I going to find to exercise with in the mornings now that you're leaving?"
Stephanie shot him a smile. "I'm sure Anita would love to join you if you invited her."
After doing his warm up stretches, Jonathon adjusted the weights and sat down at the rowing machine. "I'm sure now that you're leaving she'll want to move on herself."
Stephanie turned up the pace on the treadmill. "Why don't you ask her to stay on as your housekeeper?"
Jonathon looked up and saw the smile playing at Stephanie's lips. He wondered if she somehow suspected the attraction he felt for Anita.
After they finished their workout, Stephanie went back to her room to shower and pack what few personal belongings she had. She owed so much to Jonathon and she knew her debt wasn't just a monetary one. She knew that anytime he needed her, she would be there for him.
She hoped he got his head out of his ass soon and realized what a treasure he had in Anita. The two of them were a match made in heaven. She found it ironic that only a blind woman could see it.
At precisely 9:00, Ranger rang the bell. Stephanie invited him in for coffee but he declined. He carried her bags out to the SUV, and after a tearful goodbye to Jonathon and Anita, Stephanie was ready to leave.
Ranger shook Jonathon's hand and thanked him for everything he had done for Stephanie. "You're always welcome to visit anytime you wish. The bond the two of you have formed is one that should be nurtured, not severed."
Tank, Bobby and Lester were in one SUV, leaving Ranger and Stephanie alone in the other for the trip back to Trenton.
Ranger had spent over an hour the night before speaking with Dr. Colbert on the phone. She gave him some tips and suggestions on how to help Stephanie regain her memories. He reached over and put one of Stephanie's favorite CD into the stereo and turned the volume down low so they could hear the music and talk at the same time.
After they were on the highway, Stephanie turned towards him and smiled. "Tell me about Trenton and what I should expect when we arrive."
Ranger smiled. It was hard, even for him, to believe she was sitting next to him discussing of all things, Trenton, New Jersey. "There's not a lot to be said about Trenton. It's another smog filled city, full of crime and lunatics."
He turned on his turn signal and merged into the fast lane of traffic. "Before you disappeared, you've been staying with me in my apartment. You have an apartment on Hamilton Avenue which you share with your pet hamster, Rex."
"I have no recollection of my apartment or Rex," she sighed.
"It will all come back to you in time, Babe. You have to be patient."
"You called me Babe. Do you call all the women in your life Babe?" she asked with a smile.
"No only you," Ranger replied.
Stephanie tilted her face towards the window. "You're more than just my boss, aren't you?"
Ranger studied her for a moment. Dr. Colbert had explained to him that it was important he was honest with her but not to give her any details. She needed to remember certain things on her own. "Yes, we have a history," he finally said.
"A history, what does that mean?" Stephanie asked. "Am I like a sister to you?"
Ranger laughed out loud. "No, Babe. You're definitely not like a sister." He picked up her hand and held it on his lap. "We'll discuss it later, after you're settled."
Stephanie wasn't ready to let the subject go. She felt as if she was on the verge of remembering something significant. "We're intimate aren't we?" She said quietly. "I remember you. I mean, I don't remember you…but I remember you from my dreams. Even while I was in the hospital and in a coma, you were in my dreams. You were always there for me. You held me in your arms when I was afraid and whispered in my ear."
Ranger lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. "Yes, Babe, we're intimate."
For the rest of the drive, Ranger told her about RangeMan and explained that for the time being, she'd be staying there, with him, on the seventh floor. He described the layout of the building and what it contained. She was happy to hear about the gym on the fifth floor and told him that she loved to run and exercise in the mornings. "Will I be disturbing anyone if I get up early to work out?"
Ranger laughed and smiled his full on smile. "I've been trying to get you to work out with me early in the mornings for years."
Soon, they were pulling into the underground garage. Ranger helped Stephanie from the car and offered her his arm. He knew that every one of his men wanted to be in the parking garage to welcome Stephanie home but didn't want to overwhelm her on her first day home.
They rode the elevator up to the seventh floor and Ranger opened the door of the apartment for her.
Ella had outdone herself. There were newly cut flowers everywhere and a double layer chocolate cake on the kitchen counter.
Ranger walked around the apartment with her so she could get her bearings and count off her steps. When they came to the bathroom, Stephanie stepped inside and inhaled. "I remember this bathroom." She walked towards the shower with her arm outstretched. "There's something different about it, I can't place my finger on it."
Ranger remembered what Jonathon had told him about scents being memory triggers for her. "Usually it smells different," he explained, "I haven't been here in months and the shower hasn't been used."
He was reaching for his Bulgari shower gel so she could smell it when there was a knock on the front door.
He took Stephanie by the arm and guided her back into the living room, showing her to her favorite perch on the couch. "The men are anxious to see you again. Do you mind having a few visitors?"
She laughed and shook her head. "Of course not, invite them in!"
Tank, Bobby, Lester, Hal and Junior all filed into the room and gathered around her encircling her in a big enclosure of black mass.
Stephanie brought her hands up and covered her head as she sank further into the couch. Ranger pushed the men aside and ordered them out of the apartment.
Stephanie quickly recovered and stood up, "No, please let them stay. Everyone came at me so fast I was a little frightened." She brought a hand up and pushed back a curl which had worked its way loose from her pony tail.
"I'm okay if things are taken slow. Fast movements and being enclosed in darkness frighten me. Perhaps if you introduce yourself to me first, that might help."
Ranger looked on at his men as they acted like a bunch of school boys at their first dance. Lester was the first one to break the silence. "My name is Lester, I'm your favorite Merry Man." Bending down, he kissed her cheek. "Welcome home Beautiful, I missed you."
Bobby, Tank, and Junior followed suit, each one kissing her cheek and expressing how much they cared about her and welcoming her home. Hal hung back and didn't say anything. His eyes shone with unshed tears. He still blamed himself for not stopping her from leaving that day when Ambers lured her to the Haunted House.
Lester pushed him forward telling him not to be shy. He sat down on the couch, and picked up her hand. "Bombshell, I never thought I'd have the opportunity to tell you how…." Ranger kicked his foot and shook his head almost imperceptibly. "…that is, what I mean to say is, I'm so glad you're home, I missed you. If there's anything you want or need, just let me know."
"I feel a bit overwhelmed. Thank you all for the incredible welcome home!" She smiled up into their faces. "I have just two questions. Why are you called Merry Men, and Hal, why did you call me Bombshell?" The room erupted in laughter and in that moment, although she couldn't remember them, she knew she had come home.
As the men were getting ready to leave, Stephanie's stomach rumbled loudly. She was embarrassed and covered her stomach with her hands. "I'm so sorry. It happens to me all the time, I can't help it!"
Everyone laughed and Lester kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about it Beautiful. It's part of your charm."
After everyone left, Ranger showed her where the intercom was and told her how to contact Ella. "If there's anything you need, just let Ella know and she'll take care of it for you. The two of you are very close and I know she's anxious to see you again."
He ordered lunch and within minutes, Ella appeared at the door. She wheeled the cart into the room and then gathered Stephanie in her arms, planting kisses on both her cheeks as tears glistened in her eyes. "Welcome home dear, I missed you so much! If there's anything you want, any special foods or desserts or anything at all, just let me know."
Ranger led Stephanie to her chair at the dining room table and set the dishes in front of her showing her where her food was.
Ella had prepared ham and cheese sandwiches on rye bread with potato salad and milk for Stephanie and a green salad for Ranger. Stephanie moaned her appreciation when she bit into the sandwich and Ranger smiled his full 1000-watt smile at the sound. He hadn't realized until now just how much he had missed the little things about her.
During lunch they discussed plans for the future. There were still a lot of people who didn't know Stephanie was alive. Ranger wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin on the table.
"I don't want to overwhelm you on your first night back, but there are some key people who need to know as soon as possible that you're alive and home." He studied her face carefully and when she looked doubtful he continued. "We don't have to do this tonight. We can take as much time as you need. I'm sure they'd understand, but it is something you'll eventually have to do. It's better to get it done and over with."
She hesitated then asked, "Can we start with just my family at first?"
He engulfed her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Anything you want, Babe. It's been a busy day and I know you must be tired. If you want, why don't you lay down for awhile? I'll call your parents and invite them to come over after dinner."
She nodded her head against his chest. "I'd really like to take a shower first if you don't mind?"
He slid his hand around her waist and guided her towards the bathroom. "Let me show you where everything is."
He laid out towels and showed her where his bathrobe was, explaining that she wore it more than he did. He then showed her where the shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel was. He helped her adjust the temperature and then went into the bedroom to call her parents to invite them over later that night.
Stephanie stepped under the dual shower heads and felt as if she'd died and gone to heaven. She shampooed and conditioned her hair then reached for the sponge and Bulgari shower gel.
She squeezed a generous amount on the sponge and lathered it up. She smelled the familiar scents and immediately fell in love with it all over again. She had nothing more than happy thoughts as she inhaled its rich fragrance. She quickly washed, rinsed and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped her hair in one of the big fluffy towels and slipped into the robe Ranger had laid out for her.
At that moment, a memory washed over her. She was dizzy with the intensity of it and reached a hand out to steady herself. She inadvertently grabbed a shelf and knocked everything down with a crash as she sank to the floor. She gathered the folds of the robe around her and bent her head forward inhaling the fragrance which was a combination of her own scent, Ranger's and Bulgari. Tears gathered in her eyes and she wept as she embraced her newly remembered memory.
Ranger came rushing into the room and found her in a heap on the floor, her nose buried in the folds of his robe as she sobbed. He bent down and gathered her in his arms. "Are you okay? Are you injured?"
She sobbed harder and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into his neck. "I remember you."
TBC
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