Stephanie's POV:

I felt arms come around me, rubbing my back, and a worried voice asking me what the matter was. To say the least, I was embarrassed. Here I was, to answer the door for her, only to wind up on the floor soaking her carpet.

"Stephanie, Stephanie. Please tell me what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"It was R-r-r-anger." That made me cry even harder.

"Oh dear. I guess I should have mentioned that I had invited him to dinner as well." Wait, WHAT? My head snapped up.

"You told him I was here?"

"Oh, no, no, no. I said I knew he was in town and that he should come over for dinner. I thought it would give you guys a chance to work things out. How silly of me. Is he still outside?" I shook my head.

"No, he only came for the money. Not me." and I started to cry again.

"I'm not sure I understand. What money?" Oops.

"Um, well, I kinda, might of, sort of stole money from him."

"How much money?"

Well, there was no point in lying. She was going to find out anyway.

"Forty thousand."

"I see. And you think that's why he came all this way to Miami?" I nodded my head and proceeded to inspect my feet, waiting for it to register that I had stole a large amount of money from her son.

That never happened.

" Oh boy." You can say that again. " He really has done a number on you hasn't he?" What? She wasn't mad at me? The only thing left for me to do was to cry harder.

"Honey, slow down. You don't need to cry so hard."

"I – did – so -many-bad * hic * things and you are still – so n-nice to me." I stuttered.

"That's because I feel like you already belong in our family. And my son is only getting what is coming to him. He needs to wake up to reality and stop playing chicken. " She looked at me. "And you need to do the same thing to."

I nodded. She was right.

"Okay, good, we agree. Now listen to me dear. My son did not fly himself and his followers down here just to retrieve some money."

"But it was a lot of money."

"Yes, but the airfares alone down here are in the thousands of dollars. Especially if he flew first class. And if he couldn't get a flight soon enough, he would charter one, and that alone Stephanie is equal to your forty thousand dollars."

I meant to interrupt her, but she held her hand up to me.

"Not so fast. The original Rangeman Securities headquarters are in Miami. He could have just as easily sent any of his men from here instead of coming down himself."

"But he didn't"

"Yes, he didn't. Because it's not the money that he's after."

"Oh." I felt miserable for thinking the worst of him.

"Are you getting it yet my dear?" She held my face in her hand searching for the answer. Apparently she saw it because she smiled at me.

"But he left." I whined.

"He'll be back, he won't dare leave Miami without coming to see his mother. He may be some big tough ex Army Ranger, but I am his mother, and I can kick his ass any day."

That mental picture got a good laugh out of me.

"See, " Maria said, " everything is on the upside now. You have me as backup." I laughed again.

I felt better already.