Tell Him
Chapter 21
"A Tree Cutting We Will Go"
Ranger was sitting at his desk staring at the computer, nothing was registering. A smile on his face still from last night now that the shock had worn off, they were having twins. He chuckled when they told Stephanie's parents after the doctor's appointment, Frank immediately light a candle praying for a grandson. He was at church before the sun was up lighting one at the altar her mother called to tell her.
Getting up to visit his bride, rounding the corner her heard Stephanie sniffling. Taking three large Ranger sized steps, "Babe, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." blowing her nose.
Toby and Tia were looking up at him with sad eyes and un-perky ears.
"Babe, tell me," effortlessly slipping his arms under her and resting her in his lap as he sat down. Pregnancy hormones the doctor warned about must be really kicking in today.
"We'll have to move with the twins. The puppies and I love our house," wetting his black t-shirt.
"We're not moving," brushing her curls tenderly and wiping tears with a gentle thumb. "We have three bedrooms. The babies won't need rooms of their own for a long while. If there are ever more than two children, then eventually we may need to consider it. We're just settling into our home," kissing her red nose from crying. "I love our house because it's ours. Just think how much more special it will be with two new babies. Our babies."
"Really? Did you hear that, Babies? We're not moving."
Giving a 'YIP", both sets of ears perked up immediately and they started running around, sadness a thing of the past.
"I swear they understand you, Babe."
He heard sniffling behind him. There was Tank, Lester, and Bobby standing at Lester's cubicle.
"That's beautiful, Ranger," Lester choked. All three were wiping their eyes. "Our pregnancy hormones are making us weepy, too."
"Why me?" he told them back with slightly closed Cuban eyes.
Looking up at her husband with watery blue eyes, "Ranger, this weekend since it's supposed to snow a little, can we drive to the Christmas tree farm in the country and cut down our first Christmas tree?"
"You want us to cut our own?"
"Uh Huh. Please?"
"OK, Babe. But you'll need to be careful so you don't fall," rubbing her stomach. "I don't want you or our babies to get hurt."
"We'll be fine. Do Toby and Tia want to go to the country with Mommy and Daddy?"
Now, the puppies were wildly dancing around and barking louder through the office.
Ranger just shook his head. It was bad enough when they went to Miami for their honeymoon, Ranger never said anything; he just reserved a private jet so he, Stephanie, and the puppies could go. Leaving them for a week would have been unbearable for her. He didn't want the mother of his twins upset, so they packed up the Dwieners to head South. Now, they needed to go to the country go pick out a Christmas tree!
"We need Christmas trees, too," Tank was batting his eyes at Ranger and Stephanie.
An eyebrow rose, "You're big ex-Army guys who can cut down your own trees, you know."
Lester gave puppy dog eyes, "But, Stephanie knows all the fun places and it's our first holiday in our new neighborhood."
"Fine, you three can come. Santos, you're accompanying Stephanie, the puppies, and Grandma to Pinkie's studio since I'm not permitted to go," giving his wife the eyebrow now.
"Ranger," Stephanie cooed seductively, "I want it to be a surprise for you, and you can be a little intimidating," holding up her thumb and index finger spaced apart. "I don't want the puppies to be scared. It's their first photo shoot."
"I said I would stay here, but Lester is going."
"Thank you," kissing his jaw.
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Ranger was dressed and ready to go cut down the Christmas tree. Jeans, turtleneck under a denim shirt, and hiking boots. Trenton received about 2 inches from the first snowfall of the season last night. "Babe, everyone is waiting out front."
"We're ready."
Scampering towards him were Toby and Tia in their puppy sweaters. She had a little pink knit hat with a whitepom-pom on top with matching scarf to complete the outfit. Toby's were blue to match his doggie sweater. Each had a little shiny black bootie on each paw. Happy expressions on their Dwiener faces.
"Babe, they have been Aliens, Pilgrims, and Christmas trees. Now, Nanooks of the North, ey!"
"Silly, they couldn't wear their trees so someone didn't mistake them for a tree! Toby and Tia will stand out now."
"Let's go," taking Stephanie's hand and grabbing the leashes before going out the door to the warming truck. He was glancing as his sexy wife in her thick quilted jacket with fake fur trim and her brown suede boots with white tassels. Wrapped around her neck a soft knitted scarf in brown, white, blue with matching mittens.
Pulling out of the driveway, Ranger could see the heads rolling with merriment at the winterized Dwieners.
Ranger couldn't achieve a driving zone, again. He kept getting glimpses of the little tossel caps behind him on the backseat watching for the country. Chuckling, nothing surprised him anymore in regard to those puppies. Since meeting Stephanie, his life has been anything but normal. Since the puppies came along with their outfits, it was bordering beyond insanity like Jerry Springer crazy when a woman confessed to her husband she was actually a man but was afraid of needles and couldn't finish the sex change operation so she was going to clown school.
"Look, Toby and Tia! It's the country!' Stephanie told the excited puppies with noses pressed to the truck window taking in the scenery.
"Bobby, how come Stephanie gets all the really cute outfits for her puppies?" looking at Samson wearing a plain green knit sweater.
"We need to go shopping with her."
Lula was head to toe Eskimo in her long, white quilted coat with fuzzy boots, "Its cold out here, Batman!"
"Tankie will keep you warm."
"I know you will, Baby!" Lula snuggled into her man.
Once they paid their tree fees and got their cups of hot chocolate, Farmer Brown who looked like Mr. Green Jeans from Captain Kangaroo loaded humans and dogs into the wagon starting out for the growing acres of pine trees. He was chuckling Ranger could see in his plexiglass cab of the tractor at the pink and blue hatted and sweatered puppies.
Lula got everyone to sing a chorus of "Jingle Bells" on the way out after threatening bodily harm.
Stephanie, Toby, and Tia finally decided on a perfectly shaped 7 foot Blue Spruce. Ranger stood back as his woman and puppies ran in the snow going from tree to tree. Scarves blowing with their movements. All enjoying the snow. Once all three trees were cut and loaded, big fluffy white snowflakes began falling.
"We got to sing 'Winter Wonderland', Skinny White Girl!"
Giving evil eyes around the wagon, Lula started singing loud enough to wake the hibernating animals.
"Sleigh bells ring
are you listening
in the lane
snow is glistening
a beautiful sight
we're happy tonight
walking in a winter wonderland."
"Babe," Ranger could swear the Dwieners were bobbing their little heads with pom pom hats in time with the song. It was Christmas insanity Stephanie style.