For all intensive purposes pretend this is 2015. Silly me, I wrote the whole story then tied it all up in this epilogue. My bad.

Chapter 21

Epilogue

It had been a year, but what a year!

Rangeman Lexington was up and running. Employees were still getting the bugs out of the branch but response times were improving, business was picking up and there was a feeling of camaraderie and excitement in the new branch.

Bobby had flown in for the celebration from San Francisco where he was enrolled in the last courses for his medical degree. He had been able to skirt a number of requirements with his medic training and with the courses he had previously taken at university was hoping to eventually specialize in trauma. Rangeman's long term plan involved Dr. Robert Brown in charge of the medical units of all the branches. While it would be part-time for some time, he was excited to further his education at the same time as staying on top of things at Rangeman.

He had kept in touch with his cousin Sophia and she had greased a number of wheels with her medical contacts for him. Sophia had decided to retire from the Navy after a stellar career and was now travelling around the country as a consultant for a medical company. She liked to drop in now and then to see her many friends, but when she was in Kentucky, she kept her promise and continued to allow Stephanie only one measly beer!

Les had flown in from Rangeman New York. He and Rory had had a few discussions on the mats and had come to an agreement on the paperwork. Les agreed to take over on every second weekend but his weeknights were free. He also made sure that his in-box was never left on his desk when he was not on the floor. After much soul-searching he had abandoned taking up residence in Miami. Home was New York and he had found lots of reasons to not regret his decision.

He had found a woman who he desperately wanted to stay with him for the long term. She made his heart beat faster every time he thought of her. He loved her scent as she snuggled into his embrace, and sex was just a mind-blowing event any time they were together. Unfortunately, she was a true free spirit herself and was repelling his advances. Time would tell if these two play-people could get on the same page.

Tank and Lula and their three children had flown in with James flying the new Rangeman plane and were already taking up temporary residence in a suite in the building. Marjorie and a part-time assistant had also made the trip to help with the children.

They were blessed with a baby girl along with the twins now. She had been given up at birth by her way-too-young teenage mother and they had stepped up to officially adopt her. The adoption agency had fast-tracked their application after a preliminary check of their finances and family dynamics. Her life had started off a bit on the rough side but with Lula and Tank providing an extremely loving family environment she was going to have every chance to succeed. Abigail was a happy, healthy baby at six months old and the apple of her daddy's eye. Tank had caught himself thinking of her as 'AB'. He liked initials. Lula, on the other hand, was holding out on at least one of their children answering to a real name.

Unbeknown to anyone, Lula had found, purchased and already stashed in the back of the closet a child's tea service, some tiaras and had brought out of deep storage all her feather boas and scarves. It was a service for six and she fully intended the entire family to be enjoying 'tea' in the not too distant future.

The twins were now two, and as the saying, terrible two's, it suited them to a tee. They were too young for the electric quads Daddy was eying, but there was time for that too in the near future. Tank also reasoned that if they had quads, Dad needed one to ride herd on them. Just in case, he had also checked on a pink quad for Abigail.

Lula was at peace with her life and her family. After the hysterectomy she only then realized how her body had been rebelling with the fibroids and having lost a good portion of weight chasing children, she was now looking trim and fit, at least for Lula.

Bobby's replacement medic was keeping an eye on Ram medically and so far he was within acceptable guidelines. Everyone slips up now and then and Ram was human like everybody else. Unfortunately, seeing Bobby standing at his office door one morning was certainly cause for alarm and Ram had been looking at another macrobiotic diet unless he could do some fancy talking. Bobby didn't allow pleading on his watch and after sitting down they devised a diet that both could live with. Ram promised that he would stay away from pizza and pizza subs and Bobby put away the diet.

Ram had moved steadily up the ladder with more and more responsibility and was now assisting Tank with his duties in Trenton. After a conference call with Leadership Core, Ram had just recently been offered the position of second in command, Trenton. As a matter of fact, he was back in Trenton holding down the fort while the new branch was having their official grand opening. It was his first official act being left in charge while Tank left town.

Ranger had decided that he wanted to get out of the hustle and bustle of Trenton and had moved to Kentucky to oversee the new branch and to be closer to Stephanie with her ever expanding business. A number of employees with western roots had chosen to transfer to the new branch. It took a lot of convincing of the LC, but Rangeman Lexington debuted a new uniform on the employees. The cargoes and shirts were the same design, just not black. Kentucky and black was not going to fly. Instead, they were more of a desert sandy color and now other branches were petitioning to have a choice too.

So far, Ranger had not officially chosen a second in command, but Woody was proving that he deserved a serious look at the position. Who knew that he had such a good business head on his shoulders. He was calm and cool under pressure, and a southern gentleman when he needed to be. He was comfortable dealing with Kentucky businessmen and landowners and carried on as many sales and service inquiries sitting on the back of a horse as sitting in a boardroom.

In addition to an assistant who absolutely loved to travel, Stephanie had also hired a secretary and a part-time book-keeper to assist her.

Her ideas of an internet-only company had a few growing pains but after consulting with and brainstorming with Natalie Cooper, the lecturer at the Summit last year, she had massaged her business plan and was gearing up to expand even more so. Stephanie was presently leasing a small office near the race-track but was contemplating a move to larger premises.

She was poring over the plans to expand onto a floor of her own in the Rangeman building but the discussions were hitting the odd snag. She wanted to pay rent and utilities and Ranger was balking as only Ranger could do. Whenever she had tried to re-open the subject, he had just gathered her in his arms and gave her a mind-blowing kiss, stating, "No price, Babe."

Men! Sometimes they were so frustrating!

Stephanie had indeed been invited to attend the 2015 Forbes Women's Summit, but as a presenter! She had stayed at the London once again and Ranger had joined her, taking the opportunity to check out the New York branch. Once again, they had been contracted to provide security but this year the entire Summit had gone off without so much as a hint of trouble. Stephanie had been invited to the meetings after the Summit ended and it was there that she made a number of important contacts if she wanted to branch into even more states. People came to her for advice and mentoring. She was paying it forward to the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Ranger and Stephanie were living together on the top floor of the Rangeman building and it suited them. Neither of them needed a house with a picket fence. Neither of them wanted children, or more children.

Stephanie had returned to Trenton a few times to visit family and friends but her life was now firmly entrenched in Kentucky and the neighboring states. Her family had flown out to see her the odd time but while they had enjoyed the visit, they could never see themselves spending any significant time away from their beloved Burg.

As for Ranger and Stephanie and the strange relationship they had? Marriage was still not on the books and possibly never would. They knew in their hearts that they were meant for each other, but the idea of saying the words scared them both too much to even contemplate taking it any further. The ring that Ranger had put on Stephanie's left hand was enough. The necklace with the interlocking bands was also a confirmation of their love for each other. They were committed, and they were in love. What more could one ask for?

Maybe they'd get a dog, maybe not!

Again I have come to the end of a story. I tried for less angst and a bit more adventure.

I cannot tell a lie. It bothered me what I had done to weaken Stephanie on 'Angel Wings' and I felt the need to redeem myself a bit. I made her strong again.

Many thanks to Megan who tried for every color under the rainbow as she corrected or made gentle suggestions.

Also, thanks to Linda for letting me bend her medical ear. No doctor wants to hear those terrible words, 'I need to make her sick'.

It is summer and time to take a break. I hope to be back with another story soon.

Myrna