The bed shifted and slowly I opened my eyes to find a toddler sitting on my chest. I gazed at Angel and felt instants amusement. She leaned over and planted a raspberry kiss on my cheek.

"There is a rumbly in my tummy", she announced.

I glanced over at the clock and realized it was 9:00 AM, I never slept this late and neither did Julie.

"Where are your sisters ?", I ask Angel.

"Don't know I can't read" Angel said as she did the cutest imitation of Babe's palms up. Then she pointed to the note secured to her footed pajamas with a safety pin. I unpinned note and read it.

Hey Steph and Dad,

Went running on the beach with uncle Frank and some of the Range men. Zahira wanted to come along to see the beach. Don't worry she won't be running I will walk with her.

Love

Jewels

"Come on little one, we will let mommy sleep and I will make you some breakfast".

Angel toddled with me into the kitchen as I opened the refrigerator. I was surprised to find fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats along with organic milk and eggs.

"Wow, looks like mommy is eating healthy these days", I said ,as I seated Angel on the counter next to a bowl and whisk.

"Healthy food for healthy babies", Angel chimed.

I preheated the oven, then took out eggs, vegetables, and cheese for a frittata. As I cracked and separated the eggs Angel giggled clapped.

"Okay Angel you are my assistant cook , that means you have to whisk the eggs."

Angel went to work on the eggs while I chopped the vegetables. When I went to add the them to the eggs Angel sang "I wanna do it , I wanna do it".

Carefully I helped my little girl add the vegetable to the bowl , I was truly enjoying this one on one time with Angel. Next we made fruit salad and then toasted whole wheat bagels. Me and Angel were just finishing up when Julie and Zahira walked though the door. The girls was soaking wet and covered with sand from the waist down.

"What happened to the two of you ?" I quizzed .

"Zahira got too close and the waves took her into the ocean , I went in after her", Julie explained casually.

"Where was your uncle and the rest of the Range men , didn't they help , who did let this happen?"

" It's no one's fault, the waves were so beautiful , I got too close and before I knew it, I was swept away" Zharia said. "I am not hurt please don't be mad, I don't want to get anyone in trouble" Zahira pleaded.

I smiled at my girls and then told them to get cleaned up for breakfast. When they were out of sight, I picked up the phone and dialed Frank.

"I was just about to call you", he said as he answered on the first ring.

"So you almost let your nieces drown", I said .

"Wasn't like that man , Zahira went in and Julie was one it before anyone could do a thing. We helped them both out of the ocean and then took them home to get in to dry warm clothes right away. ", Frank told me.

"Yeah that is what they told me, I was just checking", I said, and then hung up.

My phone buzzed and Sara's name appeared on the screen.

"Yo"

"Hello to you too little brother, Mama and Papi just flew in to see you. I having a get together at 3:00 it is a full out family thing and everyone will want to see you ", Sara informed me.

"See you at three Sara", I said before ending the call.

I was just placing the food on the table when the girls walked into the kitchen. I set a stack of plates on the counter and instantly Zahira jumped up to set the table.

"Sit Zahira, you are not employed here, I will let you know if I need help" , I told her softly.

We all filled our plates, and I made one for Babe. After setting everything on a tray along with a glass of orange juice, I took her breakfast into the master bedroom. Stephanie was still sleeping, so I opened the curtains to let the sun light wake her. Slowly she was roused from her sleep.

" Morning Babe , brought you breakfast in bed".

"Wow I have never had breakfast in bed before , thank you".

I kissed her and then went back out to eat with girls.

"Hey Jewels your sister is not a memo board , next time text me", I said as I sat down to eat breakfast.

She laughed "It's something me and Stephanie do, she misplaces her phone all the time or forgets to charge it so this way I know she gets my message".

"Only Babe".

As soon as we finished breakfast Zahira was on her feet cleaning the table, scraping plates, and loading the dish washer before I could say a word. When she finished I sat her down.

"Zahira, I appreciate you helping out, but cleaning up after us is not your job. You are not a servant, you are family."

She looked confused and simply nodded her head at me.

~X~O~X~O

We arrived Sara's house it was 3:00 sharp and I could tell that party was in full swing. Sara strolled out of the house to greet us giving me a kiss on both cheeks then hugging all of the girls.

"So what time did this thing really get started ? ", I ask.

"1:30 , but if I had told you that ,you would have been here at 12:45, in the way and talking about everyone else being late", she teased.

I could smell my mama cooking when I walked into the house and I could hear the sounds of family enjoying themselves , it felt good. My mother rushed out of the kitchen to greet me with Tia Yesenia close behind her.

"Oh my Mijo you gave me such a scare , no more, you hear me! I am an old woman now and my heart cannot take it , do you hear me Ricardo Carlos Manoso? " she scolded.

"Yes ma'am" I said as I embraced my mother.

"Where is my new granddaughter , Sara told me you brought me a new granddaughter", Mama ask leading me out to the table on the deck. "

I introduced Zahira to my mother and listened to her gush over how beautiful she was in Spanish. My mother beamed with joy as Zahira replied to her in Spanish.

"Carlos she is so thin don't you feed her ?" my mother said as she sat a bowl of Picadillo in front of Zahira.

My Tia Yesenia sat next to me as she handed me my own bowl.

"You and Lester, you make us worry, I never hear from him he is all grown up and can't call his mother. Your cousin , he needs to find a nice girl and settle down like you , someone who will take care of him. He runs from woman to woman and works far too much", my tia complained .

I tried not to bristle at the mention of Lester's name, My heart ached for my tia. Lester was her only child and she loved him dearly.

When we had finished our meal my mother took both bowls from table and stood then headed toward the kitchen. Before I could stop her, Zahira grabbed a tray filled it with dirty dishes and followed my mother to the kitchen.

"It's going to be a challenge to get her to realize that she is no longer a servant", I said as sat with Stephanie and Angel.

"Go get her" Babe insisted.

When I entered the kitchen Zahira was hard at work with my mother , she seemed content and comfortable. I stood in the doorway and watch the two bond ,once they had all the dishes loaded in to the dish washer, I ushered them back outside.
"No more chores you two have done your share for the day" I said.

"Wow Beautiful you are glowing", I heard Lester say as he climbed the stairs to the deck from the back yard.

What was he doing here, I thought making sure to keep my best blank face in place. Sara sidled up next to me.

" I did not invite , I would not do that to you or Stephanie after what that man put her though !", Sara whispered to me.

"You have not had a chance to meet my son, have you Stephanie?" Lester said as he eased into the seat next to my wife with Fernando on his lap.

I watched the color drain from Stephanie's face as she sifted uncomfortably in her chair, then quickly put Angel down. "Go find Julie" she told her.

I moved in closer and protectively leaned against the back of Babe's chair.

"Wow she is getting so big and looking more and more like her mother every day" Lester said in a taunting voice.

"Shut up Santos, you stay away from my little girl!", Stephanie hissed.

"Ouch, that is not nice Beautiful, stay away from your little girl" , he laughed.

I watched Stephanie's face turn red with anger and Lester sat there smugly wearing a smirk.

"I'm surprised Sylvia let you take him", I told Lester.

"She does not have a choice, I took her court .She gets generous child support and I get my son two weekends a month. Do you believe she had the nerve to ask for supervised visit?"

"Smart woman" Babe said as she got up then went inside the house.

"That is quite a baby bump she is sporting there , who knock her up this time?" Lester sneered.

"The same person who is about to knock you out", I growled quietly.

"You sure about that , from what I hear she is hot on the dating scene in Seattle , got a around with some VIPs. Her pregnancy looks a kind of advanced for you to be the baby daddy. It would not be the first time she tried to pass off another mans baby on someone else". Santos taunted quietly while bouncing his baby on his knee.

"Lester how about you let Sara hold the little guy and me and you can go talk".

"No thanks Ranger, Fernando is not feeling well and he is clingy today" Lester said smiling.

Sara glared at Santos then said "Well if he is not feeling well Lester maybe it would be best if…". Before she could finish the sentence Tia Yesenia was back out on the deck. She was so happy to see her son, she had tears in her eyes.

"Oh Fernando you are such a good boy you brought your papi to see abuela" she cooed at the baby, before she kissed Lester on both cheeks then gave him a long hug.

"Come Mijo let's get you something to eat" she said as she walked Lester into the kitchen.

I followed them in to make sure Babe was alright , I found her sitting in the kitchen with my mother slicing cake.

"I should have known you would be with the cake" I teased.

"Hey Stephanie, I was in your part of town with a client from L. A. I tried calling you but your home phone was busy and your cell went right to voice mail" Santos said in a cool voice.

Again Babes's face went white and she dropped the knife. Anger bubbled up inside of me, and I advanced toward the man pestering my wife.

"NO" she said firmly in a calm quiet voice, tucking herself into my arms. I could feel the tension in her body.

"Babe if you are not feeling well , we can go home", I offered.

"I will be fine, your family wants to spend some time with you , and the girls are having a great time. Let's go back outside I just need some air."

"See I feel better already" she said once we were back out on the deck. We sat and enjoyed the company of my family as they told Babe stories about me and my cousins growing up. Then someone turned on music and all the kids began to do the latest dance moves. Angel jumped up and started dancing right along side them. The family oohed and ahhhed as she moved gracefully in perfect rhythm with the music.

"Looks like you have got a natural born dancer , I wonder were she gets it from, do you know Beautiful ?" Lester said as he stood behind us. "I bet she gets it from her mother , what do you think Ranger?"

"I think if you are smart, you won't put that baby down today, and you will stay away from me and my wife" I whispered to Santos.

Babe's face went from white to red, she pinched her eyes shut and held her head in both hands.

"Don't go getting yourself all worked up Steph, it's not good for the baby" Santos mocked before reaching over to touch Stephanie's baby bump.

Protectively she jumped out of her chair and away from Santos reach. I caught his arm in mid-air and twisted it behind his back, then leaned in to his ear.

"That is my wife, mind your manners or I will rip off your arm and beat you with it."

"Sure whatever you say cousin" Lester said with a smile.

"Stop playing like that in front of the baby" my mother scolded.

"I told him tia", Lester said.

"Sara came over and walked me and Stephanie to a quiet corner of the deck," I can tell Lester to go , it is not a problem" she assured us. "There are so many people here no one would miss him ,well his mother would but …"

"Don't do that", Babe said interrupting, it's not fair to her ,she never gets to see her son."

"He is upsetting you Stephanie, you don't look good ,remember what your obstetrician told you about stress and your blood pressure" , Sara told Babe.

"What are you talking about Sara ? ", I ask .

Sara glanced at me then at Babe. I caught a look between the two woman, but neither answered my question.

"Why don't you go rest on my bed for while", Sara insisted.

Stephanie agreed and the two went back into the house.

An hour later I looked around and noticed Lester was no where to be found. As I entered the house I could hear a commotion. Babe was shrieking , Santos was laughing and Fernando was wailing his head off. Quickly I stormed in to the Sara's bedroom.

"You are a sick man Santos, stay away from me !", Stephanie yelled.

"What happened Babe? " I growled .

"I woke up and Santos was lying in bed by my side staring at me".

"I just came in here to change my little man's diaper and I felt like I could use a nap. Your wife is beautiful when she sleeps , then again you already know that, but I knew before you cousin", Lester snarked with a sickening smile on his face.

He had done it, made the mistake of putting the baby down on the bed. I took the opportunity to knock the man on his ass with a single punch.

The baby wailed louder, then Stephanie picked him up and cradled the crying baby in her arms.

"Stop it Ranger, just get him out here!" Babe hissed.

Lester just sat there on the floor laughing, blood trickling down his chin.

"Are you drunk man , how hard did I hit you?"

"Naw man, I don't get drunk, that is when you lose control and make yourself vulnerable. Your woman would know all about that". Santos said as he laughed harder.

I looked at Babe, and she did a small palms up while holding the baby.

Snatching Santos to his feet by his collar, I dragged him out of the side door and to his car.

"What was that back there Santos , what are you talking about"?

"You are not the first man to watch her sleep , I was just watching her sleep", I was not going to touch her , not while she is carrying another mans child", Lester said in a matter of fact tone.

I clenched my fist and swung, before I could make contact, I heard Babe scream for me to stop. She was standing there with baby Fernando in her arms, diaper bag on her shoulder.

Slowly she walked toward the car, when she approached, Stephanie dropped the baby bag to the ground, then shoved the baby into my arms.

"You can't do this, your mother is here, his mother is here ,you are going to make things really awkward for everyone", Babe warned, before storming off back into the house.

I pulled opened the rear door, placed Fernando into his car seat, fastened him in, then picked up the diaper bag and threw at Santos before heading back in to the house.

Babe was nowhere to be found inside Sara's home , so I went back outside to the deck. Everyone, and everything was eerily quiet and still. When I looked around for Stephanie I did not see her in the crowd of relative. My mother gave me a grim look. As I walked toward her, I saw my Babe lying motionless with her eyes closed on the deck.

"Babe" ! I yelled, lunging toward her.

Frank held me back as Sara moved in to work, "Stay calm Carlos let Sara do her thing , she already called 911".

I watched my sister listened to Stephanie's heart and lungs and then take her blood pressure. When she finished Sara frowned.

"Her heart rate is extremely elevated and her blood pressure is through the roof. You have to stay calm for her Carlos , do you understand" Sara told me firmly.

My mind was racing and fear for my Babe crept in as I nodded to Sara.