Thanks for all your reviews. I've had this partially finished, but hit a block getting it work out for the next few days for Stephanie and their reunion the way it was in my mind. Thanks again, Lee Anne

Whispers in the Wind

Chapter 28

The drive from the Newark airport to Washington Place wasn't long. Stephanie had to weave through the New York City traffic and people once she left New Jersey. She did it with ease coming back to her like knowing the back of your hand. It was something she did regularly living and working in and around this never sleeping city. Crossing into New York, the heartache like the previous time wasn't there. There were pangs of longing passing a coffee shop or gallery she and Regis visited in their life here, but the deep grief wasn't in her. It had left memories behind, hers and Regis' memories. Hurts of what their life was in that chapter. It was bittersweet they wouldn't make anymore, but over these some very long days and months as she healed without realizing it she was making her own special moments. There were those over these last few weeks made with a very handsome Cuban man. Seeing 'Romeo & Juliet'. They showed each other a picture from their senior year of high school on a dare, Ranger was in his football uniform and she was a cheerleader. They tossed a 'Nerf' football in the park walking her dogs as he showed off his athletic form. They were caught necking in the last row of the movie theater, Mrs. Plum received a few calls along the 'Burg' grapevine about that.

Her card she slipped into the machine clicked and the security arm went up, the garage door slid open to 'Welcome' her home. Tink and Mingo must have sensed they were returning to their original home, both barked as the Range Rover passed through.

Stephanie smiled when she pulled into one of the two parking spots belonging to her condominium. Sitting against the wall was a luggage cart Marshall left expecting her arrival.

At attention, Tink and Mingo stood beside the SUV as the overnight bags were stacked on the wheeled cart. They never moved until Stephanie gave the "OK" with her, Mary Alice, and Angie walking to the elevator.

"I can't believe we're back!" Stephanie's younger niece was bubbling with excitement.

"We are and the next few days should be busy. Tomorrow morning Leroy is expecting us and we have shopping to do so both of you are ready for school."

"Yeah shopping!" "It's too soon for school!" Both girls agreed on both points.

The elevator door dinged for the lobby. Mary Alice and Angie stepped out with Stephanie, the baggage cart, and her dogs following.

Marshall called out from the chair behind the lobby desk, "You're here!" It was all he could manage to utter with two Belgium Tervurens greeting the shorter man. They were practically all eye-to-eye.

"Oh my! Aren't you big!" the front desk clerk tried to get out. The once small puppies were happy to see him.

"Hey, you two!" Stephanie quipped her command snapping fingers. Immediately both were sitting nuzzling Marshall's fingers.

"It's so good seeing you so soon."

The photographer hugged the smaller man. "You too, Marshall!"

He handed Stephanie two envelopes and she pulled one from her purse exchanging one for the others. "I know Mary's birthday is coming up. There's something for a special evening out."

Tickets to the opera and a gift card for a small Italian eatery near Lincoln Center were enclosed for the desk clerk and his wife. Stephanie appreciated their friendship and looking after the condominium a few floors above. Mary was only too happy to look after Mary Alice, Angie, and the dogs while she was attending the stockholder's meeting. And, she knew their budget might not allow for both in an evening, particularly the premium seats she purchased.

"Thank you for remembering. It is what makes you so special, Stephanie," Marshall said with genuine appreciation. He walked the girls and dogs to the elevator calling it down.

Stephanie gave the shorter man another hug before stepping through the open doors. "Enjoy," she giggled winking at the kind, endearing man as they closed.

When the bell chimed the arrival on '18', she didn't feel the trepidation experienced weeks ago coming back to the condo after being away. Stephanie was anxious regarding the stockholder's meeting in two days, but she felt as if she was coming home. Her heart tugged as she turned the key in the lock, Regis wouldn't be on the other side of the heavy leaded glass doors. She knew it and accepted it stepping forward in her life. The handsome businessman would never be there again. Stephanie loved him, but she recognized the mending pieces of her heart were attached to the muscular and devastatingly attractive Cuban security expert who lived next-door. A rush of air and soft wagging tails went by and into the condo. She held the door and the luggage cart rolled by under her nieces' giggling power.

Tink and Mingo were going along sniffing furniture, teak wood flooring, and area rugs ending their sniff-fest at the patio doors as the drapes slid open. Stephanie unlocked the doors letting New York sounds filter in and her dogs happily chasing each other around the terrace with Mary Alice and Angie following.

It took opening a couple of kitchen cupboard doors; Stephanie found the metal dog bowls with 'Tink' and 'Mingo' etched in them. The largest of the three bowls was filled with cool water placed on the mat covering the floor. She carried a large ceramic bowl out to the terrace placing it in a shaded spot in front of the doors. The terrace was smaller than the yard in Trenton and way smaller than Maine, but her dogs were happy running around.

Stephanie turned around before going inside, her nieces and dogs were watching the activity on the river. "I'm taking our things upstairs, then we need to get some food in here," Stephanie called out.

She wasn't to the top of the round staircase when Tink and Mingo passed her body.

Mary Alice asked for her and her sister, "Can we sleep with you, Aunt Stephanie?"

"Of course, you can." Stephanie wasn't quite at the point of sleeping alone in the giant bed. She was glad it was so big for her, two girls, and two dogs.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was a scene strolling the short distance to Hudson River Park with the silky dogs walking as Stephanie trained her dogs one on each side, their heads up and with movements as if on a catwalk.

"What a show!" River Pete bellowed sweeping the sidewalk in front of his mobile stand.

"Hi, River Pete," Mary Alice greeted running ahead. "Do you have those chicken sticks?"

"You bet!" He gave her a vigorous nod. "How are you, Stephanie? My, your puppies grew!"

He enjoyed watching Stephanie and Regis playing with the hairy puppies in the park when they walked them. They became their 'children' and he always had biscuits ready in a container.

"Yes, Tink and Mingo did. How are you, River Pete?"

"Good. Seeing you made my day." He gave her and the two girls a quick hug and pats on the silky heads before jogging around to the back of his trailer. The door opened and quickly closed with him back behind with counter washing his hands. "Three?"

"And three lemonades," Stephanie replied.

The human females enjoyed their lunch and the dogs their treats sitting on a shaded bench.

"Let's get a few things like milk and maybe some yummy cinnamon bread for breakfast at the deli down on the corner. We'll do some shopping after we go back. We'll change later and go out for dinner."

Angie remembered something asking her aunt, "Aunt Stephanie, what was the envelopes?"

"I gave Marshall tickets for the opera. His wife, Mary, has a birthday coming up and she's looking after the four of you while I'm at the company meeting. For tomorrow night after Lester arrives, we're going to see 'Wicked'. The other envelope had an invitation to a fundraiser for the next evening that we may pop into. The philanthropist holding it I may like to talk to him about a project I've been working on for awhile."

"Like what?" the younger sister questioned.

"One quality I loved about Regis was his helping people. My attorney has been checking on a few things for me and I plan to present the idea at the stockholder's meeting," Stephanie elaborated. "I would like turn one of buildings his company owns in New York into a place for people and families who are struggling to go for help. Maybe temporary living and a learning center. The man holding the fundraiser has a foundation who could help."

"Wow, you know a lot of people like that," Angie assessed.

"A lot at times."

XXXXXXXXXX

Their shopping spree was a success. Both of her nieces found clothes for their school wardrobes and outfits for the evenings in New York. Angie was on top of her own New York fashion world. She discovered in a small boutique in 'So Ho' a skirt set with a baggy 'Flashdance' top like her aunt had worn. Stephanie made sure there was a flesh tone thin-strapped camisole for under the top. Her nieces giggled over their pre-teen panty and bra sets their aunt didn't think they were too young to wear and boys tried to peek at. She even treated herself to some new lacy undergarments and a new dress. She had a closet full back at the condominium, but this fit more in Trenton.

Dinner was a casual pizza near Stephanie's New York home and a long walk with Tink and Mingo in and around Hudson River Park with ice cream before returning for a relaxing evening. Mary Alice's 'heads' won her a bubble bath in Stephanie's ultra big master bath tonight and it was her sister's turn tomorrow. She got the smaller marble bathtub in the guest bath.

Grabbing a glass of white wine, Stephanie leisurely walked out onto her lit-up terrace watching her dogs chase each other stopping for a few moments for ear rubs from their mistress.

She stood gazing into her modern condominium through the windows. Stephanie's past images of her and Regis together here became a mental collage. The form of a muscular Cuban man entered into her brain's focus. She was placing him in the rooms around her and on the white-light patio asking herself if he would fit into her life here? Would he like it and be comfortable? At that very second her cell phone buzzed in her shorts pocket.

"Babe" greeted her.

The masculine voice made her smile in her thoughts. "I was just thinking about you," Stephanie said before she could stop herself lost in the images she was visualizing. "How is your business trip going?" she asked brushing her visions aside.

"Long. Am I disturbing you, Stephanie?"

"No. We got back from dinner and walking the dogs. Mary Alice and Angie are getting baths. I'm having a glass of wine on the terrace overlooking the Hudson. What are you doing?"

"I'm drinking a glass of wine, too, but my view out my windows is of buildings." Ranger sensed he caught Stephanie off guard with his call at that moment. He was flying high knowing the beautiful woman's thoughts were on him. "Is everything OK, Babe?"

"Yeah." Her answer wasn't so sure. Stephanie hesitated a moment realizing his call interrupted her in the middle of her musings. "I was standing on the terrace, the condo is lit so I can see inside. I was wondering if you would be comfortable if you were in it?"

He heard the cracking emotion in his ear. "Babe, were you happy there?"

"Regis and I," Stephanie stopped. "I was. I loved living here. It's a girl's dream. Everything I had described down to the lush white bath towels."

"If you were happy there, then that's all that matters. It was decorated for you so I would see you in every corner."

"Really? My house in Trenton."

"Is yours, Babe, and so is New York."

"I've thought maybe I should sell this different times, but I can't. I don't want to. It's special," she said hoping he didn't hear her yawn.

"Special like you, Babe. You're tired, I'll let you go."

"We had a busy afternoon shopping."

"That's a girl's dream right there. Call me if you need anything, Babe."

"You're good for my moral support, Ranger. I have a quick meeting with Arthur before the stockholder's meeting. Lester will be here for dinner tomorrow. He's accompanying us to see 'Wicked'," Stephanie outlined part of her day tomorrow.

Ranger's jaw clenched hearing Lester was attending the Broadway play. He had to accept that his employee was a major owner in Burton Enterprises and knew if the meeting became to much for Stephanie he would see her through it like this attorney who looked after Stephanie. Ranger didn't like that it wasn't him, but he would be a telephone call away. "Enjoy yourself. I should be back in Trenton by the time you return. Promise to call me, Stephanie, if you need a break. You are talented, beautiful, and very intelligent. He had confidence in your abilities, Babe, just as I do."

"Thank you. I'll tell you all about it when we get back. I hope you company problem works out. Good night, Ranger."

"Good night, Babe."

Each was in their own surroundings looking out into the evening. Blue eyes and brown eyes searching. They might not see each other, but their hearts did.

"Sooner," the air breezed above the New York skyline, "you'll be together."