A/N: JE owns these characters; I am a friggin nut who likes to play a bit with them. Also credit needs to go the late L. Frank Baum for his characters from The Wizard of Oz. There is a place in Beech, NC called Land of Oz; I have changed it using poetic license to fit it in with this story. Thanks to Jenny for her wonderful beta skill
Follow The Yellow Brick Road 36
Julie rushed past her mother in order to reach my bedside. Tears welled in the bays of her chocolate-brown eyes, which looked so much like her father's, it was eerie. I hated that I was the object of her distress and concern. I had started to have maternal thoughts towards Julie, and it was the adult's job to take care of the child. Only in my crazy world would it be the other way around.
We spoke at the same time and said the same thing.
"How are you? I've been so worried."
"Personal jinx," Julie said with a chortle as she realized what we had done. "Steph, Steph, Steph, now you owe me a soda."
"You've got it, as long it is okay with your parents," I responded. I knew it was a personal jinx, I should have said Julie three times. Then I could have an ice cream soda to wash down all the doughnuts.
"Babe, that stuff will kill you."
Guess I said that out loud but at least it wasn't anything embarrassing, just me being my usual fat ass self.
"I love your ass the way it is," Carlos whispered in my ear. The vibrations from his voice sent goose bumps all over my body.
"Hey, you two, no secrets. There are other people in the room," Julie complained.
"Julie, you know the rule about grownups talking," Rachel interjected.
"Yes, ma'am. Children should be seen, not heard, unless an adult asks you a question."
I rolled my eyes in frustration and looked at Julie in solidarity. I knew how it felt to be a child treated almost like a second class citizen. You were not a baby or an adult, but somewhere in between. I guess that was why kids Julie's age were called tweens. In all honesty, I guess it was a parental right to raise a child by certain standards. Rachel was her mother, and I had to respect that. Julie was a wonderful young lady, and the Martines had done a great job raising her. I know
Julie gave me a wink, and I knew that she was not upset, since this was routine for her. While on the trip, Julie once told me in confidence that since her grandparents were very old school, this was the way Rachel raised her: very strict. It hadn't changed much when Ron adopted her, since he prescribed to a similar belief system.
My mind wandered to what kind of mother I would be; it scared me a bit that I actually thought about it. Hopefully, I would be a little more supportive than my mom ever had been. Although there was no question in my mind that my mother loved me, sometimes I really questioned the way she showed it. Pointing out that other people's daughters didn't do things they way I did never instilled much confidence in myself.
Helen Plum was way too hung up on what other people thought to suit me. I would never measure up in her eyes, since we didn't want the same things. My mom wanted the cleanest windows in the 'Burg, and to be the best wife and mother. I, on the other hand, wanted to fly, but I had learned it more as metaphor than actually being up in the air. There was nothing I couldn't do if I put my mind to it.
Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal, to fit in and live a mundane lifestyle. These people are very happy with the house in the suburbs, with its white picket fence and two point four children. Then again, I was not just "some people." I was me. I just wanted to be true to myself, not be someone else's vision of who I should be. It was time once and for all to escape from the limitations that were exerted by the 'Burg and live my own life.
A thought seared in my head, and the force of it actually caused my head to ache. Carlos always wanted me to make the decision about the two of us by myself. Pretty slick, if you ask me, and not at all self serving. You would think an opportunist mercenary would've done more for me to choose him as an outcome.
I was pulled back to reality when I heard Rachel say, "Maybe this wasn't the best time to visit Stephanie. She seems out of it."
"Oh, no, don't leave. You just got here. I'm afraid I was in a sugar-induced stupor."
"See, Babe, I always told you they were bad for you."
"Dad, you are such a health food fanatic."
"Julie, did you just call Carlos 'Dad'? What about your father? How do you think he would feel?"
"Mom, take a chill pill."
"Julie Nicolette Martine, that is no way to talk to your mother."
"Hear me out. Please, Mom."
I saw Rachel soften out of her battle stance the minute Julie said the magic word, PLEASE. Guess that even though Julie is technically a Martine, heredity shone through, and she was a Manoso all the way, like Carlos. It's hard to resist those chocolate-brown eyes and hundred watt smile when they are directed at you.
"Dad and I had a talk a long time ago. By the way, you married a great man. You and Dad are marvelous parents, madre." Julie stopped speaking with a Spanish accent when she noticed her mother's mouth was set in a grimace. Rachel had softened, but she was still not in a playful mood for her oldest child.
"Okay, I see you are in serious mom mode... Anyway, dad said there might be a time when I might want to accept Ranger in a more paternal role. I think the time is now. Don't get me wrong, no one can replace Ron Martine as a dad, because he is the best."
"No, you're right. You didn't do anything wrong, Julie. It was one thing to have you have Carlos more in the picture, theoretically, but the reality was a shock. Forgive me. Please, the both of you. The last couple of days have taken a toll on me. I can see it has been on all of us." Rachel looked at each of us for a couple of seconds. "Things are still unsettled with Ron's mother."
"Mom, has something happened to Grandma Tilda that you haven't told me?" Julie cried in a strained voice.
"No, love, Grandma is fine. Auntie Mina has to go Elaine's house in Jacksonville as quickly as possible, because the baby is going to born sooner than expected. Dad or I have to go back to Tampa as soon as I get you home. Tina is going to help out in the house watching Jason and Jenna. We're going to have to hire someone to stay with her, because Dad and I can't stay indefinitely. Ron should probably go; he is better at hiring people than I am. Carlos?"
"What is it, Rachel?"
"No, forget it. You have Steph here in the hospital; I can't impose on you."
"Can you let me be the judge?"
"I thought that with your experience and business acumen, you might be able to hire someone for Tilda. The timing is lousy, and you couldn't leave Steph at a time like this, so really, forget it. I just blurted it out."
"You know, Rachel, if you don't mind me interrupting…we might have a suitable candidate for you right here at this hospital. We just need to run a background check on her first, but I am sure it will check out. Carlos can do that."
"I think I know someone we could ask for help. I made the acquaintance of the Chief of Staff, and I am sure she can find someone for you."
"That would definitely take a weight off my mind. Thanks so much. Oh, I forgot my manners; Stephanie, this is from Ron and I. A little get well and thank you from us."
The big brightly wrapped box that Rachel had been carrying was now perched precariously on my bed. I scooted over a little, very carefully, so I wouldn't knock down the box, and tried to open it.
"You didn't have to, but I have to tell you, I love getting gifts. Thank you both, even though it was totally unnecessary. I hate to rip it apart, it is wrapped so beautifully. Gee, it's hard to open with one hand."
"No problem, I can help you open it," Julie said, scooting towards me. "Mom always wraps it so it unravels easily if you start at the seam. Here you go, voila!"
"Thanks for helping me open the package, Julie. Oh! This bed jacket is beautiful. I love the lacework on the sleeves and collar. I can't take such an extravagant gift."
"Please say you'll keep it. When I saw it, it reminded of you. See how the collar matches your eyes?"
Julie turned from me to her mother and said, "I guess you were right about the Velcro slits, since Steph is still hooked up with some tubes and wires."
"I'm a bit messy from the accident and the doughnuts, but as soon as I get cleaned up, I'm going to put this on. It is beautiful, and I love the texture of it. Thanks so much for thinking of me. I know wearing the bed jacket will help my recovery go faster. Right now, all I would do is make it a perfect mess, though, so I'll wait to put it on."
"I'm glad you like it. Julie got you something, too."
"Stop, or you'll going to spoil me!" Steph shook her head, humbled and amused.
"Look, it's a bath set. Mom wanted to get you the women's scent, but I got you the Bulgari Green Tea gel, like Dad's. There's a perfume store across the street from the hospital."
"That was so sweet of you! I was going to use the bar soap the hospital provides. It was probably Ivory or something like that, but this is much better."
"I'm glad. I thought you would," Julie said, her own version of a hundred watt smile firmly in place.
I'm really going to miss her when I go back to Trenton, I thought to myself. In the last couple of days, Carlos, Julie, and I had gotten so close. I just hoped the next time we spent some time together, it was uneventful.
"You're the best; I'm going to miss you so much when you go back to Miami. Maybe I can spend some time in Florida before I have to go back to New Jersey. Is that all right, Carlos?"
"That is more than all right, Babe. I think it's a good idea to spend some time in Miami after you're released from the hospital. I can work out of the Miami office of RangeMan as easily as the Trenton one. Plus, once you're better, you can help out Silvio with searches. Maybe he can take off a couple of days if you fill in for him."
"I'd like that."
"I know the boss; I'll put in a good word for you."
"Dad, what are you talking about? You're the boss."
"Julie, I'm pretty sure your father made a joke," Rachel said dryly.
"Dad made a joke. Well, that's a first," Julie replied, grinning.
"Oh my goodness, look at the time. It's almost time for lunch. Do you know any pediatricians in the area that could check Julie out? I just want to make sure she's okay."
"Let me put in a call to Dr. Stone. She's the Chief of Staff here. I'm sure she will have a recommendation for the pediatrician and the nurse's aide to help take care of Tilda."
"Can you give me a call after it's set up? Then I could leave for Miami once Julie gets a clean bill of health."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I wondered who it could be. I knew it wasn't a threat to my safety, because there was no yelling or calls to Carlos.
"Come in," I said. The door started to creak, and then was slowly opened.