I do not own JE's characters. I just like playing with them.
A/N: This is my AU/AR where Steph left the Burg and changed her name and moved to Miami. She meets Ranger and an OC of mine and goes by a lot of nicknames. The most common one is Isis. Lula changed her name to Lourdes.
July 6th Lourdes POV
I leave the college and look for a cab. I am in a red wrap blouse and dark blue low rise jeans with a blue blazer and red 6" sparkly heels. My hair is in a chignon and I am wearing minimal jewelry. I have my messenger bag over my shoulder with my purse. I am almost to the curb when I see him.
Damn, Tankie. He is in a light blue linen suit with a dark blue untucked dress shirt and no tie. His hair has been styled and he is standing next to a dark blue Escalade and he is holding a white rose.
I walk over to him and he kisses my cheek and takes my bag and gives me the rose. "Hello, Lourdes. You look pretty today."
"Thank you, Pierre. You are looking well." He opens the door and straps me into the seatbelt and kisses my lips gently. He gets inside and puts my bag in the backseat. We drive away with Jodeci playing.
At a stop light, he opens the glove compartment and gives me a jewelry box. Inside is a platinum necklace with a diamond shoe on it and a charm bracelet with a car on it and a diamond. I put on the jewelry and the box rattles. I take out keys to I guess my own car.
We pull into the drive to the guest house and I see silver Cadillac Integrity. I get out and look at the car. I take my bag out of the car and kiss him. "Thank you, Pierre."
"I just wanted you to know that I love you and that we are forever, Lourdes. I treasure you and I want you comfortable. My woman does not take a cab unless she is on a mission or something. So, please go and change so I can take you to dinner."
"I love you, too, Pierre. You look so handsome. I know people will be jealous of me tonight." He kisses me again.
"Go ahead. There are some dresses and shoes in your closet." I squeal and run inside. He got me Manolos! This man is so wonderful to me!
July 6th Raven POV sales call
"This is so nice that a woman came to talk with us." She gushes and refills my coffee.
"Mrs. Weinberg, we think it is important to get the point of view of the person who is taking care of the home." She smiles and passes Ramone a cookie.
"Call me Mary, dear."
"Ramone, would you like another cookie?" He really inhaled that last one.
"I would, but I am going to have to run another mile on the treadmill." The whole time we have been here, they have held hands or kissed each other or touched in some caring way.
I give Ramone a nod. He nods back.
"John, my friend has this drink and it is a cleanse. I have it with me and you only have to drink it once. It is a secret so please do not tell anyone about it."
He looks genuinely interested. "Who is the friend?"
"She is Ranger's wife," I inform him.
He reaches out his hand. "Sold. If she can get him to make changes and hire women, she is trustworthy to me." I hand the bottle to him. He downs it.
I notice Ramone whisper to him. "Really?" He nods and whispers some more. "That is awesome and I don't need to pay you?"
I shake my head no. "Nope." I give Mary the same thing and whisper to her. She seems delighted and shocked.
"Really?" I nod at her.
"Yup." She drinks hers. She still clarifies with me. "So it will be by tomorrow?" I smile and nod again.
"Yes."
She takes her husband's hand. "Why us?"
I explain to her. "She gave me four of them to give away and you two are still in love and you do not have a maid. I like you, that is all."
She hugs me. "Thanks!"
I tell her what Maggie told me. "Now, it is a secret."
"I got you, Raven." I giggle at Mary.
John stands up. "Let's leave the ladies, Ramone and talk about my sports bar. We can ride over there if you have the time." Ramone looks at me and raises an eyebrow.
"Raven, are you alright here with Mrs. Weinberg? I can call Portia if you want me to?" I wave him off and smile.
"No, I am fine with Mary. We can talk. You go on ahead. Call Javier to meet you there with another contract and ride with John. I will keep this car and do this contract and I can drive myself back." He kisses my cheek.
"That is good thinking. See you later, Mary and thank you again for the refreshments."
John embraces Mary. He kisses Mary like the end of a movie, then grabs his keys. They leave. Wow. They are so in love. It's nice.
"So, Mary, do you go to Saks?" I can do small talk, too. I am sure she does not want to hear about my time at the strip club.
"Yes I do, Raven. Have you seen the new Manolos?" I wish.
"Not up close, Mary. This is my first week at my new job." She looks like I am her new project.
"You simply must come to brunch later this month, Raven. I am one of the only white women and the girls tease me all the time. I am not even mixed a little bit." I laugh.
I ask her a personal question. "Are you on the birth control shots?" She nods.
"Yes, Raven. I want to adopt a little girl, though." I eat another cookie. They are so good.
"I will keep that in mind. Sometimes, we run into situations where the kid is not in an ideal home. We will call you."
"Thank you, Raven. I don't care if she is blue." I laugh again. This lady is not all stuck up. The guys were giving us tips all morning before this meeting. They were so nervous. They were obviously tripping. These people are nice and she seems cool.
"So, do you have any kids?" She sighs.
"We just have a teenager, Jack who is 15, and he hates us of course. He is so angsty and everything I say he just ignores. He blasts his music and I actually like it. Can you tell me what OPP stands for? None of my friends will tell me." I howl laughing. I tell her and she laughs too. Wow.
"Have you ever thought of giving him the pool house like on the fresh prince of bel air in exchange for good grades and the promise to use condoms and to only smoke pot?" She perks up.
"That would work on him, too. Jack!" A sullen boy with over sized clothes and longish blonde hair materializes and stares at us.
"Yes, mother?" She explains the deal to him. He looks more animated now.
"Really?" She pats his head and he shies away.
"Yes, Jacky." She makes him sit down and hands him some cookies, which he eats under protest.
"I know you want your own space. What I do not want is to be a grandmother. Do not believe those little girls. Use a condom. Pulling out does not work." He almost chokes on his tea.
"Mother!" Mary continues and hands him some napkins. They are hilarious.
"I am so serious, little boy. Now, do you know how to eat pussy?" He jumps up and moves away from her putting both hands up to stop her from talking to him.
"Mother, stop it!" We giggle.
I decide to chime in, too. "Boy I hope you know how to work it. They will talk about you." I get up and walk around him, examining his look.
"Now, if you are not smart that is one thing, but I like a guy who is smart because he will be able to take care of me one day if I need him to. These girls that only like you for the stuff your parents bought you are not good for you, Jacky." He nods at me like he gets it.
"They may be cute today but their looks will fade. Do you want a fake girl?" I put my hands on my hips.
"No." He looks me up and down. Ain't nothing fake on me little boy.
"Good, then show them the man that you want to be and they will come to you. That is your pimp juice." He looks like he just won the lottery. He must have wanted to know what that meant.
"Get Bulgari body wash and cologne. Use the cologne a little at a time. Bathe in the body wash. Do you understand?"
He crosses his arms and smiles and nods at me. "Yes, homegirl." I laugh.
Mary is very amused at me and she is writing my tips down. I touch his clothes and frown at Jacky.
"I do not this falling down pants look you have going on. You can like Ice Cube without looking like a convict. I also like Brittney Spears but I dress like me. You feel me?" They are both enraptured with me by now.
"Now, weed is okay if someone else bought it. Do not try to grow it and do not hold it for them. Drinking is dumb but a little champagne is okay once in a while and no driving at all under the influence. You want to get older, Jax." He mouthes Jax. I think he has a cool new nickname.
"Your hair is cute, but you should make it a little more careless like you just got out of bed and stand up straight like you know you are the shit, boy. You need to represent!" He smiles.
"I like you!" He hugs me and gropes me a little. I smack his hands.
"I like you, too. Behave little boy. Now you have to pack your stuff so you can watch porn in peace." He turns red.
"Shut up!" I wave him off.
"Boy, please. We all like porn." His mother giggles uncontrollably.
That was fun. "Now, let's talk about the little keyfobs. They are the bomb and you do not have to use your code in front of someone." We finalize a contract and I give Jacky some more advice which cracks up his mother. I leave her with a card and add my extension. She promises to call.
Back at the office, Dennis in sales hugs me. Razor comes in behind me and hands over his contract. Dennis acts like he might adopt us.
"What?" He looks exasperated with us.
"The Weinbergs are on the boards of all the social events. They will tell their friends about you two." That's nice.
"They were not stuffy?" He cannot believe it.
"Nope, I am going shopping with Mary next week." Ramone nods.
"John asked me about rap videos and what songs he should add to his juke box. We talked about décor and it was fun. I told him to have theme nights and to get better hot wings. Stuff like that. We are homies now and he wants to play golf but I said I do not know how and he said we can do mini golf." I smile and hug him, but just a small hug since we are at work.
Dennis is in shock. "You made friends with John Weinberg?"
Ramone just nodded again. "He is a person and I talked to him like a person and I smiled like Ranger said. It was his idea to go to his sport's bar and talk while leaving Raven with his wife. If we had stayed in that all black they would have been intimidated and standoffish."
That was true. "I agree, Razor." Dennis shakes our hands and says we will get a commission for our sales. "Good job, you two."
I thank Dennis. Razor and I give him last minute details. "I will write this up and send out the installation team." Cool.
"He wants cameras, too and background checks on all employees." I tell them about Mary.
"She wants keyfobs as well."
"Thanks, guys." Dennis is making notations on his computer.
"They want us there for the walk thrus so we can make sure it is smooth, and do not send anyone in all black, Dennis."
"I won't Razor." That was so great. I feel a lot better about this job.
At my desk, the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Is this Raven?"
"Yes."
"I am Karin Templeton with a K and Mary gave me your number with a sad tale. She said you have no Manolos. That is horrible. We are having a shopping party Thursday night while the men play mini golf or whatever and their kids have a party like we don't know about it. So, are you in?" Wow. I am in the rich lady club? They want to take me shopping? Hell yes. I will have to ask Maggie for advice.
"What time, Karin?"
"I think we will start around 2pm. And can you come over tomorrow for brunch? Some of the girls want the same setup as Mary has with Jacky and they do not know how to approach the kids." She gives me her address and I agree.
"Do you have another girl you can bring with you?" That is the bomb.
"Sure, my friend and work associate, Portia." She sounds even more upbeat.
"Great, bring her along. We will eat and you two can tell them what they are doing wrong."
"Ok, Karin. I will talk to Ranger right now."
"Bye, dear!" We hang up. Wow.
I knock and he tells me to come inside. "Yes, Raven? I heard about your sales, good job." He is being all friendly.
"Thanks, Ranger. Karin Templeton called me and asked me to come shopping with her on Thursday at like 2pm and she wants me and Portia to come over to brunch tomorrow to talk to her and her friends."
He nods. " Okay. Here is the company card. You should have the proper wardrobe." That is fine and all but..?
"What do I buy?" He calls someone and a woman comes bustling in. "This is Ella. She can help you with all of that."
"Great! Thanks, Boss!" He still smiles. Maggie must be magical. The guys said Ranger never used to smile.
"Just let them know if you have a class or something."
"Our classes start in August, so we are cool right now," I tell him.
" Okay, just give the receipts to accounting."
"Okay!" Wow. I have a shopping budget.
Ella takes me to her apartment and shows me the websites she uses and I preorder some outfits and call Portia to come meet me so we can shop for tomorrow. This job is the bomb! Silvio said we were great on the programs and we helped a couple of guys already. I owe Ramone his own private dance for this.
July 9th Carlos POV
I was just thinking about leaving for the day to surprise, Jefa with flowers when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Carlos, this is Kristina." Dios Mio, not another one.
"I want you to have lunch with me," she demands.
"Kristina, do not act like you can bully me around." She ignores my rebuke.
"Ricardo, I will come over there and tell everyone that you loved Dirty Dancing."
"No!" Dammit.
"Heh heh. I heard about your sales with Mary and John from Karin. That girl of yours, Raven really impressed Mary. She called me complimenting her. Her Jack is listening to her advice and he is moving to the pool house. I am mad that Raven told her what OPP stands for. It was killing her!" I laugh.
"We should get together, Ricardo. It has been too long since we saw each other." Maybe.
"Maybe that would be nice."
"I have missed you, Ricardo. Great, so when shall we have dinner?" I have to think about that.
"I will need to check something and let you know." I sent a text to Jefa. She wrote back that tomorrow was fine.
"So, why are you hiring women and letting your soldiers loose with color clothes and expressions on their faces?" I smile.
"My wife made some suggestions." She gasps. She is so melodramatic. I have known her since middle school and she always acts like this.
"That is it! I am on my way there. You have crossed the line, Ricardo!" I do not want her here.
"Teensy, stop it."
"Do not call me that Ricardo!" I sigh.
"Fine." She clears her throat.
"Who is this woman that no one has seen you with?!"
"It is a new marriage, Kristina. We met and dated and fell in love."
"I want to meet her." For what? Jefa would not like a pushy person.
"Why?"
"I want to make sure she is good enough for you. What else is new with you?"
I look at the pictures on my desk. "I have adopted twins that are almost six."
"Hoke!," she yells.
"His name is not Hoke." I laugh.
"No, but it is a game we play. He pretends he hates me and I pretend I do not know his name." She is so silly.
"Is he Black?"
"Fuck yes, I like Black guys. He is mixed and he is adorable. His last name is Santiago. I do not know why he works for me. His first name is Nicholas. He is from the Air Force."
"Really, Teensy? You have Saint Nick working as your driver?"
"You know him?" No, but I wish I did.
"I know of him. He sounds like Rangeman material."
"No, Ricardo." Yes.
"Come to dinner tomorrow and bring him with you, Teensy." She agrees.
"Fine. Morgan! I have been calling you." I can hear their whole conversation.
"You called someone, but that is not my name." She huffs.
"Fine, Nicholas, I want you to do something for me."
"Yes, you racist, heifer? I am watching television and I know there is not a sale right now. I am not your maid so what do you want?"
She takes a deep breath. "I want to sit on your face and I want to swallow your big cock." Wow. It's like she forgot I am on the phone, but I do not want to hang up because they act just like Jefa and Casper.
"Damn, I cannot believe you said that. Is it my cologne? I switched to Calvin Klein today."
"Answer me, Anfernee!"
"Girl, get off the phone so I can teach you to scream my name in English and Spanish."
"Bye Ricardo! Text me the address for dinner tomorrow, Ricardo! Ohhhh, yes!"
I hang up and laugh at her. I have known her since junior high school and she married rich like she always planned and then divorced. She had been on my case to stop being like a robot and to chill with the black or she would not recommend her friends. We both were stubborn. I hoped Jefa would like her.
I walk into the house still laughing. "What is so funny, Ricky?" I kiss Jefa.
"I invited my friend to dinner tomorrow and she is bringing her hopefully new boyfriend." She nods.
"Uh huh." She is running her hands all over my back.
"See, she liked him but he was her driver. She called him Hoke. He called her a racist heifer. She said he is mixed black and Hispanic and he told her to hang up so he could teach her to scream his name in English and Spanish. They act like you and Ghost did that day." My wife smiles at me.
"That is funny. What is his name?"
"Nicholas call him…"
"Saint Nick. Give me the number, Ricky." She knows him?
"How do you know him?" She gets a huge smile on her face.
"He used to come to Point Pleasant when he was little and he said that he was going to use that as his nickname when he got older." Oh. That is cool that they are friends like that. I give her the number and she makes a call.
July 9th Nick and Chrissy POV
"Hello?"
"Can I speak to Nick?"
"What?"
"Tell him it is Princess." I glare at him.
"Nicholas, how did one of your little girl friends get my number?" He looks shocked.
"What?"
"She said it is Princess." Now he looks excited.
"What?!" He takes the phone from me and looks at the caller id. "She knows Ranger, Chrissy. Princess!"
"Nick, you are coming to dinner tomorrow?" Wow.
"You married Ranger?"
"Yup."
"I bet you grew up looking cute. Did you change your name?"
"Yup." I remember her favorite name.
"See you tomorrow, Magdalena."
"Bye Nick. Tell your girlfriend I am married with children and I like you for your knowledge of planes and such." I laugh and hang up.
"Baby, I know Ranger's wife. I knew her from the summers when we were little. She never wanted to play with the other little girls and when I talked about planes and stuff, she never acted like I bored her. She told me one day she was changing her last name to Prince and I said it should be Princess. She said it was wonder woman's last name and a friend's last name so that is what she wanted." Chrissy does not look impressed and she is a little sulky.
"She was so sweet and smart for a little Italian girl. He mother was hell no. She told her to stay away from the ghetto kids. I almost smacked her and I was only 10. She told me that was not her real mother and that she was leaving when she got old enough and changing her shit. I am glad we will see her tomorrow. " She pouts.
"Be nice to Princess, Chrissy. Now kiss me and stop acting jealous. The call was from Ranger's phone and you know your friend would not give a random bitch my name." She finally smiles at me.
"Okay, Nicky." I kiss her.
"I could not think straight when I heard a woman ask for you." I know.
"Your eyes looked wild like you were ready to cut a bitch."
"I was, Nicky." She kisses me.
"Let's wait to have sex, Nicholas. I do not want you to think I only care about sex." Fine. That was abrupt.
"Okay." I kiss her and go to bed.
July 9th Isis POV
"Jefa, did you just call Kristina's phone and ask for her new boyfriend?" I sit on his lap and smile at him.
"Yes, Ricky." He asks me.
"If a woman calls your phone for me, what will you do?" I grin.
"I will make friends with the skank before I make her bald and blue. But I am married to you, Carlos. I am not after Nick. He is my friend like Eric."
Eric comes into the room. "Did you call me Bella?"
"Hey there. No, I was just telling Carlos about my friend Nick Santiago." He looks excited.
"You know Saint Nick, Bella?"
"Yes, Enrique. He is coming to dinner with his new girlfriend who is a friend of Ricky's so behave."
"I told you, I am not interested in a relationship. If they are already in one, that is all the better. I really am fine, Bella."
"If you are sure, Eric, then I will leave it alone." He hugs me.
Fifi calls him. "Bones!" He smiles a huge smile. He loves the kids.
"Yes, Fifi?" She comes into the room.
"We are ready. Hola, Papi."
"Hello, Fi. Hello, Alex." Alex and Fifi hug Carlos.
"Hi, Papi." Eric waves at me.
"Okay, Jefaza, I am coming." I laugh as he runs to play with the kids. They are so cute!
"Kiss me some more, Ricky." He kisses me. "Where is Cas?"
"He is on call, baby. He will be here in about two hours."
"Okay then." We cuddle until dinner time.
July 9th Carlos POV
We are eating dinner when I get a call.
"Yo?"
"So, do not panic but I got shot a little bit." I look at Jefa. She is going to be pissed. How could Cas let this happen?
"What?"
"It is really just a graze on the shoulder. I have Woody and Phoenix on the door guarding me, but they are afraid to call you because they do not want Babygirl pissed. We showed them pictures of Morelli." Yes, just make me be the one to tell her why don't you?
"The doctors want to call my mother. I said hell no and that my boss would be pissed."
"So you want me to come there?"
"Nope. I want Gabby to come and be her ditzy bossy self."
"Fine." I hang up.
"Jefa?" She looks at me with love.
"Yes?"
I figure I should just say it fast like ripping off a bandaid.
"Can you go to the hospital as Gabby and make them let Cas go?" She looks like she could kill me with her eyes.
"What?!"
"He said it was just a shoulder graze." She stops listening to me and pushes her plate away. She gets up and runs upstairs.
"That was handled well, Ranger."
"Shut up, Bones." I hope she calms down.
July 9th Isis POV
I stroll into the hospital with my hair in a chignon and expensive jewelry and sunglasses over my hazel eyes and a short denim ruffled skirt with my belt that says "Princess", and high sparkly 6" heels to match my turquoise and white tight low cut tshirt that says "what's your fantasy" I have one of Cas' dress shirts like a jacket with the sleeves rolled up. I walk up to the nurses' station.
"Hello, is this where I get Jasper a new shoulder or whatever?"
The nurse looks at me confused.
"Ma'am?"
"He called me saying he was here and if he is just trying to get out of his turn in the handcuffs it won't work. A deal is a deal. I let him use the crop on me last night." I shudder.
"So where is the big faker?" She stares at me and types into her computer.
"What is his name?" I sigh.
"Casper." She looks at me and I return her look.
"What about last name?"
"Payne." She types some more.
"Oh, we cannot let anyone but family to see him."
"Uh huh. I am his boss lady. Do you think I would let just anyone blindfold me and tie me up? The things that man can do with a crop!" I shudder again.
"Mufasa!" I fan myself.
A tall guy comes up to me. It is a Rangeman I do not know yet.
"Ma'am?" I look him up and down.
"Hello handsome muscle guy."
"My name is Woody." I rub his arm.
"I just bet it is. Wow, so do you have a gun?"
"Yes, Ma'am." He is too serious right now.
"Is it big and black?"
He nods. "Yes, ma'am."
"Can I touch it?"
"No, ma'am." I rub his arm again.
"Just call me Gabriela, Cutie."
He backs away a little bit and looks around. "Come on, soldier boy, show me that big, black gun. Is it warm?" I reach around his back for his gun and he backs up.
"Stop that!" I pout at him.
"Fine, you are so stingy. Wanna see mine?" I pull a gun out of my thigh holster and show it to him. I run it under his nose.
"Does it smell good? I want it to smell like me and not like a gun. What do you think?"
He swallows hard. "Yes, it smells fine."
"Okay." I put it back.
"You are cute."
"Thank you."
"You dress just like Jasper. I would be pissed! That Gina Robertson tried to copy my swagger last month at our Spring gala, but that bitch cannot rock a freakum dress like me. I have pimp juice." He smiles.
"Yes you do."
"Thanks, Buzz! So have you ever jumped out of a birthday cake? I would love to watch the girls ruin their Atkins diet by licking you clean!"
"Um, no ma'am."
"You could dress just like in toy story and everything, Mr. Playskool!"
We walk away from the nurses with my arm wrapped around Woody's. I am giving him costume ideas.
"How about a whip?"
"No, ma'am."
"What about a loin cloth?"
"No, ma'am."
"Wow, you have lived a sheltered life." We finally reach the door and I see Phoenix. He stares at me with his best blank face. I bet I can make him crack.
"Hello! You guys all dress alike huh? You are so cute! You look like the guys in the community theatre's production of west side story. Are your tattoos henna?" I stroke his face.
"Get off me now."
"Don't be like that cutie. Do you like shoe shopping? There is totally a sale coming up at Macy's this week." I hug him and stroke his chest. Woody looks like he is going to pass out.
"You look like you like sweet things in your mouth. I can help you with that." He smiles a little.
"How?"
"I could make you a cake." He almost drools at me.
"What kind?"
"What flavor of cake do you like hombre?"
"I want a spice cake."
"I want one of those nifty knives, Julio."
"My name is Phoenix." I smile.
"And your middle name?"
"Lucas."
"Cool, Luca, give me the knife." He gives me a wicked knife.
"Come over tomorrow, Luca. We will make your cake together." I kiss his cheek.
"Si, Princessa." We smile. Woody lets out his breath. I think Phoenix did not tell him about me or something.
I strut into the room and see Cas looking irked on the bed. "Jasper!" I kiss his forehead.
"I love you," I whisper.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, Babygirl." I hold up the knife.
"Look what that nice gang member guy gave me! He said he is taking me shopping too! I invited him to dinner. So show me the gunshot. You are not getting out of bondage night, Jazzy. A deal is a deal. I let you use that crop on me last night." I shudder.
"Mmmm. And tonight is my turn. I have to learn this if I am going to dominate Ricky." He laughs a little.
"Why are you even shooting people? Just use blackmail like I do. They always give up. Mitzy bought me the new Manolos when I casually mentioned that little Wilberforce looked like he could speak Spanish. She should not have fucked the help. At least not without a condom!" I stop and laugh.
"Anyway I got here as fast as I could. Chaniqua does not like to be rushed when she is working. She is trying to get me to have the bat signal on my Brazilian but I don't like that much pain down there without a happy ending. She said she does not understand about you either. She said you must be gay and that she would find me another valet because once you go black.."
"Princess."
"Yes, Jazzy? Are you really in pain? I have some pills in my bag. These sheets are horrible. Do you want me to get you some better ones?"
"I missed you so much, Babygirl," he whispers. I smile at him.
"It sure is drafty in here."
"No it isn't Gabriela."
"Well, I am going commando right now."
"Why, Princess?" I shove him gently.
"Because, silly. I just got a wax and I am sensitive right now. Any friction at all will have me cumming like a faucet."
"I want you on my face, Babygirl," he whispers. I nod at him.
"So can you leave? I do not like being around sick people. They look awful in those robes." I look at him closely.
"Jazzy! Who undressed you? Ew, was it a male nurse or one of those lesbian nurses?"
"Calm down, Gabriela." I take a deep breath.
"Fine. I need to check on Ricky." I walk back out of the room. Phoenix and Woody are cracking up.
"I love you, Princessa."
"Right back at you, Luca. You okay, Woody?"
"Yes."
"You aren't really that crazy are you?" I shake my head.
"No, not really, Woody." I go back into the room.
"Jazzy, he said little Sofia is still just staring at the walls humming and that Rafael has stopped trying to drink from the toilet. I told him to use a leash."
"Gabriela!"
"Fine. They are watching freaking Quick Change or Weekend at Bernie's or something. That sounds so boring, Jazzy. So, let's leave. I made dinner all by myself. You can eat the cornbread and tell me how it tastes."
Cas takes my hand. "I want to taste you, Jasper," I whisper and kiss him again gently. He moans and pulls me to him in a longer kiss.
"I adore you, girl." I stroke his hair.
"Let me go find a doctor. This place is starting to remind me of when I had to visit daddy's wife number 3 after her tummy tuck. That place did not even have sparkling grape juice! I will be right back."
I lean close and whisper, "I love you, Jasper." I kiss him with tongue and mess with his hair. He looks dazed when I leave the room.
"So, Woody, what is your real name?"
"Woodrow."
"Damn. What about your middle name?"
"Hadrian." Wow.
"Okay then. Hades, let's go scare the nurses. Luca, dial it down a little. We all know you are a bad mofo." He nods at me.
"Damn you are so good looking. What's your boyfriend's name?"
"Flash."
"Wow. A match made in heaven. What's his real name?"
"Ryan."
"Cool. Bring him with you. What is his job?"
"He is a tattoo artist."
"Awesome, he can put the bat signal on my Brazilian." I kiss his cheek.
"Come around four, Chico!" He shoves me.
"You know my name bitch."
I flip him off.
"You just turn me on calling me names, Ignatio. And I am going commando!" He laughs as I walk away with Woody.
"Excuse me." The nurse looks like she hates me.
"Yes?"
"I need the doctor that is in charge of my valet Jazzy. I need him home tonight. He watches the kids. Those kids drive me crazy. I do not speak baby and I definitely do not speak baby Spanish." She looks shocked. Good.
"I refuse to have bags under my eyes tomorrow at our brunch. We are finalizing the layout for the ethnic bingo cards. So, Hades, what is your exact nationality?"
"I am mixed black and Puerto Rican." I jump up and down.
"Oh! I can get two stamps with you, then one with Ricky. I might win. I will get to choose our Halloween costumes this year and don't you think sexy Catholic school girls are better than harry potter characters?"
"Um, yes."
"Me too. My La Perla looks better in those see through shirts."
"Ahem." I turn around.
"Hello, I am Doctor McIntyre." I nod.
"Uh huh. Hi, Doctor McDreamy."
"Mrs. Manoso, we have completed our tests. Your valet can go. The wound was superficial and we had a plastic surgeon do the stitching. He should take 2 days off from work and here are his prescriptions." I jump up and down.
"Thanks. So are you still beefing with Dr. McSteamy?" Woody pulls me away.
"Come along, Gabriela."
"Okay, Hades. Do you want to help me win for bingo?"
"Sure, Princess."
"Okay, so I have no gag reflex and I usually swallow." He and Phoenix both look alarmed.
"I didn't forget you Chico. I will watch you and your boyfriend. I will totally get the voyeurism stamp for that!" I jump up and down and hug them.
"So, Hades, come in with me." He stares at the door like it is the door to hell.
"Don't make me."
I just smile and pull him with me.
"Come on."
"Hey Jazzy! Dr. McDreamy said you can go and I am so glad. I want to learn how to dominate Ricky and you promised to teach me. Also, those kids are really starting to speak more Spanish and I think they want me to do something. You said you would deal with them." Cas smiles at me.
"Hades agreed to help me win my bingo game. He is half black and half Puerto Rican and Ricky is Cuban and Chico out there said I can watch him with his boyfriend so I will have four stamps already. I hope I can talk Gretchen out of white guys. They are so small. I never want to see another white man's dick in my life." I sit down and cross my legs.
Cas looks at Woody who is trying to be invisible and then at me.
"Gabriela, why are you talking about looking at dicks?" I get up and stand at the foot of the bed.
"No I don't mean that silly."
"Oh ok." He smiles again.
"I mean giving them head." He looks shocked.
"Gabriela!"
"I have to win, Jazzy! I will not be dressed like Hermione Granger!" I pace in front of him.
"And last year was worse. There is nothing sexy or ironic about wearing white sheets. That damned Darcy is a fucking idiot. Even her maid and her nanny laugh at that bitch. She though OPP was a new fucking disorder. I hate that dumb bitch but she is on the committee and her father has more money than Bill Gates."
Cas looks sternly at me. "Gabriela, you may not give head to other men. Ranger will be pissed." I sigh.
"Can I still watch Chico go down on his boyfriend?" Phoenix opens the door.
"I will receive you dumb bitch!" I turn to him with my hands on my hips.
"I was gonna make you some cookies but now I am not, Chico. I know that you have to give and also receive; I am in a relationship too. You just want to tease me by showing me your dick. You are so naughty Chico." I throw the knife at him. It hits the door by his groin.
He smiles at me and takes the knife out of the door.
"I love you, Princess."
"I know. Throw it back." He does and I catch it.
Suddenly, Cas growls. "If you ever throw a fucking knife at her again I will ship you somewhere they have not named yet."
Phoenix looks scared now. "Si, Ghost." I turn to Cas.
"Stop threatening my friends, Jazzy."
He half glares at me. "You know my name." I glare back with full attitude.
"And you know to wear your jacket or a vest. Get fucking dressed and hurry up. I am so pissed at you!"
"Yes, Gabriela." I sit down and cross my legs and shake my leg over the other one.
"Stupid macho war games playing army Ranger people! Where was your backup?! Why were you not fucking wearing your protective gear? Did you even catch who you were after?! Dumbass!" All of my fears come to the surface.
"I should call your mother."
"No!"
"Then answer me, because I was eating dinner."
He sighs. "We were checking an alarm at a location and some random people were having an argument. The guy pulled a gun on this woman and she had a kid with her. My partner, Cal, got the kid to safety and I draped my jacket around the lady and kicked the guy, but his bullet grazed me."
"So, when did the police come?"
"We did not call the police." Fine.
"Where are the woman and the kid?"
"Cal put them onto a train to Georgia."
"And the guy?" He looks me in the eye. "What guy?" I sigh.
"Where is the jacket?" He looks away.
"I let her keep it." What a guy.
"Did you get your crap out of all the pockets?"
He nods. "Yes."
I look at the guys who had watched the interrogation. "Phoenix, it will have to be Friday because I forgot Carlos has guests coming to dinner."
"Okay, Princess."
"I am keeping the knife, Phoenix. I will text you the address. Guard my information, man. I mean it."
"Si, Princessa." I like him.
"You guys can leave. I will give superman here a ride home."
In the waiting room, I see a mean lady with a little blonde girl. She is holding her wrist. I ask Cas to sit down for a few minutes. I touch the lady and the little girl and call Raven.
She calls Mary and John and they get here so fast it is like they apparated. I called Sawyer and they adopt little Sasha and she smiles so big at getting new parents and a big brother. She is four and she is adorable. She just asks for no pink and not too many ruffles.
Mary hugs us and she thanks me for the drinks. I wink at her. John hugs me for so long, Cas clears his throat.
"I need to get home and take my meds, Gabby."
"Okay. Bye you guys."
"Thank you, Maggie."
"No problem. Raven told me about you. She was thrilled that you invited her shopping. She said you are good people. Thank you for saving Sasha Marie from a life in foster care."
We hug and I leave. I hear them demanding their private physician for Sasha Marie and asking her if she liked hip hop. I smiled and pulled Cas out the door.
We ride home in silence and I go to the kitchen and get my food and a plate for Cas. I set it in front of him. I eat without saying anything. I take out his pills and read the instructions. I grab juice and fruit from the refrigerator and wait until Cas is finished eating.
I put the plates away and follow him to the bedroom. He stops to talk to the kids and I continue to the bedroom. I shower and put on a white long nightgown. I put my hair into a ponytail. I sit on the bed and tell Carlos to help Cas in the shower and to give him his meds.
I pull out my laptop. I send Eddie some bananas, some beef jerky and a red leather jacket. I order Morelli more flowers and balloons with a long note begging for another chance from Jorge.
I sent the exorcist balloons that were filled with sulfur and a note that said I know what you did last summer. I browsed shoes and ordered a few pair. I texted Gram to see what she was doing tomorrow and she said nothing so I asked her if she would watch Cas while I took the kids to Dougie's and she said gladly. I pulled out my kindle and read until I fell asleep.
July 9th Cas POV
"You scared her, Ghost."
"I know, man. She was being all silly and funny but her hands were shaking. She is pissed that I saved someone."
"No, she is pissed that you could have gotten shot in the head or something. She loves you, man." I sigh.
"She got some little girl adopted by the Weinbergs. She was four and had bright blonde hair and she said she liked hip hop and did not want pink or ruffles on her clothes."
"Wow."
"Yup. She was in foster care and had a sprained wrist and was with a mean woman. She looked like magic was real when they said they would take her home and be her parents. They kept hugging, Babygirl."
"That is so special, Cas."
"Yes, then she pulled me out of there and stopped talking to me. She said she is playing ethnic blowjob bingo and asked Woody and Phoenix to help her. She also mentioned you but not me."
Carlos gets a scowl on his face.
"She is not sucking them off!"
"I know, Carlos. I think she is cutting me off."
"How can you worry about sex right now? Take your meds, man."
I go into the bedroom and she is dressed in a long ankle length nightgown with her laptop on her lap and she is asleep. She looks so pretty. Ranger moves the laptop and puts it on the charger.
She sits up and screams, "Cas!"
"Babygirl, I am right here." She kisses me gently and lays on my chest and cries. I stroke her hair until she falls back to sleep, then I go to sleep, too.