Mr. Fix-It
Chapter 52
"Morning, Babe," Ranger kissed Stephanie. "It's a special day."
"I know, my Cuban Sex God," kissing him back as she lazily draped her arms around Ranger's neck.
The alarm had gone off. It was Christmas Eve morning and they were getting up to go to the breakfast at the Point Pleasant Veteran's and Community Home. Stephanie headed for the bathroom, then went to get Mia and Kayla up. She walked into their room. They were up, dressed, and coloring at their small table.
"We woke up early. Santa comes tonight right?" Mia asked.
Stephanie confirmed, "Yes, he does. And, there is a lot going on today."
"I know. We have to help with the pancake breakfast. And, its our special party today."
"Yes, it is. Remember our secret, OK."
"We won't tell. It's a surprise," Kayla spoke for both of them.
"Let's go to the breakfast."
Ranger, Bobby, and Lester carried in the boxes of candles for the tables. Barney took off towards the kitchen.
"Hi, Cliff," Stephanie greeted.
"Morning. I'm so glad you're here. These residents are crazy. Some of them have been sitting in the lobby since 4 A.M. so they could get the best candles. Who cares about the pancakes!"
"I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. Sue Ellen said they have been looking forward to this. It's just that they love the candles."
"But, they're so simple to make. Just shells and Christmas ornaments glued to the candles."
"Most of the Veterans and residents have lived their whole lives in Point Pleasant. Those candles are ties to the beach, to their memories."
"Just like yours, Babe," kissing her hair. "What do you want us to do, Cliff?"
Bobby and Lester were setting up chairs around the tables. Mia and Kayla had their cart out from the kitchen already putting syrup and butter dishes on the tables. Stephanie was setting out the candles and lighting them.
"It looks like they have things going out here. If you want to start putting plates on the tables. It looks like the girls got the silverware."
"I can do that," Ranger told him as he placed some candles on the tables.
Mia and Kayla were folding paper napkins with a Santa Claus face on them, then placing forks, knives, and spoon on each as Stephanie showed them.
She came over to him, "Cliff, are the stockings here?"
"Under lock and key. They'd walk off with them too."
"How's my Boy," Frank Plum walked in and Barney jumped up on him. "Hi, Girls."
"Hi Grandpa," running over to hug him..
"Let me check the kitchen and we can open the dining room doors."
Cliff came out of the kitchen with Jim glancing around the candle lit dining room.
"Stand back if you value your life," Jim chuckled opening the doors.
Sue Ellen, the administrator, was surrounded by about twenty residents waiting to come in, "Merry Christmas, everyone and enjoy your pancakes," waving them in.
They slowly entered looking at the tables then as if someone hit their batteries, they took off for tables wanting to sit at the table with the prettiest candles. Stephanie and the girls made sixty-four candles that Ranger had counted. And, thirty-two stockings that Stephanie, Mary Anne, and the three kids stuffed.
"If some of these seniors knew I had a couple of those candles in my room, they'd mug me for them," Bernie told Ranger as he sat down with his Veteran friends.
Mary Anne walked in with Mattie immediately helping Mia and Kayla pass out more butter and syrup on the tables.
"How about you three go eat pancakes?" Stephanie had a small corner table set for them.
The dining was nearly full when Cliff directed Stephanie, Ranger, Lester, and Bobby to eat.
Before Jim went to change into Santa Claus he knelt down by Stephanie, "Honey, will you watch for a young woman with two small children. She lives in the apartment above the bakery. She lost her job as a receptionist in a beauty salon when the owner moved to Florida with her husband. Her name is Tracy. I know with her unemployment, she is barely making it and she hasn't found another job yet."
"Sure. I may be able to help. Lester, are they still looking for a receptionist at the Pediatric Clinic?"
"Yeah, Steph. Samantha said if they didn't find anyone they were going to call a Temp Agency after Christmas. Do you want to talk to her," holding up his phone.
Nodding at Lester, he dialed. "Hi, Honey. At the breakfast. Stephanie wants to talk with you," handing her the phone.
"Samantha, Jim the baker may have a candidate for the job. If she worked in a salon booking appointments would that be enough experience? She's a young mother. If we don't see her today, I'll have Jim tell her about the position. Ok. See you later."
"The clinic is open until noon today and the day after Christmas. And, yes, they would like to talk with Tracy."
"You're wonderful," the baker kissed her forehead.
"You should have a happy club, Babe," Ranger put a fork of pancakes to her lips. "You like helping people."
"I'm happy, My Cuban Sex God, so why shouldn't the world. It makes it a better place."
"Happy just emits from a certain blue beach house I know. The way a home should be," kissing her.
"I really like your syrup, Mr. Manoso."
"Will you two ever get enough?" Bobby chuckled.
"NO!" Ranger told him. "I see you walking around with a smile on your face more than usual."
Lester said between his pancakes, "Who would have thought our Bad Ass boss would rub off on us. The world just ain't what it used to be."
"You want to go back to Trenton?"
"Not me, Boss," shaking his head. "Next, it will be cheery work clothes."
Ranger just gave him an eye.
Mia and Kayla ran over, "Look, Stephanie, Santa is here!"
Jim dressed in his Santa suit started handing out red stockings for the female residents and green for the males. Stephanie had made up separate stockings for the three young children and Stephanie's two bigger ones. There were a few extra stockings just in case someone might need some Christmas cheer.
"Ho, Ho, Ho! I have something for Mia, Kayla, and Matthew," handing them stockings. "Lester, have you still being good?"
With wide eyes like that of a young child, "Yes, Santa."
"This is for you and one for your friend Bobby. Don't forget my milk and cookies tonight."
"Thank you," all five said waving at Santa.
"Ranger, look! Me and Bobby got stockings!"
"I got a new toothbrush and a toy train," Bobby held up his wooden train.
Ranger was staring at them as the misfits dumped the contents of their stockings out. "Please, Babe, tell me it's just a temporary mental condition."
"They are just your very big children, Ranger. I'll be back."
A young woman with a small boy and girl was looking in the doorway, hesitant about coming into the pancake breakfast.
"Hi. Welcome to the pancake breakfast," Stephanie said to the young mother who had to be about twenty-five with reddish-brown hair to her shoulders. The children had strawberry blonde wavy hair with brown eyes like their mother. "Are you Tracy?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes," nodding.
Stephanie saw she had on jean coat and the children didn't have any mittens on their hands. It was cold outside but not bitterly cold.
"Why don't you sit here. Jim said you might stop by."
Mia and Kayla came over with syrup and butter from their cart. Mattie put three plates down.
"Would you like regular or buckwheat pancakes? Bacon and sausage? Oh, I'm Stephanie. This is Mia, Kayla, Mattie, and Barney."
Squeaking his new toy from Santa, he sat down beside the table. The children laughed at his deer antlers on his head.
Tracy spoke in a quiet voice, "Regular pancakes and bacon for us. This is Brice and Carly."
"I'll be right back."
Before disappearing into the kitchen, Stephanie whispered something to Santa.
Stephanie came back with a plate of pancakes followed by Ranger with the bacon. Brice and Carly were hugging two of the extra stockings Santa had given them along with a red one for their mother.
"Here you go," Stephanie put the pancakes on the table along with the plate of bacon.
"Thank you," cutting pancakes for the children.
Stephanie sat down opposite of Tracy, "I understand you're looking for a job?"
"Yes."
"Do you see those two guys over there?" pointing to Bobby and Lester gathering up plates. "They're my friends. Their girlfriends are nurses at the pediatric clinic in the medical park. The office is looking for a receptionist and if you go over there today, someone can interview you?"
"Really? But, I have my children."
"How about this?" Santa said. 'We'll be here for a while so Brice and Carly can stay here with us. If it takes you a little longer, I'm sure Jim could use some assistants at the bakery for a while."
Tracy looked at her children. "We'll be OK with Santa," the little boy said.
"We can color," Mia laid a couple of coloring books and crayons on the table."
Tears on the young woman's cheeks, "Ok, I'll go talk with them. Thank you. I was getting worried. I would be able to catch up on my rent."
"I'm sure Jim isn't worried about that," Santa said.
Stephanie stood back with Jim without his Santa costume, Cliff, and Ranger watching the activity around the dining room. The residents were engrossed in the items in the stockings. Stephanie and Mary Anne picked out little wooden Tic Tack Toe games and peg puzzles, they were sitting around playing the games with each other, holiday music was playing, and just interacting. No one had gone back to their rooms. Of course, some had claimed candles.
"I would say this breakfast has been a success," Sue Ellen announced. "Everyone is so thrilled. They love their stockings and candles."
A smile crossed Stephanie's face, sitting at the table where the children were coloring with Barney was Mark Treat. He was petting the dog and listening intently to Brice and Carly.
"Jim, is Tracy married?" Stephanie asked.
"No, her husband filed for divorce and left. Tracy hasn't seen him for over a year. Why?"
"Look, who's with her children."
"Babe, now you're a match maker?"
"No, but they would make a cute couple."
Tracy came back through the door and went straight to her children. She nodded and they hugged her. Mark must have introduced himself because they were shaking hands. She talked for a few seconds to him, then came over to Stephanie's gang by the kitchen.
"I got the job! Thank you," hugging Stephanie. "We may not have the best Christmas tomorrow, but once I get caught up, I'll be able to make it up to the children. And the job also has medical and dental insurance," she said excitedly.
If on cue, Ellen Plum walked into the dining room with Grandma. Each carrying a shopping bag of wrapped gifts.
Handing them to Tracy, "Go put these in your car," Stephanie said.
Looking at the packages, then at Stephanie with tears on her cheeks, "I don't even know you."
"You know Jim, so I know you, too. Tracy, I am very blessed. I'm going to marry the man I so desperately love, we have two beautiful adopted daughters, our crazy dog, and we're going to be living in the beach house that I spent Summers in. I have everything I could possibly want. But, I also had some very lean times, too. My friend, Lula, and I weren't the best bounty hunters in Trenton. There were times we were so broke, we had lunch at Costco eating the free samples."
That got an eyebrow from Ranger and chuckles from her friends.
"But, I'll never be able to thank you for all you have done for us," Tracy told her.
"Just be happy."
"Let me put these in your car," Mark indicating the bags, "before your children see."
"Ok. It's the grey Celica."
Ellen was looking at her daughter, "Stephanie Plum, your father and I had perfectly good food at home and you ate at Costco!"
"Yes, Lula and I did. I didn't want you to worry about me."
"You take after me, Baby Granddaughter, resourceful. We were getting the hang of that bounty hunter stuff, though."
"Good grief," Frank muttered.
Mark Treat handed Tracy back her keys.
"I guess we should be going home. Brice, Carly, come on let's go. Thank you and Merry Christmas."
"Tracy, I didn't introduce to my fiancée. This is Carlos. We're having a Christmas eve party starting at 5. If you aren't doing anything, we would like you to come."
"Come," Ranger agreed. "We live in the blue house on Beach Road. Jim and his wife will be there with some friends and family."
"Mark, you're stopping in, right?" Stephanie turned to the vet.
Nodding, but sheepishly glancing at Tracy, "Yes, Stephanie, before I go to my parent's house."
"Mommy," Brice told her, "we could visit with our new friends and Barney."
"We wouldn't be imposing?"
"There will be more that enough food. I have to heat-up the manicotti from a certain restaurant. There's salad, roast beef, potatoes, cookies, vegetables and dip, snacks, and drinks. And, tiramisu. A real smorgasbord."
"Ok, that would be nice."
"I think we should be getting home, too, Carlos. We have to set-up for our party."
"Lead the way, Babe."
