Mr. Fix-It

Chapter 54

Stephanie opened her eyes, her husband was laying on his side with head resting in his palm watching her sleep.

"Hi. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Babe."

"Well, how does it feel to be an old married man."

Ranger held up her left hand looking at her rings, "Perfect."

Stephanie looked at the alarm clock. It read 6:20. They heard little footsteps in the hallway and shrieks of delight from the stairs.

"Santa was here!". They heard the footsteps get louder until they were outside their bedroom door.

"Go back to sleep," Stephanie whispered.

The door cracked open and two little curly redheads peeked around it. With just a slight slit of an open eye, both Stephanie and Ranger could see Mia and Kayla looking at the bed.

"It's Christmas. Mommy, Daddy! It's Christmas," they said together running to the bed and just stopped. The twins looked at each other realizing the words they said. Stunned, then big smiles came across their faces to match those on Stephanie and Ranger's.

Kayla whispered for both, "It was the right time."

"It was the right time," Stephanie agreed as Mia and Kayla jumped into her open arms. Followed by Barney sitting at the bottom of the bed.

Mia looked at Ranger, then Stephanie saying "We really have a Mommy and Daddy. Forever."

"Yes," Ranger said simply.

All the uncertainty from the moving around Mia and Kayla's young lives had vanished. They finally felt their home was permanent and they had parents for all time.

"Ready to go see what Santa brought?" Stephanie asked as they were cuddled between her and Ranger just letting the family feeling soak in.

Kayla told them. "Do you know what is down stairs? I saw bicycles by the Christmas tree."

"And that blue doll house that looks like this one. Santa brought it for us."

"Why don't you two go wake up Lester and Bobby. Stephanie and I will let Barney out, then we can open our presents," Ranger hugged them.

"Ok," jumping down and running across the hall.

Ranger chuckled hearing Mia and Kayla telling the misfits that Santa had been here. After the girls were asleep, they helped Ranger bring up bikes and the dollhouse he and Stephanie had stored in the back of the basement overnight.

Stephanie put Barney out and smiled at the jet ski and basketball hoop sitting in the side yard for Ranger she bought.

She turned on the coffee pot before making a stop in the powder room.

Mia and Kayla were downstairs with Ranger. Barney was sniffing the presents. Ranger walked over to the fireplace to build a fire when something caught his eye outside. Looking out the window he saw the basketball hoop and a blue jet ski on a trailer wrapped with big red bows.

"Babe, for me?"

Stephanie nodded at him.

He grabbed his coat and slipped on sneakers never tying them and fly out the backdoor. He walked around his gifts. The basketball hoop was on wheels so it could be moved. The jet ski was bright blue with black trim.

"It's a three passenger Ultra 250X. Do you like it?" Stephanie was watching him climb on it. Oh, God! An image of Ranger in a wet suit flashed in her mind. A warm, dizzying feeling came over her. She knew that was the ultimate reason for the jet ski.

"There's a ramp at the end of the road."

"Babe, I can't wait until Summer."

Looking out the window at them were Mia, Kayla, Bobby, and Lester with wide Cheshire cat grins.

"We better not keep them waiting. Come on, Barney," Ranger called taking Stephanie's hand as they walked up on the porch.

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Manoso."

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Manoso."

They were kissing in the kitchen when Lester called, "There's presents in here to open."

Mia and Kayla already had furniture set up in the giant blue doll house. Presents were stacked in individual stacks.

"Ranger, we like that jet ski," Lester was wiggling his eyebrows for emphasis. "That can seat three people, huh."

"It's mine, Santos."

Bobby had pulled out the puppy dog eyes, "Can't we take a ride?"

"When it gets warm."

"See, Bobby, I said he would cave."

Everyone was by their presents. Stephanie had brought in mugs of coffee and hot chocolate on a tray.

Lester did a quick, "One, two, three.". Ripped paper was flying everywhere.

Ranger just looked at Stephanie because he could hardly see anything else with the hurricane of paper around them.

Lester jumped up, hugging something to his chest, "Santa really read my list. I got it! Oh, I got it!"

"Babe, he's whacked. He's thirty-two. Jim had his list," laughing. "What is it?"

"A picture of the greatest football play in all of mankind. 'The Immaculate Reception' Franco even signed it," letting out a sigh looking at his gift.

Bobby was from Atlanta, so Stephanie got him an Atlanta Braves baseball cap and Falcons team jersey and a signed football.

"Thanks."

Lester got a basketball.

Mia and Kayla were all giggles with their look alike dolls Stephanie had ordered and the smaller newborn babies. She also had purchased matching pajama sets for the girls and their dolls. They had them sitting on their new bikes. Each was wearing their bicycle helmets over their curls. Mia and Kayla also got some books and puzzles.

"What did you get, Babe?"

Stephanie opened a large box and unwrapped a limited edition Wonder Woman bust cookie jar.

"Ranger, I love it!" kissing him.

Next, she opened a box from Mia and Kayla. It was a pair of Mr. Potato head pajamas. "Thank you," hugging them.

Ranger opened a gift revealing a Cuban coin set in a shadow box. They were hand-painted bronze coins depicting the Coat of Arms of the 6 original Cuban provinces with the Cuban flag on the other side.

"Babe, these are amazing," running a finger over them. Next were a pair of black silk lounging pajamas with his initials on the pocket. His eyes were dark pools looking at her and Stephanie couldn't wait to run her fingers over the soft silk as it would mold to his body. From Kayla and Mia, he got a book of poetry by Nicolas Guillen, a Cuban writer.

"Thank you, Girls. This is perfect," hugging all three.

"You're welcome. Mommy helped us pick it out for you," Mia said.

His eyes softened at the word. Stephanie said to give them time and hopefully theirs fears would disappear and believe the four of them were permanent. The wedding must have been the key to giving Mia and Kayla the forever they needed. They had decided they didn't want to wait and no more perfect place than their home to get married, just simple and elegant.

Ranger handed Stephanie three more packages. First was a small and narrow box. Inside was a gold watch with diamonds and sapphires around the face. The 12, 3, 6, and 9 were small sapphires. "Ranger, it's so beautiful."

The second she opened was a checkbook with both their names on the checks:

Ricardo C Manoso

Stephanie M Manoso

That got a giggle from her.

"Try not to spend it all in one place."

The last was from Victoria's Secret. There was a ivory satin short halter nightgown with matching robe and a short blue satin boxer set.

"Brother Bobby, I think Daddy's trying to tell Mommy something. Maybe we'll have a baby brother or sister."

Ranger looked over at them, choking on his coffee. Lester and Bobby had put on their one piece camo sleepers with the feet in. Lester's was blue camouflage and Bobby's was green.

"What are those?"

Bobby smiling at his friend, "Santa brought them. These are warm."

"I got the warm fuzzies, Ranger," Lester quipped. "Aren't these cute?"

"If you want to keep your girlfriends don't wear those around them. You might be keeping your warm fuzzies to yourself," laying his head on Stephanie's shoulder laughing.

"Hmm," Lester said as he flung pretend hair with chin action.

"You're jealous Santa didn't bring you a pair."

"You're right, I am," giving them an eyebrow.

Stephanie was pushing a stack of five wrapped packages over, handing one to each of them. Opening them, each got a radio controlled vehicle. Mia and Kayla got pink Barbie Volkswagen Beetles. Ranger got a Porsche. Lester a Corvette. And, Bobby a red Mustang. Handing each their stockings, the batteries were inside. Barney was chewing his new big chewy bone by the Christmas tree

While they were putting the batteries in their cars, Stephanie was in the kitchen taking the breakfast casserole her mother had left last night out of the oven.

During breakfast, Ranger slid an envelope over to his wife. She opened it and took out tickets.

"What are those?" Mia asked.

Stephanie turned them around to show the twins. There was the Mickey Mouse logo on them.

"We're going to Disneyworld."

Their blue eyes wide, "Really," saying together looking at the tickets.

"Before the new office opens, I thought maybe we could take a family vacation. Spend a few days in Disney then go stay in the Miami house on the beach for a few more."

Kayla said thoroughly amazed, "There's another house?"

"Yes," Ranger explained, "I stay there when I'm working or visiting my other office. It's right on the beach. So we have two houses."

"Wow! And, see Mickey Mouse, too! What about Barney?" Mia questioned, concern in her voice.

"He's coming with us. While we are visiting Disney, he will stay in the pet spa to get groomed and have bow wow cocktails with the other dogs. I have a private plane to take us to Florida."

"You rented a private plane and booked him in a spa so he can go with us!" Stephanie was giggling at Ranger.

"Yes, I didn't think you would want to leave him home. I bought tickets for your parents, also. He's an expensive breed I've been told."

"You crazy man," Stephanie was hugging her husband.

Mia and Kayla were hold hands and dancing around in a circle.

Mia said, "We're going to see Mickey Mouse."

"Cinderella and Tinkerbelle," Kayla added.

"And that means you two," Ranger was pointing at Bobby and Lester, "will be overseeing the new office and the house. This is no party place."

Lester chuckled, "We know no hanky panky, Dad, but, can we at least neck on the sofa?"

"I suspect you've already done that," Ranger was trying to glare at them but the one piece sleepers weren't allowing it to happen. He just looked at Stephanie since she's the one who bought them, "Babe."