Chapter Six Stephanie's Choice
Pierre thought back on the last nine months, how he tried to keep Stephanie safe. The threatening phone calls, the red roses that keep popping up. With Ranger's help, the two of them got her cellphone number changed. The two of them we still trying to find out who was sending the roses. Pierre looked at Stephanie lying beside him. "She is perfect, and she is mine." He said to himself. Just then, Stephanie bolted awake. "Pierre, it is time. We need to get to the hospital. Chris is coming." Stephanie told him.
"Right, let's go" Pierre got up out of bed and helped his wife out of bed too. "OUH" Stephanie screamed. Pierre got on the phone, "Bobby, it is time."
"Right, I will meet you at Trenton Memorial Hospital. Seven hours later, in a private hospital room, "Come on, Little one, just a little more," Pierre told her.
"I can't, Pierre, I need drugs," Stephanie screeched.
"You are 10 centimeters dilated. You can't get drugs now. Look at me, Little one, and push," Pierre told her softly.
A few minutes later, there was a whole lot of crying. Pierre and Stephanie looked out and saw their baby boy in the arms of the doctor. "Dad, do you want to cut the cord?" Doctor Petterson asked Pierre.
"Yeah," Pierre took the scissors and cut the cord. Dr. Petterson put a blue blanket around him and handed him to Stephanie.
"Hello, Christopher Sherman, and welcome to the family." She told him.
"Wow, that is a set of lungs," Pierre said. Stephanie handed him over to Pierre.
"10 pounds and 12 ounces. He is a big boy, but he is healthy." Dr. Petterson said to mom and dad.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. "You know who that is," Stephanie said.
"Yeah, your mom," Pierre told her.
"I will leave you three alone for a while. If you want, I can have them come in." Dr. Petterson asked them.
"Pierre, you know as well as I do that my mom is going to keep bugging us until she sees him." She told her husband.
"Yeah, okay, doc, let them in," Pierre told him
As soon as the door opened, Helen came barging in. "Oh, let me see her?" She screeched.
"Mom, I had a boy. You have a grandson by the name of Christopher." Stephanie told her mother
"how am I support to take care of a boy," Helen said to her daughter.
"You are not. That is for me and Pierre to do." Stephanie snapped at her mother.
"He is our's Helen. He is not yours, and if you can't respect our wishes or be civil to him and us. Then you won't be able to see him." Pierre sternly told his mother-in-law.
"Okay, I will respect your wishes, now can I hold him," Helen said softly.
"Sure, but only for a few minutes," Pierre said. He handed his son to Helen.
"He sure is big and not as dark as I thought," Helen said out loud.
"That is it, hand Chris over, and please leave," Pierre said.
"I am sorry, please don't kick me out." Helen pleaded.
"Nope, you are done. Frank and Edna, you can stay, but Helen has to leave now." Pierre told them.
"Ohh," Helen put her head down and walked out of the room.
Frank looked at his second-born grandson, "Yes, dad, you can hold him." Stephanie told her father.
"Chris, I am going to teach you how to drink, play ball, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I could not teach your mother," Frank said while he was holding his grandson, who had his father's eyes.
"Okay, good to know," Stephanie said. Just then, the nurse came in. All right, everyone out. I have to help mom breastfeed this little guy for the first time." Frank and Edna gave the little guy back to his mom. The two of them walked out of the room. They were leaving Dad, mom, and Chris alone.
Two days later, Stephanie and Chris were being released. Pierre walked into the private room. "Hello, how are you doing?"
"We are fine, ready to get out of this place," Stephanie told her husband. Pierre walked up to Stephanie and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. "Okay, let's load Chris up and get back to Rangeman," Pierre told Stephanie,
After about twenty minutes, both mom and Chris were packed up and ready to go.
When they were ready to go, they walked out of Trenton Memorial and saw Helen and Grandma Mazur waiting for them
"Mom, this is a bad time," Stephanie told Helen
"I want you and Chris to stay with me for a few days until I can make sure you can take care of him," Helen told her daughter
"Mom, if I remember right, you had Valerie do that when she gave birth to Angie. You threw her, Angie, and Steve out the very same night they moved in with you." Stephanie reminded her mother.
"Oh yeah, I remember that was pure hell," Helen said
"Mom, it's me, your daughter Stephanie. Remember what I am like when I go through something different for the first time," Stephanie said out loud
Right, you win. Have fun and good luck with him." Helen said, and then she walked away with Grandma Mazur.
"Okay, now that I have kept my mother at bay for another day. Let's get him home," Stephanie said.
A few days later, "Pierre, we have to visit my mom. If we don't, she is going to either come over here and demand to see Chris, or she will call the police because she is worried about him." Stephanie told him.
They packed up Chris's things and drove to the Plum's house. Stephanie took the carrier that held Chris in it and went inside. "Hi mom, I thought we would come by for a visit," Stephanie yelled.
"There is my son Philip. I was so worried about him." Helen said and then rushed up and took the carrier from Stephanie's hand. She sped upstairs with Chris and locked her bedroom door. Valerie was opened-mouthed.
"Mom, I want Chris back now," Stephanie screamed as she rushed upstairs. Stephanie, this is your big brother Philip. You don't have any kids." Helen spat at her. Helen started to hold Chris, and he began to bawl. Just then, Grandma came down the stairs. "Hey, is that my great-grandson I hear." Grandma Edna said. Stephanie, where is Chris?" Grandma Edna asked.
"Mom has him, and she locked herself in her bedroom. Do me a favor and get Pierre, please." Stephanie begged through tears.
"Sure," Grandma Edna yelled.
Grandma Edna went outside and saw Frank and Pierre talking
"Frank, it happened again; Helen locked herself in her bedroom with Chris," Enda told her son-in-law.
"What?" Pierre said. He rushed upstairs and saw Stephanie banging on the bedroom door. "Hey, little one. She's locked herself in, and I can't get to Chris." Stephanie said in tears.
"Helen, it is Frank. Open up, please." Frank told her softly. Just then, everyone turned and saw Joseph Morelli come up the stairs. "What is going on Frank, Helen called me and said someone was trying to kidnap her son?" Joseph asked.
"Fuck, you see, here is what happened. When Helen was pregnant with Valerie, we had a three-year-old boy named Philp. One day Helen took Philip and went to the store. He wandered away from her. When she noticed that he was gone she called the police. Everyone looked for hours, but he was nowhere to be found. He was gone. So from time to time, she sees a baby boy and thinks it is Philip, Your big brother. I have always been able to calm her down. So please give me a few minutes." Frank told everyone.
"Wow," Stephanie, Pierre, Valerie, and Joseph's mouth dropped open.
"Helen, please look at the sweet baby boy you are holding, and listen to him cry. You know that is not Philip. If you look and listen to him." Frank told his wife softly.
Helen looked at the baby boy in her arms. "Oh, boy, did I screw up," Helen said. She was shaking as she put Chris back in his carrier. A few minutes later, Helen opened up her bedroom door. Helen handed the carrier back to Stephanie
"Stephanie, please let me explain," Helen begged.
"Not tonight. Besides, dad already did explain Mom. Chris is upset now, so we should go." Stephanie and Pierre left the house for the night.
"I thought that was Phillip, my son. I did not even recognize him as my grandson. Frank, I blew it big time." Helen told her husband.
Valerie said, "Come on, girls, let go home for the night. The excitement is done. I will call you tomorrow, mom." She said. The girls and Valerie left the house.
Frank put his arms around his wife and held her for a while. "Helen, I think you need to start Counseling again. You need help, especially if you want to see Chris again." He told Helen gently.
"I think you are right, Frank," Helen said.
"Joseph, I am sorry," Helen told him.
"That is okay, just don't do it again," Joseph said as he was walking out of the Plums house.