All familiar characters belong to Janet. I wanted to say a huge 'Thank you' to all the readers, reviewers, and 'Guest' reviewers, of this story. I can't say I'd stop writing Olive-updates if no one was reading them, but I likely wouldn't continue to post them. You all are the reason Olive and I have reached 250 chapters … and we both thank you for sticking with us.
It felt strange but good to be back on five after a year of working mostly from Seven. This pandemic reminded me on a daily basis that family is far more important than work, and also that I can get my work done anywhere. I even found that I can concentrate more fully on what I'm doing if I have a visual on my ladies.
When I'd said as much to Stephanie, her blue eyes had turned a shocked shade of surprised. "You're kidding, right?" She'd asked. "Even you can't maintain a good Zen with the boys barking, Mado meowing for more treats, and Olive copying everything I do with added toy-sounds for effect."
"Did my company collapse last year?" I'd replied.
"Nope, but you had teams of men, all in better working conditions, keeping Rangeman going strong," she'd pointed out.
"Babe, Junior was shot at during one apprehension, Ram's fleet vehicle was seriously dented when he'd stopped for lunch during one patrol, and Raphael nearly had a heart attack when he killed his keyboard while trying to stop Lester from stealing his coffee. Our apartment is a safe space compared to what's waiting on the other side of our door."
Five minutes after replaying that conversation in my mind, another pro to working from home darkened my doorstep.
"Finally decide to stop shacking up with the missus and get back to work?" Atlas asked, leaning one shoulder against the door jamb.
It has been a while, I thought, disgusted with the oversight. Normally I would've closed the fucking door.
"Some of us are so good, we can do three times as much from further away," was my response.
Clearly that was the wrong answer. Instead of finding someone else to bother, Atlas stepped into my office and closed the door behind him. I suddenly missed my seventh-floor haven for more than just my wife and daughter's company.
"Amari told me that your wife invited her over so 'they can get to know each other'," he said, air quotes and all, letting me know I was correct in guessing the reason for this visit.
"And?"
"And … she also said Stephanie has reached out to Tank's woman and the wives of the men who work here, plus that Kane guy's missus."
"As you've pointed out, I haven't been in this office for a considerable length of time. You can stop hinting at your issue and just spit out what your problem is so I can get back to business. And let me warn you, Stephanie being the kind, caring woman she is … is NOT one."
"You don't find it suspicious that she appears to be forming an all-female branch of your company?"
I leaned back in my chair and locked my fingers behind my head. "Your paranoia is growing and showing. You may want to get it back under control before we discuss this further."
"I'm at the right amount of paranoid. What does Steph want with Amari?"
"You already know. She wants Amari to see that she isn't alone after moving here ... to be close to you for some reason, in case you forgot. And my wife is also offering friendship and guidance as a woman who has experience in this line of work. Amari didn't know you back when you had to kill to survive. She may need someone to break down what we do every day, and to be there to explain the uglier aspects of the job when needed. Stephanie has been a staple for everyone here, and I won't tolerate you questioning her motives when they involve trying to make your life a hell of a lot easier."
"Spoken like a guy who has it bad for her," One Shot stated.
"Yes, but also reinforced by a man who knows what the fuck he's talking about."
"And I don't?"
"Not when it comes to my wife. I promise you that I know her better than anybody else, and I understand what drives everything she does. She reached out to your girlfriend because she cares about you and wants the best for you."
"Uh-huh."
"You need to accept that you've earned Steph's respect by living how you said you wanted to. You haven't tried to kill me, you have provided adequate backup for every man you've been paired with, and you had my mother-in-law hating you in under three minutes. Those are all things to be celebrated here. I'm sorry to say that my ladies like you, so you'll have to accept and endure how they choose to express it."
"Yeah ... 'cause people always go from wanting to knife you to actually liking you."
"You did with me," I pointed out. "I could've killed you and I chose not to ... and suddenly you liked me. I could have held your life and lifestyle against you, but I understood that the choices you had to make aren't ones you're proud of or want to repeat. Is it so hard to believe my wife would feel similarly?"
"Yes. Any idiot can see she'd gut them if they cross you. Why would I be given a stay of execution?"
"I'll admit that if you had tried to harm me when you reappeared … you would have been disemboweled courtesy of my wife, but you've shown that you want to start over. She appreciates anyone who tries to do better. You should allow yourself the same luxury."
We went quiet when we heard a few open-hand-slaps against my office door.
"Olib here!" Was said a beat behind the door-smacks.
I could feel Atlas' eyes shoot from the door to me. "You concerned that your kid talks about herself in the third person?"
"No. She's only informing us that our day is about to improve. She knows her worth. Maybe she'll give you lessons on how to achieve that if you ask her nicely. You can pull the handle down, Olive!" I called to my baby.
She did, with a little help from her Mama, and she burst into my office like an Autumnal Angel in a black skirt and Khaki-colored sweater with Pom Poms on the sleeves that serve absolutely no purpose as far as I can tell. Only her work boots make sense. Stephanie claims clothes don't have to be practical, toddler clothes especially, but I disagree. I chose cargo pants for Rangeman's uniform because every pocket can be the deciding factor between life and death.
"Uh-oh, a visit from Uncle Atlas?" My wife said, letting Olivia get settled on my lap before dropping a kiss on my mouth. When she released me, she crossed her arms over her chest, leaned a hip against my chair, and studied One Shot. "Let me guess, Amari told you that she'll be hanging out with the Rangegirl Gang on Saturday, and you're here whining to the Boss because you weren't invited."
"Like I'd want to come," he said, whining the exact way he was being accused of.
Steph reached across my desk and ruffled his hair like she does to Olive when our daughter is being especially precocious, which had Atlas trying to swat her away.
"Touch her and I'll break every one of your fingers," I warned him.
"She started it," he muttered.
"Yeah … big, bad, buttinsky Stephanie is so awful, she's trying to make your girlfriend feel like part of the family. Where's the firing squad? I clearly need to be taken out back and shot for being so considerate."
For the first time, Atlas' different-colored eyes appeared similar, both colors pleading with me to control my better half. That's the last thing I'd ever do – or want to do – so I handed Olive an empty stapler to play with and raised an eyebrow at Atlas. "You interested in trying to take out my wife for caring?" I asked.
"Hell no. Like you just threatened, I know I'll be missing body parts before I even formulated a decent revenge plan."
"So you do have a few self-preservation instincts left," I told him. "Good to know that I'm not a total idiot for hiring you."
"As if you ever do anything stupid," Steph said. "You're physically incapable of screwing up."
Atlas made a point at looking first at my wedding ring and then to Steph's ring finger before pausing momentarily on her diamond 'O' ring I'd bought in honor of Olivia's birth.
"Say anything … and I will eviscerate you," I made sure to tell him.
"I vote for giving Amari Atlas' apartment," Steph added. "I'm sure she'll see how appreciated she could be with the guys around as examples."
Atlas' pout turned into a distant, determined stare I know well. "They'll learn how I got my nickname if anyone approaches her."
Steph nodded like she'd expected that response. "Well … that sounds promising, but also disappointing. You should know by now that we all stick together. Our guys don't believe in poaching. I was trying to drive home the point that you and your family are also ours. The guys include you because Ranger did. I want to get to know Amari because I hope you both can settle down and be happy in Trenton. You're really irritating at times, but I have to admit … I'm not opposed to you sticking around. And I want to include Amari in our get-togethers because there aren't many people who can live this life and collect close friends along with it. She's good people … "
"I don't need you to tell me she's one of the good ones," Atlas stated.
"So we understand each other then," my wife said. "Now, can we stop talking about you? This is Olive's big moment."
Atlas cut his eyes to me at that cryptic comment. "My daughter didn't understand why I now have to leave to go to work, and she only let me go because of a promise we made to let her come see me down here ..." I explained.
Steph broke in. "She and I really liked having you all to ourselves."
"The feeling's mutual," I told her.
Despite my lectures on always being aware of your surroundings, One Shot could've suddenly caught on fire and I wouldn't have looked away from all the emotions Stephanie was allowing to show on her face.
"Gross," I heard Atlas say, likely because he correctly interpreted Steph's and my exchange.
I ignored him, but had to break eye contact with my wife sooner than I would've liked before I got a toddler finger in one of mine.
"Dada, ook!"
I kissed the top of her head. "I'm looking. I wasn't ignoring you," I told my baby. "Mama just had something in her eyes."
"Yeah," Atlas said, "lust. Now I get what the guys were warning me about."
"Are you still here?" I had to ask, while Steph made herself comfortable on the corner of my desk.
I noticed she made sure her body is between Olive and my phone. The security measures I've had in place hadn't factored in a baby girl who attempts to reach out to people on the other side of the globe.
"I thought I could make you see reason, Amari doesn't need to be exposed to this life either, but I've learned that you're completely unreasonable when it comes to your wife," Atlas unwisely said.
Steph put her hand on my arm when I started to stand with Olivia still in mine.
"Thank you for believing I have that kind of power over Ranger," my wife said to Atlas.
Her tone was oddly mesmerizing, which I know is deliberate. I was now focusing on her instead of on punching One Shot into next month.
"But this isn't about you or you and Amari," my wife continued. "My Dad apparently has a new 'lady friend' and I thought a casual gathering would give me the perfect excuse to invite her so I can learn more about her without my Dad worrying. I get it if you want to keep Amari separate from us, but I don't want her to feel left out if you suddenly turn stupid and mention that the wives, girlfriends, and friends, of the Rangeguys are meeting and she didn't get an invite … so I called her. The decision was hers to make, which has me seeing who the weak link is in your relationship. She's the mature and strong one … no offense."
"Yeah, none taken. So when's the guy-version of this 'party'?"
"Only three times a day in the fifth-floor kitchen," she answered. "You guys get to support each other all the freakin' time. Us 'girls' are usually on our own."
"You're one of us, Babe," I reminded her, as I caved and let Olivia hit the button that will connect her to her Abuela.
My mother will want to call and accept Steph's invitation anyway.
"I am, but I'm also one of them," Steph told me. "I understand what you have to do and live with afterwards, but I also get what Harper, Aubrey, Kenzie ... and now Amari will be feeling when they're told to hope for the best but brace for the worst. I want us to have each other's backs like you guys do in the field. And if I can help my Dad feel happier in the process, I'm going to do it."
I looked around Olivia's body so I could fix a stare on Atlas. "Do you have any objections to my wife's goal now?" I asked him.
He sighed. "I guess not ... if I'm gonna be made to feel guilty 'bout having some."
"You are such a baby," Steph told him.
He stood up. "That's not real insulting coming from the woman who lets herself be called a 'Babe'."
I made a move to stand again in order to squash him and his comments, but Steph was on it. "Ranger doesn't call me 'a babe', One Shot. I'm his Babe. It'll be less hazardous to your health to memorize the difference."