Chapter 14

I wasn't surprised when they questioned Michael about their father. It was enjoyable listening to stories about my late husband. Hearing he was always the man I knew him to be, really warmed my heart. My children's father was a very good man.

Michael went to grab something from his room. "He's very handsome," Lory whispered. "I like him."

"I like him too mom," Curtis added. They exchanged a look before Curtis stated, "We approve."

"Thanks, guys. It means a lot to me," I said before pulling them into a hug. Curtis and Mallory loved Michael. Their opinion means a lot to me. If they didn't like him, I would be forced to re-evaluate our budding relationship.

"We share a room," I told them. "Are you okay with it or would you prefer we didn't?"

"Mom, we're not little kids anymore. You have always respected our feelings and didn't bring men around the house. It's about time you stopped putting your life on hold," Curtis told me.

"If our roles were reversed, what would you say to me?" Lory asked.

"To live your life because you deserve to be happy," I answered.

"And that is exactly what we want for you mom," Lory stated.

Michael brought an album and a couple of journals from our room. The photo album had many photos of Michael and Jeremy throughout their lives. My children pointed out similarities between their father and each other. Ram passed me the journal, feeling I should be the only person to read Jeremy's private thoughts. Inside the first journal, Jeremy wrote different thoughts and feelings throughout his life. His ideal woman, his hopes and dreams. Where he sees himself when he's older.

I set the journal aside. When I opened the next one, I read a few lines and had to close it. Tears streamed down my face after reading the first page. "He loved you," Michael said as he pulled me into his arms.

"I loved him just as much. It breaks my heart to read his heartbreak when he thought I died. My heart aches," I confessed.

"Anie, I'm not asking you to stop loving him. He will always be an important part of our lives," Michael whispered. "In a way, he brought us together."

"Did he just call her Anie?" I heard Curt ask his sister.

"He did. It's really cute. Everyone calls her Stephanie or Steph. I'm glad he has his special name for her," Lory stage whispered. "They look cute together too."

Michael kissed me. I could tell he was holding back out of respect for my children. It made me fall in love with him just a little more.

Lory and Curt gave both of us a hug before calling it a night. It was getting late and they needed to sleep. "Let him sleep in your bed mom," Lory whispered.

"Honestly mom, we don't mind," Curt added.

"Goodnight babies," I said and kissed their forehead.

Mike and I entwined our fingers together and headed for bed. Our whispered conversation covered all topics including marriage and more children. I admitted to having deep feelings for him. He admitted feeling the same for me.

Neither Michael nor I had to work during the weekend. We spent time at the beach and visiting our favourite hang-out spots. It was obvious my children love Michael. This amazing man treats my children as though they were his own. I couldn't help falling completely in love with him.

Monday morning arrived and it was back to our regularly scheduled program. Michael and I worked while my children went to the mall with Sophia. When I entered my apartment, I found Curtis holding his crying sister in his arms.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" I asked my daughter.

"Nothing mom. I'm not pregnant," she replied. I almost sighed in relief.

"Then why the tears?" I wondered.

"They are tears of joy mom," Curtis answered.

"Come on buddy," Michael called to Curt. I watched them leave to give us some privacy.

"When is your next appointment?" I asked.

"Already had it. She gave me the injection," Lory confessed. I knew my daughter was very happy she wasn't pregnant. My reaction to her first sexual encounter was completely different from mine. Helen criticized me while I supported my daughter.

"Don't be in such a rush to grow up Lory. College boys sometimes do silly things. You will come across boys wanting to party and others taking their education seriously. One day you'll meet the man you're destined to be with. For now, enjoy school and focus on what you truly want," I advised.

"I want to concentrate on school. If I want to get into the top program, I need to stay focused."

"Whatever you decide, I'll support your decision." I hugged her. If she suddenly tells me she wants to join the Army, I would be quite alright with that too.

"Thanks, mom." Lory and I continued talking about her courses. She wants to be a cardiologist or neurologist. I listened as she told me about this very attractive older student. Leon works as the teacher's assistant for her biology labs. The more she told me about this man, the more I liked him. He seems to have taken on the role of protector.

We decided to start dinner. Lory grated the cheese as I prepared the rest of the meal. I was making macaroni and cheese. It was our 'go-to' comfort meal. The boys arrived just as I mixed the sauce and pasta.

I laughed when Michael noticed the mix of pasta Lory used. "Did you choose a mix of pasta?" he asked me.

Mallory proudly stated, "Nope. It was all me. Curt and I love using a mix of different pasta."

"Didn't I tell you?" I asked, reminding him of our chicken Alfredo we cooked together.

"You did and I recall saying they were my kind of people," he replied. Lory giggled and hugged him. She whispered something I couldn't quite hear.

Curtis and Michael handled dishes since Lory and I cooked. I heard a knock on the door before it opened. It didn't surprise me to see Hector had let himself into my apartment. Michael and I permitted him to enter, but he had to knock first. To Lory's delight, he brought her favourite dessert. She was a sucker for brownies with fudge icing. "You are the best friend ever!" she exclaimed when he gave her the dessert.

I listened as Lory told Hector about school and what she hopes to accomplish. He promised to send her a secure laptop for school. It would contain every program she needs to complete her education.

The week passed way too fast. It was time for Sophia to return to California with my children. Michael passed something to both Lory and Curt when we drove them to the airport. He gave each a hug and made them promise to call.

"You have great children," he said as we drove back to Rangeman.

"Thank you. I took everything I learned from my mom and did the exact opposite," I responded. He laughed until he noticed I was completely serious. Mike never asked for an explanation. I was squirming in my seat because I wanted to know what Michael gave the children.

"Admit it, you're dying to know what I gave them," he stated.

I waited several minutes before caving, "Fine, I want to know what you gave them."

"Panic buttons. A buddy Franciszek Binkiewicz, we call him Binkie, is living in San Mateo. If he gets deployed, his brother Leon will monitor the panic buttons. I thought you'd appreciate having someone close by to keep them safe," Michael admitted.

"I do appreciate it. How old is Binkie?" I wondered.

"He's 21 and his brother is 19. He also attends Stanford. He's in his third year of Biology. Leon wants to be a general surgeon," Michael answered.

Michael called Binkie so I could talk to him. I put him on a video chat to place a face to the name. He's a very handsome man and I liked him instantly. After we ended the call, we contacted Leon. I thought Binkie was handsome, but Leon was drop-dead gorgeous.

He wasn't involved with anyone yet, he felt compelled to tell us. There was a first-year student he found extremely attractive, but she was a little younger than the typical freshman. She's very intelligent, has a twin brother also attending Stanford. He wanted to wait until she was at least 18 before asking her on a date. "What's her name?" I asked.

"Mallory, but she goes by Lory," he confessed. "She kind of looks like a younger version of you," he added scrutinizing me in the video.

"She's my daughter and the girl we're asking you to protect if she uses the panic button," I replied. His face turned a little red before something finally clicked.

"Sorry for your loss ma'am. I'm kind of watching out for your daughter already. There are some… not so nice freshmen and I've been keeping them away from her," he confessed.

"It sounds like you already have her safety handled. I appreciate your help. Take care of my children, they're all I have left of Jeremy's family."

"Yes ma'am. Franc and I will protect them," he said before disconnecting the call.

"Thank you, Michael," I say while placing his phone in the cupholder. I finally paid attention to our surroundings and noticed we were only a few blocks away from Rangeman.

Lory called me a few weeks later to brag about the laptop Hector had delivered. It was better than any computer she's used before. My hermano also sent secure phones for them to use. She could track her laptop should it be stolen, but she wasn't planning to take it to her classes. "Oh, I almost forgot. I'm clean," she quickly added.

"That is awesome news, Lory. Remember to protect yourself," I reminded her.

"I'm interested in Leon. We've been talking a lot lately. He's very intelligent and we have the same goals. I plan to wait until I'm older to date him. For now, we agreed to be best friends," she gushed.

"Leon seems like a very nice boy. Take your time and get to know each other. I love you, sweetie," I said as we wound down our conversation.

"I love you too mom, give Tio Hector and Mike a hug from me," she said before hanging up.

I've been living in my Rangeman apartment with Michael for three months now. We have been sharing a bed that was wreaking havoc on my hormones. Even though we've kissed and participated in heavy petting, we still haven't had sex.

Michael's been speaking to a therapist twice a week since he arrived in Miami. He felt it was important to get his head on straight before taking our relationship to the next level. This amazing man makes me feel cherished. We weren't in a hurry to have sex. However, my hormones were telling me something completely different. I was enjoying the time getting to know him.

Jeremy and I had a whirlwind romance. Everything literally moved much too fast, yet at the time it felt right. With Michael, we didn't feel the need to rush into anything. I was already in love with this amazing man. He was everything I could ever want. Michael respected my relationship with Jeremy and we often talked about him.

I loved when Michael called me Anie. Most people called me Steph or Stephanie, but Anie was my special name from him. Every time he used my new nickname, I would feel my heart skip a beat.

Marcus Santos said his son would be visiting on the weekend. I was excited to see him again. Hopefully, he could teach me some great combination moves I could use to win against Mateo. I've been practicing a lot with Michael. I was confident I could spar against Mateo and win, but it wouldn't hurt to have extra help.

Lester was an amazing fighter and instructor… that is when he wasn't flirting. He taught me a few moves I could use to beat Mateo. "You've got this. Are you ready?" he asked after I finally took him to the mats.

"Yes. I want to finish this," I replied. As I wiped the sweat from my face and neck, Mateo removed his shoes to enter the ring. We circled each other a few times when I feigned a punch before swiping his feet from under him.

Mateo jumped to his feet and gave a roundhouse kick to my right side. He knocked me off balance, but I didn't fall. It was obvious he was pulling his hits. I grabbed his leg and flipped him just like Michael taught me.

"Where did you learn that move beautiful?" Lester asked.

Ignoring Lester's question, I focused on my fight and took Mateo down to the mats a few more times before he finally tapped out. Michael lifted me from the ring and gave me a panty-melting kiss. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered.

"Thank you for showing me that move. How did you know he would go for the roundhouse?" I asked.

"He only uses it when he's afraid of losing," Michael answered.

"Way to go, beautiful." Lester pulled me from Michael's arms to hug me. "Hey, Ram. When did you start dating beautiful?"

"When I moved to Miami," he replied.

"Ah, man. She's off the market?" Lester asked.

"You bet I am," I replied. Lester mumbled something that sounded like 'lucky bastard.'

Another man entered the gym. I knew I had to spar with him eventually, but I was hoping it wasn't today. He removed his weapons, shoes and shirt before climbing into the ring. I was exhausted, but I knew this fight was inevitable.

Ranger circled, waiting for me to make the first move. I have been notified by many of the Merry Men to wait for him to initiate. It didn't take long for him to pin me to the mats. "I made a mistake offering you the management job," he whispered.

"What was the mistake? Thinking I would fuck you in gratitude?" I whispered back. He let me get up so we could go another round. I was furious he chose now to have this discussion. All the men were surrounding the ring, watching our fight.

He punched me in the left shoulder, knocking me off balance. Using every bit of strength I could muster, I used my left foot to hook behind his knee. He fell on top of me on the mats. I knocked him down, but he was still winning. "Nice move Babe. It was a mistake thinking you would bed me. You deserved the job. I made it about sex," he confessed.

After flipping him off me, I waited until he stood up before knocking him to the mats using every move Michael, Lester and Mateo taught me. I was so done sparring with this man. Ranger was so shocked that he couldn't move. "Are we done with all the manipulation now?" I asked while helping him to his feet.

"Babe," he replied. I crossed my arms and glared at him until he said, "Yes."