I'm loving your reviews and would like to say a big thank you to you all for making me laugh, especially Babesrus2 who said "I could say that you are a cruel woman to leave us on this note, but since I am Canadian and we are supposedly a polite company, I will instead say, 'You're leaving us on this cliff for a week?'"
hahaha (sorry)
Some of you are starting to pick up the connections but they will become more clear as the story progresses, so, for Babesrus2 and all you other lovely readers…
We're away for a long weekend but am posting this chapter while we have a lazy afternoon on our balcony, watching the rain come and go, listening to seagulls and watching the boats meander in and out of the harbour. sigh. Bliss.
We're away again for another long weekend the week after so will hopefully do the same round about that Saturday, but the wifi there will be sporadic so I may have to wait till I return. That said, we've started packing up the house in anger so I may lose my laptop in the chaos and don get me started on whether we'll have working wifi...
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"Are you sure, Stephanie?" Delfia asked for the third time. She'd been happily hovering in the kitchen putting the morning meal together as soon as Steph and Charlie came through for breakfast.
"I'm sorry, I really can't eat another pancake. I'll explode!" she replied with a giggle. "They are totally delicious but seriously, any more and I think I'll go bang!"
"Nonsense my Dear. You need to put some flesh back on your bones." She added gently even as she dropped a couple more bits of the warm, light and fluffy treat onto Charlie's plate.
Moments later Lucas wandered in "Is she giving you a hard time, Mom?" he asked, pulling his mother in for a gentle hug. Steph mentally sighed, wishing just once that her own Mom had believed hugs were the answer to everything rather than food. Food was easy to come by, but the unconditional comfort that a hug gave was priceless. Despite her own lacking upbringing, she was and always had been absolutely determined Charlie would grow up in a hug filled world.
"…anyway, Steph, we were wondering if we could ask you something." Delfia said, bringing Steph out of her mental meanderings.
"Sorry, what did you say, got lost in my own little world…" Steph asked with feigned nonchalance and a shrug, her chin tucked in against her chest so she could count the striations on the old, well loved pine table beneath her arms. Hoping that whatever they were going to ask wasn't too invasive - she was not ready to talk about her past. Not now and probably not ever. It was the past and that is firmly where it needed to stay, behind her. "sorry, go ahead." She added finally as she looked up braced herself for their questions.
"We were wondering if you'd like to stay here for a while." Delfia began as she slid sideways onto one of the tastefully distressed pine and white paint kitchen chairs. "I've got plenty of space to spare as you can see and I miss the chaos and fun of having a child in the house. Just till you get back on your feet, mind. You wouldn't be causing any bother, in fact you'd be helping me out." She added as she leant over and gently put the fingers of one hand over Steph's.
"Wow! Well I wasn't expecting that!" Steph blew out as she tipped her head to one side with surprise. "But you don't know anything about me. I might have kidnapped my daughter in a nasty custody divorce, or… or be an escaped fugitive with an unknowing hostage… or…"
"S'OK, Sweetie, we get it." Lucas said with a smirk as he ruffled Charlie's hair from his spot at the table. Charlie smiled happily and swung her legs as she watched the adults from between sticky bites of golden batter. Like her father, Charlie missed nothing and had already developed a knack for picking up information.
"But we had a chat last night and don't think you're any of those things. You're just a single Mom down on her luck that we'd like to help out. Consider it our good deed for the day." Delfia said, squeezing Steph's hand gently. "Please say yes…" she urged. "I will put you to good use. My back yard needs a lot of help right now."
Steph looked out at the huge and open immaculate space, complete with distant crystal clear swimming pool that had a built in corner hot tub. "Really?" She replied with a smirk.
"Ok, so maybe I'm looking for things for you to do to pay me back. But the way I see it, you need a hand up and I could do with... a helping hand. With you and Charlie being here, I'd have a purpose again and people around that would help fill the silence that being alone in this house brings. Please say yes. Please… pretty please?"
Trying to look blazé while all the time she was mentally doing a happy dance she looked into the eyes of the woman across from her and seeing no hint of deceit, she slowly began to grin. "oh ok then" she huffed out theatrically, pretending to be reluctant. "If you put it like that, I'd be doing you a favour, right?"
Delfia nodded, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
"We'd pay our way. Somehow…"
Delfia nodded again, her smile starting to expand.
"It would only be a short term thing. Just till I got back on my feet?"
"Short term…" Lucas interjected with a nod. "…till you're up and running again." Even as he fought to keep his features of his face serious.
Steph nodded and snuffled happily. No-one had been this kind to her since… well since before Charlie had been born. "Yes!" she laughed out, joy pouring out of her, causing the adults round the table to chuckle gently with relief.
Charlie, sensing something big had just happened, clapped her hands and squealed with delight making everyone round the room full out laugh.
As Steph set about sorting her sticky little monkey out, Lucas and Delfia shared a knowing look.
Short term, my ass.
"So…" Began Lucas once Steph had given Charlie a hose down and set her up with Bun bun so that she could 'feed' him too, "If Mom is happy to keep Charlie entertained for a couple of hours, how 'bout we hit the shops and go get you a few things. What do you reckon?"
Steph looked nervous. True she had almost nothing but the clothes on her and Charlie's back but still…She could always hock her rings but was she really ready to cast aside the last piece of her previous life? Even though she knew that Carlos was out of her life… "I do have a couple of things that I could give you in payment for your kindness…" she began as she reached into her purse which was propped up at the base of one of the table legs and took out a small, bright red Chinese silk coin purse. Everyone round the table looked on silently as she unsnapped the popper, undid the zip with shaky hands and with a small sigh poured the contents into the palm of her hand. A simple yet very pretty slim band of platinum with modest yet stunning diamonds and a matching halo engagement ring with a huge sparkling rock of a diamond nestled at the centre and a band with diamonds that mirrored those of the wedding ring sat proudly in the creases of her hand.
"Wow!" Delfia breathed out softly, desperate to pick them up but yet not daring to touch their flawless simplicity. The diamond alone was large and at least two to three carats plus it looked to be really, really good quality, she mused. The ex was worth a few dollars clearly and the whole conundrum just got more intriguing. Who was Stephanie Richardson and what the hell had happened?
Lucas broke the spell gently "Put those away, Stephanie." He said softly, realising as he looked at her that she obviously hadn't been brave enough to look at them for a while judging by the look on her face. At that moment he absolutely knew she was a good person as she gazed lovingly at the enormous wealth she held. (He'd recently renewed his own insurance and knew what Angela's rings, which held diamonds a great deal smaller than the ones currently on display, were worth over $15,000.) It was clear that even if they'd been made of glass and silver, Stephanie Richardson would have loved them just as much.
"Oooh, pretty Mommy" Charlie cooed, breaking the spell that the moment had spun, as she made a beeline for the rings but before she could do so, Lucas reached over and gently folded her fingers over the priceless memories.
"Keep them for something special." He stated gently as he looked into her now glassy eyes. He was right, she'd use them for something special like Charlie's college fund. She'd never had them valued but knew they'd cost a pretty penny - Ranger had never stinted on anything when it had come to her. Where had it all gone so wrong? 'Burrows…and Chico…' a little voice whispered in her head.
"Honey, you and Charlie both need clothes, toothbrushes, shampoo…" Delfia said quietly, changing the subject and reminding her that she still had nothing to her name, well almost, as she caressed the back of Steph's other hand which was now sandwiched between her own. "Please, let me look after you…" she said but wanted to add "it's about time someone did."
"Ok, just the basics, ok? You've already been far too good to me." Steph insisted earnestly with a stiff nod. Anything more and she'd have lost the battle with the water that threatened to spill from her eyes. Her chin was already trembling in anticipation so she took a deep and wobbly sigh to help calm her down. She hadn't looked at the rings since before she'd found out Charlie was more than a figment of her imagination and it brought back the second most painful of memories. The first and most devastating being when he told her she was out of his life for good.
Flashback
The shadows were long and Steph could just make out the shape of Chico, skulking round the edge of the old train carriage, determined to right the wrongs of that woman. How Carlos couldn't see what Burrows had been doing was beyond her so here she was, helping Chico with his hair brained scheme to expose the woman for what she really was.
Chico was everything that Carlos wasn't. Happy-go-lucky, a complete flirt, noisy… and the more she though about tonight's events so far, naive and foolhardy. She loved him like a little brother – in the same way as Lester - his cousin. The only difference was that Les knew how to put a plan together, Chico was definitely flying by the seat of his pants and she'd enabled him by not involving the core team in their joint concerns over the hold Burrows seemed to be getting on her husband.
She just hoped it didn't all to go hell and starting silently praying as she watched Chico's back disappear before stepping out to follow as per their plan. Part of her thought they should have included Tank, Bobby, Lester or even Hector as back up and her spidey senses were screaming at her to call them but Chico wanted to do things his way and the Manoso clan were very determined when they wanted to be.
Precisely at that moment, she noticed that her wedding and engagement ring were sparking even with the subdued light so she quickly took them off and was in the process of stuffing them into the leg pocket of her cargoes when she heard gun fire. Rushing to the scene with little or no thought to her own safety she raced round the side of the carriage to find Burrows standing over Chico with a happy, yet slightly crazy look on her face.
"Glad you could join us, Plum." The hateful woman began as she waved nonchalantly down at Chico who was softly moaning at her feet.
"Did you really think you could out smart me? Carlos is mine." She ground out, even as she stamped her foot onto Chico's arm hard enough that they both heard it snap.
Chico was clearly unconscious as instead of a scream, he gave out a deep, short sharp grunt.
Immediately, Steph made a lunge for Jean-Ellen and everything happened at once. In slow motion and high speed.
Shouts, noises, more gun fire… then it was over. If anyone asked her what had happened she knew she would never be able to give a really accurate account. It had all happened in a blaze of guns and cordite smoke.
Nearby Ranger was lying on his side with a bullet wound to his shoulder and Chico was now lying on his back in a pool of blood which was oozing from his mouth as wide open eyes stared back. Burrows was nowhere to be seen. Steph's gun was On the floor alongside a second 9mm Luger which moments earlier had been in Jean-Ellen's hand.
Steph's biggest mistake had been to inadvertently pick up the wrong gun.
Just before Tank and Bobby rounded the building and raced to the scene.
End flashback
"Ok, go grab your purse, young lady. Time to hit the shops." Lucas said as he hauled himself out of his chair and off down the hallway.
Steph snapped out of her reverie as Delfia nodded her encouragement. Not wanting to tell Stephanie that they'd not actually defined what constituted 'the basics'.
Returning almost immediately now wearing his lightweight jacket and holding a set of car keys and was in the process of putting his wallet and phone in his pockets as Steph bent and kissed her daughter's head, ruffling her hair for good measure. "Be good for Delfia." She ordered softly.
Charlie grinned "I will, Mommy" she added, swinging her legs back and forth as she waved Bun bun's arm with a fork attached to it, around as she pretended to have him feed himself.
Taking a good look at her daughter and the woman she would have been proud to call 'Grandma' as Delfia shifted chairs to sit at Charlie's side, her heart felt relief. Relief that fate had put her in the path of the Garcias. It was clear to her that there was already a strong bond forming between herself, Charlie and these wonderful strangers. "But it's only temporary…" a little voice whispered inside her head. Shaking the thought away she took one more look at the scene before her and set off after Lucas.
Three hours later with the trunk of Lucas' chock full of stuff (including a 'couple' of toys and some colouring equipment for Charlie, as well as a bright red and black car seat which now sat proudly behind the driver's seat) they returned.
"Wow!" said Delfia, with a knowing grin as she stood on the porch with her arms folded "You've been busy."
"Don't!" Steph said with a look that said she was part pissed and part very relieved to have so many 'basics' again. "Damned man wouldn't stop. I went to the low cost option and he then went and picked the top of the line alternative. I could kill him, I really could." She added without any real heat to her voice.
Delfia just sniggered. She knew very well that Lucas liked to shop and never bought anything cheap. He had worked hard all his life and had all the trappings of a successful career as the now retired Chief of a large Police Department. He, rightly so, felt entitled to spend the money he'd made whenever he chose and it wasn't like he couldn't afford it. He just didn't often get the chance with his family spread all over the country.
Rodrigo, his eldest son, was based in LA with his boyfriend Raoul and owned a chain of highly successful beauty salons.
His next born, Elisa and her husband John were both cardiologists had three kids and lived in Cleveland Ohio.
And lastly Javier, who had married Ingrid last year was expecting twins. Geographically they were the closest as Javier was a Captain in the army, based out of Fort Worth.
He was close to all his children and their families and he missed them all like crazy.
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Still clear as mud?!