All familiar characters belong to Janet. The inevitable mistakes and Monroe are mine. I used nothing except creative license for the ceremonial dinner.
Chapter 4
Tank's POV
The dinner the day after the competition was like every other one we've attended over the years. It's nice to be appreciated by your peers ... people who know exactly how rigorous and extensive our training is, and understand that coming in first among some superhuman heroes is no easy feat, but I would've been happier with pizza and a movie back at the house.
I know Ranger feels the same, but he's enjoying having Stephanie curled around his arm during an event celebrating what he's - at his very core - extremely proud of. No surprise, with just a look he managed to part the crowd whenever we were confronted by a group who wanted some of his time or just a moment of connection where there's a slight chance of 'The Legend' somehow rubbing off on them.
Before the food was served, the Boss was invited up on the stage to say a few words. While the guests clapped and gaped in reverence, Steph and I mirrored each other's pride in being two of the few Ranger cares about. Without even saying much, he lived up to the title of 'The Best Ranger'. He shifted the focus off of his own super-abilities and directed the praise onto all Rangers, what we do and why we're the best, not just talking about the two of us. He could've been playing the role of recruiter the way he was encouraging the young ones, while having seasoned warriors sitting up even straighter as we all remembered why we keep doing what we first enlisted to do.
I hate the spotlight even more than Ranger does, but I did want to pass along one message to our people. Ranger arranged it so I could get up and out as quickly as humanly possible. I walked up to the microphone and showed no fear.
"We wouldn't be here again today if years ago we hadn't been where you are right now," I told the room. "Commit to your training, believe in your abilities, and don't give up no matter how tired, sick, or in trouble you are. Rangers will always lead the way. This competition is just a quick three-day example of why we'll continue to. While appreciated, receiving this honor isn't what's important, surviving and keeping your brothers and sisters alive at the same time is. Thank you."
I fought a cringe at the high decibel level Stephanie's whistle reached, but I gave her a nod in acknowledgment of her enthusiasm, feeling proud to have her support. She loves the Boss without a doubt, but she's made room for us where it counts. I made my way back to our table and started counting down the seconds until we could leave.
The food's good, the guest list didn't suck, and Steph's wide-eyes taking in everything and everybody she hadn't known was associated with Ranger is amusing, but I'm far more comfortable in the middle of nowhere, hunting down assholes and blowing shit up. I even thought I'd welcome the sight of Monroe's ugly mug until we did get back to Ranger's place later that evening. The hound from hell proceeded to make a big show of opening and then snapping his jaws shut again too fucking close to my knuckles when I offered to take him for his last walk of the night so Steph wouldn't have to.
"It's okay, Tank," she said. "I'm too wired and too proud of you guys to sit still. I wouldn't mind walking Monroe around the neighborhood with two handsome Army Rangers in full dress uniform providing security for us."
While I took her at face value, Ranger knew she was up to something. "Are you going to try to get a picture of us to send to Julie, Edna, or Mary Lou?" He asked, while Steph took the leash from me and dodged Monroe's goofy grin to attach it to the hand-tooled 'RangeDog' tire they call a collar.
"Mary Lou and Grandma," she confessed. "Julie wants one of you both with the trophy. Don't tell her I told you that, she wants to sweet talk you out of one herself."
"Your secret is safe with us," he said. "Do you want to switch out your heels for sneakers or boots before we head out with the dog?"
She gave the Boss a look that was nothing short of offended. "Are you kidding me? I'm from Jersey. I could run track in stilettos ... if I ever came down with a case of brain damage and actually want to run. I still can't figure out how you guys stayed constantly moving, sane, and effective, for three entire days in a row with no break."
"We could teach you," I offered. "A few months of getting up hours before dawn and working out until you vomit should get you warmed up."
She glared at me just for trying to be helpful. "That kind of crap is why Monroe keeps pretending to bite you," she informed me. "I'm fighting the urge myself right now."
"How about we walk instead of baring our teeth?" Ranger suggested.
I didn't think that was the most reassuring of questions, but whatever he whispered in her ear right after had her mood immediately improving.
"Come on, Big Guy. Let's roll," she said.
"Are you talking to me or the dog?" I unwisely asked, but Ranger had already worked his magic on her and she turned sentimental.
"Both. Plus you and Lester too," she told Brown and Santos. "This feels like it should be a celebratory lap around the place."
She was in an even more inclusive mood the next morning over a sausage and 'shroom casserole, plus homemade French bread. All courtesy of Santos' insomnia. I cut a slab of the 'everything but the kitchen sink' egg mash-up and put it between two slices of toasted and then heavily buttered bread.
I caught Ranger giving my breakfast sammie the side-eye.
"Hey, after that weekend ... I earned this," I told him.
"Make sure it's only this morning," he replied. "I won't be able to carry you again if that," he said pointing at my sandwich, "becomes a regular breakfast."
I lifted it up in a literal toast, but made a note to do a double workout as soon as we get back to Trenton.
"Do we really have to go home now?" Steph asked Ranger. "It seems like a shame to be so close to Julie and not introduce her to Monroe, or tell her in person that we actually almost have a plan to get married."
"He's protecting his daughter, Steph," I told her.
"From me? I know it's hard to believe, but I'm extremely likable. Right, Monroe? Julie likes me and will absolutely love you."
The mutt ate up the attention, licking her face like it was his reason for getting up this morning. His stink-eye was reserved solely for me. It's eerie how he seems to know whenever I say anything negative, even when it's not about him. Though this time it's definitely about him.
I've known Julie since before she was born and she being within chomping distance of a dog like Steph's, doesn't make me feel good.
"Julie should be protected from you," I said, "but I was talking about the dog. Ranger wouldn't want his daughter turning into a human chew toy for your Mondo-mutt."
"Monroe likes Stephanie better, Tank," Ranger said to me. "Accept it and move on."
"Monroe would like you better if you'd stop doing things like insinuate that he'd try to eat Julie, Tank. Anyway, back to what I was saying. Do you think it's possible to stay an extra day to see her? Or Rachel and Ron need more than an hour's notice and will say no automatically if you ask?" She asked Ranger.
"Tomorrow's a school day, Babe. It'd be cutting it close to get her here, visit, and then return her home where she'll still have time to sleep. I'd need a better reason than introducing Julie to our dog."
"Okay ... so how about skipping right over our engagement news, and we just tie the knot today? Will her parents let her come see her Dad get married? I'd say that's a pretty big deal."
"If I didn't already know you're Ranger's other half, how you just altered a situation to get your objective met, is so much like the Boss ... it's a little frightening," Bobby told Steph.
"I'll take that as a major compliment. Thank you." She turned to Ranger. "Do you think Rachel and Ron will go for it?"
He pulled out his cell. "Only one way to find out. But you have to be very sure that you're ready to do this, Babe. I'm not going to lie to them."
"Trust me, I'm good to go. I'd do it right now in the kitchen with just the six of us, but I'd love it if Julie could be here too. I want her to see me as family, and having a wedding without her seems wrong. But don't worry, if they say no to today, we'll just wait until the next time you get her for a visit. I'm not usually a patient person when I want something, but for her I'll manage."
"You have to stop doing that to people, Steph," Bobby told her. "The Boss won't take no for an answer if he'll have to wait for a school vacation as the alternative."
"You guys don't give Ranger enough credit. Unlike me, patience is his other middle name after Carlos."
"Not when you're involved," Santos pointed out. "He becomes as impatient as you."
Lester's dead on with that one, but I'll never admit he's right out loud.
Steph looked at Ranger. "Ignore him. What we do will be done at the right time for us."
"Huh?" Lester asked. "Did that even make any sense?"
"If you have a working brain cell, it makes total sense," I answered.
"Shhh," Steph hissed. "He's calling Julie."
"I'm calling Rachel first," Ranger told her. "I don't want to get Julie's hopes up if it's a no go straight out of the gate."
"See, that's why you're the 'dad'," she replied, suddenly leaning down to hug the tree trunk masquerading as Monroe's neck. "I would've called Julie immediately, excited to tell her our news. Then I'd have to say an 'oh shit' if her parents weren't as happy as we are with our plan."
Even though nothing had changed in Ranger's face, having been in many firefights with him I could see tension causing his shoulders to lock into place. Although he, Rachel, and Ron have worked out a generous visitation schedule ever since Julie made it known to everyone listening that she wants Ranger in her life, he still hates that he has to 'ask permission' to see his own child. He'll be the first to admit that he's the reason for that, letting Ron adopt her almost a decade ago, but it never fails to bug the shit out of him.
"Rachel?" He paused. "Yeah, it's me. I wanted to ask you and Ron if it's alright for Julie to come for a quick visit today?" Another pause. "Yeah, I know, but I'm currently in Georgia. I was hoping I'd be able to fly down, pick her up, and bring her back as soon as possible. Yes, I know she has school, but Stephanie and I ... yes that Stephanie … were talking about getting married while we're here with Tank, Bobby, and Lester, and we would love to have Julie be part of this."
Everyone held their breath waiting for an answer, but there was only more fucking talking.
"We'd wait until a weekend you can spare, or during one of the school vacations she's planned to spend in Jersey," he said after a few seconds of listening to whatever was being posed to him on the other end of the line.
"Alright. Goodbye," Ranger said before disconnecting.
"Well!?" Steph all but shrieked.
I didn't blame her, we're all a little desperate for a thumbs-up.
"I'm going to call Julie now and officially ask her to be your 'Best person'. If she agrees, I'll head out to get her if you can tolerate these three on your own for two hours."
"We'll be fine. Even if Lester was being particularly annoying, I'd risk it if it means Julie gets to come."
Talk about giving the right answer. Ranger's expression stayed expressionless, but we've been there during the best and worst moments of each other's lives, so I knew he appreciated her response even before he spared a few seconds in order to kiss her.
As he hit the button that has always connected him to his daughter, Steph crouched back down beside the hell hound.
"Monroe, cross your paws for us," Steph whispered into one floppy ear. "We really want Julie here. She'll be more fun than I am to play with."
"I doubt you'll need anyone's help for this one, Steph," Santos said, risking life and literal limb to try to pet Monroe's head.
I rolled my eyes when nothing happened beyond a tolerated ear scratch.
"Julie loves us," he continued. "She won't be able to resist coming once she knows her favorite Uncles are here."
"More that she'll get to skip a day of school," I countered, "or want to be here to see her Dad become genuinely happy on the long-term. I doubt you factor in until around sixth place ... after seeing Steph, meeting Monroe, and hugging me."
Someone needs to check his ego. The mutt glanced at me and I'd bet my trophy he narrowed his eyes in warning.
I narrowed mine back. "You don't scare me," I reminded him.
"Stop picking on Monroe, Tank," Stephanie told me. "He's being a really good boy and your bitchiness is going to confuse him, because he's not doing anything bad."
I felt Ranger's eyes on me. I cut mine to him in time to catch his amused smile that had nothing to do with Julie since she hadn't answered the call yet. He's the only one who sees, and will admit, that the dog likes fucking with me.
His smile changed into a contented one when he started talking. "Hey, Julie. It's me." A slight pause as she greeted him back. "Have you spoken to your parents?" Another moment of silence. "That was nice of them. They're letting me have the pleasure of asking you myself. Stephanie, Uncles Tank, Bobby, and Lester, and I are currently right above you in Georgia, I was wondering if you'd like to come join us for a few hours if I fly down and get you?"
Everyone could feel how anxious Stephanie was getting before she stood up and shouted "Tell her why!" almost in Ranger's free ear.
"Subtle, Babe."
She shrugged. "I'm many things, subtle will neeeever be one of them."
He went back to listening to Julie before turning back to Steph. "Julie says 'hi' and wants to know what it is I'm taking too long to tell her."
I thought Lester was a loud person, but Steph's breaking his record this weekend. "Hi, Jules!" she said towards Ranger's cell, and then she poked the Boss in his rib cage. "Go ahead and tell her why she needs to be here with us."
Many men have died for less offensive actions than physically 'poking the bear', but Ranger just looped an arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
I lifted an eyebrow at Cujo, but he didn't even raise his as Ranger tugged their person close. He laid down with his massive cranium pressing heavily on his paws, no further reaction. I tugged playfully on Steph's ponytail the other day and almost got a chunk taken outta my leg. Like she always does, Steph had said it was all for show, but I only agree with her about that on days that don't end in 'Y'. I swear the mutt would laugh outright if he drew my particular blood.
"Steph basically proposed and I said yes," I heard Ranger say, as I decided to ignore the mutt and focus on my by-choice niece's hopeful part in all this. "She suggested we do it while we're nearby so she can have you as her 'maid of honor' ..."
"Your Dad means I want you to be my Best and Favorite person!" Steph shouted in the vicinity of the phone again.
"Today," Ranger said, valiantly trying to finish his sentence. "Your Mom said it was alright to fly down and pick you up if you'd like to be part of our wedding. If not, we can wait until the next time you come to Trenton."
He jerked his cell away from his ear and we were all able to hear Julie's happy shriek. Looks like Steph will have to hand her 'Loudest Human' title to Julie after that sound. Ranger carefully reeled in his arm and tried to remain calm for both of his ladies.
"Should I take that to mean you're happy about this?" He asked his daughter and then waited for her response. "I know, you wanted this to happen years ago. We had to wait until Stephanie was ready. So you'll come? You just made everyone's day. I'll leave in a few minutes and be there in less than an hour." He disconnected and turned to us. "It's a go. I'll call the pilot on the way. I won't be long."
Steph hugged him and then fitted her mouth briefly to his. "Go ahead. We'll be here when the two of you get back. Wait … um ... how are we for the legalities? Should I be signing something or looking for rings while you're gone?"
"I have that covered. Just focus on not killing Lester and preventing Monroe from eating Tank."
She kissed Ranger goodbye and then stepped back to give him a pretty respectable salute. "Will do, Sir. Ranger, Sir."
"Smartass," he said with a great deal of affection.
And then like smoke ... he was gone.
He and our little love were back at the house before we managed to fully map out our idea of what the rest of the day may entail. I'd even attempted a little sucking up and suggested Steph and I take Monroe for a walk to kill some time. That ended as I'd expected. He ignored me, smiled stupidly at Stephanie the entire time, and then tried to drag into the house a shrub he'd uprooted that used to be planted in the front yard.
I'm not sure he's what landscape experts would be expecting if they were called here to handle a garden pest, but I'd be willing to place a call. Though Ranger's okay with almost anything that makes Steph happy, so I'm betting he'd just hire someone to repair the damage, not fix the problem.
"Don't make that face," Steph said to me, after she got Monroe to drop the small tree with the still-attached dirt-caked root ball. "Monroe was probably thinking that was a good place to plant something special to commemorate today."
"Yeah, that's what he was thinking."
"Be a hardass all you want, you're going to eventually love him like the rest of us do."
"I won't hold my breath."
She sighed, but gave me a look like she knows better. She had just unhooked his leash and gave him a fresh bowl of water when Ranger and Julie came in. I knew I was completely on my own when Monroe ambled up right behind Stephanie in order to greet them.
"Oh, Monroe's sooo cute. And so big!" Julie said as soon as she cleared the doorway.
Monroe was glued to Steph's leg, but his tail was whipping back and forth in welcome, slowly at first but quickly gaining momentum.
"Can I pet him?"
"Remember what I told you," Ranger said. "Let him see and sniff your hand first and we'll go from there. Stephanie will kill me for killing him if he harms you."
Julie rolled her eyes. "That's why we got these," she reminded him, holding up a takeout bag that is likely the reason why the mutt started out happy. "Dad told me all about Monroe and says he really likes chicken nuggets, so I asked if we could stop and get him some before I got to meet him. I really want him to like me."
"That's the girl I know and love," Steph said to her. "He couldn't not like you, but give him the bag and three seconds, and Monroe's going to be your new best friend."
Our Rangegirl grinned. "That was my plan."
"It's working," Ranger commented, after the box of chicken was produced and quickly inhaled, one nugget right after the other.
You'd think he'd learn to chew his food by now.
"You guys timed it right, Tank and I just took Monroe for a walk ... so he was needing to reload."
"I saw the load you just scooped up," I said to Steph. "He's fine on that count."
"Uncle Tank!" Julie said in a slight reprimand.
"Don't mind Tank, Jules," Bobby told her. "He hasn't convinced Monroe to cut him a break yet, and he hasn't been handling the rejection well."
At least she's happy to see me. As has been our tradition since she was a toddler, whenever Julie hugs me, she takes a bit of a running leap first just to see how high she can get a hug thrown around me. It started as a chubby-armed squeeze around my knees once she learned how to walk. And as she's grown up ... my legs, waist, chest ... and if she's feeling especially tall, my neck have all become targets ready to absorb whatever she hits me with. Being the best Uncle to her has been one of the proudest accomplishments of my entire life.
Bobby and Lester got antsy waiting and quickly came at her for their hugs. But like her Dad, Julie was all business when all the 'Hellos' and 'I've missed yous' were out of the way.
"Can I get a copy of the picture they took of you and Uncle Tank by this year's trophy?" Julie asked her Dad.
"Of course."
She smiled. "I know you hate your picture being taken, Uncle Tank," she said, turning to grin mischievously at me. "I have to take advantage of the times someone does the dirty work for me."
"It's a shame too, he has such a pretty face," Steph teased.
"It's more handsome than pretty," Julie told her and then looked back at me, "but I agree. We are definitely taking pictures of the wedding and you have to be in at least one of them with us." She glanced up at her father. "Steph and I are going to go shopping. She can't get married without a wedding dress."
"I could get married in what I wore last night, it has some great memories," Steph said, "but Julie said she wants this to be special. Ranger, Monroe, you guys are in charge of getting everyone respectable for the ceremony ... if you can pull about a dozen strings and arrange a tiny ceremony ASAP. I didn't accomplish much in the two hours you weren't here."
"No worries, Babe. We'll be ready for when the two of you get back. Have fun and don't look at price tags. Whatever you love, you get."
"Spoken like a guy who's lived a long time with no financial restrictions."
She then kissed him and Monroe and then waved a 'see you in a few' to us as she playfully nudged Julie towards the door. We waited for them to pull out of the driveway and then Ranger turned 'Commander' again.
"Santos, Brown, you're in charge of turning the staircase into something a bride will be proud to walk down."
"How the fuck are we supposed to know what a freakin' bride would like?" Lester shot back.
"Google it if you have to," I told him. "They like flowers and those stupid little lights even when it isn't Christmas. Do something with that."
"Like Steph actually likes flowery crap? And if you know so much, we should switch and I'll go with the Boss."
"Quit bitching and start moving," Ranger barked. "We only have an hour if I know Stephanie. And just for you picking now to be a dick, Santos, you get to also find Monroe something formal to wear ... and then wrestle him into it."
Santos' 'Fuck' reverberated throughout the entire downstairs.
"If Stephanie isn't happy," he continued, "I won't be either. Go charm a florist if you can't come up with any ideas on your own."
"No problem, Boss," Brown wisely said. "We'll take care of the 'aisle'."
Ranger nodded and got busy making a call or two to get an on-the-spot marriage certificate that's airtight so Stephanie's shrew of a mother can't object from at least that standpoint. I drove so I could drop him at the courthouse and then head to the 'Serving and Proud to do so' place to pick up the stack of pristine white gloves, flags, and sabers for the bride and groom to walk underneath that Ranger had called ahead to secure. It may be a modified military wedding, but it'll be one nonetheless.
Once my mission was completed successfully, I swung back around and picked up Ranger.
"The judge is going to be at the house in under thirty minutes. Santos and Brown better not have spent any time goofing off."
"They wouldn't do that. They know how important this is to you, and to Steph, they won't fuck it up. If anything, they'll bust their asses trying to make things perfect for the two of you."
He looked my way. "You turning soft?"
"No, but I've got a bit of a 'soft spot' when it comes to the two of you making it." I cleared my throat, feeling uncomfortable. "The mutt's another matter. I could take or leave him."
"You realize that no one believes you don't like Monroe, right?"
"Doesn't matter. They're too afraid to call me out on it. I'm free to say whatever I want."
"Very mature," Ranger replied.
"It works for me," I said and changed the subject.
As I'd said, Brown and Santos came through big time. The staircase's banister was wrapped in some kind of white, gauzy shit that's like mosquito netting but obviously isn't, that had those white lights tucked inside the entire length of it.
So the idiot listens to me after all. Small arrangements of white roses and something green and stemmy appear to be securing the lit material to the staircase at two-foot intervals. They'd also been placed on every other step with larger versions sectioned off at the base of the landing to form a bit of an altar between a few huge candles.
"Thank you. You both went above and beyond," Ranger told both men. "I'm almost sorry to inform you that you both have gloves and sabers to get real comfortable with."
That wiped the smug grins off their faces. "Shit. Really?" Lester asked.
"Really," the Boss answered. "The rental is in the driveway. Steph and Julie are ...?"
"Yep ... upstairs," Brown said. "She got all girly and thanked us profusely for hauling in a few flowers, and then she and Julie disappeared up the stairs with a promise that we'll let them know when they should make their entrance."
"I think more decoratin' is going on up there right now than what we did down here," Santos informed us.
"Believe it or not, that's an extremely good sign," Ranger said. "There was always a chance Stephanie would lock herself in the bathroom and throw up repeatedly before I returned."
"That was a possibility," I told him, "but not much of one. You sure you aren't ready to hurl? This is it for you, you know."
"It'd better be," was all Ranger would say before we disbanded and got ready for the main event.
I'd consider Ranger's statement ominous if I didn't know Steph was made and meant for him. I fully believed that it's lonely at the top, but witnessing what these two have, I had to admit that clearly isn't the case. It's apparently lonely only until you meet the person who makes you feel like one again.
Steph didn't have one of us walk her down her stairs-aisle. She descended with her arm curled around Julie. Both women look amazing ... and so fucking happy, it physically hurt to watch them.
"You both are so beautiful," Ranger said, when they reached the last step and officially joined us downstairs.
"Someone thought it'd be funny for me to wear a 'Plum' colored dress," Steph informed us.
"When your last name's a color, Steph, why wouldn't you use it?" Julie countered. "I can use either Manoso or Martine so that's why my dress gets to be two-toned and iridescent. It flashes different colors in the light to match all of my many sides. Steph helped me put my hair up like hers, though mine's heavy and straight and hers is ..."
"Curly and completely crazy. And you are a multi-layered onion just like your Dad. That's why you're my new shopping buddy," Stephanie said with a smile meant just for her about-to-be step daughter. She then glanced at us. "Julie's full of clothes and Ranger-wisdom, and she's got excellent taste. These are both killer dresses, and like she said while we were standing in front of the fitting room mirror … we complement each other, we don't clash at all."
"You last name's about to change, Steph," Lester pointed out, "so it's good that you're getting some use outta it before you lose it."
"Hey! What if I don't wanna 'lose' my name? I could want to keep it or add a hyphen to it you know."
"You don't want Manoso to be your last name, Babe?"
"Of course I do. I've been repeating 'Stephanie Manoso' in my head all morning just because I love the sound of it, I just don't want Lester assuming he knows exactly what I'm going to do. Only you get to predict my behavior without expecting an immediate fight."
"Hah, you just admitted that the Boss has tamed you," Santos stupidly said out loud.
"Says the one who I'm guessing drew the short straw today and had to get Monroe into something dressy."
"Yeah, I know he wasn't wearing a tuxedo collar, plus cuffs and cufflinks when we got home from shopping," Julie said to everyone. "I would have remembered that."
"What can I say, I work fast. And I'm still alive. Ranger's the best, but I'm not so bad myself," Santos crowed.
"Are you handling getting dressed up better than the guys?" Steph asked the hulk, which had Monroe finally looking at Santos like he's the appetizer to the wedding meal. "Guess not. Don't worry, Big Guy ... it'll all be over soon. Just close your eyes and picture a Lester-shaped steak."
"I hope it'll be over soon. This tie's too tight," Santos complained.
"I'll make it a lot tighter if you don't shut it," Ranger warned.
"Dad, it's your wedding day ... you can't threaten anyone during it," Julie said.
"Too late," I whispered under my breath, but with a judge here ... it was best to listen to Julie and just get Ranger and Stephanie hitched as quickly as legally possible.
Ranger took Steph's hands in his as they faced each other. After what seemed like just a blink of an eye, they exchanged rings and a kiss that made us all blush. I was bracing for a long, drawn-out ceremony, or one that was nauseatingly sentimental. But the two of them being declared Mister and Missus Manoso was as easy and as painless as their relationship had been once they stopped dragging their feet and marched non-stop into an ironclad commitment.
