Something Different

Chapter 5

The next morning I woke to the sound of my phone ringing. Not ready to get up, nor answer the phone I let the machine pick it up. Rolling over to see what time it was, I wondered who the hell was calling me at 7:00 am on a Thursday morning? Lying in bed I went over the events of last night. The evening had started out promising, Joe and I had forgiven the other for sleeping around on each other, and things were beginning to heat up, and we were playing a very hands on game of tonsil hockey, when Ranger interrupted. Speaking of Ranger, I now know he was getting in and out of my apartment, he had a key cut. But that doesn't explain how he was getting in when the chain was on, but I'll find out one day.

Where was I, right, Ranger had let himself in, and Joe had just joined us in the kitchen. To cut a very long story short, they both yelled at me for inviting the other over, they got in a fight with each other, which resulted in my being knocked down. I proceeded to get my gun and threaten to shot their nuts off if they didn't listen to me. I told Ranger what had happened in Atlantic City was a mistake and it was over between us because I was in love with Joe. Then I told Joe I loved him but if he didn't get over the whole Ranger thing, it would be over for us as well. Then I demanded my keys back from both of them, and threw them out of my apartment and told them not to come back.

In the background I heard my phone ring again and the answering machine pick it up, That was the second call this morning, what could be that important that people are calling me this early in the morning. Probably just my mother, but I got up anyway and pressed play.

"Stephanie, this is your mother, why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? And who is the father? Stephanie, if you are there, pick up this phone at once." Click. Oh my god, I thought, I'd forgotten to tell him when he was here to night, but then again it had gotten a bit crowded. There was three more messages form my mother and the last two being from Mary Lou, telling me to call her A.S.A.P. Since my mother sounded absolutely hysterical, I called Mary Lou.

"Hello?"

"Mary Lou, its Steph. What's up?"

"What do you mean, what's up?"

"Both you and my mother have left frantic messages on my answering machine and I have no idea why"

"Haven't you seen today's paper?"

"I only just got up"

"Go get a paper and have a look at page 5, then call me back"

I went across the hallway and borrowed Mr. Wolinsky's paper. When I got back inside I opened the paper to page 5 and screamed. There in ½ inch writing was the headline: BOMBSHELL BOUNTY HUNTER PREGANT, along with a very unflattering picture of Lula and I looking at maternity clothes.

I rang Mary Lou back, absolutely hysterical.

"What the hell am I going to do???" I asked when she picked up the phone

"Have you told him" She asked

"No…"

"You're not telling me something, I can hear it in your voice, spill it"

"Joe came over last night, and well, he told me that he slept with Terry and I told him that I slept with Ranger. Unfortunately for us, out evening got interrupted when Ranger came over. Lets just say, that I didn't yet any action last night, in fact I kicked them both out."

"You never told me you slept with both of them. Why the hell not and when did you sleep with Ranger?"

I proceeded to tell Mary Lou her whole Atlantic City story, and by the time I was finished she was completely silent.

"Wow, Joe forgave you for that? No other man I know would forgive you, he must really love you. What are you going to do about Ranger, it sounds like he's not going to give up without a fight"

"I know, but Ranger is out of the picture now, I've told him, several times, that what happened in Atlantic City was a mistake."

"So, I guess that the baby is Joe's?"

"Yeah. What do you think he's going to say?"

"I have no idea, but at least one of Grandma Bella's predictions has come true. How do you know its Joe's and not Ranger's"

"Trust me, I know this child is Joe's. Joe and I were less than careful. Listen I've gotta run and see Joe before he sees the paper. Wish me luck"

"Good luck"

1/2 an hour later I was letting myself into Joe's house, armed with donuts and his paper. I was relieved to hear the shower going upstairs, that gave me a few minutes to think. I had another look at the picture in the paper, and thought about how I was going to explain this. Then I heard the water stop. The moment of truth had arrived. I put on water for coffee and just sat and waited.

I heard the stairs creak, and steadied myself.

"Hi Joe" I said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Steph. What are you doing here?" he asked startled "Hang on, how did you get in?"

I jiggled my key in front of me "You're not the only one with a key. I came to give you your paper"

"You came over to give me my paper?"

"Yeah, and to have breakfast with you. I bought donuts"

We sat down, helping ourself to the donuts, while I got up to get the coffee; Joe started to read the paper. I turned my back and looked out the window as I heard him turn the page, and stayed that way until I heard him turn to page 5.

"Um, Steph is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Guess what, I'm pregnant"

"Oh, how far?"

"About 2 months"

I could see him calculating the months in his mind "whose is it?" he asked, cop face in place.

"Your's" I tried to make light of the announcement "At least one for Grandma Bella's predictions has come true"

Joe went silent for a while. "How do you know its mine and not Ranger's"

"Remember that night?"

"Yeah"

"Do you remember how we were less than 100% careful?"

"I thought you were on the pill, so that last time after we had run out, I didn't worry. But what about Ranger?"

"See, there's the thing, Ranger and I only did it twice, while you and I went all night long, and he and I were protected the entire time."

A look of doubt came over his face. "So what now?" Joe asked

"To quote you, "The balls in your court" I've gotta go. I have to go and see my parents and then I'm going to Mary Lou's. By the way, I'm keeping the baby. Bye"

I got up and walked out. Leaving my key on Joe's kitchen table.

A little over 3 hours later I was sitting with Mary Lou in her lounge room.

"So how did it go with Joe?"

"I told him the balls in his court. So now what ever happens, happens"

"What did you mother say?"

"She completely freaked out. Grandma Mazur was happy, but that's no surprise. I can't work out what she freaked the most about, my being pregnant with no husband, or the fact the that baby's father in Joe."

"How 'bout your dad?"

"He wasn't home thank god. I'm not sure what he might do, he'll either congratulate me and leave it at that, or he might go and kill Joe."

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"I think I need to get out of town for a while and think things through, and give Joe some space. But first I have to go into the office. Need to get some money if I'm going to go away."

I got up and headed towards the door. "Mary Lou what am I going to do? I love Joe, but what if he doesn't want this baby?"

"Then, you have to forget about him."

"Sorry, my hormones are in array, its driving me nuts"

"That's nothing, it only get worse, how's your morning sickness?"

"Not bad, wasn't sick this morning, but other mornings have been worse."

We said our good-byes, and I drove away. On my way to the office, I couldn't think of anything but Joe and the baby, so I put my No Doubt, Return of Saturn tape in, and cranked the music up full ball. By the time I got to the office, I was sufficiently deafened and feeling fine.

When I walked into the office, I was greeted by the glares of Lula and Connie.

"Where the hell have you been?" yelled Lula

"Yeah, when we saw the paper we expected you to be in earlier!" said Connie

"Well, I kinda had a few other things to do, like calm my mother and Mary Lou down, and tell Joe"

"Tell Joe what?" asked Lula

"Ohmigod, he's the father isn't he?" screamed Connie

"Yeah, he is"

"Lula, you owe me $50 bucks"

"Wait, you guys had a bet on who the father of my baby was?"

"Yep, and I won" Connie announced proudly

"So what did Joe say?"

"Nothing really, he's still trying to come to grips with the fact I slept with Ranger"

"When did you sleep with Ranger? You never told us that" Lula yelled.

"I know, there was a reason for that"

"So tell us, come on." Begged Connie

And for the third time in less than 24 hours I told the story of Ranger and me in Atlantic City, along with Joe and Terry in New York. This is turning into quite the saga.

"I just came into to get a couple of FTA's. I'm thinking about getting out of town for a while. By the way, is Vinnie in?"

"Nah, won't be in of a while yet. I wonder what he's going to say about this." Connie replied.

"I don't really care, I can still do the work, at least for a little while longer."

"Here you go, 3 less than dangerous FTA's." Connie told me, handing over the files.

"Do you what some help?" asked Lula.

"Nah, I just want to be alone for a while. See ya later"

I spent the rest of the day hunting down my FTA's and ended up having to visit the police station 3 times. Now that my pregnancy was common knowledge, there were a fair amount of jokes headed my way.

When I got home I glanced at my answering machine and saw it blink about 20 times. Geeze, news gets around pretty quick, but then again, it doesn't help when it's published in the paper.

"What am I going to do now?" I asked Rex.