Stephanie looked around her home. She couldn't believe Carlos had built the house for her and the children. Carlos, Stephanie and Savannah moved to Miami a few months after Edna's funeral. Stephanie wanted to wait until the builders finished with the house before relocating.
Joe attempted to throw Stephanie and Ranger under the bus during his trial. He lost his mind after receiving proof of his son's death. Joe wanted to make Stephanie pay. Joe claimed Stephanie worked with Ranger to frame him. He claimed innocence until the prosecutor used Jason Williamson's testimony to nail Joe. During his testimony, they learned Williamson helped Joe because Ranger didn't hire him for Rangeman Boston.
Somebody didn't like Joe using Stephanie as his scapegoat. Stephanie suspected Javier Hernandez, who was deathly afraid of Hector Almirez, protected her from afar. After Joe's conviction and sentencing, Joe kept shouting he would make Stephanie pay and threatened her life. The man waited until Joseph Morelli got transported to the penitentiary before exacting his revenge. Joe stepped out of the vehicle, then fell to the ground. Blood poured from his forehead without anyone hearing the sound of a gunshot.
Javier silently thanked his father for teaching him to shoot from over a mile away. Nobody would ever suspect him of murdering Joseph Anthony Morelli. Javier Hernandez quickly dismantled his weapon and hightailed it from the area. He would leave two sunflowers on Morelli's grave to let Hector know he killed Morelli to protect Stephanie and Savannah.
Frank Plum watched his old army buddy's son, Javier Hernandez, drive past him on the highway. He knew Javier turned to a life of crime after the military sacrificed his father on a mission. Javier was fifteen. It was unfortunate, but it happened more than Frank cared to admit. When he arrived at the prison, the guards and onsite medic pulled a sheet over Morelli's body. They searched Frank and his car for weapons before explaining what had happened. Frank knew Helen would blame Stephanie for Joe's death.
Of course, Helen Mazur - she was forced to change her last name when Frank divorced her - blamed Stephanie for everything. She demanded to see Savannah and Frankie. Like Joe, Helen refused to believe Frankie died at birth. Stephanie got fed up with the nonsense. She knew it was the reason her grandmother gave the last warning before her death.
Helen, being the Burg-made viper, blamed Stephanie for Edna dying in Vegas instead of at home. She had complained to anyone who listened. Nobody knew what happened, but five months after Stephanie moved to Miami with her family, someone firebombed her old apartment. Helen stupidly stood in shock. She was too afraid of heights to climb through the bedroom window to safety via the fire escape.
A day later, Helen died from smoke inhalation. Stephanie couldn't attend the funeral. Her doctor put her on bed rest for the last few months of her pregnancy. Carlos and Savannah refused to leave her side. Stephanie shook her head from the memories when she heard Mary Alice calling for her.
"Aunt Steph, are you here?" Mary Alice asked when she entered the house. Mary Alice loved living in Miami. She loved the warmer weather. The humidity was horrible on her curly hair, but Stephanie found shampoo and conditioner to keep the curls tamed.
"In the kitchen. What are you doing here so early?" Stephanie asked. Stephanie got comfortable cooking in the kitchen. Ella taught her how to make pancakes, waffles, omelettes, and other favourite breakfasts and lunches.
"Football game," she replied. Stephanie remembered her high school days. "I didn't want to go. Do you want Angie and me to pick up Mateo and Enya?"
"Not today. Uncle Lester and Uncle Bobby are picking them up from school. Bobby had to pick up Sienna today," Stephanie replied. "Your Aunt Stacy had to take Sid to the doctor." Bobby and Stacy named their son after her brother. It was their way to honour the man who brought them together. Well, that and Stephanie refused to let them call him Steve.
"What about Cooper and Tasha?" Cooper and Tasha were born one year apart. They were a perfect blend of Tiffany and Scott, who everyone still called Binkie.
"You'll have to ask your Uncle Binkie and Aunt Tiffany. Don't you have to pick up Lisa, Anna and Bert?" Stephanie asked.
"Nope. Dad had today off work. He gave Angie and me the day off. I figured we could help out everyone else," Mary Alice explained. "I'll help you cook dinner."
Stephanie laughed, "Ella made enough casseroles to feed everyone. You can help me load the ovens and set the timer." Mary Alice grinned and helped her Aunt prepare the salads.
They were making the salad dressing when the children arrived. Stephanie smiled when she heard the kids running into the house. For some strange reason, everyone went to Stephanie and Ranger's house for dinner.
Enya screamed, "Moob it, muckafukka." Mary Alice snorted while Stephanie gasped. Someone was going to pay for teaching Enya how to swear.
Savannah entered the house when Enya screamed. She giggled and asked, "Mom, who taught Enya to swear?"
Lester lowered his head to look at the floor. Stephanie cautiously approached him to ask, "Lester, do you have something to tell me?"
"I may have called someone a mother-fucker when they cut me off," he whispered.
"Enya, sweetie. You can't say that word," Stephanie said when she kneeled to her two-year old daughter's height.
"Muckafukka?" she asked. "Unca Wes tot me."
"Yes, Enya. That's a bad word. Uncle Lester shouldn't have said that word in the car. How do you think we should punish him and you for swearing?" Stephanie asked.
"Um. Timeout and no yummy stuff," Enya replied.
"Yummy stuff?" Lester asked.
Savannah snorted and replied, "She means dessert."
Lester reached for Enya's hand. They walked to the kitchen table to grab a chair. Enya pushed Lester's chair to the corner and got him to sit down. She climbed into his lap and put her head on his shoulder. "Why aren't you sitting in your own chair, Enya?" Stephanie asked.
"Me sweepy," she said, yawning.
"Enya doesn't want to fall off the chair, do you, sweetie?" Lester asked.
"Shh. Unca Wes. Me sweeping," Enya whispered. Stephanie smiled at her daughter.
Savannah grabbed a banana before retreating to her bedroom. She had a ton of homework to complete before the next day. Some of her courses at the university were challenging. Savannah took Business Economics with a minor in Psychology.
Her business courses were easy, but the psych ones caused grief. The exams were multiple choice or multiple guess depending on your perception. After nearly failing her first exam, Savannah got Lester to help her learn every complex word and meaning. By the time she reached the midterm exams, she was just passing the class. Lester and Bobby tutored Savannah until everything made sense. She observed her Uncles whenever she spent time at Rangeman.
"I've decided my specialty," Charlie said when she entered the house.
"Hey, Charlie. What did you choose?" Bobby asked.
"Oncology," she replied. "I want to help people like my mom."
Bobby hugged her. "Shouldn't you finish your medical degree first? You can't help anyone for another twelve or thirteen years," he reminded Charlie.
"I'm taking courses during the summer to finish my undergraduate degree early," Charlie said. "I can finish in under three years. Then I apply for medical school and complete my internal medicine residency. The specialty program would take between four and six years, depending on where I go."
"You have everything planned. I'm proud of you," Bobby said.
"So am I," Raymond added when he entered the room. "I knew you'd be here," he told his niece.
Hector and Rodriguez entered the house together. Stephanie wondered if they were a couple. She suspected they were partners in Trenton, but nobody wanted to ask the question. Hector hugged Stephanie, then explained that he entered a domestic partnership with Jorge Rodriguez after moving to Miami. "I thought so," Stephanie said with a grin. "I'm happy for you."
"Why is my goddaughter in the corner with Lester?" he asked. Stephanie explained the story, making Hector laugh.
Owen, Cal's adoptive son, ran into the house with Anna. She held her arm to her chest. "Uncle Bobby, can you check Anna's arm? She fell from the tree," Owen announced.
"Were you climbing the big tree in the back again?" Bobby asked. Anna nodded.
She held her arm for Bobby to examine while saying, "Owwie." He gently touched the bones, not feeling any breaks, but decided to take her for an x-ray. Stephanie knew he'd use the machine at Rangeman to save time at the hospital. They had everything required to manage the men. It didn't hurt that Cal married a doctor. Tori would examine the x-rays and update the medical records. She split her time between working at the hospital and Rangeman.
"Is everyone coming tonight?" Stephanie asked when Ram entered the house.
"Yup. I'll get Junior and Manny to help me with the tables in the backyard. It would keep the mess out of the house," he replied. Stephanie wasn't sure if they had enough to feed everyone.
Carlos entered the house, followed by the rest of her Rangeman Trenton friends. "I found a few strays," he joked.
"The more, the merrier. Ram, Manny and Junior are setting up the back. Do we have enough food?" she asked. Carlos wrapped his arms around Stephanie.
"How are you feeling, Babe?"
"Fine. The morning sickness is gone," she replied.
"Holy shit!" Lester yelled. "We're having another baby?"
"Shhh, Unca Wes. Me sweeping," Enya groaned.
"Yes, Lester. We're having another two babies," Stephanie said. Lester passed Enya to Hector, then hugged Stephanie.
"What are their names?" he asked.
"We haven't picked them yet," she replied. Ranger's grandmother, Rosa, passed away the previous year. They didn't know if they were having boys, girls or one of each. "We're waiting for the sonogram to see their gender."
"I think you should name the girl Rosa Michelle and the boy Ricardo Francis," Savannah said. She could smell the food cooking in the oven and heard the men enter the house. Stephanie smiled at her oldest daughter. She had the same names in mind.
"Weren't you studying?" Mary Alice asked.
"Yup. Until our uncles invaded the yard and made more noise than feral cats fighting for neighbourhood domination," she replied. Mary Alice giggled and dragged Savannah outside.
Mateo heard Savannah's announcement and cheered, "I got a brother."
"Um. I don't mean to interrupt a private moment, but may I speak to you, Stephanie and Ranger?" Hank timidly asked. Stephanie smiled. She knew Savannah and Hank wanted to live together after she graduated from school. They were inseparable after he got assigned as her bodyguard.
"Sure. Are you proposing?" Stephanie asked after Lester cleared the kitchen.
"Yes. Vannah graduates next June, and I want to get married after she accepts her diploma," Hank replied honestly.
Stephanie waited for Carlos to answer. Hank had her blessing. He proved to be an honourable man. "You have our blessing," Carlos said. They watched through the window as Hank ran outside to Savannah. He led her to the bench beneath the arch of roses. Hank held her hands to ask the question. Savannah nodded before wrapping her arms around his neck. "She's happy." Stephanie felt it would have been perfect if Calvin and Serena were there to witness the momentous event.
The house phone rang, interrupting the moment. "Hello," Stephanie answered without checking the caller ID.
"Hey, cousin. Did Hank pop the question?" Calvin asked. Stephanie laughed and admitted that Hank had indeed asked Savannah to marry him. "Good. He called to ask our permission too. Of course, Serena and I said yes."
"So, have you and Serena retired yet?" Stephanie joked.
"As a matter of fact, we have. We're moving to Miami once we sell the house. Carlos said Rangeman owned a condo complex, and he guaranteed us a unit," Calvin replied. Stephanie started crying. Her hormones were all over the place. "Steph, are you pregnant?"
"Yes," she whispered. "Twins."
"Ah. Take care of our cousins until we get there. Serena and I will help you navigate the horde of children you and your men are producing," Calvin said half joking, half serious.
"We could use the help," Stephanie replied with laughter. Calvin promised to tell them when they got the date confirmed. Stephanie hung up the phone and turned to face Carlos. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"Yes, but I wouldn't mind you reminding me." Stephanie kissed her husband, making the men groan as they entered the kitchen.
"Don't you two ever stop?" Hal asked.
Hanna slapped her brother's shoulder. "You wouldn't be saying that if you had a girlfriend," Hanna replied. She passed Diana to Hal, then took Max from Zip's arms.
Stephanie smiled at her family. They weren't born through blood, but their relationship got forged through love, kindness and generosity. "Momma," Mateo yelled as he ran into the house after sharing the baby news with his uncles.
"Hey, little man. What's on your mind?" Stephanie asked her four year old son.
"I love my big family," he replied.
"Me too, buddy." Stephanie's life changed when she got pregnant at sixteen. She never expected to find her home with Carlos and his band of Merry Men.
"When is grandpa coming back?" Mateo asked. Frank Plum went to Italy to visit family.
"Soon, sweetie. He's bringing home a surprise." Stephanie knew her father got remarried. She chatted with her dad and Gianna over Skype.
"I hope it's a new grandma," he said before running away. Stephanie shook her head, wondering if Mateo inherited the Gypsy clairvoyance. Carlos grinned at Stephanie's wistful expression.
The Burg wasn't the same after Stephanie moved to Miami with her family. Rangeman Trenton got new employees as each of Stephanie's Merry Men relocated to Miami. Helen and Joe's death ended the lies and rumours regarding the ex-military men working at the elite security company. Ranger's brother, Mario, was the Trenton manager.
One by one, the old residents in the Burg moved from the area. A new group of families moved into the homes, filling the neighbourhood with various nationalities. Mary Lou, Lula and Connie loved the kind people who replaced the gossiping bitches.
Every one of those Burg bitches moved out of Trenton until there were none.