Chapter 8
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015
From: Pumpkin
To: Daddy
Hey Daddy, you probably already know I'm gone because you helped me get here. I heard what mom was planning a forced marriage between Joe and me. Is she serious? Did mom actually think I would go along with her idiotic plan?
She coerced me into marrying one man already. We both know how well that worked out. I married Dickie in hopes that mom would finally accept me. Every time I tried to stand on my own, I got knocked down. You can't stand up on your own two feet if someone keeps kicking them out from beneath you.
That's the dynamic I had with both mom and Joe. It's not a healthy relationship or a foundation on which to build a marriage. The constant barrage of getting told you're horrible at your job, incompetent or need a man to be a proper woman wore me down. I'm not sure if that was mom's purpose, but that's what she accomplished. Mom only encouraged me to marry Dickie or praised me while dating Morelli.
Joe berated me in public whenever my car caught fire or I got injured. Did he ever ask if I was okay? No. He only cared about how my actions made him look. I'm sick and tired of changing my reaction to situations because it makes other people look incompetent. It's time for me to live my life the way I see fit.
Sorry about that, daddy. I needed to rant. Thank you for everything you've done to get me here. Your support means more to me than I could ever express in words.
Love you ~ P
A month after Stephanie left, Ranger returned from his mission. He went through his standard routine when returning home. Something felt wrong when he entered Stephanie's apartment. It held the stench of emptiness. As he took in his surroundings, he noticed the place was far cleaner than he got accustomed to seeing in Babe's apartment.
Turning on the lights, he confirmed the apartment didn't contain his Babe. Ranger sat on her bed and noticed everything in the bedroom was spotless. He turned on the light to search her dresser and closet. Nothing was missing or out of place, except for his Babe.
Ranger saw the empty hamster cage on the countertop. He wondered what happened to Rex. Stephanie wouldn't go anywhere without her hamster. Ranger opened the fridge to find it empty and unplugged. The oven and stovetop were spotless. He continued looking throughout Stephanie's apartment to figure out what happened to his Babe. Ranger found a small wooden box for animal cremation with a lock and brass plate. He read the inscription, "Rex Plum. He was a good hamster. March 25, 2011-April 1, 2015."
Taking a closer look in the closet, Ranger noticed Stephanie didn't take any of the shoes or clothes containing trackers. He feared something terrible had happened to his Babe. After locking the door behind him, Ranger ran to the first floor and banged on Dillon's door. "How can I help?" Dillon asked when he saw Ranger's scowl.
"Where is she?" Ranger demanded.
"I don't know, man. Rangeman was here last week asking questions," Dillon replied. "I'm telling you the same thing I told them. I got an envelope containing rent cheques for the next few years. Never saw or heard her leave. She never talked to me."
"Who gave you the envelope?" Ranger asked. He was seething. Ranger wanted to know where his Babe was hiding.
"It was in my mailbox," Dillon replied. "I didn't keep the envelope. It got tossed after I removed the cheques." When Dillon found the envelope containing the cheques, he realized Stephanie wanted to get away from everyone. She must have a good reason for leaving. Dillon's loyalty was to Stephanie, not Rangeman.
Ranger got into his car and drove like a madman to Rangeman. He burst from the elevator onto the control floor and shouted, "Report!"
Tank calmly walked through the stairwell door and pulled Ranger into his office. "Ranger, we've been looking for Stephanie for weeks. The forensics team dusted her apartment for fingerprints. Stephanie's prints were the only ones we found," Tank explained while Lester retrieved her emails.
"She wasn't kidnapped. Stephanie asked for three weeks off. When she didn't report for duty, we visited Dillon and went through her apartment. Nobody heard from her in a week. We talked to everyone," Bobby added.
"Beautiful sent me an email," Lester said as he handed Ranger the hard copy.
Ranger read the email.
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015
From: Beautiful
To: Sexy and you know it
Lester, I'm sorry for not saying goodbye in person. My rent got paid for the next few years. There's enough money in my account to cover all expenses unless some fool firebombs my apartment.
I have my reasons for leaving. If I stayed, I would get forced to marry Morelli, and I couldn't do that to Carlos. When I left, I felt I had no other choice.
Let me know when Carlos comes home.
Love you ~B
"Write back," Rangeman demanded. Ranger contacted Hector to ping Stephanie's IP address and get the home address.
Lester opened the email and replied to her message. He told Stephanie that Ranger was home and looking for her.
Stephanie read the message from Lester before sending an email to Ranger. She didn't bother writing Lester a response.
Sent: Friday, June 5, 2015
From: Wonder Woman
To: Batman
Welcome home, soldier. Thank you for keeping us safe.
You often promised me that we'd have our "someday," but I can't stay in Trenton to wait for that to happen. Even though you couldn't make any promises or tell me that you love me, I still fell in love with you. My heart wants what it wants. If I remained in Trenton, Helen would have forced me to marry Joe. I never loved Joe because my heart belonged to you since the day we met.
When you're ready to love me as I deserve, let me know, and I'll come home.
You hold the key.
I love you, Batman. ~WW
His heartbeat quickened as he read her words of affection. He knew Stephanie loved him, but she had never said the words before. Ranger loves Stephanie with all of his heart. She was one of the predominant people in his life. He had less than two years left on his contract and wanted to have his someday with Stephanie. There were a few more things Ranger needed to do before he agreed to bring home his Babe.
Ranger recruited Tank to help him find a home. He once told Stephanie that the Batcave was forever. At the time, he said it as a joke. Knowing that Stephanie was in love with him changed everything. He wanted to lay the world at her feet. Ranger had to prove to his Babe that he was all in; heart, mind, body and soul. His words have to start matching his actions. There is no more qualifying his words to protect his heart.
Tank and Ranger couldn't find a house suitable to purchase. Ranger purchased a plot of land north of Trenton to construct the home of his dreams. Batman needs to build his Batcave to bring Wonder Woman home.
Joe Morelli heard Ranger returned to Trenton. He waited outside of Vincent Plum's Bail Bonds office to confront the man. Ranger saw Morelli's car parked in front of the bond office. "Where is she?" Joe asked when Ranger exited his SUV.
Raising an eyebrow, Ranger asked, "Who?" Ranger knew Morelli was trying to pin down Stephanie.
"Cupcake," Joe snarled.
"Bakery," Ranger sarcastically replied as he entered the office. Joe barged into the office behind Ranger and jerked on his arm. "Remove your hand," Ranger barked.
"Not until you tell me where Cupcake is!" Joe yelled. "I know you and your thugs hid her from me."
"What the hell is your problem, Morelli?" Connie yelled, adding to the commotion in the office. Her pregnancy hormones were wreaking havoc on her emotions. "Ranger got home from a mission a few days ago. The men at Rangeman do not know where she is either. How many times do people have to tell you for it to finally sink into your tiny brain?"
"I demand someone start talking now!" Morelli yelled.
Vinnie could hear the yelling from inside his locked room. He printed the email he received from Stephanie with her resignation.
Sent: Monday, April 20, 2015
From: The Bombshell Bounty Hunter
To: Cousin Vinnie
Vinnie, I'm sorry for not giving you adequate notice. I'm resigning from my position as your BEA effective immediately.
You have been a pain in my ass for the past two years. Not literally, but you know what I mean.
In case anyone, aka Morelli, asks, I left by my own free will. I was neither coerced nor kidnapped. Ranger and his company, Rangeman, are not responsible for hiding me away.
Don't be stupid. Stop tapping Joyce.
Ci vediamo ~TBBH
"Joyce Barnhardt, please follow me," Dr. Carter stated. Joyce rose from her seat in the waiting room to follow the doctor. She decided to proceed with the abortion. To raise an unwanted child didn't appeal to her. The last thing she wants is to give an innocent child the type of life she experienced. Her mom recklessly got pregnant, and Joyce never knew her biological father. When Joyce asked her mom, she wasn't sure which man of six was her father.
Dr. Carter gave Joyce a paper to sign, confirming she understood the procedures and the risks involved. A few hours later, Joyce got released. Her friend, Terry Gilman, drove her home. "That bastard isn't going to get a child from me," Joyce groggily stated.
"I hear you," Terry agreed.
"Thanks for the ride," Joyce added.
"No problem. Did you get the doctor to tie your tubes too?" Terry asked.
"Yup. Thanks for giving me the idea to get both done today," Joyce replied. Terry smiled, knowing she protected yet another woman from carrying the Morelli spawn.
Charmaine was working a double shift in the emergency department. A few nurses called in sick. She rolled her eyes since she knew they partied too much the previous night. The emergency room wasn't too busy tonight. She sat down at the computer to update the electronic charts. As she reached for the new file, a sharp pain ripped through her abdomen. It felt like an appendicitis attack, except her appendix was removed when she was a child.
The head nurse watched as Charmaine's head disappeared from above the high edge of the counter. "Grab a gurney!" Skylar shouted as she ran around the desk to get Charmaine. "Where does it hurt?"
"Bottom, right quadrant," Charmaine cried.
"Appendicitis?" Skylar asked.
"No. Gone," she groaned. "Pregnant."
"Hurry. I think Charmaine has an ectopic pregnancy, Dr. Masters," Skylar announced.
"We need to get her to an operating room," Dr. Masters stated. Skylar watched as they ran down the hall with her best nurse.
Six hours later, Dr. Masters approached Skylar. "Does Charmaine have family in town?" he asked.
"No, Idaho," Skylar replied. "What support does she need?"
"The fetus was attached to the uterine artery. To stop the bleeding, we had to remove the uterus. We can keep her in the hospital for a maximum of seven days. If she requires additional care, she'll need to go to a care facility," Masters explained.
Skylar couldn't believe her friend had to go through this horrible event. Even though she was carrying Morelli's child, she was excited to have the baby. Not only did Charmaine lose the baby, now she can't have any children. It's going to break her heart.
Sandy got kicked out of home for getting pregnant. She was out of her element, living off the streets. Too many men took advantage of young, beautiful women at night. She called Morelli, hoping he would give her a place to stay. He laughed and said that she probably got pregnant from the other guy she was screwing. Sandy didn't understand what he meant. There was no other man.
A few days later, she entered the emergency department. Sandy doubled over from the pain in her abdomen. After a thorough examination, she was taken into a procedure room to complete the miscarriage. Sending a quick text to Morelli, she said, "I lost your baby." Sandy blocked his number. When she got released the following day, Sandy moved to New York to live with her cousin.
Morelli had no clue that Joyce aborted his child, Charmaine's baby got evacuated from her abdomen, and Sandy miscarried. The only woman pregnant is Connie Rosolli. He didn't know she was carrying his child.
Lula was excited to tell Connie everything she learned through the grapevine. She cackled as she told Connie about the misfortune of the women. Connie was disgusted with Lula's attitude. How could she think miscarrying a child or getting an emergency hysterectomy was funny? After everything Lula experienced at the hands of Benito Ramirez, she thought other women's misfortune was numerous.
For the first time since meeting Lula, she realized how toxic Lula was. Her true colours are showing. Stephanie was wise for leaving Trenton. When Connie got home after work, she called her aunt in Italy. She decided it was time to return to her homeland. Unknowingly taking a page from Stephanie's book, Connie used a fake ID to get out of the state.
Morelli called Connie, hoping to hook up with her. His balls were getting blue from lack of sex. "The number you dialled is not in use," the automated female voice stated.
He tried Sandy's number next. "The number you dialled is unavailable," the robotic voice said.
Charmaine's phone went directly to voicemail, as did Terry's. Joyce's phone rang once then disconnected immediately. Calling every number in his phone book didn't lead to him getting his balls serviced. None of his usual hookups were interested in taking a ride on the Italian Stallion.
When Charmaine got released from the hospital, she went home to Idaho. She requested a transfer to the hospital in her hometown. Charmaine changed her cellphone number when she got home.
Morelli approached a few women, asking why they didn't answer his call. "We can't trust you. Your condoms are leaky. Word on the street says you poked holes in the condoms to get your girl pregnant. Would that be true?" Clarice asked.
"I didn't poke the ones in my home, only the ones at my Cupcake's house," Joe admitted.
"So y'all saying that someone took them from your girl's house and put them in your home?" Sharon asked.
"That's what I'm saying," Joe stated.
"Okay, then. We have sex at my place and use condoms I buy," Clarice added. Joe quickly agreed to her request. He needed to get laid.