Chapter 25
"Hi, Kayla," Celia crooned to her niece.
"Tia Celia, her name is Michaela," Rickie stated, making the name sound like Mickaya.
"I know it is, sweetie. Your name is Ricardo, and we call you Rickie," Celia explained. Rickie tilted his head to the side before grinning at his aunt. "Crisis averted."
"Celia, you should be spending your wedding night with your husband, not at the hospital visiting your niece," Maria Manoso admonished her daughter.
"Mama, Pierre and I leave tomorrow afternoon for our honeymoon. We won't have time to visit in the morning," Celia explained. "I thought you took the children home?"
"Your father took Mattie home. Rickie and Julie wanted to see their baby sister," she replied. Rickie yawned and grabbed his grandma's leg. "It looks like I should take them home."
"We'll come back tomorrow, mom," Julie told Stephanie.
"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Jules." Stephanie watched her children leave with their grandma. When the coast was clear, she waved Celia to the bed. "You can put her down now, Celia. Have you told Tank?" Celia placed Michaela into her bed. She didn't get the chance to answer the question.
"Tell me what?" Tank asked as he entered the room with Ranger. The men smelled of cigars. Stephanie shook her head and kissed her husband.
Celia reached for her purse to grab the gift. Stephanie bit her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. She was excited to see Tank's expression. Ranger used his phone to record the event.
Tank unwrapped the gift that Celia gave him. He opened the box to find a rolled-up Rangeman onesie. Stephanie giggled. "Turn it around, Tank," she said.
He turned the onesie around to see "Baby Sherman" written across the back in green embroidery. "We're having a baby?" Tank asked.
"Yes, Big Guy. We are having a baby," Celia replied. Tank buried his face into Celia's neck and cried.
"Thank you, Cece. You have given me the best wedding gift," Tank whispered.
"Take me home," Celia whispered. Tank kissed Celia's neck before looking into her eyes. He held her face in his large hands and kissed her sweetly.
Stephanie cleared her throat when the newlyweds got carried away. "That's how you got into this mess," Stephanie joked.
Ranger kissed his sister's cheek and hugged his friend. He arranged to get the Rangeman jet to fly them to their destination. Stephanie hugged her friends before they left. She knew they'd be busy for the next few hours.
"I'm surprised Tank didn't figure out that Celia was pregnant," Stephanie stated. "She's already fifteen weeks."
"He was afraid to hope," Ranger replied. He lifted Michaela from her bed. "She's beautiful, Babe."
"All four of our children have varying shades of skin tone. I like it," Stephanie commented. "They're all unique in our family."
"Her eyes are going to turn blue," Ranger added. "They're the same colour as Rickie and Mattie's eyes."
"I hope she has wavy hair, not wildly curly like the boys," Stephanie added.
"I love your wild curls." Ranger laid on the bed beside Stephanie, Michaela nestled on his chest.
"Lester and Bobby for godfathers?" Stephanie asked.
"Sophia and Mariana for godmothers," Ranger added, giving his sisters the role.
"It will go to Lester's head, you know."
"I'm afraid that boat had already shipped. Santos was thrilled you chose Leslie."
"I named my children after my best friends. Why did you agree to Michaela?" Stephanie wondered.
"You didn't want to call her Estephania. Modifying your middle name seemed reasonable," Ranger replied. Stephanie toyed with the name Carlotta, but Ranger had kiboshed the suggestion.
In Trenton, rumours of Stephanie giving birth to a third child circulated. Helen tried to see the second child, but the opportunity never arose. She skipped church in the morning to drive to Newark hospital, where Stephanie gave birth.
Helen walked to the woman at the help desk to get directions to Stephanie's room. She took the elevator up to the eighth-floor maternity ward. Stephanie was asleep on the bed when Helen arrived. Her husband, Carlos Manoso, was sleeping in the chair.
"Helen," Ranger said, sensing the woman in the room. He opened his brown eyes to look at his mother-in-law. She looked skinnier than before. Helen walked to the infant bed in the room.
"May I hold her?" Helen asked. Helen lifted Michaela from the bed when Ranger nodded his approval. He got out of the chair for Helen to sit. "She's beautiful."
"Thanks, mom," Stephanie said from the bed. "The boys should be here soon. If you want to meet them too."
"I'd like that," Helen admitted. "Are you happy, Stephanie?"
"Yes, mom. Carlos and our children make me happy," Stephanie replied. "What about you, mom. Are you happy?"
Helen laughed sardonically. "I was too focused on how I looked in the neighbours' eyes to see what was under my nose. All I wanted was for you to marry a respectable Burg man and have children," Helen explained. "Two out of three isn't bad."
Stephanie groaned, "Are you listening to that song again?"
Before Helen could respond, Julie, Rickie, and Mattie ran into the room. "Sorry, mom. We didn't know you had company," Julie stated as she grabbed her brother's hands. Julie turned the boys around to take them outside of the room.
"Please don't go," Helen begged.
Julie raised an eyebrow as she stared at her dad. He nodded imperceptibly. "I'm Julie, the tall boy is Rickie, and the younger one is Mattie," Julie said, introducing everyone.
"I'm your grandmother, Helen." Helen thought the boys were adorable and handsome.
Mattie hid behind Julie while Rickie walked up to Helen. He tilted his head to the side and studied his grandma. A few minutes later, he held out his tiny hand for her to shake. Helen shifted the infant to shake the boy's hand. "Hi, nice to meet you," Rickie said.
"You're polite," Helen stated, shocked. Rickie nodded.
Stephanie stifled a cry when Mattie moved from behind Julie to sit on Helen's lap. Her arm wrapped around his waist to keep him from falling. Mattie pulled the blanket off Michaela's head to kiss her face. As quickly as he sat on Helen's lap, he jumped down and climbed into the bed to lay with his mom.
Mattie rested his head on Stephanie's shoulder. She kissed his curls and focused back on Helen. "Why are you here?" Julie asked.
"I miss my family," Helen replied. "If you'd let me, I would like another chance."
"I'd like that too, mom," Stephanie confessed. Stephanie hoped it wasn't too good to be true. She missed talking to her mom about everyday things.
Helen passed the baby to Ranger. "I should go. Take care, Stephanie. I'll call Rangeman to make visitation arrangements," Helen stated. She kissed Stephanie's forehead before leaving. Stephanie was surprised. Helen wasn't one to display affection in public.
"Do you believe her?" Ranger asked.
Stephanie shrugged. "Only time will tell. I want our children to know their grandmother. The good, the bad and the ugly," Stephanie replied.
"If she does anything to harm you or the children, she will pay," Ranger whispered. "She only has one chance for redemption."
Mateo visited Stephanie in the hospital after Helen left. He was brought to the room by a pretty strawberry blond woman a few inches shorter than him. "Hi, I'm Karri, your nurse. I found this tall drink of water lurking at the nurse's desk."
"Hey, Mateo," Stephanie greeted. She wanted to make sure Karri knew his name.
"I'm here to bathe your daughter. Would you like to come with us?" Karri asked.
"I'll come with you," Mateo stated. "I help the family with the younger children." Stephanie stifled a laugh at Mateo's posturing.
"Sure thing, sexy. Do you mind grabbing the bed?" Karri asked, blushing when she realized she had called the man sexy. "He isn't the father, is he?"
"No, Karri. Mateo is available," Stephanie said, laughing.
Julie waited for them to leave before laughing hysterically. "That was so much fun," she said, wiping a tear from her eye.
Karri couldn't believe the word slipped past her lips. Mateo was sexy in spades. "Through these doors," Karri directed. "How do you help with the children?"
"I'm their bodyguard. We'll add another man to the team to cover this princess," Mateo replied.
"Do you like children?" she asked. Karri didn't know too many men that willingly helped with children that weren't theirs.
"I do. Stephanie is my sister-in-law. She married my brother after the oldest boy, Rickie, was born. I stayed with the family when my brother got deployed," he answered.
"Is that why you're staying with them now?" Karri was curious about the attractive man. She typically wasn't attracted to the tall, dark, muscular and handsome type. Karri loved intelligent men.
'No. I stay with the family because I want to help. The boys are amazing. Julie, the oldest girl, moved to Trenton after Mattie was born. Stephanie adopted her last year," Mateo explained.
"Mattie, is that a nickname?"
"Stephanie named him after me," Mateo confessed. "She calls me Mat or Mateo."
"What happens if she calls you Mattie?" Karri jokingly asked.
"Then I know I'm in trouble," he joked. "We live in Trenton." Mateo wasn't sure why he had to tell her where they lived. He felt it was critical.
"I'm almost finished nursing school. Before you ask, I'm twenty-nine years old. I started classes late. My parents got caught in a riptide when I was nineteen. I raised my younger brother. He's fifteen. Brock and I lived off the insurance money until I could return to college. We're moving to Trenton when my practicum is complete," Karri explained.
"When will that happen?"
"In a few weeks. I got a job at St. Frances Hospital," Karri replied.
"Would you let me show you around town?" Mateo offered.
"Only if you bring your gorgeous nieces and nephews," she said, laughing. "Brock could use a friend."
"Julie turned fourteen last week. She starts private high school in the fall."
"Brock will attend Sacred Heart," Karri offered. Mateo smiled, knowing it was the same high school as Julie. Kerri went through the process to bathe Michaela. She slept through the bath until Kerri got her head wet.
Mateo watched Kerri's face as she bathed Michaela. He noticed the pale freckles splattered across her nose and cheeks. Kerri didn't wear makeup because her face was flawless. She had a cute nose similar in shape and size to Stephanie's nose.
Kerri bent over to remove Michaela from the bath. He noticed tight curls at the base of her skull. "Is your hair naturally curly?" Mateo asked.
She laughed and nodded. "Yes. I spend an insane amount of time straightening it every morning. My hair is crazy curly like this beautiful little girl's mother."
"Stephanie doesn't bother straightening her hair. There aren't enough products to keep it from curling in the humidity," Mateo said, grinning.
"I feel her pain," Kerri admitted.
Kerri's supervisor, Tracey, took a small pin to prick Michaela's heel. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I just need a small sample before your mommy can take you home. Would you like to go home tomorrow morning?"
Michaela gave Kerri the open-eyed blank face look commonly seen on newborns. Tracey got Mateo to dress the baby after she grabbed a blood sample. "What are you checking for?" Mateo was curious.
"We recommended that Stephanie bottle feed Michaela an iron-enriched formula. Stephanie had low iron levels when she delivered last night. The doctor checked Michaela and her levels were a bit low too," Tracey explained.
"I'll grab the formula Stephanie needs to feed Michaela," Kerri stated.
"You want to make sure her iron levels are improving before she gets released," Mateo added. Kerri nodded.
"There are other tests we need to run when she's over twenty-four hours old. Once the results return, Stephanie can take the princess home," Kerri stated. Mateo wondered if Stephanie and Carlos already knew this information. "I'm sure Stephanie and your brother are familiar with the process. They have two little ones."
"Should I return Michaela to her parents?" Mateo asked.
"I have to accompany you. It's hospital protocol," Kerri replied. He removed his phone from the back pocket to get her phone number which she quickly dictated. He sent a text to provide his number. "Brock is staying with a friend overnight. Would you like to grab a late meal? If you don't already have plans."
"I'm available. My nephews and niece are staying with my parents for the night," Mateo offered. "Shall I pick you up after work?"
"Yes," Kerri breathily said. "I finish at 2300 hours." Mateo grinned when she used military time.
They returned to Stephanie's room with Michaela. Kerri quickly reminded Stephanie about the tests the hospital needed to run before the baby got released. "I'll see you after work," Mateo said when Kerri left. She blushed before running out the door.
"Ooohhh, Uncle Mat has a girlfriend," Julie teased. "One down, a few more to go."
"A few more?" Stephanie asked.
"Yup. Lester, Bobby, Hal, Cal, Vince and Manny. All the men that want what you have," Julie replied.
Oh boy, Stephanie thought. The men are going to be in trouble if Julie suspects they like a woman. Stephanie could see Lester being a bit problematic to match. Lester got engaged before he joined the army. She broke up with him through a dear John letter. The woman wasn't good enough for Lester, in Stephanie's opinion.
Lester deserved to have a woman appreciate his jokes and flirtatious attitude. He was a generous, loving man. If only she knew a woman who could handle all that he could toss her way. One of Rangeman's clients, an architectural firm, had a woman that could dish it as well as her best friend. Stephanie got along with her quite well. She'd have to make sure Lester wasn't responsible for her account.
Bobby was a bit high maintenance for a man. Maybe it was more that he got set in his ways. "It could also be the medic in him," Stephanie wondered. He was organized and had to complete tasks in a specific order. A doctor might be the best option for Bobby. To have someone with a busy schedule that he kept, perhaps.
"I see smoke, Babe," Ranger whispered as he climbed into the bed beside Stephanie.