A/N Mmm yeeeesh, this is probably my last chapter, and it's really an epilogue, 'cause it would take far to long to dwell on the unfortunate kidnapping, the healing, the counselling, the times Melosa bursts into tears, the-
You get my point? Much more fun
for me (and possibly you) if I just skip, say, 5 weeks? It means that
you can all imagine what you would've wanted to happen in that time,
and I am allowed to stay lazy. See, everybody wins.
My uncle Frank is eventually going to die, and I've
accepted that. Joanna has left, and I won't
see her (if I see her again) until next year. I have also accepted
that. I'm just FULL of acceptance this time of year. I'm also full of a certain brown substance called SHIT!
And life is going good. And so is my frickin'- Disclaimer: I own what I said, I said what I meant, yada yada yada, who gives a crap? I know I don't. On with the goddamned story.
5 weeks later...
"Weeeeeeee!
Swing me higher, Daddy!" I watched as Ranger pushed Melosa again, and
all thoughts of 5 weeks ago had left her mind (thanks to the best
therapist money can buy... and just maybe Ranger), and more obviously
her face. She had turned 7, and having "Daddy" at that occasion had
lightened her spirits, and she was once more the charismatic lil' drama
queen we all knew and loved.
No, definitely no sad
I'm-about-to-burst-into-tears-by-the-way-how-are-you looks across her
sweet, young face. Instead, a look of pure bliss, excitement, and hell,
joy, had rolled over her face like a sparkling new paint. We were all
just waiting for it to dry.
It was quite peaceful out here, in California. Too peaceful, I thought with a sigh. Maybe I need a vacation... with BOMBS! And... FTAS! And... SERIAL KILLERS! Ok, Steph, you've lost it, I thought. All those burning car fumes and burritos have demented you're mind (and also limited repairable damage on my thighs... all hail the ThighMaster!) It's just... so LONELY. So frickin' lonely without anyone else to enjoy my peaceful state. Although...
Alot of the Burgers had visited me in my (" fabulous" " stunning" " gorgeous- really, Stephanie, you've out-done yourself") California house. They seemed to like it, and I was just too used to it to move. There was the distance thing, but the Burgers didn't seem too phased. Infact, I actually got invited to 3 "Steph is gone" parties, before they remembered that I was Stephanie Plum.
And Morelli and I are re-building our relationship. The great big hunk of Italian cop is still single, and not bothering to look AT ALL. We're both being very careful about our relationship - it's like some small china shop filled to the brim with glassy antiques and hey, is that a bull outside? Likely, our relationship will come crashing down, and I will most likely be the bull in the china shop. Or maybe, just maybe, we'll get back together. God knows Melly deserves a father.
And I, yes I, am getting used to having Ranger hang around. It means that I can spend more time at the bar. Luc, my favourite eccentric bartender, had been mostly running things while I was injured/sick/too tired to give a damn. And so I gave him a vacation, and still paid him. In response, he kissed my hand, then said, "Madame Plum, you are a kind one indeed."
Maybe I need a vacation. It sure as hell would give me time to work on a tan, and get extremely drunk. And Melly deserves a vacation, too. Sure, she'd already missed 6 weeks of school (including the kidnapping and me in hospital), but -
Click. A pair of fingers (well, finger and thumb, but...) magically appeared infront of my gone-distant face."Wha...?"
"Babe, you still in there?"
"I might be..." I scowled sourly at him for an eternity, then sighed, and said, "you rang?"
"You up for going to San Fransisco?"
My eyebrows flew up, and then
I was hit by the suspicion truck. "And the purpose of this trip is..."
"To pick up an FTA."
I blew out a sigh and laid my thoughts of vacations and sugar plums
(not to mention car bombs) dancing in my head to rest. "When do you
need me?"
"Now would be good." He reached out and grabbed my arm before I could
react. And when I could, all I could do was say, "hey- what- STOP!" and
slap feebly at his arm.
"Relax, Melly and I had a fun time packing for you. Your stuff is in
the car." I sighed AGAIN! As long as Ranger is here, my life is doomed
to be crazy. Oh well.
I better fasten my seatbelt and pray for the best. Who know's? Maybe this lil' trip will at least be semi-normal.
Sure it will. And the Easter bunny and I play chess every Wednesday.
A/N Yeeesh, it's short, I will admit, but you can aaall put up with it. I only say this because I love you. No really, I do.
And I am bored again, so I wish to thank my reviewers. My sequel will come soon, because I'm sooo uninteresting that I'll probably be bored really soon. And I don't know what it will be called, but I can guarantee (almost) that the chapters will have nothing to do with flies... unless you want them to.
I don't really care. Even if you didn't review, just taking the time to read this story makes me happy. And I'll be twice as happy if you didn't steal the stuff I mentioned in the disclaimer. And three times as happy if I get at least 30 reviews. And 4 times-
You get the idea. And even if you don't, I'm too lazy by far to explain what would and wouldn't make me happy. If you've read this story, you should know that. And that is pretty much all I have to say.
Until my next monstrosity- errr... creation,
See ya,
Lavena.
P.S. To all my fabulous reviewers, I luuurve you! But our relationship isn't going anywhere. Sorry, but it's true.
