Chapter Nine: Destiny

A few hours later, Carlos woke up and found himself alone in bed. "Babe," he called out.

"I will be right out, Carlos," Stephanie said from the master bathroom.

Carlos looked around in his bedroom. "I have to make my home, her home as well," he told himself.

A few minutes later, Stephanie came out of the washroom wearing blue jeans and a purple halter top. "Babe, you are looking for trouble."

"Yeah, I guess I am, but I got a call from Connie. She has some bonds and offered them to me. It is money, Carlos, and I could use it," Stephanie said as she walked into his arms. "Besides, it will keep me busy."

"Alright, then, let me take a shower, and I will help you get them. If you want my help?" Carlos asked her.

"I would love that," Stephanie replied.

Carlos walked into the bathroom and left the door open a little bit, so he could listen and make sure she was okay.

About ten minutes later, he was out of the shower. Carlos wrapped a towel around his waist and walked into the bedroom. He saw Stephanie's tongue dart from her mouth to lick her lower lip.

"Babe, you are asking for trouble," he growled. Carlos saw the sparkle in her blue eyes.

He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He lowered his head and gave her a deep kiss. "Carlos, we are going to be late," she told him softly.

"Right, why don't you go downstairs and get something to eat? This way I can get ready?" Carlos asked her softly.

"Right," she replied. He watched her leave their bedroom. Carlos shook his head and closed the door to get dressed.

Once Carlos was dressed, he went downstairs and into the kitchen. He saw his wife waiting for him. "Ready to go," he said. Carlos went to the fridge and grabbed a protein shake. He started to drink it when Stephanie's phone rang, she saw that it was her mom's house.

"Hello," she answered.

"Stephanie, it's Valerie. I was wondering how you are handling everything?" she asked.

"Hey, Valerie, I am doing okay at the moment. What is going on?" Stephanie asked her sister and rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Dad called me and said Grandma took off again, and I don't know where she is. She got into this T-Bird with a black girl, and the two of them sped off. I am worried," Valerie said.

Stephanie started to giggle. "I don't find this funny Steph," Valerie snapped.

"Grandma went with Lula. She is one of my coworkers. They are friends, Valerie, don't worry, it will be fine. Just let Grandma do what she wants. She will come home when she is ready. Please, don't turn into mom, with grandma," Stephanie said and then hung up. She shook her head and dialled Grandma Mazur.

"Hi, sweetie. Let me guess, Valerie called you?" Grandma Mazur asked.

"Yes, grandma, do me a favor, call Valerie, and let her know you are safe. Please, for me, just tell Valerie where you are going from now on okay?" Stephanie begged her grandmother.

"Fine, for you, I will," Grandma Mazur said and then she was gone.

Stephanie looked at her phone and shook her head. "Ready, babe?" Carlos asked. "We need to get you a new gun. I know you don't like them. But please for me, babe."

"Yeah, if I have to have one, then so be it," Stephanie said. She grabbed her bag, then followed him to the garage. They left for the bond's office.

When they got there, they saw Vinnie walking in. Ranger parked the SUV at the curb, and the two of them walked into the office.

"Hey Connie," Stephanie said.

"Hi, here we go, three of them all for you. I figured these would help keep you busy. I am truly sorry about your mom Steph," Connie kindly told her.

"Thanks, and I know Vinnie is in, so I will stop and say hi," she replied. Stephanie walked to Vinnie's office. His door opened for some reason when she knocked.

"Hey, Vinnie," Stephanie said, as she walked into his office. She saw him packing boxes. "What is going on?"

"Harry the Hammer is letting me go. Ranger, you will be getting a call from Harry. He wants you to run the bond's office," Vinnie spat. "Steph, I am sorry about Helen. She was not that bad. Actually, she was one of the good relatives in the family," Vinnie said as he walked out of the office.

Ranger and Stephanie looked at each other. "Well, I am going to get these bonds," Stephanie said, and then Ranger's phone rang.

"Hello, Harry," Ranger answered when he recognized the number.

"Hello, Ranger. I want to sell you the bond's office, Ranger. Will you take it?" Harry the Hammer asked.

"I will on one condition. Vinnie still runs the bond's office. Is that acceptable to you?" Ranger asked.

"Yes, that is fine with me. Where can I send the paperwork?" Harry asked.

"I will give you a fax number, and you can fax it to my lawyer, who will review the terms in the paperwork," Ranger told him. Ranger rattled out some numbers, and then Harry hung up.

"Vinnie, unpack. You are not going anywhere, but if you even try to run this office into the ground, you will be gone in no time," Ranger warned. "Come on, babe, we have to catch some bad guys to capture." Ranger and Stephanie walked out of the bonds office, got into the SUV and drove away.