Disclaimer: I don't own jack, you know the drill!

A/N: Hello, my faithful readers! Hope your enjoying yourselves while I chill out at my summer holidays! MWAHAHA! Look at it like this, the more spare time I have (which is a lot now) the more chapters I write…

Thank you reviewers for your kind comments and encouragements. Don't be afraid to criticise a little, I like some feedback just don't flame – that makes me feel bad. :(

Hope you haven't lost interest in this story already. The plot is just breaking to the surface. EVIL GRIN

Let the games begin…

Chapter 4

After I had recovered from the freaky phone call I decided to phone Lula and see how she was doing.

"Dis is Lula."

I smiled when I heard her voice, "Hey chica, It's Steph. How are you?"

I heard her let out an excited scream and say to someone, most likely Tank, 'It's Steph'.

"Hey honey, I'm great, it's amazin' in Mahattan, fucking insane but amazin'. Dis is tha best trip I've been on, ever!"

I laughed at her excited voice, "What have you been up to?"

"Well, ri' now we're in Central Park 'nd some crazy mugger came up t' us but Tank, baby, totally skinned his ass. It was fucking awesome!" she sounded like 3 year old at Christmas.

"Omigod, really? Are you two okay?" I asked suddenly worried.

"Girl, we be fine, my fine man kicked his sorry ass all the way t' tha cop station. It were cool! What's up in Trenton?" she asked.

I sighed, "Nothin' too much."

I've only just found out I'm besotted with a man who can't have relationships and definitely doesn't want one with me.

She, somehow, sensed my reluctance to talk.

"You're not tellin' me somin'. What is it, girl. You can tell ole Lula."

I smiled, "I'll tell you when you get back, okay?"

I could hear her let out a grunt that was her way of saying yes but she wasn't happy about it.

I smiled, "Well, I gotta go, I just wanted to see that you two got there safely. Say hi to Tank for me and enjoy yourself, chica." I said and I meant it.

If anyone needed a good time with a guy who genuinely liked her it was Lula.

"Thanks honey, I will. Don't miss me too much, keep Connie company, say hello to her for me too. Miss you guys already. Bye."

"Bye" I hung up and replaced the phone once again.

I looked over at the clock.

Holy Toledo!

It was 7 o'clock.

I had promised my mother I would be at dinner on Friday, today.

I had also promised Joe would be there but I had a sneaking suspision that he might not show.

I ran into the bathroom for a very quick shower, pulled on a pair of respectable jeans an a pretty lilac shirt. I pulled my hair up into a complicated twirl and let a few curls loose from it and a few dangle in front of my face.

I grabbed a jacket waved to Rex and ran out of the door.

I got to my parents at 5.59 and rushed inside to find everybody else just getting to their seats at the table.

"I'm here!" I shouted as I hanged up my coat and closed the door.

My mother came rushing out of the kitchen with her hands holding bowls of vegetables and potatoes.

"Where's Joseph?" she said to me frowning.

I rolled my eyes, no 'Hello Stephanie, nice to see you darling. My, don't you look pretty'.

I walked towards the table smiling at my father, my sister and her children and Albert, my sister's husband.

"He's not coming." I stated taking at seat next to my father and my grandmother.

"Is the bounty hunter with the big package coming instead? That is one fine piece of meat." My grandmother said smiling.

"Mother! Why ever not, Stephanie?" my mother said to me, latching onto my gaze and sending me the searing glare that demanded the truth.

I struggled under her piercing blue eyes.

"Joe and I aren't together at this present time…" I muttered hoping that on the off chance she may not have heard me.

"WHAT! What happened! Go an apologise, Stephanie, Joseph is very fond of you and is probably very upset." She said narrowing her eyes and shaking her head disapprovingly.

What about me? What about how I feel?

I sighed, "It was a mutual decision, mom."

She looked dubious but didn't press it any further.

We all dug into the food and I almost moaned at the familiar taste of my mother's famous Lamb Chops.

"Auntie Stephanie." Mary Alice said to me.

I looked up from my food to her and nodded.

"Do you kill people?" She said to me frowning.

How do you explain this to a kid?

"I would never, and have never, killed someone in cold blood." I said smiling at her, "Why?"

Mary Alice frowned, "Tommy Johnson said you were a bad lady who killed people."

"Tommy Johnson sounds like he's a big liar." Grandma butted in, "Was that the kid who puked all over the floor at the Christmas concert? That kid really needs to lay off the Twinkies."

I felt my appetite start disappear as flashing images of Tommy's sick appeared in my mind.

"Mother! It is not polite to talk of such things when we are eating." My mother said her cheeks flushed his embarrassment.

"I was just saying, Ellen."

After a long, long, LONG dinner at the parents I managed to survive and drive home to an eerily empty apartment.

It was dark and I was still feeling a little freaked out by the message I'd got.

I turned on every single light in the apartment and checked every nook and cranny before my heart rate could go back to normal.

What can I say, I'm thorough!

I went over to the kitchen and searched for some food.

After seeing only but a large chuck of mouldy cheese, the two remaining crusts from sliced bread and an apple, in the refrigerator, I decided I needed to go grocery shopping sometime tomorrow.

I poured myself a bowl of fruit loops and munched on them whilst I went over to my answering machine and checked it for messages.

I pressed a button and a recorded female voice started talking to me.

"You have 3 new messages…message 1…" the voice cut out and another came on, one I liked a whole lot better than that stupid one.

"Hey, Stephanie, it's Mary Lou, just wanted to thank you again for yesterday night and wondered whether you had come to a decision about the thing we talked about. Call me when you get this message."

I smiled, I would ring her back later.

"Message 2…"

"Cupcake, we need to talk." Joe's steady cop voice entered the room and I paused at his words; couldn't agree with you more, Joe.

"Message 3"

"Got a lawyer, Plum?"

I froze at the sound of the eerie, unfamiliar voice.

What was their problem and why did they speak in riddles?

I saved the last message but deleted the other two.

I decided the leave Joe till last and start with Mary Lou.

"Hello?" she answered with a stressful sigh and I could hear screaming and shouting in the background,

"Hey, trouble in paradise?"

"The dog just threw up again. He is definitely seeing a vet on Monday."

I laughed softly, "How are you, except the mental mayhem that is happening right now."

I heard her giggle, "I'm okay, thanks again for yesterday night, I really appreciate it."

"What are friends for? Isn't it one of the jobs to baby-sit your best friend's devil children?" I said smiling, knowing she could sense the amusement in my voice.

"I guess…look I really can't talk right now, do you wanna meet up for lunch tomorrow, say, 12-ish at the new café, Déjeunez, down the road." She said sounding tired.

"Sure, but Mary Lou, don't wear yourself out with those kids. Go take a bath and relax, I'm sure Lenny can deal with it." I suggested.

"I could…that's a fabulous idea, Steph; I'll see you tomorrow, honey. Bye!"

"Bye." I said before disconnecting with a smile.

That girl is always wearing herself out with those kids, they were just too much to handle every second of every day, which is basically what she does.

Right, now to get Joe's phone call out the way…

I dialled his number and waited.

"Hello?" he answered sounding irritated.

"Hey, it's me."

I heard him sigh and I decided to press on,

"I agree that we need to talk, are you available for Pino's at mine on Sunday, there's a Ranger's game on…" I tempted him.

There was a moment of silence.

"Okay, cupcake. I'll bring the beer. See you about 2-ish on Sunday."

"'kay, bye" I hung up with a sigh.

He didn't sound too angry, not like on the message.

I was pretty sure he wasn't going to be all that calm tomorrow, though.

We hadn't yet discussed each other and stuff without it ending in a giant screaming match.

But, you know what they say, there's a first for everything.

I gave Rex a little bit of left over pineapple upside down cake and put the rest of the food in the fridge, ready for tomorrow.

I walked around the apartment still in a little bit of a daze from my discovery earlier.

I loved Ranger enough for a proper relationship, one I would actually consider marriage and kids.

One problem though; the man I am devoted to and completely and utterly besotted with can't be my boyfriend because his 'life doesn't lend itself to relationships'.

I sighed and brushed my hair out of my face as I pulled on an oversized t-shirt and a pair of panties.

Why couldn't my life just be easy?

Why couldn't my life be normal?

I bet, Ranger would love to spend time with someone who's

More attractive

Better at their job

Stable in their mind (sane).

Completely secure and knows exactly want.

Not got insane curly hair that freaks out all of the time.

Not me

I told myself to stop putting myself down and got ready for bed, desperately trying to deter my thoughts from Ranger.

I tried focusing on Lula and how great a time she's having in NYC…with a loving boyfriend by her side.

I groaned and thumped my head against the mirror.

I looked back at my reflection with a sigh.

Who could blame Ranger for not wanting me?

I had hips bigger than Kentucky for Christ's sake.

I shook my head and went into my room.

Sleep.

Sleep is good to stop thinking, I knew that from experience.

Whenever I needed to step down from reality and all of my problems I slept.

I sighed in contentment as my cheek touched the pillow, my eyes snapping shut as my cruel speculations flouted away.

TBC

A/N: Your thoughts?