Chapter 10
Lester and Cal were silent for a while before they heard Jay tell Hal, "Mom tried to find dad. All she knew was his first name. I mean, she was told it was Ricky. Mom knew he was Cuban and assumed his name was Ricardo. Uncle Jace said mom moved to Newark for school, hoping to find my dad. She learned to speak Spanish and visited the Cuban neighbourhood. One woman said she used to have a son named Ricardo, but he was gone."
"Do you know her name?" Lester asked.
"I think it was Maria. But a girl named Jeanie said Ricardo got married and had a baby named Julie. Then she said Ricardo went away and didn't come home," Jay answered.
Lester's face paled. After Ranger married Rachel to give Julie his name, he left the states for back-to-back deployments. Jay watched Lester's face closely. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went to bed. Before Lester and Cal picked up the conversation, Jay asked, "I have a younger sister named Julie. Don't I?" Jay didn't need the confirmation. He knew deep in his heart that it was true. It was going to break his mother's heart.
~~~
Ranger pulled Stephanie into his shower. He kissed her until her knees got too weak to hold her upright. It had been too long since she got loved by him. Stephanie allowed herself to get carried away. Ranger pressed Stephanie against the wall as he plunged into her.
Stephanie moaned from the feel of him inside. He was longer and thicker than their first time together. "Hard and fast," Stephanie moaned. Ranger did as he got asked before she screamed his name.
He carefully washed her before carrying her to his bed. His sheets felt like silk beneath her body. Ranger kissed, licked and sucked everywhere he could touch. She tugged his hair as he gently bit her clit, drawing a powerful orgasm from her body. When he entered her again, he took his time to build her up until she begged for release. He spoke to her in Spanish, not realizing she could understand every word.
Ranger told Stephanie how much he loved her but couldn't give her more than they shared that night. He offered to marry her for Jay to get his name as he did when he married Rachel. As she closed her eyes, he told her about his ex-wife and daughter, continuing to speak in Spanish. "Babe, I can't promise you forever now, but someday I will."
Stephanie waited until Ranger was sound asleep before climbing from the bed. She used the washroom to wash and get dressed. Leaving his apartment, she went to the elevator to get to the fourth floor. The doors remained closed. Stephanie found the exit to the stairwell opened. When she tried to get back into the hallway, the door wouldn't open.
Hector watched Stephanie on his computer, changing the camera as she moved through the building. He noticed the tears that ran down her pretty face. She wiped them away, but more covered her cheeks. Hector watched her exit on the fourth floor. He opened his apartment door and said, "In here, Angelita."
"Thank you, Hector. Which room is Hal's?" she asked. "I can stay with him tonight."
"No. You stay with me. What's wrong?" Hector asked.
Stephanie found herself telling Hector everything Ranger said. She didn't ask him for marriage or help to raise her son. Hector held her as she cried. He carried her to his bed and tucked her beneath the blankets. She fell asleep as he watched over the beautiful woman in his bed.
Hector knew Cal was still awake. He noticed Lester leave the apartment a few minutes before Stephanie appeared on the fourth floor. Hector sent Cal a message, corresponding in Spanish.
Hector: Stephanie's with me. Ranger told her about Rachel and Julie. He spoke Spanish, not realizing that she was fluent.
Cal: Jay found out about Julie when they lived in Newark. He put the puzzle pieces together tonight. How is she?
Hector: Okay with him having Julie, but angry he would only marry her to give their son his name.
Cal: Idiot.
Hector: I agree. I'll delete our correspondence.
Cal: Thanks.
Cal couldn't believe Ranger's stupidity. Everyone could see that they loved each other. He knew Stephanie never stopped loving Jay's dad. She deserved better than getting used as a fuck buddy. Ranger woke up at 0400 hours and reached across the bed for Stephanie. His hand landed on the cold, empty sheets.
Ranger jumped out of bed to look for his lover. She wasn't in the bathroom or kitchen. He looked around his apartment, but she was gone. "Report," he barked when Vince answered the phone in the control room.
"A few teams got sent to investigate an alarm in the warehouse district. Surveillance teams returned at 0300 hours to file their reports," Vince said, running down the events of the night.
"Stephanie?" Ranger asked.
"She entered the seventh-floor stairwell at 0200 hours and exited on the fourth floor. We didn't see which apartment she entered," Vince reported.
"Find her!" Ranger demanded and hung up.
Hal tapped Vince's shoulder to show him the message he had typed out that Stephanie was in Hector's apartment. Don't tell the boss. She speaks fluent Spanish.
Vince's jaw dropped. Hal deleted the words on the phone. "I'm going to the gym. I'll be back to relieve you in a few hours," Hal told Vince.
Ranger went to the gym to run on the treadmill. He was not impressed that Stephanie slipped from bed during the night. "What's wrong?" Lester asked, taking the treadmill beside the boss.
"Nothing," Ranger snapped.
"Come on," Lester said, powering down Ranger's treadmill. "Running won't help."
Lester and Ranger went to the mats to spar. They removed their shoes and climbed into the ring. Speaking Spanish, Lester asked Ranger what he had said the previous night to Stephanie. Ranger mentioned his ex-wife and daughter. "I can't give Babe more than we shared last night," Ranger said.
"We've known each other for a long time, Ranger. You're not telling me something," Lester said, punching him in the shoulder. Tank and Bobby approached the ring to listen.
"I also said that I'd only marry her to give Jay my name," Ranger added.
"Then what?" Lester cajoled.
"We'd get divorced once the child receives insurance coverage," Ranger quietly said.
"Idiot," Lester said before punching Ranger and climbing from the mats. Tank quickly took his place to show the boss how he felt from his stupid words.
"If you spoke in Spanish, why would she leave?" Tank asked.
"I don't know. Only Jay's fluent." He thought as he fought Tank. An idea popped into his head. If Jay was fluent, there's a possibility she could understand his words. "My God," Ranger said as he fell to his knees.
"She knows what you said," Tank stated. "You fucked up, Ranger." Tank didn't kick Ranger when he was down. He climbed out of the ring and went to lift weights. Ranger knew he messed up. His love for Stephanie ran deep, but he was afraid she'd run away again. He couldn't handle another heartbreak.
Hector watched the gym video until Ranger scrambled the cameras when he climbed into the ring with Lester. He shook his head. Stephanie rolled over to cuddle with Hector.
"Morning, Hector. Jay and I need to find a place to live until I replace the clothes and furniture," Stephanie said.
"You live with me," Hector stated. Stephanie shook her head, but Hector refused to take no for an answer.
Hector timed their departure from Rangeman when he knew Ranger was in his apartment showering. He drove his car to the two-story house located a block away from Jay's school. A beautiful woman in her early forties answered the door.
Stephanie was surprised Hector introduced the woman as his mother, Juanita. "You're much too young to have a child in his twenties," Stephanie said.
"Much like you and the boy," she said without offering further explanation. Juanita showed Jay and Stephanie where they could sleep.
Before Juanita could give Stephanie a tour, her phone rang. "Hello," Stephanie answered.
"Can you be ready to leave in twenty?" Frank asked his daughter.
"Yes. Jay too?" Stephanie asked. Stephanie rambled off the address. "What's wrong?"
"It's your grandparents," Frank sadly replied. Frank couldn't find the words to tell Stephanie.
"Hector, Jay and I have to leave town. I don't know when we'll get back," Stephanie said, fighting back her tears. Her dad never said much, but she knew her grandparents were gone.
Stephanie and Jay hugged Juanita and Hector before getting into Frank's car. The drive to the airport was quiet. Frank didn't talk until the metal tube was airborne. "It was a car accident last night. They were on the way home from their anniversary dinner. Witnesses said the car came out of nowhere. Your grandma died on impact," Frank said.
"And grandpa?" Jay asked.
"Succumbed to his injuries early this morning," Frank answered.
Jay held onto Stephanie and cried. Stephanie grabbed her phone to send Cal a text. "Grandpa and grandma died in a car accident. On my way to Chicago. Call the school," she wrote.
"Ranger's looking for you," Cal replied.
"Not my problem. I know Ranger loves me, but he will only marry me out of obligation. I don't want to get married. My son has a name, and I don't need anything from Ranger. On a flight. I'm not running away. I have to go," Stephanie typed before powering off her phone. She noticed there were three calls and fifteen text messages. Denial land has one occupant.
Stephanie and Jay quietly talked about what happened with Ranger the night before. He was upset that Ranger said those words to his mother.
Cal knocked on Ranger's closed office door. He waited a few seconds before rapping his knuckles again. "He's gone," Tank said from behind.
"What do you mean?" Cal asked.
"Left for a mission twenty minutes ago," Tank replied.
"Shit! Stephanie had a family emergency. She's on a last-minute flight to Chicago. Her grandparents died in a car accident last night," Cal explained.
Tank sighed. "Ranger's friend said Stephanie and her son boarded a flight without a return date," Tank stated.
"Instead of getting the details, he assumed she was running and volunteered for a dangerous mission," Cal added. Tank nodded. "Idiot."
Ranger sat in the helicopter as the pilot flew him to Washington. He opened his phone to see if Stephanie had read his messages. Ranger opened his email program to send a request to Ella and the accountant.
Ella would shop to refurnish Stephanie's apartment and replace all the destroyed clothes. He asked the accountant to pay off any outstanding loans or credit in Stephanie's name. It was the least Ranger could do to support the mother of his son. He stated that whatever Stephanie or Jay needed, give it to them.
Cal received a text from Ranger asking if Stephanie understood Spanish. "Yes," Cal replied. There was no honour in lying to the boss.
Ranger stared at the three letters. He spilled his guts to Stephanie, thinking she didn't understand. She had understood every word. "I didn't mean it," Ranger mumbled. He was protecting his heart. Ranger was head-over-heels in love with Stephanie, and he blew his chance to be with her. His lifestyle doesn't lend to relationships. He tried to figure out what he said to drive her away. Ranger had sex with many women, but none of them compared to sex with Stephanie. She ruined him for other women.
Stephanie listened to the voice messages from Ranger. "Babe," Ranger said before hanging up. "Where are you?" In the third voice message on her phone, Ranger said, "I'm out of town for three months. Call Tank if you need anything."
Three of the text messages were from voicemail notifications. Stephanie read the various texts from the Rangeman guys, asking if she was okay. The fifteenth message was from Ranger. He had said, "I'm sorry." She saved the various phone numbers on her phone but didn't label Ranger's. Stephanie downloaded the theme song from Batman and attached it as a ring tone for his number. She'd have the option to answer or ignore the call based on the music.
Frank, Stephanie and Jay stood beside the caskets as various friends, family, and ex-military paid their respects to General Plum and his wife. Stephanie cried when the lawyer said everything got left to her and Jay.
She got a message from Cal, telling her that Ranger had replaced her furniture and clothes. Stephanie was furious. Her lawyer suggested sending money from the estate to cover the expenses.
Tank watched Stephanie and Jay from afar. Stephanie wore an ankle-length black dress. She looked beautiful standing beside her son at the gravesite. He knew when Stephanie saw him. Her shoulders flinched when she looked his way.
Stephanie leaned past her dad to get the attention of the man on the other side. Tank saw her whisper something to him. He looked back, meeting Tank's eyes.
When the priest completed the ceremony, the man approached Tank. He removed an envelope from his jacket. "Are you Mr. Sherman, acting CEO of Rangeman?"
"Yes, sir," Tank replied.
"My name is Walter Cunningham. I represent Miss. Plum. She asked me to deliver this to you in Ricardo Manoso's absence."
"What is this regarding, sir?" Tank asked.
"Repayment for furniture and clothing for Miss. Plum's Trenton apartment, the balance for her car and credit cards. In the envelope, you will also find a petition for sole custody of Jayden Ricardo Plum," Walter stated. "Miss. Plum stated she received a message from Mr. Manoso citing that he was gone for three months. Please have Mr. Manoso sign the custody agreement upon his return."
"Sir, with all due respect, Mr. Manoso would not accept repayment. The custody petition is unnecessary," Tank said as he removed the envelope from his jacket. "Mr. Manoso relinquished his custodial rights as Miss. Plum maintained custody of the child to date."
"Thank you, Mr. Sherman. Good day," Walter said, waving the envelope.
Stephanie and Jay returned to Trenton the day after the funeral. Her dad stayed behind to pack away the items his parents willed to family members. "Why are we going back to Trenton?" Jay asked as they waited for their flight home.
"So you can graduate with your friends," Stephanie replied.
"We have to go back to Chicago in the summer to sell the house," Jay stated. "It would make more sense to finish school there."
"Cal can't watch Rex forever. Don't you miss your pet?" Stephanie asked.
"Yes, but it's going to be hard living in the same city as my dad."
"Sometimes we don't have a choice," she replied. Stephanie refused to run away. If Ranger can't live in the same city as her, then he should be the one to move. "We still need to pick up your birthday gift from grandpa's house."
"I don't want it," Jay replied.
"But you don't know what it is," Stephanie stated.
When they returned to Trenton, Frank got his friend to bring the gift to Hector's home. Jay saw his grandfather unload a black dirt bike off the truck. "Mom? Is that for me?" he asked.
"Yes, Jay. It's for you. I'll ship my motorcycle home," Stephanie replied.