Carlos/Ranger's Point of View from the waiting room of the hospital
He shot my Babe. That sonofabitch shot her. He was aiming the gun in my direction and somehow, he shot Stephanie. She is 6 months pregnant with our child and now not only her life, but the life of our unborn child is at risk.
I've been sitting here in this waiting room for over 2 hours, and I've heard nothing. Intimidation hasn't worked, I've tried. The last thing she told me was that she loved me. I finally heard those words from the woman I love and now I could lose her.
Everyone is here. Like many guys from Rangeman that don't have to work, Tank, Lula, Mary Lou even her mother and father are here, and they don't even speak to her. Why they are here is beyond me.
Tank is next to me in a chair and Lula is on the other side of him. Abby is with Ella; I just couldn't bring her here into this.
"Tank, she has to be okay. She is the love of my life I can't lose her." I dropped my head in my hands and I cried. A badass mercenary crying, but I knew that I would lose myself if I lost Stephanie.
Tank's point of view
I never realized how much Ranger loved Stephanie. To see a grown man cry and a badass grown man at that just took my breath away. I was not expecting that to happen. Then she is 6 months pregnant with their first child. Well, Ranger would tell you it's their second child because he claims Abby as his own.
Stephanie has really changed him. He is so much lighter and in a good mood. He can be having a bad day and she can walk into the room that he is in, he can see her, and instantly his mood changes. He always kisses her or puts his arm around her. I've never seen him love a woman as much as he loves Steph.
For Abby's father to show up and then hold Steph at gunpoint, he should have known he wouldn't make it out alive. There was no way that was happening. I'm glad that he was taken out. He isn't alive, Binkie reported that he was dead before he hit the ground. Good serves him right.
Ranger is my best friend, so naturally, I will be there for him. He has always been there for me so there was no exception of me not being there. He looks like he was about to blow. I have a feeling that if Stephanie didn't make it, then Ranger wouldn't be too far behind her. That's how much he loves her. I know that she loves him just the same.
"Ranger, you have to be positive and just remember that Steph is a fighter. She has a lot to live for." I was hoping that the advice I was giving to him was good advice and accurate advice because if something happened to Steph it would kill him.
I felt for my friend. I wasn't sure what to do. Before I could contemplate what to do or say Mrs. Plum decided to make her presence known.
"Excuse me, but why are you here? My daughter is dying and it's all because of you thugs. You shouldn't be here." She stands with her hands by her side and has a venomous look on her face.
I feel as if I can speak for Ranger because right now, he doesn't need this headache.
"Excuse me, Mrs. Plum, but you don't have the right to be here. Where have you been when Steph needed you? She has been through hell the past few years and you have been where? Nowhere. You don't speak to her, you kicked her out of your house when she was 19 because she wouldn't conform to what you wanted her to be.
She got raped and had a baby girl. Her brother Jack your son died of cancer. She was alone. Jack tells her to find Joe Morelli that he will help her and that Joe will get Ranger if she needs him. Joe then goes and invites Steph to his house to stay with him, he ends up selling her little girl when she is 3 days old. Then Steph finds Ranger by accident, and he ends up finding her baby girl for her.
Along the way, they found each other, and they love each other very much. So, for you to say why are we here. We are her family. We are the ones that have stood by her. We are the ones that love her and care about her. If there is anyone that should not be here that would be you, Ms. Plum. We are not leaving so deal with it."
Ranger's Point of View
I heard everything that Tank said, I just couldn't believe he said that much. Although, I do agree with him 100%. Her parents had no right to be here, not after everything they have done to Steph. They will not hurt her. That I can promise.
While I was sitting there with my head in my hands the doctor came in, asking for Steph's family. I immediately jumped up along with all the rest of the guys.
"Mr. Manoso, your finance is in critical condition. I am going, to be honest with you I don't know if she will make it or not. The next 24 hours will be important to determine if she is going to live or not. If she has to be put on life support, does she have a living will?"
"Dr. Freeman, as far as I know, she doesn't have a living will, but I want only the best care for her. What about the baby that she is carrying?"
"The baby right now is fine. If Ms. Plum stays alive the baby is okay. If she has to be put on life support to keep her alive, we can do that for the duration of her pregnancy. Otherwise, the baby will die if Ms. Plum dies, the baby is not strong enough to live outside the womb yet."
"Thank you, Dr. Freeman, for everything. I will be staying with Steph in her room."
"I figured you probably would be. She is in ICU right now, but we are getting a private room ready for her, and I will make sure that there is a bed in there for you as well. I will need a list of people that are not allowed to see your finance."
"I will make sure that you get that list as soon as possible." Her parents were going to be on that list of people that were not allowed to see her. I don't care what they want or say. They are the ones that abandoned Steph.
"I will send a nurse out here when you can go in and be with Ms. Plum."
"Thank you, Dr. Freeman, again for everything." I shook his hand and knew that he did his very best. He has always been the doctor that treated any of the guys or me anytime we had a medical issue and needed help.
After 30 minutes a nurse, came out stating that I could go back now. I immediately went back and was floored when I saw my Babe. She had tubes and wires coming out of her everywhere it seemed.
I pulled up a chair and grabbed her left hand that didn't have a tube or needle in it, and I held it and told her how much I love her. I laid my head on her lap and I cried. I couldn't lose her. She was my world my everything.
I sat there for hours just holding her hand and talking to her. She is my world. I brushed her hair for her. I put lotion on her hands so they wouldn't dry out. I rubbed her belly and talked to the baby. I had a sudden urge to see Abby.
I pulled out my phone, "Yo, Bring Abby to me at the hospital. I want to hold her. Yes, bring clothes, her milk, and food she is staying overnight with me." I hope having Abby near Babe will bring her out of the coma. Let's hope.
Stephanie's Point of View in a Coma
What is wrong with me? Why can't I open my eyes? I can hear Carlos, but I can't get my eyes to open or my hands to move. I don't know what is going on. I know I'm in the hospital. The last thing I remember was Blast shooting at Carlos and I guess I took the bullet. I just don't remember.
Oh, God! The baby. I still feel the baby in my stomach, so I guess he is okay. But if something happens to me then the baby will not make it. I can't let that happen. I have to try to stay strong and healthy so our baby boy can be born.
Everything here is so peaceful though. I truly don't want to leave where I'm at. I don't even know where I am at. I think this might be Heaven, but then if it's Heaven and that would mean I was dead. I know I'm not dead because Carlos is not upset. So, how come I feel at peace?
I don't want to leave Carlos. I love him. I haven't told him much how much I do love him, but I do with all my heart. He is the best thing besides Abby that has ever happened to me. I need to make sure I get well so I can be with him, but I'm so tired. I just want to sleep. Maybe if I just relax and sleep everything will be okay. But what happens if I do that, and I don't wake up?
I can't risk it. I have to make sure that I stay alert and listen so I will know when it's safe for me to sleep and I know I will wake up. I can't leave Carlos, he needs me.
I love him so much please God let me be able to stay alert so I can be with him when I awake.
Ranger's Point of View
It's been 3 days since Babe has been in ICU and in a coma. I keep praying every day that she wakes up. I just want to see those beautiful blue eyes and hear her voice. I love her so much. Abby has been here with me. I thought the first day when she showed up that Babe might wake up, but she didn't.
Ella comes and takes care of Abby some for me if I need her to. Abby naturally doesn't understand why her momma isn't waking up or why her momma can't hold her. I've cried more in these past few days than I have ever cried in my life.
I resigned myself to being at Steph's side until she wakes up. I wasn't going anywhere. I love her and I'm here until she leaves the hospital with me and our children. We are engaged and I am hoping that we can get married as soon as possible. I want her to be my wife and my partner for the rest of our lives.
God, please take care of my Babe and our Baby, I can't lose them.
