Chapter 8
After that discussion, things didn't really change with us, we just rolled with the punches. We both decided that being together is what we wanted. I was interested in marriage. I never thought I would be after Rachael, but that changed for me when I met Steph. At some point, maybe Babe would be.
I accepted the fact that she was going to have the baby and I was more than willing to step up and be the father that the child needed. I decided I would just move in with them in the house that they were originally in on the beach. After all, they seem to love that house and Jackson already had a room that he loved there. So, we all lived in that house together.
We leave work every day at 5 and drive home together and spend our nights and weekends together. Jackson loves having his own room, and it's bigger than the one he had at my apartment.
We still have the apartment and use it rarely if something happens at Rangeman and we can't leave, otherwise, we go to the house.
We were working on names for the baby. We knew it was going to be a boy. After several weeks of debate, we decided on Alexander Jesse Manoso and call him AJ for short. I realize we aren't married, but I told her that if we were going to keep the baby, then I wanted it to have my last name. So, she agreed. I also adopted Jackson and his last name became Manoso as well. He was happy about that. He even started calling me Dad.
I truly was a lucky man. I tried everything I knew to make Steph happy as well. She seemed happy, but I honestly didn't know. I decided I wanted to have a chat with Babe to see how she was feeling. Jackson had just gone to sleep in his bedroom, so Babe and I went down to the living room and cuddled on the sofa.
"Babe, can I ask you something, please?" I was rubbing circles on her arm to help relax her.
"Of course, you can ask me anything?"
"Babe, are you happy? I mean, happy to be here in this house with me?" Wasn't sure how she was going to answer that question. I didn't know if I could handle it if she said she wasn't happy.
"Ranger, I am and I'm not." I gave her a confused look. "Explain please."
"Ranger, I love being here with you and I love this house. I love the fact that you adopted Jackson and gave him your last name because he loves you. That part that I'm not happy about is I just don't know that I'm ready for a baby right now, especially one that wasn't planned. I'm not blaming the baby by any means; I just don't know,"
"Babe, I'm so sorry that you aren't feeling it. Is there anything that I can do to help you?" I was hoping she would lean on me to let me help her.
"Ranger, just be here for me and don't let me go." Her eyes were misting with tears and a couple leaked from her eyes.
Dios, this woman gets to me so much. She breaks all the walls down from my heart. "Babe, I will always be here for you. Nothing will ever change that. I will never let you go; you are with me forever." I kissed her on her forehead.
She eyes me up. "Ranger, you make it sound like you love me or something."
Should I tell her or let her assume I don't love and care about her? I don't really expect her to feel the same way about me, not right now at least, because of everything that she has been through, but I would like her to know that I'm here for her and I'm not going anywhere.
So, I took the gamble and told her the truth. "Yes, Babe. I love you. I don't expect you to feel the same about me after everything you have been through, but I will not lie to you."
She reached over and hugged my neck. "Thank you, Ranger, for caring about and loving me. Just give me time. I appreciate everything that you have done for me. I couldn't ask for a better person to be in my life than you."
"I think it's time for us to go to bed, babe. Come on."
I pulled her up with me and walked with her up the stairs to our bedroom. She said she was too tired to shower, and she would do that in the morning. I helped her to get dressed for bed. She can't see her feet because of her belly is in the way, and that upsets her.
She can no longer wear one of my Rangeman T-shirts, so she has to wear one that would fit Tank, but she makes me wear the shirt for a while so it will smell like me. She says I have a wonderful smell, and she loves to smell me. I would do anything for her, and she knows it.
I got ready for bed as well. Steph climbed into bed on her side and then I climbed in on my side. She waits for me to get settled so I can pull her next to me. Her back is to my front and my right arm settles around her middle while she rests her head on my left arm. I wouldn't have it any other way.
She helps me to sleep better and in return; I get the privilege of helping her quell any nightmares or thoughts that may come into her dreams or her head at night. I am her protector and I take great pride in doing my job. That's why she calls me her Batman. She feels protected and safe with me and that's what I want her to feel and to feel loved as well.
We slept soundly that night in each other's arms, just the way it's supposed to be.
2 days past the due date of the baby…
"Carlos, I'm sick of being pregnant. Make it stop, please." I couldn't help to laugh at my beautiful girlfriend's defiance of being pregnant. It didn't help the fact that she just got out of bed and was standing in front of a mirror looking at herself.
"Babe, if I could change the situation, I would. I know you are miserable and I'm sorry about that. Just think, though, soon we will have another little boy to add to our family."
"Carlos, if you are trying to make me feel better, you're not helping. I just want this baby out. I feel like 2 beached whales and look like them too, I'm sure."
"Babe, you are gorgeous. I love seeing you pregnant. Next time, it will be with our child and I'm wanting a baby girl just like you."
"Oh, so you think I'm going to get pregnant again voluntarily after this one, huh?" She smiled when she said this, so I knew she was only joking with me.
I walked behind her and wrapped my arms around her from behind and started kissing her neck. "I hope so Babe, I would love for us to have a baby girl."
"You are getting ahead of yourself, Manoso. One baby at a time, please." She laughed as she leaned over more so I could continue to kiss her neck.
"Just giving you a head-up, babe." She turned her head sideways so I could kiss her lips. We have come a long way since she first showed up here with Jackson, homeless and scared. I'm glad she fully trusts me now.
We got ready to start the day when suddenly, Babe, grabbed my arm, "Uh Carlos, my water just broke. Now is the time to get ready for the hospital."
We called the doctor, and she said to time the contractions and when they got to where they were 10 minutes or fewer apart to come to the hospital. She took a shower and changed clothes. I made sure that the overnight bag was ready, and that there was an outfit and diapers in the bag for the baby.
We talked about names and decided that we were going to name the baby Alexander Jesse Manoso and call him AJ for short. We called Tank and Lula so they could come and get Jackson.
Jackson was going to stay with them until AJ was born, then they would bring him up to the hospital. He was very excited to have a baby brother. Babe was still apprehensive about having another baby, especially one that resulted from the actions of men that she hurt her, but it wasn't the baby's fault and I'm glad that she had accepted this.
The contractions right now are about 30 minutes apart. Babe was tired, so I had her lie down and figured she would sleep for a little while, and then I could wake her up and we could go from there.
I woke her 20 minutes later, stating we had to go. She apparently had been having contractions in her sleep and now they were 12 minutes apart and I didn't want to take the chance of not getting to the hospital on time. I already had the to-go bag in the Turbo.
I gently helped her into the Turbo, and we rode to the hospital pretty much in silence except for when a contraction would hit. By the time we got to the hospital, they were 6 minutes apart. I grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled Babe into the ER.
I got her in a room with a baby monitor connected to her to make sure the baby's heartbeat was good. She allowed ice chips, so I made sure that I had plenty of those available. I called Tank & Lula to let them know what was going on and to talk to Jackson.
"Dad, is mommy, okay?" Jackson is very protective of his mother.
"Yes, Little Guy, she is fine. She is going to have your brother soon. When he is born, we will let your Uncle Tank know and the three of you can come up here. Your momma is resting right now."
"Okay, Dad. I love you and Momma. Give her a kiss for me, please. Bye."
"We love you too, Little Man, Bye." I shook my head as I hung up the phone.
I can't believe he had phone manners. Babe would say I need to learn phone manners from him. Then again, it may be because Jackson is a kid and wouldn't like being hung upon.
Finally, the doctor came in to check and she was dilated completely. It was an easy birth. If births can be easy, that is. It took about 10 minutes for her to have the baby. We got a surprise if there ever was one. It wasn't a boy. It was a girl.
I asked the doctor how in the world you mistake a boy baby for a girl baby, and she said she did not know, but it happens. It's just a rare occurrence.
Now we had to come up with a girl's name. She told me it was my responsibility to name her. She said I could name her whatever I wanted to name her. I chose Elizabeth Rosa Manoso. I told her we would call her Lizzie for short. She was okay with that.
I will say she is a beautiful baby. Dark brown hair, beautiful blue eyes. She was the spitting image of Steph. What was sad was we had no girl clothes at all. None. Zilch. Zip. Nada. Had a closet full of boys but no girls. I wanted a baby girl to look like Steph and I got my wish.
I called Ella to inform her we need a little girl outfit for the baby. To say it shocked her was an understatement. "A girl? I thought Steph was having a boy?"
"We did too, but she had a little girl. I'm sitting here holding her while Momma sleeps. She looks just like Steph, Thank God."
I'm so glad that Babe had a baby girl. I know she was dreading having a baby boy. She didn't want the baby to look like any of the guys that got her pregnant. Lizzie is so cute. She is the spitting image of Steph. It will be fun raising her, I'm sure.
Ella is going shopping and bringing girl clothes and a girl's car seat over here. I know the car seat doesn't matter, but I want Babe to feel comfortable and everything to be for a little girl and not a boy.
I'm holding Lizzie in my arms. She is so beautiful. She will be a handful if she has a personality like Steph. I don't mind giving her my last name. I just hope I can talk her momma into one day becoming my wife. I don't know how she would feel about that, but I'm hoping she will see how much I love and care for her.
Lizzie started fussing, and Steph woke up and reached for her. I moved Steph over a little in bed and laid next to her while she breastfed our daughter. She is naturally going to be a wonderful mother. I know she has had her reservations, but she is doing fantastic.
The nurse came in to make sure that Steph was producing milk while she was feeding Lizzie. Lizzie seemed to be content, so the nurse took that as a good sign. When Lizzie got through eating, I took her from Steph so I could burp her. After she burped, I laid her down on her bed and she fell asleep.
Ella came in a few minutes later. She peeked down at Lizzie. "Oh, my word, she is beautiful. She looks just like Stephanie." She handed me a couple of bags of baby items she picked up.
"Yeah, she is a beautiful baby. I am glad that she looks like Steph. I don't think it would fare well if she looked like one of her attackers. Steph, let me name her, so her name is Elizabeth Rosa Manoso and we call her Lizzie."
"You gave her your last name?" I knew she would catch that.
"Yes, I did. Because I adopted Jackson and I am hoping to get Steph at some point to marry me and when she does, the kids will already have my last name. It just made sense to me."
"Carlos, Stephanie is a very sweet woman. She is still unsure of everything and everyone around her. You know she trusts you and the guys, but she doesn't have a lot of trust in anyone else. She is probably afraid that you will treat her the way her ex did. Just be patient with her and continue to love her. I'm assuming you love her, right?"
"Yes, I have fallen in love with her. How could I not? She needed me to protect her and care for her and did, and I find I love her. If she never wants to get married, that's fine, but I'm not leaving her. I will be with her forever; if she will allow me to be."
"Then just be patient with her. She will need help with the baby and Jackson." She walked over and hugged me and then said she would see us later at Haywood.
Steph woke up when Lizzie started crying. I kissed Steph and washed her face while she breastfeed Lizzie. She is such a wonderful mother. I don't see how her ex told her she was a bad wife and didn't deserve Jackson. He was full of crap, too.
Steph loved the outfits that Ella picked out, and she liked the fact that the car seat was now for a girl. I think she also liked the fact that we had a baby girl. I don't think she really wanted a boy that was going to look like one of her assailants.
Steph, Lizzie, and I left the hospital the next day after the baby was born. Steph sat in the back seat next to the car seat so she could monitor Lizzie. She called everyone to let them know she had a baby girl and not a boy.
Jackson was disappointed in not getting a baby brother, but it thrilled him with a baby sister. He loved her name, too. When he found out I named her, he said, 'good job dad.' He is such a great kid.
For the first time in a long time, I saw Steph smile. She looked at Lizzie, then she met my eyes as she laid Lizzie down in her crib and she smiled. She pulled me to her and whispered, "Thank you, Carlos, for being there for me. You are a wonderful man, and I'm glad you are in my life." Then she leaned back from the hug, and we kissed. When we pulled away, we both stared at Lizzie and walked out of her bedroom holding hand.
Now I just need to get her to fall in love with me and marry me and our lives will be complete. That's what I'm working on next.
