Chapter 10 Forced Family
Tank saw Ranger enter the command room. "Hey, Boss, what is going on?" Tank wondered why Ranger dropped by the floor. Ranger was supposed to be spending time with his bride and daughter.
"I need you in my office," Ranger replied.
Tank followed Ranger into his office. "Julie is supposed to go home today right?" Tank asked. He watched the look of surprise and love for Julie flash across Ranger's face before it got blocked by the blank face.
"Wrong. Julie surprised Stephanie and wants to live with Stephanie and me," Ranger explained. He had to work out the logistics of raising a teenage daughter.
"Okay, what does Rachel say?" Tank asked. He thought it would be good for both Stephanie and Ranger to have Julie in their care. Tank loved Julie as a niece, as did many other men at Rangeman. There's a certain age a girl hits when she needs the guidance of a good man.
"She is for it. Rachel believes Stephanie and I can provide Julie with everything she needs. Apparently, Rachel is working full time, and Ron is busy with her brother, so she feels left out. So I guess it is time for me to take Stephanie, and Julie to the house. The penthouse is too small for everyone," Ranger explained, providing Tank with more details than he typically shared.
"Okay, boss. Got it, and good luck," Tank said before he walked out of his boss's office.
Ranger walked back up to the seventh floor. "Okay, we are all going to the house," Ranger said to Julie and Stephanie.
"The Bat Cave," Stephanie said with an open mouth. She was excited about the home that Ranger had alluded to for many years.
"Wait, Steph, you've never been to dad's house?" Julie asked her.
"No," Stephanie said.
"Oh, boy, this is going to be fun," Julie excitedly said. She grabbed her bag and patiently waited for Ranger and Stephanie.
Once everyone was ready, they walked out of the penthouse and down to the command room. Ranger always informed his men when he was leaving the building. As Rangeman's CEO, he had to tell them when he was unavailable.
"I will be at the house," Ranger yelled into the command room.
"Got it, Boss," several men replied.
Ranger, Stephanie and Julie walked out of Rangeman. Everyone piled into a Rangeman SUV. Ranger drove for fifteen minutes, and then Stephanie saw the Batcave. It was a brick ranch-style house with two floors. Ranger hit a button, and the garage door opened. He pulled in. Everyone got out of the SUV.
Stephanie and Julie followed Ranger as he walked out of the garage. Ranger walked up to the front door and used his key to get in the house. Julie ran in and walked to the left of the house until she got to her bedroom.
"Come here, babe," Ranger said. She walked up to him. He wrapped his strong arms around her. Ranger kissed her then.
"Oh, how sweet," Julie said as she peeked from the doorway of her room. She loved seeing the affection between Stephanie and her dad.
"That's it. She's going to school when the next semester starts," Ranger said, shaking his head as he left for the kitchen.
Stephanie followed Ranger into the kitchen. She noticed the stainless steel appliances and sat down on the island. "Wow, I really wish I had listened to my mom more about cooking," Stephanie said. "The kitchen is screaming for someone to cook."
'Don't worry. I do know how to cook some stuff," Ranger said. Stephanie wondered if there was anything Ranger couldn't do.
He came up behind Stephanie, moved her curls and bit her neck. "Where is Julie?" Ranger asked after Stephanie moaned.
"She is probably in her room. You can show me our room," Stephanie suggested as she turned around to face him.
He looked at her and held out his hand. She took it, and he walked with her down a hall. Ranger opened a door, letting Stephanie enter the bedroom before him. "Wow," she said. Stephanie looked and sat down on the king-sized bed. She saw the dresser to the right and a fireplace on the wall opposite the bed. Stephanie got up, walked into the bathroom and saw a walk-in shower. The bathroom had double sinks, as well as a standard size toilet. "Wow," she said again.
Stephanie walked out of the bathroom and saw the french doors she didn't notice earlier. When she opened the doors, she noticed the outside patio. Looking around the yard, she saw the pool. A table and chairs were near the pool. Stephanie loved everything about the house.