Chapter 12
Tank and I discussed Valerie's resume while we waited for an update for Manny. He agreed she would be a good fit for Rangeman. We were weighing the pros and cons of hiring her. Naturally, she would be required to sign non disclosure agreements. She would also need weapons training and pass the basic Rangeman requirements. I was hoping she would live up to Rangeman standards. "She would be happy to get back into a gym setting, Tank. Before she left California, she was taking kickboxing lessons."
"I'll have our lawyer draw up a contract and offer her a job," he said. "Having her work at Rangeman would certainly make Vince happy."
"I couldn't agree more, Tank. Thank you for giving her a chance. Do you think the guys will install Rangeman security on her townhouse rental? It would break my heart if anything happens to the girls."
"Sure. We should talk to her first," he added. I knew he was right. Valerie would not like us making these decisions without her input. It took us a few weeks of visits and talks for her to finally realize she needs to make her own choices.
Janet told us Manny would be in surgery for a few more hours. A few of the guys and I decided to donate blood. I was happy to learn our types were the same. I decided to call Dad while I waited. "Hey Daddy, can you meet me at St Francis?" I asked.
"Sure Pumpkin. Helen will need to stay home though. The girls are sleeping over," he started to explain. I was with Valerie when she asked Mom to watch the girls overnight, but he didn't know that.
"I know Dad. Listen, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a while." I wasn't sure how I was going to give him the news. He wanted me to tell him over the phone, but I insisted on telling him this news face to face.
Janet was able to grab a blood sample from Manny for testing. She listened as I explained to her how I discovered Manny was my brother. Her dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail. I saw warmth in her green eyes as I explained my dilemma. She was remarkably supportive. I could easily see Janet and becoming close friends. "It must have been difficult carrying around that secret for months," she kindly said.
"I felt like it was a lie of omission. I'm scared to tell Dad he's alive," I confessed.
"Your father will be happy. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."
She had to get back to her rounds. I was happy to have her drop by every 30 minutes to check on us. Janet was having a quiet conversation with Hal when Dad arrived.
"Hi Daddy." I could see relief take over his expression. "I'm fine Daddy," I reassured him before I decided to rip off the bandaid. "It's your son who isn't alright."
"M..m..m..my son? Are you sure?" Hope brightened his eyes. I knew Manny wanted to meet Dad. We just needed a sample from Dad for the paternity test. I contacted the lab Dad used years ago, but they destroyed the sample nearly 10 years ago. The record was recently purged from their system. I was prepared to provide a sample if Dad was unwilling.
"I'm certain. He agreed to a paternity test for confirmation. I can provide a comparison sample if you don't want to participate. It's your decision Daddy." He quickly rolled up his sleeve.
"Where's a nurse, I need to know." Dad noticed Janet sitting with Hal. "Excuse me nurse, would you be willing to draw a sample for a paternity test?" In that moment, I realized I neglected to tell Dad his son's name. Janet quickly left to grab the items she needed to collect a sample.
"Daddy, his name is Manuel Ramos, but he prefers to be called Manny. He happens to be my final platonic soulmate. From my words to him, he knew he had at least 1 sister. The doctor needed to take him into surgery, so I don't know his full story yet. His Rangeman file doesn't list any siblings."
After taking the sample, she had Dad and me sign a form of consent. He seemed surprised I was signing on Manny's behalf. "Why are you signing for Manny?" he asked.
"Oh. He gave me rights to make his medical decisions before going into surgery." I was surprised Manny readily accepted me as his sister. The fates obviously knew what they were doing when they gave me Manny as a platonic. He was literally branded with information paramount to discovering his true identity; to know he has more family. It was only a matter of time before he met his sister.
I used my phone to retrieve the information I gathered about Pilar Garcia. Passing my phone to Dad, he read my research before handing my phone back. "So you're saying the babies were switched at the hospital?" he asked.
"Yes. That is exactly what happened. Both boys were close to the same weight and length. They had the same skin tone. Without interviewing the nurses, I assume a sympathetic nurse gave the living child to Nissa Ramos when her son died," I explained. I couldn't understand why this decision was made. Dad wasn't the only person affected by this decision. Manny and I missed out on the chance to grow up together. I always wished I had a brother. Thankfully fate interfered and forced us to finally meet.
"My intuition kept telling me the family was hiding something from me. Didn't they think to contact the family?" Dad nearly shouted. I could tell Dad was angry. He apparently has the same intuitive nature as me. I should have told him about my research earlier. He was furious Pilar's family made a monumental decision without consulting him. Sure, he was away on a mission, but they should have waited until his troop made their regular check in. I reached for his hand. He willing let me lace my fingers through his.
"Daddy, the family was at the hospital. I imagine they convinced the sympathetic nurse to turn a blind eye. It's possible the nurse received a bribe or the hospital was given an anonymous donation." I could feel the truth in my words. My spidey sense indicated I was on the correct path. A few months after Manny's birth, the hospital received a huge anonymous donation for their maternity ward. It was logical the family intervened to keep the surviving child in the Ramos family. "I'll have to ask Manny about Silvia and Javier Garcia's involvement in his life. I seriously doubt he knew they were his maternal grandparents."
"My intuition agrees with your assessment. I guess you inherited the trait from me." He sounded very proud of that fact.
"Don't forget about Grandpa, Daddy," I gently reminded him. He smiled instead of responding. I could tell he needed time to think about everything I shared.
Hopefully he was given the chance to know them. It would be a shame if they kept him from his maternal grandparents. I was furious they kept him from Dad and his sisters. Tamping down my emotions was necessary for the moment. Dad was relying on my strength. Thankfully I had time to come to terms with finding my brother. "Daddy?"
"Yes, Pumpkin?" I was afraid to tell Dad exactly how long I discovered Manny was my brother. If he gets mad at me, I would completely understand. He gently squeezed my hand, silently willing me to continue.
"I've known Manny was your son for quite a while. I wasn't trying to keep him from you..."
He interrupted, "But you weren't sure how to tell me that kind of news. You thought if you met him first, it would ease the introduction to me."
"Exactly." Daddy didn't appear to be mad. I could almost swear he was happy I waited to share the news. It was best for everyone involved. Besides, fate had already decided when we should meet. Why else would he be given those specific words?
Tank and Bobby were listening to our conversation. They were surprised I was able to discover so much information about the situation. "What made you look?" Bobby asked out of curiosity. He's been unusually quiet during my conversation with Dad. I could tell from his posture, he was genuinely interested in hearing my response.
"Ummm. Do you remember when I signed my contract?" Both Tank and Bobby nodded. "I asked a bunch of questions about the funeral home protocols."
Bobby instantly caught on. "You asked why they profiled the DNA of the deceased. Is that when you knew?" I saw Dad look at me, patiently waiting to hear my answer.
"Not exactly. My spidey sense indicated something was... off. I couldn't pinpoint the problem, but I knew I was on the correct path. It took more investigating to uncover the probable truth. After I saw the photograph of Manny, I knew I was right." I decided to pull up a photo of Manny from his Rangeman ID. "Here Daddy. This is Manny."
Once he saw the photo, he knew beyond all doubt Manny was his son. We really didn't need to have the paternity test results, but it would certainly help our case. I had a feeling Manny would want to have proof. He looked a lot like Dad, but there were distinct features from Pilar. Dad started mumbling about her parents changing their phone number and moving. Even with his Army contacts, he couldn't locate his in laws.
Pilar never liked her uncle so she never mentioned his last name to Daddy. She didn't like his choice of career and refused to be associated with family members in the business. He never knew anything about her family. Dad rambled on about the possibility of them orchestrating her death to steal his son. I quickly provided him with proof to dispel his theory. Her family was most likely guilty of swapping babies, but they were not responsible for her death. They never knew about the aneurysm in her uterine artery. I decided to ask Bobby why they couldn't detect it on the ultrasound. He assured me it wasn't something the technician would check. Their main focus is determining if the baby is healthy and developing properly.
I held Dad's hand as we waited for the doctor to update us. We were becoming desperate for an update. I don't recall waiting this long for this type of surgery. Janet was unable to get any information. Manny's file hasn't been updated. We didn't know if he was still in surgery or moved to the recovery room.
It was almost 4 am before the Dr Phillips arrived in the waiting room. "I'm sorry it took so long for an update. Mr Ramos has been in recovery since 2 am. We're a little understaffed at the moment and I was immediately called into another surgery. His surgery was successful and I expect him to make a full recovery. He'll need to stay here for the next 48 hours and he requires at least 3 weeks of bed rest before he can be cleared for physical therapy."
"Wasn't anyone available to update his family?" Dad asked with an eerily calm voice. I knew that tone. It was the same one the guys used when they were trying hard to reign in their anger. Hearing that tone from Dad was truly intimidating. I never want to be at the receiving end of that tone.
"As I already mentioned, we are understaffed. My surgical team was required to assist on another emergency. Mr Ramos will be moved to room 514 in a few minutes," he said before moving towards the family huddled across the room. He was completely unfazed by Dad's tone. Dr Phillips must encounter a lot of angry family members. My respect for him marginally increased. I guess we were so wrapped up in our own drama to notice the Asian family in our waiting room. I overheard the mother say they drove here from New York. Thankfully they weren't from the Trenton area. They wouldn't be repeating our situation to the Burg gossip grapevine.
Janet sidled up to me and whispered, "He's in his room now. I'll let security know about Rangeman protocol." She was an amazing nurse. I was thankful she kept checking his location in the hospital.
"Thank you for everything Janet. I guess we'll be seeing you around?" She exchanged a look of longing with Hal. They both blushed and nodded. OMG... those guys are just way too cute. I shook my head and asked Dad to accompany me to Manny's room.
Dad and I took the elevator to the fifth floor. Manny was located in a private room. He already had our standard Rangeman guards at the door. Ram and Cal granted Dad and me entry into the room. "Ram, Cal, I know the other guys want to see Manny, but can you wait until Dad and I get a chance to talk to him?"
"Sure," Cal quickly replied. He overheard part of our conversation in the waiting room and understood our reasons for visiting first.
"You guys are the best." I quickly gave them a kiss on their cheek before opening the door. Manny looked horrible, kind of like he was through a meat grinder. His face was pale and he was attached to a heart monitor. The constant beeping of the machine was giving me a headache. An IV was inserted into the vein below the bend of his right elbow. His eyes were closed and his breath was even. I was relieved he was alright. When I stroked my fingers through his wavy hair, he opened his brown eyes.
"Hey, sis. You stayed." His voice cracked from his dry throat. Dad quickly passed me the cup of ice set aside on the table. I quickly uncovered the straw, slipping it into the cup.
"Of course I did. Here, take a small sip." I bent the straw towards his mouth. He took a small sip followed by a larger one. "Take it easy. Not too fast." I waited until he pushed the straw from his mouth. "Manny, this is our Dad. Frank Plum."
"Hi Sir," he quickly responded. I couldn't stop the giggle from passing my lips.
"Manny, he's our Dad. You don't need to formally address him." He raised an eyebrow. That is totally unfair. Can everybody except me raise a single eyebrow? Manny chuckled before groaning slightly. There was an awkward pause. Dad wasn't sure how to approach Manny.
I watched Manny turn his head towards our Dad. Recognition was evident. His eyes opened wide as he noticed their same eyes, chin and face shape. Their only difference was the hair and nose. "Steph, did you ask for that paternity test?" he asked.
"Yes Manny. The minute I told Dad about you, he insisted on having the paternity test done. Janet, your nurse, already drew your sample with your other lab request samples. It's obvious you two are related, but he still wants the test for proof."
He looked towards Dad. I knew he wanted to say something, but was afraid to address him as Dad. "Call me Frank for now, son. Given the circumstances, I would not be offended." Manny breathed a sigh of relief.
"You need to check my right shoulder," Manny ordered.
"Manny, I don't want to hurt you." He carefully rolled, allowing me to unsnap the hospital gown to see my words on his right shoulder. "That's my writing," I quickly confirmed. It seemed ridiculous to verify my words, but Manny insisted.
"I would like to spend time with you and Frank, Stephanie. We have a lot to learn about each other." I completely agree. Through my research I learned a lot about Manny, but he only knew what he heard from the other guys. Dad grabbed another chair to sit on Manny's left side. I was carefully nestled into his right side on the bed. It was strange to cuddle with my brother, but we both needed this connection. I was lulled to sleep as I listened to Dad tell Manny about his mother Pilar.
Dad and his long lost son were finally together. I have a brother and I couldn't be happier to be a part of his life. As my eyes closed, I could hear a woman say, 'Let your Dad into your heart my sweet boy. He will love you as much as he loved me.'
