10. Nutcracker

"Carlos, do you know what today is?" Ella stood across from his large desk, her tone matched that of an annoyed mother. "It's Sunday." Oh, the man of many words strikes again. "Si sobrino, it is Sunday. It is also Halloween." At is blank stare she continued, "I would like to do something special for Matilda and Lillith. That poor little girl is basically stuck in this building. I don't want her holidays ruined because of it." Ella's final statement left little room for argument. Ranger knew there was no point. If he tried to stop his aunt, she would call his mother. Then he would have two women nagging him. While he could avoid his mother's calls, Ella was in charge of too many vital parts of Rangeman. Like their food. He wouldn't put it past her to do something completely devious, she'd start filling the break room with potato chips. Or worse, donuts. "Are you coming here to ask my permission Tia?" He graced her with a slight smile. "No my dear, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to have some of the boys help me make the day special. And I do NOT want to hear that my helpers got called to the mats because of it. Our festivities should be over by two." With that, she turned on her heel and left. Ranger sat back in his chair. It was almost 1100. Maybe he could stay holed-up in his office for the next few hours. Avoid the bullshit. Festivities? Fuck, this was a highly successful security business. Not the kind of place that offered themed lunches or casual Fridays. The thought alone gave him a chill.

While Ranger stewed in his office, Ella, Vince, and Zip set to work on the fifth floor. She had made a special trip the day before to the party store, buying every last bit of Halloween merchandise they had left in stock. It wasn't much, but it should make Tilde very happy. Lil had said their costumes were under control, and she was over the moon when Ella suggested having Tilde trick-or-treat in the control room. It was a good compromise. Tilde would have the special experience while everyone stayed inside and safe. The men helped Ella hang a few pumpkins and bats from the ceiling. A small radio was set up near the break room ready to play a CD of classic Halloween music. Only five of the Rangemen were on shift, if you didn't count Ranger. The rest were either off duty or working outside of the building. This meant the decorations could be kept to only those cubicles and the main floor area near the elevator. Inflatable ghosts, cobwebs, ghoulish looking reptiles, soon the fifth floor was transformed into a sweetly spooky spot. The men on duty were given healthy treats to 'pass out'. Everything was in place and ready for Tilde. Ella was pleased with their work. She would gladly do anything for that little girl.

One floor down, Lil was putting the finishing touches on their costumes. Using her black eyeliner, she placed a small circle on Tilde's button nose. Voila, the cutest Mickey Mouse ever. Matilda wore a black shirt with red shorts, white gloves, yellow slip-ons, and giant Mickey ears. Sticking with the Disney theme, Lil used some of her old work clothes to create a Mary Poppins look. She had only needed to make herself a red bow-tie and borrow a black umbrella from Cal. The white dress shirt, black skirt and tights, and black hat were just collecting dust anyway. Since leaving the Wynn and becoming a full-time stay at home mom, her office attire went untouched. Tilde's old black diaper bag served as a great Poppins purse/treat bag. Lastly, Lil cut three circles out of a large piece of white fabric, two eye holes and a snoot hole. Draping it over Magnus, they were all ready to go. That dog had the patience of a saint. The rag-tag trio hopped on the elevator, Tilde was holding Lil's hand. Her smile was infectious. They stepped onto the fifth floor to a chorus of cheers. Tilde bounced in surprise. She opened and closed her little mouth a few times before running to hug Ella. "Happy Halloween Niña!"

Zero hit the button on the radio, allowing the catchy beat of the Addam's Family to fill the air. Lil and Tilde walked from the monitors to the decked out cubicles. The little mouse proudly offered a "Trick or Treat" in her munchkin voice. Vince, Zip, Cal, Zero, and Slick placed all kinds of yummy treats in mommy's bag. By the time they finished their rounds, Tilde had enough bananas, pretzel sticks, and baby carrots to last a few weeks. Each of the guys were suitably impressed with their thrown-together costumes. They thought both girls looked great, but agreed Magnus was hilarious. When the Monster Mash came on, everyone started to dance and sing. Cal and Zero took turns watching the monitors so they could each dance with the girls. It was a true joy for Cal to have this time with his sister and niece, even if he was still working.

Ranger had been studiously ignoring the uptick in noise from his office. When the disturbance and revelry grew to a level that he could no longer ignore, he slipped out his door to investigate. Ranger would never admit it, but he was curious. The fifth floor never sounded so… cheerful. At least not when he was around. Rounding the corner at the end of the hall he found a few of his men dancing with Lil and Tilde. Ella was standing by the radio, clapping merrily. The clock on the wall showed it was nearly 1400, he only needed to hold on a few more minutes and this ridiculousness would end. The urge to throw the radio against the wall was strong. He did NOT appreciate his men carrying on like this during work hours. The small part of his brain that remembered what it was like to be a child tried to enjoy their fun… from a distance. The little girl was very cute. He could imagine his mother and sisters fawning all over her in rapid Spanish. Lil was dressed conservatively. He knew she was supposed to be Mary Poppins, something else he would fully deny. He found her attractive. Maybe it was the fact that she was a good looking woman, in good shape, who didn't feel the need to over-sexualize her Halloween costume. Last year they had worked the holiday benefit for the Mayor in NYC. The number of women, many way older than Lil, who left their homes that night in next to nothing was astounding. Pathetic.

He stayed in the shadows, eyeing the scene with distaste, discomfort, a little bit of wonder. Ranger was ready to make a quiet retreat to his office when Zero looked up, catching the boss's eye. Like a typical domino effect, each man stopped playing around and stood at attention. The mood in the room changed in a blink. A heavy blanket of somber fell over them. Magnus, who had been enjoying love from Ella, rose to his full intimidating height. Lil swung a smiling Tilde around to face Ranger. On pure instinct, Ranger stepped into the room with a barked "Explain." Lil stepped forward too. Using her best faux-British accent she quoted, "First of all I would like to make one thing clear: I never explain anything.*" Cal and Ella snickered. Ranger's eyes ran over Lil from her hat to her heels. Tilde stood with her mouse ears askew, little fists on her hips. The serious look she gave him was almost enough to make him crack. Almost. Ranger shook his head in exasperation and returned to his office. Lil rolled her eyes rather dramatically. That man really needed some help removing the stick from his perfectly shaped ass.

After a few minutes of hugs and thank-yous, the girls returned to the apartment with their bag full of loot. Lil set Tilde up with some music and puzzles so she could change and get cooking. Ella and Luis were coming for dinner tonight. Lil lost herself in thoughts of the Rangemen, the new friendships she was developing. While preparing salmon, rice pilaf, and a salad, her mind swirled with unanswered questions. Most of them surrounding Mr. Manoso. What the hell was his deal? It wasn't like they were having a rave in the middle of Rangeman today. But by the look on his face and the tone of his voice, they may as well have. Geez. While the rest of dinner broiled and simmered, Lil gave Tilde a bath. They talked about her Halloween and how much she enjoyed it. Tilde asked if Mr. Zippy and Mr. Vince would dress up next year. Lil wasn't sure how to answer that one. Thanks to her current Mob concerns, she didn't have the ability to imagine what October of next year would look like. Would they be in NJ or back in NV? "I don't know Peanut, we'll just have to see what happens."

The Guzman's arrived at six on the dot. Luis and Tilde became fast friends. Everyone liked Lil's little girl, it was impossible not to. They enjoyed a delicious dinner. Ella couldn't stop raving about Lil's cooking. Lil took it in stride, thanking her for the compliments but quickly changing the subject. After dinner and a fast clean up, they continued to chat over coffee. "Ella, can I ask you a question?" The older woman gave her a serene look, "Of course my dear. What's on your mind?" Lil adjusted her napkin on the table. "Is our presence here causing too much disruption?" Luis and Ella exchanged a significant look. "I don't think so Miss Lil, everything seems to be going just fine." Luis was trying to be reassuring, but could tell she was still concerned. "Why do yo ask?" Again Lil refolded her napkin. "Mr. Manoso seems rather put-out by our being here. On one hand I can understand, this is his home and place of business. But on the other hand, it ticks me off. HE insisted we move here for cripes sake." Ella took a long deep breath. She loved her nephew dearly, but she knew he could be a pain in the neck. "Cariña, you and your precious daughter have brought nothing but joy to this building. Carlos is… complicated. If he didn't want you to be here, you wouldn't be. He has a hard time remembering how to be something other than a commanding officer or a mercenary." She crossed herself with the last statement. "I think he's spent too long in those roles, he's sacrificed much. More than he realizes." They all sat in thought for a while, Tilde hummed to herself while stacking her blocks.

Lil broke their musing with an irritated noise. "You know, half the time I can't tell if that man needs a hug or a swift kick." Luis stifled a laugh. "Probably both dear." Ella's eyes sparkled with mirth, "Maybe he just needs some time to get to know you more. Some time with real people who aren't his employees or criminals would do him some good." Lil could understand her point. Many of the men and women she had employed at the Wynn had similar military backgrounds. It took a while for a few of them to open up, feel comfortable around her on a regular basis. "I was thinking of inviting the guys from today over for dinner on Tuesday, to say thank you for their Halloween participation. Tilde really did have a wonderful time." From the floor Tilde piped up with a "Yup!" Ella reached down and loving caressed her curls. "That's a lovely idea Cariña, why don't you have Carlos and a few others join you? I can pick up whatever groceries you need." Lil laughed, Ella was something else. "That's not a bad idea. That man might be a tough nut to crack… but I think I'm the nutcracker for the job." The women dissolved into a fit of giggles while poor Luis looked pained.

*Quote from original Mary Poppins movie.