Chapter 13 Stephanie's Decision
After dinner, everyone started to go home. Starting with Helen, Frank and Grandma Mazur while they were walking out the door Grandma Mazur saw Tank coming in the front door.
"Hey Boss, where is she, I got a call from Hal that Lula was here, so I came to get her." Tank told Ranger.
"She is in the living room Tank." Ranger told him and then he hit the floor.
Stephanie heard something fall to the floor, and she went out to look and saw Carlos on the floor.
"Carlos" She yelled and ran over to him. Tank walked in and saw Ranger on the floor. He rushed up to the phone and called Rangeman, "We need an ambulance and Bobby now, get them to Ranger's home, he is down."
"They are on their way" Hal answered, he hung up the phone at Rangeman.
Stephanie put a blanket over Ranger, he was breathing shallowly but he was unconscious.
"Steph, what is wrong with dad?" Julie asked her.
"I don't know Julie, but we will figure it out. We have to be strong." Stephanie just pulled Julie into her so she could hold on to the twelve year old for now.
A few minutes later the ambulance, with Bobby in it came. Bobby came running into the house.
"Hi Stephanie what happened?" Bobby asked with sweat on his brow.
"I don't know?" She told Bobby.
"I know he fell down hard." Grandma Mazur told Bobby.
"Okay Tank help me get him into the ambulance." Bobby told Tank. They both lifted them Ranger into the ambulance and took off.
"Hey Hal, can you bring me and Julie to the hospital?" Stephanie cried out to him.
"Okay let's go, Lula you are coming with us." Hal told Lula.
While they were on their way to Trenton Memorial Hospital, Stephanie and Julie were crying in each other's arms.
"First my mom, now my dad." Julie screamed.
"Shh, it will be okay; your dad is strong and will be fine." Stephanie told her in a soft voice.
She just held on to Julie, and tried to get herself together for Julie. When they got to the hospital, Stephanie went to the desk "Yes, I need to speak to a doctor, my future husband came in by ambulance." Stephanie told the nurse.
"His name, please?" The nurse asked Stephanie.
"Carlos Manoso" She answered the nurse.
"Oh yes, the food poisoning?" the nurse told her.
"If you can have a seat the doctor will be with you shortly." The nurse answered Stephanie again.
Tank, Lula, Stephanie and Julie were sitting in the waiting room waiting for the doctor to speak to them.
Julie crawled into Stephanie's lap, and held on to her.
"It will be all right Julie he will be fine." She softly said to her.
Lula was looking outside the window, when Tank came up behind her.
"Hal just told me that you are having a problem, is there anything I can do?" Tank asked her.
"Pierre I don't know it is my old perp when I was a hooker. He wants me back and will do anything to get me back. I don't know what I can do to stop him." Lula looked at Tank with tears in her eyes.
"Come here" Tank then put his arms around her and held her for a while.
"I know that you don't want to go back in that life again. I know that you are really trying Lula, and I want to help why don't you stay with me for a few night, and I will try to talk to your ex perp." Pierre told her softly.
"Thanks Pierre, I would love that, but I don't want to get you hurt. He will do anything to get me back." Lula told him.
"I will not let anyone hurt you Lula" Tank told her. While all that was going on, Bobby came out from the ER.
"Stephanie he will be fine, he got some foot poisoning. He is awake and you, and Julie can see him now, he is asking for both of you." Bobby told them with a smile on his face.
Stephanie and Julie went into the exam room. They saw Ranger sitting up on the edge of the bed.
"Dad" Julie yelled then rushed into his arms.
"Hey there little one I am okay now." Ranger said as he held her. He stuck one of his arms free, and held it out for Stephanie.
She took his hand and held it. "I don't think it was your cooking babe, someone else did it to me." Ranger told her.
"Can you come home?" Stephanie asked him.
"Yes, babe I can I just have to wait until they discharge me." Ranger said as he stood up.
"Will that be tonight dad?" Julie begged him,
"I think so love. I hope so anyway." Ranger told her.
He let go of Julie got up and gave babe a deep passionate kiss.
Bobby walked in and coughed, "Ranger you need to take it easy for the next few days so you can recover your strength."
"I will take it easy Bobby thanks for your help" Ranger told him.
"All right here are you discharge papers, you are to relax, drink fluids, and rest for the next few days. You will have a follow up with me on Monday got it Carlos" Bobby told him in a serious tone.
"Got it" Carlos signed the discharge papers. All three of them walked out of the sterilized room, and saw Hal, Tank and Lula there waiting for him.
"Wow all this for me it is good to know that I have friends." Ranger told them.
"Come on boss I will bring you home." Hal told him.
"Lula, I don't know how I can help you right now?" Ranger told her.
"Boss, I will handle Lula's situation don't you worry I will take care of her." Tank told his boss.
"All right let's get out of here and find out what is going on?" Ranger told all of them. Hal brought Ranger, Julie and Stephanie back to the bat cave for the evening.