Thank you for all the reviews and thank you for sticking with me through this:) We're almost done with this story…and with the trilogy. There are just two chapters left. It was a long ride, but I for one, am ready to move on to something else.

If you recognize them, they're not mine :)

And thank you Margaret for reading ahead as my beta once again.

Chapter 41—Back to the future

Ranger's POV

I didn't like the fact that Stephanie was on the cover of a local Philly rag and that news of her abduction had already hit Trenton. There was not much I could do to squelch the rumors that would circulate along with the news, but the one thing I could do was call my future mother-in-law and try to set the record straight.

Stephanie was sitting right in front of me. We were waiting on final word of her release from the hospital, which was imminent as far as I was concerned, when I took my phone out of my pocket and listened to the voicemail I'd received earlier. It was similar to the one she left Steph — and annoying, to say the least. I hit the call back button ready for battle.

"Helen? Carlos Manoso. You called?"

"Oh hi Carlos. I'm sorry to bother you but Stephanie never called me back and I was starting to get worried. The newspapers said she was forcibly taken from some clinic in Philly. I didn't even know she was in a clinic in Philly. Pray tell what happened this time?"

"Someone thought Steph would lead them to me. Turns out, someone was wrong. Everything is ok now, we're just waiting on final word for Steph's release and then we're heading out to Belmar. I think we'll stay out there until the wedding. You, Frank and Edna are welcome to come out and see for yourself that your daughter is recuperating nicely."

"Recuperating from what?"

"One of her skips sliced into her with a box cutter. She needed to have an artery repaired and will probably have to have a little plastic surgery in the future, but everything is healing nicely."

"So the abduction wasn't true?"

I could tell her it wasn't but I was pretty sure the local Trenton papers had already picked up the story and I didn't like lying if I could help it.

"No it was true. Someone thought they were being cute by taking her from under the watchful eyes of two of my men. We got the guys who took her and justice has been served."

"They're in jail?"

They were dead but I wasn't going to tell her that. Morelli had spread enough rumors about me and my men and I didn't want to add any more fuel to that fire.

"They'll be away for a long time." Yeah, like forever. "And will not be able to hurt Stephanie again. You have my word on that."

"Well that's good. I was going to invite you and Steph to dinner tomorrow but if you're going to be on the shore, I guess that would be hard."

"Thanks Helen but we want Steph to heal and all that driving back and forth is jarring to her wound. As I said earlier, you're welcome to come out to our house. If you get here on Friday you can stay over and head back on Saturday." With the Plums you had to set clear parameters or Edna would invite herself for the two weeks between now and our wedding...and I was setting the ground rules for that not to happen.

"That's so nice of you Carlos. I need to check with Frank but I'm pretty sure we're free and would love to come out. Can I make anything?"

"We should be good for food but I know Steph loves your pineapple upside down cake. If you could bring one for her, I know she'd appreciate it."

Steph was high-fiving me so I guessed I made the right decision.

I also knew Steph didn't particularly want to talk to her mother so I never let on that she was right there in the room with me.

"So you heard Babe," I said after I ended the call with Helen. "I invited your family out for Friday. I know your mother gets anxious when she hears stories about you and hospitals so I thought it prudent that she see for herself that you're ok."

"Why don't you invite your mom, dad and grandmother too? We could have a family barbecue. They've only met each other a couple of times and our grandmothers seemed to get along really well — despite the language barrier."

I didn't think that was the best idea. Last time we got together Helen drank an entire bottle of wine by herself. I was pretty sure it was unconscious behavior from the anxiety of meeting my family but I didn't want to encourage that behavior. And I know my mother noticed. But. Steph and I were getting married in less than two weeks and as she pointed out, our parents have only met each other a handful of times. That does speak volumes.

"Ok. But you're not doing anything. It's your job to heal. If I have to hire a local caterer I will."

"Bar-be-cue Carlos," she said, emphasizing the syllables. "You know. Hot dogs and hamburgers and corn-on-the-cob—throw the stuff on the grill and ten minutes later you eat."

"Nothing is that simple Steph and I don't want to be the one standing over a grill like a short order cook. If we're having more than five people over, we cater. And word could get out that we invited my parents over. I have five siblings; they could all show up." Same was true of the Kloughn klan; we could easily end up with thirty people for dinner. I'd get a recommendation from Ella. And I was not going to ask her to cater this impromptu thing — she had enough going on preparing for our wedding.

Bobby came back into the room a few minutes later with a huge smile on his face. I figured he got the best of Dr. Meyers.

"So my blood work was waiting for me when Shaleen and I got to the lab. It had been ready for forty-five minutes and Dr. Arrogant never even checked before ordering additional tests. Dr. McGraw just berated him in front of me and Shaleen and that cute little nurse that keeps popping in. I couldn't have done better myself. Oh and the good news is that we're free to go; everything checked out fine. My car is still set up with the bed in the back. I don't think we should stress Steph's leg by having her sit for an hour in the turbo. We can pick up Ashley on the way, she's packed and ready to go."

"Babe is that ok with you? I know you don't like to feel like an invalid but Bobby's right about sitting in cramped quarters for over an hour. I can get one of the men to drive the turbo out tomorrow, so we'll have a car; unless you'd rather your Mercedes?"

"I'm good with the turbo and I understand the severity of my injury. The surgeon explained about blood flow and sitting. I get it. And yes I'll feel like a jerk lying on a bed while the three of you are sitting around laughing but I'll do it this once."

"No one is laughing at you Babe and if they did they'd have to answer to me."

"I didn't mean it that way. You know, we drive, we joke, we laugh and I'll be in the back by myself. Lucky if I can even hear you."

"Bobby can drive and I'll sit with you. I never planned to leave you back there all by yourself. Did you think I would?"

"I don't know Carlos. I think the stress of all of this has finally gotten to me. I don't feel like I'm capable of rational thinking right now."

"Do you want to cancel with your family?"

"No. It's better for my mother to see that I'm ok. And I will be in a couple of days. Let's just get out of here."

Bobby went to get the car and bring it out front. There's a hospital rule about being wheeled to the front door by a nurse so I went to the nurses station to find one. And if no one were available, I'd wheel Steph out myself. I was getting tired of all these rules.

My approach to the nurses' station signaled all kinds of activity — as if I could get them in trouble for lounging around during their shift. The little nurse that Bobby referred to as 'cute' pulled a wheelchair from somewhere and followed me into Stephanie's room. I helped her get Steph up and into the chair.

"Ready to go home Babe?"

"I was ready yesterday, but yeah, let's do this."

As planned, we stopped in Princeton to pick up Ashley. It was maybe twenty minutes out of our way but I'd promised Bobby a relaxing time at the shore in exchange for being Steph's medical consultant. It was a small price to pay.

Once the four of us were buckled in, Bobby took 27 to 195 and we were at the house in under an hour. Steph fell asleep twenty minutes into the ride and I lightly tried to wake her once we got close. She mumbled something about shooting my balls off and I knew we'd have to improvise. This bed was also a rolling stretcher. Bobby and I would just need to lift it down to ground level.

"Oh no you're not, Mr. Manoso," Steph said as I released the brake on the wheel of the stretcher to move her and the bed into the house. "I can sit up for five minutes and we can do this the civilized way."

"You just offered to make me a eunich if I didn't let you sleep."

"Did not."

"Did."

"Children," Bobby called, coming around to the other side of the car to help with the stretcher. "This isn't solving anything. And if Steph is able to sit up, we can fold this into a chair and make this whole process easier. Steph, you good with that?"

"Yeah Bobby. I'm good."

So we got her into the house without any further squabbling, I wheeled her down the hall and transferred her to our bed. Even though I hadn't slept in over 20 hours, I wasn't tired and once I knew she was asleep, I went back out to my office. I needed to catch up on all things Rangeman.

Eula's POV

Ella asked me to bring some things out to Steph and Ranger's house in Belmar. I hadn't seen Steph since the incident at the train station and she was going to be shocked by my transformation. Not only do I have a job that I love and a temporary apartment at Rangeman but I got my driver's license renewed after paying a fee and a surcharge for forgetting about it for three years. I've also been issued a Rangeman vehicle — in my case, a black Prius. As if that wasn't enough, I've been to the beauty parlor and had my hair cut, styled and the grey covered. Since living on the street took a toll on my hands and feet, I've been getting regular manis and pedis with lots of extra moisturizing. I thought I looked pretty good for sixty-six, all things considered. But the best news of all, which I couldn't wait to share with Steph, was that Rangeman's lawyers helped me get back all my years of Social Security. At $1,863 a month, that was a lot of money. Of course, I opened a bank account and put it all away for that rainy day that I expected to come. Nothing has ever gone this smoothly for me before.

Did I tell you that I love my job? Ella is the best boss ever. Of course she has recipes for everything, and I have to follow them to a 'T' because Ranger doesn't want his men getting fat, but after we discuss the day's meal plan she leaves me alone to take care of my end of things. No one has trusted me to do things on my own in a long time. She's a saint if you ask me.

Right now I had the GPS thing going on. Of course, I'd never used one before and had to be shown how to set it, but once I got the hang of it, I was GPS-ing everything. I GPS-ed the house in Belmar and was almost there and ready for my surprise visit. Of course Ranger knew I was on my way out, but we agreed to keep it a secret from Steph.

I'd been told that there was high security at their house and that I had to fob them from the street and be let in through a gate. Hal had taken me through the whole process and I was ready. I saw the button on the gate, right next to the security camera, and I pressed it. A few seconds later the gate opened for me and I drove through. I followed the long driveway up to the house and parked. I picked up one of the boxes of supplies and brought it with me to the front door. I didn't know whether I should ring a bell or knock or what? Hal hadn't taken me beyond the gate. But as I was standing there figuring my next move, the door opened and Ranger was smiling at me.

"Looking good Eula, I almost didn't recognize you," he said, shocking me because I didn't think he even knew my name.

"Hi Mr. Ranger. Nice house."

"You can lose the 'mister' but come on in. Steph is in the kitchen."

I walked in, not knowing what to expect. I'd heard there was a portrait of Steph, done by some famous Mexican painter, in the living room and I wanted to see it. I'd also heard that the kitchen was state of the art and so was the security. I'd heard all of this from Hal who'd taken it upon himself to show me the ropes.

I didn't know which way the kitchen was, so I followed Ranger through the foyer, back and to the left.

"The kitchen is right through here. Do you have any other boxes in the car?" he asked me. I nodded yes and he turned back to get one of them. That was when I saw Steph at the counter, sitting in a wheel chair with her right leg elevated.

"Steph?"

"Eula! Is that you? Oh my God. Look at you. I can't get up; you're going to have to come to me. Oh God Eula, you look fabulous."

I put the box down then did a little spin to show Steph the new me.

"Look at your hair. Cut. Styled, no more grey. You look like a new person."

"I feel like a new person. I'm working for Rangeman now. I'm Ella's assistant. I do a good part of the cooking and some of the shopping. The new me is all Ella's doing too. She took me to someone at the mall and he did me over."

"Mr. Alexander?"

"Yes, that's him. And I get my manis and pedis from Angela too. She said she can bring my feet back from the dead if I come once a week for a spa pedicure. So far I've been twice. It's a lot of money but Ella says Rangeman will pay since it's a business thing. I'm supposed to have nice hands if I serve the men. They'll never see my feet but Ella says that's an added perk. Oh and Stephanie, you'll never guess what else Rangeman did for me."

"I have no idea Eula. Tell me."

"They got me all my social security money. Three years worth — sixty-seven thousand dollars. I put it in the bank. Oh and they hired Compton too. He's working for Ernie."

"Who's Compton?"

"He's the guy that saved your life. He put the tourniquet on your leg."

"Eula, you were the one who saved my life. If you didn't get him, I'd be dead now. I owe you both. And I'm glad Rangeman was able to hire you."

Ranger had come in with the last of the boxes and was standing off to the side watching us. Maybe I said too much. You know about the free manis and pedis. After all, no one was going to see my feet…ever. I had to wear big, orthopedic shoes when I was on the job. I hoped he wasn't going to take away that perk. In fact I hoped I wasn't going to lose my job. Me and my big mouth. I stopped abruptly and put my hand over my mouth.

"What's the matter Eula? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I got a big mouth. Please Mr. Ranger, don't fire me. This is the best job I've ever had."

"What makes you think I'd do that? Ella says your doing fine and the men like you."

"The perks. I can pay for my own pedis if you'll let me keep my job."

"If Ella says it's included, it's included. Don't give it a second thought. But let me ask you a question."

Uh oh, here it comes.

"Sure."

"What are you doing Friday evening? Would you be interested in catering a dinner for us? Steph says she wants to have a barbecue but if you have a better idea, we'd be open to it."

"You mean like extra work? Like a freelance job?"

"That's exactly what I mean and I think I can convince Ella to let you have the afternoon off so you can get out here before your shift ends."

"Um sure. Do you need me to shop too?"

"Not necessary. I'll have everything you need sent here. Just email me a list once you and Stephanie figure out your menu plan."

"Thank you Mr. Ranger."

"Please Eula. Lose the 'mister'."