tissues may be needed, because i did. lee anne
The Best I Could Give
Chapter 8
"Come on, Bubby, let's go see your Mommy," Stephanie told Austyn as she carried him up the steps of the 'Women's House'. When she stepped in the door, neither Krystal nor Carol was there. An older American-American woman small in stature was sitting in a chair.
"You're Stephanie?" she asked getting up. "Hi, Precious," she said tickling Austyn's chin
She nodded "Yes."
"Krystal had a spell this morning and was taken to St. Francis."
"Oh no! Is she all right?"
"For now. I'm Casey and told her I would tell you. She looks forward to your visits each day."
"Stephanie," she said exchanging hand shakes. "I'll head over there."
"She's in the oncology wing."
"Thank you," she squeezed Casey's arm and left as she and Austyn came.
Parking in the hospital garage, she went directly to the admission desk and was directed to the Fox Chase Cancer Center. A nurse at the desk directed Stephanie to Krystal's room.
Walking to her room, Stephanie saw Carol Harris was there and a woman in a lab coat who must be a doctor talking with the sick woman.
Krystal must have known they were there because she turned her head and waved her hand for Stephanie to come in.
"I hoped I wouldn't miss you," she said and her voice was raspier than Stephanie heard it before. She was hooked up to oxygen Stephanie could see.
"What happened?" Stephanie asked immediately taking Austyn out of his carrier.
"When I got up the morning I was dizzy and having a little trouble breathing," she said shrugging her thin shoulders. "Dr. Osgood, this is my son, Austyn, and Stephanie, she's caring for him," she took her time introducing them.
"Hello," the doctor shook hands and touched a finger to the baby's cheek.
'Is it all right that we came?" Stephanie questioned noticing the stern, worried face of the case worker. "Casey told me you were here."
"Yes, I wanted to visit. How is his ear infection?"
Stephanie hoisted Austyn up in her arms. "Bobby, the Rangeman Medic, checked and it's almost cleared up and look," she proudly said lowering Austyn's lower lip and there was a little white tip at the top of his lower gum.
"Bubby, Mommy is so proud of you." Krystal was wiggling his little blue sneaker.
He was proud of himself, too, because he gave a cheeky smile.
Dr. Osgood told Krystal she would check on her later and Carol Harris followed her out.
"Enjoy your visit and I'll be back," the case worker told them. "I'll go get a coffee. Do either of you want anything?"
Stephanie and Krystal both shook their heads.
Moving over in the bed, Austyn was lying next to his mother and Stephanie held colorful keys above him to show her his stronger movements with his fingers coming in contact with them.
"Oh, look at that. You're so good with him."
Stephanie knew if Krystal was in the hospital, then her sickness was probably progressing, but she ignored it and kept the conversation light.
"I hope I don't spend my birthday in here," Krystal was talking more to herself than Stephanie. She turned serious, "Stephanie, this will be my last birthday. My cancer is progressing, the chemotherapy hasn't stopped it. It slowed it, but it's not stopped."
"Oh, Krystal, I'm so sorry," Stephanie spoke quietly; tears were sliding down her face. "Are you scared or angry?"
"No," she said with very focused eyes on Stephanie and Austyn. "I made a choice when it was discovered I had cancer. If I terminated my pregnancy, I could have begun my treatments earlier. My cancer may have gone into remission for a while, but it is aggressive. I may have had more time, but no Austyn. It would have killed two people. Because he's here, I existed and so did my family. I'll be with them so, no, I'm not scared. I'm sad I won't be here physically to watch my son grow."
Speaking softly, "You're so brave."
"I placed a big burden on you, Stephanie. It was selfish of me, but I believe with all my heart, you are the best person to take my place as his mother. Do you want to do it?"
"You want me? I'm learning as I go here," Stephanie explained. She realized there was an ache in her chest at the thought of Austyn not being there. It outweighed her fear of lacking baby skills.
Austyn's little fingers were touching the colorful keys and he cooed at his accomplishment. "You're doing wonderfully. Look at him."
"Yes. I've surprised myself."
A very relieved and peaceful expression settled on Krystal's features. "I'll speak with Carol about it."
Stephanie picked up a magazine from the bedside table, "Oh, look at that beach!" On the cover was a beach with warm sand and blue water cresting on it. A few beach umbrellas standing in the sand and people enjoying the sun with beach houses in the background were in the picture.
"My favorite place is Point Pleasant. I love the beach and the boardwalk there," Stephanie began telling Krystal about it.
'I remember being at the beach with my mother, father, and brother one time, but I've never been back. I've never forgotten the amazing sound of the ocean."
Austyn yawned and Stephanie could see Krystal was getting tired.
"We'll see you tomorrow. I'll call Carol to see if you've been released."
"Thank you for coming."
Stephanie held a sleepy Austyn up so his mother could kiss him and a weak arm went around Stephanie to hug her.
Going down the hall to leave, Stephanie met Carol Harris. She was in a chair and she had a feeling the woman was waiting for her.
"How is Krystal doing?" Stephanie had to know posing the question.
The stern expression the woman wore became sad and teary. "Not good. She doesn't have much time left. Maybe a few weeks," Carol spoke quietly in a reserved manner. "Her new scan shows the cancer had spread more in her lungs."
"She's all alone. It's not fair!" Stephanie held back a sob.
The case worker touched Stephanie's arm, "She has a friend in you and Austyn, so she's not alone, but, I do need to worry about Austyn's care for when she is no longer here or able to make a decision. I know Krystal wants her son to remain in your care. I'm not sure how to handle this. I don't want her to die believing he will be raised by the woman she chose and that not happen. You have taken this on, Stephanie, but do you want to be his permanent parent?"
She began crying looking down at the sweet, sleeping baby. "Yes, I love him," she choked. "I don't want you to take him away! I told Krystal I would."
'OK, let me see what I can work out," Carol Harris told the dedicated young woman who she had come to admire, but knew there may not be much time to put the final arrangements in order. She would need to speak with the social services legal adviser to press the matter.
XXXXXXXXX
Ranger was waiting for Stephanie to return to Rangeman from visiting Krystal Meyers. He spoke with the oncologist he contacted who made him aware of the sad prognosis. There had been pacing in his office as Ranger internally processed what he had learned and how best to handle the situation where Stephanie was concerned. He had placed a telephone call to the Rangeman lawyer getting his thoughts and legal opinion.
The last few nights, Stephanie stayed on 7 with him. Every time now that Ranger walked into the apartment, he picked up a hint of baby powder. Bobby reported the antibiotic was clearing up the ear infection and Austyn had not have a raised temperature in over a day. He suspected Stephanie would return to her apartment, but he didn't want them to go.
Even as unsure of herself as she was at times with Austyn, her natural instincts kicked in. Ranger would find Stephanie reading a book Mary Lou gave her and the same one he glanced at when she wasn't or she was on the internet. He had learned a few new things about babies.
"Ranger," Tank popped his head in the boss's office, "Stephanie pulled in about five minutes ago. She's crying down in the garage."
"Shit!" Ranger ran for the steps.
Coming into the garage, he saw her body was shaking in her Rangeman SUV from her sobbing. He scrambled the cameras before reaching the black vehicle.
Opening her door, he gathered her in his arms, "Babe." His arms were banded around her trembling body and he let her cry.
"Ranger, Krystal doesn't have much time. She only has Austyn!"
"She has you, Babe," he whispered. Her crying was slowing, but he didn't let Stephanie go.
"I need to tell you something," she said against his shoulder, her face was turned away from Ranger and he could feel her body tensing as she spoke.
Not saying anything, Ranger nodded against her curls.
"She asked me if I would take her place," she told him and paused.
"I said I would." Her crying picked up. 'I don't want them to take him away!"
Ranger moved back slightly so his hands could inch her face to his, "OK, we'll figure it out."
"There's something I want to do if I can arrange it and can I borrow Bobby if he agrees?"
His warm thumbs were brushing her tears away encouraging his distraught woman to continue. "What, Babe?"
"I'd like to take Krystal to Point Pleasant with Austyn if I can find someplace on the beach. Her family was still alive when she was at a beach last. But if she needs medical attention, I won't know what to do," Stephanie spoke shaking her curls in Ranger's hands. "Her birthday is in a few days and she won't ever have another one."
He couldn't imagine the emotional turmoil Stephanie was willing to put herself through so Krystal could spend her last birthday seeing the ocean with her son nor could he hold back his tears. "You amaze me, Stephanie Plum," he spoke quietly cupping her face, "to put yourself through something so emotional for a woman you haven't known very long. Your strength, there are no words to describe it. I couldn't love you any more.
Tell me what you need me to do."
"I need to talk with Bobby first, and if he agrees, then I'll have to find maybe a house to rent quickly for a day or two."
Without another word, Ranger opened the back door and released the carrier from the base seeing Austyn was still sound asleep and his other arm was around Stephanie supporting her.
"He was in the control room last," Ranger said as they got off on 5.
As the three of them walked in, the room was instantly silently and all the Rangeman saw and felt the emotions radiating off Stephanie.
She stopped in front of the company medic, "Bobby, I have something to ask you," barely able to get the words out, but she did it slowly. "You can so 'No' and I'll understand. It's a lot."
"Anything, Steph."
"Krystal doesn't had much time," she said wiping the tears away, "and for her birthday I'd like to take her and Austyn to Point Pleasant. She hasn't seen the ocean since she was a little girl."
"I'll go."
"Thank you," she said hugging him.
Ranger's employees were volunteering to cover for him and Lester offered to go for extra manpower.
"Bobby, why don't you check with a nursing agency in Point Pleasant to hire a personal care nurse to help Krystal with her daily needs," Ranger instructed.
"Why would all of you do this for someone you don't know?" Stephanie asked holding up the waking baby.
"Bombshell," Tank spoke for the men, "we do know Krystal, through you. Austyn is a part of Rangeman and he's touched our lives too."
It was almost too much a room full of concerned and willing-to-help ex-Military men. "Thank you. Come on, Bubby, lets go get dry pants and we need to make telephone calls."
"I'll be up to 7 in a while, Babe," the Man in Black said to Stephanie kissing her before she stepped on the elevator.
XXXXXXXXX
"Carol Harris, please," Ranger waited to be connected to Krystal's case worker.
"Ms. Harris," a woman answered.
He was somewhere between corporate businessman and loving man modes as he spoke, "Ms. Harris, this is Carlos Manoso. I own Rangeman Security and Stephanie Plum is my girlfriend."
"She is quite an amazing woman, Mr. Manoso, I just got off the phone with her on the birthday plans for Krystal."
"I've known it since the day I met her and call me Carlos. I'm calling you because I'm troubled what will happen to my Babe after Krystal," Ranger stopped for a moment, he didn't want to say 'die', "passes. Austyn has a place in her heart and I want your opinion of the best way to handle this for Stephanie, Austyn, and Krystal."
Carol Harris outlined the options she saw for the three individuals involved and Ranger listened carefully to the information and formed his plan to remedy it.
"Krystal has no idea who Austyn's father is?"
"No, she never saw or was able to contact either of the men again. One supposedly moved to Florida."
"If you have no objections, Ms. Harris, my personal and corporate attorney will be contacting you. I appreciate your time and I know this is a very difficult time for you also."
"Thank you, Carlos, and I look forward to speaking with your attorney. Good day to you."
"Good-bye."
XXXXXXXXXX
When he opened the apartment door on 7, Ranger heard Stephanie talking to Austyn.
"Do you like that one?"
He sat down on the floor beside them, Stephanie had her lap top off to the side, Austyn was in her lap with his bright green pacifier in his mouth and his little legs were kicking. He saw there was a photograph of a beach house in Point Pleasant right on the Atlantic Ocean. There were four bedrooms reading the description, but what made it right was a ramp led from the ground up to the deck for a wheelchair.
"Hello, may I speak with Mr. Howard? Hello, my name is Stephanie and I would like to rent your beach house for a few days," she said trying to sound cheery. "Oh, I see."
Ranger saw the disappointment. He took the cell phone. "Mr. Howard, this is Carlos Manoso. I'm Stephanie's boyfriend.'
Her blue eyes widened at Ranger calling himself that, he responded with a sexy arched eyebrow.
"I see. Consider it rented for the next month. I'll pay for it right now and we'll be there tomorrow," Ranger said slipping the magic credit card out of his wallet.
"Ranger," she started to say knowing how expensive the house was for one week.
"No price, Babe. And, we'll have it available to us if you need some down time in your 'Happy Place'. Why don't we skip dinner at your parent's tonight?"
Stephanie shook her wild curls, "No. My mother called saying the 'fake' Stephanie was seen at the hospital with a baby. Austyn getting a little too big for the closet, besides Daddy need to do some boy bonding." She smiled for the first time since returning to Rangeman.
"OK."
He was kneeling in front of Stephanie gazing in her teary blue gems. There was sadness veiled in them, but determination was in them also. But mostly Ranger saw compassion.
"I'll need to buy Austyn a stroller with a covering if we go to the boardwalk to keep the sun off him."
"Whatever you think we need."
"You don't have to do this, Ranger. Come with us. I know it's all emotional stuff," Stephanie said knowing Ranger didn't do that kind of thing.
Tears formed in the corners of his eyes, Stephanie's were sliding down her expressive face. "You need me."
Nodding because she needed his strength and his love. "I'm here," Ranger whispered as his lips claimed her salty ones.