I can't believe that it's been a month since I updated! So sorry guys! RL has been a real butt kicker lately. I finally heard back from the schools I applied to and got into all 3 of them! So thanks for your well wishes! They were very helpful. Now I'm all signed up for classes and ready to juggle work and school as well as volunteering when I can. Hopefully I'll have time to sleep and to write! Even with RL being tough, I had a bout of writers block again (maybe I should change my name...). I know how the story was going to end, but I didn't know how to word it... it took me three weeks to realize I didn't like this chapter because of the beginning *mental head slap*. There's another reason (which I explain below so I don't ruin anything!)

So here it is, the next chapter. Please read and know I'm furiously working on the conclusion.

Not mine, but oh how I wish I could play with Ranger on a rainy afternoon...

The next day, I was heading into the store and Lula met me at the door. I had to blink twice at Lula's choice of outfit. Hot pink skirt and lime green button down shirt. No one could ever say that she was boring. I was just glad that I was wearing my sunglasses.

"Hey girl, late start this morning?"

I nodded and pushed the door in. "Ella made breakfast."

"That lady is the shit."

"Tell me about it."

Lula followed me to my office. "Any more catwoman sightings?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"So is Ranger still seeing her?"

"I'm not going to stop him. They're friends." A few days after their blowup, Jeanne called to apologize to him. They had been through so much, how someone just cut off a relationship that strong?

Doesn't mean I had to apologize to her.

I told Lula the story. "I don't know, white girl. That sounds like you might be asking for it."

"He's not going to cheat. Carlos isn't like that." Lula and I grabbed a box of merchandise and headed back to the floor.

"Plus," she huffed. "You guys are still doing it like rabbits."

I almost dropped the box I was carrying. I was true, but I really wish no one knew that. "Why is everyone so interested in my sex life?!" I asked aloud.

"Gotta keep the fans interested."

"Crap." I really needed to learn to keep things internally. "About that Twitter account?"

"It's great, right?"

"Sure, just stop talking about me. I get enough grief from my mother about that little store you own." I said, sounding exactly like my mother.

Lula snorted. "Maybe she needs to get some from your father. Everyone needs a good schtupping. It's a natural mood lifter."

Just the thought of my parents… Yep, I'm going to vomit. "Can we please get back to work and not think about my parents naked?"

"Sure thing, white girl." She paused. "You know I'm right though."

Still not going to touch that one…

A few hours later, my phone rang. Mom.

"Jeez." I muttered. "Hello?"

"Stephanie, it's your mother."

As if I didn't know. "Hi ma."

"I wanted to let you know I'm making lasagna tonight and pineapple upside down cake."

My mouth watered. "Sounds good. I'll be there."

"Good." She cleared her throat. "And if you want to bring," she paused. "Carlos… that would be fine."

I was shocked. My mother wasn't completely on board with my relationship, but she was warming around Carlos. We figured it was just an exposure thing. The more he was around, the more she liked him.

I mean, who wouldn't?

"I'll see if he has plans, but I'll be there." Our relationship has been strained in the past, but I think it was starting to slowly heal.

"Good. See you tonight."

"Sure." The minute I hung up with her, I called Carlos.

"My mother invited us to dinner tonight." I said when he picked up.

He paused. "Are we going?"

"Do you want to go?"

"Babe."

I sighed. "I don't want to expose you to my family unnecessarily."

"They're your family, Babe. They'll come with you no matter what."

"Fine. But if you're going to come, wear a cup."

He chuckled. "Babe." And he hung up.

I guess that meant we were going.

Grandma Mazur was waiting for us at the door. Unlike my last date, she seemed thrilled that he was here. Carlos had joined me for lunch or a few hours before dinner, but this would be the first time that he'd meet my father.

And I wasn't even nervous.

"Ready?" Carlos asked me as he laced our fingers together.

"Ready."

"Your mother said you'd be here, but she didn't say you'd be bringing your hot boyfriend." Grandma said.

"Hello Edna." Carlos said, putting on his most charming smile. "You look lovely tonight."

"Well aren't you the one?" She opened the door for us. "Come on, dinner's almost done."

"Oh. Hello." My mother said. She sounded a little shocked. "Carlos, it's so nice you were able to come."

"I heard you were making Italian so I brought a nice red."

"Oh," now she sounded more relaxed. "How nice of you. Isn't that nice, Stephanie?"

"The nicest." I said, rolling my eyes at Carlos. He grinned.

"This one's a keeper." Grandma said.

Thankfully, the oven bell rang and my mother and grandmother rushed to finish making dinner.

"Sorry," I said to Carlos.

He just continued to grin. "I already knew that your family was a little scary, Babe."

I ignored that. "Come meet my dad." I said.

My father stood from the chair that had sat in our family room for as long as I could remember and sized Carlos up. I bit my lip and waited for the results.

"You treating my girl right?"

"Dad!" Jeez, even at 30…

"I'm treating her like a queen."

Dad looked at me and I nodded. He really was treating me like a queen. Dad sighed and then nodded. "Good. I hear that she sheds one tear for you…" Dad left the threat open ended.

"Got it."

Mom called for dinner and dad shuffled off.

"I think he likes you."

"He ever give anyone else the third degree like that?"

"Nope."

"Interesting."

"I don't bring guys home a lot."

"Why?"

"Have you met my family?"

"Babe." He grinned.

"Come on, let's go eat."

The meal itself was pleasant enough. We said grace and dug in. Carlos managed to keep up with my family and keep his hands. We've been known to stab.

"So, Carlos." My mother started. "How's business?"

"Good. We're expanding our business to a few more cities."

My mother looked shocked and pleased. "Will you be moving to one of these new companies?"

"I'll help them set up their business, but I'll leave the day to day work in someone else's hands." Carlos grabbed my hand and laced our fingers. "I have one good reason to stay here."

I smiled sweetly at him. My mother and grandmother sighed. Carlos said things like this to me all the time, but usually not out in public. Dad, being the big softie that he was, changed the subject quickly.

After dinner, the men went into the garage to talk cars and probably smoke cigars. Us women, we went to clean up the kitchen.

"He's a very nice young man." My mother said.

I was shocked. Usually she didn't like the men I dated unless she picked them out. "Thanks, mom."

"Usually you have bad taste in men, but I really like this one."

I grimaced. She was right, but I didn't like hearing it. "Thanks mom."

"Your Grandma picked well."

This got my attention. "What do you mean?"

"Well I'm sure he told you I bought the system."

"Where did you get the money for that, by the way?" Mom asked.

"I had some money saved up."

I waved my hands. "Yeah, he told me that. What else?"

"Well," she paused. "I figured that since your mother's last fix up was a dud that I'd give it a try."

"I wouldn't say it was a dud…" Mom interjected.

I ignored her. "So you fixed me up with him?"

"Not in the sense you're thinking. I just made sure he was the one to set up the system." She shrugged. "You guys are so good together that I believe you'd eventually meet. I just gave fate a little push."
I was speechless.

"Look, it's not like I asked him to take you out on a pity date." Grandma said looking at my mother. "He chose to ask you out."

"Actually, I asked him out."

"I didn't pay him to say yes."

True. But still. "Neither of you believed in me enough to find my own boyfriend."

They looked at each other. "We just wanted to help."

"I appreciate that, but you need to butt out. It's my life and if I want to date or not is my choice."

"Stephanie…"

"I love you guys and I'm grateful you pushed Carlos into my life, but I think it's time we go." I got up and went to find Carlos. He was under Big Blue. I bit back a grin. Men.

"Babe?" He asked when he saw my feet.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

He rolled out and looked at me. "Sure," he said. I could only imagine what was on my face, but he didn't comment.

"It was good to see you, daddy."

"Am I going to see you again soon?" He asked. Clearly my face didn't get past my father. Plus, he knows mom. Sometimes we'd fight for months.

"Sure. Soon as I can." I kissed his cheek. "Love you dad."

"Love you too, pumpkin." He hugged me close and shook Carlos' hand. "Be good to her."

"Always." Carlos replied. He held out his arm and I curled into his body.

"Okay," Carlos said when he parked in my driveway. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I said.

"Babe, you were quiet the whole way home. Something happened."

I bit my lip. I wasn't mad at my mother and Grandmother. They were just trying to help. But at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder, was everything real?

"What did my Grandma say to you when you first met?"

"That she wanted to have a security system installed for her granddaughter."

"Anything else?"

He shrugged. "I don't think so. She might've said 'you'll do'. But I'm not sure." He turned in the seat. "What's going on?"

I shook my head. I didn't know what I was doing. I reached for the door, but he stopped me.

"Stephanie. Talk to me."

"Have you ever felt like someone was controlling your life? Picking the path they want you to go on, not the one you choose?"

"Sure, but that was when I was in the army. That's the way it operates." Carlos stared into my eyes. "Do you feel like someone is controlling you?"

"Yes. No." I sighed. "I don't know."

"Do you need to talk about it? Come on, let's go inside."

"No."

"You don't need to talk?"

I shook my head. "I think I need to be alone right now."

He continued to stare into my eyes. "We're good, right?"

I smiled softly. "We're good." I kissed him. "I just need to be alone tonight."

We kissed again and he put his forehead on mine. "You're making me nervous, Babe." He grinned. "I've never seen you like this."

I shrugged. "It's my mother. She gives me a lot to think about." I rubbed his cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure." He kissed me one last time and let me go.

I waved at him when I made it to the door. He beeped his horn and pulled away. I bit my lip. What if we weren't meant to be together? I didn't want another Dickie situation. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't survive that. Or was I just being silly. So what if my Grandmother helped? Wasn't I glad she did?

"I'm so confused." I sighed.

What was I going to do next?

Okay, I know I promised that she wouldn't be self-conscious, but... this is how I saw it. Trust me, I tried for two weeks to change it, but the muse and characters wouldn't let me. I know we all prefer Stephanie strong (and she'll get there, trust me... the next chapter's pretty much mapped out!), but she's got to go through some final growth. So don't hate me yet! Just hang on... its worth it. I have three words:

Jersey smack down.

Keep reading!