Disclaimer: Not mine, anything familiar belongs to Janet Evanovich.
Chapter 4
Six Months Later...
Steph POV
I was standing in front of the mirror, looking at my wedding dress. Yes, that's right, my wedding dress. I was thinking of all the changes that have happened since that night Carlos and I, had walked out of my parents house.
My grandma had moved in to my old apartment that night. She loved having her own bachelorette pad, as she called it. The two of us still have lunch a couple times a week, and once a week, Grandma, Valerie and her brood, and my dad come to Rangeman for dinner.
Val had surprised me, we had a long talk, the afternoon after that night. We had hashed out all of the crap my mother had kicked up between us. She was in full agreement with me that our mother had crossed the line. Truth is she crossed that line a long time ago. Val had gone over there, the morning after we had left my mother's to talk to her.
She found my mother drinking her wild turkey straight from the bottle, while calling everyone she knew it seemed, to bitch about what we'd done to her. After listening to 5 or 6 calls of the same thing, Val had walked into the kitchen and took the phone from our mother.
Their fight hadn't been any prettier than our fight with her. Eventually Val, had walked out of the house after telling our mother unless she changed, in a big way, she wouldn't being seeing her or her girls again. I was so proud of her and told her so. Our relationship has improved so much, I finally felt like I had a sister.
My dad also moved out that night. We've been spending a lot of time together. It's been great getting to know him.
He's repeatedly asked for forgiveness from both Val and I, and we've given it. I understood what happened, my mother had criticized him so much, he shut himself off from everything and everyone. It was scary how close I came to the same life with Joe.
2 months after that night, Carlos had led me up to the roof of Rangeman. Ella had worked her magic up there and it was beautifully decorated, and she had one of her yummy meals ready for us as well.
I was touched, he'd gone to so much trouble, I had turned to tell him so, when Carlos stunned me further by dropping to one knee and asking me to be his wife. Turns out the thought of marriage isn't so scary, when your with the right person. I didn't hesitate to say yes.
We celebrated all night, and then called the guys, Connie, Lula, Mary Lou, my dad, Val and her family to the conference room at Rangeman to tell them.
They were all thrilled for us, although I think my ears are still ringing from the girls excited screams. Word spread quickly through the burg, causing my mother to show up at Rangeman. To say it had been a nasty scene, would be putting it mildly.
My father, had filed for divorce, and it seems she was served with papers, the same day she heard about our engagement. No one had planned it that way, but that didn't stop my mother from screaming that we planned it that way to humiliate her.
Grandma got up in my mother's face, and let loose her own why me rant. It had put my mother's rants to shame. Then I told my mother the past 2 months had been the best, and quietest of my life, and I had no desire to have any contact with her ever again.
Carlos had called TPD, to have her removed, and when Carl, Eddie and Big Dog, showed up, they were followed by Morelli.
Morelli started ranting, waving his arms, saying how could I say yes to that thug, after turning him down so many times. Then he made the mistake of grabbing me and trying to drag me out the door. I had gotten loose by shoving my knee into his groin.
At that point, Carlos had gently moved me behind him, before throwing 3 punches. One breaking Joe's nose, one his jaw, before the third knocked Joe out.
Since all of this occurred in the lobby of Rangeman, it was all caught on tape. We also had three uniformed police officers as witnesses, it had been easy to obtain restraining orders for all of us, against Joe and my mother.
After TPD internal affairs investigated, Morelli went from suspended without pay, to being terminated for conduct unbecoming a police officer. He's now working as security, for one of the strip clubs. They were the only place that would hire him. No one else wanted a disgraced former cop on their payroll.
Word of their behavior spread quickly through the burg, and both Joe and my mother were pretty much ostracized from the community. No one wanted anything to do with either one of them. It seems everyone was tired of listening to their crap. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying hearing everyone talk about how horrible they were, for a change.
I tried to feel sorry for them, but after what they had put me through, I just couldn't manage it. After all, they had done this to themselves. They were getting exactly what they'd given me for years.
A light tap on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked at my dad.
"It's time pumpkin, are you ready?"
"I've never been more ready Daddy."
With that, he smiled and took my arm, walking me out of the room, and down the aisle, to the love of my life.
Well there it is, My first Babe story. I hope you've enjoyed it! Thank you to all the wonderful people, who reviewed this story. Your kind words, and encouragement mean a lot.
