Disclaimer: Not mine, not making any money. I'm just playing.

Thnk you again to the amazing MiamiBabe for her translation skills.

Shadow Puppets

Chapter 15

By the time the fifth cookery show came on, Ranger was ready to kill someone. "Steph, is there nothing else you want to watch? How about some hockey? Maybe the Rangers are playing today."

"I'm good. Look, she's about to put the frosting on. My mother can make this cake. Did I ever tell you how good my mother's chocolate cake is?"

Yes. Until he wanted to scream. In all the time he'd thought of Stephanie living in his apartment with him, he'd never thought it would be like this. The old elemental Steph had gotten lost somewhere in everything that had happened. Then again, he'd never thought his dick could get cursed away either. One thing was guaranteed: if he ever got it back, he was never taking it for granted again.

He suppressed a sigh of relief when his phone rang, and took it into the office to answer it.

"Yo."

"It's Bobby. We have a visitor. I need you to see her."

"Her?"

"I'll send you the feed."

Ranger turned his computer on, accessed the feed and stared at the woman inspecting his plants in the first floor lounge. "No. Get rid of her."

"But she says she's your-"

"No."

Bobby sighed. "You're the boss."

Ranger watched on the monitor as Bobby approached his grandmother in the waiting area and spoke to her. She barely reached his shoulder, and Bobby's shoulders still visibly hunched as she said something to him. Ranger shook his head.

This wasn't going to go well.

* * *

Bobby braced himself as he got to the lounge. It had taken everything that Eddie had to keep her in there long enough for him to phone Ranger. He suspected that she wasn't going to take being sent away without seeing him well. Not to mention that the old lady spoke hardly any English and he hadn't used his rusty Spanish in years.

She was prowling the lounge inspecting the potted ferns with a suspicious eye as he walked in.

"Senora Mañoso," he started. "Mi nombre is Bobby Brown. Yo trabajo para el Señor Mañoso."

*My name is Bobby Brown. I work for Mr Mañoso.*

"¿Porque se demoro tanto? ¿A dónde está mi nieto? ¡Yo quiero verlo enseguida!"

*You've taken your time. Where is my grandson? I want to see him, now.*

"Lo siento SeñoraMañoso, pero el jefe no está ahora mismo. ¿Quiere dejar un mensaje?"

*I'm sorry, but Mr Mañoso isn't here right now. Can I take a message for you?*

She reached up and delivered a stinging flick to his right ear, making him yelp before he could stop himself.

"Mentiroso," she announced. "¿Tu crees que no sé cuando alguien me está mintiendo? Debes estar avergonzado de mentirle a un abuela."

*Liar. I know when someone is lying to me and you're lying right now. You should be ashamed of yourself, lying to a woman of my years.*

"Se lo juro SeñoraMañoso, no le estoy mintiendo."

*Señora Mañoso, I'm not lying to you. I swear–*

This time she flicked his left ear. "Atrevido, ni pienses de tomar el nombre de Dios en vano. ¿Quieres terminar en el infierno?"

*Don't even think about swearing on the Lord's name in front of me, you lout. Do you want to go to hell?*

At that exact moment, Bobby thought that he might prefer it to more time with Mrs Mañoso, but he knew better than to say it. "Por favor Señora, no hay razón por seguir pegándome."

*Señora, please stop hitting me. It's uncalled for.*

"Llévame a mi nieto inmediatamente o veras lo que es verdaderamente sentir un golpe de mi. Estoy anciana, pero todavía puedo ponerte sobre mis rodillas y darte juete. Ahora para de perder mi tiempo. Yo se que Carlos está en peligro y no me voy hasta que lo vea."

*Hitting you? You call that hitting? Show me my grandson this instant or I'll show you what hitting is. I could put you over my knee. Now, Carlos is in trouble and I know it. Take me to him.*

"Pero en verdad no esta…"

*But he really isn't–*

"Basta…si no me vas ayudar, entoncesmuévete de mi camino. Crúzame y pagaras las consecuencias," she said while she looked at his penis.

*I'm from the old country, you know. I have ways of knowing things. Now if you can't help me, get out of my way before I curse you until your appendage falls off.*

Bobby stepped out of her way with alacrity. "Discúlpame Señora, está en el séptimo piso. Sígame y la llevo enseguida."

*He's on the seventh floor. I'll take you there.*

His phone rang as he escorted Mrs Manoso into the elevator. He knew who it would be before he answered. "Yes sir."

"Brown, what do you think you're doing?"

"Bringing your grandmother to see you, sir."

"You're disobeying a direct order."

Bobby cast a sideways glance at the diminutive woman standing next to him rummaging in an enormous carpet bag. "I am, sir."

"Why?"

"She gave me one too, sir."

There was a moment of silence on the phone.

"Do I have to remind you who actually employs you, Brown?"

"No sir."

"So why are you following her orders and not mine?"

"Because she threatened to put a curse on something very precious to me, sir."

"Not every old woman is a witch."

"With due respect, sir, after everything that's happened would you take the chance?"

There was another long moment of silence.

"We'll discuss this later."

"Yes sir."

The elevator doors opened and Bobby pointed to the door directly across the hall. "That's the apartment right in front of you. I'll leave you here."

He hit the button as soon as she was clear of the doors and made his escape before one or other of the Manosos could catch up with him.

This was a family matter.

* * *

Ranger grabbed Stephanie's hand and dragged her down from the couch. "Forget the cake. Hide."

"But we're in the apartment," she protested as he dragged her into the bedroom. "Who's going to get past the guys to get to us?"

"Somebody already did." Ranger pushed her towards the closet. "My grandmother."

"What? When? How?"

"My grandma. Now. Bobby rolled over. Now quickly, get in there." He pushed her inside, setting the hangers swinging.

"But how did she find out?"

He put a hand over her mouth and pushed her head down. "No idea. Just stay there and keep quiet."

"What, so you hide me away like your dirty little secret?" she hissed when he took his hand away from her mouth.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he said as he squeezed in next to her and pulled the door shut.

"You? You're hiding too?"

"Information about us is on a need to know basis. I can't stress enough how much she doesn't need to know. Now shut up."

"Boy, this is educational," she said in a conversational tone.

"Steph–"

"I mean, I'm seeing a whole new Ranger here."

"Steph, will you shut the fuck up?"

The door swung open and a face appeared in the rectangle of light.

"Too late," he sighed, and stood up. "Hola Abuela."

*Hello Grandma.*

"Carlos!" she shrieked. "¡Mírate! ¿Dios mío que te ha pasado?"

*Oh my God, what happened to you? Look at you.*

"No es nada Abuela todo está debajo control."

*It's nothing, Grandma, it's under control.*

"¿Nada? ¿Como me puedes decir que nada está pasando? Mírate, te convirtieron en juguete. ¿Quien te maldijo?" Her eyes narrowed. "¿Que hiciste?"

*Nothing, he says. Nothing. You're a toy! How can this be under control? Somebody cursed my grandson into a toy and this is nothing? What did you do?*

"Abuela, no creo que sea importante en el momento."

*I don't think that's the point, Grandma.*

Her arm snaked out and she slapped him around the head before dragging him out of the closet. "Claro que es importante. Te repito. ¿Quien to maldijo y porque?"

*Of course it's the point. Who cursed you? Why?*

Ranger just folded his arms and met her gaze.

"Ni creas que me vas ha tartar de usar ese tactica conmigo. Tu sabes perfectamente que mis poderes son muy poderosos. En el final, yo siempre termino sabiendo así que más vale la pena que me digas."

*Don't you try to stonewall me, Carlos. You know I'll find out. You know I have ways.*

Ranger raised his eyebrows and said nothing. They glared at each other for a long moment before her eyes flicked back to the closet.

She reached past him and hauled Stephanie out of the closet by the arm.

Stephanie yanked her arm free. "Hey, back off, lady."

"Así que tiene que ver con una mujer," his grandmother said. "Estoy empezando a entender. ¿Quien es ella? Y más importante…a quien le pertenecía?"

*A woman, then. I begin to see. Who is she, Carlos? Whose woman was she?*

"Ranger, what's she saying?" Stephanie asked.

"Say nothing," he muttered. "Abuela, el pasado de Estefanía no tiene que ver nada con esta…"

*Grandma, Stephanie's past is nothing to do–*

"Estefanía." His grandmother seized the information gleefully and Ranger closed his eyes. She got past his defenses every time. "Así que los dos fueron maldecidos. No me pierdas el tiempo culicagado. Dime inmediatamente que paso. Y ni trates de ocultármelo, porque sabes que eventualmente lo voy a saber."

*Stephanie. So you were both cursed. Tell me what for, Carlos. You know I'll find out eventually.*

"Esto no tiene que ver nada contigo Abuela. No te metas."

*It's none of your business, Grandma.*

She reached out and cuffed him around the head. "¿Como te atreves? ¿Alguien maldijo mi familia y tú quieres que voltee la cara? Nadie le hace un daño a mi familia. Aunque sea merecido. Todos saben que tienen que venir adonde mi primero."

*Wrong. How is a curse on my family not my business? Nobody curses my family, whatever the reason. They bring these things to me first.*

Ranger sighed, and Stephanie murmured, "You will tell me what she said, later."

"Just think Grandma Bella in Spanish."

"Oh. Got it. I'll shut up."

"Good plan."

"¿Ya terminaron?" His grandmother was glaring at them.

*Are you two quite finished?*

Ranger just stared at her.

"Eso es lo que pensé. Me voy a misa para pedir un milagro para los dos. Y apenas los convierta a humanos otra vez, vamos a hablar del matrimonio."

*Good. I'm going to church to buy a milagro for you both. And as soon as you are restored we will discuss a date for the wedding.*

Ranger's head snapped up. "Abuela. No vas a meterte en mi vida."

*Grandma, you will not interfere with my life.*

"Absurdo. Es claro que está viviendo contigo aquí. Mírate Carlos. Tienes suficiente problemas para también mancharte el alma con mas pecados."

*Nonsense. She is clearly living here with you. Look at yourself, Carlos. You're in enough trouble without staining your immortal soul with more sin.*

"Ranger," Stephanie hissed. "What's she saying?"

"Trust me, you do not want to know. Just smile and nod until she goes."

Stephanie pasted a smile on her face and he nodded with approval.

His grandmother gave them both a suspicious look and walked to the door before turning again. She crossed herself and said, "Madre de Dios," before leaving.

*Mother of God*

Ranger heard the apartment door open and close. "Okay, she's gone."

"I don't like the look she had on her face there at the end. She looked like my mother. What's she up to?"

"She thinks we're living in sin. She doesn't approve."

"Sin? But we don't even have the equipment to sin–"

Ranger held his hand up for silence. "You'll forgive me if I don't want to discuss that with my grandmother."

"Oh. Okay. Fair point." She reached out and hauled him in by the collar until they were nose to nose. "But just so you know, if there's a shotgun wedding in my future, I'm not going to be happy. I already dodged that bullet once."

"Yeah, and I'm not planning on getting hit with it a second time."

She let go. "Okay, as long as we're both clear on that point."

"Oh yeah."