Chapter 5
A Tunnel With No End
The first time Stephanie met Rozie O'Hara, she felt a slight twinge of jealousy. The new bounty hunter who'd taken over her place was laughing over something with Lula and Connie, and her beautiful smile and crystal-like laughter made it hard not to like her. Stephanie's heart sank a little bit. She missed her job. She missed the excitement and thrills. She missed her friends. She missed the days when she could just make herself a peanut butter and olive sandwich for dinner or order a pizza from Pino's. She loved her kids with all her heart, but she didn't like being tied up with all kinds of responsibilities and duties. She flat-out hated those endless household chores. She wished someday she could get her freedom back. And somewhere deep down within, she knew she missed Ranger. Whenever she had a fight with Joe, she couldn't stop thinking about all those "What ifs" and couldn't help wondering what the Bat Cave was like. And the moment she looked into Rozie's bright brilliant green eyes, she knew the pretty slender woman in boots and a chic black pant suit was the kind of woman a man like Ranger would want to love.
Stephanie left the bonds office and cried on the drive home. She didn't know what she had been expecting. She was now married with two kids. She had a husband she'd known all her life and God knew how much she hated her nosy and bossy in-laws. She'd thought she'd made the right and sensible choice. She'd walked down that path that had been meant for her. She'd always needed a wedding ring. She's always wanted something safe and permanent. And Ranger's no-marriage no-kids attitude was just not right for her. Stephanie took a tissue, wiped away her tears, and blew her nose. She and Joe actually had had a huge fight over Ranger the day they sent out the wedding invitations. Joe'd wanted to invite Ranger to their wedding, and Stephanie said no. Ranger had done enough for her over the years. He'd kissed her on the top of her head and said, "Be happy, Stephanie" the day she'd told him she was going to get married. They had known all along this day would come. She would never be brave enough to embrace his lifestyle. He didn't love her enough to change for her. And the stubborn stupid little girl inside her always wanted Morelli.
"Mommy! She hit me!"
JJ's wailing snaps Stephanie out of her memories. She stands up from the kitchen table and goes into the living room to check on the children. She wishes she knows why they won't stop fighting each other over everything and anything. She stops dead when she sees Joe sitting on the couch, watching Tv and drinking his beer as if nothing has happened. The living room floor is a mess. Toys, story books and half-eaten snacks scatter everywhere. Her hot-tempered daughter is frowning. Her shy timid son is crying. And her husband, as usual, is sitting right there and doing nothing. And he has just cheated on her with someone else. Someone who is probably blonde and uses strong cheap perfume. Someone who doesn't have to cook him dinner and wash his clothes. Someone who didn't have to go through hours and hours of labor twice to give birth to his children. Someone who didn't have to sacrifice a part of her life and make compromises. Did they remember to use protection? Is the woman arrying any kind of disease or STD? Did they go back to her place? Or did he take her to a cheap motel?
Rage clouds her vision. Sorrow swells up in her chest. Her son's persistent sobbing tears at her heart. Something snaps within and she finally loses it. Without a word she walks up to her husband, raises a hand and slaps him as hard as she can. She turns around and grabs her bag as he looks up at her with wide stunned eyes. And before Joe Morell's brain recognizes his boiling anger and shocking ndignation, Stephanie is already out of the house and in her car. She starts the car and steps on the gas. She doesn't know where she can go or who she can turn to. She only knows that she has to get out of here. She blinks back her tears and lets out a ragged laugh.
She thought she would be happy. But how wrong she was.