Thank you for all your reviews. I appreciate you words enjoying the journey of Ranger, Stephanie, and Reilley. Lee Anne
Simple Hearts
Chapter 3
"Come on," Ranger picked up Reilley stepping on the Metro. He had been bouncing waiting for the rail train to come. Both Stephanie and her son were awake early so he ordered room service and they were going to take the public tour of the Pentagon while he had his meeting. Ranger swore he had pogo sticks for legs because he was bouncing so much in his excitement.
"Mommy," Reilley whispered sitting on her lap as Ranger stood for the very quick ride, "it's the secret headquarters."
'I know, Rye," she giggled at her son's classified information.
"This is great," he hopped off at the Pentagon stop.
Ranger left Stephanie and Reilley with Millie, a very capable tour guide. She may have been an older woman, but she let out a sigh watching Ranger walk away to his appointment. "He's a man," Millie told Stephanie.
"Yes, he is."
He made is way to the wing where General Schaeffer's office was and before going in, printed his report from his laptop by the secretary's desk and removed the memory stick. "Ms. Gibb's," Ranger greeted with a sexy eyebrow. She always enjoyed when Major Manoso was in the office, it was a perk of her job.
"General Schaeffer," Ranger saluted his superior walking into the small conference room where they usually met, laid his report and memory stick down, and sat in his usual chair to the right of the General.
He picked up the report without saying a word and began reading. He read about a half of the first page. "Since when, Major, do you have a Mrs. Manoso and a son? Oh, thanks for getting a haircut to see me. I feel special." He was smirking over the papers.
Ranger's body shook with laughter. 'Thanks. Her name is Stephanie and her son is Reilley. I became stranded on Christmas Eve in Wilmington and they took pity on me. I spent Christmas with them and not in a crowded church basement."
The General pointed a finger at the Cuban officer. "See I told you to stay in DC," he reminded.
"No," Ranger shook his head, "I had one of the best Christmases in a long, long time. It opened my eyes how cold I became to the rest of the world and how granted I took everything. Stephanie shared what she had with me and her neighbor." He added, "I peeled potatoes for my dinner."
"Whoa, aren't you the Army guy," General Schaeffer told him in a fake mocking tone. "Did she give you the haircut?"
"Stephanie works at a salon in Wilmington."
"A haircut was more important than meeting with me?"
"No, Sir, but the reason she was upset in her message was when I heard it," Ranger said honestly meeting the General's eyes. Stephanie was more important than any reprimand his superior might give him.
He watched the man he had known since he entered the Rangers, and knew from his intelligence, patience like he had ever seen before, and downright the best at everything he did, Major Manoso would be one of the best operatives the United State Government ever employed, but something was missing. He was always so cold, today it wasn't in his eyes. "Carlos, I think that is the most intelligent thing I've heard you say in a long time. I would have gone to wife first, too." An envelope slipped across the table. "Your contract will be up soon. I thought you might want to look the government's offer over."
Ranger picked the white envelope up and tapped it on the table. "I think I need to really weigh it over, General. There seems to be something I need to explore before I make a final decision."
"That's fair. Seeing you now, I'll put my money on we never receive that contract back. That something checked in with you."
There was a chuckle. "Now that you mentioned Stephanie and Reilley, General, would you do something to make a little boy's day?"
He nodded for Ranger to continue. "I'm listening."
"Reilley thinks of me and my men in Trenton as an elite group of Black Army Power Rangers. My men got a kick out of it. He knows I was meeting with my superior in the 'top secret headquarters' now. Would you come down and meet him?"
His eyes widened realizing the meaning and he laughed. "I'm the head Power Ranger?"
"Yes, our commander," Ranger said with a completely straight face.
'That's a new one on me." General Schaeffer hit a button on the office phone.
"Ms. Gibbs, do we have any of those packets left from Family Day last year?"
"Sir, I think there are some in the supply closet. Do you need them?"
"Just one, Sharon." He disconnected and stood up. "Good job, Major." The deposit slip was handed to Ranger and he shook his hand.
The activity bag was on the corner of his secretary's desk waiting for the General to pick up. He kept chuckling in the elevator muttering "Power Rangers". "I'd love to see Tank in one of those outfits," he said cracking up more as they were approaching the lobby.
Ranger concurred, "Me, too."
He saw Stephanie and Reilley waiting with Millie talking with them. As they approached, Ranger saw the big blue eyes on the little boy get even bigger.
"Power Ranger, are you done?" He ran over to the two walking men with his black ball cap on his head. One was dressed in his Army fatigues and the other a decorated General.
"I am. Reilley Plum, I would like to introduce General Schaeffer to you. General Schaeffer, this is Reilley."
The Superior officer extended his hand, "Hello, Reilley."
He placed his small hand in the larger one to shake. "Wow! You're in charge of all the Black Army Power Rangers!"
"I am," the General said going along with the little boy's illusion handing him a plastic bag with the Pentagon pictured on it, "and I thought you might like this to remember your visit to the Pentagon."
It was like a million dollars to Reilley. "Mommy, look in here!"
There was a coloring book with a small pack of crayons about the National building, Pentagon pencils, and a 'Family Day' patch with the hexagon building embroidered on it.
"Mommy can sew that on your jean jacket if you want, Rye," Stephanie explained to her amazed son.
"That would be great!"
"Stephanie, this is General Schaeffer," Ranger introduced the young mother.
"General Schaeffer, this is Stephanie Plum."
"It's a pleasure, Stephanie," he said shaking her hand. There were tears in the corners of her eyes appreciating the General continued the ruse.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir, and thank you."
"Major, I'll be talking with you," General Schaeffer addressed Ranger and he saluted in return.
"General Schaeffer, you know where to find me."
Waving a hand, "Thank you, Millie," he called out as she was beginning another tour. Ranger locked fingers with Stephanie telling her, "Come on, Babe."
Watching Ranger Manoso head towards the Metro station with the mother and son, General Schaeffer knew he was losing his best operative, but meeting the reason why he could understand. Every man hopes to be a hero to a child and every thing to a woman, and he thought the Cuban soldier found both.
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"Hungry?" Ranger asked. Comfortable and relaxed driving on I-95 nearing Baltimore with Stephanie in the seat beside him and Reilley coloring the Pentagon in the back seat, he thought a detour might be in order. They had a fruit plate and fresh squeezed orange juice in the hotel at the ongoing buffet in the lobby before they left.
Her stomach made itself known. "OK," he said turning onto another road which headed the SUV towards Owings Mills. "There's a seafood place up here with some of the best seafood I've ever eaten in an old stone building."
"You're driving and I sort of lost track of where we were," Stephanie teased, "so I think we're at your mercy."
He shot a pair of half closed eyes at her. "Hardly."
The waitress seated the three of them in a small alcove through a stone archway in the 'Stone Crab House' and lit the candle casting a soft glow over the table. It was rustic with the worm beams in the ceiling, but romantic in the mid-afternoon light.
Reilley enjoyed watching the glass tank with Hermit crabs separating the restaurant area from the bar as they waited on their food.
Cuban lips kissed Stephanie's hand he was holding. "Thank you, Babe, for coming with me. I couldn't wait to get back so I could see you again."
"This is what I needed. You had perfect timing. My bad year started with Miss Fitch dying, then Marylyn giving up the salon. Last Friday, I found a notice in my door that the rent was going up sixty-five dollars. I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide. I'm trying to keep an open mind with the new owner, but all I've heard is 'border-line tyrant'."
"I'm sorry, Babe, this year hasn't begun too good for you. Have you looked for another position?"
Stephanie nodded. 'I was in Trenton a few weeks ago and at the mall with Mary Lou. My old boss, Mr. Alexander, would like me back, but right know he could only offer me maybe two days a week. I can't support Reilley on that. We would have to live with my parents and I don't want that. My father would love it, but that would be going back instead of moving forward. I can't afford medical insurance on my own, so I'm stuck where I am for right now. It won't be that bad." Stephanie tried to convince Ranger and herself. "Let's not talk about that, Monday will be here quick enough."
"Ok, Babe. I think the topic is on hold because I see our food." He would figure out a way to help her. Stephanie was independent so it would have to be as Ranger termed it 'covert'.
Ranger was impressed, Reilley had a shrimp basket and he ate every small shrimp and a taste of Stephanie's big fried ones. He got the feeling they loved it, but it was more of a delicacy in Stephanie's budget. The spiced steamed ones he ordered had the perfect tang for his Cuban palate.
Taking their time drinking coffee to let their delicious food digest, Ranger made a suggestion. He was prolonging his time with Stephanie. "There's a winery not far away that I've supplied my private stock with their wine in the past. Want to go taste some wine before I drive you home?"
"I don't know anything about wine," Stephanie said a little uncertain.
"You discover which ones you like and I'll be there with you."
Her blue twinkled, "That, Ranger, sounds like a plan."
"It is, Babe."
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It was dark by the time Stephanie was unlocking her front door. Pudding was sitting in the front window waiting for his family's return. Picking up her two bottles of wine, a bottle of grape juice, and candy bag, she made sure her son and her souvenirs were in her house safely. She liked a semi-sweet wine with a hint of cherry and caramel flavors at the Giovanni Vineyards. The wine maker said it was best with chocolate covered cherries which she couldn't wait to try. She held open the door for Ranger with the bags. He did go back out for his case of wine to take back to Trenton.
Stephanie was giggling when Ranger came back in waving her chocolate covered cherries in the bag. "Are you joining me in the experiment later or do you have to get back to Trenton?"
The eyebrow arched and a wolf grin crept on his face. "Babe, I thought you'd never ask."