A Wish Come True
Chapter 2
"Mom, you got to try this!" Delaney yelled laughing from the living room.
Ranger came into the kitchen resting on the island drinking his water, "Babe, I'm tired."
Stephanie was giggling seeing the weary man standing in her kitchen, "Delaney, wearing you out?"
"We were sliding down a mountain after these insane rabbits avoiding trees on a board!"
"Oh, the 'Rabid Rabbits'. That was one of the games she specifically asked for Christmas. I hope I didn't go overboard because I bought the balance board."
Ranger kissed Stephanie's lips. "No. I'm glad you had extra to get Delaney what she wanted. I want to give you more money for Delaney, but I know you won't accept it. The next time she needs clothes or shoes, I'll take both of you shopping."
Her eyes narrowed, "No going overboard!" She didn't like the idea of accepting money from him, but she didn't want Ranger to feel left out of their daughter's everyday life. She didn't know how often he would want to see her yet, but it would be worked out.
Ranger's lips curled up, "Only a little!"
Her fist punched his solid shoulder, "You!"
"Dad, break time is over," the happy little girl called running into the kitchen.
Stephanie tried to gently defer her daughter, "Delaney, give Ranger a break."
"I did. He got 10 minutes. We are catching up!"
He pushed himself off the counter and tugged on her wavy hair, "Let's go." He was tired, but he was absolutely enjoying it.
Ghost went charging around the human bodies to the backdoor stopping everyone from moving.
"We made it!" Frank Plum announced holding open the door for his wife and mother-in-law. "Merry Christmas, Pumpkin! Merry Christmas, Delaney! And you too, Ranger!" He figured the Cuban man would still be in Philadelphia.
"Merry Christmas," Ranger responded back.
Stephanie and Delaney were exchanging hugs with her family in the madness.
"Was Santa Claus good to you?" Frank asked his young granddaughter in his arms.
"I got my wish! He brought me my Dad!"
"That's because you are the best little girl."
Ranger swung Delaney in his arms, "I agree with that."
Grandma Mazur had her coat off and bumped Ranger's hip with hers, or tried to, but there was height differential, "Welcome to the family. If you and I would have gotten together, you would have been Delaney's very young Great–Grand Pappy, but I think I'm a few years too old to be giving you another family."
"Thanks, but I'm happy with the one I have here."
"You're not too old for the home!" Frank cracked getting a mug of coffee and a plate for a piece of warm breakfast casserole. "Thanks for the snack, Pumpkin."
"Stephanie, is that a ham from the Amish?" Ellen Plum had the refrigerator door open placing bowls and plates from a box her husband carried inside. "Those Amish raise the best meat. We still need some of them in Trenton!"
"Ellen, we can get more meat to take home. Philadelphia and Trenton aren't that far apart."
"I know that, Frank, but Pennsylvania is different. Their stuff is better because they have Amish."
"If you say so, Dear."
"We have presents to open up," Delaney announced ushering everyone into the living room and more paper was flying within seconds.
"Yes!" Delaney jumped up from in the center of all the new wrapping paper scattered around her. "I got my own casino! I can hit the slots when Grandma is there!" Her little girl legs were pumping up and down as she hopped around hugging the casino game for her new Wii.
Ranger was laughing with everyone else at her antics. "I guess she likes it," he said watching his daughter continue dancing around.
Delaney had her grandfather and Edna Mazur bowling. Stephanie was banned from her own kitchen while her mother was enjoying preparing the ham and making lunch before she started Christmas dinner so she was sitting next to Ranger watching her grandmother wiggle and shake her hips as if she was in the actually bowling alley.
"Babe," Ranger chuckled against her neck which he was kissing.
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The doorbell rang as everyone was seated in the kitchen eating the juicy hot roast beef sandwiches for lunch and the little girl answered it.
Stephanie giggled as her greeting. "Merry Christmas. You have to come meet my Dad!"
She led Millie and Stu into the kitchen proudly introducing Ranger, "This is my Dad!"
"Carlos, this is Millie and Stu," Stephanie formally introduced the older couple to the Cuban man.
"Hello," he shook their hands. "Thank you for looking after my girls."
"Thank you for clearing the sidewalk, Carlos. We saw you earlier. Stu," Millie said, "loves delivering the flowers and I've learned a lot about flowers. With the spa services Stephanie offers now, she's made 'The Quiet Corner' one of the most desirable places to stay. We've really been busy!"
"I'd say both Stephanie and Delaney have found a home here."
"We're so glad to have them. Now, Stephanie, your mother and I are going to clean up and get dinner on. You go enjoy your day with your family."
So for the second time of the day, she wasn't allowed in her kitchen.
The football game was on her flat screen TV, Delaney was gambling with Grandma Mazur, and mouth watering aromas were wafting in from the kitchen.
The calmness was broken when 'Jingle Bells' with a Southern tone kept getting louder outside.
"My Hot Wheeling Honey is here!" Grandma goes hustling to the front door waving her hands.
"Oh God, the South is rising up again!" Frank muttered to Ranger. "Just wait," he poked the Cuban ribs. "I guess the border patrol gets Christmas off."
"You'll get to meet Momma Petunia, Dad! This will be you're best Christmas!" Delaney went scampering outside with her coat and boots on with Ranger following her.
Stephanie was waiting at the door with Grandma. Slim Jim parked his grey cab along the curb. She was glad the street was plowed and the sidewalk was clear. He shook Ranger's hand before he opened up the passenger door. Two heads were seen coming down with his assistance.
"There's more!" Frank covered his face with his hands.
Delaney and Ranger were shaking hands with Momma Petunia in a big red hat with a just as large red bow and gold mesh poinsettias. The woman beside her was in a long Santa cap.
Coming up the steps, Delaney handed her mother an overnight bag and went for another. Slim Jim was holding the old women coming up the sidewalk and steps.
Father and daughter had the remaining bags in their hands.
"Look at this place!" the new little lady let out whistling coming up the steps. "This is swanky and no outhouse!"
'I wonder if we need to demonstrate how to flush!" Frank grumbled going past Stephanie to help an old lady.
Momma Petunia gave her, "I told you! Howdy y'all! Merry Christmas!"
Ranger was doing his best to keep a straight face coming up the rear with luggage.
"Mom, Auntie Del came to visit with Slim Jim and Momma Petunia! Neat, huh?"
"Stephanie, Edna, and Frank," Slim Jim spoke, "this is my great aunt, Delphinium
Mavery."
"Howdy!" the woman in the red cap shook their hands. She was just about the same height and weight of Petunia Beckers. "I hope you don't mind if I stowed away. I've never been to the North!," she announced with a southern twang.
'We're happy to have you," Stephanie shook her hand. She found herself in a bear hug between the two women.
"Auntie Del," Momma Petunia told her, "this here is my Jimmy's Northern Belle, Edna. Just wait, she knows all the good slot machines."
"I like her already!"
Now Grandma was being hugged by the women and they twirled her to Slim Jim.
"Sweetie Cakes!"
"My Trucking Honey!"
They left Grandma and her trucker kissing in the hallway.
"You got a John around here. This long underwear I got on is rubbing my thong in all the wrong places," Auntie Del asked. "Great sweet turnip pie! That's some Christmas tree. I never knew the North was so good, Little Girl!"
Delaney took her hand, "Come on, Auntie Del, and use my bathroom."
"Now there are three of them!" Frank told a shell shocked Ranger. "The thong triplets. And, we have indoor plumbing. Long live the North!"
Ranger tipped his beer bottle with Stephanie's father's, "I'll drink to that!''
Christmas dinner was a continuous line of platters, bowls, and plates going around Stephanie's front dining room table. Out of nowhere, Auntie Del brings out a jug of moonshine from Granny Gun's still for a toast. She shot at anything that came near her secret recipe still.
Slim Jim drove Grandma Mazur, Momma Petunia, and Auntie Del to the casino since it was open using Stephanie's Jeep. Ranger did thank his lucky stars because Auntie Del and Momma Petunia were both loud snorers and kept each other awake. He was sleeping downstairs giving up the cozy room to ninety year old Auntie Del. Laying there next to Stephanie, he was still laughing because she wanted to be picked in the Rangeman rig when Delaney and Grandma Mazur picked up Momma Petunia. He was given a picture of a black sleeper cab by his daughter. It had what looked to be a leather sofa-bed, a small eating area, a mini kitchen with a flat screen television, and a bathroom.
"Well, Dad, you encouraged her," Stephanie laughed at him snuggled into his side looking at the print-out.
"I guess I'll have to make this wish come true."
A link to Delaney's dream sleeper cab is on my profile.