A Wish Come True
Chapter 5
"Yo."
"Ranger."
"Babe, is everything OK?"
"Yeah, I was just calling to give you a heads up before you arrive for New Year's Eve," Stephanie said. She and Delaney were talking about her birthday at the end of January and wanted to warn her father.
"About what, Babe?" He knew it had to do with his adorable daughter.
"Delaney mentioned her birthday at the end of January and the kind of party she wanted." She paused and went on when Ranger didn't say anything. "She wants to have a sleepover with some of her girlfriends and she going to ask you to be here for it."
"A sleepover?" Ranger remembered the ones his sisters had. He and his brother locked themselves in their bedroom until it was over afraid of the nail polish, lip gloss, and mousse. Pinching his nose he asked, "How many little girls?"
"Six with Delaney. I know she's going to ask you eventually, but if you don't want to, it will give you time to plan your escape."
He began to chuckle, "We've only been father and daughter for a week, Delaney must want to put me to the Dad test with six girls all at once."
"I didn't want her to overwhelm you or expect an answer right away. Our daughter can be somewhat demanding."
Ranger didn't have to think twice. He wasn't going to miss her birthday. "Really? If Delaney wants me there for her sleepover, I'll be there with six giggling little girls. I'll figure it out. Make all the plans and I'll pay for it. Don't go stubborn on me, Stephanie. I'll behind on the birthdays."
"We have a month to plan. She asked for a 'spa' sleepover."
That made him chuckle more and shake his head. "She's seven and into spa treatments!" But then he told her mother, "Whatever she wants. I'll see you soon."
"Bye, Ranger."
"Bye, Babe."
Tank was in the doorway listening, "You're a moonshine still sponsor, now what are you a girls' party planner?" He moved quickly when a pen was coming his way.
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Frank didn't have to think twice regarding Ranger's intentions for his daughter and granddaughter. He couldn't wait to get this car in park by her garage. The Cuban grabbed all three overnight bags from the trunk walking along the path up to the back deck.
Ghost greeted them coming out of the snow. "How's Grandpa's boy?" Frank asked rubbing his head.
"Woof!" the dog gave a happy answer leading them up the deck and waited at the door to be let inside.
Ranger walked in Stephanie's warm kitchen behind her parents immediately smelling bananas.
"Pumpkin, something smells good."
She placed a plate with slices of banana bread and mugs of coffee on the counter. "Millie gave me this stuff to make Amish Friendship bread. I've been stirring and adding to it for 10 days. Today was the day it was done. If it's as good as it smells, then I can offer it to the guests with breakfast. I just need some Guinea pigs"
Removing his leather jacket, Ranger was looking around. "Where's Delaney?"
"I made her take a nap since we would be out late tonight. I promised you would wake her up, Ranger."
A big smile formed on his face. "Thanks, Babe," he said wrapping his arms around her kissing her. It didn't matter her parents were there. He missed Stephanie.
"Oh, this is moist. I want some of that Amish stuff," her mother complimented. "Do I even need to ask where Mother is?"
She was giggling resting against a much muscled chest. "Grandma, Slim Jim, Momma Petunia, and Auntie Del left for the casino. We're supposed to meet them there for a surprise before midnight."
"I hope it's not another one from the South!" Frank said between bites. "The North is full!"
Very seriously, Ellen told them, "Maybe I should call Dr. Drew?"
"Will he take her?" her husband asked. "I bet the trucker's family follows."
"Daddy! Grandma found people who are just like her at heart. Slim Jim's family loves the casinos as much as she does and he delivers slot machines. It's a match made under the roulette wheel."
"But, Pumpkin, he found her by finding the telephone number on her underwear!"
"It was Grandma's own dating service," Stephanie didn't know exactly what to say about her grandmother's procedure to finding a man. "They are very happy."
"Well, she hasn't been home much so the bathroom has been all mine. That is a plus. Maybe this is a win-win situation."
She tapped Ranger's chest giving him the suggestion, "Why don't you go wake up our daughter so she can get ready and that's what I need to do. Mom, you and Daddy are in your same room."
Her parents picked up their overnight bags and Ranger headed into the living room for Delaney's bedroom. Dropping his bag beside Stephanie's bedroom door, and then walking to his daughter's, he saw an arm was around Benji as she slept. Her dark waves were all over the pillow as she was warm under a soft blue fleece blanket. She was his dark haired angel.
"Hey," he whispered. A Cuban finger was tickling her nose.
Her face scrunched and a dark eye opened. Before Ranger could blink, he was back against a wheel of her bed. "Dad!" Delaney had her arms around his neck.
"Miss me?"
"You bet," his little girl told him back.
Stephanie was leaning against the door frame. "How about you change your clothes, Delaney, so we can get ready to leave?"
Hopping off her bed, she ran past her mother going to the bathroom, "OK, Mom."
"Don't forget your boots," Stephanie called after her moving daughter.
Following her into the master bedroom, Stephanie found herself against the wall. "Babe."
She couldn't respond but only let out a small moan which Ranger captured with his lips on hers.
"Happy to see me?" Stephanie teased when she finally could.
Forehead to forehead, he nodded.
"I need to change or Delaney will have me out the door in this," Stephanie tugged on the sleeve of her sweatshirt.
He chuckled at that thought. Reluctantly he backed away from the woman standing there with the ponytail of wild curls.
"You brought warm, comfortable shoes for walking didn't you? We'll be around University City."
"I brought my black cowboy boots." When he packed not only did he listen to Stephanie, but also her Grandma called asking he dress like a 'High Roller' tonight. She had a surprise for Delaney but needed his help to pull it off. He agreed and left if at that.
Ranger's eyes started at the top curl and worked their way down slowly. "Babe, you look beautiful." Stephanie had a white shirt on under a loose blue cardigan over tight jeans tucked into low cuffed off-white boots. There was a bangle necklace around her neck made of different sized metal disks and earrings to complete her outfit.
"Not bad yourself," Stephanie walked all around the man in black jeans, shiny cowboy boots with silver tips, a suede shirt hanging loose over a turtleneck. Everything on his body appeared made for him. She noticed a very expensive watch on his wrist.
"Come in," Stephanie answered the tap on her door.
Her bedroom door opened and Delaney was standing there admiring her parents. "Looking good! My Mom and Dad look hot!"
Scooped up effortlessly, Ranger gave his daughter a "Thanks." Her wavy hair was around her face. Over a pair of skinny jeans, Delaney was wearing a red, white, and green hoodie with brown 'UG' boots. "You look quite cute."
"I'm supposed to, I'm a little kid, Dad."
Never would Ranger get tired of hearing that one word, 'Dad'. Each time Delaney spoke it; his heart swelled puffing out his chest all the more.
Frank and Ellen were waiting in the living room with Ghost comfortable on the sofa.
"Mom, your feet are going to be cold in those," Stephanie said pointing to her flat slip on shoes. "We're going to be walking around and riding the trolley to University City." She went back to her bedroom coming back with socks and a pair of low suede black boots to go with her pants and black and white sweater.
Her father had on a flannel shirt over a tan Henley shirt and pants with comfortable hiking boots.
"These are comfortable," Ellen stood up with her warmer footwear.
Once all the coats were on, Stephanie passed out tags for their coats. "These are for our trolley rides and admission to all the activities around University City. Here's your lanyard, Delaney. For each one we visit, you'll get a pin."
"Cool!" The little girl slipped it over her head and clipped the tag to her zipper.
Ranger reluctantly pinned his to the zipper pull like everyone else. "Babe."
"Dad, go with the flow," his little girl told him and he would for their evening.
There were a few other party goers waiting at the trolley stop when the five of them walked up. Ranger wanted to drive avoiding the trolley, but Stephanie explained parking would be at a premium and some of the streets were closed.
Ranger and Frank being gentlemen stood next to the three seated females for the short ride. Delaney got to hit the strip to call for their stop when it was time for the group to get off.
"Pumpkin, where are we eating?" Frank asked as he was having a few hunger pains.
Stephanie had them cross the street walking down a side road. "Tonight, we're going Mediterranean."
"I want a chicken kabob, Grandpa!"
Frank and Ellen looked at each other. This wasn't pot roast or baked chicken. Ranger was chuckling, his daughter never ceased to amaze him. He was expecting pizza, but she wanted a chicken kabob. Stephanie was always opening up their daughter's world and to Delaney it was a new adventure.
"Hey, Gio," the little girl bumped knuckles with a Sicilian looking man at the door, "this is my Dad and my Grandparents. They're celebrating with me and Mom."
He waved his white shirted arms, "Welcome!" Grabbing menus he showed them to a back table. "And, this is for you, Delaney Girl." He produced a small round button from his apron pocket with 'Kabobs' printed on it. She pinned it across from the one the trolley driver gave her.
All except Frank had chicken kabobs; he had a lamb one with French fries. Delaney had fries with hers while her mother, Grandmother, and father had rice.
"This is good, Delaney," Ranger told her after taking a bite of his tender seasoned chicken.
"Stick with me and Mom, Dad, we'll show you all the good places for eats," she replied with smeared grilled kabob sauce on her smile.
They visited a couple of galleries, a yoga studio, historic churches, listened to Shakespeare, and ate cookies and drank hot chocolate while Delaney's lanyard filled with pins. There was a stop at the puppet theater and the large Vampire puppet that reminded Delaney of Ranger was telling a folktale that other puppets were acting out.
Delaney was giggling uncontrollably when her father spoke to her in Romanian repeating the story Vampire Vladimir was telling.
The last stop before rendezvousing at the casino was at a small university café listening to a rock band. Delaney got a pin with a cup on it. She was smiling ear to ear with her grandparents watching her mother and father dance together to a fast dance and a slow one. She was even out on the dance floor swinging her little hips with Stephanie and Ranger on a fast one.
She added another trolley button when they hopped one heading to the casino. Stephanie was curious what kind of surprise Edna Mazur had because Delaney couldn't go in the casino.
Calling her grandmother's cell phone, "Grandma, we're on the trolley heading to the casino." Stephanie could hear horns in the background, bells ringing, and people cheering. It must be midnight there already.
"Okie dokie, Stephanie! We'll meet you out front!" Grandma yelled backed to her. "See you soon!"
Exiting on the corner, Grandma Mazur, Auntie Del, and Momma Petunia in a flashing 'Happy New Year' hat were all bundled in coats near the entrance.
Grandma pointed to a side street, "You and Delaney go that way!" The five stopped on the sidewalk for a moment. The mother and daughter turned where Edna Mazur indicated, Ranger started to follow. "No!" Grandma called to Ranger hustling over to him and tugging his arm, "You're the Higher Roller!"
"I am?"
Edna clarified him, "You are!"
There was Ranger wedged between three old ladies walking through the casino entrance, but where was the trucker?
"Hey, Drew, this is the 'High Roller' from Trenton who rented the party room upstairs."
Ranger held out a hand, "Carlos Manoso, I own Rangeman Security."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Edna explained you spent the holidays with her family and friends instead of with your cousin, Donald Trump."
Ranger gave Grandma Mazur an eyebrow. "Yes, those family get-togethers at the holidays can get to be too much. I prefer a quieter time." They must be cousins by marriage because Donald Trump wasn't Cuban.
"Enjoy yourself!" Drew the night manager waved them into the brightly lit casino.
AT THE SIDE DOOR:
Slim Jim opened up a side delivery door waving for Stephanie and Delaney to come inside. There was a food cart covered with a long white table cloth blocking part of the entrance. "Get under there," he whispered to Delaney. Stephanie just looked at him in a blue jacket with 'Foxwoods Casino' written on it.
Delaney disappeared under the cloth.
"Stay under there until we get upstairs," he said picking up a corner of the tablecloth. "Come with me, Stephanie." The trucker begins pushing the cart out of the entrance towards swinging doors. He reached up with a stick to straighten out the security camera.
"Oh, here's those party trays," a kitchen worker placed two large covered trays on top of the cart and carafes marked 'COFFEE', "TEA', and "HOT CHOCOLATE'. "These go to 'Lounge 2' for the High Roller's party. The cups, plates, and the cold drinks are up there."
"Got it. This is Stephanie," Slim Jim introduced. "She's the 'High Roller' gal."
Stephanie gave a "Hello" before Slim Jim wheeled the cart over to an elevator.
BACK IN THE CASINO:
"Where are Stephanie and Delaney?" Ranger asked as the group was making its way through the gaming room straight to a Black Jack table.
"My honey is getting them situated upstairs. We figured you need to make an appearance down here. If we went straight upstairs, that might cause too many questions."
"Really?" Ranger looked at Edna with a knotted brow and half-closed eyes. He took a couple hundred dollar bills out of his wallet and handed it to the dealer. He motioned for Frank to take a seat next to him. Next he handed Grandma, Ellen, Auntie Del, and flashing Momma Petunia all twenty dollar bills. "Have fun."
"Let's go get another still!" Auntie Del went running in the direction of the slot machines.
The two men were laughing watching the four women scamper away, including Ellen Plum to go gamble on the slot machines.
Ranger had the dealer split the chips between him and Frank stacking them in front of the two men. There was a woman dressed in sequins, a man in a cowboy hat, and one in a suit with a bad toupee around their table.
There was buzz going on around the casino about the 'High Roller' in the house and there were a lot of eyes on Ranger.
A bell went off in the slot machine section and a voice could be made out "Frank, I won!"
Ranger's stack of chips was growing faster than Frank's, but he was betting less than the 'High Roller'.
The dealer dealt Ranger a face card, but his eyes were focused on Stephanie approaching the Black Jack table.
"The party room is ready, Carlos," Stephanie announced very breathlessly in his ear.
He looked at the card in front of him, kissed Stephanie quite intensely saying "That's for luck', and pushed his stack of chips towards the dealer.
Going around the table, the dealer laid down the second cards, Ranger peaked at it. He had a 'Jack of Diamonds' and he just received the 'Ace of Clubs'. Frank held at '19'. The dealer had '14'. He gave the woman in sequins one more card and she went over. The dealer went over with the '10 of Hearts'. Cashing in their chips, Frank had $200 and Ranger ended up winning $5,000.
Grandma and the two old ladies figured they won enough to get Granny Gun another still. Ranger had funded a back-up one and Ellen Plum won $50 on the nickel slots.
Taking an elevator to the second floor, Stephanie knocked three times on 'Lounge 2's' door. It opened and Slim Jim minus his casino smock ushered the winner inside.
"Where's Delaney?" Ranger asked not seeing his little girl.
"Right here, Dad." The little girl came out of her hiding place on the bottom of the covered food cart. She went running to Ranger's out-stretched arms. "Dad, I'm in the casino! Look! We'll see the fireworks from right here! Did ya win?"
There was a large plate glass window which the drapes were pulled back looking out over Philadelphia.
"Yes, Delaney," Ranger laughed dropping a $10 chip in her hand.
"And we got snacks."
"Only the best for my daughter."
With plates of fruit, vegetables and dip, sugar cookies, and rice pudding, the Plums, the Beckers family, and the Manosos settled in front of the window warm for the start of the fireworks to countdown to Midnight. Frank had turned down the room lights so they could see the show more in the dark sky.
"Golly, gopher whiskers!" Momma Petunia let out with the first colorful explosion right in front of them. "We're in them."
The TV was counting down with Dick Clark. "5-4-3-2-1". Outside the grand finale was going off and church bells were ringing.
"Thank you," Ranger told Stephanie before they shared a midnight kiss. It ended way past the fireworks outside. "Babe."
Stephanie studied his handsome features. They were relaxed and smiling.
"I got a daughter and there is a lot to look forward to in the coming year," he told her. Her eyebrows knitted together and he knew that was for the cop's trial.
"We'll get through it and go on together, the three of us. Tonight was a wonderful way to start."
Stephanie nodded and caught their daughter yawning. "We have a tired daughter. Grandma, how do we get Delaney out of here?"
"Same way we got her in," Grandma rationalized.
Momma Petunia and Auntie Del were loading up their purses with the leftover cookies. "Snacks."
Once they were ready to leave, Delaney put on her coat, gave each Southerner and Grandma Mazur a hug for their part in her surprise, and disappeared the way she had come on the cart.
"Come on, High Roller," Grandma Mazur locked an arm through Ranger's and Auntie Del took the other walking through the lobby.
"Wonderfu eveningl," Ranger said to a stunned night manager and flipped him a $100 chip as he walked out.
Outside, Delaney and Stephanie came running around the corner.
"We're going back in," Grandma pointed to the entrance. "We'll be home later."
Ellen Plum caught the betting bug, "Frank, let's gamble."
"OK," Stephanie was laughing at her family disappearing back into the casino.
Ranger flagged down a cab for them to go back to 'The Quiet Corner'.
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In her pajamas with her mother's help, Delaney was settled under her blankets when Ghost and Ranger joined her and Stephanie in the little girl's bedroom.
"Bless everyone that they had a happy New Year because I did. I hope you had one, too. Good Night," the little girl finished her prayers. "Tonight was the best yet, Dad."
"Yes, it was, Delaney," Ranger kissed her forehead.
With a yawn, "Just wait, Dad, I'm having a sleepover for my birthday."
"Wouldn't miss it," Ranger said quietly tucking the blankets around his sleeping little girl and her teddy bear.