This is my longest chapter yet. Ranger and Steph are going to take a brief vacation from the Giordano case. They've been working hard and deserve a break. Hopefully you will also enjoy the change of scenery and the addition of some new characters in the next few chapters.
Janet Evanovich has all the rights to the Stephanie Plum story. She worked hard so that we could enjoy.
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Scent of a Woman
Chapter 13
The evening turned out to be great fun. After eating the lunch leftovers and a bunch of other things from the refrigerator, they all loaded up into three cars and headed back to Trenton for an early movie. The Merry Men drove their vehicles, because they would not be returning to Philly that night. Steph and Ranger took the Lexus because they would. Ranger thought that they should not be seen socializing out in public anywhere near Philadelphia. It was just too risky. Stephanie agreed that it was another one of his good ideas and after the movie they headed to Shorty's for pizza and beer.
"Oh, my god," Stephanie moaned. "This tastes and smells so good. I haven't had pizza in over a week. That must be some kind of record. Maybe that's why I agreed to go to dinner with Andrew earlier," she teased Ranger. "I was going through withdrawals, and I was confused." She took another bite and moaned again.
Four of the five men at her table stopped and stared. They rolled their eyes and discretely adjusted their pants. Hector was immune, but couldn't help wrapping his arms around her with a big grin on his face. Stephanie looked up from mid bite when she felt their eyes on her. "Oops! Sorry." The guys all just shook their heads and went back to their food and conversation. Stephanie's phone rang.
"Let me out." She nudged Ranger. "It's Andrew; I should take this outside where it's quiet." Ranger slid out of the seat and guided Stephanie to the door quickly. As soon as the restaurant door closed, she answered.
"Hi, Andrew."
"Hi, Maria. I didn't call too early did I? I didn't want to interrupt your evening with Carlos."
"No, not at all. I'm glad you called. This is a good time."
"Did you get him all settled in and down for the night?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't easy," she sighed. "He was all wound up from his day at the zoo. He wanted to eat his dinner with his hands like the chimpanzees. Bath time was a complete disaster. We had more water on the floor than in the tub, because he wanted to play like the elephants did." Stephanie rolled her eyes at Ranger as she spoke with Andrew. It was a good thing she had only just started drinking. She was still able to think on her feet.
"Sounds like you had your hands full this evening with Carlos. Were you able to get him into bed?"
"After being away from me for the weekend, the only way I was able to get Carlos into bed was to promise that he could sleep with me tonight." She was looking right into Ranger's eyes when she spoke. He raised one eyebrow in response to her statement. His hand slid up her back and rested on the nape of her neck. He moved his mouth to her ear and nibbled. Stephanie arched her neck and gasped.
"Maria, are you okay?"
"Yes…yes, I'm fine. I was just um…jogging up the stairs to make sure he was still asleep. I was in the kitchen putting a few things away." She grabbed the front of Ranger's shirt with her free hand and pushed him away with a stern look. He stepped back and gave her a sexy grin, but stayed close enough to listen to both sides of the conversation.
"I won't keep you, but I did talk to my friend Victor this evening, and we're planning to meet for dinner at the Ritz-Carlton on Friday evening. Does that work for you?"
"Friday sounds fine. What time?"
"I'll pick you up at 6:30. We're going to meet Victor at 7:00."
"Great, I'll be ready. Andrew, are you sure you want me to come? I would understand completely if you changed your mind."
"Nonsense, I really want you to come. I can't wait to introduce you to Victor." He hesitated for a moment. "Maria, I was wondering if you would like to go to a concert with me on Wednesday. The Philadelphia Orchestra is performing an outdoor concert in Dilworth Plaza at City Hall. I have special reserved seating because of the donations I make to the arts council. I think you would really enjoy it."
"That sounds wonderful, Andrew, I'll have to check the availability of a sitter because of it being a weekday. Can I let you know tomorrow?"
"Sure, just call my cell. I would need to pick you up around six o'clock. We could have dinner after the concert if you like. I would get you home by 11:00 at the latest."
"Okay, I'll talk to my brother or my mother-in-law and let you know tomorrow. Thank you for inviting me. It sounds like fun."
"Goodnight, Maria. I hope you sleep well with Carlos. If he's anything like Madison, you could be in for a rough night. She would squirm all over the bed and end up lying right on top of me."
Stephanie was picturing that with Ranger and her knees went weak. "He does tend to sleep close and his body is like a furnace, but I wouldn't give up my time with him for anything. It's like having a little piece of heaven right there in my bed." Stephanie gave Ranger a sexy smile of her own. "Goodnight, Andrew, I'll talk to you tomorrow." She closed the phone and grabbed Ranger by the shirt again. This time she pulled him close and hungrily attacked his mouth. When they came up for air, she breathed heavily against his lips. "How fast can you get me out of here?"
"That depends on how much more pizza you want to eat." He kissed her again.
"No more pizza," she huffed out as she kissed him back. "Just want you," she mumbled as she kissed her way down his neck. "We've been trying to get back to this all day."
"Dios, Babe, you smell so good." He kissed her senseless until they heard the restaurant door open. They stopped kissing, but stayed close.
"Everything okay, Boss?"
"Yes, Santos," Ranger said with a rough voice. He cleared his throat and stepped just slightly away from Stephanie. "That was Sullivan. The dinner is set for Friday at the Ritz-Carlton."
"Good to know." Lester couldn't resist "Hey, are you alright, Beautiful? You look a little…flushed."
"I'm fine, Les." She straightened up and walked toward the door purposefully avoiding eye contact with him. "Probably just a little too much...beer."
"Yeah, that must be it. Half a glass will do that to you every time. Are you sure you two are done talking?" he taunted as he held the door open for her.
"For now," she replied.
Ranger and Lester followed her in.
It was after ten o'clock when they left Shorty's and went their separate ways. Ranger settled Stephanie in the car and then held his finger up to indicate that he needed just one minute. He walked over to one of the SUV's to talk with Lester and Bobby. They spoke briefly, did the manly secret handshake thing, and within minutes, he was back in the car.
"What was that all about?"
"Just needed to let the guys know about a schedule change for tomorrow," he casually replied.
"Why do we need a schedule change?"
"We're going to be offline tomorrow and Tuesday."
"We are? Why?"
"I have plans for you."
"What kind of plans."
"Babe, do you know what day it is?"
"Yes, it's Sunday."
"Yes, it is, but do you know the date?"
"Um, actually, I've kinda lost track of the dates this past week. Why?"
"Tomorrow is October 12."
"It is? Really?"
"Really, and I am taking you away from here for your birthday."
"Wow, I completely spaced the date. Wait…what do you mean you're taking me away from here for my birthday? Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
"Raaanger, you know I hate surprises. Tell me where we're going."
"You may hate surprises, but I like making them for you, so I'm not telling."
"If we're going to be gone overnight, I'm going to need to pack. How will I know what to pack if I don't know where we're going?"
"Okay, that's a good point. You can pack your favorite dress to go dancing in, a pair of shoes to go with it and whatever you need for the shower and bathroom."
"That's it?"
"What about clothes...pajama's, shoes?"
Ranger just gave her a look. "Babe, you won't need pajamas."
"Okaaay," she smiled. "What about non-dancing clothes."
"Everything else you need, we'll get when we arrive."
Stephanie was pretty sure she wasn't going to get any more information out of Ranger. Really, she was dealing with the master of mystery here. She made one last attempt. "You know, it's not being very nice to the birthday girl to frustrate the living daylights out of her."
"Babe, you will love this. I promise. Do you trust me?"
"With my life."
"Then just relax and go with it."
"Relax and go with it? That sounds very Zen, Ranger. Relax and go with it. Hmmmm. I'll try, but I can't promise my Jersey girl curiosity won't get the better of me."
"Thank you."
They were quiet for a few minutes. "Ranger?"
"What, Babe?"
"What do you think I should do about the concert on Wednesday? I told Andrew I would call him tomorrow to let him know if I could find a sitter. I obviously don't need a sitter, but I wasn't sure I needed to add another date to this thing since we have the information for Friday night."
"What do your instincts tell you to do?"
"I knew you were going to say that!" She made a deep sigh. "I don't know. A big part of me doesn't want to add to the problem of his developing attraction for me. I don't like that part of the deception at all. But another part of me thinks that it would be best to cultivate his loyalty to me if I am going to face Victor Giordano next Friday night. I just have a funny feeling about that man. If it comes down to it, I want Andrew to want to protect me over helping his friend in any way if things go screwy with the takedown…and hello, your working with me here…. That could be very important."
"And…."
"And if I am going to keep my focus on the goal and not let my emotions dictate my path, then I should go to the concert on Wednesday."
"Ah, very good, Grasshopper!"
"You did not just say that!"
Ranger chuckled. "Sorry, it just sounded too good to pass up. Maybe I should have said very good, Eliza."
"Thank you, Professor Higgins." She sighed. "I'll call Andrew tomorrow."
"I'll call Tank, and he will take care of the team arrangements for back-up. Wednesday won't be such a big deal, but we have our work cut out for us on Friday night."
"Are you worried about Friday?"
"I always worry when you're involved."
Now, here's the thing. Stephanie could interpret this statement two ways. One, he could mean that because she was so incompetent that he had to worry about her making things go wrong. Or two, he cared about her, and his worry was for her safety. A couple of weeks ago, she would have assumed he meant number one. Today, she was pretty sure, if she asked, he would say number two. It was going to be a great birthday!
…XXX...XXX...XXX...XXX...XXX...XXX…XXX…
Shortly after midnight, Ranger delivered her first birthday present. And then he delivered her second and third in rapid succession. Her fourth gift was delivered at six am in the shower. By 7:30 they were out the door, meager luggage in hand and slightly exhausted.
"Carlos, this is the airport!"
Ranger just grinned. He pulled around to a service road and they drove right up to an open hanger. A tall blonde man, dressed in a very nice uniform, greeted them as they exited the car.
"Good morning, Mr. Manoso. We're all ready for take off. Looks like clear skies the entire trip."
"Thanks, Phil. This is Stephanie Plum. Babe, this is our pilot Phil Brandt."
"Nice to meet you, Phil. Where are you taking us today?"
"Nice try, Miss Plum, but I was warned about you. I'll just get your luggage and secure it on board. By the way, Miss Plum, happy birthday!" He turned to face Ranger. "Breakfast is in the galley as you requested, Mr. Manoso."
"Great, let's go."
Stephanie just stood there with her mouth open. "He was warned about me? Warned!" Ranger led her up the steps and into the plane. He sat her down in a very comfortable leather seat and buckled her in, dropping a kiss on her nose; then took the one next to her for himself. She just continued to stare at him in unbelief.
"Ranger, this is a private plane."
"Yes, it is."
"Is this your plane?"
"It belongs to the company. It's RangeMan's plane. As soon as we're in the air, we'll have breakfast."
The very smooth take-off was followed by a wonderful breakfast of fruit, bagels, juice, coffee and two perfect Boston Crème donuts. Beautifully written in pink icing were the words 'Happy', on one donut, and 'Birthday' on the other.
"I can't believe you had donuts decorated for my birthday! When did you plan all this?" She took a bite. "And, oh my god. Where did these come from? They are better than the ones from Tasty Pastry! Here, you have to try this cream." She scooped a finger full of cream from the center of her donut and held it to Ranger's mouth.
He slowly licked the cream off her finger and smiled. "You're playing with fire, Babe." He took his own finger, scooped up some more and carefully wiped it across Stephanie's lips. His eyes got dark as he leaned in to lick it off.
Stephanie moaned and that was all it took. Ranger pulled her up from the couch and, wrapping her in a tight, passionate embrace, moved them toward the back of the plane.
"Where are we going?" she asked between kisses.
"Bedroom," he whispered against her neck.
Stephanie stopped kissing and looked at him in disbelief. "You have a bedroom on this plane?"
"Mmmhmm. Want to check it out?" He reached behind his back and opened a door. He put the other hand around her waist and guided her into the room.
Stephanie turned her head to take in the view. "This is amazing," she smiled.
The room was cozy, but beautifully decorated in dark blue and cream fabrics. The bed was huge. It filled half the room and looked invitingly comfortable. There was enough of the room left to easily accommodate two upholstered chairs and a small table. Built into the interior wall was a dresser and cabinet unit that housed a large flat screen TV and an impressive selection of DVDs. The outside wall was all windows, flooding the room with morning light.
She turned back to Ranger who was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. "It's beautiful."
Ranger had never lifted his eyes from her face. He was enjoying her surprised reaction. "Yes, you are." He leaned down and captured her with his lips so intensely that she moaned in response. His hands skillfully released each of the tiny pearl buttons down the front of her sweater, and his lips followed the path of newly revealed skin. "Dios, your skin is so soft and smooth." The vibrations of his voice against her skin sent shivers straight to her core. By the time he reached the bottom button he was on his knees, and he slowly removed the sweater dropping it to the floor, all the while showering her stomach with loving touches and gentle kisses.
Stephanie had her hands in his hair, and she lowered herself into a sitting position on the edge of the bed. She wordlessly coaxed him to return his lips to hers as her hands made a move to unbutton his shirt. Ranger gripped both her hands in his and slowly lifted them over her head while leaning her back on to the bed. "No, Babe," he lovingly demanded as he continued to kiss his way back down her chest. "This is my job." He spent a few moments nipping, licking and teasing at the lace of her bra before he slid his hands firmly down her raised arms and sides. When they reached her hips, he teased his way across the top of her waist band with his tongue. His fingers deftly unbuttoned her jeans, and he pulled them off, sliding her low heeled shoes off in the process. He lifted her right leg, started at her toes and travelled north, rubbing, licking and kissing his way around her foot, ankle, then calf. When he reached her knee he, ever so slightly, drifted his fingers across the sensitive skin on the backside. He continued by paying homage to her thigh with warm open mouth kisses, slowly continuing upward, until he was inches from the top of her leg.
Stephanie was beyond stimulated by his actions. Every nerve ending in her body tingled in anticipation of his next move when he barely brushed his mouth and nose over the black lace still covering her. Exhaling a warm moist breath that made her stomach tighten, he carefully put her leg back down and started the whole process over with her left leg. She groaned in frustration. "Please, Carlos," was all she could produce.
"Please what, Babe?" He had already reached her knee.
"Please...don't...I feel...oh god...touch..." She knew the words may no sense, but she was helpless against the effect he was having on her brain. The words would not connect.
"Patience, Babe." He chuckled. "We'll get there together this time." Moments later he reached the apex of her thigh once again, but this time, when his face came close, he grabbed the lace with his teeth, and a low growl rumbled through his chest as he pulled them down and off. He rose to his feet and took in the magnificence of her body. "Beautiful."
Ranger stood over her with such affection and respect in his eyes that, instead of feeling self-conscious and exposed, Stephanie felt protected and cherished and was overwhelmed by the power of her emotions. This man. This amazing man…loved her. He trusted her enough to risk sharing his most intimate feelings with her. Having known him for the last three years and the privacy he held so dear, it spoke volumes about his commitment to her. She reached for him with a look of anxious desperation on her face.
Ranger quickly bent over her in concern. "Babe, what is it?" he whispered as he gently stroked her face.
"Carlos, It's just...I'm so happy. Please, don't stop," she begged.
Ranger kissed her lips in tender acknowledgement of her wishes. He broke away only long enough to remove his own clothes, but quickly returned to continue his devoted attention to her needs. "I won't stop, Amada. I want you to feel how much I cherish you. How essential you are to me." It wasn't long before Stephanie was, once again, unable to form coherent thoughts or sentences. Her body simply uninhibitedly responded to the erotic touches of his hands and mouth as he caressed and tantalized her body.
"Babe, let go, don't hold back...usted es tan hermoso, y cuando somos juntos como esto, yo le necesita sentirse cuánto te amo y entienda cómo usted me da la vida y el amor que pense que nunca tendria." (you are so beautiful, and when we are together like this, I need you to feel how much I love you and understand that you give me the life and love I thought I would never have.) She was so lost in the sensations he was creating, her mind barely registered the transition when Ranger slipped from his provocative utterances in English into his sensuously rhythmic Spanish verse that effectively deepened her arousal. He could have been reciting the Cuban national anthem, and it wouldn't have mattered. The cadence of his words in tandem with the sense of him, hard and pulsing, as he slowly entered her, sent her flying over the edge immediately. He continued to rock and thrust against her until she called out a second time taking him with her.
The mile-high club had a new charter member.
"Why can't I get enough of you, Babe?" he questioned in awe of the fact. "I have never felt like this with anyone before." They were comfortably entwined together, each slowly regaining their breath. He continued to place kisses on her face and neck.
"I don't know. I feel the same way. I have never felt more loved or treasured than I do when you love me." She lifted her head and kissed him deeply. "Thank you for this. If this plane turned around right now, and we went back home, this would still be the best birthday I have ever had."
"I want the entire day to be special for you. This was just breakfast," he grinned.
"Well, if you have this in mind for every meal, I won't complain, but I will be exhausted and hungry by dinner."
"Why don't we finish breakfast and then take a nap. It's a three-hour flight, and I have a very busy day scheduled for you."
They got up and finished breakfast without any more interruptions and settled back in bed together.
"You know, Carlos, I would fall asleep a whole lot faster if I weren't lying here trying to guess where we were going?"
"Nice try, Babe, go to sleep."
They awoke to the captain's announcement that they would be landing in ten minutes. By the time they were on the ground, Stephanie had seen palm trees and blue ocean through the window. As they descended the stairs, she noticed a tall, blonde, muscle bound demi-god, wearing a RangeMan uniform, waiting with keys in hand. She suddenly stopped and turned to Ranger.
"We're in Miami?"
Ranger just flashed his 1000-watt grin, and they continued down the stairs.
"Hey, Boss, welcome home."
"Thanks, Tony. Good to see you back as well." They shook hands. "How's your sister doing?"
"As well as can be expected. She told me to tell you thank-you for the flowers."
"If there's anything else she needs, you let me or Tank know." He turned to Stephanie. "Babe, this is Tony. Tony, this is Stephanie Plum."
"Nice to meet you, Tony." She reached out her hand.
"Bombshell?" He looked at Ranger for confirmation. Ranger nodded. "Wow, it's an honor to meet you, Miss Plum." He eagerly took her hand and shook it enthusiastically. "You're kind of a legend down here at RangeMan. Lester and Bobby have been telling us stories about you for at least two years."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't know what they've been telling you, but most of it was not my fault, and I hardly ever shoot anyone."
Ranger chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Babe." He looked hard at Tony, who was still holding his woman's hand and staring at her like a love-struck schoolboy.
"Ugh, sorry, Boss," he mumbled, quickly dropping the hand. "Your car is right over here. I'll get your bags." He handed Ranger the keys.
"A Lamborghini?"
"Yeah, Babe, this is my Miami car."
"Your Miami car. So you drive a Porsche, or two, in Trenton, a Lamborghini in Miami. What the hell do you drive in Boston?"
"Ferrari!" he said with a wide grin and enthusiasm. "I like to mix things up!" He opened the door and helped her inside. In seconds, he was situated in the driver's seat.
"So fast cars and fast women. Is that your life?" she smiled over at him.
"Used to be," he replied with no hesitation. "I will always like my cars fast, but my taste in women has changed remarkably." He unbuckled her seatbelt and carefully pulled her across the console into his lap. "Babe, I won't lie to you. I lived a wild life for a lot of years. Most of the women I was with…I didn't even know their names and only saw them once or twice.
"You married Rachel."
"We were kids. I married Rachel out of obligation, not love." He absently played with Stephanie's hair; wrapping her curls around his finger. "You changed a lot of things for me. You make me want things I never wanted before."
"Like what?"
"Like time away from work, vacations, dates; a night at the movies with beer and pizza afterwards, dinner and dancing."
"Carlos, that's just normal, everyday stuff!" She looked shocked.
"For you it is, but not for me. I rarely do anything that isn't work or survival related. I eat when I have to, sleep when I must. I can't tell you the last time I took anything that remotely resembled a vacation. The last movie theatre I was in before yesterday was on a base in Europe. That was probably two years ago."
Stephanie was touched by his admission. "Sounds like you need my birthday trip more than I do." She ran her fingers along his jaw line and lips. She then kissed him sweetly. "I'm so glad we're here." She kissed him again and then giggled with all the excitement of a little girl. "I've never been to Miami before. What's first on the agenda for today?"
He gently placed her back in her seat and buckled her seat belt again. "Since it's almost ninety degrees here, and you are way overdressed for the heat, I'd say the mall should be our first stop and then some lunch."
"Oh boy, you really know how to show a girl a good time, Ranger." Stephanie was practically vibrating with anticipation. "Shopping and lunch are two of my favorite things."
They hit the mall running. Stephanie picked up a few pairs of shorts, a couple of tops, a sundress, two pairs of sandals, sunglasses, two bathing suits, and a purse. They were on their way to have a quick lunch, when a dress in a shop window caught her eye. She stopped dead in her tracks, catching Ranger off guard.
"What's wrong, Babe?"
"Nothing, I'm sorry. It's just…that dress is beautiful."
Ranger looked at the window. The dress was a striking blue silk that matched Stephanie's eyes. It was sleeveless with a deep v-neckline. The pleating detail in the front was capped by a thin, belted, empire waistline.
"You'd look great in that dress, Babe. Let's go in."
"Ranger, I don't need another dress, I brought that black one with me."
"Babe, let's just go in and try it on." He took her hand and pulled her into the store.
A sales associate approached them from across the room. She was about five and a half feet tall and had blue eyes. She was slim and stylishly dressed. Her hair was sun-kissed golden and sported chin-length bouncy curls that moved freely as she walked. Her legs were stunning, and she moved about in her four-inch heels as if they were as comfortable as ballet slippers on her feet. Stephanie was impressed when the woman's focus seemed to be on her and not Ranger. It was a refreshing change from the normal response she experienced when she was out with him.
"Hello, my name is Cindy," she said cheerfully. "May I help you?"
"Hello, Cindy," Ranger returned in a friendly greeting. "Stephanie would like to try on that dress in the window."
"Good choice. It's a beautiful dress. It's from our Versace collection. My guess is that you would need a size six?" she asked Stephanie directly.
"Thank you, Cindy, you're very sweet, but let's try an eight," Stephanie admitted.
"Okay." Cindy nodded and turned. She disappeared into a back room.
"Ranger, that's Versace! That dress is going to be too expensive. She walked over to the Mannequin and tugged on the price tag. Her eyes got huge. "It's $2300.00! I am not buying a $2300.00 dress!"
"You're right. You're not; I am. Now go try it on." He set the shopping bags down and sat in the 'husband chair'.
"Ranger, you can't buy me a $2300.00 dress. What will I do with it?"
"You'll wear it tonight…to dinner."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. He wasn't going to budge from that chair until she tried on the dress. "Fine, I'll try it on, but that's all."
Cindy returned with the dress in both sizes. She showed Steph to the dressing rooms.
"Believe me, Stephanie; I know my dresses, try the size six on first. Versace runs a little big. I really think the fit will be better in the six."
Stephanie put on the dress. She was stunned. It fit like it was tailor made just for her.
"How's it going in there, Stephanie, do you need any help?"
"No thanks, Cindy, it zips up the side, I got it."
"Here," she said, handing a box over the top of the door. "I brought you a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes to try on with it. I think they would be perfect with the dress. You're a size 6 1/2 aren't you?"
"Damn, you're good, Cindy. I bet you make your boss happy."
"I make the boss very happy," she laughed. "I'm the boss, this is my store."
"Well, you really know your stuff. I'm coming out." Stephanie stepped out of the dressing room, and Cindy gasped.
"Is there any way I could pay you to stand in my window for a few hours? I could sell 20 of these dresses if people saw you standing there in it."
Stephanie smiled. "You think it looks okay?"
"Honey, just walk out there and show your man. I bet his jaw hits the floor in record time."
Stephanie walked back to where Ranger was sitting. "Babe." He quickly rose from the chair, walked right up to her, wrapped his arms around her, and gave her the deepest, most romantic kiss ever. Without taking his eyes off the vision in front of him, he handed Cindy his credit card. "We want the shoes, too."
"Told ya!" She winked at Stephanie and turned to ring up the purchases.
"Are you sure, Carlos?" This is a lot of money. I didn't even see the price for the shoes, and you just bought me all those other clothes." She pointed to the bags.
"Babe, let me do this for you. Besides it's purely selfish on my part anyway."
"How's that?"
"I'm the one that gets to look at you all night in that dress. Every man in the restaurant is going to wish he were me. I may even have to add a security detail to our date just to keep the wolves at bay."
Stephanie wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're just saying that to get me back in bed, you charmer."
"Is it working?"
"Yes."
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Author Note: Again many thanks for the reviews. They are certainly inspiring and encourage me to write a better story for the readers. I will continue to answer each and every review. So if you have questions, concerns or insights please let me know. If you can take your time to write, I can certainly take my time to respond.