A Family Affair
Chapter 3
Having changed into his own clothes and washed any traces of the fake skin off his Cuban form, it was her Ranger except for the short, short brown buzz cut. Stephanie stood watching Ranger sit on the leather sofa and talking to Addie as she drank a bottle of formula. She blinked her eyes a few times and each time they opened again, he was there in the apartment on 7.
She walked over sitting down next to father and daughter, her leg touched up against a very muscled and warm one.
"I'm here, Babe. I am sorry what I put you through. When I relayed the information back to my higher ups and I realized my cover was blown, there was no way they would let me out of that country alive. They assumed wrong that I didn't know that fact. If the terrorist group thought I was dead, then the information died with me and no one the wiser to their plans. The emotions were pouring out of Ranger as her continued speaking. "I was expecting my killer having intercepted the communication; it was that body with copies of my 'fake' military identification which was buried today. I do not believe the terrorist group knows my real identity, but I could not take the slightest chance in contacting you if they didn't think I died in the explosion. I wanted to be here to protect you if need be. When I saw you stepping out of the limousine this morning crying with Addie in your arms, I almost blew my cover right then. I never fought so hard to retain my self-control. I've been tortured before and I never cracked. Seeing you and my daughter, there was no comparison, I was cracking. I hope you believe me when I say all of this was done because I saw no other way to make it back to you. I'm sorry and I'll do anything to make it up to you."
Stephanie intently watched Ranger as he spoke. He was a vat of open emotions. She knew he was very unsure of her reaction now that some of the shock of his reappearance wore off. She had the feeling he was concerned both of them would leave. "I thought I was going crazy today. I was feeling you. The entire service I had that sensation I get when you are near, but when I was touching you in the casket, it wasn't there. It was back when you and Tank were at the bar. It was there when you were outside the door. I don't want to ever go through this again, Ranger. I can't, not with Addison," she told him. "I can't ask you to make a choice between us and the government."
A warm Cuban finger hushed her words. "There is no choice, Babe. It's you and Addison, but I need your help. I'm done, but we need to stop the assassin. I have to finish this. Stephanie, you put things together better than anyone I know. Please, will you help me? I need you, Babe. I love you. I'm sorry."
Stephanie nodded. She playfully bit the finger that was against her lips. "I'll always help you when you need me, Ranger. You were dead and now you're alive. That's a lot to deal with even on a good day in the 'Burg'. I'm afraid I'm going to blink and you'll be gone again. It was a dream."
Ranger leaned in kissing her. "No dream, Babe."
"I love you and I always will, Ranger." Stephanie heard the outtake of his breath with those words. "I'll help you, but I have something more pressing right now?"
"What's that, Babe?" he asked. The eyebrow was cocked and misplaced worry was there.
"Mr. Aware of My Surroundings, you don't smell your daughter?" She was waving a hand in front of her nose. "She needs changed!"
Stephanie got up from the sofa taking Addison from him. She was falling asleep.
Ranger sniffed, "Oh, yeah." He was listening to his woman's words and watching his beautiful infant daughter, Ranger never noticed the vague offending smell.
He followed and Stephanie had the impression my Cuban man was afraid to let them out of his sight. "Ranger, Addie and I are not going to leave. I'm still upset, but we're not going anywhere. How is your jaw?" She asked that as an after-thought. He deserved that punch!
"Sore," he chuckled.
She looked up from the changing table saying, "If you need to fake 'dying' again, call me in advance with a secret phrase."
"I will," he smirked.
"Damn Skippy you will!"
Noticing Ranger was taking in the softer color changes Ella convinced Stephanie to update. Ranger's dark palette needed brightening when she picked fabric for the crib set. Ella offered to make it so it matched the crib Stephanie picked.
"All of your bed stuff is stored in the closet. I'll change it back."
"No, Babe, we live here. A family lives here," he said taking in the full bedroom. "It softens up the room. It's not all macho."
She did a classic 'Burg' eye roll at that statement. Ranger handed Stephanie a diaper and wipes watching her change Addison, her dark eyes were almost hidden under the sleepy eyelids and long lashes.
"I like the additions, Babe."
In his minimalist bedroom, Stephanie purchased a simple, black crib with daisies painted on the ends. A changing table was next to it on the wall opposite the large bed. She went with that furniture color to match Ranger's. Over the crib was a colorful mobile of daisies and butterflies. Near the dressing room door was a black rocker with pale green chair pads. The crib was lined with a soft green dotted and white striped bumper pad. There was a crib comforter draped over the back, it had embroidered daisies on the green polka dotted fabric with a white ruffle all around it. Ranger assumed Ella must have had her embroidery machine working. He read 'Addison Marie' in a corner. Gone was the steel gray comforter on his bed replaced by a white satin one, folded across the bottom was an old-fashioned green striped chenille blanket. He knew it was a chenille blanket because his mother had them on the beds when he was growing up. On two dark green toss pillows overlapping on the bed, one had a big 'R' and the other 'S'. The embroidery machine was working overtime on another Ella creation.
"Babies like different textures. Addie is discovering touch at three months, Ranger," she explained the reason for the different fabric sensations around the bedroom.
"You did good, Babe. We'll make it baby friendly."
Coming out of the bathroom from washing her hands and throwing away the dirty diaper, Ranger moved the rocking chair next to the crib. He was sitting there watching their daughter sleep.