Chapter 9

Maria's POV

It was nice to see my Carlitos so happy. He has really found his match in Stephanie. Once we all headed to bed I cuddled with my husband. Even after all these years of marriage and raising our children we still love each other as much as we did at the beginning of our lives together.

"I hope our son has the same love for Steph as I do for you," Ricardo said kissing me. "She is a keeper and he would be a fool to let her go again."

I smiled and looked into the age worn eyes of my husband. "My son will not make the same mistake again. I can see that they are very much in love. I can practically hear wedding bells." Maybe even the sound of squeaking stroller wheels.

I listened for a second and realized that the squeaking wasn't my imagination. Ricardo looked down at me and we both looked up at the ceiling and we laughed. Looks like my son was making me a beautiful grandbaby with magnificent blue eyes.

I snuggled into my husband content with the knowledge that my Carlitos has finally found love.

Carlos POV

As I slowly came awake I didn't want to move. I was wrapped in my babes embrace and the glow of our love making. I woke up numerous times to her going at it or I took from her until we were putty and couldn't go anymore. Last night didn't go quite the way I planned and I am very disappointed.

I planned to propose to Stephanie last night. We were supposed to make love and relax in the living room after and I would spring the question. Since things didn't go the way I planned I have to come up with something else.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a moaning coming from the woman in my bed. She wasn't moaning in pleasure, she was moaning in pain. I was probably too rough on her last night.

I slowly got out bed and watched my babe snuggle into my spot, sighing my name with a smile. I slipped on a pair of boxers and went into the closet to access my safe. I put in the long combination and found what I was looking for. There were two boxes that held the ring I hoped to be wearing soon and the two for my babe.

I took one ring out of the box and brought it with me back into the bedroom after I locked the safe. I slipped the ring onto my babes left ring finger with a kiss. I couldn't wait to see how long it would take her to realize I have marked her as mine forever.

I watched Stephanie sleep for a while and noticed she was moaning louder and louder and occasionally curling up and clutching her stomach. Afraid that something was really wrong I decided to wake her up.

I kissed her lips a few times until I saw her beautiful blue eyes gaze down at me. Before I could say anything she was flying out of bed into the bathroom. I was a little concerned and flew after her. I knocked on the door many times.

"Babe," I said with my voice shaking. "Are you ok?" I never got and answer so I did the only thing I did best. I picked the lock open and found Stephanie in the robe I got for her hunched over holding the sink with one hand and clutching her stomach with another. I walked behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She stood up, let her head fall back onto my shoulder and placed her hands over mine.

"Do you want to tell me what is wrong?" I whispered in her ear.

I heard her take a deep breath. "Not really but I guess I kinda have to." I raised an eyebrow and she saw it in the mirror. "I have my period and really bad cramps."

I kissed my babe's head turned around to start a nice hot bath for her. The hot water should help the cramps a little. I opened the medicine cabinet and gave her two Advil to relieve the pain all together. Once she was settled in the hot water I kissed her.

"Thank you Carlos." Stephanie said holding my head close to her lips. "No one has ever pampered me as much as you do."

"No problem babe. Menstruating is something you have to go through and I will be there to provide all your needs." I said kissing her once again before heading out into the bedroom. "I'm going to bring up some breakfast so we can eat in bed and maybe by lunch time we will be up to greeting my family."

"Ok," I heard her say from the bathroom. I wondered if she would realize the ring on her finger by the time I came back upstairs.

Once I arrived in the kitchen I saw my siblings and my parents nursing their coffees and talking amongst themselves. "So you must have had a long sleepless night last night." Raphael said smiling into his coffee cup.

I slammed my blank face down and went to make me and my babe some breakfast. "It was kind of hard to sleep with the bed Olympics going on upstairs." He said pushing it a bit further.

"Oh Raphael be nice, Carlos and Stephanie were just trying to make Mama and Papa another nieto (grandson/granddaughter). Lord knows Mama loves her grandbabies." Celia said looking at me.

I put our breakfast on a tray and started to make the coffee when something was said that made me blow my top. "Hell she could be pregnant with that Morelli guy's baby and try to pass it as Carlos'."

I went after my brother faster than anyone made an inch to stop me. I had him up against the wall and dangling his feet. "Don't you ever, and I mean ever, speak about my woman like that again. As far as I know she doesn't even want babies right now. We just want to be happy together. I have waited too long for Stephanie and I will not have rude comments like that said about her in her own home. I love that woman with all my heart and soul and I know for a fact she is not pregnant with that man's child."

I let Raphael go, grabbed the tray with our breakfast on it and went to see my babe. She centers me whenever I am in a raging mood. I walked into the room and found Stephanie dressed in one of my shirts a pair of black yoga pants staring at her ring with tears running down her face.

I set the tray on the night stand, walked over to the bed and wrap her in my arms. "Carlos, when did you get this? I know for a fact that you have not had time to get this between now and that night with Morelli."

I took a deep calming breath. I was hoping to come upstairs and share a nice relaxing breakfast with my babe not get in a fight. I had to control my emotions before I open my mouth and say something hurtful or dumb. I turned to her and let her have the truth.

"I have known for a while about Morelli's rendezvous with Gillman. I didn't want to tell you in fear that you would say that I was making it up, in hopes to have you for my own. This ring was my grandmother's and she gave it to me at my grandfather's funeral hoping one day I would find my love. While on my mission I decided that no matter how long it would take I would wait in the wings to have you as mine. I told you all those stupid things and it tore me up inside to do so. I wanted you to have your own opinion of Morelli, not an opinion I put in your head. Good things come to those who wait, and boy did I wait." I cradled her head in my heads and slid to the floor on one knee.

"Babe, will you be my wife?" I asked nervous for the answer.

Stephanie grabbed my head and pulled me closer to her lips. "You have nevr lied to me before Carlos. I love you and would love to be Mrs. Stephanie Michelle Manoso." I was suddenly engulfed in my fiancée's embrace and kissed her like she has never been kissed before.

Man could my life get any better?

Hmmm...will things be better or worse?