Chapter 21

RPOV

It's been three days since I proposed to Stephanie. Three days of telling the parents, telling the guys at Rangeman, and fighting the Burg grapevine about everything from the only reason someone like me would marry Stephanie is because was pregnant to the fact that she was sleeping with all of my men even though she'd be marrying me shortly.

My parents were very supportive, as I expected them to be. They just wanted me to be happy and be with someone who I loved. The rest of my family loved Stephanie, even my sisters who were overly protective of their little Carlitos. The best came when Abuela Rosa gave her blessing. That woman had saved me in her own way and told me that Stephanie could finish saving my heart and make me her Carlitos again. I have not given it to her but she gave me her set of pearls that she wore when she married Abuleo so many years ago. Stephanie would freak out, because these pearls were never even offered to any of my sisters before their weddings. She believed them to be special and to

wear them meant the marriage would last eternity. I will let Stephanie in on that story the day before the wedding.

Stephanie's parents were a whole different story. We went over one night for dinner to tell them the news, I had been there a couple of times for dinner but I guess Helen never expected much of the relationship, that's if she ever thought there was one. When we broke the news Frank and Edna congratulated us while Helen went straight to the kitchen and pulled out her liquor bottle and began drinking. Frank and I went out to the garage to smoke a cigar until we started hearing glass breaking. Helen had told Stephanie what a horrible daughter and disappointment she had been, that she just should have worked things out with Joe and had kids with him and then Helen Plum would not be known around the Burg as the mother of that whore Stephanie Plum. Stephanie quickly went into rhino mode and started screaming at her mother telling her she was tired of hearing this every time she walked into the house and that was not ashamed of the person she had become. That is when the glass started flying, Helen was taking anything and everything that wasn't tied down throwing it at Stephanie. Edna was trying to stop her and Helen threw her up against the wall and she ended up breaking her hip. Helen then jumped on Stephanie and started trying to choke her screaming "Why couldn't you be the daughter I wanted? Why wouldn't you act like you were suppose to? Why did you have to become a whore instead of a respectable person?"

Frank got a hold of Helen and had her pinned down and told me to get Stephanie out before I shot Helen, and he said at this point he wouldn't blame me. By the time we reached Rangeman I already had Bobby on the phone and he met us up at the 7th floor with a sedative so Stephanie could just calm down and go to sleep and deal with this in a little bit better state of mind (or as well as she could.)

Around 4am I received a call from Frank saying that Helen had drank herself to death. He said that he would be making all of the arrangements and that at this point she didn't think that Stephanie should attend the funeral. Of course the next day Stephanie had a different opinion to our advice. She said not only would she be there but she would be giving the eulogy. I didn't know what to expect, but I did not go against her wishes. I called my Mom and Abulea Rosa to come to the funeral for support. I had Edna brought in from the hospital so she could say her final farewells. This is a totally separate situation than I had ever faced but I knew we could handle it. Bobby stayed with Edna and had sedatives on standby for both Stephanie and Frank that day. Rangeman provided the security for the funeral since this was of epic proportions in the Burg.

The funeral hall was standing room only after the beginning prayer the preacher said "Now we have a eulogy by one of Helen's loving daughters Stephanie Plum." Stephanie stood and made her way to the front microphone with grace and elegance. I was amazed how she had kept herself together through all of this. Then she began to speak.

"I have a lot of things to thank Helen Plum for. She married a wonderful man who became my wonderful father, Frank Plum. As far as parents go she had the best. If you looked under the dictionary for the word grandpa you would find my Grandpa Herb. He was loving, kind, and the best anyone could ever ask for. Then as you all know you have my Grandma Mazur. Not only has she loved me, taken care of me, and taught me all of these years she has been my guardian angel here on Earth. I love her more than most people love their mothers. I have a sister who I am just starting to form a bond with, and some wonderful nieces who I can only hope can grow up and learn to love themselves for who they are and not what they didn't achieve in life. That is what I have to thank Helen Plum for, as far as thanking her for being my mother I cannot do that. The words I feel towards my mother even after 30 plus years on this Earth are not suitable for the children in this room. I can only hope that one day if God blesses Carlos and myself with children that I am the complete opposite of my own mother. Luckily there have been great influences in my life such as Daddy, Grandma, Carlos' Mother and Abulea and most of all Carlos. He has helped me to find my true self, which the Burg will probably blame for my Mother's death. If anyone is to blame for my Mother's death is all of you nosey nobodies that are out there in the crowd. The Burg made my mother the horrid person she was, and I know that she couldn't have been that bad before because my Father wouldn't have ever married her. I hope that each and every one of you can look yourself in the mirror in the morning and realize what part you played in today's events. Whether it was calling Helen because I did something that wasn't "acceptable", if you knew about Joe Morelli's infidelities and turned a blind eye, or made bets on me down at the station about my love life or any other part of my life. As much as I love my Daddy and my Grandma Mazur I am forever grateful that before too long I will no longer be known as Stephanie Plum, but as Stephanie Manoso, a supporting daughter-in-law, sister, wife, friend and hopefully one day mother. Farewell Helen, I honestly don't hope you burn in hell because I think that would even be a better eternity than you deserve."

After she got down from the microphone she sat down between myself and my mother. Mom stroked her hair and spoke to her in Spanish as she broke down. Finally she got so bad that Bobby gave her a sedative and I carried her to the SUV. Frank promised he'd be by Haywood the next day and that he was going to take Edna back to the hospital. With a tear in his eye he told me to take care of his daughter.

What did you think? Did anyone see that one coming? Reviews, reviews and possibly I'll have a wedding for you soon :o)