Great reviews, great comments you're still throwing out! Alix33 asked a good question, "Where did Steph's sudden change come from?" When writing that chapter, I was thinking to myself, "What or who besides Angel could bring out a more normal Stephanie?" The answer was easy, Julie. They have a bond that even Ranger couldn't break, and Julie is innocent and bubbly, making her feel good.

Kids are funny that way. Some you'd like to muzzle, and others make you smile. I didn't marry until later in life, and I hate to admit it, but I couldn't hardly stand any kids. Most of my friends had brats (they admit it too), and I didn't have the nerves or patience. I actually didn't want any, then my husband from a big Catholic family, begged me to try. Well, right before I was going to give up, I got pregnant. I cried and cursed, then hid the sticks I peed on, all five of them. But something started to happen when I first saw my boy on ultrasound, and then when I felt him kicking and moving around. When they put in him in my arms, my tiny cold heart grew, like the Grinch that Stole Christmas. LOL

Alix33 is coming up behind me and cleaning up my punctuation. Thanks girl!

Chapter 17

I woke early and stiff from laying flat on my back holding Angel all night. She was awake and wiggling around, she needed a diaper change, and was probably hungry. Steph was laying on her stomach still sound asleep. I pulled on some lounge pants and quietly left the room with Angel.

While I was taking care of Angel's needs, Lester and Julie came downstairs wanting to know if I wanted to go for a run with them. I placed Angel next to a still sleeping Steph with some toys, and joined them for a beach run.

Dr. Canalis called right after I got out of the shower to let me know that he had both tests for Angel scheduled for the next day. I relayed that we would soon have the issues with Angel worked out so we could go forward with any treatments after testing, and he was pleased to hear that.

With the exception of the conference calls with the management teams this morning, we would be free for the rest of the day for Julie's fun time. I picked up the phone and called the marina where I kept my boat, and asked them to fuel it, and ready it for us. Then I went downstairs and gave Betina some money, asking her to call in an order for a large deli lunch for eight for a picnic, and pick it up for us. Then I asked her to pick up a swimsuit for Angel, if they hadn't gotten one for her already. I had bought Steph a couple of bathing suits the day we went shopping.

When I announced that we would be spending the day on the boat, Julie asked if a friend could go, and Lester called Sylvia to see if she could get the day off. Everybody was excited so we commenced to get the business out-of-the-way quickly.

By 1000 hours, we were motoring out of the marina and out into the bay, headed to Biscayne National Park. During the week it was quiet and the beach was decent. I currently owned a 52 foot Tiara Sovran, a small luxury yacht. It was nice for a small group, sleeping eight comfortably. It had teak and holly wood floors, and cherry wood accents in the cabins. Unfortunately, I didn't take it out and enjoy it enough. The last time I'd taken her out was after Aleina had begged me to take her for a weekend cruise. It had not been good fun for me being trapped with her in close quarters for that many hours. A healthy man can only fuck so much, and the rest of the time spent with her had been miserable. I turned and looked at this group and smiled. Today would be different.

Stephanie and Lula were talking while Julie and her girlfriend, Dana played with Angel on the deck floor. She was wearing a little orange and aqua blue swimsuit with seahorses on it. Over it, she wore a matching terry cover-up and a little bonnet to match. We had all chuckled she looked so cute when Steph brought her down to the living room. Sylvia had gotten away and arrived at the house in record time, and she was now canoodling with lover boy on the back deck. She was an attractive woman, she looked to be part Latina, petite with a very youthful pretty face. She had long brown hair like Julie, except hers was highlighted. She had two of Lester's favorite assets, nice legs and rack. She was a nice young woman, and I was going to warn him one more time about playing with her and being nice. She at least deserved the courtesy of knowing that he was a player, and not looking for a relationship before sleeping with him.

Tank moved up to the helm area with me and took a seat. "Is it my imagination, or is that a genuine smile on your face, hermano?"

I didn't look at him because I knew I was wearing a stupid grin and he'd caught me red-handed. He was up here to give me shit. "I'm smiling because we haven't all been together just to have fun in too long."

"True be that, but you feedin' me bull. You was grinnin' when I got here the other night. Whatever is happening here is makin' you happy. I hope you both get happy and quit foolin'."

"What's happening here is, I'm helping a friend down on her luck, and an innocent baby that came close to having zero choices starting out in life."

He continued. "What I'm sayin' is you're involved, emotionally involved. She looks better already, poor woman looked rough when we went to see her that first time. Looked like she'd been livin' hard for a while. Brought back memories of my childhood, man. I grew up just like the big T, man. My family was so poor we couldn't afford to pay attention. Got three meals a day, oatmeal, miss-a-meal, and no meal."

I chuckled. That was another Mr. T quote, but it was true for my friend. He'd had a good mama, but a tough upbringing. They had struggled on very meager means after his dad passed. The only reason he hadn't chosen the gang life was sheer geography. None close to where he lived to tempt him as a hungry young boy, then there was the fact that his mama would have ripped a couple of trees to shreds gathering switches to use on his brown ass. She was tough. "I know, and your mama deserves a medal for raising four class acts. She's badass. Steph is getting a little better every day, talking a little more. Big difference since Julie arrived."

"You need to fix this and keep that woman close to you from now on. It's the same situation as me and Lula. She ain't perfect, and she drives me crazy sometimes, but when she's not with me, I ain't a happy man. Same with you and Bomber," he said.

I glanced at the big bruiser sitting next to me with a heart of gold. I'd seen that man do some crazy shit in battle, like plow through half a cell of bad guys like a steamroller leaving a trail of destruction without taking a single bullet. "You better quit talkin' before I pull my gun and shoot you, and throw your ass overboard for a swim with the fishes. My seats are white, and it's hard to clean blood off a teak wood deck."

He boomed with laughter. "You threatening me boy? You wearin' a wife beater and board shorts. What? You got a pea-shooter strapped to your dick, fucker? Besides, you ain't gonna shoot me, who'd put up with yo ass then? I'm the only fool that pities the fool!"

I laughed out loud. The Mr. T shit, made me laugh every time. "We pay good money to our company head shrinks, I don't need you aping Mr. T, and analyzing me. Things aren't just magically going to go back to the way they were. For that matter, why would I want to go back to that?"

He snorted. "You don't go back, fool. You go forward. I don't like magic much myself, but I have been known to make guys disappear."

I burst out laughing and interjected my own Mr. T quote, "I got no time fo this jibba-jabba, asshole." He boomed and punched me in the bicep hard. Make that, big asshole.

We brought the inflatable dinghy with us and loaded it to go from ship to shore with our beach supplies and picnic. Then we all headed over. I sat with Steph and Angel on the beach, just at the point where the surf would wash over her up to her belly. She squealed with delight, and grabbed at the water every time it came up and bubbled around her. Steph looked up at me laughing. "I never dreamed that babies could be so much fun. I was always so afraid of them."

I smiled back at her. She loved the beach and today was a testament to that, she was glowing. Maybe too much. "Babe, I'm going to get the sunscreen to rub you and Angel down. I don't want you to get sunburned." She nodded.

I came back and quickly rubbed Angel down picking her up out of the water to rub her legs and she fussed. "Okay baby, I'm only going to interrupt your fun for a minute."

Stephanie giggled. "Ranger you look… Well, you just look so unlike you holding a baby."

I smiled at her and sat Angel back on the sand. Then I got behind Stephanie, kissing her shoulder and she stiffened. So I just squirted the sunscreen lotion there and began massaging it in. She slowly began to relax. "I don't dislike children. I just never wanted all the trappings that come with them. Wasn't that the same for you?"

She shrugged. I had just finished her back and was rubbing the lotion on her arms and she was relaxed with her eyes closed. "Yeah, I guess it was. The 'burg trappings are the worst."

I asked, "You didn't want to marry Morelli did you?"

She stiffened again and reached for the lotion in my hand. Our hands touched for a moment, and she barely squeezed my hand before she spoke. "I can do the rest myself. Thank you."

The moment was over and Julie and Dana showed up to get Angel. The two girls had started a sandcastle and said they were coming to get the queen. Julie deposited their two buckets between my legs, and told me to make myself useful and fill them, and that made Stephanie giggle. I laughed and said, "Yes, my lady. I'll be right there."

We had a fun day. After lunch we set up a net and played some beach volleyball. It was times like these that we really felt Bobby's absence. Being three and not an even four, an empty place that no man could ever fill the same way again. We made it fun though, I took the two girls on my side, and Sylvia wanted to join us. So, we battled Lester and Tank and won. That gave the girls something to rib the two about the whole way back to the marina.

I was watching the GPS monitor and focused when Sylvia came up to the helm. "Thank you for the fun day. I just wanted to say that if Julie is any indication of what you're like as a father, Angel is going to be one lucky kid."

I smirked. "Sylvia, I've been a good father for only about four years. She was the result of a drunken accident while I was on leave, I married , then divorced her mother, and gave up my rights as a parent."

She shrugged. "I guess you had your reasons. Maybe you thought you were making a responsible decision. I deal with selfish people and parents all the time that never make decisions for anyone else, but themselves. Accidents aren't always bad, you love Julie, and isn't that what Angel is?"

I glanced at her and smiled. "You're right, I thought I was doing the right thing back then. However, I am one of those selfish people you mentioned. I'm an opportunist. On that note, I love my cousin, and he's a good guy. You're a nice woman, and I want to warn you, in case he forgets to tell you; he's not a relationship kind of guy, he's a rock your world for one night kind of guy."

She laughed. "Nobody's perfect, Ranger. I think that's common criteria for most very successful people. And, I didn't just fall off the shrimp boat, Captain. Thanks for the 411, I haven't had my world rocked in ages."

I was so shocked that my mouth opened. Man, I had to seriously work on my blank face, it was out of shape. I glanced at her grinning. "Then carry on Ms. Martin, and enjoy your evening." I watched her turn and walk away. Now there is a fisherwoman with some special bait on her hook. She might just surprise my boy and reel him in.

We got back home late. Julie's friend called home and was spending the night. Since the upstairs would likely be rocking tonight, I put them downstairs in the living room. Making them a big bed on the floor. They would be happier anyway, because they would be up all night playing video games, munching in the kitchen, and gabbing until they succumbed to sleep.

I was nodding when there was a light rap on the door. "Come in." It was Stephanie with Angel again.

"What's wrong, Babe?"

"Um...nothing is really wrong. It's just that… Well, Lester's room is on the other side of mine, and it's kind of noisy over there tonight."

I burst out laughing. "I'm sorry, I had some advanced warning. I should have mentioned that to you. You can stay here. Come get in." I pulled the sheet down for her.

She smiled and walked over. I reached out and took a smiling Angel. "Hi, baby. You want to sleep with Dad, again?" I kissed her soft little cheek and she put her hands on my face. So, I blew on her face making a raspberry and she giggled. "Can you feel that vibration? Well, tomorrow is a big day for you, Angel. We'll know if you'll get to hear our voices one day soon, and if you can't, that's okay. We'll all learn to speak like Angel."

I glanced at Stephanie and she was smiling. "Thank you for helping her, Ranger."

"I'm happy to be helping you both, Babe. I'm enjoying you being down here. Do you think you'll like living here?"

She shrugged. "I need a new start. Just not like the last one. I can't really go home. It's nice here, just different."

"Babe, have you talked to your family at all? Do you want to contact them and let them know you're alright?"

She abruptly rolled over and said, "No. Goodnight, Ranger."

TBC -