Always There
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, but am grateful to JE for inventing them for us to play with. Unlike JE, I am not making any money from them either
A/N: Firstly a HUGE apology for a few things. Firstly my lack of response to your wonderful reviews of chapter 6 and secondly for how long it's taken me to get this chapter up and posted. I knew that RL was going to be crazy, but underestimated just how much. I finally got to the point where I just had to write something to move the story along and found a window of time – so here it is! I decided it would be better to use that time to write another chapter rather than replying to the reviews so forgive me for that – I will get around to replying I promise. I also promise not to leave you so long waiting for an update again! Anyway, this chapter attempts to move on the story for Edna's treat and condition (if you look carefully!) but also Steph and Ranger. Enjoy!
Chapter 7
Progress
Steph sighed deeply. She had never felt to wonderfully relaxed: well apart from post coital bliss after an evening with Mr Magic Manoso – although that had not been for a while. In fact it was just as well that it wasn't his hands massaging her back and neck at the moment or she would have been in deep trouble just thinking about it.
After Edna's triumph the night before, the ladies had both had a much needed lie in and were enjoying a leisurely breakfast when Bobby had announced their itinerary for that day. It was starting with a morning at the hotel's spa before joining the men again for lunch.
Bobby had explained that he had been careful to research the treatments that Edna could have. He had briefed the spa staff that needed to know and a suitable timetable of treatments had been drawn up, rounding off with an 'organic' facial. This is where Edna was now as Steph was having her massage.
She felt it the second he entered the room. The air shifted, her neck tingled - and then the hands rubbing up her back changed. She bit her lip to stop the moan that was threatening to escape.
"Like that Babe?" whispered the husky baritone into the shell of her ear. A shudder was her only reply.
His hands skimmed down to her lower back, just above where her towel was draped across her behind. Strong thumbs wound little circles up her spine with just enough force to bring her to a pain/pleasure threshold. How could this feel soooo good? As he reached her neck and went up into her hairline she could hold the moan in no longer. He chuckled and then started all over again, this time with long firm strokes up the centre of her spine that then spanned over her shoulders and back down her sides. Again and again he touched her in the same rhythmical motion until she was somehow as relaxed as she was turned on. How did he do that? She didn't know but there was something that she really needed him to do for her and very soon! She wondered if she shimmied a little bit and the towel fell away a bit he'd get the hint?
A rich, warm chuckle brought her out of her lustful fog. Ranger leaned into her.
"You don't need the towel to move for me to get the hint Babe, but I'm not sure the hotel spa would the ideal place."
He kissed her shoulder, her neck, her ears. Steph melted a bit more into the table but felt her skin flush and tingle simultaneously at the combination of his words and his kisses.
"Besides, not enough time for what I'd have planned….."
He kissed his way slowly down her spine before drawing away from her. She whimpered at the loss of his touch. He came back and stroked her face gently.
"I'll tell the masseuse to give you five minutes, then I'll see you outside. We're having lunch on the terrace. Edna's all relaxed and ready to go."
Steph pulled herself up to look at him as he went. His eyes darkened at they met her dilated pupils.
"Ranger…?"
He smiled back at her and winked.
"Later Babe, later."
ooOoo
Lunch took the form of a large table on the terrace with the whole party sat around, eating, joking and laughing. So much laughter. These men, these big, powerful, wonderful men, so at ease with themselves and her frail grandmother. Steph felt the lump in her throat as she looked at the scene. They all said so little usually and now they were like a bunch of kids, telling stories about each other, teasing one another mercilessly and including Edna in it all. She looked so happy. But also tired. Steph tried to keep the concern from her face by leaving the table to get another bottle of water.
"You ok Babe?"
She startled at Ranger's voice.
"She looks tired. We didn't do much today but she still looks tired."
Ranger turned her around, held her shoulders in his hands and looked straight into her eyes.
"Steph, we always knew that this would happen, that she would get tired easily, that's why Bobby is taking so much care about her schedule."
"I know, it's just that…..well, she used to be the life and soul of the party you know? I guess I need to get used to seeing her be…..different."
Ranger gently spun her around to look back to the table.
"Look at her Babe. She's having a ball and how is she not the life and soul of the party? The guys love her, she's the centre of attention and blushing like a school girl because of it. I'd say she was having a great time."
He rubbed her shoulders as he gave Steph a minute to take in the scene and felt her smile.
"Now, you, you're the one who's got to relax Babe. I'm pretty sure Edna will be going for a nap soon. Want to join me for one too…..?"
Steph tensed beneath his hands.
"Um, would you mean 'nap' as in the 'later' that we talked about earlier or 'nap' as in, well you know, nap?" she stammered.
Ranger slipped his hands around her waist and nuzzled her hair.
"I was thinking more on the lines of 'later' – maybe we could pick up where we left off?" he answered lazily, his voice dropping low.
"Sounds, um, good."
Oh boy!
ooOoo
Steph needed to open the door. After the best massage and shower of her life, Ranger had had to go out for an hour or so and had told her and Edna to be ready for 6.30pm but to be honest she was still mellow – very happy, but very mellow. Answering the door she found two women standing in front of her.
"Miss Plum?" asked the taller and older of the two. Both were elegantly dressed, the elder woman in hotel uniform, the other in what looked like an upmarket beautician's overall. She was also carrying a garment bag.
"Yes," nodded Steph.
"Good evening. Mr Manoso sent us to help yourself and Mrs Mazur get ready for this evening. I'm Chantal and this is my assistant Chloe and we are with the hotel's Spa and Beauty Lounge. May we come in?"
"Um, yes, please," answered Steph still a bit bewildered.
Behind her Edna bounced on her toes in excitement.
"Ain't this the pip Stephie?" she declared loudly. "Your man told me he's arranged something special for us this evening – I think these lovely ladies are part of it!"
Chantal laughed.
"That's exactly right, but we need to get started. We haven't got long – but then Mr Manoso did say that you didn't need much to make you look beautiful."
The words were directed to Edna but her gaze was all at Steph.
In a whirl, Steph and Edna were sat down whilst the women applied a light make up and attended to their hair. Steph had been a bit nervous about that until Chloe had taken her own wild mass of curls out of it's clip – only then did she trust the young woman to handle her mane. She had to admit that she had been right to trust Chloe once she saw how her hair shone in a cascade of soft curly waves.
Chantal had made Edna look stunning in styling her hair in a style that was soft yet age appropriate and not like her usual line of uncooked sausages! Edna had not been able to keep a colour on her hair since becoming ill and so it was greyer than Steph had ever seen it, but with the new style and a light, natural make up her grandma looked wonderfully elegant.
Chloe unzipped the garment bag and gave one of the contents to Chantal whilst motioning for Steph to follow her. Hanging the bag up she reverently pulled out a length of shimmering material that made Steph suck in a breath. It was the gown she had admired whilst shopping the other day!
Smiling, Chloe signaled for Steph to approach and as she did Chloe unzipped the beautiful garment. Stepping in Steph closed her eyes as the cool material slid up her body. Once Chloe had fastened the hidden zip, fussed over the shoulders and held out the four inch pumps for Steph to get in to, she led Steph to the full length mirror and smiled. Steph couldn't believe this was her she was seeing. She looked – beautiful. The gown was full length, midnight blue silk. It had a cowl neck and ruched at the hip showing her figure off to perfection. Her hair and make up complimented the look perfectly.
"Baby girl, you look stunning – but then you always do."
Steph swung around to see her grandma in a lovely dove grey cocktail dress, but it was the huge smile she had on her face, making her watery blue eyes twinkle that caught Steph by surprise. She bit back the tears forming in her own eyes.
Chantal and Chloe made a discreet exit after excusing themselves and wishing the women a wonderful evening, leaving Edna and Steph alone.
"Grandma you look amazing," exclaimed Steph, pulling herself together.
Edna went to her grand daughter and took her hands. Suddenly there was an urgency about her.
"So do you baby girl – but it's nothing to do with the dress and the hair because that's just the outside and you have bucket loads of outside beauty anyway. Your real beauty – that comes from the inside. That's what makes you you and don't you let anyone tell you any different do you hear me?"
Steph nodded silently. Edna looked at her intently, a fierceness in her eyes.
"I mean it Stephanie. The family, your skips, the Burg, none of them see the real you. None of them see the beauty you have in you, even the ones you help. You know it's taken this trip for even me to really see that. I just thought that they didn't understand you, that you were just a bit unlucky, but it's not that. They haven't taken the time to see what a loving heart you have. How special you are. But hearing the way those big, tough men talk about you, seeing how Ranger looks at you and treats you – Stephie, they know. And it's done my heart good to see that. When I'm gone…."
"Grandma don't!" interrupted Steph.
Edna pulled hard on her grandbaby's hands and gave her a look.
"When I'm gone, I can be at peace knowing that you have people around you that know you and love you. But more than that, people who appreciate you. But Stephie, you have to appreciate and see this all for yourself. Will you promise me you'll try to do that?"
"I, I…..yes grandma, I promise. I don't really know how to do it, but I'll try."
Edna smiled and stroked Steph's hair.
"You'll figure it out baby girl, you'll figure it out. Now don't you go getting all weepy on me," continued Edna, not sounding as strong as she would have liked. "You'll start me off and it'll make a mess of all that nice young girl's work!"
Steph laughed the tension broken and just in time to hear Ranger come back into the suite.
"Wooeee!" cried Edna with a wink in Stephanie's direction, "your man is looking hot, hot, hot!"
Steph turned around and gulped. Ranger in any clothes was a sight for sore eyes, Ranger naked was definitely better, but Ranger in a tux was up there. For that matter Bobby and Lester didn't come off too bad either. Ram and Manny were playing bodyguard again and had black lounge suits instead of tuxes, but still looked hot – in a Secret Service kind of a way!
"Ladies, you look beautiful," started Lester turning on the full Santos thousand watt smile. He turned to Edna and presented her with a smallish box. Edna took it and opening it, smiled fondly, closing her eyes as though reminiscing.
"It's been a few years since a young man gave me one of these. I love it."
Lester helped her remove the orchid corsage from the box. Edna chose to wear it on her wrist 'so she could look at it when she wanted.'
Catching a look from Bobby, Lester took the hint and held out his arm to Edna.
"Would you do me the honour of allowing me to be your escort for dinner?"
She replied with a nod and a misty smile and took his arm.
Once alone, Ranger and Stephanie just looked at each other, the temperature in the room seeming to rise by the second. After what seemed like an age Ranger spoke.
"Stunning."
Steph smiled shyly.
"And yet there's something missing," he added.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a square box, the distinctive blue wrapping showing the Tiffany trademark. Hands trembling, Steph slowly unwrapped the box and gasped at the contents. The most gorgeous silver butterfly pendant nestled in the velvet. Ranger picked it out and put it on Stephanie. It was perfect.
"It reminded me of you – something beautiful that needs to fly."
"Ranger….."
"Shh. Now's not the time. We need to get to dinner."
ooOoo
The boys really treated grandma like a queen. They started with drinks in the hotel bar, before going through to dinner and the early cabaret show. Bobby had wanted Edna to go back to the room for an hour to rest, but for some reason tonight she was insistent that she would rather keep going and Lester backed her up. She wanted to dance! Steph watched in awe as Lester waltzed with her little grandma, and who knew that Bobby could Foxtrot? She did smile to herself when she saw him throw Ram a look that said he would never be found if he ever told anyone though. When the hour of 'formal' dancing was over, the band played more current songs and Steph found herself pressed against Ranger's chest, him holding her tightly, wishing that the moment would never end.
"Babe, sorry to break the moment but it looks like your grandma is ready to go."
Steph looked up and sure enough, Edna was looking extremely tired and Bobby a little concerned. She rushed back to the table.
"Are you alright?" she asked Edna, trying hard not to sound as concerned as she felt.
Edna smiled.
"I'm just peachy, just tired myself out. But I saw the program when we first got here in the hotel brochure and I knew they only played those old songs for an hour. If I'd have gone for a rest I would have missed them and I haven't danced for a long time."
Steph smiled back.
"Come on then, I'll get you back to the room so you can go to bed."
"Only if you promise to come back here and finish your evening. I mean it Stephanie, if you don't promise to come back I'll go up by myself."
Steph blew out a breath and agreed. Half an hour later she was back in the ballroom, dancing with Ranger, safe in the knowledge that Edna was safe with Bobby and Lester.
"How did Lester know?" she suddenly asked Ranger. "You know about the whole dancing thing?"
Ranger pulled her close and smiled.
"Apparently he and your abuela talk. He remembered her saying how she loved to dance to the Nat King Cole and Sinatra tunes of her youth. She says your grandpa was quite the mover! So Lester thought she'd like a 'date' again."
"So that's why he gave her the corsage?! But how does he know how to waltz? And Bobby foxtrot?"
Ranger chuckled.
"A mama who loves to dance. Lots of tias, sisters and cousins and not enough boys! We were taught at a young age the basics of dancing – though of course our favourites were the hotter latin dances," he said with a smile and a waggle of the eyebrows, his meaning clear.
"Can't do those with your aunts though I'll bet?" teased Steph.
Ranger visibly cringed at the thought.
"Babe, you've just planted an image or two it'll take a while to forget!"
Steph pushed in to him and looked up.
"Want me to help you try?"
ooOoo
The next day passed quietly. Edna was clearly exhausted from the previous evening and had to have a word with Ranger to ensure that Lester wasn't feeling guilty about it. She had had the best evening that she could remember for a long time but had underestimated how fatigued it would leave her. She insisted that she was happy to stay back and watch some tv and nap whilst Steph and Ranger went out. They spent a happy afternoon on the boardwalk but Steph didn't truly relax until they'd gone back to the hotel to find Edna much better than when they'd left.
They had dinner in the outdoor restaurant and an early night on Bobby's orders as tomorrow they'd be moving on and he felt Edna would really need her rest.
The next morning came and neither Edna nor Steph could believe what was actually happening.
Steph looked at the clothing that had been left out on the bed. She looked back at Ranger.
"You're not serious?" she asked completely aghast.
He just smiled.
"Oh yeah, completely."
"But grandma.."
"Why do you think Bobby was so insistent on all that rest yesterday? The trip won't be long but it could take it out of her a bit. Personally, I think she'll love it. They guys have planned this really carefully Steph – you know they won't let her do anything stupid right?"
Steph nodded. Yes, she knew that and trusted them implicitly.
"So what do you say?" pressed Ranger.
A huge smile split her lovely face.
"Let's do this!"