Tabby was more than happy to send me and Pixie back to Atlanta on our own. We had become social pariahs amongst the other girls for causing the party to get shut down and messing up everybody's money. All of them were too glad to see us get sent home as they continued on with their trip. Logan and Drake, two of the security guards had been selected to drive me and Pixie back to Atlanta. Unlike the trip from Atlanta, we did make a few rest stops on the way back. We needed to get ice for Pixie and take a couple of bathroom breaks. The men offered to get us fast food but neither of us wanted anything. Pixie slept for most of the drive and my stomach was in knots. As I looked down at the sleeping girl I envied her. Sleep eluded me both last night and today. My nerves were a wreck. I did not know these men. These guys were strangers and a little too friendly with Tabby. The fact that the guys were annoyed at having to drive us back was not missed.
My stomach began to settle and my nerves relaxed as the SUV drove into Atlanta.
"Yo man, where are you going. The hotel is that way," Logan complained.
"We are not going to the hotel right now. We need to get these two checked out first," Drake replied.
"You heard what Tabby said. We are supposed to take Blanca back to the hotel first. Then Drop Pixie back at her place," Logan insisted!
When Logan continued to drive Drake became agitated.
"Hey man, you know how Tabby gets when she is mad! I don't want to deal with that" Drake yelled.
"What do think Escobar is going to do when he finds out that Tabby took these two with her? He is not going to like the fact they end up like that. You know he would want them looked over by a doctor," Logan said.
"I'll text Doctor Morgan," Drake sighed.
"I don't need to see anyone! I just want to back to the hotel so I can get my car and go home," I protested!
"Nobody asked you what you wanted," Drake hissed.
"Yeah, you will do what you are told," Logan barked!
I didn't know these men or what they would do I challenged them. The risk of them becoming combative made me settle down and agree to their demands.
Twenty minutes later we drove into a drive way of small but elegant home.
"Get out," ordered Drake.
Pixie was still asleep with her head on my lap. When neither of us moved, Logan opened the door on his side and grabbed Pixie out of the SUV. Drake reached for me and I quickly angled out of the SUV.
"You don't have to manhandle people. She was sleeping. All you had to do was give us a minute," I complained.
Both men shoved us roughly toward the door. When it opened, an older man with kind eyes and an inviting smile was waiting.
"Hello, I'm Doctor Morgan. Pixie, Blanca, follow me this right this way.
We walked down a winding corridor and into a small clinic.
"Have seat ,Pixie," Doctor Morgan said to the nervous girl.
Her eyes were focused on Logan and Drake as she paced.
"Gentlemen , I'm going to have to ask you two to wait outside while I treat my patients," Doctor Morgan explained.
Reluctantly, the men agreed to wait in the SUV. Once they were gone Pixie exhaled and sat down. Now it was my time to pace. All I wanted was to get out there and away from Drake and Logan. The large men made me nervous . Leaving Pixie with them was not something I was comfortable with doing. I needed to figure out a way get those men to let Pixie stay with me.
"Your turn,"Doctor Morgan announce.
"Oh no, I don't need any medical treatment," I'm fine I assured him.
"You don't seem fine. Why don't you just try and relax. Those are some pretty bad bruises on your arm. The abrasions on your shoulders need to be cleaned and treated," a concerned Doctor Morgan told me. "That's quite a knot you have on the back of your head. Are you experiencing any dizziness or nausea ?"
"No! I told you I'm fine don't touch me," I snapped!
"Alright, I understand. If you experience any of the symptoms I just mentioned, please see someone," Doctor Morgan insisted.
I nodded and then he walked us out to the car.
As the SUV approached the hotel Pixie shifted nervously in her seat. When the SUV swung into the parking lot she film laced her fingers through mine.
"Can't she stay with me at the house? There is no one there and I don't want to be alone," Pixie whined.
" No, the sooner we dump her at the hotel and get you home, the sooner we can relax," Logan complained.
" You got that right. I'm tired of babysitting," Drake said.
"If you are sick of babysitting, I'll keep the girl," I offered.
"No, that's not what Tabby wanted," Drake said.
The SUV drove into the parking garage and stopped. Pixie wrapped her arms around my waist. Both doors flew open. Drake grabbed me and Logan grabbed Pixie. I was roughly thrown out of the SUV and to the ground. Drake tossed my dufflebag along with my phone out of the window. Then the two sped off with a crying Pixie.
As I lifted myself from the concrete floor of the parking garage, I realized that maybe I should have let Doctor Morgan check me out. My back and shoulders were sore. A pounding throbbing headache now had me in pain. The thought of going home to an empty house now felt so overwhelming lonely it made me want to cry. Going to Blaze's place was out of the question. If he found out about this he might reassign the case to someone else. Lorraine had always been a good friend. But she was still Blaze's mother. I knew she would take one look at me and call him. All my other friends were back in Trenton.
It was not until I picked up my phone to dial that I realize how badly I was shaking. My call was picked up on the first ring.
"Steph ?"
"Yeah, that would be me," I whispered.
"What's wrong," Bobby asked with his voice full of concern?
"I have just had a really crappy couple of days. I don't feel like being alone," I sniffled.
"Do you want to me keep you company at your place," Bobby asked?
"No, I don't feel like being there right now," I whimpered.
"Then why don't you make a trip to RangeMan and hang out with me and the guys," Bobby suggested.
"I don't want to deal with Ranger," I sighed.
"You won't have to. I will make sure of it."
"How do you plan on doing that," I asked skeptically?
"Don't you worry about that. Just let me and the guys take care of it," Bobby said confidently.
"How are you going to get me in the garage," I quizzed?
"I'm not. Lester is going to swing by and pick you up at you place,"Bobby informed me.
Lester was already waiting for me when I sped up to my building. Santos gave me his trade mark playboy grin as he opened the passenger's door for me. The silent drive went by quickly.
After we parked in the RangeMan garage Lester took out his phone and then sent a text message. He waited for a few minutes and then lead me out of the SUV. We bypassed the elevator and took the elevator to the fourth floor.
"Wait right here at the door. Bobby is on his way to get you," Lester explained as he took the stairs up to the fifth floor.
A few minutes Later, the door to the stairwell opened. Bobby wrapped an arm around my waist directed me to his apartment.
As soon as the door closed behind us, I collapsed in Bobby's arms. He held me for several minutes without saying a word.
"Are you alright Steph," Bobby asked as he sat me down on the couch?
He sat down next to me waiting for me to speak.
"Like I said,I have just had a really crappy couple of days," I cried.
"Does that have anything to do with those bruises on your arms and back," Bobby asked?
It figures that the medic would notice them right away.
"No , I mean yes. That's part of it." I sniffled.
"What happened to you, Stephanie?"
Lester and Hector rushed through the front door before I could answer Bobby's question.
"What's wrong chica," why so sad, Hector asked as he sat down next to me?
"Hey , Lester, make sure that door is locked," Bobby warned.
"Did Ranger suspect anything," Lester said to Hector?
"Not really. I told him I was going to check out the camera. He'll just think it was a glitch. "
I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. After trying to be brave for so long my emotions had worn through. I sat there with my friends and sobbed. They said nothing, offering me a box of tissues ,their support and shoulders to cry on. A loud grumble sounded from my stomach. I was sure the everyone in the room heard the noisy rumble from my empty stomach. And just like that, my tears turned to laughter. They all looked at me quietly wondering if I were finally losing my mind.
"You good Lester," asked with an eyebrow raised?
"I'm great, now that I'm with some of my best friends," I laughed.
"When is the last time you had something to eat," Bobby asked?
"Yesterday."
"I'll call Ella," Lester announced.
"I'm sorry to be so emotional guys. It's just this case that I'm working. Both my nerves and emotions are being taxed. I wasn't expecting all of this. I can handle it, but the stress of almost being arrested. Then having Joe swoop in and save me. And there is this girl, my heart is breaking for her. She needs help and I don't even think she knows it. Then there were these men that were not so nice to deal with. They threw me out of SUV! And there was the fight." My words were a jumbled rush of rambling that had the guys looking at me like I was going crazy.
"Slow down, Chica," Hector said.
"Who threw you out of a car," Bobby demanded. What men? Were they the ones you were fighting?"
"Arrested? Why? And what was Joe doing in Atlanta," a confused Lester asked?
"I was in Atlantic City when that happened, "I explained.
"When," asked Hector?
"Last night, well technically this morning."
"Okay, Steph you are going to have to slow down and start from the beginning," Bobby said.
So that just what I did. After they all had heard the entire story,everyone looked at me sympathetically.
"How about, I get my first aid kit. Then you can go back to the bedroom with me so I can look at those injuries," Bobby coaxed.
Reluctantly I agreed. Once Bobby had cleaned and bandaged my shoulders, he applied ice to the bruises on my back, arms, and head.
A familiar aroma wafted through Bobby's apartment. When I turned the corner I squealed and nearly knocked her over as I swept the Ella into my arms. "Easy dear. It good to see you too", Ella said as she hugged me.
After we ate the wonderful food Ella cooked we all of sat down to watch a movie. The quiet was interrupted when Ranger knocked on the door. Bobby waited several minutes before answering hoping Ranger would go away. When he finally did open the door Bobby stepped outside to talk with Ranger.
"That man just does not give up," Bobby complained.
From the dark room I guessed it was the middle of the night. I was tucked comfortably into bed when I woke up needing to use the restroom. As I set up I noticed unfamiliar surrounding. When looked down and realized that I was wearing an over sized RangMan T-shirt.
I padded outside the bedroom in search of the restroom. Bobby stirred from the couch.
" Hey, Steph. Do you need something" he yawned?
"Bathroom?"
Bobby pointed me in the right direction. Then he rolled over and went back to sleep.
"You fell asleep during the movie. Ella changed your clothes. I figured you could just spend the night and I'd take you home in the morning." Bobby murmured without looking at me on my way back to the bedroom.
I slid back into bed grateful for Ella ,Bobby, Hector, and even Lester. I welcomed a sleep over with friends after the day I'd been through. The stress of the day had melted away. Exhausted from the lack of sleep , I instantly fell back asleep as soon as I was under the covers.