All familiar characters belong to Janet. The rest, Olive, and any mistakes are mine.
"You need to sleep, Babe."
I'd come out of the bathroom and was expecting to see my wife lying in our bed, but it was empty. I picked up my cell off the nightstand and hunted her down. She was sitting on the couch with her laptop open. Mo's beside her with his head resting on her bare leg.
"What are you doing?" I asked even though it was obvious.
"Locating the deadbeat dad. I just got a tip that puts him in Maryland but narrowing it down to the right guy is gonna take some time. There are like fifteen people in that area with a similar name combination. But before I started on that, I added a new message to Olive's email and created a separate one for our son. There's no way I'm going to be accused of not loving my kids equally. And it's only fair that the three of them know what's going on in my head after you've been stuck bearing the brunt of it. Poor Julie is the only one of the three who's old enough to understand most of it."
"Julie loves every call, text, and message she gets from you."
"That's what she says because she's an unnaturally polite young lady and also really, really sweet."
"She's both of those and more, but she does love the relationship she has with you."
"If you say so."
"I do. You're wasting time and brain power worrying about how much you love our kids. Aside from my own mother, I doubt I've seen a more nurturing mother figure than who you've been for our daughters. Our son will find that out for himself soon enough."
"You didn't have to say all of that. I tell myself something like that every day to make sure it stays true. I never want our kids to experience what my parents and my neighborhood put me through."
"That's our job, Steph. You're not solely responsible for raising our kids."
"I know. That's why I'm with you. There's no one else I'd trust with my kids … even if your DNA mixed with mine gives us superpower, super curious, and super smart offspring."
"We're likely still not prepared for what we got ourselves into."
"Truer words have never been spoken, Batman. But now it's back to work."
I moved Mo over so I could sit beside her. "Tell me what you have so far but be warned … if you don't put yourself and your health ahead of everything else, I will take matters into my own hands."
Which is exactly what I did the next day. We got up, had breakfast, got ourselves dressed before tackling Olivia's closet. But as soon as we made it to the fifth floor … the day became anything but ordinary as one by one the women invited to the girls' day out started showing up at Rangeman after the Cole family's arrival.
"You sure you wanna turn your control room into kid central?" Kane asked, barging into my office with Harper sending my wife and I an apologetic look over his shoulder.
"Look, Olive, Uncle Kane came to play," Steph said with a straight face, even when Olivia was smiling only inches from it.
"Damn straight, I did."
"Language, Hon," Harp said.
"Yeah, hon," Kenzie repeated. "Angel can't repeat what you say yet, but Olive can. And Ranger can kick your behind because of it."
"Ranger doesn't need a reason to kick behind, Kenze," Cal told his wife.
"You all keep saying stuff like that," she said back, "but he's the really thoughtful guy who suggested you and Remy come visit so you won't have to worry about being left alone with a tiny human for a few hours."
"We would've been fine."
She stretched up in order to kiss him without jostling baby Remy. "Of course you would. But if us girls need support, and also a break once in a while, you guys probably do too. Strength in numbers and all that."
"Just make sure this 'break' stays G-rated," Kane told her with an unnecessary finger point.
"We have two pregnant ladies in our group and four that need to be home early for their kids' bedtimes. Plus, we got Ella to agree to join us for an hour or two. Hitting biker bars or male strip clubs we will not be doing. The latter would be a waste considering what we all go home to at night. You guys definitely make use of the gym here."
Steph always said Mary Lou dated and then married Lenny for his muscles more than anything else, and the look in her eyes all these years later says she's still happy with her decision. Valerie's expression is different. She loves Albert, but even Steph has confided in me that it feels like Val's still trying to respect him beyond what he's been to their children. It may be because he was hellbent on dating Stephanie until Val gave him a shot. Both Val and Kloughn seemed highly motivated by convenience.
"But from what I heard, Aideen is bringing Grandma Mazur," Lester said. "That old gal's a one-woman rave."
"Which is why we talked Mabyn and Amari into coming when they get off work," Kenzie added. "They'll keep us in check."
"Like anyone can keep you in check," Kane told her.
"Same could be said about you … and then Harper entered your life."
"Hey, Boss, that sounds like you and Steph," Santos said in my direction.
"If you have information on or video evidence of Ranger's side of the two of us meeting," Steph teased, "I could make it worth your while to share it."
"You got the polished version of it, Babe. You don't need the first draft."
"I don't mind being the judge of that."
"Maybe someday," I told her.
"Careful. You saw how your last 'someday' threat worked out … married with three-and-a-half kids."
"I've lived through worse."
She smiled. "You're about to, having to juggle Olive and Kane as soon as we all leave."
"Pray for me."
That got me a full cheek-to-cheek smile. "I will. Olive, can Mama get a goodbye kiss?"
She paused in waving a fish plush toy at Angel that Frank got because it matched the one in his tank that Olivia named 'Fibi'. "Were did Mama go bye?"
"I'm not exactly sure where I'm going yet, but I know you and Daddy will have lots of fun without me."
"Olive dos."
"You want to come with me instead of staying here with your Daddy and your friends?"
Before she answered, Kane piped up. "Hey, Olive-Pit. Your favorite Uncle Kane doesn't get to visit as often as he'd like, don't ya wanna stay here and hang out with me?"
"Olive dos Mama."
Steph fought a laugh at Kane's expression. "You should've used GodTank as the lure. Time spent with him and her Daddy she won't turn down."
Just as the women were all heading towards the door, Angelique left Olive's play corner and crawled over to me.
"Et tu, Angel?" Kane said to his daughter. "Even my baby girl is choosing someone else?"
I picked Angelique up and my eyes moved to where my ladies had stopped. Olivia let go of her Mama's hand and ran over to us.
"Mine Daddy," she said, tapping my leg as high up as she could reach.
"You could borrow Angel's Daddy," Kane tried, "if yours is busy."
"Don't take it personally," my wife advised. "There's only one Ranger, and he can't be replaced."
"I was talking about subbing for him, not replacing him."
"Good luck with that," Santos told him. "Only Tank's managed to come close."
"Until he jeopardized it by falling in love with Mabyn," Bobby added.
"You're risking a beatdown if he hears you gossiping about him," was Kane's reply.
"As fun as this enlightening glimpse into the male mind is," Kenzie said, "we have some pampering and five-star food waiting for us."
Cal's lips kicked up in a private smile. He's familiar with her unique way of moving a group along … and loves every minute of it.
"Last chance, Olive," Steph said. "Do you want to come with Mama? Or stay here with Daddy, Angel, Remy, and the Uncles … and have your own Range-baby date?"
Remy chose that moment to stretch and sneeze in his sleep, which drew my daughter's attention. "Wha da baby?"
"Remy's nose just got a tickle," Steph explained. "Like you got one … right … here." She got two hands around our baby's ticklish spots and didn't let up on the attack until Olivia was doubled over in what my wife calls a 'giggle fit'. "Okay ... my work here is now done. We can go once I get a kiss."
Olivia puckered up and after a loud lip smack, my wife came to hug me and Angel and get a second goodbye kiss, this one from me.
"Call me if you need me," I told her.
"I swore in our wedding vows I always would."
"Funny, Babe."
"Good. I was trying to be. I'll be back soon. Olive, take care of Daddy for me."
After a final round of goodbyes from Harper, Kenzie, Aubrey to their respective spouses, the core-girl gang left as quickly as they had all appeared.
Which meant Kane wasted no time taking Angelique back. "My Momma-from-marriage is gonna chew me out for not letting her babysit Angel, but I can't be a state away from Harper or the same distance away from my daughter. Either one could need me, and I wouldn't be there."
"Dude, you're sitting in a building full of security specialists," Raphael pointed out.
"Yeah … and? No one here feels the same level of commitment to protect my Harp."
"I disagree," I told him. "A Rangeman-partner is as protected as every Range Man. And if Stephanie wasn't pregnant, I'd be afraid of what she'd do in order to protect her friends."
"And don't discount what Kenzie would do to an a-hole," Cal pointed out. He shifted Remy to his shoulder, and with hands I never would have considered gentle, he slid a palm up and down his son's back. "She doesn't play when she's pissed off."
"Neither does Aubrey," Raphael added.
"You're forgetting that Atlas is gonna 'offer' to drive Amari to where the ladies are and likely won't leave without her," Santos pointed out. "He's gonna be hiding in a corner with his gun sweeping the place."
"That guy's got issues," Kane noted.
"That's interesting coming from you," I told him.
"Hey … I'm a reformed caveman. I ain't doing shit like stalking Harper with a weapon in hand."
His statement was so stupid, both of my eyebrows went up in disbelief. "Why are you here with Angel and not letting her grandmother watch her while you relax at home?"
"We're rethinking the wisdom of that decision as we speak. Aren't we, Angel?"
The eight-tooth grin Angelique gave me says she completely disagrees with her father. Thankfully, she inherited Harper's endearing traits. She's a Kane-clone in looks, but Harp in personality. Which has me believing she and Olive are going to eventually work together to take over the world. No doubt for the better these days.
"Judging by her smile, I'd say your daughter is happy here," I told Kane. "So, relax and enjoy the time with her."
"It goes by fast," Cal added. "I'm still adjusting to new things Remy does ... and I'm only a few months in."
"That's a lifelong affliction," I informed him.
"He ain't shitting you. I'm trying to get Harp to agree to a second baby but she's seeing things differently. She wants time to enjoy everything Angel does before we double the fun."
"More like triple it since she's married to you," Santos joked.
"I'm gonna laugh my f-ing keister off when you meet your match, Santos."
"I'm ready."
"No, you're not," Bobby told him. "I'm new to the game and I still don't know what and how things happened."
"Mireya's hot, no explanation needed."
"Don't make me punch you," Brown warned.
"Children, knock it off," I told them. "Take note of how Olivia, Angel, and Remy interact and follow suit ... or leave."
"I ain't going nowhere until Harp's back. So, Santos, knock it off. You ain't getting me kicked out."
"Good times," Lester told the room.
"They will be when you're in our position," Raphael told him.
"Looking forward to it. The world needs more little Lester's running around."
"Jeez, man. You made it sound like the planet now needs a condom," Kane pointed out.
"That might not be a bad idea," Brown said. "It takes a lot to make kids as awesome as the ones we have here."
I couldn't argue that point.
"So … what's the plan?" Kane asked. "We sit here and talk shit until the women return?"
"You need to get out more," I told him.
"Oh yeah? You holdin' out on me?"
"Yeah," Cal told him. "Steph's come up with some cool ways to amuse Olive during lockdown. We've exploded eggs for paintings that are hanging in her room, played with serious bubble guns Hector fabricated, we were even challenged with a makeshift 'laser' obstacle courses made with paper streamers."
"Really? Why wasn't Angel and I invited?"
"You probably were and Harp said she couldn't make it," Lester shot back.
He nodded. "Got it. I would've pulled the plug, too, if Harp wasn't coming."
"You're fine on your own, Kane," I reminded him. "Harper may soften your edges, but that's not required here."
"Keep talkin'," he told me.
I lifted Olivia into my arms and kissed her temple before speaking. "I don't need to talk, we're just going to show you what life is like here."
