Everybody familiar belongs to Janet. Mistakes are solely mine. I wanted to say a quick 'Thank You' to readers, reviewers, and 'Guest' reviewers for sticking with me despite my posting being a little less ... predictable. :)
"Mr. Manoso?"
"Speaking," I told the caller.
"I'm sorry to bother you. This is Layla Rajos, the principal at Olivia's preschool. I'm calling because we have a situation."
My blood ran cold, and my heart stopped beating. "Is she …?"
Thankfully, I didn't have to finish visualizing any of the scenarios my mind had started to form. "Oh, little Olivia is doing great. This morning she was teaching her class how to get rid of under-the-bed monsters. Her teacher said it was like watching a scene from Ghostbusters except with a toddler cast."
"The original is her mother's favorite movie, and we did have a brief monster issue. Showing Olivia that they are harmless and can be convinced to leave, put an end to that phase rather quickly."
"I wish I'd had that knowledge to pass onto my sister and nephew. He was being tormented for weeks by a stubborn monster who hung around. Anyway, the reason I'm calling is I caught two exceptionally large men loitering on school grounds. They claim to be Olivia's security detail, that they work for you."
"They do. I own a security firm and the only way my wife and I could feel comfortable with our daughter being in a school not run by people I know personally, is to have a few of my men protecting the building and my daughter who is inside it. Rest assured; active shooter drills will not be necessary. My people will neutralize the threat long before it can reach the doors of your school."
I'd expected an immediate reaction consisting of a stern order to remove Hal and Junior from school property, but I was met with silence instead.
"The safety of the children placed in my care is at the forefront of my mind every minute of every day," she finally said.
"I would hope so."
"I'm not saying every parent will be comfortable with this arrangement, so if you could instruct your people not to approach any of the children or their parents it could prevent unnecessary objections from arising."
"They're there to do a job," I told her. "They aren't going to cause problems. The only child they're authorized to interact with is mine."
"Alright. I feel reassured … for now."
"If you receive any complaints or have any further concerns, I'm available 24/7 to deal with them. Olivia has been enjoying her first week of preschool, I don't want anything or anyone to jeopardize something she's excited about."
My wife stuck her head in my door, saw that I'm on the phone, and just shook her car keys at me to let me know she's leaving to go pick up our daughter. I gestured for her to come into my office with two fingers. Her eyebrows shot up, but she moved to sit in the chair opposite my desk.
"I appreciate your cooperation on this matter," Ms. Rajos said. "I hope we'll be speaking in the future only about Olivia and how well she's adjusting to her time at our school."
"I feel confident that will be the case. If not, you know how to reach me."
I disconnected and met Steph's curiosity head on. "Talking to other women when I'm not around," she teased.
She understands that my dick and heart are hers alone, so I know she's feeling playful. "In a manner of speaking. That was Olivia's principal."
"Shit. Don't tell me Olive's taking after me when it comes to disrupting class or causing trouble in it. I was expecting your overachieving genes to take over in this department."
"Ms. Rajos noticed Hal and Junior were hanging out on the property."
She smiled. "They are kinda hard to miss."
"They're going to be pissed that they were 'made'."
"If they are, I'll cheer them up by thanking them for volunteering to protect our baby. Are we in trouble for putting the school under surveillance without telling anybody?"
"Not yet. If anything, I believe we're taking a weight off her shoulders. She may want to protect the kids attending her school, but Hal and Junior can actually do it."
"You're not helping me relax about Olive being in someone else's care."
"I wouldn't have approved this school if I believed it was unsafe."
"I know. This is more about my mommy nerves than anything else. I'm getting better."
"That's why you still leave early to get Olivia?"
"What can I say, I'm so good at what I do … I get my skip or info about one faster than expected. So ... I can leave whenever I want to."
"I can say the same. I'll drive."
"You don't have to alter your schedule just because I'm paranoid," she told me.
"You're not paranoid, Babe. You're a realist, with real life experience in regard to what can happen to you at the hands of others."
"Yeah, there is that. But that shouldn't affect you."
I got up from my chair and walked towards the door. "Everything about my daughters and my wife affects me."
"But …" she began.
"Steph, our son is brushing the steering wheel."
Her eyes narrowed. "You try being a baby condo and see how compact you are."
"I'm not commenting on your size, I'm trying to say that I worry about you being in an accident without you brushing me off as just overprotective. The first thing you'll hit is your stomach against the wheel. I'm not going to ask you to stop driving, I just want you to let me do it when I'm able to."
"You make it hard to get angry at you."
I lowered my head to hers and kissed her. "I know," I said against her lips. "I also want to soak up every moment I have alone with you before we begin the newborn in the house days all over again."
"Funny, that's why I'm not arguing about you coming with me. I like these daily reminders that our relationship started as a friendship so our marriage should survive us being parents."
"It has to," I informed her as I locked up the office. "There isn't another option."
"You like me," she stated.
"I do."
"You did the 'I do' stuff years ago," Bobby said, overhearing us. "What's bringing up the repeat?"
"Ranger wanted to tag along when I picked up Olive. He likes hanging out with me."
"Ah, and that's where the wedding vow agreement comes it," Bobby noted.
"Yup."
"I'm not on call right now. I can pick her up if you guys want to kick back and relax here," he offered.
My wife smiled at Brown in a way that hinted at her response. "We really appreciate that, but I've been given a bonus reason to enjoy today's pickup."
Bobby's eyes flicked to me. "The principal of Olivia's preschool discovered Hal and Junior's presence," I explained.
His grin was expected. "I take it he or she wasn't pleased?" He asked.
"Not at first," I replied, moving with my wife towards the elevator. "But she warmed up to the idea surprisingly fast when I pointed out the benefits of having them on hand."
"That'll do it. Seems like every public place needs us these days."
I can't disagree with him. It's hard to admit as the owner of a security firm that the world as a whole feels unsafe and more unsettled.
"I know I appreciate the extra eyes," Steph told us. She cringed with her entire body as her words sank in. "I never thought I'd say I like being monitored."
"You mean 'watched over', Babe," I corrected. "You're important to everyone here, and we all want to ensure that you remain safe."
"That our kids remain okay is how I'm looking at it," she told us.
"That's also non-negotiable," I assured her.
"I saw Frank a little while ago," Bobby said, steering the conversation towards less doomsday content. "You can tell Olive that he has a new weird-colored fish he thinks she'll love."
"If Frank gets any more enthusiastic about this hobby," I said to them, "I'm going to start selling tours of his apartment."
"Don't mind, Ranger. He thinks he's funny. That news will make Olive's day," Steph told him. "Do you need anything while we're out? A coffee or something?"
He gave her a knowing grin. "You miss it, don't you?"
"Every day, but our little guy needs all the advantages I can give him. No caffeine is the least I can do for his growing little body."
"I think he'll be okay," Brown stated as we got into the elevator.
"I hope so," Steph said before the doors closed.
The drive to Olivia's school continues to feel overly long when we're going to get her, yet far shorter every time we drop her off in the morning. The moments before we leave our daughter, versus the minutes until we get her back inspire very different emotions.
Hal knew we were incoming and met our vehicle.
"We heard you got challenged," Steph said to him.
Hal's face turned beet red. "Yeah. The principal is cute, but her glare is almost as scary as yours."
"Good. I want someone who can hold her own being in charge of things here."
"Is there any conflict of interest if one of Olive's honorary Uncles asks out someone who works at her school?" Junior asked me.
As my wife sensed a story and focused solely on Junior, I took note of how Hal's eyes shot to his partner. He wasn't happy.
"Are you going to ask Ms. Rajos out?" Steph asked Junior. "You can. I read the background checks Ranger ran on members of the school faculty and they said she's not married."
"I wouldn't mind trying, but I was asking for Hal," Junior replied. "She was pissed that we were here, but I picked up on an undercurrent of something between the two of them even as she was demanding to know what we're doing here."
"Jeez, Hal. Take a breath," my wife advised. "If you get any redder, I'm calling 911 and telling them that you're about to stroke out. It's not a big deal if you like someone."
"It was a huge deal when anyone pointed out that you liked the Boss," Junior reminded her.
"That's different."
"How?" I asked, curious to what she'd answer.
"You're you and I was just Stephanie-the-screw up at the time. Hal's awesome and any woman would be lucky to know him. And as weird as this is to say, I have a feeling this principal is one I'm going to like the more I see her."
I made sure Hal was looking at me before I spoke. "If this is something you do decide to pursue, do not do or say anything I'll have to kick your ass over."
Any lingering color caused by embarrassment immediately fled his complexion.
"Good job, Batman," Steph teased. "He's gone from almost having a stroke to possibly passing out from fear."
"I wouldn't do anything to need a beatdown," Hal finally got out.
"I know," I told him. "That's why I said it. As I tell Stephanie almost daily, I'm as lucky to have her in my life as she claims she is to have me. Anyone you're serious about will likely feel the same way."
"With those words of wisdom, we'll go get our daughter and leave you guys alone," Steph said, curling her arm around mine and tugging me towards the entrance of the school. "If you want to talk before or after you ask her out, Hal, we're here for you."
"You couldn't resist prodding Hal, could you?" I said when it was just the two of us.
"I like to call it being supportive. You have your way of helping the Rangeguys and I have mine."
Like everything else about my wife … her support, help, advice, or whatever you choose to call it is unique.
"Mama! Dada! Come look at me!" Olive called when she saw us walk into her classroom.
Not trusting us to move fast enough, she grabbed each of our hands and pulled us towards a wall where a number of pictures were pinned to it.
"I did dat one," she explained, pointing to a yellow paper that had a simplistic drawing of a woman who is wearing a glued-on skirt made from autumn leaves that have recently begun to fall.
"Wow," Steph exclaimed. "Good job. Looks like you gave her a princess skirt. The bunny ears are a nice touch. Nobody has to be only one thing."
"It's nice to hear that creativity is welcome in your home," Olivia's teacher said to us.
"It's pretty much required," my wife answered. "We're outside the box thinkers."
"I learned that this morning during our impromptu monster removal drill."
"We were told about that," I added. "I hope it didn't cause too big of a disruption."
Ms. Dervis waved off the concern. "It was an unexpected change of pace and subjects. I try to keep activities interesting for the kids, but I was unaware of how many of them would appreciate being able to banish monsters themselves."
Steph nudged me. "Our daughter just saved her entire class from a potential monster invasion. We're doing something right."
"Or very wrong," I deadpanned. "The verdict will be in tomorrow if we hear from unamused parents."
Steph ignored me and went willingly to where Olivia tugged her next. I now understand my wife's early pickup plan. She has to factor in whatever our daughter wants to show her or us before we leave for home.
We said our goodbyes ten minutes later and a call came from the building we were still halfway to reaching. I hit the button on the steering wheel and Gene's voice filled the Cayenne.
"Hey, Boss. Raphael wanted me to let you know that Santos is taking over his evening shift for him. He and Aubrey are at the hospital."
"She's having contractions?" I asked him, recalling the conversation I'd had with Raphael this morning about Aubrey feeling especially uncomfortable throughout the night.
"I guess. He said their Doc told them to head to the hospital … and he wasn't about to question it."
"Did Raphael sound okay?" Steph asked him.
"I'd say he's a little nervous, but don't tell him I said that."
"I'll drop Steph and Olivia off at home and then I'll go check on them," I said to Gene.
"Everybody here is waiting for the go-ahead to visit."
"I'll let him know."
I disconnected and knew what was coming. My wife doesn't want to get dropped off. She wants to come with me and see for herself that Raphael and Aubrey are doing well and are in good hands.
My daughter being my daughter came to my rescue. "We getta play, Mama," she declared from the backseat.
My wife sighed in defeat before turning back to smile at our baby. "That's right, Olive. Mama missed you when you were busy having lots of fun at school. While Daddy finds out if Uncle Raphael is a daddy yet, you and I are having lunch together so you can tell me about your day. And then we'll spend some time with the new fish Grandpa Plum wants to show you before your Abuela and Abuelo come over."
Stephanie says she's not on the same skill level as I am, but I disagree. She is good when she wants something bad enough.
She turned back to me. "I'm okay with being left at home, but I am calling in the grandparents. Once they show up, I'm gonna be right behind you."
"I'd already planned to call Tank and have him on standby for whenever you're ready to go."
The words were true even before I said them. Wherever I am, my wife is with me … in my thoughts, by my side, or right behind me.
