Valerie and Marty talked as they cleaned the dishes after breakfast. The other men wanted to help, but Valerie needed them to start packing the house. She needed boxes and other moving supplies. The six men went to grab the supplies, leaving Marty to keep an eye on Valerie and the girls. She learned that Marty had two sisters and five nieces. He often babysat for his sisters so they could go on dates with their husbands. Valerie loved that he adored children. Marty was the perfect man.
"Did you know?" Marty asked. Valerie checked for the girls. They were in the living room talking.
"Yes. I'm not that oblivious or naive. Steve and I haven't been intimate since Bethanne started babysitting for us last year. He's been sleeping in the guest room. Mom said my mind was overthinking the situation. She said Steve worked a lot of overtime and was too tired for intimacy. Plus, I didn't want to disappoint Mom by divorcing Steve," Valerie replied.
"I got the impression you didn't know," Marty said.
Valerie laughed sardonically. "In the Burg, the women forgive their straying husbands. They focus on raising the children, cleaning the house and serving dinner by six," Valerie replied. She shook her head. "Renting a room in Ignore Motel in Denial Land is common and encouraged."
Marty chuckled. "Denial Land and Ignore Motel?"
"You ignore the dalliances and pretend it never happened. It's a way of hiding from reality to maintain the image projected to the neighbours of a perfect life," Valerie explained.
"Val, please cancel your reservation."
Valerie tapped his cheek with a wet, soapy hand. "Done," she joked. "Marty?"
"Yes, Val?"
"I signed the divorce petition," Valerie replied. Marty swung Valerie around and pressed his lips to hers. "Oh my God," Valerie thought. "Fireworks."
Angie and Mary Alice's argument forced them to break the kiss. Marty kissed Valerie's nose before monitoring the girls from a distance. He had sisters and nieces and knew how fast it went from harsh words to throwing things. Valerie smiled when she realized where Marty was going. Steve never got involved with the girls' arguments. He left all the child rearing to Valerie.
"Where are we going to live?" Mary Alice asked, running into the kitchen. Valerie could hear Marty talking to Angie, asking her to pack the stuff she didn't need for school.
"With Grandpa and Grandma until we find a house," Valerie replied, drying her hands on the dish towel. "I'm not allowed to spend the money until the courts give me permission." Roger King advised Valerie to only spend what she needed to pay the bills and buy groceries. The girls only had a few weeks of school left and wouldn't miss much if they moved to Trenton.
Mary Alice looked defeated. She didn't want to live with her grandparents. Her Grandma Helen kept making her angry. "It's only for a few weeks," Valerie said. "You and Angie have to share Aunt Stephie's old room. I need you to pack your things."
Grumbling, Mary Alice went to her bedroom to grab her horses. Valerie smiled when Marty followed Mary Alice upstairs. Mary Alice shoved clothes in the suitcase, then gently laid her horses among the fabric. Marty watched from the doorway. "Do you mind if I come in?" he asked. Mary Alice shook her head. Marty entered the room, leaving the door open. He grabbed the chair from her desk and sat. "What's wrong, sweetie?"
"I don't want to live with Grandma Helen," Mary Alice said while packing her horses. "She's mean to me."
"How is she mean?" Marty asked. He listened as Mary Alice described her last encounter visiting Trenton and the family the previous Christmas. Marty wanted to throttle the woman for forcing Mary Alice to behave like a young lady when she was a tomboy. There was nothing wrong with the child. She should be encouraged to use her imagination. "Do you want a Barbie or a doll?"
Mary Alice glared at him. "No," she snapped.
"Hmm. How about a cowgirl?" Marty asked, piquing Mary Alice's interest. He smiled at the girl. His niece would have gone for the cowgirl too. Marty grabbed his phone and typed the closest toy store name in the browser. Mary Alice moved closer. Valerie peeked inside the room to see why they stopped talking.
"I like her," Mary Alice said.
"Jessie from the Toy Story movie?" Marty asked. She nodded. Valerie smiled. Her mom would accept the cowgirl toy as a doll. "I'll send the details to Ram. He'll pick it up for you. But you have to live with your Grandma Helen for two weeks or until your mom finds a house."
"Deal. Thank you," she said, hugging Marty. Valerie clutched her throat. Marty was good with the girls, especially Mary Alice. She needed someone on her side. It wasn't that Valerie didn't stand up for her youngest daughter because she did. Valerie knew her mother got influenced by the Burg and set in her ways. Marty caught Valerie's eye and winked.
~~~~~
Lester felt restless. He needed something to do besides watching the monitors. "Santos," Ranger called. Junior slipped into the abandoned seat at the desk.
"Am I going in the field?" Lester asked.
"No," Ranger replied. He opened the bottom drawer of his desk to remove the bag. "I want you to go upstairs to relieve Hector from duty. He worked halfway through the night to recover the money stolen from Valerie."
"Wasn't he supposed to meet with Tito?" Lester asked.
"He went on the date, but returned early when Tito realized Hector was trying to recover stolen funds," Ranger replied.
"I'm happy for Hector. He found himself a good man," Lester said. "Is Tito dropping by after his shift?"
"Probably. Stephanie invited him for dinner. I think it's her way of getting Tito to spend the night. It was unnecessary since Tito and Hector had rescheduled their date for tonight," Ranger replied, amused by his wife's actions. She was a romantic at heart. Stephanie wanted Tito and Hector to have an intimate dinner. However, they didn't know about her plans.
"Where are they having their date?" Lester asked. He wondered what Stephanie planned for their friend.
"Luis added a table and chairs on the roof. He's stringing twinkle lights," Ranger said. "We can take a look later." Ranger passed the bag to Lester, who opened it and laughed.
"Sweet. I'm going to kick her ass," Lester said. "Thanks, man. I needed this distraction."
"I know. Talk to Stephanie. She's a good listener," Ranger kindly said. Lester nodded, then left Ranger's office. He bounded up the stairs, excited to spend time with Stephanie. Ranger watched the cameras as Lester ran off the extra energy. He sent Stephanie a text message, informing her of the change in her company.
Stephanie grinned, then showed Hector the message. "I wonder what Lester has planned," Stephanie said as she threw the knife at the enlarged image of Morelli's face. She pierced his left nostril.
"Probably a video game," Hector replied. "What are you planning?"
She rested her head on his shoulder, then tossed a knife at Morelli, hitting the scar above his eye. "Sweet," Stephanie cheered, waving her arms above her head. Hector smiled at the entertaining woman. "Tito and your dinner date. I got everything ready on the roof, but you should tell Ella what to make."
"Thank you," Hector said after kissing her cheek. "I'll pick up my favourites."
"He'll be here at seven. Don't upset him by being late," Stephanie warned. "Hec, thank you for teaching me to throw knives. You've kept me sane."
"De nada," he replied. "I'll do anything for you."
"Back atcha," Stephanie said, winking. Stephanie slipped off the bed and followed Hector to the living room as Lester knocked on the door. Lester's grin made Stephanie happy. He looked depressed the previous night.
Hector hugged Stephanie and warned Lester to behave. Stephanie giggled when Lester gulped. She reached for the bag in Lester's hand. "Uh uh. You're not allowed to lift anything more than ten pounds, but nothing for another week," Lester reminded her. Stephanie rolled her eyes. She carried the laptop around.
"Is that heavier than ten pounds?" Stephanie asked, narrowing her eyes.
"No, but you missed the point. We don't want you to lift or carry anything for another week," Lester replied, unwilling to cave. "Take a seat while I set everything up."
Stephanie watched Lester connect everything to the hub Hector installed for the additional devices. He said it was easier than removing the television from the wall to connect them. She clapped her hands when Lester set up the Wii U. "What game?" Stephanie asked.
Lester held up the case for Mario Kart 8. "It came out last month. I can't believe how much they charge for these," Lester replied, shaking his head. "Do you want the steering wheel or the remote?"
"The steering wheel. Do you have two?" Lester looked inside the bag to remove the boxes. He held up two steering wheels. "Sweet. Who do I thank for this pleasure?" Stephanie asked.
"Your husband," Lester replied.
His response surprised Stephanie. Carlos wasn't the type to waste money on frivolous gaming systems. She knew Bobby and Lester had an Xbox and Hector had a PlayStation. "Why would Carlos invest in a Wii U?" Stephanie asked, putting batteries into the Wii remotes and hooking them into the steering wheels.
"He figured it would get me to tell you my story," Lester confessed. "I'm not ready to talk."
"That's okay. I'm curious, but I'll never hound you for details. We'll play the game," Stephanie offered. She didn't want Lester to feel uncomfortable. "All right. I've got Yoshi."
"Princess Peach," Lester announced. He waggled his eyebrows. "She has the best moves in the games."
"You're such a guy," Stephanie said, smacking his arm.
Stephanie and Lester raced their characters around the track. It didn't take her long to catch onto using the steering wheel device. She cut off Lester, making him explode on the bomb she dropped behind the car. Stephanie giggled when she crossed the finish line. "Shit, Steph. Bobby and I need to get you an Xbox and some games. We could use your skill on our team," Lester said. "When did you become a gamer?"
"I hung out at the arcade with my friends during high school," Stephanie replied, shrugging. It wasn't a big deal. She only played the video games for an hour before she got bored.
"That sounds like fun. When I was in high school, I spent my time with Lydia. We were best friends since I moved to Miami. She was funny and smart. I knew she'd make something out of life," Lester said. He shook his head.
"Can you describe her?" Stephanie asked, cutting Lester off and making his car spin. She grinned when he nudged her shoulder. "If you can't handle my driving, stay out of my way."
"You're a cutthroat player. I like it," Lester said. Lester's character, Princess Peach, recovered. He sped down the track, chasing Yoshi's car. Stephanie stuck out her tongue, then took a shortcut she heard about from Davin. "What the fuck? Have you played this game before?"
"No. How could I have?" Stephanie replied, then laughed. "Ram bought the game when it got released. He told me about the shortcut."
"And you didn't think to share it with me?" Lester asked. He narrowed his eyes as he tried to catch the spot but crashed.
"I just did," Stephanie said. Her laughter filled the apartment. "Man, that was so much fun." Stephanie crossed the finish line in second place. Buster, a computer-generated player, was first. Princess Peach was fifth. "What's the score?"
"As if you don't know," Lester replied. "You won five games in a row. I only won the first round."
"It's dumb luck," Stephanie said.
"Whatever. I'm not buying that excuse," Lester teased. "Lydia had strawberry blond hair and hazel eyes. She was funny and smart. You remind me of her." Lester was silent for a few minutes.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Lester. What happened to her?" Stephanie gently asked. She touched his arm, letting Princess Peach pass Yoshi in the game.
"Lydia started dating a family friend. His parents and her parents had known each other since they were children. The parents grew up in the same social circle and attended the same charity balls for the wealthy. Patrick was Lydia's date for her coming-of-age cotillion. Lydia was a debutante."
"Wow. That's a deep friendship," Stephanie said.
"It was. Lydia got married after my first tour. I was her man of honour," Lester said with a chuckle. Stephanie wondered if Lester wore a dress as a joke. "No, Steph. I wore a suit. The groom, Patrick, had his best friend, Allison, as his best woman. It was an unusual wedding party, but it worked for them. Lydia and Patrick were in love. I was happy for my friend, though I secretly hated Patrick. Something about him seemed a bit shady."
Stephanie could see the story playing out. His anger regarding Steve taking all of Valerie's money made sense. "Lester, did Lydia get her inheritance after marrying Patrick?" Stephanie asked, whispering the question. She wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Yes, Stephanie, she did. Patrick signed a prenuptial agreement, and I thought Lydia was safe. He'd get nothing if he cheated or divorced her within the first ten years of marriage. Lydia didn't know Patrick put hidden cameras all over their house. He got her access codes to her accounts, and he slowly siphoned money from her account. Lydia never noticed since her accountant, Patrick's father, Kent, managed the finances."
"Wait!" Stephanie interrupted. "You said Kent managed her account. So why did she have to access them?"
"Ah. You caught on to that. Kent asked Lydia to verify her account information and approve automatic payments for bills. She checked the details for a few months before leaving the finances to Kent," Lester explained.
"Okay. Thanks for clearing that up. You may continue," Stephanie said. She raced Yoshi around the track and forced Princess Peach to smash into Mario, another computer-generated player. Lester groaned.
"Lydia gave birth to their daughter on their first anniversary. Sandra was a beautiful baby. Patrick seemed distant. He didn't want a child. Once the money was gone, the bank took her house. She moved back home, but her parents refused to help her financially. Lydia was ruined," Lester said. Stephanie removed the remote from his hand and wrapped her arms around his chest. She felt the tears hitting her arms. "By then, Patrick and Allison took off for parts unknown. They took Sandra from her mother. Lydia… she…," he couldn't say the words.
"Lester, you need to say it," Stephanie whispered.
"Her parents found her dead on her bed. Lydia took her life with his Dear Jane letter clutched in her hands," Lester said, sobbing between the words. "I lost my best friend and the only woman I loved."
"Oh, Lester. I'm so sorry. Were you able to find Patrick or the baby?"
"No. I've been searching for Patrick and Sandra for years," Lester replied.
"Have you looked for Allison?" I asked.
"We found Allison. She was found dead in an alley a year after Lydia's death. Her son with Patrick went missing. She was pregnant at the wedding." Stephanie shook, afraid Patrick was the mysterious man selling children and killing their mothers. "Steph, are you okay?" Lester asked. He rubbed her arms. Stephanie didn't respond. Lester called Ranger to come upstairs.
Ranger rushed upstairs, worried Stephanie hurt herself from playing the video game. He entered the apartment and saw Stephanie sitting with Lester. Her face was empty of emotion and colour. "Babe," Carlos said, kneeling on the floor. He touched her legs, then cupped her face between his hands.
The haze blocking Stephanie's mind cleared. "Carlos," she whispered.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Lester told me about Lydia. I think Patrick is the man I saw in my dream," Stephanie replied. "Do you have a picture?" Lester called Bobby to grab the photo album from his apartment.
Bobby arrived a few minutes later. Stephanie drank the glass of water Lester grabbed from the kitchen. "Babe, are you sure about this?" Carlos asked. Stephanie nodded because it was necessary to see Patrick's face.
Lester's hands shook as he flipped through the photo album to find the best photograph. "Here's a picture of Lydia and Patrick," Lester said.
Stephanie looked at Patrick's photo. She covered her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Babe?" Carlos asked. Stephanie's shoulders shook as she cried. "Is it him?"
Bobby saw Stephanie's face turn green. He passed her the garbage pail, where she emptied her stomach of the snacks she shared with Lester. "Sorry," she cried. Bobby gave Stephanie a damp cloth to wipe her face. "The man looks similar. They have the same eyes and cheekbones, but the chin is different. More square as if he had plastic surgery or broke his jaw."
Lester snapped a picture with his phone. Then he used a photo editing app to change the face according to Stephanie's description. "Steph, is this the man you saw in the dream?" Carlos asked, showing her the edited photograph.
"Yes." Stephanie stared over Bobby's shoulder to stare at the television. She wanted to return to the game and forget about Patrick.
Bobby looked over his shoulder and noticed the game on the television. "Who played Yoshi?" he asked. Lester pointed to Stephanie. "You kicked Lester's ass by playing Yoshi?" Stephanie nodded.
"I told Steph we'd buy her an Xbox and the games to join our online team," Lester said.
"Hell to the yes," Bobby shouted, making Stephanie laugh.
"Thanks for taking my mind off things, guys. Lester, I'm really sorry about Lydia. Don't let her death stop you from living."
"Okay," Lester whispered. He rested his head on Stephanie's shoulder. Stephanie touched his cheek with her fingers, wiping away the tears. "Thanks, Steph," Lester said before moving off the couch.
"Carlos, I'm fine. Thank you for pulling me out of the darkness inside my mind. You and Bobby can return to work. I want to beat Lester a few more times," Stephanie said. Carlos stared into her eyes to ensure she was okay. Stephanie saw the love shining through to his soul. Her heart filled with love for Carlos. She loved him more than ever. "I love you."
"I love you too, Babe," Carlos whispered. Carlos kissed Stephanie before leaving the apartment with Bobby.
"You'll have that one day, Lester."
"I pray you're right."