Stephanie felt the electricity shift as Carlos moved closer. It engulfed her as he gently touched Stephanie's shoulder. "Are you injured?" she yelled over the noise of the chopper blades. Stephanie glanced over her shoulder to see him shake his head. She felt relieved.
"Tank and Jag got tagged," he replied after grabbing the headset to hear and communicate with Stephanie. "Lester got shot in the thigh, and Tank got stabbed in the abdomen. Our target was waiting for us. We got ambushed."
"Did you neutralize the man?" Stephanie asked. She wondered how Ram and Ranger built the raft to escape. Two men could quickly construct it, but it sounded like they were under heavy fire upon arrival.
"Yes," he answered. Stephanie sensed there was more to the story. Ranger wasn't allowed to discuss the mission with her and Zip. However, he wanted Stephanie to remain safe. Ranger sat in the copilot's seat, leaving Zip free to pack away the supplies. He rested a hand on Stephanie's thigh, needing to touch her. Stephanie felt the heat of his emotions through the fabric of her fatigues. Carlos missed his wife. Stephanie, being their extraction pilot, made him realize she wasn't pregnant.
They landed at the Miami Air Force base. Carlos removed his headset when they touched down. He waited for Stephanie to remove her headset and chastely kissed her. Ranger and his team moved to the plane, waiting to fly them to Georgia. Stephanie was only part of the extraction team. She couldn't travel to Georgia with the others.
Zip helped Stephanie clean the equipment from the chopper. "How bad was it?" Stephanie asked Zip, referring to Lester's and Tank's injuries. She wore rubber gloves as she cleaned the blood off the floor. They had maintenance staff to handle the task, but Stephanie refused to leave a mess behind.
"Lester got shot in the thigh. The bullet hit his femur. Bobby was able to remove the bullet and said Lester was lucky it didn't shatter the bone or embed deep," Zip replied. "The medic has to clear him before returning to duty."
"And Tank? Ranger said he got stabbed," Stephanie asked, tossing the bloody wipes into the biohazard bag she asked Bobby to leave behind. Stephanie would take it to the infirmary for Bones to dispose of it. "How did they build the raft?"
"Whoever went after Ranger and the others left the raft and didn't have enough time to hide it. Lester thought it was the cosmos giving them a way to escape. Tank was lucky the knife didn't hit any major arteries or organs. Ranger applied the pressure bandage to the injury, preventing Tank from bleeding. Bobby stitched him up. They'll visit the infirmary when they arrive at the base. Stephanie, there's something else you need to know. Tank and Lester got injured to protect Ranger. Someone is gunning for your husband. Ranger said nothing, but he's worried about your safety."
"I know. Especially since we think his brother is behind everything," Stephanie replied. Stephanie expressed her concerns about Javier and the intel Jeanne Ellen shared about his shoulder wound. She concentrated on her task while Zip told Stephanie about the girl he met the previous weekend.
"Are you sure it's not just a coincidence with Javier?" Zip asked when they drove to Rosa's house. Stephanie extended a dinner invitation to her partner. It was their tradition after a mission. Rosa loved cooking for guests.
Stephanie rolled her eyes. Zip smiled at his partner and friend. "I don't believe in coincidences, and neither does Ranger. We know Javier is undermining Ranger in the field. We're trying to determine why he's using Ranger's name. Sure, there's the greed angle, but there has to be another reason besides money and jealousy," Stephanie explained, uncertain she adequately described the situation.
Zip gave Stephanie something to consider. "Maybe Javier's trying to step into Ranger's shoes and believes he deserves Ranger's life. Was Ranger the favourite son?"
"No. That was Javier. Ranger got into a lot of trouble when he was younger," Stephanie replied. Zip never asked what Ranger had done. He knew Stephanie wouldn't share the details because it wasn't her story.
Stephanie pondered that Javier got jealous when Carlos got shipped to Miami to live with their Abuela Rosa. It wasn't an easy time for Carlos. Abuela Rosa had strict rules she demanded Carlos to follow. He wasn't allowed to hang out with friends after school. Carlos had to go home to help Rosa prepare dinner. She forced him to sit at the table and complete his homework. Carlos couldn't get away with anything. He had confessed to Stephanie that it was worse than living at home. Eventually, Carlos smartened up and embraced his time with Abuela Rosa.
Zip parked in the driveway. He exited the car at the same time as Stephanie. Rosa opened the door as they stepped onto the porch. Stephanie smiled at her grandmother by marriage. "Are you feeling okay, Estephania?" Rosa asked.
"I'm good," Stephanie replied. She followed Rosa into the house. "Something smells delicious."
"I made empanadas," Rosa said. "You barely ate before you left for your mission. Sit. Eat." Rosa directed Stephanie and Zip to the dining room. She had the food on the table, waiting for Stephanie and Zip to eat.
Stephanie loaded her plate. She loved the flavours and couldn't get enough to eat. The food tasted better than usual, as though her palate had become sensitive to the spices. Scents and aromas were more prominent. Stephanie couldn't understand why her senses changed.
"These are amazing," Stephanie said, speaking around the food in her mouth. She wiped the sauce from her lips. Rosa watched Stephanie. Something seemed different about the woman. In time, Rosa would know the reason.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Zip asked when Rosa collected the dishes. Rosa carried the plates to the kitchen, placing them in the dishwasher. She grabbed the chocolate cake off the counter.
"I have a meeting at the City Hall in the morning. They want to discuss the zoning permit for Rangeman," Stephanie replied. "I gave them the details, but the mayor insisted on seeing the engineered drawings before ruling on the change from business to a combination of business and residential."
"Why don't you just do what you want with the building without consulting the city?" Zip asked.
Stephanie took a drink of the iced tea Rosa made before explaining her reasons to Zip. "We could, but everything has to be above reproach. Our reputations are on the line. How we proceed here will determine the future of expanding Rangeman to other cities. I've been negotiating with the city for weeks. The mayor was kind enough to reschedule when I couldn't meet him today. We have a meeting in Trenton next week. Hopefully, Lester and Tank can travel with us."
"Are you going home to visit the family?" Zip asked.
"We're only in the city for one day. I'll see Uncle Joe for sure, Kyle and Jeanne Ellen if we have time, but not my mom," Stephanie replied. "Kyle and Jeanne moved into my house. They're saving money to purchase their own home."
"And keeping up with the maintenance," Zip assumed.
"Yes. It's a win-win scenario," Stephanie laughed. Rosa brought a chocolate cake to the table. Stephanie wrinkled her nose. The scent of sweet chocolate didn't appeal to her. Rosa smiled and carried the dessert back to the kitchen. She cut the cake into wedges and sealed them in plastic bags to store in the freezer.
"Nieta, I know what's wrong," Rosa said when reappearing at the dining room table. (Granddaughter).
"What do you mean?" Stephanie asked.
"You're pregnant," Rosa replied.
Shaking her head, Stephanie said, "No. The medic took a blood sample, which was negative for pregnancy."
"It was probably too soon for the hormones to show in your body," Rosa said. "Do you have tender breasts and cramps in your hips?" Stephanie nodded. Rosa hugged Stephanie and congratulated her.
"But I can't be pregnant. The test was negative," Stephanie insisted.
"Give it a few days," Rosa said. She hummed as she finished carrying the dishes to the kitchen.
Zip said goodbye to Rosa and Stephanie after Rosa declined his assistance cleaning the dishes. He grinned as Stephanie locked the door behind him. Getting into his car, he decided to stop by the pharmacy to purchase pregnancy tests for Stephanie.
For the next five mornings, Stephanie peed on the stick. Carlos came home while she waited for the results from the fifth test. Stephanie thought Carlos would meet her at home in Ewing Township the following day, but he surprised her by visiting Rosa's house. "Why are you here?" Stephanie asked after washing her hands.
"Zip said you needed me here," Carlos replied. He peeked over her shoulder and saw the pregnancy test on the vanity. "Well?"
Stephanie checked her watch. "We have one more minute to wait," she replied. Unable to wait, Carlos gently moved Stephanie to the side to read the test.
"Babe, we're pregnant." Stephanie was stunned. She wasn't expecting to receive a positive result.
"We should wait until the medic verifies it before telling my handler," Stephanie warned.
Carlos tossed Stephanie over his shoulder and carried her down the stairs. "Abuela, Steph and I are going out for a few hours. We'll be home for lunch," Carlos said as he left the house with Stephanie slapping his ass, demanding to be put down. He didn't set Stephanie on her feet until they reached the car.
"It's about time you put me down," Stephanie teased. "Let's get this over with. You know how much I hate getting blood tests."
Carlos drove to the Air Force base in silence. They parked in the assigned spot and walked to the infirmary building. Bones smiled when Stephanie entered his office. "What can I do for you today?" Bones asked.
"A test to confirm my pregnancy. General Buckingham needs it for the file," Stephanie replied. Bones grinned as he gathered the supplies. He took too long for Stephanie's liking, but the needle's prick in her arm was all she had to endure for the moment. The worst part would be waiting for Bones to run the test. Since he didn't have to send it to a lab, Bones had the results within the hour.
"Congratulations, Stephanie. You are pregnant. I'm sending a copy of the results to General Buckingham," Bones announced. "You're officially on desk duty."
Stephanie groaned. She had forgotten about the restrictions. "What about Zip?" Stephanie asked.
"He would get reassigned or work in administration with you," Bones explained.
The contract Stephanie signed was for five rescues per year. It stipulated she couldn't accept any deployments during the pregnancy or six months after giving birth. She would work a maximum of fifteen hours per week in the administration offices. Stephanie would have plenty of time to work on launching Rangeman.
"I have another two weeks off," Stephanie reminded Bones. "I'll see you when I report for duty."
"Congratulations," Bones said as he shook Carlos' hand. Bones assured Stephanie and Carlos their pregnancy news was confidential. Eventually, the others on the base would realize Stephanie got pregnant.
Carlos couldn't wait to tell his team about Stephanie's pregnancy. He assumed Abuela Rosa would already know. "Are we telling the men?" Carlos asked, wanting Stephanie to be okay with sharing the news.
"Yes. However, I don't want family to know," Stephanie replied. She was afraid Javier would take advantage of her vulnerability.
"Abuela will keep our secret," Carlos said. Stephanie already knew Abuela Rosa wouldn't tell the family. Rosa knew about the pregnancy, having predicted it several days earlier. The discarded pregnancy test was in the bathroom trash can. Abuela Rosa would find it once she emptied the garbage.
Stephanie called her dad to share the news. She got distracted by the conversation and didn't notice Carlos driving to the private airport outside of Miami. When she ended the call, she checked the surroundings. "Aren't we going home first?" Stephanie asked.
"No. Ace is here to fly us to Trenton. He borrowed the plane from his dad," Carlos replied. Stephanie shook her head as she exited the car. She was taken aback when she found Lester, Tank, Ram, Bobby and Zip already seated in the cabin.
"Are we having a party?" Stephanie joked. Lester pushed a glass of wine toward Stephanie. She shook her head and touched her stomach. Everyone cheered, understanding the motion.
"We're going to be uncles," Lester chanted. "Someone grab Steph some ginger ale."
Ram grabbed a can from the bar fridge and opened it for Stephanie. He passed her the drink and said, "To Stephanie, Ranger and the little Rangeman dude." Stephanie giggled as they tapped their cans and glasses to toast the pregnancy. "So, when is our nephew due?" Ram asked.
"Bones thinks I'm only four or five weeks pregnant. Which means I'm due in thirty-five or thirty-six weeks," Stephanie replied. Everyone grabbed their phones to determine the due date. She giggled before adding, "January 22, 2009, is the due date."
Bobby entered the information in his phone to track Stephanie's pregnancy. She rolled her eyes but indulged him. He compared the dates of her period and the date she got pregnant. "We should have bought a lottery ticket. Steph got pregnant on day ten of her cycle," Bobby announced, making Stephanie groan.
"Technically, it was an hour before day eleven," Carlos said.
"Carlos, please tell me you were not tracking my periods to the hour," Stephanie whined.
"Babe, it's my job to plan our missions to the hour. Tracking your cycles helped me hone the skill." Stephanie's face turned beet red.
"Is there anything else on your mind? Something you want to know that you haven't already figured out?" Stephanie sarcastically asked.
"Well, there is one thing we wondered," Lester replied. "We wanted to know why your Plum grandparents left you everything and nothing to the others. Vince refused to tell us when we asked. We assumed Valerie wasn't General Plum's daughter."
Stephanie smiled because Vince didn't tell them. "Biologically, Valerie is my sister. Frank and Helen Plum are our parents. When Mom got pregnant, she bragged to every woman in the Burg that she was having a boy. Imagine Mom's surprise when I was a girl. It made everyone think she was a liar. Grandpa and Grandma gave their children and grandchildren money for their birthdays. They set up bank accounts and added money every first of September for college. When I was fifteen, I went to the bank with my grandparents and asked to see my balance," Stephanie explained, pausing to catch a breath.
"Please tell me you had money in the account," Lester begged.
Stephanie shook her head and said, "Everything except forty-seven cents was gone. I asked the bank for the yearly statements. Someone removed it from the account one month after Grandpa Plum deposited the money. It wasn't me. I didn't know the account existed until that day. Grandma Plum and Mom got into an argument. Mom confessed to taking the money and spending it on clothes for me. She never touched Valerie's account." Stephanie scoffed and shook her head.
"Babe, please continue," Carlos said. Stephanie held Carlos' hand and entwined their fingers. Carlos stroked her thumb, encouraging her to finish the story.
"Mom never bought me new clothes. I wore Valerie's cast-offs or items Mom bought from the thrift shops. Dad gave Mom money for food and clothes. Mom lied to Grandma. My mom used the money to plan elaborate birthday parties for Valerie. Grandpa Plum discussed the investment company with his children. Aunt Lina opened an investment firm. Grandpa Plum gave her the start-up money. He said it was her share of the inheritance. Grandpa did the same for his other children. Dad stashed his money in an account that Mom can't access. He called it his rainy day fund," Stephanie said.
Lester passed Stephanie a bottle of water. He removed the lid so she didn't have to release Carlos' hand. "Thanks, Les."
"De nada," he replied. "Continue, please."
Stephanie drank half the water before continuing, "Grandpa replaced the money Mom stole. I told him to give it to someone who needed the money more than me. He grinned and took Grandma and me to visit Dad's friend, Hunter Tanner and his wife. Arielle Wilson, who kept her name after graduating from law school, produced the new will while I waited with Uncle Hunter in the waiting room. I had no idea Grandma and Grandpa left everything to me. It wasn't something I wanted."
"That doesn't explain why they didn't leave money to Valerie," Bobby said. Bobby wasn't satisfied with Stephanie's reply. He felt there was more to the story.
"Babe, tell them why Valerie didn't receive a share of the estate," Carlos encouraged. Stephanie looked into her husband's eyes. It took a few minutes for Stephanie to find the words.
"Saint Valerie was a snitch. She constantly tattled on me to Mom. I received a harsh punishment for every incident. Including stuff Valerie did. I ran away a few times and stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Plum. When Grandma asked Valerie why she was mean to me, Valerie said, "Stephanie is a useless twit. I wish she were never born. Since that can't be reversed, I want her to die. Stephanie takes away from everything I deserve." It wasn't surprising that Valerie hated me. I knew that as long as I can remember. However, that wasn't the deciding factor. Valerie heard from Mom that Grandpa and Grandma had a lot of money. Grandma was adept at getting people to talk. She distracted Valerie by asking her to bake cookies. While they baked, Grandma asked questions. When Grandma asked what Valerie would do if the inheritance got split among the grandchildren. Valerie said that she would manipulate me into giving my share of the wealth to Mom."
"Did that happen before your grandparents rewrote their wills?" Lester asked.
"Yes. That was a few weeks before Grandpa and Grandma took me to the bank. I think that's why they wanted me with them. They suspected that Mom stole my money," Stephanie replied.
"How much was supposed to be in your account?" Tank asked.
"Valerie used her money to put a down payment on the house in LA. She had almost one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars when she turned twenty-one," Stephanie replied. "I only know because Mom bragged about how much money Valerie saved, and I was broke. Mom didn't know Grandpa opened another account for me."
"So they gave everything to you to keep Helen from getting her greedy hands on the fortune?" Lester asked.
"Well, that and my answer to Grandma's question. She wanted to know what I would do if I inherited everything. I answered that I would help people with incredible business ideas who didn't have the funds to open their companies. They would borrow the money from me and give me a percentage of their profits. Then the owners would have to repay the loan once their business operated in the black for at least a year," Stephanie replied.
"Ah. Your premise for Smoke Signals," Tank said. "Your grandparents would be proud that you made your vision a reality."
"I always keep my word," Stephanie replied.