Carlos quietly talked to the other core members as Stephanie slept. He stroked his son's cheek as he shared insights with the men. "We all appreciate Stephanie using her money to finance Rangeman. I want to repay our share of the investment as soon as possible," Carlos said.
"She doesn't care if we ever pay it," Hector replied. He rocked on his heels, waiting for the opportunity to take the baby from Carlos' arms.
"The company belongs to all of you too. Money doesn't mean anything to me," Stephanie mumbled, reaching for the button to raise the head of the bed. She grimaced as she slid a few inches down the mattress. "Is he hungry?"
"Soon," Carlos replied, glancing at his watch. Stephanie fed the baby almost four hours ago. She covered her chest with a blanket and took the baby from her husband. Carlos reluctantly loosened the grip. Stephanie got the baby situated on her breast. The sounds of sucking lasted for a few seconds.
"When can we leave?" Stephanie asked. She hated hospitals.
"After the doctor runs a few tests on our baby," Carlos replied. He didn't want to call his son by another name.
"Carlos, we should call him Ric or Los if you aren't comfortable with Ricky," Stephanie suggested. Carlos looked into her blue eyes. Stephanie appeared tired, but her eyes sparkled with pure joy as she fed the infant.
"Okay," he replied.
"Carry on with the core meeting," Stephanie said. She repositioned Ric after he released her nipple. He greedily ate from the other side. A few minutes later, Ric finished eating. Carlos took Ric from Stephanie. After sitting Ric on his lap, Carlos gently held beneath his chin and rubbed Ric's back. Lester's lip twitched when Ric burped louder than he expected.
Hector quickly swiped the baby from Carlos. Stephanie smiled when Ric grunted. She laughed when Hector complained about the baby pooping. Carlos retrieved his son to change. He tossed a wet wipe over the boy's crotch immediately after removing the soiled diaper.
"Why did you do that?" Lester asked, pointing at the infant.
"So he doesn't shower you with his urine," Stephanie giggled. She thought it was hilarious when Ric pissed on Carlos during a diaper change in the night.
The nurse and a doctor arrived to take Ric for surgery. He was getting circumcised. Stephanie thought it was a barbaric practice, but Carlos wanted his son to have the procedure. It meant staying in the hospital for another day, something Stephanie didn't like. Carlos followed the doctor to the operating room.
Bobby sat on the chair beside Stephanie's bed. "Are you okay?" he asked, passing Stephanie a tissue to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.
"I'll be fine. Carlos wanted Ric to get circumcised to match him," Stephanie replied. "My baby's going to be in pain."
"He won't remember it," Bobby reassured Stephanie. "It's best to get it done now than wait until he's older. Some boys have to get the surgery in their teens. That's something they never forget."
"Are you speaking from experience?" Stephanie asked, narrowing her eyes.
"No. It happened to a friend of mine," Bobby replied. He sat with Stephanie until Carlos returned with Ric.
"We have to keep his diaper dry," Carlos explained, placing the fussing infant into Stephanie's arms. It was too early to feed him. Stephanie uncovered Ric's chest and pressed his bare skin to hers. Ric stopped fussing and went to sleep. Carlos quickly covered Stephanie's exposed breast with the blanket while Bobby stared at the ceiling.
"Oops. I didn't mean to flash you, Bobby," Stephanie said as her face turned pink from embarrassment. She mouthed, "Sorry" to Carlos, who shrugged. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Stephanie couldn't wait to wear her own clothes. She was in desperate need of a shower. Her hair felt gross from the sweat she produced during childbirth. It was barely long enough for Stephanie to pull into a ponytail. The sides often escaped from the elastic.
Carlos slipped into the bed behind Stephanie. He gently tugged the elastic from the locks and finger-combed her hair. Carlos separated her hair into four sections; then French braided the rows. Noticing what Carlos was doing, Bobby removed a few rubber bands from his pocket. "These aren't supposed to hurt when you remove them," Bobby said, passing them to Carlos.
Stephanie closed her eyes as Carlos braided her hair. She loved feeling his fingers in her messy curls. Bobby watched in amusement. "You're surprisingly good at that," Bobby said, pointing to the braids.
"I have four sisters," Carlos offered as an explanation.
Ric whimpered a few times. Stephanie rubbed his back, immediately settling him. She loved her son. "It's okay, Little One," Stephanie whispered. "You'll feel better in a week. Papi and Uncle Bobby said you won't remember it." Stephanie kissed his forehead below the edge of the blue hat. "He smells of baby shampoo and a unique scent I can't place."
"Babe, Ric smells like you," Carlos replied. "It's an intoxicating scent that I can't get enough of. I could choose our son from a line of babies by his scent alone." Stephanie rolled her eyes. She recalled reading something in the pregnancy books about the phenomenon. It seemed unrealistic, but she knew it would be true for her.
Wanting to look at Ric's hair, Stephanie removed the blue cap. She brushed her fingers through his long, dark hair and sniffed the locks. Stephanie was careful to avoid the soft spot near the front. "Te amo, mi hijo," Stephanie whispered. She kissed his hair before replacing the cap with one hand. Carlos kissed Stephanie's head after each braid he finished.
"You two are adorable," Lester said as he entered the room. Pointing to Stephanie, Lester said, "The nurse wants to help you shower."
"I can manage on my own," Stephanie insisted. Carlos slipped off the bed as the nurse entered the room.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Pardo, but I must ensure you can void your bladder," the nurse replied. "Oh. I'm Emily. I'll be your nurse until the shift changes at seven tonight."
"Okay," Stephanie replied. She passed Ric to Carlos. Stephanie winced as she climbed off the bed. She ached from childbirth. Having Ric was worth the pain. Stephanie tugged the hospital gown around her body, failing to cover the two inches of her naked side. Walking to the bathroom, Stephanie mumbled, "Time for my public piss."
Carlos passed Ric to Lester and grabbed the duffle containing Stephanie's clothes. He dropped it inside the bathroom as the nurse helped Stephanie sit on the toilet. Stephanie grimaced when she caught Carlos peeking inside the room. She nodded when he pointed to the bag. "You have a doting husband," Emily said when the door clicked closed behind her.
"He's definitely a keeper," Stephanie joked. "Am I allowed to take a shower?"
"Yes. I'll help you. I'm afraid those gorgeous braids will have to go. Did the sexy man with the corn roll braids do your hair?" Emily asked. Stephanie grinned. Emily was a beautiful woman with a skin tone a few shades lighter than Bobby. Her straight hair was neatly braided into pigtails. It made her appear younger.
"No. My husband braided my hair. How long have you worked here as a nurse?" Stephanie asked.
Emily flipped a braid over her shoulder. She helped Stephanie to her feet and removed the gown. Emily dropped the pad into the hazardous waste garbage bin. "I graduated two years ago. It took much too long to get a job. I've only been here for a few months. Dr. Yang helped me get this job," Emily explained. "My birthday was last week. I'm twenty-three."
"Oh. I thought you were older. Not that you look older, but you know more than the typical nurse fresh out of school," Stephanie said, stumbling over her thoughts.
Giggling, Emily said, "You didn't recognize me. I'm not surprised. I know your real name, but I won't tell anyone. Dr. Yang said your safety is at risk. So… what is the sexy man's name?"
It was Stephanie's turn to giggle. She stepped into the stall shower and let Emily remove the braids. Stephanie groaned as Emily thoroughly washed her hair. "Sorry," Stephanie mumbled. "His name is Bobby. He's single."
"You love people playing with your hair," Emily stated. She could tell Stephanie loved having her curls washed.
"Mmhmm." Stephanie opened her eyes after Emily rinsed her hair. "You should ask him out."
Emily blushed, darkening her cheeks. "Oh. I'm not sure I could do that," Emily stammered. She turned Stephanie to face the water spraying from the showerhead. Stephanie took the cloth from Emily and washed her breasts and privates, wincing from the tenderness of the flesh.
Facing Emily, Stephanie said, "I can drop a few hints. However, I can't guarantee Bobby would clue in. He tends to be oblivious when he's distracted by other things."
"Like your son?" Emily giggled. Emily liked Stephanie. She was a kind, intelligent and funny woman. The few times they interacted in Dr. Yang's clinic, Stephanie was always cheerful and pleasant. She never complained about the discomfort during the third trimester of her pregnancy.
"Absolutely," Stephanie replied. Emily grabbed a towel for Stephanie to dry her hair and body. She let Stephanie dry herself as she opened the duffle to grab underwear and pads. Stephanie couldn't use tampons after childbirth. "Thanks," Stephanie said when Emily passed her the panties.
After Stephanie got herself dressed. Emily grabbed the soiled linens to toss in the laundry bin. "You should be released in the morning. I just need to know if you pass gas or have a bowel movement," Emily announced.
Stephanie felt better wearing loose track pants and Carlos' shirt. She sat on the bed and swung her legs up to get into position. Carlos raised a brow, silently asking Stephanie if she needed help. Stephanie shook her head.
Bobby was holding Ric, leaving Carlos' hands free to help Stephanie if she required it. "Is he hungry?" Stephanie asked.
Placing the infant in Stephanie's arms, Bobby replied, "Probably not, but I think he needs his momma."
"Does Little One need his Mama?" Stephanie asked. Ric opened his eyes to look at Stephanie. She loved how alert her son was after his birth. Dr. Yang had explained it was typical for the mother to bounce back and the infant to be alert when an epidural wasn't used. "You have beautiful blue eyes."
"They may change to brown," Bobby said. Stephanie disagreed. She kept seeing the gorgeous boy in her dreams. Ric was that child.
The following afternoon, after Emily showed Stephanie and Carlos how to wash their son, Dr. Yang signed the discharge papers for Stephanie and Ric. Stephanie couldn't wait to get home. Before she left, Dr. Yang reminded Stephanie and Carlos about not having sex for six weeks.
Stephanie and Carlos visited Abuela Rosa with the baby. Rosa doted on her great-grandson. "Hello, Ric. I'm your bisabuela Rosa," she said. (Great-grandma). Rosa couldn't wait until Stephanie had another child. It was too soon for Stephanie to get pregnant, but hoped it would happen before Ric got too old. "Are you living here so I can help?"
"You need your sleep," Stephanie replied, never saying no. Rosa smiled at Stephanie.
"It will take time to establish a routine. Please, let me help, Estephania," Rosa begged.
Carlos and Stephanie exchanged a silent conversation before agreeing to her offer. Stephanie wanted to stay home with the baby until she had to return to work at Rangeman and the Air Force base. She had six months to get everything organized.
"Carlito, when is your next deployment?" Rosa asked.
"Around the end of March," Carlos replied. Carlos felt sad he would only get two months with his son. Stephanie refused to think about the looming deadline. She preferred to focus on the present.
"It's more important to establish a routine for when you leave," Rosa reasoned.
"Carlos, I'm staying here while you're gone. Abuela offered to babysit while I'm at work," Stephanie added. Rosa sat on the couch with Ric, leaving Carlos and Stephanie to talk privately.
Stephanie and Carlos went to their bedroom to talk. "You're not working with the Air Force for six months. Then you return for a few drops and extractions to fulfil your contract requirement for this year. Are you taking time away from Rangeman?" Carlos wondered. He suspected Stephanie would work between feedings, provided Ric stayed to a schedule.
"I'm not planning on it," Stephanie confessed. "The men are needed in the field. I can watch the monitors between feedings. However, I would have to bring Ric to the office."
Carlos stroked Stephanie's cheek. He didn't like they had restrictions for having sex. "Babe?" Carlos asked. Stephanie pressed against Carlos.
"There are ways we can work around things. I overheard some of the pregnant women advising the younger ones," Stephanie said, tugging on Carlos' shirt hem. He helped Stephanie remove his shirt. "I can't have you get blue balls again." She giggled.
"Who told you?" Carlos groaned.
"Lester," she confessed. Carlos swore at Lester under his breath, promising to shove a few leeches into his boxers. Stephanie giggled as she reached for Carlos' belt. She slowly slid the strap through the buckle before tugging it free. Stephanie dropped it onto the floor, making the buckle thud onto the ground.
"Babe," Carlos groaned when she unfastened his pants to reach inside. "We can't."
"You can't have intercourse with me, but there are other things I can do for your pleasure," Stephanie growled. She took care of her husband's sexual needs and watched his face as he peaked.
"Dios!" Carlos growled. "Let me take care of you."
"Not for another two weeks," Stephanie said. "Emily said you can't stimulate me until then. At least until the small tear heals."
"I'm counting down the days," Carlos promised. "I love you, Stephanie Michelle Manoso."
"I love you too, Ricardo Carlos Manoso."
Stephanie and Carlos spent an uneventful night at Rosa's house. The most excitement was during their private discussion in their bedroom. Rosa grabbed the bassinet from her closet and placed it inside Stephanie's bedroom. She laundered the bedding in scent-free detergent.
Ric woke up twice during the night. Rosa smiled as she listened to Carlos singing to Ric. It was the same lullaby Rosa sang to her children during their infancy. Rosa smiled as she went to the kitchen at six to prepare breakfast for Carlos. He had left for a run after putting Ric back to bed.
Stephanie came downstairs when she smelled coffee brewing. She had trouble sleeping during the night. Carlos understood her concern about Javier suddenly appearing and kidnapping Ric. Rosa had Rangeman securing the house, but Stephanie's and Carlos' panic buttons weren't connected to the system. It was an issue Hector was attempting to resolve.
"Good morning, momma," Lester greeted, making Stephanie grumble at his perkiness.
"I can't be held responsible for what I say before drinking my first coffee," Stephanie replied, walking to the kitchen to fix herself a cup of coffee. Ric was fussing. Stephanie thought the baby was reacting to her stress.
"What does that mean?"
"It means you're a complete asshole for interrupting my routine. Can't you see I'm trying to comfort the baby while making the damn coffee? What's wrong with you, Lester?"
"Sorry," Lester mumbles.
"Sorry?" Stephanie snorts. "You will be if you don't move your ass and get me a damn coffee."
Rosa laughed as Lester quickly made Stephanie's coffee. "Are you okay?" Rosa asked Stephanie, motioning for her to sit at the kitchen table.
Shrugging, Stephanie replied, "I was fine until Carlos left the house. I'm worried Javier will kidnap Ric while I'm asleep. What am I supposed to do during his deployments?"
"You stay at Rangeman with the child," Rosa replied. "Javi won't come here."
"I would feel more comfortable if Hector stayed here while Carlos is away. Would you be okay with that?" Stephanie asked. She thanked Lester for the coffee. Stephanie smiled when Lester placed pancakes, eggs and sausages on the table for her breakfast. He returned to the stove to serve more for his Abuela and himself.
"Anything you need, Estephania. I love having my house full," Rosa replied.
Carlos came home from his run. He went upstairs to quickly shower before joining the others for breakfast. Carlos removed Ric from Stephanie's arms to let her finish eating. Rosa smiled at her grandson. She loved how he treated his family.
"I've been thinking," Stephanie said, pushing her empty plate away.
"Uh oh. What did you decide?" Lester joked. Stephanie playfully slapped his arm.
"Instead of using your profit shares to pay down your investment, why don't we set a percentage aside so we can open the Atlanta branch in a year," Stephanie replied.
"Woah. That's an awesome idea. We can meet with the Atlanta Police Department to get our permits, like you did in Trenton. Since the Trenton permits department is hesitant to re-zone the Haywood building you purchased, we can start elsewhere to increase our profit margins and market shares," Lester said. Stephanie looked stunned. She couldn't believe Lester had come up with that idea.
"So you listened to Tank after all," Carlos replied. Stephanie snorted, making Ric jump in Carlos' arms.
"We can't open Trenton without us living there despite having Jeanne Ellen, and Kyle overseeing everything," Stephanie explained. "I'm not ready to move. It's a blessing in disguise that the city never passed the request to re-zone the Haywood building."
"Maybe someone is preventing Rangeman from opening in Trenton," Lester suggested.
"Perhaps," Stephanie replied. "It doesn't matter. I'm not ready to move."