thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I can't tell you how much they mean to me. Here is chapter 11...we are getting somewhere :)
It had been five days since Stephanie saw Ranger when her phone rang in the morning. Seeing it was Zip, she worried he'd been in an accident as there had been a bad snowstorm during the night.
"Hey, are you okay?" she said when the call connected.
"I'm fine, Sweetheart, why?"
"Well, you never call in the morning and I knew we had the storm last night. I was worried you were in an accident."
"No, I'm fine. Sorry to worry you." Zip took a breath and smiled when he heard Sophia cooing in the background. "How's the princess this morning?"
"Hungry. We just got up a few minutes ago, so I just got her changed and was getting ready to nurse her."
"I'm glad I didn't wake you up. The reason for my early call…I've been asked a few times already this morning for your phone number. I know Tank and Lester have been asked as well."
"Hmm. Do you know if he received an envelope this morning?"
"No clue, why?"
"Well, he should be getting the paternity results today. I just wondered if that is why he wants to talk."
"He didn't say anything, so I have no idea. What do you want me to do?"
Stephanie thought about it and as much as she wanted Zip to give Ranger her phone number, she didn't want to drag him into the middle of their business anymore than he already was. "I'll call him when I'm done nursing Sophia. Thanks for letting me know."
"You're welcome. Do you have anywhere to go today? If not, please stay home. The roads are horrible and only getting worse."
"I have no where to go. Soph and I are staying nice and warm inside. Let me know if you stay at your apartment tonight so I don't worry about you."
Zip agreed, told her he'd talk to her later, and goodbye. Stephanie smiled, "Sophia, I think we may have taught a Merry Man some phone manners. He said 'goodbye'."
After Stephanie nursed Sophia and changed her diaper, she placed the baby in her swing and grabbed her phone. Sitting on the couch next to the baby swing, she dialed the number she knew by heart even thought she had tried to forget it.
"Manoso."
"It's me. I heard you were asking for my number."
"Steph. It's good to hear your voice." She could hear him move around and then a door shut. She assumed he was in his office on five and wanted the privacy. "How are you this morning?"
"I'm fine. What can I do for you?"
"I received test results this morning. You didn't have to have a DNA test done."
"Yes, I did. You didn't believe me. Now you know the truth and I know you know the truth."
"I knew the truth in the breakroom when Zip took her from Cal. She looks just like Julie did as a baby."
"And yet, you still said there was no way you could be the father. What do you want, Ranger?"
"I want to apologize for what I said. I hope you can forgive me."
Stephanie took a deep breath before she replied. She wanted to keep her voice low and level so Sophia didn't catch on that she was upset. "Ranger, I doubt I will ever forgive you for what you said. I know I certainly will never forget it."
"I know I hurt you. I wish I could change that." Ranger was silent for a few moments before he continued, "I'd like to get to know my daughter and spend time with her."
"You will not be a 'holiday' father. IF you are in her life, you are there for all of it, not just the good times and not just the holidays. I won't let her be another Julie. She will either fully know you or she won't know you at all."
Ranger knew this was going to be tough. He wanted to be in his kids lives, but he was afraid of enemies doing harm to them. "Tell me about her? What's her name, when is her birthday? I want to know it all."
"Her name is Sophia Grace and she was born on December 12th."
"I assume you didn't give her Manoso as a last name?"
"Why would I? You didn't even want her to be born. You wanted me to 'take care of it'. Why the hell would I give my daughter the last name of a man who wanted nothing to do with her?" Stephanie looked over at Sophia and saw she had drifted off to sleep in the swing. "I don't know what else to say to you right now."
"Can I ask for a picture of her? I'd also like to see her in person if you'll let me." Ranger really wanted to where she was living so he could go see her, but thought better of it.
Stephanie snapped a picture of the sleeping baby and texted it to Ranger, "Check your phone."
"Thank you, Babe. I appreciate it. When can I see her?"
"I'll let you know in a few days. Depends on the weather. I start back to work next week so we will have to work something out."
"I'd also like to ask you what you need from me in regards to support for Sophia?"
Stephanie had to stop herself from laughing. She wondered when he'd bring that up. "I don't need anything from you, Ranger. I have a decent job, have had the same vehicle for almost two years, have a house I'm renting that is perfect for me and Sophia. I don't need anything you have to give."
"Steph, I want to provide for her and you."
"Ranger, I'm going to hang up now. I don't want to get into an argument especially over the phone. Let's just put this off until a later time. I'll let you know when we will be in Trenton so you can meet her." Stephanie hung up the phone and realized she didn't say goodbye. "Oh well, he doesn't say it either."
Later than evening, she received a text from Zip, "Will call you in about thirty when I leave. I'm not staying here but it might take me a little longer to get home. Let me know if you need me to pick anything up."
"We don't need anything except for you to be careful. Please stay there if roads are too bad."
An hour later, she heard the key in the door and smiled when he walked in covered in snow. Shaking out of his coat, he hung it up and unlaced his boots to kick them off. When he was done with that, he smiled at Steph and walked to the fireplace to warm up his hands. "I want to hug you and hold her, but not with my freezing hands. Give me just a minute."
When he felt his hands and arms were arm enough, he opened them and smiled when Stephanie walked into them carrying Sophia. He hugged them both and kissed their heads. "Best part of the day," he whispered.
Taking Sophia out of her arms, he lead Stephanie to the couch and sat down next to her. After he gave Sophia some baby tickles, he turned his attention to Steph, "How was your call earlier? I wanted to ask earlier, but Ram and I were busy cleaning up a drug house."
Sighing, Stephanie leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes, "He wants to get to know her, wants to provide support, and wants to be in her life. Wants me to forgive him for what he said." Looking over at Zip hold Sophia, her heart skipped a beat, "I told him I'd never forget what he said and I doubt I'll ever forgive him. Told him I don't need anything from him and that we'd have to continue that conversation in person."
"I wish I could take all the hurt and pain away, but all I can do is be here to help you stand tall. Do you think he'll want shared custody?"
"I hadn't thought about that. Honestly, I didn't expect him to say he wanted to get to know her. I expected him to do like he did with Julie except for the fact that he has no rights to sign away as he's not on her birth certificate."
Zip and Stephanie sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Zip handed a crying Sophia to Stephanie to feed while he went to make dinner. After dinner, when he was using the shower, Stephanie cleared out two drawers in her dresser. When Zip stepped into the hall, she called him into the bedroom.
"Since you have been living here for almost two months, I figured it was time to give you some space. You don't have to use it, but if you want, there is room in my dresser and closet for your things."
Zip smiled and pulled her to him, "I'd love to leave some things here if you are sure."
After Sophia was bathed in bed, Stephanie sat on her bed and waited for Zip. She knew he was double checking the locks and turning off the fireplace. When he came into her bedroom, she looked at him, "Am I too clingy?"
"What? Where did that come from" he asked as he knelt down in front of her.
"I want to ask you to sleep in here but I don't want to seem clingy."
"Steph, I've slept in here the past four nights. I like sleeping in here. I love holding you all night. If anyone is clingy, it's most likely to be me."
Looking in his eyes, she saw the truth of what he said and felt. She knew her feelings for him were getting stronger, but she was scared for her heart.