Realigning Destiny - Part 10: Thrilled
By TT
Disclaimer/Notes: See part 1
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Realigning Destiny
By TT
Sometimes chance intervenes in our lives and causes destiny jumps the tracks. When this happens, fate steps in and realigns destiny’s course to bring us to where we need to be. But, as with the course of true love, the road of realignment doesn’t always run smooth.
Part 10 - Thrilled
The next morning started much as the previous one for Stephanie.
“Mom,” a voice called. “Mom!” it insisted.
Opening her eyes and resisting the urge to groan, she stretched and smiled at her son. “Morning Charlie,” she greeted as she eyed the clock. It read six twenty-five. Five minutes earlier than the day before. “What are you doing up so bright and early on a day off?”
“Mo-om! Mr. Ranger is still here! We've got to get up and make him breakfast.”
Stephanie smiled at her enthusiastic son. Sitting up on her bed, she felt a flutter of excitement in her own chest at the thought of seeing Ranger. “You're really that thrilled about setting the table again?” she teased.
“No,” Charlie answered, moving to the door of the room. Turning around, he blessed his mother with a wicked grin and answered, “Today he's going to tell me stories about you.”
Stephanie groaned as Charlie scurried away, giggling. There went any hope she had of retaining any shred of dignity, not that she had too many left after her car problem, but there had been a few more adventures back then.
The image of a garbage truck flipping over on top of a Porsche popped into her mind. “Oh, Lord,” she exclaimed as she got out of bed. She quickly went through her morning routine and bounced down to the kitchen.
When she arrived, she saw no sign of Charlie in the kitchen, but soon heard his laughter coming from the dining room.
Pushing open the door, she found Charlie nearly falling out of his chair, he was laughing so hard.
Ranger was sitting in his chair looking amused. He looked up and met Stephanie's eyes. “Morning,” he greeted.
Stephanie couldn't have stopped the smile on her face if she tried. Ranger had always made things better and it appeared that hadn't changed. “Morning,” she greeted, stepping into the room. She continued further in as Ranger held out a hand toward her.
When she reached him, Ranger closed his hand over hers and drew her closer. Wrapping his arms around her, he rose up and kissed her good morning.
Stephanie felt a shiver run down her spine at the rightness of the kiss.
A sound behind her drew her attention to the third person in the room. Charlie wasn't looking quite as happy as he had before.
This was one situation she hadn't thought of how to deal with yet. Leaving Ranger's embrace, she chose to sit in the chair between the two. Looking from Ranger to Charlie, she leaned forward to begin her explanation.
“Charlie, you know that Ranger knew me before I moved to Montana. I'm sure you've also figured out that we were good friends. What you may not know is that we were dating when I left Trenton,” Stephanie explained.
“Why didn't you stay with him or call him after you moved?” Charlie asked.
“I had to leave Trenton all of a sudden,” she explained. “I didn't even get to tell my Mom and Dad where I was going or even that I had to leave.”
“So, your Mom and Dad don't know where you are?” the boy asked.
“No one from Trenton does,” Stephanie confirmed. “It was too dangerous for me to tell anyone where I was going or where I lived. We're safe here,” she assured. “But I can't go back to Trenton and can't tell anyone I used to know where I am now.”
“What about Ranger?” Charlie asked.
Stephanie's eyes drifted to the man in question. “He only found me on accident,” Stephanie explained.
“Are you two going to get married?” Charlie demanded.
Stephanie nearly choked at that question. Her first, and only, experience with marriage had not gone well. “No,” she answered.
“Not yet,” Ranger inserted softly.
Stephanie looked at Ranger in shock. Ranger hadn't seemed any more anxious for marriage than she had when they'd known each other Trenton. In fact, he had told her he wouldn't do anything stupid like marriage or children.
Sending a look at Ranger's raised eyebrow, Stephanie turned to Charlie. “We haven't seen each other in four years, kiddo. There have been a lot of changes in both of our lives over the years. The most important one for me, is you. We'll need time to talk about those changes before we decide what to do next.”
Charlie looked at his mother intently for several seconds before he relaxed in his seat. “Do you love him?” he asked.
“Yes,” Stephanie replied without hesitation. She then turned to look at Ranger and saw a look of joy on his face. Her breath caught for another reason entirely.
Charlie must have caught the look as well. Turning his attention to Ranger, he asked, “Do you love my mom?”
“With all my heart,” Ranger replied, his eyes holding Stephanie's.
Accepting the answer, Charlie stood and picked up his juice. “Good,” he announced. “Let's go eat in the kitchen and you can tell me more stories about Mom while she makes breakfast.”
Stephanie shook her head at the turn around in Charlie. She watched her son lead the way into the kitchen and was startled when Ranger rested a hand on her shoulder.
“We will have that talk, Babe,” he informed as he moved to help her from her chair.
“I know,” she agreed, looking forward to it – an unusual phenomena in her world. She accepted his help up and paused by the door to the kitchen. Looking up into his eyes, she greeted, “Welcome to my home.”
To be continued in Part 11 – 046. Sheltered