Disclaimer: The characters of the Stephanie Plum Series belogn to Janet Evanovich and are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Challenge: 100_Prompts challenge - table 100B - prompt 022. Wine
Notes/Warning: Babe story
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Feedback: Email TT

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 4 – Wine

With a final look over her shoulder, Stephanie closed the door behind herself, a smile still on her face.

When she had reached into the back seat to bring Charlie inside, he had woken slightly. In voice that betrayed the fact he was only barely conscious, he protested that he was awake and wanted to meet their guest.

Her sleepy son continued to protest that he was awake as she slid off his shoes, changed him into pajamas and tucked him into his bed. He was completely asleep again by the time she kissed his forehead.

Now, though she needed to prepare herself for the confrontation she knew was coming.

Though she had gotten better about living in the land of denial over the years, this was one encounter that could easily reintroduce her to all of her defense mechanisms – delay, denial, distraction.

First, she needed to get the groceries inside. Hopefully all the frozen foods were still frozen.

Bouncing down the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen and outside in no time.

She had just opened the door to the outside when she froze. Ranger and Bob were leaning against the back of the SUV waiting for her.

A portion of her mind registered the fact that the rain had become a gentle mist. Given the fact that the sky was still overcast, she expected it was more of a temporary respite than an end to the steady rain.

Most of her mind was racing, trying to figure out how she was going to get out of her current situation. It was stressful enough when she knew the two men were waiting for her in the parlor. Facing them now was not something she wanted to do.

Lifting a hand, she waved hello and offered a tremulous smile. Taking a deep breath, she decided to try for humor. “My own personal bag boys?” she asked.

Two tight smiles were her only response.

Swallowing and wishing she was back up in Charlie's room, she continued outside.

It was too dark for her to read their eyes, but she could see the tension in their bodies.

Walking around to the back of the vehicle without meeting either of their gazes, she opened the tailgate and extracted two bags before handing them off to Ranger. “Here, help me with the groceries,” she prompted. Bob received the same treatment. She grabbed the last bag and closed up the SUV.

Leading the way inside, she led them to the kitchen and they quickly unpacked the bags, getting all the groceries in their appropriate storage location.

A few times during the unpacking and putting away, Stephanie noticed the hint of a smirk on Ranger's face as he pulled out a particularly healthy item of food. She wasn't surprised by the amusement, though. She would still probably be eating everything unhealthy if it weren't for Charlie. She felt she needed to set a good example for him.

Clearing the last of bag away, Stephanie finally turned to look at the two men in her kitchen. Bob was wearing his “father” face – the one that every dad used when he said the words “we need to sit down and talk, young lady” - and Ranger was sporting his blank face.

Taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it, Stephanie turned and opened one of the upper cupboards. Moving a number of bottles and jars out of the way, she pulled out a bottle of wine.

Quickly retrieving a corkscrew and three glasses, she silently led the way to the front of the house where she settled in the parlor.

Without saying a word, she uncorked the wine and poured three glasses, one a bit more full than the others.

Grabbing the glass with the most wine in it, she settled into one of the fireside chairs, thankful that Bob had started a fire. She was still fairly well soaked.

A shiver ran through her. It didn't go unnoticed by the men.

“We can wait until you shower and change,” Ranger said quietly. “I don't want you to catch pneumonia.”

Taking a swallow of the wine, Stephanie closed her eyes in appreciation, not only of the taste of the beverage, but also of the warmth it started inside of her. She took another long draught of her drink before responding. “Thanks. I have some sweats in the laundry room, though. I'll just change and be right back.”

With one last sip of the wine, she set her nearly empty glass down on the floor next to the chair and left the parlor.

As she made her way to the mudroom, which also served as the laundry, she tried to gather her thoughts.

It probably hadn't been her wisest move to drink the wine that quickly, but she needed something to assuage the coldness seeping into her soul at the distance Bob and Ranger were putting between her and them.

Finished changing, Stephanie took a moment to gather her thoughts.

She knew wine tended to loosen her tongue and she really couldn't afford to tell everything. Without a doubt, she would need to explain the details of why she left, but whatever else happened tonight or the rest of the time Ranger was visiting, she couldn't tell him the names.

Letting slip who had threatened those closest to her was the surest way of losing one if not all of them.

Finally, feeling comfortable with what she had to do and what she was going to reveal, Stephanie made her way back to the parlor where she found Bob sitting in the chair opposite hers and Ranger leaning against the fireplace mantle, next to her chair.

Both sets of eyes focused on her as she crossed the room and settled in her chosen chair.

Needing something to do with her hands, she picked up her wine glass and rolled the stem between her fingers. After a few seconds of silence, she sighed and asked, “Where do you want me to start?”

Surprisingly, it was Bob who spoke first, not Ranger.

“Why don't you start with your real name? I have the distinct impression that when Carlos knew you, it wasn't Stephanie Mazur.”

Glancing at Ranger, she could see the surprise in his eyes at the revelation of her alias. She was sure he and the others had checked for Stephanie Mazur's as well as any number of other combinations of her family names. After all, she used to do that when she worked for Rangeman and she still did it with her new job.

“No,” she agreed with her friend. “Mazur is my mother's maiden name. The name on my birth certificate is Stephanie Plum. That's who I was before I left Trenton. That's who Ranger knows me as.”

The betrayal that flashed in Bob's eyes at the revelation of her deceit pierced Stephanie's heart. He was her best friend here in Montana. She wouldn't be where she was today, nor would she have Charlie if it weren't for him.

To find out she'd been lying about her name had to hurt, but Stephanie also had to let him know she had been honest about everything else. “That's the only thing I lied about, Bob,” she assured.

He met her eyes and she could see they were clouded with questions and doubts. He was obviously debating something within himself. Eventually, he reached a conclusion and his eyes cleared. “I believe you,” he responded. “You never lied to me about your past, you just never answered my questions.”

“Thank you,” Steph said softly, closing her eyes in relief. She still wasn't looking forward to relating her tale, but at least she knew she wouldn't lose Bob.

“Now,” Bob continued, settling back in his chair, “why don't you tell us what happened to make you change your name and leave your family and friends.”

Blowing out a big breath, Stephanie looked down into her glass. “I'm going to need a little more wine for the telling of this tale,” she admitted.

In a few moments, Ranger had crossed to the bottle and poured Stephanie a half-glass more of the wine, taking a moment to refill his own and Bob's glasses before returning the bottle to the table.

Settling on the chair next to hers, Ranger waited for Stephanie to meet his eyes. When she did, she gasped at the pain and confusion she saw there before Ranger snapped his blank face back into place.

“Tell me why you left me, Steph,” he commanded. The pain he had forced from his eyes permeated his voice. “Why?” he repeated, his voice little more than a pleading whisper.

Looking down at her glass, Stephanie ran her finger around the rim before admitting, “I had no choice.”

To be continued in part 5 – 049. Fireplace

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