Say It Till The Morning After: A Two-Chapter Story

Say It Till The Morning After: A Two-Chapter Story

Genre: Drama/Romance
Published: 06-04-12, Updated: 06-05-12
Chapters: 2, Words: 789

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Chapter 1

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Say It Till The Morning After: A Two-Chapter Story

Chapter One

She sits with her legs tucked under her, stares at the TV screen and waits. She tries to concentrate on the rerun of The Nanny but fails. It's raining out there and the wind is a bit chilly. Her door is firmly locked and her landline is now unplugged. The iPhone she bought from one of her more enterprising skips went to heaven along with her shoulder bag and car last week. She hasn't had breakfast or lunch yet. There's nothing to eat in her fridge or cabinets. She's low on money but not hungry. It seems she has just lost all her appetite. She thinks of all her possible options and becomes more than a little nervous.

She turns off the TV, closes her eyes and prays. She feels like chewing her nails all of a sudden. She has made her decision. She will not run away in the middle of the night like a sneaky thief. She will stay and fight the fight. She knows there is always a price to pay though she still has no idea what to say. And she will never be ready for the answer she knows she won't want to hear.

She's Stephanie Plum, a 30-something bounty hunter who's not into cooking and cleaning. She has just found out she is 2 months pregnant. And yes, she knows who the father is.

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Chapter 2

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Say It Till The Morning After: A Two-Chapter Story

Chapter Two

It's close to 3 o'clock when he finally arrives. He lets himself in and locks her door. He comes to sit down besides her and puts the food on the tattered coffee table. Sandwiches, fruits salad and pumpkin soup prepared by Ella. And Baklava from a small Greek restaurant. The corners of his lips twitch into a hint of a smile as he hears her stomach growl. He's a busy man who's used to dining alone. He has a busy week ahead of him and hasn't had lunch. They eat in silence. Somewhere inside the old building Andy Williams is singing Moon River. A telephone rings and stops. The rain keeps on falling. The wind slowly dies down. She has something to tell him, and he's waiting patiently. Somehow he always knows her better than herself. And now he's intrigued by the fragile resolution he spots in her worried blue eyes.

What is she going to tell him? She's quitting her job to get married, settle down and pop out half a dozen little Cupcakes? She's not quitting her job but is determined to officially become Mrs. Joseph Morelli so that she and the cop can wave their arms and yell at each other under the same roof for the rest of their lives till the day they die? He thinks to himself and almost smiles. He raises his brow at her as she starts fidgeting and squirming like a guilty child.

"I missed the pill." She looks at him with uncertain eyes and murmurs under her breath.

His eyes widen a fraction and hold her prisoner.

"The day you...I...we..." Her shaking voice is barely a whisper.

A million thoughts rush through his mind. Child. Marriage. Freedom. Burden. Duty. Obligation. Responsibility. Friendship. Family. Routine. Schedule. Adjustments. Arrangements. Affection. Trust. And love. He calmly thinks and falls silent. She grows uneasy and becomes a little bit frustrated and frightened, he takes notice and grasps hold of her hand. Warm and soft. Delicate and fragile. Timid. But powerful. He doesn't have to make a decision. There's really no other option. And he's no stranger to change. He thinks of a line in a famous movie and actually smiles.

"Do you know how to quit Morelli, Stephanie?" Ranger asks.

Stephanie blinks, takes a deep breath and slowly nods. She has known the answer for years. Now it's time to be honest with herself and her true feelings, and from now on there will be no running away from reality. She wraps her arms around Ranger as he gently pulls her into his arms. Together they listen to the sound of Rex running on his hamster wheel. That night she moves in with him. Three days later they get married.

And she finally realizes Batcave is where her heart is.

~The End~