What is JE's is hers. Reilley and Pudding are mine. I had this started before 'Thawing of a Christmas Heart' was complete. It's in my mind, so I've put it into words. It's very cold and snow in Pittsburgh. We're expecting a high of 5 tomorrow, so in between cleaning, I put the finishing touches on the 1st chapter. Thanks, Lee Anne

Simple Hearts

Ranger flipped through the list of all his voice messages on his cell phone. He just returned from his government job and went right to his locker on the base. There were a few messages from Tank, his mother, and a few from the managers in his other offices. He skipped over those looking for a number in particular. He found one with the 302 area code and selected that one. The job came up so suddenly, he never had a chance to call Stephanie before he left and of course didn't want to worry her.

"Ranger, um, 'Hi'." Just from those three words, he knew she was upset. "If you want, call me back, OK?" There was a cracking tone in her voice. He heard it. Looking at his watch, it was after 4 AM. Immediately, he wanted to return Stephanie's telephone call, but he didn't want to wake her and it was rude returning a telephone call that was over four weeks ago. He made a decision, before meeting with General Schaeffer; he was going to Wilmington. His report could wait a few hours or a day.

Picking up the wall phone in the officer's room, he punched in the control room extension. "This is Major Manoso, I'm scheduled for a flight to DC in a few hours. Is it possible that it could be routed to New Castle in Wilmington?" Ranger knew there was a National Guard Base the plane could land at only a few miles from the business center of Wilmington. "Good."

He was anxious to see Stephanie and her miniature Power Ranger and discover what had upset her. He hoped it was nothing serious with her family or her son. Cursing the 'government' for their timing, he wasn't here to comfort her like she seemed to need. Before his plane was scheduled to take off, Ranger could at least shower and sleep for an hour or two. It would pass the time, because his 'patient' self was impatient to touch down in Wilmington.

Ranger didn't mean to bark his request jumping out the airplane door not waiting for stairs to be placed against the small military craft, "I need at car!"

"Yes, Major," an Army private saluted him with the steps that were in the way now. They were notified a Major with the Special Ops would be landing his Captain advised the private and to do whatever the recognized officer wanted. So the young soldier knew he was important. "Where do you need to go?" He was chasing after Ranger with the steps.

"Business district I think." Ranger pulled up addresses for beauty salons. He had a few addresses listed on his Smart Phone. Ranger was pretty certain Stephanie said she worked at 'The Hair Shack' but he also found a listing for 'The Hair Shed'.

"I'll see if my superior will let me drive you. This way," the young man indicated to a plain brown building on the side of the hanger. He let the steps roll to the wall and held the door for Ranger, then knocked on an open door. "Captain Swanson, the Major has arrived and needs to be somewhere," he said saluting walking into the small office.

A young officer jumped up saluting Ranger. "Major Manoso, how can we assist you?" he asked nervously. The Special Ops officer was intimidating as he heard. He couldn't help gulping from his uneasiness in Ranger's presence.

"I need to get to 'The Hair Shack' on Broadway," he said looking at the address on his smart phone.

The Captain and Private gave each other questioning eyes. This 'Hot Shot' Special Ops Major wanted a hair cut and he came to Wilmington for it?

Ranger noticed the puzzled communication between the two. He realized how crazy his request sounded but Ranger really didn't care, he wanted to get to Stephanie.

"Private Connors will drive you," the Captain ordered still unsure of the reason. Major Manoso did not elaborate and he wasn't going to question this superior officer. He liked his job and didn't much care for a weather station in Antarctica. He had heard through the ranks about a few men finding themselves way off the beaten path for asking when they should have kept silent. He wasn't going to be one of them.

Ranger slipped into the front seat of a green Hummer with his duffel on the floor beside his feet. Private Connor was a little bewildered by Major Manoso's actions. He wouldn't allow the low ranking officer open the vehicle door him, carried his own bags, and wanted to go to a beauty shop. He practically jumped out of the driver's seat when Ranger asked his name.

"Peter Charles, Sir."

"Where are you from, Peter?" Ranger asked hoping to calm him down. He realized he was making the young man nervous.

"Cambridge, Sir."

"My security company owns an office in Boston."

"Yes, Sir."

"Aliens will be landing soon, Peter."

"Yes, Sir."

Ranger started to chuckle. His driver kept his eyes on the road but from the slump in his posture, Private Connors caught himself. "Relax, Peter. I won't bite."

He let out a breath concentrating on the morning traffic. "Yes, Major."

The Army Hummer pulled into a small parking lot next to a red building with dirty bricks. Ranger saw the sign on the side 'The Hair Shack' but was focused on the long paper sign in the side window. "THANK YOU. SALON UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT."

"I'll be back," he told his driver jumping out before it was even parked. Shaking the Hummer with the force of the door closing, Ranger took off running for the front door.

Pulling it open, he charged in stopping when female eyes all turned in his direction. His dark eyes caught a mass of curls in the reflection of a mirror. Stephanie was finishing up with a client fluffing her hair.

"Can I help you?" the woman at the front desk asked the man definitely searching for someone. His was all taught muscle in Army fatigues any hot blooded woman would devour without a second thought.

Ranger said one loud word. "Babe!"

Stephanie's body froze in the mirror and before the receptionist or other customers blinked he was around striped partition.

"Ranger!" Stephanie's voice pitched hearing his voice. Thinking it was a fluke at Christmas, she gave up. She called but the call was never returned.

"What's wrong?" Ranger whispered cupping her shocked face in his hands. An answer never came, his lips crashed down on hers.

"Oh, this is better than 'An Officer and A Gentleman'," a woman said in a chair waiting her color to finish waving her arms in circles making 'WHOOP' noises.

"Tom Cruise was a poster boy compared to him. Go ARMY!"

They laughed against each other's lips. 'I just returned a few hours ago and I heard your message."

Stephanie's clear blue eyes became teary. "Miss Fitch died. Reilley and I miss her."

"I'm so sorry, Babe." Ranger tightened his arms around her feeling wetness on his face.

"I don't know how to explain it to Reilley why Miss Fitch died."

He nodded not knowing an answer for her bewildered little boy. "What's going on here?"

"My year is not going so well," Stephanie huffed. "Marilyn's mother broke her hip and is having some health problems, so she's moving down to South Carolina to help her father. Another salon a few blocks away is taking over our client list so I still have my job and benefits for right now, but the owner Tony expects you to cut, curl, and get them out the door so another person can fill the chair. I hate that!" Her eyes noticed his outfit. "Shouldn't you be in D.C or have you been there?"

"My report can wait a day. I heard your voice message and landed here first at the National Guard Base." Ranger chuckled. "I left Private Connor outside. Come on," Ranger told Stephanie tugging her hand.

In the parking lot, the green National Guard Hummer was running. The young private jumped out saluting Ranger walking toward the vehicle. "Was this the right place, Sir?" Seeing the beautiful woman with him, he assumed it was.

"Yes, Peter, and stop that. Thank you for your help. This is Stephanie."

She shook his nervous hand, "Hi, Peter."

"Hello, Miss." He saluted Stephanie in his jumpiness.

Ranger retrieved his duffle bag and handed Private Connor a business card. "If you ever need a job after the Army like I said I have an office in Boston, look Rangeman up. Say Ranger sent you."

"Thank you, Sir," he said saluting. He put his hand down sharply. "Sorry, Sir," flustered by Major Manoso's offer.

"Have a good day and thank your captain for me."

Private Connor saluted again, "Yes, Major Manoso," getting into the Hummer.

Stephanie punched his hard bicep, "You made him nervous."

"I'm good at it." Ranger quirked an eyebrow at Stephanie. His free arm casually pillowed her neck as he chuckled in her curls.

Ranger was introduced to Marilyn, the owner of 'The Hair Shack', Chloe with teased pink tipped hair, and April, the other stylist, and Mary, the receptionist. Marilyn ordered a sandwich ring, potato salad, breaded chicken, and apple pie for the salon's last official day under her. Ranger sat there eating listening to the women. Stephanie finished the haircut of her last client so after cleaning up; she was done for the day. Tony and his manager, Gloria, were coming in the next two days to inventory everything so she was free until Monday. It was Thursday so she had a long weekend.

"Want a trim before I clean up?" Stephanie asked messing Ranger's outgrown hair.

Giving a wolf grin with a flash of white, he told Stephanie's co-workers, "Gladly. Excuse me, Ladies."

She heard the collective female sigh. "I'll give you the works," she said patting a sink chair.

It was relaxing as Ranger let Stephanie wet his dark hair and lathered it with a lavender shampoo. She had been the only woman to touch him like that in a very long time. It was an intimate connection.

"Did the cat come out of the tree?" Ranger asked. Stephanie nodded as he watched in the mirror as she cut.

"Poor Pudding, he was lost for a few days with no Christmas tree to hide in," she updated Ranger. "He's back to hiding behind the curtains on the front window sill watching for birds. He scared the mailman one day he told me by standing up in the window batting at a bug."

"He is a crazy cat."

"He fits in."

Watching in the mirror, Stephanie smiled enjoying cutting his hair and what she did. She was meticulous making sure the sides were the same length and the ends were evenly cut as she worked. After blow drying his dark hair now shorter, she went around quickly with those other scissors she used before and his hair fell easily into place. After a little spray gel on her hands working into his hair, Ranger was good to go. His easy care hair was back. Hopefully, when he returned to Trenton his men didn't freak out again.

Ranger wanted to pay for his haircut, but Marilyn wouldn't accept any money. The floor was swept around Stephanie's station and she gathered up her scissors, gel, and a few other things into a large bag.

"I'm going to miss you," the owner hugged her. "I wish Ed and I weren't moving down to South Carolina."

"It will be warmer there," Stephanie joked trying to sound cheerful.

Marilyn handed Stephanie her pay envelope and another one. "There's a bonus for you. Tony isn't at times the nicest guy to work for, I know personally, so keep that as back-up. Thank you, Stephanie, and if you ever want to cut hair in down South, come see me."

They hugged each other some more and the owner shoed Stephanie and Ranger out the salon door before she cried more.

Without saying a word, Ranger went to the driver's side and Stephanie to the passenger, she laid her keys on the console. Opening the envelope inside her car, she stared at it. "Marilyn gave me five hundred dollars with my paycheck. That will help because my rent is going up in April."

"Good for you, Babe," Ranger encouraged. That amount was extra change he carried around in his wallet sometimes, but since meeting Stephanie, he consciously made an effort now not to take his money for granted. He thought about a new Porsche after seeing a magazine in the airport in Atlanta. It wasn't as if the one he owned had many miles on it in Trenton, he nixed it. He was going to appreciate the one he had.

Turning to face Stephanie fully, Ranger asked, "You don't have to be at work until Monday, right?"

Stephanie nodded.

"Let's go get Reilley and go back to your townhouse." He was going to saw 'row house' but 'townhouse' sounded better in his mind. "Pack overnight bags. Come to DC with me. I'll work on my report to file with the General tomorrow morning. We'll have dinner there. You and Reilley can swim in the pool or roam around near the hotel while I finish up my report. We can come back tomorrow."

"You're working."

"If you drive, I'll type my report and when we get outside of DC, I'll take over. I don't have much more to do. Please, come with me. I've missed you and the munchkin Power Ranger." His thumbs were rubbing Stephanie's high cheek bones to encourage her to say 'Yes'. Those sincere, beseeching, dark eyes were melting her resistance.

"Maybe a change would be good. Reilley and I have been down since Miss Fitch died. Then the salon and when I didn't hear from you."

"I'm so sorry, the government called me so quickly, I barely had time to grab my normal stuff. I was going to have Tank call you, I was so rushed. It was my fault. Come with me, please."

"OK," Stephanie nodded.

"Good. How do we get to Reilley?"

It was only a few blocks Stephanie directed via a backstreet to the St. Agnes's church where her son was in day care. On nice days, she would leave her car at the church and walk to the salon she explained.

"Mommy! Power Ranger!" Reilley called when they walked into the pre-school room.

"I finished early so I came to get my little boy and look who I met along the way," she told her excited son hugging him with one arm and patting Ranger's arm.

"That's great! Where you been, Power Ranger?"

Without thinking, Ranger picked up the little boy. "I had to go work for the government. I have to go meet with the Power Ranger Commander to give my report. How would you like to see where that is?"

His big blue eyes got wider. "Really? The Power Ranger Headquarters! Yeah!"

"Let's get your coat on, Rye."

He ran over to his cubby. The Rangeman hat went on his head and he put on his blue jacket for Stephanie to zip.

"Carol, I'm off for a few days so he'll be here Monday morning."

His teacher waved as the three of them walked out the door. "Bye."

In the hallway they met Father Francis walking. "Well, look who is back. Carlos, how are you?"

"Good, Father," he responded shaking hands.

The kind priest was pleasantly surprised who was accompanying the very well liked and gentle young woman and her little boy. He had hoped the stranger would lose some of his cynicism at Christmas, but it pleased his heart the three of them clicked together. Carlos was the opposite of his Christmas Eve self, he was relaxed, open, and smiling.

"We're going to see the Power Ranger's headquarters, Father Francis," Reilley announced to him.

The priest rubbed his black baseball cap, "Aren't you a lucky little boy?"

"Have a good day, Father," Stephanie wished as they left the school section of the church.

XXXXXXXX

Ranger had changed into jeans and a long sleeve T-shirt after arriving at Stephanie's. He left a message for General Schaeffer that Ranger would be at the Pentagon in the morning, early. Pudding watched through the curtain while he called the hotel to change the king bed to two doubles not wanting to make Stephanie uncomfortable and there was a small boy sleeping in the room, too. That surprised him, in the past, he would have jumped at the opportunity to get a beautiful woman in his bed, but this wasn't the right time or place. He realized he was returning the hospitality Stephanie showed him, it was very important to him. He never felt as an outsider, and he wanted the same for her.

"Mommy, are we going on vacation?" Reilley asked coming down the steps. He had a backpack and Woody with him.

"This is a mini-vacation. We'll be home tomorrow."

"OK. We'll take a little one."

Stephanie went into the kitchen to leave extra food and fresh water for Pudding. Once that was completed, Ranger, Reilley, and she could leave for their visit to Washington DC.