"I hate these damn parties," Bosco whined as he and Faith
entered the hall.
"Don't be such a grouch Bosco," Faith replied, softly punching him in the arm. "Just because you're getting a stocking full of coal for Christmas, don't make the rest of us miserable too."
"Bah humbug," Bosco mumbled as they were joined by Sully, Ty, and Kim.
"I'd watch it if I were you Bosco," Kim warned. "Santa can see you."
"Let the big guy watch all he wants," Bosco moaned. "I ain't got anything to hide."
"That's the truth," Faith said with a giggle. "Santa crossed you off the good little boys list a long time ago."
"Really Bosco," Ty interrupted. "What do you do with all that coal?"
"Ho Ho Ho," Bosco stated with his usual Boscorelli charm and attitude. "I need a beer."
"What's his problem?" Alex asked coming into the discussion late.
"He's got the lead role in Scrooge," Faith replied, getting a laugh from Kim and Alex as well.
"Oh so after Christmas, the sweet, charming Boscorelli we all know and love will return?" Kim asked.
"Charming? Bosco?" Ty asked. "I don't think I've met the guy."
"Yeah well don't worry about it, " Sully directed his comment to Ty, "I've worked with him for eight years and I still haven't seen anything remotely close to charming.
"Seriously what's his problem?" Alex asked as the others dispersed in search of something more fun.
"He's not a big fan of Christmas," Faith replied.
"I don't get it, " Alex said, "What's not to love about Christmas; family gathered around the tree, presents, Christmas carols."
"Well in Bosco's case, I don't think there was much in the way of family or presents. I'm not sure about the tree part but I'm pretty sure he's never sang a Christmas carol in his life."
"No family, no presents. bummer," Alex responded trying not to show her true feelings. "You know, I think everybody ought to experience a little Christmas tradition."
"Yeah well, maybe you can teach him the words to "Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer." Faith offered.
"You think he ever believed in Santa Claus?" Alex asked.
"I doubt it, I think he was one of the non-believers," Faith deducted.
"Maybe we can do something about that," Alex stated although it was more in the form of a question.
"You think you're gonna change Bosco's Scrooge-ness overnight?" Faith questioned, already knowing the answer to that question.
"Hey, all we can do is try," Alex replied. "Right now though, I need some food. I'll talk to you later."
"Sure thing," Faith responded.
The party went on as most had in the past. Food was eaten, drinks were flowing, and people were generally being nice to one another. All in the Spirit of Christmas. Well, all except one maybe. Scrooge was still Bah-humming along.
"I'll see ya all later," Bosco replied as he headed for the door.
"Hey Bosco, hang on a sec," Faith called after him. Hearing her call after him brought him to a halt.
"Look Faith, you asked me to come; make an appearance," Bosco repeated Faith's earlier comments regarding attending the party. "Well, I was here, I made an appearance, and now, I'm going home."
"You can't leave yet," Alex shouted from across the room. "It's a tradition."
"Well if it isn't one of the Santa's little elfs?" Bosco commented seeing the silly expression on Alex's face. "Give my regards to the big guy. Now, if you don't mind, I'm outta here."
"I don't think so," Alex added. "Not yet anyway."
Faith followed Alex's eyes, realizing what she was referring to.
"Mistle-toe Bos," Faith replied, using her eyes and her finger to draw his attention to the doorway above.
"Don't tell me you never heard of mistletoe?" Alex added.
"Mistletoe?" Bosco replied. He'd been caught and he knew it.
"Gotcha," Faith laughed before leaning forward. Wrapping one arm around his waist and one around his neck, Faith pulled him to her. Gazing into his eyes just for a second before meeting his lips with hers.
Their eyes met once again as the kiss ended.
"This your idea?" Bosco asked.
"Actually," Faith responded, "It was Alex's idea."
Out of the corner of his eyes, Bosco spotted Alex.
"Alex?" he replied raising one eyebrow, a mischievous look on his face.
"Merry Christmas Bos," Alex said placing a kiss on his cheek.
"Don't be such a grouch Bosco," Faith replied, softly punching him in the arm. "Just because you're getting a stocking full of coal for Christmas, don't make the rest of us miserable too."
"Bah humbug," Bosco mumbled as they were joined by Sully, Ty, and Kim.
"I'd watch it if I were you Bosco," Kim warned. "Santa can see you."
"Let the big guy watch all he wants," Bosco moaned. "I ain't got anything to hide."
"That's the truth," Faith said with a giggle. "Santa crossed you off the good little boys list a long time ago."
"Really Bosco," Ty interrupted. "What do you do with all that coal?"
"Ho Ho Ho," Bosco stated with his usual Boscorelli charm and attitude. "I need a beer."
"What's his problem?" Alex asked coming into the discussion late.
"He's got the lead role in Scrooge," Faith replied, getting a laugh from Kim and Alex as well.
"Oh so after Christmas, the sweet, charming Boscorelli we all know and love will return?" Kim asked.
"Charming? Bosco?" Ty asked. "I don't think I've met the guy."
"Yeah well don't worry about it, " Sully directed his comment to Ty, "I've worked with him for eight years and I still haven't seen anything remotely close to charming.
"Seriously what's his problem?" Alex asked as the others dispersed in search of something more fun.
"He's not a big fan of Christmas," Faith replied.
"I don't get it, " Alex said, "What's not to love about Christmas; family gathered around the tree, presents, Christmas carols."
"Well in Bosco's case, I don't think there was much in the way of family or presents. I'm not sure about the tree part but I'm pretty sure he's never sang a Christmas carol in his life."
"No family, no presents. bummer," Alex responded trying not to show her true feelings. "You know, I think everybody ought to experience a little Christmas tradition."
"Yeah well, maybe you can teach him the words to "Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer." Faith offered.
"You think he ever believed in Santa Claus?" Alex asked.
"I doubt it, I think he was one of the non-believers," Faith deducted.
"Maybe we can do something about that," Alex stated although it was more in the form of a question.
"You think you're gonna change Bosco's Scrooge-ness overnight?" Faith questioned, already knowing the answer to that question.
"Hey, all we can do is try," Alex replied. "Right now though, I need some food. I'll talk to you later."
"Sure thing," Faith responded.
The party went on as most had in the past. Food was eaten, drinks were flowing, and people were generally being nice to one another. All in the Spirit of Christmas. Well, all except one maybe. Scrooge was still Bah-humming along.
"I'll see ya all later," Bosco replied as he headed for the door.
"Hey Bosco, hang on a sec," Faith called after him. Hearing her call after him brought him to a halt.
"Look Faith, you asked me to come; make an appearance," Bosco repeated Faith's earlier comments regarding attending the party. "Well, I was here, I made an appearance, and now, I'm going home."
"You can't leave yet," Alex shouted from across the room. "It's a tradition."
"Well if it isn't one of the Santa's little elfs?" Bosco commented seeing the silly expression on Alex's face. "Give my regards to the big guy. Now, if you don't mind, I'm outta here."
"I don't think so," Alex added. "Not yet anyway."
Faith followed Alex's eyes, realizing what she was referring to.
"Mistle-toe Bos," Faith replied, using her eyes and her finger to draw his attention to the doorway above.
"Don't tell me you never heard of mistletoe?" Alex added.
"Mistletoe?" Bosco replied. He'd been caught and he knew it.
"Gotcha," Faith laughed before leaning forward. Wrapping one arm around his waist and one around his neck, Faith pulled him to her. Gazing into his eyes just for a second before meeting his lips with hers.
Their eyes met once again as the kiss ended.
"This your idea?" Bosco asked.
"Actually," Faith responded, "It was Alex's idea."
Out of the corner of his eyes, Bosco spotted Alex.
"Alex?" he replied raising one eyebrow, a mischievous look on his face.
"Merry Christmas Bos," Alex said placing a kiss on his cheek.