The month after me and Faith talked about her divorce went by faster than any 30-day period in my life. Emily was still living with her dad. She was staying with him while Faith prepared a surprise for her. Actually the surprise was a combined effort...combined meaning me and Faith.

We'd gotten off shift late one night. I drove Faith home. We'd talked for a half hour or so before she glanced at the calendar. She got this look on her face, followed by a string of explicits that I've never heard from her before. After a couple minutes, she calmed down and told me what was wrong. Turns out it wasn't all that big of a deal. Her rent was three days late. Didn't seem that big a deal to me. My landlord was used to me showing up a week late. It wasn't that I didn't have the rent money, it was more like my brain just stopped working on the 29th of the month and didn't start again on the 4th or 5th...hence my late rent.

I spent the night with Faith, crashing on her couch just as I'd done three days that week. The next morning we'd planned on calling her landlord and offering to bring the rent check right over. Faith was in the shower when I heard someone knock on the door. Through the door, I discovered the man was the landlord and he was in the neighborhood and decided to see if everything was okay with Faith. Faith came out of the bathroom, fully dressed but with damp hair.

"Hey Jim," Faith said walking into the kitchen after hearing voices. "I got your rent money right here."

"Oh hey don't worry about it," Jim replied. "I got bigger problems than you making one late rent payment in what....ten...twelve years? Everything okay Faith?"

"Yeah, just slipped my mind I guess," Faith replied.

"Good, glad to hear it," Jim replied taking the check. "Like I said, it's not a problem."

"So what brings you over here this early?" Faith questioned Jim. The guy didn't look too happy although I think he was sincere about the late check and all.

"I was supposed to meet a guy about an apartment," Jim explained. "Crazy son-of-a-bitch left the place a mess. I come over here to meet with a guy about doing some repairs and he doesn't show. You believe that? I wanted to do this a week ago...I plan my day around his schedule and he doesn't show."

"Sorry to hear it," Faith offered. "What unit is it?"

"Five-fifty-five...small rooms but a nice place or at least it will be once I get it fixed up."

"What kinda work we talking about?" I asked.

"Place needs some painting, some new carpet, minor stuff really," Jim explained. "Repairs aren't my thing and I just don't have the time to deal with it right now. Daughter's getting married in a month...wife's got me running all over town. Gotta run. Thanks for the check."

Faith headed back into the bathroom. I caught up to Faith's landlord. Fifteen minutes later I returned.

"Where'd you run off too?" Faith asked.

"Come on, gotta show you something," I replied, taking her by the hand and dragging her along behind me all the while she kept asking where we were going. She didn't stop asking until we were standing outside a door with the numbers 5 5 5.

"Bos, why are we here?" Faith asked as I pulled out a key, unlocking the door. I flipped a few light switches.

"So, what do you think?"

"What do I think? I think the place is a mess...why?"

"I was thinking..."

"Bos?"

"Hear me out Faith," I replied as we walked from room to room. "Right now, I'd have to agree with you. It's a mess but it doesn't have to be."

"What are you getting at?"

"I talked to Jim...he's willing to pay for whatever the place needs...carpet...tile...paint...whatever. We do the work and the place is yours."

"Bosco, I can barely make my rent now. This place is bigger than mine. I cant swing any more bucks for rent."

"It wouldn't be anymore Faith," I explained. "Jim said if we clean the place up...do some painting, lay the new carpet and all; he'll give you the place for the same as you're paying now."

"Bos, this is a three bedroom apartment," she replied. I didn't need her answer. I could tell what she was thinking by her smile. "I get to pick my own colors?"

"Yep, you pick the colors for paint, carpet in here, new tile in the kitchen...anything else; we run it by Jim. If he agrees, same thing applies...we do the work and he'll pay for the materials."

"We do the work...we as in you and me?"

"We as in you and me Faith."

"So what do you get outta this deal?" she asked.

"I get this," I replied, cradling her face in my hands. "I get to see your smile. That's enough for me."

Faith smiled at me that afternoon. It was a look that I wouldn't soon forget. Faith was happy and that made me happy too. We spent the rest of the day making plans. The next three days we spent cleaning out the place. Four days later, Faith picked Emily up from school. She had a surprise for her she'd said. Instead of telling Emily about the new apartment, Faith told her she was painting Em's bedroom and they needed to make a color selection. While they spent the afternoon shopping, I got started on painting the living room. I had a feeling Faith wouldn't be able to keep the new apartment a secret and the next day while I was painting the kitchen, Faith appeared with Emily. I hadn't seen Emily since that night at the hospital. I wasn't sure how she'd feel about me being there.

"Hey Em," I replied, attempting to break the ice.

"Hi Bosco," she replied. Faith stepped in at this point, directing Emily to what would be her new room. It was slightly smaller than the one in Faith's current apartment but this one would be all hers. A third bedroom would be for Charlie when, on occasion, he stayed with Faith. I wasn't in the room with Faith and Emily but I over heard them talking so I know Emily was excited about the new bedroom.

"Hey Faith," I called out after ten minutes or so.

"Yeah Bosco," she called back.

"Your landlord stopped by, he wanted you to call him."

Faith had left her cell phone at the apartment so she used mine to call Jim. I was only hearing one side of the conversation but I could tell it was a good one. I looked from Faith to Emily who looked from her mother to me. We shrugged our shoulders at the same time, waiting for Faith to get off the phone and tell us what was going on.

"Jim's really busy with the wedding stuff. He won't have time to go with us to pick out the new carpet until after the wedding," she explained.

"And you're happy about this?" I asked, a little confused.

"Well no, not that. I mean I wanna get moved in here as soon as possible. Jim suggested that I go to the carpet store, pick out what I want and he'll take care of it. He gave me a budget. He said to pick out the carpet or whatever else we need, like countertops and tile and as long as I stick to the budget, we can go pick everything out."

"That's great mom." Emily piped in. I looked at Faith who was smiling as her daughter. As the two of them were talking my cell phone rang. Faith still had it in her hand and out of habit, answered it forgetting it was my phone.

"Oh hi Nicole," she replied. "Hey he's right here. Sorry, I used his phone and I was still had it in my hand."

"Hey Nicole," I answered. Our conversation lasted for almost ten minutes. She explained how she'd been trying to call me but my phone was busy. She thought it was funny how Faith had answered it. We'd talked earlier in the week about Faith's new apartment so that was no surprise. She asked if she could stop over, if Faith would be there for a while. After several more questions aimed at Faith, I handed my phone back to Faith. Fifteen minutes later, the three of us were in my car, heading for some place Nicole had told us about.

We arrived there and Faith and Nicole were soon lost in an array of carpet, tile, drapes, furniture and some things I'd never imagine putting in a place I called home. Okay so my sense of adventure was missing. There was a time when I'd had plenty of ideas on what to do with a bearskin rug. In the back of my mind, I made a mental note to never go shopping with Faith again, at least not with her and Nicole. Me and Emily walked around for a while, occasionally running into one another. One particular time I was staring intently at some odd chair type thing. I must have said something although I don't remember what it might have been...something along the lines of what would you do with that. I guess I forgot who I was talking to. Emily wasn't the same little girl that I'd first met nine years ago. Her answer, well I wont go into that. Let's just say my reputation preceded me and the kid left me blushing.

After a while I caught up with Faith and Nicole, the two of them showing me their choices. I kind of forgot all about Emily.

It was later in the week that Nicole asked me to stop by her place. 'We need to talk' she'd explained, offering me no further clues.

Faith and I got off a little late that night but I still made it to Nicole's by midnight.

"Hey there," she greeted me, an interesting look on he face.

Her phone call and how she left things had been on my mind all day. I wasted no time getting to the point.

"So what is it we need to talk about?"

"Emily," Nicole replied. The look on her face told me this was going to take a while. I took a seat.

"The other day when we were shopping for the carpet and tile and stuff," she began explaining. I nodded urging her to continue.

"Emily asked me about us."

"Us...as in you and me?"

"Yeah, she was curious about our relationship."

"Why would she ask about us?

"Well, I told her that you and I were just friends, that we'd dated a few years back but now we were just friends."

"And..."

"And after that she asked about you and Faith," Nicole paused before continuing. "I wasn't sure what to tell her. I mean I know the two of you aren't seriously involved, at least not to the point that Emily was asking. But I didn't feel it was my place to tell her anything."

"What did you say?"

"Just that you and I were friends and that you and Faith were friends. Anymore than that she'd have to talk to Faith."

"She knows doesn't she?"

"I don't know what exactly she's thinking but I got the feeling she suspects something."

"This isn't good," I replied.

"Maybe not but..."

"Nicole, I've known Emily since she was a little girl. She and I used to be on good terms. I felt like an uncle to the kid you know. But there was a time that I really felt she blamed me for a lot of what was going on between Faith and Fred."

"I think either you or Faith need to sit her down and talk to her."

"And tell her what, that I spend a lot of nights at Faith's...that the feelings I have for her mother aren't as a friend..."

"In a way, yes that's what she needs to hear. Look Maurice, be honest with her. Like you said, she's not a little kid anymore and if she'd picking up on something, its better that she hear it from you or Faith than someone else."

"You're right...you're right," I repeated as I paced Nicole's apartment. "I should get going. It's late."

"If there's anything I can do, call me," she said as I put my jacket on, heading for the door.

"Thanks...thanks for telling me this," I replied.

"You're welcome."

For the second time, Nicole and I had had a serious discussion and I went home and spent the next few hours thinking. I knew what Nicole said was right. One of us had to talk to Emily. For some reason, I didn't see this as Faith's problem...this one was mine.

A few days later, I was putting the final touches on a kitchen paint job when Emily showed up. Faith had gone up to the apartment for something. I took the opportunity to talk to Emily.

"Can we talk?" I asked her, getting a curious look.

"Sure...I guess."

You know I remember a time that kid ran into the room when I showed up at Faith's place. Course she was about six or seven at the time. Things had changed. I'd changed...Emily's changed...we'd all changed. I was hoping Em and I could still talk. Just once, I wished we could talk like we used to.

"Come 'ere Em...sit down," I replied, trying not to sound too much like an adult.

"Did I do something?" she replied. Okay so that wasn't the reply I'd hoped for. At least she hadn't rolled her eyes when she said it.

"No, actually it's been kinda nice being around you," I said. For the first time in a long time, she looked me in the eye.

"Bosco, you're weird you know that?"

"Yeah, I know that," I replied with a laugh. So I'd broken the ice...at least I'd hoped I had.

"Listen, you're fourteen. You're not a little kid anymore, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So, I wanted to talk to you about your mom."

"You mean about you and my mom?"

"Yeah about me and your mom."

"Are you guys sleeping together?"

"You don't beat around the bush do you?" I asked. Actually as bold as Emily was and the fact that she really put me on the spot, I'm glad we were talking. I was hoping she'd give me a chance to explain.

"No, Em we're not sleeping together."

"And you're telling me the truth?"

"Yeah Em, I'm telling you the truth." This wasn't going so well after all. I decided to take another approach.

"Listen, when I was ten years old, my parents got a divorce. I still remember the day my ma told me. She pulled me out of school, took me to lunch. I barely took a bite of my sandwich when she told me my dad wasn't gonna live with us anymore. Suddenly, at ten, I was the man of the house. I thought it was my job to look after my ma and my little brother.

"My ma and dad...they never fought in front of my brother and me...the divorce...blew me away. I never in a million years expected them to split up."

"I didn't expect mom and dad to get a divorce either. Once when I was little, dad didn't come home for a couple days but this..."

"I know Em... I remember that time. Your dad was drinking again and your mom...she grew up with that...she didn't want that kind of home life for you and Charlie."

"Did mom, I mean does she talk to you about her and dad?"

"Sometimes...I mean we don't really talk about it, usually she's just talking out loud...trying to figure things out for herself. That time though, we talked about it. I think she was really seriously talking about leaving your dad."

"What'd you tell her?"

"Basically I told her to think long and hard on it...that it would affect you and Charlie a lot longer than just this week or this month...it'd be with you well into adulthood."
"She didn't leave dad," Emily replied, her eyes meeting mine. "Not that time."

"No Emily, not that time. But this time...yeah. But the difference between you and me...your dad loves you...he's still a part of your life. He's right here...you can call him anytime you want...you can still see him. Your mom would never stop you from seeing your dad."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Your mom and dad...they see other people?"

"I don't know what my dad does. I didn't then, still don't. He used to come over to the house, come to my window and talk to me. I'd let him in and he'd rush right past me. Then he'd argue with ma, beat her up.

"My ma, yeah she's dated other people...some of them just as bad or worse than my dad. Right now though, she's dating my boss."

"Your boss?" Emily replied with a laugh. She was Faith's daughter after all. "Your mom's dating your boss?"

"Yeah and the kicker...I introduced them...didn't realize it at the time. To be honest with you, I wasn't crazy about the two of them...not at first. Kicked myself for introducing them. After a while, I realized they really care about each other. He treats her nice, doesn't beat her up. What am I supposed to do? Deny her a nice guy...a decent guy?"

"So you and my mom...you think I should be okay with that?"

"No Em, I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is that I care about your mom. I like spending time with her. I'm not sure where this is heading...whether it will develop into something more serious."

"Serious as in sex?"

"I'd like to think that your mom and me...if we did sleep together...at some point...that it'd be more than just sex. Em, you met my friend Nicole. One night we talked for five hours about everything from my work to her store to my mom and Lieu. You know what she told me?"

"No," Em replied, shaking her head at the same time.

"She told me that no matter what happens...if ma dates someone... if she someday gets married again...that she'll always be my ma. Emily, no matter what happens with your mom and me....whatever the future holds for your mom and dad, they'll always be your mom and your dad. Nothing can change that...not a new husband...not a new wife...certainly not me. I've known you too long...long enough to know how much your mom loves you. She may not always say the right thing or do the right thing, but what she says and what she does...she loves you and she wants you to be happy."

"I know," Emily replied. I took that as the end of our conversation. Emily thought differently.

"Bosco...about the drugs...that sergeant lady...her sister really died?"

"Yeah Em, she did."

"It was only that one time...just that one night. I talked to mom about it...I took the drugs, I mean no one made me do it."

"Talking to your mom about it...that's a good thing."

"I think she was upset at you...that night at the hospital...what you said, it was meant for me."

"Yeah, I didn't want to upset you but...I don't know...it just seemed like maybe you'd listen...maybe you'd think about what you did."

"I did...think about it I mean...I'm not going to take drugs again."

I didn't respond to Emily's last comment. I nodded as I reached out to her, helping her to her feet. Without any furniture in the apartment, we'd been sitting on the floor.

"Bosco?" she replied. I'd taken about six steps when she caught my attention. I didn't have time to respond since she was right behind me. I did what felt natural, I reached out to her, wrapping my arms around Faith's grown up little girl.

"Thanks," she said, returning the hug. "Thanks for being honest with me...not treating me like a little kid."

I glanced up to see Faith standing in the doorway, a smile on her face. I wasn't sure how long she'd been there but she didn't stay long. She left before Emily knew she was there.