June 6th, 2003

Week 24

"Get off your lazy butt." Faith chuckled pulling Bosco to his feet.

"Do we really have to do this?" He groaned loudly.

"Do you want our son to be sleeping in our room?" Faith asked. "I have a credit card and we both have the day off. We're going to get everything for the nursery done. From the theme to the diaper pail."

"Babies need a lot." Bosco mumbled walking outside. "Theme? You mean like ducks and bunnies?"

"My son won't be having a duck or bunny theme." Faith laughed getting into the car. She slipped the seatbelt around her expanding waist.

"Thank the lord. I don't want anything cutesy." He said, "Something boyish."

"Don't worry." Faith leaned back and closed her eyes as Bosco drove. The baby was moving a lot today. That was a feeling Faith would never get tired of, even if he were bouncing on her bladder.

"We're here." He said. Faith opened her eyes.

"All ready? That was fast." She said with a yawn.

"You were out o it. Even snored a little bit." Bosco laughed getting out of the car.

"I didn't even realize I dozed off." She said as she got out of the car.

"Well, you did." Bosco took Faith's hand and walked into the Baby store. He couldn't believe still that he was going to be a father. "Okay, what do we get first?"

"Well, we can get a crib and then some bedding. We can work off of the bedding." Faith said walking to the cribs.

"All right." Bosco said feeling really out of place here. "There's a lot of cribs."

"Yup, but I think a simple oak one will do." Faith said. Bosco looked at the oak section.

"There's still about seven to choose from." He looked at the cribs, "The square ones, the circle ones, the cut ones…. So many."

"You choose." She said, "I want you to choose."

"Ah…All right." Bosco walked closer to the cribs. This would be what his boy would be sleeping in for the next couple of years. He inspected each and every crib looking for any flaws, even though he knew these were just displays. Finally he found one he liked. "This one." Faith smiled softly and nodded.

"Looks fine to me." She said.

"Great." Bosco smiled taking the small slip to give the cashier.

"Now onto the nursery theme." Faith said looking down the bedding aisle.

"What about a patriotism theme?" He asked holding up a crib bed spread that looked like the American flag. Fait glared at him.

"Absolutely not. I'm so sick of all of this." She growled.

"Of what?" He asked.

"Of all this patriotism being taken advantage of." Faith said. Bosco looked at her confused. "I'm all for people declaring their love for the country and everything. Hanging flags up are great, but I'm sick and tired of walking into Wal-Mart and seeing Flag trash cans, flag rugs, and all of that other shit."

"Oh." Bosco said slowly.

"Those frigging street vendors that sell all those merchandise with flags on that is just cashing off all our patriotism. I'm just frigging tired of it and wish we could bust them all." She said.

"So…No to this bedding." He put the bedspread back.

"A big fat no." She growled looking through the bedding. Bosco shook his head. It was just her hormones. "I want something cute, but boyish." Bosco nodded.

"Exactly what I'm looking for." He said. Faith rubbed her stomach as she lowered herself down to see the bottom shelf.

"Oooh!" Faith sat on the floor and pulled out a bedspread. "Look at this one. I like this." Bosco looked down at his wife and took the package from her. It was very simple with a giraffe and a lizard. Bosco nodded.

"I like it." He said. Faith grinned.

"Really? I love it." She said as Bosco threw it in the shopping cart. Faith looked up at Bosco. "I need help. I can't get up." Bosco chuckled softly and helped Faith to her feet.

"Silly girl." He laughed, "I think the accessories for this theme are down the other aisle."

"Cool. I think Em and Charlie would approve of this." She walked down the other aisle with Bosco, who was really getting into the shopping experience. He found the mobile, lamp, and border and put it in the cart without asking Faith. She smiled softly to herself. She was glad he was getting into it.

"What's this?" Bosco held up the green diaper rack.

"It's a diaper rack." She said. Bosco stared at her blankly. "You hang it up on the door or whatever and fill it with diapers. It's just to make the ugly plastic bags diapers come in look prettier." Bosco nodded.

"Oh. Makes sense." He said putting it on the cart that was quickly getting full. "I'm gonna look at some clothes."

"Okay. I'll be there in a second." Faith said as she looked through some curtains. Bosco walked over to the clothes. Everything was so small. He looked through a couple of racks before he pulled out a grey romper with NYPD in large blue letters on the chest.

"OH we're totally getting this." He pulled out a few other outfits. Bosco was enjoying this part. The men at the precinct would have a field day if they saw him holding up a baby blue sleeper to his own stomach.

"Having fun?" Faith asked. Bosco nodded putting the clothes into the cart.

"I never thought shopping would be this fun." He chuckled.

"Well, I hate shopping. We have some gender issues." Faith said pushing the cart. Bosco and Faith certainly did buy a lot that day, but all of it was needed.

Check out the baby's nursery: http://www.babyuniverse.com/kit.asp?id=723

June 20th, 2003

Week 26

Bosco looked out the window as Sully drove down the street. He wasn't even supposed to work today. Somehow Sully had guilt tripped him into it by saying he needed the money.

"That's for doing this." Sully said.

"No problem." He said, "I'll just have some explaining to do when Faith gets home and sees that I'm not there."

"That's why go invented notes." Sully said. "You didn't leave one?"

"No." Bosco said, "I didn't think I was signing on for a full afternoon."

"Sorry. I thought I explained it well." He shrugged, "I'll make it up to you. When the baby comes, you can get some nice time off."

"I may be getting time off from you and the job, but I will be having a screaming baby in the house." Sully chuckled softly.

"Yeah you will." He smiled. Bosco scratched his neck.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something." He said.

"Doubt you are." Sully said, "I always get like that when I'm feeling overly stressed and such." Bosco shrugged.

"You're probably right." He said. "Why is it so slow today?"

"We're just lucky out I guess." Sully said. Bosco sighed as Sully stopped at a red light. A group of school kids crossed the street. The colour drained from Bosco's face.

"What time is it?" Bosco asked.

"Ah…" Sully looked at his watch. "Three o'clock."

"Oh shit. The kids." Bosco groaned, "Take a left."

"Why?"

"Today was the kids' last day of school and it was my turn to pick them up." Bosco groaned loudly. "They got out at two thirty."

"Oh…. You're in trouble."

* * *

Bosco jumped out of the squad car and ran down the sidewalk to Emily and Charlie's schools. He saw Emily and Charlie sitting on the school steps utterly bored.

"I am so sorry." Bosco apologized. Emily stood up with a sour look on her face.

"Today was our last day of school." She said getting up.

"I know. I totally forgot." Bosco said taking Charlie's bag.

"Mom wouldn't have forgotten." Charlie said.

"You know she would have." Emily said, sulking as she walked tot he squad car.

"Emily, there's no need for that kind of attitude. I said I was sorry." He said, "There's no need to bring your mother into this." Emily got into the back seat and frowned.

"Is Mom still at work?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, Buddy, she is." Bosco said.

"I'm not mad at you, Daddy." He said. "I'm just tired and excited for vacation. Could we go camping or something?" Charlie asked jumping into the back.

"We'll see how your mother is feeling." Bosco said buckling up.

"Hi kids." Sully smiled.

"Hi Officer Sullivan." Charlie smiled politely. Bosco looked at Sully.

"Do you mind if I all it quits today?" Bosco asked, "I should take them home before Faith realizes I screwed up." Sully laughed.

"Sure. I'll drop you off if you want." He said. Bosco nodded.

"Thanks so much man."

* * *

Faith groaned as she walked in.

"Is it August yet? I need my maternity leave." She mumbled yet. She walked into the living room and saw Bosco and the kids watching Inspector Gadget. "Welcome home mom. How was your day sweetheart."

"Hi mom." Charlie mumbled.

"Home…Mom." Emily whispered. Bosco chuckled as he got up off the couch.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" He asked kissing her softly.

"Oh just…peachy." She smiled, "Everything okay here?"

"Yup. We had a wonderful day. Nothing went wrong or anything." Bosco said, "It's summer vacation now so I guess we should plan something fun to do." Faith looked at her husband oddly, but nodded.

"We'll see. Somehow I don't trust you, but I'm too tired to argue." Faith said walking up the stairs. "I feel and look like I've swallowed a large watermelon. I'm going to soak in a bath."

"All right. Have fun." Bosco said walking back into the living room. He glanced at the kids who smiled at him. I'm in the clear, Bosco thought.