Helping Hand
Chapter 9
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Bosco turned off the ignition and pulled the key. Looking over at Charlie, who was looking out the window and up at his apartment, he said, "Ready?"
Charlie slowly shook his head. "No," he replied quietly and Bosco could swear he could hear him gulp a swallow of air.
"C'mon. It's gonna be okay," he assured him.
"You're staying with me, right?" Charlie asked as they both opened their doors and exited the vehicle.
"Absolutely," Bosco said, fighting the butterflies that were floating around in his own stomach. "If your parents don't throw me out through the window," he thought to himself. This would be the first time he'd be in their apartment since..., well, he didn't want to think about that day now.
Bosco walked around the car and, putting a hand on Charlie's back, nudged him forward to get him walking. "C'mon, Buddy."
They slowly walked up the stairwell to the apartment and Charlie's feet felt heavier and heavier the closer they got. Bosco wasn't feeling all that eager either, but if this was the only way that Charlie could get things straightened out and back on track again, then this is what needed to be done - despite how ugly things had the potential to get. Bosco only hoped that Fred and Faith could put aside their extreme dislike of him for the good of Charlie. The only hope was that knew that Faith always put her kids before herself.
They finally reached the top of the stairs and stood outside the apartment door. Finally, Bosco spoke up. "You've got your key, right?"
"Huh?" Charlie replied, not registering what he'd said at first. "Oh yeah. It's right here," he answered, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the key.
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"Mom, please. Let's just wait until they get here. I thought Charlie was in trouble and asked Bosco for help," Emily said in explanation.
"Bosco?! Why Bosco? Why not me or your father. And what kind of trouble, Emily?" Faith asked in quick succession.
"Mom, please. Let's just wait, okay?" Emily stalled again. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she didn't know it was going to start out this way either.
Faith was just about to say something else when she and Emily both heard a key in the door. Emily rushed over to the door and pulled it open, practically pulling Charlie across the room with the force. She reached out and caught him by the arm before he fell to the floor.
"Hey! We were waiting for you," Emily said, looking nervously at Bosco. Bosco looked as nervous as she felt.
"Well, here we are," Bosco said, standing in the doorway. He stole a quick glance in Faith's direction and saw the disapproval on her face.
"Charlie! What happened to you?" Faith gasped, looking at his swollen, bruised face as he rubbed his side from the pain of the quick movement when Emily pulled the door open.
"Oh, uh, it's nothin', Mom," Charlie said, looking over his shoulder at Bosco who still stood in the doorway as if waiting for an invitation to enter. Charlie looked back at his mother. "Mom, I want Bosco here," he stated simply.
"So I heard," Faith said, looking at Bosco who was looking everywhere but at Faith. "Well, c'mon in. Don't just stand there. Let's get down to it," she said and Bosco took a deep breath and took a few steps into the room, looking around.
"Fred's not here if that's what your worried about," she said as Emily pushed Bosco further into the room and closed the door behind him.
"Um, well, I was kind of hoping he was. Charlie needs to talk to both of you," Bosco said quietly, this time looking Faith in the eye. They held each other's gaze for a moment, as if remembering all the good times they'd had together and how much they missed each other. They'd been best friends for so many years, depending on each other to watch their backs, coming to know exactly how each of them was going to react to something, being able to take charge of situations without having to exchange words - only a glance. Bosco had to admit that he had no idea how Faith would react to this situation. They'd both changed so much over the last few months.
"Well, seeing as I didn't know that this little meeting was going to take place, let alone that there was a problem," Faith said, tossing a peeved glance in Emily's direction causing her to flinch as if being slapped, "he went to work. He's not there yet, so I can't call him to come home. So, why don't we just start and then I'll fill him in later."
Charlie looked at Bosco, nervously licking his dry lips. "Go ahead, Chuckie," Bosco urged, drawing a quick glance from Faith.
Charlie took a few more tentative steps in and looked at the floor. "Charlie?" Faith prodded gently, rolling her chair closer to him. She took hold of his hand and guided him to a seat on the couch across from her. Looking at his swollen, bruised face, she gently put a hand on his cheek. "What is it?"
"Um," he started, looking up at his mother, then over to Emily and Bosco, and then back to his mother. Emily walked over to Bosco and took his arm, pulling him over closer to Charlie and her mother. She gestured for him to take a seat across from Faith, next to Charlie, and then sat down herself.
"It's okay, Charlie," Emily said. "It's okay."
"Well, when you got hurt and everything," he said, pausing to take a deep, ragged breath. "I was really scared. I mean really scared," he said, looking at his mother. Faith nodded knowingly.
"Well, you and Dad were going through so much and Emily was really busy trying to help out around here," he continued. "I didn't want to bother anyone. You know, cause any more problems. So, I just kept everything to myself, I guess - thinking that I could handle it. Well, I couldn't," he admitted, a tear escaping down his cheek. "So, I started hanging out with some kids at school - you know, the fun kids - kids that didn't really care about anything and were always cutting up and stuff. It felt good to just mess around and not have to think about anything else," he said, pausing to see if everyone was following.
"Go ahead, Charlie. It's okay," Faith urged, putting a hand on her son's arm. Bosco watched the two interact.
"Well, these kids that I was hanging out with, they started taking me with them to these parties and stuff. There was always beer there - and other stuff to drink - but, I always stuck with the beer. Anyway, I liked the way it took my mind off of everything. I used to only do it occasionally, but then when that didn't work, I started doing it more and then it took more and more to make me forget. Emily tried to talk to me - she knew I was in trouble - but I wouldn't listen," he told Faith. Charlie finished telling her the rest, right up to the fight, going to the hospital, and then staying at Bosco's apartment.
Faith felt a knot in her stomach tightening. "How could I not have noticed anything?" she thought to herself. "How could I let this family fall apart?"
"That's why I started trying to get hold of Bosco a few days ago," Emily relayed to Faith.
"But, why didn't you come to me or your father? Why Bosco?" Faith asked, tossing a look in his direction - a look still filled with anger.
"I don't know," Emily said, shrugging her shoulders nervously. "I guess I thought you guys had enough to worry about. You were in a funk for a while and then Dad was working so much to try to keep the bills paid and stuff...," she said, looking at her mother. "I know I should've come to you guys, but I don't know, I just tried to handle it. And, when I couldn't, I got in touch with Bosco. He was the only other person I could think of that could help us - that had always been there to try to help us when we needed it. Like when Dad got sick during the blackout and stuff. He knew when he couldn't find you that you were in trouble and he didn't stop looking until he found you," Emily said, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Faith looked over at Bosco, who was watching her until she looked over. Then, he looked anywhere but at her. She thought of the relief she'd felt when she came out the door of the medical building with Fred over her shoulder. She hadn't known what she was going to do once she got Fred outside, but there he was - her partner - there for her when she needed him most. Like always. She thought of how he'd stood by her when she left Ceaser out on the street to get killed by that rival gang, thought about how he'd been there countless other times when she'd needed him - just as she always was for him.
Emily broke into her thoughts, "...We finally hooked up with each other the night before last. And that's who was on the phone last night. Bosco called to tell me that he'd found Charlie - that he'd been in a fight, but that he was okay. He took him to the hospital just to get checked out and then took him to his place last night. Charlie was afraid to come home looking like that," Emily said, looking at her brother.
"Bosco took me to his place so that I could think about things. We talked a lot about things. He convinced me to come here today and talk to you about everything. I'm sorry that I screwed up, Mom," Charlie said, crying now. "I'm sorry," he said, his shoulders shaking with the sobs he was letting go - the months of fear finally coming out.
Faith stood up and moved toward her son. She sat down on the couch next to him and took him in her arms, holding him for what seemed like forever. "Charlie, please don't EVER hold anything back from me again. No matter what. I can take whatever it is you have to say and I'm always here for you - both of you," she said, looking over at Emily as well.
No one noticed the shocked look on Bosco's face at seeing his partner get up out of her wheelchair and move to her son. Charlie hadn't even noticed what had happened.
"Faith?" Bosco finally said in a whisper. She looked over at him, her look somewhat softened by what he had done for her son and the thoughts of what they'd been through together over the years.
"You just walked over to him...," he said, still shocked. "How? I mean, when?" he asked, as Charlie pulled away from his mother and saw that she was sitting next to him on the couch.
"Mom?" Charlie asked, puzzled.
"Yesterday," she said, looking back at her son. "I tried it yesterday at therapy. I can't do it for very long, but it's a start. At least I know everything is working again," she said, and this time her eyes filled with tears.
Bosco stood up. "That's great," he said, a great smile breaking across his face. "That's really great."
Faith stood up again. "Yeah, it is." She brushed the tear that had escaped from her cheek.
After an awkward moment, Bosco said, "Well, I guess I should be going. I've gotta work this afternoon..."
"Yeah, okay. Well, thanks for everything Bosco. I'm glad that someone was able to get through to him," she said, walking slowly with him to the door. She stumbled slightly and Bosco caught her and held her up.
"Here, let me help you back," he said, helping Faith back over to her chair. "You don't want to undo whatever you got working there."
When she was seated back in her wheelchair again, slightly embarrassed at tripping, she said, "Yeah. Well, thanks again, Bos," she said, still holding onto his hand.
"Anytime. I told Charlie anytime that he needed to talk or anything, to call me. I hope that's okay. You too, Em," he said, looking at Emily and then back to Faith. "That is, if it's okay with your Mom and Dad," he added.
Faith nodded her agreement. Emily sensed that there were some things that were unsaid between Bosco and her mother and decided to let them try to talk some things out since her father wasn't there. "Charlie. You look tired. Let's get you settled in your room and then I'll fix you some lunch," she said.
Charlie stood up and turned to Bosco. "Thanks, Uncle B. For everything," he said, walking over and giving Bosco a hug.
"No problem, Chuckie. Remember what I said. Anytime," he reinforced to the boy as he watched the two kids walk down the hallway - leaving Faith and Bosco together in awkward silence.
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TBC...
Chapter 9
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Bosco turned off the ignition and pulled the key. Looking over at Charlie, who was looking out the window and up at his apartment, he said, "Ready?"
Charlie slowly shook his head. "No," he replied quietly and Bosco could swear he could hear him gulp a swallow of air.
"C'mon. It's gonna be okay," he assured him.
"You're staying with me, right?" Charlie asked as they both opened their doors and exited the vehicle.
"Absolutely," Bosco said, fighting the butterflies that were floating around in his own stomach. "If your parents don't throw me out through the window," he thought to himself. This would be the first time he'd be in their apartment since..., well, he didn't want to think about that day now.
Bosco walked around the car and, putting a hand on Charlie's back, nudged him forward to get him walking. "C'mon, Buddy."
They slowly walked up the stairwell to the apartment and Charlie's feet felt heavier and heavier the closer they got. Bosco wasn't feeling all that eager either, but if this was the only way that Charlie could get things straightened out and back on track again, then this is what needed to be done - despite how ugly things had the potential to get. Bosco only hoped that Fred and Faith could put aside their extreme dislike of him for the good of Charlie. The only hope was that knew that Faith always put her kids before herself.
They finally reached the top of the stairs and stood outside the apartment door. Finally, Bosco spoke up. "You've got your key, right?"
"Huh?" Charlie replied, not registering what he'd said at first. "Oh yeah. It's right here," he answered, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the key.
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"Mom, please. Let's just wait until they get here. I thought Charlie was in trouble and asked Bosco for help," Emily said in explanation.
"Bosco?! Why Bosco? Why not me or your father. And what kind of trouble, Emily?" Faith asked in quick succession.
"Mom, please. Let's just wait, okay?" Emily stalled again. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she didn't know it was going to start out this way either.
Faith was just about to say something else when she and Emily both heard a key in the door. Emily rushed over to the door and pulled it open, practically pulling Charlie across the room with the force. She reached out and caught him by the arm before he fell to the floor.
"Hey! We were waiting for you," Emily said, looking nervously at Bosco. Bosco looked as nervous as she felt.
"Well, here we are," Bosco said, standing in the doorway. He stole a quick glance in Faith's direction and saw the disapproval on her face.
"Charlie! What happened to you?" Faith gasped, looking at his swollen, bruised face as he rubbed his side from the pain of the quick movement when Emily pulled the door open.
"Oh, uh, it's nothin', Mom," Charlie said, looking over his shoulder at Bosco who still stood in the doorway as if waiting for an invitation to enter. Charlie looked back at his mother. "Mom, I want Bosco here," he stated simply.
"So I heard," Faith said, looking at Bosco who was looking everywhere but at Faith. "Well, c'mon in. Don't just stand there. Let's get down to it," she said and Bosco took a deep breath and took a few steps into the room, looking around.
"Fred's not here if that's what your worried about," she said as Emily pushed Bosco further into the room and closed the door behind him.
"Um, well, I was kind of hoping he was. Charlie needs to talk to both of you," Bosco said quietly, this time looking Faith in the eye. They held each other's gaze for a moment, as if remembering all the good times they'd had together and how much they missed each other. They'd been best friends for so many years, depending on each other to watch their backs, coming to know exactly how each of them was going to react to something, being able to take charge of situations without having to exchange words - only a glance. Bosco had to admit that he had no idea how Faith would react to this situation. They'd both changed so much over the last few months.
"Well, seeing as I didn't know that this little meeting was going to take place, let alone that there was a problem," Faith said, tossing a peeved glance in Emily's direction causing her to flinch as if being slapped, "he went to work. He's not there yet, so I can't call him to come home. So, why don't we just start and then I'll fill him in later."
Charlie looked at Bosco, nervously licking his dry lips. "Go ahead, Chuckie," Bosco urged, drawing a quick glance from Faith.
Charlie took a few more tentative steps in and looked at the floor. "Charlie?" Faith prodded gently, rolling her chair closer to him. She took hold of his hand and guided him to a seat on the couch across from her. Looking at his swollen, bruised face, she gently put a hand on his cheek. "What is it?"
"Um," he started, looking up at his mother, then over to Emily and Bosco, and then back to his mother. Emily walked over to Bosco and took his arm, pulling him over closer to Charlie and her mother. She gestured for him to take a seat across from Faith, next to Charlie, and then sat down herself.
"It's okay, Charlie," Emily said. "It's okay."
"Well, when you got hurt and everything," he said, pausing to take a deep, ragged breath. "I was really scared. I mean really scared," he said, looking at his mother. Faith nodded knowingly.
"Well, you and Dad were going through so much and Emily was really busy trying to help out around here," he continued. "I didn't want to bother anyone. You know, cause any more problems. So, I just kept everything to myself, I guess - thinking that I could handle it. Well, I couldn't," he admitted, a tear escaping down his cheek. "So, I started hanging out with some kids at school - you know, the fun kids - kids that didn't really care about anything and were always cutting up and stuff. It felt good to just mess around and not have to think about anything else," he said, pausing to see if everyone was following.
"Go ahead, Charlie. It's okay," Faith urged, putting a hand on her son's arm. Bosco watched the two interact.
"Well, these kids that I was hanging out with, they started taking me with them to these parties and stuff. There was always beer there - and other stuff to drink - but, I always stuck with the beer. Anyway, I liked the way it took my mind off of everything. I used to only do it occasionally, but then when that didn't work, I started doing it more and then it took more and more to make me forget. Emily tried to talk to me - she knew I was in trouble - but I wouldn't listen," he told Faith. Charlie finished telling her the rest, right up to the fight, going to the hospital, and then staying at Bosco's apartment.
Faith felt a knot in her stomach tightening. "How could I not have noticed anything?" she thought to herself. "How could I let this family fall apart?"
"That's why I started trying to get hold of Bosco a few days ago," Emily relayed to Faith.
"But, why didn't you come to me or your father? Why Bosco?" Faith asked, tossing a look in his direction - a look still filled with anger.
"I don't know," Emily said, shrugging her shoulders nervously. "I guess I thought you guys had enough to worry about. You were in a funk for a while and then Dad was working so much to try to keep the bills paid and stuff...," she said, looking at her mother. "I know I should've come to you guys, but I don't know, I just tried to handle it. And, when I couldn't, I got in touch with Bosco. He was the only other person I could think of that could help us - that had always been there to try to help us when we needed it. Like when Dad got sick during the blackout and stuff. He knew when he couldn't find you that you were in trouble and he didn't stop looking until he found you," Emily said, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Faith looked over at Bosco, who was watching her until she looked over. Then, he looked anywhere but at her. She thought of the relief she'd felt when she came out the door of the medical building with Fred over her shoulder. She hadn't known what she was going to do once she got Fred outside, but there he was - her partner - there for her when she needed him most. Like always. She thought of how he'd stood by her when she left Ceaser out on the street to get killed by that rival gang, thought about how he'd been there countless other times when she'd needed him - just as she always was for him.
Emily broke into her thoughts, "...We finally hooked up with each other the night before last. And that's who was on the phone last night. Bosco called to tell me that he'd found Charlie - that he'd been in a fight, but that he was okay. He took him to the hospital just to get checked out and then took him to his place last night. Charlie was afraid to come home looking like that," Emily said, looking at her brother.
"Bosco took me to his place so that I could think about things. We talked a lot about things. He convinced me to come here today and talk to you about everything. I'm sorry that I screwed up, Mom," Charlie said, crying now. "I'm sorry," he said, his shoulders shaking with the sobs he was letting go - the months of fear finally coming out.
Faith stood up and moved toward her son. She sat down on the couch next to him and took him in her arms, holding him for what seemed like forever. "Charlie, please don't EVER hold anything back from me again. No matter what. I can take whatever it is you have to say and I'm always here for you - both of you," she said, looking over at Emily as well.
No one noticed the shocked look on Bosco's face at seeing his partner get up out of her wheelchair and move to her son. Charlie hadn't even noticed what had happened.
"Faith?" Bosco finally said in a whisper. She looked over at him, her look somewhat softened by what he had done for her son and the thoughts of what they'd been through together over the years.
"You just walked over to him...," he said, still shocked. "How? I mean, when?" he asked, as Charlie pulled away from his mother and saw that she was sitting next to him on the couch.
"Mom?" Charlie asked, puzzled.
"Yesterday," she said, looking back at her son. "I tried it yesterday at therapy. I can't do it for very long, but it's a start. At least I know everything is working again," she said, and this time her eyes filled with tears.
Bosco stood up. "That's great," he said, a great smile breaking across his face. "That's really great."
Faith stood up again. "Yeah, it is." She brushed the tear that had escaped from her cheek.
After an awkward moment, Bosco said, "Well, I guess I should be going. I've gotta work this afternoon..."
"Yeah, okay. Well, thanks for everything Bosco. I'm glad that someone was able to get through to him," she said, walking slowly with him to the door. She stumbled slightly and Bosco caught her and held her up.
"Here, let me help you back," he said, helping Faith back over to her chair. "You don't want to undo whatever you got working there."
When she was seated back in her wheelchair again, slightly embarrassed at tripping, she said, "Yeah. Well, thanks again, Bos," she said, still holding onto his hand.
"Anytime. I told Charlie anytime that he needed to talk or anything, to call me. I hope that's okay. You too, Em," he said, looking at Emily and then back to Faith. "That is, if it's okay with your Mom and Dad," he added.
Faith nodded her agreement. Emily sensed that there were some things that were unsaid between Bosco and her mother and decided to let them try to talk some things out since her father wasn't there. "Charlie. You look tired. Let's get you settled in your room and then I'll fix you some lunch," she said.
Charlie stood up and turned to Bosco. "Thanks, Uncle B. For everything," he said, walking over and giving Bosco a hug.
"No problem, Chuckie. Remember what I said. Anytime," he reinforced to the boy as he watched the two kids walk down the hallway - leaving Faith and Bosco together in awkward silence.
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TBC...