Faith walked into the bar, grinning when she heard the familiar bells tinkle from their perch on the door. Today was a special day for her and Bosco. Every time this year they would get together at the bar and remember the day that brought them back to each other. You see, today was their anniversary, their 10th actually. She scanned the people hunched over their drinks idly chatting or drowning sorrows away. She spotted him at the last stool by the counter and started towards him.
___ ___ ___
A little over ten years ago she stood in this same spot. She tapped her foot against the hard wood floor, impatiently glancing at her wristwatch, "Bos come on, we're going to miss the movie if you don't hurry up."
"Babe I'm going as fast as I can, I'm trying to find my wallet. Can't stiff the man," he said with a nod at the bar tender. He frantically patted down all his pockets, checking and double-checking them until finally he grinned, pulling out the black-leather wallet, "Got it."
"Finally," Faith muttered to herself with an eye roll heavenward. She started towards the door but was stopped when Bosco called softly,
"Faith?"
She turned around, not seeing him until she glanced at the floor, "Bos what the hell are you doing?" she hissed, her eyes darting around to see if anyone noticed his odd behavior.
"What do you think I'm doing?" he grinned, arms spread wide in a cocky shrug. She finally noticed he was down on one knee, a ring box clutched firmly to his chest in one hand.
"Oh Bos," she managed barely above a whisper.
"So will you?" he asked by way of a proposal. Despite his few words, Faith felt as if he had stood out in the street screaming her name for everyone to hear, and yet…
"Well…" she started.
"Well? Faith, marry me," Bos, some of his cockiness lost at her hesitation.
"Bos, think about this. I'm four years older than you, I have two grown children," she tried to appeal to him.
"So what, you're a little older. You can teach me a few things," he said with a wink. Faith barely noticed the chuckle from an old man sitting next to them, and the protest as his female companion pinched him in reproach.
"Bos, you really mean it?" Faith said, worry creasing her brow.
"Babe, would I ask if I didn't?" he said with that undeniable Boscorelli charm.
"Yes, Bos" Faith managed through the tears she never knew she had shed. The entire room clapped while the two kissed at the head of the bar.
The bar tender came around the front and patted Bosco on the back, "You two kids sit down and admire that ring, the drinks are on me."
___ ___ ___
Faith wound her way throw the crowd towards the back section. Bosco looked up from his drink and smiled at her. He patted the stool beside him and asked the bar tender, "Let me have another one of these, and a beer for the lady."
She watched him down his vodka in a gulp and started in on her beer. After the years she had gotten used to it, as much as she could with Bosco chastising her like a reproachful mother. "You know you can't drink these," he'd say, and she never touched them. This time of year however called for them.
"So what are you doing here?" Bos asked as he watched her play with the neck of her bottle.
"Thought I'd try something new," she replied, smiling at the memories playing old like an old silent movie in her mind, "My friends told me there were guys here. Cute guys."
___ ___ ___
The piercing squeal of a baby echoed through the house. Bosco buried his head deeper beneath his pillow and groaned. Faith rolled over and snuggled under the blankets, obviously deep in sleep. Bosco hit the pillow under him and whispered groggily, "Ok, you win. I'll go see the kid."
"I had him for nine months now it's your turn," Faith mumbled under the heap of blankets. Bosco rolled his eyes at her. She obviously wasn't as deep in sleep as he first thought. He padded his way into the baby's room down the hall, rubbing the base of his palms in his sleep-fogged eyes. He pushed the door the rest of the way open and peered down into the crib. At once the crying stopped, and Bosco muttered to the little boy as he scooped him up, "You little wise ass."
Bosco wandered down the stairs with the baby in his arms, cooing nonsensically as he made his way to the kitchen. The baby gurgled and drooled down his back, delighted to be carried. Bosco touched the wet spot on his shirt and shook his head in weariness, "If you weren't so cute I'd be angry at that."
The baby just cooed up at his father with his same blue eyes. Bosco blindly felt around in the fridge for a bottle and tossed it in the microwave. The sound of the beep-beep beep-beep alarm almost knocked him down as he was jarred awake. He took the bottle, squirted some in his mouth and grumbled something about it being warm enough and started towards the living room. He propped the baby up on his stomach and gave him the bottle to slurp on. He felt around inside the cushions until he found the remote and popped on the TV. Bosco felt his head dropping as the baby kicked and sucked on his midnight snack, the sounds of Scarface in the back ground somehow lulling him to sleep.
~~~~
Faith woke up to unusual silence. She stretched and covered her mouth over a yawn that had escaped. She fished around under the blankets until she found her robe, then quickly wrapped it around herself. She tip toed into the baby's room and frowned when she saw the empty crib. The sound of the TV lured her down the stairs and into the living room. She frowned as she saw Al Pacino illuminated on the screen mumbling about his "little friend". Asleep on the couch was Bosco with Tyler curled up on his chest. The baby cooed at her and Faith placed a finger to her lips.
"Hey there little man," she crooned, easing the baby out of Bosco's grip, "Don't wake up daddy."
The baby gave her a sloppy kiss on the side of her cheek, which was really no more than a slobbery tongue. She rubbed his back and carried him into the kitchen where she rinsed out his finished bottle. She gave him an animal cracker to chew on while she walked back to the living room. She found the remote under Bosco's hand and flicked off the TV as the baby gummed the elephant to death.
As a piece of wet cookie landed on his neck, Bosco sighed sleepily, "Mmm, was watchin that Faith."
"Sure you were," she soothed, and pushed him off the couch. He let her lead him up the stairs to their room and then flopped on the bed. She pulled the basinet to the bed and placed Tyler in it. He scrunched up his fist in disapproval, but silently eased into sleep. In minutes Faith heard soft snores coming simultaneously from them both. She smiled and whispered, "Goodnight boys."
___ ___ ___
"So what have you been up to?" Bosco asked as she sipped her beer.
"Reinventing myself I guess. I have an eight year old and a grandchild on the way. My other son is getting married next week. I have a great husband too," she smiled cheekily.
"Sorry to hear that," he smiled wryly.
"Is it getting hot in here?" she whispered, abandoning her beer and running her hand up his arm.
"I think it's time you went to bed," he whispered back.
"Only if you join me," she teased.
"Deal."
Faith woke up the next morning to the smell of eggs and bacon. She rolled over and stared at the digital clock until the numbers came into focus. She stretched, wincing at how sore she was.
"Not bad for a guy who's almost fifty," Bosco smirked from the doorway as he sauntered in the room.
"Good morning Mr. Boscorelli," Faith teased.
"Good morning Mrs. Boscorelli," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.
Faith eyed the phone edgily, and Bosco teased, "I think Holly's learned by now not to call around this time."
"You never know with her, and what if Tyler gets bored at his friend's house?" Faith laughed.
Bosco pulled the cord out of the wall and started out of the room.
"Breakfast?" he called over his shoulder.
"Breakfast," she affirmed.
