The day Mercedes was discharge, they had the funeral. Bosco and Carlos set the entire thing up. Mercedes sat in front of the small casket and just stared. She hadn't cried since the day she found her child was stillborn. Staring blankly, everyone from the 55 and family friends sat around, mingling and crying. Carlos sat to Mercedes right and Bosco sat her left. People talked to her and gave their condolences and left cards, but she never acknowledged them. She just sat there, staring, blankly.
At the burial site, Mercedes sat in front watching as her sons casket was lowered into the ground. She wore her Formal Uniform, instead of a black dress. Everyone was in formal wear as the priest finished his sermon all of women in the area tossed carnations onto the casket in the ground. When it was over, Mercedes simply stood up, and moved towards the new Tombstone. Reading, she ran a finger over the name 'Maurice Carlos Nieto: Born Jan. 6, 2004 Died Jan. 6, 2004'. Carlos and Bosco shared a worried look as they followed her. The post-funeral get together was being held at the fire station. Everyone got into their cars and headed to the station.
In the car sat Mercedes Carlos, Bosco and Rose. Mikey was at Kim's mother's house, since he was too young to attend. Mercedes just stared out the window. Carlos was worried about her. She hadn't spoken since the day after she threw something at him. The department tried to get her to see another psychologist, but since it wasn't work related they couldn't force her. Mercedes got out of the car and went inside. Everyone was talking softly, but hushed as she walked by. Stopping halfway up the stairs she turned and looked at everyone.
"Don't hush on my behalf. It's just a death. We've seen it before. Get over it!" She ran upstairs as everyone watched her. Carlos went to go after her, but Bosco grabbed his arm, shaking his head. She was right; they had all seen death before. Too many times to count, but this was different.
Kim's mom pulled up and took Mikey out of the car. Asking where Mercedes was, she went upstairs and brought Mikey to her. Mercedes looked at Mikey and put him on her lap. He was almost 2 now and looked up at her, blinking with those big steel blue eyes. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek.
"Mommy! Light!" He pointed to the light above their heads and giggled, covering his mouth.
"That's right hunny. Light. Can you say Truck?" She looked down at him as Bosco and Carlos walked up, watching her from the stairway.
"Twuck!" Mikey said excitedly.
"Good job! Can you say Daddy?"
"Daddy! Mommy! Cookie!" He started babbling off words as Mercedes smiled. They watched her hug Mikey and brush his hair back.
"Can you say Mikey?" Mercedes looked down at him and he shook his head vigorously.
"Bosco!" Mikey squealed.
"Yeah, Bosco. That's Uncle Maurice's name. Can you say Mikey?"
"Mickey!" He laughed, pointing to himself.
"Mickey, close enough." She kissed the top of his head. Carlos walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled.
"We'll be all right, Carlos. We have Mikey, and we have to be strong for him. We can always try again." She looked up at him, sincerely. He nodded as they heard Rose scream for Bosco.
'Maurice! Get down here!" Rose screamed frantically.
They all ran downstairs to see Anthony Boscorelli standing next to the truck, a serious look on his face.
At the burial site, Mercedes sat in front watching as her sons casket was lowered into the ground. She wore her Formal Uniform, instead of a black dress. Everyone was in formal wear as the priest finished his sermon all of women in the area tossed carnations onto the casket in the ground. When it was over, Mercedes simply stood up, and moved towards the new Tombstone. Reading, she ran a finger over the name 'Maurice Carlos Nieto: Born Jan. 6, 2004 Died Jan. 6, 2004'. Carlos and Bosco shared a worried look as they followed her. The post-funeral get together was being held at the fire station. Everyone got into their cars and headed to the station.
In the car sat Mercedes Carlos, Bosco and Rose. Mikey was at Kim's mother's house, since he was too young to attend. Mercedes just stared out the window. Carlos was worried about her. She hadn't spoken since the day after she threw something at him. The department tried to get her to see another psychologist, but since it wasn't work related they couldn't force her. Mercedes got out of the car and went inside. Everyone was talking softly, but hushed as she walked by. Stopping halfway up the stairs she turned and looked at everyone.
"Don't hush on my behalf. It's just a death. We've seen it before. Get over it!" She ran upstairs as everyone watched her. Carlos went to go after her, but Bosco grabbed his arm, shaking his head. She was right; they had all seen death before. Too many times to count, but this was different.
Kim's mom pulled up and took Mikey out of the car. Asking where Mercedes was, she went upstairs and brought Mikey to her. Mercedes looked at Mikey and put him on her lap. He was almost 2 now and looked up at her, blinking with those big steel blue eyes. She smiled at him and kissed his cheek.
"Mommy! Light!" He pointed to the light above their heads and giggled, covering his mouth.
"That's right hunny. Light. Can you say Truck?" She looked down at him as Bosco and Carlos walked up, watching her from the stairway.
"Twuck!" Mikey said excitedly.
"Good job! Can you say Daddy?"
"Daddy! Mommy! Cookie!" He started babbling off words as Mercedes smiled. They watched her hug Mikey and brush his hair back.
"Can you say Mikey?" Mercedes looked down at him and he shook his head vigorously.
"Bosco!" Mikey squealed.
"Yeah, Bosco. That's Uncle Maurice's name. Can you say Mikey?"
"Mickey!" He laughed, pointing to himself.
"Mickey, close enough." She kissed the top of his head. Carlos walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled.
"We'll be all right, Carlos. We have Mikey, and we have to be strong for him. We can always try again." She looked up at him, sincerely. He nodded as they heard Rose scream for Bosco.
'Maurice! Get down here!" Rose screamed frantically.
They all ran downstairs to see Anthony Boscorelli standing next to the truck, a serious look on his face.