I don't own Third Watch. I only take credit for crazy Alicia.
Alicia's Revenge: Chapter Twenty
Bosco drove to a place called "Manny's Bar 'n' Grill". His father had been coming there as long as he could remember. He hoped that he would find him there tonight.
He had lost contact with Raymond years ago, and had no idea where he lived or what kind of car he drove. He was probably still driving a cab. It was the only job he ever had.
Manny's was a hole, but it had cheap booze, which was what kept the customers comin' back for more.
Bosco wrinkled his nose in disgust as he got out of the car and started toward the entrance. A man and woman were going at it right there, only two cars down from his. Jeez, nobody had any sense anymore. The last thing he wanted to see was two sleezy drunks getting it on right in front of him.
He flipped his hat on backwards and opened the door. The place was full of smoke and the stench of stale beer and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. There were people of all ages sitting around the small tables, laughing and talking loudly.
There were the usual people sitting at the bar, telling the bartender stories about their sad lives. Bosco didn't know how they did it. Making a living off of serving other people booze and listening to their pathetic stories. Just thinking that, made him think about his mother. A pain ran through his heart and his eyes teared over. He blinked his eyes and looked around the room, hoping to see Raymond in the crowd.
He didn't see him, so he decided to order a beer and wait. He walked up to the bar and ordered a Coors. He made his way to a small corner table and sat down. A pretty little girl of about twenty walked toward him. She was very petit with long brown hair. She had on a short black miniskirt and a tight red tube top. And she was top heavy. In days gone by, she would have been the kind of girl he would have taken home. She was pretty, but she reminded him of someone. Alicia. Gross. He actually felt revolted as she made her way over to the table.
" Gotta light, handsome?" she asked, flirtily.
"Nope. Don't smoke". he said, flatly, hoping she'd get the message.
" Oh". she said, putting her cigarette back in the pack. " So, what are you doing here? Waiting for your girlfriend or something"?
He looked her in the eye and held up his hand. " Married. Go away." he said, rudely, taking a sip of his beer.
She gave him a dirty look. " Alright. Ass." she muttered to him. She turned around and went to the next table.
" Hey, gotta light, hansome"? she asked the guy at the table.
Bosco rolled his eyes.
Had he really been one of those guys? It seemed a thousand years ago, that he had been into the bar scene. It made him realize just how lucky he was to have a family. It was so much better than going out every Friday or Saturday night and looking for some tail. He had taken many, many women home in his time, but it wasnt until he slept with Faith that he realized how amazing sex could be with someone you loved. It was so much better, so intense. He couldn't believe how many people didn't realize that.
He sat at his small table, looking at the crowd when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was his Uncle Michael, his dad's brother. He hadn't seen uncle Mike for years and years. He was Raymond's youngest brother and he had a great personality. Bosco had wondered what had happened to Raymond. Mike had been living in Jersey for as long as he could remember. Bosco hadn't seen him for about 15 years. He had gained a little weight, but he was still the same old guy. Always had a smile on his face and would share his last meal with a stranger.
He got up and approached his uncle's table, beer in hand. " Uncle Mike?" he said.
Mike looked up. It took a second to register, but he recognized his nephew. " Maurice, is that you?" he roared, getting up from his seat.
Bosco grinned. " Ya, Uncle Mike, it's me." he said, as Mike grabbed him into a hug.
Mike held him by the shoulders and looked him up and down. " I can't believe it! I just can't believe it". he cried, looking back at the two men sitting at his table.'
" This is my nephew, Maurice! He's a cop in the 55th precinct! The last time I saw you you were only 15 years old." he said, clapping Bosco on the back.
He returned to his seat, grabbing an unused chair and setting it beside his own.
" Come on, sit down and tell me what you've been doin' with yourself". he said, patting the seat.
Bosco looked at the other two men, who nodded, before he sat down. He had some pretty personal stuff to say, and he wasn't sure he wanted to do it in front of strangers. He wondered how he knew that he was a police officer.
" This here is Donald Duvane" he said, pointing to a short man with blond curly hair. " And this is Jackie Mallone, who we call Jacks." he pointed to a tall man with dark brown hair and a full beard.
Both men nodded. " I'm Maurice Boscorelli". he said, shaking hands with them.
Donald Duvane and Jacks both stood up and went to play pool at a table that had just become free.
Bosco got the impression that they didn't want to be around cops. That suited him just fine. He could talk to Mike alone.
" So, Mike, what ever happened to you? How come we never seen you for so long?" he asked.
Mike sat back and took a drink of his beer. " I guess you didn't know that I kindof had a little trouble with gambling back a while ago. I had to stay low, so I went to Jersey and got a little apartment there. Your dad worked his ass off to help me pay the rent. After a while, I began to like it there and got a job working at a construction site. The rest's history. I come over here every now and again. I like this bar, and I get to see Ray every once in a while, though he don't drink anymore."
Bosco blanched. Didn't drink anymore? What was that about?
Mike saw his confusion. " Ya didn't know that,did ya kid?" he said.
Bosco looked away. " Nah. We don't exactly talk." he said, wanting to get off the subject.
Mike leaned over and tapped him on the arm. Bosco turned back to him. He looked Bosco strait in the eye. " I know." he said, raising his eyebrow.
" Know what?"
" I know about your mother, kid, and I'm really sorry. And I know about that night at the wake."
Bosco's mouth dropped open and his eyes became angry.
" Ya. I know what you said to Ray." he said, softly. " Hey, I don't blame you, Maurice. He's one hell of guy, your father. But you don't know him. Not the way I know him. He's changed. If you'd talk to him you'd see."
Bosco set his jaw. Why was he pissed off at the comments? He had come to this bar to try and talk to Ray, and here he was getting upset at the mere mention of his name.
He raised his hand and called to the waitress. " Hey, can I get two more cold one's over here"?
Apparently, there had to be some heavy drinking in order to talk about this subject. Mike, sensing that, raised his hand and asked for the same.
Their eyes met and held. " It's gonna be a long night, son". Mike said, grinning.
" Bottoms up". Bosco replied, finishing his beer.
The waitress came with their drinks. After tipping her, Mike turned back to Bosco. " So"?
Bosco took a deep breath before beginning. " Well, it's just not that simple, Mike. You weren't there. You weren't there to see the beatings we took. All three of us took. You didn't see the side that we saw. You must have got the good side 'cause we sure as hell didn't."
Mike nodded. " I know what he done to you and Mikey and your ma. I know it was terrible and I know what it did to your family. But you need to know that he IS sorry for what he done. He talks about it alot, ya know. Talks about you and Mikey. He feels real bad cause he don't know where he is."
Bosco looked up in surprise. " He told you that?"
Mike smiled a sad smile. " He'd tell you that himself if you'd give him a chance, Maurice. He wants to be a part of your life. He wants to meet your kids."
Bosco shook his head. " I don't know, Unlce Mike. I don't know what to say to him" he confessed.
" Just listen to him. Listen to what he has to say. I know that forgivenss is hard. But you have a chance here. Look, I bet you don't know what your father had to go through in his life. I'm gonna tell you somethin' and it's gonna hurt like hell, but you need to know the whole story." he said, firmly.
Bosco just stared, his stomach in knots.
" Did you know that your mother ran around on your father for their entire marriage?" he asked
Bosco was stunned and angry. He struggled to find the words. " What?" he spit out.
" She cheated on your father as much as he cheated on her. And another thing: She was always drunk. You know that. You want to know why the bills didn't get paid? You thought it was all him...well, it wasn't. She drank as much money away as he did. Day after day, he came home to a pigsty. She wouldn't clean if he paid her. You remember what state that house was always in, don't ya?" he asked.
Bosco nodded. His eyes were starting to burn, either from the smoke or the revelations he was hearing. All of a sudden, he wished that Faith were here with him.
Mike patted his arm. " I know these things aren't easy to hear, Maurice. But it's the truth. You need to talk to your father. He's the only parent you got left."
It was true enough. How could his mother have done that? But no matter what she did, it didn't condone his hitting her or them.
" But he beat the crap out of us ALL the time! You think that can be explained? A man should NEVER hit a woman or child!" he exclaimed.
" I don't come home and hit my wife or beat my kids. Tell me, is it really that hard? I don't think so, cause not once have I thought about doing to them what was done to me and Mikey."
Mike looked at him, and sighed. " No one will tell you that it was alright, what he did. He did it and he admits it. I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that to forgive, means getting peace inside your own soul. You got a chip on your shoulder, kid. You need to knock it off. Do it for your ma. Do it for Ray, but most of all, do it for yourself, so you can stop living in the past."
Bosco put his head down, not wanting Mike to see just how affected he was. He willed himself to pull it together. It had only taken him three beers and he was starting to get tipsy. He always was more emotional when he drank, just like most people.
" Speak of the devil."
Mike tapped him on the shoulder and pointed toward the doorway. Raymond had walked in and was getting a pop from the bar.
" You ready for this, kid?" Mike asked.
Bosco could feel his stomach tighten again. He knew it was now or never. Oh, man, he hated these kind of talks! He nodded at Mike, who called out to Raymond.
Raymond looked across the bar, his eyes locked with Bosco's. He started toward the table. Bosco took a deep breath.
" Here we go."
TBC
Alicia's Revenge: Chapter Twenty
Bosco drove to a place called "Manny's Bar 'n' Grill". His father had been coming there as long as he could remember. He hoped that he would find him there tonight.
He had lost contact with Raymond years ago, and had no idea where he lived or what kind of car he drove. He was probably still driving a cab. It was the only job he ever had.
Manny's was a hole, but it had cheap booze, which was what kept the customers comin' back for more.
Bosco wrinkled his nose in disgust as he got out of the car and started toward the entrance. A man and woman were going at it right there, only two cars down from his. Jeez, nobody had any sense anymore. The last thing he wanted to see was two sleezy drunks getting it on right in front of him.
He flipped his hat on backwards and opened the door. The place was full of smoke and the stench of stale beer and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on. There were people of all ages sitting around the small tables, laughing and talking loudly.
There were the usual people sitting at the bar, telling the bartender stories about their sad lives. Bosco didn't know how they did it. Making a living off of serving other people booze and listening to their pathetic stories. Just thinking that, made him think about his mother. A pain ran through his heart and his eyes teared over. He blinked his eyes and looked around the room, hoping to see Raymond in the crowd.
He didn't see him, so he decided to order a beer and wait. He walked up to the bar and ordered a Coors. He made his way to a small corner table and sat down. A pretty little girl of about twenty walked toward him. She was very petit with long brown hair. She had on a short black miniskirt and a tight red tube top. And she was top heavy. In days gone by, she would have been the kind of girl he would have taken home. She was pretty, but she reminded him of someone. Alicia. Gross. He actually felt revolted as she made her way over to the table.
" Gotta light, handsome?" she asked, flirtily.
"Nope. Don't smoke". he said, flatly, hoping she'd get the message.
" Oh". she said, putting her cigarette back in the pack. " So, what are you doing here? Waiting for your girlfriend or something"?
He looked her in the eye and held up his hand. " Married. Go away." he said, rudely, taking a sip of his beer.
She gave him a dirty look. " Alright. Ass." she muttered to him. She turned around and went to the next table.
" Hey, gotta light, hansome"? she asked the guy at the table.
Bosco rolled his eyes.
Had he really been one of those guys? It seemed a thousand years ago, that he had been into the bar scene. It made him realize just how lucky he was to have a family. It was so much better than going out every Friday or Saturday night and looking for some tail. He had taken many, many women home in his time, but it wasnt until he slept with Faith that he realized how amazing sex could be with someone you loved. It was so much better, so intense. He couldn't believe how many people didn't realize that.
He sat at his small table, looking at the crowd when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was his Uncle Michael, his dad's brother. He hadn't seen uncle Mike for years and years. He was Raymond's youngest brother and he had a great personality. Bosco had wondered what had happened to Raymond. Mike had been living in Jersey for as long as he could remember. Bosco hadn't seen him for about 15 years. He had gained a little weight, but he was still the same old guy. Always had a smile on his face and would share his last meal with a stranger.
He got up and approached his uncle's table, beer in hand. " Uncle Mike?" he said.
Mike looked up. It took a second to register, but he recognized his nephew. " Maurice, is that you?" he roared, getting up from his seat.
Bosco grinned. " Ya, Uncle Mike, it's me." he said, as Mike grabbed him into a hug.
Mike held him by the shoulders and looked him up and down. " I can't believe it! I just can't believe it". he cried, looking back at the two men sitting at his table.'
" This is my nephew, Maurice! He's a cop in the 55th precinct! The last time I saw you you were only 15 years old." he said, clapping Bosco on the back.
He returned to his seat, grabbing an unused chair and setting it beside his own.
" Come on, sit down and tell me what you've been doin' with yourself". he said, patting the seat.
Bosco looked at the other two men, who nodded, before he sat down. He had some pretty personal stuff to say, and he wasn't sure he wanted to do it in front of strangers. He wondered how he knew that he was a police officer.
" This here is Donald Duvane" he said, pointing to a short man with blond curly hair. " And this is Jackie Mallone, who we call Jacks." he pointed to a tall man with dark brown hair and a full beard.
Both men nodded. " I'm Maurice Boscorelli". he said, shaking hands with them.
Donald Duvane and Jacks both stood up and went to play pool at a table that had just become free.
Bosco got the impression that they didn't want to be around cops. That suited him just fine. He could talk to Mike alone.
" So, Mike, what ever happened to you? How come we never seen you for so long?" he asked.
Mike sat back and took a drink of his beer. " I guess you didn't know that I kindof had a little trouble with gambling back a while ago. I had to stay low, so I went to Jersey and got a little apartment there. Your dad worked his ass off to help me pay the rent. After a while, I began to like it there and got a job working at a construction site. The rest's history. I come over here every now and again. I like this bar, and I get to see Ray every once in a while, though he don't drink anymore."
Bosco blanched. Didn't drink anymore? What was that about?
Mike saw his confusion. " Ya didn't know that,did ya kid?" he said.
Bosco looked away. " Nah. We don't exactly talk." he said, wanting to get off the subject.
Mike leaned over and tapped him on the arm. Bosco turned back to him. He looked Bosco strait in the eye. " I know." he said, raising his eyebrow.
" Know what?"
" I know about your mother, kid, and I'm really sorry. And I know about that night at the wake."
Bosco's mouth dropped open and his eyes became angry.
" Ya. I know what you said to Ray." he said, softly. " Hey, I don't blame you, Maurice. He's one hell of guy, your father. But you don't know him. Not the way I know him. He's changed. If you'd talk to him you'd see."
Bosco set his jaw. Why was he pissed off at the comments? He had come to this bar to try and talk to Ray, and here he was getting upset at the mere mention of his name.
He raised his hand and called to the waitress. " Hey, can I get two more cold one's over here"?
Apparently, there had to be some heavy drinking in order to talk about this subject. Mike, sensing that, raised his hand and asked for the same.
Their eyes met and held. " It's gonna be a long night, son". Mike said, grinning.
" Bottoms up". Bosco replied, finishing his beer.
The waitress came with their drinks. After tipping her, Mike turned back to Bosco. " So"?
Bosco took a deep breath before beginning. " Well, it's just not that simple, Mike. You weren't there. You weren't there to see the beatings we took. All three of us took. You didn't see the side that we saw. You must have got the good side 'cause we sure as hell didn't."
Mike nodded. " I know what he done to you and Mikey and your ma. I know it was terrible and I know what it did to your family. But you need to know that he IS sorry for what he done. He talks about it alot, ya know. Talks about you and Mikey. He feels real bad cause he don't know where he is."
Bosco looked up in surprise. " He told you that?"
Mike smiled a sad smile. " He'd tell you that himself if you'd give him a chance, Maurice. He wants to be a part of your life. He wants to meet your kids."
Bosco shook his head. " I don't know, Unlce Mike. I don't know what to say to him" he confessed.
" Just listen to him. Listen to what he has to say. I know that forgivenss is hard. But you have a chance here. Look, I bet you don't know what your father had to go through in his life. I'm gonna tell you somethin' and it's gonna hurt like hell, but you need to know the whole story." he said, firmly.
Bosco just stared, his stomach in knots.
" Did you know that your mother ran around on your father for their entire marriage?" he asked
Bosco was stunned and angry. He struggled to find the words. " What?" he spit out.
" She cheated on your father as much as he cheated on her. And another thing: She was always drunk. You know that. You want to know why the bills didn't get paid? You thought it was all him...well, it wasn't. She drank as much money away as he did. Day after day, he came home to a pigsty. She wouldn't clean if he paid her. You remember what state that house was always in, don't ya?" he asked.
Bosco nodded. His eyes were starting to burn, either from the smoke or the revelations he was hearing. All of a sudden, he wished that Faith were here with him.
Mike patted his arm. " I know these things aren't easy to hear, Maurice. But it's the truth. You need to talk to your father. He's the only parent you got left."
It was true enough. How could his mother have done that? But no matter what she did, it didn't condone his hitting her or them.
" But he beat the crap out of us ALL the time! You think that can be explained? A man should NEVER hit a woman or child!" he exclaimed.
" I don't come home and hit my wife or beat my kids. Tell me, is it really that hard? I don't think so, cause not once have I thought about doing to them what was done to me and Mikey."
Mike looked at him, and sighed. " No one will tell you that it was alright, what he did. He did it and he admits it. I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you that to forgive, means getting peace inside your own soul. You got a chip on your shoulder, kid. You need to knock it off. Do it for your ma. Do it for Ray, but most of all, do it for yourself, so you can stop living in the past."
Bosco put his head down, not wanting Mike to see just how affected he was. He willed himself to pull it together. It had only taken him three beers and he was starting to get tipsy. He always was more emotional when he drank, just like most people.
" Speak of the devil."
Mike tapped him on the shoulder and pointed toward the doorway. Raymond had walked in and was getting a pop from the bar.
" You ready for this, kid?" Mike asked.
Bosco could feel his stomach tighten again. He knew it was now or never. Oh, man, he hated these kind of talks! He nodded at Mike, who called out to Raymond.
Raymond looked across the bar, his eyes locked with Bosco's. He started toward the table. Bosco took a deep breath.
" Here we go."
TBC