Part 23.
There was a faint gurgling from the nursery and Bosco who had been awake
for a few minutes left the bedroom to see if Florence was alright. He
looked down into the cot and found his daughter smiling up at him, a furry
duck clasped in her hands. Bosco scooped her up and started talking to
her. His daughter gurgled when he tickled her tummy through her babygro
and said "Dadda". "What?" said Bosco shocked. Florence was quiet, when
Bosco tickled her tummy again she repeated "Dadda". Bosco sat in the
rocking chair cradling his baby daughter "I could never have believed a
year ago that I would be here" he said looking around "that I would have
all this. I had a different girl every week and I couldn't stand kids.
Now I'm married and I've got you" he said kissing Florence on the forehead
and roughing up her dark black wispy hair. "Let's go see Mummy" he
whispered to the now sleeping Florence.
When Faith woke she was aware of a noise beside her. Bosco was talking to Florence "Morning beautiful" Faith directed at Florence "Why, thank you" said Bosco jokingly. He was sat with his legs bent up, his knees near his chin with his daughter resting on his thighs and his hands cradling her head. "I love it when you hold her like that, she looks so small and precious" said Faith reaching over for a good morning kiss with her husband. "Watch this" said Bosco tickling Florence's tummy again. She gurgled and said "Dadda". "How cool is that?" said Bosco doing it again. "Very cool" said Faith, tickling her husband's stomach "You ready for today?" "Sure am" said Bosco "Who'd have thought my children would be christened" he laughed. "Children, plural?" said Faith eyebrows raised. "Too right. Florence is going to be the first of many" "I don't get a say?" "Oh sure, but I didn't hear you protesting last night" said Bosco. Faith playfully smacked him over the head with a pillow as she got up. "I'm going for a shower" she said "Give me five and I'll be there" said Bosco. "I'm counting" said Faith opening her dressing gown and flashing Bosco. "Make that two minutes" he said leaving the bedroom to put Florence in her cot.
Faith, Florence and Maurice were in Central Park. Their friends and family were gathered around the Bethesda fountain. It was mid July and the sun was shining brightly. The minister began proceedings and soon Florence's forehead was being gently bathed in a water. As Bosco took his daughter and turned to face the front of the church, the group clapped and cheered. "Speech, speech" shouted Doc and Jimmy. "Alright, ok" said Faith, waving her hands to shut them up. "You first" said Bosco looking at his wife. "Today is something really special. My daughter and my husband here together in front of all my friends and family. We those Central park because it is such a special place, and this fountain because of its religious significance. These four figures" said Faith pointing at the statue "represent temperance, purity, health and peace. All the things we want for our baby girl" she said reaching for Bosco's hand. "Maurice and I couldn't have imagined a better day and it's you guys who have made it so special. I have a special thank you to make and that's to Fred" she said looking at him "You came all this way to be here for me today, I know it can't have been easy Fred but it means a lot. I shared much of my life with you and I wouldn't be here doing any of this today without your unwavering support and amazing understanding. Thank you everyone" said Faith wiping away a tear. Bosco broke the silence and started to speak, he looked down at Florence who was sucking on his finger "Two years ago if you looked straight ahead through those trees you could see two tall towers rising high into the skyline. Those days have gone and that day changed the entire world. We lost a lots of good men that day and it made me consider life in a whole new way. Six months after 9/11 I had a breakdown. It was my partner and my best friend that held me. Told me that I wasn't to blame. She rubbed my back when I had a nightmare and wiped away my tears. I couldn't have got through it without her. As I look through those trees today, I don't see a empty void, I see bright blue sky, the sun shining bright on a brand new day and a future of hope and new beginnings. A future that I intend to spend with my wife and daughter. Thank you all for coming today, you made this special day complete." Said Bosco almost in tears and gently rocking his daughter in his arms. Fred was the first to stand up, holding a glass of orange juice "To Florence Kim Boscorelli and a happy future" he said. The rest of the group repeated Fred's words. Bosco picked up a glass of champagne and looked through the trees. "To absent friends and true heroes" he said. "To friends and heroes" came a loud reply from the group and many passers by who stood to survey the events by the fountain.
When Faith woke she was aware of a noise beside her. Bosco was talking to Florence "Morning beautiful" Faith directed at Florence "Why, thank you" said Bosco jokingly. He was sat with his legs bent up, his knees near his chin with his daughter resting on his thighs and his hands cradling her head. "I love it when you hold her like that, she looks so small and precious" said Faith reaching over for a good morning kiss with her husband. "Watch this" said Bosco tickling Florence's tummy again. She gurgled and said "Dadda". "How cool is that?" said Bosco doing it again. "Very cool" said Faith, tickling her husband's stomach "You ready for today?" "Sure am" said Bosco "Who'd have thought my children would be christened" he laughed. "Children, plural?" said Faith eyebrows raised. "Too right. Florence is going to be the first of many" "I don't get a say?" "Oh sure, but I didn't hear you protesting last night" said Bosco. Faith playfully smacked him over the head with a pillow as she got up. "I'm going for a shower" she said "Give me five and I'll be there" said Bosco. "I'm counting" said Faith opening her dressing gown and flashing Bosco. "Make that two minutes" he said leaving the bedroom to put Florence in her cot.
Faith, Florence and Maurice were in Central Park. Their friends and family were gathered around the Bethesda fountain. It was mid July and the sun was shining brightly. The minister began proceedings and soon Florence's forehead was being gently bathed in a water. As Bosco took his daughter and turned to face the front of the church, the group clapped and cheered. "Speech, speech" shouted Doc and Jimmy. "Alright, ok" said Faith, waving her hands to shut them up. "You first" said Bosco looking at his wife. "Today is something really special. My daughter and my husband here together in front of all my friends and family. We those Central park because it is such a special place, and this fountain because of its religious significance. These four figures" said Faith pointing at the statue "represent temperance, purity, health and peace. All the things we want for our baby girl" she said reaching for Bosco's hand. "Maurice and I couldn't have imagined a better day and it's you guys who have made it so special. I have a special thank you to make and that's to Fred" she said looking at him "You came all this way to be here for me today, I know it can't have been easy Fred but it means a lot. I shared much of my life with you and I wouldn't be here doing any of this today without your unwavering support and amazing understanding. Thank you everyone" said Faith wiping away a tear. Bosco broke the silence and started to speak, he looked down at Florence who was sucking on his finger "Two years ago if you looked straight ahead through those trees you could see two tall towers rising high into the skyline. Those days have gone and that day changed the entire world. We lost a lots of good men that day and it made me consider life in a whole new way. Six months after 9/11 I had a breakdown. It was my partner and my best friend that held me. Told me that I wasn't to blame. She rubbed my back when I had a nightmare and wiped away my tears. I couldn't have got through it without her. As I look through those trees today, I don't see a empty void, I see bright blue sky, the sun shining bright on a brand new day and a future of hope and new beginnings. A future that I intend to spend with my wife and daughter. Thank you all for coming today, you made this special day complete." Said Bosco almost in tears and gently rocking his daughter in his arms. Fred was the first to stand up, holding a glass of orange juice "To Florence Kim Boscorelli and a happy future" he said. The rest of the group repeated Fred's words. Bosco picked up a glass of champagne and looked through the trees. "To absent friends and true heroes" he said. "To friends and heroes" came a loud reply from the group and many passers by who stood to survey the events by the fountain.