Faith awoke slowly and disoriented. Her sleep fogged brain registered first that she wasn't at home and secondly that she wasn't alone. Loosening the hold on the hand she had clutched against her chest, she discovered no wedding band. The fact that she heard no snoring reinforced the thought that she was not in bed with her husband. Bosco. Finally the fog cleared. I should get up right now, she thought with a sigh.
She remembered the nightmare. She sort of remembered waking up, but thought she'd dreamed Bosco being there telling her everything was all right. She thought she was still dreaming when she felt his lips brush her hair and him saying he was sorry. Guess not.
This is so wrong, she thought as his arms tightened around her. If Fred walked in right now, that would be the end of her marriage no matter how innocent it was. They were both fully dressed after all and there was a blanket between them. Fred wouldn't walk in because he didn't know where they were. She didn't know where they were, but it was still wrong. She was married and Bosco....Bosco doesn't know that she remembered what he said in that hotel room. He doesn't know she remembered him kissing her.
Whether he meant it or not - whether it was the heat of the moment or not, she couldn't let him think she knew. She also couldn't hurt him by letting him think that she wanted to be with him. When this little road trip was over, she was going back to her family and her husband. She needed to get up before Bosco woke up no matter how warm and comfortable she was.
It was wrong for her to use Bosco for comfort. Ever since she'd told Fred she was going back to work as soon as she was able, he'd been sleeping on the couch. He'd still been helpful, but cold and distant. Not to mention the fact that he didn't give her a moment's peace. It was like he was trying to convince her how much better it would be to be with her family all the time. All he managed to do was drive her to escape.
She'd used Bosco to escape because she knew he would help her. If he felt the way he said he did, he would help her. And he helped her, she thought wiping away a tear. She felt guilty - guilty and confused. Confused by questions she had no right to ask. Guilty for feeling things she had no right to feel.
She gave his hand a squeeze and slipped out of his arms carefully. She froze when he stirred. He reached out, grabbing a pillow to replace where Faith had been a moment before. He mumbled her name before settling back into sleep.
Faith covered him with a blanket then grabbed her bag. She made her way into the bathroom to shower and change. She'd only brought two changes of clothes thinking she'd buy whatever she needed when she got where she was going. There was also the possibility that Fred would track her down before she had time to need another change.
She hoped that when Fred found her note that he would try to understand why she needed some time to herself. Highly unlikely even before Fred finds out that Bosco was with her she thought combing out her damp hair. He'll just have to get over it.
Faith opened the door to find Bosco gone. On the bedside table she found Bosco's phone and a note for her to call home. Calling home was the last thing she wanted to do, but she took a deep breath and dialed anyway.
Bosco startled awake when he heard the bathroom door click shut. Perched as he was on the edge of the bed and wrapped in a blanket, he fell with a thud to the floor. He barely missed hitting his head on the table. He fought the blanket wrapping him and finally managing to stand up.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he picked up the blanket then found a pen and a little pad of paper. He scribbled a note for Faith before grabbing the room card. He wasn't ready to face her yet.
He slipped on his shoes pausing only to make sure his hair wasn't sticking out in every direction and left the room. The desk clerk had said something about a complimentary breakfast in the dining room.
He followed the smell of coffee to a small but bright room off the main lobby. He ate slowly trying to figure out what he was going to say to Faith. Now he had the added explanation of what he was doing in her bed on top of everything else. Maybe she wouldn't be mad, he thought optimistically. She had grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go. Plus it's not like they'd never took a nap at the same time in the RMP. Some nights were slow. Of course when we were takin' a break in the RMP, I didn't have my arms around her and she wasn't holdin' my hand.
If she brings it up, I'll tell her she started it. If she doesn't say anything, neither will I. Decision made, he fixed Faith a breakfast of eggs, bacon, and a bagel. He grabbed two cups of coffee, carefully putting the spill proof lids on and headed back to the room.
"Hi, Emily, it's mom. Is everything okay?"
"Did you run off with Bosco?" Emily asked in a whisper.
"No, Emily! Who told you that?"
"Your boss called last night and told dad you were with Bosco."
"Great, I did not 'run off' with Bosco. I just needed to get away and Bosco helped me."
"You really scared Charlie, you know. You could have told somebody where you were going," Emily scolded in a voice too like her own causing Faith to smile.
"I did leave a note, but I don't know where I'm going. I'm not even sure where I am, but I'll be home in a week. Is your dad there? Can I talk to him?"
"I don't think you want to talk to him right now. He's really mad. We didn't find a note. Where'd you leave it?"
"It's on my nightstand. I sat it up so that daddy would be sure to see it."
"Hang on, I'll check," Emily said. Faith could hear Emily's bedroom door open then muffled footsteps as she crossed the hall. "Just a friend, Dad," Emily said obviously to answer Fred's question about who was on the phone. "I don't see it, mom. Are you sure...oh wait. Here it is. It fell down between the bed and the table. I'll show it to dad, but I still don't think you want to talk to him now. I've never seen him this mad."
"I'll call you later on once he's had a chance to cool down. I'm sorry you worried, baby. Tell Charlie everything's all right."
"I will. Tell Bosco I said hi and to be careful. Bye."
Faith turned off the phone and rubbed her eyes. The note had fallen beside the bed. Perfect. I'm surprised Fred didn't have the cops out looking for us. And when did Emily become the parent and me the child she thought as she heard the door unlocking.
Bosco opened the door with one hand holding one cup of coffee in his teeth while juggling the container with breakfast and a second cup in the other hand. He set everything down on the table before turning to Faith. He was happy to see she didn't look mad, but she did look worried. "Hey, I brought breakfast. Did you call Fred?"
"I talked to Emily. Did you tell Swersky we were together?" Faith asked taking the cup of coffee Bosco offered her.
"He called last night to tell me that Fred said somebody kidnapped ya'. One of your neighbors saw me carryin' ya down the fire escape. Get this, she said I was six feet tall," Bosco said grinning.
"Oh that's just great. Emily said Fred's pissed as hell," Faith said taking a sip of the coffee.
"It wasn't very bright of ya to go sneakin' off anyway. You had to know they'd be worried about ya," Bosco replied grabbing his bag and heading for the bathroom.
"I left a note, Bosco. It fell down beside the bed," Faith said ominously fixing Bosco with a glare.
"Hey, don't get mad at me. I was just followin' orders. I'm gonna take a shower and then we should get goin'. I thought we'd see some sights in DC today and then head for that beach I was talkin' about," Bosco said retreating into the bathroom. He closed the door shutting off any further discussion.
He showered and shaved quickly. He brushed his teeth and was ready to go before Faith had the chance to finish her coffee.
"I'll get the bags in the car. You go to the bathroom cause I ain't stoppin' fifteen minutes down the road," Bosco grumbled gathering up their bags and striding out the door.
For the sake of harmony, Faith did as instructed then checked to make sure they didn't forget anything. Outside she found that the sun was bright and the air was warm. She had to shade her eyes until her eyes adjusted from the dark room.
"What are you doing?" she asked walking toward the car.
"It's warm, so I thought I'd put the top down. I haven't got to drive her with the top down yet," Bosco said smiling before tossing her a pair of sunglasses. "I got those for ya at the gift shop."
"Gee thanks," Faith mumbled looking at the hot pink framed glasses with mirrored lenses that were an obvious throw back to the eighties. "We're not drivin' on the highway with the top down, so put it back up."
"No, I want it down."
"I'm not gettin' in that car until you put the top up."
"You don't like it, New York's that way," he said pointing. "Let me have your crutches and let's get outta here."
Faith put on her ugly sunglasses and handed Bosco her crutches. He stumbled back at the force with which she "handed" them to him, but he just chuckled. He was still grinning when he joined her in the car.
"What is that?" Faith asked pointing to a stuffed animal wedged between the windshield and the dash of the car.
"A mustang for my Mustang. Look it's got "Maryland" embroidered on its back end," Bosco said showing her the small stuffed horse. It was the same color as the car. He stuffed it back against the window and pulled out onto the road causing the animal to slide across the dash. Bosco grabbed it just in time and tried to put it back in the same spot.
"It won't stay there with the way you drive. Let me have it," Faith instructed grabbing it out of his hand. It was too light to sit on the seat so she held the little horse all the way to the nation's capital.