Chapter 10: Dear Bosco

As Bosco opened the box he saw a folded piece of paper on top of two wrapped packages. He went for the paper and unfold it slowly, carefully. There were tear marks on the page, she had been crying while she had written this. He pulled himself together and began to read.

Dear Bosco

If you're reading this it's because I've left. I've moved on, passed away and I'm sorry. I'm sorry to have left you alone, but I couldn't stay here and I'm glad you didn't bring me back. I love you so much, Thank you for staying with me while I was sick. I can't even describe how good it made me feel that I had someone there to comfort me, who cared enough to stay. Just a warning, there's something very important in this letter, at the end, if you don't want to know about it don't read it, but I thought it important to tell you if I was gone.

Bosco I want to thank you for coming to my rescue, for forgetting our past problems and trying to save me. I want you to know I never blamed you for anything and the stubbornness I showed you was just a defense, a defense to prevent my real emotions from showing through. I loved you so much Bosco, seeing you at work nearly killed me because I knew I couldn't have you. Then when you got shot that day at the hospital, It was the day after I had found out I had leukemia. I was barely holding on, but when you got shot I knew somehow I needed to pull through, to make sure you would. I loved you so much!

Bosco I want to tell you to never give up, don't you dare throw your life away for me. You're fine, please, please go on with your life. Don't forget me but don't linger on my death. I couldn't bare to know that our love killed your life. Please promise me you'll try to move on. I will miss you, I'll always remember you.

Bosco, this is the important detail. I need to tell you something. I couldn't die knowing that you would never know. That night when we slept together for the last time, I got pregnant. I was thrilled, I was ready to tell you then Mikey died. Your love turned to hate and I knew I couldn't tell you, not like this. Now I was torn, I loved this baby but your hatred was with it. I brushed it off and kept the baby. It was amazing to see my stomach swell slightly as the baby grew. I would stand in front of the mirror every day watching for him or her. Then one day at work I was partnered with Monroe. We went out like a normal day but during rounds I started to cramp, a lot. I told Monroe and she told me I should go home or talk to the doctor, she knew I was pregnant. I talked to Lieu and he sent me home, but he didn't know I was pregnant. The cramps were unbearable and they forced me into the bathroom and I discovered the truth. I had lost the baby, it came out so suddenly and a piece of me was torn away. I stayed there a long time, just crying and thinking. I was 4 months and I hadn't told you. I never did. I came so close to it when you came back to me but I couldn't, I didn't want to ruin the love we had formed again. I enclosed something in the package for you from the baby. I want you to have it.

Bosco I love you, so much. I just want you to know I'll never leave, I'll be watching over you. I know Bosco, I know you loved me; I could see it in your eyes and thank you, thank you so much.

My love forever,

Maritza

Bosco was knocked speechless. NO! no she wasn't pregnant. He pushed his hair back anxiously; he had had the chance to be a dad. He thought back and realized she had seemed a bit happier, a bit plumper a while ago; it must have been the baby.

He wanted to see what she had left for him so he pulled back the tissue paper to reveal a large book. It read Maurice Boscorelli and Maritza Cruz, through the years. It was a scrap book; it had a blown up picture of Bosco holding Cruz and her laughing hysterically to something he had said. They were on a beach and Bosco remembered the day clearly. They had gone to the beach and asked some stranger to take a picture, and then Bosco had attempted to say something in Spanish to Cruz. He had obviously said it wrong and she had laughed ecstatically. The picture was framed with their names and little quotes. He opened the book and inside was a little note

I made this for you in the hospital; it has all of our memories in it.

Bosco took a deep breath, he had to get through this. He took time looking at each page, their vacations, their work, everything. She had put little souvenirs on each page, movie tickets, a bracelet, little things that he had never known she would keep

. As he flipped to the last page a sob caught in his throat. It was an ultrasound picture. There in black and white was his baby. It was maybe the size of a peanut. He stared hard at the picture, it was definitely a baby. He traced his finger gently over the outline of the baby's body, his other hand covering his mouth. It was so clear, so precise. A ribbon fluttered over the picture and Cruz had printed Baby Boscorelli-Cruz above it. The tears finally fell, she had put his name to, and she had recognized it as his baby. He sat a long time, just staring at his baby then looking at all of the pictures in the book.

He finally pulled the last package out it was a small box and he lifted the lid gently. Inside the first thing he saw was a small stick, as he pulled it out he realized what it was, it was Cruz's positive pregnancy test. He held it for a moment then placed it gently on top of the book. The last thing in the box was a bottle of perfume, Cruz's perfume. She knew he loved it and she left it with him so he could remember her smell, her taste, everything.

He sighed dejectedly as he looked at the items on the bed. Finally he pulled something out of his pocket and laid it on the bed. A small, black velvet box, something that would have been the rest of his life. He opened it slowly and looked at the beautiful ring inside then laid down on the bed. It was finally the right time to cry.

(A/N) we are not done yet 1 more chapter to go!