It had been a long day and they finally made it home. Joey was asleep in
his own bed for the first time in three days and Kim knelt alongside the
bed watching her son sleep and stroking his hair. Despite being exhausted
from the day at Bobby's mother's house after the funeral and cemetery (Kim
brought Joey with her to play with Bobby's nieces and nephews), it took her
quite awhile to get him to sleep. He was still trying to understand why it
had happened - something that Kim hadn't really been able to explain
because she didn't understand it all herself. So all she could do was to
be there for Joey and try to comfort him.
Bosco had finally finished picking at and putting away the leftover food that Mrs. Caffey had insisted they take home. He chuckled to himself as he remembered Mrs. Caffey telling Kim, "A good appetite this one has. A good eater, like my Bobby. I like this boy," she said as she pinched the side of his face.
He looked into the living room and saw that Kim wasn't there. "Maybe she went right to bed after she got Joey to sleep," he thought to himself, remembering how tired she had been lately. He walked down the hallway and noticed her still alongside Joey's bed, sound asleep with her head on the side of his bed. He walked in and gently woke her. "Hey. Wouldn't you be more comfortable in our room?" he whispered to her, helping her to her feet.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep and leave you with the mess in the kitchen," she said apologetically, looking down at Joey to see that he was fast asleep.
"It's okay," Bosco smiled. "I had my breakfast a little early," he kidded her, rubbing his full stomach.
Kim smiled and leaned against him as Bosco put an arm around her shoulder. "I think he'll finally sleep good. I think bringing him to Mrs. Caffey's house was a good idea - made him feel a part of things," she said looking at her son and then at her husband.
"I think you're right, Kim. So, how're you doing?" he asked her as they slowly walked back out to the living room. "You've been looking pretty worn out lately - even before this happened," he noted.
She shrugged. "I'm okay. I think I'm just a little run down from the wedding and honeymoon and then Bobby," she said sadly. "Bos, I don't know what I would have done without you. I think I would have lost it completely. You saved me," she said, looking at him lovingly.
"That's what I'm here for. And, I'm not going anywhere," he said, taking her into his arms. "You want something to eat?"
Kim turned up her nose, "Uhhh. No. My stomach's been kind of off for the last couple of weeks. Actually, I think I'm gonna turn in. Want to watch the news on the TV in the bedroom?" she said to him.
"Yeah. Go ahead and I'll lock up," he said, watching her walk down the hallway. "Maybe she's right. She's just worn out from the past few months," he thought to himself as he turned off the lights and locked up the front door. He walked down the hallway and checked again on Joey and then went into the bedroom and found Kim sound asleep on the bed, the TV remote in her hand. He got undressed and got into bed next to her. She automatically snuggled up against Bosco and he took the remote from her hand and watched a little of the news before turning it off and falling asleep himself.
*^*^*^*^*^*^
Kim woke with a start in the middle of the night. "What woke me up?" she thought to herself, listening to see if it was Joey that had called her. She carefully got out of bed so she didn't wake up Bosco and walked up the hallway to check on Joey. He was still sound asleep and she listened to his rhythmic breathing for a moment. She walked out to the kitchen to get a glass of water and felt a hunger pang. She reached into the cabinet and took out a couple of crackers. She ate them as she looked out the window at the darkened street below.
Suddenly, something struck her. She hadn't really had time to think about it over the last few days, but she was late. She glanced at the calendar on the refrigerator and counted off the days. She'd always been right on time and here she was four days late. "It must be from the stress of what happened to Bobby," she thought to herself, remembering that she'd had the same problem when she and Jimmy had broken up. Then, she thought of how tired she'd been and how her stomach had been off for a few weeks. She put a hand to her belly and said to herself, "It can't be. We've been using protection."
She finished her water and walked back into the bedroom and got back into bed. Bosco stirred slightly and mumbled, "Okay?"
"Yeah. Just thirsty," she said, cuddling up next to him again. But, she couldn't go back to sleep because her mind wouldn't let her not think about the possibility. And then, the excitement of the possibility kept her awake.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Bosco woke up to the sound of Joey in the room with him, shaking him. "Bosco? Do you know where Mom is? Bosco?" Bosco opened his eyes and looked at the clock to see that it was 7:45 in the morning. He sat up and looked around the room.
"Hey, Buddy. What're you doing up so early?" Bosco asked as he reached over for his pants and put them on.
"I was hungry. But I can't find Mom," Joey said.
Bosco frowned and tousled Joey's hair. "Let's take a walk out to the kitchen and see if she's out there."
"I looked already. She's not anywhere," Joey said, getting nervous. Bosco put an arm around his shoulder.
"Hey. I'm sure she's fine. She likes to go for a walk in the morning sometimes, remember?" he said, looking out at the sunny morning. "Let's see if she left a note," he said, noticing that there was fresh coffee made and a piece of paper next to the coffee pot. He picked up the note and read it.
"See. I told you she's okay. Says here that she went for a walk and to get some fresh, hot bagels for you. She should be back any minute. Why don't you go see if there's any cartoons on. Isn't it time for Power Rangers?" he said, looking at the clock on the microwave.
"Okay," Joey said and he turned to run into the living room and turn on the television.
About two minutes later, Kim came walking through the door with a couple of bags in her hand and a big smile on her face. "Well, you look good this morning. Have a nice walk?" Bosco said.
"Are you saying I don't look good most mornings?" she said, trapping him.
"Um- Well-, no, of course not. It's just that, well, you look brighter today. Maybe it's because the sun is out today," he said, trying to dig out of that hole.
She laughed and threw the bag of bagels at him, "Fix Joey a bagel, will you. I'll be right back," she said, walking down the hallway with the other bag in her hand. Bosco didn't notice and yelled to Joey, "Bagels! Get 'em while they're hot!"
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Bosco came down the hallway looking for Kim and found her sitting on the edge of the bed. "Kim? You okay?" he said, taking in the weird look on her face.
She looked up at him. "C'mere and sit down for a minute," she said to him. "I want to ask you something. I've been thinking," she started and was interrupted.
"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good," he teased. She pushed him and continued.
"What do you think about having a baby?" she said and looked over to see a stunned look on his face.
"A baby? Um, I don't know. You know we never really talked about it," he said, thinking for a moment. "Why, do you want to try?"
"I want to know what you think about it first," she said.
Bosco thought for a moment and then finally said, "Yeah. I'd love that. I think I'd really love that." He looked over at her and saw a tear in her eyes as she held up something that looked like a pen.
"What's this?" he asked, taking it from her. He looked at it and saw there was a little box with a pink "+" sign in it.
"That's your baby, Bosco. You're going to be a Daddy," she said, waiting for his reaction.
After staring at the stick for a minute, he looked over at Kim. "What did you just say? How?" Kim noticed the pale look on his face.
"Whoa! Are you okay? I said, you're gonna be a Daddy! I woke up last night and realized that I was late and then I thought about how tired I've been lately and with my stomach problems. I blamed it all on being tired out, but then it hit me. I went out early this morning to get this kit so I could know for sure. I guess they're right when they birth control is never absolute. So, what do you think? Are you mad?" she asked, trying to read the look that she'd never seen on his face before.
"What do I think? I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world!" he said, grabbing onto her and hugging her. He put a hand on her stomach. "I can't believe I'm gonna have a kid," he said in awe. "Thank you, Kim. I love you so much." They kissed and then Joey walked into the room and interrupted them.
"Can I have some milk?" he said.
"Absolutely," Bosco said. "You rest, Kim. I'll get it for him."
"Oh, don't even think you're gonna start that crap, Boscorelli," she called after him. "C'mere you," she said to Joey. "I want a hug."
Bosco had finally finished picking at and putting away the leftover food that Mrs. Caffey had insisted they take home. He chuckled to himself as he remembered Mrs. Caffey telling Kim, "A good appetite this one has. A good eater, like my Bobby. I like this boy," she said as she pinched the side of his face.
He looked into the living room and saw that Kim wasn't there. "Maybe she went right to bed after she got Joey to sleep," he thought to himself, remembering how tired she had been lately. He walked down the hallway and noticed her still alongside Joey's bed, sound asleep with her head on the side of his bed. He walked in and gently woke her. "Hey. Wouldn't you be more comfortable in our room?" he whispered to her, helping her to her feet.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep and leave you with the mess in the kitchen," she said apologetically, looking down at Joey to see that he was fast asleep.
"It's okay," Bosco smiled. "I had my breakfast a little early," he kidded her, rubbing his full stomach.
Kim smiled and leaned against him as Bosco put an arm around her shoulder. "I think he'll finally sleep good. I think bringing him to Mrs. Caffey's house was a good idea - made him feel a part of things," she said looking at her son and then at her husband.
"I think you're right, Kim. So, how're you doing?" he asked her as they slowly walked back out to the living room. "You've been looking pretty worn out lately - even before this happened," he noted.
She shrugged. "I'm okay. I think I'm just a little run down from the wedding and honeymoon and then Bobby," she said sadly. "Bos, I don't know what I would have done without you. I think I would have lost it completely. You saved me," she said, looking at him lovingly.
"That's what I'm here for. And, I'm not going anywhere," he said, taking her into his arms. "You want something to eat?"
Kim turned up her nose, "Uhhh. No. My stomach's been kind of off for the last couple of weeks. Actually, I think I'm gonna turn in. Want to watch the news on the TV in the bedroom?" she said to him.
"Yeah. Go ahead and I'll lock up," he said, watching her walk down the hallway. "Maybe she's right. She's just worn out from the past few months," he thought to himself as he turned off the lights and locked up the front door. He walked down the hallway and checked again on Joey and then went into the bedroom and found Kim sound asleep on the bed, the TV remote in her hand. He got undressed and got into bed next to her. She automatically snuggled up against Bosco and he took the remote from her hand and watched a little of the news before turning it off and falling asleep himself.
*^*^*^*^*^*^
Kim woke with a start in the middle of the night. "What woke me up?" she thought to herself, listening to see if it was Joey that had called her. She carefully got out of bed so she didn't wake up Bosco and walked up the hallway to check on Joey. He was still sound asleep and she listened to his rhythmic breathing for a moment. She walked out to the kitchen to get a glass of water and felt a hunger pang. She reached into the cabinet and took out a couple of crackers. She ate them as she looked out the window at the darkened street below.
Suddenly, something struck her. She hadn't really had time to think about it over the last few days, but she was late. She glanced at the calendar on the refrigerator and counted off the days. She'd always been right on time and here she was four days late. "It must be from the stress of what happened to Bobby," she thought to herself, remembering that she'd had the same problem when she and Jimmy had broken up. Then, she thought of how tired she'd been and how her stomach had been off for a few weeks. She put a hand to her belly and said to herself, "It can't be. We've been using protection."
She finished her water and walked back into the bedroom and got back into bed. Bosco stirred slightly and mumbled, "Okay?"
"Yeah. Just thirsty," she said, cuddling up next to him again. But, she couldn't go back to sleep because her mind wouldn't let her not think about the possibility. And then, the excitement of the possibility kept her awake.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Bosco woke up to the sound of Joey in the room with him, shaking him. "Bosco? Do you know where Mom is? Bosco?" Bosco opened his eyes and looked at the clock to see that it was 7:45 in the morning. He sat up and looked around the room.
"Hey, Buddy. What're you doing up so early?" Bosco asked as he reached over for his pants and put them on.
"I was hungry. But I can't find Mom," Joey said.
Bosco frowned and tousled Joey's hair. "Let's take a walk out to the kitchen and see if she's out there."
"I looked already. She's not anywhere," Joey said, getting nervous. Bosco put an arm around his shoulder.
"Hey. I'm sure she's fine. She likes to go for a walk in the morning sometimes, remember?" he said, looking out at the sunny morning. "Let's see if she left a note," he said, noticing that there was fresh coffee made and a piece of paper next to the coffee pot. He picked up the note and read it.
"See. I told you she's okay. Says here that she went for a walk and to get some fresh, hot bagels for you. She should be back any minute. Why don't you go see if there's any cartoons on. Isn't it time for Power Rangers?" he said, looking at the clock on the microwave.
"Okay," Joey said and he turned to run into the living room and turn on the television.
About two minutes later, Kim came walking through the door with a couple of bags in her hand and a big smile on her face. "Well, you look good this morning. Have a nice walk?" Bosco said.
"Are you saying I don't look good most mornings?" she said, trapping him.
"Um- Well-, no, of course not. It's just that, well, you look brighter today. Maybe it's because the sun is out today," he said, trying to dig out of that hole.
She laughed and threw the bag of bagels at him, "Fix Joey a bagel, will you. I'll be right back," she said, walking down the hallway with the other bag in her hand. Bosco didn't notice and yelled to Joey, "Bagels! Get 'em while they're hot!"
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Bosco came down the hallway looking for Kim and found her sitting on the edge of the bed. "Kim? You okay?" he said, taking in the weird look on her face.
She looked up at him. "C'mere and sit down for a minute," she said to him. "I want to ask you something. I've been thinking," she started and was interrupted.
"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good," he teased. She pushed him and continued.
"What do you think about having a baby?" she said and looked over to see a stunned look on his face.
"A baby? Um, I don't know. You know we never really talked about it," he said, thinking for a moment. "Why, do you want to try?"
"I want to know what you think about it first," she said.
Bosco thought for a moment and then finally said, "Yeah. I'd love that. I think I'd really love that." He looked over at her and saw a tear in her eyes as she held up something that looked like a pen.
"What's this?" he asked, taking it from her. He looked at it and saw there was a little box with a pink "+" sign in it.
"That's your baby, Bosco. You're going to be a Daddy," she said, waiting for his reaction.
After staring at the stick for a minute, he looked over at Kim. "What did you just say? How?" Kim noticed the pale look on his face.
"Whoa! Are you okay? I said, you're gonna be a Daddy! I woke up last night and realized that I was late and then I thought about how tired I've been lately and with my stomach problems. I blamed it all on being tired out, but then it hit me. I went out early this morning to get this kit so I could know for sure. I guess they're right when they birth control is never absolute. So, what do you think? Are you mad?" she asked, trying to read the look that she'd never seen on his face before.
"What do I think? I think I'm the luckiest guy in the world!" he said, grabbing onto her and hugging her. He put a hand on her stomach. "I can't believe I'm gonna have a kid," he said in awe. "Thank you, Kim. I love you so much." They kissed and then Joey walked into the room and interrupted them.
"Can I have some milk?" he said.
"Absolutely," Bosco said. "You rest, Kim. I'll get it for him."
"Oh, don't even think you're gonna start that crap, Boscorelli," she called after him. "C'mere you," she said to Joey. "I want a hug."
