Bosco had to pinch himself to be sure he wasn't dreaming. Did she really just agree to keep the baby?
"You are?" he asked, sounding surprised. She nodded, but he could tell she still was unsure about her decision.
Sighing, Bosco said sincerely, "Thank you, Cruz." He nodded at her. "Thank you."
Cruz seemed to sigh and she shrugged her shoulders. "Just remember what I said, Boscorelli. It's my body, and I'm 'makin all the decisions at least until its born."
"Got it," he said, nodding, "I won't get in your way. I mean...I'll wanna know everything, you know, I want you to tell me stuff. Appointments, money stuff, cravings, whatever. Will you keep me informed?"
"Yeah," she said, "But don't expect to come to every appointment. Maybe a few, like them ultrasounds or somethin, but...don't expect to be at a lot of 'em."
Bosco could have objected to that, but like Cruz said, it was her body. And his mother would probably tell him not to argue with a woman about that. The appointments could be...intimate or private. So he understood.
"Okay, deal," he said. Then another thought occurred to him. "Wait a sec...what're we gonna tell everyone?"
"We're not," said Cruz immediatly, "We're not going to tell them anything, Bosco. This is to be kept a secret between you and me." She looked him up and down hesitantly and said, "I mean I know you haven't exactly been the best at keepin secrets, but this time you better pull through on it."
He was a little insulted at the way she was speaking to him. But he knew that if he pissed her off too much, she could ban him from this kid's entire existence.
"Yeah but- -"
"But what?" she cut him off.
"Well Cruz, you gotta look at all the facts here. Don't you think people are gonna wonder once you start 'showin?" he asked.
"Do you think I'm stupid, Boscorelli?" she retorted. "It's none of their damn business why I'm pregnant, or by who. So I'm gonna tell people I was uh...uh..."
"Artificially inseminated?" he asked.
Cruz sort of burst out into a short but bellowing laughter. "I'm serious, Maritza," he said. "You're not gonna tell 'em you were raped, I hope."
"No, you idiot," she said, "I'll figure something out."
He assumed she would use his suggestion for an excuse, because there really was no other good one that she could use without people thinking she was a slut. And they both knew that a lot of the guys wouldn't buy her story, but it was better than the truth right now.
"Well, I gotta get back in there," she said, looking up at him. "I'll....call you? About the appointments."
"Yeah," he nodded, looking down at his shoes, as he kicked some rocks with his foot. "Thanks."
"Sure," she said, before disappearing into the precinct again.
TBC..
