Saviour

Epilogue Part 37

Joe and Bessy are still very much in love raising their family and collecting donations for the numerous charities they both support its terrifying to think Joes daughter Frankie is now 15. Francis or preferably Frankie Gatto was born soon after the accident a beautiful baby with a mess of brown hair has now grown into a beautiful young if not mischievous woman thanks to her dads influence. I'm now the age Joe was when I first met him I feel crazy old. Joe and Bessy spent an ever so romantic 10th wedding Anniversary here a few years ago just before the announcement of Baby Bella's arrival. The Gattos still spend a week or so here every few years Joe ever much the doting father is still as childish and loveable as he has always been.

Murr has taken a hand at writing and acting having produced quite a few successful TV shows so far, he wouldn't tell you about it though as always James Murray is the humble sweet guy he always was. Murr visits often to catch up and take Lynda on romantic breaks they moved in together not long after I left and are actually arriving next week with Lynda's older son from her first marriage to begin planning for their wedding we will hold right here at the house and gardens next spring. It will be a great chance for both sides of my family to reunite again. Although I visit New York twice a year it has been sometime since all 8 who sat around the breakfast table that week mama died have come together in a good few years.

As for Brian Quinn the lovable rogue who stole my heart and never returned it he still lives in Staten Island I doubt even an apocalypse could move him from there. I see him in person usually around 4 sometimes 5 times a year depending on our schedule Christmases, Easter holidays/spring break and two weeks over the summer without fail. A little more grey now than he was and fast approaching 54 Q remains the cutest dork and serial flirter there is I am never surprised at some of the bad pick-up lines Sal tells me about that come from my best friend's mouth when trying to impress ladies in bars Brian has settled down a lot more now and has almost completely left his womanizing days behind. Still living in his Batchelor pad with multiple kitties Brian remains as yet unmarried with a son a surprise to everyone the younger Quinn is now a gorgeous blue eyed, fluffy haired boy of 12 who has the same undeniable charm and sharp wit of his father.

Sal Vulcano is still very much the same I see him as much as I can and we Skype often it took us both a long time to get used to not seeing each other nearly every day he stayed for around a month or so after I was released from the hospital refusing to leave my side and still to this day apologises for the things he said. For the first few weeks after he left we would video call each other and just stay on the phone all day doing our own individual things. During one of his stays with a lot of persuading from me we finally had our first swim together without any accidents it gave him back a lot of confidence and Sal has now taken up quite a keen hobby of water sports when he comes to stay helping out around the Surf school with Bronach when he can. Sal also began dating again although no woman has managed to win the Vulcano heart quite yet he still admits drunkenly from time to time that he still thinks we should have been together I do get a twinge in my stomach when I imagine what if. As of recently the last time we spoke a few days ago he was doing laundry to begin packing for his next tour with Brian he was so excited to get back on the road again with his best bud of almost 40 years.

I still have a soft spot for New York City and absolutely love the weeks I spend there each year but I always feel I made the right choice settling down in Ireland and raising my family. When I look back on my last 38 years of life, I'm always so thankful for that one day in March 16 years ago two guys just happened to walk into a coffee shop in New York City that I was working in and changed my life forever. I barely remember a time before Gatto, Vulcano, Murray and Quinn were in my life making each and every day I spent with them a new adventure. Each guy so different with individual qualities but as a collective I don't think I'd ever seen a Brotherhood come through all the shit they had and still remain the strongest friends I knew.

I have a full house of kiddies tonight as Fallon and Eamon are on a romantic break away leaving me to babysit Shane and Juno along with Paige McAllister who insisted on staying not wanting to be left out but the rumour is she has a thing for my own baby boy, I have to remind myself he's not a baby anymore my little or rather not so little Salvatore is growing up far too fast even more than I can handle the teen years are fast approaching and as a mother they terrify me but I do believe I've done a pretty okay job so far. I'm pretty sure that's him I can hear tiptoeing around the kitchen I give a cough to let him know he's been caught out, he guiltily smiles at me from the kitchen doorway stepping into the night air and taking a seat beside me he gazes up at the stars amazed the wonder and beauty of it all reflected in his eyes.

"You should really be asleep if you want Uncle Apollo to take you and your cousins surfing tomorrow" I warn him gently it's so difficult to be mad at him for anything he has permanent puppy eyes that make my heart melt.

He gives me a cheeky laugh still looking at the stars "Hey mam, we were googling our names earlier and you wanna know what mine means?"

"I know what it means" I giggle to him pulling him into the blanket I have wrapped around my shoulders "I chose it didn't I? It means Saviour I once had someone I love very much save me from a dark place and when you came along you were so tiny and precious but made me so happy you became my second little saviour"

"It was Uncle Sal wasn't it?"

I nod at my Son he looks up to his godfather so much and loves to spend time with him when we visit New York "You're right, it was Uncle Sal I named you after"

Salvatore smiles at this he looks at the ground rubbing his bare foot along the grass "Do you miss my Da being here?"

I frown at the young boy what a question to be asking "I do sweetie, I miss a lot of people but you and I are a good team aren't we and if circumstances were different we'd be like any other family and that would be too boring for us." I kiss his forehead shooing him off to bed and get back to my paperwork over the snoring of the sleepy puppy at my feet I hear the faint creak of the biscuit cupboard closing "SALVATORE HUDSON QUINN you better get yourself up to bed before I cut both your thumbs off" I roll my eyes Salvatore gives a deep familiar laugh his voice on the verge of breaking "Night Mam, Love ya" he calls

I play with the sliver ring once given to me by Brian Quinn that rests on a chain around my neck  "To the moon and back baby bird."

Authors Note: The end....