Afterwards

After all the pomp and circumstance, we met across the street from MSG and took pictures and laughed and of course I cried some more.
Then we hopped the subway over to Carmine's, the iconic Italian eatery in Manhattan which seems to specialize in groups. We were a small group, but a happy one, and even Vic got caught up in the giddiness.
Here my mother-in-law and I were on the same page: we both bought Vic a little something, knowing that no one else would be getting him a gift. I managed to remember that he liked green tea from Thanksgiving, so I bought him several boxes of green tea and chocolate. My mother-in-law got him something police-oriented. Once again, he seemed touched by the gesture.
Other people gave Roc gifts but I intended to throw him an actual party at some point in the future, so I refrained. I mean, wasn't I gift enough?
A lot of pasta, a round of merriment, and the next thing we knew, we were off: a new adventure awaiting us at every turn.