Chapter 24: Improvising and Adapting

*Ricci mansion’s party room—2 AM*

*

Marco was sitting on a chair by the round table. He was twiddling his fingers on a glass cup, which had some melting ice cream. Avocado with grapes, Daisy’s favorite flavor. He was tired. He yawned and stretched himself. He heard a door creaking. He turned anxiously to see. Could it be…? No, false alarm, it was only Giorgio.

“Still awake, bambino?” The old fellow asked.

“Yes, papà,” Marco yawned again. “Daisy told me she would be back by one!”

Marco checked the time on his phone.

“Maybe she meant in a different time zone, but forgot to tell me,” Marco sighed.

“That’s a pity…” Giorgio gargled, before coughing. “But you know Daisy, she is fine, nothing in the world can take that lion, or better yet, lioness down.”

Marco smiled. Giorgio coughed again, this time more violently. Marco stopped what he was doing and ran to help his father.

“Papà, are you okay?!” Marco exclaimed.