Pinocchio: The sequel

One

          It was still dark outside, around 5:30 am in the morning, while Geppetto still slept. He normally didn't awake until 7:30 am, but something about today would make this morning different. He felt a heavy weight bounce on him. "Father! Father!" Geppetto smiled, hearing the lovely voice of his son, Pinocchio.

He always felt joy and blissful happiness whenever he was around. It was just so early for him to be up. "Get up! Get up! Get up!" Geppetto sat up, adjusting his night cap on his hid. "Alright, alright, I'm up, what are you doing up this early?" "Well, isn't it morning, father?" Geppetto looked over to his coocoo clock on the wall. "Yes, it is morning, Pinocchio."

He slid on his slippers and took the candle from his nightstand and began to head downstairs, as Pinocchio followed. Bella was still fast asleep in her new bedroom, which took a total of two months to complete. "Should we wait for Bella to get up?" Geppetto asked him. "Sure, I'd love that. Can we still get started with breakfast?" "Yes, yes, yes. Of course." Geppetto got down his old cookbook. He was happy- his rekindled happiness, like a flame that he thought he could never light again... After Elio. Yes, Elio was still precious to him in his heart.

But He had Pinocchio now. "Let's see, one egg. Grab the egg please Pinocchio." Pinocchio excitingly opened the pantry door and tossed Geppetto the egg. "Careful, my boy." "Okay, Father!" "Is Sophia coming over, Father?" "I don't know, son. Hopefully, she'll stop by for lunch. After all, she has to take Bella to her dance recital this evening." "Oh, her dance recital I almost forgot about that." "No worries, son." "Will Mom and dad come, you think?" Geppetto froze for a moment, heart steadily thumping. His parents? The woman who abandoned Pinocchio not too long ago. Over here?

"I don't know about that one, Pinocchio." They've made a deal. And that's that. Time with him and Pinocchio seemed to grow smaller and smaller; although Pinocchio still referred to him as father, he still couldn't quite understand why. He had his parent's now. Breakfast was finally ready, and Pinocchio loved sharing the early morning meal with his father and Bella before heading to school. "Father, you'll pick me up today won't you?" "I think you're supposed to visit your parents today Pinocchio." "Oh, right. I forgot about that too." Geppetto gave Pinocchio a brown jacket, since the weather was sort of bitter outside, and the once soft puffy white clouds began to turn gray. "Have a good day you two."

"Bye father." Pinocchio hugged him, and Geppetto embraced his son back, lovingly. "Don't be late for school." "We won't, father." "Pinocchio, I think you're forgetting something?" Geppetto held out Pinocchio's school book. "Oh, thank you." "Wait, let me see you for a second." He buttoned up some misbuttoned places on Pinocchio's jacket.

Bella came out a moment after, fully ready. "Now, Pinocchio. Make sure you actually go to school, okay?" "Yes, father!" He hugged his father once more, kissing him on the cheek. Geppetto patted his back gently. "Have a good day at school too, Bella?" Bella nodded and followed Pinocchio out the door with her schoolbook in hand.

"Don't worry. Geppetto, I'll keep an eye on the two." Jiminy promised him. "Thank you, Jiminy. You know Pinocchio can be a little mischievous sometimes." Jiminy chuckled, "I know the boy from the back of my own antenna Geppetto; I'll do my best to keep him safe." Geppetto smiled and waved the cricket off.