Pinocchio: The sequel

Eight

       Pinocchio returned while it was still dark inside, he kept the money his bag and hid it underneath the bed so Jiminy wouldn't see. "Pinocchio?" He heard a soft voice. "Jiminy... Hi...". "What are you doing back here, do you have any idea what time it is?" "Jiminy, shh. Father will hear." "Darn right he will." Without knowing what to do, he shoved Jiminy in his drawer. "Hey! Pinocchio! I will not tolerate this assault! Whatever you are up too...". Pinocchio ignored him. His father would leave soon to retrieve him from his parents, and he didn't need Jiminy messing that up for him too.

When Geppetto arrived to retrieve Pinocchio he didn't know what would wait for him. "Or money, and or son is gone Geppetto. I don't know where he is." Pinocchio's mother sadly admitted, she'd looked as if she'd been crying. "It's alright, you can come back to the village with me, and we'll look for him." Pinocchio didn't often runaway like this. "No, we have to figure out what criminal would do something like this. Without our money we can't pay of our land." "Well, some of us have bigger problems!" Geppetto yelled at her, frustration heating up in his cheeks. He had a lot of debt owed. "You're right, we will come with you." She got on her coat and her husband followed her. The wagon ride was just as somber as before. When they arrived Lorenzo was already waiting for them at the door. "Signore...". "Money, Geppetto or I will personally escort you out of your home. ""You can't simply do that. I've been living here for years." "Without paying taxes." Lorenzo added. "Well, how long has this been going on?" Pinocchio's mother intervened.

"Since he first moved here." "With exceptions." Geppetto corrected. "You can't simply come to my house and kick me out of it!" "Well, I can. I run things around here." "Certainly not in a good way." Geppetto walked past him, at least furniture and everything was still in place. Pinocchio had left the money on the table. "What?" Geppetto was confused as he approached the bag and opened it only to reveal the exact amount he needed. "Wow, I mean...". "You stole it." Pinocchio's mother angrily snapped. "You're accusing me of stealing?" "Pinocchio told me about your state, and I wouldn't have thought it would take me long to figure out that you stole from us." "I wouldn't have. I don't even know how this money got here." "Lie all you want, Geppetto." Her husband said, stepping in.

Geppetto was dismayed. He couldn't believe what was going on, yet he had to save their home. "Here take it, take the money." Pinocchio's mother gasped in shock. "So, you are just going to steal the money, bluntly Infront of us." "Maybe I will, I've raised your son out of the kindness of my heart. I was stuck with Pinocchio for the past ten years of his life, I raised him. I wasn't in the state to be a father than because I've lost a child of my own. He was everything to me. Business hasn't been going well and I couldn't have paid everything off the way I have liked. I haven't stolen your money, and I wouldn't dream of it. May I remind you how you came to me? Soaking wet in the rain, willing to give up your baby? I was with him; I've never left your son. I've treated him with love and gave him everything you needed, and you dare accuse me of stealing from you?" Geppetto was a crying reck after that, truthfully he's been holding in what he had to say for years.

Years. He wanted to be humble enough that even though he thought he and his adoptive son's parents have worked something out something else seemed to happen. He surely didn't ask to raise Pinocchio for all of those years. He was fathering a son that wasn't his and a son that was almost like his own. He loved Elio. He truly did. But he knew Elio would have wanted him to love Pinocchio just as much. "Well, it still doesn't excuse your deed." Pinocchio's mother wasn't moved but hurt even more, she went to her husband for comfort. After all, it was Pinocchio's choice to live with Geppetto. Not Geppetto's. He wanted to do whatever he could, but nothing he seemed to say worked.

Later on that evening, he picked up the picture of the small seven-year-old boy, Elio. Every time he thought of him he thought of his wife who was no longer his. She didn't even know where she was now. The life they had together, did it mean nothing? Their son held them together, he was supposed to run the toy shop when Geppetto past.

He was willing to do anything he needed in order for Elio to live a good life, a better life than he and his mother. If he needed to go away to study he was willing. He held the picture close to him. "Leave the toy shop open, papa. Even when I'm gone." Elio's last words, even if the money wasn't his he knew deep down he would've stolen from as many people as he needed to keep the memory alive. His son's spirit he knew dwelled within these walls. No matter how long it's been, he couldn't let Elio go. "Father?" He heard a soft voice coming from his bedroom door. He lit the candle and held it, only to reveal Pinocchio with Jiminy Cricket, whose arms were crossed, he looked pretty angry with Pinocchio. "Pinocchio. What on Earth are you doing here? And this late?" "I heard you crying." Pinocchio said softly.

"Son, come here." Pinocchio listened and crawled on the bed with him. Geppetto held him close. "I am going through a lot right now, Pinocchio. I'm so sorry if I don't feel like I'm here from you." "You miss him still don't you?" "Yes, Pinocchio. I do miss him. I miss him every day. Grief is something you don't get over even if that something happened a very long time ago." Pinocchio remembered what grief felt like. When he thought he lost Geppetto, he felt like his world was going to end. "I think I know what you mean, but I know I never will truly replace him."

"Pinocchio, you don't have to replace him or be like Elio to have my love and attention, I'll always be there for you." Pinocchio hugged him, debating with himself rather or not he should tell him the truth. "Tell him, Pinocchio." Jiminy urged, as he sat cross-legged on the nightstand. "Tell me what?" Geppetto was now looking at him with seriousness. "I stole the money from then, and I ran away. I don't like them."

"Pinocchio, just because you don't like someone, doesn't mean that you steal from them, we will figure it out. Whatever happens tomorrow. Happens. Try and get some sleep okay." "Can I sleep with you?" "Sure, sure thing." Pinocchio knew Geppetto was never going to leave him, but he knew that he had to help him. He knew that eventually the guilt will fade away. The guilt that he honestly felt lingering over him, even as he tried to sleep.