I don't own Pinocchio
The name of the "Italian restaurant" was all my dad's idea.
Throughout the day, John spent his time hanging out in the Red Lobster Inn. Business was not going well as usual for the Coachman so there were less people in the inn than there were at any place. A cigar hung from John's mouth as he took a huge drag from the tobacco and blew the gray smoke to the air. He rested a furry cheek on one hand and looked around the quiet room.
He spied a poor couple sitting on the table. The man was drinking from his beer cup while the wife smoked. John counted the cigarettes that were on the table that the woman smoked. There were five and she was already on the sixth one. John was not a heavy smoker but whenever he needed to clear his head from anything that was bothering him, his remedy was to smoke.
Giddy sat on the table in front of John. He peeked over at a man's pocket and he saw green paper and gold coins rolling around in his pocket. He used his cane and pulled on the man's pocket. He reached inside and took the money out of the pocket and into his pockets. Once that "mission" was accomplished, he sat back down on the chair and acted as if he hadn't committed the crime. He turned his head and simpered at John while nodding his head with enthusiasm.
John waved his hand in the air to indicate "whatever" at Giddy. "Why the long face John?" the Coachman laughed at the joke that he just made.
"Ha, ha," John sarcastically laughed, "very funny."
The Coachman pushed a cup of beer in front of John. "Drink some, it will make you feel better," he said as he pulled that chair away from the table and sat down.
John tapped the cigar with this finger as the ashes fell on the ground. "I had this idea yesterday," he said.
"Yes?" the Coachman said as he leaned across the table to listen to him. John saw the money that were hanging out of the Coachman's pocket. He watched Giddy's eyes lighting up when he saw the money too.
"Well..." John began as he dragged out the word, "I think that it would be a good idea if I went on a date with that girl," he said. "CAREFUL!" he yelled at Giddy as he was about to fall off the table.
Giddy and the Coachman jumped. Giddy watched with wide eyes while the Coachman was about to turn his head around to look behind him. Luckily, John put his hands on the Coachman's face and turned his neck around to look at him, "there was a huge fly that was about to attack you," John lied, "big, furry, brown, and ugly."
Giddy glared at John when he said that. Sometimes that cat had the tendency of begin dumb but in other situations he was a little smart.
"It went away," John said as he saw Giddy leaning back in his chair as he held the Coachman's money in his hands.
"What kind of a date?" the Coachman asked as he got back on the topic.
"Like a dinner date," John said, "a dinner date might impress her."
The Coachman thought about the idea. A malicious smile suddenly curled up on his lips as he looked at John with those green beady eyes. John mentally squirmed when he saw those eyes. "Seems like a good idea. After your date, take her far, far away," he took the beer cup that John had not touched and chugged it down, "after that, kill her, hide her body somewhere, and then kill her family."
John was about to open his mouth and protest but the Coachman stopped him. "Don't you dare go against my plan," he warned John as he got up from the table and left him there.
Giddy watched as the Coachman left. He jumped off of his seat and sat down to the table where John was sitting.
"I am in deep trouble right now," John said as he massaged his temples. He got up from his seat and left the Red Lobster Inn. He walked down the street and arrived at a phone booth. He got inside the booth, took the phone in his hand, and dialed Scarlette's number.
"Hello?" a voice said on the phone. It was Richard.
John looked at the phone and immediately hung up. Richard was the last person he wanted to talk to. He could image Richard saying "hmph" as John hung up. Whatever, it served him right. He waited for five minutes to pass until he called the house again. He called.
"Hello?" a feminine voice said. Whew John thought. It was Mary. Good thing it wasn't Richard again.
"Good afternoon my dear," John said to her.
"Ohh," Mary gushed as if John was proposing to her, "good afternoon to you too Mr...Howard," Mary said after a long pause. John wondered if Richard was glaring at her at who she was on the phone with.
"Is it alright if I talk to your daughter?" he asked.
"Absolutely," Mary said. She took the phone in her arm and walked up the stairs. "Scarlette," she called as she walked into her room.
Scarlette looked up from her bed and saw her mother with the phone. She sat up on her bed and took the phone in her hands. "Hello?" she said.
"Scarlette," John said.
"Hello John," Scarlette said as she adjusted herself in bed. Mary sat down on her bed to listen to their conversation.
"Look, about the date I planned for yesterday, are you free tonight?" he asked.
"Yes," Scarlette answered with a slight nod.
"Does seven o'clock sound well for you?"
"Yes," she said, "my dad should be out by then for his poker night."
"Excellent," he said, "see you later my little rose," he said as he hung up. Great! he yelled in his head. Another date with her and I'm already giving her nicknames. He sank on the ground as he thought about the Coachman's plan...again.
"So, what did he say?" Mary enthusiastically asked once Scarlette hung up.
Scarlette looked at her mother with a grave expression. "Why should I tell you?" she asked.
Mary looked as if Scarlette had slapped her across the face. "Scarlette...I'm surprised at you and your attitude."
"If I told you," Scarlette said as she got up from the bed, "you will go and tell your friends all about it. Then father will find out about it."
"So?" Mary asked.
"Yesterday, father said that John should never come near me again. He thought that John had gotten wise with me and he was yelling at him for that. You were in your bedroom while that happened. Please," Scarlette begged as she sank to the floor on her knees and grabbed her mother's hand, "don't tell your friends, don't tell father, or Arianna, or anybody."
Mary looked deeply into her daughter's eyes. She saw a mixture of emotions. Begging, happiness, sadness, frightened. She put a hand on her daughter's head, "fine," she calmly said with a smile.
Scarlette smiled at her. "Thank you," she said as she gave her mother a hug and a kiss.
The sun began to set as John and Giddy drove down the rich neighborhood. John took his time. He didn't want to show up to Scarlette's house when Richard was still around. It may sound silly but that fox scared John much more than the Coachman did.
"Here we are," John whispered as he slowed down his speed. He squinted into the distance, he didn't see the black automobile that belong to Richard. Bingo! He parked the car in the driveway of the house and walked to the front porch. He cleared his throat and knocked on the door.
Inside the house, May looked out the window and saw that John was outside. "Arianna," she called as she walked into the living room. "Can you go upstairs please?"
"Why?" Arianna asked as she didn't look up from her magazine.
"Stop reading that," Mary said as she walked up and took the magazine away from her. "I told you to not read these things. They're not suitable for your age."
"I was only ready an article on Clark Gable and Viven Leigh," Arianna said as she jumped off of the couch and walked up the stairs. "You're always mean to me." She yelled as she stormed up the stairs.
Scarlette looked up the stairs as her sister slammed her bedroom door. "Wow," she mouthed as she approached the door. "Is John here?" she asked her mother as she nodded. Scarlette smiled as she opened the door and saw John standing there. Her eyes lit up when she saw him as if he had always been her hero.
"Scarlette," John said, like a gentleman, as he leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek.
"Hello," she said as she walked out the door. "Shall we?"
"We shall," John said as he held out his arm to her. Scarlette grabbed it and the two walked down the porch.
"Wait!" Mary yelled from inside the house.
Scarlette stopped walked and mentally rolled her eyes. "What now?" she whispered as her mother caught up with them.
"Since you two lovebirds are going to a restaurant, there's nothing more romantic then some music to help you," Mary said as she held up a violin case.
"Is that-" Scarlette was saying but Mary cut her off.
"Here," she said to Giddy as she handed him the violin case, "the butler always plays music for the lovebirds," she said. "But please be careful with it," she whispered to him.
Giddy nodded at her with a smile on his face. He was going to be "careful" with it alright.
"Its a most prized possession," Mary whispered to John. "Well," she said in her normal time of voice right now, "go out and have the time of your lives."
"Do you have a specific time when you want her back home?" John asked her.
"No," Mary said as she shook her head, "stay out all night if you can. Bye!" she sang as she waved at John who was driving out of the driveway.
John looked back as he saw the house disappearing from sight. He let out a big sigh as his gripped the steering wheel.
"Are you okay, you seem so tense," Scarlette pointed out as she watched his grip on the steering wheel. She put a hand on his arm and felt his muscles beginning to relax. "Is this your first time taking a girl on a date?"
"Of course," John said. That's one truth I have ever said to her he thought. "That's why I'm kind of nervous."
"Don't worry," Scarlette assured him, "when we get in there, everything will be fine."
"I hope so," John said as he parked the automobile in the parking space of the restaurant.
Scarlette looked up at the name of the restaurant. Gusto d'amore (The Taste of Love). She smiled to herself when she saw the name of the restaurant and its meaning. She looked over at John and thought that this restaurant was a huge hint that he loved her. He did love her of course but then a word that started with the letter "d" would destroy it.
"Here we are my dear," John said as he opened the door for her and Giddy.
"I have never been to this place before," Scarlette said. "You really are a different gentleman," she said as she entwined her fingers in his.
Sure he sarcastically thought as they walked inside the building. Once he step foot in the restaurant, he was amazed at what he saw. The walls were painted with a forest green green color followed by a cream color. There were lots of plants that were assorted around the room and the place was filled with many people. Guess he had picked the right place to impress the girl.
"This looks fabulous," Scarlette told him as the two were seated at a private table, away from the commotion of the people.
The two were silent for a minute as they looked through the menu. John was shocked when he looked at the prices of the meals. He hoped that he had enough money to pay for the drinks, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. He hoped that the Coachman hadn't found out about the money that he-well Giddy-stole.
"Oh this is so hard," Scarlette said, "everything looks so good."
Just don't get anything too expensive John thought. He thought it was wise to not tell her about it, for it might offend her.
After ordering their food, Scarlette leaned closer to the table and looked at John. "I have been thinking about something for quite a while."
"What might that be?" John asked.
"Well," she began, "since my father does not want to see you, how about we elope?"
John chocked on his glass of water when she said that. "Wait, what?" he asked as he leaned in closer to her.
"I'm sorry," Scarlette said as she leaned back to her chair, "I thought that if we were ever to get married maybe we should elope so my dad doesn't come after me."
"I'm sorry to say this but what is his problem?" John asked, "he looks so harsh and you're so...sweet."
Scarlette blushed when he said that. "I don't know," Scarlette said, "he loves my little sister more than he loves me," she said. "He's not proud of anything that I do."
"Sorry that you have such a father," John said. What am I talking about? At least she has a father who didn't get arrested and then killed! At least she has a mother than didn't run off with another fox! AT LEAST SHE HAS A FAMILY!
"Your father sounded like a nice gentleman than my father," Scarlette told him.
She still believed him on that lie? John couldn't take anymore of this. He loved lying to get what he wanted but he couldn't lie to a vixen that he was liking. "Look Scarlette," he said as he took her hands in his. "I have something to tell you. I am not-"
The waiter came just in time and served the food for them. Saved by the food John thought as he looked at the steaming plate that was resting in front of him. The two ate in silence until the dessert came.
"You made the right choice for the restaurant," Scarlette told him.
"I'm glad you liked it," John said.
"So what were you saying before?" she asked him.
John opened his mouth but was cut off by Giddy. Giddy opened the violin case and he pulled out the violin from the case. The violin was taken care of and was well polished as if it had never been used. He took the bow in his hands and looked at the violin.
"Oh," Scarlette said as she recognized the instrument, "that's really sweet that your butler is going to play for us."
Having no idea at how to even hold the instrument, Giddy let the violin dangle from his hand and he moved the bow sideways as if he was sawing through a block of wood. The violin let out sour musical notes as both John and Scarlette put their hands on their ears to block out the "music."
"He isn't musically gifted," John told Scarlette.
Giddy suddenly stopped playing as he saw a fly flying around. He swiped at the fly with the bow but he missed. He swished the violin in the air, hoping to squash it. John and Scarlette dodged just in time before the violin was smashed on their heads. The fly suddenly rested on the table and Giddy smashed the violin on the fly.
Scarlette and John looked at the violin in shock. Its strings were unattached and the stem from the violin was broken. As well as the bottom of the violin which was broken in pieces. John took a deep breath and looked at Giddy with a serious expression. "Giddy," he said as the cat looked at him, "that was Richard's violin."
"Oh no," Scarlette moaned as she buried her face in her hands.