ON THE WINGS OF AN ANGEL
What's this? An actual update? And one that didn't take a whole year? I'm as surprised as the rest of you. Well, now that school is over (for the time being) and we got the Internet back, I should have loads more time for writing.
Enjoy yourselves, mates, and don't forget to review!
Characters (with exceptions) © Disney
Story © unicorn-skydancer08
All rights reserved.
Chapter 4: Old Friends
Terence was overjoyed. Without hesitation, he flung his arms about Armando's shoulders and hugged him as hard as he could without breaking him in half. Armando squeezed Terence just as hard. Arietta knelt down to embrace Pinocchio, and the boy readily returned the embrace. "Oh, Armando—it's so good to see you!" Terence cried while the young men clung to one another.
"Never expected to run into you here, old friend, of all places!" Armando sounded equally thrilled, if not more so.
Drawing back to examine him, Terence commented, "You look so…different." As Armando was once a circus clown, Terence was used to seeing him in a showy jumpsuit with his face painted brilliant colors.
Now Armando's face was perfectly clean, and he was dressed in simple yet smart clothes, though his countenance was as lively as ever and his eyes yet retained that mischievous spark.
"I suppose I have changed some since my days in the circus," Armando admitted. "But I still have a few of my old tricks left." Reaching behind Terence's ear, he said with his cocky grin, "For instance, I can still do this!"
Before Terence could blink, Armando produced a shiny silver coin, as if from the air itself. Feeling behind his ear, Terence said bewilderedly, "Even after all this time, I still haven't figured out how you're able to do that."
"A true magician never reveals his secrets," Armando said as he gave the coin a little flip and caught it in midair.
When Arietta stood up a minute later, she and Armando switched places, so now Terence was hugging Arietta and Armando was on his knees with Pinocchio enveloped in his arms.
"I missed you so much," Pinocchio confessed.
"And we missed you, Pinocchio," Armando replied gently.
He and Arietta used to be in Fabrizio's circus, too (Arietta's specialty was the high wire act), and when Pinocchio was captured, they and a handful of others befriended him and took part in helping him get out of Fabrizio's clutches, though things hadn't gone quite as planned. Despite Fabrizio and his cruelty, Pinocchio couldn't regret knowing Armando and Arietta—as well as Bernardo, Armando's former partner in clowning; Gahiji, the small, scrappy, slightly eccentric man from North India who specialized in live snakes; and Fergal, the big, black giant of a man who was as tough as steel and yet as soft as a marshmallow.
"Hello, Terence," said Arietta when she was gazing properly into his face.
"Hello, Arietta," he replied warmly. "You look well."
"I am doing very well, thank you. And guess what?" Arietta showed Terence and Pinocchio her left hand; a simple yet elegant silver ring glinted on her third finger.
"You're married?" Terence figured it out before Pinocchio did.
The girl nodded happily. "Just two months ago, this very day, in fact. It was quite unexpected, really; yet I could hardly bring myself to say no when Armando asked me. We kept the ceremony quiet and simple."
"You actually agreed to give your hand to this crazy clown?" Terence asked, feigning shock.
Arietta smiled. "Armando can be very tender when he wants to be," was all she said.
In response to this, Armando strode up to his beautiful wife when he was back on his feet and kissed her sweetly on the cheek.
"Well, that's wonderful!" said Terence, with complete sincerity this time.
"Congratulations!" added Pinocchio.
"Thank you," said Armando and Arietta simultaneously.
"So, what are you two up to these days, anyhow?" Terence asked as he raked his fingers through his gleaming hair. "How are the others? Are they doing all right?"
"Everyone's doing just fine," Armando assured him. "Bernardo's now in charge of a local inn, and Gahiji is his personal assistant. Arietta and I stop by at least once a week to check up on them."
"What about Fergal?" questioned Pinocchio.
"He landed a job down at the docks," said Arietta. "He helps to haul in boats, catch fish, repair nets, and things like that."
"It's not the most fascinating profession in the world," Armando put in, "at least from the way we see it. But last time we saw Fergal, he seemed happy."
It warmed Terence's heart to know his dear companions were all faring so well. It made Pinocchio happy, too.
"What about you?" Armando now inquired. "How are you and Pinocchio getting along, Terence?"
"Couldn't be better," Terence was proud to say. "Pinocchio never gives me a bit of trouble. He is like a true son to me."
Pinocchio felt his spirits soar at this profound statement. "And Terence is like a true father," the boy said.
"Well, we're glad to hear that," said Arietta affectionately. "If any two people in this world truly belong together, it's you."
Pinocchio blushed, while Terence's eyes shone with unshed tears; this was the best compliment anyone could have given them.
"Say," said Armando at length, "how would you like to go with us to visit Bernardo and Gahiji at their inn? It's not far from here. I know they'll be delighted to see you. And we can have a bite to eat while we're at it. I'll buy."
Terence looked at his son. "Want to, Pinocchio?"
"I'd love to!" said Pinocchio without hesitation.
Less than ten minutes later, Terence and Pinocchio found themselves at the inn of which Armando had spoken. It was a nice place, with two neat brick chimneys and a large wooden sign that read in white letters: THE WHITE FISH INN. It was not so different from the Red Mount Inn that Terence and Pinocchio used to lodge in, albeit it was considerably smaller and the streets that lined its sides were tidier; not as much litter lay scattered about. Armando made a show of opening the front door, and Arietta was the first to set foot over the threshold. Pinocchio was right behind her. Terence went in after Pinocchio, and Armando closed the door as he followed suit.
Inside, the place wasn't anything too fancy, but it was clean and comfortable, free of dust, drafts, rats, roaches, leaks, and the like.
Best of all, it did not reek of cigar smoke, which Pinocchio and Terence hated—mostly because the smell evoked unpleasant memories of Fabrizio, who was rarely seen without a smoldering cigar between his fingers or his teeth.
Many people were in the White Fish Inn that day, but not so many that the place felt overcrowded. The delicious aroma of fish frying laced the air. A short, stocky, middle-aged man and a taller, much skinnier, slightly younger man could be seen behind the main counter, working together as they diligently took orders and passed out food and drink to their guests.
Armando waited until things had quieted down a bit, when the two men were not rushing about nearly so much from here to there, before he called out, "Bernardo! Gahiji!"
Both men looked at the same time in his direction, and both their faces lit up. "Armando!" said the middle-aged man, as if they hadn't spoken in years. "Good to see you again, dear boy! How are you and the missus this fine afternoon?"
Then he noticed Terence and Pinocchio, and his eyes widened. His jaw fell loose. For a moment, he looked like one who'd been struck dumb.
When he found his tongue again, he said in a hushed voice, "Bless my soul! Is it really…?"
"Hello, Bernardo!" Terence greeted him cheerily.
"Hi, Bernardo!" echoed Pinocchio, waving his arm around enthusiastically in the air. "Hi, Gahiji!"
When Bernardo was convinced it really was them, he promptly rushed around to the other side, still garbed in his grease-stained apron. Gahiji was two steps behind him.
Bernardo went to Terence first, and gave him an enormous hug that quite took Terence's breath away. "Terence!" Bernardo cried, lifting the young man up until his feet left the floor entirely.
"Bernardo," Terence could barely gasp.
At the same time, Pinocchio ran up to Gahiji and flung his arms about his waist; Gahiji was so thin that Pinocchio's hands easily met each other at the back. Gahiji said nothing, but his pleasure was manifest in the smile on his face and in the way he hugged Pinocchio back and patted the top of the boy's head.
When Bernardo finally set Terence down and Terence could breathe again, Bernardo gave the youth a good-natured slap on the back that nearly knocked him flat on his face.
"Well, well," Bernardo enthused, "this is a pleasant surprise! I almost didn't recognize you, my boy!"
"I almost didn't recognize you," Terence countered. "Had Armando not pointed you out, I'd have sworn you were somebody else." Just like with Armando, it was very strange not seeing Bernardo in his clown getup.
"And Pinocchio!" said Bernardo when he had the chance to see the child for himself, while Terence and Gahiji embraced. "Fancy running into you, too!"
Pinocchio just smiled and made a prompt beeline into his old friend's outstretched arms. Bernardo didn't crush him half to death as he did with Terence, but he held onto Pinocchio for a good while before he let him go.
"I'm so glad to see you, Bernardo," said Pinocchio. "I missed you very much."
"I missed you, too, son. Is it just me, or have you grown an inch taller since I last saw you?"
"Are you all right?" Terence asked Gahiji in the meantime.
Gahiji nodded and answered in his thick, sticky Indian accent, "Very much all right, thank you, my friend."
"That's good! I'm very glad to hear that."
Once the warm welcomes had been exchanged, someone called out impatiently from one of the tables, "Hey, innkeeper! How's about another refill?"
"Coming right up, sir," Bernardo called back. He then told Gahiji to take care of that man while he took Terence, Pinocchio, and the rest of their group to their own table. He led them to one of the best tables, next to one of the biggest windows. Pinocchio sat with Terence on one side, while Armando and Arietta sat together on the other, with Terence and Arietta closest to the window. "You are my special guests, so order anything you like," said Bernardo when they were all seated. When Armando started to pull out his purse, Bernardo made him put it away. "It is all on the house, gentlemen—and lady," he added, with a meaningful look at Arietta. "Eat, drink, and be merry!"
"Thank you, Bernardo," Pinocchio said politely.
"That's most generous of you," added Terence.
Armando joked, "Maybe we should bring you two around here more often; that way, we'll get more free food!"
"Don't push your luck, sonny," Bernardo told his comrade, giving him a playful punch in the shoulder. "I may be generous, but I'm not that generous."
After taking a minute to figure out what they wanted to eat, they placed their orders. Bernardo walked away and returned in about a half-hour with the food, and they eagerly dug in.
It was all delicious.
Terence made Bernardo swear to share with him his secret recipe for the clam chowder, and Pinocchio never would have believed fried fish fillets with buttery potatoes on the side could taste so good. The tea that accompanied the meal was wonderful, too, with as much milk and sugar as they preferred. Sitting with loved ones in such a cozy place made it even more pleasant, and for a time, Pinocchio concentrated more on eating than talking.
After they had finished, Bernardo served them delectable marmalade rolls and cake, still warm from the oven, for dessert.
When the meal was over, Pinocchio was feeling very well fed and extremely comfortable. He was glad to see that Terence was in no hurry to leave; he wished himself that they could stay there all day.
"So, tell me, friends," said Terence as he stirred the remains of his tea around his cup, "what have you been doing with your lives since your time with…you-know-who?" he added prudently, catching himself before he gave voice to Fabrizio's name in front of Pinocchio. "What do you plan to pursue, besides just the married life?"
"Well, for now, we work little odd jobs here and there," Armando said. "Arietta weaves baskets and sells them, and every now and again I help Bernardo and Gahiji with a few errands. What we really want to do is own our own little shop."
"What kind of shop?" asked Pinocchio.
"The kind that sells just about everything," said Arietta. "Furniture, flowers, clothes, jewelry, books, and all sorts of knickknacks. There is this very nice cottage, now empty, that would be perfect for our business. Armando and I are working to store up enough to buy it from the previous owner. Unfortunately, it's quite expensive, and goodness knows when we'll be able to afford it—if ever."
"I could help you there," said Terence. "I've got more than plenty of money on hand."
Armando and Arietta looked at him in surprise.
"Sure," Terence insisted. "I can easily support Pinocchio and myself, and lay by for a rainy day. Whatever you need to purchase that cottage of yours, I can chip in some and help speed up the process."
"You would really do that?" Arietta gasped.
"Certainly."
"We don't ask for charity," said Armando, shifting somewhat uncomfortably in his chair.
Terence smiled at them, a knowing glint in his eye. "I didn't say I'd do it for nothing."
Now his friends regarded him with immense interest, as if this were a once-in-a-lifetime bargain. "Oh, really?" declared Armando. "What exactly do you propose?"
"Tell me," said Terence, "have either of you attended school?"
"I have," Armando said. "I am quite skilled in the fields of arithmetic and history."
"Then you will be the one to teach Pinocchio arithmetic and history." When Armando looked quizzical, Terence explained, "Pinocchio needs proper schooling, you know, and I'm not too keen on sending him to one of those dismal government schools where they use those dreadful rods on the students, and where Pinocchio could encounter all sorts of mischief."
Now Armando nodded with understanding and empathy. "Oh, yes," he murmured, "I remember all too well what that was like. My old schoolmaster would have given you-know-who a run for his money." (Like Terence, Armando was also cautious about speaking Fabrizio's name in Pinocchio's presence.) "And it was purely through my clowning skills that I was able to survive the other boys."
In another minute, the young ex-clown said, "All right, Terence, it's a deal. If Pinocchio has no objection, I'll be more than glad to be his tutor."
Pinocchio agreed. He wasn't so sure about the subjects, but the idea of Armando being one of his teachers appealed to him very much.
Turning to Arietta, Terence queried, "And what do you specialize in, Arietta?"
"Well," she replied, "I happen to know a great deal about music and art. While I never actually set foot in a school, I've done plenty of reading and studying over the years."
"So you will be Pinocchio's instructor in music and art. Okay?"
She nodded vigorously, her whole face brightening. "I would be delighted!"
"Then it's settled," Terence said. "I will help you with your business, and in exchange, you will help me with my son's education."
He offered his hand to each of his companions, and they all shook on it.