Pietro and GaGarret make a new invention.
Despite her lack of voice, Giulia wasn't completely noiseless. Coughing was among the few sounds she could make; it was her least favorite. It meant she was sick, which she hated even more. Sadly, the time around Sinsmas—AKA the coldest time of the year—is when she tends to get sick the most.
"A cold again." Daddy sighed after checking the thermometer. "No more snowball fights for you, young lady."
Cough! Cough!
Giulia curled up in bed and lay on her side.
"Look on the bright side, bambina. You can get lots of hot cocoa." Daddy placed a freshly humid cloth on her forehead. "Zia Cecilia and GaGarret will be coming to look after you while I'm at work. Be a good girl and stay in bed, okay?" Giulia nodded weakly, pouting unhappily. Daddy smiled and stroked the side of her face. "It's just for a few days, Giulia. Once you get better, we'll all go to Nonna's place for Sinsmas. But for that, you need to get plenty of rest. Do you understand?"
Giulia nodded again. Daddy kissed her forehead before leaving the room.
She heard Pietro's voice on the other side of the door. "Giulia can't play anymore?"
"Not until she gets better," Daddy told him. "Which means I don't want you in the nursery for a while, figlio. Understand?"
"Yes, Papa."
Giulia exhaled sadly. Papa wouldn't let Pietro visit her whenever she got sick, as he might catch her cold. He'd sleep in the guest room in the meantime. Yet another reason why she hated getting sick. She'd always get lonely.
Time passed. As Daddy said, zia Cecilia came to check on her shortly after, bringing her a glass of water as well. Giulia was glad to have a bit of company for a while until zia left to make her some soup. Before doing that, she gave her a little pen and notebook to write what she wished to say.
Giulia looked toward the window. Tiny snowflakes were raining from the sky like little balls of cotton. She recalled the first time she caught one with her tongue.
"Boo!" Giulia gasped when, suddenly, Pietro jumped up right next to her. "I came to visit!"
Once the initial surprise passed, Giulia scribbled into her notebook.
'Daddy said not to'
Pietro smiled. "I know he did, but you're always by yourself when you get sick like this. I thought you might be alone." Her brother sat in the small chair Daddy had brought to tend to her. "I'll do the talking so you don't have to. Is that okay?"
'What if you catch my cold?'
"Don't worry. I was told I can never, ever get sick!"
The door opened. Pietro froze.
"Pietro! When did you sneak in here?" zia Cecilia asked in surprise. "Careful or you'll get sick too."
"Don't worry, zia. GaGa said that I'd be fine! I ate my vegetables, so I can't get sick!"
Zia Cecilia didn't seem to be too convinced, for she came in and grabbed Pietro's hand, leading him to the door.
"Regardless, your Papa said you can't be in here, Pietro. You can play with her once she's better."
Giulia could only reach out a hand for her brother, meeting his sad gaze before the door closed.
The rest of the afternoon was mostly uneventful. Zia Cecilia and GaGarret came to check on her periodically, the former bringing her a tasty fish broth that made her feel a little better. Giulia had to take the bitter medicine the doctor had prescribed as well. But she didn't see Pietro again for hours.
It was around six o'clock that GaGarret entered the nursery again.
"Hey, GiGi. How are you feeling?"
'Bored.'
"I know, being sick sucks."
'What's Pietro doing?'
GaGarret smiled. "We've been working on something that will let him talk to you without any risk of catching your cold."
Before heading home, Alessio passed by his favorite bakery to purchase some cannoli for Giulia. She loved them. Surely the treat would cheer her up after spending all day in bed.
"Hey, Ale! How did everything go today?" Cecilia asked as he entered the house..
"Exhausting." he sighed, hanging his coat and hat on the rack. He chose not to go into details. His sister never pried into his 'job.' "How is Giulia?."
"Her temperature went down a bit when I last checked on her, but it's gonna be a while before she fully recovers." Cecilia sighed. "And she's bored of being in bed all day."
"I can imagine. I brought her cannoli."
"I bet she'll like the surprise. How about you go take a look while I finish making dinner?"
Alessio raised an eyebrow. He knew that look. She was up to something, but Cecilia left for the kitchen before he could question her about it. As he walked upstairs, Alessio heard the unmistakable sound of GaGarret and Pietro laughing. They were sitting just outside the nursery.
"What are you two up to?"
Pietro held up a plastic cup. Alessio noticed a long string cord hanging from the bottom of the cup and running into the nursery from beneath the door.
"Look, Papa! GaGa taught me how to make a string phone! Now I can talk to Giulia without catching her cold!"
Alessio chuckled. "Is that so? Does it work?"
"Why don't you give it a try, Ale?"
Alessio grabbed the cup. After examining it, he whispered into it. "Hey, bambina. Tug on the cord if you can hear me." To his surprise, the cord was tugged from the other side of the door. The consigliere laughed. "I got something for you. Remember those cannoli from the bakery you liked so much? I got their last batch of the day. Would you like some?"
This time, the cord was tugged a few times in a more energetic way. Alessio chuckled.
It wasn't such a bad invention, after all.
