~ Chapter 9 ~

“Buongiorno (good morning), Giovanni.”   Giovanni looked up at his dad as he walked into the kitchen.  His dad perched against the island, a cup of coffee in one hand and the morning newspaper in the other.

                “Buongiorno, papà (morning, dad).”  Vinny eyed the man again as he made his way to the coffee pot.  It wasn’t odd to see his dad awake, and hell if wasn’t odd for Vinny to be awake either.  But it was odd to see his dad still in the kitchen and not in the family dining area, which told Vinny that his dad remained just so he could run into Vinny.

                “You and Val make a striking couple,” Donatello said, tossing the newspaper on the counter between them.  “The media are calling you two the power couple.”  Vinny finish