May I Enjoy My Life: Entry 45 (Patreon)

Entry 42: Day 85

It was only about a four-hour flight to Palermo, so once we landed, Sussurro and I split off from the main group to go and pay a visit to her family. Well, I say split off, but we still had Rosmontis and Red with us, along with Exusiai and Odda. I had a cane and Odda to lean on, but Sussurro insisted on getting me a wheelchair. I didn’t resist too hard: It was getting more and more painful for me to walk, or, well, do much of anything. 

The good news is that the weather in Palermo wasn’t rainy and miserable like it was in most of Siracusa. Instead, it was warm, though not unbearably so, and Sussurro got a big hat of some kind for me to wear, along with a pair of sunglasses. The sunglasses didn’t really do shit: They’re thin enough I can ‘see’ through them easily, but it did keep people from gasping in horror when they saw my ruined face, so there is that. 

“What are you wearing?” I asked Lucia as she walked beside me, Odda pushing the wheelchair. Rosmontis was ahead of me with Red, while Exusiai was somewhere behind us. I could hear the people we passed making various noises about “infected” and “fallen,” and they all sounded like rude assholes.

“I have on a cream sun dress with yellow jasmine print on it, as well as sandals with five-centimeter platforms on them. That’s two inches for a Columbian barbarian. I have on a straw sun hat, just as you do, with sunglasses. I also have on my grandmother’s pearl earrings, and a matching mini pearl necklace.”

“Does she look hot?” I asked Odda, who chuckled even as Sussurro let out a gasp, though she sounded more pleased than angry. 

“If you’re into short, angry Siracusian women, she’s the sexiest thing on the street here,” he told me. 

“James, you said you could see me,” Sussurro huffed.

“Yeah, but I need confirmation from my bro. We’re bros now, right?” I asked Odda. 

“Absolutely, my man,” Odda said, and held out a fist to the side for me to bump. Thankfully, he’s got some originium granules there, so I managed to connect. “If you were wondering, I just got on pants and a red t-shirt with my vest over it. Though I don’t look as sexy as the ladies.”

“He is also wearing white Minerva sneakers with red highlights. They are very fashionable for young men,” Sussurro informed me. 

“Lemuel has on these sexy ripped jean shorts, with a white tank top. Uh, and her combat vest and like six guns. She’s told me all their names, but I honestly forget the ones except for Scardy and Katt because I know Jessica,” Odda told me. 

“You are forgetting her black ballcap and black Dasadi running shoes with the pink laces. They are very cute, but practical,” Sussurro huffed. “Also, did you not see her stud earrings and Law scroll necklace? It was a gift from her sister, the jewelry.”

“Er, yeah, definitely,” Odda said, in a tone that indicated he definitely hadn’t. 

Sussurro sniffed in a manner that said she understood that and continued. “Well, Rosmontis, she is also wearing a sundress. Her’s is sky blue, and she also has on a matching sun hat. Though she is also wearing combat boots, she refused to wear anything else, despite them not flattering her at all. Red was more practical: she has on red sneakers, black shorts, and a red blouse. Indrid has informed Red she will burn that hoodie if she continues to wear it all the time, but she did put on a great deal of sunscreen.”

“What about the city? There’s a Palermo in Italy, but I never went there,” I commented. 

“Italy?” Odda said, but Sussurro sighed and he laughed. “Oh, right! Well, the buildings have a lot of Leithanian influence, but in a distinctively Siracusian style. It’s called Sira-Baroque, and most of the buildings are whitewashed brick, or sandy tufo stone. The roofs are mostly red tile, but some are a bright blue, and it’s pretty spectacular to look at. This place is pretty old, since its a permanent settlement in an area that hasn’t seen a catastrophe in about…oh, 500 years?”

“The last Catastrophe was in 436, and destroyed the old Ducal Palace. A tidal wave. But Palermo has been generally untouched,” Sussurro told me. “You know a great deal of my hometown, Odda. I am impressed.”

“Oh, well, I like to read up on any place I’m going to be delivering messages to, you know? The architecture is especially important if you need to bolt or find somewhere to hide. Most of my runs are between Kazdel and Rhodes Island, but I visit a lot of other places too.” 

“The streets are cobblestone, right?” I said, since my wheelchair was bumping along slightly. Not too bad, but not the same as concrete or asphalt. “I’m not seeing a lot of infected here.”

“No, we are in Contrada Coda Russo, the Vulpo quarter. The Infected are…well. They are not in this part of the city,” Sussurro said quietly. 

“We’re getting a lot of looks, but Exusiai is close by and obviously watching us, and Red isn’t capable of walking down the street without looking like a Fang,” Odda commented. 

“Wait, so no one is noticing the living weapon in a sun dress that’s probably more dangerous than both of them?” I asked, glancing to where I could see Rostmontis’ head floating along. 

“Most people don’t notice me,” Rosmontis commented. “Unless I have my weapons with me. I like it better that way. Today, I am only carrying these steel bearings in my purse. They could take down soft targets, but not vehicles. I would need to use one of the cars, or buildings.”

“Red try smiling at people,” the teenaged assassin huffed.

 “People just get scared when Red smile. Red told nice boy she like his tail. He cry and run away. Red think Ingrid crazy. No one like flirting with Red.”

“...maybe don’t show your teeth when you smile at someone?” I wheezed, having to fight back a laugh. 

“Hmm. Like this?” 

“Uh, Red, I’m blind. Sussurro?”

“Ah, perhaps it is good you are blind. You should ask Lisa to help you practice smiling.”

“Good idea. Miss Lisa have good smile. Everyone happy when she smile. When Red smile…people not happy. This good thing. Red usually smile to be scary.”

“Do I have a good smile?” Rosmontis asked curiously. 

“Yeah, maybe give Red some pointers there,” Odda chuckled. 

“Hmm, how you smile pretty like that?” Red asked.

“Well, first, you can’t think about killing people, or what parts of their body you could explode the best when you smile. I forget why, but Kal’tsit told me that,” Rosmontis mused. 

“Hmm. Red try that. Maybe try smile at that little girl.”

Sussurro gasped. “That…that’s not a little girl, that’s-”

“Lucia?” a young girl’s voice said. Then, she screamed, “LUCIA!” 

“Murmura!” Sussurro gasped, and I saw her dart forward and grab someone, before squeezing them tightly, all while laughing and crying at the same time. 

“You came home!” Murmura’s voice cried. “Do mamma and papa know you’re here?”

“No, they don’t. I didn’t call ahead, for fear they wouldn’t let me see you,” Lucia laughed, wiping away tears. “Look at you! You’ve grown so much! You’re almost taller than I am.”

“Not yet, but soon! I’m almost taller than mamma! But you’re shorter than her,” Murmura said. “Um, is this guy your patient? He…he looks…”

“He is. It’s alright, Murmura. You can’t catch oripathy through the air. And you can’t get it from hugging me, either.”

“But, but you’re not an Infected, you’re my sister!” Murmura said, sounding very upset. “Why are you with a diavolo? Mamma said you were with scary people, but-”

“Murmura! Do not say that filthy word!” Lucia gasped. “This is a friend of mine, Odda. He is a Sarkaz, yes. But, more importantly…this is James. James, this is my little sister, Murmura. Sorry, you probably didn’t understand any of that.”

“I did, actually. Guess I got new translator microbes,” I said, and smiled in the general direction of Murmura, who by Sussuro’s posture ,I think was hiding behind her. “Hello, Murmura. I’m James. No matter what Exusiai tells you, don’t call me Bones.”

“Is he a sarkaz too?” Murmura whispered, though I could hear her pretty easily. I’m pretty sure everyone took one look at our group and found somewhere else to be, so the street was near silent. 

“James is…well. So what if he was? He is…he is my boyfriend. Perhaps more,” Lucia said, and I could hear the pain in her voice.

“Really? He looks really sick. Are you sick?” Murmura said, and I thought she was coming towards me.

“Yeah, unfortunately. I…got in a little fight, got hurt,” I admitted. 

“He killed an Emperor’s Blade,” Sussurro said, sounding terribly proud for some reason. “To save me.”

“THAT WAS YOU!?” Murmura gasped, and suddenly she was right next to my wheelchair and talking a mile a minute. Or in her case, maybe five kilometers. 

“I heard it on the news and then from my friend Maria and also papa and mama were talking about it but they stopped because they think I’m a baby but I already know all about it that they kidnapped Signora Sicilia because she was an infected only some crazy people from Rhodes Island saved her and killed the Blades and Papa says now they have to evacuate Nuova Volsinii and there might be a war with Ursus and Leithania is super mad too but I thought we hated Leithania but now everyone says maybe they would fight Ursus with us and that it was because there was a savior who can cure oripathy but you really should find him and get him to cure you because you’re super sick and also my sister because then she could come home and mama wouldn’t be sad anymore!!”

“Uh, well, I already tried curing Lucia once, but then she went and got herself infected again,” I said.

“James,” Sussurro groaned, while Odda chuckled. 

“Huh?” Murmura said, and I got the impression she was cocking her ears to one side the way Lucia does when she’s confused. It’d be really cute, but of course, I can’t see her. 

“Uh, never mind, forget I said anything,” I coughed. “Your, um, folks home? I need to talk to them about something…”

“Papa is working, but mama should be home. But…but she won’t…” Murmura sniffled, and Lucia made a gesture like she was rubbing her sister’s head. 

“She’ll talk to me this time, Mura. One way, or another. If nothing else, I have a few friends who could break down the door if they had to.”

“Which one?” Rosmontis asked, her head looking around absently. 

“Uh, let’s not start with breaking down the doors of future in-laws, Narcissa,” I said hastily.

“Future-oh!” Murmura gasped, and suddenly I felt her grab my hand. “You are going to marry Lucia!? Why did you not tell me! Lucia, you can’t get married without me there! I want to be the flower girl!” 

“Well, he hasn’t asked me yet, he’s being very traditional,” Lucia said, taking my other hand. “But I think I might say yes. If he asks properly.”

“You HAVE to talk to mama and papa then! I will make them!” Murmura declared and then ran off. Apparently, she was wearing flip flops, as I could hear the distinctive slap-slap-slap of them on the pavement. 

Then she ran right back. “But we live on the third floor! How will you get up there?” 

“I can walk,” I chuckled, and with Lucia’s help, got to my feet and took my cane from Odda. “Lead the way. As long as it isn’t too far.”

“Did you really fight a blade?” Murmura asked.

“No,” I said seriously.

“I thought so,” she said smugly.

“There were three,” I amended.

She gasped in a very satisfying way. “Liar!” 

“It’s true,” Sussurro said smugly, her tail waving back and forth. “You see that Sankta over there?”

“You…you mean the fallen lady on the roof?” Murmura asked.

“She killed another one. James killed one and wounded another. And a friend of ours killed the third,” Sussurro said, her chest puffing out impressively. 

“And what your big sis didn’t tell you is that the only reason we were able to kill the third is that she tricked it and trapped it. She was very brave, and super sexy,” I told her. 

“James! She is seven! To you that means she is only nine!” Sussurro hissed at me. 

Murmura giggled. “I’m not a little kid like I was when you left, Cia! I’m in third grade! I skipped a grade with the other vulpo kids because I’m really smart! Not like the dumb lupos or perros, even if Giorgia says they’re all bigger than me, and faster, and stronger, it doesn’t matter because I’m smart like you! And pretty too!” 

“I’m sure you’re as cute as a button. Red, what would you rate her on the fluffs scale?” I asked. 

“Small Sussurro have nice tail. Red say very good fluffs.”

“Are you in a famiglia? You look like a mafiosa,” Murmura said.

“No, Red Fang. Red quit though, Red work for Rhodes Island. Keep Bones man safe.”

“You’re doing a really bad job, he looks like he keeps getting beat up.”

“Murmura! That is- Red is doing an excellent job! I am sure she has foiled countless kidnapping and assassination attempts!”

“No, Red keep track. Red only stop three on her own. Texas help stop two more, but Rosmontis winning because she stop five.”

“Wait, there’s been ten kidnapping attempts on me!?” I gasped. “I only knew of, um…” I did some hasty mental math, “Four? If you count Leithania and Ursus.”

“Hmm, good point. But Boss Bird stop one in Ursus, and Leithania one I think Doctor Mom stop. So Red still beating them.”

“Why do people keep trying to kidnap your boyfriend, Cia?” Murmura asked. 

“Because your sister and Doctor McCoy here have figured out how to cure Oripathy. He’s the Savior, and she’s his partner,” Odda said quietly. 

“Odda! My sister, she does not need to hear these things!” Lucia gasped.

“I think you’re lying,” Murmura sniffed. “I’m not dumb. If he could cure oripathy he wouldn’t be so sick. I can see all the crystals. He’s gonna die soon, probably. Does that mean you’re still going to marry him? You’d be a widow then.”

Kids are fucking brutal man. 

“James…James cures Oripathy by taking it into himself. He…he saved three of my friend’s lives by curing them, or relieving their symptoms. Mine too, until I did something especially stupid. Texas, Vigna, and Rope are going to live because of him. And…and he saved me from a Blade by absorbing the originium inside of it. That’s why, when he finally bothers to ask, I might just say yes and marry him.”

“Oh.” Murmura walked alongside us in silence for once, her flip flops slap-slapping on the ground as I hobbled along. 

“This is the place,” Sussurro said after only a minute or two of walking. “Can you make it up the steps?”

“I’ll manage,” I assured her, though I had to lean on her a bit to make it up. 

“MOM GUESS WHOSE HOME!” Murmura shouted when we reached the top of the stairs, slamming the door open with the force of a hurricane. Odda, Red, and Rosmonits waited outside, and Lucia and I followed her sister into the house. 

“Mura, how many times do I need to tell you not to yell in the-” I heard a sudden sharp intake of breath, and I sawt he pain on Lucia’s face. 

“Hello, mamma. I…I’m back,” Lucia said, and then held her breath. 

“Murmura! Come over here,” I heard her mother bark, though of course, I couldn’t see a thing. Well. It was going to be like that, it seems. 

“But mamma, it’s Cia! This is-”

“It’s two Infected, Murmura! And that one looks like a diavolo! Lucia, how could you?! We told you that you could not return! Not after you got yourself infected! Now you could kill us all!” 

“But mamma, this is James! He’s super cool! He killed a-”

“Get away from him this instant! He’s an infected and a sarkaz!” 

“Lucia, why don’t you take your sister and go,” I said quietly. “I need to have a word with your mother.”

“Don’t you dare! Do it and I’ll scream! My husband will be home soon, and I will summon the police and-”

“Take her and go,” I said, stepping away from Lucia and feeling about with my cane. I raised my voice “Exusiai?” 

Mama Sussurro really did scream then, as there was a bang and a thump, and Exusiai seemed to appear out of nowhere, though she’d probably fast roped through a window or something. She was in a position where she had to have her gun at the ready, though it was as invisible to me as most anything else. 

“So cool!” Murmura gasped in delight. 

“Hi!” Exusiai said brightly, lowering her gun and grinning. “Problem, Bones?”

“Just need someone to be my eyes. Lucia is taking her sister shopping so they can get dresses for Texas and Sora’s wedding,” I said. “I’m going to have a talk with Mrs. Sussurro. She was just about to call her husband.”

“Don’t you dare take my girl!” Mama Sussurro gasped.

“I’m going with Cia!” Murmura huffed. “Come on, Cia. I still like you.”

“Thank you, Murmura. James, you will be alright?” Lucia asked, pressing my hand with her own. 

“Just leave Exu here. Take Red and Rosmontis with you. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe,” I told her, then kissed her very deliberately. 

“Lucia! Get out! Murmura, get back here right-”

There was an audible click, and Exusiai kept the smile on her face, though her eyes went hard. “Ma’am, I’m going to have to ask you to step back, and have a seat over there. Why don’t you make that phone call? Don’t bother calling the police. They know better than to fuck with Rhodes Island, and we’re here as guests of Famiglia Saluzzo, Famiglia Venezia, and Famiglia Texas for good measure.”

“Famiglia Texas is extinct! Everyone knows that, Fallen!” Mama Sussurro huffed, but by the way her voice moved, it sounded like she was complying with Exusiai’s ‘suggestion.’ 

“Here, Bones. Let’s get you settled,” Exusiai said gently, guiding me over to a chair and helping me sit down. “You’re at the kitchen table. Mrs. Sussurro is seated across from you, and trying to call the cops. When they tell her she’s on her own, she’ll go ahead and call her husband. I sent a text to Ingrid, so she’ll call where he’s working and they’ll send him home.”

“This is why I did not what Lucia around! She is my daughter, but she is infected! Now she keeps company with Sarkaz, Fallen, and mafioso! I pray for her soul every night, but she is unclean!”

“Good luck with those prayers! I had a conversation with God recently, and he’s a fucking asshole. Since you’re a huge bitch, that seems normal,” Exusiai said brightly.

“Exusiai, please don’t antagonise her,” I sighed. 

“Sorry, Bones. I’ll be just over here if you need me,” Exusiai said, and she posted herself not too far away, leaning against something with her arms crooked so I knew she had a rifle in them. 

“We got off on something of the wrong foot, ma’am. I’m-”

“Save it, diavolo! I am a woman of the Law.  You can speak when my husband arrives,” Mrs. Sussurro spat. 

“Jesus Christ, is anyone in this god-forsaken country not a complete jerk!” I snapped. “Uh, sorry, Lemuel. I didn’t mean-”

“Just pretend I’m not here and that you’re having a perfectly normal conversation. I’m just here to ensure it remains nice and civil,” Exusiai told me. 

I sighed, and sat in silence and darkness. I can’t even fiddle with my phone anymore, not that it would be appropriate. Should I learn Braille? No time. Too much else to do.

“Need to pay the local hospital a visit after this,” I muttered allowed. “Burn off some of this originium. Exusiai, are there children’s hospitals, or trauma wards near here?”

“I’ve got a route mapped out and everything! Don’t sweat it, Bones. The hospitals know you’re coming and are very eager to see your arts in action. I told them you’ve got pressing personal matters to attend to first, then we’ll hit them up this afternoon. ETA on Mr. Sussurro is seven minutes, by the by. Texas got sick of wedding planning and is keeping an eye on him.”

“You…you do not mean-” Mrs. Sussurro cut herself off and sniffed. 

“She means our favorite autistic Moon Moon, the Last Texas. I’d suggest not insulting Sarkaz when Celinia is around. She’s a mite touchy on the subject, seeing as she’s marrying one,” I said dryly. 

Mrs. Sussurro muttered something under her breath that sounded derogatory, but my blood pressure was high enough already, so I let it pass. 

Sure enough, seven minutes later, the door opened. “Caterina! Oh, thank the Saints you’re- who is this?!”

Gingerly, I got to my feet, using the table to lever myself up. “Hello, sir. I’m Dr. James McCoy. I’m here to talk to you about your daughter, Lucia.”

“Lucia is dead,” Mr. Sussurro said, his voice full of bitterness and anger. “What are you doing with my wife, Infected?!” 

“Street’s clear,” Texas’ voice said, and I heard Mr. Sussurro gasp in shock. “You should go in and sit down. Dr. Bones has something to say to you.”

“Who the hell are you?! And why is there a fallen and a-”

“Hi, I’m Exusiai! You should really go in and have a seat, Mr. Sussurro. Be nice to Texas, otherwise she might bite.”

“Marcello, they’re from the Famiglia. Just…just have a seat. Lucia…Lucia took Murmura.”

“What?! How could she-”

“Oh for crying out loud, we didn’t kidnap Murmura, they went shopping! She’ll be back in time for dinner,” I said in frustration. I coughed and groaned. “Sir, please, just…Have a seat. We need to talk.”

There was the soft sound of boots on the floor, then the creaking of chairs. I sighed and took a seat myself. “This isn’t how I imagined this going. This was supposed to be a happy visit. Something pleasant and heartwarming. I’d get to meet the parents of the woman I love, and my future mother in law would be crying happy tears, and my father in law would be stoic but stern, with a ‘you harm my baby girl and I’ll bury you’ sort of way.”

“You have a funny way of going about that, Infected,” Marcello snapped. “Kidnapping my daughter, threatening my wife! I used to worry about Lucia, now I’m scared of her! She’s going to get Murmura infected, and then I’ll have no daughters left!” 

“If that happens, which is extremely unlikely and not at all how oripathy spreads, how can you not know that, your daughter is a doctor! Uh, anyway, if Murmura does somehow contract oripathy, probably by some other means, then I’ll cure her. Even if she’s the last miracle I perform.”

“You?” Caterina laughed. “You’re a ruin of a man! You’re five minutes from turning into dust and killing us all!” 

“How the hell did a pair of spiteful jerkoffs like you two have such a loving and kind daughter?”

“Lucia was always too tenderhearted for her own good. I told her not to go anywhere near that disaster, but she did, and now she’s Infected! I used to be so proud my baby girl was going to be a doctor, but now I regret not telling her to give up and be a teacher!” Marcello said.

“Yeah, we’re done here. I’m marrying your daughter. Don’t come to the wedding. It’s supposed to be a happy day. I guess we’ll just ‘kidnap’ Murmura again. Thanks for having such a wonderful daughter. I know you tried your best to ruin her, but she turned out great anyway,” I growled, and got to my feet. I stumbled a bit, but Texas was there in a heartbeat. 

“I got you. This way,” she told me.

“Thanks,” I sighed. “I…I don’t suppose you can help me down the stairs? Not looking forward to climbing those.”

“Easy,” Texas told me. Then, to my horror, she scooped me up in a bridal carry and jumped. I only didn’t scream because I didn’t even realize what was happening until we landed with a jarring thud that rattled my teeth. 

“That…that was not what I meant,” I gasped as Exusiai landed beside us a moment later. 

“You dropped your cane!” she said helpfully as Odda hurried up.

“Shit, it went so bad you had to get out fast? Do we need to exfil?” Odda said, looking around for enemies. 

“It went bad, but I don’t think we need to worry about those two,” I said as Texas set me down in the wheelchair. “Shit.” I put my head in my hands and let a few tears leak out. “Poor Lucia. Shit.”

“Fuck man. I’m sorry,” Odda said with a heavy sigh. 

I looked up, wincing. “Shit, I’m sorry. None of you guys have living parents anyway. You must think I’m going soft.”

“Bones, your parents are in another dimension and you’ll never see them again. I think you can be a part of the ‘dead parents club.’ Though, uh, from what you’ve said, at least you and me had good parents. Yay us?”

“Hey, I’m glad someone had parents who weren’t bastards. My mom died when I was five, my dad got himself killed on some contract and barely even cared I existed,” Odda commented as he pushed me down the street. “At least we can commiserate with Lucia on the shitty parents’ end.”

“Probably don’t bring it up. She loves her folks, I can tell. This…this is going to hurt her, a lot,” I said, still feeling miserable. Then, I squared my shoulders. “Right. Texas, where’s the nearest reputable jewelry store? I need to buy a ring.”

“Got it,” Texas agreed.

“Uh, do I have any money, by the by?” I asked no one in particular. “I can show you on my phone, but I don’t exactly keep real good track of my bank account…”

I passed the phone to Exusiai, who took a look. “You’ve got 223k credits in your account. That’s plenty for a ring.”

“Shit, that much? I mean, that’s not enough to E2 an operator, but it seems like a lot. Is it a lot?” I asked. 

“I make about 800k credits a year, so that’s plenty,” Odda told me. “As a doc, Rhodes Island is probably paying you about 1 and a half mil a year, though it might be more since you’re, you know. The Savior.”

“No, I told Amiya to pay me the starting salary for a resident, so I’m making only 960k. She said it could be more, I told her I didn’t want special treatment. But, uh, weddings are expensive, so I’m sort of regretting that,” I admitted. 

“Really? I make more than that in a year. Ha! Guess I get to be your sugar momma!” Exusiai chuckled. 

“Penguin Logistics pays well,” Texas agreed. “Don’t worry about the money. We got you covered.”

“I mean, it’s my engagement ring. I ought to pay for it myself,” I said, feeling rather ashamed.

“Bones, you’re a goddamn hero, and the Savior. Just relax. And let Texas and Exusiai pick out the ring, because you’re blind, and I might as well be when it comes to jewelry,” Odda laughed. 

I forced a smile and nodded, but soon, we were laughing and joking. I tried not to let what had happened drag down the day. The sun was shining, I was in a safe enough place, and I had my friends around me. 

And, of course, I was going to get married to the hottest woman in Rhodes Island. I just had to figure out how to pop the question.