Chapter Text
It had been yet a busy day at the pizzeria.
"I have to say I can't remember the last time we have had so many customers on a Wednesday," Frankie said. "So, I admit your idea of making that student offer is a great idea, Martha."
Frankie looked at his wife. It was clear that Martha hadn't heard a thing because she was trying to hide her tears. And Frankie knew what it was all about.
"Listen, Love," Frankie said. "Why don't you call it for today? I can easily clean up."
It was first when Frankie kissed her on the cheek that Martha looked at him.
"Sorry, what?" Martha asked. Frankie repeated himself. "Leave the cleaning to you? You who doesn't know what a broom is."
Martha picked up the towel.
"I will help you," Martha said. "It will keep my mind busy."
Frankie knew not to argue with his wife, so they helped each other clean and close the pizzeria. When they got home, they sat down and ate a night snack. It had become one of their many traditions.
"Sorry about earlier," Martha said. "I should really stop thinking about what we never had but what we have because I feel so blessed to have a loving husband like you, Frankie."
They got married seventeen years ago, right after Frankie left the army, and it was a marriage filled with love. The only thing they missed was a child, but the universe had never granted them one.
"And the family is filled with children," Martha said. "Maybe I can become their favourite Aunt because of the pizzeria."
"I think it is a wonderful idea," Frankie replied. "And who knows, maybe somewhere in the universe, a planet is about to blow up, and some parents will put their baby in a spaceship. I bet tomorrow, when I am carrying out the trash, we will find the baby."
Martha laughed. She loved how silly Frankie could be.
"So, do you have any idea how to raise an alien baby?" Frankie asked. "And how to baby-proof the pizzeria when he starts to fly?"
Martha kissed Frankie.
"We will cross that bridge if it happens," Martha replied. "Let us go to bed. It has been a long day."
A week later, Martha heard noise from the courtyard where they kept the trash.
"Looks like the cat is back. Or maybe it is rats," Martha said. "Should I or would you?"
Martha held out the broom.
"Okay," Frankie replied. "But if you hear someone scream, it isn't me who has seen a rat."
Frankie kissed Martha before taking the broom. While Frankie was gone, Martha took the bread out of the oven when she heard the bell, signalling that someone had entered the pizzeria.
"Yes?" Martha asked. "Is there anyone here?"
Martha looked around, but there wasn't anyone. Just as she was about to return to the kitchen, she heard a noise coming from behind a chair. As she got closer, she prayed it wasn't a rat that made the noise.
"Martha," Frankie said. "I can inform you we don't have rats, but cats. Hi, it rimes."
Frankie found Martha sitting at a table, holding something in her arms.
"A baby?" Frankie asked. "Where did he come from?"
"I don't know. I found him here a minute ago," Martha replied. "He is a cute one."
Frankie knelt next to Martha to get a closer look at the boy with curly hair and brown skin. When the boy grabbed Frankie's finger, he smiled.
"Frankie," Martha said. "Please see if you can find whoever left him. They can't have gone far."
"I will be right back," Frankie replied. "Call me if someone shows up."
Frankie stood up, and the boy cried when Frankie pulled his finger away and left.
"He will be back soon," Martha said. "Hi, stop crying. Everything will be okay again."
When Frankie returned, he heard Martha sing an Italian lullaby for the boy. This was how he always imagined how things would have been if they had gotten a child.
"I couldn't find anyone," Frankie said. "Which means we have to call the police."
Frankie saw the tears running down Martha's face, and he hated it.
"Yeah, you are right," Martha replied. "Can't you pretend that you can't find the phone for a little bit?"
Frankie took a chair and sat down next to Martha, and took the little boy's hand in his.
"You know what?" Frankie asked. "I can't find the phone. Do you know where I left it?"
Martha placed her head on Frankie's shoulder, and he placed his arm around her, holding her and the baby as tight as he could. They sat like that for as long as they could until they knew they couldn't postpone calling the police anymore.