In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since the ordeal that put Gino and Valerio in a life-and-death situation. Stepping outside the car dressed in black, Gino clutched the boutique of flowers in his hands, looking at the place that had brought him happiness and laughter.
To think that he would be standing here now, not as an employee but as a customer, was not something that he had imagined would happen anytime soon.
The Bristo.
"The front entrance would be locked. We need to go round the back to the employee entrance," said Gino
Valerio stepped beside him. "Let's go."
Tuning the doorknob, Gino pushes open the door and steps inside with Valerio close behind, walking through the small passageway; the memory of his time working here floods his mind.
The good, the bad, and the fun times. Gino walked out from behind the bar and saw the main stage and dance floor; looking past the main floor, he saw one of the rooms lit. Gino and Valerio stepped towards the lit room, arriving shortly after, where the door had been left open.
"Rob, how are you?" asked Gino in a low voice.
Turning his attention from the scattered papers on the table, startled, Rob became tense but smiled shortly before greeting the person who had walked in.
"Gino, my boy, you are missed," answered Rob, getting up from his spot before engulfing Gino in a hug. Returning the hug, Gino patted Rob lightly on the shoulder before pulling away from the embrace. Clearing his throat, Gino gestured to Valerio and then spoke.
"This is Valerio; he is..."
"You, Nick's boss. I've seen you a few times; the last time was when Nick met you in this room," Rob answered before Gino could finish the introduction.
Walking up to Rob, Valerio extended his hand out for a shake before saying,
"I'm sorry for your loss; my condolence to you."
"Here, Rob, I know it's a bit late," said Gino, handing the boutique of flowers to Rob, who had grabbed them from Gino and placed them on the table nearby.
"Thank you to both of you; it has been challenging for all of us, especially Father; he had high expectations for Nick, as he was favoured over more than me.
"Gino gave a small smile before pulling out an envelope and a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to Rob.
"What's this?"
"Resignation papers. I forgot to inform you that I will no longer be coming to work. Mr Valerio here had offered me a job; the night that he met your brother was to go over a few blueprints about a project. I was the one who designed the blueprints. Nick was the one that introduced us afterwards."
"No, Gino, this is too much. I can't take this," said Rob, putting the money back in the envelope and handing it back to Gino.
"Rob, please take it. It's the least I can do to pay you back all the times you have watched over me. I will never forget when you opened your doors to me that day. As payback, this amount is nearly not as enough as the kindness in your heart."
"I.."
"Please take it as a thank you from me for watching over Gino and for your brother's hard work and contribution to the company," said Valerio.
"I don't know what to say... other than thank you."Gino moved towards Rob and hugged the man while saying.
"No thanks needed."
"Promise me the next time we meet, you must bring Grandma,"
"Hahaha, yes, it's a promise,"
A promise that might never be fulfilled, thought Gino
"Gino, let us be on our way."
"Right", answered Gino, averting his gaze briefly from Valerio; he held his hand towards Rob and spoke again.
"Well, until we meet again, Rob."
"You are always welcome here, Gino", answered Rob, reaching out to the outstretched hand.
Gino wiped away his tears while waiting for Valerio to enter the car sitting in the passenger seat. He came here today to say goodbye to Rob.
Their future encounter would be impossible as Gino would become a half-dragon, and his appearance would not differ from how he looks now. If and when they meet, one will still be youthful, while the other will eventually become old.
Valerio had informed Gino beforehand that what he was delivering would not be a baby but an egg that would hatch later with nurture and care.
Only then would a baby dragon hatch, eventually taking up a human appearance.
"We have a problem."
"What is it"
"Cherry is going into labour. I just got off the phone with the doctor who is taking care of her; she is ready to give birth at any moment."
"What are we still doing here, quickly? Let's go."
Arriving shortly after, both Valerio and Gino walked towards the west wing.
Valerio had a step up the entire west wing of the villa into a maternity room; this was one of the few places that Valerio allowed Cherry to be in when she was not being held as a prisoner.
An hour later, a doctor and a midwife walked out of the room; the midwife was holding an egg wrapped around a blanket.
"Doctor, how is everything," asked Valerio.
"The delivery process went smoothly other than a few broken pieces of furniture that had to happen when Cherry transformed into her original form to deliver. The delivery process was fine along with the baby, " the doctor said, gesturing to the midwife beside him.
Gino approached the midwife and looked at the enormous egg, admiring its beauty before a commotion came behind them.
"Doctor, we have an emergency." shouted one of the nurses.
Valerio and Gino followed, along with the midwife, followed the doctor back into the room; what they saw had Gino gasp out loud, covering his mouth, silent tears falling down his face.
In the middle of the room lay Cherry on the bed; a sharp object was plunged into her chest; with her few last breaths, Cherry looked at Valerio, trying to speak, but no sound came out of her mouth. Not long after, Cherry closed her eyes as her body went limb.
Cherry had taken her own life rather than be put on trial for her crimes against her kind; Gino looked at the egg in the midwife's arms. A feeling of loss and pity towards the unhatched egg. Knowing they would never know what their parents were like, Gino cried even more as the unhatched egg shared the same fate as him.
A child that had lost both its parents before it even hatched. What kind of life will they have in the future.?
"Valerio, please, let's be reasonable and let me raise this child as my own," asked Gino, shutting the door behind him once they entered Valerio's office.
"No., Gino, you don't understand; this child is born with the gene of a hunter. There will be a day when he slaughters everyone around him once he learns the truth about his parents. It will hurt you when it realises that you are not their birth parents. This child is a danger to you, Gino and our baby and I will not take that risk for it to be around you when it's hatched."
"It will only become a vicious human if we let him stray towards that path, but I believe that if we nurture it, care for it, then it will walk the path we set for it."
Having his back to Gino, Valerio did not answer him and continued to look out the large windows; after a few minutes, he sighed and spoke.
"You don't know that it will be faithful to you..."
"Valerio, I..." Sensing Gino's worried feelings, Valerio turned around in time to catch Gino from falling to the floor.
"Gino, baby, are you alright."
"Val.. my stomach.."Lifting Gino into his arms, Valerio stormed out of the room, shouting
"Help, is there a doctor here? I need help," shouted Valerio with the help of Connasdaim. Valerio's voice rang throughout the villa.
"Valerio, what is the matter." answered the doctor, whose appearance seemed dishevelled from his usually tidy appearance.
"Please, Doc, he's going into labour; help him."
"Prepare the room; we have an emergency", shouted the doctor before turning his attention back to Valerio, who had followed closely behind.
"Valerio, he is going to transform first; before hatching an egg, it might not be an unsightly experience for you."
"Doc, please let me in. I can help when he is in his dragon form, Please."
"Very well, follow me then."
Valerio stood by Gino's side as the contractions hit Gino one after another. Fearing he would pass out from the pain, Valerio distracted Gino by gently rubbing his sweaty forehead and whispering soothing words in Gino's ears.
At last, after what felt like hours of agony for everyone, Gino had shifted into his dragon form, making everyone present in awe at the sight of Gino's beautiful transformation.
Minutes after the transformation, Gino delivered a nice big egg with strange markings on it. Gino took a good look at his hatchling before returning to his human form; not being able to hold on any longer, Gino let his eyes flick close; the last thing he saw before he passed out was the worried look on Valerio's face.