Paulie pulled out his rusty pocket knife and carved the apple in two. Held half out to Giovanni.
They kicked their feet as they ate and watched the sun rise over their dirty streets. Watched the stink rise. The hot corn girls wheel their carts out.
Paulie whistled after one. ”Give us a coupla ears!”
“Gimme a coupla coins!” she hollered back.
“C’mon, feed starvin’ children!” he continued.
“Don’t you care ‘bout the children?” Giovanni joined in.
“You’re not children,” she said, planting her bony hands on her hips. ”You’re little thieves.”
Giovanni woke with a start. Thought himself, for a moment, for two, to still be ten years old. It was not yet dawn.
He leaned over Linn and, with a few thorough kisses on the lips, woke him. The boy awoke soundlessly, eyes wide in the darkness.
“Up you get, kid,” Giovanni said, already drawing up and swinging his legs out of bed. ”It’s important you see this.”
Linn shifted over to the edge and watched Giovanni begin to dress. ”What is it?” Then jumped out after, quickly finding his clothes.
“We’re handing out Christmas cheer.” Giovanni glanced back at Linn and smiled vaguely. ”Your buttons are unaligned.”
Linn ducked his head, grinning sheepishly. ”What kind of cheer?”
“Oh, you know…” Giovanni looped his belt in his trousers; slid his feet into shoes. Not his shiniest. ”The Christmas turkey and all that.” He began buttoning up his waistcoat. ”Little something for Mother Mary.”
The boy hurried over and helped him finish dressing.
“And,” Giovanni added with visible excitement. ”A small celebration for the boys.”
Linn grinned up. ”We’re having a Christmas party?”
“We,” Giovanni began, hand abandoning his vest in order to smooth out Linn’s hair. ”Are having multiple Christmas parties.”
