Page 122 of Romeo & Antoinette

“What’s what?” Marco asked, turning around.

It was Monty, looking pretty good in a crisp linen suit and Italian loafers.

“Hey. You cleaned up good.”

“Thank you son,” he said. Then he returned his attention to Marco. “You were saying? ”

“Oh, um, nothing…”

No, no, you said you have a problem. What exactly is your problem?” Monty asked. Knowing full well that Marco was just wasting time.

“Um… well.. I think it’s that I’m basically too committed to my job. I work too hard and I care too much.”

Such a wise guy.

“Is that so?”

“I think so.”

“You bring the onions?”

“Yup.”

“You give them to my son?”

“Yup.”

“Then

why are you still here?”

“I…”

“Get back to the shop.”

“Okay.”

“Now.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Okay.”

With that Monty let him go and went to talk to Father Frank. He liked Marco, always had, but he knew Marco was a bit of a goof off and if you didn’t keep on top of him, things just wouldn’t get done.

With the small window he had left, that time between right now and when Monty would inevitably scold him a second time, Marco said goodbye to Romeo. “Hey. See you later.”

“Yeah…”

“What?”

“You know someday he’s going to fire you.”

“Of course I know that. That’s why I’m working on my new plan.” He grinned again, nice and big, showing off his second gold toofus.

“You’re crazy. You know that don’t you?”

“And you’re wrong.”

“About what? ”

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