Sometime later, just minutes prior the appointed time for the departure, Edulcore Cicciotto returned to the parking lot pulling a big white hunchbacked ox, attached to a large, wooden car, covered with a very dirty canvas top. At the driver seat was sitting a very happy Eddie. The two daughters of Kit Piper ran out of the Complex, laughing loud at the sight.
While Luchadore and Blackwulf where stuffing foods, rugs, medicines and other useful things in the carriage, Euro took his son under the arms and put him back on ground. Then, he kneeled in front of the little kid, that turned the head away, not to look at the face of his “father”.
“Eddie, I have to go away for sometime. Charley and Henry and Axel and Kit will take care of you, and I am sure Uncle Baaagh will come to play with you. I will return as soon as possible”. The eyes of Ed were wet, and tears were trembling on the rim of the eyelids, uncertain if to stop there or run down.
The kid was silent as always. Denice was looking at him.
“I wish you could say something, son…” said Euro with a very saddened expression.
Denice said, smiling, to the kid: “Eddie, say hallo to your dad!”
“He can’t speak, Denice” explained Ed.
“Oh, yes that he can!”
“What?”
“Yes, he speaks a lot with us kids. Speaks very funny, too!”
Eddie ran away, toward Kit, which was leaving the building, looking for the two girls.
“He does speak? How’s that possible?” Ed wondered, walking toward his kid. But a voice stopped him: “Euro, it’s time, we have to leave”.
The Italian man stopped, and then, looking back toward the kid, returned to the gathered assemble of the Vanguard members, preparing for the departure.
