Novels by Fiore Smeraldo

The sudden death of Mika causes a downpour of sadness, tears, and condolences from the people that know the family – even from the mainland. The usual bright, noisy and peaceful mornings the Sager had has disappeared on the drain. Kate and Kaye refused to go to school to mourn with their parents and to be with them, together as a family. The small fragile hands are gently rubbing their parents’ back then to their shoulders with a squeeze before embracing them. The pair decided to close their restaurant for the time being while they grieve and try to put up a strong face when remembering the brief moments they had with their mother.

Two, four, six, eight, ten years pass by and the pups are now in their early teens, getting ready for their secondary gender test in their school with the guidance of their teachers, nurses and doctors. Those years were not easy for everyone, especially to Leo and Luke, from sleepless nights, some uncertain days, the unstable emotions from stress and from balancing their daily lives with their kids and restaurant. “It is a peaceful morning, isn’t it?” Sipping their coffee at the first floor while looking out the window and how the chirping of the birds subtly fading and getting further away. The soothing washing of the waves to the shores and the giggles of their daughters upstairs. Leo hums but giggles as he glances up the ceiling. “Except for that one.” “Well, they are almost done and within five minutes, they will be running down. So, let’s start preparing their breakfast and lunch boxes.”

A new day has arrived and every single employee in the Full Moon Organization is doing their respective job, diligently. When Mika enters the office of Jessica Ether, she finds her reading while pacing back and forth in front of her desk. Despite the door creaking, the representative seems so absorbed by her activity that she did not notice her assistant entering. Mika sees the books stocked up on the desk with no space to put anything on. So, she turns a blind eye and just does her job. “Representative?” No answer and continue to read. “Representative?” Still no answer until the older woman inhales deeply. “Representative Jessica Ether!” Raising her voice higher than what the other person has heard from her. Startles from it and closes the same looking journal on her hand. “Good morning, representative. At nine in the morning, you will have a meeting with the other depa

A short slender woman enters the room filled with piled up boxes behind the desk, with a food tray in one hand while documents on the other. Wriggling her nose, unable to keep her eyes straight when those objects are distracting her. ‘The itch won’t disappear –’ Mika subtly rubs her nose. ‘– Since those things appeared.’ Glancing over those clutter behind the representative’s desk. “Here it is, Miss Ether.” Placing the folder near the center then the food tray beside it. Standing, waiting for the following instructions to be giv

A few men in black and white suits are walking out of the abandoned house with boxes on their arms when Leo was being called out by one of them to meet the representative. His eyes follow each of them out the house until the road downtown. Step by step, tracks left behind while his hands in his pockets with an unreadable expression on his face. Walking at a normal pace but seems slower than expected. Sighing as the night is greeting earlier than he wanted. The same feelings as that night slowly dawns at him but he looks away from the house when he gets closer. His sight only sees the mountains when refusing to glance at the ocean on the other side and the rep

A year and a half has flown by and Luke realizes he created a few menus on his sleeves while utilizing the limited resources they have at the island. The once crawling pups are now walking around the house but wobbling while leaning on everything for support. Little by little, he becomes aware of what he wants in the future, thinking of what makes him happy and at the same time, earning a bit while staying at home to look after his beautiful daughters. One morning when Leo and Luke are seated across from each other while having their coffee. “What do you think of opening a restaurant here?”