Fantasy What This Night May Bring by TMaskedWriter

[Ramesh_Rocky]

Troy Equals walked back into the taverna where, a year and a few days prior, he'd performed Dean Martin's "Mambo Italiano" on the stage. The bartender recognized him, went to turn on the stage light, and asked "Mambo Italiano?" Troy shook his head no and ordered a Greek coffee. It was too early in the day to sample the Raki he'd had when he and Julie came here before; however, he might be a while. The bartender remembered that sexy wife of Troy's and asked where she was. Troy told him they had plans for later. He also made a display of not noticing the emerald-green iPad that Troy carried under his arm, and told him the drink was on the house, welcoming Troy back to San Finzione.

Contessa Helena de San Finzione was known for giving gift baskets to her overnight guests, and the quality of the company and the evening was reflected in the quality of the items in the gift baskets. Her very best gift baskets contained iPads colored Emerald Green, the royal color of San Finzione. It was, therefore, common knowledge that any attractive man or woman walking around San Finzione with an emerald-green iPad was a "special friend of La Contessa's," and because Troy and his wife and girlfriend all owned them, the occasional complimentary drink, special discount, or "express line" opened up to them when they carried them in public in the city.

He took a table where he could see the door, fished the red Zorro mask from his pocket, and put it on. Troy turned on his iPad and re-read the letter that had been scanned into it. A letter to Signor Cupid from a customer named Giacomo, who was smitten with the waitress. He'd longed to say something to her for ages and hoped Signor Cupid might be able to have a word with Ramona on his behalf.

There weren't many customers at this hour, and only one waitress. He drank his coffee and waited patiently for her to come by his table. The waitress took note of the mask that Troy wore and made her way to him.

"Something I can get for you, Signor?" The young woman asked in Italian, with barely-contained glee; the way she might have if Troy had been someone from television or the movies walking in and sitting at one of her tables "like it was nothing," and she was fighting everything inside her to keep from blurting out his most famous character's big catchphrase that everyone came up and said to him when they recognized him on the street. Troy wasn't anyone famous, though his wife had been in the news back in the States recently.

"I'm fine, thanks." Troy responded, also in Italian. "However, if you are Ramona, there may be something I can get for you."

Ramona fought a squeal as Troy gestured to the seat next to him, offering it to her. Her glee made Troy smile, too.

"I must say, Ramona." He said, standing to hold the chair for her. "I wasn't sure what sort of reaction to expect. I mean, you're a beautiful woman, working in a place like this, you get told as much a hundred times a day by a hundred men."

"Oh, si." Ramona said with a smile, as Troy sat back down and opened up his iPad. "I hear this all day. That's why it is so flattering to know someone is sincere enough to write to Signor Cupid about me."

Troy smiled at that.

"Well, thanks for making my first one of the day easy for me, Ramona. Now, Cupid has sent me on behalf of Giacomo. Do you know him?"

Ramona wrinkled her forehead a bit. Troy brought up a picture on his iPad and turned it to show her. Ramona recognized him but appeared to have just now learned his name.

"Him? He comes in often. He is polite, very quiet. Sometimes, he brings in a flower and just sits with it until closing time."

"He's been trying to work up the nerve to give them to you." Troy said, tapping a note. "We talked last night; Cupid wanted to make certain he was a good guy before I approached you, so he sent me to meet Giacomo. He was nice, answered my questions truthfully. He said some lovely things about you, he just gets nervous when you're actually around. I had a talk with him about that; he's feeling better now." He turned the picture back to Ramona, then looked at her with an intense gaze.

"However, Ramona, I need to ask you a few things too before I can sign off with Mr. Cupid on this, so it's important that you answer me truthfully, like Giacomo did last night." She nodded, understanding the importance deeply. "Good. Let's start with the most important question first: Are you already married and/or seeing anyone?" Ramona shook her head no. "Ok, good. The other questions aren't very important without that one. Or this next one, I guess. Would you like to get to know Giacomo better? Study the photo, take your time."

Ramona took a good few seconds looking at his photo, remembering her interactions with the man, before nodding in agreement.

"Ok, very good. Mr. Cupid will be quite happy to hear that. Now, Giacomo's going to be coming into the taverna in about half an hour, and I think it'd be a nice surprise if you took the initiative and asked him out, Ramona. Don't be nervous, I'll stick around for a while, just watch from here; make sure my impressions about him last night were right before leaving you two alone. For the most part, you'll be able to pretend I'm not here." Troy thought a second, then changed his statement. "Unless I need a drink or something, you know. Still watch for that."

Ramona smiled and nodded again, and they both laughed.

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