Chapter 33 – Alice
“If you don’t want to have your legs hurting for a week, now’s your time to get away.” Alice murmured to Thea, humorously, before speaking to her daughter again “I’m coming, darling… Oh.” She stopped, almost tripping over a piece of string lying on the grass “I guess the kite we made last week left this world a long time ago, huh?” Alice laughed under her breath, watching the race track that Millie had marked out using string and some popsicle sticks, in crooked lines, but still making her intention clear.
“It’s a race track! Just like in the book!” her daughter announced, coming skipping along while Massimo followed closely behind her “So we can race! Hoppy will be the hare, because he is a rabbit!” She nodded, as if she had spent some time thinking about it “And we’re going to be the turtles. But, everything will be fine, because the turtle always wins in the end!” Millie sat Hoppy at the end of one of the string paths.
“Well, then I’ll stay here and be the judge.” Thea suggested, looking almost relieved ” Someone has to shout to start, right?”
“Right!” Millie placed her little hands on her hips, swaying from side to side excitedly “I’m staying here.” She pointed to the line after Hoppy “Mommy will stay here, and Massimo…‘
That sentence died when, at the same time, the three of them turned to face him, only then realizing something that should have been obvious from the beginning. God, Alice had been there for almost two months, but she would never get used to seeing that expression on his face. There was no anger, no sadness or hurt, just the most complete emptiness as he looked at that makeshift track, as if the memory that he couldn’t run like them took away all the feelings that were inside him, leaving only that hollow shell that moved the chair back, ready to leave.
“I’ll go in.” His eyes were downcast and his voice was expressionless as Massimo began to turn towards the mansion “We can play another day, Millie.”
“No!” Millie ran towards him, placing herself in front of his legs to stop him from moving further away “Me and Hoppy want you to play! You have to stay.”
“I don’t think you understand, Millie.” He whispered, almost embarrassed “It won’t be fun to race with me. Unless you don’t mind me always coming last.” Massimo shrugged “I’m not that quick with my chair.”
“Then… Then the two of us will go on the chair together.” Millie leaned on his knees, trying to climb onto his lap “I don’t mind losing. I want you to play.”
“Be careful, Millie. You might fall.” Massimo spoke, and Alice was thankful that no one was paying attention to her, because the gentle way he picked up her daughter and placed her on his lap, as if she were brittle and precious, was a little too much for Alice’s heart to handle ” Believe me, you don’t want to walk in that chair. It’s going to be boring. It’s not nearly as fast and fun as running would be.”
“How will you know if you don’t try?” Alice asked, disguising her choked voice as she stepped
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behind Massimo, moving his chair back to Millie’s running track “I agree with Millicent, Massimo. You’re not in the Olympics. This is just a game. Winning or losing is not important, just have fun.” She smiled at his uncertain expression, leaving him with Millie on his lap as she stood next to them “So, what do you think? Or are you afraid of losing to me?”
“Losing myself for you…” Massimo’s mouth lifted as if there was some kind of irony in that ” Okay. You two won’t leave me alone if I don’t agree, anyway.”
“Yey!” Millie cheered “Come on, mommy! You and Hoppy are going to be the bunnies!”
“Okay, so…” Thea bit her lip, watching Massimo standing there as if this were a miracle “One, two, three… Now!”
Alice got into running position, but didn’t actually run. On the contrary, she followed a speed that was perhaps even slower than her normal walk. It was enough for Massimo, appearing to be determined to push his chair as far as possible, to be two or three meters away from her in a short time.
“Mommy!” Millicent complained, surprising her “You’re not trying! That way there’s no fun!”
“Millie is right:” Massimo wrapped his arms around her, even the expression of annoyance on his face similar to Millie’s “If you want to go easy on us, then go compete against the plush. Otherwise…” he seemed to think for a moment, before lowering his gaze to Millicent “I think I have something that can win us over your mother, for real. I mean… I’m sure I can find something here that makes things balance.” He placed his hand on the small joystick on his chair.
“What does it do?” Millie asked, curious.
“I will show. Hold tight, will you?” He exchanged a quick look with Alice that she didn’t know whether it was a request for permission or an apology, just a second before he moved the joystick, making a soft engine noise and he and Millie disappeared back towards her, the smaller wheels of his motorcycle sliding quickly
“Oh…” Millie’s mouth formed a perfect circle when they finally stopped “It’s just like a bumper car!” she looked at Massimo, impressed “It was really cool! Can we run again, please?”
“Of course.” He smiled, although there was still something in his expression that made Alice think he didn’t know how to handle a compliment directed at his wheelchair “It’ll be good practice for us to defeat your mother.”
“Can I play?” she pointed in the direction of the controller, excited.
“Uh…” Massimo hesitated and Alice was about to explain to her daughter that no, but he surprised her when he concluded “Well, why not? Just hold tight here and press here…”
“Wait, Massimo…” she gasped, worried, but it was already too late.
