Time: Modern Day
Location: Rome

"You coming in? I've got Peruvian coffee!" Netty asked, in an attempt to string out her time with her brother who she knew, but couldn't bear to contemplate, may not return.

"Yeah, I will thanks Sis. I want to spend as much quality time with my little sister as possible, just in case." 

Netty broke into tears again. She had been on the verge since Anton had raised the possibility of his disappearing. He grabbed her by the shoulders. 

"Here, here, what's all this?"

She clung to him and wouldn't let him go. Whisky began barking. He must have woken Soda now because Soda started clawing at the door and meowing to be fed again. 

"Shit Netty, let's get inside before we wake the whole neighbourhood. It's quarter past eleven on a school night."

She finally let him go, tried unsuccessfully to dry her eyes, and told Whisky to shut up as she put the key in the door. She shushed Soda, as Soda nearly tripped her up by swanning between her legs as she entered the apartment and turned the lights on. She reset the burglar alarm and picked up Soda and cuddled her, wiping some of her tears on her fur.

Anton followed her in and was met by Whisky jumping up to greet him. Whisky loved Anton because he took him on long walks, fed him steak at family BBQs, and he was a man. Whisky loved Netty totally but was, deep down, more of a man's dog. Anton began roughhousing him like he always did and Whisky opened his jaws in a dangerous excited smile. Anton had learnt through bitter experience to keep his hands and any other part of his body away from Whisky's mouth when he was excited. Whisky rolled on his back and begged Anton to scratch his tummy. His front legs made circles towards him and his back legs twisted and turned on the carpet gleefully. Anton obliged and then gave Whisky a cuddle and lay down beside him. Whisky turned  towards him and licked him twice in the face. 

"Yuk, yuk. Get off me!" Anton scrambled to his feet a little drunkenly. 

"Okay you two, cut it out!" Netty ordered as she gave Soda some cat food and a pat, "I'll make the coffee, can you put on some music Anton?"

"Sure Sis, classical or classic rock?" 

"Classical I think I want us to talk. Can you stay?" Netty asked hopefully. 

"I dunno, I suppose so, Petros arranged for Carlos' and my bags to be picked up and taken to the plane already. I guess I can leave my car here and get the limo to pick me up from here in the morning. As long as I can use your toothbrush Sis." 

"Piss off, no way Anton! You can't be serious!"

"Relax Sis," Anton smiled, "I always have an overnight bag packed in the car, in case I get lucky. Hehe. There's one in there I think unless Cecilia took it with her."

"Cecilia eh? Who is this Cecilia person? And why would she have your toothbrush?  Tell me more Don Juan!"

"Just a girl. A nice girl actually. I went out with her a couple of times last month." Anton blushed. 

"Oowwaaah. Don't tell me my brother is smitten?" Netty teased. 

"Cut it Sis. Or I'm out of here. We can play cards, like the old days, like you said at the restaurant, have a few drinks then I'm off to bed."

"No, no you're not. We are pulling an all-nighter."

"No way. I've got to fly to the US tomorrow Sis, you forgotten already?"

"No, you can't anyway. Haven't you heard? There's this pandemic you know. No flights into the US unless you are a US citizen returning home permanently. It's all over the news, Anton!" 

"You'll find out soon Sis. The rules don't apply to the people we work for. They make the rules not follow them. Petros got a special dispensation from the State Department. We are booked on a private jet with Vatican City diplomatic immunity. That's as much as I'm telling you and can you get rid of this mutt. Hehe. He'll slobber all over my cards." 

Anton got up, pushing Whisky off and walked over to the stereo. He linked his phone via bluetooth to Netty's system and put on his classical playlist.

Netty put out the coffees, two glasses, a bucket of ice, and a bottle of Highland Park single malt scotch, Anton's favourite. 

"Holy shit Sis, you had this planned all along, didn't you?'

"What makes you think that?" She grinned. Anton loved his sister so much, he would miss her, if things went south. 

"You can sleep on the plane. Not here, here we play cards till you lose!" Netty challenged. 

"Looks like I'm up all night then!" The stereo started and so did the games people play.

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