fatherless

"It's time to get up, wake up, kids!"

Ali awoke from his deep sleep, still groggy. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around. The familiar voice belonged to Bella, the orphanage attendant. She wore a green T-shirt with the word "Happy" printed on it and a pair of loose gray pants. As she moved through the hallway, she called out to each child, urging them to get up for breakfast. The air filled with the grumbling and complaints of sleepy children.

Ali sat on his bed, a wave of sadness washing over him.

"The same dream again... Mom, Dad... Will I ever see them again?" he mumbled.

Just then, something leaped onto his lap. A black cat clung to Ali's face, licking him insistently.

Ali burst into laughter.

The cat finally pulled back, narrowing its eyes as if preparing for a serious conversation.

"Cheer up, Ali. We'll find your family. Until then, this is your family," it said, placing a paw on Ali's chest.

"You humans keep your hearts here, right? But where's mine?"

Ali looked at Luca and chuckled.

"Your heart... Hmm... is probably in your stomach. You eat so much that even your feelings might have ended up there!"

Luca rolled his eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ali. I'm a very emotional cat. But your stomach isn't bad either—it rumbles so much in the mornings that sometimes it feels like an earthquake."

Ali laughed, lifting Luca off his lap before heading to his closet. He quickly got dressed and made his way to the bathroom, with Luca trotting after him.

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, Ali headed toward the cafeteria. The large hall was already filled with children sitting at long tables, while the orphanage staff moved around, handing out breakfast trays.

Ali silently scanned the room, found an empty table, and sat down.

The other children avoided him. They thought he was strange and kept their distance—not because he had ever hurt anyone, but because he talked to Luca. Luca, on the other hand, couldn't care less. If anything, he found it amusing and would often mock them.

Suddenly, Luca jumped onto the table.

"Luca, get down! Someone will see you! They'll think we're weird again."

Luca glanced around at the other children, then let out an exaggerated hiss. It was dramatic enough to make them quickly avert their eyes and focus on their food. Satisfied, Luca placed his paws on the table as if claiming victory.

"See? The kingdom ends here, Ali. This is my domain."

Ali shook his head, laughing.

"The kingship is on the table, Luca."

Luca smirked, his voice turning philosophical.

"Kingship isn't about where you stand; it's about who you stand above!"

Ali glanced at his breakfast tray.

"Oh, look! There's salami today—your favorite, Luca!"

Luca's eyes widened, his paws trembling with excitement.

"Ali… this… this is a miracle. Hand it over immediately!"

Ali laughed at Luca's dramatic reaction and tore off a piece of salami for him. Luca snatched it up, sat at the edge of the table, and began eating with pure delight.

"Ali, this isn't just salami—it's a masterpiece. I think the chefs here must be like Michelangelo."

Ali smiled as he watched Luca savor every bite. No matter what, he knew that as long as Luca was with him, he would never truly be alone.