Papa Grande's Origin (PART 1)

                                                  -Papa Grande’s Origin Story-
                                                                     (Age 5)


November 15th, 1958, footsteps pattered through the halls that morning as the sun greeted the whole area of Venice, Italy. A young Grande poked from around the wooden door, putting his attention towards a woman, who was closing a box full of his tiny learning books and knick knacks. A frown seemed to be painted on his face as he made his way inside of the empty room.

“Mama, do we have to go?” he asked suddenly, making his mom, Abrianna, jump a bit from her focused state of mind. She moved to adjust her dress, standing with the box in her arms.

“Oh Grande, you know that your father received a job in America. He told you days ago about it.”

“But-”

“Grande, sweetie..” Abrianna placed the last box next to him. She leaned down to look into his large, brown orbs. “Everything will be okay. America is a big place, I know, but..”

“But I like Venice mama…” Grande glanced over to the last box, his eyes starting to fill up with tears. Abrianna, seeing this, pulled his small hands into her own, rubbing the top of them with her thumbs, “We will get adjusted Grande. Your dad, yourself, and myself, all three of us. America will be a new step for us.” She explained, trying to calm the small child of his emotional distress.

Grande’s eyes dropped to the floor, “..... you promise mama?”

Abrianna, not fully sure deep down, hesitated slightly in the response. She softly smiled, “I promise Grande, America will be a brand new start.” she softly placed her right hand on his head, messing up his brunette hair, “Now, go and get ready in the car. We’re leaving in a little while.”

Grande’s attention moved towards his messed up hair, “Okay mama..” he replied, his voice still saddened. He then turned around, walking out of the barren room with little excitement.

Abrianna, after he left, looked towards the box once again, and heaved it up with a grunt. “A nice home, a job, and a new life..” she told herself, walking down the hallway, going towards the stairs, the box heavy for her tired self.

At the bottom of the stairs, Grande stood next to his father, Arthur. Arthur let loose of Grande’s shoulders softly, seeming to have just given him a lecture, looking over at the tired Abrianna. “Oh dear, let me help you.” He placed his foot on the bottom step. Abrianna gave him a nod, moving the box out of her arms to his own. “Thank you Arthur, this is much appreciated.”

Arthur leaned in, kissing her cheek, “Of course my dear, now, I’ll go and put this in the trunk.” He carefully walked out of the small home, leaving Abrianna and Grande inside. Grande clasped his hands together, a frown still on his face from before.

“....” He then started to follow his father, going towards the parked, grey vehicle in the driveway. His body seemed to pulse with the anxiety of another world, new friends, and new places as he opened the door to the car, sitting down in silence.

As time continued, Grande and his family arrived at the port. Carefully, each member of the family showed their tickets, grabbed their belongings, and went inside of the rusted, steel ship. Grande couldn’t help but look at the ship with concern, still outside with his family. People were lined up near him, each going to the same destination, America. His small hand moved over towards his mom’s, holding tight. “Where’s dada?” he whispered.

Abrianna held his hand tight, “He will be back soon, he’s putting the vehicle inside of the ship. We’ll have all of our boxes inside as well.” she moved her hand back and forth with his own. Closer, and closer, they arrived at the door of the ship. Abrianna held the tickets close to her chest, taking a deep breath, “Alright..”

“Tickets please.” a man said, holding his dirty palm towards her. Abrianna looked around, “Well, my husband is coming soon.”

“Tickets please.” he told her again, his voice sounding impatient. Abrianna, letting out a sigh, held out her ticket and Grande’s, entering the large ship. Person through person, they pushed their way through.

“E-Excuse me..” Grande whispered, bumping against a lady. Abrianna tucked him close to her, “Such a crowded place..” she said to herself, trying to avoid the other immigrants the best she could.

“Where’s dada?” he glanced around once again, still not seeing him anywhere.

“Grande, he has his ticket. I was hoping we would enter together, but now, we have to wait.” she told him, trying to get his mind to be calm.

“The ship to America leaves in ten minutes!” a loud voice said, followed by a loud horn. Grande, not expecting such a sound, yanked his mom’s dress, making her almost trip over his form. She quickly reached out, balancing. “Grande! It was just a horn!” she brought her other hand up, fixing her hair. Grande slowly formed tears in his eyes, and moved her dress against his face.

“Oh Grande, what will I do with you?” a sigh went past her lips, squeezing his small hand and loosening, “Please, be calm.”

“I’m sorry mama..”

“It is okay Grande, from now on, please remain calm. Get your mind off of the bad feelings, okay?”

“Okay mama..”

“Good boy.” she spoke, walking out of the large crowd into a room, sitting down on the bed with an exhausted grunt. “So much moving in the past few days, I don’t know how much I can take.”

Grande, curious, let loose of his mother’s hand, and walked towards the door. He took the time to glance down the hall. Arthur, which was a sweaty mess, made his way inside of the ship, his hat slightly lopsided. “Mama! Dada is in!” he shouted, growing a sudden smile. Abrianna sighed in relief, “At a great time too..”

Arthur moved through the crowd, getting to the room quickly. Grande, in happiness, clung to his leg, giggling. “Dada!”

“Hello Grande, sorry for the delay.” he apologized, fixing his hat to its normal position. “I had to wait a bit till I could pull the car inside.”

Abrianna sat up, about to say something till the whole ship jolted a bit, making Grande fall over. Abrianna laughed, “Looks like it is time to go..”

“The ship to America is now moving!” the voice yelled, followed by another horn blow. Grande’s sinking feeling slowly started to rise once more as he heard those words. He rose to his two feet, running onto the bed to look out the window. “.....”

The boat moved forward, away from the pier where the others stood, unable to make it into the boat on time. Grande’s hand touched the window, his heart thumping in his chest at a fast speed. This was goodbye, his last time to even see this wonderful place he once called home. Arthur took a seat next to Abrianna, touching Grande’s shoulder, “Like your mother has told you Grande..”

“Everything will be alright.”

-6:00 pm-

Grande’s head was rested on Abrianna’s lap, his eyes shut tight, his body still. Nearby, Arthur looked at his watch, his eyes looking just as tired as Grande’s. The sea seemed to move the boat constantly at sharp shifts, making the family feel ill.

“Attention passengers, we have arrived.” A voice explained. Outside of the room, they could hear the loud cheers of glee followed by footsteps. The boat came to a halt, jolting Grande and Abrianna awake. Abrianna yawned loudly, stretching out her arms, “Hun?”

Arthur perked up, his mind wandering, “Yes love?”

“You should get ready to get to the car now, we’ll be down very soon.”

“Alright, make sure Grande is ready.”

“I will hun.” Abrianna concluded, watching as her husband stood up, leaving the room quickly. Grande’s head rose from its position, his eyes half shut, hair messy, “Mama?”

Abrianna gave a soft giggle, brushing his hair down with her hand, “Hello Grande, we’re here.”

“I-In America?”

“Yes, silly. We have to go now, off the boat.”

A moment of silence arrived before Grande slid off the bed.

“... Okay mama..”



-12:00 am-

Hours, upon hours, they drove, eventually arriving at a small, brick house in the state of West Virginia. Grande questioned most of the things he had witnessed on the way there. From the different trees, some of the animals, and even the way others wore their clothes. Just like his mother had said, this is a brand new start for them. Yet, Grande was still incredibly frightened deep down, homesick even more. “This is such a beautiful house Arthur!”

“Of course, luckily, it was cheap compared to the others. I received a great deal.” his arm wrapped Abrianna’s shoulders, causing her to smile more.

“Are you ready to go inside Grande? To see your new room?”

Grande nodded, his mouth still closed shut. He moved up the wooden stairs, Arthur went ahead to unlock the door, pushing it open with a loud squeak. He let out a chuckle, “The door needs some oil or something. I’ll have that fixed up-” Arthur started to say just to be kissed by Abrianna, who in which touched his face, “We should just be thankful we even have a home Arthur, a squeaky door won’t bother us.” she smiled greatly, “I love you Arthur.”

Grande continued to feel unsure, but, after thinking and looking inside, seeing his parents together and happy..

He actually gained some more hope..


- September 15th, 1962 -
- Age 9 -

Eventually, as time continued, Grande’s negative feelings slowly started to dissipate. He started to grow highly adjusted to the new world. Just like the other kids; he went to school, went to parks, and overall, had fun. His once isolated self broke out of that hard shell to greet the new world with open arms. His interest seemed to bloom on one thing since the age of 7, one thing in general.

In the middle of the room, Grande sat. His eyes were focused on the square screen of the small TV. On the screen, a tall man held out a top hat, making beautiful, white doves fly out of the blue. Grande’s mouth went agape, in awe. No matter how many times this small child witnessed this act, he continued to have the same reaction. “Magic…” he whispered to himself, starting to think. His thoughts were quickly interrupted by loud, banging sounds.

“Grande!” Abrianna called, knocking on his door. Her voice called with the sound of bliss, her eyes were lit up as she stood outside of Grande’s door. Quickly, she knocked again, “Grande! Come on! Your father has a surprise for you! Come on birthday boy!”

He grew a smile and then leaned up, leaning to turn off the TV. With a flash, the TV turned black, and Abrianna continued to knock. “It’s something you’ve been wanting for awhile!~”

With that, Grande almost tripped over the nearby rug, grabbed the handle to his door quickly, opening it. “Really mama?!”
“You have to go see!~” Abrianna knew how excited this boy was, for the longest time, he had begged them. Every single time, when that certain object appeared on screen, he would frantically run to them, wanting it. It took awhile to buy such a thing, but when it finally arrived, Arthur and Abrianna knew Grande would have what he begged for.

Stair, down stair, his body pulsed with excitement, “Daddy! Daddy!” he shouted, taking a quick turn into the tiled kitchen, almost running into his father, who held a huge box in his hands. Arthur backed up a bit, shutting the door behind him. “Happy birthday Grande, I’m guessing your mother soiled your surprise?”

Abrianna made her way through, leaning on the counter, “Oh shush, he wanted this for the past few months.”

“Well, Grande..” he slowly placed the box onto the floor. It was re-taped shut from the opening, to the back, “You know what it is then.”

Grande, wasting no time, asked, “Can I open it daddy!?”

Arthur rubbed his neck, “I was hoping you would want your cake first but.. okay.” he backed up, letting Grande have his cutting space. Abrianna moved over to Arthur’s side, putting her head on his shoulder, lightly. “He doesn’t know about his other present, right?” Arthur asked Abrianna, his tone of voice serious.

Abrianna slowly shook her head, “I didn’t tell him that we had something extra.” she whispered back, hearing a tearing sound from the box, followed by a gasp. Arthur and Abrianna looked toward their son, who was throwing fabric, which kept things from getting broken, out of the box. “Do you like it?” Abrianna asked, noticing how still Grande had gotten, all of a sudden.

Grande’s eyes started to water, looking at them. Arthur, suddenly getting a panicked feeling, rushed over towards the box and saw the gift. “Y-You don’t like it Grande?” Abrianna asked, a frown appearing, her heart sinking.

Grande’s hand moved inside, taking out a top hat with a red bow. He held it out from his face, looking it over. His other hand moved inside, his hand going around a wand. “M-Mommy, d-daddy..”

“Grande, are you okay hun?” Abrianna asked, going over to his form, motherly instincts kicking in. Arthur lowered his head, heart sunk, “I’ll.. go back to the-”

“No daddy, no m-mommy. I-I love this! I just.. the hat, I-I have a hat now!”

With that, both of them let out a relieved sigh, glad to be assured in such a way. “Thank goodness Grande, don’t scare us like that.”

“Sorry mommy, the hat isn’t part of this magic trick kit.”

“You like it though, right?” Arthur grabbed it from his hands, placing the hat on Grande’s head. Grande moved his hands up to his face, brushing away the tears, “Yes daddy, I love it.” He held the wand close to his chest.

Abrianna then clapped her hands together, “Time to sing?”

“Happy Birthday!” Grande said to himself, moving over towards the kitchen table to sit, sing that one song, and eat.

- 9:00 pm -

Later, during the night, Arthur brought the magic trick set into Grande’s bedroom. The available props were scattered all around the floor, in a messy heap. Grande’s small form rested against the bed, holding his hat in his hands. “I’m a magician..” he said to himself, nothing but the echoes of the night surrounding him in the current silence. He stood to his feet and turned towards his bed, placing the hat on his head. He picked up the wand and then flicked it, nothing happening in return. He then tried again, nothing happened. “Aw..” he sighed and then flicked it faster, making a reaction occur.

A whole heap of flowers popped out, causing Grande to jump a little in surprise. The wand went flying through the air as Grande let loose of it, landing on the carpet nearby. After regaining composure, he picked it up once more and looked over it, feeling good about this accomplishment. “Mommy! Daddy! Look!” he called for them, looking down the hall just to hear footsteps.

“Look at what, Grande?” Abrianna questioned, arriving at his door. Grande then lifted the wand, showing it to her, “I did it mommy!”

Abrianna blinked in surprise and then moved over towards the bed, “Wow Grande! That is marvelous!” she told him, sitting down. “Can you try it again? So daddy and I can see?”

Grande, in thought, glanced at the wand, “Yes mama! I can do it!” he told her, confident in his newest talent. Abrianna then touched his head, “I’ll go and get your father really fast, okay sweetie?”

“Okay mama! I’ll be ready!”

Once his mother left the room, he scurried around, trying to grab all the magic trick props he had managed to figured out. He kept the wand tucked under his arm, and placed them all in the middle of his room, all neat. Footsteps echoed through the hallway, once again, as Abrianna and Arthur made their way in, sitting down on the bed with curious eyes.

“Alright Grande, we are your audience today.” Arthur leaned forward, his elbow against his knee, “Show us what you know.”

Abrianna adjusted her dress and focused on him, both silent. Grande, suddenly feeling a bit nervous, wrapped his hands around his hat, adjusting it. He looked at the now normal wand, lifting it into the air, “Abra kadabra!” he said out loud, flicking it fast, receiving the same reaction as before. The wand, as expected, popped out the flowers.

Abrianna and Arthur both started clapping, filling Grande with more hope and other positive feelings. “Grand! You improved sweetie!”

“Another! Another!” Arthur cheered, both trying to keep Grande’s confidence level up.

Grande laughed happily, rushing over to grab another magic trick prop. He dug through them all until he found two orbs, “This one! This was the first one I learned today!” he said, turning around to face them both.

“Then show us that one Grande.” his mother said, “We love seeing your tricks sweetie.”

Arthur gave a nod towards Abrianna’s comment, “Yes Grande, show us son.”

Grande, feeling confident, held the two orbs in his hands. Eventually, much to their surprise, the clear orbs seemed to float. They appeared to just hover above his hand, as if gravity itself had been lifted.

Arthur and Abrianna both started to clap once again, in awe at the progress their son had made. Eventually, Grande stopped doing the trick and placed the orbs back on the pile of props, gently. “That is all I know so far!”

With a pat on the head, Abrianna smiled, getting to her feet once again, “You impressed me sweetie, keep it up. Such a talented little boy.”

After hearing such words, especially after being called “talented,” Grande took off his small top hat and did a bow. Abrianna laughed, “Charming too!”

Arthur stood up and placed his hand on Grande’s hat, lifting it out of his hands before placing it on his own head. “Now, I am the charming magician!” he joked. Abrianna started to shake her head before being swept off her feet by Arthur.

Grande, watching the both of them, started to laugh, “Daddy! My hat!” he said, following him around the room. Arthur, after a few minutes, softly placed Abrianna down. She stumbled, “My goodness Arthur! I’m so dizzy!” she laughed, holding onto his shirt, tightly.

Grande, tucking his lower lip out, looked at his dad. Arthur kissed the top of Abrianna’s cheek, plopping the top hat back on Grande’s head. “Well, I bet you are.~” he said. Grande took off his top hat and held it in his arms, watching them both, more.

Arthur glanced over to him with a smile, seconds later, “Okay buddy, you know what time it is.” Abrianna nodded and then grabbed Grande’s hand, leading him towards his bed, “Bedtime.~” Abrianna whispered, pulling his covers down.

Grande kept a tight grip on his hat, crawling into bed with it still under his arm. Abrianna rose a brow, “You’re going to sleep with your hat?” she questioned. “Yes mommy, I like it.” he held it close, “It means a lot.”

Abrianna then moved to pull his covers up, tucking him in. “Okay baby boy, that’s fine then..” she then gave him a kiss on the forehead, about to leave the room. Grande, before she could leave, nabbed her attention, “Mommy, could you tell me a story?” he asked.

She turned back to him, “Like what sweetie?”

“A good story!”

With a soft giggle, Abrianna went onto her knees beside him, leaning against the bed. “Hmmmm.. okay, where to begin.” she said to herself before clicking her fingers, “I have a good one Grande. Alright..”

“Tell me mommy!”

Abrianna then turned towards him, looking at his small form, all covered up. “It is about a small boy, a special one.”

“What is his name?”

“We will get to that soon sweetie.” she said, clearing her throat, “He is a smart, talented boy. One which has a beautiful family, and a great future. As he grew, he kept those talents inside of his heart. He never did let go of them, not even one.”

“What was his talent?”

“Well Grande, his talent was.. magic.”  

“Like me?!” his eyes widened, getting more, and more into the story.

“Yes Grande, like yourself. As this boy continued to age, his talent only continued to blossom more! Eventually, he will have a large home, a big family, and his own job.” she told him, “And you are that little boy Grande, you have a big future ahead of you.”

Grande’s eyes appeared to glow with emotion and he lifted his arms from under the covers. Abrianna moved in and hugged him tight, “You are that boy Grande, you are our boy.”

She then exited the room, turning off the light, “Goodnight Grande.” she said, leaving Grande inside with only a small light to light a corner of the room.

Grande then decided to take a moment to look down at the top hat, which was in his arms. “I am that boy..” he said to himself.

“I am.. that boy.”

-September 15th, 1963-
-Age 10-


Even a year later, Grande’s remarkable passion for magic continued to grow. He had collected almost every single magic related thing he had known, with his parent’s help. From cards, to making things vanish, to even creating his own magic tricks. Each one, he had practiced after school, sometimes for more than an hour. Such dedication often made his parents proud, as they supported their son’s unique talent.

Grande stood in his room that morning, a full deck of slightly faded cards in his right hand. In his left hand, he had his hat with that usual bow. He quickly tossed the cards inside of the hat, shaking it around a bit. “Behold!” he said to nobody, turning the hat upside down. Not a single card fell out, not even one, they were all gone. He smiled, feeling proud at how he finally mastered this trick after a good month of practice.

Outside, Abrianna heard him cheer from the window, her hand was buried in dirt from the garden. Arthur walked over to greet Abrianna, from the car, with a whole bag of seeds, “Boy, Grande sure does sound happy.”

Abrianna continued to scoop up dirt, “Of course he is Arthur, he’s doing so well at those tricks of his.” she said, “Now, can you sprinkle some seeds in here?” she gestured towards the multiple holes in the soil. Arthur heaved up the bag more, moving over to each one, sprinkling tiny, ant sized seeds inside of each hole. Abrianna slowly started to cover the holes back up, hearing the front door open up wide.

“Mama! Daddy!”

Arthur placed the bag onto the green grass, looking over at the small, overjoyed child. “Hello Grande, whatcha up to?” he asked, wiping his forehead. Grande ran up to Arthur, “Daddy! Check your pockets!”

Arthur blinked, “Why Grande?” he brought his hands down to his dirty, blue jeans. His fingers traced the smooth fabric and then he felt a lump in his right pocket. “Oh? What do we have here?” he moved his hand inside, pulling out the whole deck of cards. He could only stare, surprised, “Well, well, how did this get in there?”

Grande clapped happily, “I did it! I actually did it daddy!” he snatched the deck of cards from Arthur’s hand, placing them back into the rectangular container. Abrianna giggled, “How cute, you sure surprised your daddy!”

Arthur rubbed his neck, “You sure did, you surprise me a lot actually.”

Abrianna suddenly started to think to herself. Grande did seem to surprise them a little too much. Sure, they supported him each time but.. he never really did go outside, to perform with others around. Grande had the skill, had the talent in general to surprise many, so.. maybe. “Hey Arthur, hun.” she said, grabbing Arthur’s attention.

Arthur turned around, looking directly at her, “Yes Abrianna?”

“You know, I was just thinking.. maybe you should go take a break?”

“Abrianna? A break? I’ve only been working for an hour with you.” Arthur let out a chuckle. Grande quickly placed the cards back into his hat, placing it on his head.

Abrianna stood, her knees covered in dirt, “Well, maybe Grande would like to go to the park for a bit? With you, and his magic?~”

Grande’s eyes lit up, quickly looking at his father. Arthur placed the bag of seeds on the grass, taking off his gloves. “Hmmm.. that depends on Grande.”

Grande’s head lowered to his feet, “I-... I never actually performed in front of others, except for you guys.”

“Would you like to go?” he asked, wanting a confirmation from his son. Grande, feeling slightly excited, said, “Yes daddy, I’d love to..”

“Alright Grande, then we’ll go. Go and grab your magic trick set.” Arthur started to walk towards the front door, “I’m going to go and change my clothes first, I don’t wanna be in public looking like this.” he informed, taking off his shoes at the patio, walking inside.

Abrianna gave Grande a small smile, returning to her gardening. Grande looked at his mom, “You think.. others will like me?” he asked.

“Oh Grande, you will be surprised. Just be yourself, now, go on.”

Grande quickly turned and made his way into the house once again, walking down the rug towards the wooden door, entering his room. Inside, he gathered up all of his props: his orbs, extra cards, and more items, moving them into a black box. He wrapped his fingers around the handles, trying to lift the box up just to barely even lift it at all. With a tug, he fell back, landing on his back with a thump. He let out a huff, starting to get upset, “So heavy!” he growled, trying to lift it again.

Arthur eventually left the bathroom, a new pair of clothes on his form. He glanced around, hearing Grande from his room. He chuckled to himself, walking towards Grande’s room, “Need help?” he questioned, opening the door, seeing Grande struggling. “Yes daddy!” he answered, letting go. Arthur then walked over towards the box, lifting it up without a grunt. “Alright, let’s get goin.” Grande quickly followed behind Arthur, excited to go to the park.

Eventually, they were on the road. Grande couldn’t take his eyes off of his magic trick set, which was on the back seat. He removed his hat, putting it on his lap, looking down at the cards inside. “Just be yourself..” he said, “Just be yourself.” he repeated.

Hearing his voice, his father looked over, “Hey, that is a good thing to remember there bud.”

“Mommy told me.” Grande moved his legs, “I hope they like my tricks.”

“Well, your mother is right. Just be yourself, you will do great.” he turned his attention back to the road. Grande’s smile grew, getting confident yet again.

-1:00 pm-

The area was deep green, wooden benches went around a brick plaza, directly in the middle of the large park. Children ran along the playsets while parents sat among themselves, bickering at each other. Teenagers chatted underneath the trees, talked to each other, spreading gossip as birds flew above.

The sound of a car door slamming shut seemed to disturb the park, soon being followed by the sound of Arthur and Grande. “Here we are bud, the park.” Arthur held tight onto the box, walking out of the driveway, into the grass. Grande observed the multiple people around the park, each doing their own thing in some form. He sat down on a nearby bench, patting next to him, signaling his father to set the box down there. With the sound of rattling and a thud, the box was placed on the wooden bench, in clear view.

Arthur placed his hands into his pockets, sitting next to the box as well, on the right. “Alright, where to start?” he questioned, looking at Grande’s expression. Grande started to whisper to himself once again, “Just be myself..” he started to think, looking over at two adults.

A man was sitting with his wife, both holding hands, looking at a small child nearby. Grande slowly placed his hat back onto his lap. He held the deck of cards, placing them back into the hat. Just like before, he moved his hand over the opening of it, shook it a while, and then slid off the bench, placing the hat back on his head.

The wife spotted Grande coming near and then giggled, “Aw, look at the little magician! Such a cute costume!” she smiled. Arthur watched, curious, but aware of what Grande was doing. The husband chuckled, “Halloween isn’t for a long time kiddo.” he told Grande, getting shoved by his wife, a bit.

Grande stood straight, “Will you check your pockets for me, please?”

The husband blinked, “Uh, why kiddo?” he asked, obviously confused. The wife then tilted her head, curious.

Grande placed his hands behind his back, “Please sir, just really fast.” he asked once more.

The wife nudged her husband again, clearing her throat, “Come on, don’t be rude.” she whispered to him. Her husband then decided to reach down, “Okay, okay, but I don’t understand why-” he started, just to feel a large lump in his pocket. Behind the man, their child watched, blinking at Grande.

The husband pulled out the pack of cards, surprised, “Well, I’ll be damned!” he laughed, “How did they get in my pocket?”

The wife started to clap, “It’s magic hun!”

Grande quickly took the cards from the husband’s hand, shuffling them around, holding them out. The kid, about Grande’s age, walked out from behind his own father. “That is really cool!” he said, looking at the cards. “Is this another one?” he asked.

Grande moved his head up and down, “Yes! You wanna try?” he asked the boy. In reply, he nodded, reaching out to grab a card from Grande’s hand. “Don’t tell me what it is, okay?”

The boy glanced at his card, keeping it hidden from Grande. The wife and husband watched, curious. Nearby children started to walk over, curious themselves. Arthur watched from the bench, hands together, smiling at the forming crowd.

“Now, put it on the deck once again.”

The child slid the card back in, letting it combine with the others. Grande then closed his eyes, shuffled around and then cracked his eyes open once again, “Now, here.” He hands him another card, “Is that your card?” Grande asked. The kid shook his head, showing Grande.

Grande smirked a bit and then coughed, a card coming from his mouth. The crowd gasped as Grande opened it up, showing the kid, “Is this your card?”

The kid, in shock, nodded, “H-How did you do that?!” he asked, looking it over. Grande placed the deck back into his hat, bowing. The crowd clapped, a few adults made their way over, curious themselves.

“With magic of course!~”

Of course, as time continued, he had to return home to eat, and rest. Suddenly, going out to perform started to become an everyday thing for Grande. He would ask his dad, or mom, to take him to the park, for about an hour or more. Each day, he tried to draw in more of a crowd and indeed, he did.

He was publicly known, and he was proud about that fact. The kid he met also introduced himself as Ricky, he had finally made a friend.

-September 21, 1963-
-6:00 pm-


A long road, the sound of a new car went through the surrounding area. Inside, two men sat, both with their eyes focused on the environment around them. The window was cracked as cigarette smoke rolled out, greeting the fresh air. The man on the right let out a loud yawn, flicking the ashes off of himself.

“Finding talent is quite the chore, Louis.” he said, brushing his brown hair back with his left hand. The man on the left, Louis, only rolled his eyes, “Listen Drake, everyone has their own type of skill.” he replied, turning the wheel a bit.

Drake shook his head, leaning forward, “I swear..”

“You better listen to me Drake,” Louis started, “Back there, that is my theme park, and I only brought you along so you could help me. Stop sounding so damn unconfident, we will find someone!” he lectured, a smile forming on his face.

Drake let out a sigh, rubbing his face, “My mistake then..”


-September 21, 1963-
-6:30 pm-


The uproar of a small crowd seemed to shake the trees of the park. In the middle of the crowd, young Grande stood strong. In his hand, he had a watch, the child from before was right next to him. “Okay Ricky, and my crowd! Observe!” he said, flicking his wrist. The watch, which was just in his hand, appeared to vanish into thin air.

Grande then glanced around, pointing at a woman nearby. “You, could you check your purse?” he asked. The woman, in confusion, nodded. After an unzip and a gasp, she pulled out the black watch, holding it into the air. The crowd started to clap loudly, Arthur chuckled to himself, standing up. He pushed his way gently through the crowd towards the woman, tapping her shoulder softly, “Hello, may I have my watch back now?” he laughed. The woman passed over his watch, continuing to clap for the young, talented boy.

Nearby, the brand new car seemed to be only a minor noise as it pulled into the driveway. With a halt and a click, the door slid open, followed by a pair of jeans and boots on the left side, and grey pants, and boots on the right. Louis leaned up from the leather seat, shutting the door with a slam. Drake, still feeling off, glanced around, “Well, why did we stop here?” he wondered.

Louis smirked, “Something caught their eyes. So, I’m going to see with my own eyes. To see what’s going on.” he chuckled, moving towards the crowd. Drake, sighing, crossed his arms, sitting on the front of the car.

Grande, not seeing Louis, placed handcuffs around his wrists. He held his arms out, showing the crowd. “Watch as I break out of these cuffs!” he said, twisting his arms around. The audience watched closely, Arthur staring at Grande, never expecting this trick to come from his son. “Grande, are you sure?” he asked, quietly. Grande, feeling confident, tugged, his hands suddenly out of the tight cuffs, almost as if they were never placed around his wrists, and in the place of the cuffs, were flowers instead.

Arthur clapped, amazed, followed by a surprised Louis on the side. Louis’s eyes drifted, “A.. young child?” he questioned, eyes wide, “He knows… that?!”

Grande’s body appeared to glow through the eyes of Louis, this was what he had been looking for. He had been looking for talent, with a unique owner to hold such a skill. Yet, he never did expect to see talent, such as magic, in the form of a child.

As soon as the crowd started to dissipate, Louis stood still, observing. Arthur placed his hands on Grande’s shoulder, “You.. never did that trick before.” he said, smiling wide.

“I learned it two days ago daddy!” Grande said, smiling at him.

“Two days?” Louis asked, walking closer towards Arthur and Grande. His hands were inside of his pockets, body straight. Arthur, not expecting a voice from behind him, looked back. Grande quickly nodded, “Yeah! I learned another trick a day before that too!” he said, not hesitant to talk about his magic.

Louis rocked on his heels a bit, “Such talent, and at such a young age.”

Arthur messed up Grande’s hair, “Thanks! He is a talented one, inside and out.” he replied, Grande puffing his left cheek.

Louis leaned down, getting on his right knee to look closer at Grande, “Tell me lad, you want to be a real magician?” he asked, startling both Grande and Arthur.

“I would love to! Where can I-” Grande started, Arthur stopping him, “Excuse me..”

Louis could’ve mentally slapped himself then, realizing, “I have yet to introduce myself, how rude of me! My apologies!” he said, interrupting Arthur, “My name is Louis, I’m the owner of a brand new theme park in this state. I’ve been driving around this state, hoping to find people to hire, for the park entertainment of course. Your son caught my eye, never did I expect to see such a talent in the form of a child!” he explained, making Grande’s smile grow more.

“You want me to join?! I’m going to be a real magician?!” Grande asked, excitedly. Arthur, getting nervous, shook his head, “We have yet to agree to that Grande, we don’t even know this guy.” he whispered.

Louis felt around in his pocket, “Hmm, okay, I will tell you this, I’m very interested in your son. If he does come and work for us, as a magician, we will be sure to give him more opportunities.” he said, taking out a piece of paper and a pen, “We have this brand new building, all of it is already done. There’s a stage upstairs and, if it makes you comfortable, we will give you a tour.” he quickly started to write down his phone number, and the address.

Arthur, still in slight suspicion and surprise, took the paper, looking it over. Louis smiled down at Grande once more, bowing his head a bit before walking off, leaving Arthur and Grande to clean and go home.



-September 21, 1963-
-9:00 pm-


“I don’t know how to feel about this…” Abrianna said, holding the piece of paper in her hand. Arthur rubbed his face, slightly tired. Grande, still excited, bounced around the kitchen, “I wanna be a real magician!” he said, laughing to himself.

Abrianna and Arthur both discussed this since Grande returned home. Of course, they were both concerned and suspicious about the opportunity as well. Arthur took the time to look over at Grande, “I know, but still, we don’t even know this guy.” he explained.

Grande, stopping, gave him a frown, “Please daddy! I wanna be a magician! A real one! I’ll do anything! Please!” he begged, tugging his father’s pants. Abrianna, getting frustrated, sighed, “Grande, enough. We’ll see what we can do.” she explained.

Arthur gave a nod, sitting on a chair. “Go on now, to your room. It’s time for bed.” he instructed, making Grande frown even more.

“Daddy, please.. I wanna be a magician. A real one..” Grande repeated, turning his form around, “I would love that daddy.”

Abrianna frowned, as did Arthur, both looking at each other as Grande left the kitchen, heading to his room. She glanced at the number once more, “I want what makes him happy, but-”

“He is too young for such a thing, to have a job at this age.” Arthur interrupted, frowning. Abrianna nodded and then placed the piece of paper down, onto the counter. Her green eyes lowered, “I know hun, I know.”

Arthur then left the room, going to go to sleep himself. Abrianna was left alone, the phone right next to her. As soon as the bedroom door closed, she drew her attention back towards the number, shutting her eyes. She inhaled, then exhaled, picking it up softly, “Okay, we will give it a chance..” she said to herself, grabbing the telephone from its pedestal. She placed her finger on the circle, spinning it to a number, one after another. Then, with a few rings, she started to tap her nails on the counter.

…..

……

……….

A click, and then a tired voice answered, “Hello?” Abrianna then cleared her throat, swallowing a bit, “Hi, I’m Abrianna Willow, I’ve called to talk about a recent opportunity which was given to my son, Grande.” she explained, sitting down.

With a moment of silence, another voice picked up the phone, “Ah! Hello there Abrianna Willow, I’m Louis! Yes, I did give your son an opportunity, it is a pleasure to talk to you.” Louis answered, smiling on the other line.

“Alright, now, about this opportunity. My husband is really.. nervous as well, so am I. Would you mind if I asked for more details?”

“Not at all Abrianna! Ask away! I have all night!”

“Okay, so, if we were to accept this offer..”

“Grande would be paid, would get more known, and would get his own room and stage! You all could also come by for a tour! I promise, this will be a great decision.”

“Okay, Louis. I will accept this offer but I wish to have a tour of the whole area, with my son and husband of course. I want to see every single thing you have, or it’s not a deal.” Abrianna told Louis, making him chuckle.

“Abrianna, of course! You have the address, so please come by! I promise, you won’t regret this!”

Abrianna let out a sigh, “I better not…”



-September 22, 1963-
-3:00 pm-


The road appeared to never end as they drove, Grande sat in the back seat, face pressed against the window. His brown orbs followed the dirt covered road as they continued towards their destination. Arthur leaned on his elbow, “Alright, so, we’re giving this place a chance?”

“Yes Arthur,” Abrianna replied, “We’re just going to confirm that everything is okay, ya know? Before we agree to anything.”

“Alright love, you are the lady of the house.” Arthur replied.

Along the road, a large, wooden sign was in sight. Along the trees, in the distance, a ferris wheel was visible, as still as a statue. The sounds of music, carnival music, played through the air, drifting like a plague. Grande’s eyes appeared to glow at the sight, his heart starting to beat heavily in his chest. “W-Wow..” he said, in awe.

Abrianna turned left, eventually encountering a metal gate. On the other end, workers carried large planks of wood, some climbed onto rides, fixing them up with large tools.

“Well, at least he gave us the correct address.” Arthur said, relieved. Abrianna opened up her door, walking out onto the dirt road. Grande quickly undid his seatbelt, following in his mother’s path.

She made her way towards the gate, wrapping her fingers around a bar. “Hey! You there! Excuse me!” she called out, catching the attention of a walking worker. His head turned and he raised up his brow, confused.

“We’ve come to see a man called “Louis,” is he here?” Abrianna asked.

The worker nodded, “Yes, I’ll go and get him for you. Come on in!” he gestured for them to walk inside. Abrianna’s right hand wrapped Grande’s left, walking through the opening gate. Arthur followed behind, his eyes traveling over all of the workers and rides.

As they walked, Grande walked through the grass, seeing the large building ahead. The outside, which was a light brown color, had colorful circles around the sides. In the middle of the building, a double door was open, as if calling for him to go inside. Abrianna could only stare as they followed the worker inside, stopping at the hallway.

Inside, the building had beautiful, wooden walls. The wooden floors reflected any image back, as clean as can be. Pictures hung on the walls with clear, flower holding vases below. The place was simply beautiful, at least through Grande and Abrianna’s eyes.

“Oh? They are here?” a voice asked, catching their attention. Down the hallway, the door opened once again, revealing the slightly chubby man, Louis. His outfit was pure leather, blue, and clean. He slowly opened his arms, smiling, “Welcome! I’m glad you could make it!” he said, positive.

Arthur moved towards the side, looking at Louis, “So, ready for the tour?” Louis asked, seeing Grande. Grande, excited, nodded quickly, “I sure am!”


-September 22, 1963-
-5:00 pm-


After a couple hours, the family was once again inside of the building. Louis, after showing them the multiple rides, locations, and booths, finally gestured to them to follow. “Now, it’s time for the building. This building is one of my main attractions here! This is because it is, in a way, a hotel for guests! There’s about a total of ten guest rooms, each with three beds. Bathroom wise, there’s two, but with large stalls. There is also one bedroom upstairs, in the backstage area, which is huge! It has a king sized bed, perfect decorations, and it is all for you!” he pointed at Grande, who had a large smile on his face.

Abrianna and the rest of the family followed. Abrianna opened a bedroom door, looking inside. “Hmmm, this is very home-like..” she whispered to herself, catching Louis’s attention.

“Of course! We try our best to keep our visitors happy!” he explained, “That bedroom can fit about… six people!`

“Hmmm.. well, after being shown around, I suppose we’ll let him get this job! On one condition, allow me to see the backstage area and the stage.” Abrianna told Louis. Grande let out a loud cheer, his arms in the air.

Louis felt hopeful at that point, “Alright, follow me then!” he started down the hallway once again, opening a door which led to stairs. He traveled up them, the sounds echoed as his feet smacked the stairs, reaching the top in a matter of minutes. Grande soon followed, along with Arthur and Abrianna, reaching the very top.

Louis brought his arm towards a large door, “And now, introducing Grande Di Magico!” Louis pushed open the doors, making Grande squeal loudly.

Inside of the room, pink curtains hung from the windows. Rows of chairs circled the stage, each placed down to look neat and cleaned up. Along the center, a red rug went towards the middle of the room, leading right towards the large, beautiful stage ahead.

This is what Grande had wanted to see, for this whole tour. For the first time ever, he can see it, and could finally touch it. Without a single remark, Abrianna let out a sigh, “Okay Louis, this is enough to convince me. Grande is a sweet child, so please, make sure he loves this job.” she told him.

Grande started to tear up, “R-Really?!”

Louis clapped, “Thank you so much Mrs.Willow!” he said, looking down at Grande, “Now, are you ready to become a real magician kiddo!?”

Grande, not wasting a second, quickly hugged his parents, looking at Louis, tears going down his face, “Yes! Yes I am! I’m ready! I’m a magician! A real magician!” he cried out, both Arthur and Abrianna smiling slightly to themselves.

“Okay, make sure he comes back next week.” Louis smiled, messing up Grande’s hair between his fingers.

“That is when everything begins!”



-September 29th, 1963-
-3:04 PM-


A week had passed since he received his job as an official magician. As his father drove up that long, dirt road, Grande could feel his body throb with excitement. One of his biggest dreams came true. Of course, both Abrianna and Arthur knew that Grande had waited this whole week, curious for the future of his own self, and the possibilities for his future.

As they made their way towards that large, visible gate, Grande unbuckled his seatbelt, leaning forward from the back seat. “We’re here!” he laughed, feeling the car come to a stop.

Arthur turned his head slightly, “Indeed, we are! Are you ready Grande?”

“I’m more than ready!” Grande replied, opening the car door. Abrianna let out a soft giggle, watching Grande run up to the gate. “Louis! Louis!” Grande softly grabbed the gate’s bars, hopping a bit as his parents started to exit the vehicle.

“Calm down, Grande. Don’t break the gate now.” Arthur softly chuckled, “Wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Your father’s right Grande, wouldn’t want our big boy to get hurt.” Abrianna said, locking the doors.

Grande gave them a large smile, “Where’s Louis?” he questioned, looking around through the bars. Of course, Louis wasn’t in sight, his car was even gone. Arthur pulled up his sleeve, checking his watch. “Well, he might not be here right now, Grande.” he then pulled his sleeve back down, grabbing Grande’s moving shoulders. Suddenly, the sound of a vehicle pulling in caught their attention, “Or… he could be arriving right after us.” Abrianna could see Grande quickly turn, looking over at the car which just pulled in.

With a grunt, and a loud huff, Louis exited his vehicle. He softly wiped his hands with a rag, tucking it back into his pocket. His eyes scanned the area as he took in the fresh air, “Sorry for the delay, my car wouldn’t start earlier.” he locked his vision on the small family, “With that out of the way, welcome! I’m so very glad to see you all once more! How about we get inside, yes?”

“Louis! I’m an official magician now, right?!” Grande asked, watching Louis walk between them. Abrianna rubbed her arm, “Yes, you are sweetie. You know this, goofball.”
Louis, easily sensing Grande’s excitement, opened the new gate with a bow, “After you, young magician.” he laughed, watching Grande quickly rush ahead of his family. Abrianna, and Arthur, both looked at each other.

“I thank you both for letting me hire your son. I can tell he’s excited for this.” Louis gave them both a soft smile, “Now, come on in, the theme park will be opening soon.” He gestures to the parents to follow him inside, walking right behind Grande.

Abrianna started to reach over, to grab Arthur’s hand, “Sweetie.. I hope we made the right decision.”

“Love, I know we did.” Arthur replied, “Now, come on, I suppose we should follow.”