Page 253 of Marcello

I kissed her, and she kissed me back.

After a long moment, she pulled away and gazed deep into my eyes. “What’s your real name?”

“Marcello.”

She smiled wistfully. “Hi, Marcello… I’m Laura.”

“Hello, Laura,” I whispered…

And we kissed again.

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Giulietta

Marcello.

His real name felt strange on my lips…

But his kiss was exactly the same.

It was wonderful to hold him and forget all the chaos and horror, if only for a second.

Not only that, but his words still echoed in my mind:

I’m going to marry you.

I knew he meant it, because he always blurted things out when he meant them.

The first time he told me he loved me…

The first time he asked me to move in with him…

And now this.

Joy filled my heart – followed by disbelief.

You want to marry me even when I look like this?! I asked him –

And he smiled and said, More than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life.

I knew he was telling the truth…

And it was the one tiny bit of hope I clung to as I kissed him.

Then he pulled away, and I was back in the nightmare.

“I can’t stay long,” he said as he held out a grocery bag, “but I brought you some things.”

I took the bag and looked inside.

Fruit, nuts, bread, and bottled water.

In that moment, it hit me exactly what my life had been reduced to:

Survival.

He saw the look on my face and hurriedly said, “It’s just till I can get you out of here.”