Page 367 of Marcello

A bittersweet pang shot through my heart.

At the end of the atrium, I followed a group of tourists up a small set of stairs into a dimly lit antechamber –

And from there, into heaven itself.

The main room looked like a small cathedral. The arched ceiling was covered with old, beautiful paintings, and a magnificent chandelier dangled high overhead.

There were mahogany cabinets and counters on both sides of the room, with hundreds of beautifully lit glass bottles on display. Employees in suits and dresses helped dozens of customers milling around.

And the smell!

The air was layered with dozens of beautiful scents: citrus, bergamot, sandalwood, cedar, cinnamon, musk. Instead of it being chaotic, they all seemed to complement each other in a gorgeous medley.

I stood there in awe, taking it all in –

When I heard a familiar voice behind me.

“Ciao, Biondina.”

Hello, Blondie.

My eyes welled up with tears.

Relief –

Happiness –

And heartache.

I turned around –

But my mind couldn’t quite grasp what I saw.

Yes, it was Giorgio –

The same incredibly handsome face with that charming, lopsided grin –

But in a way I’d never seen him before.

The tailored black suit, the white dress shirt –

Gone.

Instead, he wore jeans with loafers, a pale green shirt, and a camel-colored cardigan.

I stared at him in shock.

I had never seen him ‘out of uniform’ before – not unless he was naked –

And something inside me instinctively grasped what his new clothes meant.

“…are you…” I whispered, afraid to say the words. “…are you really…”

He smiled. “I’m out. For good.”

I immediately burst into tears.

Just sobbing.