Page 7 of Marcello

“I suggest you find your own Virgil in Naples, someone who can guide you.

“Even though he entered Hell, Dante was still alive. I suggest you consider yourself to already be dead… a departed soul whose only aim is to make sure your family remains safe.

“That might make it easier for you when you inevitably have to make some… unpleasant choices in the underworld of the Camorra.”

When I didn’t say anything, Fausto flapped his hand dismissively. “Go on. You have a train to catch.”

2

When I left Florence, all I had was a suitcase and a laptop. The mafia asshole who drove me back to my dorm didn’t give me much time to pack, so I just stuffed as many clothes as I could into a bag.

My roommate wasn’t around when I left, so I wrote him a note:

Had to leave town. I won’t be back.

Take whatever stuff of mine you want and throw the rest away.

Marcello

Since it was a dorm room, he wasn’t responsible for my half of the rent. All he had to do was tell the university I’d skipped town, so I wasn’t concerned about leaving him in the lurch.

And while it would piss me off to lose my friends at university, I wasn’t that torn up about it. They were mostly just drinking buddies.

I’d broken up with my girlfriend two weeks ago after only dating for a couple of months. We hadn’t spoken since, so that was no big deal.

It was losing Mama, Gemma, and Edoardo that killed me.

Fausto had agreed I could send one email. Once I was aboard the train, I connected to my new iPhone as a hot spot. During the three-hour trip from Florence to Naples, I stared at my laptop and tried to figure out what to say.

Hi Mama,

Guess what? You weren’t the only one Papa screwed over.

A mafia thug said I had to leave town or he’d kill you, Gemma, and Edoardo.

See you one day… hopefully.

That was the gallows humor version I didn’t write.

There were a thousand other variations I eventually decided against.

In the end, as the train was approaching Naples, I finally settled on what I wanted to say.

Hi Mama,

I got into some trouble and had to leave Florence.

You can’t help me, so don’t bother trying.

I don’t have my phone anymore, so there’s no point calling.

And I won’t be answering any emails.

Just know I love you.

Tell Gemma and Edoardo I love them, too.

Marcello