Page 79 of Marcello

“…okay,” I said miserably.

She sat there in silence as I got my suitcase and stuffed my clothes in it.

“Give me the key to the apartment,” she said coldly.

I approached the table and took out my keychain –

The one with the little red cornicello she’d bought me for good luck.

Back when we were happy.

I wondered if maybe the trinket had kept me safe when I’d shot the Camorra drug dealer.

Suddenly, my heart filled with tenderness for Federica.

To be honest, I’d never fallen in love with her – but I cared for her.

And I knew she’d been in love with me, once upon a time.

Back when she’d bought me the cornicello.

It was that girl my heart broke for.

In that instant, I almost cracked.

I came within a hair’s breadth of telling her everything – of spilling my guts –

And then she broke the spell.

“Give me the fucking key,” she seethed.

All the tenderness inside me drained away.

I knew I could never trust my family’s lives with her…

So I hardened my heart.

I took the key off the chain and placed it on the table.

“Now go,” she hissed.

I turned and walked to the door.

All my softer feelings for her were gone…

But she had still meant a lot to me. I felt I should tell her that.

I paused at the door and said over my shoulder, “Thank you for everything you did for me. I really – ”

“Fuck off,” she snarled.

At that, the last ember of kindness inside me died.

My heart was cold as I pulled the door shut behind me.

It had been Marcello who walked into her apartment that night…

…but it was Romeo who walked out.