And you're on fire
When he's near you
You're on fire
When he speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries
("On Fire", Switchfoot)
3. Paradiso
Abigail thinks she may have a bit of a crush on her lecturer. Rose Evans isn't a strikingly beautiful woman, but there's something about her that touches Abigail. She tells herself that she didn't come to Rome to fall in love; and besides, Abigail knows without asking that Rose is as straight as they come.
Rose turns out to be Abigail's thesis advisor, and over coffee and discussions of Dante and Beatrice, Abigail realizes that Rose is living with a broken heart.
Abigail doesn't pry. She values her own privacy too much to disrespect Rose's.
But one night, over too much wine, Abigail says, "It's strange having an English woman teaching Italian literature in Rome."
Rose's smile seems forced. "No stranger than an American doing her dissertation on a dead Italian poet."
Abigail concedes the point.
"But maybe this is purgatory," Rose says, a little softer. In that moment Abigail sees just how broken and fragile Rose is, and feels sudden anger at the man who hurt her friend.
She pulls Rose to her feet and drags her to the kitchen.
"What? Abigail—"
"Don't argue. We're baking."
"Baking? What?"
"Cupcakes."
"Cupcakes?"
"Trust me on this."
Rose looks at her strangely for a moment, then shrugs.
It's nice to hear Rose laugh.
A few weeks after that, Abigail knocks on Rose's door, and can't hide her surprise when she sees a man inside the apartment. One look at Rose is enough to see that she's been crying. Abigail turns to glare at the man.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Abigail, it's all right," Rose says.
"Did he hurt you?" Abigail slips her hand into her pocket, sliding her phone out.
"It isn't what you think." Rose touches Abigail's arm lightly and smiles.
"I can come back later," the man says.
"Or not at all," Abigail mutters.
"No, Harry. Stay. Abigail, I'm sorry. I know we were supposed to meet."
It's only just occurred to Abigail that Rose's smile is real, and she looks happier than Abigail's ever seen her.
"Don't worry." Abigail edges toward the door. "You're in the middle of something."
Abigail never finds out who Harry is, but Rose smiles more in the months after that day. Abigail's almost afraid to ask.
When Rose fails to return from her summer holiday, Abigail realizes she's not surprised. She's worried, until one morning she receives a postcard with the word Paradiso written on the back. There's no other message, but Abigail understands.
Years later, she's walking through Central Park when a couple on a bench catches her eye. Rose's laugh hasn't changed, nor has the way she looks at Harry. Abigail wonders if they're just in her imagination, but then Rose looks her way and smiles.
Abigail raises her hand in a wave. Then she turns and continues walking.
When she gets home, she looks at Rose's postcard, then tears it up and lets the pieces fall into the trashcan. Rose found her paradise; it's time Abigail looks for hers.