Chapter 32

Gianluca and Ignazio received permission to take Piero home, and Piero sent me away to get Ignazio's car, nudging him to give me the keys.

I knew he was making me leave because it would be painful for him to be moved, and he didn't want me to see him in pain. I wanted to stay, but I obediently took the keys and left the room. I fetched the car and drove up to the doors to the hospital, where Ignazio and Gianluca half-dragged, half-carried Piero into the car and laid him in the backseat. He clenched his teeth, held tightly onto the seat, and refused to protest while I was present.

Ignazio said that he would drive Piero home and help him inside, and Gianluca told me he would take me to the theatre to get my car, which was still parked in front. I was nervous to leave Piero, and nervous to return to the theatre, but I agreed. I went to Piero and knelt beside him on the floor of the car and kissed him. I told him the plan, and he begged me to stay with him instead, but when Ignazio reminded him that he'd have to help him into his house, Piero quickly agreed, protecting me from seeing him in pain.

Gianluca took me into his car, and we drove off toward the theatre in the moonless night. The storm was over, and the calm roads leading to the theatre now seemed spooky to me, and Gianluca tried to engage me in conversation to distract me. When that didn't work, he began speaking softly to me, reminding me repeatedly that we were just going to get my car and leave. When we reached the theatre, I hurriedly jumped into my car and followed Gianluca to Piero's house. It was almost three in the morning when we pulled up in front, and I eagerly jumped out the car and dashed up the steps to the front door.

Piero was lying in his armchair, leaning back in it with the footrest up to support his ankle. Ignazio was sitting in a chair a few feet away, talking cheerfully with him. Piero's face was tired and somber, but when I opened the door he smiled and brightened up.

"Mi amor!" he cried, reaching out for me. I went quickly to the arm chair and he put his arm gently around my back and pulled me in for a kiss.

When he finally let me pull away, Gianluca and Ignazio were watching us, smiling, and I blushed. Piero rubbed my back and looked up at me.

"I'm so glad you're here, Julia."

"I'm staying with you tonight," I said firmly to him, "To make sure you're okay."

He grinned and looked over at the boys.

"You guys can go. I've got my Julia to take care of me."

Ignazio laughed and stood up, putting an arm around Gianluca.

"We'll come by in the afternoon to check on you," Gianluca said, and the two came over to hug Piero and me again before leaving. I locked the door behind them and watched them climb into their cars.

Then I returned to Piero, who moved himself carefully to one side of the spacious armchair and reached out to me.

"Come next to me," he pleaded, and I climbed into the chair and reclined beside him, kicking off my shoes and resting my bare feet beside his on the footrest. He moved his arm around me and held me against his side, against his still shirtless chest. I laid my head on his unhurt shoulder and placed my arm gently around his middle, looking up at him.

"Are you okay, Piero?"

"I'm okay. Don't worry about me."

"But I am worried about you."

"I'm okay, Julia."

He looked quietly at me for a moment.

"So…Ray's dead."

I nodded.

"I'm safe now for certain."

He leaned toward me and kissed my temple, then studied my face with a serious expression on his.

"Julia? Are you okay? I feel like everyone's paying too much attention to me and not enough to you. You had quite a traumatic night. Tell me, honestly, are you okay?"

I considered it. I felt safe, and relief at being completely sure that I was. I felt lucky that I hadn't gotten seriously hurt. I was relieved that Piero would be okay. And I was so in love with him, this amazing person who'd risked his life to save mine.

I smiled up at him.

"I'm wonderful, Piero."

He smiled back.

"Yes, you are."

I kissed his neck, and he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as my lips touched him.

"How do you feel?" I asked when I pulled back, looking over his stitches. "Are you in pain?"

"I'm okay. The medicine helped a lot, and Ignazio brought home some more for me. He gestured to the containers on the coffee table.

I nodded, and then looked into his dark eyes, studying him.

"How are you, my soldier?" I inquired of his state of mind.

He smiled.

"Your soldier. I like that. I'm happy, Julia."

He kissed me, and then went on, "I'm happy that you're here. I'm happy you're not hurt. I'm happy you're safe, and I'm happy it's my actions that helped make you that way. I'm happy I kept my promise."

I kissed him, and then noticed a bright light outside the living room window.

"Piero, look!" I whispered in awe, and he turned his head. "The moon is out!"

He smiled, and we both looked up at it in silence. The light inside the house suddenly seemed too bright to me.

I sat up and pulled out of his grip.

"Julia?" he asked pleadingly, reaching out to get me to come back.

"Shhh…" I said soothingly. His eyes followed me as I went to the hall closet and pulled out a blanket, and then went over to the light switch and turned it off. I paused, watching Piero as my eyes adjusted to the dark, and I could see him lying in the armchair, washed in the inviting glow of the moon. I returned to the armchair and he let me remove his glasses and put them on the coffee table. He couldn't see me well anymore without them, but he could feel me as I carefully climbed onto the chair beside him, and he smiled contentedly as he felt me spread the soft blanket over us.

I lay beside him again, and he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close, feeling my body against his side. I tucked my head into the crook of his neck and he kissed the top of my head and leaned his head on mine. I laid my arm cautiously on his side, and he placed his hand over mine and guided my hand to rest across his chest. After only a few minutes his arm holding me tightly against him relaxed as he drifted into sleep.

I raised my head and softly kissed him, then laid my head back on his shoulder. I listened to his quiet breathing and peered up at the way the moonlight graced his beautiful face.

I softly began to sing, "La luna hizo esto…fue culpa de la luna…"