OFF LIMIT: FOURTEEN NIGHTS WITH MY HUSBAND'S BEST FRIENDS 의 모든 챕터: 챕터 211 - 챕터 220

Chapter 209ElowenLater that evening, after Giuliana had finally fallen asleep surrounded by the clothes and books we'd carefully packed for the hospital, I found myself standing outside Matteo's office.My hand was raised to knock, but I hesitated.This was stupid.This was a conversation that could wait.But I couldn't stop thinking about the look on Giuliana's face when she'd mentioned Marco. The way her voice had gone soft. The way she'd blushed.The way she'd looked heartbroken when she said she'd pushed him away.I knocked before I could talk myself out of it."Come in," Matteo's voice called.I pushed the door open and found him sitting at his desk, papers spread out in front of him, his reading glasses perched on his nose.He looked up and immediately straightened when he saw me."Elowen," he said, standing. "Is everything okay? Is Giuliana...""She's fine," I said quickly. "She's sleeping. I just..." I paused. "Can I talk to you about something?""Of course." He gestured to

Chapter 211ElowenMarco laughed. "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just tall."They fell silent again, but it was a comfortable silence now."I'm sorry," Giuliana said suddenly. "For not... for pushing you away before. When I got sicker. I just didn't want you to have to see me like this. I didn't want you to feel sorry for me."Marco looked at her seriously."I don't feel sorry for you," he said. "I mean, I'm sad that you're sick. But that's different. You're still you, Giuliana. You're still the smartest, bravest person I know. Being sick doesn't change that."Giuliana's eyes filled with tears again."I'm not that brave," she whispered. "I'm scared all the time.""Being brave means being scared and doing it anyway," Marco said. "My dad told me that once. And you're about to do this treatment thing, even though you're scared. That's brave."He was quoting almost exactly what I'd told Giuliana just yesterday.Wise kid."Will you..." Giuliana hesitated. "Will you come visit me again? While I'm do

Chapter 213"No," Giuliana said, reaching for his hand. "It's perfect. It's the most perfect thing anyone's ever given me."Marco relaxed slightly. "Really?""Really," she confirmed. "Can I keep it?""Of course," Marco said. "I drew it for you."He carefully tore the page out of his sketchbook and handed it to her.Giuliana held it like it was made of gold."Will you help me hang it up?" she asked. "Where I can see it?""Sure," Marco said.He found some tape and hung the drawing on the wall across from her bed, right in her line of sight.When he was done, Giuliana studied it."That's how I want to feel," she said quietly. "Like I'm winning. Like I'm strong enough to fight.""You are strong enough," Marco said firmly. "You're the strongest person I know.""You keep saying that," Giuliana said."Because it's true," Marco said. "You want to know something?""What?""When kids at school found out I was visiting you, some of them said I shouldn't. That it would be too sad. That I should j

Chapter 215Elowen Giuliana noticed too."Uncle Kian," she said. "Come here."Kian turned back, his eyes red, and moved to the bed.Giuliana held out her free hand to him.He took it, and she pulled him down so she could whisper something in his ear.I saw his face crumble completely.When he straightened, he nodded at whatever she'd said."I promise," he said hoarsely. "I promise.""What did she say?" I asked.Kian looked at me with such raw emotion that it stole my breath."She asked me to take care of you," he said. "If the news is bad. She asked me to make sure you're okay. You and him." He nodded towards Matteo who raised his head confused."Giuliana..." I started."Just in case, Mama," she said. "Just in case."I couldn't speak.Couldn't breathe.Could only hold her hand and try not to break apart completely. ......Two hours had never felt so long and so short at the same time.We tried to distract ourselves.Marco drew. Giuliana dozed. Matteo paced.Kian stood at the window,

Chapter 127Elowen "How do you know about that?" I asked carefully."I heard you leave," she said. "And then I heard Papa leave too, a few minutes later. And you were both gone for a long time."She was watching me with those too-knowing eyes."We just needed some air," I said. "And to talk about... about things.""What things?""Giuliana...""Did you kiss him?"The question hit me like a physical blow."What? No. I..." But I couldn't lie to her. Not when she was looking at me like that. "Why would you ask that?""Because you're both different now," Giuliana said. "Since that night. You look at each other differently. Papa smiles more when you're around. And you get all pink when he touches your hand."I stared at her, speechless."I'm eight, not blind," she said, sounding far too much like a teenager. "So did you kiss him or not?"I took a breath."Yes," I admitted quietly. "We did. But Giuliana, it was complicated. We were both upset and scared and...""Do you love him?" The questi