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I smile at him and do my best to hold my tears in. “Hello, handsome.” I wink.

His smile grows. “I’d never leave your side if I could, you know that, right?”

He says it quietly, squeezing my hand with the little strength he has left.

My heart breaks. “I know, vita.” My voice is hoarse.

“I’m sorry I’m leaving you.”

A tear falls down his face, and I pull myself closer to him and kiss it away.

“I know you. You’d crawl your way to me barefoot through a desert if it were up to you.” I smile as more tears fall. “You’re stubborn like that.”

He laughs, but it is weaker than usual. It takes him a moment before he speaks again, several slow breaths filling the silence between us. I wait. I don’t finish the sentence for him or tell him to rest, even though every part of me wants to. Whatever he needs to say, I’ll give him all the time he needs to say it.

“I saw a movie once where the angel of death asked a child what he loved most about life.” His hand slowly makes its way to my face. “What do you think I’d tell him?”

I shake my head. “Pizza?”

He laughs.

God, I love that sound.

Then his eyes search mine. “You.”

He stops to catch his breath before continuing. “I’d tell him about the first time I saw you barefoot in your driveway, singing to the stars like you were the only person in the world. Or how your nose scrunches when you see or smell something bad.” His breathing slows him again, but I wait, my hand wrapped around his. “I’d tell him about your scent and the way you light up a room and don’t even know it. I’d tell him about the taste of your mouth and the way my heart rate speeds up with your touch.”

“You flirting with me, Vita? Cause it’s working,” I say between tears.

His mouth curves into a tired smile. “I’d tell him about waking up holding you, cooking with you, dancing in the kitchen and fighting with you.”

“Fighting with me?” I kiss his tears away.

“Yeah. When you’re angry, you’re a sight to see.”

“I love you, Damiano.” My voice cracks. “I’ll never stop loving you.”

“I love you too, Eleonora.” His thumb brushes my cheek. “And I need you to promise me something.”

“No.” I shake my head immediately. “Please, none of that.”

“Don’t let me leave this world without telling you everything I need to.”

His voice is so weak now, so tired, and the words come slowly.

So I wait.

“Okay.” The word hurts coming out, but I owe him this.

He takes his time before continuing. “You’re going to feel lost.” His blue eyes stay locked on mine. “Alone. Angry. Maybe you’ll lose that fire inside you that I love so much.”

His thumb runs slowly across my lower lip. “And that’s okay for a while.”

I close my eyes because I don’t want this conversation. I don’t want this reality. I don’t want a future without him in it.

“But, Vita?”

I force myself to look at him.