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The next day Truly woke up refreshed and ready to go, until she remembered what she had done the day before. That whole situation really put a damper on her day. However her mood rose once again when she someone knocked on her door and handed her a letter from Virginia.
“Milo! Your letter finds me in great need of…your letter!” said Truly out loud to anyone who cared to hear. That meant no one since she was alone in her room. She impatiently ripped open the envelope, tearing it clean in half in a very unladylike fashion.

Dear Truly,
I just got your letter the other day. I am starting to hate over seas mail, we would probably be better off e-mailing. Oh well, this is more fun. So how are things? Your last letter said you were seeing all the sights like a good little tourist. Have you made any friends yet? I know that wan next on your list. I don’t envy you one bit. Being alone in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language sounds like the last thing I want to do. However you always were more outgoing than me, so I guess it makes sense. I admire your courage, or stupidity. It could be defined as either one.
So it’s hot here. Summer is awful, I hate the humidity. I am sure you’re getting some great Mediterranean weather out there, I do envy that. Everything here is gross. Mom misses you, I can tell. She never says it out right, but I can just tell. She will randomly say in the middle of a unrelated conversation things like “I wonder what Truly is doing.” Or ask me things like “oh Milo, what time would it be for Truly right now? I can never remember if she is 8 hours ahead or behind us.” Its funny, I always call her out on it and she just goes into denial.
That boy keeps coming by asking for you. He has come three times this week; I swear you pick the worst guys. I have told him every time this week that you are spending the summer in Italy. He seems to think that I am hiding you, not telling you that he is looking for you. Why would I ever do that? I try to stay miles away from your boy drama, nothing could interest me less. However I guess I am no better than him, I still cant for the life of me remember his name. I think it starts with a J. He introduces himself every time he comes too. I guess it’s just not a name that’s going to stick in my brain and I should just accept it.
Work sucks, in case you were wondering. Since they are closing the Giant, I am going to be out of work at about the time you get back anyway, so I should not complain. At least there is an end in sight. I can’t believe you saved enough money to go to Italy working here, I can’t even afford gas half the time.
Susan and Lloyd say hi. Susan wanted me to tell you something bout bringing her back an Italian boy and Lloyd did not say much of anything as usual.
Life sucks without you, it’s really boring. Hope Italy does not blow.
Peace,
Milo

For being an English major, Milo still used phrases like “peace” as a salutation. However this was fine by her, this meant that Truly never had to worry that much about her letters sounding too intellectual to impress the big bad English major. Sometimes she felt like he spelled words wrong on purpose to take the pressure off her. She missed her brother. Letters came very infrequently and were never long enough. She wished he could have come with her, but he lacked the desire and the family lacked the money. With a sigh, Truly stood up off her bed and looked around, thinking of what she should wear. She pulled on one of her many dresses, this one red, the bottom coming to her knees are trimmed in gold. She was not so sure if that shade of red went well or clashed with her hair, but that had never stopped her before from wearing anything. She always said that you can wear anything as long as you wear it with conviction, your head held high. After applying a little make up, she pulled out a piece of her stationary and sat down to reply to Milo’s letter.

Dear Milo,
I got your letter today; it was a most welcomed surprise. I was in great need of hearing from someone familiar; I made a huge ass of myself yesterday. OH, but before that happened, I guess I should tell you what happened to me the day before that. I got hit by a car. I am fine, but I had an out of body experience, it was so weird. At the time I was terrified, but now I think it’s a little cool. You should write a book about that, it seems right up your alley.
So anyway I got hit, this sad looking French guy came up and saved me and I am not friends with the driver that hit me. I know, sounds strange, but it’s really not. I can’t really describe it now, I will have to tell you about it later when I get home. So yesterday I went to thank the French guy and I accidentally brought up marriage. He then told me his wife is dead, and I had just been talking about love in this romantic city. I hate myself. I wanted to die; it looks like he wants to kill me too. So that’s my life at the moment. I am going to figure out this guy’s life story if it’s the last thing I do. I know what you are going to say, don’t meddle, but I can’t help it. You know how I am, once I see someone I want to know, I till do anything to know them. It’s my curse.
So if you want Jason to leave you along, ya his name is Jason, just tell him I am hi Rome trying to seduce an older man with great success. Defiantly not true, but you tell him that and I am sure that will shock him out of his stupidity. Hopefully.
Don’t worry, that old dump of a grocery store will be closed soon enough and you will be free. I wish you were here.
Love,
Truly
~

Truly, handed her letter to the concierge on her way out of the hotel. It was a bright sunny day, as usual, and the city was hustling and bustling around her. Henri was in his usual place, looking his usual way. Knowing that he was never going to invite her to sit down, she strode right on over. Surprisingly, he spoke first.
“Oh now, look who has come back, the queen of pleasant conversations. What are you going to ask me about today, how many life threatening surgeries I have had, or the number of my pets that have died and how?”
Truly was shocked, this was the most she had ever heard him speak all at one time. His sarcasm made her want to laugh, but he was not smiling, so she held it in. “I came over to apologies for that actually. I don’t know what I was thinking, I was just really curious about why you looked so down all the time. That’s all.”
“Oh great, your curious,” he said, still no smile, “that’s just what I need. I am a 54 year old man, just trying to get away from life completely and now I have a 16 year old kid following me around because she is curious.”
“Hey, I’m 20 and I’m not a kid. Listen, I was just trying to be nice and apologies for yesterday. And seriously, if you were sitting where I have been sitting all week and saw yourself, you would be curious too. You look like you want to kill yourself. I am alone in a foreign country for the first time ever and the only friend I have made is the girl who hit me with her car. Give me a break.” Feeling like this little interchange had loosened up their relationship; she sat heavily in the chair opposite his and gave him a glare. “So, wanna tell me why you always look like the world is ending? You are not getting out of this so easily. All your insults did was make me more interested. Spill.”
Henri was staring at her the whole time, eyes wide in amazement as if no one her age had ever talked to him like that before. Finally, his back broke out in a smile. It looked a little awkeard, like he had not used those muscles in a long time. However, despite this it changed this entire appearance. His shoulders relaxed from their formerly tight positions as he leaned back in his chair. His face was a million times brighter than she had ever seen it. He did not even look like the same man. His hair no longer looked like it hung limp in front of his eyes, once he sat up straight it moved out of the way to reveal his handsome features. She noticed that he had blue eyes. She finally relaxed and smiled back. She mentally patted herself on the back for this miraculous break through.
“So, stalker girl, I suppose the only way to make you leave me alone is to give you some information, am I right?” Henri picked up his glass of white wine and swirled it in his glass before taking a sip. It was the first time she had seen him actually drink what was in front of him.
“That’s right, tell me one thing and I will leave you alone. Tell me why you always look so sad. Oh, and my name is Truly, remember?” Truly leaned in a little closer, getting ready for the answer she was expecting. His wife was dead, that had to be the reason.
“And I am Henri with the silent H, just like me. Yes I remember. Well Truly, you actually had it right, you don’t need me telling you.” His eyes got a far away look in them and he looked sad again, looking back at his hands. “I really am going to kill myself because I am the reason my wife is dead.”
Truly did not know what to say. How do you respond to something like that? Her smile and excitement vanished without a trace and her face got serious like Henri’s. What did he mean kill himself? Surly not to actually kill himself. Why would he tell her that? She did not like this joke, it was in no way funny. “That’s not funny, use another figure of speech,” said Truly softly.
“Who’s laughing? I have never been more serious in my entire life.”
“Why are you telling me this, don’t you think I will try to stop you?”
“You don’t even know me. After you leave here, you are never going to come over here again. Why would you bother with a crazy guy who is going to kill himself?”
“You think you are such a great judge of character don’t you?”
“I just think I know your type, that’s all. Now go along to your hotel, I gave you what you wanted to hear; now you have to leave. It was part of the deal. Have a nice vacation.” With that, Henri did not wait for Truly to leave. He left himself. He stood up, put a few euros on the table next to his unfinished glass of wine and walked away from the table. Truly did not even watch him go, she just stared straight ahead at the chair he had been sitting in. she put her head down on the table, her red curls splayed everywhere.
“He is not kidding,” she thought, “how can he talk to talk so conversationally about death?” That night Truly lied awake in bed and thought of death. She thought about dying, about life leaving your body and fading away. What happened to you then? Where did your soul go? She found it hard to grasp that you just disappeared, that all your thoughts and memories are just gone after you die. She pictured death like a black hole that you get sucked into, that you never return from. She had had a great life so far; she had accomplished so much and had so much to look forward to. She could not imagine ending her own life, cutting it short before she got to experience any more. Sure, Henri said he was 54, but that was not old. He had so much more life ahead of him. She knew nothing about him but she knew that he had to have something to life for. He said he was the reason his wife was dead. Obviously he had not killed her on purpose or he would be in jail. She had to know more. Sure his love was dead, but he had to have others in his life worth staying around for. Everyone did, she thought. She had Milo and her mother. She had her friends Susan and Lloyd. Who did he have? She did not sleep at all that night but lied with her eyes wide open contemplating death. It was a long night.