NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 25

"Mark?" Randall asked. "Who's Mark?"

"What?" the girl blinked blankly, trying to wake up.

"You called me Mark right now."

"What? No, that's ridiculous. I was asleep. I don't know who I was talking to. It was a dream. I wasn't talking to you."

Randall frowned. "I woke you, and you called me Mark."

"Me?... Randall, I just..."

"Come on, don't explain." He pushed her lightly on the shoulder. "Grab your bag. We're here."

It confused Anna. She could not remember the dream, but it was so awkward that she called Randall the name of her ex. Good thing he dropped the conversation. She didn't have a good excuse at the moment.

They got off the bus, and Lecco appeared before their eyes—the most picturesque city of Lombardy. It was located right on the lakeshore and looked like a fragment from a fairy tale. They stood admiring the Alps' magnificent foothills, Lake Como with its emerald water, and the surrounding resort towns' breathtaking landscapes.

"That way!" you could only envy Bernardo's energy.

He threw himself into the arms of a stout woman with a careworn face and spruced hair.

"Guys, it's Marla! Marla—guys!" Bernardo introduced. "She'll help us. Thanks, honey!" and he hugged and kissed the woman again.

"I thought he said he didn't know her personally," Anna whispered in Randall's ear.

"It's fine, beautiful. What are you saying." He smiled. "I'll go hug Marla, too."

He wrapped his arms around Marla with the same enthusiasm, receiving them both with due attention, not surprised. That could not be said about Anna.

"And this is Anna, my friend," Randall said. "Anna, go give Marla a hug!"

"Me? What?" startled the girl, but Marla herself took the initiative and, continuously murmuring something sweet in Italian, embraced and kissed Anna all over her face.

They are all so... open-minded in Italy!

"Come on, come on!" said Marla, finally releasing Anna. "That's close place. Very close mi apartment! A nice caldo apartment to friends! Bene! Bene! Very good!"

They went to the house of a woman, telling the boys something briskly on the go. Anna understood nothing, so she simply preferred to look at nature.

They got to the place quickly, and in a few minutes, the hostess had already placed them on the couch and served tea.

She was a sturdy, beautiful woman in her thirties. Anna later learned that she was divorced and lived in this house with four children and two dogs. She made her living cleaning houses for rich people and sometimes hosted passing-by tourists. She did not take the company's money, saying that they were friends of her good friends, and from friends, she never took a dime.

After a festive get-together exclusively in Italian, Marla showed guests to separate rooms. Bernardo was placed in a large spacious hall with children and for Anna and Randall hostess, courteously not asking any additional questions, allocated space for guests, and retired to her bedroom.

As soon as Anna spotted the bed, she collapsed on it in exhaustion.

"Don't even think about it," Randall's voice came from behind. "We're going to have hot, incessant sex all night. Undress."

"You're out of your mind, Randall!" Anna hissed. "We were allowed to spend the night. It's not a motel for you, do not even thi..."

Her mouth was immediately covered with a kiss. She was about to have a hot, very hot end to the already hot day.