When it became time for bed, the older sister showed me to my room. She said, “Graziella will be sleeping just down the hallway but I know my sister. If you need an extra blanket, I will be in the bedroom just next to yours. You need only tap on your wall and I will hear you and bring a blanket.” She repeated this so I would understand. Of course both girls spoke perfect English and I had no trouble understanding them.

When the sister retired, I went across the hall to say goodnight to Graziella. She told me she wanted to be a virgin for her marriage, which I respected, even though I was a bit frustrated.

Can you imagine that it was not until the next day on the train back to Milan that I realized what the older sister had been telling me, when she said she knew her sister obviously knowing that I would be frustrated and all I had to do was tap on the wall. How innocent could I have been, or how infatuated with Graziella, or was it a mixture of both? Anyway another friend showed up to see her sister so I may not have missed much after all.

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