B2. Romeo & Juliet: Part 4

Chapter 7: One Night Only

Romeo's hands were bleeding by the time he reached Juliet's balcony. He'd climbed too fast, too carelessly. His last night in Verona would be with his wife.

Juliet pulled him through the window the moment he reached the top.

"You're bleeding," she said, taking his hands.

"It's nothing."

"It's not nothing. Sit." She pushed him onto her bed and grabbed a cloth from her table. She pressed the cuts on his palms, her touch gentle. "You need to be more careful." Then, Juliet cried uncontrollably. "Tonight is all we have, isn't it? Tomorrow you will go to Mantua. And I will be left all alone!"

She walked to the window. She looked out at the dark city. "I want to run away. Tonight. Right now. We could steal horses. Be gone before anyone notices."

"We could do that."

They held each other at the window, watching the stars. Time passed slowly and too quickly at the same time.

"Tell me something happy," Juliet said eventually.

Romeo thought. "Alright. In ten years, we'll live by the sea. A small house. Nothing fancy. We'll have three children—"

"Three?"

"Maybe four."

"Four!" Juliet laughed.

"Four children who don't know anything about feuds or fighting. They'll grow up free. Happy. And every night, you and I will sit on our porch and watch the sunset. And I'll still think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Juliet was crying now. "That sounds perfect."

Dawn came too soon. Juliet woke first. She hadn't really slept—just drifted in and out, afraid to miss a single moment. Romeo was still sleeping.

She tried to memorize everything. The way his hair fell across his forehead. The scar on his chin she'd never noticed before. The sound of his breathing. She wanted to remember it all.

Romeo's eyes opened slowly. "Good morning, wife."

"Not yet. It's still dark."

"Juliet—"

"Listen." She covered his mouth with her hand. A bird called outside. "That's the nightingale! So it's still night."

Romeo gently moved her hand away. "No, that's the lark, my love. The time has come for me to go."

Romeo got up slowly, delaying the inevitable. Romeo dressed while Juliet watched from the bed. Every movement felt wrong, as if he was walking out of her life forever.

At the window, they stood together one last time.

"I'll write to you," Romeo said. "Every day."

"I'll write back."

"And as soon as it's safe—"

"You'll come back."

"Or you'll come to me."

"Yes."

Romeo kissed her one last time. Long and desperate. When he pulled away, both of them felt sick with fear, their future now dark and unclear.

"I love you more than life itself," he said.

Romeo climbed out the window. At the bottom, he looked up. Juliet watched him, her face white in the early light.

"You look like a ghost," he called up softly.

"So do you."

A cold feeling settled over both of them. Romeo raised his hand in farewell and disappeared into the unknown.

Chapter 8: Juliet's Impossible Choice

That evening, Juliet had a new problem. Juliet's parents wanted her to marry a rich man named Count Paris within a few days. Her parents didn't know she was already married to Romeo!

The thought of marrying someone she did not love made Juliet feel ill. She had to find a way to join Romeo.

That night, Juliet searched for Friar Lawrence for help. Her horse ran quickly through the heavy mist, and it was difficult to see.

She finally found the priest at the old church. Juliet told him everything that had happened. She begged for him to think of a way for her to be with Romeo. The Friar thought deeply, and then made a plan.

They walked into the basement of the church. Their echoing footsteps were drowned out by the sound of rain outside.

In the basement, the priest went to a cabinet and pulled out a small bottle.

"I have a daring plan," said the priest. He gave Juliet a special potion. "Drink this potion the night before your wedding to Paris. You'll go into a very deep sleep."

"What will happen to me?" she said.

"Your body will become cold and stiff. For 42 hours your family will think you're dead!"

He continued, "Then, they'll put your body in the Capulet tomb."

"What about Romeo?"

"I'll send a message to Romeo explaining the plan. Only he will know you are not truly dead. Romeo will go to the tomb and he will be there waiting for you when you wake up!"

For the first time in days, Juliet smiled. She imagined being with Romeo again.

Friar Lawrence said, "And then promise me this. Together, you'll run away far from here. You two are too good for this world."

Juliet was nervous, but she trusted the priest. "I promise," she said, and put the potion in her bag. She hugged the priest and left the church.

The Capulet house was full of noise. Everywhere Juliet looked, people were preparing for tomorrow's wedding. Her wedding. To Paris.

Servants rushed past carrying flowers and wine. Musicians practiced in the great hall. Her mother's voice echoed through the corridors, giving orders. "More candles! Better food! Everything must be perfect!"

Perfect. Juliet almost laughed.

"Juliet!" Her mother appeared at her door. "Why aren't you dressed? Paris's family will be here soon for the feast!"

"I'm not hungry, Mother."

"Not hungry?" Lady Capulet walked into the room. "This is your wedding celebration! You must come down. Paris wants to see you."

"I have a headache. Please, I need to rest."

Her mother's eyes narrowed. "You've been difficult all week. But tomorrow, you will smile. You will marry Paris. And you will be grateful."

"Yes, Mother."

Lady Capulet closed the door hard and left. Juliet waited until her mother's footsteps faded, then pulled out the small bottle from her bag. The potion.

She sat on her bed and held the bottle. The liquid was a strange color. Juliet was scared.

Then, she imagined waking up in the tomb and seeing Romeo there. "This is for you, my love," she whispered. "I love you more than the heavens and the earth."

Below, she could hear the wedding guests arriving. Music and laughter filled the air. Paris's voice floated up—talking about tomorrow, about their future together.

Juliet took a deep breath, and then drank the potion. It tasted bitter. As she swallowed, she felt cold all over. Her eyes got heavy. She lay down. Her last thought before the darkness took her was: Romeo. Please be there. Please.

As the priest foretold, sweet Juliet's skin turned white and her lips turned blue. Her body became cold and stiff.