Temporary Home

Ludwig looked up at the people in front of him. The man and woman were smiling sweetly but he had been in the program long enough to know that that really meant nothing. He tried to smile back at them and not let his inner feelings show through.

"We're so happy to have you here Ludwig. We were very sad last month when our last foster child was transferred to a new family..."

I'll bet you did. I wonder if you don't get money when you don't have a foster child at the time.

"Well now would you like us to give you the tour of the house?"

No I want to do things for myself. I've been alone long enough to do that.

"Come on Ludwig we'll show you around."

The woman tried to take his hand but he slipped it behind his back.

"I can find my room on my own. I presume that you've gotten it ready for me?"

The woman looked slightly flustered at his refusal for help but her cheery smile quickly slipped onto her face again.

"Of course you can dear. Just let us know if you need anything, ok?"

Ludwig just nodded and headed up the stairs with his small bag of clothes and personal belongings he had been allowed to keep...and that hadn't been pawned off by past foster parents.

~TH1~

It was a barbecue with friends of his newest foster parents. They were all fawning over him like he was some sort of pitiful puppy.

"Poor thing." A woman remarked shaking her head, "His parents were probably terrible to him."

"Lucky he has Mark and Judy now."

"Yes they'll take good care of him...just like they did with the other foster children."

"Poor things must have been sad to be taken from such a nice home."

Ludwig rubbed at the hidden bruise on his shoulder.

Yes they were probably 'heartbroken' to be leaving Mark and Judy.

He was conscious suddenly of Mark's eyes on him. Their outward appearance was friendly but Ludwig caught the hidden suspicion and coldness. Their shadowed glare conveyed perfectly his thoughts.

"Tell anyone about the bruises and you'll wish you had never been taken from your actual parents."

Ludwig nodded his understanding of the unspoken message and Mark's eyes seemed to flash in triumph.

"So Ludwig how do you like your new home?"

He turned to the voice and smiled at the older woman.

"It's nice, but I don't expect to be here long."

He tried to ignore the gasps from the busy body women around him and the hissed intake of breath from Judy.

The older woman just looked at him and smiled. Unlike the others she hadn't reacted quite as shocked at the statement.

"And why do you feel that way dear?"

Ludwig blinked at her and smiled. Actually...truly...smiled.

"Because it's just a temporary home. I don't belong here. It's nice but, it's just a small stop on the way to where I really belong."

Again there were more gasps and he heard the crunch of a soda can as it was squeezed in a fist. He knew he would pay for his statement when all the guests were gone but he didn't care anymore. This woman seemed to actually want to know the truth. Actually wanted to know how he felt about the system.

The woman patted his head gently and pulled something from her pocket.

"An honest answer like that deserves a lollipop. Here you go."

Ludwig stared at the gift before an overly cheery voice came from behind him.

"Well that's very kind of you Juliet. Accept the gift Ludwig. Go on. Thank Mrs. Vargas for her kind gift."

Judy squeezed his arm...could anyone else see that her nails dug in too far?

Ludwig stretched out his hand and took the lollipop. He stared at it for a few moments before he found the number written on it.

He looked back up at Juliet Vargas.

"Thank you maam."

She smiled at him brightly.

"It's a mystery flavor so you should eat it now and tell me what it is."

She winked at him.

He understood instantly and unwrapped the lollipop hastily, popping the treat in his mouth and pocketing the wrapper.

"It's watermelon." He said around the candy.

Mrs. Vargas smiled brightly.

"That was my daughter's favorite flavor next to pasta."

A sad look crossed her face briefly and she wrung her hands absentmindedly.

Ludwig gave her a puzzled look but didn't ask for a better explanation.

~TH2~

(9 years earlier)

Rosaline Vargas stared at the tiny room in the halfway house. It was certainly not what she had expected. And not what she was used to at all. But what else could she have possibly done?

She went over to the rain streaked window and let out a slight gasp of pain as a broken shard of glass on the sill sliced into her palm. She brought the cut to her lips and let the tears fall down her face as the memories came back.

The pain of the man taking her in that alley. She had been a fool to go into it...but the little kitten had looked so precious. The terror she had felt in her chest when the doctor had told her she was expecting twins. The sting of the slap on her cheek when she had refused an abortion. The blood and screams of the delivery in the back of her car.

But all of it could be pushed aside...gently brushed away by the newborn cries of the beautiful little girls. By the feel of their tiny hands wrapping around her fingers. Their big, bright eyes staring up at her, one with auburn brown like her hair, the other with emerald green. She loved their laughter and their tantrums. Their smiles seemed to make even the cloudiest day shine. Never would she have traded this for all the riches that her parents had provided. Never.

A sudden cry from the bed made her turn.

Her younger girl, Feliciana, had managed to grab a handful of her sister's hair and was yanking none too gently. Lovina, therefore, was letting out the most painful screams while tears gushed down her puffy cheeks.

Rosaline's heart broke at the sight of her little girl sobbing on the grimy bed covers. She went over and gently but forcefully pried Feli's fingers from her sister's hair before picking up both distressed girls. She rocked them as tears poured down her face.

"Shh my little angles...don't cry anymore."

She raised her head to the leaking ceiling and let out a pleasant sigh.

"This is just a temporary home. It's not where we'll be staying forever. It's not..." she choked a bit before continuing, "It's not where we belong. We'll be on our way soon to the place where we should be. The place where we'll be wanted and loved. I promise you I'll get us there...somehow."

She looked down once more to find both her babies asleep with happy little smiles on their faces. She felt the tears coming again as she bent her head to kiss their soft hair.

"I promise."

~TH3~

Serafino Vargas looked up at the ceiling of the hospital room with tears in his eyes. He had wronged so many people in his life and yet...and yet here were all these tear streaked faces around him. Sobbing at his nearing death.

He looked over at his younger granddaughter with her arms wrapped around her slightly hysterical mother.

"Really Rosa if your mother could see you right now..."

Juliet looked over her hands at her withered father.

"Oh papa how could you be making jokes at a time like this?"

"Very easily my dove."

He turned away from his family to suffer a coughing fit, but then turned back to his girls.

Rosaline I want to apologize.

"For what Papa?"

"For what?...Hah you think you can pretend not to know...but you know well what I mean."

Rosaline rung her hands in distress and Feliciana took them gently to calm her.

"I was wrong to kick you out of the house. I was...I was wrong to even insist you get an abortion. I mean...just look at these two beautiful women."

Rosaline smiled and turned to the two girls.

"They're just like their grandfather."

"No they're just like their grandmother...and like you."

Serafino held out his arms and his daughter fell into his arms careful not to crush him.

"My dove still acts like a hurt little girl. But you're such a fine woman. I couldn't be more proud."

Rosaline clung to him for awhile longer before she kissed his forehead gently and stepped away.

Serafino waited for her to take her place back near Feliciana before he turned to his elder granddaughter.

"Lovina."

The young woman stepped forward trying hard to hide the tears that pricked at her eyes. She clutched tightly to the hand of her little daughter. Roslyn was not trying to hide her sobs at all. She was young but she knew what was going to happen to her great grandfather and it hurt her small heart so much.

As the elderly man held his arms out, she broke free from her mother's grasp and ran into them sobbing and hiccupping.

"Abuelo! Abuelo! Don't die! Please! PLEASE!"

Serafino smiled sadly and rubbed the little girl's back with his weak, tired hands.

"Shhh Rosa...shhh principessa...we'll see each other again...I'm sure of it. This life is just temporary. A temporary home."

Lovina finally managed to firmly pry her daughter away from the old man and steered her into the comforting arms of her father.

Antonio held his precious child to his chest and shushed her as best he could.

Lovina smiled sadly at them before turning to her grandfather and taking his offered hand.

"Lovina...ever since your sister brought you with her to meet me 7 years ago...you've been my constant reliance. Your wit has kept my mind working and your attitude has been a constant annoyance that gave me something to worry about."

He gave a slight chuckle at the flustered blush that appeared on the young woman's cheeks at the last remark.

"But you've also been the one to care for me when no one else would. You're the one that tried to convince your grandmother to take me back. For that I'll always be indebted to you...even though my stubborn angel refused point blankly.

He chuckled again at the thought of his ex-wife standing in his doorway with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face as she called him an idiotic old fool for even considering that she might be persuaded to come back.

"You get that side from her I guess."

Lovina couldn't stop the sad smile that caught the sob lodged in her throat as at last she let the pent up tears flow freely.

"Oh grandfather."

She let her head fall onto his chest. "You're a stubborn old fool too."

"I know my dear. I know."

Lovina composed herself enough to kiss his forehead.

"I'll miss you nonno."

"It's not forever child. Ci incontreremo di nuovo."

Lovina smiled down at him one final time before walking...a little hastily...back into the waiting arms of her husband and child.

Antonio slipped his daughter into her mother's arms so he could go over to the bed and shake the hand of the man who had helped him win the heart of his amado."

"I owe my happiness to you sir. You will be missed."

Serafino looked at the young man with a smile.

"You take good care of my headstrong grandchild Antonio. You're a good man."

The Spaniard bowed his head in respect and released the hand.

"I will sir. And our children. We've...we've decided to name the baby Serafino."

The old Italian gave a soft sigh.

"I'm not sure I deserve that honor but...thank you. And tell your mother that I'll forever be grateful to her for taking my Rosaline into her home and getting her back on her feet. She did what I was too stubborn and prideful to do. I'm forever in her debt. "

Antonio nodded, "I'll tell her sir." and turned back to his family. His beautiful feisty wife, his little bright eyed girl, and their unborn son.

Serafino watched the tender display for a few moments before turning to the last of his family in the room.

"Feliciana."

The usually high spirited and bouncy young woman went to him with far too many tears in her eyes. Her twin sons followed after her looking equally upset and clinging to each other's hands for emotional support.

Serafino smiled at them and held out his arms.

The boys ran into them and nearly crushed his fragile body with their hugs.

"Ah not so tight my boys."

He looked at them with as much love as he could and ruffled their dirty blond hair.

"I wish I could have stayed in this life longer to see you two grow up into fine young men."

The two boys began sobbing again and clutched at his hands.

"Don't leave us yet Opa...you had promised to tell us more stories."

Serafino looked at Lorenzo, the older twin, and smiled sadly.

"You'll have to hear my Italian Mafia story from your grandmother. I told it to her all the time when she was a child."

Rosaline smiled a bit at that and nodded.

Laszlo squeezed his great grandfather's hand and looked at him with swollen eyes and puffy cheeks.

"I love you Opa. Don't leave yet...please?"

Serafino smiled sadly and ruffled the boy's hair again."

"It's time for me to go home my boy. To my real home."

Laszlo nodded biting his lip before he gave his grandfather another big hug. His brother joined in, sobbing hysterically, before they released him and walked back over to their father slowly.

Ludwig wrapped them in a comforting hug as he looked over at his wife who had taken her grandfather's slowly chilling hand.

Feliciana couldn't find any words to say as she looked into the eyes of the man that had thrown her mother out because of her choice...who had lost his angel wife because of this action...but who had recognized herself instantly as being his daughter's child. This was the man that had spoken sense into Ludwig, that had acted like a true father figure to him, that had given advice on dating and helped pick out the ring. He was the man that had given both her and Lovina away, and had cried during their first dance with their husband's.

She squeezed his hand and just stood with tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Feliciana, don't cry Bambino. You're cheerful smile is all I need right now."

Feliciana let out a choked laugh and rubbed her eyes with her free hand as she allowed her usual smile to return.

"That's better." Serafino smiled in return, before breaking into a fit of coughing.

Feliciana didn't let her smile drop but she looked at him with worried eyes.

"Nonno?"

"It's almost time child. I can almost see god's light shining down on me...calling me home."

Feliciana let out another choked sob and brought his hand up to her face to kiss it.

"Nonno...thank you for everything you did for me in my difficult teenage years. Thank you for being a father to Ludwig. Grazie...grazie...grazie..." she let her voice slip into a whisper as the moist tears overtook her.

Serafino reached up and brought her close to him to kiss both her cheeks.

"You were my substitute angel from the moment you stepped through my door asking if I had extra pasta."

He embraced her with what little strength he had left.

"I only wish that I had been there for your childhood. I hate myself for forcing your mother to leave for making...what I now realize...the right decision. You and your sister are the most loving and precious women on this whole earth. Just like your grandmother...you were angels sent to save me."

Feliciana smiled gently and kissed his forehead as he released her.

"I love you Nonno."

"I love you too my Feli. Stay as sweet and bubbly as you have always been."

She nodded as she stepped back to let Ludwig come forward and shake his mentor's hand.

"I can't express to you how much you've impacted my life."

"Same to you my boy. My ex-wife made a good decision in saving you from your foster parents and adopting you. I only wish that I had been there to raise you as well...but you still became a great young man and took my sweet Feli into your heart. I know you'll love her as much as I have and never let her smile fade."

Ludwig nodded and placed his other hand on top of the wise Italian's.

"We will never forget you sir."

Serafino smiled.

"Can I ask permission to see my youngest great granddaughter?"

"Of course Nonno." Feliciana smiled as she walked over to the carrier and lifted her infant daughter out of her light blanket and carried her over to an important man that she would never know in this life.

Serafino held his grayed arms out to receive the precious bundle. As he cradled her carefully he finally let the tears spill down his cheeks.

"She looks just like my beloved wife in her baby pictures."

He tried to rock the little baby as he cooed to her softly, but his strength was failing him more quickly now. But before he passed her back to her mother he whispered gently into her soft hair.

"Juliet, you're going to be a heart breaker when you get older but don't you ever let anyone break your heart. You make sure that the man you choose is the right one and not a stubborn fool like your idiot great grandfather. Sì?"

"I'll make sure of that." Ludwig spoke softly but firmly as he lifted his daughter into his strong arms.

Feliciana smiled and tickled her babie's cheeks as the little girl blinked around with her cerulean eyes.

Serafino settled back into his pillow and sheets. His heart rate had dropped and he knew that it was finally time. He had said all the goodbyes that he could. To the people that were there at least.

"I'm sorry for being a fool my Juliet. You gave me so much...home cooked meals...a beautiful daughter...all of the love within your angel heart. And my action stripped it all from my life. I wish you were here to listen to my late apology. You were right to not forgive me when I begged for it. I'm truly sorry. For everything."

As his eyelids closed and his mind slipped into final unconsciousness a sweet teary voice carried to him from the doorway.

"Apology accepted...you stubborn old fool."