Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart

Chapter 4

"You will be careful, Grandpa?"

"I am always careful, little one. Do not fret. We'll be fine."

Feliciano nodded miserably and looked down into his basket. He had been so happy to see Antonio the other evening. Now he wished he had never turned up. Whatever news Antonio had brought with him, it had led to this necessary mission, and once again everyone Feliciano loved was putting themselves in danger. Something he should be used to by now. "I know, Grandpa. Please look after Lovino."

"I don't need looking after," said Lovino huffily as he made his way over to them at the front door. Roma reached over and pulled Lovino's coat across the pistol that stuck conspicuously from his pocket. "It's not even a dangerous mission."

"Every mission is dangerous," said Roma seriously, grasping Lovino's shoulders and forcing him to face him. "Understand?"

"Sure, yeah."

"What was that?"

Lovino sighed and rolled his eyes. "I understand, Grandpa. Every mission is dangerous."

"Good boy. Now Feliciano, head to the market, buy us some milk, talk to the informant, and by the time you get back this will all be over. All right?" Roma smiled reassuringly.

Feliciano nodded. He did not feel quite as confident. He had done this many times before, but now something felt different. "All right. Please be safe."

Roma laughed and ruffled Feliciano's hair. "My silly little Feliciano. This is not even a combat mission today! We are simply acquiring information - your specialty, yes? In fact, you should be coming with us!"

Feliciano knew Grandpa Roma was joking, but he still felt a little annoyed. He was putting himself in danger, too. He was a part of this. He was not a child. "I will get your information from the village, instead. I'll do my job, Grandpa."

"I know you will. You remember your code?"

"'They say a storm will hit before spring,'" Feliciano recited. "Right?"

"Perfect." Roma leant down and kissed Feliciano's cheeks. "See you tonight, Feliciano."

"Bye, Grandpa. Bye, Lovino." Lovino pressed a kiss to Feliciano's cheek and gave him a rare smile. They stepped out the door and Feliciano watched as Lovino and Roma walked down the road that led to the mountains, heading to bypass the village. Feliciano forced himself to turn away and made his way down the well worn path to the village, the bright mid-morning sun turning the fields to gold around him.

.

A tight ball of nerves sat in Feliciano's stomach as he walked through the crowded town square. It seemed like everyone was out taking advantage of the unseasonable mild weather, and a crowd of people filled the nearby market with loud bartering and banter. Feliciano's nerves grew stronger as he approached the unfamiliar cantina. It was not one he would ever choose to frequent on his own. Popular with both Germans and those comfortable with them, it was one of the most dangerous places in the village for a resistance member. It was also the least suspicious place in the entire town to meet someone on Resistenza business. Feliciano pushed through the busy lunchtime crowd and scanned the tables for his target. Almost immediately he spotted him, exactly as described... sitting at a table outside of the cantina on the street, wearing a red hat, reading a newspaper. Feliciano hurried over to the table, leant down, and whispered conspiratorially.

"It is hot for this time of year, isn't it?" The man just gave Feliciano a snide look before continuing to read his paper. Feliciano cursed to himself and tried again. "I mean, um, isn't it especially cold for winter?" The man's eyebrows furrowed but he did not look up. Feliciano swore a little louder. Damn these stupid code sentences he had to say, he could never remember them. "Um, I mean... something about the weather, cold, hot, strange weather, oh, I remember! They say a storm will hit before the spring. Um... no?" Feliciano started to fear that he was speaking to the wrong man. But then the man sighed deeply and placed his newspaper on the table.