Going home - Tornando a casa - part eight fiction

Inga turned to gaze at her sleeping children. She kissed them gently, stroked their hair and straightened the covers. Then she took the photo of Vladimir in her arms and kissed it. Her Vladi, her true love. How difficult life was for them. She was on her own so much and Vassili was spending more and more time  looking after the children, fixing broken taps and mending all sorts of things. Aline was so happy with her little bicycle she had even called him baba, her word for daddy. Inga was confused. So many couples in their small town had been torn apart by one of them leaving. Just now, hearing Vladimir using their special words for love she knew that he was the only man she ever wanted. He was her true love. She must not give Vassili the wrong message.

She went to put the finishing touches for Vladimir 's welcome home party tomorrow.