A/N: Okay, this is it folks. The last chapter… I promised myself I wasn't going to cry… D':
DISCLAIMER: If you haven't figured out that I don't own Inglourious Basterds, well that is on you.
Lena
Chapter 16: 1951
- 7 years later -
Dear Sister,
I was so happy to see you last spring. I miss you already! I wish you and Wilhelm could have stayed longer. He is getting so big and handsome. The makings of a real gentleman. However, his 'pranks' on the other hand… You shouldn't let him spend so much time with Donny. One Donny is enough as it is.
Marcel and I are well. Every day I love England more and more. It is no France, but we love it here! Marcel is still headstrong on the issue about children. He is afraid of the discrimination that a half-black Jewish child will face. I understand his viewpoint, even if I don't like it. I guess it means I will have to make due with spoiling my darling nephew.
I apologize, again, for pressuring you about the 'husband matter'. You spend all your time taking care of Will and you have no one to take care of you. I worry about you. Just promise me you will at least think about it.
All my love,
Shosanna
I smiled as I read the letter. I wasn't surprised Shosanna had worked in the issue concerning a father for Will. She means well and I love her for it. I sat the letter to the side and picked up another from the small stack.
Dearest Lena,
We look forward to seeing you and Wilhelm this Christmas. Your rooms are ready and I may or may not have already put presents under the tree… I only got a grunt from Hugo, but I can tell he is excited about your visit.
See you soon,
Ethel and Hugo
P.S.
I know you were expecting a letter from Hugo. You and I both know we would have better luck getting a speech out of him then getting him to sit down and write a letter! Also, say hello to Donny and Angelic for me. And give a big kiss to the little man.
Lena,
I MISS YOU! Just thought I would remind you. You should come down and visit us in Tennessee. Maybe you will be able to calm down Uncle. Little Maddie is getting married and Uncle is trying his best to scare off the poor boy.
In other news, I finally got the bar up and running. We even sell moonshine, not legally per se… But business is, as Uncle would say, a boomin'!
Alfred
P.S.
Big nose is still in Commie Russia so he won't be able to send any letters.
"Lena, I don't pay you to sit around and read letters all day!"
"I know, you pay me because you adore me and think I am perfect," I teased.
"You have been spending too much time with my laze-about son," she huffed, trying to fight a smile. "You are becoming just as terrible."
"Momma! Us? Terrible?" Donny said slinging his arm over my shoulder. "Never!" Momma Donowitz just rolled her eyes. She picked up a rolling pin and pointed it at us. Despite being 5' 2" she was formable woman and it had Donny and I shrinking back in fear.
"You, get back to the parlor and help your papa," she said, directing the pin at Donny. I snickered at his misfortune, but my smile vanished when she pointed the pin at me. "You know the rules, Lena. If you want a day off you have to go on at least one date a month. You already skipped two."
"But momma,"
"No! Even Donny has managed to trick a girl into thinking he is a good catch. You can too." Momma Donowitz tucked the rolling pin under her arm and pushed us out the door of the pizza restaurant. We laughed as she shut the door on us with a loud huff. Live is never dull in the Donowitz household.
"Sorry about mom. She just worries about ya," Donny said, after he caught his breath.
"Her and Shosanna both," I managed to say between laughs. "I think that they have teamed up against me."
"You don't have to listen to them. You don't need a husband, you got me," Donny said with his usual carefree grin. Even with his graying hair, he still pulled off his boyish smiles.
"Thirty-seven year old war hero with a rambunctious six year old? A man wouldn't know what to do with all this," I said with a smug grin as I gestured to myself. Donny tilted his back and roared with laughter.
"Man, I love you," Donny said with a bright smile. "Well I better get back to Pop's or both Momma and Angelic will have my head." I smiled and waved as he ran down the side to the family barber shop.
"Willhelm! Wanna go get some ice cream?" I called out. I laughed as he ran out from the side gate with an impossibly large smile covered, head to toe, in dirt. His looks mainly resembled me, but his eyes were all his father's.
-o-
Will and I sat at a small booth, tucked in the corner of the small ice cream parlor. We giggle as we shared banana split, drizzled with chocolate and loaded down with cherries, to Will's excitement.
When we finished we waved to bye to Delores who was busy scooping out ice-cream for kids. I put on my exceptionally large floral hat that Hugo gave me last Christmas. He was so proud of his gift I didn't have the heart to let the hat collect dust in a box, despite it being gaudy. I took Will's hand as we made our way back to the Italian pizza restaurant.
Will made his way to the kitchen to help his Grandmamma and I put on my apron. The restaurant was busy, even for lunch hour, and I felt guilty for getting ice cream. I waved to Angelic and Maria as I made my way over to them.
"We are busy today," I said as I looked over the restaurant, from behind the counter. They both nodded their heads in agreement before loading up their trays with customer drink orders. I grabbed my pad of paper and headed to table of the man that just sat down.
"Hello, my name is Lena. What can I get you to drink?"
"Thank goodness, I was afraid you wouldn't be working today or that I was at the wrong restaurant," the man said. My eyes widened and before I could stop myself, I slip into the seat opposite of him.
"Dieter?" I asked in disbelief. "What? How?"
Dieter just smiled and leaned back in his seat. I noticed he took off his jacket but not his hat. I wondered if he had the Nazi sign carved in his forehead. Aldo wasn't the only one who did it, several others picked it up. He noticed my staring and simply nodded. It seemed that he wasn't really bothered by it. Like it was only to be expected, given time.
"Well after the war, I moved to Australia. But I had to see you," he said with a small smile. He looked like he hadn't sleep properly in ages. "Also, I am sorry about your loss. I am sure Wilhelm was a good man," he said sincerely.
"He really was," I said with a sad smile. We stared at each other in awkward silence. "Wanna go a walk?" I asked suddenly.
"I would love that," he said honestly, with a bright smile. We stood up and made our way to the door.
"Momma, I am taking a day off!"
"What?!" she called from the kitchen. I watched as she stomped out of the kitchen, her arms covered in flour. "Oh, no you… Have fun!" she finished cheerfully, when she saw Dieter next to me. I rolled my eyes and laughed. We walked out the door and I suddenly stopped.
"Before we go any further there are some things that I have to make clear." Dieter stood there and waited patiently for me to continue. "I am thirty-seven years old. I have a six year old son who likes to leave the tops of salt shakers unscrewed. I have chronic nightmares and I have a horde of protective brothers who, as you know, have a one hell of a history."
"I am a thirty-nine year old ex-Nazi," Dieter finally said after a few minutes of agonizing silence. "I have lost count on how many times I placed the barrel of a gun against my head, but never had the courage to pull the trigger. And the scar on my forehead was self-inflicted. It was something that I fought for, naively and stupidly, but it my scar to bear. Nevertheless, I am also a man who has loved you and thought about you every day for twenty-three years. I would still like to walk with you as long as you will allow me," he finished with a shaky breath. He held out his hand and I stared at it.
I closed my eyes and thought of Wicki and his pretty smile and eyes, that same smile and eyes that our son now possessed. I missed him so much, but I knew that he wouldn't want me to waste my life away. I was alive, but I wasn't living. I opened my eyes and saw that Dieter still had his hand outstretched. Not demanding, just haven't it there if I decided this was what I wanted. Did I want this? Could we really forget the past or will we completely destroy each other?
I slipped my hand in his and neither one of us said a word. We just looked at each other and smiled. I didn't know where this would go or if we would even make it. But, in this moment, we were together and that was enough.
THE END
He's not perfect. You aren't either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn't going to quote poetry, he's not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don't hurt him, don't change him, and don't expect for more than he can give. Don't analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he's not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don't exist, but there's always one guy that is perfect for you.
Bob Marley
A/N: *gross sobbing*…. Well that was it. The end. I want to say that I have had a blast sharing this story with all of you! You all have been amazing readers! Goodbye -Macbeth