Chapter 2:

Aere perennius

The taxi ride was not long, but the ride felt long for Luca, who had a hard time recognizing some parts of the town after so long. Old buildings he and his friends often adventured to and played in had been torn down, replaced by empty lots full of wild grass and other wildlife, making the town feel emptier than before. Though, there were some homes that had been well-maintained, and many recognizable things, such as the McDally Dairy Farm, Shott’s Grocery Store, and the small café, bank, and other small businesses on the main street.

The town’s changed so much in ten years. Luca thought to himself, turning his gaze back to the front of the taxi. The headlights were bright, and they illuminated the signs and small decorations on the sidewalks with a warm yellow light. The street lights flickered on as they passed, making it easier to see the business fronts through the dark. 

After passing through the main strip of the town, they left the city limits and passed by the only local gas station, lit up with dim fluorescent lights. There were still only two pumps, looking fragile and dirty. The small building resting with the pumps was lit up, but there was no one inside, not even an attendant from what Luca could see. It made the town feel more empty than usual. 

After turning left shortly after the gas station, the taxi started down a narrow dirt road, working down the road at a slow speed due to the wet rocks and potholes from the various cars that had passed through over the years. It was in desperate need of a good grating, Luca felt as he jolted around the car at each bump. Thinking of the summers he had spent running barefoot with the other children from the orphanage on that very road, it made him wince. 

There were a few soybean fields around the road, followed by spaces of empty grass fields and some smaller buildings. As they moved down the road, they were finally greeted by a well-lit church, accompanied by a large sign with “St. Mary’s Orphanage and Church”. The church itself had not changed, and the light brick building was decorated with tall glass windows, a high, arched entryway, and a single decorative steeple. Looking at the church as a whole, it was like it never changed to Luca. He could only wonder if the inside was still as beautiful as it was before.

“Here you are, son.” The driver stopped at the front of the church, leaving the car in park to idle as Luca gathered his bags to step out. The low sound of a banjo drifted into the cold, quiet winter night. As Luca opened the door, the driver lit a fresh cigarette and took a long drag, cracking the window to let out the smoke. His face was flat, and the cigarette rested lazily between his fingers, making him look lazy under the dim interior lights.

“Thank you, sir.” Luca reached into his coat pocket and collected the cash for the taxi, counting it carefully twice before he passed it to the driver. His duffle bag slung forward as he moved, and the backpack on his back swung slightly, making him look like a young traveller. “Well, have a safe night!” Luca waved to the driver as he took a step back, ready to walk behind the church to the orphanage.

Before Luca could begin his short walk, he was stopped by the taxi driver, whose eyebrows were furrowed heavily. Seeing his tense expression, the smile fell off of Luca’s face as the man spoke up, startling Luca. “Hey, be careful.” His tone was like a father sending off his son to college. His voice was filled with concern. “I mean it. You’re a good kid.”

Luca laughed in response, “I’m always careful.” He stopped for a second, adjusting the strap on his duffle bag before he responded, “Thanks, though.”

The driver flicked the ashes off of his cigarette before he waved a quick wave, leaving Luca to stand under the lamps around the church. He did not start walking until he could no longer see the driver, and the car and its lights were completely out of sight. For some reason, Luca felt like he wanted to enjoy the cold air for a moment and enjoy the stars in the sky. Having been in the city studying, he had not been able to see the starry sky each night like in the past. He missed the view, and wanted to appreciate it for a moment longer before he walked inside.

The night was quiet, and Luca’s warm breath filled the air with white wisps. He closed his eyes and inhaled in the clean country air through his nose, smiling to himself as he breathed out a long, drawn out breath. As he stood with his eyes closed, there was a quiet rustling sound, followed by footsteps that crunched out loud on the gravel driveway. Luca was so absorbed in his own thoughts, he did not hear the steps coming closer to him until they were next to him, and a hand rested on his shoulder.

“Luca.” The voice was almost too different to remember, but as Luca turned his head, he was greeted by a familiar figure he could never forget.

“Felix? Is that you? My God, I almost didn’t recognize you!” The man standing in front of him was his best friend, Felix. When he had left the orphanage with his new adopted family when he was ten, Felix was only inches shorter than he was, pale white as a sheet, and had long, straight blonde hair. Twelve-year-old Felix was despondent at the time, wishing to go with the ten-year-old Luca, but the family was only able to take in Luca, and Felix was left at the orphanage to wait for another family. 

Though, after Luca had left the orphanage, they had become pen pals and began to write each other letters through the mail, and that was what made Luca come back to the small town to see the director and the children again. His foster family always encouraged Luca to keep in contact, and Luca finally had the time to go back and see them again.  

Now, it was the first time seeing him in person after those ten years. Felix had grown inches taller than Luca now, and his hair was now a light brown colour, though now it was straight and short, pushed off to the side of his face. Felix was pale, he had grown handsome, and his features had become less pretty and more regal. His hazel eyes were bright and friendly, and the smile on his lips made him appear amicable. Even his cheek bones had become more defined, and the dimple on the left side of his face was particularly pronounced as he smiled.

The tan jacket on him was short and loose, and it was open in the middle, showing the plain white turtleneck and jeans underneath. His waist and legs were long and toned, living up to his promise that we would exercise during his seminary studies. Luca was glad to see it.

When Luca’s eyes met with Felix’s, the two clasped hands and hugged for a moment before they pulled away from each other, still holding hands like old friends reuniting after a long separation. The warmth from Felix’s hands was welcomed by Luca, and he had to reluctantly let go before the hold became awkward.

“How long are you going to stand out here?” Felix asked in his warm, low voice. He smiled brightly, warming his cold-flushed cheeks with a faint red colour. “Dinner’s ready. Ms. Lowell sent me out to come get you.”

“Really?” Luca grabbed his phone from his pocket and glanced at the time, “Oh no, I’m really late…” He was embarrassed, thinking of how long they must have been waiting for him to come back to start dinner. Had they said grace already?

Felix calmed Luca’s worries and said a joke to lighten his heavy mood, “Dinner’s been particularly boring without you here. The director and I missed having you around, especially your dinner theatre, when you tried to avoid eating your vegetables.” 

“Hey, that was ten years ago!” Luca laughed, smacking Felix on the back with his hand, “Besides that, how have you all been? Ms. Lowell seemed to be doing well from what I heard. How’s her health?” 

Felix ran his fingers through his bangs as he smiled, “Good, good. The new children love the toys donated by the parish members. We had a fundraiser a while ago, and we were able to convince one of the larger businesses outside of town to contribute a little. Now the playground has been renovated with all new toys.” Felix laughed as Luca looked at him, urging him to continue, “Nothing else big has happened recently. Other than that, I’ve been able to lead service by myself finally, and Ms. Lowell has been playing the organ during service.”

Luca laughed at the thought of the previously clumsy Felix tripping during his first communion and spilling the grape juice on himself. He landed on the floor, face first, and began to cry. Luca was the only one who could comfort him at the time, and ended up dirtying himself with grape juice to make Felix feel better, which led to more of the children doing the same. After that, the children were punished and made to clean the carpet inside the church instead of being allowed to play after class like usual. 

 “Are you thinking of something embarrassing again?” Felix asked with a slight sarcastic frown, shaking his head at Luca.

Luca laughed as he shook his head, shooting a crooked smile to Felix.

“Come on, let’s get inside. Your lips are turning purple.” Felix’s fingers lifted towards Luca’s face, almost brushing his lips before he pulled them back and said, “The director is going to be mad at me if she sees you like this.”

The pair began to walk towards the back of the church, where the two-story orphanage rested almost a fifth of a mile into the property. The brick building was old but well maintained, full of windows with lights on. A small, dense forest covered the majority of the orphanage, making it difficult for anyone other than visitors and workers to find. The more decorative the building, the more trouble it would cause for the church, after all.

Luca and Felix walked shoulder to shoulder, chatting quietly under the light as they walked quickly to the orphanage’s front porch. The porch of the building was a long, outdoor wooden area made for the children to play on. There were a few wooden benches and small tables gathered together, going unused due to the cold weather. The wood was stained and clean, barely showing any traces of ice or snow.

"The ramp might be a little slippery here, watch your step." Felix had already stepped up under the porch and stood by the double doors, waiting for Luca with a genial expression, showing no impatience at Luca's curious stares.

Luca smiled and walked up the ramp, stepping his feet next to Felix's. "Thanks. Why don't we go inside?" Luca was curious and excited, eager to see how the inside of the orphanage had changed since he had been there. He could feel his nerves tightening. “I’m excited to see everyone again.” 

Felix’s smile grew as he grabbed the metal doorknob, “I think you’ll be surprised.” His voice was gentle as he pushed open the door, allowing Luca to enter ahead of him. With a quick “thank you,” Luca stepped forward and walked inside, stopping just inside the door frame.

“Wow.” It really had been ten years, but the majority of the building had not changed much from Luca’s memory. The dark red walls were still the same colour, and the tile floors were still the same speckled tan colour. There were still drawings from the children on the bulletin board to the right of the doorway, and the pictures of the children lined the walls near the glass window of the visitor’s desk. The counter was empty, and the usual attendant had left for the night, leaving the long hallway void of any people. There were only doors in the long hall, and the hallway ended in a familiar T shape, where you could either turn left or right to either the dormitories or the cafeteria and play room. At the end of the hallway was a large crucifix, recently polished and clean. It made Luca want to tour the orphanage again when there was time.

The fluorescent lights in the hall were bright, making Luca squint his eyes for a moment as he walked in, almost forgetting to wipe his shoes on the doormat in the entryway. Felix wiped his worn winter boots with a practiced swipe of his feet, making him do the same. 

“It looks the same as it did when I left.” Luca expected it to look different, but the familiarness was not unwelcome, and he enjoyed seeing it again. “I can’t wait to see the rest.”

“Don’t get too nostalgic yet. We still haven’t eaten dinner.” Felix laughed as he checked his watch. “Never too late. Let’s go, Luca.” Felix patted Luca’s back with his hand as the two began to walk down the hall, towards the cafeteria where Ms. Lowell was waiting for them.

… 

Additional notes: The chapter titles are in Latin, and I am shooting for around 50 or less chapters!