A Flicker of Light by Roberta Kagan Page B

spoke as he sat at a table in my father’s tavern - he said with the brightest smile I’d ever seen and a wink of his blue eyes, ‘Hello, Frauline . I am Hans. And I must tell you something. I came all the way from Germany, and in all of my travels I have not seen anything as lovely as you.’ He could be very charming, ” Petra continued, “Hans and I were the same age, and I guess for a time I forgot that he was a German soldier. To me he was just the most handsome fellow I’d ever met.”
    “Yes, it can be like that sometimes.” Siegland went over to Petra and put her arm around the young girl’s shoulder.
    “After I entered Heim Hockland , Hans was moved unexpectedly from his base in Germany to the Russian front.  He was supposed to be discharged in six weeks. We had planned to get married then. We thought I would be out of Heim Hockland before the baby was born. But after he died in battle, everything changed. I knew that if I stayed at the Lebensorn home without a German husband, they would take my baby. I couldn’t let them. I couldn’t. I had to run. Besides, if the baby showed any abnormities at birth, they would have killed it. I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you the truth before. I was afraid. I am still afraid. I have so much at risk. Forgive me, please.”
    Klaus stared at Petra; his face had gone pale.
    “Please don’t turn me in,” Petra said, more to Klaus than to Siegland .
    “Child, dear, dear child - we would never do that. Petra, you should know better. Never be afraid of us. You are now of our family , eh? Klaus, what do you say?” Sie gland reached over and patted her husband’s knee.
    “Yes , my darling . Of course, yes.” His head bobbed as he nodded quickly. “She is a relative who is staying with us for a while. If the Nazis should come asking questions , we will think of a good story to tell them .”
    “Oh, you are both so wonderful. I w ill leave when the baby is born, I promise. I will not continue to trouble you.”
    “Please stay as long as you like. We are happy to have you here. This is your home now. We want to be your other family, not to try to replace your mother and father, but to be an extra set of parents. Isn’t that right Klaus?”
    “Yes, of course it is.”
    “And about that book, maybe you can read it to us?”
    “Why not?” Petra smiled, “I would love to.”
    And so began a nightly ritual of stories that Petra read to her newfound family. As the fire warmed the room with orange flames that crackled and sputtered in the fireplace, Klaus quietly whittled toys for the baby.  Siegland’s large, man-like hands worked tirelessly, clicking her knitting needles as she made blankets, booties, clothes, and hats for the child that would soon ar rive. A comfortable sense of peace came over the room. Petra’s soft voice held them enthralled as she read the stories of mermaids and swans, of an emperor fooled by his own vanity, of a tiny girl the size of a thimble, and of a pair of red shoes.
    Many nights, Klaus would leave and go out without explanation, but Siegland and Petra spent all of their time together as the winter nights quietly flew by. By the time she’d finished reading the book, April had arrived, bringing with it an influx of gray days haunted by rain. Petra had grown large r and was almost ready to have the baby. Klaus told her that he knew of a neighbor, a midwife, who might be willing to take some canned goods in trade for her services. Petra was grateful. The delivery worried her, but she found she had other concerns as well. Even though she tried to ignore Klaus’ nighttime departures, she could not help but wonder where he went and what he did. The idea that he might be somehow endangering himself was foremost on her mind.  One evening after Klaus had gone out, Petra and Siegland sat sipping tea. 
    “Klaus goes out sometimes; do you know where?” Petra asked as she patted Daisy, who had laid her head on Petra’s lap.
    “Oh, not to