and invited Greta inside.
Greta said, “I thought you might both be at work.”
“Max’s at work, but I haven’t been feeling well for a couple of days. You have news for us?” Anna looked terrified that Greta might have bad news.
Greta took a seat on an old sofa, settled Ule on her lap and handed Libertas’s package to Anna.
Anna dropped it on the table as if it was too hot to handle. “What is it?”
“Open it.”
Anna tore the package open. She read the note, the smile on her face growing wider and wider. “Who’s this L?”
“She’s a friend.”
Anna read the note again. She squealed. “I can’t believe it. It’s fantastic. We can get married and it won’t cost us a pfennig more.”
“You’ll have to pay the marriage application fee again.”
“I meant it won’t cost us any more than the fee we paid to Madam Krauss.”
“You paid Madam Krauss a fee?” Ule began to cry. “He’s teething.” Greta put him on her knee and rubbed his gums. The crying reduced to a gurgling whimper.
Anna read the note for a third time, tears of joy rolling down her face. “I still can’t believe it.”
“How much did you pay Madam Krauss?”
“Oh, she charged us 100 Reichsmarks. I was glad to pay it. Max wasn’t convinced that she would succeed. She said she’d try, but we shouldn’t get our hopes up too high. This is wonderful! I can’t wait to tell him. You must thank Madam Krauss for us.”
Greta smiled. She said nothing. Madam Krauss had some questions to answer.
Greta lowered her wriggling infant onto the floor. He crawled across to Anna and stood up, holding her knees. He looked over his shoulder, grinning at his mother. Anna lifted him onto her lap and he stuffed a fist into his mouth.
“He likes you,” said Greta.
Anna beamed. “He’s big. He’s heavy. How old is he?”
“Ten months. He’s an eating machine.”
“He’s gorgeous. You must be very proud.” She handed the infant back.
Greta asked if there was somewhere to change his diaper. Anna cleared a space on the table and watched the whole procedure with interest. Then Anna was struck by a thought. “I should call my parents and tell them.”
“Don’t do that yet. Wait until you have the Marriage Authorization in your hands. Something could still go wrong.”
#
In the evening, Greta fed the baby and got him off to sleep. She served a meal for Adam. While he was eating she put on her coat.
Adam looked up from his plate. “Where are you going, Greta? It’s late.”
“The Rosens. It’s been four days since my last visit. They must be running low on supplies.”
“The Rosens are not your responsibility, Greta. They need to stand on their own feet, like everyone else.”
“And how would you suggest they do that?”
“I don’t know. It’s not our problem. David Rosen has his antiques shop.”
“I explained about that. The Brownshirts, the intimidation.”
“It’s really not your problem. I wish you’d drop it.”
Greta took a deep breath. She loved Adam, but she hated it when he told her what to do. She wasn’t a child. “Keep an eye on Ule. I shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of hours.”
She picked up her basket and left the apartment before he had a chance to object again. She set off toward the Rosens’ home at a brisk walk. She had loved Adam since she met him as a student in America, and she respected his courageous stance against the Nazis, but his attitude on the subject of the Rosens was so wrong, so out of character. She couldn’t understand it.
A beaming Matilde Rosen opened the door. She led Greta into the kitchen and poured her a glass of sherry.
Greta took a sip. The sherry warmed her as it went down. “What are we celebrating, Matilde?”
“David has gone back to work. He opened the shop three days ago. He’s had some customers and brought home some money. I’ve been out to the grocery shop for the first time in a month.”
“That’s wonderful, Matilde. How is
Greta said, “I thought you might both be at work.”
“Max’s at work, but I haven’t been feeling well for a couple of days. You have news for us?” Anna looked terrified that Greta might have bad news.
Greta took a seat on an old sofa, settled Ule on her lap and handed Libertas’s package to Anna.
Anna dropped it on the table as if it was too hot to handle. “What is it?”
“Open it.”
Anna tore the package open. She read the note, the smile on her face growing wider and wider. “Who’s this L?”
“She’s a friend.”
Anna read the note again. She squealed. “I can’t believe it. It’s fantastic. We can get married and it won’t cost us a pfennig more.”
“You’ll have to pay the marriage application fee again.”
“I meant it won’t cost us any more than the fee we paid to Madam Krauss.”
“You paid Madam Krauss a fee?” Ule began to cry. “He’s teething.” Greta put him on her knee and rubbed his gums. The crying reduced to a gurgling whimper.
Anna read the note for a third time, tears of joy rolling down her face. “I still can’t believe it.”
“How much did you pay Madam Krauss?”
“Oh, she charged us 100 Reichsmarks. I was glad to pay it. Max wasn’t convinced that she would succeed. She said she’d try, but we shouldn’t get our hopes up too high. This is wonderful! I can’t wait to tell him. You must thank Madam Krauss for us.”
Greta smiled. She said nothing. Madam Krauss had some questions to answer.
Greta lowered her wriggling infant onto the floor. He crawled across to Anna and stood up, holding her knees. He looked over his shoulder, grinning at his mother. Anna lifted him onto her lap and he stuffed a fist into his mouth.
“He likes you,” said Greta.
Anna beamed. “He’s big. He’s heavy. How old is he?”
“Ten months. He’s an eating machine.”
“He’s gorgeous. You must be very proud.” She handed the infant back.
Greta asked if there was somewhere to change his diaper. Anna cleared a space on the table and watched the whole procedure with interest. Then Anna was struck by a thought. “I should call my parents and tell them.”
“Don’t do that yet. Wait until you have the Marriage Authorization in your hands. Something could still go wrong.”
#
In the evening, Greta fed the baby and got him off to sleep. She served a meal for Adam. While he was eating she put on her coat.
Adam looked up from his plate. “Where are you going, Greta? It’s late.”
“The Rosens. It’s been four days since my last visit. They must be running low on supplies.”
“The Rosens are not your responsibility, Greta. They need to stand on their own feet, like everyone else.”
“And how would you suggest they do that?”
“I don’t know. It’s not our problem. David Rosen has his antiques shop.”
“I explained about that. The Brownshirts, the intimidation.”
“It’s really not your problem. I wish you’d drop it.”
Greta took a deep breath. She loved Adam, but she hated it when he told her what to do. She wasn’t a child. “Keep an eye on Ule. I shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of hours.”
She picked up her basket and left the apartment before he had a chance to object again. She set off toward the Rosens’ home at a brisk walk. She had loved Adam since she met him as a student in America, and she respected his courageous stance against the Nazis, but his attitude on the subject of the Rosens was so wrong, so out of character. She couldn’t understand it.
A beaming Matilde Rosen opened the door. She led Greta into the kitchen and poured her a glass of sherry.
Greta took a sip. The sherry warmed her as it went down. “What are we celebrating, Matilde?”
“David has gone back to work. He opened the shop three days ago. He’s had some customers and brought home some money. I’ve been out to the grocery shop for the first time in a month.”
“That’s wonderful, Matilde. How is
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