Chapter 4: a continuance

“What did she say?” The soldier speaking to us eyed both me and Magda, cocking his gun. Magda didn’t speak German well, it was broken.

“She wants you two to fix her door. She keeps a clean house.”

The soldier laughed condescendingly, a high almost eerie howl. “Maybe you should tell the Major that.” He kept laughing, and by then, the other soldier joined in.

“Okay,” I peeped, the two men instantly became serious and gruff. Anna nudged me, she was visibly distressed.

“What are you doing Zofia?” Anna whispered to me, her face still pale.

“He’s outside, waiting for an impolite thing like you.” The ogre man finally told me. I gulped, wishing I could renounce my statement. I walked outside, trying to seem confident. The two soldiers followed close behind. My sisters stayed behind, stationary with total disbelief.

“Was there really a need in tearing down another door?” A deep voice sounded from the black truck we were approaching. All I could see was the passenger door opened and a shiny boot propped on the door. Cigarette smoke blew out of the truck with the wind. I turned my head to see my sisters standing in the busted doorway, but I couldn’t make out their faces.

“Don’t worry about them.” The same ogre man barked. We were just a few moments in front of the truck when the man finally stepped out arrogantly, his head held high, his hands around his collar, primping himself. Instantly, I knew it was Erich. Oh mein Gott, I mouthed, not wanting to give away our knowing each other until he did.

“Oh, really?” He was promptly annoyed by the two soldiers, “you two got your feelings hurt over this little woman?” I felt so dumb for leaving that note and not telling Erich anything else. He was so kind to me. Did he recognize me? “What is the problem?” Erich’s voice had so much emotion to it at all times, but always remained at a very low tone.

The soldiers were becoming uneasy, “She’s very testy, sir. She is here with her two sisters. They aren’t nationals!” The ogre man testified.

Erich sighed, “Sergeant, corporal, give us a minute. Tend to the ladies inside.” He put his fingers through his belt loop, his eyes constricted from the high sun. I had my hand up, trying to block the rays. “You’re bleeding,” Erich began as soon as the two men were out of sight. “I have to apologize for their actions, miss. The door will be fixed.” He was even taller than before, because before, I wore my Oxford heels, and now I was barefoot in a sundress.

“You’re apologizing to me?” I asked incredulously, pointing to my chest. I was skeptical he knew who I was without makeup and heavy clothing. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, I am. I’m in charge of them, and I failed to keep order.”

“Erich,” I almost yelled, “I didn’t realize it then, but I do now, that it was rude of me…just leaving a note.”

“I told you not to come to Germany.” He leaned against the truck, facing the farmhouse.

“It was nice here, until now.”

“Let me take you to the barracks and I will have a medic stitch that up.”

“Barracks?” Was he crazy? “I can’t do that, that’s no place for a girl.”

“Believe me, nothing will happen.”

“You are too late.” I whispered, touching my cheek with my fingertips. He pulled himself of the truck and stood toe to toe with me, resting his fingers on my wounded cheek. I closed my eyes in fright, not knowing he would ever be so close to me again and not knowing if he would hurt me. My lips were pursed tight and my jaw clenched, he noticed.

“Don’t fear me, Zofia.” He whispered, and a tear fell from my eye. I wiped it away frantically, looking up at him to see if he noticed it. “Please don’t, I am not that sort of man.” His voice, so sensual, it made my insides flutter. I had so much to say to him, I could argue for days.

“What about my sisters?”

“What about them? I can transfer them back to your home, no harm done.” He stepped away from me, but never took his eyes off me.

“Am I not going with them?” My forehead wrinkled in apprehension.

“Let you disappear again?” He let out a sarcastic chuckle, “never.”

“I can’t be away from them again, Erich. They are my only family.” My eyes pleaded him; I was wringing my hands, anxious as always.

“It is not safe for non-Germans to be here, remember I told you that?” He crossed his arms, still squinting from the sun.

“I remember, but I vowed to visit them and bring them back home.”

“Why don’t we get you to see the medic? I will have my men leave your sisters alone for good. And, we can talk there, is that okay?” His voice, his face, his towering build, all made it impossible for me to say no to him. I certainly had never seen anyone like him in Poland before.

“Okay,” I replied in a small voice. I felt like I had no other choice. On our way to the medic, Anna and Magda tagged along in the spacious truck, along with Erich’s two men in the back. Anna, being the inappropriate one began asking all sorts of questions loudly. She demanded when we met, how we met, if we knew each other before hand, and why the hell I never told my beloved sisters about him. Magda, typically emotional and the critic, added on to everything Anna said.

“He was the kindest stranger I’d ever met, and now we are reunited on fate.” I said softly when my sisters quieted.

“Fate?” Erich’s voice boomed.

“Fate,” Anna repeated, “as in you are doomed.”

“No,” I grumbled, “as in destiny. Maybe…” I retorted quietly again.

“Is there somewhere we can send a telegraph?” Anna asked after a long silence.

Erich cleared his throat to speak, which caused the men in the back to stop their beginning thought, “Yes, there are plenty of places. We are going to the barracks first. I can send a telegraph there for you, unless it’s personal.”

“It’s just to my fiancé, Stan. Not too personal.” Magda said.

“We will be there soon, not too much longer.” One of the men in the back seat said calmly.

 

Upon arriving at the garrison, two uniformed men approached and spoke briefly with Erich, peeked through the truck, and then saluted us. It was a bright midday, the sun hot and high in the sky. “Is the weather always like this?” Anna asked, and the soldiers with them quickly answered, seemingly jumping at the opportunity to talk to my sisters. But I never struck up a conversation with Erich, it didn’t feel like the right time, especially in front of two people I didn’t know and two people I knew too well.

“The telegraph station is too small for all of us, Magda, if you are alright with the idea of just us two going in…”

“Sure,” Magda’s voice was barely heard. She climbed out, and followed Erich, leaving a great distance between them the entire time.

“I hope she gets through to Stanley,” I said longingly, gazing out the trucks window. The two of them could easily be seen through the tall tent’s open entrance. I was worried for Magda and the new baby.

Magda and Erich ambled back, Erich, with his head held high as always and long stride, and Magda, appearing changed. She walked far away from Erich, almost avoiding him, and her head was dropped. “What’s wrong?” I asked Magda, always speaking to my family in Polish.

“Later,” she responded as she stuffed herself back inside.

“Zofia, I can’t leave you at the medic. Do you want me to authorize your sisters to come?” I thought hard.

“Where would they go otherwise?” I asked, turning my head to him.

“I can have the sergeant drive them home.” He said, putting the truck in park. It was the first time I had seen his bare hands, his bare arms up to the elbow. His skin had become more golden, and I could see every muscle in his forearm. I had to focus on the matter at hand, not his skin. I wanted to slap myself.

“What do you want to do, Magda?”

“We will go home, if you feel safe here by yourself.”

“Of course,” I reassured her with a smile. “What about you Anna?” I was surprised she hadn’t interjected yet.

“Maybe, I can enjoy myself…” she snickered.

“No you won’t,” Magda nearly shouted, facing Anna heatedly.

“The corporal can show me around,” Anna snapped, eyebrows furrowed. The two looked like toddlers when they argued. I shoved my face into my hands, at wits end.

“Yes,” I looked at a very patient Erich, my two sisters still bickering, “please take them back home.” Then I buried my face back into my hands.