many times. I’m not
going to do this with you again.” Rebecca’s voice was worn with
arguments between them and then her voice soothed, “Besides, I’ve
almost completed my diploma so you won’t be able to complain about
it much longer.”
“Your diploma? That’s fabulous, dear. Has it been four
years already? It feels like just yesterday you were packing up
your luggage and leaving your mutti in tears.”
“You are so dramatic, Mama.” Rebecca rolled her eyes.
“So when am I going to see you?”
“I was just up for Christmas.”
“Over a month ago and besides, you didn’t stay long.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Yes, I can. We bought you a new car and you show us your
appreciation by leaving on Christmas day.”
“Dad bought me the car, and you kept pushing the issue with
Eli. I told you I didn’t want to talk about it on Christmas
of all days.”
“But I am your mutti and I worry about you. You see
everything that’s going on with the posters and pamphlets.
Hindenburg can only do so much to keep this country under control,
and there are many supporters of the Nazi party. I don’t want
you getting hurt.”
“Just admit this is about you. This is about you not
wanting me to date Eli because of your own prejudices.” Rebecca’s
nostrils flared.
“This doesn’t have to do with me, Rebecca. There is so
much you don’t understand because you’re so young.” She paused and
then continued, “He could change your life forever, your
reputation, your hopes for settling down with a fine German
gentleman.”
“These aren’t my hopes, Mutti; they’re yours.”
“And they should be yours, too. I forbid you to see him.”
Deseire held her tongue after her strong statement and Rebecca
hesitated to answer at first, surprised her mother had actually
said, “forbid.”
“You can’t forbid me, Mama. I’m not a little girl
anymore. I make my own choices.”
“Just promise me you won’t do anything rash with him.” Deseire’s
voice softened, soothed and Rebecca knew what rash meant to her
mother: intimate, pregnant, married, anything that couldn’t be
undone.
Rebecca knew her mother was too late with the first forbiddance
and she was exhausted at what else to say to her.
“Goodbye, Mutti.” Rebecca clicked the phone down as the white
cord tangled. She plopped onto her soft sofa with a weary
sigh from a long day and closed her eyes to sleep.
Saturday, March 19, 1932
Missing her the past few weekends because of a stressful office
atmosphere, Eli took it upon himself to invite Rebecca for tea at
his place Saturday morning,. He’d tried to make up for the
loss in the office since Ekkehard’s betrayal concerning the dry
cleaning receipts. It didn’t sting Eli personally for he
didn’t know Ekkehard very well, but it was a betrayal to an office
he had worked at for more than five years, a betrayal to his
father.
Ezekiel and Eli vowed to never allow something like that to ever
happen again. Over the past few weeks, Eli had to do twice
the amount of his usual work, his own and the clerk’s duties, since
Ekkehard had been asked to leave and they didn’t trust hiring
another man.
Since Valentines was the last day Rebecca had seen Eli, it took
very little encouraging on Eli’s part to arouse her interest.
Rebecca yearned to see Eli: touch his skin, hold him, lay her hands
in his, caress his soft lips with hers. She found the more
she didn’t see him, the more she dreamt of him while she walked to
her classes at University and while she served food at the diner
and while she slept.
She had grown accustomed to his dark hair brushing up against
hers on the sofa or in the bed. She had missed his tender
voice calling her name. So, when Eli had phoned Saturday
morning to invite her to tea at his room, she skipped from her sofa
and dashed up the stairs.
When Eli opened the door at her soft knocking, their eyes met
and all the feelings emerged
going to do this with you again.” Rebecca’s voice was worn with
arguments between them and then her voice soothed, “Besides, I’ve
almost completed my diploma so you won’t be able to complain about
it much longer.”
“Your diploma? That’s fabulous, dear. Has it been four
years already? It feels like just yesterday you were packing up
your luggage and leaving your mutti in tears.”
“You are so dramatic, Mama.” Rebecca rolled her eyes.
“So when am I going to see you?”
“I was just up for Christmas.”
“Over a month ago and besides, you didn’t stay long.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Yes, I can. We bought you a new car and you show us your
appreciation by leaving on Christmas day.”
“Dad bought me the car, and you kept pushing the issue with
Eli. I told you I didn’t want to talk about it on Christmas
of all days.”
“But I am your mutti and I worry about you. You see
everything that’s going on with the posters and pamphlets.
Hindenburg can only do so much to keep this country under control,
and there are many supporters of the Nazi party. I don’t want
you getting hurt.”
“Just admit this is about you. This is about you not
wanting me to date Eli because of your own prejudices.” Rebecca’s
nostrils flared.
“This doesn’t have to do with me, Rebecca. There is so
much you don’t understand because you’re so young.” She paused and
then continued, “He could change your life forever, your
reputation, your hopes for settling down with a fine German
gentleman.”
“These aren’t my hopes, Mutti; they’re yours.”
“And they should be yours, too. I forbid you to see him.”
Deseire held her tongue after her strong statement and Rebecca
hesitated to answer at first, surprised her mother had actually
said, “forbid.”
“You can’t forbid me, Mama. I’m not a little girl
anymore. I make my own choices.”
“Just promise me you won’t do anything rash with him.” Deseire’s
voice softened, soothed and Rebecca knew what rash meant to her
mother: intimate, pregnant, married, anything that couldn’t be
undone.
Rebecca knew her mother was too late with the first forbiddance
and she was exhausted at what else to say to her.
“Goodbye, Mutti.” Rebecca clicked the phone down as the white
cord tangled. She plopped onto her soft sofa with a weary
sigh from a long day and closed her eyes to sleep.
Saturday, March 19, 1932
Missing her the past few weekends because of a stressful office
atmosphere, Eli took it upon himself to invite Rebecca for tea at
his place Saturday morning,. He’d tried to make up for the
loss in the office since Ekkehard’s betrayal concerning the dry
cleaning receipts. It didn’t sting Eli personally for he
didn’t know Ekkehard very well, but it was a betrayal to an office
he had worked at for more than five years, a betrayal to his
father.
Ezekiel and Eli vowed to never allow something like that to ever
happen again. Over the past few weeks, Eli had to do twice
the amount of his usual work, his own and the clerk’s duties, since
Ekkehard had been asked to leave and they didn’t trust hiring
another man.
Since Valentines was the last day Rebecca had seen Eli, it took
very little encouraging on Eli’s part to arouse her interest.
Rebecca yearned to see Eli: touch his skin, hold him, lay her hands
in his, caress his soft lips with hers. She found the more
she didn’t see him, the more she dreamt of him while she walked to
her classes at University and while she served food at the diner
and while she slept.
She had grown accustomed to his dark hair brushing up against
hers on the sofa or in the bed. She had missed his tender
voice calling her name. So, when Eli had phoned Saturday
morning to invite her to tea at his room, she skipped from her sofa
and dashed up the stairs.
When Eli opened the door at her soft knocking, their eyes met
and all the feelings emerged
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