Johan and Dientje were staring at.
Mrs. Vos. The’it faces were blank. The door opened-again.
“Isn’t it wonderful? How can she do it?” people were whispering as Mrs.
Menko came in, leaning on someone’s arm and holding a cane. She slowly walked to her place. A man in a black suit strode in after her, leafed through some papers, and without wasting any more time, began to speak.
“I, as the regis tear of this Town Hall, will marry you in accordance with the civil law of the Netherlands.” I looked out the window at the hands of the
I2I FALL AND YVITER
church clock. It would take fifteen minutes, had said. Soon it would be over; but then Sini we go back to Enschede. She had been home for whole day, though. Almost one day anyway, last night she had not gone anywhere, either. had sat on my bed instead, talked. She loved be a nurse. As long as the patients weren’t too si I shook my head. That Sini. I moved a little clo., “Magda Vos and Ies de Leeuw, may this remain an unforgettable one for both of you for all who are dear to you.” Then solemnly slowly the registrar pronounced them man wife. Now I looked. He was giving Father a pen, t Mrs. Vos, and Mrs. Menko, who was a witm Before he picked up his papers, the registrar sigu Father was married.
I had not gone over yet to congratulate them kept hiding behind people who already had. Fat[ was coming toward me, I saw. To talk to me again No. He put his arm around my shoulder and me. “Well, Annie? Shall we go?” Wait, wait, not so fast. “Ies,” Mrs. Vos called. “Come here.” I smiled at Father’s back. Now I had time to dc little more thinking. I had seen a great deal of h during the last few days. She had wanted so much done, and done perfectly. I had a problem there, she said. I sighed. Sometimes she acted strangely. As she had when I showed her the dress I was going to wear today, the one Dientje had made for me with the little checks. It made me look like a peasant, she said. Nel had thought so, too.
Carefully I smoothed down the dress. And outside, before the ceremony, with Johan and’ Dientie. She had turned away from them. They had not liked it. They’d looked embarrassed. She must have been nervous. It was not easy for her, Father had said. I should be patient, and it would all come. What was I going to call her though? Aunt Magda, as Sini did? Mrs.
de Leeuw? No. Mother? I wiped my face. It was hot in here. I could not wait any longer. I had to speak to her. She was standing alone. That wouldn’t last long. “Excuse me,” I said. “What d’you ‘want me to call you?” Tensly I waited. Would she say it herself? “Call me whatever you want to,” she answered smiling.
“Mother,” I whispered. She touched my cheek. “Mother.” I repeated it as I walked away, but to myself. I’d have to get used to it again-Mother, Mother. After all, I didn’t have to say it every time
‘3 fall AND WNTR
I talked to her. Mother. I ruined. Was she looking at me? No. She was pretty, I had to admit that. So was her dress. “It’s an old one,” she had said and laughed. Still … it had tucks and pleats, and lace around the throat. No wonder Father had been in such a hurry. Nel would not be living with us. She was going off to finishing school. As early as tomorrow. Far away … to Amsterdam, on the other side of Holland. There would only be me at home. I took another look. She was beautiful. I could already see myself walking into town with her. “Is that her mother?” people would ask. I was lucky. With my face burning, I joined Sini and Johan. It was still drizzling. Silently the drops were sliding off the coats of the people who were waiting in line outside Town Hall.
They were there to get forms allowing them to buy hot-water bottles, pots, pans, blankets. Johan and I were waiting for Sini to go. She had to leave early, to get her ride back to Enschede.
“Goodbye,” we said. “See you soon.”
“It’s too bad she couldn’t stay
Mrs. Vos. The’it faces were blank. The door opened-again.
“Isn’t it wonderful? How can she do it?” people were whispering as Mrs.
Menko came in, leaning on someone’s arm and holding a cane. She slowly walked to her place. A man in a black suit strode in after her, leafed through some papers, and without wasting any more time, began to speak.
“I, as the regis tear of this Town Hall, will marry you in accordance with the civil law of the Netherlands.” I looked out the window at the hands of the
I2I FALL AND YVITER
church clock. It would take fifteen minutes, had said. Soon it would be over; but then Sini we go back to Enschede. She had been home for whole day, though. Almost one day anyway, last night she had not gone anywhere, either. had sat on my bed instead, talked. She loved be a nurse. As long as the patients weren’t too si I shook my head. That Sini. I moved a little clo., “Magda Vos and Ies de Leeuw, may this remain an unforgettable one for both of you for all who are dear to you.” Then solemnly slowly the registrar pronounced them man wife. Now I looked. He was giving Father a pen, t Mrs. Vos, and Mrs. Menko, who was a witm Before he picked up his papers, the registrar sigu Father was married.
I had not gone over yet to congratulate them kept hiding behind people who already had. Fat[ was coming toward me, I saw. To talk to me again No. He put his arm around my shoulder and me. “Well, Annie? Shall we go?” Wait, wait, not so fast. “Ies,” Mrs. Vos called. “Come here.” I smiled at Father’s back. Now I had time to dc little more thinking. I had seen a great deal of h during the last few days. She had wanted so much done, and done perfectly. I had a problem there, she said. I sighed. Sometimes she acted strangely. As she had when I showed her the dress I was going to wear today, the one Dientje had made for me with the little checks. It made me look like a peasant, she said. Nel had thought so, too.
Carefully I smoothed down the dress. And outside, before the ceremony, with Johan and’ Dientie. She had turned away from them. They had not liked it. They’d looked embarrassed. She must have been nervous. It was not easy for her, Father had said. I should be patient, and it would all come. What was I going to call her though? Aunt Magda, as Sini did? Mrs.
de Leeuw? No. Mother? I wiped my face. It was hot in here. I could not wait any longer. I had to speak to her. She was standing alone. That wouldn’t last long. “Excuse me,” I said. “What d’you ‘want me to call you?” Tensly I waited. Would she say it herself? “Call me whatever you want to,” she answered smiling.
“Mother,” I whispered. She touched my cheek. “Mother.” I repeated it as I walked away, but to myself. I’d have to get used to it again-Mother, Mother. After all, I didn’t have to say it every time
‘3 fall AND WNTR
I talked to her. Mother. I ruined. Was she looking at me? No. She was pretty, I had to admit that. So was her dress. “It’s an old one,” she had said and laughed. Still … it had tucks and pleats, and lace around the throat. No wonder Father had been in such a hurry. Nel would not be living with us. She was going off to finishing school. As early as tomorrow. Far away … to Amsterdam, on the other side of Holland. There would only be me at home. I took another look. She was beautiful. I could already see myself walking into town with her. “Is that her mother?” people would ask. I was lucky. With my face burning, I joined Sini and Johan. It was still drizzling. Silently the drops were sliding off the coats of the people who were waiting in line outside Town Hall.
They were there to get forms allowing them to buy hot-water bottles, pots, pans, blankets. Johan and I were waiting for Sini to go. She had to leave early, to get her ride back to Enschede.
“Goodbye,” we said. “See you soon.”
“It’s too bad she couldn’t stay
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