You Are My Sunshine: A Novel Of The Holocaust (All My Love Detrick Companion Novel) by Roberta Kagan

Munich at the same time as they reveled in exploring each other.
    They went into town and had breakfast at small outdoor cafes laughing and talking for hours. They held hands eating ice cream cones as they walked along the lake in a park so green it could have been a painting. An entire afternoon was spent admiring the treasures in the art museum, followed by an evening at the Opera house enjoying the music and elaborate costumes of an opera by Wagner. In what Manfred referred to as his former life, what he meant was his life before he’d sworn allegiance to the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler, he would never have dreamed of attending an opera. In fact, he could only imagine a life like this, a life that the Reich had made possible for a poor, lonely boy like him.
    Every where they went, Manfred wore his uniform and because of this he was shown the utmost respect by everyone from wait staff in restaurants who insisted on serving the couple free drinks to shop owners who were happy to present gifts to Christa at no charge. All of this was astonishing but when he saw the pride in his wife’s eyes, Manfred began to feel like a very successful man indeed.
    Long lazy afternoons drinking dark beer and making love made Manfred wish that he could stay in Munich forever. But he knew better. Soon he must return and when he did, he must prove himself worthy of all that the party had given him.

    Chapter 15
     
    Without her mother Zofia was alone and even worse she blamed herself for her mother’s suicide. She still made it a point to come to work each day and do a good job, but she’d stopped singing and had grown quiet.
    “You might as well move in with Gitel and me. There is no sense in you staying in that big house by yourself. And being pregnant, well, it will be good to have someone around in case you need help.” Fruma said in her matter of fact way.
    Z ofia nodded. Are you sure you would want that?”
    “Yes, if I didn’t I wouldn’t have suggested it, now would I?” Fruma smiled. “Besides, Gitel likes you too. It will be good for us to have some young people around. We’re becoming like two old boring ladies.”
    Z ofia liked Gitel, who had come by the shop whenever she had time off from her job at the fishmonger.
    The funeral f or Zofia’s mother had taken a toll on her. She now wore a black mourning dress with a piece of fabric torn at the lapel. When she looked in the mirror the darkness of the dress against her face added to the somberness she felt. It was true that since the loss of her father, her mother had been little more than a shell, but she was still a presence, sometimes a burden, often an extra job but always a presence.  For a very long time her mother’s depression had affected Zofia’s entire life. But still, she was there, giving Zofia a purpose, if not in mind at least in body.  Now Zofia was an orphan, she had no one.
    “I understand if you are ashamed. People will talk because of how Gitel and I are together. They talk anyway, but the talk will now include you.” Fruma said folding a square of lace.
    “People should mind their own business. I am not ashamed of you and Gitel. You are entitled to live your life any way that you choose. Besides, how about me? I am pregnant without the benefit of marriage. What are people going to say about that?”
    Fruma smiled. “Yes, it looks like we are the perfect band of misfits, two old lesbian lovers and a young unmarried woman with a baby on the way.”
    Fruma laughed. Zofia laughed.
    Living with Fruma and Gitel was fun, more fun that Zofia could remember having in a long time. Gitel loved to sing and she strolled through the house filling it with song, her voice a deep resonant alto. Most days the three prepared meals together while Gitel sang. Zofia continued to work with Fruma at the dressmaking shop, but as she grew larger, she became more tired. The older woman saw the difficulty Zofia was having with her heavy belly and the sewing machine and so