The Roses Underneath (34 page)

She fed a form into the drum of the typewriter and set up the first field for typing. What was the boy doing here? She looked again. He had not moved from the spot but was now standing with his back to the fence, hands in pockets, head turned down. Anna began typing absentmindedly. The DP camp was several kilometers away. How had he gotten here? There was no bicycle with him, nor anyone who looked to have brought him here. It was impossible that the camp would have let him leave there alone. Had he run away? Was he looking for her? She took one more look but he still had not moved. There was no break for another two hours—at the end of the day. She couldn’t take the chance that he would still be there then.

Anna pushed her chair back and jumped up. As she ran toward the door she put a hand over her mouth and shook her head at Frau Obersdorfer. With her other hand she grabbed her stomach and doubled over, pretending to be in pain. Before anyone could stop her, she pulled open the door and ran down the hall toward the ladies’ washroom. She stopped and looked back. When no one from the typing pool came after her, she continued down the stairs.

Downstairs she ran through the front entry toward the gate. But the boy was gone from his spot. Her eyes scanned the long perimeter. She ran though the gate and along the fence, looking down the street and across it, back toward where she had come from, and all the way around the corner. When she came to a stop, she was out of breath and frantic. Where had he gone? Had she imagined seeing him? Anna rested a hand on the fence and tried to collect herself. A group of people gathered at the intersection to cross the Wilhelmstrasse, but Oskar was not among them. When the MP waved them across, another group approached from the other side and Anna saw one head towering above the others. As the clump of people loosened, she recognized Konrad Schenk, his black hair shining in the sun, his robust presence diminishing the shoddy, gray people around him even more. Anna tried to shrink into the shadow of the tank and hoped he would pass her. For a moment, she thought she could follow him, but then remembered her noticeable absence from the typing pool. Her days of sleuthing for Cooper were probably at an end. She stared at the ground, as if lowering her eyes provided camouflage, but it was too late.

“Shouldn’t you be on the other side of the fence, Frau Klein? Isn’t that what you were so proud to sell yesterday?” Schenk asked in his practiced dismissive tone.

Anna said nothing and made to leave, but he took hold of her arm.

“Wait just a moment. I may have something for you. First of all, I should apologize for my disposition toward you yesterday. I was disappointed, yes, but I was also rude, and for that I am sorry.”

The words did not match his demeanor. Even standing in the shadow of an American tank, he was threatening. Anna knew all she had to do was shout and the sentry that was standing twenty meters away would at least look their way. But she wouldn’t make a scene and Schenk knew it.

He smiled with false benevolence. “So, please, allow me to give you a small compensation. I am happy to tell you I’ve looked into travel papers for your husband. They are not so hard to acquire. A small fee should cover it. And, for me, perhaps a token of your appreciation.” His eyes shifted toward the Collecting Point.

Anna felt the sweat build on her scalp as if she’d walked into a sauna. She looked around nervously. “Perhaps we could discuss this another time? I am due back at work and I—”

Schenk interrupted. “Of course. I understand. I just want to show you.” He pulled a folded document from his jacket pocket and opened it to reveal a set of papers. Anna scanned her surroundings but no one paid them any attention. She looked at the documents without touching them. They permitted travel from Weimar to Wiesbaden train station, which would be the fastest route for Thomas. The earnest face of a young man stared from the photo that was fastened with a metal ring in the paper. Anna tried to recall if she had told either Schenk or Schneider about Thomas’s specific location. Schenk pointed a manicured finger at the page. “These have not been stamped. They can be used again. With your husband’s photo of course.”

Anna stared at the paper. “Where did you get this?”

Schenk shrugged. “There are so many pickpockets at the railway station. They have such fast little fingers.
Much faster than standing in line for hours. I can let you have these for three hundred American dollars. You can even pay me over time. I know you don’t have the money now, but perhaps you can get it.” He folded the papers and returned them to his pocket and then spoke again as if he had just remembered something. “You know, it makes no sense to me why you would want to bring your husband here. He’s a known communist after all—the
Amis
won’t like that one bit. I imagine it will be difficult for him to find a job; they won’t hire him, that’s for sure. More likely they’ll arrest him. It’s a wonder they hired you. Did you tell them the truth about your background? I mean, I assume you are a communist as well?” He grinned. “We all have to pick which side of the table we want to be on, don’t we?”

Anna felt her blood run cold. It was the same thing Cooper had told her:
Pick a side
. She stammered a protest but Schenk continued. “Perhaps it would be better for you to return to Thuringia instead. I could help you with papers of course. Just think about it. It would be a shame to see the Americans come after you. Travel papers for the Russian sector are considerably easier to get, of course, so three hundred dollars would take care of both you and your little daughter. You can tell Ludwig what you decide. He knows where to find me.” He chuckled. “I forgot. So do you, don’t you?”

He clicked his heels and walked in the direction of the tree line on the Frankfurter Strasse. Anna looked around, self-conscious. Three hundred dollars was a fortune. But wasn’t it worth it to have her family back, if it worked?
If they got away with it. She raised her eyes toward the row of windows on the third floor of the Collecting Point. Through the open window on the corner she saw Frau Obersdorfer staring back at her.

“
What do you mean you invited Herr Schilling to dinner?” Anna put her bag on the sofa. “I don’t understand.”

Amalia bounced on the bed and Madeleine sat up. “What? Tonight?
Ach du Schreck.
Oh dear,
I am not presentable.”

“Maus, why would you do such a thing?” Anna asked.

“Because he is nice and I like him. And he said he would bring food. Maybe some sausage, even. Aren’t you hungry Mama?” Amalia was oblivious to her mother’s irritation.

“Of course I am hungry. But I…” She trailed off, too tired to put up much of a fight. Frau Obersdorfer had said nothing when Anna returned to the typing pool. No doubt she was biding her time to build a final case against Anna. The day had ended with Schneider taking up his position at a desk on the ground floor near where the art pieces were beginning to be sorted and photographed. When Anna was leaving, he was talking with the appraisers and photographers, smiling from ear to ear. To keep up appearances, she congratulated him and tried to make amends one more time. But the thing that weighed most on her was Oskar. Without Cooper’s jeep she had no reasonable way to get to the DP camp to visit him until the weekend, which was still two days away. She tried to convince herself she had just imagined seeing him standing outside the fence. The streets were full of little boys running loose like packs of blond two-legged dogs. Maybe she had seen someone else. Her mind drifted to thoughts of Cooper. She wondered what his new assignment was and whether he would ever return to the Collecting Point. She knew he was probably frustrated and irritated at his transfer. She could see him raging against the system in his affable way.
Is he thinking of me?
Does he wonder how I am doing?
She stopped herself.
What nonsense.
She focused her attention on Amalia, who was tugging at her sleeve.

“Don’t be mad, Mama. Herr Schilling is nice, really. Why can’t we make new friends?” Amalia came and stood next to her. She stroked Anna’s arm, which was her usual way of pulling her mother’s strings.

Anna bent down and kissed her daughter’s head. “Of course we can make new friends, Maus.”

In the kitchen she pulled out bread and jam and dug around in the basket for the remaining vegetables—some wilted greens and carrots. She rinsed them in the sink and filled a pot with water, not knowing what else to do. It wasn’t enough food for one person, let alone four of them. What a ridiculous idea, to have a dinner party.

The knock on the front door was soft and timid. Anna approached the door. The painting from the botched hotel sale leaned against the wall in its bag. Not knowing what else to do, she pushed it behind the small table. How could she return it to the Collecting Point now? With Cooper gone, she was stuck with it.
Maybe I can get arrested for art theft as well
, she thought.
Why not?

She took a deep breath before pulling the door handle. Emil stood back several steps on the landing, his arms hunched around an old cloth bag that he hugged to his chest. He smiled sweetly, revealing the youth that still lived underneath his battered exterior. Anna warmed and returned the smile.

“Emil, please come in.” She stood aside and gestured him into the apartment.

“Is it all right? I wasn’t sure I should come.”

“Of course. We are glad to have you.”

Amalia bounced up behind her and giggled. Emil greeted her with a wave and pulled something from the top of his bag. “I brought you something, Amalia. For your collection.”

Amalia took the small box he offered her and ran into the living room, barely able to contain her joy as she called out to Madeleine. Anna closed the door behind Emil and he followed her into the living room. Madeleine sat propped on the sofa, her silver hair pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, her eyes lively as she watched Amalia open the box. Anna performed the introductions and Madeleine put Emil at ease by patting the cushion next to her and inviting him to sit.

Amalia squealed as she held up a small wooden pin carved into the shape of a bird, its wings spread in flight, a long tail feather curving gracefully over its head.

“Just a little trinket from the box Frieda keeps for the girls to play with. I thought she’d like to have it since she is always finding little treasures,” he said, warding off Anna’s inevitable protest.

Anna nodded and bit her lip. Amalia beamed her thanks.

“Oh, and this is for you,” Emil said. “Some things to eat. I got them this weekend so they are still pretty fresh.” He held the bag up to Anna.

Anna was embarrassed, but accepted the gift and carried the bag into the kitchen.

“It’s just some bread and a little cheese,” Emil said following her. “Some milk for Amalia, and some Nordhäuser for us.” He reached into the bag and pulled out a half-empty bottle. He held it up next to his face like a school boy who just broke into his father’s liquor cabinet.

“Schnapps? Amazing,” Anna said. “Where do you get these things?”

Emil shrugged. “Everything can be had. You just have to know who to ask. And be able to pay the price. There are some American cigarettes in there for you, too. I know you like them.”

Anna had not had much luck on the black market so she respected those who could work the rules of that system to their advantage. One day she would figure it out.

“Anytime you need something, just ask me. Really. I will get it for you.” He smiled as he pulled two coffee cups from the shelf and poured each of them a generous serving with a shaking hand. Anna noticed for the first time the resemblance between him and his sister. But where Frieda had turned out all strong-jawed and sharp angles, Emil’s face was softer and well proportioned, as if his features had been honed by a kinder sculptor. She desperately wanted the drink but she could tell Emil wanted it more. Still, it was only one drink, and the bottle was already nearly empty.

“
Prost
,” she said as they clinked cups. The schnapps seemed to catch fire in her mouth and burned its way into her empty stomach. The rise to her head was almost instantaneous. Emil drained his cup and poured himself another.
Anna turned her attention to cutting the full loaf of dark bread with the long kitchen knife. Madeleine and Amalia chattered in the living room and for a moment the world seemed a little more normal. Anna considered the possibility that she liked having a dinner guest, even if it was only for bread and cheese.

“Thank you for bringing the food,” she said. “We really had nothing at all to eat. I would have had to send you home hungry.” She scooped the slices onto the wooden board they used as a serving platter and fanned them out.

“Anna, may I apologize for the way I acted the other day? I feel terrible.”

Anna looked at Emil and felt the blood run to her cheeks. “No need to apologize, Emil. I regret the way I behaved, too. I think I made assumptions that were unfair. I am sorry.”

He exhaled and looked at the floor, nodding his head.

“You wanted to tell me something and I didn’t let you. Will you tell me now?” Anna sliced into the cheese to give herself something to do.

“No, it’s not so important right now. I don’t want to spoil the evening for Amalia by talking about those things. I will tell you another time.” He cleared his throat. “How is your job?”

“The job is all right,” she lied. She didn’t want to talk about her demotion to the typing pool, although Emil would find out anyway. She added the cheese slices to the board. “How about you?”

Emil shrugged. “Same. The
Amis
kind of grow on you, don’t they? I mean, with their big ways and their view of the world, like it’s all going to get better. I guess that’s how things look from where they stand.”

“Things are going to get better, Emil. Haven’t they already? At least now we are free.”

“Free and hungry and poor.”

Anna stroked his arm before she could stop herself. We have to take things as they come. We will see this through and life will get better.”

“You don’t know that. Lots of people thought that, and what did it get them? A bullet in the head, and that’s if they were lucky. Funny how your thinking changes so much when you see what men can do.”

“That’s all done now, Emil.” She changed the subject. “Do you have someone in your life, a special girl who will take care of you?”

Emil’s head snapped to the side as if Anna had slapped him. “No, there is no one like that. There was someone, before the war, but she is dead and gone. I don’t want anyone else. Even if I did, no one will want me. All the girls only have eyes for the
Amis
anyway. I’m the one who came back a loser, remember?” He rubbed his frostbitten stubs and filled his cup again.

“I don’t think that’s true,” Anna said. “But your sister is worried for you. She says you are drinking too much.” She tried to catch his eye but he avoided her.

“She told you that? Why would she say that? Just to worry you? To make me look bad?”

“She is worried for you, Emil. She cares about you.”

He snorted. “I don’t drink too much. Not more than anyone else. And why can’t I drink after all that’s happened?
I’m
not hurting anyone.
I’m
not keeping secrets. Everyone already knows what
I’ve
done.” He was agitated now and Anna wished she hadn’t brought it up. Her pulse fluttered, but she tried once more to reach him.

“You know, Emil, you can always talk to me. I am a pretty good listener. And you can tell me anything. If you want to get something off your chest, I will listen to you.”

“I don’t drink too much,” he repeated. “Just sometimes, to help me sleep, you know? Or to help me get out of bed. Or mostly just to pass the time. There’s not much else to do.”

Anna nodded. “I know. I understand.”

“It makes my head shut up, is all,” he said. “I feel more like myself when I drink. Not like what I’ve become. But, for you, I’ll stop for tonight. I don’t want you to worry.”

“Thank you. Things will get better, Emil, they really will.” The words sounded empty and she knew it. She stroked his arm again. “You have been very kind to me. I would have lost my job without your help. So it matters a lot to me that you are here. Amalia adores you. And we are friends again, no? So that is good too. We can help each other.”

He nodded and took hold of Anna’s hand, interlacing their fingers. He squeezed. “Friends, yes. That is enough for me. Thank you.”

Anna felt the tears rise and the surge of emotion surprised her. She leaned into Emil and rested her head on his shoulder. He felt solid and warm, despite the bony bumps. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“You know I will do anything for you and Amalia. I do want to help you. I know my way around and I can get you things. Will you tell me? Don’t ask anyone else, they may not have your best interests at heart. And it can be dangerous.” He stepped back and put his hands on her shoulders. “Will you promise me?”

Anna was taken aback at his intensity. “Yes, I promise.” She reached up and touched his cheek before turning to pull plates from the shelf. “And you promise me you will go easy on the drinking. I am depending on you. And the
Amis
need you too. They can’t even get the water running. What good are they?” She handed him the stack of plates.

“Damn
Amis
.” Emil’s face thawed into a smile.

“Damn
Amis
,” Anna laughed.

The Collecting Point was thankfully quiet. The heavy wooden door to the administrative offices was closed. A few workers were milling around outside, awaiting the day’s shipment, and it was still early enough that many people had not yet arrived. Anna wished for a shot of Emil’s Nordhäuser. Her head ached and she felt shaky, even though she had only drunk her
one cup. On her way to the washroom to splash water on her face, she passed the file room. The usual clerk was not at her desk. Instead, an old German man sat in the spot, wearing an oversized jacket and an earnest expression. Anna considered the opportunity. If she could just get one more look at the files, maybe she could find some missing piece of information. There were still fifteen minutes until start time, before Frau Obersdorfer would rap her typing brood to attention. This could be her last chance.

She approached the man, who began to deliver a well-rehearsed speech he had prepared to deter unannounced visitors.

“The file room is temporarily closed. Please come back another time,” he sputtered.

Anna stopped in front of the desk and tried her best to loom over him. “What do you mean, closed?”

“Closed. Because all the clerical staff is in a meeting with the director. I was told to tell everyone who needs a file to come back after lunch.” His dialect was thick Hessian, his voice gruff and his skin pleated with deep, weather-worn grooves. Several upper teeth were missing and the ones left behind had spread out along his gums, trying to fill the empty space.

Anna cheered silently. “After lunch? I cannot possibly wait that long. Captain Cooper has asked me to research some gallery files. I’m his translator. It’s very urgent.” She paused. “Do you know Captain Cooper?”