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Authors: Roberta Kagan
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be sorry. You are feeling so much hurt. You are missing the man you love. I understand. If I ever have to live my life without Klaus, I will feel this way too. It’s all right. It will be all right.” Still stroking Petra’s head, she helped her to sit back down in the rocker.
“When the German army marched into our little village, people seethed with hatred for them. Everyone considered the soldiers invaders.” She sniffled. “But at the time I worked in my father’s tavern on the water, and on my way home, I saw them. Like fate, you know? Hans stood so tall, with golden hair, and he was not much older than me. He wore this dashing uniform, and he stood with the straightest posture you can imagine. As I walked by , my eyes met his , and I could not believe the color blue they were. I’d never seen eyes that color. They captivated me. Then he smiled. I forgot all about what my friends and my parents said about the Germans, and I smiled back. I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”
“But you did.”
“Yes, oh yes. He found me. He asked around until he found out where I worked, and he came to find me. At first I resisted because I knew that everyone would disapprove, but he broke my resolve with his good looks and charm.”
“You liked him right away,” Siegland said as Petra wiped her tear s away with the handkerchief Sie gland gave her.
“I think that maybe I loved him right away. When I told my best friend, Astrid, she told me that I must forget about him, but I couldn’t, you know? I tried, but I couldn’t. He took me to dinner. His generosity and kindness awed me, and before I knew it, we started kissing, and then, well as you can see we were more than kissing.”
“Yes, I understand. I do. I am a woman, too , ” Siegland said.
“ Siegland , what if I never love anyone again? I feel so old, yet in reality, I’m still young.”
“Oh, maybe you will love again. I think so. You need to try to get on with your life. I know it will be hard, but you will have a baby, and you can stay here and be our family for as long as you want to.”
“ Siegland , you are so kind, like a mother to me. If I say it a thousand times, I still w ill not have thanked you enough. ” Petra sighed, “Never enough.”
“You could do something for me, ” Siegland said.
“Anything.”
“Maybe you could call me Mama?”
“Of course, Mama .”
Chapter 9
A
t about six o’clock in the morning in early May, as Siegland and Klaus slept, Petra’s labor pains began. They started with a light cramping, just enough to nudge Petra awake, letting her know the baby was on its way. She stayed in bed; from what she’d heard about childbirth, it would be hours before the actual delivery, so she decided not to wake the Bruchmeiers yet. Flushed with excitement, fear and anticipation, Petra lay looking out the window at the beginning of the new day. It was still dark outside, with just a flicker of the morning light beginning to illuminate the earth. The large oak trees cast shadows through the glass and across the room. As she gazed at them, she smiled, thinking to herself that today, once again, her life would change forever. Soon she would know if she had a son or a daughter. With Siegland at her side, she had spent hours thinking of names for the child. She still hadn’t decided between Steffi and Astrid for a girl’s name, but if she gave birth to a boy, his name would definitely be Hans, to honor his father. Perhaps she would add middle names for her parents: Brigit for her mother or Eric for her Papa. As the sunlight grew stronger, filtering slowly into the room, her pains came at shorter intervals, and she knew she must awaken the Bruchmeiers so that Klaus could fetch the midwife.
Petra entered the couple’s bedroom and found them snoring softly. She hated to disturb them, but knew she must.
Gently, she stroked Sie gland’s shoulder.
“When the German army marched into our little village, people seethed with hatred for them. Everyone considered the soldiers invaders.” She sniffled. “But at the time I worked in my father’s tavern on the water, and on my way home, I saw them. Like fate, you know? Hans stood so tall, with golden hair, and he was not much older than me. He wore this dashing uniform, and he stood with the straightest posture you can imagine. As I walked by , my eyes met his , and I could not believe the color blue they were. I’d never seen eyes that color. They captivated me. Then he smiled. I forgot all about what my friends and my parents said about the Germans, and I smiled back. I didn’t think I’d ever see him again.”
“But you did.”
“Yes, oh yes. He found me. He asked around until he found out where I worked, and he came to find me. At first I resisted because I knew that everyone would disapprove, but he broke my resolve with his good looks and charm.”
“You liked him right away,” Siegland said as Petra wiped her tear s away with the handkerchief Sie gland gave her.
“I think that maybe I loved him right away. When I told my best friend, Astrid, she told me that I must forget about him, but I couldn’t, you know? I tried, but I couldn’t. He took me to dinner. His generosity and kindness awed me, and before I knew it, we started kissing, and then, well as you can see we were more than kissing.”
“Yes, I understand. I do. I am a woman, too , ” Siegland said.
“ Siegland , what if I never love anyone again? I feel so old, yet in reality, I’m still young.”
“Oh, maybe you will love again. I think so. You need to try to get on with your life. I know it will be hard, but you will have a baby, and you can stay here and be our family for as long as you want to.”
“ Siegland , you are so kind, like a mother to me. If I say it a thousand times, I still w ill not have thanked you enough. ” Petra sighed, “Never enough.”
“You could do something for me, ” Siegland said.
“Anything.”
“Maybe you could call me Mama?”
“Of course, Mama .”
Chapter 9
A
t about six o’clock in the morning in early May, as Siegland and Klaus slept, Petra’s labor pains began. They started with a light cramping, just enough to nudge Petra awake, letting her know the baby was on its way. She stayed in bed; from what she’d heard about childbirth, it would be hours before the actual delivery, so she decided not to wake the Bruchmeiers yet. Flushed with excitement, fear and anticipation, Petra lay looking out the window at the beginning of the new day. It was still dark outside, with just a flicker of the morning light beginning to illuminate the earth. The large oak trees cast shadows through the glass and across the room. As she gazed at them, she smiled, thinking to herself that today, once again, her life would change forever. Soon she would know if she had a son or a daughter. With Siegland at her side, she had spent hours thinking of names for the child. She still hadn’t decided between Steffi and Astrid for a girl’s name, but if she gave birth to a boy, his name would definitely be Hans, to honor his father. Perhaps she would add middle names for her parents: Brigit for her mother or Eric for her Papa. As the sunlight grew stronger, filtering slowly into the room, her pains came at shorter intervals, and she knew she must awaken the Bruchmeiers so that Klaus could fetch the midwife.
Petra entered the couple’s bedroom and found them snoring softly. She hated to disturb them, but knew she must.
Gently, she stroked Sie gland’s shoulder.
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