Read Online The Day the Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder - Free Book Online Page A

ring that matched the
one her mother wore on her index finger.
    “I hope you like it, Rebecca.  Is it modern enough for
you?”
    “Of course, Mama, I love it.” Rebecca slid the silver ring over
her left index finger and gave her mother a hug, who held her tight
and then let go while still holding onto her arm.
    “Rebecca, we need to talk about your future.”
    Rebecca pulled free and sat in the chair across from the sofa
where her mother made herself comfortable.
    Ralph lifted his cigar to his mouth and escaped to the porch
adjacent to the living room.  Rebecca scrutinized her mother’s
eyes, her fake smile and her raised brows and waited for the
words.  “In these fragile times, who you date is important;
the reputation you build for yourself is important.  You don’t
want to have doors shut for you because of the mistakes of your
youth.”
    “What mistakes, Mother?” Rebecca remarked in a contrived
innocence.
    “He is a Jew.  I can’t have my only daughter, my only child
dating a Jew.” She said the word Jew almost in a whisper, like
she’d catch an illness from saying it too loudly.
    Rebecca fell back into her chair at the words her mother
actually said aloud, words she knew formed in the corners of her
mother’s mind during dinner and tried to ignore. But her mother sat
in front of her and would not let her hide in the fanciful dreams
of her unbridled youth in Munich.
    “I…I…” Rebecca stuttered at what she wanted to say.  “I’m
not going to do this with you, Mama.  You always try to
control every decision I make and it’s not going to work with
him.  It’s my decision, not yours.” Rebecca pulled herself out
of the chair with both hands and stormed out of the living area
while Ralph blew cigar smoke out the open glass door.
    Fifteen minutes later, Rebecca returned to the living room with
her luggage in hand and placed it between the living room and the
corridor.
    “I have to get going.  I have a lot to do, and don’t want
to be late arriving in Munich.” She scurried past her mother to her
father and gave him a hug and thanked him for the car.  Then
she plodded to her mother and offered a worn smile.  Her
mother stood and they politely hugged out of aristocratic
expectations.  Rebecca turned with her long dark brown hair
swaying about her and lifted her luggage to walk out the front
door.  Mildred hurried to her side with a square treat wrapped
in foil and handed it to her.
    “Don’t forget to take this. I made it myself for you, your
favorite banana bread.” Rebecca’s tense cheeks and stretched eyes
lightened and she hugged Mildred before exiting to her new blue
Audi.
     
     
    Thursday, December 31, 1931
    The New Year’s Eve party was one of a many in this apartment
building and they reminded everyone a new year was born. 
Perhaps the jazz music and gaudy decorations or perhaps the idea of
the past ending and a future beginning allowed everyone the freedom
of the untamed.  The last night of 1931 gave people an excuse
to be rowdy and wild, despite the growing conservative German
culture toward a more civil society.  On this night, those
rules did not apply anymore.  On each floor of the apartment,
music permeated the walls and the sounds of chatter and laughter
filled the halls.
    Rebecca walked through Eli’s open door into a room filled with
guests, music, dancing, food and drinks.  Her maroon dress
swayed over her slim ankles and her sleeves cuddled her elbows. A
white ribbon adorned her waist and her hair, holding her long brown
hair up into a looped braid. The dim lights lit enough for everyone
to make out shadows of who everyone was with. Eli noticed Rebecca
from across the room and darted to her side to escort her through
the crowd and help her untangle the long, thick, white scarf around
her neck.  They stood near the kitchen, the light from the
moon shining through the window and over their faces.
    “How are you? It’s so good to see you.” Eli held her