Read Online The Roses Underneath by C.F. Yetmen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: C.F. Yetmen
Ads: Link
tables that had been pushed together to make one long surface. Happily mismatched chairs were neatly tucked underneath. Amalia sat on one of these, working intently on a drawing, using three colored pencils. Frieda sat next to her on a low bench, her long legs pushing her knees up to her chin. A small metal train track ran along one side of the room, under a row of windows that flooded the room with sunshine. In one corner sat three dolls in various states of undress and in the other sat a pile of pillows and blankets formed a cozy nap-time corner.
“What do you do with them all day, Fraulein Schilling?” Anna asked.
“Oh, whatever the day requires. We go outside a bit in the cool morning—the children are helping me prepare the garden for fall vegetables. Emil just got hold of some carrot and turnip seeds. We have lunch, usually some bread and a soup. On Sundays I make a big pot of something that we eat all week. Then we have a rest, right here on the floor with our blankets and pillows. I usually fall asleep myself. They wear me out. And then in the afternoon we play with whatever we like, sometimes we dress up, sometimes we sing songs. Then when it’s time to go, we tidy up and walk down to the museum—I mean to the Collecting Point. It’s all easy and straightforward. They are just so young and they’ve been through so much, haven’t they?”
“What did you do during the war, Fraulein Schilling?” It was the rudest of questions to be asked, but Anna had to do it.
Frieda didn’t blink. “I was a nurse, Frau Klein. Here in Wiesbaden.” She lifted her chin and held Anna’s gaze. “For children,” she added.
“And you have children of your own?” Anna asked.
Frieda shook her head. “No. Not of my own. It has been my calling to take care of others. That has been my life”
Anna nodded and turned to Amalia’s picture. It was three figures, holding hands and smiling. A yellow sun shone overhead and an oversized butterfly floated in the sky. It was a happy picture.
Anna nodded and stepped back into the hall. “Shall we discuss the payment?”
chapter six
Anna stood in front of the wardrobe squinting into the darkness.
“Mama? What are you doing?” Amalia sat up in bed, her hair wild from sleep and eyes still clouded. She yawned.
“Looking for something.”
Anna reached over and turned on the light, which made Amalia dive under the blanket. Now Anna could see what she was looking for. Her old, gray gabardine pants with the wide cuffs. Suitable for days in the country, either family picnics or surveys of bombing damage on historic landmarks , she thought. She pulled the green cotton blouse out of the drawer and finished getting dressed.
“You look funny, Mama.” Amalia laughed.
“You don’t like my pants?” Anna twirled and struck a pose.
Amalia giggled and shook her head as if she had finally seen everything. Then she remembered what day it was. “Mama! Today is the day, right? Today I get to go to Fraulein Schilling?” She jumped out of bed and pulled Lulu out from under her pillow.
Anna put her nerves aside. “And you know what else? We have strudel for breakfast.”
Amalia squealed and raced Anna to the kitchen. Frieda had sent them home with a slice of strudel and a packet of Nescafé. Anna put the kettle on and cut up the pastry for Amalia.
Amalia climbed up on the small table under the window and swung her legs as she chewed.
“So my little Maus, did you sleep well?”
“I had a bad dream. About Papa.” She looked up at Anna, waiting for her reaction. She was a good little bomb-thrower herself.
Anna feigned neutrality. “You did? Tell me about it.”
“I dreamed that Papa was trying to come to us, but he was lost. I could see him walking the streets looking for us, and I called to him but he couldn’t hear me.” She swung her legs harder, and the table swayed under her weight.
Anna wiped her hands on the back of her pants. “That’s a very bad dream. But
“What do you do with them all day, Fraulein Schilling?” Anna asked.
“Oh, whatever the day requires. We go outside a bit in the cool morning—the children are helping me prepare the garden for fall vegetables. Emil just got hold of some carrot and turnip seeds. We have lunch, usually some bread and a soup. On Sundays I make a big pot of something that we eat all week. Then we have a rest, right here on the floor with our blankets and pillows. I usually fall asleep myself. They wear me out. And then in the afternoon we play with whatever we like, sometimes we dress up, sometimes we sing songs. Then when it’s time to go, we tidy up and walk down to the museum—I mean to the Collecting Point. It’s all easy and straightforward. They are just so young and they’ve been through so much, haven’t they?”
“What did you do during the war, Fraulein Schilling?” It was the rudest of questions to be asked, but Anna had to do it.
Frieda didn’t blink. “I was a nurse, Frau Klein. Here in Wiesbaden.” She lifted her chin and held Anna’s gaze. “For children,” she added.
“And you have children of your own?” Anna asked.
Frieda shook her head. “No. Not of my own. It has been my calling to take care of others. That has been my life”
Anna nodded and turned to Amalia’s picture. It was three figures, holding hands and smiling. A yellow sun shone overhead and an oversized butterfly floated in the sky. It was a happy picture.
Anna nodded and stepped back into the hall. “Shall we discuss the payment?”
chapter six
Anna stood in front of the wardrobe squinting into the darkness.
“Mama? What are you doing?” Amalia sat up in bed, her hair wild from sleep and eyes still clouded. She yawned.
“Looking for something.”
Anna reached over and turned on the light, which made Amalia dive under the blanket. Now Anna could see what she was looking for. Her old, gray gabardine pants with the wide cuffs. Suitable for days in the country, either family picnics or surveys of bombing damage on historic landmarks , she thought. She pulled the green cotton blouse out of the drawer and finished getting dressed.
“You look funny, Mama.” Amalia laughed.
“You don’t like my pants?” Anna twirled and struck a pose.
Amalia giggled and shook her head as if she had finally seen everything. Then she remembered what day it was. “Mama! Today is the day, right? Today I get to go to Fraulein Schilling?” She jumped out of bed and pulled Lulu out from under her pillow.
Anna put her nerves aside. “And you know what else? We have strudel for breakfast.”
Amalia squealed and raced Anna to the kitchen. Frieda had sent them home with a slice of strudel and a packet of Nescafé. Anna put the kettle on and cut up the pastry for Amalia.
Amalia climbed up on the small table under the window and swung her legs as she chewed.
“So my little Maus, did you sleep well?”
“I had a bad dream. About Papa.” She looked up at Anna, waiting for her reaction. She was a good little bomb-thrower herself.
Anna feigned neutrality. “You did? Tell me about it.”
“I dreamed that Papa was trying to come to us, but he was lost. I could see him walking the streets looking for us, and I called to him but he couldn’t hear me.” She swung her legs harder, and the table swayed under her weight.
Anna wiped her hands on the back of her pants. “That’s a very bad dream. But
Similar Books
