“Yeah, but if I had known then what type of guy you were I would’ve let the Germans get in a shot or two before I covered you.” Grand-Paul held up a playful fist, and Ava got a glimpse of the nineteen-year-old kids they’d been. “Yes, I was the lucky cuss who got to lead these men through the dragon’s teeth.”
Grand-Paul continued talking about how fearful they were the night before the attack. Ava listened, but only partly. She mostly watched Dennis from the corner of her eye. Watched him watching their grandpas. It warmed her heart to see his pride.
Laughter carried on throughout the day, and after the videotaping was done, she packed up her things. Dennis pulled her grandfather to the side, to ask him more questions about what it was like serving under his friend, and Ava saw her opportunity to talk to Grand-Paul.
“Thanks so much for doing that.”
“Oh, Ava-gal, I’m always eager to tell the stories.” He remained in the chair, his palms on his knees. A cough shook his body.
“I don’t mean only that. I mean talking my grandpa into this.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t talk him into it.”
“Really?” She glanced over her shoulder at her grandfather. “I thought for sure.”
“No, but I’ve been praying about it,” Grand-Paul said.
Ava cocked an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t believe in prayer—in telling God what to do.”
“Dennis explained that it’s about letting God know what’s on your mind.” He rubbed his chin, his fingers quivering. “I let God know it would be easier on you if your stubborn grandfather would just tell his stories. God must have agreed.”
She hugged Grand-Paul again, clinging to him a few extra seconds. “Thank you,” she said with a smile. “Keep praying, it’s working.”
Ava was still smiling as she finished the video before dinner and e-mailed it off long before it was due.
She still hadn’t heard back from Jill about the research, and as time passed she almost didn’t expect to. Jill was most likely running around trying to do her job, and Ava’s job too. Ava resigned herself to the fact that she’d dig in when she got back to Seattle. If Angeline was out there, Ava was determined to find her, even if it took a week, a month, or a year.
She’d try to get in touch with Jill again—just to see how things were going at the studio—but not tonight. Tonight she’d forget about what happened sixty-seven years ago. Tonight she’d just enjoy seeing a new place with an old friend.
Dennis met her in the hotel lobby at six o’clock sharp. The lobby was small and quaint, just like the city street outside.
“Hope you don’t mind walking. The restaurant’s a few blocks away.” He held up a pamphlet in English. “The lady at the visitor’s center down the street recommended it.”
“I don’t mind.” She wrapped a baby-blue scarf around her neck. “In fact, I hope it’s not too nice of a place.” She kicked up her plain black Danskos. “I really didn’t pack for elegant dining.”
“You look fine, Ava. And it’s not
that
nice. I just got out of college, remember? My career hasn’t taken off yet.”
A cool breeze stirred the air, and Ava looked around the large square. Even though most of the town looked modern and plain—most likely because it had been bombed and rebuilt after the war—the square gave her a sense of what the town had been like before the war.
“So this is Darmstadt?” She sighed and placed a hand against her chest. “I’ve always dreamed of coming here and seeing those dragon’s teeth.”
“Really?” Dennis paused and eyed her.
She quickened her pace. “No.” She laughed. “I’ve never heard of this place before, but it’s nice. I’ll give it that. Germany has been very beautiful so far.”
He caught up with her. “You sound surprised.”
“Maybe I was expecting the people in the old film reels. Strict and stern. I’m pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the people. Seeing this is like throwing all the narrow-mindedness and hate back in Hitler’s face.”
They turned a corner and the buildings rose up, square and modern. In the center of the business area, there was a large tower. It looked like a tall, brick arm with five curves at the top that resembled fingers. She tilted her head, picturing a giant reaching into the sky.
“Wow.” Ava glanced up again.
“It talks all about it in this pamphlet. I don’t know how to pronounce it in German but it’s translated as the Marriage Tower.”
“You’re just making that up. It looks more like a hand…with those five spires that look like fingers. I don’t see any wedding ring.” She smirked.
“It’s no joke. It says here it was built in the memory of the wedding of the Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig in 1905.”
“I like it. Especially the wedding part.”
As soon as the words were out of Ava’s mouth, she wished she could take them back, just in case Dennis had heard about her failed wedding plans.
If Dennis was having any of those thoughts, he didn’t voice them. Instead, they walked a few more blocks in silence, taking in the picturesque scene of old men and women, teens and young couples strolling along the avenues.
She knew they were getting close to the restaurant when he placed his hand on the small of her back. She slowed her steps, and he led her to the door. Above it a sign read
Braustub’l
.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
Warm scents of comfort food met her as they entered. Dennis gave his name to the hostess, and they were led to a table shared by another couple. At first Ava was confused.
They sat, and Dennis leaned in close. “A fine example of German efficiency.” He smiled. “Waste no room with empty seats and half-filled tables.”
The other couple knew quite a bit of English, and they chatted about the weather and the best sites to visit in the area. Dennis and Ava listened politely and made small talk, but neither had the heart to tell the other couple that they would be staying only one night. Tomorrow they’d be off to a new German town and off to discover more stories of war.
Ava ordered the
rosti pfifferlinge
, a potato cake with a creamy sauce, loaded with chanterelle mushrooms. When it arrived, the portion was bigger than she expected—the complete opposite of the small portions from France.
She breathed a sigh of relief as the other couple finished their dinner and left with a warm good-bye.
“Finally.” Dennis swirled his fork in the leftover gravy on his plate. “We’re alone. I mean without the grandpas in arm’s reach.”
“I think it’s the first time on this trip.” She smiled, and all the questions she’d been waiting to ask escaped her mind. It was easy to have a conversation when the grandpas were around. They were always quick to share their opinions.
Dennis and Ava chatted about some of the things they’d seen and about the amazement of coming upon that farm and learning about Angeline.
After the waitress brought them
apfelkuchen
—apple cake—and coffee, Dennis’s voice softened. “Do you remember when we went up to the ski park on Mount Shasta and got in that accident on the way down?”
“That bear ran into my grandpa’s car.” Laughter bubbled from her lips. “Grandpa didn’t believe us!”
“Not until he saw those hairs stuck in the door panel. Poor thing, the way the bear staggered into the woods after that. I bet his head ached for days.”
She turned to Dennis and studied his face. “I also remember swimming in Lake Siskiyou. Remember the day we timed ourselves to see how long we could float? I think it was an hour.”
“Two at least.” He took another bite of his cake.
“We heard some of these same war stories from our grandpas back then, but they didn’t seem as interesting then as they are now.”
Dennis looked down at his plate. “Maybe I was a little distracted.” He rested his elbow on the table, and then placed his chin in his hand.
“You know you’re the first girl I ever kissed, right?”
Ava had been taking a sip from her mineral water, and she nearly spit it out all over the table. As soon as she swallowed, laughter burst from her lips. “You should warn a girl before talking like that.”
“Yes, well, I can’t stop thinking about that summer. Especially our hikes. Remember when we tried to climb the back side of Mount Shasta?”
“I remember we packed more food than we’d need in three days, and I nearly froze because I didn’t realize we were walking all the way up to the snow.” Ava sighed. “Remembering those days—talking about them now—makes it seem like they happened just last week.”
“I remember your telling me how excited you were about college, and all your friends, and everything you’d already bought for your dorm room.”
“I’d been planning it for a long time.”
He smiled. “I know. You must have told me that twenty times on that hike.”
The waitress cleared their plates. In the next room a group sang in German, and she wondered what they were celebrating. The birth of a baby? A birthday? A wedding?
Dennis wasn’t paying attention. She could tell he was still thinking more about then than now. If they kept going, they’d get to the subject of their last night together, and she didn’t want to ruin their evening by bringing up that.
“I wonder what’s next. What will the rest of the week hold?”
Dennis looked at her. “You’re trying to change the subject.”
“Wouldn’t you want to change the subject if you had acted like I did?”
“We’re going to have to talk about it sometime, Ava. That night—that fight—changed the course of our lives.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The next morning, Ava hummed as she hurriedly showered, dressed, packed, and made her way to the hotel lobby with her tripod and camera, just in case there was something around the hotel she wanted to videotape. Yet, instead of joining the two grandpas outside on the patio, she chose a table inside with a view of the elevator and ordered breakfast. Taking a sip of her orange juice, she heard the elevator ding and watched the doors open, a smile on her face. Three college-aged students exited, and she bit her lip, disappointed. The next time it dinged it was a businessman in a suit, followed by a young woman carrying a baby.
Ava cut her ham into small pieces and told herself not to watch the doors anymore. On the next ding, a couple exited, holding hands. She sighed and pushed her plate back, no longer feeling hungry. Nervous tension caused her stomach to rumble, and she rose and hurried to join the grandpas, motioning to the extra seat. “Can I sit here? Dennis isn’t using it, is he?”
“It’s all yours,” Grand-Paul commented. “Dennis went to gas up the car. He also mentioned he’s working on a surprise for tonight, so it might take a little while to get back.”
“You weren’t supposed to say anything,” Grandpa Jack grumbled.
“Now that’s just foolishness. I need to teach my grandson a thing or two. Doesn’t he know the rule of surprises?” Grand-Paul turned to her. “Do you know, Ava?”
“I’m not sure if I do…”
His face grew serious, and he leaned forward with his elbows on the table, as if preparing for a lecture. “The rule of surprises is that there’s a measure of joy and excitement when a surprise is revealed…but the same happens when someone
hears
that a surprise is coming.
Because
they know, the happiness is spread out. So, in the end, the sum joy is far greater if you just spill the beans that you’re up to something.”
Ava laughed. “Yes, I suppose that’s right. It’s like Christmas. There’s the excitement over the surprise of the gifts, and there’s the excitement that builds over knowing Christmas Day is nearing.”
She looked around and noticed how quiet this outside patio was. Perfect for videotaping. “I suppose while we wait I can get my camera out.” She set up her tripod. “I know we have a long day on the road to get to Bayreuth. Will it be okay if we talk a little bit?”
“Sure, might as well.” Grand-Paul dabbed his face, making sure there were no breakfast crumbs tucked in the wrinkles.
“Great.” Ava unzipped her camera bag. She glanced over at her grandfather to see his response and her heart sank. The smile and bright eyes of a moment before were gone. He lowered his head and was looking at his lap. Something inside told her to stop—to put the camera away and just enjoy the sunshine and conversation—but the more practical part of her nagged about the work she had to do.
As she checked the battery in the camera, she remembered Dennis’s comment from the previous night—the closer to Austria and the concentration camp they got, the more emotions would come out. The sorrowful look on her grandfather’s face was evidence of that.
Emotions are good on camera,
she reminded herself.
They draw the viewers in.
She set up the camera to capture both men as they sat side-by-side sipping coffee. When everything was in place, Ava locked eyes with Grand-Paul and he winked at her. She hoped he’d still been praying.
Pushing R
ECORD
on the camera, Ava began. “Tell me about what you saw on your way to Austria.”
“The thing I remember the most are the white sheets hanging from the windows,” Grand-Paul started.
“People were surrendering?” Ava asked.
“They wanted us to think they were,” Grand-Paul explained. “Sometimes we’d get close, and then we’d get shot at with sniper fire. If that happened, we’d tell the mayor he had an hour to clear the town of civilians. Then if we got shot at again, we’d level the town. We leveled several towns that way.” He spoke the fact simply. It was part of his job, part of his life.
She looked at her grandpa, seeing sadness in his gaze. “Is there one event that sticks out most in your mind, Grandpa?”
It took him a moment to answer. “I remember one town so vividly because our buddy got killed there.” Grandpa Jack’s words caught in his throat. He covered his face with his hands.
Ava looked at his fingers. His knuckles were like knots under the red patchy skin. She imagined those hands young. Pictured them covering his face in such a way, trying to hide the pain of losing a friend.
A sound escaped her grandfather’s lips, but it wasn’t a cry. It was more like an utterance. She strained to listened and finally made out his repeated word.