They walked together to the farmhouse, reminiscing about Lillian’s first visit when they had gathered lavender to make bath oil, and discussed how they would make another batch on this trip.
“We can get started on it tomorrow, if you like,” said Ursula. “I have several dried bunches from last summer we can use.”
They saw that Kate and the others had gone inside.
“I suppose we should start getting the hampers ready,” said Ursula.
“I’m looking forward to the town’s festival. We’ve never been here in July, so this will be a new experience for us.”
“You’ll like it. There’s a small band and a few rides for the kids. Booths selling homemade jams and honey, pies and cakes. Mom sent Jimmy ahead to spread out our blankets. She has a favorite spot in the shade of the maple trees.”
When Lillian and Ursula entered the kitchen, they found that Kate and Jessica were making a few peanut butter sandwiches for the children and placing them in picnic baskets, along with cookies, peaches and plums, and jars of lemonade.
Charles and Eugene sat at the table talking with Clem, who held Nathaniel on his lap.
Kate turned on seeing Lillian and Ursula. “Ah, there you are. Have a seat. How about a glass of lemonade? Is that the mail?”
Ursula nodded and set the mail on the table. She placed the wildflowers in a jar of water and then lifted down two glasses from the cupboard.
Eugene leaned forward and glanced at the magazines and letters. “Here’s one for you, Mom. From Butte, Montana.”
“Butte, Montana?” Kate finished pouring out the lemonade and set the pitcher down. “I don’t know anyone there.”
“It’s addressed to you.” He handed the letter to Kate.
Ursula, warm from her walk, sat next to Lillian and took a long sip of the refreshing lemonade.
“There must be some mistake.” Kate reached for her reading glasses and squinted at the postmark. “I can’t make out the name.” She took a kitchen knife and opened the letter. Her brow wrinkled at the unfamiliar handwriting and she flipped the letter over to look at the signature. “Gustav!” She cried out in joy. “Oh my God, it’s from Gustav!”
Kate turned to Charles and Lillian. “One of our POWs. He’s alive! And living in Butte, Montana, of all places.” She sat down and started to read the letter from the top.
“Gustav?” cried Jessica, holding a knife and jelly jar. “What does he say?” She cast a glance at Ursula.
Lillian also looked at Ursula and saw the tension in her face as she waited to hear.
While Kate read the letter, Jessica related what they knew of Gustav. “He wrote soon after his return to Germany to say that his family – his wife and children – didn’t survive. That he didn’t know what he was going to do. He seemed utterly lost. We wrote and wrote but we didn’t hear back from him.” In a quieter voice, she added. “And you know about Karl – our other POW.”
Lillian and Charles nodded. Two years ago, Karl’s death had been confirmed by the Red Cross. When Karl had first shipped out to Europe, Kate and her family had been relieved to know that he would not be sent to a Soviet POW camp. But then the news came that he had been assigned to clear mine fields in France, a job he was wholly unqualified for, as were the other young men who worked alongside him. Apparently, his last words to his fellow POWs was to tell them to stand back. Kate and her daughters had grieved over his death.
Kate kept scanning the letter, jumping down a few paragraphs, then back up, to find the key points. “He says for the past year he’s been working in a copper mine in Butte. He was sponsored by an uncle who had moved to Montana before the war…” She gave a small gasp. “He says he’s met a German widow there and that they’ll be getting married in the fall. That America had always been a place of happiness for him – and he mentions the farm. And that they’re planning a trip back here next year, to see us all again.” Kate looked up and smiled at her children. “I can’t wait to tell Ed. He grew quite close to them all.”
Ursula couldn’t contain herself. “Does he say anything – else?”
Kate shook her head and flipped the letter over again. “He asks if we’ve had any news of Friedrich. I’ll write and let him know that we’re still following leads. And are hopeful,” she added with a bright smile.
She leaned over and squeezed Ursula’s hand. “Gustav made it, and I’m sure Friedrich did, too.” She glanced up at the clock. “Look at the time! We need to get a move on. Let me see if Edna needs any help with the babies.”
Within an hour, the picnic baskets were loaded into cars and trucks, and everyone piled in wherever there was room. Eugene and Edna and their two children were the first to leave. They had a folding table and a few chairs they wanted to set up before everyone else arrived.
Tom, Gabriel, and Donny rode in the back of Clem’s pickup. Kate, Ursula, and Lillian loaded up the old Studebaker sedan with two picnic baskets.
“Go ahead and climb in,” said Kate to Lillian. “I’m just going to grab my hat.”
Charlotte and Frankie, each holding a stuffed animal, sat next to Ursula in the back seat. Just as Charles and Paul were about to drive off in Paul’s truck, Kate ran down the steps and hollered out to Charles that he had a telephone call.
He ran back in to take the call. “We’ll be right behind you,” he said as Kate started the car.
“It must be his office again,” said Lillian, turning around to Ursula. “As soon as he leaves, they remember a hundred things they meant to ask him.” She laughed lightly.
She had noticed the change in Ursula after the letter from Gustav. Though Ursula tried to appear happy, she was clearly upset. In an unspoken agreement, Kate and Lillian chatted cheerfully all the way to town, asking Ursula questions, saying how they were sure to see Ed and Opal at the picnic, and the Bloomfield family, and how Mildred Bloomfield now had four grandchildren, all boys, with another one on the way, which was sure to be a girl…
When they arrived, the town bustled with activity. Various tents and stands with refreshments lined the grassy park, and smoke poured from the barbeque area. Children played games and ran among the blankets spread out in colorful array.
Lillian and Kate each carried a picnic basket while Ursula held the hands of Frankie and Charlotte. They found the shady area where Jimmy had spread the blankets, and arranged the plates, cookies, a basket of fruit, and the jars of lemonade on the table Eugene had set up. They laughed to find Gladys chiding Jimmy for giving the kids sweets before lunch. He gave a loud kiss on her cheek and ran after the twins who were toddling off.
Charlotte and several other children gathered around Frankie who was handing out cookies before Kate could stop him. Frankie ran off, clutching several cookies in his hand, and the other kids scattered, giggling at their daring.
“Frankie!” called Ursula, but he was already out of earshot. She turned to Jessica, who leaned comfortably against Clem.
“He’ll be back,” laughed Jessica. “In half an hour, they’ll all be hungry again.”
“Would you mind keeping an eye on him? I’d like to walk for a bit.”
“Of course,” Jessica said, reaching up to squeeze Ursula’s hand.
Ursula walked away from the festivities, wanting a few quiets moments to herself. The letter from Gustav had stirred up all her doubts and fears. She had always hoped that Gustav might have information about Friedrich through the network of prisoners – that someone might have seen him or worked with him. It came as a blow to discover that Gustav knew nothing.
She strolled to the town square where she first saw Friedrich, the fall of ’43. The chance moment that had forever changed her life. She closed her eyes, remembering that autumn day. How the leaves had fluttered in the breeze, how the bus of young men had pulled up alongside her. How she had looked up and seen Friedrich, struck by the beauty of his face. How their eyes had spoken to each other’s heart. She smiled at the memory and refused to give in to sadness.
She
still felt him with her – when she walked around the farm, when she held Frankie in her arms, at night when she dreamed of him. There had been so many times she had started from sleep, awoken by a dream so real that she felt sure he was next to her. In her heart, she knew he was alive.
But then, why was there no word? Had his time in the camp beaten him down? Was he trying to protect her? She would not give up. She would send more letters, make more inquiries, and hope that her uncle Charles might find out what had happened, where he was. And she would send a letter to Gustav – perhaps he would know of someone else she could write to.
Her steps took her to the church where she and Friedrich had been married. She hesitated and considered going inside – but the last time she had done so had left her red-eyed and filled with despair. She turned away and continued down the street.
After a few more minutes, she walked back towards the park and saw Jessica gathering the children for lunch. Clem helped her and steered three of the kids back to the blankets.
“Just in time,” Jessica said to Ursula. “We’re all ready for lunch.” She turned around in frustration. “Now where did Frankie get off to?”
Ursula laughed. “Here he comes, running as usual.”
Frankie ran to Ursula and held up a cookie.
She bent down to kiss him. “Where were you?”
“Talking to that man.” He bit into his cookie. “His cheeks were wet.”
Jessica gave a sigh to Ursula. “One of the poor veterans, no doubt.” She saw Clem and laughed as he tried to keep the children all together. “I better go help.”
“We’ll be right there.”
Frankie raised his face. “He said to give this to you.”
“The cookie?” Ursula laughed as Frankie took another bite. She put her hand on her hip and said playfully, “I thought that was for me.”
“No, this is mine, Mommy.” He finished the cookie and wiped his hands on his shirt. Then he reached into his pocket and handed her a tiny box. “This is for you.”
Ursula stared at a small velvet box. “Frankie! Where did you – ”
But he had spotted Charlotte and dashed off to play with her.
Ursula held the box in her palm and looked around her, hoping to return it to its owner. It was not something that Frankie should have.
She stared at the small velvet box, and felt a tingling in her skin. She slowly opened it – and her knees gave way. Inside, an amethyst ring glittered in the sunlight. The world swirled, and her heart beat wildly. “Friedrich,” she whispered, scanning the crowd, searching, hoping, hoping – her breath caught.
There he stood, smiling at her. There stood her husband, her beloved, his arms slowly opening, his eyes locked on hers.
Lillian leaned in to Charles as they watched Tom and Gabriel helping Charlotte with her food. “I meant to ask you, Charles, was that your office calling again?”
His brow furrowed. “No,” he said. “It was my contact from the War Department, with a puzzling bit of news.”
Kate gathered Frankie onto her lap and looked around. “Now where’s Ursula?”
Jessica had just sat down and pointed to where she had left Ursula. “She’s right behind me –” She grabbed Kate’s arm. “Mom!”
Kate saw Ursula standing as if frozen, and followed her gaze. “Oh, my God, it’s Friedrich.” Her voice broke in happiness. “It’s Friedrich!”
Lillian turned, just in time to see Ursula run to a tall, handsome man. His arms enfolded her, and Ursula’s arms wrapped tightly around his neck. They kissed again and again, weeping and smiling in joy.
“Thank God,” Charles said softly.
Tears filled Lillian’s eyes. “Charles! That telephone call – did you know?”
He kissed her and linked his hand with hers. “I hoped.”
If possible, the day, at that moment, grew more beautiful. The breeze ruffled the sunlit leaves, the grass shone greener and the air smelled sweeter, and several couples and families felt a surge of gratitude at being alive and part of such happiness.
Christmastime 1945 Page 22