They finally finished making their purchases and walked home quietly for several minutes. A block from the apartment Sharon said, “Wilma is a nice girl. But I don’t think she knows that I am Jewish.”
“You don’t?”
“No, I don’t think she’d be as friendly if she knew.”
“Do you think that’s why she was questioning my name”
“Maybe, who knows,” Sharon said. “There is far too much hate in this world.”
CHAPTER 34
December 7th 1941
On the morning of December 7th, 1941, The Empire of Japan waged a sneak attack on the United States of America. Without warning, Japanese planes plummeted bombs down upon the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. America shook with rage, like a giant volcano about to erupt. The world stood breathless as President Roosevelt of the United States of America responded over the airwaves : President Franklin D. Roosevelt: Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States had joined the Allies as they entered the war. American servicemen enlisted by the thousands. As America came forth with a vengeance fighting on two fronts, in the Pacific against Japan and alongside her allies Great Britain and Russia on the European stage. Isoroku Yamamoto, a Japanese general, couldn’t have been more correct when in reference to Japan bombing the US he said, “I am afraid we have awakened a sleeping giant.”
CHAPTER 35
1941
Gilde and William wrote to other fervently, like young lovers who are forced to be apart will do. Sometimes the mail was slow because of the war. But Gilde usually received a letter at least once a month. She would read the words over several times and then hold the letter to her breast. I have someone who loves me, she would think to herself. I am not alone in the world.
On a Tuesday morning late in February, Sam Lawrence woke up with a terrible headache. He got out of bed to splash his face with cold water. When he turned on the light, he found that he was disoriented, dizzy, and his vision was blurred.
“Lenore,” he called out, but his speech was slurred. “Come quick. I don’t feel right.”
Lenore got up and ran into the bathroom where she saw that Sam was on the floor. When she saw him, she screamed. In order to soothe her fear, he tried to get up but he couldn’t. Both girls got up quickly and came running to the bathroom. When Gilde saw Sam on the ground, she ran to call for help.
An ambulance arrived and took Sam to the hospital. For Gilde the blaring lights of the ambulance and the alarming sound brought back terrible memories of the Nazis. Gilde loved Sam like her own father, and seeing him unable to move was horrifying. She dressed quickly. Then Sharon, Lenore, and Gilde walked to the bus stop and waited. It took a half hour for the big red bus to turn the corner. They entered through the back, paid their fare and sat down. No one spoke, because they dared not give voice to their fears that Sam might be dead.
Lenore was shivering. Gilde took her hand. Sharon took her mother’s other hand. And thus they rode for a half hour until they reached a stop that was two streets from the hospital.
The corridor to Sam’s room was stark blinding white and smelled of paint and alcohol. Gilde’s hands trembled as the three women walked up to the reception desk.
“I’m looking for my husband, Sam Lawrence. He was brought in by ambulance.” Lenore’s voice was small and weak.
“Have a seat in the waiting room. I’ll let the doctor know that you’re here,” the receptionist said.
They did as they were told. They sat and they waited. Lenore was so nervous that she bit her lip and it was bleeding. Gilde had a handkerchief in her handbag. She gave it to Lenore to wipe the blood. And still they waited. It was taking too long. Gilde feared that Sam was already dead. If that was the case she would have to be strong for Sharon and Lenore. And worst of all, she would have to tell William in her next letter.
Gilde gently rubbed Lenore’s shoulder.
The hospital was busy. Nurses in uniform raced from room to room. Doctors wearing white coats dashed through the halls, sometimes in pairs. Still, no one came to talk to the Lawrences. Lenore had begun weeping softly. And the sound of it broke Gilde’s heart, but even more than heartbreak it made her angry. She got up and went back to the receptionist.
“We need to speak to someone now. My father-in-law is in the hospital, he was taken by ambulance. We don’t know if he is alive or not and we have been waiting for a long time. Please, find someone for us now,” Gilde said. Her voice was stern. The receptionist was fairly young and Gilde’s firm reproach affected her.
“I’ll find someone. Give me five minutes.”
“Five minutes. Please. We can’t wait any longer. We’re going out of our mind with worry.”
“I promise. Just five minutes.”
“Thank you,” Gilde said, but her voice was still unyielding.
But the receptionist was true to her word and a doctor came to speak to them a few minutes later.
“Mrs. Lawrence?”
Lenore stumbled as she got up. Gilde reached for her. Sharon was shaking.
“Yes.”
“The good news is your husband is alive. The bad news is that he had a mild stroke. I can’t say that he will be perfect, there may be some nerve damage, but if all goes well, he’ll be functional. However, it won’t be an overnight recovery, it will take some time.”
“Oh dear God, thank you,” Lenore said, falling back down into the chair. She put her hands over her face and wept.
“Can we see him?” Gilde asked.
“Yes, how soon can we go in?” Sharon took Gilde’s hand.
“In a little while,” the doctor said. “I’ll send someone out to get you when he is fully awake.”
CHAPTER 36
Sam was in the hospital for three grueling weeks. Gilde and Sharon kept the business open, which concerned Sam very much and he mentioned it constantly. But Gilde reassured him that because she had been helping him for so long, she knew enough about the work to take good care of things. Sam had liked Gilde from the start, but once she and William became engaged, Sam showed Gilde where the keys to the safe were. “You’re part of our family now, Gilde.” He’d explained that everything the family had of value was inside that safe. Gilde felt honored that he trusted her as much as he did, and she was very careful to protect everything that Sam had shown her.
Every couple of days Gilde and Sharon made sure to stop by the hospital for at least an hour. They usually went when Sharon got home from school. Gilde would close the shop and the two girls would take the big red bus over to see Sam.
Because Sam had always been so full of life, until he got sick, Gilde had lost sight of his age. But since the stroke, he looked older every day. Although he denied that he was in pain, Gilde could see the agony on his face. The area around his eyes was now deeply lined and he had little control over the left side of his body. For the first two weeks following the stroke he was unable to form words, and so he didn’t speak at all. His mouth hung limp and with a trembling hand and difficulty holding a pen he tried desperately to communicate by writing. Most times the writing was illegible. Finally, after a couple of difficult weeks Sam slowly found he was able to move his lips and make sounds. He tried to speak but his voice had changed. It seemed as if his tongue had gotten too big for his mouth and it was hard to understand what he was trying to say.
“Vision blurred. Sometimes, see double,” Sam said.
Gilde and Sharon nodded.
“Thank God you’re alive, Papa,” Sharon said. “We have to be thankful for that. You’ll get better.”
Sam nodded his head and tried to smile, but only one side of his lips moved.
“Gilde has been doing a wonderful job of watching the shop. So you don’t have to worry about the business,” Sharon said, trying to give Sam words of comfort and encouragement.
“Gilde … a blessing,” he tried
to say.
One afternoon when Lenore was not at work, she joined Gilde and Sharon on their visit to see Sam.
Sam was sitting up in bed. Up until now, his pallor had been gray but his color was a little brighter and less gray today.
When they entered the hospital room, Gilde and Sharon kissed Sam’s forehead. Then Lenore stood beside his bed and took his hand in hers.
“Something important … ask you,” Sam stammered. Trying to make his speech as clear as possible. “Lives depend on me watch for fires. Someone does my job?”
“Don’t worry, Papa. Sharon and I take turns doing your job at the factory and we will keep doing it until you get home and are back to your old self,” Gilde said, patting Sam’s arm.
When Sam was finally released from the hospital he was very weak. It was hard for him to walk or to see and he was out of breath with the slightest exertion. However, his speech had improved to the point where he could be understood when he talked. Sam told Gilde again and again that he was grateful for her help. But he was eager to get back to work. He felt old and unproductive.
“Stay in bed and rest for few more days, Papa,” Gilde said. After she and William had become engaged, Lenore and Sam told Gilde to call them Mama and Papa. They insisted on it and she loved it. She finally felt like she belonged somewhere. “I’ll take care of everything.”
“But what about school?” Sam asked.
“I’ve stopped going. I stopped when you were in the hospital. I’ve decided that I want to learn the business. Yes, that’s what I want to do,” Gilde said.
“The business isn’t what it was before the war. We aren’t busy, we don’t earn much money. You’d be better off in school,” Sam said. When he spoke he still sounded like he had a mouth full of marbles, but Gilde had gotten used to it and she understood him perfectly now.
“Let Sharon go to school. She’s much more studious than I am. I’ll stay at home and work with you until you are all better. Then we’ll see. I might decide to go back to school.”
“If you take all this time off you’ll probably fail a grade. That wouldn’t be good for you.”
“I’ll be just fine. I am going to marry William and be a wife and mother anyway. School doesn’t really fit into my plans anyway.”
“Maybe Sharon could pick up your schoolwork and you could study at home?” Sam said.
“If that’s what you want, Papa. I’ll do it.”
“It would make me happy.”
“Then, I’ll do it. Will you explain the situation to my teacher and bring my work home, Sharon?” Gilde asked.
“Of course. You know I will.”
“I know,” Gilde said. “You’re a good sister.”
And so Gilde worked the business for a month until Sam was finally well enough to come back. At night she did her schoolwork as she promised. When Sam returned, he was semi- functional. He limped very slowly and the left side of his face drooped.
While Sam had been out, Gilde remembered what she’d learned and began to repair watches and jewelry. She ran the business with the efficiency she inherited from her father, organizing everything. And when Sam returned he was surprised to find everything in better order than he’d left it.
CHAPTER 37
1942 May
It was a brisk spring morning. It had rained the night before and buds had begun to form on the trees in the yard. Sam had returned to work but he was not able to stay all day. After a few hours he was exhausted and returned to his bed. He was concerned with his obligation to watch for fires. But Gilde and Sharon assured him that they would not shirk the responsibility. It was a lot for Gilde. Between the shop, the schoolwork Sharon brought home, and fire watching one night a week, she was constantly busy.
She was in the store. Her hair was pulled back with a black velvet headband and she was double-checking a repair on a watch as the customer was waiting to make a payment.
“It’s running perfectly now. Here, have a look,” Gilde said. When she looked up from the watch to the customer she saw William standing at the back of the store. Gilde dropped the customer’s ticket on the display case and ran into William’s arms and he lifted her in the air.
“Oh God, it’s good to see you,” she said. She was laughing and crying at the same time.
He kissed her. “I missed you, love. I really missed you…” William said.
“I’m going to leave the money I owe you on the counter,” the embarrassed customer said.
Gilde nodded. Her eyes never left William’s face. “I missed you too, so much.”
“What are you doing here in the shop? Shouldn’t you be in school? Where’s Papa?”
“I’m working. Your father was sick. He’s better now. But, I’ve decided to help in the shop. How long can you stay?” she said, squeezing the arm of his uniform. Wanting to hold on to him forever.
“Two days, then I ship out. This time for real.”
“What do you mean for real? Where are they sending you?”
“I don’t know. They won’t tell us. But I’m pretty sure I’m leaving the country.”
“What? Why won’t they tell you where?” She held tightly to his arm.
“It’s top secret. But let’s not worry about that now. I am here with you and it feels so good to see you and hold you. Let’s enjoy these two days. What do you say?”
She grasped him tighter.
“Damn you look beautiful,” he said. “Even more beautiful than I remembered. And every night since I’ve been gone, I would lay on my bunk and retrace every detail of your face.” He kissed her again.
“I cherished your letters. I read them over and over. The paper you wrote them on is falling apart. That’s how often I read them.” She laughed a little.
“Was it difficult to get paper to write to me?”
“Yes, but your father’s connections helped.”
He smiled. “Gilde…”
“Yes?”
“Let’s get married today. I love you. We have these two days-
She interrupted him. “Yes, let’s.”
“You’ll marry me today?”
“Yes. I will.”
“Yes!” He lifted her in the air and she laughed. “Yes.”
CHAPTER 38
Gilde put a sign outside on the door of the shop that said “Back in an hour” then she locked up and she and William went upstairs to the apartment to see the rest of the family.
“Wil, you’re home!” His mother screamed in excitement when she saw him. Then, she put her arms around him and clutched on to him. William hadn’t realized how short his mother was. She’d always seemed so tall to him. He’d grown and she’d gotten shorter with age.
“How’s Pa? Gilde said he was sick,” William said.
“He’s doing better. Come in and see him. When he sees you he’ll be so happy.” Then she called out, “Sam, Willie’s here.”
Sam came limping out of the bedroom. He was smiling. “Willie. How’d you get home?”
“I have two days leave, Pa. What’s the matter with you?” William saw his father limp and he saw that the side of Sam’s face sagged.
“I’m fine. I had a little problem. But I’m much better now.”
“Why didn’t anybody tell me? Gilde, you never wrote anything about my father being sick. What happened?”
“Your father had a mild stroke. I knew you wouldn’t be able to leave and come home. I didn’t want to worry you when you were so far away.”
“Gilde.” He shook his head. “You can’t do this to me. I have to be able to trust that you’ll tell me if anything is wrong. I need to be sure that you’ll tell me, you’re my lifeline, my connection to home….”
“If that’s what you want, William. I will. I was just trying to protect you.”
“Yes, it’s what I want.” His voice was harsh and louder than usual.
Gilde almost cried. She was hurt. He’d never been mean to her before, never had he spoken to her in that tone of voice. Tears threatened to f
all from her eyes. William took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Gilde. I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly to you. It was just the shock of seeing my father this way. Forgive me?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
William walked over to Gilde and put his arms around her. This was the first time he’d shown her affection in front of his family and she could see that they were embarrassed. They all looked away. “I’m really sorry, Gilde. I would never do anything to hurt you. You have to believe that. I was just upset is all.”
“I do believe it and I know you are upset.”
“Gilde and I are going to get married today,” William said. “Right, Gilde?”
“Yes, right.” She smiled.
“Today?” his mother said.
“In the rabbi’s study,” William said. “Go and put on your prettiest dress, Gilde. You too, Ma, and when Sharon gets home from school we’ll go to the shul and see old Rabbi Silverman. Then I’ll make Gilde my wife.”
CHAPTER 38
“Rabbi Silverman,” William greeted the rabbi who had performed his bar mitzvah.
“William, boychik, how are you? It’s good to see you … and, I see you brought the whole mishpocheh, the entire Lawrence family. It’s always a pleasure to have you in my shul.”
“We’ve come here today with a purpose,” William said, looking tall and handsome in his uniform. “This is Gilde, she is my fiancée. I have two days’ leave and we want to get married.”
The rabbi nodded. “First let me say, mazel tov! She’s a beautiful young lady.”
“And she’s a good girl, a haimish girl, she’ll make a good wife and mother,” Lenore said.
“We like her very much, she’s already like a daughter to us,” Sam said.
“I’m glad to hear it.” Rabbi Silverman smiled. Then he said to William, “And because we are in war time your situation is not so unusual. Sometimes things have to be rushed in war time. So we will do things a little bit different than we usually do. I am sure God will understand.” He smiled. “It just so happens that we have a four-post canopy here. It’s nothing fancy, just a cloth draped over four posts, but it will work. My secretary and the caretaker who is one of our congregants can help hold up the canopy. Do you think you can manage to hold a post, Sharon?”
Watch Over My Child: Book Three in the Michal's Destiny Series Page 14