“Bumbleberry,” she whispered into the darkness. Elias immediately took note that she spoke English with a British accent.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” Elias stepped out into the light.
“Elias, right?” she said.
He didn’t answer. He just watched her.
“Listen,” she said. “You have to get back to Britain quickly. One of your connections has been arrested by the Nazis. We think he probably ratted you out. So, if you go back to Belgium they’ll be waiting for you and we’re pretty sure you’ll probably be next. I have to get out of here too. So, the plans are that you and I will travel together as husband and wife. I can’t tell you much more right now. But, wait here, stay out of the light, and as soon as the show lets out, I’ll meet you in the alley.”
“What happened to Jan?”
“Just wait here,” she said. “No time for questions right now.”
Elias watched her disappear back into the building. Then he went behind the stage door exit into the dark alleyway and huddled in a curve in the building structure. His senses were on high alert.
The girl returned with a wig, a hat, and glasses. Could she be trusted?
“I took these out of the costume pile. It will be a while before anyone misses them and by then we’ll be safe in Britain.”
She helped him put on the disguise.
“I can’t see without a mirror. How does it look?”
“Good. You’ll pass. By the way, in case we are caught, remember all of this information, it might save your life. My name is Anne. We are French and you’re my husband Claude. Our surname is Bellamy. We are from Paris. You are a shoemaker. I am a bit part actress. Can you remember all of this?” she said, even as she rushed out of the alley, handing him the papers that had been made for him. She was talking fast.
They walked north two streets then got into a black automobile that was awaiting their arrival.
The car started to speed away.
Once they were traveling at a good clip, the man who was driving began speaking to the girl who called herself Anne. He was speaking in German and he sounded like a native. Suddenly Elias felt a pang of fear shoot through him. Have I been tricked?
CHAPTER 50
1943
Gilde straightened her starched apron and carefully pulled her golden curls away from her face, pinning them neatly on each side with barrettes. The white collar and cuffs looked crisp and professional, and the soft pink of the junior nurse’s uniform dress flattered her blond hair and gave her skin a rosy glow.
Nursing wasn’t easy. When she first arrived, she learned quickly that she hadn’t realized how weak her stomach was. The senior nurses laughed when she vomited at the sight of large amounts of blood the first few times. But she was getting better every day. Some of the more seasoned nurses or even the sisters were cruel when she was weak-stomached and unable to cope with the gore of an injury, or when she gagged and choked at the smell of a GI bleed. They made it apparent that no one was to be handled with kid gloves. She was expected to be a professional and cope with whatever was thrown at her.
Gilde passed out at her first training session in the operating theater. The presiding doctor, Alden Thornbury, had cut into the patient. When the blood ran onto the floor and pooled, Gilde fainted. It was the first summer that she’d been in training and between the heat and the smells in the operating room she got dizzy and passed out. When she awakened she was in a hospital bed, embarrassed, and sure she’d made a mistake trying to become a nurse. Two senior nurses came to check on her. They were both kind. They assured her that she would get stronger as time went on, but she wasn’t sure that would be the case.
“Stay in bed for a bit, then come on back to work. It happens to all of us in the beginning,” one of the senior nurses, a young girl who’d come to check on Gilde, said. The nurse was taking the hair out of Gilde’s eyes.
Gilde lay there feeling like giving up. She was missing William and the rest of the Lawrence family. Perhaps she should have taken a desk job somewhere. That was when Dr. Thornbury came into the room.
“You must be Gilde Lawrence” he said with a smile.
Gilde nodded. Alden Thornbury wasn’t a particularly handsome man. He was tall and gawky, his light brown hair was full of cowlicks, but he had kind eyes and a genuine smile. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Foolish for trying to become a nurse,” Gilde said. “I don’t have the stomach for it.”
“Would you believe me if I told you that the same thing happened to me when I first started studying medicine? And, now look at me, I’m a surgeon.” He smiled. “I won’t lie to you, it takes getting used to. But you’ll make it.”
That was a little over a year ago and now she and Alden were the best of friends. She was about to graduate from a beginner to a senior nurse, and she found that she was now able to cope with most of the gory aspects of the job, but her heart still broke a little every time someone died. She and Alden often discussed how difficult it was to detach from the patients.
“Don’t get me wrong. Every time we lose somebody I feel terrible. But, you have to try to separate yourself or you’ll go nuts,” Alden said. “It’s hard to accept but death is a part of life. We, as doctors and nurses, do what we can, then all we can do is leave the rest up to God.”
They tried to have lunch together at least twice a week when their schedules coordinated, and dinner at least once a month outside of work. Gilde told Alden about William. He listened as she poured her heart out about how William had wanted to be a doctor.
“He was so strong and kind,” Gilde said. “I miss him every day.”
“I bet you do,” Alden said.
“Do you have a girl?”
“Never had time to get serious with anyone. I was always too busy studying. Then war broke out and then … well … I really had no time for anything.”
“So, you never had a girlfriend?”
“I’ve dated, but nothing serious. I guess when the time is right I’ll meet someone. Right now I’m too busy for a wife and a family. With the war going on I’d be worried about them constantly. It’s bad enough that I am worried about my parents.”
Gilde and Alden were sitting in the hospital lunchroom.
“Want some baked beans? I have a half of a can,” he offered.
“No thanks,” she said.
“How about you, Gilde? Where are your parents?”
“That’s a long story,” she said. Gilde had not shared her past with anyone at the hospital. No one knew that she was Jewish, or born in Germany. No one knew anything about the Kindertransport. Her accent was British; she could thank her dear friend Sharon for that. So, there was no need to share the details of her life.
Alden tilted his head to the side. Working in medicine, he’d learned a lot about people. He was like a bloodhound, and he detected that there was a secret in Gilde’s past, something that made her uncomfortable. But he also knew she wasn’t ready to talk about it with him. At least not yet, and he wasn’t going to force it. “Listen, I’m not going to push you to tell me anything. I just want you to know that if you ever want to talk, I’ll be here for you.”
She smiled. “Thank you, Alden. Thank you for your friendship, your kindness, and your understanding.”
Damn, she is pretty, he thought.
CHAPTER 51
Elias
The black automobile sped through the city of Paris. As Elias watched out the window, he saw the world flying by him-a pair of lovers face to face on a bench under a tree, several Nazi officers in uniform sauntering arrogantly into a nightclub, two women with a small dog disappearing into an apartment building. Then, as they left the city behind, the surroundings became more rural, until the auto came to a stop in a dark, remote area where a private plane awaited. It was as if the runway had been carved out of a forest, because the large, open field was surrounded by trees. Elias had never flown in an aircraft, but he wondered if there was enough room for a sa
fe takeoff. The blond girl took Elias’s hand and pulled him along. There were no words spoken, but Elias could see a bulge in the man’s coat and he assumed it was a gun. Elias figured he could take the man if it weren’t for the weapon, but a firearm made even a small man powerful. And this man was a spy. He was probably well trained in the use of the gun, not a fool like Elias. If these people were German spies and he was on his way back to Germany, he was in serious trouble. “It’s all right, come on, we have no time to lose,” the girl said to Elias. He followed her because he didn’t know what else to do. If he tried to take the man, Elias was afraid that the girl might shoot Elias.
The man who had been driving the car sat in the pilot’s seat in the cockpit.
“Hier gehen wir, wir sind auf unserem Weg zurück nach Großbritannien,” the pilot said. Elias stared at the back of the pilot’s head. He’d just said they were on their way to Britain but he’d said it in German. Elias was confused.
“No need to speak in German, Ralph, he speaks perfect English,” the blond girl said to the pilot of the plane as she smiled at Elias. “No need to worry. We’re on the right side, we’re Brits. Ralph just wasn’t sure if you spoke English or not. We all speak at least a couple of languages. So … from what I understand, you spent many years in Britain. Isn’t that right, Elias?”
“Yes, it is. I was born in Germany, but I consider myself British,” Elias said.
“Well, you must have done something right. From what I understand, you’re going to be decorated for your service,” Ralph said.
The plane rumbled and shuddered. For a minute Elias thought it was going to explode, but then the plane sped down the runway and just in time, before they were going to go straight into the forest, the plane lifted into the sky. They missed the top of the trees by a few feet and then, the sky opened up for them and they were airborne.
“By the way, Elias, my real name is Babette Desmaris.”
“You’re French?”
“Yes, but I speak English like a Brit and German like a Kraut. That’s why I’m an actress.” The girl smiled. “I hate the Nazis, so having this talent made me perfect for the position of a spy.”
Elias wouldn’t have called her beautiful or glamorous. She was cute, small in stature. All of her features were small except for her eyes. Her large eyes were bright green and slanted like a cat’s. Her light blond hair was short and stylish. She was missing a tooth in the back of her mouth on the right side, but it only showed when she smiled. And her smile was so engaging that he forgot to care about the missing tooth. Elias was nineteen and from looking at Babette he took her for somewhere close to his age. In the past he’d always liked older women. But this girl was different. It took spirit to be a spy. And he had to admit this young girl who was so petite in stature had guts.
CHAPTER 52
Gilde August 1944
On a Monday morning Gilde came to report for work. The head nurse on the floor had assigned her four patients. That wasn’t unusual, sometimes she had more. Three of them were men she’d been caring for, over the past few weeks. But there was a new name on her list. Archibald Notman. The notes in Notman’s chart said: RAF pilot. Shot down in a training accident. Surgical repair went well on his lower right leg. Everything looks good. But change bandages often and keep an eye out for any signs of infection.
Archibald was sitting up in his bed with his arms crossed over his chest when Gilde went into his room to introduce herself.
“Good morning, Mr. Notman. My name is Gilde Margolis. I am going to be taking care of you. How are you feeling today?”
“How should I be feeling? I’m stuck here in this bed like an invalid and there’s a war going on. I feel lousy.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Do you have any pain?”
“Of course. My leg is a bloody mess and ask if I have any pain. Now that’s a stupid question.”
“There’s no need to be disrespectful, Mr. Notman. I am trying to help you.”
He softened. “I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated.”
“Let me go and get you some breakfast. How does that sound?”
“I’m not hungry. The food here stinks.”
“Well, you’re going to have to eat if you want to get well. So, I’m not going to stand here and argue with you. I’ll get you something and then you can eat it or not. Your choice,” Gilde said.
He nodded and turned away from her to look at the wall.
Ornery bastard, she thought as she went back to the nurses’ station.
“Notman’s a difficult one, isn’t he?” Sally, the nurse at the desk, said. “I’ve tried reasoning with him. He is just a miserable difficult bastard of a man.”
“Yes, I can see that. I was just wondering how I got stuck with him.”
“Truth is, all the girls have tried to handle him, but he is such a pain in the bum that we thought you might give it a go.”
“Thanks a lot,” Gilde said.
“He is handsome though,” Sally said, almost apologetically.
“Is he? I didn’t notice.”
CHAPTER 53
Elias
When they returned to Britain, Elias was treated with respect for the first time in his life. His work at the border of France and Belgium had been helpful to the British.It had saved lives and been instrumental in making important arrests. It seemed that the nasty business with Bart was forgotten and the intelligence agency was glad to have him as a part of their team. Elias and Babette were put on various small jobs as interpreters for the British intelligence. And, Elias was decorated. He received a medal and honors.
Within the first month of their return to Britain, Elias and Babette began dating. This girl was different than any of the others Elias had dated in the past. She was not a foolish child who followed him around because he was handsome, but neither was she an older woman looking for a relationship with a younger man to make herself feel as if she were still attractive. Babs, as Elias affectionately called her, had her own mind. Although she was an actress and a free spirit she wasn’t glamorous and overdressed like Glenda. And there was no denying that she was smart. In fact he’d learned that she was very educated, like Mary, but unlike Mary, she didn’t need anyone else’s approval to feel her own self-worth.
“Why should we pay rent on two flats,” Babs said one day as she drank a beer from the bottle like a man. “We spend all of our time with each other anyway. Let’s move in together.”
They were inseparable and Elias had to agree, it wasn’t a bad idea to cut back on expenses. So, they found a small apartment in a quiet area and moved in.
They were still working with the British intelligence, but neither of them had been asked to leave London for a while.
Ever since she was a child Babette had wanted to be an actress. She auditioned and was cast in a few bit parts on the London stage. But she wasn’t successful. Her career was failing. Elias knew it. The few productions in which she worked got terrible reviews from the critics. The lack of success in her dream career was sending Babs into a state of depression.
“Go ahead and audition. Quit your job. I can afford to pay the rent,” Elias said.
But Babs just shook her head. “I’ll keep working until I get the big break I’ve been waiting for.”
CHAPTER 54
Gilde
Gilde was the first nurse who was not willing to put up with Archie’s temper tantrums. He made it very apparent to the staff at the hospital that he was angry that he was weak and stuck in a hospital bed. His family was very wealthy. When Archie contacted his father, his father sent money to have Archie transferred to a private room. Spoiled brat, Gilde thought when she saw that Archie was no longer in one of the beds in the long line of beds where the other patients were lined up. The week after Archie’s surgery one of the doctors examined him and informed him that it would be at least three weeks before he could even try to walk, and even then there was no guarantee that his leg would be able to sustain his weight.
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��You’re lucky that you still have your leg,” the doctor said. “Be thankful for that.”
“Go to hell,” Archie said to the doctor and turned over to face the wall. Gilde had been in the room while Archie was being examined. She had removed the bandage and cleaned the area, and now that the doctor had left she was covering his wound with fresh bandages. Everyone else in the hospital, all of the doctors and nurses, had come to hate dealing with Archie, but Gilde couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. After she’d finished covering his leg, Gilde stood at Archie’s bedside trying to think of something to say.
“What do you want?” he asked her.
“I don’t know,” Gilde said. “I suppose I just want to say that I’m sorry you have to go through this. But there are a lot of others who are in much worse shape.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“Actually, yes … it is.”
“Well, it doesn’t.”
That night before Gilde was getting ready to sign off, she brought all of her patients their evening dose of medicine. When she handed Archie his pain pill, he refused to take it
“Listen, you can suffer all you want. If you don’t want the painkillers, there are plenty of people who are suffering and who would be happy to have them.”
“Then give them to somebody else. I don’t care what you do,” Archie said.
Gilde took the pills back to the nurses’ desk. Archie made her angry. She was disgusted by his entitled attitude and the fact that he had a private room while the other men suffered in large, open areas lined with beds. Who the hell did he think he was? Just because his family had money, he thought that he was special. Everything about him infuriated her. It irritated her so much that she thought about him constantly, and even discussed him with Alden the following afternoon when they had lunch in the hospital cafeteria.
The following morning one of the orderlies brought Archie his breakfast. The orderly set the tray on the table beside the bed. When Archie saw what was on the tray he threw it against the wall.
Watch Over My Child: Book Three in the Michal's Destiny Series Page 18