Saving Anna

by Sharon Struth

  “Here we are.”

  Josef pulled into a town set on the banks of a narrow river and parallel parked on a street. Connected buildings held charming storefronts and restaurants, with some taller concrete structures on the other side of the road that were more businesslike. The place didn’t look like much from a sightseeing perspective, but two long tour buses parked in a lot indicated otherwise.

  Anna slipped on her jacket and got out just as Josef came around to her side. He smiled, but it lacked enthusiasm.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “My leg is just a little sore.”

  “We don’t have to do this.”

  “I want to.”

  She took him at his word and they started down the busy sidewalks. Voices of Americans and Australians could be heard everywhere, perhaps visitors off those buses.

  “Lots of tourists here.” She walked slowly to keep pace with him. “I’m surprised. The town is so…ordinary.”

  “In a minute, you shall see why they all come.”

  They peered in storefront windows and ogled the beautifully crafted knickknacks and bakery delights decorated fancifully as works of art.

  At the end of the street, they neared a bridge. She squinted, certain her eyes were playing tricks on her. “Are those huge saxophones?”

  He grinned, suddenly relaxed as a pair of worn blue jeans. “This is what they come to see. Dinant is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone.”

  She hurried to the corner, where a sign read Charles de Gaulle Bridge. Human-sized replicas of the wind instrument lined both sides of the bridge. Spaced evenly, with about twenty feet between each one, the enormous saxophones had been painted with bright yellows, bold blues, and intense reds in a myriad of designs.

  “Was Charles de Gaulle born here, too?”

  “No. He was shot on this bridge in World War I. Come on.” He offered her his arm.

  She slipped her hand onto it as they crossed, pausing to admire the unusual artwork.

  “The patterns painted on these instruments come from the countries that make up an international saxophone organization.” He pointed to colorful flags angled upward along the bridge railing. “Also each country’s flag.”

  At the end, they turned to head back. Halfway across, Josef took her arm and gently guided her to the railing. “Look at the town from this angle.”

  From this spot, Anna caught the charm of Dinant. Connected row houses ran along the river, the facades plain, but painted in vibrant colors. And the real majesty of the view came from the cliffs towering over the village, a dramatic backdrop that dwarfed the buildings and made this a truly unique setting.

  “See the building at the top of the cliff?” Josef pointed, and she nodded. “That is the Citadel of Dinant, a fortress built in the 1800s. There is a trolley that goes up there. Shall we go after lunch?”

  “Yes, most definitely.”

  He leaned on the railing overlooking the narrow river and a dock where several ships were stationed. She joined him, standing close enough that their elbows touched.

  After a minute, he tapped her elbow with his. “You seem quiet today.”

  “Me? I was worried about you.”

  “I guess I am thinking about you.” He studied her for a moment. “How I will miss you when you leave.”

  His response caught her off guard, but she was glad he brought it up. “I’ll miss you, too.”

  “You have helped me change my life, you know?”

  “Me? I can’t imagine how I did that.”

  He stared back out to the water. “You took me along on an adventure. A different kind of exploit. It put my troubles in perspective, made me think about someone besides myself for a change.” He slowly turned to her. “That is what I learned from you. To think about others.”

  “But you do, Josef.”

  He shook his head. “I am not searching for compliments. I know the man I have been and…and the man I shall try to be from now on.”

  Anna took his hand, larger and rougher, yet always a gentle touch. “No matter how you see yourself, nobody else sees you that way.” She could see everyone loved being with him. She did, too.

  A river breeze blew a strand of hair in front of her eyes and he reached out, brushed it aside. A small gesture, but the type that made her feel noticed, cared about. The kind he seemed to do without thinking or expecting anything in return. Their gazes locked and the voices of tourists around them faded.

  His hand rested on her shoulder. “How is it you always see the good in people?”

  Josef saw her in a light she didn’t deserve. She shrugged. “I’m not perfect. Sure, I try to see the good, but maybe that’s flawed. Sometimes it’s easier to deal with other people’s problems instead of my own.”

  A family with two young girls stopped at a saxophone not far from them and she went silent. The father instructed the girls to stand together as he adjusted his camera. One of the young brunettes wore a big smile; the other looked miserable.

  She whispered in Josef’s ear, “Those little girls remind me of me and my sister. Jenna and I are complete opposites.”

  “Same with me and Gabriel.”

  She smiled while watching the family continue down the bridge, but her mood sobered. Jenna had seen straight through Patrick’s abuse. Her gaze flicked to Josef. “Jenna never would’ve stayed with a man like Patrick. Maybe seeing the best in people isn’t a great quality.”

  He tucked his finger under her chin and lifted it so she’d look in his eyes. “No. Do not change who you are. Something about you has helped me seek the best in myself. That is a gift, not a flaw.”

  Another gust swept across the bridge, causing the flags to flutter in protest. Anna’s hair flew across her face. Josef pushed it away, cupped her cheeks with strong hands that held her tenderly. She was aware of every part of him. The nearness of his broad shoulders. The shallowness of each breath. The slow caress of his thumb against her lower lip. His lips parted, just before he leaned in and gently pressed them to hers. Once. Twice. She slipped her hands inside his open jacket, drew him close. Kissed him with a hunger he’d awakened in her.

  Slowly, they leaned apart, but his gaze remained on her face. He quietly said, “Promise me you won’t change.”

  She’d never dreamed she’d want another man to touch her again. Not this soon. And she’d vowed not to change any part of herself to keep a man happy. But Josef’s only request had been for her to have compassion for others. So maybe it wasn’t such a bad trait. “I promise.”

  He tilted his mouth in a smile. “Hungry? There’s a place in town that has great croque monsieur.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  * * * *

  Josef rolled onto his side. If the clock on the Queen Anne nightstand was right, he’d been napping for a half hour. The long drive to Bruges had tired him out, at least compared to what he could do before the accident.

  He threw off the simple cotton bedspread and stood, giving his back a long stretch. There was just enough time to take a shower and meet Anna downstairs for dinner.

  He went to the window and opened the heavy curtains. A small boat glided along the canal as the setting sun burned with an orange glow. They’d been lucky to get two canal view rooms on such short notice. It helped he knew the guy who ran this place. Being in the travel business had its perks.

  As he scanned the shimmering water, his gaze stopped at Anna, sitting on the canal wall taking a picture of an approaching tour boat. She’d changed into a long, loose sweater dress, dark leggings, and short boots. A colorful scarf wrapped her neck.

  A force inside of his chest churned. Need. For her. He could still feel her sweet lips, the eager way she’d pressed against his frame, responded to their kiss. Where this relationship would go he didn’t know, or if stepping into it was right or
wrong with her marital situation. For now, he would enjoy the simple pleasure of their time together.

  He snorted a laugh over his idea to be nice to her as an effort to redeem himself for his role in the accident. An utterly ridiculous notion, though desperation had driven him to it. He did feel better lately. Only because he’d started to forgive himself.

  He showered, quickly dressed in clean jeans, a collared shirt, and loafers. He grabbed his jacket and headed downstairs.

  Anna wasn’t in the lobby, so he went out the main doors. He glanced to his right and spotted her heading back to the hotel along the quiet canal street. Next to her walked a tall man with strong facial features and thick, dark hair. She tossed back her head and laughed at something he said.

  A wave of jealousy drove like a nail straight through Josef’s chest, catching him by surprise.

  Her gaze fell on Josef, and her smile widened. She waved and yelled, “I didn’t keep you waiting, did I?”

  “No. I just got down.”

  The man smiled and said something to Anna, waved to Josef, then crossed the street and hurried away.

  She walked quickly until she reached Josef. “That guy was just telling me that the Smurfs were created by a Belgian man.”

  Josef nodded, relieved to know it had been such a casual conversation. “You mean the blue cartoon elves?”

  “Yeah. Who knew?” She looped her arms around his neck while her floral scent wrapped around him. “What are the plans for tonight?”

  “Dinner and a stroll?” He drew her into a hug, nestled his face next to hers and wandered in the softness of her skin. He kissed her hair, her cheek, and moved to her lips, already waiting and willing.

  She tipped her head back and watched him with heat in her eyes. “Sounds perfect.”

  “There’s a place that makes the best mussels, an area specialty. But they have other dishes, too.”

  He slipped his hand in hers. They ventured along the sidewalk next to the canal as a few swans paddled quickly toward the bridge.

  “There are so many swans here.”

  “Bruges is known for them. I have heard many versions of why, but it goes back to politics in the 1400s, taxes, and a curse on the city. Now they have become a symbol of the town.”

  As they turned the corner and crossed over the bridge, Anna stopped and turned to look in the direction they’d just come from. “Hold on. I want to take a picture of our hotel.”

  He waited behind her and studied the snug, narrow buildings with pointed roofs and exteriors painted in white, tan, bright colors or brick.

  She snapped a few pictures then he put his hands on her hips, kissed the back of her head. “I told you Bruges is beautiful.”

  She turned in his arms. “I never doubted you for a minute.”

  “Let’s take a picture of us both. Can I use your phone?”

  She handed it to him. Josef held it out and positioned them in the frame. “Now smile like this is a moment you never want to forget.”

  He watched her in the frame. A slight pause and then she smiled. The instant he snapped, she turned and looked at him.

  He lowered the phone. “What?”

  “I don’t need a picture. I won’t ever forget this moment,” she said quietly.

  He leaned down, placed a gentle kiss upon her lips, but found the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat because he’d never forget it, either.

  * * * *

  Josef took Anna’s arm and guided her toward a brightly lit storefront. “Here is another local treat you should not miss.”

  She peered into the window of a waffle shop. Waffles with fruit, drizzled with chocolate, and doused with fresh whipped topping. Her aching stomach groaned. “Are you trying to get me fat? I’m stuffed from dinner.”

  He laughed. “By tomorrow you will be begging for one of these.”

  She grinned. “I hate to admit it, but you’re probably right.”

  They continued their walk. Shop windows glowed now that it was dark, drawing attention to masterpieces of uniquely designed chocolates, more drool-worthy desserts, and delicate lace fabrics.

  They entered an open, cobblestoned square. People crisscrossed the big public arena while a horse-drawn carriage passed by, the horse hooves clopping on the ancient pavement. A huge medieval building with flags stationed at various corners and a tall tower jutting from its center occupied one corner. Spotlights on the ground beamed to the tower top.

  Anna took it all in. “It’s as if time stood still one day hundreds of years ago.”

  “That is because nobody ever developed here. It was once a rich city, but so poor by the 1800s that nobody invested in it. So it stands as we see it today.” Josef motioned to a bench. “Shall we sit?”

  They settled on a bench seat, shoulders touching, hands locked. Josef pointed to the big building she’d noticed when they arrived. “The tower is called the belfry. In the morning we can climb up. It’s got over three hundred and sixty steps.”

  “Good thing you didn’t suggest climbing tonight.” She patted her full stomach. “And we should do it before we eat the waffles.”

  He laughed, a happy sound. He’d seemed more relaxed since they arrived. She felt that way, too.

  At a statue in the square’s center, travelers took photos of the area while a group of teenagers goofed around.

  Anna stood, walked closer and took a few photos. Josef smiled at her as she returned to his side and put an arm around her shoulders.

  As they people-watched, a man nearby started to speak loudly and harshly. She glanced over her shoulder. The speaker was a man who stood in front of a woman sitting on a nearby bench. She kept her head down and remained quiet through his rant. Anna guessed he spoke Dutch, the language used in the Flanders region of Belgium, but his anger needed no translation.

  She turned away and tried to block him out, but his tone made Anna’s stomach tighten. She tensed, absorbing every bit of the poor woman’s shame.

  Another sensation crept over her, one that stole the developing intimacy she felt for Josef. A little voice whispering reminders of what the sex in her marriage had become. Pretend. No longer done because she cared, but because she was afraid.

  She never said no, for fear of setting off his anger. Patrick had never forced himself on her, but as things got worse, she’d had no doubt he would. So she was always willing. Ready to pretend. Kissing him like an actress playing a role. Moaning in the right places. Inside her head, though, she’d wanted to scream when he’d hover over her, press inside her, find satisfaction in this act of love, while his cruelty lingered in her thoughts. His tenderness and harshness had become one to her mind and ruined the sexual being she once was.

  What would happen with another man? Josef made her want to learn the answer, but finding out came with the risk of learning it was worse than she thought.

  The man’s voice rose. Anna dared to glance back again. The woman lifted her head, but before she could say anything, he yelled, roughly grabbed her arm, and they left.

  “Anna.”

  She turned to Josef, who watched her carefully. “You have left him,” he said quietly. “That cannot happen to you anymore.”

  She sank into his hold, a place that felt warm and safe. But what she’d witnessed tore open a wound that had barely scarred. Would she spend the rest of her life terrified each time a man raised his voice?

  The quiet air suddenly filled with the sound of magical chimes.

  “The belfry plays,” said Josef.

  Such beautiful music brought life to the historic setting. Anna erased the man’s tirade from her mind. The images of forcing herself to be with Patrick. She wanted to be fully here, enjoying this moment.

  Josef rubbed her shoulder, sending warmth to her core as his touch replaced the bad memories. She turned to him, taking in his strong chin, mascul
ine Nordic nose, trimmed beard. “Thank you.”

  He glanced over, raised his brows. “For what?”

  She stared into his kind eyes. Warm and passionate eyes. The strong Belgian beer they’d had with dinner floated inside her head, loosened her tongue. “For helping me feel safe with a man again. I wasn’t sure it would ever be possible.”

  He slipped his hand to the back of her head, his fingers working their way through her hair, caressing her nape.

  She pressed her lips to his. They were soft and waiting for her. Josef drew her closer, kissing her deeply. Passionately.

  As the clop of horse hooves on the pavement neared, he tilted back his head. “How about a carriage ride on this beautiful at night?”

  She nodded. He took her hand and they walked over where a couple had just exited one of the coaches. As they got settled with a blanket over their laps and headed out for the road, Josef drew her close and kissed her again.

  Chapter 20

  Josef pulled alongside a Mercedes sedan and parked. “GPS says this is the place.”

  Anna stared out the passenger window, nervously twisting the strap of the purse. His gaze drifted to her lips, shaded in a cherry red that popped out against her white blouse. A bold color, but it spoke to the increased confidence he saw in her lately.

  Last night after their carriage ride, he’d returned to Anna’s hotel room. Over a lifetime, he’d been with many women, only a few serious. With Anna, though, it seemed prudent to push aside his usual fools-rush-in attitude. She was in the middle of changing her life. Or perhaps it was his own emotional state he worried about. He finally felt good, but what about when she returned to America? And though last night’s passion made leaving hard, he sensed her ambivalence, too, so left before they ended up in her bed with regrets.

  He shut off the car and took her hand, so small it fit easily into his. “Nervous? You said Eloïse seemed very nice in your emails.”

  She barely smiled. “I’m sure they are all nice. I was just thinking about Isaak, how he would feel knowing I’m here. At a place where he hid for so long. Probably terrified he’d be caught, although I’m sure this wonderful family did the best they could for them given the circumstances.” Her eyes watered. “He was safe from his enemies, but still imprisoned.”