Saving Anna

by Sharon Struth

  While Joachim spoke about Anna’s search for Gunther, she scanned the backyard where Gabriel and Kirsten would celebrate their Polterabend for any sign of Josef. He needed to help get tonight’s event organized, the reason she’d come with her guesthouse hosts, who were close friends with Josef’s family. She didn’t mind. Kirsten’s parents were delightful and almost everyone she’d met at the casual gathering spoke a little English.

  For a split second, she thought she spotted him beneath one of the tents near a long table holding food platters, an arrangement of autumn flowers, and a multilayered chocolate cake. But it wasn’t him.

  Guests began to clap. She turned just as Josef entered through a gate leading to the backyard with a couple at his side. The man’s long face, strong chin, and blue-green eyes were like Josef’s. They stood close in height, but the newcomer had a bulkier build—not Josef’s lean frame—and dark brown hair with a clean-shaven face. Not a glimmer of auburn coloring or facial hair, like Josef. A curvy blonde held the man’s hand.

  Regina touched Anna’s arm. “That is the bride and groom, Gabriel and Kirsten.”

  The couple beamed. Why wouldn’t they? The event held such promise, brimming with the excitement of a lifetime together. A feeling Anna had experienced not that long ago herself, though it seemed as if a hundred years had passed since that day.

  People gathered around the new arrivals, offering hugs and congratulations. Josef talked and laughed with many of them. Just watching him smile made happiness swell inside her heart. She selfishly wanted him to herself right now, but he belonged at his brother’s side.

  Josef stopped talking, lifted his sunglasses to the top of his head. He panned the yard. She waved and his eyes lit up. After saying something to his brother, Josef came over to her.

  He shook Joachim’s hand and gave Regina a peck on both cheeks. “Thank you for bringing Anna.”

  Slipping his arm around Anna’s waist, he gave her a kiss. “I am glad you made it.” His gaze fluttered over the open neckline of her peasant top and continued to her ankle-tight blue jeans and flats. He met her eyes. “You look pretty. Come.” He took her hand. “Meet my family.”

  Heads turned as they walked through the crowd. No doubt everyone knew Josef, and they were curious about her.

  “Gabriel, Kirsten,” he said as they neared the engaged couple. “This is Anna.”

  “I am so happy to finally meet you.” Gabriel embraced her and then so did his bride. Gabriel tossed an arm around his brother. “The woman who has brought a smile back to my brother’s face.”

  Josef groaned. “Now come on. I did not invite her so you could embarrass me.” He flicked a glance her way and she smiled.

  A shorter woman, with chin-length graying hair and eyes the same blue-green as Josef’s, spoke in German and the others laughed.

  Josef smiled tenderly at the woman. “Anna, this is my mother. I just got a little reprimand for not introducing her first. She says she is very happy to meet you.”

  Anna took his mother’s hand. “Danke. I’m very happy to meet you, Mrs. Schmitt.”

  Josef’s gaze softened and stayed on hers, and for a moment they were the only two people in the world. All she could see, all she wanted to see, was the promise in his eyes. Be it from the love in the air due to the wedding or something between them, she couldn’t be sure.

  Three young boys burst into their small circle, talking excitedly.

  A woman with full curves and a pretty face hurried toward the kids. Her shiny auburn hair swayed as she shook her head and wagged a reprimanding finger at the children in between words.

  Anna didn’t need a translator to know a motherly rebuke, though the kids barely seemed to hear a word she said.

  A tall man strolled over and stood behind the woman, relaxed with a smile on his kind face. He firmly said something and the boys quieted down.

  Josef waved his hand to the group. “Anna, these are my nephews, and this my sister, Helga, and her husband, Christian.”

  Anna shook their hands. Before she could say anything more to the boys, they ran off after other children who’d just arrived.

  “Anna, I am happy to meet you.” Helga’s brown eyes were warm, welcoming. “How do you like Germany?”

  While they talked, Josef whispered, “Be right back.”

  His family proved to be friendly, all of them working hard to speak in English and make her comfortable. Josef soon reappeared and made an announcement. The guests started leaving the backyard.

  “Come.” Helga touched Anna’s forearm. “We are about to begin.”

  The group of fifty or so gathered in the driveway, forming a semicircle with the bride and groom in front. People shouted out things to them that had everyone laughing. Josef and a couple of other guys pulled several large plastic bins filled with plates and cups from the garage and spread them out amongst the group.

  Anna stood next to a waist-high brick wall running along the edge of the driveway to observe and enjoy the air of excitement. Josef appeared at her side and hoisted himself up onto wall to sit. “Now the fun starts.”

  Gabriel gave a shrill whistle, and everyone quieted. “Scherben bringen glück…”

  Josef guided her in front of him, wrapping her in his arms and kissing the back of her head. His warm breath landed close to her ear. “Gabriel said shards of the pottery bring luck, but his luck came when Kirsten agreed to become his wife.”

  Josef continued to quietly translate. She liked being in his arms, nestled in the space between his legs. One by one, each guest approached a bin, took out one or two pieces of the dinnerware and smashed them on the driveway. Anna flinched at the sound, but the louder the crash and bigger the pile, the more enthusiastic the crowd became.

  Josef’s youngest nephew selected two plates and heaved them onto the mess like a champ. She glanced over her shoulder to Josef. “What happens after we break all those?”

  “The bride and groom clean them up. Together.”

  “That doesn’t sound fun.”

  He chuckled. “It is not supposed to be fun. The purpose is to make the couple aware that they will have to work as a team through difficult conditions during their marriage.”

  The words settled like acid in her stomach.

  Every day since she’d made the decision to leave Patrick, she’d felt confident about the choice. But every so often a little voice would whisper in her ear. Did you do enough to save your marriage? She rationalized she had, but the moral of this event allowed the doubt to tiptoe back inside her head.

  Josef surprised her when he turned her in his arms, putting them face-to-face. “Listen to me. I know what you are thinking.”

  “What? How—”

  His voice softened. “You are tense. From everything you have told me, you worked very hard to keep your marriage together.” He tilted her chin up with his finger. “You deserved better than that man gave you.”

  Certainty glimmered in Josef’s eyes. How did she find such a man? He filled her heart, made her whole, pushed aside her self-doubt. “Thank you. I just needed a reminder.”

  “You are welcome.” He slid off the wall and took her hand. “Now come on. It is almost your turn to smash something. Are you ready?”

  “No. But if I must…”

  “You must.” He grinned.

  The person next to them gleefully smashed two saucers.

  “You go now.” Josef motioned to the bin.

  Anna went up, self-conscious with an audience. She selected a large dinner plate and walked close to the broken pile.

  “Go, Anna,” Joachim yelled.

  “Give it a good smash!” Regina said.

  Anna lifted the plate over her head. Josef’s words fed her confidence. She had worked hard to help Patrick and deserved better. Damn him! A Herculean power she didn’t know she possessed unfurled inside
her. She heaved the plate to the ground, jumping backward as the porcelain shattered loudly. The crowd cheered.

  A wave of confidence washed over her. She was strong. So strong that if any man ever tried to hit her again, she would have the strength to fight back.

  Josef smashed a plate after her, then he returned to her side at the edge of the crowd.

  After the last plates were broken, two of Josef’s nephews rushed to the bride and groom with brooms.

  The youngest of his nephews came running over to Josef, clearly upset and talking wildly. Josef listened, then kneeled down to the boy’s level while he answered him.

  He glanced up at Anna. “Tobias here is upset because his brothers got to deliver the brooms.” Josef pointed to Anna and said to his nephew. “Das ist Anna. Kannst du hallo sagen?”

  The young boy studied her for a moment, then said, “Hallo, Anna.”

  “Hello, Tobias.”

  He studied her carefully, then asked Josef a question. Josef chuckled, hesitated, then responded. The boy threw his arms around Josef. “Danke Onkel Josef.”

  He ran off to watch the cleanup with his brothers and some of the other children.

  “What was that all about?” she asked.

  “Oh.” He rose to full height and shrugged. “Tobias wanted to know if he could bring us our brooms when we have our Polterabend.”

  Anna laughed, mostly to hide the awkwardness of the question. “What did you tell him?”

  He took her hand. “I told him that if I was ever lucky enough to find a bride like you, that I would definitely let him deliver our brooms.”

  She squeezed his hand, kissed him gently on the lips, but wasn’t sure what else to say.

  Without a doubt, she felt the same way about him. Life back home beckoned, though, and needed to be sorted out before she could even entertain such a notion.

  * * * *

  The lamppost outside Josef’s apartment cast a light into his bedroom, the shade only partially closed. He curled his body around Anna and she snuggled in. A perfect fit. He listened to her even breaths, shutting his eyes and lying still so he didn’t disturb her sleep. They’d had a late night at his brother’s party.

  How lucky he was to have such a loving family and good friends. He’d been away so much over the past fifteen years, only using this Mainz apartment for short stops between tours. After six months in town, though, he felt closer to these people and this community than ever before.

  Whatever forces kept him here, this was exactly where he needed to be to heal. The soreness in his leg had subsided to a dull ache every so often and a general sense of contentment soothed the angry beast that had taken over his soul.

  So many times tonight he’d found himself simply watching Anna interact. His family adored her. They’d told him more than once. He smiled recalling how she’d enchanted Tobias when he’d dragged her into a game of Topfschlagen with a small group of his friends. Anna quickly caught on to the rules of helping the blindfolded person who was “it” by shouting cold or hot as they searched for a hidden candy. Josef loved hearing her yell kalt and heiß, learning some German from the kids quite fast.

  And when the sun rose soon, they would attend the wedding.

  He mentally counted the days until she would leave. Not enough time. He’d cherish what time remained. It was all he could do.

  Silly, really. He hardly knew her. Yet they’d connected. The kind of connection you don’t find every day.

  Tonight, his sister had asked him if he planned to go visit Anna after she returned home. He told her he didn’t know. Sure, he had asked himself the same question in recent days. But he hesitated to bring it up. Her life was in transition. He didn’t want to pressure her.

  She stirred and rolled onto her back. He opened his eyes and found her watching him.

  “I keep waking up for some reason,” she said in a tired voice.

  “Me, too.” He reached out, took her hand, and tucked it close to his chest. “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?”

  “It was the best time I’ve had in ages. I can’t remember when I laughed so much.”

  “My family loved meeting you.”

  “Well, I loved meeting them.” She yawned, rubbed her eyes. “They made me feel so welcome. Everyone was so friendly. And funny, too.”

  “Funny? Germans are not known for their humor.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “It is a common fact.” He shifted his pillow and propped his head more comfortably onto it. “For example, what’s the world’s shortest book?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “A German joke book.”

  Her sleepy laughter filled the dimly lit room. “Okay, well, maybe—”

  “And you know what Mark Twain said about the topic?”

  “No.”

  “He said, ‘German jokes are no laughing matter.’”

  She chuckled. “Okay, okay. You win. Not funny. But fun. Will you accept that Germans are fun?”

  “Ah, now that is true. We know how to party.” He gathered her close. “I was thinking about something.”

  “I hope it’s something good?” Her hand slipped along his chest and her lids softened, stealing his train of thought.

  But he’d gathered the courage to ask and ignored the distraction. “When you return to America, would it be possible for me to visit you sometime?”

  She cupped his face in her warm hands. “Yes. Please do. I was hoping you’d want to but wasn’t sure how to ask.”

  Relief flooded through him. He wasn’t sure what he’d have done if she had said no. He took her in his arms, closed his eyes, and relaxed in the comfort of knowing her feelings for him were as strong.

  Chapter 24

  From the dark wood pew where she sat with Josef, Anna studied the intense blues and vibrant reds in the stained-glass windows at the front of the church. One caught her eye, an image of Mary and Joseph holding up the baby Jesus.

  Josef unbuttoned his suit jacket and their shoulders bumped. He gave her a wink and she smiled back.

  But her attention drifted back to the image of Jesus. Most Sunday school lessons were long forgotten, but lessons about God’s grace had stayed with her. The kind of grace she’d chosen to show Patrick when he’d been at his worst. These days the idea of redemption occupied her mind. She wanted to stop feeling stupid over allowing Patrick’s mistreatment and begin to trust herself again. But it wasn’t so easy.

  Josef placed his hand on her thigh, tugging her away from a problem that she couldn’t seem to solve. The warmth of his palm reached her skin through the thin fabric of her new dress. She slid her hand over his. When she returned home, she’d miss his touch.

  The Wiesbaden church where Gabriel and Kirsten would marry was an architectural masterpiece. The altar sat below a domed ceiling, its height so tall it appeared to reach the heavens. Behind it, detailed stained-glass windows lined the curved wall, each telling a biblical tale. Two chairs were placed in front of the altar, both covered with satin covers and secured by a large white bow in the back, waiting for the bride and groom.

  Josef moved his thumb in a slow caress. She looked over and caught him watching her.

  “You look very pretty,” he said quietly.

  She smoothed the lapel of his charcoal jacket. “And you should wear a suit more often.”

  “Thank you.” His eyelids hooded, and his gaze trailed from her face to the V dip at her cleavage. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “I look forward to helping you out of your dress tonight.”

  Heat swept to her belly, but the spell broke when his mother turned around in her pew and asked him a question. He leaned forward and answered her quietly, leaving Anna to miss his touch.

  The idea of going home had become increasingly difficult. Every day, every hour, she and Josef gre
w closer. His family and friends had welcomed her as if she was one of their own, and she liked that feeling. Much like her life in Washington State, where her job in Seattle kept her close enough to Whidbey Island to visit her loved ones whenever she wanted. Before Patrick had dragged her clear across the country and made sure he kept her isolated from people who cared about her.

  What a fool she’d been! He’d accepted the job transfer from Seattle to the east coast without even asking her. A small part of her thought the move could be an adventure. New York City sounded romantic, exciting. But he insisted they live in Brooklyn, far from the buzz of Manhattan. Whenever she dared to step out and try to meet new people, he showed his displeasure. It was as if he wanted her waiting at home, for him. Only him.

  She dropped her chin to her chest. Yup, she’d been a fool. A stupid fool.

  Josef leaned back and took Anna’s hand, making her stuff the humiliation deep inside of her.

  “My brother and Kirsten have arrived,” he said.

  She nodded, put on a happy face. A clergyman approached the altar, his black gown billowing behind him. When he faced the filled pews, an organ piped in the wedding march. The guests stood and turned to the back.

  Gabriel and Kirsten moved slowly down the aisle. Earlier, Josef had explained that in Germany most couples marry in a civil ceremony before the religious service. Nobody gives away the bride. Rather they enter their new life together to have their union bonded in the eyes of God.

  Kirsten’s golden-blond hair had been swept up and secured with a pearl-beaded headband. She wore an ankle-length, white lace gown. Simple elegance. Both bride and groom’s expressions glowed as they took their seats up front. The mix of music and memories made Anna’s throat thicken. Drew her back to the same moment in her life…

  A mild late spring day—almost sunny by Whidbey Island standards. She and Patrick had joined in matrimony surrounded by fifty of their closest friends and family. The event held all the hope of a lifetime. Little did she know their bond would soon tear apart at the seams. And her mercy served as the adhesive holding their marriage together as the months passed.