Saving Anna

by Sharon Struth

  The officer glanced between them. “Security will be placed at Mr. Kelly’s hospital door, though he cannot move far on his own. The medics say he has a broken leg and arm. He is lucky to be alive.”

  “Is he under arrest?” she asked.

  “He is under watch, but it is up to you and Mr. Schmitt if you want to press charges.”

  She turned to Josef. “I don’t know. I don’t want him in jail. I just want him to leave me alone and not make the divorce difficult.”

  Josef wanted to lock him up forever. He looked at the officer. “We do not have to decide right now, do we?”

  “Nein. You should speak to the prosecuting attorneys if you want to understand the legalities. Either way, we will notify the US Consulate to have a representative speak to him about his rights. You may want to speak to them, too.”

  Anna nodded and extended a hand from under her blanket. “Thank you, Officer.”

  He shook her hand and left.

  Josef put his arm around her. They sat quietly for a minute.

  She mumbled, “I can’t imagine what your family and my new friends think of me.”

  “They understand he victimized you.” He tipped up her chin so she’d look him in the eyes. “And they see your courage.”

  “Right now, it feels like a hollow victory.” She slipped the blanket off her shoulders. “I should say I’m sorry to Gabriel and Kirsten. Then I think I’ll call a cab and go back to the guesthouse.”

  “I am not leaving your side.”

  “It’s a special family day. I can’t ask you to leave, but I’m very sore right now.”

  “Then come back to my place. I will run you a hot bath. I just want to be there for you. Besides, the wedding probably would have ended soon anyway.”

  She glanced around the patio. “Well, I would feel better with you.”

  “Gut.” Relief showered him. He wouldn’t sleep a wink if she were anyplace else.

  He took her hand and they went back inside. Heads turned as they passed through the room. He drew her close, hoping to steal any discomfort she felt about the attention. What happened exposed a very personal side of her life and had to be uncomfortable.

  She stopped walking and looked at him. “I’ve been thinking about how I hid this for so long. If I want to beat this thing with Patrick, then it’s time I learned to speak up about what went on. Not feel ashamed.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I am proud of you, Anna.”

  Together they said their goodbyes. Josef’s friends and family all shared their sorrow for Anna’s attack. Outside, he helped her get into his car. He started the engine and leaned over and tenderly kissed her, hoping to show her everything that had built up in his heart for her. Then without a word, he buckled up and took them home.

  * * * *

  Anna sat on the edge of Josef’s bed feeling somewhat rested. A hot bath when they’d returned last night had helped her relax and fall asleep in Josef’s hold.

  But now the scent of coffee beckoned. She slowly stretched her arms above her head, easing into her aching muscles. When she’d left for Germany, she’d hoped to never again have to wake up with the remnants of Patrick’s abuse. This, she vowed, would be the last.

  She stood, a little wobbly at first, then made her way to the bathroom. When through, she wandered to the kitchen dressed in the large T-shirt Josef had handed her to sleep in; a red jersey with the words Deutschland Fussball Bund surrounding a soccer ball.

  She stopped near the peninsula. Josef stood at the sink dressed in baggy sweatpants and a fitted T-shirt while vigorously scrubbing at a plate. In an eating area near sliding doors, a small round table held an assortment of breakfast foods, like hard-boiled eggs, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, rolls, and cut-up sausage.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Oh good. You are up. Hungry?”

  “I am.”

  She went up behind him at the sink, pressed against his back, and slipped her hands around his torso while he scrubbed a plate. “Just how I like my men, barefoot and making me breakfast.”

  “Oh, you do, huh?” He chuckled, and the vibration of his laugh rumbled through her.

  She moved to his side. “You’re going to rub the pattern right off that plate.”

  “Payback for not cleaning it yesterday morning.” He lowered the plate into the sink, wiped his hands on a towel, and turned to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “How do you feel?”

  “Sore.” She shrugged. “Sad to say, but there have been times he’s left me in worse shape than this.”

  She felt his muscles tense then he drew her close, hugged her. She inhaled the laundry-fresh scent off his T-shirt, enjoying every second in his arms. “Can we eat?” she mumbled against his chest.

  He let go. “Everything is ready. Will you grab that sugar and milk?”

  She did while he filled two mugs with coffee. At the table, they plated food, quiet in their thoughts.

  “It is supposed to be a rainy day,” Josef said, glancing out the sliding doors.

  “Then you’ll just have to keep me entertained inside.” She made certain her voice carried hints of innuendo and found herself disappointed when he didn’t respond. “Is anything wrong?”

  He seemed preoccupied, waiting a few seconds before finally meeting her gaze. “Anna, I was reminded so many times last night that you are still legally married.”

  “Only until we finalize the divorce.”

  “But as we—got close…” He shook his head. “I do not want to be the one who complicates your life.”

  She slid her hand over his. “While committed to my marriage, I never, ever considered being with another man, even though I stopped loving Patrick a long time ago. But my marriage has been over for some time.”

  He nodded. “And I understand this. But Patrick could use our relationship against you.”

  “Then let him try. What he did to us last night will be a black mark on his record, too. On top of everything else he’s already done to me.”

  Josef stared into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded and gave her a relaxed smile. “Then I am by your side all the way. Now eat up.” He motioned to her plate. “We need to keep you healthy and strong for the battle ahead.”

  Chapter 26

  “We are here.” Josef turned the car into the main entrance of the Catholic hospital in Mainz, where purple banners with the institution’s name lined the driveway.

  Anna studied the beige concrete building. With rows of wide windows along the plain facade it looked like every hospital she’d ever seen in the States. The only difference: her former abuser lay in one of the beds, believing he would soon be speaking to a representative from the consulate. He had no idea Anna would be joining them.

  Nobody knew she’d visited here once before. The day after Patrick’s brutal attack, she’d taken a cab to the hospital, fully prepared to face him. Prove to him she was strong. Even when he’d tried to drag her back into his nightmare, she was not the woman he married, who passively allowed his mistreatment.

  When she’d walked into his room, she’d found him lying in the bed sleeping. Tubes and wires connected to his body. Weak. Vulnerable. How she’d felt their entire marriage. Although she’d expected to bask in the triumph of being the one still standing, she couldn’t do it. Anger because he’d stolen two years of her life would never vanish, but gloating wouldn’t make her superior. So she left without waking him, hoping with their secret out in the open, Patrick would finally get the help he needed.

  Josef parked along the curb, shut off the car, and took her hand. “I can come up with you, if you want.”

  “I should face this alone.” She smiled. “But thank you.”

  He frowned and quietly said, “Understood.”

  Her lip service to being brave
didn’t diminish the size of the pit in her belly. Over the past five days, she’d been in touch with Tom Clark, from the American Consulate in Frankfurt. He’d given her phone updates on Patrick’s healing progress, plus advice on the legalities of what he’d done. There were some serious matters at hand. But Tom had offered an idea that ensured Patrick left her and Josef alone, both in Germany and back in the States. She and Josef had agreed with Tom’s proposal. Now, all they had to do was get Patrick on board.

  “I will be right out here. Waiting.” His eyes filled with worry. “If you need me sooner, call. I will come right up.”

  “I will. But I’m sure I’ll be back down here before you know it, and then we’ll leave for our two nights in Berlin.”

  He let go of her hands and tenderly ran his fingers along her throat, her jaw, her lower lip. Every spot he touched left an imprint on her skin and had her burning for more. His lips covered hers, claimed them with a deep kiss.

  He whispered, “Now remember, that is how I feel about you.”

  She took his hand, pressed it to the spot where her heart raced beneath her skin. “And remember. This is how I feel about you.”

  His gaze softened. She got out, blew him a kiss, and hurried off to get this meeting started. As the elevator rose, she touched her lips, still tender with Josef’s message.

  All the way up, the beehive in her belly buzzed with nervous energy, but she walked tall as she stepped off and turned to the waiting area where Tom said they should meet.

  Amidst the visitors, a man with thinning, graying hair dressed in a dark suit stood out. He read a newspaper but glanced up as she approached.

  “Tom?”

  “Yes. Are you Anna?”

  “I am.”

  He stood and dropped his paper on the chair. They shook hands, and he withdrew a card from his jacket pocket. “I’m glad to finally meet in person. Here’s my card, so I don’t forget to give it to you.”

  Next to his name, it read Senior Foreign Service Agent, giving her some comfort in knowing he’d been doing this job for a while.

  “Before we go in, have you and Mr. Schmitt considered my idea?” He glanced at the other people sitting nearby and motioned to a bench seat near a window. They went over and sat down.

  He continued. “I ask because, ideally, we don’t like to see American citizens in jails abroad. But in a case like this, we feel you deserve some protection, too. We’re hoping your husband will see the light with this offer.”

  “Well, he has yet to see any light but his own.”

  “Yes.” He hesitated. Speaking in a neutral and calm voice, one befitting his position as a diplomat of the US, he said, “The consulate staff has found him difficult at times.”

  “He’s in for a rude awakening. If he refuses to take this offer, he’ll have to lay in his own bed of problems.”

  “And Mr. Schmitt feels the same way?”

  “Yes, Josef does. He’s outside. After we speak with Patrick, why don’t I get him and the three of us can talk?”

  “Good idea.”

  “Do you mind if I have a few minutes alone with Patrick, before we see you together?”

  “Not at all.” He bent over and picked up his attaché, then gave her a close-lipped smile. “Are you ready to see your husband?”

  This was her moment. To reclaim the stake in herself Patrick had destroyed in a blitzkrieg of mental and physical destruction. She stood. “Lead the way.”

  They walked down the hallway. At the door, a security guard who’d been assigned to keep watch nodded for them to enter.

  As she started to go in, Tom said, “I’ll wait right here in case you need me.”

  “Thank you.” She hoped she didn’t need him until she got out everything she wanted to say.

  She entered the quiet room to find the curtain partially drawn. She stepped forward to the opening. Patrick rested beneath the crisp white sheets, his eyes closed and head tipped back, the tubes and wires from a week ago gone. Blue and dark purple bruises peppered his face. She remembered how hard Josef had hit him. His arms lay limply at his side. More cuts, these no doubt from the fall.

  Pity roused during the first visit didn’t show up today. Instead, seeing his bruises revived memories of every mark he’d ever left on her body. The great efforts she’d undertake to hide them from others, thereby protecting the man who inflicted him.

  She took a deep breath. “Hello, Patrick.”

  His eyes slowly opened, and he lifted his head. “Anna.”

  “How are you feeling today?” She held her chin high, made sure she sounded strong, sure of herself.

  “Fine.” He scowled. “Nice you came to visit.”

  “You attacked me and my friend. Assaulted us. You’re lucky I’m here at all.”

  “Your friend.” Red rushed his cheeks. “From what I’ve seen, he’s more than a friend.”

  She moved to the end of the bed. “What’s wrong with you? I couldn’t believe you showed up at my sister’s house, but then to fly all the way here? How did you know I was staying at the guesthouse?”

  “Easy,” he said a bit too smugly. “While talking with Maria, I learned the name of the lawyer Isaak used. I popped into his office one day when he’d stepped out for lunch. His secretary was persuaded to give the address to your husband once I told her I’d misplaced the information and was supposed to be meeting you in Germany.”

  Even the most reasonable people weren’t immune when he pulled out the charm. “And you’ve been following me for a couple of days, haven’t you?”

  “All over town. Seeing what you’ve been doing, waiting for the right moment.” A dark flash crossed over his face. “I have to say, Anna, I never figured you’d cheat on me.”

  “I didn’t come here to be with another man. It just happened.” She moved to his bedside, to prove he no longer frightened her. “You seem to have a misguided view of your role in our marriage falling apart. When you beat me, that violated our marriage vows, too.”

  He snorted, but instead of a quick comeback, he looked at his hands as they twisted the edge of the sheet.

  She walked over to the window, pushed aside the curtain, and stared out into the city. “Do you understand why I filed for divorce?”

  “I thought you loved me, Anna. You promised me you’d never leave.”

  She swung around. “Answer my question.”

  His head jerked back.

  “Answer me! Do you understand why you were served those divorce papers? Why I had to do it the way I did?”

  “Look, we both know I have some problems. You can’t blame me. My father—”

  “No! At some point, you need to stop blaming others and start taking responsibility. God only knows what other women you’ve hurt along the way.”

  His face reddened. “You’ve turned into a real bitch.”

  “Call it what you want. I’m finally standing up for my rights. You lured me in, then took advantage of me. I tried so hard…” Anger swelled in her throat. “So damn hard to help you. For the first year, all I wanted was for you to get better. More than anything. My love for you was stronger than the love I had for myself.”

  She stormed over to the bed, her rage fueled by memories of every time he hit her. “And I let you beat me up, all because I believed we could work on your problems. Heal you. And then…then I could heal, too. Luckily, I saw the truth.”

  “The truth?” He laughed, a condescending chortle. “The truth is you only cared about yourself. Look at you now.”

  “And you’ve proven me right once again. You’ll never change. You’ll never admit you were wrong. I made the right call by divorcing you.”

  “You’re a cheater, Anna. I never cheated on you.”

  She snorted a laugh. “I’d thank you, but you seem to take no ownership for what you did do to me.”

 
He shifted uncomfortably, the first sign that, perhaps, he did see what he’d done.

  “I came to Germany for Isaak, not myself. Josef helped me navigate that search. He’s shown me how I deserve to be treated. And you know what? I will never feel bad for opening myself up to that feeling.”

  Patrick’s face reddened, and his jaw tightened.

  “Now you’d better pay close attention to what I’m about to tell you. Mr. Clark is out there, but I’ll give you a preview of what we’re going to discuss. Your choices for getting out of this situation are limited. The authorities here want us to press charges. You attacked a German citizen. And you attacked an American. The American consulate has advised me I have rights, too.”

  His eyes widened.

  “But we are willing to make a deal with you, so you can get out of Germany and return to the States.”

  “A deal?”

  “Yup. Three simple things.”

  Fury burned in his eyes. He turned away from her, stared at the window.

  “First, you must promise to get help for your anger problem, so you never hurt another woman again.” He flinched, but she continued. “Second, you will agree to proceed with the divorce in a quick and problem-free manner.”

  He pressed his lips tight and turned to stare at her through narrowed eyes. “And the last?”

  “The German authorities have asked you sign an agreement saying you will stay away from Josef and me. My lawyer will get a restraining order, too. A violation of any of these terms will mean the charges here can still be made against you.”

  “Yeah? How will the Germans know?”

  “The authorities in the US will tell them if I notify them.” She stayed quiet, giving him a minute to mull over the conditions. “Just say the word and Mr. Clark will come in and go through the fine print.”

  “What happens if I say no?”

  “Then Josef and I are prepared to press charges.” She gave him a no-biggie shrug, just to scare him a little. “And if you lose your case under their system of justice, you will probably spend time in a German prison.”