Saving Anna

by Sharon Struth

  Patrick crossed his arms over his chest, his mouth turned down in defeat. After a long minute, he mumbled, “Send him in.”

  * * * *

  “Close your eyes.” Josef said to Anna as they entered the guesthouse’s small lobby. “I have a surprise for you.”

  She looked at him. “Surprise?”

  “Yes. Now close your eyes.”

  She gave him a funny look, then shut her eyes.

  He guided her down the hallway while she laughed and made a few wisecracks about making sure she didn’t trip. After two glorious days seeing the sights in Berlin, he still couldn’t get enough of Anna. She’d be leaving tomorrow, a notion that flowed in and out of his head like the tide, making it impossible to ever get away from the idea.

  He turned her into the dining room.

  The guests had arrived, standing quietly, and watching her entrance with smiles on their faces. Ruth and Otto. Regina and Joachim. Dr. Walker stood beside Max, who sat in a chair with his two dogs waiting at his feet. Florian stood by a table filled with food, a large spoon in his hand as if their entrance had caught him in the middle of cooking. Even Josef’s sister came, with her family and his mother. Gabriel and Kirsten were on their honeymoon, but they’d left a note with Josef to give Anna.

  Josef looked beyond the usual suspects and his heart caught in his throat. Britta stood behind Gunther’s wheelchair, a big smile on her face. Someone had decorated with streamers dangling from the ceiling, loose helium balloons, and a big sign reading We will miss you, Anna.

  Josef got close then made her stop. “Okay. I’m going to count to three, then you can open your eyes. “One.” He hurried over to be with the others. “Two. Three.”

  Anna’s eyes flashed open.

  “Surprise,” everyone yelled.

  Her jaw dropped, and her cheeks flushed. “Oh my.” She turned her head, panning the guests. “You didn’t have to do—oh, Gunther.” She walked closer. “I can’t believe it.” She turned to Josef and tears glistened in her eyes. “Did you arrange this?”

  “A group effort. Joachim made me swear not to ruin the surprise or he threatened to no longer let me drink in the biergarten.”

  Everyone laughed. Anna made her way around to the guests, talking and hugging them.

  Josef went over to Joachim, who handed him a beer.

  “I can’t believe we pulled this off on such short notice.” Joachim poured himself a beer from the tap.

  Anna stood across the room, her cheeks glowing as she talked to the guests. Josef’s heart nearly exploded with joy to see her so happy. “She deserves this,” he said to Joachim. “She never deserved what that bastard of a husband did to her.”

  Joachim frowned and nodded. “How did things go at the hospital?”

  “Exactly as we’d hoped. Her husband agreed to the terms. Let’s hope he abides by them.”

  “And what is in the stars for you and beautiful Anna?”

  “Next I will take a trip to America to visit her.”

  His heart twisted, though, both in the pleasure of their feelings for each other and the pain of her leaving. The plans they made to see each other soon were sincere, but life always had a way of taking over.

  Chapter 27

  “Where ya headed?” asked the cab driver.

  “Brooklyn.” She gave him the address and got into the backseat.

  She settled into the seat, so tired she didn’t care about the diesel scent filling the air or the long lines of honking cars trying to leave JFK. It was a long trans-Atlantic flight and a wait to get through customs.

  She tipped back her head, closed her eyes, and found comfort in Josef’s tender goodbye kiss. She’d never forget how he’d held her tight and whispered, “I will miss you, Anna. We will be together again when you are settled.”

  According to her lawyer, it would be another four or five days before the hospital released Patrick. Time she’d use to return to their Brooklyn brownstone and pack.

  She must’ve drifted off to sleep, because it felt like no time had passed when the cab turned onto her street as the sun lowered to the horizon. She sent off a quick text to Josef that she’d arrived home safely, paid the driver, and took her luggage up the steps to her front door.

  So many times she’d bounced up these steps and found Isaak peeking out his curtains, waving for her to come inside so he could talk. The bittersweet moment made her pause at his door. She wished she could go in there now and share every detail of the journey he’d asked her to take.

  She rested a hand on his door and said, “Thank you, Isaak. You may have saved my life.” And despite what more logical minds might think, she chose to believe he heard her.

  She slipped in the key and turned the knob. An eerie silence greeted her, but she entered and flipped on the hallway light. Home. A place she no longer belonged. Where bad memories haunted her.

  Leaving her bag by the door, she turned on lights as she walked toward the kitchen. She slipped off her backpack and put it on the table as she scanned the room.

  The note she’d written had been torn into shreds. Next to it, the chain of the necklace had been ripped into two pieces. Broken. Just like their life together.

  Dirty dishes, take-out containers, and open food everywhere. She sighed, turned her back on the mess, and took her luggage upstairs.

  Her dresser lamp lay in the corner with the ceramic base shattered, the shade crushed. Most of her drawers were left open, articles of clothing either hanging half out or on the floor. The same with her closet.

  She went to the bathroom and removed a dustpan and brush from beneath the sink.

  As she swept up the ceramic base, she remembered the potent message behind Kirsten and Gabriel’s Polterabend. Maybe she cleaned alone right now, not with a partner. But she faced the mess her life had become. In a strange way, she suspected this solo cleanup ritual might bring her a little bit of good luck down the line.

  Once through, she opened her luggage and took out only the necessities, then got another piece of luggage. She switched on the bedroom TV for company and started to pack the rest of her clothes. Tomorrow she’d get some storage boxes, pack her belongings, and ship them her parents’ house.

  About a half hour later, as her eyelids threatened to close, she shut off the TV and cleared off the bed. Her phone pinged downstairs. She yawned and went downstairs to see who it was.

  Want to Skype?

  Josef. She smiled.

  Give me ten minutes.

  She quickly picked up the mess on the peninsula top and removed her computer from the backpack. While it started, she threw together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich then sat in front of the computer and ate it before dialing his number and waiting. Her heart warmed when his faced appeared on the screen, a pillow tucked behind his head and his bed’s headboard visible.

  He smiled. “Bet you didn’t think you’d hear from me so soon.”

  “No. But I’m glad. Why are you up so late? It’s two in the morning there.”

  “I woke, saw your text, and could not stop thinking of you.”

  She told him the condition she’d found the place. “I feel like at any minute he might walk through the door.”

  “You can rest assured he will not. I hope you do not mind, but I swung by the consulate after dropping you at the airport. Mr. Clark confirmed Patrick remains in the hospital and under watch. He planned to personally escort him onto the plane and contact you when they release him.”

  “Good. I’m relieved you double-checked. Now I can pack up my belongings and ship them to my parents’ house more comfortably. Oh, on the plane I did some research on rentals in the town where my parents live. And I’ve already sent emails asking for appointments to see them.”

  “Good.” He frowned. “Claudia told me to give her a heads up as soon as I plan to visit. I will miss you u
ntil then.”

  “I’ll miss you, too.” She put on a cheery smile. “But you know what?”

  He grinned. “What?”

  “I wouldn’t change a thing about having met you.”

  “Nor would I, sweet Anna. Nor would I.”

  * * * *

  A cold breeze chilled Anna’s skin and sent her open jacket flapping behind her as the ferry hit the choppy waters where Puget Sound met Possession Sound. Getting closer to the place she’d been raised. Here, the sun played hide-and-seek a good part of the year, and the rich waters surrounding the islands cradled the land in its hands.

  She leaned on the railing, stuck her face out to the faded sunshine. Ahead lay Whidbey Island and the ferry stop in Clinton.

  She couldn’t wait to drive the length of the island, reacquaint herself with the places that charmed visitors. The historic fishing village in Langley, South Whidbey State Park, Coupville’s waterfront and historic museum, Deception Pass State Park. All places she’d take Josef to see once they worked out a time when he could visit.

  She pulled out her phone and took a picture of the view ahead. Houses along the coast were dwarfed by large, dark pines and lush greenery beginning to turn red, gold, and sienna. She sent the picture to Josef, one of several she’d sent during her travels, and wrote, Almost home.

  He responded quickly, like he always did.

  I am enjoying your virtual tour. Soon I will see everything in person.

  They’d talked possibly about Christmas, two and half months away. It would give her time to get settled in her own place. He suggested next year she would visit Germany at Christmas to shop the markets with him. Next year. An invite proving everything they’d shared these past weeks had been real.

  Once the ferry docked, she took 525 North. She made a quick stop at the grocery store not far from her parents’ house to pick up a few items. On Anna’s way into the store, she passed a mother who stood with a young girl next to a box sitting on the ground.

  “’Scuse me,” said the little girl. “Do you want a kitten?”

  Anna paused, glanced into the box. Four teeny white-and-peach-colored kittens sat on top of a blanket, three of them playfully pawing each other, one fast asleep in the corner. “Aw, they’re adorable.” Anna squatted down for a closer look. “How old are they?”

  The mother said, “Ten weeks old. We already have three cats, or I’d keep them myself.”

  The sleeping kitten lifted its peach head. An all-peach cat, except for white paws and a ring of white around its neck, like a mane. Anna stuck her hand out. The little creature shakily stood, stretched, and came over to Anna and rubbed soft fur against her finger.

  “They’re free,” said the mother.

  “That one’s my favorite.” The little girl crouched next to Anna. “We call him Mr. Socks.”

  Once she got her own apartment, she could use some company during those long workdays alone. And she’d make sure she found a place that allowed pets. Many did.

  “You know what? I’ll take Mr. Socks.”

  They held the cat for her while she ran into the store. Besides the items she needed, she visited the pet aisle for food and litter. When she came out, they had Mr. Socks in a box with a towel, ready to be transported. For a brief moment she worried what her parents would say, but her goal was to be out of there as quickly as possible. Hopefully, they wouldn’t mind.

  In fifteen minutes, she’d arrive at her parents’ contemporary ranch. Mr. Socks mewed a few times, but quickly went back to sleep. She hoped he remained this easily content once they got there.

  Things were falling into place. At the end of this week, her dad had arranged for Uncle Stanley and Aunt Lenore to come to dinner. According to Dad, her uncle had uncovered a great deal about their family history in his research. She couldn’t wait to hear about it.

  The trip to Germany left her with a burning desire to learn everything she could about the people in Poland who were her ancestors. What had made them change their faith? Realistically, she might never know.

  Either way, she had been learning about the Jewish faith, reading the books Dr. Walker recommended, and taking away what she could. Faith had helped her get this far. Faith in herself, and in many other people who’d helped her along the way. And if that wasn’t God’s hand at work, then she didn’t know what was.

  Chapter 28

  Two and a half months later…

  “Here we are.”

  Josef opened his eyes at the sound of Anna’s voice, taking a moment to clear the fog in his head. The last thing he remembered was exiting the ferry, getting into the car, and telling Anna he might shut his eyes for a moment.

  He shifted upright in his seat as she drove them uphill through a condominium complex. No snow, unlike Germany. Yet doors holding holiday wreaths decorated with red ribbons, and colorful lights peeking through the branches of towering evergreens hinted to the holiday season.

  “How long have I been sleeping?”

  “Close to an hour.” She shifted her dark eyes his way and smiled. “You’ve been traveling for well over half a day, so I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

  “I could not sleep on the plane. Every time I drifted off, the man next to me bumped my elbow or the baby a few seats back wailed.” He slipped his hand to the back of her neck. “But maybe a cup of coffee will help me wake up.”

  “Best coffee you’ll get in the US is found around here. I’ll make a strong brew.” She turned into a parking spot, shut off the car, and turned to him. “I don’t want you falling asleep too soon.”

  “Oh, you do not have to worry about that.” He leaned over the console, kissed her, slowly and deeply. “I have missed you far too much.”

  She smiled. “Good. I thought a night alone would be good, even though my dad is dying to meet you.”

  He chuckled. “Ah, yes. My new Facebook friend. He seems like a nice man.”

  “He is.” She frowned a little. “I’m glad he likes you. Turns out he was always a little uncomfortable with Patrick.”

  Josef nodded, massaging her nape, finding it easy to be around her again. “And Patrick, is he abiding by the agreement?”

  “Yes. We only communicate through the lawyers. The divorce will be finalized in March.” She reached beneath her steering wheel and lifted a lever that popped the car trunk. “Let’s go inside, where it’s warmer.” As they got out and went to the back of the car, she added, “Mr. Socks is anxious to meet you.”

  He pulled his luggage and backpack from the trunk. “And me, him. I still cannot believe you got me to Skype with a cat.”

  She laughed and took the backpack from him, and they crossed the parking lot and headed for one of the modern-styled buildings. “Oh, come on. You seemed to enjoy it.” They walked up a flight of stairs to a second story unit and she glanced back at him. “Or have you forgotten the two times you asked to see him?”

  He laughed. “I’m turning into Max.”

  She chuckled as she reached a door holding a wreath that smelled of sweet pine. As she inserted the key, she glanced over her shoulder, grinned. “Mein Haus ist Ihr Haus.”

  “Danke. You speak German now?”

  “Not really. I just practiced that a whole bunch of times. Did I say it right?”

  He slipped his arms around her waist, kissed the back of her head. “Perfectly. I will teach you more if you want.”

  She pushed open the door. “Ja, bitte.” She entered the foyer, flipped on a light, and leaned his backpack against the wall. “After all, I have a good reason since learning my great-great-grandfather was born in Hanover, Germany.”

  About a month ago, Anna had called him excitedly with the news that a Jacob Abraham from Germany was a link in her family tree. Jacob later moved to Poland, married, and had a son, Micha. In 1922, just before immigration to the US tightened, Jacob took his son an
d wife to America, but they traveled under a different surname—Abrams—and a different faith as Protestants.

  He debated telling Anna about his latest venture at the travel company. He’d planned for it to be a surprise, tied into a gift he wanted to give her Christmas morning.

  The cat came running in from the other room. “Here’s my boy.” Anna leaned over and swooped him up, nuzzled her cheek against his fur. “Josef, meet Mr. Socks, or Socks for those of us close to him.”

  He put out his hands and Anna passed him over. The cat purred happily. “Nice to meet you, Socks.”

  “Come see the view that made me fall in love with this place.”

  He followed her into a spacious living room with gleaming hardwood floors partially covered by colorful area rugs, a stone fireplace, comfortable furniture. A small Christmas tree stood in one corner, filling the room with the scent of pine and the glow of its bright lights.

  They stopped at a set of sliding doors and he put the cat down. He slipped an arm around Anna’s waist and stared out into a spectacular view of rich blue water in the foreground and snow-capped mountains in the background. “I can see why you fell for the place.”

  “You’re looking at Oak Harbor Bay. In the distance are the Cascade Mountains. You’ll see them better tomorrow since it’s starting to get dark.”

  “Spectacular. It is beautiful here.”

  He drew her into a hug, her smile fading as she looked up into his eyes. He slipped his fingers through her hair, kissed her harder this time. She pushed his coat off his shoulders, let it drop to the floor, and shimmied out of hers. All while he got lost in her tender lips and the feel of her hands sliding along his torso.

  Tilting back her head, she smiled. “Coffee or bed?”

  “You have to ask?”

  He let her lead him to the bedroom, where he pulled her close and covered her mouth with his. Shoes were kicked off. Pants and shirts randomly tossed. Soon they stretched out alongside each other. Every kiss, every touch, coming from deep inside his heart.