A Diamond in the Rough
Page 27
At the end of June, he arranged to spend the weekend with her. He wanted to introduce her to the city of Jerusalem and its surroundings, take her to dinner at the King David Hotel, and simply show her why he fell in love with Palestine hoping she would share his enthusiasm for the program.
He also wanted to make sure she was feeling good, and that she was seeing a doctor. Working at the hospital was the perfect place for her to be. She was never alone, ate regularly and well, and the nurses’ quarters were on the hospital grounds.
“How do you like this place? Is it not inspiring? They do such wonderful things here, and help so many people. They’ve managed to thrive under the Palestine Mandate, and one can only imagine what they will accomplish when the State of Israel becomes a reality.”
It was fun being with Pops. As a child, the two of them often went off for an afternoon together. It all seemed so long ago. She wondered what kind of father Jake would be. If they had a girl, would he take off with her for an afternoon of adventure as she and Pops had on so many occasions? Of course, he would, but he would insist she go along too. If they had a boy, he would undoubtedly teach him the art of diamond cutting.
As the weekend was coming to an end, Manny sat holding her hands. “I received a letter from my brother telling me that Ivan has shipped out to the Pacific. He also wrote that before he left, he learned that Jake was listed as Missing. There were no further details. It was reported in the papers as they do from time to time once the families have been notified.
“I know it’s useless of me to tell you not to worry. You’ll worry anyway. I thought about not telling you, but I didn’t think that was right either. You have to believe in your heart that he is okay. When he returns, just think how happy he will be to find out that he’s a father.”
After their beautiful weekend, the news about Jake was upsetting. Although she tried her best to contact him and had not succeeded, she never feared or had a gut feeling that he was in danger, hurt, or worse. He promised to come back to her, and she never for one minute believed that he wouldn’t keep that promise.
She was glad her father told her what Ivan had learned. There had been enough secrets between her and her parents. She wondered if Marcus had tried to contact her at the house in Middlesex. There was no one living there, but he could perhaps have left a note or posted a letter. Mark was checking the house for mail, but there had been no word.
In hindsight, she realized that she should have told Marcus that she was leaving for Jerusalem with her father. Although she blamed the oversight on her last minute decision and their hasty departure, there was nothing stopping her from posting a letter and apprising him now that she was settled. She made no move to do so.
She enjoyed working with the children at the hospital. When she was in school, none of the patients were children; most were military. Bella kept an eye on her to make sure she didn’t overdo.
Lexi felt good. Being pregnant agreed with her. She was more beautiful than ever with the glow of pregnancy. How she wished Jake was here as she guided his hands to feel their baby move. But most of all, she yearned to feel his protective arms around her keeping them safe.
In July, a few of the nurses went on a day trip to Tel Aviv. It was the last month the doctor would allow her to travel. It was a perfect beach day and the girls brought bathing suits so they could go swimming.
Lexi had never seen water as blue at the Mediterranean. It reminded her instantly of Jake’s deep blue eyes. As her friends frolicked in the water, she was content to sit on her blanket and watch.
They ate dinner at a small local restaurant recommended by one of the doctors. They had no idea what they were eating; the owners just kept bringing dish after dish. Finally they could eat and drink no more. They thanked the couple for their hospitality, and left to catch the bus back to Jerusalem.
They were quiet on the trip back. Lexi slept on and off dreaming of Jake, unaware that 2,000 miles across the sea on Guernsey Island, Jake struggled to recall who he was and put a face to the name Lexi that Lulu Walsh said he called out for in his sleep.
In mid-September, Manny came to Jerusalem to stay with Lexi until the baby was born. 25 September 1944, Lexi gave birth to a girl weighing exactly eight pounds; she had her mother’s red hair and her father’s deep blue eyes, ten perfect fingers, ten perfect toes, and a button nose. Manny called her a Lexi clone and accepted many a Mazel Tov on becoming a Zeyda (grandfather). Lexi named their beautiful daughter Zoe Elise Lyons.
She returned to work at the hospital in mid-October. Bella told her she could bring Zoe with her, and they would put a crib in one of the small offices. This would allow Lexi to nurse her, and look in on her throughout the day. The tour was due to end in December. By then, Zoe would be three months old.
The arrangement worked to everyone’s benefit. Lexi could continue working; she did not have to find someone to care for Zoe while she was at the hospital; and she could spend every possible moment with her daughter. She couldn’t have planned or hoped for a better outcome.
Once a month, they called London at an arranged time to talk with her brothers. Each time, Manny asked if there was any mail for either of them. There was nothing other than the bills for the house that Mark was taking care of.
As the end of the year approached, Manny decided the time had come to make a few decisions.
Lexi had been thinking about what she should do, as well. The War was still ongoing although the Allies had proven victorious of late. Many felt the War would be over in months. She knew deep in her heart that her father wanted to remain in Palestine. He loved what he was doing, and she did not want her responsibilities to spill over into his life.
If she returned home alone, she would have to find someone to care for Zoe while she worked and hospital hours could be sporadic at times. If she worked days, she would be home nights when Zoe was sleeping. If she worked nights, she would have to sleep during the day so she could go to work at night.
She had approached Bella asking if there were classes she could suggest in specialized pediatric care, and if she could continue working at the hospital part time. As she and her father sat down to discuss the approaching end of the tour, she had a plan.
“I know you would like to stay and continue your work. What I need to know is are you planning to make the move permanent? As for Zoe and me, I would like to some day go back to London. Until the War is over, I feel that I’m in a better place here, especially while Zoe is a baby.
“I’ve spoken with Bella, and there are classes I would like to take, and she has agreed that I can continue to work part time at the hospital. I would, however, have to get my own apartment and find someone to care for Zoe.
“When the War is over, and I learn of Jake’s fate, I will deal with it. I have no other choice, but I have not given up hope nor will I until I learn the truth.
“I have a plan Pops. What do you think?”
Manny hugged her and held her close. “I love you, and I’m very proud of you; that’s what I think. I am leaning toward staying here permanently, but not just yet. As I promised, I will throw you and Jake the grandest wedding ever when he comes home.
“I have to see about getting our Visas extended. If I do decide to make my move permanent, I will look for a permanent position, as well. It would be nice to live close to you and Zoe. Perhaps we can find a small house that would give us more room and prove a better choice if I do decide to stay on. It would allow me to see my daughter and granddaughter each and every day; I could help with Zoe while you study.
“You should make signing up for your classes a priority. When we find a place to live, we can look into getting someone to care for Zoe.”
Although Lexi was confused and uncertain of the choices she made in London, she had given great thought to her plans to remain in Palestine. For now, it seemed both practical and logical to remain where they were.
She was a happy child content to entertain herself looking at the big Teddy Bear Manny bought her or chewing on her teething ring, or rattle. Each month, Lexi took her to the photographer, and he took a picture of the two of them. She wanted the pictures to be in color so that Zoe’s red hair and deep blue eyes were prominent. Her intent was to capture as much as she possibly could of the time Jake missed seeing her grow. She also bought a camera.
On 2 November 1917, Britain’s Lord Balfour announced that His Majesty’s Government views with favor the establishment of a national home in Palestine for the Jewish people. One year later, World War I came to an end. Euphoric over the Balfour Declaration and certain that England was on their side, the Jews of Palestine presented the British with a gift of land on Mount Scopus for a cemetery. The site on a mountain top 834 meters above sea level with vast military and historical significance was the perfect location.
In 1925, Mount Scopus became the site of the world’s first Hebrew University. It was joined soon afterwards by Hadassah Hospital, without question the most modern and well-equipped medical facility in the entire Middle East. But there was a serious drawback to the location; the single road to both the hospital and the university was surrounded by hostile Arab neighborhoods.
It didn’t take the Arabs long to realize how easy it would be to blockade the road. They ambushed many Jews naïve enough to try passing through, despite the fact that the British, who still controlled Palestine, had promised the Jews safe passage to Mount Scopus. Realizing that the Hadassah Hospital benefited many Arabs, as well as the Jews, the attacks abated.
In the six months since Lexi arrived in Palestine, there had been isolated incidents of Arab attacks but none involved the immediate area surrounding the hospital and the university.
Manny found a small house near Mount Scopus and thought the location aptly suited their needs. Lexi would be attending the university and working at the hospital which were both in walking distance or a short ride by bus. He was also seeking a position at the hospital for himself.
At the end of the year, a farewell party was thrown for the doctors and nurses leaving to return to England and the States. Everyone was saddened to say to goodbye to all the wonderful people they worked with and especially to Lexi, Zoe, and Manny who were remaining.
For Lexi, the New Year brought thoughts of happier times, and sadness that she and Zoe were without Jake by their side. She could not fathom that it was just one year ago that she and Jake had found one another only to lose contact with one another again one brief month later.
Moving into their new home and enrolling in the university helped get her mind back into perspective. Once she had the schedule for her classes, she would speak with Bella about her hours at the hospital and begin searching in earnest for someone to care for Zoe.
By the time her classes started, all was going according to plan. Bella recommended a friend to care for Zoe. Eva Goodman was a retired nurse whose husband had passed away five years ago, and whose only son was killed in an Arab attack. Being alone, she welcomed taking care of a small child and offered to prepare dinner to give her something to do.
Eva Goodman was an excellent cook, and it became the norm for her to join them for dinner each night before leaving for home. She and her husband had moved from Poland to Jerusalem when their son was a little boy. Lexi loved hearing the stories she told about what the Country was like when they arrived and how far it had come. On weekends, they played it by ear, often inviting Eva to join them when they went on what Lexi called an adventure.
Manny was successful in landing a temporary position at the Hadassah Hospital. They were in the process of expanding the Pediatric Department to include a research lab devoted to eliminating childhood diseases. The current head of the department was due to take over the responsibilities of setting up and running the new lab. At that time, the position would become permanent, and Manny would become the new head of the Pediatric Department.
The months flew by. Being busy was the key. It didn’t allow much time to dwell on the past or to worry about the future. Zoe brought much joy into their lives. With each new accomplishment—rolling over, sitting up, crawling, her first tooth, and first words—Lexi thanked God for her each and every day.
In March when the new lab opened, Manny accepted the permanent position as Head of Pediatrics. On their call to London at month’s end, he excitedly told his sons adding that Lexi was taking courses at the university and working at the hospital. Her plans for the present were to remain with him. He urged Mark and Rosalie to reconsider moving into the house. There was no mail or messages for either of them. Before ending the call, Lexi promised she would send long awaited pictures of Zoe.
Zoe was a virtual chatterbox. Mama, bye-bye, Pops were her favorites. She was standing, and when she thought no one was watching, dared taking a step or two. On nice days, Eva would put her in her stroller and take her for walks around the campus of the university. She was often stopped with exclamations of—What a beautiful little girl you are! Zoe always acknowledged her admirers with a big smile.
April brought continued good news about the War, but May brought the news everyone had long awaited—on 9 May1945, the Axis surrendered and the War in Europe was over.
Businesses closed; schools were dismissed; there was dancing in the streets. The Nazis had finally been defeated but not before millions died in gas chambers, starved in concentration camps, and bled on the fields of battle. One could not find a single human being in the Palestine Jewish community that the War did not affect. Entire families had been lost, lifetimes of achievement had been erased, scholars, writers, doctors—the heritage of a people, all gone.
For those who survived, Palestine was their future. The British Mandate had promised a Jewish State, and the time had come to collect on that promise.
Lexi would look back on that time as a waiting game. She didn’t expect to hear from Jake immediately, but four months later when the War ended in the Pacific, she became apprehensive that no news was forthcoming, good or bad.
In September, Zoe was one year old. Eva baked a cake, and they sang Happy Birthday and urged her to blow out the lone pink candle. When they called London, they learned Rosalie was expecting, but there was no mail, no calls, no mention of a visitor inquiring about Manny; Rosalie had completely forgotten about Marcus’s visit months earlier. Actually, when she gave him the contact information he was seeking for his friend, she never gave thought to mention it to Manny.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
After leaving the base, Jake caught the train to the Cotswolds. He arrived at the cottage to find that Marcus and Elena had fully stocked the kitchen with food basics, along with towels and sheets and many other necessary items that Elena insisted needed a woman’s touch. There was a vase of flowers and a bottle of wine on the dining table with a note: Welcome home Jake. We Love you. It was signed Marcus and Elena.
Marcus had taken care of everything on the list that Jake had left with him—a thorough house cleaning, touchup painting inside and out, utilities and phone hookup, and moving the Ford V-8 from storage to the garage. The landscaper cleaned up the areas that had been neglected and planted flowers both front and back. Lastly, the outdoor furniture had been removed from the shed, washed down, and placed on the upper and lower patios.
It was good to be home; it felt right; he and the cottage were a perfect fit. He would have preferred to share it with Lexi, but that wasn’t the case; he was on his own. In the next few weeks, he would hire a moving service to move the items that he decided to keep from the house in Middlesex to the cottage.
The first priority was sett
ing up his workshop in the cellar. It had been years, since he cut and polished a diamond, and he was anxious to get back to it. But first, he had to catalogue the diamonds both polished and rough, as well as, the gold and other items of jewelry that were part of the inventory in Max’s shop.
And last but certainly not least he would have a safe installed where he could keep everything secure.
He rang up Marcus and Elena to tell them he had arrived home. He thanked them for all they had done, and invited them to join him for dinner at the cottage the following evening—instructing them to bring absolutely nothing but themselves.
Jake rose early the next morning and made breakfast. He checked out the supplies that Elena had brought and found he had several choices. He opted for a cheese omelet before realizing that it brought back memories of Lexi. As he ate, he mulled over in his mind what he needed to pick up in the Village for dinner.
He checked the cupboards for dinnerware and flatware and found a couple of tablecloths with matching napkins in the drawer below.
He washed the pan, dish, and utensils he used for his breakfast, and placed them back where he found them.
He decided to walk to the Village to scope it out and see what restaurants and shops carrying groceries were available. There were several—a café, two pubs, a cozy restaurant that advertised authentic homemade meals, a small grocery, and seasonal stalls selling fresh produce.
The restaurant was closed, but as he peered through the glass door, a woman inside opened the door and asked if she could help him. Inviting him in, they chatted for twenty minutes. He introduced himself and told her he was the new owner of the Wentworth Cottage; that he had invited two very special people to dinner; that his cooking expertise was limited to omelets; and asked if she could offer any suggestions.