Once We Were Brothers
Page 38
Gently, she arranged the flowers in their vases. The petals fluttered in the autumn breeze.
“I’ve had time to do a lot of thinking – sometimes wondering: where are my inspirations? What will they say? Where will they come from? And I’ve come to realize – you were my inspiration, Ben. It was you all along.”
She brushed a blade of grass from the marker. “One thing I’m sure of – I’ve found Catherine. She was inside, like you said, hiding for so long behind insecurities, large law firm anonymity and self-doubt. I’m happy with the person I’m becoming and I owe that to you.
“My practice is people-oriented and very satisfying. I’ve even volunteered at a neighborhood legal clinic. I want to do something significant with my life, something to make you proud.”
Her tears fell upon the stone and she spread them with her fingertips. Beneath Ben’s name was an inscription in Hebrew, which read: “Light is sown for the righteous, joy for the upright in heart.” It was an excerpt from a psalm that Catherine and Adele thought was fitting. A stiff gust of wind tore red and yellow leaves from the maples and tumbled them along the grass.
“Otto’s trial has been set for next month in Tel Aviv. At his extradition hearing, he showed no remorse. Like so many before him, he denied responsibility and had no self-reproach. I understand that the Israeli court has developed quite a case against him. Liam and I are going to attend the trial.” She smiled. “We’re good for each other. You were right about that, too. I’ve asked Adele to go with us, but she’s not feeling too well these days.”
A single red leaf floated down and came to rest in the center of Ben’s headstone. She picked it up and held it in her hand. Its color was pure – its five points elegant in their symmetry. She smiled and held the soft leaf to her cheek. “And there was morning and there was evening, the third day,” she said.
She stood. “I have to leave now.”
She brushed off her skirt, took a few steps toward Liam, who stood patiently waiting at the car, and then turned around to stare at the landscaped serenity.
“The music beckons, Ben. Enjoy the dance.”
Acknowledgments
Although Once We Were Brothers is a work of fiction, it was my intention to portray the story in a historically accurate setting. Several persons assisted me in researching and writing this novel. A treasure trove of information was and is available in the individual stories of those who lived through the Holocaust and had the courage to open their wounds and chronicle their experiences. Many of their memories may be found through the multiple doorways of the Internet. My deepest gratitude is extended to all those whose memoranda preserves the evidence. The staff members of The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois were very helpful. United States case law concerning claims brought by survivors against sovereign nations, their institutions and sub-divisions, against the commercial entities which sought to and did profit from their business arrangements with the Third Reich, and against those persons who participated in, lent support to, and enabled the Nazi regime is available in law libraries and through the online research venues. I am deeply indebted to my dear friend Rabbi Victor Weissberg, who gave me the privilege of studying with him, who read my manuscript and generously gave me encouragement. My thanks to all those who read, reviewed and edited my work, including Sara Flynn, who initially gave me direction on the depth of my characters, and Maura Teitelbaum, a delightful and energetic literary agent, whose plot suggestions were invaluable. Thanks to Mitch McNeil for his artwork and cover design. My son Dave, a brilliant grammarian, conducted a search and destroy mission finding countless grammar errors in a meticulous edit. My son Matt coordinated the printing and distribution. My good friend and law partner, Jolanda Krawczyk, provided information on all things Polish, including the Polish phrases used herein. Finally, my heartfelt thanks to my support group: my wife Monica, my children, my sister Linda, and my good friend Richard Templer, all of whom helped me get this work to print.