War Torn Love

by Londo, Jay M.

  “Abram, hey Abram, honey, hey look I brought you some lunch, I figured you would be hungry?”

  He smiled when he saw me standing there watching him; he later that night said I was positively glowing. With his boxing gloves still on both his hands, wearing his boxing shorts, which showed off his amazing legs, he came over to me. One thing I adored about him was how he always showed me that he was so glad to always see me - he was never too busy for me when I was in his presences.

  “Hi sweetie, how is your day going? It is so good to see you I did not think I would be getting a chance at seeing you until tonight, what a treat this is! I have been having such a great workout; you know you have perfect timing. Are you here to have lunch with me?”

  I couldn’t wait, since it was just busting to get out, I would have waited for the perfect moment, but I just could not hold it in! Besides, I could not keep secrets around his.

  “Ok Abram darling oh please you better sit down, I have to tell you the truth why I came to see you, I didn’t just come here to bring your lunch, and I did not want to disturb you when your training. I also came here to share with you some news with you!”

  Showing a look of real concern at this point, I must have startled him unintentionally, perhaps suddenly thinking the worst - it was written all over his face, “So come on out with it, what is it sweetie, did something happen, don’t tell me is it bad news?”

  “No, no not at all, please do not worry yourself, I promise it’s certainly isn’t bad news at all, quite the contrary, in fact it’s great, no I would have to say fantastic news! See darling I just came from the doctor, you know how I have been not feeling so well lately, we were thinking perhaps the flu, well after the doctor examining me, it wasn’t the flu. No, he only confirmed what I had thought all along!

  “So what did he suspect?”

  “Patience I am getting to that, he said that I was with child. Abram, my love do you know what that means. That means you’re going to be a Poppa!”

  He had sort of a blank stare for a moment as the news began registering inside his head. I almost thought that he was going to pass out.

  “Abram did you hear what I just said to you? Say something please!”

  He had that vacant gaze in his eyes, slowly though, it registered and dawned on him. I think for a few seconds, it had gone right over his head. Then suddenly his face lit up with bright coloring, he was positively grinning from ear to ear.

  “I had no idea - I’m really going to become a Poppa! I just cannot believe it, oh my darling that is the greatest news I have ever heard! I am so proud and happy! Oh my gosh, We’re going to be parents. All my dreams just keep coming true” At this point hearing that, and seeing how happy he was, I began to cry, but they were tears of joy!

  Wrapped up in the moment, he picked me up swiftly off my feet, and then he happily began to twill me around, and around. Oh, he looked so pleased. I felt as though I was on a merry-go-round.

  “Woo hoo!” He yelled out loudly, focusing the entire gym on him.

  There was a swiftly developing problem with all this twirling, “Oh please, put me down honey you’re making me sick to my stomach, I am going to throw up please!”

  “Oh my love, I’m so sorry I didn’t hurt you, or the baby did I?”

  “No silly! Did you forget how tough I am? You just cannot twirl me like that when I get morning sickness. I have real bad morning sickness.” Then I quickly ran over to a nearby trash pail, and began to let loose and hurl. Then I wiped my mouth off when I was done.

  When He saw that I was ok, he yelled out “Attention everyone, I just found out I am going to be a Poppa!”

  The gym then quickly erupted in loud cheers for the two of us! Everyone came up and then congratulated us, one by one patting him on the back. I must have been given twenty hugs. Abram’s coach came and gave me a big hug.

  “Oh, my girl I am so truly happy for the two of you, I have now known you for let me see it must be going on five years now. I have witness you blossoming from a girl into a beautiful woman, all that I know about you, tells me that you’re going to make a terrific mother, just like you have already proved what a amazing wife you are to your husband. I am going to let you in on a little secret sweetheart, you know how I motivate your husband - I get him to start focusing on you, and it proves to be the greatest motivator I have ever seen, no you have to believe me, it’s true. Now with a baby, he will be completely unstoppable, he’ll do very well when we go to the Olympics. Nevertheless, I have to say, the two of you make the perfect couple. It is easy to see that the two of you are madly in love with one another.”

  Abram interrupted coach and mine conversation. “Coach under the circumstances, I would like to take the rest of the day off if you wouldn’t mind, so as I could celebrate with my wife, and family. I promise to work twice as hard tomorrow!”

  “Sure thing kid, my wife would ring my neck if I did not - you kids go celebrate; I would have insisted that that you did, if you wouldn’t had said anything.”

  “Thanks coach!” he grabbed my hands and said, “Hana, let me go get changed, and then we’ll head off straight to the store. I am sure you want to tell our families the fantastic news! Just wait here a minute, I will not be long. I’m positively too excited to eat, at the moment.”

  “Ok!”

  Boy I do not think I have ever seen him this excited about anything before, it clear he could not think straight. The boy was on cloud nine. I hoped our future child looked just like him, so well chiseled.

  As we walked in, the little bell above the door began ringing upon us opening the door, signaling our arrival. It was a belated surprise since I was not even planning on coming in today - it was my day off, I had been working so hard lately. The family all just so happen to all be sitting behind the counter eating lunch, the only one that was missing was my sister. She was still at home tending to her new baby. We did not have to announce a thing – Abram’s extreme happiness was even out of character for him. I didn’t think I had the ‘pregnant glow’ yet –or my mother would have guessed sooner. As soon as we did walk in through the doors, Momma looked up from the table where she was eating her lunch. Glancing up at the two of us with a rapidly emerging excitement, written on her beautiful face. I was not hundred percent sure what had given me a way, that she could read me so well, and so quickly - normally it at least takes a couple of minutes to get out of me.

  “Oh my gosh! Everyone, our Hana is with child!”

  I looked over at Poppa - he looked over at me, very surprised so I had thought, with a huge smile, he could not help holding back the tears of joy, he just did not care if anyone daw him. I ran over to him and we began to hug.

  “Oh my bear you have made your father so happy!”

  “Thank you Poppa, I am quite joyful myself”

  Then my attention was squarely on my mother, she really had me wondering. I was not going to be able to let it alone. “So Momma how did you know?”

  “Well for one my daughter, you have been sick to your stomach, yet you’re hungry, you’ve been extra moody, sensitive to certain smell… A pregnant woman has a look to them you certainly have that look. Oh ya, I just got off the phone with the doctor - seems in all the excitement it seems you mistakenly left the purse there, and before you get mad at him, for spilling the beans, I got it out of him. Remember your curiosity comes from me. Now come over here and give me a hug. I am so happy for you.”

  Once again, everyone began cheering; Ms. Kaczmarek had just so happened to have been working in the store. She was so happy for us both she started crying for joy!

  “I always knew you two were going to get married, even when you were back in my class, the way you looked at one another - now look at you two, you’re going to be parents.

  Poppa unable to contain himself and joyously began singing and old Jewish song his grandfather had taught him. It seemed happiness filled the room. That is when I began blushing for another reason; it was when Poppa said, “
Well the fact that my daughter is pregnant doesn’t really surprise me at all; by the way you two have been going at it. Truthfully I am just astounded it has taken this long as it has. I thought The God was punishing me. Of course, your mother thought it would be a couple more months. Son thank you, you could not have given me a greater gift. I think that you’re going to make one terrific father.”

  This certainly had gotten our attention. Both Abram and I turned and looked at one another, a bit embarrassed that our actions went as noticed as it had that they all had a wager on when we would be getting pregnant, I guess neither of us should in fact be surprised that something was even said, that however did not stop us from turning beet red! But it didn’t matter because we were going to become parents, it’s the end results that everyone counts on.

  Odd to think that there was now a small life that Abram and I created together, now growing inside of me. We spent about an hour at the store, then Abram and I headed on home, he headed to the farm to tend to the animals. I excitedly showed up at Marym’s door, so I could tell her the big news in person - I could not wait to share with her. I thought she would be excited for me. Maybe seek out some mommy guidance from here, and I can learn what to expect while I am the one now pregnant, since she just had given birth, it was all fresh in her mind.

  Then the thought my two nieces, and my future baby will have playmates gave me a warm feeling on the inside. They would grow up together. Family was so important to me. And of course, I told her as soon as she opened the door. She was so excited for me.

  Sadly, just a week later, after I found out that I was pregnant, Hitler had been pressuring France, as well as England, claiming he considered necessary to now invade Sudeten land in Czechoslovakia to save the small minority of Germans that lived in the country, to protect his fellow Germans, that have been mistreated, or so he claimed. Everyone could see this was just an excuse to justify what he really sought to do, completely overthrow the Czechoslovakia government. Prime Minister Chandler could have stopped him, but rather he gave into Hitler’s demands, both making decisions on other countries other than themselves. Still the preponderance of the European powers, as well as the United States had not tried stopping him. Soon after gaining control of the Sudeten, almost immediately the Jewish population there was being persecuted once more. Every day more Czechoslovakia Jewish families began showing up throughout Poland trying to flee from the Nazis.

  We tried to help-out these families as they passed through, Poppa and Momma had taken it upon themselves to take in a family, who desperately needed help. The family we took in was one of those men - and his family that came and met with Poppa. They were quite lovely; they had a twelve-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter - she was so precious, and they were both well-mannered children. They had to all share the one room, but they were very thankful. Luckily, we had some food to spare. Abram’s parents also took in a family. They had four children, my mother-in-law was very happy to have children around. Luckily, they had two bedrooms to spare. We got the kids all enrolled in school.

  Still more tragic stories against our people started leaking out through unofficial channels. Officially, these actions were denied - I think people just did not want to admit what they saw. I do not want this to come off sounding the wrong way. But when I continued hearing the reports, I began question if this was such a good time in a uncertain peace in Europe, to even be thinking of bringing in a new life into this cruel world - especially a Jewish child, who could be mercilessly mistreated for simply being born Jewish. I tried turning to God for answers. When I had thought there was no one else around in the store, and I was having a good cry when it was my Momma caught me. I hoped I could be half as great as mother as her, she came over put her arms around me, brushed my hair out of my eyes, and wiped my tears away, then she smiled and clearly wanted to find out why I was so upset. She never judged me. I was so pleased to see her - she had perfect timing. Maybe God was answering my prayer. I needed her words of wisdom about now, and her insight to cheer me up.

  “What’s wrong Hana? What has my girl so upset? Are you feeling ok, you have not been over doing it have you? I knew it - you have been working to many hours! I will speak to you Poppa tonight.”

  “Oh Momma it’s not the hours,” Tears now streaming down my cheeks once more. As I tried talking, I had that sort of stutter crying voice. I put my arms around Momma, “it’s all this business with Hitler - he has me really worried that maybe I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I think I was in such a rush to get pregnant, that I was being selfish; I may have not thought it all through. Momma not now, with Hitler, it would seem all us Jews throughout Europe could eventually be in danger if he is not stopped. You have seen what the Nazis are capable of. Momma I have a bad feeling not all this is going to turn out well! I had a dream last night there was a great war, and so many were suffering. The Jews were being treated much worse than anything we have heard about, it was unimaginable.”

  “Hana, you know I’ll tell you a story about life. You’re being pregnant… - you’re blessed with a true gift from God, now having this child, you have to accept that, and be happy about it, because now that this life is growing inside you, it comes first. This child of yours has to always come first. And I assure you, the first time you hold your baby in your arms, and you look down into its little face - you will never question this decision again. Having a baby will be the greatest thing a woman can do. It’s because of what’s happening out there in the world - things that we do not have control over, you grow to understand having this baby is only helping show the world that we as a people are still confident, and strong enough as a people to carry on. No matter what, that is the way it is with our people. At one point or another through our long history as a people, one empire, tribe, or another has persecuted us. You are seeing there is a lot of hatred in this world but it is something we have faced before. Hana love, a child is a gift from God, a baby always lights up the world and you are going to make such a wonderful mother - you’re a very loving person, that’s all you have to remember. So do not worry about things that have not happen yet, or may never happen, things we do not have control over, ok!” She hugged me tighter, kissing my hair as I sobbed. I cried it all out in her arms, before she continued.” One more thing, you better be prepared for, Sweetie you are going to discover you are going to be extra emotional while you’re pregnant, so don’t be alarmed, that’s all this all is now. I will tell you the only thing you need, and quite frankly should be worry about right now is taking care of yourself, your health, eating right, and not over doing it. Remember events around the world will come to pass whether you want them or not. God will watch over you, do not ask me how, but I have always known you were extra special for some reason, you have an amazing inner - strength unlike I have ever witnessed.”

  “Thanks Momma you’re probably right, it’s just probably my hormones is all. You always know how to cheer me up - Momma is it bad to say that I’m scared of becoming a mother?”

  “No, not at all, I would be shocked if you were not scared. All mothers are, do not worry. That too shall pass. I will let you in on a secret, when I was pregnant with your sister, I was terrified, I was an absolute wreck. I drove your poor father nuts. I did not think that I could do it. I had nearly asked my mother to raise Marym.”

  “Not you Momma, you’re the greatest!”

  “Yes my daughter even me - we learn as we go, we grow into being mothers.”

  There was a mounting concern that the Nazi’s would invade Poland, and secretly the country’s military began to mobilize. Nevertheless, Hitler has promised there would be no more invasions. So we all felt a bit better, especially after both France and Britain have promised to go to war with Germany if the Nazis invaded my country. They had already begun calling up men. But needless to say, our families had began making tentative plans on the remote chance Germany broke the promise and invaded Poland. We did not want to be caught off guard. We would try to immigrate
to America if possible.

  I know I tried getting on with my own life the best I could. Everyday Abram did his best to cheer me up, and tried to make sure I had a good day. I started spending a great deal of time with my nieces, to practice being a mommy, changing diapers and all of the care that went with that. I loved every moment I was spending with them. I also knitted baby clothing.

  I don’t think I could have made it, if it wasn’t for the love and support of my husband. He was a very strong person. He always tried to see the good in all things. He never gave up on anything - if he had set his mind to something. Like his boxing, or the farm. Abram was always been there for me when I needed him the most. He built me up as a person and helped me believe in myself, when I did not. He always knew just the right thing to say to me, to cheer me up, when I was down. Never once did he belittle me for this, or take advantage. I know some times he seemed too good to be true, but he never gave me reason to believe otherwise. And that foundation kept me strong in the years following. Little did I know back then that I would need to draw on that strength?