Deception - WWII Resistance / Holocaust Novel

chapter 42: the unexpected

'Out,' the officer ordered.

I stumbled out of the vehicle as he gave me slight shove out the door.

He looked oddly familiar, but I was unable to place a name to his face. For the entire drive he had only answered me with silence.

'Why am I here?' I asked as I gazed up at the hotel.

'Stop talking,' the officer responded for the first time since I had climbed into his car and grabbed my upper arm.

He loosened his grip as we entered the lobby and guided me with his hand lightly placed on my back. He led me through the dinning area which led onto a private room.

'Ah Mieke,' Lieutenant Winter smiled and stood up to greet me. 'I'm so glad that you could make it,' he said as he kissed my cheek.

For a moment I paused and stared at him in shock.

My heart was still pounding erratically.

I rubbed my sweaty palms onto my skirt.

The realisation soon set in that I was not in any impending danger.

I shifted my gaze to the floor.

'I did not have much of a choice,' I mumbled as my eyes panned up to the officer who had escorted me.

'What?' Wilhelm seemed a bit confused at my response, his eyes followed mine 'Ah Fink. I told you not to scare her off.'

'Just doing my job Lieutenant Winter,' he said smugly.

'Very well Fink, you're dismissed.'

Fink nodded and gave the Hitler salute, which Wilhelm returned.

He pulled the chair back and offered me a seat. 'You could have asked me yourself,' I said in annoyance as I sat down.

'I'm sorry,' he said sincerely. 'I wanted to surprise you for your birthday,' Wilhelm sat down on the opposite end of the table.

'My birthday?'

'Why of course, is it not your birthday tomorrow?'

'I never told you it was my birthday,' my mind began to run through all our past conversations. Birthdays were now particularly painful and not something I would go out of my way to celebrate, nevertheless remember – at least not on purpose.

'I have a way of finding things out.'

'And that's normal?' I raised my eyebrows.

'It's part of my job.'

The waiter began to place several dishes on the table.

'I hope you do not mind, but I ordered for you.'

'Of course not,' now was not a good time to be too difficult, I was still stunned at how the day had turned out.

'Any idea with whom you will be working for next with Herr Fehmer due to leave in the next week?' Wilhelm asks as he begins to dish from the plate of roast meat.

'He has not mentioned it yet, but I am sure he will speak to me about it in the coming week.'

Wilhelm took a wine glass between his fingers and twirled it by the stem before pouring himself a drink. He offered me the same, but I declined. The smell of it was suddenly overpowering and made me feel sick.

'I'll be seeing my mother in a few days,' he suddenly says.

'She's coming here?' I wondered why he was telling me this.

'No, no,' he clarifies. 'I'll be traveling back to Germany. I've been granted a week's day.'

Suddenly, I think of the photograph of his little sister on his bedside table. I wondered if he would see her too. We had never spoken about her since that night – well rather I was instructed to never mention it again, to pretend as though she never existed.

'I see... She must miss you dearly. I am sure she will be so happy to have you back for a little while.'

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to ask me something then decided against it.

'I almost forgot,' he began to dig into his jacket pocket. 'I have something for you,' he said as he revealed a box the size of his palm. He opened the box to reveal a heavy pearl bracelet.

'Oh goodness, I cannot accept this.'

'Nonsense,' he shook his head. 'Let me put it on for you,' he insisted.

I reluctantly offered my left hand. I felt his fingertips lightly brush the skin as he carefully clipped the bracelet in place. I looked down at my small wrist and watched as the pearls shined, almost as though the light was coming from within.

'Do you not like it?' He asked nervously.

'It's not that I do not like it,' I removed the bracelet. 'It's beautiful, but—'

'But?'

'It must have cost a fortune,' I placed the piece of jewellery back in the box. 'Please, Wilhelm, I cannot accept this.'

'It's a gift Mieke,' he smiled. 'I insist.'

'Are you sure?' I did not hide the discomfort in my voice.

'Of course, I bought it especially for you.'

I reluctantly held the box in my hands, 'I don't think anyone has spoiled me as much as you have tonight.' I paused and thought of the first bouquet of flowers that my father had bought me for my birthday some years ago – it seemed so long ago, like another lifetime.

***

'Thank you for tonight... it was a pleasant surprise.'

'You are most very welcome.'

'I suppose I will see you again when you come back from Germany.'

'I suppose so,' he says as we exit the hotel. 'You cold?' he asks but does not wait for me to respond. He pulls his jacket off and drapes it over my shoulders. He rubs my shoulders jokingly to warm me up, 'There you go.'

'Thank you,' I laughed lightly at the gesture. As the night went on I began to feel much more comfortable, but then the thoughts of what had become of my fellow compatriots entered my mind. I bit my lower lip and tried not to think about it. I did not want him to sense the anxious thoughts which were beginning to brew within.

'I mean it, thank you, I really enjoyed spending this time with you,' I say, but Wilhelm is not paying much attention to my words. He seemed to be studying my face intently. 'Why are you staring at me like that?'

'You know why,' suddenly he seemed exhausted with our conversations.

'Do I?'

He looked away, 'I think you're the most beautiful woman I've met.'

'Is that really what you're really thinking right now?'

'That and...' he turned back to face me. '...that I would very much like to kiss you.'

A/N Was anyone expecting this? This chapter and the last scene from the previous chapter was a last minute change I decided to include because it's been a while since we've seen Wilhelm. Ah! Not sure how I'm feeling about it.