When You Could Only See Red

Her Red Coat

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." -Psalms 62:5-6

Felix was doing exactly what every other fourteen year old boy was doing in the courtyard in front of his school. Watching the girls. 

Now, was Felix a flirt? No, by not means. He just liked that the girls always seemed to have something interesting to talk about. Always giggling and talking to each other about who knows what. It seemed so happy, and so much fun. Felix wanted a taste of it. A taste of friendship. A taste of being a girl who wasn't his Aunt Felicity or his cousins. He wanted to have a friendship with a girl so that he could laugh too. To be apart of something. Something greater. 

Felix's mother died when he was five years old- and he had no sisters, meaning that he grew in a family of five boys (him being the youngest) and his father, Victor. The Gunter's ran a very successful enterprise of metal work, so Felix grew up in big houses and lots of nice things. But he felt as though none of that mattered if he couldn't share it with anyone. His father, though successful and one of the richest people in Amsterdam, tended to be quite lonely most of the time. And sure, he tried again to find another wife, but none of the women he brought in ever lasted very long. So instead of a woman to keep him company, his father joined the Nazi Party, and began to host big parties and galas for his fellow colleagues.

Felix hated those parties. 

There was always too many people. Too much drinking. And too many pictures being taken. And besides, unlike his father, he wanted to have a wife. To go to the parties with someone, rather than alone. 

Felix took a lot of time thinking about his future. He wanted a wife, a family, and a steady job. But beyond all of that, he wanted to embrace the moments he got with his family. Felix and his father didn't connect very often, but yet again, Victor never really connected with any of his sons. They were the heirs to his fortune, other than that, they weren't very much. 

'Push those feelings aside.' Felix said to himself, as he leaned up against the railway of the stairs, glancing over at a large group of girls playing hopscotch in the courtyard. Felix knew many of these girls, he grew up with most of them, but none of them ever really caught his attention the way Margret Fischer did. Margret was beautiful and unique; much less artificial than the rest of those girls. She laughed at every joke, played every game, and was so kind to everyone. She was someone who made everyone smile, and accepted each person for who they were. But unlike the rest of the girls, she was humble. She didn't flaunt, but was extremely smart for her age- which Felix found even more attractive. She always raised her hand to answer questions, took the most notes, and could speak several different languages! 

In Felix's eyes, she was perfect. 

Besides her character, it was the auburn hair and bright, dazzling eyes that captives him. She also always wore a vibrant red coat, which seemed to shine over all the other colors in the world. Felix always liked the color red- even though it was one of the Nazi colors- he still found it to be something extraordinary. And so when he first saw Margret in that red coat a few years ago, when her hair was in two stubby braids instead of completely down, he knew he wanted to be with her. To know her better. 

Of course, it took time, being that he had to work up the courage to go up and talk to her. But when he did, something beautiful happened. She smiled at him. "Um, hallo." He muttered. He gulped and rubbed his neck nervously as the group of girls behind Margret started to giggle. 

"Hello." Margret said, folding her hands in front of her and rocking on the back of her heeled shoes. "Even her voice is sweet." Felix thought.