Deception - WWII Resistance / Holocaust Novel

chapter 16: dinner with the enemy

I had insisted that I could find my own transportation to the hotel which Lieutenant Winter had picked for our dinner date. Just as the receptionist had asked who I was meeting, my eyes found his. He stood up immediately and greeted me with a single kiss on the cheek. He pulled the chair out for me before taking his place again on the opposite end of the table.

His former nervous demeanour seemed to have disappeared as he seemed more poised and confident, 'I am looking forward to getting to know you.'

'Likewise Lieutenant Winter.'

'Wilhelm, please,' he insisted. 'I do not think there is any need for formalities tonight.'

'As you wish...Wilhelm.'

'Champagne, alright?' he offered.

'Please,' my fingers felt warm on the coolness of the glass. 'I think I will be fine this time,' I took a sip and felt the bubbles burn on my tongue.

'How is it?'

'Good,' I said before taking another sip. 'It almost makes me forget everything.'

We ordered our meals and continued to make small talk for a few minutes.

'So are you still not going to tell me the story of how your earned the Iron Cross?'

'Well I am not one to brag...' Wilhelm tells his story of how he had previously served in Poland and France moving to the Netherlands as part of his promotional appointment.

'I must admit, my hope for a quick German victory evaporated quite quickly,' he confessed with an ounce of sadness in his tone.

'Nevertheless, you are incredibly brave.'

'I wouldn't call myself brave.'

'You are too modest.'

'The men who died on the battlefield were brave,' Wilhelm gulps down the last of his champagne, before pouring himself another glass. 'But enough about me, tell me about yourself.'

I spoke about my upbringing, my interests and dislikes, how I still dreamed to go to university provided I had the finances. I spun a lie about how my parents had died in a car accident three years ago and that my sister had run off with a man they despised and that I had not heard from her since. I was in the middle of a sentence when an unknown voice interrupted me.

'Winter, is that you?'

Wilhelm's face lit up in surprise, 'Schmidt?' He stood up to greet the man with a firm handshake and brief hug.

'What are you doing here?' Schmidt asked.

'I have been promoted. I am working with Fehmer.'

'Well look at you Mr. Lieutenant! The boys would have been so proud,' Schmidt patted Wilhelm on the back.

'Remember Ziegler and Bergmann?' Schmidt pointed in the direction of two other men entering the hotel lobby in uniform, both with beautiful women clinging to their arms. 'I know the owner. He organised us the best rooms for tonight. You must join us for a drink.'

'As much as I would like to accept your offer Schmidt, I must decline for tonight,' Wilhelm stated. 'I am a bit preoccupied.'

For the first since the conversation began, Schmidt's eyes found mine and his mouth formed an 'o' shape, 'Well, excuse my manners. I did not to see the pretty young lady.'

Schmidt briefly introduced himself to me and kissed the back of my hand before turning back towards Wilhelm, 'Why don't you bring her up to?'

Gazing back at the women which clung to Schmidt's friends' arms – it was plainly obvious why they were here. I watched as one of the men's hands played with the strap of her dress before he shamelessly moved along her lower back. I felt mild waves of nausea in the pits of my stomach.

'Please excuse me,' I said, standing up from my seat and interrupting Schmidt and Wilhelm's conversation. 'I need to go freshen up.'

I shut the door of the toilet and gripped the edge of the sink as my head hung low. I took several deep breaths. All the reasons not to do this flooded into my mind. I tried to suppress the soft panic which was growing inside of me.

A knock at the door distracted me from my thoughts.

'Almost done!' I called down and quickly washed my hands at the basin then drying them with a towel.

I tucked away the loose strands of hair which had fallen into my face and fixed my lip stick before existing the stall. To my surprise Wilhelm was standing a few meters from the bathroom door.

'Are you alright?' He asked concerned. 'You looked a bit flustered back there?'

'Quite fine,' I replied, avoiding his gaze. 'I had a lovely evening, thank you.'

'You're leaving already?'

'It's been a very tiring week. I am sure your friends would like to catch up and spend the rest of the night with you.'

'Would you mind if I walked you home or I could call my driver?'

'No, no,' I shook my head. 'I can manage my own, thank you for the offer though.'

'I cannot help, but feel that something is off. Have I done something wrong?'

'I am afraid that you may have got the wrong impression about me Lieutenant,' my eyes shifted behind at Schmidt his entourage who began making their way upstairs.

Wilhelm turned around, following my gaze, before turning to face me, 'God no. Is that what you thought of me?'

'Well, I—'

'If I am honest, I would much rather enjoy your company.'

'Is that so?'

'Why of course. You are not like other women.'

'What do you mean?'

'You're something special.' 

A/N I will be on a 3 week vacation abroad starting from Christmas day and most probably will be unable to update during this time :(  I will try to post as often / pre-write my chapters before I leave. Thank you for those for have continued to read, comment and vote on this story after the long break - it has inspired me to plan out the rest of the book and complete it.