“She’s beautiful,” he cooed.
“Her name is Katja.”
“Katja.” He loved it. He loved her. Ozzie was so focused on the baby that he didn’t hear Jelka’s mother shuffle into the room.
“Hallo.”
“Hello.” He handed the baby back to Jelka and stood. It was their first time meeting, and she looked like a plumper version of Jelka, with gray temples. Ozzie had stuffed some American rations in his bag and pulled out a tin of coffee and held it toward her.
“Danke,”she offered with a smile. “Thank you.”
Seconds later, Jelka’s father entered the room wearing dark aviator sunglasses and a button-down shirt two sizes too big. He didn’t look at anyone as he plopped down in the recliner adjacent to the sofa where Jelka sat. He began kicking the top of the table lightly, over and over.
“Hello,” Ozzie said.
Her father didn’t look in his direction; instead, he kept pounding his feet against the wood.
“He doesn’t take those off.” Jelka motioned to the sunglasses. “We have to remove them when he falls asleep.”
Ozzie nodded, but no other explanation for her father’s strange behavior was offered. He had brought extra cigarettes and placed them on the table in front of her father. Still he pounded the table with his feet.
There was a tiny kitchen off the living room, and Ozzie could hear Jelka’s sister, Jutta, banging around in there. The noise from her father’s feet slapping against the table was hard to ignore, but then Jutta returned with a tray, and Jelka’s mother offered up cups of tea. It was a strong brew, and Ozzie was grateful for it. When her father reached for the teacup, he stopped banging and sipped quietly.
Jelka’s mother looked from Ozzie to Jelka and then said something to her in German.
Ozzie could tell by Jelka’s sigh and huff that they were discussing him. Her father put down his teacup, then added his baritone voice to the conversation. The three went back and forth until Jelka passed the baby to Ozzie and then waved her hand in a way that saidenough.
Jelka’s mother got to her feet and tugged on her father’s arm, and together they walked out the front door, slamming it closed behind them. The sound startled the baby, and Ozzie rocked her in his arms.
“What was that about?” Ozzie whispered to Jelka.
“I work my fingers to the bone to provide for them, and they are still so ungrateful. You must get us out of here. I do not want to raise Katja like this.” Her big eyes pleaded with him. “No one here will be kind to her because of her skin. My parents are embarrassed that she is illegitimate,” Jelka said softly.
Ozzie looked down at his daughter, and a strong feeling of pride overwhelmed him. Nothing else mattered in the world except Katja. He would do anything and everything to keep her happy and safe.
“Would it help if we got married?” Ozzie blurted.
When Jelka’s mouth flattened, he realized that he was going aboutit all wrong. If he was asking her to marry him, he needed to do it right and get down on one knee.
Ozzie shifted the baby in his arms, then knelt before Jelka and asked, “Jelka, will you marry me?”
Tears crowned her eyes, and in a split second her shoulders caved as she let out a long whine. It wasn’t the response he had expected. Was she afraid? He was afraid too, but it was the only way he could protect Katja and give her legitimacy.
“Oh, Osbourne. I am already married.” She shook her head. “I am so very sorry.”
Part3
The tortoise doesn’t embark on a journey it is not ready to finish. The day you chose this path is the day you chose to be awake.
—AFRICAN PROVERB
CHAPTER 22West Oak Forest Academy, November 1965
SOPHIA
On the walk back from the Old South Ball, Willa threaded her arm through Sophia’s while babbling with apple-scented breath against her ear.
“Wasn’t that just the most romantic time ever? I could have danced all night,” Willa crooned.
