“The woman who ran the Brown Baby Plan, the one who organized the adoptions of the mixed-race children from Germany, her name is Ethel Gathers. When I was talking to the librarian at Howard, she mentioned that Mrs. Gathers sat on some board with her.”
“So?”
“So she’s alive. And probably lives in D.C.” Sophia held up the three sheets. “I tore these from the white pages when I was at Willa’s house. All the Gatherses in D.C. I’m assuming that the telephone number is in her husband’s name.”
“Do you know his name?”
Sophia shook her head. “No, but I’m going to start with A and go down the list until I find her.”
“You know this is bizarre, right?”
“It’s all I have to go on.”
Max picked up the newspaper clippings. There was one article with a photo of lots of children huddled together. “I’m still amazed that there were so many of us. I really thought I was the only one.”
“This is our little secret. Promise you won’t tell a soul about me, and I won’t tell anyone about you.”
“Ich verspreche.”Max flashed his teeth. “That’s ‘I promise’ in German.”
“Show-off.” She scrunched her nose up at him.
Max stood and reached for her hand again, and Sophia felt her breath stall as he clasped it within his. “You are safe with me, Soph.Ich verspreche.”
CHAPTER 28Mannheim, Germany, December 1950
OZZIE
Ozzie’s twenty-second birthday fell on the first Friday in December, and Jelka arranged for her mother to look after Katja so they could go out and celebrate. When Ozzie arrived at the cottage, fifteen-month-old Katja dropped her rubber blocks and toddled over to him.
“Hallo,” Katja said.
“Hey there, Kitten.” Ozzie crouched down so she could run into his arms. He held her against his chest, loving the way her delicate skin felt against his. She smelled like Jelka’s vanilla-scented shampoo and baby powder, and her curls were damp from her bath.
Katja reached up and pinched his nose.
“Bonk,” he said, pinching hers back.
“Bonk.” She giggled. They went back and forth pinching each other’s nose until Katja tired of the game and climbed down.
Jelka’s father sat in his recliner, wearing his aviator sunglasses and pounding his feet against the table. Ozzie had grown used to his odd behavior and patted him on the shoulder in greeting. Katja brought a plastic ball to Ozzie, and he got down on the floor with her.
“Ready?” He had not heard Jelka walk into the living room, but when he looked up from Katja, she took his breath away. She wore a burgundy dress that dipped low and hugged her waist. Her hair was blown and bounced as she moved toward him.
“You look lovely,” he said, and she lit up.
Maria came out of the kitchen, wiping her hand on her apron.“Alles Gute zum Geburtstag.”She tilted her head.
“Danke.”Ozzie clasped Maria’s hand. “It has been a happy birthday so far.”
“We better go.” Jelka tapped his wrist.
When Ozzie patted Katja’s head goodbye, she started to cry. Ozzie scooped her up and kissed her on both cheeks and then the forehead, but she wouldn’t be soothed.
“Noooo,” Katja called, grabbing him around the neck.
“Aw, Kitten. Daddy will be back.”
“Nooooooo,” she said again.
