They stepped into each other’s arms.
‘If I could take you with me to England I—’
‘I know you would.’ She swallowed down her rising emotions. ‘And I wish you could stay with me but—’
‘You know I can’t.’ He looked at the broken city in the distance. ‘If this war had never happened we would never have met.’
She raised her chin and followed his gaze. ‘No, we wouldn’t have, but if this war hadn’t happened there wouldn’t have been so much pain and suffering. Nothing is worth so much death and pain. Nothing.’
He pulled her closer. ‘I’m glad I met you, Elsa. You have been the only good thing to happen to me in this war. Meeting you has given me hope.’
‘Hope?’
‘That after the war our countries can become friends again one day.’
‘Is that what we are? Friends?’
He gently caressed the line of her jaw. ‘You mean so much more to me than that.’ He kissed her, his lips changing from reassurance to hunger beneath her own. Klara, tugging at their clothes, brought their kiss to an end. They turned to smile at her, but they remained close, their breaths still able to mingle in the narrow, sacred space between them.
‘Let’s find a place to sleep now, Sam. I don’t want to waste our last night.’
For the first time since they met, they walked away from Bremen and searched the fields and neighbouring forest for a suitable dry place to spend the night. It was in the forest they found the perfect shelter. A derelict woodcutters’ cabin, just beyond a bomb-blasted clearing. It called out to them, offering a refuge as it nestled in the shadows of the remaining tree trunks. The surrounding damaged tree limbs were beginning to rot — they had not been collected or tidied. No one came here, not even to scavenge wood for their fires. They could rest here undisturbed.
The evening was warm and, to their relief, the hut was dry inside. It felt natural to wordlessly peel off their winter layers and spread out their coats on the floor. Klara curled up in a nest of dry sacking. Elsa and Sam turned towards each other and lay in each other’s arms. It felt good; it felt right, as natural as the trees growing tall outside, the buds shooting up through the soil and the birds taking flight to feed on the wing. They imagined that they were alone, and that their appetite for each other was growing with every kiss, touch and stretch. They imagined curves arching, muscles flexing and languid sighs turning to breathless groans. They imagined it all and held their breaths, knowing the perfect dream could never become realwith Klara in the room. But it was more than that. Their last night together felt too precious. Together, they wordlessly found their own paradise... the peace, comfort and trust that could only be found in each other’s arms. The two of them connected in a sleeping embrace, which bathed them in equal measures of contentment and sadness. They would have no more nights like this again.
The three of them had found their family, one another. Their bond was as strong as any made from blood.
* * *
The morning came all too soon and once again they were back at the same location looking towards the devastated east side of the city of Bremen. No words seemed adequate. Time had run out on them and by midday they would part ways. A light breeze teased Elsa’s curls, but she and Klara remained locked against Sam’s body, both unwilling to relinquish the embrace they had immediately sought on arriving there.
Elsa thought of the advancing front line Sam was hoping to cross. The fog and chaos of war would not easily identify an English soldier dressed in civilian clothes among the German population. Would the Allies recognize him as one of their own?
‘Stay safe, Sam. Don’t get yourself killed crossing the front line.’
‘You need to think of yourself, not me.’
He held her tighter, his fear for her safety showing in each taut sinew and muscle. ‘I should stay with you.’
‘And do what? If the British find you hiding among the Germans you might be arrested for desertion or as a traitor. If the German civilians discover you among them they might arrest or kill you as their enemy. We knew the day of returning to our people would come. We can’t put it off any longer.’
They fell silent for a moment.
‘I can’t believe I won’t see your face again,’ said Sam. He stroked Klara’s head. ‘Or this one.’ He kissed the top of her head and inhaled deeply to steal the childlike aroma of her hair so he could retain it within him.
‘Don’t let it happen. You made a promise.’
‘I know. I won’t forget it.’
She looked up at him. ‘I wish I could believe you.’
‘Then believe me,’ he said as he touched her forehead with his own.
Doubtful, she fell silent. He loosened his hold and lifted her face in his hands to force her to look at him. His earnest gaze searched for the centre of her soul... and found it. ‘I’ll come back and find you, Elsa.’
‘It won’t be easy if my aunt’s home is gone.’
‘Tell me her address again.’ She did, but they both knew the likelihood of it surviving unscathed was low.
