As he took the coat, he stared at my malnourished appearance with shock. “You’re a—a Jew,” he said with distaste as he took a step back. The transition was immediate as he eyed me differently than he had a momentearlier.
“I told you she was a Jew, Louis,” Svayasaid.
“How can that be?” Louis asked. “You’re a soldier.” He pointed at Charlie as if he were also the enemy, just from association with my kind. “You’re helping them escape, aren’t you?” They figured everything out, just as I feared theywould.
Charlie looked between the two strangers, noticeably unsure of how to respond. “Love is stronger than hate,” he saidsimply.
“Surely, you aren’t married, then,” Svaya said as she handed Lucie back tome.
“What does it matter?” Charlie argued. “I love her, and if she could be my wife, she would be. There’s no difference in mymind.”
My heart felt so full of love at that moment that I felt the unfamiliar sensation of joyful tears pricking at my eyelids, but I kept them hidden inside as I had grown accustomed to doing. I agreed with Charlie. It didn’t matter who he was. It only mattered what he was inside, and that he was a man who would risk his life to protect a little girl and me—two people he didn’t need to be concernedwith.
Louis grabbed Svaya by the arm and pulled her into a room down the shorthallway.
“We need to leave,” Charliesaid.
“And go where?” I argued, wanting to see what they would say after discussing thesituation.
Charlie didn’t have an answer. Instead, he wrapped his arm around me and kissed my forehead. “I’m sorry I hadn’t asked you what happened to your arm,” I blurtedout.
“There wasn’t much time to ask questions,” hesaid.
“It should have been the first question I asked you, but I was scared to hear the truth. I’m still afraid to see the damage, which is ridiculous after everything I’ve alreadyseen.”
“It isn’t ridiculous,” he rebutted. “It’s what happens when you care about someone. It hurts you to see that person in pain. It’s how I have felt about you for so long, Amelia. It’s why I need to keep you safe. I need you to be free, happy, and out of agony. It’s all I careabout.”
I took his hand and placed it on my chest. “Inside here, there’s happiness. You may not be able to see it, but it’s there, and it’s because of you.” My heart was beating fast, partly from panic and partly due to the realization that Charlie loved me so much, he was willing to risk his life forme.
“Your heart is pounding, Amelia,” hesaid.
“It’s because of you.” He leaned down and softly touched his lips tomine.
“I love you, myAmelia.”
I pressed his hand a little firmer against my chest. “I’m happy you can feel myheart.”
“I can,” he said with a small smile. “Someday, I’ll make you feel safe, and you will be able to tell me how you feel with words.” I wasn’t sure if that would ever be the case, so I didn’trespond.
Svaya and Louis returned—his arm was around his wife’s shoulders as she peered down to her clasped fingers. “You can stay here tonight, but you need to be gone in the morning. We’ve hidden out here for too long to risk having a Jew in our home.” I couldn’t imagine what they were hiding from, but I accepted their offer without argument. I understood it was a risk for them to have us in their home, and I appreciated the onenight.
“I’ve set up some blankets for you three in the extra bedroom. We’ll keep the fire going a bit longer so you staywarm.”
“Thank you, again, for your kind hospitality,” Isaid.
She nodded. “Follow me, and I’ll show you to the room.” I walked past Charlie, leaving him behind with Louis. The only thing I heard as I entered the spare room was, “I told you to be honest with me, son. You’re a soldier. You should know better than to help a Jew at a time like this. You’re risking your life forher.”
“I’m aware, sir,” he said, quickly ending the discussion as he made his way down the hall to find Lucie andme.
“We are just across the hall,” Svaya said before closing us into the empty room with the blankets and a small oil lamp in the corner. I fluffed the couple of blankets she gave us and made an area for the three of us to sleep on. I wasn’t sure Lucie would sleep well after napping so much on the way there, but she looked tired, so I was hopeful that she would rest along withus.
The door reopened, and Louis stuck his head inside. “Be gone before sunrise,” hesaid.
“Of course,” Charlie complied, tipping his head in agreement. We needed to leave early anyway so we could find a way around that checkpoint—a plan that seemed impossible. Though, it was clearer than ever that we had no otherchoice.
