From Dust and Ashes by Goyer Tricia

Author:Goyer, Tricia [Goyer, Tricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
ISBN: 9780802415547
Goodreads: 376643
Publisher: Moody
Published: 2003-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

Twenty

JULY 20, 1945

Helene knew the time had come for her to tell Anika about Friedrich’s death. Her father had gone into town. Michaela was already in bed. And Josef sat with Lelia on the front porch, his interest in the girl having won out over his disgust of Helene.

After Helene tucked the blankets around Anika, she kissed her soft cheek. “My lamb, I need to tell you something, but first I have a question. And I need you to answer Mutti truthfully, all right?”

Anika nodded.

“What did your father make you promise not to tell me?”

The little girl pressed her lips into a thin line.

Helene took a deep breath. “Sweetheart, your father …” She blinked away the tears that threatened to flow. “Your father has died, my dear. Do you know what that means?”

“It means he’s not coming back. His body isn’t alive anymore. People buried it.”

“Who told you that?”

“Opa. He say Papi still loves me. Even if he’s gone. He always love me.”

Helene tried to swallow, but her throat felt thick. Her father never ceased to surprise her. “Your opa is right. Your papi loved you very much.” She stroked her daughter’s silky hair. “But now that he’s gone, it’s all right for you to tell me his secret. In fact, it could help me a great deal.” She looked into her daughter’s innocent blue eyes. “Does it have to do with the song?”

“Ja.” Anika kicked her feet under the blanket. “Papi say he going away. He say when he come back, we live in a house big like a castle. I be a princess, and he buy me pretty clothes. And we listen to music together.”

Helene stroked her daughter’s head. Why should that be a secret? Didn’t all fathers like to imagine such things with their daughters?

Perhaps there was some hidden truth behind his words, and Friedrich had resources she didn’t know about. Helene hated to think of where he could have obtained such riches. No, maybe Anika had just been confused.

“That’s everything?”

“Ja,” Anika said simply. “He say you didn’t know about surprise.” She yawned. “Now you sing to me? Sing me one of your songs?”

Helene knew which songs Anika meant. Songs from her own childhood. Songs she had sung to Anika from birth.

“Sing ‘Stille Nacht?’” Anika asked.

“But ‘Silent Night’ is a Christmas carol.”

“I know.” Anika snuggled deeper under her blanket. “But I like it.”

Helene sighed. “If that’s what you want.”

Anika clapped her little hands.

“Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,” Helene sang. “Alles schläft, einsam wacht. Nur das traute, hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar. Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh’. Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh’.”

Before the last line was sung, Anika was sound asleep. Helene sang the song again, this time for herself.

Heavenly peace. That’s what she needed. Peace from all the questions. From all the uncertainty surrounding Friedrich.

As she sang the chorus a third time, Helene prayed for exactly that.

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