Love and Hate: In Nazi Germany by Ryan Armstrong

Author:Ryan Armstrong [Armstrong, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: unique love story, Historical Fiction, nazi germany, holocaust, jewish ghettos, Historical Romance, literature and fiction
Publisher: LM Vintage Publishers
Published: 2018-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

I was dreaming when I heard it.

I wasn’t sure where I was, or what was happening, since I was half awake.

The banging at the door was relentless. I woke up completely, and afraid, more afraid than I had ever been. I knew it was a soldier who wanted papers. How could I have not prepared and practiced what I would say? How had I made love and fallen asleep so irresponsibly, I thought as I pulled on my trousers and put on my shirt. I was buttoning it when they tried to open it, but I had locked it.

Before I angered the knocker any further, I quickly whispered to Lilo, “Stay in bed, and I will take care of this.”

I opened the door to face a soldier who was plainly irritated.

“Ticket and papers please,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Yes, of course.” I handed him our tickets, which he punched and looked at quickly, handing them back to me.

“And your papers?”

“I don’t have any.”

“And who else is in the room?”

He moved past me and flicked on the lights. Lilo squinted her eyes, dressed only in the bed sheet. I was very nervous and trying not to let it show. My forehead had sweat that I was praying did not roll so obviously down the bridge of my nose.

“Neither of us have papers,” I said.

He looked at me sternly. “And why not? I will have to arrest both of you until we determine your identities.”

Our marriage certificate was on the floor, and he noticed it, kicking it lightly with his foot.

“What is this?”

“It is a marriage certificate. We have just been married.”

He picked it up and looked at it. A different look came over his face. He smiled and said, “Congratulations! I know this pastor. He married my mother and father. He is a good man.”

I nodded in false agreement.

He reached to shake my hand. His demeanor had suddenly changed.

“And I don’t feel a ring, Where are your rings? No papers and a wedding certificate, but no rings.”

Lilo pointed at my black eye. “Sir, we were walking by the ghetto when some Jews on worker detail stole them, our papers, and beat my husband.”

He looked at my eye. He seemed halfway convinced, but he was vacillating; he could swing either way. I eyed the slight patch of red between Lilo’s legs, the faint pink discoloration of the off-white fabric.

“Sir, may I speak with you in private, in the hall,” I whispered. “I am sorry for all of the confusion. I just don’t want to talk in here any more, as it was my wife’s first time to make love. I don’t want to embarrass her further.”

He glanced over at the sheets, saw the stain, and blushed scarlet.

“Oh, I am sorry, ma’am. I will leave both of you alone. Pastor Vogel is a good man. Congratulations again.”

He averted his eyes from her and shook my hand again. “I am sorry those rats took your rings. I can put in a report for you. They will be shot if found as the dogs they are.

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