The Safest Lie by Angela Cerrito

Author:Angela Cerrito
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 2015-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

“Here we are,” says Uncle Tomasz as we enter a small town. We turn off the main street onto a country road. Three people are standing outside the farmhouse when we pull up. Uncle Tomasz jumps down and kisses his sister on her cheeks three times. He does the same to her husband and his nephew. Excitedly, he whirls around. “And this,” says Tomasz with his arms pointing up at me and a huge smile on his face, “is Anna.”

I stand and say, “Hello.” Tomasz helps me down and his sister holds me in a tight embrace.

“Just look at you,” she says. “Just look at you. You’re just as I expected.” She turns to her husband. “Look at this girl, Stephan.”

“I see her,” Stephan answers. He doesn’t smile but his blue-gray eyes are friendly. “You haven’t even told her your name.”

“I’m Sophia. And this is Stephan.” She points first to her husband and then her son. “And this is Jerzy. You can call me Mama Sophia. Or just Sophia.”

“Thank you,” I say. I can’t imagine calling anyone Mama besides my real mother.

Inside, Sophia serves thin slices of brown bread, carrots and flavored beans. I feel four sets of eyes on me as we eat. I try to eat slowly, but the food, and especially the milk, is so delicious. Just like at the orphanage, there’s no food to spare but there’s enough.

Sophia adds milk to my cup each time I set it down.

“Be careful or she’ll drink so much she’ll float away,” Stephan teases.

I set my cup down without drinking, worried I’ve had more than my fair share.

Sophia smiles. “I can’t help it. I want to fatten her up.” She speaks with such concern, as if she were my very own Mama. I’m glad the meal is nearly over, because a lump is growing in my throat.

When the last bit of food is eaten, Tomasz thanks his sister for the meal.

“What about the family piece of bread?” asks Jerzy.

Sophia steps to the counter and returns with a small plate and a thin slice of bread. Stephan breaks the bread into five even pieces and passes one to each of us. It’s only two extra bites of bread, but Jerzy smiles as he chews and I can’t help thinking that these last two bites taste better than the rest.

After Uncle Tomasz leaves, Sophia says, “Come, Anna. I’ll show you to your room.” She leads the way up some small, dark stairs. The stairs are steep, almost like walking up a ladder. We enter the dark room and my stomach sinks. She’s taking me to a hiding place. I won’t be in the open after all.

Sophia turns on a light. There is a small bed next to the attic window, a chest of drawers with a mirror above and even a small desk. “You can place your things in here.” Sophia slides open the top drawer of the dresser. She notices me looking longingly at the desk. “There’s no school because of the occupation.

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