The American Lady by Petra Durst-Benning

Author:Petra Durst-Benning
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781477826584
Publisher: AmazonCrossingEnglish
Published: 2015-03-10T07:00:00+00:00

It was just before eight o’clock when the train stopped in Lauscha. Since Wanda had so much luggage, Johanna suggested that they wait until the crowd had thinned before disembarking. She knew almost everybody who went by, and chatted a bit with some of them. Wanda watched, glassy-eyed, as dozens of women all carrying huge baskets on their backs vanished into the dimly lit station building and then into the foggy night air beyond.

When it was finally their turn to get off the train, Wanda had to cling tightly to the iron railing so as not to tumble down the steps. Her legs were trembling wildly all of a sudden. She was in Lauscha. She had followed her dreams all the way here.

A man waiting with a horse cart drove them home from the station.

“Mind your head!” Johanna called from outside the house—just as Wanda’s forehead hit the door frame. She stood quite still for a moment, dazed, while Johanna told the driver where he should put Wanda’s luggage. Two of the cases were placed next to her on the stairs, and the rest could spend the night in the storeroom. Then Wanda could decide in the morning what she needed most, as Johanna said there was no way they would be able to fit everything into the wardrobe they had cleared out for her.

Wanda’s eyes gradually adjusted to the dim gaslight in the hallway, whose faded wine-red carpet showed dirty footprints by the door.

So this was the house where Mother was born!

There was a smell of onions frying, and suddenly her nose began to run. Could it be that it was even colder inside the house than out?

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