“It’s a good thing the Nazis are too busy to pay attention to whether she’s deaf or not…” Lise doesn’t have to finish her sentence for me to know what she’s referring to. Hitler stopped publicly rounding up disabled adults and children years ago, but it doesn’t mean he altogether ceased killing or sterilising them in secret. They don’t fit his view of the perfect Aryan society.
If Anna is deaf, her life will be at risk if I don’t get her out of France.
“Hopefully the war will be over before any of them concern themselves with that,” I say, praying it’s true. D-Day is coming soon. The SOE and resistance networks are preparing for it, even though we don’t have a date yet. Sabotage has increased on the factories manufacturing supplies for the Germans.
I hate that I can’t be part of it, but my daughter’s well-being comes first. Right now, my plan is to do whatever I can to keep her safe.
Lise hands me the sleeping bundle. I eagerly take my daughter, desperate to keep her safe in my arms. Willing to fight Hitler himself just to protect her.
I peer down at her beautiful face, and more love and joy than I thought any person could possibly feel blooms in my chest. I kiss her brow, sending all my love to her in that tiny gesture. She’s the most perfect thing to come out of this war.
“I’ll let Henri know your baby is out in the world now,” Lise tells me, a soft smile in her tone. “Until Baker Street can get you and her out, he wants you to stay hidden.”
“Female members of the resistance have been pushing around prams with hidden explosives in them,” I remind her, “and none of the Germans or Milice have suspected them of wrongdoing.”
“That might be so, but the last thing you want is for them to become suspicious and hurt your daughter while they search her pram. The Germans sense something is coming. They won’t take any chances. More people are resisting. It’s making the Germans antsy.”
She’s right. As much as I want to help end this war, it is too dangerous. I’m all my daughter has. There are already so many orphans in France and Britain and everywhere else this war has impacted. I am not ready to add my daughter to the list, especially when I have no idea where Johann is.
“I need to leave for a few hours. Stay safe, you two, while I’m gone.” Lise heads for the door with a quick stride and departs the flat.
And I’m left dwelling once again on my daughter’s future and where her father might be.
I push my fears aside, not wanting our little angel to sense them. “How about I tell you about the brave and loving man who is your father? The man who will be so excited to finally meet you,ma petite.”
39
JESSICA
August, Present Day
Maple Ridge
I examinethe beautiful work of art on my forearm. The pink hydrangea and a couple of forget-me-nots poke up from the opening of the tulip shell. The shell was one of Amelia’s favorites.
“It’s gorgeous,” I gush to Taylor, my mouth tilting into a wide grin. “Thank you! I can’t get over just how incredible it looks. It’s even better than I was hoping for.”
Taylor smiles, her chair facing mine. “I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it! Thank you so much. It means everything to me.” The tattoo doesn’t erase the pain of losing Amelia, but it does symbolize how much I love her.
Craig and Grace can keep me from my daughter, but they can’t take away my love for her.
Taylor touches my arm, the gesture tender. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Jess. I can’t imagine what it’s like to lose a child like you did.”
My smile wavers, my hold on it loosening. “Thanks.”
“Do the protesters know you have a daughter? Maybe they wouldn’t act the way they are if they knew the truth.”
“I doubt it would make a difference.”
She releases a long huffed-out sigh. “I guess you’re right. It’s no different than social media. You post something positive or reveal your greatest hurts in hope it will help someone else, and the trolls find a way to tear you apart.” She pushes to her feet and starts to clean up the area.
“Exactly. There are times when I feel sorry for them. Their lives must be so dark since they feel the need to poison anything good. It must be exhausting living with that much hate.” I saw enough anger and hatred while in prison to last me several lifetimes.
Taylor pauses cleaning up and stares at me for a second. “You really are amazing, Jess. I wish those protesters had a chance to know the real you. Maybe then enough of them would stand up for you instead of hiding behind their cloak of ignorance.”
“Me too. Maybe one day that will change.” I hope it will, but I also can’t see that happening any time soon. World War II ended more than seven decades ago and there’s plenty of evidence of the Holocaust, yet anti-Semitic views still exist, and there are those who claim the Holocaust is a hoax.
