All My Love, Detrick (6 page)

“I’m afraid he will be insulting to Detrick; you know how he feels about non-Jews.”

“Can you blame him, Jacob? They are constantly attacking him; he is fighting all the time.”

“Yes, I know, but not tonight.”

Miriam straightened her dress. She wore a simple high-collared beige knit with a matching silk scarf and high heels. Even after giving birth to three children, her figure remained slim and girlish. In body type, mother and daughter appeared more like sisters. The only distinguishing feature was that Miriam’s hair had turned almost completely white since Michael’s accident.

Jacob left the
ladies to finish the cooking and went in to see Michael. Propped up with pillows, he smiled. His hair had been slicked back with water, and Miriam had dressed him for the evening’s festivities.

“Good Sabbath, Father.” Michael reached for Jacob’s arm and squeezed it, smiling warmly as a bit of drool hung from his lips.

Jacob kissed his son’s forehead.

“Good Sabbath, my son. Let me help you into the living room, yes?”

“Yes, I would like that very much. I love to sit with everyone at the table. It’s my favorite time.”

13

Le
wis arrived wearing a tailor-made gray pinstriped suit, a stark white shirt, and black tie, covered by a black cashmere overcoat. He brought a bottle of
kosher
wine for Miriam and a bundle of pink roses for Leah. In the winter in Berlin, flowers carried a high price - as much, in fact, as a dinner for an entire family. As he’d planned, the gesture did not go unnoticed; Miriam gazed at him, clearly impressed. Lewis glanced around the dining room. The house could not stand up to the luxury of the Shapiro’s estate or any of the homes of close friends in the crowd Lewis had grown up with. And although he’d walked Leah home and seen the house from the outside, being inside sharpened the class differences between him and Leah in his mind.

“Good Sabbath.” He smiled as Leah took the flowers and wine.

“Good Sabbath, Lewis, I am so glad you could come. She took a crystal vase from a cabinet and filled it with water. Thanks so much for the wine and flowers.”

“You’re quite welcome, my dear.” He glanced at her approvingly. There could be no
doubt that by any standards she would be considered a beauty. His eyes took in the tiny waist and heart-shaped face. Her light brown eyes specked with gold offset her long, dark hair. Lewis felt the desire rise in him again, so he turned away, trying to settle down before he would enter the dining room and meet the rest of the family.

“Papa, this is Lewis Shapiro.”

“Good Sabbath, Lewis.” Jacob extended his hand.

“Good Sabbath, sir.” Lewis shook Jacob’s hand.

“This is my mother.”

“Good Sabbath.” He kissed her hand, and Miriam’s eyes looked though they’d been sprinkled with glitter. She had not felt such an attraction for anyone since she'd first met Jacob. For a split second, she wished she were younger. She looked over at Leah. How wonderful to be young and carefree, to watch your future unfold. Her life had taken a bad turn and now she could see no way back.

“And over here is my brother Michael.”

“Hello, good Sabbath, Lewis.” As he struggled to sit up, a small line of drool trickled down the left side of Michael’s mouth. He reached out his hand wanting to shake hands with Lewis, who pretended not to notice. “I like it that you’re here with us. It’s so much fun for me to have company.”

“Good Sabbath, Michael.” Lewis could not help but be repelled as his eyes
were drawn to the drool that settled on Michael’s chin; he felt himself gag and had to look away. He hoped he would be seated far from Michael. He did not think he could keep from being sick. Lewis had never told his father about his revulsion for malformed faces and limbs, and the terrible nausea and threat of vomiting he felt when confronted with blood or mucus. Often he wondered how he would ever get through medical school. And another thing plagued his mind - the boy, Michael, quite obviously defective, both physically and mentally, could be reflective of the Abdenstern genetics. If it had been a condition he had from birth, Lewis knew that as soon as his mother saw Michael she would forbid any talk of marriage between her son and Leah. So, not only would his mother argue that Leah had no money or class, but she also had a crippled brother who was simpleminded. Lewis speculated on the impossible feat it would be to convince his family that this delicate girl, whom he longed to bed, would make a suitable bride.

A few minutes later Detrick knocked at the door. Jacob answered
, expecting his friend. The outline of Detrick’s well-toned physique was silhouetted through his black wool pants and white sweater. The fabric could not hide his broad shoulders and flat stomach, the strongly developed muscles in his arms and legs.

“Detri
ck, welcome. Good Sabbath, son.”

“Good Sabbath, Jacob.” Detrick smiled as he shook Jacob’s hand and then Detrick handed him a box of Jacob’s favorite chocolate-covered cherries. “I know how much you like these.”

“You went to the candy store… Thank you, Detrick.”

Detrick’s dimpled smile reflected the warmth he felt toward Jacob.

“Come. You’ll meet my family.”

As soon as he entered the living room, Detrick felt himself magnetically drawn to the beautiful young girl with the maple-colored eyes. Leah glanced back at him. For a moment the rest of the room disappeared, the noise of conversations and clattering of dishes
were silenced as the two stood transfixed, their eyes locked on one another.

Then, remembering herself, Leah quickly looked away as a soft pink blush swept across her cheeks. Even as Jacob made the introductions, Detrick’s eyes never left Leah, and her skin burned with the intensity of his stare.

“Detrick, sit here between my son Michael and me.” Jacob indicated the chair and Detrick sat.

“Hello, Michael.” He turned to the boy smiling.

“Nice to meet you, Detrick. My father always says such nice things about you. And you look like they are all true. My father said you are very good to look at and you are.” Michael giggled and reached out his hand to shake Detrick’s. Detrick shook his hand heartily, which amused Michael, causing him to laugh aloud.

“And it’s good to meet you too. I’m glad to hear Jacob has pleasant things to say about me.” He winked at Jacob and smiled.

When she was sure that Detrick’s gaze had shifted to her brother, Leah peeked over at him. She could not help but be impressed by his stunning good looks - his eyes, deep like the ocean, and such an unusual color, a mixture of royal blue and sea green. The chiseled features of his face, high cheekbones, and strong chin, relieved by full, sensuous lips, and the dimples when he smiled, made it difficult to look away.

They held dinner for Karl, waiting until nearly seven o’clock, but he did not arrive.
So Miriam lit the candles and began the prayers.

She covered her head with a white shawl, and with her
hands, she pulled the smoke from the candles towards her as she closed her eyes.

Silence filled the room, save for the hauntingly beautiful Hebrew Sabbath prayer. The white candle
cast a glow upon Leah’s skins that made Detrick’s heartache with longing. Halfway through the prayer, the front door opened and Karl came in, accompanied by a rush of snow.

“Sorry, I’m late. It’s snowing.” He stomped his boots on the mat by the door.

“And that’s an excuse, Karl?” Jacob glared at his son. “Go, hurry. Get ready, you’ve already missed the prayers, we’re having dinner. And we have company tonight.”

The interruption disrupted the sanctity of the moment.

Miriam finished the end of the prayer quickly. Then she sat down. The anger on Jacob’s face mirrored her annoyance at Karl’s behavior.

She’d aspired to impress Leah’s boyfriend, worn her finest dress, and used the best tableware. Now Karl had put a damper on things by his lackadaisical, selfish attitude.

Karl entered and took his seat beside his mother. With eyes flashing like lightning bolts, she turned to him, not speaking.

Jacob made quick introductions
. Then to break the uncomfortable silence, Karl turned to Lewis.

“So, do you plan to attend the university?”

“I do, actually. As I am sure you are aware, my father is the head of surgery. I will follow in his footsteps, but first I think I will take a year off and tour Europe. I’ve been before with my parents, but that is not quite the same; this time I will be on my own. Actually, my family has always stressed the importance of travel. It gives a person a rounded view of the world. I guess it will be my education before my formal education.” He smiled, but even as he spoke, Lewis could not help but notice the blatant appreciation in Detrick’s eyes as he gazed at Leah. And, even worse, for him, he caught her looking back.

“So, you’re a worker at the Abdenstern shop, Derrick?” Lewis now turned his full attention on Detrick.

“It’s Detrick, and yes, I work for Jacob.”

“You aren’t Jewish. Not with that Nazi blond hair.” He laughed and looked around attempting to rally support amongst the rest of the family. Only Miriam smiled back.

“I guess you are part of that Aryan race they are all talking about.” Lewis began again “Personally I feel these Nazis of yours have created this superior race as a means of giving the lower class a false sense of supremacy. When in fact we all know they are nothing but uneducated thugs. Now, Detrick…are you or are you not one of them?”

“I am not a Nazi. But I am not Jewish, either.”

“Come now, Detrick, it is Detrick? All of you are Nazis. You all hate the Jews deep down in your hearts. And, if you had the chance, you’d wipe us off the face of the earth. Of course, with my father’s money and influence, I needn’t be concerned with the likes of you, nor would anyone whom I chose to marry, or their families for that matter. Jews and Gentiles hold the Shapiro name in the highest esteem alike. After all, even the Nazis need good doctors.” He lifted his wine glass, smirking as he sipped.

Detrick’s eyes narrowed and his voice dropped to a low and menacing pitch. “You don’t know me. You know nothing
about me. You assume that all Gentiles are Nazis the same way they assume all Jews are thieves. So, does that not put you in the same category as the thugs you speak of?” Detrick tilted his head. “Now, because I am here as a guest in Jacob’s home, I will not insult you and tell you what I really think of you, but only out of respect for my friend Jacob.”

Lewis smirked.
“Well said. Clever aren’t you?”

Karl studied them both. He didn’t trust Detrick, being a
goy
…one of “them," but Lewis’ pretentious attitude disgusted him. And, he had to admit that Detrick had guts. Had Detrick been a Jew, Karl thought, they might have been friends.

The following morning when Detrick returned to the Abdenstern home to rekindle the lights, he looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Leah. Although she hid in her room, she listened as Jacob insisted that Detrick have something to eat before going on his way.

For some reason that made no earthly sense to her and she longed to see the blond-haired boy again. To revel in the hot desire that burned through her from the light in his eyes. The power she held over him intoxicated her. However, she knew encouraging any attentions from Detrick would only mean trouble. He being a Gentile and she a Jew would leave them both open to vicious gossip, followed by dangerous disapproval from the Nazi government. The less they saw each other the better, she decided. So, she tried to focus her attentions on Lewis, obviously a better choice. Wasn’t he?

But
when she heard the front door slam - an indication that Detrick had gone, she moved the curtain beside her bed just a fraction of an inch. Her heart beat faster as she watched the black bicycle and the golden hair as they disappeared down the road.

14

Late one night in the early summer of 1934, Hitler, accompanied by his two closest friends, Goering and Himmler carried out a treasonous plan. They murdered all of the opposing leadership within their political party. This sinister event would go down in history as the Night of the Long Knives.

At the beginning of August of the same year, VonHindenburg, the President of Germany died.

Hitler became the Fuehrer.

By the end of August,
Adolf Hitler had received a 90-percent vote of approval from the German people.

When Leah returned from school, she saw an envelope with familiar handwriting
lying on the table nearest the door. The strangely colored postage stamps read, “United States of America.” As she tore the seal and opened the letter, she retired to the privacy of her own room. Holding the paper in her hand, the loss she’d felt at Dorothy’s leaving crept over her once again, and she felt suddenly very sad and lonely. Her hand caressed the pink lace bedspread as she sat down, and her mind drifted back to when she and Dorothy had been children sitting in the very same place. Dorothy’s auburn curls had floated about her head as she chatted excitedly. And, Leah remembered how they had discussed their dreams for the future and how far those hopes had been from the reality they now faced. Their world had been altered forever. She unfolded the letter and read.