“Miss Frappier.” The older teacher, speaking in a hushed tone. “We need help. Some of the students without families need to move to safer locations. Otherwise, they will certainly be taken away.”
Chaisley swallowed hard. “To...?” The words felt like thick porridge on her tongue. Impossible to speak or swallow.
“I don’t wish to speak of what I’ve heard. Can you help?”
Her heart picked up its pace. “How soon?”
“As soon as tomorrow, if you can. There are four students, ages sixteen to eighteen. We had a friend who secured visas for them to the Netherlands, but we haven’t had a way or funds to get them there. The visas expire at the end of the week.”
“I’ll do it.” Rick’s low voice edged in on her left. “I can take them tonight after the concert and be back in time to help you tomorrow afternoon.” He squeezed Chaisley’s hand. “This is what we’re here for.”
Chaisley nodded.
“You have a safe place to take them?” The woman sounded elated and skeptical all at the same time.
Chaisley smiled. “Yes. I know someone with a home in the Netherlands.” Grandmother would love to have young people in her home.
The older woman was silent for a moment. Then she sniffed and Chaisley could hear the tears in her voice. “After you play for them, I’ll help them pack their things and make sure they are ready to go.”
“They’ve been living here at the school?” Chaisley’s brow furrowed.
“No. They’ve been living with me.” The woman stepped away. “Come. We should get you downstairs.”
“God bless you for your generosity, miss. There aren’t many willing to take such risks.” Rick stayed at Chaisley’s elbow as he spoke.
“Thank you, sir. It’s been a challenge. But we’ve made do with what the good Lord has provided.”
Chaisley couldn’t imagine what these teachers and students had faced. As she allowed Rick to lead her down the stairs to the basement, she pondered the reality of what the teacher had sacrificed ... what the students had endured. Did they have enough food?
The room was musty, but it couldn’t cover the delight she felt radiating from the students. The old upright was indeed out of tune, and the bench creaked every time she moved, but she still played some of her favorite pieces for the kids, and theiroohs andaahs nourished her soul. The younger students even squealed during the fast sections.
If these sweet students could endure such difficult times, she could as well.
When she finished, the teachers said their good-byes to the students and there were lots of sobs and questions about what would happen next. Once they were all back upstairs, Chaisley leaned against the wall to get her bearings for a moment.
“Miss Frappier ... these are the four I was telling you about. Lydia, Anne, Charlie, and Grant.”
Chaisley stepped forward and greeted each one with a handshake and placed her palm on each face. Hopefully she would learn much about these four over the coming months and hear how they were thriving, but first, she had to get them to Amsterdam.
Without being discovered by the Gestapo.
Inside the border of Germany—Saturday, July 9, 1938
“Papiere!” The officer shouted, spittle landing on Rick’s coat. “Who. Are. These. Children?”
He couldn’t answer. Why couldn’t he speak? He gripped the steering wheel and stared at the red-faced man.
Hatred seeped out of the man’s glare. “Take them away! They don’t deserve to live!”
Rick leapt out of the car and fought against the horde of guards that surrounded him. But he was no match. They would take the children. No!
He punched and kicked—
Kicking at whatever restrained him, Rick opened his eyes and got his bearings. His breaths came in short, hard gasps. He fisted the thin blanket that had covered him in the backseat and threw it on the floor.
It had seemed so real.
He rubbed both hands up and down his face. The full morning sun heated up the interior of the auto.
