“I’m sure I will.” Bruno paused, stepping away from Nia, and pointed to the stove. “I brought dry sausage and onions from an officers’ boardinghouse in France. It’s all I could gather before I left.”
“It’s a blessing,” Anna said. “Danke.”
Norbie dished sliced sausage and caramelized onions onto plates, and they sat at the table with Max next to Norbie, and Anna next to Bruno. Norbie said grace, giving thanks for Bruno’s safe arrival and his gift of food.
Anna took a bite of sausage and chewed, savoring the rich, gamey flavor. She wondered, although briefly, how long it’d been since she’d eaten meat. Burying her thoughts, she glanced to Bruno. His eyes were surrounded by dark circles, and the hair near his temples had turned gray.You’ll eat and sleep and forget about the war.
“The sausage is delicious, Bruno,” Norbie said.
“Ja,” Max said. “It’s generous of you to share your food.”
Bruno nodded and forked a hunk of sausage.
Anna, despite her head buzzing with a flurry of things that she wanted to ask, refrained from overwhelming Bruno with too many questions. Based on her experience as a nurse, she knew that it often took soldiers some time to acclimate to life away from the war. And considering the way Bruno’s eyes remained fixated on his plate, she assumed that it might take a while for him to adjust to being home.He’ll engage when he’s ready.
“Bruno,” Norbie said. “I wish you could have seen Nia when Anna brought her home.”
Bruno looked up from his food.
“Nia had been trained as an ambulance dog, but she injured her paws at the front.” Norbie glanced at Nia, curled on the floor, and he lowered his voice, as if he were sheltering his words from a child’s ears. “She was deathly thin and couldn’t walk, and she was on the verge of being euthanized. Anna saved her, and now she’s a guide dog.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Anna said. “You and Emmi helped.”
“Nia is lucky to have you, Anna,” Max said.
Bruno placed down his fork and clasped Anna’s hand. “So am I.”
“Danke,” Anna said. She felt him squeeze her fingers, and then slip away. Desiring to change the subject to something other than herself, she said, “Max is a brilliant pianist.”
“Ja,” Norbie said. “He’s been performing for us every night.” He turned his eyes upward, as if looking to heaven. “Helga would have loved to have heard him play.”
“Helga?” Bruno asked, forking a bit of onion.
He doesn’t remember mymutter’s name.Anna’s heart sank.
“She was my wife,” Norbie said.
Bruno looked at Norbie. “Please forgive me. I do remember stories of her from you and Anna. I understand she was a lovely woman. I’m tired and my brain is not working well.”
“It’s all right,” Norbie said.
Bruno turned to Anna. “I’m sorry.”
She placed her palm on his hand and nodded.
Their conversation dwindled and they finished eating their meals, with each of them saving a bit of their sausage to augment their rations for the rest of the week. Although Anna offered to help clear the table, Max and Norbie insisted on washing and drying the dishes, allowing her and Bruno time alone in the living room.
“How was your travel?” Anna asked, sitting beside him on the sofa. She smoothed her skirt over her knees.
“Gut.” He turned to her. “You look beautiful.”
“Danke,” she said, still feeling hurt from his failure to recall hermutter’s name.I need to let it go. “Will you be going to Frankfurt to visit your parents?”
“Nein. I plan to spend my military leave with you.”
“I hope they will not be upset with me for monopolizing your time,” she said.
“They won’t,” he said.
