“Nein.” Max shuffled to her. “Fleck will do no such thing.”
“How do you know?”
“Waldemar is just trying to cause trouble. He resents having less responsibility in the class, and I think he’s lost much of his credibility. Fleck will not dismiss you.”
“Are you sure?” Anna asked.
“Ja,” Max lied, hoping to alleviate Anna’s concern. “I’ll talk with him and clear things up for us.”
“Maybe we should locate Fleck’s home and speak with him tonight,” Anna said.
“Do you know where he lives?”
“Nein.”
“Then we’ll talk with him in the morning.” He extended his arm and found her shoulder. “In the meantime, I don’t want you worrying about things.”
“All right.”
Max slipped his hand away, clasped Nia’s harness, and said, “Forward.” He felt a tug from Nia as she padded ahead. The sound of boots crunching snow filled his ears, and the weight of timepieces jostled in his coat pockets. He spoke little as they traversed the cobblestone streets toward home; his thoughts steadfast on finding a way to convince Fleck not to reprimand Anna.If someone needs to be blamed, it will be me.
* * *
In his room, Max sat on his bed with a braille book of poetry titledPhantasusby Arno Holz. He lifted the cover, releasing a sweet, musky scent of ink and paper, and ran his fingertips over the lines of raised dots. But Holz’s vivid imagery did little to diminish his apprehension. By persuading Anna to combine training with bartering for food, he might have ruined her chances of continuing to work with him and Nia. In his determination to acquire nourishment for Anna and Norbie, who had graciously welcomed him into their home and fed him, he hadn’t stopped to think that Waldemar might see them exchanging timepieces for food and inform Fleck that they were not training. The other trainers, Max believed, would have understood. He didn’t regret helping Anna, but he did rue that he didn’t go knocking on doors after working hours. And Anna’s fate, as well as his, might rest on their ability to convince Fleck to accept their word over Waldemar’s.
Norbie had been delighted that they’d come home with jars of pickled beets and vegetables, and neither he nor Anna, given her silence during dinner, wanted to dampen Norbie’s spirits by telling him about their run-in with Waldemar. With the added beets to their diet of turnip and leek soup, they would have enough, if they reduced the portions, to last them a few days. Hopefully by then, the city’s supply of rations would return to normal. But deep down, Max feared that the availability of food would get worse with winter.
The patter of Nia’s footsteps in the hallway grew, and the ajar bedroom door squeaked open. Toenails clicked over the hardwood floor, and Max received a gentle nudge to his elbow.
Max placed down his book. “Hallo, Nia.”
Nia panted.
Max slid onto the floor and leaned his back against the bed. He patted his thigh and the dog flopped onto his lap. He’d much rather have Nia jump onto his bed, but Fleck’s protocol did not permit guide dogs on furniture while they were training. And considering he’d broken enough rules for one day, he thought it would be best to follow orders. “If I get to bring you home with me,” Max said, scratching Nia behind the ears, “you’ll be allowed to sleep in a bed or nap on a sofa.”
Nia’s tail swished over the floor.
“Does that sound good?”
Nia’s tail thumped harder.
He rubbed her side.You’ll have all of the comforts of a home if you live with me. But first I need to convince Fleck that we’re worthy of each other.
His fondness of Nia had grown exponentially since he’d arrived in Oldenburg, and the despondency that swallowed him, like a foundering boat on a sea, had slowly lifted. Although his heart still ached from Wilhelmina’s rejection of him, he felt—perhaps for the first time since being told by a doctor that he would never see again—that his life was worth living. And no matter how difficult it would be to find a path to create a life of his own, he felt that he had the strength to go on with Nia at his side.
“You’re a remarkable dog, Nia.” He ruffled her ears. “How did you get to be so kind and smart?”
Nia playfully wriggled on her back.
“Did Anna teach you?” He paused, resting a hand on her belly, and lowered his voice. “I made a mess of things for her.”
Nia’s eyebrows raised.
“I need to find a way to fix things for her with Fleck.” He ran his fingers through her fur. “What should I say to him?”
Nia gently placed a paw to Max’s arm.
You seem to know my thoughts and feelings. I wish I knew what you’re thinking.
