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When Mama and Antoni came through the back door and hung up their coats and scarves on the coatrack, the expression on their faces made everyone stop.Papa’s violin fell silent along with all the tapping feet.
“What is it, son?”asked Papa, his face grim.
Antoni exchanged a look with Mama, who squeezed his hand and offered him a wan smile.“TheJudenrathas issued a declaration signed by Governor Fischer.They’ve pasted posters all over the Jewish sector and Old Town.”
“What do the signs say?”asked Babcia, coming forward to stand before her son.
“A ghetto,” replied Antoni.
Jan frowned, confused.What did it mean?He didn’t understand.The adults seemed to know what a ghetto meant.At Antoni’s words, their faces fell, and Berek called up the stairs for his wife, Berkowa, to come down.She hurried down the stairs, a question written on her face.
“What is it?”asked Jan.“What is a ghetto?”
Mama wrung her hands together, then kissed his forehead and greeted her daughters.She cleared her throat.“It means all of the Jews in the city must live in one place together.”
“Don’t we do that already?”asked Nacha, her lower lip trembling.
“But no one else.The Aryans already living in the Jewish Quarter will have to leave,” replied her father, taking her hand in his.“Not only will Jews who leave their designated residential area be punished with death, but the same penalty applies to anyone who knowingly provides refuge to Jews.We suspected it was coming—we paid a lot of money to the Germans last year to prevent it.And now, here it is, despite our best efforts.”
“This is unacceptable.”Berek’s cheeks reddened with anger.“We’re not animals!”
Babcia slouched onto the sofa, her face pale.Papa’snostrils flared and he stood behind her, clutching her shoulder with one hand and his violin in the other.
“I’m afraid we have no choice,” continued Antoni.“And our friends will no longer be able to visit.”
The realisation of what they were saying slowly washed over Jan.Berek and Berkowa embraced one another, Berkowa resting her head on her husband’s shoulder, her expression full of fear.
Mama sighed and smoothed her hair back from her forehead with both hands, then pushed a smile onto her face.“But of course it won’t keep us apart forever.We will get through this.”
“Yes,” agreed Antoni with a brief nod, his eyes and Mama’s fixed on one another.
“Where will it be located?”asked Berek as he and his wife separated, only their hands now linked.
“There’s a map on each poster,” replied Antoni.“It shows the boundaries of the ghetto.This apartment falls within its borders…just.Thank God we can stay where we are.”
Babcia stood to her feet and walked to Jan.She cupped his face with both hands, tears sliding down her weathered visage.“My darling boy.”She kissed his cheeks, one at a time.Then she moved on to Jadzia and Danuta, whispering loving words to each of them.
His sisters began to sniffle, their faces blotched with red as one by one the adults walked up to them, kissing their cheeks and wishing them well.Jan’s throat tightened.He couldn’t take in what they were saying.Surely this wouldn’t happen.How could the two families be kept apart?They lived across the courtyard from one another.It was impossible for them not to cross paths.How could a group of people be fenced in?This was their city.These were their homes.
An image of the priests falling slumped to the floor of the cathedral flashed across his mind, and he squeezed his eyes shut as panic rushed up his spine.If they could do that to the Catholic priests in the middle of the day, they could do anything they liked.And perhaps they’d done it precisely because of what was to come.They wouldn’t allow dissent, and what better way to hobble the Catholic majority than by removing their priests?
“When?”asked Babcia when she had finished her goodbyes.Her hand held tight to Mama’s, her knuckles white.
Mama inhaled a slow breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her one sleeve.“Those who move have four weeks to do it.But we must say our goodbyes, since we don’t know when we will see each other again.”
Jadzia and Danuta’s sniffling ceased then.They lifted their chins and wiped their cheeks dry.They hugged Nacha’s neck, and even threw their arms briefly around Nathan’s thin frame.Jan stood to one side, watching as everyone he loved said farewell.When Nacha came up to him, he steeled himself.He didn’t want to cry.Couldn’t show how angry he was.They all needed him to be strong—Mama, Jadzia, Danuta, Nacha, and even Antoni, who seemed so calm about it all.It was too much for any of them to bear, yet they must.They had no choice.
“Goodbye, Janek,” said Nacha, her eyes red, but her expression stoic.
He offered her a half smile.“Goodbye, Nacha.I will see you again.”
Hope trickled from her eyes.“Maybe,” she said.“And I will never forget you.”
He swallowed.“I will find you, no matter what.”
She smiled and quickly hugged him, her thin arms making their way around his neck briefly.Then she moved on, embracing his sisters and Mama.
Finally, they were done.Their goodbyes complete, each of them emotionally spent, Jan and his sisters dawdled to the back door.He turned to offer one last wave, then stepped out into the now-dark courtyard.Overhead, the clouds hung low, threatening snow.His breath puffed white in front of his mouth and he tugged up the collar on his overcoat, hunkering down inside it and shoving his bare hands deep into his pockets.
Antoni followed them outside and stood whispering to Mama in the shadow of the doorframe.Mama rose to her tiptoes to kiss his lips, winding her arms around his neck.Jan heard her sob before he turned away, his heart aching.
Another whispered conversation, then Mama left Antoni behind her, reached for Jan’s hand, and together the four of them walked across the courtyard and in through their own back door to the cold, dark apartment.Mama slumped into a chair at the small, round kitchen table.She sat in silence, staring at her cold, empty hands.
Jan watched her a moment, then raised his voice.“Jadzia, start the fire.Danuta, the lights, please!Mama, what shall we warm for our supper?”He took her hand and pulled her to her feet, gazing into her eyes.
Please, Mama, don’t give up now.We need you.
A shadow flitted over her fine features, and she blinked.“Of course, you must be starving.Let’s get supper on the table and you can tell me all about your day.”
Jan sighed with relief and hurried to help Jadzia build the fire in the old stone fireplace.Life would change, but they would adapt.They had to.They couldn’t let the Nazis win.They would figure out a way forward, and they would survive.And when this war was over, they would all find each other again.
