Berlin blood

After that evening, Charlotte wandered around work like a sleepy fly. She couldn’t get rid of the thought that today there would be a meeting with her parents, she would give everything not to return there, however, since her parents are blackmailing them, then there is a reason for this. In general, this is quite in their spirit: to blackmail adult children so that they pretend to be a normal family. Charlotte simply never thought they could go this far and was now preparing for the worst case scenario. The parents could not come to terms with the fact that Franz joined the SS, with the fact that their daughters wanted to throw in their lot with members of this organization, especially those as high-ranking as August. By the way, who is this Arthur? August talked yesterday about how they once stood in line for a commission together, but yesterday she still didn’t fully understand how August felt about him. There was no noticeable anger or hatred, but Charlotte could not be sure that she was interpreting the man’s behavior and words correctly. Behind the external calm there could be a storm of emotions or a whole plan to take the enemy out of the game. It was getting close to noon. The door rang a bell and a young man entered. Charlotte was not ready to recognize him as yesterday’s visitor. He took off his cap and Charlotte looked at him for the first time without prejudice. He turned out to be quite handsome. Tall and slightly thin, with dark eyes and hair as black as night. Twenty-five to thirty years? The pilot’s uniform is clean and fresh, as if brand new, and fits much better than yesterday’s suit. Maybe it’s a matter of changed posture. Not her type, but she shouldn’t like him in that regard. — Hello! I visited you yesterday and came to apologize for my condition and behavior,” the man extended his hand to her in greeting. “Yesterday I wouldn’t have said that you were so polite, and an officer at that,” the girl carefully placed her palm in his and wrinkled her nose. — I am a lieutenant. Mark Grant. You are a very pretty girl,” he smiled at her, but Charlotte did not react in any way, she was not going to be nice to him. — Are you not German? — Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest, keeping distance between them. — From what? Oh, hair… No, I have a lot of German blood, but the British overpowered it. As you can see, this did not stop me from enlisting. — I’m talking about your name. — And it’s a simple story. My mother was half English and half German, my father was a purebred German, but after their divorce I was taken to England, where I lived until I ran away here. Both my first and last names are from my mother. I want to change them and forget them. — Don’t you like it so much that you’re from there? Why did you come here, you could have chosen any country. The same Italy, France, Ireland or Norway, why did you still return to your father’s homeland? “Charlotte was extremely interested in this; she wanted to understand what life was like for people who have parents of different nationalities. At school she knew a girl whose father was Russian and whose mother was German. But this was a little different, after all, Russians are not part of Europe. “Well, I won’t tell you all the details, I’ll just say that I love my father.” In addition, I have been to other European countries and I can say that only here I feel at home. Believe me, if you are attached to your home, then in other places, even if it is better there, you will still feel bad and sooner or later you will return back. — So far I have only been in France. And in Austria, but I didn’t see the country because I studied in a closed boarding house. They say there are a lot of mountains there, but I hardly saw them either. — How do you like France? They say that the Germans have no place there, we are too serious,” he grinned. — This is partly true, you can relax there, but live there… No, only for people who are trying with all their might to leave the country, and even then, I think that they would hardly go there, most likely the same Spain, Italy, or Poland, they say that there are many people from here. — Here you are right. However, if something can motivate a person to leave, it’s probably love…” he looked at the photographs that were hanging on the wall. “I agree,” Charlotte shrugged her shoulders and at the end of the conversation said that she would be glad to see him as a client of the atelier, while noting that she has a loved one, and she is not going to change him. Mark understood everything and therefore finally asked: — Tell me, what name will you give to the only person you love? Charlotte, despite the vagueness of the phrase, understood him perfectly and became thoughtful. How could she call Augustus, define who he is to her? *** August sat down at his workplace; he felt unable to work today. He is not himself today, so Franz and Gretel took on most of the responsibilities. It didn’t take long before Franz got tired and decided to stir up his boss: — August, are you okay? “Franz looked at him with genuine concern. It was not difficult to understand what was happening in August; probably, if Franz himself had a girlfriend, he would have been just as worried. In addition, Charlotte hardly spared any color when describing the state of affairs in their family. “Yes, I’m fine,” he said, already realizing that he couldn’t lie. “August, I understand that you are worried, and I assume that my sister told you, but you shouldn’t worry so much, not everything is so bad.” Besides, we are on your side. “I don’t even know what I’m worried about more: about meeting my parents or about Arthur, whom we will encounter today.” He may blame me for my uncle’s death, maybe it affected him too, how do I know? We are on their side with Agnet, but… “I’m sure Agnet will talk to him and everything will be fine.” We should stick together. — Yes, I think you’re right, I’m completely unstuck, but I need to pull myself together and work. What’s next for us? — The affairs of the soldiers whom you found playing cards yesterday? “Come here,” he extended his hand and Franz put the documents into it. With the arrival of Charlotte, August became much more polite and responsible, which Franz was extremely happy about, because work became much easier. August, immersed in work, sent him away with a gesture, and Franz, instead of returning to the office, went to the window. Spring was blooming behind the glass, the snow had melted and the sun was already warming like summer, although the buds on the trees were barely noticeable. It will be very warm again, people will take off their heavy winter clothes and go outside more often. Even through the closed window, bird trills could be heard, cars passed below, which attracted the attention of Franz, since he was going to buy one and was choosing one every minute. Franz made an amazing observation that in the summer people are kinder and softer, and summer memories are the most vivid, but, unlike winter ones, they do not last long. Winter ones, although they feel frosty, for some reason they always smell wonderful and remain in the memory much longer. He remembered being a teenager and catching a bad cold in the early spring while playing with his sisters in the cold, damp wind. He was feverish for a long time, so many sunny, fresh days were lost that since then Franz often remembered that very day before his illness as the brightest and most joyful of spring days. *** Charlotte was in a hurry to get home. She should pick up the rest of her things and ask her sister again what time they are leaving for their parents. Yesterday they agreed that they would do it together, but Charlotte doubted that everything would end well. They were always dissatisfied with something, no one was happy in their family. They treated Agnet as someone who had to set an example and be obedient in everything, which is why she could not learn to think and take care of herself, to show her true feelings. Her mother always wanted her to become a teacher, however, oddly enough, Agnet was not ready to work with children or even have her own; she said that she wanted to first take care of her little soul, and then think about anything else. She took up sewing, took on clients, and everything would have been fine if her mother had not pestered her with questions about her family. No, Agnet wanted to get married and thought about it, but she considered herself independent and wanted to find a person whom she would love with all her soul. Calculation in this matter was alien to her. The family also had high hopes for Franz — a boy, heir to the family, continuation of the family line. With his birth, the pressure on Agnet ceased to be as terrible as before, but it did not become easier. Moreover, as a child, Franz was headstrong, he refused to sit quietly while studying, and his parents quickly grew tired of his upbringing as an heir, looking into their mouths, idolizing his mother and father and being submissive to them. They again returned to torturing the more docile Agnet, and at the same time remembered Charlotte, who had previously been in the care of nannies and had hardly seen her mother. The very little girl was greatly influenced by the attitude of her parents: the second girl, the third child in the family, always the last. They set Agnet and Franz as an example to her, and if it weren’t for the great hatred of their parents and the efforts of Agnet, who quietly protected the younger ones, they would never have become the family for each other that they are now. Each of them hated their parents in their own way in childhood and in the early years of liberation, but now, Charlotte is sure of this, they have grown up and are able to cope with their feelings. Perhaps even look at it all from a different perspective. The worst thing would be to meet them now and, to your own surprise, recognize yourself in them, understand them. With these thoughts endlessly spinning in her head, Charlotte reached her brother and sister’s apartment. In the hallway, she immediately noticed fairly large officer boots. So Arthur is already here, I wonder if he looks like his uncle? No conversation could be heard and Charlotte thought that she had walked in just as there was a slight pause. She headed straight to her room, opened the door and immediately gasped in surprise. Half-naked Agnet jumped up and covered her chest, turning to her sister. Arthur, who had been kissing her either on the neck or below — it was impossible to see from the aisle — coughed embarrassedly and picked up his shirt from the floor. Charlotte came to her senses. “Sorry to interrupt you,” Charlotte tried to pretend that she wasn’t outraged that everything was happening on her bed. — But… — Charlotte?! Why did you come? I thought that… what time? — Agnet rummaged around herself in search of her watch. “Almost six,” Charlotte looked at hers. — Crap! We need to get ready, we’ll be late. We’re at eight,” she explained to Arthur for some reason. Charlotte left because the couple looked at her expectantly, with the embarrassment of people who still have something to hide. As soon as the door closed behind her, there was a commotion on the other side. Charlotte, out of a sense of contradiction, climbed into her sister’s room and sat down at her table, moving the fabrics. — So what does it mean? — she asked Agnet from the doorway, who came out in only a towel. — In terms of? — In direct. I’m just wondering how you’re going to explain this to Franz and August, who will arrive in a minute? — She arched an eyebrow questioning while her sister tried to lie about something. She clearly couldn’t come up with anything as she went along. “I completely forgot about time,” she gave up and told the truth. — Why should Franz and August come here? — We agreed to go together, Agneee, wake up. The sister sank exhaustedly onto the bed and covered her eyes with her hand. “I’m not ready…” she looked helplessly towards the mirror with cosmetics. — I don’t want to see them. I understand that I myself convinced you that this was necessary, but now I am unable to keep my face. I’ve always had this responsibility, but I’m tired. “I understand you, Agnet, but what do you think your parents will say when they see that your boyfriend is five or even six years younger than you?” “I know they won’t be happy, but at least don’t scold me!” — Sorry. I’m just worried too. “You chose the most inappropriate person,” Charlotte said with a chuckle. — Younger, from the SS, which will outrage his parents, and even Lehmann, who knows how he treated his uncle and who knows how he will react to August… “Charlotte, don’t start, I knew perfectly well what I was getting into, I’m not fifteen!” “That’s why you hold yourself accountable for your actions and can only complain that you’re tired of it.” “Charlotte sighed, realizing that her sister just wanted to talk it out. — Are you all right? Before Agnet had time to answer, the front door slammed and August and Franz arrived. The sisters looked at each other and froze cautiously. The men, like Charlotte, first noticed someone else’s outerwear and shoes. The coat could not have belonged to anyone other than Lehmann. August tried to calm down. — Girls! “Franz shouted to the sisters, but a guy of about twenty came out at the sound. August realized that Arthur had not changed: the same thinness, the same red hair and light green eyes. A slight stoop did not spoil him, especially since the guy smiled at them quite sincerely and openly. Franz just made his eyebrows into a house. Agnet was either blind or always tasteless in her choice of men, but he didn’t notice. — Hello! — the guy was the first to come to life and extended his hand to them in greeting, they both shook it. — Arthur Lehmann. — Franz Braun, brother of Agnet and Charlotte. — August Scholz. Hearing his name, the guy darkened his face, but did not betray his hostility in any way, letting them go deeper into the apartment. Both were not only higher in rank than him, but also had been present in Agnet’s life much longer for him to be indignant. — August, Franz! — Charlotte jumped out from behind the door, fixing her hair. Agnet followed her out, both were dressed beautifully: Charlotte in a trouser suit and gloves, and Agnet in a more formal business suit, which was not very familiar to her, because seamstresses preferred looser clothes. The men did not need to change clothes, all three were in clean jackets, all were ready externally, but not internally. They tried to remain confident, but everyone understood that this did not help much. The girls took their gentlemen by the arm and left the apartment, Franz closed the apartment, he got behind the wheel and they drove off. They drove through the night streets of Berlin, the long asphalt roads were a joy, many cafes and restaurants that opened only at night, like small lanterns, became part of this atmosphere. Charlotte and Agnet looked at the city, at the long row of lanterns that lit along the roads and illuminated their path, as they disappeared into the dark alleys, which, for reasons unknown to them, swallowed up any light. They turned into such an alley and seemed to find themselves on the other side of the Berlin they were familiar with. Noisy wide streets and tall, tightly adjacent buildings with many decorations rushing upward were replaced by more comfortable and simple family houses. Life here seems to have frozen in the last century, leaving behind worn-out signs, quiet nooks, and paved roads. In them it was easy to imagine kind, cheerful neighbors who never grow old, carefree children and slowly strolling pedestrians familiar to everyone along the block. At the house they arrived at, the last one in the block on the left side, they stand and greet the car with dignity.