War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 305

Chapter 24: Ursula

E

very single day Ursula peered out of the window. Her eyes trained upon where the road merged with the horizon, hoping, yearning, and praying for Tom to appear walking down to the farmhouse.

He never did.

More than a month had passed and she’d had no news of him, except for a letter from Anna that

a friend

had visited them. In the same letter Anna suggested the entire family visit Aunt Lydia’s for Christmas.

“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Aunt Lydia said. “We haven’t been all together since before the war.”

Ursula didn’t want to rub salt in the wound by reminding her aunt that neither Uncle Peter nor Ursula’s father would be present. Both of them were still in captivity.

“It would be very crowded here.” Richard stopped when Ursula laughed.

“So, we’ll all get close. Like we used to when we were young. It’ll be fun. And if the food situation in Berlin is as bad as the rumors, they need to be fattened up.”

Aunt Lydia laughed. “Reminds me of the goose. We’ll have to capture one and fatten it up for Christmas.”

“I’ll write a letter immediately,” Ursula suggested. “They’ll have to get interzone travel permits and we don’t know how long that takes.”

Dearest Anna,

Thank you so much for your last letter.

Aunt Lydia thinks a family reunion is a fantastic idea and she’s already planning the Christmas dinner.

Richard and Katrina are dying to see all of you and so am I. It will be crowded here, but the more the merrier… we used to say that, before the war. You remember?

Christmas would the perfect time to get the entire family together and to be thankful that the war is over and so many of us have survived.

Please let us know when you’ll be arriving.

All our love,

Ursula

The impending visit,

though, had given her an idea. If she returned to Berlin, then she and Tom would find ways to see each other regularly. The next day she walked the eight miles to Mindelheim. She entered the town hall and made her way to the registry office.

“I’d like to request a permit to move to Berlin,” she said to the soldier in charge.

“What is your reason?”

Reason?

She couldn’t well tell him about Tom, so she said, “I want to reunite with my family.”

He looked up at her, frowning. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-four,” she answered, wondering why on earth he would want to know her age.

“I’m sorry. Family reunion is a valid reason only for underage people.”

Her shoulders sagged in dejection and he must have noticed her despair because he said in a less formal tone. “Except if you have a husband, a fiancé or a minor child in Berlin.”

“No. Just my mother and sisters.”

“Then I really can’t do anything for you. You may request a permit to visit them, for example for Christmas, but you won’t be allowed to stay in Berlin.”

“Thank you.” She left his office, her heart heavy. The walk back seemed endless and her steps became heavier with every passing minute. Even this morning she’d been hopeful, happy even, and now this.

The damn Americans wouldn’t let her leave this place. She’d be condemned to live here for the rest of her life. A tear ran down her cheek as she wallowed in self-pity.

Richard was plowing the field near the road and spotted her walking along. “Hey, Ursula!” he yelled at her.

She straightened her back, attempting to wipe the desolation off her face. “Hello, Richard.”

“Where’ve you been?”

“Mindelheim.”

He cocked his head, his blue eyes piercing hers. “Care to tell my why the long face?”

“I requested a permit to move to Berlin, but the Amis said no. I don’t have a valid reason.” She pursed her lips in disgust.

“Sorry for that. The Allies are trying to control the movement of people. There are so many displaced persons wandering around the countryside and it is posing problems with their rebuilding efforts. I guess Berlin is still in dire straits and they’re especially reluctant to let people in.”

“I have to find a way. Somehow.”

Ursula was determined to not give up that easily.