War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 318

Chapter 37: Ursula

“W

hen are you returning to Kleindorf?” Mutter asked.

“I’m not.” Ursula braced herself for the inevitable argument.

“What do you mean? Your travel permit expires tomorrow.”

“I’m not returning before I have seen Tom.”

“You can’t defy the authorities just because of this man.” Mutter sighed, unpacking the groceries. It had seemed like a lot in her shopping bag, but now, neatly positioned in the pantry, the items looked forlorn.

How anyone was supposed to feed five adults, one growing youth and a toddler with this for an entire week was beyond Ursula. It was only thanks to the huge amounts of food Aunt Lydia had given them upon their departure that they wouldn’t be hungry for another month or so.

But still, Ursula had no intentions of returning to Kleindorf.

“I’ll go and ask for an extension tomorrow,” Ursula said, although she had different plans.

Mutter furrowed her brows. “Why don’t I believe you? This

foreigner

has messed with your head.” Her mother still refused to call Tom by his name. She was indignant that Ursula had disgraced the family by not only falling for one of the enemies but also having a child out of wedlock with him.

“Don’t worry about me, Mutter.” Ursula wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and put on her gloves, ready to go out.

“Where are you going?”

“Out. Don’t wait for me.” Ursula didn’t want to lie to her mother, but she couldn’t well tell her that she was about to – finally – see Tom. He’d been in England since she’d arrived in Berlin, but according to one of his comrades at the base he’d been scheduled to return that morning.

“What about Evie?” Mutter asked with a disapproving gaze.

“Lotte is outside with her and she promised to take care of her until I return. Bye, Mutter.” Ursula escaped from the apartment, afraid her mother would start a full-blown interrogation.

She took the tram to Gatow airbase and approached the sentry with a thumping heart. In her finest English she said, “Excuse me, may I talk to Squadron Leader Westlake, please?”

“What’s your concern?”

She had planned for the question. “I work for the bakery down the road and he wanted to talk to my boss about making a birthday cake for some friend.”

She waited with bated breath while the sentry used the telephone to call Tom’s quarters. “Wait here. He’ll be down in a moment.”

It didn’t take long until Tom approached the gate with a long stride. He looked dashing in his blue uniform and love poured from her heart, warming her entire body.

“There’s a Fräulein from the bakery waiting for you,” the sentry told him and pointed his thumb in Ursula’s direction.

She saw how Tom’s eyes turned wide like saucers, but apart from that he kept a motionless face and said, “Thanks, I’ll talk to her.”

When his face was out of the sight of the sentry, a huge smile appeared on Tom’s face and he hissed, “A Fräulein from the bakery?”

“Yes, sir, you wanted to talk to my boss about a cake. Would you be kind enough to accompany me?”

Tom squinted his eyes, but turned around and told the sentry, “I’ll be back in an hour or so if anybody asks.”

They walked down the street and Ursula could barely wait until they turned a corner into a small alley. Once out of sight, Tom looked around frantically and finding no one, he grabbed her face with both hands, devouring her mouth with a passionate kiss.

“You almost gave me a heart attack,” he said after coming up for air.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let you know.” She pressed herself against his body, basking in the glorious feeling of his presence. Hand in hand, they walked down the alley, until they reached a park, where they found an empty bench.

“Where’s Evie?” he asked.

“With Lotte.” She looked up, noticing that he understood. It was less suspicious if she came without his daughter.

“How did you even get here?”

Ursula looked at their intertwined hands. “I came for a visit when my family returned to Berlin after the holidays.”

He took her chin into his hand, forcing her to look at him. “How long is your travel permit valid?”

She squirmed under his stare. “Until today.”

He sucked in a breath, then squinted his eyes. “So when are you planning to return to Kleindorf?”

Ursula bit on her lower lip, returning his stare. “Never.”

“You can’t be serious!”

“I am. I waited such a long time for you, I’m not going to Kleindorf where I won’t be able to see you.”

“But you can’t stay here illegally. They’ll take your ration cards away and what will you live on?”

“I’ll find a way. And I still have you.” She stubbornly pushed out a lip. She hadn’t expected him to take her mother’s stance on this issue. “I thought you’d be delighted to see me.”

“I am delighted. Very much so, but at least one of us has to be sensible here.”

She gave a dramatic sigh and snuggled up tighter against him, her hand wandering across his muscled stomach. “Can’t you stop being sensible for at least a little while?”

The spark of passion darkened his eyes and he groaned. “It’s too cold out here – come with me.”