War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 63

Chapter 8

A

nna had barely reached her floor when the door next to hers flew open and Frau Weber rushed out, all flailing arms and heaving bosom.

“Anna! I haven’t seen you in ages. Are you back from your assignment to…” Frau Weber said in a voice like honey. So, neither Ursula nor Mutter had succumbed to her persistent attempts to find out where Anna had worked.

“Frau Weber, it’s good to see you too. It looks like not much has changed here.”

Certainly not your nosiness

. Anna turned to unlock the door to her own apartment, but Frau Weber wasn’t finished with her inquisition yet.

“That was a very nice automobile. Who does it belong to? And who was that man?”

“Good afternoon, Frau Weber.”

“Anna, your mother and sister didn’t say anything about you coming home. Vehicles like that don’t come around this neighborhood…”

“Frau Weber, I would love to answer your questions, but I’m not at liberty to divulge any information. You know…highest orders,” Anna whispered and had great difficulty in keeping a straight face at the sight of Frau Weber’s jaw dropping to the floor. Her revelations left the rather portly woman at a loss for words, something Anna had never experienced before. “Have a good day.”

Anna unlocked her door and fled from the stunned woman outside. Anna didn’t care if Frau Weber thought she was involved with the Führer himself, as long as it kept her from her incessant harping.

She stepped into the small hallway, set her suitcase down, and then jumped a foot when Mutter and Ursula screamed in one voice, “Goodness, Anna! What’s happened? Why are you here?”

“Didn’t you get my letter?” Anna asked, slightly breathless, because Ursula grabbed her in a fierce hug, threatening to crush her ribs.

“No. We haven’t received any mail for at least a week,” Mutter said and embraced Anna in a much more reserved hug. “But I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me too.” Anna said and took off her coat.

Her mother disappeared into the kitchen, to prepare a meal for the three of them. Once it was ready, they sat down around the kitchen table. This was the moment Anna had not been looking forward to, as she still hadn’t figured out what to tell her mother. Still, it felt good to have people fussing over her and checking to see that she was in one piece.

Maybe her body, but not her soul.

“Your sister has refused,” Mutter said, sending a dark stare towards Ursula, “to tell me what exactly you were doing in Ravensbrück.”

“Nurse at the prison hospital; basically the same job I did here in Moabit.” Anna forked half a potato into her mouth, hoping to gain time. Her ears burnt violently at the lie, but thankfully her mother wouldn’t be able to see them beneath her long blonde hair.

“Anna!” Mutter’s scowl clearly indicated that she didn’t need to observe Anna’s ears to know the truth – that she was lying by omission.

“How long will you be visiting?” Ursula came to her rescue.

“Not visiting, I’m here for good.” Anna beamed at them. “I’ve been transferred to the Charité.”

“The Charité? Your father would be so proud of you.” Mutter had tears pooling in her eyes at the mention of her prisoner-of-war husband.

Ursula sent Anna a calculated glance, but kept her mouth shut. After they’d finished eating and washed the dishes, Mutter left to run errands.

“Spill it!” Ursula asked as soon as they were alone.

“I’m okay. I’m home now.” Anna took a calming breath. “I don’t want to talk about that time in my life. Ever.”

Ursula squeezed her arm and for a moment a whole world of sorrow passed through her eyes, but then she smiled again. “Then tell me about this sudden transfer.”

“Nothing much to tell,” Anna hedged. “I’m happy to be closer to home.”

“As you should be. Does this have anything to do with the famous Professor Scherer, head of the research department at the Charité?”

So Ursula has done her research

. Anna raised a brow, but then her excitement won over and she deluged her sister with a torrent of words, recounting every little detail – omitting T the devil’s role – of the events since she’d first set foot into Professor Scherer’s mansion. “Can you believe that he’s giving me this incredible chance? Little me, Nurse Anna, working with his research staff at the prestigious Charité? Oh, Ursula, I promise I will work harder than I’ve ever done before in my life and prove to the professor that I’m worthy of his support. I might even be able to study at the university and receive a veritable degree…Imagine me gaining a doctorate or even a Nobel Prize!”

“Anna, don’t you think it’s a bit too early for that?” Ursula asked, but Anna only stared at her.

“You can never dream big enough. And I will prove to the world that a woman can do anything she wants if she puts her mind to it.”

“You know I’ll support you all the way, right?”

“Of course I do. And that’s why I love you so much,

Schwesterherz

.” Pronouncing the words sister and heart reminded Anna of her other sister. “Have you heard from Lotte?”

“Alexandra wrote a letter that she arrived safely at the convent and is recuperating. It seems she’s gaining weight and her health is improving.”

“Thank God! It was high time to get her out of there.” Anna sighed.

“Yes, it was.” Ursula looked tired.

Something is troubling her

. She would ask her sister, but not today. Today was about being happy to be back home. Whatever bothered Ursula could wait until tomorrow.

“Let’s go out to a bar and get a drink,” she said to her sister.

“A drink? With Mutter around? Let me make some tea instead and then we can unpack your things.” Ursula turned and walked into the kitchen.