Page 29 of The Berlin Sisters
‘I can see you’re very busy, but may I come back and walk you home after work? Or perhaps even take you out to dinner tonight?’
Heinrich took her hand and she let him, remembering immediately how much she’d enjoyed his company before he’d left, and the thrill she’d always felt when he touched her. Just having him standing in front of her reminded her exactly why she’d fallen in love with him.
‘Of course. I will check with Papa and—’
‘I’ve already been to see him, to ask permission to take you out. Although I did promise that there would be a small group of us, so that there was no need for him to worry about a chaperone.’
Her heart skipped a beat. ‘May I ask Hanna to join us too, then?’
‘Of course. I’ll come back for you at five.’
Ava watched as he took her hand, holding it for a moment before giving her one last smile.
‘It’s so good to see you again, Ava. I’ve been thinking about this moment for months, and you’re just as pretty as I remembered.’
She smiled back at him. ‘It’s good to see you again, too, Heinrich. What a lovely surprise it is, having you home.’
Her fears about how she’d feel seeing him again had well and truly disappeared by the time he walked backwards a few steps, winking before turning and leaving, and she clutched the flowers to her chest as she returned to her desk, trying to ignore the excited whispers around her. Her mind knew that they were now on different paths, but her heart wanted to believe that she could change the way he thought. Her father had warned her not to talk to him about her change in sympathies, and she would never disobey him, but surely if he could change, then Heinrich could, too? What was to say that her fiancé wasn’t also repulsed by some of the things happening around him?
‘If I were you, I’d marry him while he’s home on leave,’ Greta whispered as she passed her on the way back to her desk, fanning at her face. ‘He’s one of the most gorgeous men I’ve ever seen.’
Ava just laughed, placing her flowers on her desk and trying to concentrate on her work, even though she knew it was going to be almost impossible. But when she glanced at the chair Lina used to sit in, her happiness turned to sadness, because it was Lina she would usually have whispered and chatted to, and she still didn’t know where her friend had gone.
At five p.m., Ava and Heinrich had walked the short distance from her office to her apartment block, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm. Despite everything, she’d felt special and swelled with pride when Goebbels himself had appeared to speak to Heinrich, commending him on his achievements and welcoming him home. Although she still felt as if her hands were shaking. Only minutes before Heinrich had arrived, she’d slipped the replica document into her father’s hand when she’d embraced him, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone could have seen.
‘You haven’t mentioned how long you’re back for?’ Ava asked. ‘Is it for a few days?’ She intended on soaking up every moment of time she possibly could with him.
‘Longer, actually,’ he said. ‘I believe I’m to be posted close to Berlin.’
‘In a new role?’
He winked at her. ‘That’s top secret for now, but I’ll tell you just as soon as I’m given clearance.’
Her stomach flipped, as it had done earlier when she’d first seen him. She supposed it was because she was so torn between excitement about seeing him and terror over the idea that someone she loved might not come around to her new way of thinking – and quite what that might mean for her. But now that he was here, part of her wondered if he even knew about the atrocities with the Jews, about what was happening in the camps.
‘I’ll only be a short time getting ready,’ she said when they reached her building. ‘I’m certain Papa wouldn’t mind you coming up to wait?’
Heinrich flashed her a smile. ‘If you’re certain.’
She nodded and they both went upstairs, the lights indicating that Hanna was already home and preparing dinner in the kitchen.
‘Your mother’s not here with you?’ he asked.
‘No, she’s stayed at the country house,’ Ava said, glancing at him over her shoulder. ‘Papa likes to know she’s safe there, far away from the bombings.’
‘It must be hard for him, not having her to return to at the end of each day.’
‘Hanna!’ Ava said excitedly when she saw her sister, happy not to have to continue discussing her mother’s whereabouts. ‘We have a guest.’
‘Heinrich?’ Ava saw the almost frightened look that passed over Hanna’s face, but she was so quick to correct herself and smile that Ava knew Heinrich wouldn’t have noticed. ‘How lovely to see you. You’re well? No injuries?’
‘No injuries,’ he replied. ‘But I’m in need of a night out, with the very best of company of course. Would you like to join us?’
‘I would very much like to join you both,’ Hanna replied. ‘I shall quickly finish preparing dinner for Papa, in case he comes home early, and then I’ll get changed.’
Heinrich sat on the armchair that was her father’s, although Ava chose not to ask him to move, and she went to get him a drink of water before hurrying into her bedroom. It took only minutes for Hanna to join her, and her sister closed the door behind her when she entered.
‘You knew he was coming home today?’ Hanna whispered. ‘Why didn’t you say something?’
