Page 38 of Enchanted in Time
She looked around on every side but couldn’t detect any mist of that sort. “And they can imitate anyone?”
“Anyone! Now let’s get going! Who knows how far it is? We mustn’t waste time.”
Hannah shuddered. Now, for the second time, she had almost allowed herself to be lured into the forest. Was she so unstable? So easily fooled? So naive? She pondered as she trotted along beside the bear prince.
They walked for a while but encountered nothing exciting. Hannah took care not to look too far into the forest and not to inhale too deeply or listen too closely for what was hiding there. She focused her eyes on the brick path, which seemed to go on and on without end, when she suddenly had a thought.
“You know, this forest really isn’t that big. It’s too bad it’s enchanted. Otherwise, we would have to be nearing the end.” She laughed out loud. “And then we would arrive in some city from the past. How exciting! I’d be able to see coaches and the very first cars driving around! Do they have those yet?”
“You mean automobiles?” growled the bear. “They do. I’ve even ridden in one a few times!”
“I could even have tracked down one of my ancestors,” Hannah mused, “and given him some stock tips. But no, my family is not from this area. They live too far away. Although I could send them a letter: ‘Best regards from the future.’” She grinned. “Oh, no, that wouldn’t work either. This must beabout the time my ancestors emigrated to America. The letter wouldn’t get to them in time anyway.” She looked at Maximilian. “My great-grandfather just took his daughter by the hand and, bringing everything in his possession, they boarded the first ship that would sail that day. Can you imagine?”
The bear prince merely growled as she went on with her story.
“My grandma Anna, who was the daughter I mentioned, told me that they emigrated shortly after her mother died. But then my parents returned to Germany before I was born. I grew up here, although my father—he’s American—always dreamed of going back to his native land. And once I was all grown up and standing on my own two feet, they did go back.”
“And how is it that you have three children and no husband?” The bear glanced at her hand again. She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and he looked at her quizzically. His question didn’t sound judgmental, and he looked at her in an unconcerned way rather than watching her furtively like most other people who were looking for a juicy piece of gossip to pass along. This suddenly loosened her tongue, and for the first time in five years, she spoke freely about Andrew and his death.
“Andrew was the love of my life. We met when we were in college. We were so in love and so happy, like I had never experienced before. We both wanted to have children early so that we would have time to enjoy them. Most of my friends told me that I should first move up in my job so that once I came back from maternity leave, I could jump right in and have a career and not wind up behind a cash register somewhere. But I always wanted to first have kids and then, when they didn’t need me so much anymore, to build something of my own. Andrew got a great job offer after graduation, so we were able to make our dream come true right away. We had Marco and were veryhappy. Three and a half years later, Emi came along, and our happiness was complete.
“But then... then my husband got into an accident. Someone rammed into his car while he was on his way to see a client. The hospital called us immediately. But it was too late. By the time we got there, he was no longer conscious, and soon after I sat down by his side, he died. It was as if he had been waiting for me.”
A single tear welled up and trickled down her cheek. But it was the only one. She took a deep breath. It felt good to talk about it with a stranger. It felt good to talk about Andrew. And it felt good to think of the good times as well, of the years they had had together.
“I’m so sorry,” the bear growled. And she believed him.
“Thank you. By the time I went out to tell my children what had happened, I was just going through the motions. I felt as if all the life had been drained from me, as if Andrew had taken my soul with him. It wasn’t until after his funeral that I realized I was pregnant. At first, I was desperate and cursed God, but when Leon began to stir in my belly, I found life again through him.” She smiled, and as she looked at the bear prince, she thought she saw him smile as well.
“Leon brought a sense of joy back into our home. Marco had been very sad after Andrew’s death. Emi was still too little to understand, but she had also been very quiet and had nightmares every night. When Leon was born, it felt like a part of Andrew had returned, and the little rascal made us laugh so much that Emi and Marco also finally came out of their shells.”
“And you? Did you come back to life as well?”
Hannah thought for a while. “I love my children more than anything. They’re my life. I never want to be away from them again, and I don’t regret that we had them so early. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had anything left of Andrew. But I would be lyingif I said that managing all this by myself was easy. Every day, there’s a new challenge. Most of the time, I just do what I have to do and fall into bed at night, exhausted. I often wish there were someone by my side, someone to make the decisions with me, to be a parent with me, to help me shoulder the responsibility for my three sweet peas.” A wry smile crossed her lips, and she shrugged. “I guess you can’t have it all in life.”
“Look!” The bear pointed to a puddle right by the side of the path. “There’s your chance to say good morning to your sweet peas,” he quipped, but there was also a hint of warmth and compassion in his voice, as if he were trying to understand how she felt being far away from her children.
Hannah’s eyes lit up, and with three large strides she was right next to the water. She kneeled down and bent over the puddle. “Frieda? Emi? Marco? Leon? Are you there?”
The surface blurred, and colors and contours started to appear. They became clearer and clearer until the faces of all three children were plainly visible.
“Hey, Mom!” Marco said, waving.
“Mommy! There you are!” squealed Emi. How Hannah had missed those dimples.
“Is that the prince behind you, Mama, or is it a real bear?” Leon asked in his high little voice.
Hannah laughed. “Allow me to introduce you.” And turning slightly to the side, she motioned to Maximilian to come crouch down beside her. “This is Prince Maximilian von Lichtenberg, aka the grumpy brown bear.”
The bear prince uttered a deep growl, though the children’s bright laughter made him smile.
Amused, Hannah watched his expression and then turned back to her children. “Did you sleep well? Are you all right? Have you had breakfast yet?”
Frieda appeared behind the children and chuckled. “Everything’s fine, dear Hannah. No need to worry at all. We’re doing splendidly, aren’t we, children?”
“Yeaaaaaah!” Emi and Leon cried at once.
“It’s all good, Mom. No nightmares last night,” Marco confirmed, as if he were now the guardian of the two younger kids.
