August 1944
July melted into August, the heat unrelenting, interrupted only by short periods of rain. Anna had returned to Kearney, safe in the knowledge that Papa seemed well on the road back to himself.
While she’d been home, one of the prisoners approached her about helping with costumes for a musical. Now, one corner of her room bore the results. Bolts of cloth tumbled in the area next to her wardrobe. Sid had promised to help her, but unless he could find little elves to sew costumes in the middle of the night, she didn’t know what he could do.
A sigh slipped out, and she slumped on the edge of her bed. Someday she must learn to say no.
“Staring at that lump of material won’t turn it into whatever it’s supposed to become.” Dottie leaned, arms crossed, against the door.
“You must think I’m crazy.”
“Maybe a little. Did they do that great a job with the harvest?”
“I was a little grateful. We’ll make it through the winter thanks in part to their work.” Anna shrugged. “Staring it at won’t make it go away. Let’s cart the first bolt downstairs.”
Before long, fabric covered the dining room table, and several boarders gathered around to help. Anna was glad it didn’t bother anyone that the costumes were for the prisoners to use in one of their plays. Instead, the gals treated it like a social event. Mrs. Wisdom brought some of her famous snickerdoodle cookies and lemonade from the kitchen. That week afer the table was clear and Anna brought down the fabric and patterns, the evenings flowed by filled with laughter and flying needles. Then together they sewed the pieces together into the costumes. By Thursday, the bolts of cloth had turned into costumes needing only buttons and other finishing details.
Thursday Sid called with the message he’d pick her up Friday night to take her to Camp Atlanta to deliver the costumes. Her heart fluttered at the thought of dinner afterward. Then, back to the farm for a weekend interrupted only by the show on Saturday evening. Somehow, it sounded like a perfect two days.
As Anna was preparing her bag the next evening, she glanced at her roommate. “Dottie, do you mind me going with Sid?”
“Don’t be silly. I think I’ll relax here.” Dottie lounged on her bed, arms locked behind her head. “It seemed to work well for you, and I can’t stay if I’m carting you home.”
Anna’s mouth dropped open, and she grabbed the pillow from her bed and threw it at Dottie. “I can’t believe you said that.”
Dottie’s eyes flashed as she launched to her feet. “Time for you to stand on your own two feet, darling. I think Sid will be good for helping you do that.”
“You are impossible.” Anna stifled nervous laughter. “Time will tell what becomes of the two of us.”
“Just remember to invite me to the wedding.” Dottie flounced out of the room with a big grin.
Anna shook her head, grabbed another shirt, and thrust it into her bag. Before she was ready, Dottie ran back upstairs to tell her Sid waited. Together the girls wrestled bags of costumes down and dropped them at his feet.
“Think you can get them in your Jeep, soldier?”
Sid’s eyes got big as he looked at the piles. “How many costumes did you make?”
“As many as they requested. Let’s get going. I can’t wait to see their faces.”
The expression on Sid’s face indicated he couldn’t either. Anna pushed the thought from her mind as they hopped in the car. As the miles ticked by, Sid loosened up. Conversation flowed, and before she was ready, Camp Atlanta came into view, and Sid slowed the car.
“Don’t be surprised if the prisoners are … hesitant around you. They aren’t used to seeing many civilians here.”
“It will be fine. They asked for my help, after all.” Anna bounced out of the car when it finally pulled to a stop in front of a long, narrow concrete building. She glanced around. All the buildings had the look of standard government-issue structures built in a hurry.
This particular structure had posters on the outside in German and English. Looked like a community hall. A prisoner exited, dressed in his denim outfit with the painted Ps and Ws. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Sid.
“Sir?”
“Luka. Miss Goodman has a carfull of costumes for you.” The funny look returned to Sid’s face as he spoke.
Luka cocked his head and looked from Anna to the car. “Costumes?”
“Yes, one of you asked her to help. She took that to heart.”
Luka disappeared into the building and came back out with several men. In no time, they had the car unloaded. Quiet German comments passed between them as they worked, but Anna couldn’t understand any of it.
“Thank you for your help.” Luka nodded in a bow. “Please come to show.”
“You’re welcome.” Anna looked at Sid. “Can I come? To the show?”
“I can bring you if you like. Tomorrow night, Luka?”
“Yes, sir. Six.” Luka bowed again and slipped into the building.
Anna linked arms with Sid. “Sounds like we have a date, then.”
“How did I get lucky enough to spend so much time with you?”
Sid settled her in the car. Anna marveled at the change only a week had brought into their friendship. Maybe more was possible between them. Her heart skipped at the hope she felt at the idea.
Sid tried hard to wipe the smirk off his face before he climbed back in the car. Who in their right mind thought the prisoners would need twenty costumes for their plays? Sid had no idea what entertainment the men planned for tomorrow night, but this would be interesting to see.
The evening passed quietly at the Goodman farm. Anna and Sid had fallen into a routine over the last weeks of completing the chores together and then enjoying a quiet meal with her father. Friday night Mr. Goodman even brought out checkers when they’d finished the meal. Sid kept an eye open for alcohol, but it looked like Mr. Goodman had put it away. Maybe getting back to the work of the farm had been the cure all along.
“Mr. Goodman, thanks for the game of checkers. It’s been awhile since someone trounced me.”
Mr. Goodman grinned. “You can always learn something from your elders, boy.”
“Yes, sir. I need to get back to camp. See me to the door, Anna?” Sid stood and reached out for Anna. Her soft smile stilled a place deep inside him.
“I’ll be back in a minute, Papa.”
Mr. Goodman nodded and picked up his paper. Sid must have made progress if the man didn’t feel the need to watch them through the window.
The screen door slammed behind them, and he pulled Anna against him. “I’ll be back tomorrow late afternoon to pick you up.”
She relaxed next to him. He tipped her chin up, searching her eyes in the glow from the kitchen windows. Her gaze was filled with gentleness and a spark of something. He leaned toward her and waited, but she didn’t pull away. He closed the distance for a tender kiss, then stepped back, taking a deep breath. “Till tomorrow.”
She smiled and then stepped back and waved as he pulled out of the driveway.
Saturday afternoon Sid collected Anna and took her into Holdrege for an early dinner. They strolled the streets of downtown, enjoying the cool breeze. The sounds of a violin’s tender wail drew them to a store.
Anna peeked in the window of the pawnshop. “Let’s go in.”
Sid pulled open the door, and they stepped inside. Stale cigar smoke mixed with mint and tickled his nose. Old Mr. Gustave, the proprietor, leaned against the counter, fingers tapping a beat on the counter. Two Germans stood in the shop with a guard behind them. One of the prisoners held a violin and played the instrument with a passion that made it sing.
Anna leaned into Sid and sighed. “That’s beautiful.”
Sid had to agree. The man had turned a lump of wood into a songbird. After listening a few minutes, they returned to the car. They made it back to Camp Atlanta in time to catch the show. The prisoners had used the costumes to add humor to their vaudeville-style act. Sid watched Anna out of the corner of his eye. She soaked in the show with enthusaism. Did she ever do anything halfheartedly? He hadn’t seen any evidence that she did.
They strolled out of the building, Anna humming one of the tunes. He looked down at her, and his heart stopped. Why could he now imagine walking like this until they were hunched and gray? He rubbed her hand with his thumb. “How would you like to have dessert at the officers’ club?”
Anna stopped mid-hum and nodded. “I’d like that. Am I dressed appropriately?”
“Hmm. Let me check.”
She twirled in front of him, hand posed under her chin. Her skirt swished around her knees, and the color enhanced her eyes.
“I can’t think of anything better.”
A soft blush tinged her cheeks, only heightening her beauty. “Thank you.” She reclaimed his arm. “Lead on.”
It took a few minutes, but too soon they reached the officers’ club. He opened the door, and she glided past him into the entryway.
“Looky here. If it ain’t the German-loving soldier.”
Sid stopped inside the doorway, trying to decide how to respond. Should he let it go? More and more of these remarks were fired his way, and he’d grown weary of them.
Anna held her breath by his side. Her fingers tightened on his arm, and when he looked down, he saw her knuckles had whitened.
“Cat got your tongue, Chance? Or do you only understand German?”
Sid drew his shoulders and tugged Anna to follow. “Let’s go find a table away from the rabble.”
She pressed her lips together. She bobbled on the first step, and he held her firmly.
“Guess he’s too good to talk to us. Maybe if we were POWs that would change.” Larry Heglin stood in front of Sid, an ugly leer on his face. What was he doing here? “So is she German, too?”
Sid fisted his hands to keep from punching Larry. It took every ounce of control not to jump the man. “Don’t ever speak about Miss Goodman that way again, Heglin. You can say whatever you want about me, but leave her out of this.”
“Ever the noble one, aren’t you? Someday you’ll slip, and I’ll be there spreading the word.” Heglin brushed by Sid as he pushed through the door.
Sid glanced at Anna. “Are you okay?” She nodded, but her chin trembled. “Let’s get you in and settled. Don’t worry about Larry. Men like him are all talk. You learn to ignore them until they have something meaningful to say.”
Anna relaxed when she sank onto a seat.
Sid started talking, regaling her with stories until the shadows left her gaze. He’d shelter her for a lifetime if she’d let him.