Chapter 31

Budapest, Hungary
September 1945

“Anyu, where are they taking us?” Paul asked.

A woman in a white uniform was helping his mother into an ambulance. They had arrived in Hungary after three grueling weeks on the train, where they were met by a team of aid workers.

“Where are we going?” This time Paul asked the woman supporting his mother’s arm.

“The Jewish hospital,” she said. “Your mother is sick and so is your brother.” She turned to Oscar. “The doctor will see about your cough.”

“We want to go home to Karcag to find our father,” said Oscar.

“And I suppose that cough is my imagination,” the woman said, as Oscar doubled over. The nurse motioned him into the ambulance. “You, too, young man.” She smiled at Paul.

“But I’m not sick.”

“No, but you can’t stay in the railroad station by yourself, can you?”

Paul shivered. He still remembered being lost at the Vienna train station. “No, ma’am,” he said and meekly climbed into the vehicle.

“Why do they have to take out my tonsils?” Paul demanded.

“It’s the only way they can keep you here,” said Anyu. She was lying in a bed in the hospital, with Oscar in the bed next to her. Paul stood between them.

“I don’t want them to take out my tonsils!”

“They’ll give you ice cream afterward,” said Oscar. He propped himself up on his elbow. “You like ice cream, don’t you?”

“Chocolate ice cream?”

“If that’s what you want.” A nurse smiled down at him. “Now, be a good boy. I promise you will be fine.”

What good is ice cream if your throat aches so much you can’t eat it? Paul looked down at the dish holding a chocolate puddle.

“Anyu, my throat hurts,” he croaked.

“It will be better soon,” she soothed. “Look how strong Oscar is getting.”

“I’ll eat the ice cream if you don’t want it.” Oscar walked over to Paul’s bed.

“No!” Paul clutched the dish. “It’s mine.”

Anyu laughed. “See, you’re not really so sick. Maybe tomorrow Nurse Koltai will let you go outside to play. If you are well enough to eat your food.”

Paul looked at the sunshine streaming through the window. “I’d like that.” He lifted the spoon to his mouth.