Ellen sat beside her mother, Carla, on a large navy couch, her feet tucked up under her as she looked through an old photo album. Her mother was a carbon copy of Ellen—small, neat, tidy with a stylish haircut to shoulder length. Unlike Ellen, Carla’s hair—which was once dark—now shone platinum gray. Carla’s hands were wrapped around a fine china tea cup as Ellen traced her finger over the old black and white photos on the yellowing pages. Sheets of plastic held the photos in the albums.
“I always hoped you would take an interest in the family history, but why now?” Carla asked.
“It’s a case I’m working on,” Ellen said. She leaned over to pick up her teacup and sip from it. “A book launch at the Holocaust Museum.”
“Ah yes, I read there had been some trouble. I’m guessing you can’t talk about it?” her mother asked.
“Not really, but it made me think about our ancestors. I understand war, but I can’t understand how any person could round up the elderly, females and children and not feel some compassion,” Ellen said.
“The propaganda machine was in full swing, the Jewish people were blamed for the state of the German economy, so they were the enemy.” Carla looked over Ellen’s shoulder. “I love this photo of my grandmother—your great-grandmother. She was a twin but her sister died from typhus in one of the camps. My grandmother never got over it. She lost three of her siblings, but losing her twin was the hardest to bear.”
“And who is this?” Ellen asked, showing Carla the photo of the handsome young man in his school uniform.
“That was your great uncle, Frederick—your great grandmother’s youngest brother. He survived until liberation and died from complications several months later.”
“That’s horrendous.” Ellen looked up at her mother and back at his photo. “He survived all those years of war just to die when he was free.”
“I remember as a very young child hearing my grandmother speak of it and she would say that he showed them he would not be beaten, and he did, I suppose. He made it through—it gave her strength to think of it that way,” Carla said. “Another tea?” she asked, reaching for the pot.
“Yes, please,” Ellen said, coming to the end of the album. “Imagine what their lives might have been if there had been no war.”
Carla topped up their tea cups and put the pot down.
“But that was their life, Ellen,” she said. “That was the life they were born to have. I’ve always believed that. And this is the life we are meant to have.”
“Then I need to do more with it,” Ellen said, turning side-on to face her mother. “I’m single, no family and my work is my life.”
“But that’s okay if that is what you want,” Carla said. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to see you settled down and giving me some grandchildren, but I would rather you were happy.”
“You say that like someone who regrets not having a career,” Ellen said.
“Yes and no,” Carla answered. “I had choices—contraception, education, career options, husbands, lovers; anything I wanted—my generation was modern. But my mother was old-fashioned and pressured me to settle down, start a family, and that’s what I did. You, on the other hand, have a mother who prefers that you do what makes you happy.”
Ellen nodded and sat deep in thought.
“Don’t let history weigh you down my love.” Carla patted Ellen’s hand. “You know the saying, ‘never forget the past, but keep your sights forward’.”
Ellen frowned. “No, I don’t know that saying. Who said that?”
“Me just now,” Carla said.
Ellen laughed and shook her head. “You’re good therapy.”
“Well then, brighten my day. Is there anyone on the scene that you are interested in?”
Ellen rolled her eyes. “I knew it was coming.”
“It’s my job. Tell me about these men you work with—is there a potential son-in-law amongst them?”
Dirk Schmid disconnected the call and slipped his phone into his coat pocket. He walked down the hallway of the NAO offices and opened the door to the afternoon meeting. The large gathering was mingling before they discussed the topic of future leadership—a lecture Dirk Schmid had given many times. Looking in from the doorway, he saw his brother talking with Ellen Bauer again; there was no doubt he was infatuated with that woman.
Throw him a bone and let him have her first, he heard his conscience say. Maybe. But I want her more. He looked around for Ellen’s husband; he was never too far away. Dirk couldn’t see him in the room. Suddenly he felt someone at his shoulder and turned.
Nick Everett stood there, he extended his hand. “Nicholas Bauer, we haven’t had a chance to meet in person.”
Dirk Schmid stepped back and shook hands. The two men were similar heights and they stood appraising each other. Both in dark suits, blond and confident; Dirk admired the man opposite him.
“It’s great to have you and your lovely wife in our organization.” Dirk said the party line.
“Well about that, Dirk,” Nicholas said, “we’re pleased to be here too, but you’ll forgive me if I say it’s a bit tame for us.”
Dirk laughed. “I think I know what you are saying. Shall we sit? I’ve got a few minutes until I have to give this afternoon’s lecture.”
He indicated the chairs in the quiet area where Ellen and his brother had sat last meeting. Nick followed him and both men sat opposite each other.
“You want to make more of a contribution and I’m not talking financial?” Dirk Schmid led the conversation.
“Yes.” Nick sat back, placing his arm along the top of the chair. “If I want to meet and do fundraising and social work, I’ll join Rotary.”
Dirk Schmid laughed again. “I love a direct person.”
“I want to make what you have here the blueprint for the society we are living in. What does it take, Dirk? What do we—Ellen and I—have to do now?” Nick asked.
Dirk’s eyes widened in surprise. “Okay, well we may have underestimated the ambition you both felt.”
“You have no idea,” Nick said. “And now my wife is pregnant, so it is more important to us than ever to get this right.”
“Ah, congratulations!” Dirk realized his problems with his brother and Ellen were solved but Nicholas Bauer was still available to do more breeding.
“Thank you. So are there other challenges for us?” Nick asked, “or is there another organization more suited to our needs?”
“Oh no, I think you are just what we need,” Dirk said. “After the lecture, why don’t you both come and see me. My office is down the hallway, last room on the right. We’ll work out how the Bauers and the organization can both benefit. Now, I best go in.” Dirk nodded towards the room.
“Of course,” Nick said.
The two men rose and Dirk Schmid led the way. As they entered the room, Ellen rejoined Nick. Dirk congratulated her as he walked past. He took his brother’s elbow and whispered as they walked to the stage, “Julian’s called. He has everything signed and handed over by Benjamin and all is on track for the convention tomorrow.”
Thorsten Schmid nodded. “That’s a relief.”
“And I guess you heard that Mrs. Bauer is pregnant. You’ll have to wait a year or so now for that bounty, little brother.” Dirk Schmid smiled at Thorsten as they took the couple of stairs up to the stage.
Ellen pulled Nick aside at the back of the room. “How did it go?”
“Fine. He wants to talk with us after the lecture; I think we’re advancing,” Nick said. “He seemed pleased with our enthusiasm.”
“Good, but how do we get the stats? We’re not going to get a chance for one of us to be alone to download the data.”
“You know what Ellie?” Nick whispered. “We’re members wanting to contribute to those stats. We could just ask.”
Ellen smiled. “Ah yeah, that’s so simple it actually might work.”
“I’ll ask, you record his answer.”
Ellen nodded. “Let’s see how forthcoming he is.”
“Oh I think they like to boast,” Nick said.