Seventeen: Freedom at Last
Anna attempted a Foxtrot in her new baby blue shirt and white blouse with a ballerina butterfly brooch pinned to its collar and patent leather shoes. She dipped smoothly and spun around and surveyed her reflection in the mirror. She had not seen herself since Miss Muller's basement and the image that was reflected back made her gasp. She stared at her gaunt features and into her sunken dull blue eyes. Her knee-length pleated skirt loosely dangled from her emaciated frame and her stocking sagged. Far below down in the street the door bell rang. Anna sped quickly out of her room and down the steep, twisting staircase and flung open the door. "Momma," she cried, "Come in momma, come in!" Anna draped her lanky arms …show more content…
The sunshade was bright yellow and the blanket was light green with cute little white daisies all over it. Your father had bought it for me years before in a tiny gift shop just outside of Leipzig. After I had arranged the blanket everyone stretched out under light puffy clouds that were floating high above in a vivid blue sky and we ate cheese, dill pickles, and soft, sweet bread that smelled like honey. Afterwards you played in the sand with Rachel and made an enormous castle and Willy searched for gold in the warm sand with his little green shovel. Later daddy took you both swimming. It was a joyful afternoon. I remember watching all of you laughing and splashing at each other in the cool water. By the end of the day Willy was thoroughly sun burnt and I smeared cream all over his sweet little …show more content…
You were just a child ... it was a difficult time for everyone." Miss Margot responded. They walked for a ways and then they sat again and rested besides a small glistening pond at the edge of the little meadow. Anna watched a flock of noisy geese soar by high overhead. "And Willy how is he?" Miss Margot asked after a while. "He didn't make it." Anna muttered bitterly. "I am sorry." Miss Margot whispered. "So am I." Anna said and patted Miss Margot gently on the backs of her hands, which lay on her lap clasped in an anxious knot. "Have you seen Joseph?" Miss Margot asked, changing the subject. Surprised Anna's sat straight up and turned to look into Miss Margot somber eyes, "No ... I didn't think that he had ... made it." "I meant to tell you that he stopped by to thank me," she paused and added, "he asked about you?" "Oh and he's well," was all that Anna could manage to say. "Yes he appears to be healthy." Miss Margot smiled again and raised her hand using it to shield the setting rays of the sun from her eyes. "And how are you doing Anna, other than the obvious of course?" she corrected herself quickly. "To be honest," Anna replied and paused to think about how to properly word her answer. She promptly decided that the truth would work best, "It would be helpful if I had a
Anna attempted a Foxtrot in her new baby blue shirt and white blouse with a ballerina butterfly brooch pinned to its collar and patent leather shoes. She dipped smoothly and spun around and surveyed her reflection in the mirror. She had not seen herself since Miss Muller's basement and the image that was reflected back made her gasp. She stared at her gaunt features and into her sunken dull blue eyes. Her knee-length pleated skirt loosely dangled from her emaciated frame and her stocking sagged. Far below down in the street the door bell rang. Anna sped quickly out of her room and down the steep, twisting staircase and flung open the door. "Momma," she cried, "Come in momma, come in!" Anna draped her lanky arms …show more content…
The sunshade was bright yellow and the blanket was light green with cute little white daisies all over it. Your father had bought it for me years before in a tiny gift shop just outside of Leipzig. After I had arranged the blanket everyone stretched out under light puffy clouds that were floating high above in a vivid blue sky and we ate cheese, dill pickles, and soft, sweet bread that smelled like honey. Afterwards you played in the sand with Rachel and made an enormous castle and Willy searched for gold in the warm sand with his little green shovel. Later daddy took you both swimming. It was a joyful afternoon. I remember watching all of you laughing and splashing at each other in the cool water. By the end of the day Willy was thoroughly sun burnt and I smeared cream all over his sweet little …show more content…
You were just a child ... it was a difficult time for everyone." Miss Margot responded. They walked for a ways and then they sat again and rested besides a small glistening pond at the edge of the little meadow. Anna watched a flock of noisy geese soar by high overhead. "And Willy how is he?" Miss Margot asked after a while. "He didn't make it." Anna muttered bitterly. "I am sorry." Miss Margot whispered. "So am I." Anna said and patted Miss Margot gently on the backs of her hands, which lay on her lap clasped in an anxious knot. "Have you seen Joseph?" Miss Margot asked, changing the subject. Surprised Anna's sat straight up and turned to look into Miss Margot somber eyes, "No ... I didn't think that he had ... made it." "I meant to tell you that he stopped by to thank me," she paused and added, "he asked about you?" "Oh and he's well," was all that Anna could manage to say. "Yes he appears to be healthy." Miss Margot smiled again and raised her hand using it to shield the setting rays of the sun from her eyes. "And how are you doing Anna, other than the obvious of course?" she corrected herself quickly. "To be honest," Anna replied and paused to think about how to properly word her answer. She promptly decided that the truth would work best, "It would be helpful if I had a