High Noon

Ch7

I was in the secret room that I had found in my closet, cleaning out the dust that was thick along the floors and corners of the room, wondering what I was going to do with this space once I got it organized and clean.

As I arrived downstairs, I suddenly froze as I saw a Nazi soldier talking with Mama, my heart immediately dropped to the floor as I thought the worst.

 Mama looked at me as I stood there, frozen at the bottom steps.

The soldier turned and then smiled.

"Bonjour," He greeted.

I didn't respond my heart was pounding and Mama said, "Don't be rude, Sophie, greet Herr Captain Josef back." 

I didn't want to I was terrified and instead of responding I ran. I went upstairs and slammed the door to my room shut. 

I was shaking uncontrollably my mind buzzing in search of an answer. What was a Nazi doing at our house? Are we in trouble? What did we do? Why was he here?

I stayed in my room for a long time, I heard someone walk up the stairs, I thought it was Mama and opened my door a crack to see the door next to me open. I saw the back of the soldier with a bag on the bed. Was he moving in? 

The soldier turned as if sensing I was watching and when his blue eyes landed on me, I closed the door shut.

I heard him go back downstairs and I heard voices downstairs telling me that the soldier and my Mama were talking and then I heard the front door open and close telling me that he had left.

I waited a couple more minutes just in case I was wrong and then opened the door and went downstairs. 

I saw Mama sitting at the table near the kitchen and she had her face in her hands which were folded as if she were praying.

"Mama?" I said as I approached her.

She looked up at me and then said, "Oh, honey, come here." 

I sat in the chair next to her and looked at her waiting for Mama to explain why the German soldier was here. 

"Sophie, Captain Josef, is going to be staying with us," Mama told me.

The words repeated in my mind and I shacked my head not wanting to believe that a Nazi would be living with us.

"No, he can't stay here!" I yelled scared at the thought.

Mama rubbed her eyes.

"We have no choice, it's either he lives with us or we leave."

Leave? We had just gotten this house yesterday and now we had to either share it with a Nazi or leave. 

Mama took my hand and then rubbed the back of it.

"I know it's hard, but trust me, this isn't easy for me either, I just need you to promise me something." She said.

I sighed and nodded.

"What?"

"You need to show the Captain respect, even if you don't want to, he could kill us, and we could be arrested, Sophie,  don't be afraid promise me you'll be brave and do this, you promise?" Mama told me looking me in the eyes and I saw that she was begging me to.

I took a deep breath and nodded my head.

"Oui, Mama, I promise," I said shakily.

She smiled softly at me.

"Good, now help me cook some supper."

Captain Josef came back when we were in the middle of cooking and I pretended to be busy and moved the slices of meat in the pan. 

"Bonjour, Madamemoisell." The Captain greeted.

"Bonjour, Herr Captain." Mama greeted and I could tell behind her words she was scared too.

"Whatever is cooking smells delicious." He said with a smile.

"Thank you." She said as she put some diced onions into the pan.

"Ah, before I forget I have something for you, Madam, and something for you." He said looking at me and Mama.

The Captain disappeared and I heard him go upstairs. 

I breathed for a moment and gave Mama a quizzical stare wondering what a Nazi could possibly have for us.

When Josef came back he was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and a box filled with something.

"This is the best wine I could find, for you Madam." He said offering the wine to Mama.

She took the bottle from his hands and looked at it as if not knowing what to do with it.

"Merci, Herr Captain." She said.

"Of course, and for you..." He said.

I hadn't been looking and I was startled and jumped before shakily turning around. 

He was in front of me and offering me the box that I saw were chocolates.

I wasn't sure if I could accept it or not and glanced at Mama who motioned for me to take it.

My hands were shaking and I took the box from his hands. I heard the chocolates moving inside as I held them.

"Merci, C-captain," I said forcing a shaky smile.

Dinner that night he opened up the bottle of wine and poured Mama some and then himself.

"Sophie is your name, right?" He asked me.

I kept on repeating what my mom had said about being brave and respectful and I nodded my head.

"Do you go to school?" He asked me.

I shook my head.

"No, not anymore." 

"The schools in Germany are still open, are the schools here not?" The Captain said after he had taken a sip of his wine. 

I was glad for Mama's intervention, I could feel my heart pounding as I tried to talk and not say anything wrong.

"We haven't been able to because of the bombings." Mama immediately looked like she regretted mentioning the bombings as if it were something that might get her in trouble.

Josef finished his wine and nodded as if he understood.

"Yes bombings, unfortunately, those are vital things that are a necessity in war, but I assure you once this war is over, the bombings will stop and it'll be peaceful again."

I knew what he wanted the outcome of the war to be and I shivered at the thought of having the Nazis permanently here in Montreuil.