1968

Chapter Twenty-Six: July 24th, 1968

"So you two were involved?" She said, deducing this. She wasn't wrong. Lord, do I remember the mess Max was in during and after his relationship with Gisela. I don't even want to think about what all went down. Witnessing it was not the best position either.

"Yes, for a few years. Then, when 1942 came along, I got hurt pretty bad and they sent me back to America. I had to rehabilitate. Jack stayed in the states and fought, he met your mother a year later. I was still in America for a little while longer," he replied. She nodded, her arms crossing as she tried to take all of this in. It was a lot of information to process in such a short amount of time.

"So, what does this have to do with Rebekka?" She asked. Yes, I was even wondering that. Why did he care if she had a daughter or not? Rebekka would have been born years after he left, so it didn't make much of a difference.

"I think she might be mine," Max said. My eyes widened and I shook my hand. I had to bring myself into this now that he had mentioned Rebekka being his child.

"Max, that's impossible. Rebekka is only seventeen, eighteen next month. She would have to be at least twenty-five for there to be even a chance of you being the father," I replied. Max shook his head and crossed his arms, letting me know he wasn't letting either of us know everything.

"That isn't totally true. Ya see, years ago, I went back to Germany for a while. I was alone, and I met Gisela again," he replied. My eyes widened as I realized what he was really telling my daughter and I. I couldn't believe this, he was married to Molly and he still went for it. This woman did things to him that was unmistakably terrible. I didn't understand how a soldier as strong as him could fall so weak under a woman's grip.

"Max..." Lorelei said, unable to speak any other words but that. I knew this wouldn't be the last I would hear of it either. Hilda would be waiting to ask me questions about it. I would have to let her know, we told each other every single thing. I just hated talking about such a horrible time for us.

"I don't know if she's mine, it could be another man. I don't know," he said.

"Let's do the math. Rebekka told me she was born in August, so she'd have to have been conceived around November of the year before," Lorelei spoke. I turned my head to Max to see what the verdict was. His eyes went down and he sighed.

"Shit, Jack, she's all mine," he replied.

•••

Jacob's point of view:

After that unmistakably awkward time at my house, I was under the duty of getting Rebekka home. I didn't mind it at all, really. Anything to get out of there while the storm passed. I didn't know what happened back there, but there was something that wasn't right with my dad and Max. Rebekka had something to do with it, I just didn't know what. I don't even think she did either. Thank God my mother asked me to drive her home.

"Do you think everything will be okay there?" She asked as we drove down the humid roads of Washington summer. The wind in our hair from the open window felt refreshing and moist on my skin.

"I'm sure. Don't worry, it isn't you. My family is just plain strange. Get used to it now that you're friends with Lorelei. Once she has a friend, they don't leave. Unless they die, that is," I replied, my mind wandering to when Nash died. We all lost a piece of our souls after that night, Lorelei just took the bitter end of it.

"She's nice, I'd like to be her friend. I just hope she can tolerate me for more than a few weeks," she replied. I didn't know what she was talking about. She seemed like a kind person. Sure, she was a little on the shy and reserved side, but who cares? Lorelei seemed to be really fond of her as well.