Chapter Seven

Several days passed. Adeline was starting to feel better. Her fever had broken, the searing pain in her throat subsided, and the parched dryness of her mouth was gone. She woke up and rubbed her eyes. From where she was lying on the bed, she saw the late afternoon sunlight shining through the open window.

As Adeline sat staring out of the window, her mind drifted away and she found herself thinking of Wilhelm. She remembered the moment he saved the French man from the assassination, his help during her illness and his polite demeanor toward Jeanne and herself. The image of a heartless German soldier faded from him. Slowly, the wall of her hatred crumbled. Her heart began to change.

At that very moment she heard the front door open and shut, followed by a man and woman's voice breaking the silence. She kept overhearing the same phrases in the conversations around her: "Ration coupons, food shortage...", "ration coupons became more precious than identity cards", "everyone was ravenously hungry." A harsh laugh cut through the tension. "You can still get carrots without ration coupons. Look at your face! Your face turned yellow because you ate so many carrots."

The jovial tone quickly soured, replaced by a chilling fear. Adeline heard a frantic voice, laced with anxiety: "You knew about the threat on the red poster, didn't you? All French people who have been arrested in France considered as hostages and will be shot after a German officer was killed at Barbès-Rochechouart station."

"News spread from mouth to mouth. They say the Germans will take a hundred hostages for every German killed. It's terrifying. You can feel the hand of the occupation."

"What if this nightmare reached our village?"

"Oh God, let this suffering end."

Adeline walked out and found Pierre sitting next to Jeanne in the living room. Adeline greeted him.

"Adeline, I hope you feel better now. Your mother told me you were ill. I come to visit." Pierre offered her a bottle of milk, his eyes reflecting a deep concern. "I hope I can give you more than this."

"Thank you. It means more than you know," Adeline smiled.

They heard the Germans outside the house. There was the hoarse shout of orders being given and the sound of the boots getting closer to the house. Shortly thereafter, the front door swung inward, revealing Wilhelm. He greeted them politely. Jeanne and Pierre replied with an icy nod of the head. Meanwhile, Adeline was unsure of what to do. She remained silent, her head bowed. He disappeared into his room, leaving behind a silence heavy with unspoken anxieties.

"That Boche behaves politely," Pierre said.

"Ssh! Keep your voice down. You know very well, the Germans don't like being called like that!" Jeanne said.

The rays of the setting sun caressed the lawn and Forsythia shrubs in the garden. Little by little, cool darkness spread across the sky. The presence of the German officer made Pierre uncomfortable to linger in Adeline's house. He could endure in fifteen minutes only. He returned home.

One night, Wilhelm and Adeline found themselves unexpectedly close in the passageway. There was a moment of awkwardness between them. They stood looking at each other in silence. He was aware of the animosity she harbored toward him. He started to move past her, offering a brief, respectful nod. Then, a soft, beautiful voice stopped him in his tracks. It was her voice, a voice he'd longed to hear, calling his name for the very first time, "Lieutenant Haeften." He stood frozen, a mixture of astonishment and disbelief washing over him. This unexpected moment was like a dream come true for him. He turned around and then approached her.

"Thank you for your help," she said.

"It was nothing. I am glad to help. How are you today?

"I feel better."

"That's good to hear," he smiled. "It's late, you should get some rest. Plenty of sleep is essential for your recovery."

A radiant smile illuminated her face, a smile that stole his breath away. It was the first time she smiled at him.

As the sound of her footsteps faded into the quiet night, he moved closer to her bedroom door. He leaned in and said softly, "Gute Nacht. Schlafen sie wohl."