Chapter 7

Wilhelm had been looking forward to this day with eager anticipation. It was once again time for a date with the lady he called his Kirschelein, his little cherry. He pulled up to the Maraschino house in his car and narrowed his eyes when he saw who was unmistakably a soldier in service dress. He looked to be in the Army.
"Ach Himmel," Wilhelm muttered to himself. "I am not going to like this, I fear." He casually walked over to the pair, clearing his throat. "Es tut mir Leid," he said, "but ah… who's your friend, Marty?"
"She told me to meet her here at noon. What are you doing here?"
"She gave me the same message," said Wilhelm. "I'm Wilhelm Schwa…"
"Listen, Kraut, and listen good," said the soldier. "I'm Freddy Soroka, and she's my girl. Got me?"
"If she's your girl," Wilhelm said causally, "why did she agree to meet us both?"
"Oh, no…" Marty said to herself, hanging her head.

"Back off, Billy!" Freddy barked.
"The last person to refer to me by that name," Wilhelm explained, "received fifteen stitches in his face, is missing several teeth, and is the proud owner of a broken nose."
"It's literally my job to kill people, and a Nazi like you is gonna threaten me?!"
Wilhelm chuckled. "What the Hell did you say to me?" he said, smiling.
"Freddy…" Marty said in a warning tone.
"You'd best listen to her," Wilhelm advised.
"You'd best shut your trap."
"You'd best go back to Korea and do me the favor of dying to a Communist guerilla, Schweinhund," Wilhelm sneered, "or I fear I'll do it for him."
"Wilhelm, no!" Marty whispered, shaking her head.

It was Freddy who threw the first punch, hitting Wilhelm squarely in the gut. Wilhelm groaned, doubling over, and when he got back up, he dodged a couple more punches. "I'm not fighting in front of a lady," he said as he caught Freddy's fist, which was headed towards his face. "Unlike you, you cad."
"Freddy, you stop it!" Marty practically barked.
Wilhelm turned his head. "Kirschelein, I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I shouldn't have…"
"I don't blame you," said Marty softly.
That was when Freddy's fist made contact with Wilhelm's face.
Marty gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "Freddy!" she cried.
Wilhelm whipped his head around and spat a mixture of blood and saliva into Freddy's eyes.
"Dah! Jesus!" Freddy barked, staggering back. He charged, and Wilhelm let out a roar.

As Wilhelm stood there and took blow after blow without flinching, tears came to Marty's eyes. What was Wilhelm doing? A few minutes later, an exhausted Freddy was standing over Wilhelm, who was down on one knee, his face covered in blood.
"Scheisse," Wilhelm hissed. "You Army types just don't give up, do you? God, you'd almost be German if you weren't so crude!"
Freddy turned to leave, and Marty gasped. "Wha… where are you going?"
"Far away from a woman who played me like a Stradivarius!" Freddy shouted, storming away. "I thought I was special, but I guess not, so forget I exist, Marty."
Marty gasped as her father walked through the front door. "Bill? Dear God, what happened?"
"There was a mix-up," Wilhelm said, managing a weak smile. "It seems poor Marty double-booked by mistake. I suppose I should've left, but… well her soldier… I'd like to say friend but he stormed off, telling her to forget he existed, wouldn't let me after I'd explained things."

"Bill," said Vincenzo, "you look like you've been through Hell. You should probably stay here for a while, maybe even for the night. We've got a guest room."
Marty sighed. "God, I'm so embarrassed," she muttered.
"You should be, Martina," said Vincenzo sternly.
Marty hung her head, only having been called by her full name when she was in trouble.
"I don't want any trouble, Vincenzo," Said Wilhelm, holding up his hands.
"You don't have any trouble, Bill. If you'd stayed home, you'd have stood her up, and it's not like you knew she'd double-booked."
"I should, I suppose, head home," said Wilhelm. "I feel like death warmed over, but I think I'm alright to drive."
"Alright, Bill."
Marty sighed. "I'm sorry…"
Wilhelm smiled. "It's alright," he said. "You're human. Humans make mistakes."

Wilhelm sighed as he drove home, hoping Marty's father didn't dole out too much punishment. When he got home, he managed to stagger into the house with a groan.
"God's wounds!" Fritz cried. "Herr Maraschino told me of what happened, but he didn't mention you were this bloody. He emphasized that you weren't in any trouble with him, but how could you just stand there and take it? Come on, Wilhelm, at least take a swing back at the bastard!"
"I didn't want to fight in front of a lady," Wilhelm explained. "It's uncouth."
"Ah. I see. Wash your face, Wilhelm. As I said, you're very bloody."
Wilhelm washed his face and grimaced as he went over the bruises and cuts he'd received from Freddy.
"Oh Wilhelm!" Greta cried, rushing into the bathroom. "My God, you look terrible! Are you alright?"

Wilhelm nodded. "I think so," he said. That was when the phone rang.
Wilhelm walked to the living room and sighed.
"It's for you," said Fritz, handing him the phone.
"Ja?"
"God… I am so… sorry."
"As I said, Kirschelein," Wilhelm said gently. "It's alright. I'm disappointed that you double-booked, but it was an honest mistake."
"Well regardless of how you feel… I'm grounded for a week."
"Then we'll simply have to have our date when you're not under house arrest," said Wilhelm. "Very easy."
"Well I'm glad you understand at least," Marty said, relieved. "Meanwhile, my dad wants a word."
"Alright," said Wilhelm. "Please, put him on. I'll talk to you when you're not grounded. Just relax, it'll fly right past you."

"Hey Bill," said Vincenzo. "Again, there's no trouble between us."
"Ah, I'm a little disappointed, but people make mistakes. I honestly didn't know double-booking was a ground-able offense."
"Well, it is in the Maraschino household," said Vincenzo. "'Cause things like this happen. It's not so much she double-booked as much as it is she caused trouble on my property, where I'm supposed to run the shots. The fight disturbed the peace of my house, you understand. But you aren't at fault here. Freddy could've handled himself a lot better, but I don't control him."
"I recall you saying you fought in the Pacific? One would think you could still whip the man out."
"I did," said Vincenzo. "I did fight the Japanese. I was drafted, but I fought 'em. Even made sergeant when I was transferred to Europe and we invaded Sicily, as you know. But that's not the point. The point here is, Marty's grounded, you got no trouble from me, and your date has to wait until she does her time. That's it."
A disappointed Wilhelm hung up a few moments later after the two had said their goodbyes. He went to his room and sighed. He wasn't even being grounded, but he felt like he was being punished, and on top of that, he felt that he'd gotten poor Marty grounded! This would be a long week.