She loved her mother.
The woman was warm, kind and beautiful.
She was compassionate, softly spoken and a born protector.
If there was ever a problem, Mazel had no trouble confiding in her mother. To Mazel, her mother was an angel. She glowed and could light up any dark room. It was no surprise that Emma owned a lot of animals. Or that she grew different flowers and plants in her garden. It was also no surprise that her mother didn't believe in violence or war. Emma believed that nature could heal almost everything. And in some cases, Emma was right, Mazel had witnessed her mother cure many animals with flowers and herbs. But Mazel didn't think mother nature could cure all the world's problems.
Her father was the complete opposite. Yariv Gorski was born in Krakow Poland. He was Jewish but never tried to force Emma to change her beliefs. Because of this, Yariv's parents refused to speak with him. The only family member in Poland who would write to Yariv was his twin brother. Mazel had never met her family in Poland. Though Yariv promised to take her one day. But that day didn't come. Yariv worked hard on their farm in Pennsylvania. He worked every single day, morning until night. Yariv raised dairy cows and sold his milk around the city of Lancaster. And while he took care of the cows, Emma was busy running her own business. She ran a boarding stable for horses around the city. Their owners would pay Emma twenty dollars a month to secure a stable at Emma's yard. She made good money from her business. Because a lot of people wanted to buy horses but didn't have the land to keep them. So, Emma gave the horses a good-sized stable and plenty of fields to graze in.
Mazel loved living near the horses.
She would get up early with her father and feed all the boarded horses before mucking out their stalls and turning them out into the fields. During the summer, the horses were hardly inside. But most of them lived in during the cold winter nights. Mazel had never been on a horse but she was comfortable around them. She loved horses. And just like her mother, Mazel loved all animals.
During the year of her fifteenth birthday, things suddenly took a turn when Yariv left.
He packed up his things and headed back to Poland, after a troubling letter from his twin brother. Mazel and Emma were sad to see him go. But Yariv promised to return home soon. But Yariv didn't return. One year after he left, Germany invaded Poland and Britain declared war on Germany. Another war was brewing. And America started to grow slightly anxious. No one wanted another world war, but it looked to be heading that way. According to Emma's brother-in-law, America could possibly join the war shortly, but they still hoped to remain neutral.
Mazel wasn't looking for a fight, but she felt angry when Germany invaded Poland. Like someone had just walked into their house and took all their belongings. And she was worried about her father and their family. With that rage bubbling in the pit of her stomach, Mazel could only think of war.
So, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour and America joined the war, Mazel felt the need to go along as well. She had every right to fight for her country and her family in Poland. Mazel only wanted to do her part, just like every other young man who was enlisting. But of course, there was a huge wall blocking her way from the fight. Her gender. Mazel was very lucky, however, to have possibly the best way of breaking down that wall and stepping into the war.
"There she is".
Mazel smiled;
"hi, Aunt Kathy".
Katherine smiled back;
"we were just talking about you".
Emma and Katherine were sitting in the living area. Like most Friday's, Katherine came over to check in with her little sister, Emma. And along with Katherine, was her youngest child, Molly. Katherine had three children altogether. Two of which, were already training to become officers.
"Where's Molly?" Mazel asked.
"Oh, she wanted to see the horses". Emma told her daughter with a smile, "she brought her boyfriend over with her…what was his name again, Kathy?"
Katherine smiled;
"Hector".
"Fancy".
Katherine chuckled;
"oh, hardly, Emma".
"Where have you been all morning, Mazel?" Her mother asked.
Mazel sat herself down on the armchair, which sat near the fireplace.
Shrugging, she replied;
"here, there and everywhere".
Katherine smiled;
"we'll never get a straight answer from you, will we?"
Emma sighed;
"something is troubling you…isn't it, Mazel?"
Rubbing her lips together, Mazel cleared her throat;
"actually, I was hoping to speak with Uncle George".
Katherine raised her eyebrow;
"he's out of town at the moment". She informed her niece, "however, he will be back to pick us up in two hours' time".
"Do you think he has time to speak with me?"
Katherine sighed;
"well…he is a very busy man at the moment, dear. But I'm sure he could spare a few minutes for his only niece".
Emma gave her daughter a frown;
"what's this about, Mazel? You know I don't like secrets".
"It's not a secret, mom". Mazel assured her softly, "I just 'wanna speak with Uncle George first".
Emma continued to frown at her daughter;
"will you come here, please?"
Biting down on her lip, Mazel got up from the chair and walked towards her mother.
Emma leaned forward and sighed;
"take your medicine". She said, "you're wheezing".
"I'm fine, mom".
Emma gave her a knowing look;
"Mazel…don't make me ask you again".
"Fine". Mazel caved in, "but I'm taking the medicine with beer".
Emma sent her daughter a look of disproval;
"you don't need that toxic in your body!"
Mazel smiled;
"what can I say, mom? I must get it from Abba".
"I'm sure your dad doesn't drink beer, Mazel". Emma said.
"No, he usually takes a glass of wine". Mazel corrected herself, "but we don't have that in the house, do we? Just beer".
Emma sighed and looked at her older sister;
"I was using the beer to make a sauce".
Katherine chuckled;
"I'm not here to judge, Emma".
After taking her pill, Mazel left the house and found her older cousin and her boyfriend out by the barn, where the horses lived. Arms crossing over her chest, Mazel made her way towards them. Her boots crunched against the gravel path, which led towards the barn entrance. Her father put the gravel down, once they discovered the distance between the house and barn was often caked in mud.
Molly and Hector were giggling.
They shared a few small kisses, before Mazel cleared her throat.
She grimaced;
"sorry".
Molly smiled and shrugged;
"it's okay…our moms still talking away?"
"Yeah". Mazel mumbled, "something about using beer as a sauce".
Hector looked interested;
"you can do that?"
Molly chuckled;
"oh, Hector. If you want a beer, just tell me and Mazel will get you one".
"Yup, that's me". Mazel remarked, "the beer maid".
Hector grinned;
"don't stress yourself, kid. I can get the beer myself".
"I know you can". Mazel said, "have legs, don't you?"
Molly rolled her eyes;
"Mazel, behave, please".
But Hector chuckled;
"don't worry, honey. I like Mazel's banter".
When Hector walked towards the house, taking the gravel path, Mazel brought out a cigarette. Molly ended up rolling her eyes;
"for Goodness sake, Mazel". She told her off, "smoking only makes your breathing worse".
Sighing, Mazel lit up her cigarette;
"nothing wrong with my damn breathing, Molly".
"No? Then why do you take aminophylline tablets?"
Mazel shrugged;
"my mom's overprotective. That's all".
Taking a drag from her cigarette, Mazel then opened the barn doors.
Only two horses remained inside their stables. Both were currently on box rest, after injuring their legs from fighting in the field. Mazel blew the smoke out from her mouth and looked at the two geldings;
"you're both missing a real nice day". She told them, "but you deserve it, huh? Don't go fighting in the field again. You're both too damn old".
Huffing, Molly shook her head;
"they don't know what you're saying".
"Of course, they do". Mazel mumbled, "they know how I feel, don't they? Words don't mean nothing, not unless you have feelings behind what you say".
Molly's eyes looked towards the two geldings.
"How do you know they're listening?"
"Their ears are forward". Mazel pointed towards one of the gelding's ears, "but they ain't stiff like he's acting scared. He's listening. He knows I'm pissed".
Her older cousin chuckled;
"but he'll do it again?"
"Sure, he will". She said, "Bertie's free to do whatever he wants in the field. That's his time to be a horse, you know?"
"I guess, yeah".
Mazel nodded towards the other gelding;
"and so is Buddy". She mumbled, "they don't mean nothing bad by it. I think they took their play too far".
…..
Two hours later and her Uncle walked into their farmhouse.
The man hung up his hat, took off his light jacket and walked into the living area, where his wife and sister-in-law sat. Kissing Katherine's cheek first, he soon took a seat on the armchair.
"Would you like some coffee, George?" Emma offered him.
"No thank you, Emma". He kindly refused, "I'm afraid I can't stay long".
Reaching towards her husband, Katherine took his hand;
"your niece wishes to speak with you".
George raised his eyebrow;
"she does? How strange".
Katherine smiled;
"well, it must be important, dear. She knows how busy you are".
George let out a tiny sigh;
"things are getting done, that's the main thing. We'll be leaving for Washington next week, Kathy. Will Molly and Hector be joining us?"
"No, dear". She replied quietly, "Hector's enlisting date is coming up".
"Ah, of course". George mused, "did he decide with the Navy?"
Katherine shook her head;
"your talk on the Marines got his blood pumping, it seems, dear".
He smiled small;
"very good. He'll do well in the Marines".
The backdoor opened and Mazel stepped into the kitchen. She had just finished mucking out Buddy and Bertie's stall. Taking off her boots, her socked feet padded against the cold kitchen floor, before they reached the carpeted ground in the living room. There, Mazel spotted her Uncle sitting on the armchair. And she felt her stomach churn with nerves.
Rubbing her mucky hands onto her trousers, she stepped towards her Uncle.
And reached to shake his hand;
"hey, Uncle George".
With a smile, George got up and shook her hand;
"busy afternoon, Mazel?"
She huffed out a laugh;
"yeah, a little".
When the handshake ended, George placed his hand on her shoulder;
"how about that talk, Mazel?"
She nodded;
"that would be great".
"Let's sit on the front porch".
When they reached the porch, George took a seat on the bench.
His view was one of the fields, to his right, where the mares grazed. George let out a sigh of content, having always admired this view. After closing the front door, Mazel sat herself down next to him. She followed his stare and felt herself smiling when she saw the horses.
Her fingers grabbed hold of her trousers, gripping the thin fabric by her knees. Rubbing her lips together, she found the words to start the conversation. Clearing her throat, she asked;
"anything about Poland?"
"None". He replied. "I assume you haven't heard from your dad?"
Mazel shook her head;
"nope. Not a word". She whispered.
"Is that you wanted to talk about?" George asked.
His eyes moved away from the mares and landed on his niece.
She seemed nervous.
Mazel shook her head;
"there's something else". She mumbled.
Taking in a deep breath, Mazel looked up at him.
Their eyes met.
But she didn't lose her nerve.
"The enemy have attacked Poland and America. I have family in both countries. My Abba was in Poland when the German's invaded and I'm worried, but I don't want to be worried, Uncle George. Because I want to be angry".
George felt his eyebrows twitch;
"angry?"
"We've been attacked. Our home has been broken into". She said, "and I want to fight those intruders off. I want to help get my families country back".
George eyed her up and down;
"you're using my position, so you can fight?"
"You're damn right I am".
He huffed quietly;
"well, at least you don't beat around the bush, Mazel".
"I want to do my part, Uncle George". She said, "but I 'wanna do it out in the front. Where I can see those…intruders. I know I can do this".
When her Uncle remained quiet.
Mazel uttered a tiny;
"please…I have to help save my Abba and family".
Running a hand down his face, George said to her;
"it won't be like that, Mazel. You won't be heading off into Poland to save the day. A war takes tactics and patients to be won".
"Fine". Mazel said, "I'll be patient. And every step of the way is one step closer to saving my family".
Sighing quietly, she said;
"you're the Chief of Staff. If anyone can get me into the army, it's you, Uncle George".
"I have to convince a lot of important people, Mazel". George warned her lowly, "including your mother".
…
"Heavens above!"
"Emma!"
Katherine quickly grabbed her sisters' arm, before Emma fell to the ground.
Mazel ran a hand down her face.
She knew her mother would react that way.
"Why don't we have a sit down". George suggested, "before you fall down, Emma".
Emma sent the General a tiny glare;
"you should not condone this, George!"
Katherine sent her husband a worried look;
"Emma's right, dear…Mazel shouldn't fight. It's not…it doesn't seem right".
George looked at the two women;
"it would be wrong of me, to decline a potentially good soldier the right to enlist".
Mazel felt her lips twitch.
"A soldier?!" Emma exclaimed, "Heavens above!"
"Let's sit you down, Emma". Katherine soothed, "you're far too pale".
But Emma refused to sit;
"and just where will you send her?!"
George cleared his throat;
"I can assure you, Emma. Your daughter will only fight alongside the best".
Emma let out a laugh, without a trace of humour;
"that offers me no reassurance, George!"
Even Katherine went a little pale;
"you don't mean the Paratroopers?"
"As a matter of fact, I do".
"George!" Katherine exclaimed, "my niece will not jump out of a plane!"
This time, Emma fell back and landed on the couch;
"a plane?!" She stressed, "no daughter of mine will jump out of a plane!"
"A brand-new camp has just opened to train Paratroopers". George explained, "I've met the man in charge of the Regiment. He's a very reliable Colonel. A West Point graduate. Mazel will be among the very best the army has to offer".
"No!" Emma refused once again, "absolutely not!"
Looking at her mother, Mazel said;
"don't I get a say, mom?"
Emma sent her daughter a firm look;
"stay out of this, Mazel!"
"Mom, this was my idea".
"I can't believe you'd do this to me!" Emma yelled, "first your dad and now you?! My heart can't take it, Mazel. I can't lose you as well!"
Mazel could see the tears reach her mother's eyes.
And she felt her heartache at the sight.
With a frown, Mazel sat down next to her mother and took her hand;
"listen, okay?" She mumbled softly, "I'm not doing this to make anyone proud, mom. I know you're proud of me, you tell me that every day. I'm doing it because I feel it's the right thing to do. Abba's out there, our family's out there. And I don't 'wanna sit and wait for this war to end, mom. I 'wanna be out there, winning it with them".
A few tears rolled down Emma's cheeks.
With a sad smile, Mazel wiped them away;
"I love and admire you so much, mom. But I love Abba just as much. And if you were out in Poland right now instead of him, I'd be asking Uncle George the same questions. I just 'wanna be close with him again".
Without another word, Emma pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
And she mumbled tearfully;
"I'd do the same for you, Mazel".
With her Uncles high position in the army, Mazel was able to enlist.
They never questioned her about her breathing. She had taken a tablet before her physical, in case her chest sounded wheezy. Mazel checked out as healthy. She passed the physical examination and psychological test. Now, she only had to wait until her call-up date arrived in the post. It arrived in September, one month before her nineteenth birthday. She was bound for Camp Toombs, in the State of Georgia. Mazel already had a feeling she'd be placed in Colonel Sinks Regiment. Her Uncle made sure of that.
On the 3rd of September, Mazel had to leave Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
It was her first time leaving her city and State.
Her parents never took her on vacation, because Mazel never wanted to leave the horses and cows. At eighteen, things were different. Mazel knew the horses would be there when she returned home and hopefully, her father would be back to make his milk again.
Her leaving party at the train station was small.
But it meant a lot, that her mother was there.
Mazel hugged her mother tightly.
And she tried to hold the tears back.
"Love you, mom". She mumbled tearfully.
Emma kissed her daughters cheek;
"love you, Mazel".
Pulling back from the hug, the train soon approached the platform.
Mazel slung her duffel bag over her shoulder.
And she looked at her mother, not knowing when she'd next see her.
That thought caused her stomach to twist and her heart to ache.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, she gave her mother a tight smile and nod.
"Bye, mom".
Emma sniffed;
"goodbye, darling. Have a safe journey".
When the train stopped, young enlisted men began to board.
And hopping on the train behind them, was Mazel.