1st September 1939 - Changes Part II

It was already in the middle of the night when Elizabeth climbed out of the orphanage window and trotted into one of the poorer neighbourhoods. She could not sleep because she was plagued by guilt all the time, and she knew that she would not be any better until she confessed her actions. So she went to Bert's apartment with an envelope and the lighters she had stolen.

There was a letter in the envelope. However, this was not the complete confession, because she wanted to tell him in a private conversation. However, she also wanted to write a letter in which she apologised in advance and she has also put money in it.

When she arrived in the street, she noticed that a pale light came from Bert's window. Instead of whistling Chim Chim Cheree to announce herself, she went straight to the first floor and knocked.

—

Bert was sitting at the small kitchen table and counting his money when suddenly there was a knock on the door. A look at the clock told him that it was already one o'clock in the morning, who would come to visit him that late? Yawning, he went to the door and opened it: "Lizzy? Did somethin' 'appen to ya?" His voice and his eyes were worried.

"Nah, nothin' 'appened to me."

"What are ya doin' 'ere? It's the middle of the night…"

Elizabeth entered the apartment and her gaze inevitably fell on the puny pile of money on the kitchen table. Instantly, she felt even shabbier than before. "I wanted to give ya back what's yours."

"Huh?"

The teenager reached into her pocket and pulled out the three lighters and handed it to him: "'ere."

"I don't quite understand...", but then it shone on him, "Wait a minute, 'ave you-"

"Stolen from ya...", she finished his sentence; unable to look him in the eye.

Bert's facial features froze and he had to process that. Lizzy, the little girl he had raised more or less and whom he trusted blindly, stole from him. Slowly she turned her head to him and searched for the appropriate words:

"Believe me, Bert. I didn't want that an' ya can't imagine 'ow bad I feel. But-"

"Why?" His tone was monotonous.

"What?"

"Why did ya steal from me?"

"I… I…", she stammered, "I didn't want that! Really!"

"Oh, the lighters just fell into your pocket or what?" His tone was harsh; he had never spoken to her like that!

"Bert, ya have t' believe me! I 'ad t' do that! I was forced to! If I 'adn't done that I would 'ave been chased out of the neighbourhood!" Her voice trembled and tears welled up in her eyes. "I understand that you are mad but-"

"I'm not mad ... I'm deeply disappointed!" He turned away from her.

"Wait!"

"What?"

She held out the envelope: "There's money in 'ere ... as much as the three lighters would've cost."

"I don't want the money, Lizzy. I just don't want ya doing that… Besides, no one can chase ya out of the neighbourhood."

"Ya don't know them! They lurk everywhere and make your life a 'ell! "

"Well, if you'd do somethin' with decent people and not 'ang out with these criminals ... Maybe you wouldn't steal then." Bert was aware that she often stole something, but she said that she did only in shops, which are more or less run by rich. She saw herself in the relationship as a little Robin Hood. But that she stole from him, after all he had done for her, just disappointed him.

"Come on, Bert! 'ow many times do I 'ave t' tell ya? I'm sorry an' I feel shabby! But I had no choice! "

Silence.

"I mess me life with that shit..." she punched the wall with full force and then cursed briefly. The ankles instantly became thick and red and they began to bleed.

Bert could barely understand what she said, as she started to cry bitterly, and that sight hurt him more than anything else! He realised that she really regretted it and he believed that she would never have volunteered. So he took a few steps towards her and hugged her. And she apparently needed it because she clawed at his shirt and let her tears run. He stroked her back reassuringly. But the sentence made him hope - hope that she finally sees it and does a decent job. After all, she is already 16 years old. "You probably 'ate me now."

"I don't 'ate ya... I'm just disappointed."

She clung even more to his shirt: "I promise ya that I'll never do that again! I promise it with all me 'eart! You just don't deserve somethin' like that... you're like a father to me", as soon as the sentence was over she cried even more.

Bert paused and stiffened for a moment before a sad smile crept to his lips. "All right, Lizzy...", he stepped back and stroked her head, "I think it's best if we forget that and you go t' sleep, it's rather late."

"You're right," she sniffed and closed her jacket as she walked slowly towards the door.

"Where are ya goin'?"

"T' the orphanage..."

"Are you crazy? I won't let you run through this area at night! Not alone! I'll just get your pillow and blanket an' then ya can sleep on the sofa. "

While Bert brought the mentioned things, Elizabeth got a guilty conscience again. He really worried about her like a father... Of course, she was traveling alone more often at night, but she thought it best not to mention that. Her eyes fell on the sofa- she had spent a lot of time on that, and almost always when she had done something bad.

—

The next morning, Bert left the house before Elizabeth, without to wake her, and when he returned in the evening, everything was tidied up and cleaned. Even the canvases that stood around randomly were now stacked neatly in the corner.

Smiling, he looked around when he noticed a note on the table:

Hey Bert,

Thanks for letting me stay here last night.

And thank you for not yelling at me and forgiving me ...

I thought I tidy up your apartment... I hope you have nothing against it.

Lizzy

After examining everything, he was making tea when there was a knock. Yawning, he went to the door and opened it. "Hello Bert," Mary had her hair open; a rare sight, but Bert loved it.

As always when he saw her, his heart was doing somersaults, and butterflies spread in his belly.

"'ello", he kissed her, as always- but this time it was different, because she did not respond. "Everythin' okay?"

Instead of answering his question, she went into the room and looked around: "You cleaned up?"

"That was Lizzy... Please sit down" he went to the kitchen while Mary sat down on the sofa.

In the kitchen, Bert did not hurry - on the contrary. His eyes fell through the door and he studied Mary: she was strange and distanced. Something was wrong, the artist was sure about that.

The nanny raised an eyebrow and asked him: "Why does she clean up your apartment?"

"As apology, I guess...", he handed her the tea and sat down next to her.

"Did she do something?"

Silence.

A dark shadow settled over Bert's face as he thought through the words. "She stole somethin' from me yesterday ..."

"What!?", Mary was just horrified. She knew that Elizabeth would steal something at a time, but that she would steal something from Bert, she would never have believed it!

"She said that she didn't do it voluntarily... an' I believe 'er... At night she came over and took the lighters an' the right amount over and apologised a hundred times… I saw it… She really is sorry an' that she didn't want that... "

"So she was more or less forced to...", it was more a statement than a question.

"Yes, from her strange friends. But I'm glad she at least apologised... but she has changed..."

Silence.

Oppressive silence.

Unfortunately, this has been more common lately. Both were just sitting there, mutually silent. They knew something had changed between them, but nobody really wanted to see it. Bert was also just tired from all the work and Mary was out and about outside London again. The talks were more forced than wanted. And even the kisses were not what they used to be. It had been going on like that since December and now they were at a point where Mary finally wanted to talk about that.

Bert noticed Mary's strange mood and put an arm around her shoulder, hoping she would relax. But when he felt her stiffen, he took it away again and he repeated his question from just: "Everythin' all right, Mary?"

"No, Bert ..."

"What happened? Is it something with the new family? Are you feeling sick?" He took her hand in his, but she pulled back and crossed her arms.

Subconsciously, both moved away from each other and found themselves at the other end of the couch again.

"It's because of us."

"Because of us? What's the matter with us?" He did not understand.

"I beg you... For months we have been distancing ourselves more and more. Didn't you notice that? "

"I thought that was just a phase." Of course he noticed, but he did not want to admit it.

"This is not a phase...", her voice started shaking and Bert did not know what to do. But his feelings pushed the thoughts that told him it was wrong in the corner and he hugged her.

As soon as she was in his arms, she began to cry. After all, he was her constant, like a rock in the ocean. But this began to crumble - and that hurt her.

"Shhh" he stroked her back, "everything will be fine..." This whole situation reminded him of the conversation with Lizzy in the night and he got a sinking feeling in the stomach.

So they paused for a moment, until they broke away again. Mary looked at him with reddened eyes, shook her head and did what her mind told her all the time: "Bert...", she took a deep breath and trembled, "I think it's best if we don't see each other anymore… At least not in the in foreseeable time."

And that was when the strangest and hardest time of his life began.

That was the end of Part II

Please do not hit me :') I just wanna hug Bert…

I am really happy that you are following this story :) Thank you for 25 favs, 40 follows and over 7200 views! I REALLY appreciate this 3

I'm already working on Part III, but it needs a bit more research. This part will change a lot. I also planned to include old faces in this part and there will be a flashback chapter here and there :3

I hope you are back in Part III. From May 1st here in this story; D

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