Chapter 1 Edwin/Ana: nightmares, memories and the future
Edwin's point of view
It was 7am on a Monday morning. I was already up and working, fetching the eggs from the chickens and mucking them out and feeding them, when I heard a terrified scream. I put the last of the eggs in the basket I was carrying and went into the house… the scream came again…
"That sounded like Ana…" I muttered…
I put the eggs on the counter and scurried upstairs so as not to wake Mr Stark.
"Ana… it's a bad dream… wake up… you're safe…"
Ana sat straight up and her eyes popped open. Her hair was on end… I knew that look…
"The last day of the Ghetto, again?"
"Yes…"
"Have you ever told anyone what was done to you there?"
"No… I've never spoken of it… I don't normally think about it while I'm conscious."
"Come, shower and dress, while I'm mucking out the hens you can tell me."
"OK"
Ana showered and dressed. She fixed her hair and put the eggs away in the pantry. She kept 3 out for Mr Stark's breakfast. An omelette with cheese, toast, with butter, two, and a half cups of coffee, with creamer and half a teaspoon of sugar and a small bowl of cereal with slightly warmed milk because he normally had very little time to have lunch when he was working.
"All right, I'll muck them out, you feed them." I said.
"OK"
Ana sprinkled feed for the chickens and while she did she talked of the dissolution of the ghetto… tears streamed down her face as she spoke.
"I was 18 when my mother, sisters, and cousins were taken to Auschwitz. I hear their screams… in my nightmares. I had hidden in the highest part of the loft… there was a little platform. It was sturdy and… comfortable, and that's where I stayed, and they never found me."
"That's how we met…"
"Yes"
I had risked everything – my job, my welfare, my livelihood, even my life to save Ana. I had to give up my British Citizenship and get a green card. Fortunately, I had befriended Mr Stark, and he gave me a job as his butler. He sponsored me so that I could get my green card and then my citizenship. Mr Stark's friend Mr Stane sponsored Ana… and she got her green card, but she couldn't get her citizenship until we got married.
Ana smiled, her beautiful green eyes lit up. I swept her into my arms and spun her around… when I was good and dizzy, we kissed.
"I need to get some work done, Mr Stark will be waking up soon, I need to start his breakfast"
"OK, I'm going to make the grocery inventory."
I finished mucking out the chickens and swept the walk. I took the horses out of the barn and gave them breakfast, then I mucked them out. Next, I dealt with the rest of Mr Stark's menagerie and made myself presentable to help him get ready for the day…
