As time dragged on. Christof began noticing significant changes, the vomiting and aversion to certain smells gradually morphed into heartburn, weight gain and fatigue. By this time, it had been roughly 6 months since he and Anna had seen each other. Within the next couple months, his division would be transported to Poland to oversee order in Auschwitz.
He felt as though he were losing his mind. Like something was shifting his organs. That night, the German lie awake in his bunk. He just couldn't get comfortable. Lazily lying a hand on his stomach, within moments, his palm was met with what felt like a slight nudge. His eyes widen.
"Was zur Hölle?!"
He gasps in a panic, inadvertently raising his voice higher than intended. Thankfully, the others were basically comatose."Nein, dies kann nicht sein passieren" he thought. Feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him, he knew instantly what was going on. Mentally running through the past 6 month timeline, he was pregnant.
"Scheiße"
He growled. How could he be so stupid? To become pregnant in the middle of a war? But perhaps most astonishing was the fact no one picked up on it. The sickness, the additional weight, nothing. However, even before the revelation, he'd been relatively innovative on ways to hide the weight gain.
Now, unfortunately. No matter the level of innovation, it was only a matter of time before the men grew wise. He lets out a deep sigh, watching as the curvature of his stomach fell with it. Hearing nothing but the beating of his own heart and heavy sleeping of the others.
A brief contemplation of abortion flashed through his brain. Perhaps Mengele could work him in a favor. Then he felt it move again, banishing the thought swiftly. He may not have been pleased with this discovery. But this baby was his responsibility, now. A small smile crept across his face, and his hand returning to the area he felt the baby stir.
"Ich werde dich sorgen"
He whispered to his unborn child. Finally conceding to his fatigued state and shut his eyes to fall asleep. Hand still laying over the area, protectively.
Once he had awaken, some 5 hours later. Christof wanted to try and reach Anna by phone and inform her of this unintended news. He knew there was one in the secretary's office, however, she may be rather displeased with officers requisitioning it for personal calls.
Suddenly remembering there was an extra pair of silk stockings he'd forgotten to give the nurse on their first meeting alone together. Perhaps use it to his advantage as a cajole to use the phone.
Slowly, he approaches the office. Lightly knocking on the open doorframe. This, in turn, startled the poor girl. He chuckles softly.
"Entschuldigung, Fraülein Christian. Darf ich das Telefon benutzen?"
He was so charming, it was nearly impossible for any woman to say no. He smirked and dangled the pair of stockings in front of her. She couldn't help but flash a small smile, almost immediately becoming putty in his hands.
"Okay, fünf Minuten"
She informs him, reaching out to retrieve the silk from his grasp. He wasn't quite sure how to he would explain his personal call was in English. Though chances were, she was probably so grateful to receive such a rare and rationed commodity, she'd most likely just overlook it.
He couldn't risk her being privy to the bombshell that was moments away from being relayed to the American nurse. But then he realized, she didn't understand a word of English. He gives a deep sigh of relief. Fraülein Christian returning to her paperwork.
The German positions his index finger in the groove of the rotary dial and waits anxiously for someone on the other line to answer. He hears a metallic-like clink, before a rather heavily Southern accented nurse could pick up the receiver.
"Hello, American Red Cross. Dolly speakin' "
Christof swallowed nervously. Rather unsure of how precisely he should proceed. He takes a moment to clear his head and try to focus on his subpar American English.
"Yes..Anna Brooks, bitte?"
Slamming his eyes shut with frustration, as he impetuously slipped back briefly into his mother tongue. Quite to his astonishment, the phone made its short journey to the intended recipient. The girl's voice sounded distracted, her usual relaxed nuance had been replaced by harried tone.
"Yes, hello?"
Finally utters a familiar voice. He knew she had precious little time. He had to get this over with. Anxiously swallowing a gulp of air before continuing.
"Ja..Anna.. this' Christof, listen..so..I'm (suddenly, his words are drowned out by the agonized screams of an American soldier in the background that had just been admitted. She gives an abrupt, tensive sigh)
—"Christof, whatever it is, say it now! I have to go!"
Again, he takes in a large gulp of air. Directing his gaze to this floor, as he watched his feet shift from a combination of anxiety and discomfort. Bringing a hand up to massage the back of his neck, it almost seemed like time crawled to a snail's pace. It was almost as though he could feel he vexation through the phone line. He sighs once more.
"I... just wanted to say... you're going to be a.."
Before he could even finish, the abrupt metallic clink sound returned, and then.. nothing but dead airspace. His heart sank, however, last thing he wanted was the secretary catching wind of his affairs and current emotions. He returns the classic black phone to its hook. Unsure of what to do next. The woman's gaze shifts from the silk on her desk, towards the soldier. She gives a small smile.
"Ist alles in ordnung?"
She inquired. A certain, compassionate inflection behind her tone. As if she wasn't asking because she felt obligated, or it was what was expected. But because she genuinely did care. He attempts to give a small smile, making his way back out the open door. He gives yet another heavy sigh, before nodding his head with a fraction of the energy.
"Alles ist okay"