Thanks Fyre and Water for noticing my mistake! Here's the updated version, glad people are enjoying it! :) xx
Liesel finished sweeping the floor of the mayor's office before giving it a good polish. There was books tossed aside and drinking glasses left out, it's like the mayor was making things harder for her as it never used to be this messy.
Since the mayor found out about the books he all but fired her and now Liesel is to clean the entire house every other day and even tend to the garden. She was no gardener but if a plant were to look droopy then she'd be in trouble.
She did worry about Ilsa who had ever so kindly given her freedom to read and be as normal as a girl can be in Nazi Germany, she was afraid she recoiled in to shell even more.
The job was hard job but not as hard as being a secretary where she'd be swept off her feet from start to finish. The lady who replaced her took sympathy with her, giving her forced smiles as Liesel wiped the desk that was now covered in cigarette ash. Liesel hated her and wanted none of her fake compassion. Still, at least whilst cleaning Liesel could day dream about Max.
Liesel blushed at the thought of Max. One month had passed since the night they slept side by side together, his muscular arm wrapped around her waist and hand clutched tightly in hers. She had never felt so alive, she had never had so much contact to a man before, especially a man older than her. Sure she had flings in school but it was never anything more than childish fooling around. Max made her happy just by being in the same room as her. He always cheered her up even though he was the one hiding from death.
He returned to his own bed the next night and she couldn't help but feel the loss, but at least he was just a few feet away from her and they could still talk until they fell asleep.
Liesel put away the cleaning products and took her coat off the hanger. No one was around, at least not anyone that she could see. She hadn't seen Isla since the day the mayor walked in on them in the library.
Liesel was eager to stop by the store and get Max and her mother a loaf of bread with the few coins she had left. It was time they ate something that wasn't soup, she could feel her energy draining as of late, they could all do with a pick up.
Of what money she had saved it had to be spent on new clothes and food for the three of them, everything was expensive now and people were running low on money, it was starting to become a fight for survival.
"Liesel!" She turned to see Fritz, a man who worked alongside the mayor and had a reputation for being a brute. He was the cunning type who would be nice to you in front of people but then point a gun at your head the second they were gone.
"Yes, Mr Goldenhann?"
"How are you these days? I heard about your father, I am sorry for your loss." Liesel looked in to his dead, pale blue eyes, eyes that show no remorse for her father at all.
"Thank you Mr Goldenhaan, it is a struggle for everyone who has lost someone, although he is not completely lost to us, just doing his duty. I am fine, and you?"
"Yes, very well. Can I walk you out? It is a beautiful day today." Liesel eyed his appearance, a daunting six foot leaned over her, blocking the sun from her body. She had to keep on his good side no matter how much she wanted to punch him or scream 'Go to hell!' at him. He was a monster, like the rest of the minions of Hitler who were putting her people in danger and she wanted nothing to do with them.
"Oh, yes why not, thank you." Although her hated for him was almost surfacing Liesel had to keep up good appearances, and surely a walk to the garden gate wouldn't hurt?
They walked through the flourished garden in silence. Liesel clutched to her coat in her arms and stopped when they left through the gate and Fritz got in his car.
"Would you like a lift home? It's no problem." Suspicious of his kindness Liesel declined, saying that the weather was too nice to miss. With a nod and a shrewd smile Fritz drove away leaving Liesel with the shivers, not realising her fist had been clenched the entire time.
When Liesel got home she placed the loaf of bread on the kitchen table and her mother gave her a hug, she had become more affectionate since papa had left to war. Max was down in the basement so she took them both a cup of tea down.
"Hey, how was work?" Max was re-reading an old book under a faulty light bulb in the corner on the floor. It was cold and damp and no place for anyone to be sitting. He had a blanket wrapped around him on top of his new cardigan and his hair was swept back neatly.
Liesel slumped down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed the book down to wrap an arm around her, rubbing her cool skin in comfort.
"Cleaning isn't as fun as I thought it would be. It's almost as if people make a mess on purpose. I hate it there."
"Well at least you still have a job."
"Yeah, I guess. It's calmer anyway. What have you been doing?"
"I tried writing today. But I lack the inspiration." He showed Liesel his notebook that she gave him a week ago. It was part of her things from her job as secretary where she took notes and messages, but no longer needing it she ripped the pages out and gave it to Max.
"I'm sorry you can't go outside, it's not worth the risk."
"I know. At least I have you to tell me about things."
"You want to hear about the weather today?" Max's face lit up with excitement, it had been weeks since he saw the sky, even at night he tried to catch a glimpse of the stars from the window, but outside chatter scared him away.
They spent the next few hours talking about their favourite things about spring and summer, why they loved the vibrant colours and what the heat of the sun felt like on their skin, what flowers were the prettiest. They were caught in a day dream together and shared the same desire to be in the sun. The thought of summer seemed a million miles away now.
As Max got up to stretch his legs Rosa came running down the stairs.
"Liesel! Come quick it's the siren! We must get to the shelter." Rosa ran back up to put on her coat and take her suitcase of emergency equipment.
"Max." Liesel turned to him, not wanting to leave him alone in danger.
"Well, go on. I'm in the basement, I will be safe here." His hair fell over his eyes and she reached up to brush it away.
"Then why can't I stay here with you?" Anxiety soared through her at the thought of him being here alone during an air raid. She felt two hands on her shoulders grip her tightly.
"You have to go Liesel. I'll be here when you get back. Now go, quickly!" He kissed her head and she felt her body ignite again before reluctantly turning to run out the house.
In the shelter it was icy cold and people sat close to keep warm holding their loved ones tightly in their arms. Rosa had a suitcase prepared which contained blankets and a pillow so her and Liesel huddled together with them, sharing a nervous smile each trying to comfort the other.
Many of the children chatted and giggled not realising the danger they were in, but maybe that was a good thing. Their singing at least drowned out the noise of the planes flying over. Liesel's mind kept wandering to Max hoping that he was safe in that lonely basement and the loud planes in the sky would not see Himmel Street and fly right over it.
Over the course of two hours there were sixteen bombs that were dropped in the distance falling upon everyone's ears, they held hope they wouldn't come closer and prayed for the poor souls who were under attack. Before long there was silence. Once the silence stretched for over an hour the guards let everyone out, it was now safe to return home.
Rosa and Liesel wished their blessings to their friends and neighbours, hugging them goodnight and headed home with clutched hands until they got to the steps to their house. They hurried inside and locked the door with haste. Still scared, they made sure not to turn any lights on.
Liesel ran straight to the basement. She knew nothing happened to Max but she still needed to see him with her own eyes, feel him with her own hands.
"Max!" Her voice shook, why was she so worried?
It was pitch black and she couldn't see anything as she tripped her way down the last step. But to her relief a body slammed in to hers and enveloped her body to his.
"Oh Max! I was so worried."
"It's okay Liesel, we are all alright." He pulled the light on above them so he could see her panicked face. He hated seeing her scared or anxious or anything other than full of smiles.
"That was so awful, Max. I thought you'd be hurt, the bombs were so loud."
"I heard them, but they didn't come close. I'm fine, Liesel, look at me." He held her face under the low bulb that illuminated both their faces. She scanned his gentle face, thanking God for sparing both their lives tonight. His deep, chocolate eyes sank in to hers and her hand came up to cup his cheek, ignoring the scratchy feeling of his shaggy stubble that peppered his face.
They stood there just absorbing each other's presence, not taking their eyes off one another's and all that could be heard was their breathing. Max knew then, that he felt something for Liesel. She was the only person in the world that cared about him, that wanted him to live, and in that moment his heart felt something he had never felt before. She watched his eyes fall to her lips and her breath hitched, she wanted nothing more in that moment than his touch.
"Liesel..." But he couldn't, not yet. So Max released her and turned to the stairs.
"Come on, you should get your rest it's been a long night." As much as Max wanted to take Liesel in his arms right there, he wouldn't let himself get caught in the moment when one day he could be taken away from her. He wouldn't put her through that, it was selfish.
Liesel's chest raised and sank quickly in disappointment but respected Max's boundaries and followed him upstairs to their bedroom.
The moments before she fell asleep were always the same. She would be looking at Max as the pale moon light shone on his face, watching as his eyes fluttered closed. But tonight they were both so frightened by the bombs they sought comfort in each other and had reached their hands out to hold. Neither let go of touch or gaze as the minutes ticked away, both desperately tired but unable to close their eyes.