Chapter 9: Flashback Berlin, the beginning
April 6, 1932
Massimo was working quietly in his workshop, when he heard a noise coming from the ground floor of the building. Probably from the hall. He looked up when he heard a noise in the stairs, but nothing alarming, so he turned his attention back to the tiny wooden child's hand he was making for the cinema. From the end of the corridor on his floor, he could hear the voice of a young man speaking, or rather shouting in German and knocking violently on his door.
"Mister Massimo! Mister Massimo! Quickly we have to help him!"
Massimo stood up, his eyebrows arched in incomprehension. He had barely moved to the center of the room, when he heard the door of his workshop open and a young man, visibly panicked, appeared in front of him, with an unconscious woman in his arms.
"Please help her! She's going to die! Her legs were brutally cut off!" the young man shouted.
Massimo pushed everything on the work table in the center of the room to the floor to make room for the woman.
"What happened to her?" Massimo asked as he helped the young man place the woman's body on the table he had hastily prepared.
As he put the woman down, Massimo looked at her for a split second. She had a little blood on her face, she was unconscious, her two legs were sawn off below the knees, but despite everything, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She seemed to him like an angel fallen straight from the sky.
"Porn movies, where they decapitate women for the simple pleasure of it." the young man explained.
"How could they do that to her?" » Massimo shouted, unable to understand how someone could hurt such a beautiful woman so much.
"Are you going to be able to save her?" the young man asked.
"I'll do everything I can." Massimo replied, checking the woman's wounds.
"You have to save her."
Massimo quickly began to apply tourniquets to the woman's wounds.
"Do you know who did this to her?"
"No, I found her in a hotel room in Brandenburg. She was tied to the bed and bleeding profusely. I waited for the attackers to leave. She suffered so much, sir, if you only knew. I heard her scream. I heard the chainsaw."
"What's her name?" Massimo asked.
"I don't know, sir."
"You don't know her?"
"No, not exactly. I am one of her clients. She is known under the pseudonym Minette, but I do not know her real name. But she is not a prostitute, sir, we cannot touch her, and she does not really touch us either. She works in a brothel on Torstraße. Should we warn them? "
"No, definitely not. I have heard about her films. The initiators are dangerous people. I am convinced that they did not want her to stay alive. If they find out, they will want to find her to finish the job. You do not say anything, is that clear?"
"Yes, sir."
"They will probably want to kill you too, little one. For them, you are a witness."
"I will not say anything. I promise."
"I imagine that you do not know where she lives."
"I do not know, sir, I have never been able to find out. »
"What do you mean?"
"Well hear you, I like her Minette. I follow her in secret." The young man confessed, blushing.
"I see." Massimo replied, smiling inwardly.
"It's lucky I followed her today. Otherwise, I would never have heard her scream, and I wouldn't have been able to help her."
"It is indeed lucky." Massimo smiled.
"I had already heard about you in the army. I am a soldier. I hear you are an excellent prosthetist, so I brought her to you."
"You did very well. I will do everything to save her, and then, I will make her new legs."
Massimo continued to take care of the angel's wounds sleeping on his table.
Nearly an hour later, the young soldier had returned home. He had asked Massimo if he would be able to come back to see Minette the next day. Massimo had told him to wait at least a few days, to give her time to recover a little. Massimo cleaned the woman's wounds. Then, he gently wiped the blood from her pale face. She had such beautiful porcelain skin. He admired her.
"My angel, don't worry." Massimo began, in Italian, to the still sleeping woman, dabbing her face with a cool cloth.
He then heard her breathing quicken a little, then saw her open her eyes. He stopped his movements and looked into her eyes. As he suspected, she had beautiful eyes.
"No. Why are you looking at me? I'm hideous." The woman said, in Italian. She had obviously understood Massimo's words earlier.
"No." Massimo replied simply. This beautiful woman, such a beautiful angel, could not find herself hideous. It was inconceivable to her.
"Just a cripple. I will never be beautiful again." The woman continued, still in Italian.
"But your legs will be incredibly beautiful." Massimo reassured her.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Massimo Dolcefino. I am a carpenter and prosthetist. I will heal your wounds and then I will make you beautiful legs. And what is your name?"
"Elsa." The woman replied.
"I am delighted Elsa. Your Italian is excellent."
"I chose Italian as an optional course during my studies. But I am a little rusty."
"I will make you revise if you wish." Massimo laughed, making her smile a little.
A little later, Massimo had cleaned Elsa's wounds thoroughly. He was about to close them. He had prepared a syringe and approached Elsa.
"What's in there?" she asked in Italian.
"Penicillin. It's to keep the risk of infection at bay. I don't want you to die of an infection."
"For what it would change. Have you looked at me? I have no legs anymore. I'm hideous."
"You're absolutely beautiful Elsa, and trust me. I'll make you new legs. You'll see. Do you trust me Elsa?"
"I don't even know you."
"That's true. But an angel like you can't find herself hideous, it's inconceivable."
"An angel? You don't know me. Trust me, I absolutely do not deserve the title of angel. You should not waste your time and talent on me. If you knew who I was, you would throw me out on the street right now."
"And who are you Elsa?"
"You don't want to know."
"Yes. And what do you have to lose? Worst case scenario, I throw you out and you die." Massimo simply answered in a soft and soothing tone.
"I'm just a common whore. I was dragged into a film project that was supposed to make me a lot of money. Instead, I was mutilated and left for dead in a hotel room. So, what do you say?"
"I already knew that, and it doesn't change my opinion of you Elsa. And as far as I know, you are not a prostitute."
"You knew that?" Elsa asked curiously.
"You knew that one of your clients, a young soldier, had fallen in love with you. He follows you everywhere in secret. And today, if he hadn't followed you, you wouldn't be here."
"The little soldier. Scheiße. He should have left me here."
"Elsa, look me in the eyes. You will live. I want you to live Elsa." He said, touching the woman's arm, lying on the work table.
"Why are you doing this for me? I certainly don't have enough money to pay you and I have nothing left. I wouldn't be able to work anymore. Although, I must admit, that relieves me. »
"You won't owe me anything, Elsa."
"Why?" she asked the man who looked down.
"Because it's so unfair. You've been through hell in this room. How can men destroy a woman, such a beautiful woman, like that. And I'm not talking about physical damage, I'm talking about psychological damage. It's cruel and completely gratuitous. If I can make you reborn by making you new legs, I will."
"I think the angel here is not me." Elsa said looking him in the eye.
Massimo smiled at her and injected the penicillin into her thigh.
"Now I'm going to have to close your wounds. It might be painful, I apologize."
"I've already been through much worse today sir."
"Well, you're joking, that's positive." Massimo smiled.
"I don't know, being here with you is so soothing."
Massimo began to close the wounds. He saw the pain in Elsa's face.
"I'm sorry, my angel." He told her.
After finishing, Massimo offered her one of his shirts and a bathrobe, so that she would be more comfortable than in her black, blood-stained dress.
"Here, you'll be more comfortable in this. Unfortunately, I don't have a women's wardrobe."
"It worked out perfectly. Thank you. Hmm, but could you help me change?"
"Of course."
Massimo helped her take off her dress and then put on the shirt. He had to work hard not to look at her perfect little body. He was a gentleman and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. Later, Massimo had settled her into his bed, so that she could have a good night's sleep. He was about to return to his workbench, but was stopped by Elsa's words.
"Wait Massimo. Don't leave me alone."
"I'll be right over there, watch." He said, pointing to his workspace.
Massimo lived in a studio apartment. So the only closed room was the bathroom.
"Stay close to me."
Massimo saw the fear in his angel's eyes.
"I'm going to sit here until you're asleep." He said, walking over to the chair next to the bed.
"And where are you going to sleep?"
"On the couch over there." He said, pointing to the chair at the other end of the large room.
"I took your bed? That's absurd, I'm going to sleep on the couch."
"No way, I'm a gentleman Miss Elsa. You take the bed. »
"So, you're from Italy, I guess."
"What makes you say that?" Massimo laughed.
"I don't know, a hunch." Elsa smiled.
"I was born in Rome. I moved here a few years ago. To work in the cinema. I make props and prosthetics for movies at the cinema."
"You don't have any family there?"
"No, I'm an only child and my parents are deceased. I have a few cousins, but we're not close at all. But it's true that sometimes I miss my country. Italy is beautiful and so peaceful. And you're German, I think."
"Yes, how did you guess?"
"I don't know, a hunch." Massimo joked, making Elsa laugh.
"I was born in a small village about an hour from Berlin. I'm an only child. Actually, I had a sister. She was born two years before I was born, but she died a few months later. I have an aunt who lives in France. I was always a rather lonely child. I was only interested in one thing, music. "
"Hmm so you are a musician."
"Sort of. I have been playing the piano since I was 5 or 6 years old. What I like the most is singing. But I have never been able to find work as a singer. I needed money to live, that's how I fell into the world of prostitution. It was my dream you know, to be a singer, a real one. Like Marlène."
"You know, I am convinced that one day, you will realize that dream."
"Impossible. And I tried. There is nothing to be done."
"I believe in you Elsa. I have never heard you sing, but I am sure your voice is exquisite. And if you put so much effort in your rehabilitation, you will be walking much faster than you think."
"How long could it take?" Elsa asked.
"It depends on several factors, but I would say several months. The time for your injuries to heal, to make your new prosthetics and then to learn how to use them. It could be well over a year." Massimo explained warmly.
"Scheiße." She said simply.
"It will be fine. Don't worry. You will stay here as long as you need." He answered her.
"Thank you." She told him.
"Everything will be fine, you will see. Trust me." He added.
After a few moments, Massimo saw that Elsa was falling asleep peacefully. He silently moved away to his workbench to work a little. He was lost in his thoughts more than he was working. He was thinking about Elsa. He turned around a few times to see her sleeping for a few moments. He wanted more than anything for her to be well, despite the situation. He looked at her, again and again. Every time his eyes landed on her, his heart did acrobatics. It was love at first sight.
April 10, 1932
A few nights later, Massimo was sleeping on the couch. He heard Elsa wake up with a start. He knew she had a nightmare about her attack, she had them every night. She let out a loud scream, then he heard her cry. He jumped up and almost ran to her. He quickly turned on the lamp on the bedside table next to the bed.
"Elsa, shush, it's over. I'm here. You're safe." Massimo said calmly, hugging her.
"Why did they do this to me?" Why? » Elsa sobbed.
« I know Elsa. Shh. Calm down. »
Massimo noticed Elsa's face scrunched up in pain.
« Elsa, are you in pain? » he asked.
« My legs hurt. And they sting too. I don't understand. »
« It's normal. They call them phantom pains. They don't last, but they're real. »
« I'm sick of it. » Elsa cried into the nightgown Massimo was wearing.
« I have an idea. Just wait for me a minute. » he said as he walked away towards the cupboards in the small kitchen.
Massimo came back with 2 glasses and a bottle of Italian wine.
"Look, this was my mother's favorite. She said that red wine soothed the head and the heart."
Elsa smiled at him and made room for him in the bed. He sat down next to her and they clinked their glasses. They talked for almost two hours, before they both fell asleep in the bed. Massimo woke up first, because of the sun's rays. He looked around, and realized that he was in his bed. He was leaning against the headboard. He had fallen asleep like that. He looked down, and saw Elsa asleep, her head on his chest, half sitting up. She looked so peaceful, he hadn't seen her sleep so peacefully since they brought him to him. He didn't want to wake her, so he didn't move a muscle. He just watched her sleep. He was in love, but he didn't want to rush her or obstruct her work. He had to focus on designing perfect legs and she, on healing herself.
April 14, 1932
As the days went by, he fell more and more in love with this woman. It hurt, really hurt, because he knew she would never be interested in him. How could she, she was of incomparable beauty, while he was graying. He had nothing splendid to offer her, he often worked voluntarily to help people who could not afford his services. She deserved the best.
July 12, 1932
The weeks passed, and Elsa's wounds healed wonderfully. After almost 4 months of healing, Massimo finally had the necessary measurements to start making the plan for Elsa's prostheses. Before that, the wounds were not ready. He started making the new legs twice, because it wasn't good enough for his taste, not to mention the dozens of plans he had drawn before finding perfection. He was particularly meticulous, because he wanted nothing less than perfection for his angel.
February 21, 1933
The day Massimo had completed Elsa's prosthetics. He had been working on it for several months already. Elsa had been with him for 10 months now. Her injuries were completely healed and ready to receive prosthetics. The challenge had been great. He wanted them to be perfect for Elsa. She deserved nothing less than perfection. They were the most beautiful and strongest prosthetics he had ever made. He was particularly proud. He went straight to Elsa, who had fallen asleep in bed. He fitted her new prosthetics, which woke her from her sleep. He looked at her, proud and happy. "Here is Elsa. Forget what you know and let my legs carry you." Massimo said as he put on a pair of stockings that hid the wood of her fake legs.
Elsa looked at her new legs, amazed. She smiled. A ton of brick had just fallen off her shoulders, and it showed in her face.
"Massimo, I… I don't know what to say. They are perfect. You are a true artist."
"A simple carpenter." He smiled at her.
March 30, 1933
Days and weeks passed, and Elsa learned, slowly but surely, to move with her new legs. First, she had to learn to stand and balance, which was a challenge for her. Massimo always helped her stand and balance. He was patient and reassuring. When she felt like giving up, he was there for her and found something for Elsa to hold on to and persevere with. She greatly appreciated his help and his presence. She often told him that without him, she wouldn't make it. Massimo used to tell her that he was just the crutch she needed, that she was doing the journey herself.
June 2, 1933
Massimo was sitting at his workbench working on an order he had been given for a theater prop. He heard a noise behind him, he heard Elsa who had just fallen to the ground. He turned around and saw her, struggling to her feet, on her prosthetics. She had managed to stand up on her own for the first time. He quickly noticed that she was having trouble keeping her balance. He stood up and took barely a step or two toward her.
"Stay there. You'll walk." » He told her in Italian with a warm smile and eyes full of love and pride.
He ran towards her, because he felt that she was going to lose her balance. He caught her just in time. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He wasn't sure if it was to support herself or just to hug him. He secretly prayed for the second option. He slowly moved away from her to look her in the eyes and speak.
"Vedi il angel mio, camminerai. (Translation: You see my angel, you will walk.)" he told her warmly.
"È più difficile di quanto immaginassi. ( Translation: It's harder than I thought it would be.)" She answered him in increasingly clear Italian.
"Sono così orgoglioso di te. (Translation: I'm so proud of you.)" he added, gently moving away from her to help her keep her hard-won balance.
August 1, 1933
As the weeks went by, Elsa was becoming more and more adept at using her prosthetics. She could now take at least 4 or 5 steps without losing her balance. Massimo had decided to celebrate. He had bought all the ingredients needed to make a homemade Neapolitan pizza. A traditional Italian dish. He had also bought a nice pair of high-heeled shoes from a boutique. Elsa would soon be able to practice with them. He wanted to surprise her. He had also bought a charming, elegant dress to go with the shoes. When Massimo returned home, he noticed Elsa lying on the floor. He dropped his bags on the ground and rushed to Elsa.
"Elsa! Elsa." He said as he knelt down next to her.
Elsa woke up. Massimo sighed loudly in relief at seeing her open her eyes.
"Um, Massimo." She said sleepily.
"What happened?" He asked as he moved a strand of his platinum hair behind his ear.
"I managed to get to the bathroom by myself. But when I wanted to go back to bed, I fell. I was too exhausted to get up by myself, I waited for you to come back but I fell asleep."
"Angel mio, you should have waited for me to come back to try such an adventure."
"I thought I could do it by myself." She said, disappointed by her failure.
"But it's an excellent lead. From the bed to the bathroom, it's at least ten steps." He smiled at her.
"You always have the right words." She answered him, cupping his cheek.
Massimo slowly closed his eyes to make the most of Elsa's touch on him. After a few moments, she removed her hand and noticed the bags on the floor.
"You bought a lot of things." She said.
"Yes, everything we need to prepare a delicious Italian meal." He smiled at her.
"Oh yes. And what are we eating?" She asked.
"È una sorpresa. (Translation: It's a surprise.)" He smiled at her.
Massimo helped Elsa up. And helped her to the bed.
"Rest Angel mio, I'll prepare dinner." He added, helping her remove her prosthetics.
After a good hour and a half, the pizza was in the oven. He glanced at the bed, as he had done several times while he was cooking. Elsa had been asleep for at least an hour. He went to his bags, and took out the dress and shoes. He put them at the foot of the bed. Elsa would check them as soon as she woke up. He then went to his dresser, silently, so as not to wake her. He took out a nice shirt and clean pants and went to take a shower. Coming out of the small bathroom, he saw Elsa waking up. He leaned against the bathroom doorframe and looked at her. She sat up and noticed him. She gave him a soft smile before noticing the dress and shoes on the foot of the bed. She looked up at him with a wide smile.
"È per me? (Translation: Is it for me?)" she asked.
"Naturally Angel mio." " He answered her.
She moved with her arms to go and get the dress and shoes. She unfolded the dress to admire it.
" Massimo, bellissima. "
" Solo le più belle per Angel mio. " He smiled at her.
He left her a few more moments to admire her new feminine effects and then spoke.
"In modo che tu ti senta bella comme quella che vedo quando poso gli occhi su di te. (Translation: So that you feel as beautiful as what I see when I lay my eyes on you.)"
She smiled back at him before noticing the smell that was slowly filling the workshop.
"Mmm, it smells so good." She expressed.
"Mettiti il tuo bel vestito, stasera è una serata di festa. (Translation: Put on your pretty dress, tonight is a party night.)" He told her.
"Oh, and what exactly are we celebrating?" she asked.
"Your wonderful progress, Angel mio." He told her.
She smiled back at him. He smiled back at her, then went back to the stove to give her a few moments of privacy to change. A few minutes later, he heard her straining. He saw her trying to stand up with the shoes on. He rushed over to help her find her balance.
"Sai, forse è un po' presto per gli sport estremi. (Translation: You know, it might be a little early for extreme sports.)" He told her after wrapping his arms around her small body.
"If you help me, I should be able to make it to the table at least. Once I'm seated, I'll feel comfortable with it."
"Piacere mio. (Translation: With pleasure.)" He told her before helping her.
The meal went extremely well. They were laughing and feeling good together. Massimo had a few moments where he might have wanted to take a step towards her, like kiss her, but he didn't dare in the end. He didn't want to do that to her. She had to focus on her rehabilitation. He didn't want her to feel indebted to him and uncomfortable with him after that.
"It's completely unreal, I haven't felt this normal, this woman in months. Massimo, it's all thanks to you. Thank you so much."
"I just did my job Elsa."
"No. It's so much more than that. Yes it's true, my new legs have a lot to do with it, but I'm not talking about that. With you I don't feel like a small thing. I feel normal, like a simple woman, and it feels so good."
"You're a woman like any other Elsa." Massimo smiled at her.
"You know what I mean." She smiled at him.
After the meal, the two of them settled down on the couch to read a book. Elsa got up first to go to sleep. Seeing her get up, Massimo put down his book and then got up too. He did as he always did, staying a step or two behind her and holding her elbow for stability until he reached his destination.