The Forgiving Heart (The Heart of Minnesota Book 1) (3 page)

There was a moment of silence before the wife asked, “What happened to the passengers?”

“I don’t know. The Nazis didn’t kill them like I thought they might. They probably went off to one of those camps.”

Karlijna pres
sed her lips tightly together. The other passengers might have preferred death once they experienced the camp.

“How is it that the Nazi
s didn’t capture you and your boat?” the husband balanced a child on each hip as the captain secured the boat to the dock.

“They got my boat, alright,” the captain hopped to the dock and held out a hand to assist the ladies from the craft, “I got away from them because they didn’t think I was foolish enough to jump so they left me alone on my boat,”  

He winked at Karlijna, who turned her face into the hair of the child she still held, “Too bad for them, I’m foolish enough to do just that.”

“And the boat?” the wife asked.

“I had to buy a new one,” he shrugged, “I like this one better anyway. She’s got more speed.”

As they stood on the dock, Karlijna wondering where she should go next, a man resembling the captain approached them.

“Torkel,” the new arrival clapped the captain on the back before saying something in a language Karlijna could only assume was Swedish.

              “I told you I would,” the captain turned to the small group of refugees, “This is my brother, Leif .  He was doubting my abilities.”

Leif
shook his head, “Not your abilities,” he spoke now in German, “just your luck.  Kaaren is pacing the floor for you, so you’d better get home before she wears a hole in it.”

“Ah,” the captain nodded, “I must go to my wife.  God bless you.”

He would have hurried away, but the husband stopped him, “We can’t thank you enough, but we’d like to give you something for your trouble.”

To Karlijna’s amazement, the man pulled out a wad of bills and handed a large portion of them to the captain.

The captain waved off the money, “I’m not doing this for the money.”

“I know,” the younger man replied, “and I thank you, but if the time comes and you need to buy a third boat, this will help.”

The captain grinned and took the offering, “Thank you.”

Karlijna wished sh
e had something to offer the man but realized there was nothing she could give.  Her bundle contained only food and some personal items.  A look of horror crossed her face as she realized what she had done.

“What is wrong, dear?” the woman asked her.

“My things,” she cried out, “I left my things on the other boat.”

“Are you sure?” the husband asked
. “Maybe they are on this boat.”  He moved to board again.

“No,” she shook her head and looked down at the child who was now awake and staring at the scene unconcerned, “I
put them down to pick him up. I never got them again.”

              I’m sorry, Miss,” the captain frowned at her dilemma, “there’s no way to get it back now. You should be thankful you’re here safe with your family.”

              “This is true,” Leif inserted, “Another boat got caught tonight. Their ending won’t be so happy.”

Karlijna was about to correct the captain’s mistake about her family, but the husband spoke first, “Was the boat coming from Poland?”

“Yes,” the captain’s brother nodded, “It picked up a couple of people from Leba.  A husband and wife, I understand.”

CHAPTER THREE

Karlijna put the boy down on the dock next to his mother
and started into the streets. She didn’t know where she was heading, but thought that some motion would be better than standing all morning rooted to the spot. It occurred to her that a church would be the best place to start.

The girl had not eaten a decent meal since she left Mrs. Polaski’s
, and the effects were beginning to show. Her stomach had ceased to growl and was now beginning painful contractions. Knowing her legs would not carry her far if she didn’t get something to drink, at least, Karlijna crossed the street to what looked like a tavern.

She was about to enter the establishment when she heard a woman’s voice, almost frantic.

“Miss, wait!”
It would have meant nothing to Karlijna but that it was spoken in German and sounded like the woman from the boat.

Karlijna turned around.
It was the woman from the boat, and she was heading directly toward Karlijna, an anxious smile on her face.

“Please,” she held out one hand as if to stop Karlijna and placed the other to her
own chest, catching her breath “please don’t go. We want to be sure you are going to be alright.”

Karlijna took the woman’s hand, “I am sure I will be fine.”

“But,” the lady frowned a little, “I thought you said you had no family.”

Karlijna’s head was beginning to swim.

“Good,” a male voice joined them, but Karlijna couldn’t make out the face, “you found her.”

“Dear,” the woman spoke again, “have you any money, anywhere to go?”

Karlijna tried to answer them, but found her lips wouldn’t move. She tried to shake her head, but everything was getting so blurry, and she couldn’t tell if she was spinning or if it was the world around her.

The next thing the young girl knew, she was lying on a grassy rise, the concerned face
s of her fellow passengers swimming above her.

“She’s awake, Erich.”

A cup touched her lips and water slipped through them. It was not cold, but it was wet, a blessed  relief after the night’s journey.

“Slowly, now,” the woman spoke as the cup was moved out of reach, “you don’t want to become ill.”

Karlijna closed her eyes momentarily and pushed herself up from her inclined position. The effort was great, but she managed to steady herself.

“You gave us a scare,” the man
sat on his heels in front of her.

“I am sorry for the trouble,
” Karlijna cleared her throat. They were staring at her intently, and she could not miss the look of dismay on their faces.

The young girl could only assume they were afraid of
being burdened with her care. The fact that they had sought her out did not enter her head for one moment. She prayed for strength to stand.

“I thank you for your time,” she silently
commanded her legs to lift her. Their obedience was slow and uncertain.

“I should go on my way,” she dusted the dirt from her thin dress.

“Where will you go?” the woman gently held Karlijna’s arm as she spoke.

“Go?” Karlijna hoped these people didn’t think her daft, but she had no sensible reply to give.

The man rose and lifted two of the children into his arms, “Regina, we should get to Maurice’s house. He and Rachel will be worried for our safety.”

“Of course,” the woman slid her arm around Karlij
na’s waist, “Come along, dear. It is but a short walk to my brother’s house.”

Karlijna didn’t have the strength to resist, but she cou
ld not so easily comply. Where were they taking her and why?

“I don’t know your brother,” she argued softly.

Regina laughed softly, “I should think not.”

Karlijna was feeling lightheaded
again and couldn’t remember if these people were in charge of her. It would be nice to have someone in charge of her; she had been on her own for too long.

The walk was short.

Soon she was in the middle of a group of people, evidently not strangers to Regina and Erich.  There was confusion and celebration mixed. 

“You made it safely.”

“Thanks be to God.”

“Who was the captain?”

“Where is Julius?”

“Who is this girl?”

At the last question, all eyes turned to Karlijna. She self-consciously touched the scarves covering her short hair, grateful they had stayed intact.

Regina stepped forward, “This girl helped us on the boa
t. She carried Moshe for us. I don’t know if we could have moved quickly enough without her.”

Karlijna lo
oked at the woman in surprise. Regina had tears in her eyes.

One by one, the family came forward and kisse
d her on each cheek, repeating words, Karlijna didn’t recognize.

Karlijna’s confusion showed for Erich stepped forward and
whispered in her ear, “
Elohim yevarekh otakh,
” he said, “God bless you.”

After more commotion, the group entered the small house.

“You must be hungry,” a woman spoke as she pulled a loaf of bread from a cupboard.

“Maurice,” she spoke to a man standing nearby, “see if there is
fish to be had.  We must have a feast tonight.”

“Yes,” he nodded, “all our family has come together at last.”

The woman turned back to her guests with a laugh, “That is a joke. Here there is always fish to be had.”

The
activity went on around Karlijna without her participation. At one point someone asked her name. She hoped she had given a coherent answer. Someone maneuvered her into a chair on the edge of the room and pressed a cup into her hands. She took a sip and realized it was a broth of some sort. She managed to drink almost half of it before setting it aside.

“Karlijna where are you?” it was Mama’s voice.  Karlij
na hadn’t seen Mama for weeks. How was it that Mama was calling her now?

“I’m here, Mama,
” Karlijna tried to reply, but the words only came out in a whisper.

“Karlijna, is that you?” this time, it was Veronike who spoke as the younger child rounded the corner of the building.  The four-year-old’s hair had grown back, with its beautiful curls.

“Veronike,” Karlijna reached out her arms to her sister, “Veronike, you’re safe.”

Veronike shook her head
sadly, “You’re not Karlijna,” she backed away, “Karlijna has long hair.”

“Veronike,” Karlijna cried out, “it is me.  I am Karlijna. They cut my hair just l
ike they cut yours and Mama’s. Mine just hasn’t grown back yet.  Please, Veronike, come back.”

But the child disappeared from view, callin
g, “Karlijna, can you hear me? Karlijna.”

“Karlijna?” the voice did not belong to Mama or Veronike, but it was vaguely familiar.

“Karlijna,” the woman spoke again, “I think you should eat something.”

Karlijna opened her eyes. Where was she?
This was not home, nor even the camp, nor any of the other places she had seen in the past two months.

“Karlijna,”
Regina clasped her hand, “you’ve been asleep for hours. I think you should try to eat something.”

Karlijna sat up, realizing that she was now in a
different room, lying on a mat. It was not much, but it was not bug infested or moldy, and it did not smell like feces or death. It was the nicest place she had lain in months.

She took
the plate handed her, knowing she would not be able to eat all that was in front of her – it was more food than all she had consumed in the past week .

“Karlijna,” Regina waited only until Karlijna put some food into her mouth to begin speaking, “Is anyone expecting you here in Sweden?”

Karlijna shook her head, her chewing slowing.

“Are you. . .that is, do you. . . ?” the woman did not finish her question, but Karlijna understood her.

She swallowed and shook her head, “I am almost certain I have no family left, Regina.”

Regina looked as though she wanted to ask more, but closed her mouth and touched the plate, “Eat up, Karlijna
, and then see if you can sleep some more. We will talk more tomorrow.”

Karlijna did as she was told, surprising herself by eating the majority of the meal.  After she returned her plate to the kitchen, thanking the middle-aged woman who stood
cleaning at the sink, she lay down again on the mat and fell promptly to sleep.

“Well, Karlijna,” Erich greeted her the next morning as she came from the small ro
om, “It is good to see you up. You look as though you rested well.”

“I did, thank you,” her words
were directed toward Erich, but she looked around at the rest of the people in the room, wondering if she had met them the previous day.

Regina came out of the kitchen, “Karlijna, I think I shou
ld introduce you to my family. It was too much last night.”

Karlijna learned that Maurice was Regina’s brother
and his wife was Rachel. Also living in the house was their son, Julius, who was out on a fishing boat.

“You haven’t been forma
lly introduced to our children. This is Henry; he is eight. Moshe,” she pointed to the lad Karlijna had carried from the boat, “is three, and Helena is six months.”

Karlijna nodded to all of them,
“It is very nice to meet you. I wish I had a way to repay you for your kindness.”

Rachel stepped forwar
d, “There is no need for this. We are all here because of the kindness of others. Please stay with us for as long as necessary.”

“I do not wish to put anyone out of a room.”

Maurice laughed at that, “A room, you call it? That’s the old cheese house. The people who lived here before us made cheese.”

Rachel put in, “I scrubbed for two weeks before I realized the smell was never going to come out.  Does the odor bother you?”

Karlijna’s mind went to a certain train she had ridden, “I never noticed it,” was her earnest reply.