Every Tiny Dancer

Chapter 1: The Lady on the Ladder

Max walked in on a cold Wednesday night, as usual he headed toward the fiction section. He never came in on Wednesday, but he had the urge to read, at least that's what he chalked it up to be.
"Your usual novel sir?"

A girl on a ladder in a long, pale blue dress spoke. She stuck her thick metal reading glasses in the pocket of her old sweater.

"Yes ma'am." He looked up to meet her eyes. She handed him a copy of The Man Who Took Trains. She climbed down from the ladder she standing on and headed toward her desk at the front of the library.

She took a card, scrawled his name and the date in messy handwriting, stamped the return date, and handed him the card. She retrieved her coat and messenger bag from behind her desk, he waited for her at the door, she closed the library for the night.

They parted ways and left for home. He watched her silhouette disappear into the distance. Her name was Clover Frizzell, a poet's daughter.

Many hours into the night, Max and his mother awoke to a terrible commotion outside. The sights were monstrous; arson, looting... among other things. With the outcome being mass arrests of Jewish people. Max and his family were in danger.

He was thinking far too much in spur of the moment as he packed. When would he see his mother again? When would he see Clover again? Wouldn't they worry for him?

His mother sent him on his way, he knew it was for his safety, but he didn't want to leave. He knew what would happen if he stayed, and he knew what fate awaited his mother. He made his way toward Himmel Street.

Clover looked out her window. The sky was dark crimson red with ash from the fires and arson in town. She noticed a tall, thin man wondering down the street toward the Huberman's house. It was Max. She stared at him for a minute. She was snapped out of her trance by her tea kettle whistling. Her stepfather took it off the stove, her mother continued writing. They drank their tea silently, Clover went back to her room.

She checked on her sisters and went to bed. She thought about Max. So many things went through her mind. Was he okay? Why was he down here? She didn't sleep very well that night.

In the morning, she stayed busy baking. She delivered pies to her neighbors. She took orders for her stepfather's business. She counted all the orders and made deliveries for the day.

She read the bottom of her list:

Apple pie, Rosa and Hans Huberman

She knocked on the door. It was answered by Hans.

"Good morning, Clover."
"Good morning, Hans. I have Rosa's pie."

Rosa walked up to the door. "Clover," she gestured, "Please, come in." She stepped into the house. Liesel smiled as she stepped in. Rosa took the pie and put it on the table.

"Liesel," Rosa looked at her, "This is Clover. Her stepfather is the baker across the street."

Max perked up a little. He heard the familiar voice of his best friend. He peered over the railing slightly, he caught a glimpse of the beautiful girl that gave him a book the previous night. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was there.

"How is Miriam these days?" Hans peered up his accordion. "She's doing okay. Her writing is doing very well, she had a poem published in the newspaper recently."

Rosa handed Clover a few coins as she spoke with Hans. "Tell your mother I said hello." Clover finished her conversation with Hans and returned home.

Max, in his sickly state, decided he would see her once he was well again. He loved the lady on the ladder.