The Cuckoo's Song

Chapter Twelve

Everyone had noticed a definite change in Anna over the past few days. She seemed lighter, more playful. She had started teaching the Americans some German card games as well as a few German phrases to help the locals warm to them.

They all tried to help out with watching Elli; Sam and Hollywood wanted to let Anna and Abe spend as much alone time together as possible. Abe had made it plain to them that he wasn't ready to lose her, and they were all concocting plans on how to bring the sisters along. They were hiding it from Tread until they came up with something viable, though. It had to be fool proof.

Hollywood, Sam and Ewie were all spending the evening with Anna and Elli whilst Abe and the others were out on patrol. The other neighbourhood children were no longer apprehensive of the Americans and had joined them all for a game of tag. Sam and Ewie were chasing all the children as Hollywood and Anna watched them happily from the side lines as the light began to fade.

Hollywood clearly felt terrible for his earlier behaviour and had been trying his hardest to get to know Anna. It was certainly nice to be able to converse with someone in her native tongue, and she really appreciated the effort he was putting in. He was a musician, playing guitar, bass and piano. They talked a lot about music, and he told her stories about his home in Mississippi. It turned out that his housekeeper was German, which is why he was so fluent. He showed her pictures of his older brother Mike, and younger sister Mavis.

Anna did the same with the photographs of her parents. But not Hans, Karl and Freddie. She was still very protective of them.

"So tell me," said Hollywood, drawing Anna's attention away from the game, "you and Abe-"

"What about us?" she asked quickly, her cheeks already flushed.

"You seem very close."

"Yes, I suppose we are," she mumbled.

Hollywood shifted closer to her. "You know, there is nothing wrong with you two falling for one another."

"I know," she murmured unconvincingly.

"Wouldn't your fiancé have wanted you to move on?"

Anna laughed. "It's plain that you never met him. He was very possessive."

Hollywood grinned. "All right, perhaps not then. But why would you not want to be happy with Abe? He's a great man-"

"The best of men," she said quietly.

Hollywood's smile grew even more. "You should never turn down a chance for love," he continued. "Especially after everything you've been through. You should seize every opportunity."

"Sounds like strange advice from the man that famously can't keep it in his trousers."

"Yes, well," he said, taking a deep sigh. "Just between us two, it's a load of shit."

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Not that I haven't been with lots of women," he said, Anna rolling her eyes, "but, I do want to settle down."

"Then why not say that?"

"Because it's far easier than facing the truth... that I've never met a woman that hasn't chewed me up and spat me back out," he said, their eyes locking. "I know how horrible it is to feel like you've fallen in love, only to realise that it was a lie."

"Hans didn't lie about loving me," she protested. "Just everything else."

"In any case, don't let a chance with someone as great as Abe pass you by."