Chapter 8 Sisterhood
Immediately after the walk, I finish the last of my chores and rush to visit Marie; she sees that I am progressing slower than usual and insists that Nachum and I go home. As soon as we have eaten, we sprawl out on the bed fast asleep.
The next day I go through my chores and rush for my Spanglish lesson with Marie. Nachum and I go for Ilona at about noon.
“You are a heathen,” she remarks before we are halfway away from the barracks.
“If you hate me, you have made it completely clear. It would be great if there could be silence.”
“Who says I hate you?”
“You…you insult me and Nachum nearly every time you open your mouth.”
“He’s a dog, he doesn’t understand.”
Nachum looks at her, his fur bristling.
“Ja, he does,” I correct.
“Fine, whatever, I’m sorry. I am impressed by your character and because you speak German. You have a dignity about you despite your blood. You almost have the ideal ladylike air.”
“Almost?”
“Yes, just almost, because you are nowhere near ladylike. You are just a heathen.”
“A heathen?!”
“Calm down, now, I’ll teach.”
I don’t know if I said I want to be taught how to be ladylike, but Ilona teaches me for an hour. The whole hour is spent on the way I walk. She makes me stand up straighter and walk with more fluent strides instead of quickly. Gabriello taught me to always move quickly.
“How are you ever going to find true love if you don’t become more ladylike? You surely won’t find a man worth speaking of.”
“It doesn’t matter because Jüdisch can’t find love.”
I ignore the look she gives me as she dismisses me.
Nachum and I run meet Marie.
“You’re late,” she laughs.
“Si, lo siento.”
“Good job. Por que?”
“Por que…I had lady lessons.”
Marie gave me a perplexed look.
“From Ilona. She’s not so bad.”
“Why is she training you to be more ladylike? You’re not a princess or anything.”
“I know, but she says I’ll never find true love if I’m a heathen.”
Marie giggles before her gaze becomes distant.
“Do you think I am ladylike?”
I think a minute. “Ich nehme an.. But not like princess or something. Just average.”
But she isn’t listening. She is too busy gazing at a figure in the distance. Everything clicks.
“You were staring at Santiago!” I exclaim.
Her tan cheeks turn red. “Be quiet!”
Santiago turns, his hazel green eyes studying us curiously before he waves. We wave back before Marie grabs me and leads me far away.
“I kind of enjoy his company, but don’t tell!”
“You have my word.”
“You better promise too, Nachum,” Marie teased.
He cocks his head and wags his tail a bit making us laugh.
“Anyway, it doesn’t matter because I’m not ladylike.”
“Who cares? You’re beautiful and smart.”
“Yeah, but that’s not enough for him. Santiago likes girls that have class.”
“What if you came to lessons with me?” I ask as soon as the solution comes into my head.
“Would Ilona let me?”
“I’ll make sure she will.”
The next day, Nachum and I finish the chores first without visiting Marie. We go to get her before getting joining Ilona.
“What is she doing here?”
“She wants your ladylike wisdom,” I reply.
Ilona rolls her eyes, “Whatever. Come on, we have a lot work to do.”
Our days are spent doing chores, but we look forward to walking with Ilona now. On the way and back, Marie and I speak Spanish. Ilona even gets us to listen to some Bible stories like the stories of Esther, David, and Daniel. Knowing they were my ancestors makes me feel happy to be a Jew for once.
While Nachum lies watching us like we have issues, Marie and I walk back and forth with three books on our heads until the sun is low in the sky. We converse in Spanish while also trying to focus on Ilona’s coaching.
We have looked forward to the day when Ilona tells us we will learn how to feast. How hard could that be? Ilona has had a whole meal set of pastries, cakes, soups, chicken, and spicy rice. Yet, she won’t let us touch the food until we stop slouching, choose the right silverware, don’t tap the silverware on the plate, and eat with grace and suave. It is quiet by the time we are done…an oppressive, irritated kind of quiet. Nachum has already had four courses; we are just getting to eat. I feel bad because in the next barracks there are woman and men that have nothing to eat, but stale bread and black coffee.
Our last lesson is walking in shoes with tall heels for two hours with cake as our reward. We have finally mastered it in one week.
“Now I know how Esther felt,” Marie says after the first lesson in heels.
“Ja, definitely,” I laugh.
By the time we have finished, Marie and I have no regrets. We have bonded with Ilona and her Bible stories. We three often talk about the Bible stories: the love stories and the adventures, how the young men then were valiant and the women had better choices. We also dream of being like those women: bold and adventurous.
“God will reveal His plan to you,” Ilona assures because neither Marie nor I know what we have in store besides being just servants.
More than anything Nachum and I have had the best times in our lives with Marie and Ilona. Nachum and I have found a family. I suddenly dismiss the thoughts of never having friends and family members.
Marie and I have become closer throughout the weeks. We have so much in common. Her mother left her at a young age, and her father sold her and her brother to San Juan. We have become closer than best friends, we have become sisters; and Ilona is our grandmother and our guide into womanhood.
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Historical FictionIn 1939, as World War 2 began, a Jew named Analiese Baldwin is rescued from an explosion by a German soldier. She has only his dog tag to remember him by. Now, four years later, she is rounded up like all the other Jews to be placed in a cruel conce...
