Flaneur ✅💋

8. La Raccord

April 4, 1942

She had awaken that morning with sore feet and a headache. The plan was to make some tea and espresso in place of breakfast, because she simply didn't have the motivation to cook anything, let alone go down to the market for food. So she dawned one of her silk robes, in a shimmering ivory, and padded into her lounge where she sipped lazily and reclined against the soft sofa, void of any Jews for the time being.  She was wary.  When she first arrived, she had been saddled with the task of holding small families until a safe location came available.  She was good at it, but she wasn't blind to the dangers.

The peace lasted less than ten minutes before her doorbell rang. She rolled her eyes in utter disdain before answering it. "Yes?" She stopped short when she saw five scrawny men and women at her door baring perfectly wrapped presents in their arms. The pristine packages looked out of place in the custody of their forlorn bearers. They all shifted, not at all easy with the situation, before one of the two men spoke up.

"Colonel Roemheld of the SS has sent us." It was clear that he was French. Whether they were free or not remained to be seen. He handed her a letter with a red wax seal and the eagle carrying the Nazi red cross imprinted into it. She examined it curiously before slicing it open with her fingernail.

Bärchen,

I hope you find these gifts satisfactory. Previously they volunteered to work for us at the Gestapo Headquarters, but I believe you will enjoy their company and housekeeping skills. I will make certain they are paid fairly for their work.

Each of them is carrying an additional gift that I am confident you will find enjoyable.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Nicolas.

She had barely finished reading the informal letter before they began to shuffle in. Lining up in the entryway, she watched them hold their arms straight out, waiting for her to take the gifts. "No need to be so formal. You may set them down." They did as she told them to and scattered, starting to take brooms and mops out, while another went outside, and a few went to the kitchen.

She shook her head at their behavior and knelt to open her gifts. Waltz came bounding down the steps, sniffing and wagging at the boxes. "You can smell him, can't you? I suppose you don't know any better." She scratched behind his ears and sighed.

Genevieve lifted the lid off the first present and let her jaw slacken at the contents. "Oh mon Dieu," she breathed. She lifted the pair of custom silver heels out of the box. White gemstones lined the fabric of the straps and glittered in the light. Against her better judgment, she brought her feet in front of her and slipped them on, fumbling in excitement with the buckles. They fit perfectly to her astonishment. It appeared her adversary was very observant.

She admired them, turning her feet left and right for a while, before venturing towards the other packages. There were two small boxes no bigger than a pack of cigarettes, and two that were just a bit smaller than the box her shoes came in. She went for the smaller ones first, curiosity taking over. They were just as jaw dropping as the shoes. One contained a pearl encrusted decorative comb to wear in her hair, the other a matching set of pearl earrings.

She tore open the other two. A box of German chocolates and an entire case of German cigarettes. She picked up the large case and found a sixth gift hidden beneath it. An elegant, pearlescent black cigarette holder that even the wealthiest of France would envy. She was glad that she was alone in the entryway so she could properly react to the gifts. The smile it caused her to have split over her porcelain face.