Fighting For Love

Polish Christmas (Christmas Special)

So, remember when I said last year that I had a Christmas special planned but I had lost the document I wrote it in? Very well, indeed I have, but I decided to rewrite it in these last few days and here it is. Christmas time usually gives me a lot of inspiration and I used it to work on this one and I gotta say I'm quite proud of it.

Just a little thing to take into consideration: This chapter takes place between Chapters X and XI, when Otto and Braun were in Warsaw. If you have not read anything from Chapter X on, don't worry, this won't have any spoilers. If you have not gotten to Chapter X yet, I don't see how this chapter can spoil anything that previously happened, so feel free to stay.

Without further to say, enjoy!

-----

Christmas special: Polish Christmas

December 24th, 1939, 8:30

Warsaw, Poland

Christmas has always been my favourite holiday and the days before it always made me feel excited and, well, merry.

But that Christmas Day was very different and I had been feeling it since before the day even arrived.

It was the first time I would spend Christmas away from my mother and this was not a thought that pleased me at all. Otto was there with me, so it was not entirely as though I would spend the holiday lonely, but it just was not the same. It did not feel like Christmas, which was exactly the best part about Christmas.

"Why are you so gloomy today?" Otto asked me as we got up. "It's Christmas, cheer up!"

I faked a smile, "It doesn't feel much like Christmas, does it? My favourite holiday has been ruined by war. Spending Christmas without my family is tough."

He nodded, "Well, I'll see what I can do to help you."

"Thank you."

We heard knocks on the door and I answered it. It was one of the hotel's staff members.

"Good morning, gentlemen, I would just like to advise you not to go outside, it snowed hard the whole night and it keeps getting worse. No need to worry about the meals, we'll provide the Christmas supper, as it's our hotel's tradition to everybody and, of course, you are both invited."

"Thank you for the information." The man nodded in respect and left. I closed the door.

Otto was looking outside the window into the snow that piled on our balcony. "It really is frightful out there", I said.

"I had plans for us tonight, but I guess I'll have to cancel it." He said, sadly.

"Come on, let's have breakfast, I am sure we can figure out something to do later." I suggested, tapping his backs.

We were in the dining hall when the same man that came to our room earlier brought more news.

"I would like your attention, please." He said and all the conversations ceded. "The mailman won't be able to come today. I've received a phone call from the post office, they have dismissed their entire staff due to both Christmas and the blizzard. They said they will return the service tomorrow morning."

People started chatting in disappointment after that revelation. Many of us had been expecting letters from our family, after all it was Christmas. The disappointment in everybody's eyes was clear, mine included. Otto noticed it and tried to cheered me up, but it did not work. It was one of those days where the only way to be alright again is by shutting yourself off for the night and starting again the next day and that is exactly what I decided to do in the afternoon.