“Do not punish yourself, Eli. You have always done what was best for us.”
“Maybe not. The so-called discussions that the Nazis are having, the ones that call for total expulsion of Jews, are frightening to me. Who knows what the Nazis really mean when they say ‘bloodless elimination’? Ghettos are being emptied. In Lodz, Jewish families are being sent to Chelmno. In Lublin, there have been transports from ghetto A to Belzec. Essie, we can’t stay here. We are lambs being led to the slaughter.”
“Where will we go? Where would you take us?”
Eli sat up. “I’ve been thinking about it. We could try to make it to the Baltic coast. I have money. Maybe we could hire a boat to take us to neutral Sweden. Or maybe you were right weeks ago when you said we should find a place to hide. A small cabin in the country. A home in the woods.” He shrugged.
“Whither thou goest, my love. You know I’ll support any decision you make.”
“Maximilian is correct on one account—we won’t get very far on foot. I will have to find a way to use the brickyard truck and drive us as far as possible.”
“How will you do that? Won’t we get stopped on the road?”
“Not if I can schedule an order to be shipped from the Lublin brickyard to Lodz. We’ve done that each week. If I can arrange it, I’ll have written authority to travel on the roads. But I’ll have to make one more trip to Lodz to work it out.”
Esther gazed lovingly at Eli, but he could sense she had misgivings.
“Listen, Essie,” he said. “I know I’ve made promises to you in the past that I wasn’t able to keep. This time will be different. I will make one last trip, get the authorizations and take us far away from Lublin. I promise.”
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
LUBLIN, POLAND
OCTOBER 1941
MONTH 25 OF THE NAZI OCCUPATION
Later that morning, when Eli arrived at the Lublin brickyard, it was clear to him that the amount of business had lessened considerably. Apparently, Lodz’s gain was Lublin’s loss. While Eli was examining the orders, Lucya Sikorska, the lay business manager of the Saint Peter the Apostle Church, walked into the office. She had a box in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
“I brought sweet rolls,” she said, laying the bag on a table. From the other side of the room, Izaak’s ears perked up like a puppy, and he came running.
“Hello, my young friend,” Lucya said, squatting down to give him a hug. “For you, I brought a special treat: a paszki with strawberry filling.” Izaak took the sugar-covered pastry and walked off with a singsong “thank you.”
“Is everything all right at the church?” Eli said. “Are you experiencing any trouble with the work we performed?”
“Oh no,” she said, with a shake of her head. “Everything was done so beautifully, so professionally. Today I am paying a social call because I promised you and Izaak that we would stay in touch, and I mean what I say. Everyone at Saint Peter’s is still talking about Louis’s masterful restoration. The statue of the Blessed Virgin has once again become a pilgrimage icon, at least in our district. Where is Louis?”
“He hasn’t come in yet. When he does, I’ll tell him you stopped by, and I’ll save him a sweet roll.”
Lucya held out the box she was carrying. “I also brought something special for Louis. The Women’s Club knitted a sweater as a gift in appreciation. I hope it fits.”
Eli opened the box and held up a beautiful blue cable knit. “Very nice. I’m sure he’ll love it. Do you have time this morning to share a cup of coffee and a sweet roll? Louis might arrive at any minute.”
Lucya grinned. “Maybe just one little sweet roll.”
“You know,” Eli said, “Izzie often speaks of the friends he made at the church when his uncle was ‘the star.’”
“A star indeed. That was quite a morning.” Then Lucya swiveled to face Eli and spoke with concern. “How is your family doing, Eli?”
“As a family, we are solid as a rock. No family has ever been closer.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Eli exhaled. “I know. What can I say? It’s incomprehensible. We’re making it from day to day the best we can, and we’re waiting for the tide to turn.”
Lucya shook her head. “I don’t see it turning, Eli. They are steamrolling through Europe, crushing anything in their way. I have never witnessed such abject evil. Cruelty for cruelty’s sake alone. I am sorry to confess that I have been wrestling with some very strong emotions that I shouldn’t have. My Christianity is being put to the test.” She finished her coffee and gestured to Izaak, who sat reading a book and eating his pastry. “I look at Izaak and I wonder what is to become of such a fine young man? These are menacing times, and I feel that we, as Christians, as God-fearing people, are not doing enough. If there is anything I can do to help your family in any way, please do not hesitate to call on me.”
“Thank you, Lucya, I apprec—”
“Maybe I’m not making myself clear.” She pointed directly at Izaak. “Anything. Do you understand what I am saying to you?”
Eli nodded. “Yes, I do.”
She picked up her purse, slipped on her coat and said, “I have to get back. Please tell Louis how much we appreciate him. Tell him to come by and say hello. And should the time arise, allow me the privilege of being an instrument of God’s charity.”
* * *
Louis returned to the office in the early afternoon, and he was visibly distraught. Essie was right. Eli handed the sweater to him, and started to tell him about Lucya, but Louis’s mind was somewhere else. He waved Eli off and laid the sweater on a table.
“What’s wrong, Louis?”
“Chava,” he said. His chin was quivering. “I don’t know where she is.” Then he began to weep and turned away.
“I thought she was staying at Maximilian’s house?”
“She was. I was visiting her twice a week since you and Maximilian have been in Lodz. She was living in the house all alone, but I was afraid to bring her home or even to take her out of the house for a walk for fear she would be grabbed by the ORPO and sent away to some camp. Last week when I went to check on her, she wasn’t there. I had no way of contacting you or Maximilian. Can you imagine my panic? Eli, my little daughter is gone.”
Eli put his arm around his brother’s shoulders. “Maximilian didn’t mention anything about Chava to me, but he’s back now. I’ll go over there.”
“It doesn’t matter. I already went there this morning, and Maximilian told me that he had placed Chava in another man’s house. For safekeeping, he said. Safekeeping.”
“Whose house?”
“He wouldn’t tell me. He said it would be too dangerous for me and for Chava if I went over there. Eli, we have to do something.”
“What do you want me to do, Louis? I feared this would happen. I warned you about letting Chava go with Maximilian.”
“Don’t you dare judge me, Eli. What choice did I have? Don’t you remember what Maximilian said? She had been noticed by Zörner’s deputy. She was going to be sent away. Far away. Maximilian agreed to take her in to protect her. And he did. And I visited. She had her own bedroom. I thought everything was all right. But now she’s gone.”