Page 80 of All We Thought We Knew
Their fingers brushed when he accepted it. “I could never forget you.”
With slow steps, they followed their usual path one last time. When she turned, it was Ava who raised her hand first. Gunther returned the gesture, his arm like lead.
She was the sole reason his internment at Camp Forrest hadn’t crushed him.
How would he survive in North Dakota without her?
TWENTY-FOUR:AVA
CAMP FORREST, TENNESSEE
MAY 1943
I left the office at the end of the long day and sped home. I needed to change clothes and fix my hair before the farewell gathering for the internees.
“I want to thank the German men who helped in the hospital,” Colonel Foster said as he, too, exited the building and informed me of his attendance at the gathering. “I can’t imagine what they must be feeling, being shipped off to a new camp.”
Gertrude and Ivy Lee sat in the parlor listening to the radio when I came out of my room. I hadn’t worn the midnight blue cocktail dress since before Richard died, but it felt right to put it on for Gunther’s going away.
“My, my, look at you.” Ivy Lee’s southern accent drew out each word as she inspected me from head to toe. “You must be meetin’ someone special for dinner.”
Gertrude eyed me with suspicion.
“It isn’t like that,” I hurried to say. “I’m going to the base for the send-off for the internees. Colonel Foster thinks it’s appropriate for those of us who knew and worked with the men to attend.”
Ivy Lee grimaced. “Good riddance, I say. Those Germans always gave me the creeps, lookin’ like a passel of green beans in their ugly uniforms. I’d bet my last nickel they’re here to spy on us. But we’ll have even more after all those POWs arrive.”
“POWs?” Gertrude said, her eyes wide. “I hadn’t heard anything about prisoners of war being brought in.”
Ivy Lee puckered her ruby lips. “Oops. I wasn’t s’pposed to let out that top secret information yet. Calvin—Colonel Paxton, I mean—said the men comin’ were captured in Africa, of all places. I didn’t even know there was fightin’ goin’ on over there.”
I restrained the urge to shake the young woman. Her lack of understanding about what was happening in the world never ceased to exasperate. This wasn’t the first time she’d shared classified information with Gertrude.
“I don’t think Colonel Paxton would be pleased to learn you’d divulged things meant to remain secret.”
Ivy Lee huffed. “I don’t see why Gertrude shouldn’t know what kind of people are livin’ on the other side of town.” Her lips curved in a devilish grin. “You might be surprised at the secrets I’ve kept. All sorts of things, includingclandestine romances.”
I took my hat from the antique hall tree in the corner. “It isn’t wise to listen to camp gossip.”
The other woman smirked. “Oh, this ain’t gossip. I know all about your foreign fella. About lunch dates and sharin’ books.” Her eyes swept my gown. “My guess is the dress is forhim.”
I froze, suddenly feeling exposed.
How did Ivy Lee know about Gunther? We’d always met on the bench behind the dental clinic, out of sight from the general population of Camp Forrest. Captain Jones, the dentist in chargeof the clinic, asked me about my meetings with Gunther early on. When I explained I was helping Gunther with his English so he could continue his medical training after the war, the older man nodded with approval. The next day I noticed the blinds on the window facing the bench were closed and remained so to this day. Whether it had anything to do with Gunther and me, I didn’t know, but it did afford us a bit of privacy from nosy patients having their teeth cleaned.
Gertrude glanced between me and Ivy Lee. “What are you talking about?” Her narrowed attention settled on me. “Have you been stepping out with someone?” Anger tinged her words.
“Of course not.” My face grew hot under her scrutiny. “Ivy Lee is speaking of the English lessons I’ve been giving to one of the internees. He hopes to continue his studies in America to become a doctor after the war. I offered to help.”
The older woman sneered. “Why would you do that? Those men are our enemies.”
They’d had this discussion many times over the past year. Both Gertrude and Ivy Lee felt the men and women who’d been declared enemy aliens should have been deported immediately, even those born in America.
“Most of the men who’ve been held at Camp Forrest aren’t like the POWs. Mr. Schneider and the others were already in the United States when they were arrested. They didn’t carry a weapon and shoot at our boys. I’d be more worried about the incoming men than I would the ones being sent to North Dakota.”
Gertrude scoffed. “Not all enemies carry a weapon. He could be a spy for the Nazis for all you know. I don’t like that you’ve been helping one of them. Ivy Lee is right. Good riddance.”
I refused to continue the argument. “I don’t know what time I’ll be home. Have a nice evening.”
