Ada's Wait: A Historical Novel by Anita Wahlstrom A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN ENGLISH WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY f\ Ogden, Utah rf^^J*lh- ID QJ) l^f Month, Date, Year Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Monograph Fall 2014 A Laborious Toil Writing is a long process that is both arduous and rewarding. I learned this years ago during my undergraduate studies. While writing critical essays, technical papers, or creative writing projects, I realized that when writing one must accept the idea that all writing is meant to be revised. Sometimes it's a word or phrase that needs to be adjusted or cut. In other cases it is a paragraph that needs to be rearranged, or an idea that needs to be set aside. Whatever it may be, writing deserves a second, a third, a tenth, even a twentieth look. This monograph will detail my methods of research and revision. The rewriting is the most important element, and I do not doubt that my project will be revised in the future. English mountaineer Edward Whymper in his book, Scrambles Amongst the Alps, writes about the difficulties, as well as, the rewards found in mountain climbing. We who go mountain-scrambling have constantly set before us the superiority of fixed purpose or perseverance to brute force. We know that each height, each step must be gained by patient, laborious toil, and that wishing cannot take the place of working: we know the benefits of mutual aid-that many a difficulty must be encountered, and many an obstacle must be grappled with or turned: but we know that where there's a will there's a way: and we come back to our daily occupations better fitted to fight the battle of life and to overcome impediments which obstruct our paths, strengthened and cheered by the recollection of past labors and by the memories of victories gained in other fields. (406) Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 I like to take this quote and replace "We who go mountain-scrambling" with "We who go writing the great novel...." While many experiences in life can easily fit into this statement, I've found it particularly applicable to my writing endeavors. Like reaching the summit after a difficult climb, writing is a laborious toil that offers grand rewards. I started thinking about writing a historical novel based upon my grandmother's life in communist Poland early on in my undergraduate classwork. When I began my English degree, I decided to minor in technical writing for career purposes, but I followed my dreams when choosing a creative writing emphasis. While working on my bachelor's degree, I dabbled in creative nonfiction, memoir writing, and wrote a first chapter to my novel in a novel writing class. My experience was such that the idea of writing and someday finishing the novel stayed with me. When I began my graduate studies, I decided to pursue my goals with the novel and chose the creative writing option. I was able to write two solid chapters in a novel writing class taught by Dr. Vicki Ramirez, and I continued to refine my creative writing skills in a "Life Writing" class taught by Dr. Judy Elsley. After these classes, I felt confident in my abilities. I was ready to write. Rather than continue writing chapters that would be placed in the middle of my novel, I chose to write the first three chapters of my novel for my project. This has proved more difficult that I had anticipated. In this monograph, I will focus on the following three categories: Research, such as creating timelines, visualizing and mapping the setting, learning about history during the time period; Grappling with truth vs. fiction; and finally I'll delve into issues with the writing, such as voice and dialogue, characterization, flashbacks and incorporating both religion and history into the narrative It is my hope that this process of review will help me to focus on what I need to work on as I continue writing my novel. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Research My research for this project began years ago. As a child I listened and internalized the stories that my grandmother, mother, and aunt would tell about the war and their life under communist rule. When I was older, my mother and my aunt and uncle, compiled several books about their lives. They recorded and printed various oral histories given by both my grandmother and grandfather. Both my mother and aunt also wrote about their experiences living in Poland. In the early 1990's my aunt and uncle compiled a book entitled The Life Story ofWilhem Krisch. This two hundred page book contains my grandfather's translated journals, a timeline of his life, maps of East Prussia, Poland, Russian, and Germany, along with historical information about the country, cities, and villages where my grandparents were born and lived. It also contains excerpts of my grandmother's self written life history, and memories and stories written by my mother, me, my siblings, as well as my cousins and my aunt and uncle. This book was particularly helpful for this project as it contains details and pictures of my grandparent's wedding. The two pictures of the wedding show my grandmother's "myrtle" head dress. My aunt Renate writes in a caption underneath the picture, "Emma is shown dressed in a very fashionable wedding gown. Her veil was secured with a myrtle wreath. Myrtle was especially grown in flower pots inside the home. It was an evergreen symbolizing love, and all the radiant brides used it in their wedding attire" (The Story ofWilhem Krisch 13). I used this detail for many reasons. The first being that it was part of the "truth,' i.e. my grandmother actually wore it. Secondly, because it was an interesting detail that I hoped would add dimension to my story. I went to the internet and learned that the myrtle wreath is an actual tradition, not only in Europe but in many countries. In his book Marriage Customs of the World: An Encyclopedia of Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Dating Customs and Wedding, George Monger, writes that the, "myrtle plant was considered sacred to Venus and thus an emblem of love" (301). He also writes, ".. .German garlands seem to be commonly made from myrtle flowers.. .the myrtle wreath was worn by brides in higher social circles" (301). With this historical fact in tow, I searched the internet for pictures of the myrtle plant and its flowers. I wanted to know the color of the plant and what the plant smelled like. The website "Myrtle-Fragrantica" was a great source of information on the plant. The website provided me with pictures of the plant and its flowers, along with details about its habitat, botany, and smell. The author of the site, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta, writes, "the myrtle plant and oil has fresh scent that is slightly camphoraceous, i.e. just like Eucalyptus." Thus, the pictures and information from the website, along with my own bottle of pure eucalyptus oil provided sufficient examples for my purpose. When I decided to write the first chapters of my novel for this project, I knew that I was going to need to extend my research far beyond the just the facts about my grandmother's life. My novel is historical fiction, thus it set in real history. To learn the history that is taking place during my story, I began by reading about East Prussia. The book, The Death of East Prussia: War and Revenge in Germany's Easternmost Province, by Peter B. Clark, provided me with a significant amount of information that is extremely relevant to my novel. This text helped me to understand the history before and during my grandmother's life. It also provided information that I used to create timelines, maps, and it also helped me with character development. For this paper, I will touch upon only some of what I have learned. In the beginning of The Death of East Prussia, Clark writes about the history of East Prussia, which is now Poland. The details about "The Polish Corridor," are particularly relevant as my main character, Ada, as well as her husband, Willy were born in East Prussia. The Polish Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Corridor was the part of West Prussia that became a part of Poland and divided East Prussia (a German province) from Germany. (34-35) Because East Prussia was "an island bordered by Poland and Lithuania" (37), it was eventually lost to Russia and Poland. Clark writes, "Only at the end of the war did Frederick the Great's prediction come true, when Germany was forced by the three wartime Allies to give up East Prussia to Russia and Poland" (38). This event was the cause of Ada's and Willy's separation, and also the reason Ada is trapped under communist rule. My goal is to weave this part of the history into my novel so that is easy to understand and also impacts the reader both emotionally and intellectually. While, this information is not part of the first chapters of my novel, it is a significant part of the framework to the setting of my story. I used this information to begin my timelines and maps. When drawing the maps of the area in which my story takes place, I used this information to visualize where Selbongen, the village my story is set in, is in relation to the borders of Germany, Russia, and other historically significant cities such as Konigsberg. Clark also has an extensive list of "place names" in his book. This list gives the historical "German" name of the town, as well as the contemporary Polish name, .i.e. the German "Allenstein" is now called "Olsztyn" in Poland today. (XV-XVIII) In my grandmothers and grandfathers written history the towns are referenced by their "German" name. This information was invaluable as I studied Polish maps. I have two maps from Poland, and I also used Google Maps to pinpoint villages and other historical sites, such as Hitler's "Wolfs Lair," and the location of these sites in relationship to Selbongen. Wolfs Lair is approximately 50 Ion from Selbongen. In Clark's text, he writes about the horrors that took place during and after the war. He writes, "The report for Frau E. S. in the East Prussian town of Rdssel (Reszel) describes how German woman were driven to suicide as a result of actual or Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 threatened rape" (183). Clark then proceeds with the report. I took this information and used Google maps to visualize the town of Rossel in relationship to Selbongen. With Google Maps, I learned that the two towns are 44.5 km apart. This is a relevant as I my characters will experience what real women went through during the war. Clark's text includes multiple firsthand accounts of the atrocities that were experienced by women living very near to where my story is set. With Google Maps, I was also able to create a "research map." On this map I marked and referenced each significant spot, such as the page the city was mentioned in a text, and how the city or place is connected to my grandmother's home, etc. The Death of East Prussia also details the socio-economic history and traits of the people who lived in East Prussia. Clark writes about the "French and Walloon Huguenots" who immigrated to Prussia in the mid 1600's. "The Huguenot immigrants were typically better educated that the local population, and as they had more advanced commercial and industrial skills, they contributed significantly to the economic and intellectual development of East Prussia" (18). From this information, I gave my character Mia a higher social status than Ada— as there is historical information to back my idea that some people even in small villages were more educated and made more money. I also place Willy higher on the social ladder. He is a trained carpenter, unlike his father who is a farmer. Clark does note that".. .the economy of East Prussia was largely based on agriculture" (37). This supports my choice to make Ada's family, along with many other people in the village and surrounding villages, farmers. It will also lend itself to later in the novel, when the Russians and later the Polish people use Ada and others to work on communist farms. Chapters two, three, and four of Clark's book, deal with the war and eventually the Russian invasion of Poland in January of 1945. In the interest of space for this monograph I will Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 not go into the details of this research, as it does not directly influence the first chapters of my novel. However, I do have four specific monographs written for each chapter that detail specific points, which will be useful for future chapters. In addition to my The Death of East Prussia, I also read The Bones of My People by Gertrud Baltutt, and Yesterday's Sandhills by Rita Baltutt Kyle. While these two memoirs did not specifically help me while writing the first three chapters of my novel, they did help me to get a feel of the kind of women that survived the war. My goal is for the reader to find these characteristics in my main character, Ada. I also purchased Battleground Russia by Prit Buttar, and The Battle of Konigsberg by Brian Taylor. I did not have time to read these books during this semester, but I plan to read them in the near future. Another part of my research that is particularly applicable to my project is that of the Mormon Church. Ada and Willy, like my grandparents, are married in a Mormon church in the town of Selbongen. The "Selbongen Branch" is described in the book In Harm's Way, by Roger Minert he writes, ".. .the Church [meaning the Mormon Church] decided that the Selbongen Branch [the Mormon congregation in Selbongen] needed its own meetinghouse. One was constructed there in just two months during the year 1929. As of the outbreak of World War II in 1939, this was the only meetinghouse owned by the [Mormon] Church in Germany or Austria" (310). The church in Selbongen and the fact that my characters are Mormon is unique and interesting, but I as I wrote my first draft, I found also found that Mormonism was difficult to introduce and explain. For the time being, I realize I need to do more research about the other religions in the area, and also how the Mormon religion was accepted. This information will be relevant and will affect my characters. The one take away I used from this source was the picture of the church that is in the book. The caption reads, "This photograph was taken for the Deseret Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 News in 1938" (312). As this is the year Ada is married, I used the picture to visualize the church, while I was writing about the wedding. My research also extends to personally visiting the towns I am writing about. In 2008 and 2013 I traveled, with my mother and other family members, to Selbongen, East Prussia, now Zelwagi, Poland. During our accumulative eleven day stay, we visited many places, of which the following are applicable to this project—the meetinghouse, where my character Ada is married, the house my mother was born in—where Ada and Willy live after they are married, the town where my grandmother was born and grew up. Her house is no longer standing. We also visited my grandfather's (Willy's) house. In these trips I experienced the landscape and the people. I sat on the benches in the church that my grandfather built. Because I traveled to the actual church, I not only understand the size of the building or the proximity of the church to Ada's house and the home she and Willy live in after they are married, but I feel I am contributing significant historical facts to my fictional story. These trips not only gave me information but they gave me confidence, as I have experienced a big part of the setting of my story. Truth vs. Fiction Writing a historical novel based upon a real person and real events is a difficult undertaking. I know this now, but I didn't expect to feel this way when I began my writing this semester. During the beginning of the semester, I researched the historical facts about the time and place of my story. I also read and reread truths about my grandmother and grandfather from their perspective and from the perspective of other people who knew them. I collected pictures of my grandparents, their extended families, and pictures of Poland taken during the time frame of my story. I also picked from my own photographs taken from my trips to Poland. A wealth of information lay before me, and I began to write. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Things seemed okay at first, but the more I wrote, the more I found myself comparing my Emma my main character to my grandmother (who is also named Emma.) When I began writing, I had wrestled with the idea of using my grandmother's name. I was worried about what other family members would say after they read my story. Memories are a tricky thing. I envisioned my mother saying, "Now that is not really what happened," or a cousin saying' "Omi was not that way. But, I set those worries aside thought that I could do it. After meeting with my committee and listening to their feedback, I realized that I was tethered to the truth to such an extent that it was damaging my writing—especially in regards to my character Emma. Stepping back from my writing, I realized that I was being pulled down a biographical road. I knew I needed to change direction. I do not want to write a fictionalized story about my grandmother's life. Consequently, the first major change to my draft was the name change of my main character, from Emma Stank, to Ada Kozek. After the meeting, I realized that I needed to let my grandmother go. I still plan on using events that happened in her life, as well as setting my story in the town she lived in during the war, but I know now, after writing about "Ada," that things flow better. I hope this is reflected in my final draft. I really believed that I could separate my grandmother, Emma from my character Emma. I did not realize how difficult this would be until I tried it. To get to know Ada, I followed a couple of suggestions made by Dr. Ramirez. First, using the template I received from Dr. Ramirez, I wrote a character sketch. I then interviewed Ada and typed the interviews into my notes. In the first interview, Ada was twenty-four years old. In the second interview, she was in her early forties. I found this tool very effective. It helped me to create Ada's voice. Letting my grandmother's name and persona go, and choosing Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 to change direction by creating a new character was critical. Doing this not only has helped me to achieve a better balance between the historical features and the fictional elements in my story, but I feel that if I had not made the change my novel would be a hopeless endeavor. Rewriting: The Specifics As per the suggestion of everyone in the group, I decided to cut the flashback of Ada's baptism as a young girl, and chose to focus my first chapter on the morning of Ada's wedding. This took care of multiple problems that were identified in my first draft. Originally, I used the flashback to introduce the Mormon element of my story, and to introduce Ada's longtime friend, Mia. In my final draft, rather than a flashback to introduce Ada's friend Mia, I kept the description of Mia, but placed the scene on the day of the wedding. I felt my description of Mia was worth keeping, and I was still able to introduce the economic differences between Ada and Mia in this scene. I used dialogue between Ada, her sister, and their mother to introduce the religious tension that will become more evident and pertinent as the story progresses. I tried to keep the Mormon element light handed, as per the suggestions from the committee. Another issue I realized after the committee's critique was that my main character did not come alive, and that she sounded like all the other characters in the story. In the first chapter, I tried to use the dialogue to distinguish the characters. Judith Burroway in her book Writing Fiction writes, "Examine your dialogue to see if it does more than one thing at a time. Do the sound and syntax characterize by region, education, attitude? Do the choice of words and their syntax reveal that the character is stiff, outgoing, stifling anger, ignorant of the facts, perceptive, bigoted, afraid?" (84). While I realize my draft may still need work in this area, I tried to incorporate these ideas into the dialogue. For example, in the first chapter, I gave Ada the nickname Rosie Rosen, which is used by her father. My goal was to give Ada's father's voice a Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 sing-song feel. Making him seem jovial, kind, warm, and loving. Ada's mother's voice is sharper and more to the point. I used the following description of Ada's mother to connect to what she says following the description. "Her brow knitted together and her lips pursed causing her already long face to narrow into what seemed like the sharp point of a Fredericks plow" (Wahlstrom 4). This dialogue follows the description, "Gertrude, stop talking about Wilhelm's parents," Henrietta said. Her words were sharp and staccato like rapid gun fire. "Take Ruth and go and help your brothers with the food. (Wahlstrom5). My goal with the description and this dialogue is to show that Ada's mother is serious and straightforward, especially in contrast with Ada's father. Distinguishing the dialogue of these two characters helps to separate them from Ada. With that being said, Ada's voice continues to be problematic. I believe this is because I am still learning to use the narrator to show see into Ada's mind. In my novel writing class with Dr. Ramirez, I experimented with "indirect free discourse," which I understand as having to do with interior monologue. After the first critique of my draft, I went back to books used in my novel writing class, i.e. Writing Fiction, by Janet Burroway, and The Writing Class by Jincy Willett. Burro way's text identifies three types of internal discourse. She writes, "Like speech, a character's thought can be offered in summary .. .or as in indirect thought.. .or directly, as if we are overhearing the character's own mind" (121). Willet in her novel, The Writing Class, is particularly apt at indirect discourse. For example, in this passage, the italicized text indicates where the 3rd person narrator and the voice of the main character blend together. '"Yeah," said the guy in the back row, "and after a couple of weeks you got to watch it explode all over the garage." Big laughs. Blessings on thee, little man. He didn 7 look quite like old enough to remember the sixties, though." (Willet 5-6). After the author writes, "Big laughs. Blessings on Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 thee, little man," she could add, "she thought." But, she chooses not to. This is an example of an indirect discourse. On page thirteen of my draft, I employ the same technique in the following quote. "Otto says a war is coming," Mia replied. Their eyes locked. Ada felt the stiffness she saw on her friends face. Otto was twenty-seven years old. Willy was thirty-three. They could be both drafted if a war were to break out" (Wahlstrom 13). The italicized text indicates the indirect dialogue that is running through Ada's mind. I used this method sparingly, but in future drafts, I plan on working more of this into my story. The issue of historical context was also a problem in my first draft. I knew I needed to bring in the history that was taking place in the year 1938 in East Prussia and in surrounding countries—such as Germany. In the first draft, I did use Hitler's name, but looking back, I realized that this was extremely misplaced. Again, looking to Burroway and her advice on using dialogue. She writes, "There is a tentative rule that pertains to all fiction dialogue. It must do more than one thing at a time or it is too inert for the purposes of fiction. This may sound harsh, but I consider it an essential discipline." (75). Taking the last sentence to heart, I tried with all my dialogue to as Burroway expounds, "to reveal content, character, and conflict..." (77) In my first draft, my attempts to illustrate Hitler's influence in my character's lives failed. So, I used a conversation between Ada and Mia to tell what was happening on or around October 28, 1938. Interestingly, after some research on the internet, I found that Hitler expelled German Jews from Germany to Poland on October 27, 1938—-just one day before Ada's wedding. In my draft, Mia tells this information to Ada. Ada, in turn, tells Mia about Willy having to prove that he is of Aryan heritage. I felt I did a good job weaving this together. Hitler and his actions towards the Jewish population are mentioned—using real historical facts and dates. Now the Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 reader, early on in the novel, is referencing what they know about World War II, and what the reader brings to the story becomes part of the novel as well. Looking back at the semester, I realize that I have learned a lot about, not only writing, but about persistence—and believing in myself. The art of writing is "full of many an obstacle [that] must be grappled with or turned" (Whymper 406). Like Whymper's description of traversing a mountain summit, I have wrestled with many obstacles while rewriting these chapters. But, feel that my final draft is better than the first, and I know that I will continue writing. Another quote that hangs above my desk echoes my thoughts at this juncture in my writing process. It is by Emily Dickson. It reads, "I dwell in possibility" (FR466). I believe that with continued research, revision, and perseverance I will achieve my goals. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Works Cited Burroway, Janet. Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft. 8th ed. Boston: Longman, 2011. 1-410. Print Clark, Peter B. The Death of East Prussia. 1st ed. Chevy Chase: Andover Press, 2013. 1-562. Print. Franklin, R.W. The Poems of Emily Dickinson. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1999. 1-690. Print. George, Renate. The Life Story ofWilhelmKrisch. Kaysville: Personal Publishing, 1993. 1-233. Print. Gupta, Chandra Shekhar. "Myrtle." Perfume Ingredient, Fragrance and Essential Oils Myrtus. Web. 18 Oct. 2014. <http://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Myrtle-328.html>. Minert, Roger P, In Harm's Way. Provo: Brigham Young University, 2009. 1-545. Print Monger, George. "Marriage Customs of the World: An Encyclopedia of Dating Customs and Wedding Traditions, Expanded Second Edition [2 Volumes]." Google Books. Web. 11 Nov. 2014.<http://books.google.com/books?id=avDXAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA301&lpg=PA301&dq =German garlands>. Willet, Jincy. The Writing Class. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2008. 1-326. Print. Whymper, Edward. Scrambles amongst the Alps, in the Years 1860-69. 5th ed. London: Nelson, 1998. 1-442. Print. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Ada's Wait Fall 2014 Final Draft Chapter One Adorned "It's my wedding day." Ada whispered as she opened her eyes. The room was dark. Using her elbows, Ada lifted herself higher on the pillow and pushed her shoulders against the short wooden headboard. It struck the cinderblock wall with a dull thud. Ada looked around the room and blinked trying to force her eyes to adapt. Black mounds were hovering over the two other beds in the room. As her vision cleared, the shadowy bumps became heavy quilts tangled around the sleeping forms of her two sisters, who shared the bedroom. Of course those two aren't going to be up early—even on my wedding day, she thought. Ada listened intently for a moment and wondered what time it was. A wind was lashing about outside. In the distance, the front gate to the house creaked and banged. The window rattled. Inside the house was silent. Not wanting to be up too early, Ada burrowed underneath her blankets and closed her eyes. In her mind she saw her wedding invitation. The curly black letters, printed on thick ivory paper, were proof that it was really happening. It was October 28, 1938, The day had finally arrived. By tomorrow at this time Ada would be a married woman. Soon she was drifting back to sleep. When Ada opened her eyes for the second time, she didn't know if it was the anticipation of the wedding or the soft knocking at the bedroom door that pulled her out of her sleep, A pale light was beginning to squeeze through the spaces between the curtains and the window. After the tapping, came a muffled voice. "You up Ada Rose?" It was her father. Ada sat up. She Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 watched the light flicker underneath the door as her father's bare feet slapped across the floor as he walked towards the kitchen. Ada's hands smoothed her night dress. She lifted her hands to her face and cradled her cheeks. Her mouth spread into a wide grin, as a tiny squeal leapt out from somewhere deep in her throat. She muffled it with her hands. The blankets on the other beds did not move. The thought of her sisters sleeping through her excitement pricked at her nerves. Who cares about them, she thought. It's my day. With one swift movement Ada jumped out of bed and pushed through the door. She careened through the house in long stretched out strides. "It's my wedding day," she proclaimed as she entered the kitchen. Though her voice was loud, it was raspy and lacked the sing song lilt she had heard in her head. Ada cleared her throat. Unlike her bedroom, the kitchen was warm and smelled of steeping mint tea, baking cakes, and myrtle leaves. Her mother sat at the long wooden table, and turned and smiled. Ada's father was hunched over fastening his work boots. Ada's shoulders fell. She wanted her father with her. This morning of all the mornings of her life, Ada wanted him close. Farm work never takes a vacation. The thought stomped through Ada's head. It was the mantra of her family's life. Her father carried it in his eyes. It was hung on his back. His boots were covered in it. The early morning work, the long days, the lack of money, and the fight to take care of his nine living children emanated from the round faced man whom she worshiped. For a moment Ada's heart was weeping. How could she feel such joy and pain? She was twenty-three, an old maid by some standards. But, she would marry and be gone—and before her older sisters. Her husband to be was a carpenter. She was not going to live the life of her childhood. Her mantra would not be what she saw hanging from her father. "Don't work too hard, Papa. It's going to be a long night with lots of dancing," she said. Ada walked over to her father, who was now standing and maneuvering with quite a bit of Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 difficulty into his seemingly tight coat. Frederick Rozek was a short, stocky man with thick wavy chocolate colored hair. His face was ruddy and his mouth stretched wide when he smiled, causing his face to crinkle and his blue eyes to dance. Frederick squared the coat on his shoulders with a sharp tug and flipped his ragged newsboy hat on his head. He leaned in and kissed Ada on the head. "I will never be too tired to dance, my little Ada Rosie Rosen. And of course, I haven't forgotten about the food. I look forward to eating tonight as well," he said patting his round stomach. Ada lifted her head and kissed her father on the cheek. "I love you papa." "I love you to," he said. It's a good day, my Ada Rosie. You are marrying in the church. I can only hope your sisters will be so lucky, and find a man who shares our beliefs. You waiting to find a Mormon man was worth it." "Don't remind me about the wait.. .Papa." Ada's face flushed a deep pink. She buried her head in his shoulder, hiding the unwelcome but familiar, manifestation that had sparked the nickname, Rosie Rosen. Her cheeks were like her father's—always transforming from a delicate pink to a warm rose and inevitably to a fiery red. Inside the folds of her father's coat and wrapped in his embrace, Ada waited for the burning to subside. Her mind focused on the fact that this was her last breakfast at home. Then, regressing she let herself become her father's little girl; his daughter who wanted to sit with him while he read, or rub his shoulders when he was tired, or feed him soup when he was sick. She forgot her worries about being an older bride and felt the impending separation not only from her parents, but from childhood. "Oh papa, I don't want to leave," she said, or maybe she hadn't spoken aloud and the words were like feathers floating in her mind. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Ada's mother wormed herself in between her daughter and her husband. High above her head she held the myrtle wreath she had been working on since the early morning hours. Thin white ribbons dangled from the twisted evergreen leaves. The scent of eucalyptus floated around Emma and her parents. Emma looked up at her mother's creation and smiled. Though the myrtle plant was not in bloom that time of year, the headdress was lovely. "Muti, its lovely, even without the flowers. I think it's even more beautiful than Mia's. It's more elegant with just the leaves and the ribbon. I love it," Ada said. "You had better get ready, my darling, she said laying the wreath on Ada's head. "Look Freddie, I told you. It fits perfectly." When Frederick left, the front door bounced and screeched on its hinges, and, as if on cue, the house suddenly came alive. Ada's three older brothers, who were married, but still worked the farm with their father, swooped in and out of the house; grabbing chunks of bread and cheese, flasks of water, and sacks of feed, while unloading armfuls of wood, jugs of milk, boxes of cakes, and plates of meats for the wedding, courtesy of their wives and other friends in the surrounding villages. Ada's mother, Henrietta, whirled around the kitchen hugging and thanking; and swatting and shushing the men as they came and went. Together, they moved as part of a lively polka set to the sharp squeaks and the loud bangs of the door. Ada sat at the table nibbling a lump of goat cheese and drinking mint tea. Her two younger sisters, Gertrude, and Ruth, sat across from her eating their breakfast and eyeing the myrtle wreath that Henrietta had placed on top of the pantry—safe from the bumping and shuffling in the room. "Do you think Willy's parents will come to the wedding?" Gertrude said eyeing Ada. "I don't know." Ada said. She usually did not talk about Willy's parents with her sisters. But, Gertrude's question was innocent enough. "I don't think his father is coming. His mother Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 would hardly turn her head to me when I went with Muti to pick up the myrtle leaves from their house. She hates that I am a Mormon, and she was quite surprised that I was wanting to use the myrtle leaves. I told her that being Mormon doesn't mean we don't follow German traditions. "I didn't hear you say that when we were there," Ada's mother said. She is listening. "I told her when Willy told his parents we were going to be married in the new Mormon meetinghouse. I don't think she really heard me. Willy's father said something about Willy dancing with the devil at the wedding,. .1 think he was talking about me. I guess I'll be dancing wearing my myrtle wreath.. .which, by the way, will be secured to the horns on my head." Ada laughed. "Ada," her mother said placing another plate of bread on the table. "I hope she doesn't come. It will be her that looks like a fool. I just hope others don't do the same thing." Ada hated that religion separated people. Joining this new church felt right. It is a good thing, she thought. But at times the consequences were almost too much to bear. The younger girls sat staring at Ada. She looked at their soft pink faces in silence. Henrietta stopped fussing with the cakes on the stove, and turned to the table. Her brow knitted together and her lips pursed causing her already long face to narrow into what seemed like the sharp point of Fredericks plow. Ada's sisters' spines curled and their eyes dropped. Ada raised her head and readied herself for her mother's reply. "Ada, and Gertrude, stop talking about Wilhelm's parents," Henrietta said. Her words were sharp and staccato like rapid gun fire, "Gertrude, you and Ruth go and help your brothers with the food." The girls slid from the bench and ran out the kitchen door. Henrietta turned back to Ada. Her features were softening. "Ada, not everyone thinks like Maria Krisch, I am sure that Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 our neighbors and even our non-Mormon family and friends will come to the wedding. The people, who knew us before we joined the church, accept us." Ada raised her eyebrows. "Muti, not everyone," she said. "Look, half the food on this table is from people who are not of our religion. You would not be having such food and cakes if people did not respect us—Mormon religion and all. If you're soon to be mother-in-law can't overcome her fear of Mormon's, so be it. But, if she decides to attend the wedding, you will welcome her. We all will." "That's the last of it," Ada's brother, Rolf said setting a box of white wedding cookies at the edge of the crowded table top. "We'll be back after we finish with Papa. We'll help move everything to the church. We'll stop by Brother Krushka's house and see if needs help with anything." Ada welcomed the break in the conversation. She did not want problems at her wedding. Henrietta nodded to her son, and turned to count the cakes on the table. It was obvious Ada's mothers' thoughts were back on the wedding dinner. "I think we have enough, Muti, Ada said to her mother. "I need to start getting ready. What time is it?" "Ada, run outside and tell Rolf we need more platters. I think Amalie has some," Henrietta replied. Ada shook her head. Her mother remained motionless, except for her fingers. They were poking at the air counting and recounting the packages and plates of food on the table. She looks like a conductor of a symphony, who doesn't care about the lowly fourth string violinists. Again, Ada felt herself melting into the landscape of her family. And on my wedding day, she thought as she pushed through the side door of the kitchen and stepped outside. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 The air was still cool and the grass was wet. Ada watched as her father's wagon turned the corner splashing through a mucky rut in the road. Rolf was gone. The platters would have to wait. It must have rained during the night. Ada thought. Looking up and across the East Prussian countryside before her, Ada noticed that the sun was shining high in the sky. It must be close to noon. She hoped the soupy roads would be dry before she traveled to the church. Thin clouds stretched along the sky overhead leaving a few heavy, angry clouds drifting against the skyline. It was late October. The darkened sky in the distance blended with the brown grasses of fall. Cows dotted the patchy green and brown hills beyond the road. Ada wondered if bad weather would stop people from coming. "Ada, what are you doing outside?" A voice crashed through Ada's thoughts, Her friend Mia stood before her teetering on one of the stones that made up the path to the side of the house. "I tried the front door, but no one would answer," Mia said as she adjusted the yellow scarf that was wrapped around her neck. Of course she is dressed better than I will be for my own wedding, Ada thought. But, she was glad that her friend was here. She needed reinforcements. Ada smiled back at her friend and dismissed the decorum that today seemed to leak from her friend's fingers. "Mia, thank the Lord you are here. Marta and Ida are still asleep and mother is ignoring me again," Ada said squinting. Standing with Mia in the light of the morning did not ease Ada's insecurities. She could not help notice how the sunlight seemed to gravitate towards Mia. It was as if its rays were drawn to her. Mia is such a beautiful girl. Ada thought. Mia was glorious to behold. She was shiny, angelic, with blond, feather-like hair that gulped in the sunlight and spewed it back in long gold ribbons. Mia's eyes were blue crystals, not gray, but a sky blue. Even in the sunlight, Emma felt like a dark room next to her friend. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 "Come on Ada, we've got to get you ready," Mia said grabbing Ada's arm. "I want to see the veil and the wreath. How did it turn out?" Inside the house, Ada slipped into the kitchen unnoticed by her mother and lifted the wreath from the top of the pantry. She grabbed Mia, pulled her into her parent's room, and faced the only mirror in the house. Once the wreath was on her head, she began feeling like a bride again. Chapter Two Friends "You do look lovely, Ada," Mia said. Her voice was soft and smooth—like a white velvet cape. Of course it is, her voice is even more beautiful than my wedding overcoat, Ada thought. The two friends stood in front of Ada's mother's bureau, as they had done since they were small girls. Ada glared at her friend's reflection in the mirror. Seeing herself face to face with Mia, she could not stop comparing her round face, long nose, and bushy eyebrows to Mia's chiseled cheeks, petite features, and sculpted eye brows. The contrast was obvious. Mia's light, buttery hair floated and her blue eyes sparkled. Ada's eyes were a blue-violet, like the color of a lake in the evening when the sun is going down and the color of the sky is no longer reflected in the water. Her hair was coarse and heavy, the color of dirt. The kind her father plowed in the spring. Mia stepped out of the reflection and looked at the floor. "That's easy for you to say," Ada replied. "You're always picture perfect. Always beautiful." Mia's eyes shot up and she turned away from her friend. Ada knew she had gone too far. Mia had many things that Ada didn't, but Ada knew she was lucky in other ways. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 "Mia," Ada continued, "I'm sorry. I just want to be beautiful for Willy. You know I don't feel pretty enough for him." "You don't have to remind me that Willy is better looking than Otto. You don't have to remind me that he isn't a Mormon, and that he is not as perfect as Willy. I have blond hair Ada, but I don't have everything," Ada soaked in the irritation that dripped from Mia's voice. Willy wasn't really better looking than Mia's husband. Both men were handsome. But, Otto's looks were disarming. He had curly black hair, a flashy smile, and like Mia his features were perfectly formed. He only got disagreeable with time. Ada remembered explaining to Willy why Mia had married Otto. "He is full of charisma. He is perfect in every way—except for his religion. He fawns over Mia. He agrees with her. If she loves dancing and gardening. He loves dancing and gardening. He was charming to her family and to me. Otto fooled everyone. Then on the day of their wedding he changed, and it was all about him. Suddenly he didn't want to see Mia's family and didn't want her to see them either. He complains when she wants to be with me." Willy wasn't fooled. He'd told Ada that he'd heard things about Otto that weren't good. Things he couldn't tell her, Ada turned away from the mirror and her gloomy reflection that now matched the mood in the room. Again, their friendship was boiling down to her childhood jealousy of Mia's blond hair. It wasn't worth it. She was lucky to have Mia, and because of Otto she had not seen Mia for over four weeks. Silence filled the room. Mia's eyes were fixed on something on the wall and her lips were a tight line. Ada's stomach was turning. When she opened her mouth to repeat her apology, the door opened and Ada's older sister's burst into the room. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 With her only support on the verge of leaving, Ada felt overwhelmed. She knew it was her mistake with Mia. And now Mia might leave. The thought scared her. She needed her friend. Grow up, she told herself with force. Pull it together. Ada swiveled and faced her sisters. "Mother sent us in to get you ready for your big day," Marta said as she eyed Mia. Marta was the oldest daughter in the family—four years older than Ada. She is always disapproving. And now I'm getting married, before her. Ada laughed to herself. But in her moment of merriment, she felt sorry for Marta. "I brought the orange dress for you to wear to the church and then when you leave you can wear it as well, "she said. Ada fixed her gaze on her sister. Marta was the tallest daughter, and of all the girls in the family, the most like their mother—long-faced and serious. Like Ada, she had thick dark hair that sat on her head like a helmet, even when it was pulled back away from her face. At least my wreath will have a secure place to sit. Ada thought pushing the thought from her head. The orange dress was new. Marta must be trying. "She is not wearing that God-awful pumpkin colored dress to the church, and certainly not on her way to her honeymoon" Mia said as she pushed herself past Marta. Mia draped her arm around her friend. Ada sank into her friend's body. Things were going to be okay. "Thanks," Ada said turning and whispering into Mia's ear. Mia winked as she stepped towards Marta and pushed the dress away from Ada. "You can wear this dress and look like a pumpkin, Marta. Ada will be wearing her wedding dress all day." "Fine, you get her ready Mia," Marta said as her body circled towards the door. Ida turned to follow. "And good luck with that hair," The door slammed shut. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Ada looked at Mia. The two women began giggling. It was like old times, for a moment they were little girls playing dress-up and dreaming about the men they were going to marry. A feeling of warmth rose and spread through Ada's chest. She was grateful that Mia and her husband were living in Selbongen. It was pure luck that Otto and Mia chose to live there after they got married. "Willy only chose to live in Selbongen because he wants to be close to the meetinghouse." Ada remembered explaining to her father why the couple had chosen to live in Selbongen. Mia and Otto had been married before the meetinghouse was built—much to Otto's disapproval. "It's divine intervention, yet again, Ada Rosie Rose. God is watching out for you," had been her father's reply. Though Ada's family's home in Gross Jauer, was only 14 kilometers from Selbongen, she knew she wasn't going to see her family much. People didn't travel when walking was their only form of transportation, especially in the winter. "We'll see you at church then," her father had said. Ada remembered that his eyes had been wet. At least I have Mia. We can raise our children together. Maybe Gertrude can come and stay when Willy is off working on his carpenter jobs. Ada's thoughts skipped through her head. Anticipation and excitement began flowing through her. Her future was bright. "I don't know if that was a good idea—making Marta mad at you on the day of your wedding," Mia said. "Oh pish posh, Mia, what is she going to do.. .ruin the wedding dress that will someday be hers." "That is if she ever finds someone. She's just mad that for once she is going to be getting a hand-me-down," Mia replied. Ada smiled. She was always surprised at Mia's insight when it Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 came to her sisters. Mia's family was small. She had two older brothers, which meant she never experienced sharing anything with sisters. Mia was lucky in so many ways. "Ada, it's getting late. Sit down and I'll fix your hair now, I told Otto to be here in two hours. We'll leave at three-o-clock. You can get dressed at the church." Ada looked at Mia. She wasn't sure if she should trust Otto be on time. "Ada, he'll here. I promise...." Ada nodded reassuringly, as Mia continued. "I haven't seen you for so long. You need to tell me about Willy's accident," The mention of Willy's motorcycle accident sent a twinge of anxiety through Ada's spine. In the beginning of their relationship Willy's motorcycle had been a beautiful thing. It was what had transported him the 64 kilometers from his home in Odoje to the Mormon member's house in Mragowo were they had met-—during the church service. "That is another divine intervention. Without that motorbike you may never have met." Ada's father had proclaimed. But, it was also the reason the wedding had been postponed for four weeks. "It was the day Willy went to pick up the wedding license in Mragowo." Ada began. "We had both been there a week earlier with our papers, but Willy's weren't complete. Because his father is dead and his mother has remarried a Polish man, he had to bring in proof that he was not a Polish Jew—it's important that he is of Aryan descent." Mia stopped braiding Ada's hair and looked at her friend through the mirror. "Otto told me this morning that yesterday Hitler and his Nazi's deported Jewish Germans to Zb^szyn. They took men, women and children from their homes, and burned their churches and some shops owned by Jewish people. Otto is afraid. He says because I am Mormon we could be in trouble, like the Jews." Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 "The people at the government offices in Mragowo didn't ask us about our religion. They only wanted us to prove we were German. I thought it was because of Hitler's marriage loan that he gives to German couples when they marry. When Willy went back with his father's papers, he learned that a few days earlier, on October 5th the government, or Hitler, canceled all passports of German Jews. But, Willy told me not to worry and that we were okay—because we are German." "Otto says a war is coming," Mia replied. Their eyes locked. Ada felt the stiffness she saw on her friends face. Otto was twenty-seven years old. Willy was thirty-three. They could be both drafted if a war were to break out. "We live so far from Germany, I don't know if East Prussia will be part of the war," said Ada. "At least Willy thinks we are safe because we and our families live in such a small villages." "You should be worried about Willy and that motorcycle. My father says in a war the first people they take are men with autos or motorbikes. Was it damaged in the accident?" Ada shook her head. She didn't want to think about Willy leaving for war. She didn't want to remember the accident. Having the motorbike was a good thing for them. "God has brought us together, Mia. He won't separate us," Ada replied. "Willy's motorbike is fine, and he survived. He was thrown from his bike. That's how he injured his shoulder and broke his arm. The doctor's said he is lucky he didn't hit his head. See, Mia, God protected him." Mia continued braiding. Ada leaned back into the sharp tugs and pulls from her friend's fingers, Her mind flashed to the day of the accident. It was late in. the afternoon, she had just finished working at the beauty shop and was going back to her small apartment above the Schuster's home in Mragowo. She'd been thinking Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 about Willy-—not the Schuster's children whom she would soon be feeding and putting to bed. A cool evening wind floated past her as she tottered across the cobblestone street. The city lights were beginning to sparkle in the dusk. The air smelled of burnt coffee and cigarettes. Laughter and shouting from the Gasthaus across the road drifted into the street and bounced between the shops, A piano was playing in the distance. "Ada, Ada, stop." It was Willy's brother, Emil who found her. She had been so caught up in listening to the noises of the city that she hadn't heard his boots clacking against the cobble stones. Grabbing her arm he swiveled Ada to face him, then breathlessly delivered the news. "It was Emil who came and told me that Willy had been hurt earlier in the morning. Ada told her friend. Talking about the accident now, after it had happened, made it sound minor and commonplace. Yet, Willy had stayed in the hospital for three weeks. "It was a cow that collided with him as he was riding. A young boy was driving the cattle across a field and a cow bolted onto the road. Willy flew off, fell into a ditch and smashed his shoulder and arm against a rock wall," The story seemed simple now. Why had she made it such a big deal? Willy was alive. Emil had told her the moment he started speaking that Willy was going to be fine. Still, she had collapsed onto the ground. She still was sobbing when she went with Emil to the Schuster's. "Ada, the accident was a scary, awful thing. But, you are going to be married today. It all worked out" Mia leaned down. Wrapping her arms around her friend, she hugged her tightly. "Thank you Mia." Ada grabbed her friend's hands and squeezed. "My hair looks perfect, Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Chapter Three The Wedding The leaves shuddered as autumn winds lashed the town. The gate to the church creaked, sprung out, and snapped back into place. The noise caught Ada's attention and she pushed the window of the church open. Peering out she inhaled the musky scents of pine mixed with decaying leaves, grass, and mushrooms that in the fall were matted to the forest floor. The sun was falling. Ada couldn't see the street. The window of the bishop's office was at the northwest end of the church. Willy and the guests would arrive on the southeast. It must be close to 5 o'clock. I wonder if he's here, she thought to herself. It had been a week since she'd seen him. "Ada, what are you looking at. Come out of the window. You don't want to mess up my magic touch with your hair," Mia said. She touched Ada's shoulder. "Let me see you again." Mia said. Stepping back she gazed proudly at her friend. "You really are beautiful." "Don't sound so surprised," Ada said. "Here hand me that mirror." "You need a full-length mirror to see the effect, but okay here you go." Ada did not recognize herself at first. Her eyes were glistening. Her cheeks were pale making her reddened lips look sensual. If only my cheeks would stay this way, she thought. "I wonder who is here," she said laying the mirror on a small table. The church bells above Ada's head clanged. It was five o'clock. Her question was answered, as Willy's mother clomped into the room. She was shrouded in dark cloth. A black scarf knotted around her neck hid the color of her hair, and accentuated her light blue eyes and white skin. Her dress was stiff, a deep navy blue, and hung above her ankles like a bell. Her small feet disappeared into heavy black shoes. Emma noticed they had not been shined, but were scuffed and splattered with mud. Straw poked out from underneath the chunky heels. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 I'll get your father," whispered Mia as slipped past Ada's soon to be mother-in-law, and darted from the room. "I am here," the dark bell said as she swayed back and forth. "Of course Johann is not coming. And I know that Wilhelm's real father would not be here either.. .if he could. I am sure he is rolling in his grave at the thought of Wilhelm marrying a Mormon. He never liked his joining that church. I would think he would rather have his son be a catholic than be part of..." Ada was to be married in five minutes. The day she had dreamed about all her life was here, and she realized looking at the dark mass in front of her that she didn't really want his mother at the wedding. But it was too late. "Thanks for coming, Maria." Frederic said as he entered the room. Ada's heart leapt at the site of her father. He was a sparkling ornament next to the dark bell shape. Emma's eyebrow's arched and she smiled at her father, who like a ballroom dancer, swept out his right arm in a waltz-like gesture towards the door. "Both Wilhelm and Emil have arrived. The ceremony is about to begin. Let me show you to your seat." His voice was music to Ada's ears. "I'll be back for you, in one moment," he said, as he guided Willy's mother through the door and into the main room of the church. "Who is going to marry my boy? Will this be legal? I don't even know if this is a real church. I don't know how God will feel about my boy marrying a heathen" Maria Krisch's questions were swift and brash, and fell from her mouth like marbles dropping from a table onto a cement floor. "Frau Krisch," Ada's father began. He steered Willy's mother to the end of the makeshift aisle that had been made for the bride and groom. "Look, on the wall. See that picture of Christ. We do believe in God and Jesus Christ. See the bible on the table. We believe in the bible, and Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 our bishop will marry Ada and Wilhem. The marriage is binding on earth and in heaven." Maria Krisch coughed out a loud "Hymmmphf' that rocked her church bell body. "Thank you, I'll find my seat," she said sharply. Ada cracked open the door and watched her father and mother-in-law. The room was filling up. Sounds of the soon to be celebration vibrated towards Ada. Herr Krueger, a neighbor and fellow church-goer, tuned his violin, and his daughter, Dietland, swiped her viola. The discord on the strings cut through the crowd. No one noticed. Young children giggled and ran around and in-between the tables at the end of the room. Women whispered as they swatted chubby hands away from the myriad of desserts that were tiered on the dessert tables. Older children, mostly in their teen years, formed small circles. Their chatter, a mixture of whispers and loud exclamations full of anticipation and longing, vanished into the noise in the room. Only they knew why eyes were wide, or lowered, and cheeks were flushed. "It's time, my darling." Ada's father pulled her from her reverie. His ruddy face was smiling as he kissed her on the cheek. "Let me veil your face." Ada gripped her father's arm. It was time. Herr Kruger and his daughter began playing Johannes Brahms "Waltz for the Violin" as Ada and her father entered the room. Like an eagle in flight the music soared above the crowd, and for a moment it seemed that the walls of the meetinghouse would not be able to contain the power of the sweeping melody. The chords surged through Ada, and she stopped when she saw Willy at the end of the aisle. In his suit Willy was a black, polished tower of sharp lines and strength. He was smiling. His mouth stretched perfectly across his square face and prominent jaw. Ada beamed with pride. It really was happening. She inhaled and moved towards Willy slowly taking in the crowd. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 Ada could see that everyone was at the wedding—family, friends, mere acquaintances, Germans, Poles, Mormons, and Lutherans— even the Hammerschmidt and the Bauer families, the only Catholics from Gross Jauer, were there. A wedding, like a birth or a death, is, at the very least, and equalizer.. .for a time—until the strangers that are thrust into each other's laps realized they are like an abducted child expected to suckle from a foreign breast. When she reached Willy, Ada stopped and closed her eyes. She wanted to feel the moment—see herself in the grand scheme of things. She pictured herself and all the people in the church. Outside the roads of Selbongen were empty except for the autumn wind that whisked through the town. All of the homes were dark. If the wind had been a man traveling through, he would have wondered about the vacant town and maybe turned to go to the next village. But the wind continued down the main road passing the school and making the bend. And there it was— the church, bright and heaving with people. Ada's thoughts were broken by Bishop Krushka's voice. "Willy take Ada's hand, he said. Ada turned and faced Willy. He grinned causing his eyes to crinkle, then sparkle. They are the color of Mia's eyes. Ada thought. Willy moved towards Ada. The bishop began talking. His voice was animated and shaky. It was his first wedding, and the first wedding ceremony at the new church. Ada heard herself say, "Yes, I do." Then Willy was lifting her chin upward towards his face. An antiseptic smell, masked in musky cologne, enveloped Emma. "You're beautiful, I love you," Willy whispered. His breath was warm and his lips were wet against hers. Ada pressed her body into her husband's. I am married, she thought. And for a instant the room collapsed on itself leaving Ada and Willy alone and suspended in the moment. Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 "Congratulations, Ada!" It was Mia who reached the couple first. Then Ada's parents and sisters were there, and Willy's brother, Emil. They pawed at the couple and pecked their cheeks ceremoniously. As the well-wishers jostled the couple about, Ada's brothers, began pulling the benches and chairs to the sides of the room. It was to be a buffet style dinner, After the room was cleared, a long table was pulled to the center of the room. There was just enough room for the bride's and groom's families. Everyone else would eat sitting on the benches or chairs. Ada watched as her mother, sisters, and other women from the Mormon congregation began unwrapping the food that sat on the tables against the wall. The food is really as nice as what Mia had at her wedding, Ada thought. Her mother shouldn't have worried. On the largest table against the wall, there were platters of various types of meats and sausages and bowls of warm potato salads, cold vegetable salads made with fresh mushrooms from the forest, along with smaller dishes of onions and cucumbers soaked in vinegar and, pickled beets and herring. The other two tables were topped with cakes, cookies, and pastries. One table remained covered and would be used later at midnight for the traditional Kaffe and Kuchen. "Hello , here, here, everyone," It was Bishop Krushka. He had stepped off his podium and was reaching for a bell on the table. After two swift clangs the crowd went silent. Ada looked over the man who had just married them. He was younger than Willy, maybe twenty seven or so. His wild, curly hair makes him look my age, she thought. "Let's give the couple some air, and before we sit to eat, we can pray, "he said a little too loudly, Ada's eyes flashed to Willy. He was looking out at the crowd giving a thumbs up to someone. It was probably Emil. Ada scanned the crowd for a reaction. Her mother-in-law sat stewing in the corner. Her mouth was a straight line, and her eyes were dark slits. A few people were whispering. Ada's mother was leaning against the wall with her arms folded. As Ada went Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 to stop the Bishop, someone cried, "Let's eat." Everyone cheered. Ada looked at her husband. Was he the one who had shouted? Ada laughed. Quit worrying she told herself. Willy grabbed her hand and they headed to the table. While they were eating, Ada glanced out the window. The sun had fallen behind the lake that nuzzled against the west side of the town. It was Lake Inulec, the largest of the three lakes that surrounded Selbongen, and part of the East Prussian Masurian Lake District. Through the trees she could see slivers of glassy, water shining as the waves caught the rays of the fat crescent moon hanging in the sky. She visualized the water, black and slippery and the trees in silhouette along the far side of the lake as the sun fell—black knights she had called them when she was little. They looked like men, tall with thick arms and bent black fingers that held jutting staffs and pointy swords. They lined the lake next to her home in Gross Jauer, and now they were here in the place where she would live as Frau Krisch. She had always felt comfortable next to lakes. The water, the color of the sky, was to Ada a reflection of the heavens above. Sitting by the lake of her childhood, Lake Talti, her feet in the cool water, Ada felt connected to God. She knew she would feel the same way in her new home. "Where are you," Willy asked. He had finished his plate. "I'm ready to dance—even with this cast on my arm. And," he said nuzzling his chin into Ada's neck. "I don't think I can stay here until morning." Ada stood up and pulled Willy from his chair. The small orchestra of Herr Kruger and his violin and his daughter with her viola, began to play. The dinner table was pushed out of the way. Ada stopped when she saw Mia's mothers' red oval living room rug lying in the center of the room. She hadn't noticed it before. Mia hadn't said anything. She looked around, but couldn't find her friend in the crowd. Then Willy pulled her close and they were dancing—slow Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 at first and then he was kicking up his feet and she was twirling. People began trickling onto the dance floor. The rug softened the heavy boots and clicking heels of the guests as they danced on the gleaming wood floor. Ada's father opened the windows. Laughter, squeals and conversations jetted into the black night. "Willy let's sit down," Ada said as she dropped into an empty chair. She knew her cheeks were at their peak of fiery redness. She pulled off the wreath. "I'll get us some water," Willy said. Ada slumped further down on the chair and watched Willy weave his way towards the door. The drinking water was outside in a barrel. Ada closed her eyes. The room was hot. The music and dancing had subsided. It must be close to midnight, Ada thought. Then she heard the whispers, "These Mormons should be worried. I'm not sure even being German will help them against Hitler. Look at the German Jews.. .kicked out of Germany to Poland. And I wonder will Hitler forget East Prussia?" It was Otto. He was talking to someone from Selbongen. Ada didn't recognize the voice when he answered. "Yeah, life seems good now. But I think a war is coming, and we are going to be in the middle of it. And we'll be stuck here—separated from Germany." The man's words cut into Ada. Suddenly she was cold. Willy was injured. He wouldn't be drafted now—with his broken arm. His shoulder was damaged in the accident.. .would mean he wouldn't be able to fight? Her thoughts rammed against each other in her head. She saw Willy in a uniform. "What are you sleeping so soon?" Willy nudged her leg with his knee. She opened her eyes and looked up. "Here hold these," He said giving the cups of water to Otto and the man. Ada recognized him, but didn't know who he was. "My new bride apparently needs to be carried Anita Wahlstrom Master's Project Final Draft 10 out of here." Willy laughed and Ada smiled as he scooped her into his arms. Both Otto and the other man looked away. "You're cast," she said weakly. "I'm fine," Willy replied. And he was fine. His arm had healed. He would be back to work next week. Ada wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. She did not want to let go.