Lucie was happier than she had been for a long time, and she
came down to the kitchen early to prepare breakfast for her husband
who had arrived the previous day.
Lucie was happier than she had been for a long time, and she came down to the kitchen early to prepare breakfast for her husband who had arrived the previous day.
It was the first time in months since they had seen each other, and even the realization that this day marked her 50th birthday did not abate the pure joy that she felt at his presence.
As she prepared all the little things that he loved, she may have thought of the first time she had ever seen him. She was in her teens then and he was a handsome cadet.
Bui the attraction had not been one-sided. He had noticed her, too, and despite her wealthy father’s reservations about his profession, their frequent meetings soon led to their engagement.
Then the war had come – the first war – and he had been sent to the front. He was brave and took care of his men and they admired him. He was wounded and decorated, and they decided to marry even though peace was still a long time in the future.
When the war ended, they were together again. Like many young couples, they had bright plans and shared intimate little jokes. Even without the opportunity that war offered for quick promotion, he did well. The men admired him, his fellow officers respected him and his superiors anticipated a bright future for him.
Time passed, and finally on the day before Christmas of 1928, their union was blessed by the birth of a son, the only child they were to have. It was hard to believe that the happy baby was already 15, and talking about a career in the army like his father had followed.
She heard her husband’s footstep on the stair and ran to kiss him as he walked into the kitchen. He had changed relatively little since she first saw him 32 years earlier and the smile was as broad and filled with love for her. She traced the lines of his face and he stroked her hair lovingly. They talked of this and that – anything but the war – as though by tacit agreement. Their son joined them at table after hugging them, and for a little while they were a typical family again. The boy was eager to talk about the war but remembered his mother’s instructions in time.
Then Lucie’s husband brought out a few wrapped boxes with bright ribbons around them, and her eyes grew moist. “But shouldn’t we wait until the party tonight?” she said. “I have other presents for the party,” he said, and she opened them and exclaimed at each.
The next hour or so was filled with laughter as the three of them talked of the days before the war. They had the early hours to themselves because her morning-coffee friends tactfully stayed at home to allow the family its time together.
At mid-morning the telephone rang. He and Lucie looked at each other for a moment, but she got up when the ringing persisted. “It’s for you,” she said.
With a sigh, he took the telephone and identified himself. As he stiffened, Lucie felt a chill. “I’ll start back immediately.” He said. Before he turned to her he said, “How stupid I was!” and repeated it several times before going upstairs to pack
She accompanied him and he gave her a quick explanation. “We’ll be together again soon.” Then he kissed her and was gone.
Historians debate if his presence would have made a difference in the first few crucial hours of that day but that argument became moot by the time Field Marshal Erwin Rommel arrived at Normandy and learned that the Allied forces had gained the beaches and were already striking inland.
Herman Wrede is a Free Lance correspondent. His column appears each week.
