A Thing Called Love

Chapter 12

"I was afraid that she might make fish. I can't stand fish. Little Dani ain't here?"

"No, they aren't coming today."

Elvis had not had a chance to see Daniela again since that day in December, but he asked about her often.

"But maybe next time," Rosemarie said.

"Let's just do this time first."

"Dani nervt (Dani is annoying)," Klaus contributed.

"Klausi halt doch dein freches Maul," Rosemarie told her brother.

Elvis burst out laughing. "Whatever you just said ain't very nice."

"Why you want her?" Klaus asked Elvis. Rosemarie tried not to roll her eyes. Sixteen years old and yet his English grammar was worse than her 5th graders.

"Why do I want her? Well, because she's smart and kind and beautiful. I'm a lucky man."

"You sign me something?"

"If you try to be nicer to your mama and your sister," Elvis said in a bantering tone.

"So...no?"

"Yes. Ja wohl."

Klaus went bounding up the stairs, causing Rosemarie and Elvis to exchange knowing glances. Another set of footsteps could be heard from close by. Elvis swallowed when a tall, slightly heavyset man strode in. His pants were pulled up to his belly button and held in place by a belt tied just under his gut.

"Guten Tag," Elvis said, offering the man his hand.

"Du kannst Deutsch?" Mr. Albrecht asked.

"Ja wohl," Elvis said.

"My father doesn't really speak English. At all," Rosemarie told him. Elvis frowned when Mr. Albrecht said something to him in a rapid flare of his native tongue. Elvis didn't understand even a single word.

"Papa," Rosemarie sighed. "So gut kann er's au wieder net (He doesn't speak German that well now)."

"Jetzt bringst du uns ein Ami. Erscht der blöde Hans- (Now you're bringing us a Yankee. First that stupid Hans...)

"Wolfgang!" Rosemarie's mothers voice sounded from the kitchen. 

"What did he say about you know who?" Elvis asked.

"He did not like him," Rosemarie said. Before Elvis could open his mouth to speak she added, "And I don't know yet if he likes you. And I don't care if anyone likes you because I like you either way."

A grin that could melt the darkest heart spread over his lips. Wolfgang trotted off to the kitchen and before Rosemarie and Elvis could follow, Klaus came running down the stairs as fast as he could with an Elvis record and a marker in his hand.

"Klaus!" Mrs. Albrecht scolded from the doorway of the kitchen. "Muss des sein? (Is that necessary?)"

"Ist kein Problem, ma'am, (Not a problem, ma'am)" Elvis said, turning his sweet smile toward her before turning back to Klaus to sign his record.

"Sang danke (Say thank you)," Gertrude demanded of Klaus, leaving Rosemarie and Elvis unable to suppress their soft chuckles.

"Danke," Klaus intoned, then ran up the stairs again. Elvis and Rosemarie shuffled into the kitchen, hand in hand. It looked very similar to the kitchen at Elvis' house and for some reason that helped with his comfort level. When Rosemarie sat down, Elvis followed suit. Rosemarie raised an eyebrow when Elvis took off his hat and placed it on the table without having to be prompted.