Cornelia Rose

Chapter 7

1945

Berlin

Today is Friday and on Friday nights, we eat fried pork with vegetables. Dear Lord, I forgot to buy the necessary ingredients for supper. I grab my coat and purse, still wishing to see Aldie. I have been feeling ill for several nights, my body feels sore and there has been an increase in my appetite.

What is going on? People are cheering as they wave their flags.

Armed men and civilian women are kissing while riding on tank bombs. It is very peculiar that they are not waving our flag nor the Swastika flag. I see group of soldiers raising their hands in the air. Wait, hold on, they are wearing the same uniform who shot the old couple and the child.

Oh no! Could it be?

Where is Aldie? My heart is pounding so fast and my vision starts to blur. It gets difficult to breathe. I decide to sit on the ground wondering what is going on.

"Have you heard the good news young miss?" An old man asks. He is waving a flag that seems strange. It has red, white and blue stripes on it. I swallowed hard, I know what that flag is. He is French, which only means one thing.

"Aldie Hitler has died. He committed suicide." The old man says and smiles at me.

For a second, I remain still, the next thing that I know the old man is looking at me with a weary expression on his face. "Miss are you alright?" He asks as I gently close my eyes.

When I open my eyes, I figured that I am at a hospital. I must have passed out from the terrible nightmare that I had. "The doctor advised that you rest." My mother says as she gently holds my hand. I refuse to follow her, now is not the time to rest.

"Oh mother, I had a very terrible nightmare a while ago. In my dream, a French man was waving his flag." I say.

"That French man is the one who carried you here safely to the hospital. Dear, why are you using such an offensive language? Aldie is dead, there is no more division between us Germans and the rest of the world." Mother says.

Please tell me that she is lying, I cannot live without Aldie. "Mother, I have something to confess. I am carrying a child in me." I whisper.

Mother looks very joyful about hearing such a thing, "that is very good news indeed!" She says.

I shake my head; I begin to cry wondering how I can muster my strength to continue living in a new world without the support and love of Aldie. I place my hands on my stomach, promising my future child that I will do my best in showing my love at an unpredictable and cruel world that took away the father of my child.

I am very much horrified about my new role of being a mother. I barely can support myself and I have not yet finished school. My greatest fear is for my child to receive all the hate that they have towards the man that I loved. I am left with no choice but to depend on my own strength in order to secure a brighter future for my child.

"Mother, I beg your mercy but I cannot give birth here in Germany. It is unsafe for us. Oh mother, please do understand the predicament that I am experiencing. I am an unmarried woman who carries a child in me. The child of the most hated man across Europe." I say and decide to quickly pack my things and leave Germany finding a safe place that Aldie has promised me.