Weeks had passed and Ada found that Klaus was writing less and less. He apologized for it in every letter, but this did not help Ada's disappointment. Lila and Peter weren't able to play as often either. Ada was unsure of what was happening around her. Peter had had an odd run in with an officer one day. Ada, Lila, Peter, and the boy down the street, Walter were walking to a nearby shop in the crisp evening, they're breath appearing in front of them as they exhaled. Peter and Walter were keeping warm by interlocking hands, Ada and Lila thought nothing of this. A young soldier, in his mid-twenties, approached the small group. He stepped in Walter and Peter's path so that they couldn't move with out bumping into him. Ada and Lila took a moment to realize what was happening and took a few steps ahead before stopping to watch the situation unfold. The Nazi soldier slapped Peter so hard he fell to the ground, and shoved Walter down so that the boy fell on his face. "Faggots," the soldier said. Ada had never heard that word before, "Do not make me report you," the soldier grunted. Peter looked as if he might burst into tears, and nodded. The young man proceeded down the street, and the last thing Ada saw of him was his swastika that rested on the soldier's bicep. Lila rushed to the boys lying on the cold street and helped them to their feet. The children agreed to head home rather than follow through with their initial plans, and no other words were exchanged afterwards.
Ada did not understand what had happened at the time until she had asked her mother that night.
"Faggot?" her mother clarified.
"Yes, that is what the soldier said, Mama," Ada responded.
Ada's mother frowned and scratched her head, "It is a word for... Ada, I will tell you another time. Just head up to bed." Ada obeyed her mother. As Ada tucked into bed, her mother decided how she would rearrange her day so that she may speak to Nazi Officials about the incident.