Flirting With the Wind

My father Gerard and I found ourselves outside the lovely estate, we had come all the way from America and were here in Germany to see my father’s older brother Frederick. The whole thing was arranged to get away and to see where my father came from. He had not been to Germany in over twenty five years. My father wasn’t exactly thrilled to go back but I coaxed him into going so that he and my uncle could patch things up because my father was not well. The doctor said he wasn’t sure how long my father had to live. I wanted my father to live without the regret and sadness; I knew he missed Germany that he missed his only brother so I arranged everything.

“Poppa its going to be fine, I know it’s been a long time, remember they are family,” I reassure with a smile.
“I am only doing this for you,” he states looking at me with his blue eyes.
“Thank you,” I say as I linked arms with him.

My father was a stubborn man so this was quite the feat to get him this far. My mother had died a couple years prior and my father lost it completely as the tables turned for someone else to take care of him. I was there to get him through that all whilst my two older brothers took care of their own families. We were very close and I could honestly say I was a Daddy’s Girl. Like my mother though I wanted no animosity among our family. That’s why I would visit my Uncle Frederick and Aunt Catherine here in Germany at least once a year but after my mother’s death I stopped coming so I could take care of my father.

Before we could knock on the door Uncle Frederick opened the door to greet us and invite us into his lovely home. I hadn’t been to their new home that seemed more luxurious than the last one.
“Frederick,” my father greets my uncle cordially.
“Gerard,” my uncle nods with a curt nod.
“Oh Mirabel look at you! You have grown so much!” Frederick my uncle exclaims looking me and brought me into a big hug. He smelt like sauerkraut and expensive cigars.
“Not too much Uncle Frederick, I am still very short,” I respond with a smile.
“You‘ve always been short Mira,” I heard someone comment behind us. I broke from my uncle’s embrace and turned to see my twin cousins Bridget and Darcy both statuesque beauties with electric blue eyes and waist length light brown hair that almost looked blonde. Both were smirking at me and attacked me with hugs.

“How are you darling cousin?” Darcy inquires with a smile.
“I‘m good it’s nice to see the extended family every once in the while,” I comment returning the smile.
“We haven‘t seen each other-” Bridget starts to say.
“In years,” Darcy finishes Bridget’s sentence. I let out a chuckle finding that I somehow forgot how even as twins the two always finished each others sentences or thoughts.
“Mira!” I heard the familiar voice call loudly and before I could react I was snatched up in Wilhelm’s arms.
“Will you‘re crushing me,” I breath out as my youngest cousin gave me a bear hug.
“Sorry, Mira, I‘ve missed you,” he replies sheepishly as he set me back onto the ground.
“Where is my favorite niece Mirabel?” a female voice inquires. I turned around to see my Aunt Catherine.
“Aunt Catherine,” I smile.
“Oh my lord Mirabel Shepherd you are stunning!” she exclaims as she kissed both sides of my cheeks.
“I cannot compare to you Aunt Catherine,” I reply sheepishly. It was true though, because she was always so beautiful and regal looking.
“Still so humble, maybe Bridget and Darcy can learn a thing or two while you are here,” Aunt Catherine responds with a smile. Bridget and Darcy let out snorts of laughter at the thought of me teaching them to be humble. The pair became quite the vixens and I knew this by the looks of them.
“Bridget, Darcy, go show Mirabel her room, whilst I catch up with my dear little brother,” Uncle Frederick says to his daughters.
“Of course,” they reply in unison as they link arms with me on either side of me. We went through the rather large house and stopped at an open door.
“You‘re room is right across from ours,” Bridget says excitedly.
“Its pretty,” I comment taking in the room as the twins plopped onto the bed. It was painted in a calming lilac color adorned with earthy greens and gold colors for accent.
“Yeah mother had it redecorated as soon as we heard you were coming,” Darcy replies. I smiled knowing Aunt Catherine loved to redecorate and would do it any chance she got.
“Should I get my things?” I ask. They both laughed.
“No, the soldiers will get them,” Bridget states.
“Oh,” I say.
“Tell us cousin did you have lots of boyfriends in America?” Darcy inquires.
“No not really a lot were just good friends,” I reply honestly.
“Friends? Why would you be friends with them?” Bridget questions incredulously.
“I like having them as friends, we have fun,” I state.
“You are still strange as ever,” Darcy comments. I shrugged as I sat down on a nearby chair in the corner.
“Oh quiet Darcy maybe there just aren‘t any good looking where she‘s at,” Bridget says pointedly.
“There is more to life than just good looking-” I start to say but I stopped mid sentence to see two dark haired men in uniforms carrying my suitcases.
“Hermann, Martin!” Bridget exclaims happily. The twins stood up smiling and Darcy began speaking in German gesturing to me as she said my name. Smiling the two somewhat plain looking men in Gestapo unifroms shook their heads and set my things down in the room.

“Mira this is Private Martin and Hermann, aren‘t they just adorable?” Darcy says gesturing to the two men as Bridget pinched their cheeks. The men seemed to like the attention they were receiving but both feebly made protests.
“Ahlow,” the men say with weary smiles. I waved curtly giving a small smile.
“They don‘t speak much English but they‘re cute ya?” Bridget says smirking.
“You two are too much,” I say with a chuckle.
“Oh live a little Mira, we both know you are a troublemaker, after all we are related,” Darcy smiles.
“You are going to get them in trouble,” I state shaking my head at the twins as I stood up to get something from my bag.
“Oh don‘t be such a wet blanket,” they retort rolling their eyes at me. I shook my head with a slight chuckle and began unzipping the bag to get the pretty scarves I had gotten for the both of them.
“Here, red for Bridget and blue for Darcy,” I say as I handed the silk scarves over to them.
“Oh Mira they are so pretty!” Bridget gushes as she played with the crimson red fabric.
“Thank you!” Darcy says putting on the indigo blue scarf that was hers.
“Happy to hear you like them,” I smile.
“Hermann, Martin!” a stern male voice orders and my smile fell turning to look at the man whom spoke so crassly. He was incredibly handsome, and his face sculpted so perfectly and angular. His eyes were a light blue-green and he stood tall looking wonderful. The two soldiers in the room saluted looking like children being caught red handed doing something they weren’t supposed to do as the unknown man seemed to be scolding them in German.

“Oh Sergeant Stiglitz be nice to them, we were only introducing our dear cousin Mirabel to them,” Bridget says with a smile. Sergeant Stiglitz turned his gaze to me and I froze looking like a dear in the headlights as his eyes boar into mine.
“They just brought my things in both have been very polite do not punish them for doing their job,” I finally say hoping to ease the punishment for both privates being that my cousins tended to be quite persistent.
“Aren‘t you going to introduce yourself Sergeant?” Darcy says in a somewhat condescending yet playful tone.
“Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz, a pleasure to meet you Mirabel,” he responds and I instinctively put my hand out to shake his.
“Nice to meet you as well Sergeant Stiglitz,” I say formally as I gave his hand a firm shake. I could tell I threw him off a bit by shaking his hand but his rough hand felt nice against mine and I was trying to be polite. Letting his hand go finally I let my hand drop to my side as the men exited my room. Once they were out Bridget and Darcy giggled in delight.
“You two are ridiculous,” I state shaking my head at the pair.

The twins left my room and I began to unpack my things. By the time I was done unpacking it was time for dinner and I had to go downstairs to eat my meal with my family. I sat next to my father out of habit and Wilhelm sat on the other side of me. Among the people at dinner was Sergeant Stiglitz who sat across from me. Wilhelm began having a conversation with me about his schooling and I listened nodding every once in the while whilst I ate my meal. My father was particularly uncomfortable looking as he strained having a conversation in German with my uncle. I flicked my gaze to my Uncle Frederick pleading with my eyes for him to stop whatever he was doing to make my father uneasy whilst I placed a reassuring hand on my father’s clenched fist.

“Por favor poppa el es tu hermano y mi tio (Please poppa he is your brother and my uncle),” I say softly to my father in Spanish.
“Mirabel, puedo hacer esta para tu y solo tu (Mirabel I do this for you and only you),” he responds unclenching his fist with a sigh.
“Gracias poppa (Thank you poppa),” I say with a small smile as I turned my attention back to Will. As I turned I locked eyes with Sergeant Stiglitz but I quickly turned my gaze to my cousin Will. Dinner went on fairly uneventful and I was tired from the long trip so I was excited to get to bed. I got to the bedroom and got dressed in my pajamas that my Aunt Catherine had gotten for me.

Soon I was fast asleep in the comfortable queen sized bed. My peaceful slumber did not last long and I found myself waking up with a jolted start in the middle of the night. What was so terrible about having an ill father was that I had nightmares and moments where I felt the need to check on him. It had a traumatic effect on my nerves and psyche; giving me that constant worry of his well being. Not even bothering to put on shoes I rushed downstairs to the room my father was staying in.