Until Then Read online

  “Yes, Anna. I’ve waited for many years to give this to you. And even more important to know…she’s expecting you.” Patrice crossed the living room to place the small piece of paper into Ruby’s hand.

  She smiled widely through her tears as she folded her fingers tightly over it, feeling Grant’s heart exploding out of his chest. Their journey was just beginning.

  * * * *

  “Robert? I don’t think I’m coming home just yet.”

  “What do you mean? Your flight is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.” His voice sounded more urgent than normal, she noted.

  “It’s a long story, but you should know we found James. He knew Mom and Daddy when they lived here and Daddy told them we would be coming to see them. Can you believe it? He had it all planned out. And get this! We have an aunt that lives in Germany! We never knew anything about her and then all of a sudden…we found out that they came to New York during the war. We thought their family was gone and then poof! I just don’t know what to say. Robert, everything’s happening so fast! I… I just…I’m in shock!”

  Robert was silent on the line.

  “Are you there? Do you mind if we go to Germany? If I don’t do this now Robert, I’ll…well I have to do it. Please say yes.”

  “I just wish I were with you,” he said softly.

  “Oh…” her voice caught in her throat, surprised at his sudden kindness. “I do…too.”

  “You can do this Ruby. You are strong enough and I’m…”

  “What?” she asked, pressing the phone closer to her ear.

  “I’m proud of you. I love you.”

  Ruby smiled into the phone and felt her heart flutter for the first time in over ten years. This was so unlike Robert, so unlike their marriage. Surely he just missed her being in the house. They had never spent a night apart in their entire marriage.

  “I love you,” she said quietly and hung up the phone.

  * * * *

  Grant’s mind was spinning when he returned to his hotel room. He should probably call Liz, tell her everything, but something stopped him. What would she have to say? To be honest, she didn’t even really like his parents, something he never fully understood. Everyone loved them, everyone except her. Besides, she would more than likely say something selfish and demand he come home, claim he left her. She was famous for making every little or big thing about her.

  He kicked his shoes off to lay out flat on the bed, his arms crossed across his chest. He needed to think. He needed time to process what the hell just happened at the small, brownstone apartment in Brooklyn. He needed to think. To breathe.

  One minute he was saying goodbye to his father, the next studying numbers on his chest and then now—what just happened? Ruby, surprisingly was rolling with punches, elated by the memories and the romance of it all. And somewhere, tucked away in Germany was a little old lady who had never even been heard of who held some deep, dark secret that she was waiting to tell them. What could she possibly have to say? Was it a good secret? Would it “destroy” them as Eli predicted? Who does this to their family? Why did he have to do this? It was so dramatic, so devastating and not to mention, very exhausting. He would have much preferred his father to sit down, face to face, and tell him like a man. It was the least he could have done for his family. To find out from perfect strangers that your parents were escapees from the war? Well, that was just flat out wrong. It didn’t matter how close they were or how much they had been through. They were still strangers to Grant. Still complete and total strangers that knew way more about his own life and family history then he ever would.

  He suddenly felt very tired. This was all too much to take. Ruby just expected him to hop on a plane and jet off to Germany a world away. He technically needed to save the money Eli had left him for their impending bills, but how could he not go? He had to unravel this and find the end of the road. Despite being mad inside and so disappointed; it was all important. It was his history after all. And he loved his parents, that was a fact. Even if he didn’t agree with them, it was the least he could do after all of the things they had done for him over the years.

  He sat up abruptly in the bed to stop the tears from dripping down his cheeks. This trip was changing his life and it wasn’t even over. Dammit, he was going to Germany. Whether he liked it or not.

  * * * *

  Anna found herself grinning widely as she hurried her mother down the elevator and out into a cab. The daylight was fading fast and they had little time to make their way across town.

  “Why isn’t Grant coming?” Ruby asked, shutting the door behind her.

  “Said he was tired. If you ask me, I think he’s in shock,” Anna said and laughed. “I mean, did you see his face?”

  “As he should be. I can’t believe I’m going. I should be drinking. Or sleeping. Or crying. Oh lord, I don’t know what I should be doing.”

  “You are living!” Anna grinned and slid into the cab.

  “Where to, miss?” An older man with a thick, dark beard turned in his seat to greet them.

  “Miss Liberty, please!” Anna bounced in her seat. “I’m not leaving this city until I meet her!”

  * * * *

  She was just as incredibly beautiful, majestic, and surreal as Anna had imagined; her arm stretching to the sky, holding the one beacon of light that had been refuge for millions. A refuge for her grandparents. This was the very sight they saw and it took her breath away. Situated out in the middle of the harbor, a soft mist of water spraying at her feet. She was stunning. Her thick, copper robe was extraordinary and her determined and soulful expression prompted tears to spring to her eyes.

  “Isn’t Miss Liberty beautiful?” Anna whispered.

  “Yes she is. To think, she was here to greet mom and daddy so many years ago. What they must have thought when they saw her.” Ruby smiled, feeling Anna rest her head on her shoulder. Reality was sinking in. This was real. This was all too real.

  “I imagine it’s the same way I feel...”

  “Which is?” Ruby smiled down at her daughter, feeling a peace she couldn’t describe if she tried.

  “Like I can do anything.”

  * * * *

  “Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” Grant was pacing the floor in front of Gate C34, waiting on a 3:05 departure to Munich, Germany.

  “Would you rather go back home?” Anna had her feet curled up under her, relaxed as could be.

  “I didn’t say that,” he sputtered. “I just can’t believe all of this. I can’t believe we are doing this.”

  “You can say that again.” Ruby pulled out a compact to dab a light layer of cream powder on the tip of her nose, forehead and chin.

  “But you both seem so calm, so normal! This isn’t normal.”

  Anna stretched her legs out in front of her and wiggled her toes. “I guess last night’s sleep really helped me process all of this. And to answer your question, yes we are doing the right thing. Aunt Adel is waiting for us.”

  “Aunt Adel, you say it like you’ve known her your whole life. For all we know this woman could be a lunatic.”

  “Grant, won’t you please calm down! Go get yourself one of those pretzels you like so much or pop a Xanax, whatever it takes to keep you from zipping around in my ears. This whole situation is just as foreign to us and we are just as scared. You need to pull yourself together.” Ruby snapped her compact mirror shut.

  “I didn’t say I was scared,” Grant huffed.

  “Oh sweet Lord…” Ruby groaned and pulled her book from her purse and opened to where she had left off. Grant grunted and headed off toward the pretzel stand.

  “You are surprisingly calm about all of this, Mom? Is there something I should know?” Anna peered at her mother over her own magazine.

  “Other than my mother and father mapped out this little journey and either I can resist it and refuse to understand it, or I can realize how beautiful and special it all is. I say all of this…but I could get there and find
out my father was a murderer or something and that is why he hid his life from us.” A streak of panic flittered across her eyes.

  Anna grinned. “Don’t joke, that isn’t funny.”

  “Seriously though, I’m so calm about it now, but that’s only because all of the stories we’ve heard so far are sweet and just like Mom and Daddy. I must admit to being a little afraid of the outcome of meeting Aunt Adel.”

  “And you have every right to. This whole thing is crazy; I’m the first to admit to it. But at least we’re in it together, if only we could get Uncle Grant to chill out.”

  * * * *

  Their plane landed in Munich over eight long and painful hours later. Ruby who had thankfully taken a sleeping pill was in a deep, drool-ridden slumber on Grant’s shoulder. If only he had been so lucky. Instead, he was sitting upright, nervously tapping his foot against the floor of the plane. This was it. The mystery was yet to be solved and tucked far inside was a feeling of resolution, of peace. If only he had known all of this when they were alive. If only he could have not been so selfish, made time to listen and hear their stories. He swallowed a thick lump of guilt in the back of his throat.

  The Munich Airport slowly dissolved from an array of cotton clouds and Grant felt his jaw drop. Even the airport was beautiful. Large open spaces with gaping windows in a contemporary archway made the building look more artistic than functional. Planes zipped in and around, buzzing into their terminals like children’s toys. From high above the runways, he could see little specks of people hovering around, securing final details of flights yet to take off. The whole view made him feel so small in the scheme of things, even more so than New York. He bit his lip, wondering once more why he traveled so little. Maybe Liz had been right all of those years? The one thing she may have been right about. He could give her that.

  When they halted to a complete stop, Grant jabbed Ruby in the ribs to wake her. She opened her lazy, swollen eyes, void of where they were. She slowly removed her glasses to wipe them clean and placed them back on her face, eyes wide with wonder.

  “We’re here,” she whispered.

  “Yep!” Anna was already up, removing her carry-on from the luggage compartment.

  “And you drooled all over my shirt.” Grant feverishly wiped at his sleeve with a napkin.

  “You’re welcome,” she teased and scooted out of the seat.

  * * * *

  “Do you remember when Mom and Daddy took us to see Washington D.C.?”

  Grant turned from the front seat of the taxi to see Ruby. “What made you think of that?”

  “I guess I’ve just been thinking over the past couple of days about all of the places they have taken us, all of the things we did together. That trip sticks out in my mind for some reason.”

  “Yeah, that was a good one.”

  “But do you remember going to the Holocaust Museum there?” She intertwined her fingers nervously around her purse strap as she spoke.

  “Oh man.” Grant turned back to face the window. “I forgot about that. I remember it being so hard for Mom. She had to step out for fresh air, said she felt dizzy.”

  “Mmm…hmm…” Ruby mused, suddenly remembering that day all too clearly.

  “What about Grandpa Eli?” Anna asked.

  “He was pretty quiet, just running his hands along the pictures. At one point, he removed his glasses, knelt down and prayed. When he stood up, I could see tears in his eyes,” Grant said softly.

  “But we didn’t think anything of it. I just figured he was paying his respects. After all, I was only nine years old,” Ruby said.

  “But wait.” Grant turned back toward her abruptly. “Do you remember what he said to us walking through the park afterwards?”

  “No, what?”

  “He said that this was the hardest thing he’d gone through in over twenty years.”

  “You’re right, I remember that because he looked so sad.” Ruby closed her eyes and leaned back against the leather seat. She could see his face so vividly, almost hear his voice.

  “If he really went through the Holocaust, well that’s pretty strong to go back and revisit all of that,” Anna said softly.

  Eli had always been strong, but a quiet and gentle strength, Ruby thought to herself, eyes still closed. Maybe deep inside, she could find his strength to get through this.

  * * * *

  They checked into the Anna Hotel—yes, selected entirely by Anna.

  “How often do you get to stay in a hotel named after yourself!” she exclaimed giddily, before hitting “Reserve” on her iPad. Ruby had laughed and let her book without question. After all, she had gotten them this far.

  But now, she couldn’t be more thankful. It was magnificent, so bright and colorful, alive with energy. Everywhere Ruby turned there was a beautiful array of neon uplighting and glamorous statues. The rooms were the epitome of luxury, equipped with silk throw pillows and curtains and a seating area overlooking the Marienplatz at the center of Munich.

  “The Glockenspiel chimes three times a day,” the young man that escorted them to their rooms politely informed them.

  If Ruby squinted enough, she could see the Englischer Garten, which housed countless beer gardens.

  “I think I want to do a little sightseeing here.” She held the curtain back from the breathtaking view.

  Anna unzipped her suitcase and flung it open before hastily ripping clothes out onto the floor.

  “I don’t know what to wear!”

  “What you have on is fine. Do you really think Aunt Adel is going to care?”

  “I refuse to meet her in cutoff jean shorts. Of all people, Mother, I expected you to understand! Here!” She held up her black wrap dress with bright orange flowers that accented her hips when she walked. “This is it! Aunt Adel will love me in this dress.”

  Ruby laughed nervously. “Maybe I should change.” She turned around and around in the floor-length mirror to the right of the bathroom, studying her pressed khakis and peach cardigan with pearl buttons.

  Anna rolled her eyes in her reflection. “You don’t own anything that doesn’t look like it’s out of a Nordstrom catalog. You look fine.”

  With unreserved modesty, Anna slipped her shorts off and stepped into the dress, her cotton pink underwear on display in the large windows.

  “You have no shame.” Ruby smiled and pulled a mustard yellow skirt from her suitcase and frowned. “I should change,” she mumbled and ran into the bathroom.

  * * * *

  Anna peered around the cocktail lounge of the hotel. She was hesitant to have a glass of wine before they met Aunt Adel, but with the pounding nerves running through her veins, she felt she had little choice. Just one drink, she decided and slipped into an empty barstool at the counter. Ruby was still sifting through her luggage and straightening her hair, so she figured she had a little time and it was anybody’s guess as to where Uncle Grant ran off to.

  She ran her fingers along the smooth metal surface of the bar top, admiring how chic and modern everything was. She could get used to this traveling thing. With each place they ventured, she felt more alive. Ryan refused to give her any room to breathe, easily texting her every ten minutes. She pulled her phone from her handbag and dialed his number, increasingly aware of the magnitude of their upcoming bill.

  “Where have you been all my life?” Ryan’s voice came down the line as he answered on the very first ring.

  “Hello love.” She smiled into the phone. “Miss me?”

  “Terribly,” he confessed. “Why haven’t you called much?” He sounded anxious, his go-to emotion.

  “Oh don’t be so serious. We are quite busy, don’t you realize? We’re solving a family mystery. Doesn’t leave much time for idle chit chat.” She casually studied her nails.

  “Why do you sound so…I don’t know…posh?”

  “Rubbish,” she teased. “I am just trying out my new international persona. You like?”

  He laughed, loosening up at her
humor. “I really do miss you though. When are you coming home?”

  “Probably a few days. We’re heading to meet Adel in about an hour after we grab a quick bite from a restaurant close by. Mom wanted to go right away, she’s a huge ball of nerves, but I can’t take one more step without putting some food in my stomach. Food is like the last thing on these people’s minds!”

  “I bet. Hard to think about eating when your life is hanging in the balance.”

  “Yeah, what are you up to?” She motioned to the bartender for another glass of chardonnay. Why not?

  “Not much, about to close on the house on 2nd street. Should be a nice wedding fund commission.” She could hear the neighbor’s dog barking in the background and could almost imagine him leaning against the counter in the kitchen, leisurely staring out the window.

  “Great, that all sounds great. Well listen, I think I see Mom coming, so call you tomorrow?”

  “You don’t want to call me tonight, let me know how everything goes?”

  “Oh sure, sure. I can do that. Love you,” she said.

  “Love you more.”

  She hung up and tossed her phone back into her purse before sipping her wine.

  “Boyfriend?”

  “Hmm? Oh, yes actually.” Anna swiveled on her barstool to see a man in his thirties with loose brown tendrils falling around his face. His eyes were dark as charcoal reflecting little bits of silver from the bar lights, catching her off guard.

  He nodded and ordered a beer from the man behind the counter before grabbing a scoop of peanuts from the dish.

  “Been together long?” He turned toward her, eyeing her through his glass. She noticed little sprouts of chest hair from the top of his salmon-colored shirt. Ryan always shaved his chest hair, she mused.

  “Throughout college,” she said casually. “What about you? Here on a romantic getaway?” She pulled a strand of hair from behind her ear to play with.

  “No, no, no…not I.”

  “Sounds defensive.” Anna smiled playfully; suddenly aware of how flirtatious she was being and straightened upright in her chair to offset his response. Peeking out from behind his black trousers, she could see shiny black shoes.