Free The Day the Flowers Died by Ami Blackwelder

knowing that solid
friendship between them protected him from any hard truths. Rebecca
looked Eli’s way, smiling, washing away all the nuances of unspoken
prejudice, shades of differences that seemed to only disappear in
this room on this night in this very moment between the two of
them, and then she looked away and they all returned.  The
harshness of reality always returned to him like cancer, knowing it
could only be ignored for so long before rupturing.  Eli
watched Rebecca’s gaze over his face and her smile under the
moonlight.  He knew in this moment with absolute certainty
that they were meant to be together and he would let nothing tear
them apart.
    “Yes, I’m sure,” Eli said, patting his good friend on the
shoulder, then he walked away to return to his Rebecca. Her arms
opened wide to wrap around him and with their embrace, Eli’s left
foot moved up into the air and their lips pressed together. He
handed her a glass of pineapple juice mixed with a touch of rum.
When the music slowed down, the table with food and drink became a
center for political conversation, everyone taking views and
offering their advice. Aaron stood by the table, speaking with his
hands.
    “ The Nazi party is growing at alarming rates.  Something
has to be done to stop them,” Aaron protested. A taller young man
in a white sweater and beige slacks joined the topic.
    “You’re right. Berlin was sterilized of its wild ways. In the
twenties, it was one of the most free cities in Europe, and look at
it now.  It’s only a matter of time until they sterilize us
all from our indecencies.” A blonde with long hair pulled back into
a pony tail wrapped her arm around the young man in the white
sweater and used her political wits gained from reading the
newspaper.
    “The papers say they are the largest political party in Germany
now.” Her voice carried a refined sophistication to it.  “They
say it as if it’s favorable,” she ended in dismay.
    Rebecca overheard the dialogue and pulled Eli with her towards
the table on the other side.  She interjected as she poured
another glass of juice, “This time next year, Hitler and his party
won’t be here.  It can’t be.  Everything he stands for,
everything he is pushing for is wrong.  His ideas strangle the
very fabric of what it means to be free, until there is nothing
left to breathe,” Rebecca said and sipped her juice from its
crystal glass.
    Eli smiled at her dedicated persuasions.
    “I must admit, Rebecca, I hope you’re right, for all our sakes,”
Aaron said, staring at Eli, and his forehead wrinkled with
thought.
    “What is it?” Eli asked.
    “Nothing.  It’s just there is so much going on with Japan
and China and now with our Nazi Germany, the future is starting to
look bleak…” Aaron looked at Rebecca, “but don’t let me digress
down that train of thought and spoil everyone’s New Year’s
Eve.  Besides, I haven’t met the new lady in Eli’s life.”
Aaron smiled at Rebecca and took her hand to his lips.  “I’m
Aaron, one of Eli’s closest friends.” Aaron played with his hands
like boxing fists at Eli’s chest and then dropped the playful fists
to his side.
    “I’m Rebecca,” she said and slid her fingers through her
loosening braid to pull it tight.
    “And I see you are on the side of throwing Hitler and his Nazi
regime out of Germany. That is a good sign.” Aaron smirked in Eli’s
direction.
    “How can anyone be on his side?” Rebecca intensified her
expression and in the corners of her mind, she wandered back to her
mother.
    The young man with the white sweater interjected, “With the
stress from the Great Depression and the war that has left Germany
in economic ruin, it’s no wonder everyone is gripping towards
extreme nationalism.” He rolled his eyes.  “People need
something to hold onto in times like these, someone to tell them
everything will be alright.” Bernard listened and directed his
views at the table with Louise