standing behind him, “But we can’t
prejudge the party’s abilities. They may make good on their
promises and bring Germany to its once splendor.”
Aaron darted his eyes at the man. “At what cost?” Aaron
didn’t ask to receive an answer, but to leave a trace of question
in his mind.
The young man with the white sweater kissed the blonde with the
ponytail. “Let’s not spoil our evening with political talks,” he
replied and they spun off toward the mock dance floor.
“He’s right. We shouldn’t weigh down our last night of
1931 with heavy discussion. We should be weighing it down
with lots of alcohol,” Eli joked and lifted up two more glasses of
rum juice for Rebecca and himself to enjoy. Then the two of
them twirled off under the dim lights with refined feet bouncing
against the wood floors to the sweet sounds of swing music.
Everyone wore sophisticated garb with a hint of frivolity in
it. Even the young man with the white sweater brought a tall
black hat with him in case the feeling emerged. Big gold
butterflies in metallic design embossed Rebecca’s shoes, her
felicity for the year’s end on her feet. Eli’s grey tie when
swaying and overturning in dance was clearly decorated on the
opposite side with silver glitter.
The night filled with more gaiety and delight than deep
political discussion, but the mix represented a small paradigm of
Germany’s existence. It was the last night of an upcoming new
year that would hold such pleasure and merriment combined with
civil discourse before Hitler’s regime changed the face of
Germany.
Rebecca grew tired and Eli walked her to her floor. They said
goodbye at her front door with a kiss and a hug that told them both
they wanted more. Eli’s hands caressed Rebecca’s back, leaving his
tender touch over her shoulders, they both knew then that the
moment would be soon. Eli let Rebecca move into her room without
following her as he was mannered and didn’t want to take advantage;
therefore, he found himself wandering the apartment halls
inebriated and alone.
Eli swung his feet up the steps, clicking his heels and singing
the jazz music he had just left in his room, elated at the
relationship blossoming between himself and Rebecca. Losing
his way, he walked up two flights of stairs and knocked on a
stranger’s door. She answered with long red hair and light
green eyes and a pale white face, appareled in a white night
robe. She looked as if she had missed all the festivities of
the New Year’s Eve night.
“Yes?” Her tiny voice asked like a baby bird just waking.
“Sorry. I’m looking for my room.” Eli stumbled and hit his
head on her door.
The redhead held his wobbly form up and asked, either
because of politeness or because of earnestness to return to her
bed, “What is your room number?”
“104…no, no.” Eli thought for a moment, his mind wandering to
Rebecca and then back to the question, “room 404.”
“You’re one floor too high,” she said and directed him to the
stairs. “You have to go down one floor.”
“Thank you.” Eli struggled with her name and then realized he
didn’t know it.
“Betsy.”
“Betsy, thank you.” The redhead smiled shortly and returned to
her room, hiding from the night. Eli pranced down the steps and
fiddled with the doors, following the sounds of boisterous noise
until he made his way back into his room. The party was half
as crowded as when it began and Eli fell to his sofa against the
wall with his head on the armrest. Aaron walked over and sat
next to him.
“What a night.” Eli slurred his words.
“Sounds like all the alcohol is hitting you. Did you get Rebecca
safely back to her room?”
“Yes.” Eli stared at Aaron with stark concentration like a boy
to his father. “Yes, I did.”
“She seems like a nice lady.”
“She is. She is the most wonderful woman I have ever met in my
whole life.” Eli exaggerated his words from the