Free Good-bye Marianne by Irene N.Watts Page A

told.”
    “What about my new dress – surely there’ll be special occasions in England?” Marianne stroked the velvet skirt of her party frock.
    “I could make room, but you’d have to wear more underwear on the journey. That would leave us enough space.”
    “Mutti, do you want me to die of heatstroke before I get there?” said Marianne, and this time she was only half joking.
    “In December? You exaggerate so, Marianne.”
    Marianne said, “Are we going to have a fight?”
    “Of course,” said her mother, “isn’t this a normal day? Come here, wicked daughter, and give me a hug. I forgot something. Fold your dress in tissue paper. We’ll manage.”
    As soon as her mother left the room, Marianne squashed her teddy bear down the side of the case. He was quite thin after years of hugging. She couldn’t go to sleep without him.
    Marianne shut the case, then walked round the room with it, testing its weight. She smiled at her mother as she came back into the room. “I can manage this really easily; it’s not heavy at all,” she fibbed.
    “Here are ten marks. The Nazis won’t allow you to take more than that out of the country. It’s very little, but as soon as you are settled, I’ll try to send you more. Now put five marks in your purse and I’ll pin the other five inside your coat pocket. Just to be on the safe side.”
    “You sound just like Emil’s mother,” said Marianne, and stopped. She remembered Ernest. She hoped she’d never see
him
again.
    “Here is your passport. You’ll need to show it when you cross the Dutch frontier. The ss will come aboard, or perhaps the Gestapo. Don’t be afraid. Your papers are in order – you are on the list of children permitted to travel. Marianne, you know what I’m going to say.”
    “Be careful, don’t draw attention to myself, be polite. I know,” said Marianne.
    “No smart remarks. You always make jokes – they could be misunderstood,” said her mother.
    Marianne looked at her passport. She clutched her stomach. “Oh, the pain, it’s awful.” She bent over in agony.
    “Oh, my darling, what is it? Appendicitis?” Mrs. Kohn helped Marianne to the bed. “Sit down and tell me where it hurts.”
    “It’s just the picture – I look so awful. It’s even worse than my school one. And look at that dreadful red
J
. Do they think I’ll forget I’m Jewish?”
    “Marianne, you see what I mean, you
have
to stop this playacting, at least till you get out of Germany. Once you’re over the border, you’ll be safe. Promise me to be sensible.”
    “Of course I promise. I’m just nervous. My lips will be sealed. I could even put a handkerchief over my mouth and pretend I’ve just come from the dentist and can’t talk. Alright, I’ll stop. Just teasing.”
    Mrs. Kohn shook her head in mock despair. “You won’t like this either, I’m afraid, Marianne.” Mrs. Kohn put a cardboard label tied to a piece of string around Marianne’s neck. “We havebeen told all children have to wear this as identification. See, I’ve printed your name, destination, and your number – 206.”
    “I feel like a piece of luggage. Let’s hope I don’t get lost.”
    Mrs. Kohn said, “We’ll put all your things in the hall. We must leave at six in the morning. It’s a long way to the railway station.”
    Marianne said, “If I have to listen to one more thing about tomorrow, I’ll scream.”
    “But I haven’t even told you about the boat that’s waiting at the Hook to take you to England.”
    Marianne continued quite seriously, “Please, let’s not talk about tomorrow anymore. Do you know what I’d like to do? Bake a chocolate cake for your birthday and eat it tonight.”
    “Before we do that, I have to give you one more thing. Don’t groan, it’s an early Hanukkah gift. It’s from Vati too, and we want you to open it now.”
    Marianne undid the daintily wrapped parcel. Her mother had glued paper candles on the tissue paper. For once Marianne took her