on the attic floor and were suddenly hungry again. The gray light coming through the window depressed them.
Then Moses asked, “Do you think Joseph is okay?”
“Yeah, sure, he wanted to be with his family.”
“But what will happen to all those people?”
“I have no idea. Maybe they’ll go to Germany.” Jacob wished the subject would change.
“If they capture us, will they send us back to the velodrome?”
“They’re not going to capture us, Moses. I promise you.” He put his arm around his brother, as much for his own sake as for the younger boy’s. Sometimes Jacob needed to feel his brother close.
At the sound of Marie calling them for lunch, they pounded down the stairs, washed their hands, and sat hopefully at the table.
The Magnés seemed to be in very good moods, smiling, friendly, offering to help. The food was again delicious and plenteous. They all moved to the couches again before Magné returned to the pharmacy.
Jacob once more voiced his constant thought: “When will we leave?” No sooner had he spoken than the first flashes of lightning sparkled and the sky opened up with thunderous rain. The rushing sound and the heavy humidity held them in silence for a while. It was pleasant to hear the splatting against the exterior of the house as the sky watered the dry land all around.
“In a few days. Storms are very troublesome for driving,” Magné answered.
His vagueness did not satisfy Jacob. The boy wanted detailed plans and was not content with general ideas, but he also did not want to press further. He decided to wait until dinner.
The afternoon was pleasant. Marie turned on the lights, and the boys played contentedly, noting how the heat abated some with the rain. Magné returned just before six in the evening.
Marie emerged from the kitchen, where she had spent the past few hours, and called to the boys. “Take your baths before supper.”
Moses smiled, recalling the delicious experience of his bath. Marie got a clean towel, filled the tub, and called Moses, and they repeated the proceedings from the day before. Moses closed his eyes and nearly fell asleep in the comforting water.
“Would you like to stay with us a bit longer?” Marie asked.
Moses opened his eyes, looked at Marie’s sweet face, and asked, “But would my brother stay as well?”
“Of course, I was meaning both of you. You could stay with us for the summer. In the winter we could take you to the city where your parents are. After the raids in Paris, the roads are being heavily watched. If we wait for things to calm down a bit, it’ll be safer for everyone. You two can play every day, and we’ll tell the neighbors you’re the children of one of Pierre’s cousins. We can go to the farm on the weekends. We’ve got horses, and sheep . . .”
The idea sounded marvelous to Moses. He was tired of traveling, of meeting new people, of being terrified by the sight of German uniforms. Spending summer vacation with the Magnés seemed like the perfect idea.
Marie helped Moses get out of the tub, dried his hair carefully, and helped him get dressed. Jacob followed but did not take long to get cleaned up and ready for supper. When they got to the dining room, the meal was already served: carrot soup, codfish, and apple pie for dessert.
“How has the afternoon been?” Magné asked.
“Great! We played upstairs the whole time,” Moses said. His face was relaxed, the tension and sadness having been replaced with contentment.
“Mr. Magné,” Jacob began, “after lunch you said we would set out in a couple of days. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but we’d like to leave tomorrow. We want to find our parents as soon as we can.” His wide eyes turned fully upon the pharmacist.
Marie threw a worried look at her husband and gently squeezed his elbow. The man cleared his throat and said, “We were thinking you might stay with us for a time. I’ve learned that the roads are being watched to hunt down and capture every possible Jew. The Germans are out in full force. Traveling through occupied France is extremely dangerous.”
His words did not deter Jacob, who took a few sips of soup and then spoke again. “I’m really sorry to cause trouble, but I’m afraid our parents will try to look for us in Paris when they hear what’s happened in the city. I don’t want to lose their trail. If we get there and