my family. There was nothing more important to me in the world.
8
Emilia
Sara invited Truda and Mateusz for coffee after supper one evening. My parents were exceedingly suspicious about this, even as we prepared to walk down the hallway to her apartment.
“I don’t understand why she wants to meet with us,” Truda muttered, shaking her head.
“She probably just wants to ease our minds about her friendship with Elz·bieta. I don’t think there is anything sinister about it.” Mateusz shrugged.
“I’m glad that you’re going to meet with her. She is a good friend to me,” I said as innocently as I could because I knew exactly the reason for the invitation.
Just as Sara and I had planned the night before, my parents were soon seated around her dining room table, with steaming cups of genuine coffee cradled in their palms. Much of what passed for coffee in those days was a poor substitute—ground acorns or chicory or, when things were really tight, plain old wheat grains. But Sara had asked Uncle Piotr to procure some quality coffee beans, determined to make an occasion of the gathering.
“I wanted to meet with you to clear the air and to get to know you a little better,” she began. “After all, Elz·bieta is so dear to all of us, so we have something important in common. Besides, in these difficult times, new friends are always a blessing,” Sara added quietly. Mateusz nodded and smiled, but Truda’s eyes narrowed.
“We are pleased to get to know you better. Piotr speaks so highly of you.”
The faintest of flushes stole over Sara’s cheeks, and it struck me for the first time that she often blushed when Piotr’s name came up. I tucked the observation away in the back of my mind, something to ponder later.
“He is a good friend. But I have to confess, I do have something to ask of you tonight. I’m not sure if you are aware that I work for the Department of Social Welfare and Public Health, for the Warsaw Council. We are very busy, with so many struggling and suffering. It is hard but noble work, managing and organizing a series of soup kitchens around the city. And I was thinking about Elz·bieta here, and how clever she is and how it is such a waste to have a bright young mind sitting idle when there is so much to be done. So I spoke with my supervisor, and we wondered if perhaps Elz·bieta would consider coming aboard our team in some capacity. After all, were it not for the occupation, she would be studying at high school right now. But it would not break any rules for her to undertake, say, an apprenticeship with my team.” There was a stunned moment of silence as Truda and Mateusz glanced from Sara to me, and Truda’s eyes narrowed further. Sara continued, undaunted. “There is no rule which says that bright young women cannot learn at work. I myself got my start through a nursing apprenticeship when I was not much older than Elz·bieta is now. I know that she has perhaps not made the wisest choices of late due to her boredom, and I do trust that you know what is best for her. However, I wondered if, rather than punishing the behavior, you would consider some meaningful work as a strategy to address the root of it...a strategy to mitigate her boredom, perhaps.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Truda said firmly, her tone low and directed only to Mateusz.
He was watching me closely, thoughtfully, and then he turned to Sara and asked, “What exactly would Elz·bieta be doing?”
“There is a mountain of paperwork on my desk that needs filing, for a start, and then maybe after that she can help answer the phones. If we clear the backlog, I thought I would have one of the typing-pool girls come in to show her how to use the typewriter so she can help me with my notes. There is much to be done from the safe confines of my office while she will be learning about public health and about how the city cares for our citizens. It’s not quite the same as a nursing position, but it will lay a great foundation for her if she chooses to pursue nursing as a job once the war is over.” Sara paused, then grimaced self-consciously. “I could really do with the help. The typing pool is so far behind. It’s months before they