Her father’s death scarred Agatha. Those years that her and her mother were alone devastated her. Her mother, trying to run the shipping business by herself. Agatha, left with whoever could care for her.
She was so confused about what had happened to her father. One day he was a loving presence who cleaned her dolls’ faces when she accidentally dropped them in the mud. The next day he was gone, not even a body to bury, just gone with tides of the sea. His place at the table was empty until Herr Finkam sat at the table, with Bella and Sara, and bringing order and stability to their lives.
Tonight her whole family was there, a family she could not even imagined when her father died. Now, at the table sat Sarah and her husband Hans and their 2 children; Bella alone, but beautiful and laughing; Mutti, relaxed, with Herr Finkham by her side asking her she would like just one more glass of schnaps; and Andres who held her hand quietly with John in a basket next to her feet by the fire.
There was laughter and food and not a little bit of teasing. Bella even danced. Not one word was said about politics or Hitler, or whether they would all go to America, or if the Old Gurad could return Germany to her glory. It was just family and laughed and love. It was was nights like this that filled Agatha’s soul.