CHAPTER 27 - OLDENBURG, GERMANY—JANUARY 28, 1917
Max, struggling to concentrate, traveled over a series of logs on the obstacle course with Nia.
Anna followed closely behind them while Fleck, scribbling notes onto a clipboard, sat on a stool near the barn.
For much of the morning, Anna had been silent, other than to provide instruction.
Even on their walk to school, she’d said little to him or Emmi, other than to inform her friend that Bruno had arrived in Oldenburg.
Something is troubling her, he thought, locating a felled log with his cane.
When she’s ready to talk, I’ll be here for her.
With his mind on Anna, Max made several mistakes throughout the day, including a near fall while navigating a simulated up-curb, made from bricks, which earned him a lecture from Fleck on being attentive while training.
Thankfully, Nia guided him flawlessly, with the exception of some hobbling due to her frail paw, otherwise he would have made far more errors.
He thought that Anna would become more talkative as the day wore on, and that her spirits might improve if Bruno came to the school grounds to observe as Norbie had suggested.
But as far as Max could tell, Bruno had not arrived.
And as hours passed, her solitude grew worse.
Max, unable to contain his concern, turned toward Anna and asked, “Would you like to talk about what’s bothering you?”
Anna glanced to the other groups, all of whom were out of earshot. “Nothing is bothering me.”
“You’re quiet,” he said.
“I’m merely tired.”
He continued his walk with Nia. “How was your evening with Bruno?”
“Fine.”
He waited for her to say more, but only heard the crunch of snow beneath her boots. As he debated in his head whether to probe further, she quickened her pace and reached his side.
“Well, if I’m honest,” she said, “our conversation was a bit uncomfortable at times.”
“Oh,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“He seemed distracted, with the exception of gaining time away together, which is not an option considering my work. Some of the things that I’d written him about in my letters were forgotten, and I was hurt that he didn’t remember—” She drew a deep breath. “Never mind.”
Your mutter, he thought. “Helga?”
“Ja,” she said, her voice soft.
“That must have been rough for you to hear.”
“It was.”
Max recalled the somber timbre of Bruno’s voice.
The man’s dour tone reminded Max of the many despondent soldiers that he’d encountered in Ypres who were on the brink of being broken by war.
He wondered if Anna or Norbie had recognized the same thing, or if his combat experience, combined with his reliance on hearing due to blindness, had made him more keenly aware of Bruno’s mental state.
“It takes time for one to adjust from being at the front,” he said. “I’m sure you already know this from your work at the hospital, but it might feel different when you’re in the thick of it.”
“True.” She walked with him and Nia around a pile of snow.
“One day, a soldier is fighting for his life, and two days later—after a year of witnessing death in hellacious conditions—he’s back home, sitting at the kitchen table.
To a soldier, the change in environment is a shock.
Your head is foggy and your emotions are numb, as if your brain was injected with anesthetic. ”
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” she said.
“I am,” he said. “And I can tell you that things can get better with time.”
“I hope so.”
“They will,” he said. “I believe that good things happen to people with good hearts—and yours, Anna, is made of gold.”
“You’re sweet.” She clasped Nia’s harness, placing her hand next to Max’s. “Speaking of good things, it was lovely of you to sleep on the cot in the workshop instead of Norbie.”
“I’m glad to do it.”
“Did the ticking and chiming of clocks keep you awake last night?”
“Nein,” he said. “But the march music is still stuck in my head.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
He nudged her arm. “I was kidding.”
“Oh.” She chuckled. “Tonight, I’ll insist that we play something more relaxing.”
“It’s all right,” Max said, slowing his pace. “There’s nothing wrong with a person having a different taste in music. It makes me happy to hear Norbie sing ‘H?nschen klein’—the more out of tune the better.”
Anna glanced at Max and smiled.
“My friends at the front loved military marches.” A flash of playing a piano, while his comrades sang and drank schnapps, filled his head. “My friend, Otto, once told me to stick to playing marches because people would pay to hear them.”
Anna leaned in.
He drew a breath, taking in her scent.
“You certainly know how to make a woman feel better,” she said. “I’m going to miss you when you leave.”
His chest ached. “I’m going to miss you, too.” More than you will ever know.
Her hand slipped away from the harness, and the space grew between them.
Max, attempting to contain his feelings, patted Nia and quickened his pace. They completed two more laps around the obstacle course. And with each step and maneuver, all he could think about was how lucky Bruno was to have Anna.
“Oh, no,” Anna said.
“What is it?” Max asked.
“Waldemar is coming.”
“Where’s Fleck?”
Anna glanced around the course. “I don’t know.”
The crunching of bootsteps grew. Hairs raised on the back of his neck. He tugged on the harness and said, “Halt.”
Nia stopped and panted.
“Fleck wants to see both of you,” Waldemar grumbled.
“What about?” Max asked.
“It’s likely concerning your poor performance,” he said. “Fleck has been scribbling notes about you on his clipboard all day.”
Max’s face turned hot. Fearing that a rebuttal could potentially get Anna in trouble, he gripped Nia’s harness and held his tongue.
“Where’s Fleck?” Anna asked.
“The barn.” Waldemar scratched at his scraggly, gray mustache and looked at Max. “I always knew that Fleck would eventually come to his senses and expel you from training. However, I’m surprised that you lasted this long.” He turned and walked away.
“Don’t listen to him,” Anna said. “He’s only trying to annoy you.”
“He’s doing a damn good job of it.” Max stroked Nia’s back. “Well, let’s see what Fleck wants.”
Inside the barn, Nia guided him toward the area of the woodstove. As he felt the warmth of the fire begin to radiate over his face, he commanded Nia to sit.
“Herr Fleck,” Anna said. “I understand that you’d like to have a word with us.”
“Ja.” Fleck removed a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He took a deep inhale and blew smoke.
A burnt scent of tobacco filled Max’s nose. He fought away the urge to cough.
“Frau Bauer,” Fleck called.
“Ja, sir,” Emmi said, grooming a shepherd at a nearby stall.
“Please take your dog for a walk,” he said.
He wants to speak privately with us. A lump formed in the pit of Max’s stomach as he listened to Emmi and the dog leave the barn.
“I’ve been giving considerable thought to the shepherd assignments,” Fleck said. “And I’ve decided to make a change.”
Dread shot through Max. He placed a gloved hand on Nia’s head. “With all due respect, sir, I do not wish to have another shepherd. I’d rather go back to Leipzig alone, than to exchange Nia for—”
“Max,” Fleck interrupted. “I wasn’t finished.”
Max nodded.
Fleck took a drag on his cigarette. “As I was saying, I’ve decided to make a change. Despite your lack of focus this morning, I am permanently assigning Nia to you.”
Anna’s eyes widened.
Max froze, questioning whether he interpreted the man’s words correctly.
“You’ve worked with most, if not all, of the shepherds,” Fleck said. “And I see no need to pair you with another dog, since it’s become apparent that you and Nia have formed an inseparable bond.”
He swallowed. “Are you saying that she’s mine?”
“Ja, assuming you finish the rest of training.”
“Dankeschon, sir,” Max said, feeling overwhelmed with gratitude.
Anna kneeled to Nia. “Did you hear that, girl? You’re going to go home with Max.”
Nia wagged her tail.
“Max,” Fleck said. “I trust that your concentration will be better tomorrow.”
“It will, sir,” he said.
“Gut.” Fleck turned to Anna. “Take Max and Nia to town to train for the remainder of the afternoon, and take Frau Bauer with you. Instruct her to go to the ambulance dog shelter. They have a few shepherds in need of paw care. And if it pleases you, you may mention that the supervisor there was quite impressed with her care of the shepherds with kennel cough. He commented to me that he’d rather have Frau Bauer care for his dogs than their former veterinarian who’d been sent to the front. ”
“Of course, sir,” Anna said. “I’ll be sure to tell her.”
Fleck gave a nod and left the barn, leaving them alone.
Anna threw her arms around Max. “Congratulations! I’m so happy for you!”
He hugged her. “It wouldn’t have happened without you.”
Her embrace lingered.
He felt the warmth of her breath against his neck. His heart rate quickened. Nia stuck her snout between them, and he felt her arms slip away. Gathering his composure, he smiled and said, “Shall we get back to work?”
“With pleasure,” she said.
They gathered Emmi and departed for town, leaving the other groups who were still conducting drills on the obstacle course. Once they were away from school, Anna informed Emmi about Fleck’s compliment with regard to her care for the dogs with kennel cough.
“He really said that?” Emmi asked, beaming.
“He did,” Max said.
“Like I’ve been telling you,” Anna said, “you’re as good as any veterinarian.”
“Danke,” Emmi said. “It’s not every day that I receive an accolade for my work. I’ll take any praise from Fleck I can get, even if he prefers not to deliver it himself.”
“You deserve it,” Max said.
“I have more news,” Anna said. “Fleck has permanently assigned Nia to Max.”
“Oh, my goodness!” Emmi said. “That’s marvelous!”
“We still need to pass the rest of the training,” Max said, leery that being overconfident would only lead to disappointment.