Basel, April 1940.
I get up and see that there's no one here, I figure Heinrich has gone to work, I'll take the opportunity to tidy up the house my way, since I have nothing else to do, I might as well turn this place into somewhere I know well.
After several minutes.
Someone knocked at the door, I'm seized by panic, it surely isn't Heinrich because he's at work, and anyway he would have just come in. The person knocks again, I put the broom down and rest my head against the door.
—Who are you?
—Uhm hello miss, I'm a neighbor.
—What do you want from me?
—I mean you no harm, I just want to talk with you, I'm also a refugee, and as soon as I heard that there were other people like us, I thought a little company might do you good.
I hesitate for a moment, but I decide to open the door, a huge anxiety makes me tremble all over.
—Hello. Said the woman with a big smile.
—H-Hello.
—I know you're afraid, but you shouldn't be, my name is Suzanne Lévy.
She seems nice, she's wearing a long brown checkered skirt, and a white blouse. Her hair is quite short and she's wearing a white headband.
—May I come in?
—Uhm yes, you can.I let her in, she sits down on one of the chairs.
—I wanted to meet you personally, Yvonne told me about your arrival and since I've been here for a few months, I thought maybe I could help you.I sit across from her and listen.
Several minutes pass.
I finally understand who Suzanne is, she told me her whole story at least since the moment Hitler decided that Jews were monsters. She explains that she's from France and that she left the country with her husband but their child was taken away by the German army.
—I'm so sorry for what happened to you.
—Thank you, and by coming here, my husband and I found a bit of peace even though our son is no longer with us.
—In any case, thank you for sharing your story with me, I must admit that mine is nothing like yours, the person who saved me is a German soldier.
—What, how so?
—That man is the one who came here with me, we met before all this, and he found me again when he changed sections, and we ran away, and here we are.
—You're lucky to have met that soldier.
—I'm well aware that without him I can't imagine what I would have gone through.
—I imagine he must love you to have saved your life.
—I don't know, but I'm grateful for what he's done for me.
—I think helping each other could be really useful for us.
—I think so too, even if I feel safe here, I'm still afraid.
—That's completely normal, it was the same for us, so don't worry, it'll pass, you'll have to get used to the country, it'll take time, but you'll see that you'll feel much better.I look at her with kindness and smile at her.
—Thank you so much Suzanne for your kindness. And I'm here too if you ever need me.
—Thank you, I think I'll go home, my husband doesn't really like it when I leave the apartment.
—Ah well, Heinrich doesn't want me to go out either, he's afraid something might happen to me.
—Mhmm and you tell me he doesn't love you, anyway I'll let you be.
I smile at her and close the door, I think back to what she said, and what if she was right, what if he really loved me.No, that's not possible, well… NO! After this little upheaval Suzanne brought me, I go back to what I was doing before she arrived.
1 hour later.
I finally finished, I've cleaned absolutely every corner of the apartment. And now I know it by heart, and I feel a little more at home. Suzanne's visit made me think, and lifted my spirits a bit knowing that other Jewish people were here, but she also made me doubt what Heinrich feels for me.I hear the door open behind me, and I see Heinrich exhausted from his day.
—Hi. He said.
—Hi, you're getting home earlier than yesterday, right?
—Ah no, not at all, actually later.
—Seriously, oh no, I completely lost track of time and didn't make anything to eat, I'm so sorry.
—Don't worry, in any case with all the pastries, I'm not very hungry, but if you want to eat, go ahead. But by the way, did the furniture change places?
—Uhm yes, I thought tidying up my way would help me feel more at home here.
—That's a good idea, and besides I prefer the apartment like this.
The end of the evening passes quietly, Heinrich has been quite silent, I think his work takes a lot of time and energy. We didn't talk much, he went to bed without saying anything, I decided to go to bed too, not knowing what else to do. I just hope he won't be like this every day, because apart from him, the only person I know here is Suzanne, whom I don't know well yet, but I think we'll become very close.