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1967
Jan 28, 2005 13:53:21 GMT -5
Post by Liesl on Jan 28, 2005 13:53:21 GMT -5
"well Dom usually walks to the lodge from school, as a matter of fact, he probably already started walking. If you see him on the way, I suppose he would want a ride home." Liesl thought some more "He might be here before you get back, Father wanted him to fix something up for him so I think he left early." She gave Louisa a hug Louisa gave back her usual confused look. "That's for everything. These upcoming days might be hard for all of us, we just have to stick together."
"When are the other's coming? Tonite or tomorrow? Friedrich and Brigitta told me today, but I told them I would check with you."
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 15:17:33 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 15:17:33 GMT -5
Dani went past them, going downstairs and Ellie followed her like a puppy, still beaming from Liesl's praise. She got the clothes and carried them upstairs and spread them on the bed. She pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and Ellie took her out to the bathroom. Ellie was too small to reach, so Dani picked her up and sat her on the edge of the sink and they washed up and went downstairs. Well, they were about to when Ellie ran back upstairs to get Gretl. Then they went downstairs.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 15:26:50 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 15:26:50 GMT -5
“I told Friedrich and Brigitta to come whenever they want. Brigitta said she might come tonight, and she would call Friedrich, Kurt and Marta. She told me she would call me when she knew. After all, we have to know how many people we should expect.”
Liesl nodded.
“I hope Father and Mother are doing well with the policeman. I would go there if I weren’t late to take the children. I know we don’t want to worry about the police records, but we have to know what’s happening.”
Liesl told Louisa she would check it and tell her later. She headed to where they should be, and Louisa took a deep breath before going downstairs to look for Danielle and Michelle, who had gone past them while they were talking in the hallway.
Louisa didn’t find the girls inside, but in the garden.
“Dani, Ellie,” she called.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 15:38:56 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 15:38:56 GMT -5
Ellie had been showing Dani the walkway that their mother and aunts and uncles had made for their parents for their 10-year anniversery. They had gotten cement and had placed their handprint in it, and wrote their name on them and placed them right in a row, in order of birth. The same was done with their children. Ellie had done hers a few days after she came. When they heard Louisa calling, Dani called "Over here, by the path."
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:09:13 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 16:09:13 GMT -5
Louisa walked over to the path. Since Gretl died, she hadn’t had the nerves to go there. It was Dominic who had showed the handprints to Ellie, and she wanted to have hers there too. Dominic had asked Louisa if they could do that, and she had agreed, but asked her husband to help the children. However, as she told herself, now was the moment to face her grief and go there.
“Ah, there you are,” Louisa said kindly. “I've been looking for you all over the place.
Dani told her aunt she wanted her handprints there too.
“Of course, darling, we will do it tomorrow, alright? Your cousins are coming here tonight, and I’m sure they’ll want to help you with that. Now I’m going to take Jan and Nina at school. Do you want to come with me?” she asked a bit anxious.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:12:21 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 16:12:21 GMT -5
Dani nodded, and wondered how many cousins she had. "Do they go to the same school I'll go to?" she asked her aunt as they walked out of the garden.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:21:30 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 16:21:30 GMT -5
“Yes, darling,” Louisa replied, offering her hand to the girl, hoping she would accept. “Well, all of them but Nina and Klaus, Marta’s son. They go to a small school not far from here. The same school Ellie will go to. They are in kindergaretn too,” she explained.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:24:47 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 16:24:47 GMT -5
Dani took her hand after a hesitation. What could it hurt? "Y'mean me and Ellie ain't going to the same school?" She frowned. She didn't like that.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:34:12 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 16:34:12 GMT -5
Louisa hand’t thought it could upset Dani that she and Ellie would go to different schools. But the school the older children went to didn’t have kindergarten, and the family didn’t know another good school that was near the Lodge and that all the children could go to together. The three continued to walk towards Nina’s school.
“Well, Dani, it will be only this year. And your cousins will be there with you. You won’t be alone, dear,” she said praying that Dani would understand.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 16:38:29 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 16:38:29 GMT -5
Dani shrugged. Maybe she just wouldn't go. There were already all these problems and she hadn't even seen the school yet! It wasn't that she'd be alone, she and Ellie had been together for always. It had been three years since she left Ellie to go to school, but Ellie didn't remember before that. Was it just a big mistake to have come here?
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 17:24:24 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 17:24:24 GMT -5
Dani said nothing, but Louisa knew it wasn’t because she had agreed. “I’d better start to think of another school for them to go together,” Louisa told herself. “We have to know what to do if Dani refuses to go to school with the others.”
“I’m sure you will change your mind after when you meet your cousins. They are excited about your arrival. There we are,” she said when they reached Nina’s school.”
She felt Dani’s resistance. “Come on, Dani. We have to get Nina.” She turned to Ellin, who seemed more easy to deal with. “Here, take your sister’s hand and show her your new school, darling,” Louisa said, taking their hands and putting them together.
A few days after Ellie arrived, her grandmother took her to visit her new school, and she didn’t seem to object having to go to school. But you never know, it was before her sister arrived.
“Come on, girls, Nina is waiting,” Louisa called again.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 19:00:23 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 19:00:23 GMT -5
Ellie pulled her big sister towards their cousin and Dani felt jealous. Ellie was friends with her. As mean as it was, Dani didn't want her sister to have anyone but her. She needed Ellie, but did Ellie need her?
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 20:12:03 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 20:12:03 GMT -5
Nina felt uneasy when she saw Danielle had come to get her too. Her Mother had told her Dani would arrive today, and that she should be kind with her, just like she had been with Ellie. But she hadn’t expected to see her cousin right then. Nina looked at her Mother, who nodded and smiled at her, indicating she should greet Danielle.
“Hello, Danielle, how are you?” Nina asked timid, her arms going around Louisa’s legs.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 20:18:40 GMT -5
Post by Buzzer on Jan 28, 2005 20:18:40 GMT -5
"I'm ok, how are you?" she asked, mimicking her mother. Her mother was loved by all so it made sense to repeat things her mother had said.
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1967
Jan 28, 2005 20:35:49 GMT -5
Post by Aline on Jan 28, 2005 20:35:49 GMT -5
“I’m fine too,” Nina replied smiling, trying to seem friendly and feeling a bit more comfortable. She reached for her Mother’s hand.
Louisa took her hand. “You will have time to talk to each other when we get home. Now we have to get Jan,” she said. “Let’s go.”
She saw Danielle take Ellie’s hand, and the little girl smiled at Nina. The four started to walk and soon reached Jan’s school. He was waiting for them on the stairs.
“Mother!” he called when he saw them, and run towards the group. “You are late," he said annoyed.
Louisa opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say a word Jan realized Danielle was there. “Oh, you must be Danielle,” he said in a softer tone. He wasn’t shy like his sister. “My Mother told me you would come today,” he told, giving his bag to Louisa. He hesitated a bit, but put a hand on Danielle’s shoulder. “How are you?” he asked smiling.
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