My Little Stars
By: Amelie B
Tags: World War II, Historical Fiction, Short Story

My Little Stars

On May 30, 1944, I showed up at Paddington Station London. I was alone with a 5-year-old and a 3 week old. Neither of them were my own, but I loved them more than anything in the world.

About a year back, I met Sergeant Heinrich Hoffmann at Limoges, France. He was traveling with Zophie, his wife, and their 4-year-old daughter Madeline. I asked where they were heading and they did not know. Sergeant Hoffmann explained that he helped the Resistance once but that a ‘comrade’ had denounced him. All he did was to give them a little more water and bread than they were allowed, and now he was on the run. He asked if I had any suggestions for their new identities as they couldn’t decide on names.

“I have a few in mind.” I answered.” Sergeant, you are now Henry Hall. Zophie, you are now Sophie Hall. Madeleine need not change her name.”

I stayed with them for about 2 months and by that time Sophie was pregnant and the couple had lost their accent. We moved constantly as the German army was everywhere. We finally settled in Angers. We bought a small country house in the suburbs. A few months later, a baby girl was born, Arabella Margaret Hall. A few days after she delivered Arabella, Sophie died. The next day a villager said that the Gestapo was coming to arrest a certain Sergeant Hoffmann. Henry panicked and he told me to take the girls and go to London and then go to America. So I went because I knew it was for the best and for their good. A few minutes later the Gestapo came and shot him. I ran as quickly as I could. No, I would not let Madeline remember her father as being a traitor shot for justice and that it was his fault that they were moving constantly. Henry and Sophie had saved up some money for the girls for college and whatnot. I packed some bags containing only the strict necessary (brush, food, the money, drinks, some clothes, the family photo album, and little childhood memories). I rushed to Lyon-Pardieu to buy tickets to Paris and once there I bought tickets to Paddington. We arrived about 3 hours later.

As soon as we got out of the station I headed to exchange money to rent an apartment and got a job. We settled on a modest apartment near the fabric shop where I worked. I was hoping that after about a year or two, I could open my own shop not too far away.

3 years later

It has been two years since the war ended. We have moved to New York City where I have opened my own fabric shop. I named it “10 Indian Maharajahs”. I taught the girls to speak French, as I was French. It is going quite well, Madeline (Maddie) is in third grade and Arabella (whom we call Bellie) has started pre-school. Maddie and Bellies’ favorite day of the week was Saturday. On the aforementioned day, we wake up early to make a few batches of cookies and we go around selling them door to door for a little extra money. After school, Maddie picks up her sister and goes back home. I do not usually let them go anywhere alone but I let them walk home from school without me because we do not live far away. Maddie absolutely loves being a big sister, she takes care of anything Bellie needs, reads her bedtime stories, and gets her snack and bag ready for school. When the girls turn 18 they have my permission and the right to leave the house but personally, I do not want my little stars to go away.

15 years later

Bellie is leaving today, she is going to a French college to learn how to be a five-star cook with her fiancé Jean. They will come back within 4 years to tell me how their restaurant is going. Meanwhile, I made them promise to write every day. I made Maddie and her best friend Tabitha promise the same. They left 2 years ago to become actresses. I will miss them all. Sophie had embroidered a handkerchief for each girl with their name in fine print: Arabella Margaret Hall and Madeline Blaire Hall. Out of the kindness of her heart, Sophie had embroidered one for me too: Angeline Marie Garnier.

As we left I gave the handkerchief to Bellie.

I started crying as for a while I would neither see Maddie or Bellie’s radiant faces for a long time except in my memories. The girls would be just fine as long as they stayed with their best friend or fiancé.

A year later

I got a letter from Bellie, she gave birth to a baby girl: Isabella Grace. The restaurant is going great and they promised to visit next month. Maddie and Tabbie are now well-renowned actresses as well and are having quite a lot of fun. As for me, my store stayed a local shop with lots to offer and I remained there until my death at age 98, surrounded by the people I love (my two great-grandkids, seven grandchildren, two children, and their spouses).