Never Coming Home

Gerard’s POV
I tear open the letter the second Frank handed it to me.
Dearest Gerard,
I received your letter about Alice, and I’m happy to let you know that she is safe with me here.
Due to what’s going on over here, airplane tickets have gone down in price. Just something I thought you might find a little bit helpful.
If you do manage to make it over here safely and unharmed, you’re welcome to come around any time you like to visit her.
Once you get here, find a pay phone and call me (712-916-8247). Although I’ll have to warn you, Gerard, the times are tough here, and it’s quite dangerous. So come at your own risk. But I wish you the best of luck
-Jaqueline
“Yes!” I openly shout.
“What does it say?” asks Susan next to me.
“We’re going.”
Frank looks at me in shock. “We are?”
“Yes! You, me, Susan, Lucy, everybody!”
“O-okay.” Says Frank, looking puzzled. He probably thought that she wouldn’t reply. But I proved him wrong.
“Congratulations, Gerard.” Says Susan, smiling and hugging me.
I smile like a young boy, which I’m pretty sure I haven’t done for a while. I’m welcoming for once, a brand new adventure…
*1 week Time Lapse*
I get out of the airport and take my first shaky steps into Germany I don’t know why I’m nervous. I should probably be happy and excited. But I am nervous.
I can tell the people around me are nervous as well. Everybody has an odd expression on their face, most of which I can’t make out.
“So, let’s go find a payphone. I have to call Jaqueline.” I say, holding up the letter with her phone number on it.
“Wait, pace yourself.” Says Frank. “Maybe we should go get a coffee or something, first.”
I nod. Even I’m a little reluctant, as much as I cover it up.
“Come on.” He says. We walk through the crowded streets. I see few yellow stars, and mostly people just rushing to get to work.
We go past all the cafés with stars painted in the windows until we find a small café that looked mostly empty.
We walk in the door.
“So, four coffees?” Frank asks as we walk in. We nod.
He goes over to the counter to order, and the woman behind it must’ve noticed we weren’t speaking German, so she spoke to Frank in English.
“Coffee?” she asks.
“Four, please.”
“Of course.” She says, smiling and quickly making them, bringing them back to him as we sit down at a table. “2 euros, please.” He pays the woman and comes back to us, bringing the cups on a tray. We take them and sip slowly.
“So what are you gonna do once you meet Alice?” Susan asks me.
“I have no idea. I just need the realization that she’s okay.”
“Suppose that makes sense. You’ll have something left of Clara-“
“Please, don’t mention Clara.” I say in the nicest tone I can. I don’t want to talk about Clara, I just want to enjoy what I can think of that’s happy.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, really.”
I just hope this all goes well…
***********
Once we’re done, I go outside and into the nearest phone booth I can find. Dialling in the number quickly.
I hear it ringing and wait for her to answer.
“Hallo?” says a voice on the other side. “Jaqueline, it’s me, Gerard.”
She switches to English as soon as she sees me talking.
“Gerard? I’m not sure I know who you are.”
“Jaqueline, it’s me.”
“Jaqueline? Jaqueline Haven?”
Shxt. Is this not her?
“Yes…”
“I’m terribly sorry, she can’t come to the phone.”
“Why not?”
“...I’m afraid she’s been taken away to a labour camp…”

Notes

Sorry if it's a little lazy, haven't been getting much sleep lately. : /