Hildegard Amsel watched as the sad but lovely American she’d felt the first glimmer of hope for napped nearby on the couch. After an hour’s nap, which was all she would let her have so she wouldn’t be awake all night, she guided her back into the kitchen and over to her laptop once again.
Yawning, Rainbow sat slumped back in her chair, arms folded across her stomach.
Hildegard began to type and translate. When she was done, Rainbow read:
How much German do you know?
“Not much,” Rainbow said shaking her head.
“Nicht viel, ja?” said Hildegard before she typed again.
Point to different objects in the room and name as many of them as you can in German.
Rainbow looked around her. “Frau,” she said pointing at Hildegard. Then she named the words for several common items found in kitchens and living rooms.
Hildegard then said something in German. It took Rainbow a moment to realize she was telling her she knew more German than she first thought.
Then she studied her a moment before asking in German what she wanted in life.
Unable to answer in a complete sentence, Rainbow typed and translated to German the words for “love,” “security” and “good health.”
Hildegard smiled and nodded slowly.
“Aber es ist nicht mehr für mich,” Rainbow said, shaking her head sadly, believing without a doubt that she would never again experience these things.
Rainbow obviously didn’t have to understand much German to know that Hildegard was disagreeing with her and reassuring her that these things would once again come to be in time. Then she typed again.
What kind of person would you describe yourself as being? Who was the Rainbow before the tragedy? What was she like?
She watched as Rainbow struggled to come up with the words but was unable to. Finally, she typed.
She liked to laugh. She lived for the moment. She was open-minded, unique and a bit eccentric at times. She was spontaneous, creative and open to new adventures.
Hildegard read her response and then typed.
Remember, life or death. Deutschland oder Vereinigte Staaten.
“Und was dann?” Rainbow asked.
Hildegard replied in German, but Rainbow didn’t get it. The older woman then typed and translated her response into English.
The rest will take care of itself.
Rainbow typed from English to German.
What’s meant to be will be?
“Ja,” Hildegard said with a laugh.
What do you think could possibly be in my future, Miss Fortune Teller?
Hildegard typed.
I’m not sure, but I think I know what’s meant to be right now.
Rainbow’s eyes followed Hildegard curiously as she rose from her chair and watched as the woman opened a cabinet door that ran from the floor to the ceiling and pulled out a large dusting wand and then a smaller one as well.
Rainbow rolled her eyes.
Hildegard looked at her and smiled.
Rainbow smiled back and said, “So that’s what’s meant to be right now?”
Hildegard shook her head adamantly and said, “Ohne Englisch, nur Deutsch.”
“Ok,” Rainbow said, agreeing to drop the English and try to speak as much German as possible.
“Kommen,” said Hildegard as she helped Rainbow to her feet. Then she said something incomprehensible.
Next Hildegard walked her over to the entertainment center and its many shelves and objects and sat Rainbow down on the floor in front of it. Then she said something in German and, judging by the gestures she made, she seemed to get that she was saying she’d dust the things that were up higher while she dusted the things that were down lower.
And so together they dusted, Hildegard standing right next to where Rainbow sat and following Rainbow as she shimmied down to the other end of the entertainment center as she worked. She got Rainbow to repeat after her as she spoke, getting a good chuckle every now and then at how funny her pronunciation sounded on some of the tougher words.
“Nadja!” Rainbow happily exclaimed a few minutes later, still on the living room floor.
Nadja had let herself in through the side door.
“In here,” Hildegard said in German.
“My, my, what have we here?” Nadja said.
In German, Hildegard let her in on what they’d been up to.
“Sounds like you’re starting to really make some progress,” Nadja said, helping Rainbow to her feet and hugging her.
“I’m trying,” Rainbow said.
Nadja gave Rainbow a kiss that was promptly returned. “Are you ready to come home with me?”
“I’m more than ready.”
“Did you realize how much German this little lady knows?” Hildegard asked her daughter in their native tongue. “I did some tests of sorts and while she still has a long way to go, she knows more than I realized. If you just talk casually, you’d be surprised at how much she picks up if you keep it slow and simple.”
Nadja looked at her suspiciously and asked first in German and then in English, “Did you lie about how much German you know?”
“Nein,” said Rainbow. “Why would I lie about that?”
“She didn’t lie,” Hildegard said in German. “She underestimates herself.”
“Oh, ok,” Nadja said. “Bereit?”
“Ja,” Rainbow said nodding.
Nadja and Hildegard gathered what Rainbow would need for the weekend. They left most of the stuff, though, since she would only be gone for two days.
Next, Hildegard guided Rainbow to Nadja’s car while Nadja threw her bags in the back seat. Then slowly, Hildegard told Rainbow, “Sie sehen Montagmorgen.”
“Ja,” said Rainbow, “Montagmorgen, Hildy.”
“Hildy?” Hildegard laughed. Then cupping her face in her hands Hildegard kissed her on the forehead. In German, she told Nadja, “You take it easy with this girl. If she gets to be too much for you just bring her back.”
Nadja laughed. “I think I can handle her, Mom. She’s not a wild cheetah,” she answered in German, kissing her on the cheek before getting into the car.
Hildegard watched as they both waved at her as the car slid down the driveway and toward the road. Already a sense of loneliness was coming over her as she turned to re-enter the house.
She hadn’t realized until now that her daughter might actually love Rainbow. Funny thing, she thought as she sat at her computer and prepared to study her next English lesson, because so did she.
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