SWING
Chapter Ten

When Jack got home, he wasn’t happy with what he found. His mother on the couch having coffee with a SS officer. He stood in the doorway, at a loss at what to say.

"Jack, there you are!" Mrs. Dawson looked at her son, a bright smile on her face. It was obvious to Jack that she was in love. She was positively glowing. He wondered how she could fall in love with a Nazi. Knowing how he felt about them…how his father had felt about them.

"Mom?" Jack asked, looking at his mother and the officer. Both were holding hands.

"I’d like to introduce you to Hansel Octmanhiem." Elaine Dawson stood up, nervously wringing her hands. She knew Jack was going to be mad, and he’d be furious to know that she’d been seeing Hansel for a year and now they were engaged to be married.

"So you are young Jack. I’ve heard a lot about you. I feel like I know you already." Hansel smiled, looking between Elaine and her son.

"Well, that’s funny, because I’ve heard nothing about you."

"Jack!" Elaine gasped in dismay. She had raised her son with better manners. "I’m sorry, Hansel. Jack never reacted well to surprises. Jack…you are to treat Hansel with respect. Is that clear?"

"I can’t believe…"

"Jack, he’s going to be your new stepfather within the month. So you will give him the same respect you would have given your father!"

Jack’s mouth dropped to the floor. Did his mother tell him that this Nazi was going to be his stepfather? That she was going to marry him? He must have heard wrong. "Mom…I don’t understand…I thought I had just heard you say that you’re marrying this guy you’ve just met."

Elaine sighed. "I am marrying him and I’ve known him for two years now. We’ve been romantically involved for a year. He asked me to marry him tonight, and I’ve accepted. It’s a better life for both of us, Jack."

Jack felt his world falling apart. His father had taught him that the third Reich and the Nazis were pure evil, and here his mother was marrying one of them. Not knowing how to respond to this, he walked right back out the door and continued out of the apartment building. He was glad he had his portfolio with him. He needed to draw. That was the best way for him to figure things out. Maybe he could even find a way to forgive his mother for this…betrayal.

*****

Rose sighed as she sat alone in the small café. She wanted to be alone to think about her situation…her seemingly hopeless situation. She wanted to be with Jack and his friends, but with her mother’s threatening to call the SS about her Jewish blood, Rose didn't dare go against her mother’s wishes. Not yet, anyway.

Looking around, she noticed that it was almost empty. Only herself and two other young women were in the diner. She glanced at the door at the ding of the bell, signaling the entrance of another customer. She was surprised to see Jack, who for the first time she saw him, looked rather depressed.

"Jack?" She waved him over.

"Hi, Rose." He forced a smile and sat across from her. "What are you doing out this late and all by yourself?"

"The usual. Thinking. How about yourself? I was positive you’d be at a swing hall somewhere. Not here alone and depressed."

Jack looked up with an arched brow. "What makes you think I’m depressed?"

"Your frown and slumped shoulders. Jack…you don’t have to tell me what’s wrong if you don’t want to. But talking about it helps. Take it from someone who knows."

Jack looked up at Rose and smiled. Of course she would understand, but he didn’t want to load his problems on top of her own. "Rose…I can’t. You have Cal to worry about. You don’t need my problems, too."

"Jack come on. You’ve helped me more that you know. I want to help you now."

"Well, you can’t. The only person who could help is my father and he’s dead. If he was alive she wouldn’t even think of marrying that…Nazi."

"This has to do with your father?"

Jack sighed in defeat. Rose was going to insist on hearing about his nightmare. He might as well tell her. "I came home to find out my mother’s marrying a Nazi. He had on the swastika armband and everything. But not only is she marrying him, she’s been dating him for two years, and I didn’t even know about it. Within the month I’ll have a Nazi stepfather."

"Oh, my God…does she know he’s a Nazi? Wait a minute, dumb question. Of course she does. What are you going to do? You’re going to have to tone down on the swing kid thing, you know."

Jack sighed. "I’ll have to hide it now. That’s for sure. But I’m not going to give it up. It’s part of my beliefs. I don’t care. That Hitler is a sick murderer. I just wish my mother felt the same way."

"Oh, Jack." Rose slid over next to him and hugged him, comforting him. "Have you told her how you feel?"

"No. I couldn’t, not with him sitting there." Jack sighed. "I just walked out the door. I’m not going back until he’s gone."

"Maybe she’d call the engagement off if she knew how you felt."

Jack laughed. "No, Rose. I don’t think she would. She kept this whole thing a secret up ‘til now. She knows how evil the guy is. She wants him in her life, and how I feel won’t matter."

Rose sighed. She felt really bad for him. "I’m sorry, Jack." Rose touched his hand. "I wish there was something I could do."

Jack looked up into her somber face, her eyes gleaming with tears of sympathy. She felt for him, he knew this, but yet, she was so scared to truly be with him. He couldn’t figure out why. What did Rose’s mother hold over her head that was so horrible that she felt that she had to do whatever she was told? What had Rose believing that she had no choice but to become involved with Caledon Hockley?

"Will you be okay when you get home?" he asked, knowing that her mother would be ready with a thousand questions to interrogate her with.

Rose shrugged. "I’ve survived so far. Jack, don’t worry about me. Okay. My situation is hopeless."

Jack took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "Nothing is hopeless, Rose. In these dark times, all we have now is hope. It’s always there, sometimes bright and sometimes so dim that we can barely see it, but it’s there, nonetheless."

Rose smiled, brushing a stray blonde lock away from his eyes. "You are so insightful. I would never have thought that about you."

"Why? Because I’m a swing kid?"

"No. Because you’re so happy. Even when you’re sad, you find a silver lining in every cloud."

"That’s only because my silver lining is sitting right here." Jack squeezed her hand. "Thank you for listening to me, Rose. I really needed a friendly ear."

"Well…I’m glad I could be here for you, Jack." Rose smiled, just as a group of Hitler Youths entered.

Jack was surprised to see Tommy among them, dressed to the hilt. He blinked just in case his vision was blurry.

"Tommy?" Jack looked at his friend as the group approached the table.

"Jack." Tommy swallowed. He hated doing this, but his parents had forced him to sign up with the youths, and the boys had decided to put him through an initiation of sorts. Pick on the first Jew, swing kid, or Gypsy, anyone that opposed the Nazis. Having just found out who Rose’s father was, and Jack being a swing kid, Tommy’s heart had sunk when he saw them in the cafeteria, holding hands. Tommy was hoping to warn Jack, but the guys were sticking to him like glue. "I am to inform you and your…girlfriend here that this restaurant is for loyal Germans only."

Jack and Rose looked at each other, both having a sinking feeling. This was going to lead to trouble. Tommy’s cold demeanor told Jack that. Squeezing Rose’s hand in reassurance, he turned to face his friend. "We are loyal Germans, Tommy."

Another tall boy with a blonde crew cut stepped up next to Tommy. "According to our records, you’re not. Just by your appearance alone, you’re a swing kid. You oppose the Third Reich at every turn. And as for your little girlfriend here…even though she passes for a pure-blooded German, her last name tells all. DeWitt Bukater. Daughter of Jeremiah DeWitt Bukater…the Jewish businessman that died two years ago."

Rose’s eyes widened, wondering how they got that information and if Jack now hated her, but he never let go of her hand. In fact, his grasp tightened.

"That doesn’t make us any less German than you. We’re not going anywhere." Jack glared at the youths. He glanced at Tommy, who was looking at anything but him.

Crew cut laughed. "Of course it does. A traitor and a Jew wanting to pass for Aryan. Now, since you two refused to adhere to our demands…we’re directed to take you outside and give you your due punishment."

"I’ll take care of the pretty little redhead here." A tall, muscular soldier reached to touch Rose’s hair, but Jack hit his hand away.

"Stay away from her," Jack growled.

"Jack, please…don’t make this any worse than it already is. Don’t worry about Rose. They won’t dare touch Captain Hockley’s…consort." Tommy’s voice was now pleading. He didn’t want to see Jack get hurt. They had been best friends since they were six. It was bad enough this was happening.

"I thought we were friends." Jack’s voice was of betrayal.

"We are. That’s why I want you to do what’s told. Please."

Taking a look at Rose, he knew there was no escape if they remained in the diner. The best possible route of escape was to follow the group outside. "Come on, Rose." Jack never let go of her hand as they got to their feet.

"Jack?" Panic shone in Rose’s voice. She knew that what was going to happen next was going to be bad, unless Jack had a plan.

"Do you trust me?"

Rose nodded. "I trust you."

"Just follow my direction and whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand." Jack kept his eyes straight ahead.

Tommy stood behind them, escorting them out into a nearby alley. Rose swallowed. She sure did hope Jack knew what he was doing.

"Okay, guys, you take care of the girl…and we’ll take care of Jack." Crew cut turned to his group and moved towards Jack. Before anyone could make a move, Jack’s fist connected with his jaw. Jack grabbed Rose and began pulling her into a dead run.

"Jack!" Rose yelled as she heard angry footsteps running behind them.

"Keep running! Don’t look back!" Jack directed, tightly holding Rose’s hand. "We’re going to get through this, Rose! Trust me!"

"I trust you!"

Together, they ran into the darkness of the night, hoping to escape their pursuers.

Chapter Eleven
Stories