He nods. “I’d like… a lot.”
Oh… my… gosh! I think as I rush to the kitchen to heat up his food, then compose myself before walking into the front room.
Handing the bag to Sam, I can’t seem to make my eyes leave his. I know that I’m staring at him for far too long, but I simply cannot stop myself.
“Thanks,” he says, taking the bag.
And, what do I do? I stand there, still looking into his light-sea-green eyes.
“So, did you find anything interesting in the box you took last night?” he asks while opening the paper bag and inspecting the food inside.
“Actually,” I say as I grab both of us dinner trays, “I’ve been dying to come tell you all about it.”
“Oh, yeah?” He nods, thanking me for the table, then puts his cheeseburger and fries down on the table on top of the bag. He picks off the onions, and I take note.
“Where did you get all these boxes?” I ask, while taking my seat and preparing my food for total annihilation.
“They’ve been up in my attic since I moved in. I’ve had some extra time on my hands, so I figured I should clean up there. They must’ve been left from the previous owners.”
“You’ve got quite the treasure,” I say, before sinking my teeth into the juiciest burger Seattle has to offer.
“You do. Consider all this stuff yours.”
“I still can’t believe you were going to throw out someone’s memories.”
“Well, if they left all this stuff behind, it must not be valuable.”
“Oh, but it is,” I say, wiping the corner of my mouth where ketchup seeps out. “Do you know what I found in the box from last night?”
“Nope.” He chuckles. “You still haven’t told me.”
“A diary.”
“Oh yeah, is there lots of stuff from a schoolgirl with a crush on some football player?”
“It’s not just any diary. It’s a diary of a seventeen-year-old Jewish girl living near Berlin during the Holocaust.”
This seems to pique Sam’s interest when he scoots his butt to the edge of the couch, puts down his burger, and his sexy mouth forms an “O.”
I nod, with wide eyes. “It’s terrible and amazing, reading her words.”
“Do you mind if I have a look when we’re done eating?”
“Not at all! I’m so drawn to her. Do you happen to read German?” I take another huge bite of my burger and shove a couple fries in the corner of my mouth. My love for food overpowers the shame I have from eating the way I normally do in front of Sam.
Sam shakes his head.
“I’ll have to read it to you then. It’s all in German.”
“I’m impressed you know how to read it.”
“Studied it in high school and college. Along with French.”
“Ah, very cool. I guess I should’ve inspected the boxes before tossing them out. I had no idea something like that was in them,” he says.
“Did you see what’s in the ones you brought over?”
“It’s possible there are more diaries, but I saw some clothes, photo albums, and letters in these two.”
Unable to contain my excitement, I push myself from the couch and head to the bathroom to wash my hands. My stomach protests, wanting to finish my meal, but my mind wins over. I have to know what’s in the other boxes. I say a silent prayer that there’s another diary because, judging from the small size of the one I’m reading, Estherly’s entire story can’t fit into one diary. Dread sweeps over me when I think, If she lived. Before going back to the living room, I run upstairs, grab the box from my room, and head back downstairs.
“Where’d you go?” Sam calls.
“Washing my hands. And grabbing the box from my room. I need to get my hands on the other boxes you brought.” Walking into the living room, I say, “I’ve spent all day wondering if you had more of Estherly’s diaries.”
“You really are fascinated by her. You put your cheeseburger down, and this is one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.”
“Estherly is captivating. I can’t wait for you to check this out.” I lay the first diary down on the loveseat next to Sam. “You don’t mind if I start going through these, do you?”
“I don’t mind at all,” he says with his gorgeous mouth half-full.
I sit on the floor and open a box. Pulling out items of clothing, I search for something more interesting. My heart leaps when I find a black and white photo of a young woman with dark, wavy hair. Her deep-set, almond-shaped, dark eyes speak of strength and serenity despite knowing what she must’ve gone through. Her full lips catch my attention as well as her stunning beauty. I flip the photo over and read the name on the back. Estherly Krauss 16 years old, 1940.
“Sam! Look, this is her. This is Estherly.” I can’t help the elevation in my voice. I pop up off the floor, move the diary over, and sit next to Sam. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
Between chewing a few fries, Sam nods. “She’s gorgeous.”
Placing Estherly’s photo near my heart, I sigh. Suddenly, I regret being so rude to Sam. “I’m such a jerk.”
“Why?” he asks.
“Do you need a drink or a napkin? I’ve been a dreadful host.” I put the photo on top of the diary.
“Both would be awesome, but please, don’t worry. I’m fine. If you wanna keep looking through the box, I can get them myself. Point me in the right direction.”
“No, I won’t have it. I’ve already been rude enough. Be right back.”
Scolding myself, I walk to the kitchen.
When I come back, I find Sam’s dinner tray all cleaned up and he’s nowhere in sight. I must’ve scared him away. He probably made a quick exit out the front door.
“So, let’s have a look at this diary.”
His voice behind me causes me to jump.
“Oh, crap. You scared the heck out of me!” I laugh.
“Sorry, I hope you don’t mind. I found the restroom and washed my hands. I don’t want to get grease on any of this stuff.”
I admire his thoughtfulness.
I hand Sam a water and discard the napkin in my pocket. He makes his way to the loveseat. Sitting back on the floor, I sift through the first box.
Two hours later, I’m curled up against my couch, reading to Sam from the same diary I read last night. Rain hits the rooftop and adds to the mood.
Sam and I rummaged through all three boxes. We retrieved family photos and one other diary with dates past the one I’ve started reading, along with some letters we put aside to read later.
“‘I can’t speak, I can barely breathe. Tears stream down my face as I grab for my mother. I melt into her warm, loving arms and gasp as the sobs overcome me,’” I read. “This part is touching,” I say, then sigh. “I think I might cry.”
“Do you want to stop?”
“No, I’ll keep reading. I know you want to know what happens as much as I did.”
Sam became so eager about our findings while we went through the boxes that I was afraid he was going to take everything back, but graciously, he said that I could read the diaries to him. With him unable to read German, it’s his way to learn more of Estherly’s story.