away. It was all for the good of the Fatherland.
While her parents ate in silence, Korinna played with a piece of bread on her plate.
“Why aren’t you eating?” her mother asked, eyeing Korinna’s full plate.
“I’m not really hungry,” she said, intently studying the tines of her fork.
Korinna’s father raised his bushy, red eyebrows. “Not hungry? Hundreds of poor people would do anything for what you have on your plate, and you say you’re not hungry?”
Korinna didn’t look up. “After our hike, we—we made sweet buns.”
“Sweet buns? For what?”
“Just to eat, I guess. Anyway, they weren’t very sweet because we didn’t have enough sugar. Just a couple of pinches.”
“Don’t you do anything worthwhile at those Jungmädel meetings?” her father growled.
Korinna brightened. “Oh yes, we help the poor and babysit for people. And today we got bundles of new pamphlets to pass out. They’re very nice. They even have the Führer’s picture on the front. Would you like to see them?”
Her father put down his fork with a loud clang. “No!”
Her mother stood to clear the table. “Maybe later. Right now your father is tired. It’s been a long day at school for him, too.”
Herr Rehme pushed himself away from the table and took out a pipe from his pocket. “Every day gets longer,” he said, sighing. “Longer and longer.”
Korinna looked at her father. He looked tired and so did her mother. “Maybe I shouldn’t be in the Jungmädel. Especially now that we’re often meeting more than once a week.”
“What?” her mother said, her hand poised above the pile of dirty dishes.
“Maybe I should come home after school and help you. I can help you clean and cook, and in the summer I can work in the garden.”
Herr Rehme drew on his pipe to light it. “No, you’ll go to the meetings just the way you have been.”
“But Mother looks tired,” Korinna insisted. “I want to help her.”
“You’ll help her by going to the meetings, Korinna.” Her father removed the smoking pipe from his mouth and used the stem as a pointer for emphasis. “It would be un-German of you not to be a member of Jungmädel. You would get into trouble for quitting.”
Korinna smiled. “Oh no, Papa, the leaders at the Jungmädel are very nice. They wouldn’t think I’m un-German just for wanting to stay home to help Mother.”
Korinna’s parents glanced at each other.
Her mother plunged the dishes into the steaming water. “That’s very thoughtful of you, dear, but we don’t want you to give up your meetings. We know you enjoy them. You just go and have fun.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” her father said firmly, blowing out a big puff of fragrant smoke. Then he smiled. “I have a surprise for you.”
Korinna clapped her hands together. “Really? What is it?”
Korinna’s father checked his pockets as if he were looking for something. “Now where did I put it? Helga, do you know where I put it?”
His wife smiled, but shook her head.
He finally knocked his broad knuckles on his forehead. “Oh, I remember, next to my boots.”
Korinna frowned. “In the hall, Papa?”
“Go look, I tell you. Quickly!”
Korinna got up from the table and walked to the front hall where she had left her book bag. Next to her father’s large boots sat a box she hadn’t noticed before. Someone had punched holes in the top. Korinna held her breath and slowly lifted the lid. Inside, a small bundle of fur trembled in one corner. Korinna gently lifted the little black and white kitten out of the box and, hugging it close, walked back into the kitchen.
“Oh, Papa,” she said breathlessly, “he’s beautiful! Look at the little white nose! Thank you so much! I’ll take good care of him, I promise.”
“I think he’s a she, but you’re welcome. She comes from a long line of mice killers.” “Don’t tease her, Bernd,” Korinna’s mother chided.
Korinna blushed. “I heard the mice, Papa. I swear it. They live behind my bedroom wall.”
“I know, I’m just teasing you. I put a mousetrap up there for them. Did you hear any mice last night?”
“No, not last night.”
Her father nodded with approval. “Good. The traps must have scared the little rodents away. Anyway, now if they come back you have a mouse-catcher.”
“Thank you,” Korinna said, touching her nose to the kitten’s. “What shall I call her?”
Herr Rehme shrugged. “That’s your decision, Korinna. I trust you’ll make the right choice.”
Korinna glanced over at her father, looking for the teasing glint in his eyes, but instead he looked quite serious. She wouldn’t have thought that naming a cat would be such a serious event, but then, she’d never had a cat before.
“Don’t worry, Papa,” she said, hoping she sounded solemn enough for this occasion. “You can trust me to make the right choice.”
Chapter Two
By morning, Korinna still hadn’t chosen a name for her new kitten. The black and white “mouse-catcher” raced around in crazy circles and made flying leaps at Korinna’s stockinged legs as she dressed.
After a cold breakfast of rye bread spread with a thin layer of jam, Korinna left her kitten purring next to the coal stove in the kitchen.
“I’m leaving, Mother,” Korinna called from the front hall, shouldering her book bag.
Frau Rehme came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel and hugged her daughter. “Come home right after school today. Aunt Hendrikia is coming over for dinner.”
“I won’t forget,” Korinna promised as she slipped out into the cold morning air. She pulled the door shut behind her.
Korinna stomped her feet to keep warm as Rita and Eva crunched over to her through the snow.
“Heil Hitler,” Rita called.
Korinna returned the greeting. “Heil Hitler. Guess what?” she added as she joined her friends,
