Franks began in a soft gentle voice, asking her if she did recall going to the circus. Rebecca surprised him, looking at him with a tranquil, gentle expression.
"I was wondering when you would speak to me about it, but I know. And I know that her last words were about my safety... It all came back to me days ago, but I didn't want to tell you, I wanted to face it by myself. I needed time alone. She was, you see, always the stronger..."
"Do you blame yourself in any way?"
"Yes, of course. I endangered her, I ran into the clearing, I was stupid, but... I think she could have gotten him back in his cage. She was very calm."
She gave Franks a strange, direct stare. "She was also very disturbed, confused. I wish, I wish we had found you together, but..."
Franks leaned forward, "But?"
"But we didn't... Throughout my life I have been searching for a mother. I have expected too much, loved too much — and caused a lot of pain to those I have loved. Now at last I have found her. She lies within me. Having mothered my sons, my daughters—
albeit distressed them, terribly — I think I have found my first mothering experience — with you."
She smiled at him. "You have given me the unconditional, loving acceptance I have always sought, the support I have always needed, the understanding I have craved. You have given me back my childhood, but most important, through my relationship with you, I have learned to accept and love myself, to give myself the kind of caring that will heal me from the inside. I am going to get stronger. I know that, because I want to live — for my children, for my husband — most of all, I want to do something with my life. My experience must be used, you must use me, reach out for others like me, Dr. Franks, because I am strong now and I want to do this for me and for Ruda, who was the only mother I ever really knew "
Franks couldn't help himself, he leaped from his chair and wrapped his arms around Rebecca. "You're wonderful! You know what you are? A fighter... God bless you!"
Dr. Franks, with his hands stuffed into his pockets, waited for the baron to arrive at the clinic. He had remained in Berlin, and brought his younger daughter, Sasha, to stay at the hotel. Sasha waited with her father for news of Rebecca, of her mother's recovery.
Louis knew by the expression on Franks's face that they had at last broken through.
Dr. Franks held Sasha's hand, smiling warmly. "You stay with me a few moments, Sasha." And to Louis: "Go and see Rebecca."
She was leaning against the chair. Louis was unable to contain himself; he sobbed as he lifted his arms to her. He clasped her to him, as if afraid to let go of her. They kissed and clung to each other.
"I'm coming home, Louis. I want to come home."
Dr. Franks tapped on the door and asked if another visitor could be made welcome. He ushered in Sasha. The child hung back a moment, then ran into her mother's open arms, and Rebecca swung her around and around, then bent down on her knees and cupped the girl's face in her hands.
"Sasha! My beautiful Sasha... I am coming home!"
The Mercedes made slow progress through the snowbound streets. Rebecca sat between Louis and Sasha. On her knees lay Ruda's black box. She opened it, and Sasha looked inquisitively inside.
"Do you know what this is?" Rebecca held up a small hard object. "It's a potato!"
"But it looks like a stone, Mama!"
"When we were in the camp they were prizes worth keeping, and my sister Ruda kept this potato, oh, for so long, and then when we came to eat it... it was hard, like a small rock. It became her talisman, this funny little hard potato!"
The car drew to a halt outside the clinic, and Dr. Franks hurried from the doorway in a woolly hat and a big scarf and squeezed himself into the backseat. Franks let Sasha sit on his knee as the chauffeur drove away.
"This is for your mama." Franks gave Sasha a small square leather box to hand over to Rebecca.
Sasha watched as Rebecca lifted the lid. It was a gold Star of David. She kissed it, then rested her head against Franks's shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispered, then gave a soft laugh. "You know, I think you have telepathic powers! This morning, before these two were even awake, I went to a synagogue to pray for Ruda. I have never been in one before. It felt..."
Dr. Franks had to look away, out of the window to the snow-laden streets. He was moved.
"Go again, go for the faith denied you, denied Ruda!"
They fell silent, a comfortable warmth between them. Only when they were within half a mile of the cemetery did Rebecca stiffen. She raised her head, sensing a presence. She knew Ruda was close by.
The car stopped and Franks opened his door. Sasha bounded out, but he caught her hand. "Just wait a moment, Sasha!"
The baron was about to offer his arm to Rebecca, but Franks gave him a small signal, an indication to let her walk alone.
Rebecca walked ahead of them, at first unhurried, then she quickened her pace. Dr. Franks, Sasha, and Louis looked on as Rebecca suddenly began to run. Threading her way among the dark tombstones, across the narrow, snow-filled lanes, she knew intuitively where to find her.
Grimaldi had chosen not just the headstone, but the plot where Ruda lay. It was separated from the other graves by a semicircle of high trees. The sun broke through the gray sky, streaking brilliant shafts of light that glanced off the trees above her tomb, making a delicate white crystal cradle over the wondrous black marble head of Mamon. He roared in icy silence, protecting his beloved beneath him.
Rebecca stood gazing at Mamon, then knelt down and placed the treasured stone between his paws. She let her hand rest a moment, and closed her eyes. She didn't weep.
"Good-bye, Ruda, I'll come back," she whispered.
Dr. Franks followed, watching Rebecca, now hand in hand with her husband and daughter.
The snow was melting in the wintry sun, it trickled in tears from Mamon's sightless eyes. Franks knew there were tears still to be shed, lost souls to be reunited. Memories that must not be forgotten, or hidden, but kept alive so that the living will never forget. Must never forget.