My German Lover Part 13, chapter 1

"And then, the RAF bombed Berlin?"

"The same night! And that was done on purpose... And not only that: They went back to bomb Berlin again the night after, and again last night..."

"Shit! Did your dad tell you about the damages?"

"...Oh... just a few... here and there... nothing serious, really... But the Führer must be mad as hell! My dad told me he's gonna make a speech tonight at the Sportspalast in Berlin... and I guess it's gonna be ugly..."

"We should listen to it, you know...", Paul answered.

"Yeah... I guess so..."

So later that night, they listened to Hitler's speech and, as Will had said... the Führer was not in a very good mood! Not at all!

"...I wouldn't like to switch places with Göring tonight...", Will said, grinning...

"...No! Neither would I... It must be hard to explain how the Luftwaffe could let those British planes fly all over Germany to bomb Berlin... three nights in a row...", Paul answered, laughing...

They continued to listen to Hitler and after a long speech, the Führer said to the crowd assembled at the Sportspalast:

"...The British say they will multiply their attacks over our cities? Well... We will erase theirs from the face of the earth!"

"I don't like the way things are going...", Will said. "The British should never have started that... I've seen what the Luftwaffe did to Rotterdam last May, and I tell you: All they left behind were ruins! I wouldn't like to be living in London right now..."

"And what about your family in Berlin? The RAF will certainly be back...", Paul asked, worried...

"That's what I told my dad. But he said there's no danger! He said he's sure the next time the British planes try to bomb Berlin, they will be shot down by the Luftwaffe before they even reach the Reich...", Will answered.

"What do you think?"

"Maybe... I don't know. But anyway, my Dad said he can't leave Berlin, because of his patients... I just couldn't convince him otherwise", Will answered... "Anyway... what are you reading?"

"Oh... I received a message from my father the other day, and he suggests that I invest some of my Grandma's money in some of our overseas possessions...

"...Where?"

"Well, he said there are some good investments to be made in our colony of Indochina... it seems there's a lot of money to be made with some caoutchouc plantations over there... He also talked about Tahiti. There, he suggest I invest in some vanilla plantations..."

"Shit Paul... That's so far away..."

"Yeah! He also talked about investments in Martinique. Something about a sugar-cane plantation over there..."

"Have you decided?"

"...No, not yet. I want to read about those places before I make a move... But I'm not too keen about investing into a caoutchouc plantation..."

"Well... what about sugar-cane? What can you do with sugar-cane?", Will asked...

Paul started laughing and said:

"Sugar of course, silly! But most of all, they make rum! My father said there's a nice plantation for sale near a small village named "Le François" in Martinique... He thinks that would be a good investment...

"And how do you think you would be able to import sugar or rum from there: With the war and the blockade, that would be next to impossible...", Will answered...

"Oh... but I'm not thinking about tomorrow either... I'm talking about a long term investment... This goddamn war will end one day, and then, things will go back to normal...", Paul replied, grinning...

"Yeah... You're right!"

"...And there's more to it...", Paul added...

"What?"

"Well, I'd like you to invest a small part of the money I gave you along with me in that business venture... It could be a joint venture... You and me! It could be fun..."

"...Are you serious? Me? Investing money on a small Caribbean island? A few minutes ago, we were talking about London and Berlin being bombed... and now, you're talking to me about a dream island so far away I'm not even sure I know where it's really located..."

"I'm talking about the future Will... There's nothing I can do about the war... but perhaps, we can do something about our future! At least, it's worth a try, don't you think? Besides, we have the right to dream, don't we?"

Will started laughing, then said:

"...You are crazy Paul de Brion! But since I would follow you to the end of the world, I'm game! And I like your idea about sugar-cane: I love rum!"

"...Yeah! I guess you do, don't you? But as I said, before we make a decision, we'll have to read a bit about Martinique and obtain more details about that plantation over there... I'll ask my dad..."

"Good! And I prefer going to sleep tonight thinking about Martinique then about London being ereased from the face of the earth!", Will replied, grinning...

"I've never been against dreaming you know..."

"It's not just a dream... Not just a dream! Dreams can become reality, believe me! But first, you have to believe you can realize them, cause if you don't, they'll always remain just that: Dreams!", Paul answered, with a smile on his face.

"I put you in charge of our dreams... because without you, no dream is possible!", Will replied, giving Paul a sweet kiss...

So over the next few weeks, in Septembre and October, while London was being bombed nights and days, Will and Paul were doing all kind of rechearches about Martinique... about the products grown over there, about it's population...

From his father, Paul obtained all the details he needed concerning the plantation for sale over there...

Will and Paul were dreaming, while others were trying to destroy the world around them!

Early that December, they finally made their mind, and decided to buy that plantation in Martinique!

All the financial arrangements were made by Maître Langlois, Paul's attorney, who thought Paul and Will were crazy! But before long, the two lovers were co-owners of a sugar-cane plantation located more than 7 000 km from Paris!

"... I can't believe it...", Will said, laughing, while signing all the contracts... "You've realized our dream! Will you ever stop dreaming?"

"The day I'll stop dreaming will be the day I die. Until then, I'll keep dreaming..." Paul answered, laughing...

However, the week after, Paul was not laughing anymore...

Starting in Septembre, he had made some investments in Germany and the results were rather encouraging. He had made some good contacts in Berlin, and now had a few business partners over there. And of course, they were eager to meet with him to talk about other business opportunities...

A few days after they had signed all the papers pertaining to their new plantation in Martinique, Paul received a letter from the German Embassy in Paris...

When Will got back home that night, Paul was sitting in the drawing-room. Will looked at his lover, and with a worried frown, he asked him:

"What's wrong Paul? Are you sick? You're as white as a gost!"

"Read this!", Paul answered, giving to Will the letter he had received from the German Embassy...

Will read the letter then looked at Paul and said:

"At least, you didn't have problems reading the letter: You are pretty fluent in German now... What will you do?"

"I don't want to go! That's out of the question!", Paul shouted.

"...Ohhhhh my friend! I'm affraid you're gonna have to accept... Otherwise, it would be considered as an affront... Do you know how many people would sell everything they own just to receive such an invitation?"

"I don't care! I'll tell them that I'm sick!"

Will sat beside Paul and took his hands into his. He looked straight into his lover's beatiful green eyes, gave him a sweet kiss on the lips, then said:

"You're not like that Paul! You're a fighter! You're not gonna hide behind the curtains, are you?"

"(...) I've never been to Berlin! And quite frankly, I'm scared like hell!"

"I know my love..."

Will went through the letter for a second time: It was an official invitation to attend a Christmas party Herr Funk, the Reich Minister of Economic Affairs, was going to throw right before Christmas at the new Reichs Chancellery in Berlin. And the invitation said the Minister had invited businessmen from all over Europe to gather in Berlin, to "celebrate" the <New Europe> Hitler was building...

"...Now calm down Paul! It's not like if you were going to be all alone with Herr Funk: Hundreds are invited..."

"(...)"

"Besides, you won't be all alone in Berlin: I'm going with you! And perhaps, Lutz could come..."

"Huh?"

"Look: Lutz and I will be on leave for ten days during the holidays. We could go to Berlin with you, and we could spend Christmas with my family... I haven't seen them for over a year, you know!"

"(...)"

"Come on Paul: Say yes! The damn party will only last for a few hours... Then we'll have fun in Berlin! We'll visit the Capital... and you'll meet my parents and by sister and my baby brother. They've heard so much about you! Of course, they don't know... you know... And being a guest, my mother will certainly insist that you have your own bedroom... and I'll probably end up sharing another room with my brother! But what the hell!

"...Maybe... It would be fun to spend some times with your family, I guess. I'm sure it would... I would like that. But that damn party! I'll probably end up being the youngest guest there!"

"Maybe... maybe not. But you'll meet your business partners, and I'm sure it won't be so bad. And you know, you don't have to stay till the end of the party: As soon as it is polite to do so, just leave! And you know what? I'll drive you to the Neue Reichskanzlei (New Reichs Chancellery...) with my father's car! There's a vast underground parking under the Chancellery and I'll park the car there, and wait for you... So as soon as you're ready to leave, I'll be right there for you! What do you think?"

"Thank God you're here for me Will! (...) Okay! We'll go!"

The day after, Paul made all the arrangements: They would fly to Berlin on a private plane Paul had leased for the duration of their stay in Berlin. The pilot was a member of the Luftwaffe, and was very happy to be able to spend Christmas with his family in Berlin, instead of being all alone in Paris...

Lutz would also come but regrettably, Franz couldn't make it this time, since he would be on duty at the Swiss Embassy during the holidays...