My German Lover Part 20, chapter 1

When Will got back from work that night, he found Paul on his bed, still sleeping...

He sat on the bed, gave his lover a kiss...

When Paul woke up, he looked at will, and smiled...

"How come you're sleeping at this time of day...", Will asked, smiling at his lover...

"Oh... I wonder if I haven't caught a cold... It's nothing, really... I already feel better...", Paul answered, smiling...

"We won't go to Berlin if you're not feeling well...", Will said...

"That's out of the question! A good night rest, and everything will be alright, I tell you!", Paul answered, with a grin on his face...

"...We'll see about that...", Will said...

"Come on: Let's go downstairs, and have supper... I'm feeling better, I swear to you..."

Paul put a big smile on his face, and nothing was said about the message he had received from New-York...

Two days later, Will and Paul flew to Berlin, where Will's father as well as Ludwig were waiting for them at Tempelhof Airport...

"I'm so glad to see you, both...", Ludwig said, as he hugged them...

"And so do I...", Will's dad said, as he hugged them too... "Let's go home...", he added...

On Christmas Eve, they had a big party, and Lutz's parents were there too... Lutz had explained to them he couldn't make it to Berlin this time, since he had to work on some important papers in Paris...

They sang Christmas carols, and had a lot of fun... At least, Paul was acting as if he was having lots of fun... but in fact, his heart was bleeding...

"... At least, this year, you didn't have to go to a Christmas party at the New Chancellery...", Will's mum said, laughing...

"Thank God! I guess they are too busy with the war in Russia to throw a party! (...) But do you know what? Last year, a few weeks after that party, the German Embassy in Paris sent me a framed picture of me with the Führer... shaking hands...", Paul said, laughing...

"... What did you do with that picture?", Will's father asked...

"...Oh, it's in my study, locked in a drawer... Do you believe me, if I tell you I'm not running around, showing that picture?", Paul answered, laughing...

"...I can understand...", Lutz's mum said, laughing her heart out...

"Yeah! So, as I said... with the war in Russia... There was no party this year...", Paul said...

"...I saw my brother the other day...", Will's dad started to say...

"The Field marshal?", Lutz's dad asked...

"Yes...", Will's dad answered. "He had a heart attack last month, and when he strongly opposed continuing the advance into the Soviet Union because it's winter now, Hitler refused to call a halt. Since his views were rejected, he asked to be replaced... and the Führer granted his request..."

"Did he say how things are going on, on the front...", Will asked...

"...He said our soldiers are freezing to death, right in front of Moscow..."

"Thank God, Hans is not there... According to his last letter, they took Rostov at the end of last month... He said it's not so bad over there...", Lutz's father said...

"... I wonder if this madness will stop one day...", Lutz's mother said, with tears in her eyes...

"Oh it will, Ma'am... It's just we don't know when...", Will answered...

The day after Christmas, as Ludwig was out with a few friends, Will and Paul showed Will's parents the military deferment papers they had received from the Wehrmacht...

"...Thank God!", Will's mother said... "How can we thank you, Paul!"

"...We want Ludwig to come to Paris in June, at the end of school...", Will said...

"...It's not easy for us to let him go, you know...", Will's dad said...

"...I know dad! But he'll be with us... and I swear to you, I will take good care of him! I just want to see him out of the Reich...", Will answered with tears in his eyes... "And I wish you wouldn't stay in Berlin..."

"...Where would we go?", his dad asked... "We're perfectly safe here... but we want to keep Ludwig away from the army for as long as we can... So your mother and I have talked a lot about that, and we've decided Ludwig will go with you... as long as you two swear you'll take good care of him..."

"...Herr Von Rundstedt... I love Will more than anything in the world... and I love Ludwig as much as I love my own brother! So, today, I solemnly swear to you... and to you too, Mrs Von Rundstedt... That I'll do all I can... and that I'll use all the means at my disposal to protect your two sons! And I swear to you I'll take good care of them...", Paul said, with tears in his eyes...

"We know you will Paul! We know you will, son... and we love you... We love you more than you can think...", Will's mum answered...

"You don't know how much that means to me, hearing you say that...", Paul said, crying...

"And I swear to you, mum and dad, that I will take good care of my baby-brother... I swear!", Will added...

"...Oh, we know you will, Will... that's why your mother and I have decided Ludwig will go with you...", his dad answered, hugging his son...

Of course, when Ludwig got back, he was totally ecstatic about the fact he was going back to Paris nest summer, to stay there, with Will and Paul...

"Yeah bro...", Will said, grinning... "But don't forget: I'll be the one who will check your school's results... and let me tell you, mister: They better be food, cause if not, it's gonna be hell for you, I swear!"

"And you're gonna have to obey what Will and Paul say to you... Otherwise, you'll be back to Berlin before you know it! Is that clear, son? Is that clear?", Will's dad said...

"Yes dad! I hear you loud and clear...", Ludwig answered... "I swear to you and to mum I will obey them... I swear..."

"Fine!", Will's mum answered, smiling...

As Will and Paul were about to leave for Tempelhof, Will's mum took Paul apart, and she said to him:

"...Here, son... Take this letter... Should something happen to us, I want you to give it to Will. Can I count on you?", she asked, with tears in her eyes...

Paul looked at her, and answered:

"...Nothing will happen to you..."

"Maybe... but swear to me that, should something happen... you will give that letter to Will..."

Paul took the letter and, looking at Will's mum straight in the eyes:

"You know, Ma'am, I love you... so count on me... I will give it to him, should something happen to you..."

"I love you too, Paul... And I trust you...", she answered, before kissing him on both cheeks... "Now, go son..."

Will and Paul flew back to Paris, and one night, after supper, Paul looked at Will and said:

"... Before we left for Berlin, I got a message... from my mother... It came through the Swiss Embassy..."

"Oh... But why didn't you tell me..."

"(...) I couldn't...", Paul answered...

"(...)"

"But why?"

"Wait for me..."

Paul walked over to his study, took the message... and walked back to the drawing-room, then sat beside Will...

"Here: Read it. You will understand!"

Will took the message, and started reading it...

After he had read it, he looked at Paul, his eyes full of tears...

"(...) I... I can't believe...", Will started to say...