...When he reached the crossroads of the rose bush he reached down and plucked yet another one. He placed it inside his tool sack. When Pat raced through the village gates on his bike he looked at his watch. The time was 6:00pm. He was thirty minutes late. He was angry once again yet he channeled that anger to his riding and raced to the wine shop. Several pigeons flew up and out of his way as he quickly rode into the village square and started to go around the center fountain. As he headed down the street to the shop, he suddenly slammed on his brakes just as he passed the fountain. His tires skidded across the cobblestones leaving a long thin black rubber path behind. There she was back at the fountain. She was sitting on the fountain step. He took a deep breath as the sight of her took hold of him.

She had that same entrancing smile on her face. This gorgeous woman sat alone and waited for him. Her radiance lit up the square and he felt helpless again and that is what he desired. He jumped off his bike eager to be near her and pulled from his tool sack the single rose that he had clipped on the back roads. He cautiously approached with the flower extended and he wondered which had the greater beauty. His breath was fast and hard, but he was not sure if the ride made him so or just her presence. His mind was blank with apprehension. His faculties were numb.

"I picked this rose from several in a garden behind the airfield. I hope you like it."

"Thank you. It is very pretty." She reached around from behind her and pulled out the rose from the evening before. He smiled with joy for she got his message of sorrow.

"I had a hard time clipping them. I’m afraid that I may have ripped the whole bush."

"Here please sit with me and have some wine. I brought the glasses this time." She said as she handed him a glass and started to pour. She filled the glasses to the top.

"I’m sorry that I missed you yesterday. The army forced me to work late. I did come as you can see, but I got here much too late. I was very disappointed."

"So was I," she said with a slight blush of shyness. "But Gunnar the cheese maker said he saw you outside the shop door. He said you looked so sad. I decided to stay late in case you tried again. I’m so glad that you did. Now, you will not be sad anymore. "

"I will never be sad when I am with you, Jutta." She smiled and looked deep into his eyes. He was unable to say anything for a moment. He memorized her look and truly felt her sincerity.

He reached over and touched her hand and said, "The army is harassing me. They are making me do things I don’t want to do, but I have to do them. I can’t say with a lot of certainty what will happen in the next couple of days. I was ordered to work tonight, but I didn’t. I wanted to be here with you."

"I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me."

"I won’t. There is nothing the Army can do to me to keep me from seeing you." He bent down and kissed her hand. He held on and glanced up to her then said, "You are the only one who will be able to let me go." The touch of her soft hand fed his desire to be near her and he caressed her hand even more.

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