“Why won’t you come? Please! They’ll hide you, too.”

“Because I know we won’t be able to hide there forever. There are too many of us. The three of you will stand a better chance without me. The baby is the most important one of all of us. She is the future.”

“But you’re a renowned physicist! Your research —!”

“It’s safe.” Miriam remembered how he’d given it to Ans yesterday and realized he had never intended to come at all.

“Don’t do this, Abba! Remember how Mama refused to come? Remember how much it hurt us?”

He cupped Miriam’s face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “I’m tired of running, dear one. If I know that the three of you are safe, it will be enough for me. Who knows? Maybe I’ll find your mother in the resettlement camp.”

“Abba, please listen —”

“This is what I want. Mrs. Spielman won’t have to go to Amsterdam on the transports alone. I promised I would go with her.” He held Miriam close and kissed her forehead. “I love you, Miriam. Dry your tears now.” He looked at Avi. “Take good care of them, Avraham.”

Miriam whirled to face her husband. He hadn’t said a word to try to dissuade her father. “You knew about this?” she asked. “You knew he was staying behind and you didn’t talk him out of it?”

“I tried! I begged him to come!” Avi’s tears were overflowing as well.

“Nothing Avi said would have changed my mind.”

The church bells were so loud. Nagging, clamoring, as if to say, Hurry, hurry! One of them was a deep bass note that pounded in the pit of Miriam’s stomach.

Avi encircled her shoulders and tried to move her and the baby carriage forward. “We have to leave, Miriam. Come.”

“No, I can’t! I won’t leave you, Abba!” She stretched out her hand to her father, but he wouldn’t take it.

“You must go,” he said. “And God go with you.” He turned his back and went inside, closing the door behind him.

CHAPTER 28