“We may not be able to plant this spring, either,” Lena said, “with all of the men away.” They sent the children outside to play afterwards, cautioning them to stay close to the house, then Lena turned on the radio. There was news of the battles that were still raging and of the Dutch fortifications that had been forced to surrender. When she heard that Den Haag was now under attack, Lena drew a shuddering breath. “I think my husband is in Den Haag,” she said.

Tina reached for her hand. “My husband is on the eastern front.”

Lena heard the rumble of approaching planes, flying low. She sprang from her seat to call the children inside, but then she heard Wim’s voice and the sound of laughter outside as the planes flew on. “You’re trying so hard to hang on to control,” Pieter had told her, “but you never were in control to begin with. It’s an illusion. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you’ll put everything into God’s hands and find some peace.”

Lena exhaled and sat down again.

CHAPTER 17

Ans parted the curtain to stare out the front window, wondering how the May afternoon could be so beautiful with flowers blooming and new green leaves on the trees, when war was raging all across her country. She would soon turn twenty, and this should be the springtime of her life, but her youth had been suddenly snatched away. The safe, carefree world she’d grown up in was gone, and she wondered if she’d ever feel safe and carefree again.

She let the curtain drop and turned to Eloise, perched on the sofa in the same place she’d been for days. As uncertain and traumatic as these past days had been for Ans, she couldn’t imagine living through them for a second time as Eloise was doing. No wonder she was so fragile. A dish that had been shattered was never as strong, even when the pieces were patiently glued back together. Ans was weary of being the glue.

“Can we turn off the radio for a little while?” she pleaded. “They’re saying the same things over and over.”

Eloise shook her head. “We have to know what’s happening. It’s important!”