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Back The Land Beneath Us Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Sarah Sundin
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Presidential Radio Broadcast
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. Discussion Questions
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

The woman clamped her handkerchief over her mouth, and tears shimmered in her eyes. “Little Thalia. Oh my. Look at you. All grown up with a baby of your own.”

A manic, joyful laugh burst out. “You knew me? You knew my mother? My sisters?”

“Why, yes.” She stretched out tentative, shaky fingers.

Leah grabbed her hand. “Tell me. Tell me everything you can.”

“Oh my. Oh my. I can’t believe this.” Her hand trembled in Leah’s. “Your parents—they came from Greece not long before you were born. Yes, Althea was expecting. Your father—Georgios was on faculty with my husband at the University of Chicago. Georgi was an expert in Greek poetry.”

Laughter tumbled out, idyllic and epic and sacred. “Of course. Of course he was. And my sisters? My sisters? Do you know what became of them?”

Her face crumpled. “We never heard what became of you girls. Your parents had no family in America, so you were taken to an orphanage. Everyone at the church wanted to help, but times were hard. By the time a family offered to take you in, you’d all been adopted.”

Leah nodded, over and over. “They were adopted. Good. Adopted.”

“You weren’t together? Oh dear. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m going to find them. Today. Today I’ll find them.” Leah shifted Helen on her shoulder, opened her bag, and pulled out one of the slips of paper she’d written out for the orphanages. “This is my information, where I’m staying in Chicago this week, my home address. Please, if you think of anything that might help me. Oh! Your name?”

That wide mouth turned up in a smile. “I’m Irena Demetrios.”

“Mrs. Demetrios. Thank you. You’re an answer to almost fifteen years of prayer.” Leah clutched Mrs. Demetrios’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to her wet cheek, shocked at her own impulsivity.

“Such a pleasure to see you again, Thalia.”

Leah raced out the door. “Thalia Karahalios, daughter of Georgios and Althea.”

For the first time in fifteen years, she knew who she was.

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38

POINTE DU HOC, NORMANDY

Clay made a chopping motion to signal his squad forward.

He and Gene threw themselves against the wall of the crater and fired a few rounds, while Holman, Brady, and Lyons ran to the next crater. Then they laid down fire so Clay and Gene could join them.

“Don’t see any Krauts,” Holman said.

“Not yet.” With so many bunkers and trenches and craters, the Germans could pop up anywhere. Even behind them.

Clay peered over the edge of the crater. There it was! Their target 155-mm gun lay in a circular open gun pit rather than a closed casemate. Camouflage netting was draped over the barrel.

No sign of activity, but Germans could be hiding in the underground shelter behind the gun.