It’s an evening like all the others. Mutti gently hums as she sews. I sit at the kitchen table with my school books. Otto is fixing something in his bedroom.

It is all quite peaceful. Other than Vati not being here, life in Prague is still going well. I had a letter from Leo last week, telling me about the situation in Vienna. It sounds terrible. I know for sure now that we did the right thing to move. I just hope things quickly get back to normal there so Leo can get on with his life too.

A knock at the door shakes me out of my thoughts.

No one ever knocks at the front door and my heart knocks along with it. Mutti’s eyes are wide. Her face drains of colour. ‘Stay here!’ she hisses as she puts her sewing down beside her and gets up.

‘I’m coming with you,’ I say and I follow her into the hall. Otto is at the top of the stairs.

Mutti stands in the porch. She takes a breath and then, in a shaky voice, asks, ‘Who is it?’

The house is silent for a second, and then a familiar voice calls back from outside the door. ‘It’s me! Are you going to let me in?’

Vati!

The catch is pulled aside and the door flung open. Otto darts down the stairs at the speed of light. I run the length of the hall and there he is. Vati! He’s back!

I throw myself at him before he has even closed the door behind him. Otto jumps up and down next to me like a puppy desperate for his turn.

Vati laughs. ‘Let me at least get in the house,’ he says as he puts down his bags and turns to Mutti.

Her face is streaked with tears. ‘You came back,’ she whispers hoarsely as he takes her in his arms.

‘I told you I would,’ he replies. ‘I promised all of you we would be together again.’

‘Is the fighting all over?’ Otto asks.

‘I hope so,’ Vati replies.

‘Did you win?’

Vati opens his arms in a wide shrug. ‘That question is too complicated for a simple answer. For now, I think so. We’ll see.’

Mutti steps back and takes his hand. ‘Come, let’s go in the kitchen.’ She turns to me and Otto. ‘I’ll make hot chocolate for us all. Let your father sit by the fire and get warm before you hound him with questions.’

We follow Mutti into the kitchen. I fetch milk for the chocolate and Otto stokes the fire while Vati takes off his coat and boots before coming to join us.

‘You are home for good aren’t you, Vati?’ I ask as I come over to sit on the edge of his chair. ‘You’re not going back?’

‘I don’t plan on going anywhere,’ he says.