In the silence that followed, I heard an envelope land on the mat by the front door. I went to get it. I recognized the writing.

‘Papa!’

‘Look, see, something good!’ Mama said as she picked it up and tore the envelope open. Each month we had received a letter from Papa. This was the fourth one. I lived for those letters.

We certainly didn’t have much else to live for these days.

‘Come, let’s get into my bed and tuck ourselves under the blanket to read it,’ Mama said. Snuggling under the blanket together was one of the upsides of the fact that we didn’t have enough money to put the heating on. We could hardly afford anything since Mama had been forced to sell Papa’s photography studio for a fraction of its value. The Nazi Aryanization laws meant Jews were barely allowed to own anything nowadays. We were lucky we still had our home.

Mama had had to hand over all her jewellery too. Luckily, the day the Nazi soldiers came for it, she’d already had an idea what they were coming for. People in our neighbourhood had been whispering about it for weeks. Just the night before they came, she had taken off her wedding ring and sewn it into the hem of an old blanket.

It was the only piece of jewellery she still owned but she never dared even take it out to look at, let alone wear it.

For me, the most treasured possessions I had were these letters from Papa.

I jumped into bed and pulled the blanket around us. Mama unfolded Papa’s letter and we read it together.

My dear wife and son,

I am well and everything is fine. They feed us and look after us so well you would hardly think I was in prison! I have made friends here and I work hard each day. The guards are friendly. You must not worry about me at all. I will see you soon.

Leo, I hope that you are looking after all my old photographs. Remember what I always say about photography? That a picture paints a hundred words. Remember that! You know I am telling the truth! And that’s why you must always remember to do everything I tell you! You are the man of the house now.

I love you both with all my heart and I will see you very soon. Please don’t forget to check on Omama, and send her my love too.

Papa.

Mama smiled as she folded the letter. She held it to her mouth and kissed it.

It was so rare to see her smile nowadays that I didn’t want to ruin the moment, but something about Papa’s letter was bothering me.

‘Mama, can I see it?’ I asked.

‘Of course. Put it with the others when you’ve finished.’

She handed the letter to me and I read it again.