Love In A Time of War

The day dawned clear and cool. They were silent, but together, holding hands, hearts, and souls together. Ephraim thought Klaus looked stunning in his dark blue suit, white shirt, and tie. He smelled of his Cargo Men’s Toiletries intoxicating smell. He pulled him close. “We will have breakfast and go. I am going to make us a mushroom omelette.”

Klaus nodded his head and went to set the table and get the coffee brewing.

They always put their shoes on last, so they could rub their feet together under the kitchen table. Today was no different. Ephraim tried to talk of piffle and he said they should just sequester themselves away this weekend; lock the world out and the three of them in, in their own private world.

When it was time to go, he kissed him all over his perfect face. “You are the light that will never be diminished from us. My mother used to say: ‘Prayers go up, and blessings come down’. You are ours, and everyone who meets you. Remember we always said the truth will set you free?” He tried to keep his voice steady. “Yours is already written here on earth and in heaven. Tell it now to the world.”

Klaus leaned his head against his shoulder and knew whatever the outcome was, he had known a true and perfect love and nothing else mattered.

Once they were inside the courthouse, Klaus was astonished to see Lettie and Sol, who were beaming at him. “We are here to speak for you and we got, just yesterday, a cable from the Cohen’s, stating what you did.” Lettie grabbed his hand. “The young man said we can speak. He found us through Philip.”

Klaus shook his head and was about to reply when Adam came racing across the floor in his suit and threw himself into Klaus’s arms.

“Dad, he made the people go away. I was so upset last night I could hardly sleep and then there was the surprise and then this morning, those people with their signs, but Mr. Scott made them go away. We have lots of people to talk and he said me, too.” He grinned that irresistible grin, full of metal.

He was almost up to his chin, but Klaus folded him in. “Schnucki, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I love you more than anything and padre said we must be strong and tell the truth and you are our blessing.”

Ephraim stiffened when he heard what Adam said. Had there been a leak?

Simultaneously Luisa and Mr. Polyczyk came around a corner.

Luisa came over hugged them both close and boxed Adam’s ears. “I heard you almost gave away the surprise. Come, we don’t have much time.” She pointed at Mr. Polyczyk. “He has to brief you, but first, come see.”

Klaus walked with Luisa, and behind them Adam spread his arms wide as if to say big surprise. He beamed up at Ephraim, whose mind was reeling. So much was happening.

The went around a corner and saw Philip was standing in front of someone, who stepped around him. Ephraim knew immediately. There could be no doubt. This was Klaus’s sister. Adam, feeling it was necessary looked at Ephraim and slipped back into Italian. “This is my aunt, Ingrid Beinert.”

They sat for a few minutes with Mr. Polyczyk, who said in private they must call him Scott. He explained that Judge Franklin McCafferty would preside, but he felt based on the deposition he had given, and the witnesses coming forward, including Mr. Morgan and astonishingly Miss Treadwell, they had nothing to worry about. He added there was an affidavit from Dr. Peterson. Scott also advised them he had tracked down a member of FAUD; had a recorded conversation with him, with a translator, and an airmail verification of Klaus’s work with them and Jewish people he had helped and saved.

Klaus started to cry. “Why?”

Ephraim simply said: “Because you’re a hero and who you are.”

Scott nodded. “There may only be one problem.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow. “Only one?”

“Judge McCafferty knows that you brought Adam here, but he thinks his address is 950 Fifth Avenue.”

“That is my grandparent’s address.”

“Yes, but he lives with you. With two men.”

Klaus scraped his chair back. “No. He is our life. This is not going to be about him.”

Scott looked at them carefully. “It is about him. This is 1947, two men living with a young Jewish man, they brought from Italy, is not done in this day.” He sighed. “You know how hard I have to hide and it is only me. You have had to hide twice and I don’t want you to lose either fight in there.”

Klaus came and took Ephraim’s hand and pulled him up. “We are a family, not a normal one, but we love him more than anything. That is one battle I am never going to lose.” He held up their hands with their rings on. “You see, we are married, if it is only in our hearts and souls and he is ours, you understand. Let’s go.”

The room was large with rows of benches. Scott had explained that there had been a leak and he had thrown the protesters off the steps of the courthouse with the police. He told Klaus about the deal that Philip had been made for a reporter from the “Post” to be present, contingent on objectively telling his story. Klaus had turned ashen, but said nothing.

All his allies gathered in the benches behind him; the reporter, a stolid looking man, in the corner. Klaus was seated at a table in front of them by himself and Ephraim’s heart broke. Klaus turned and looked at them both. Ephraim nodded his head and they both grinned. At a table opposite were Mr. Polyczyk and Mr. Walsh.

They were told to stand and the Honorable Franklin McCafferty was introduced. Then they sat. Ephraim studied him. He looked very intimidating in his robe, grey fringe of hair, and glasses. Suddenly terrified, Ephraim grabbed Luisa’s hand.

Judge McCafferty began. “Mr. Jager, please stand.”

He did and Ephraim thought under any other circumstances he would have been a male model in the Sears catalog. “You are Klaus Werner Jager?” He asked.

“Your honor, I am.”

“I see.” Judge McCafferty hesitated a moment. “I have never presided over such an investigation and hearing, and want to explain that a decision here will be whether you are to return to Berlin and faces charges as a war criminal of the Third Reich. We are having this preliminary investigation and hearing here because you have been living in this country and city for several years, but under the name of Bernardo Van Dam.”

He looked at Klaus. “Do you understand?”

“I do, your Honor, Sir.”

“Before we begin and offer the oath to you, and to each person providing testimony, do you have any questions?”

Klaus managed to grin. “ Your Honor, am I allowed to make a request?”

Judge McCafferty waited.

“First, when I get nervous I slip into Italian, so I am trying very hard.”

The judge looked at him. “That is not a request.”

Klaus knew in this day you did not publicly admit you were different. It was a career suicide and personal one, too. Homosexuals could be persecuted. However, Mr. Morgan already knew and in the worst scenario, and he was not branded a Nazi war criminal, but a homosexual, he would take his family somewhere and continue to live off his inheritance. He could not face both loses at the same time. He took a deep breath. “You see, your Honor, Sir, this investigation will go into my family. I realize now it will have to.” His voice broke. “I must have them here beside me.”

The judge shook his head. “I don’t understand. Your family?”

Klaus stepped back and indicated Ephraim and Adam. “Eph, hold up your hand.” Ephraim did and Klaus did, displaying the gold bands. He placed his hand on Adam’s shoulder and grinned that thousand watt grin. He slipped into Italian. “La famiglia.”

Scott turned and saw the reporter scribbling away. He stood. “Your Honor.”

“Mr. Polyczyk, do you consent to this?”

“I do your Honor. We must try to understand. If ever there was a family, that is them. I also am reminding your Honor that this investigation is about Mr. Jager as an alleged Nazi war criminal and,” he emphasized, “nothing else. As well, I am advising the court that this reporter is here,” again the emphasis, “only to report on that and if the story should move to a different area, legal action will be taken by the State Department and Mr. Garibaldi, Mr. Jager’s step grandfather. I am requesting both be noted for the record, please.”

The stenographer entered the details and before permission was given, Adam jumped up and went to sit in one of the vacant chairs next to Klaus. Ephraim hesitated, met Klaus’s eyes, and stood to join Klaus on the other side.

The judge seemed totally non plussed, but the oath was given to Klaus and he looked down at his papers.

Under the table Ephraim pressed his leg against Klaus’s and Klaus brought his hand under the table to quickly squeeze Ephraim’s hand three times.

“Mr. Jager, in all my years on the bench, I have truthfully never seen such a story. I dare say more of the horrors and atrocities of what occurred in this war will come to light, but yours is the first of its kind. You have received a glowing report of saving perhaps 50 Jewish lives,” Klaus shook his head, and the judge straightened his glasses. “Mr. Jager, I don’t allow immodesty in my courtroom, whether they lived or not, I understand this number is accurate. Am I wrong?”

“Your Honor, I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know. I tried.”

Adam reached over and patted his dad on the hand.

“Let the record stand at 50. We may never know, but it seems right. And why did you do this?”

“It’s what I was meant to do.”

“My dad saved Jewish people and he saved us,” Adam said with a nod.

Klaus put his hand on Adam’s arm.

“Young man, you will speak only when it is appropriate to do so. What is your name?”

“Adam Stein, Sir.”

He looked at Klaus. “These are the two you escaped from Milan with?”

“Yes, your Honor.” He took each by the hand. “My family. We are not a...” he struggled a minute, then found the word, “traditional family, but love makes a family, and it may be wrong, but I love them more than anything.”

“I see. Let us proceed. Mr. Polyczyk call those forward who are going to testify.”

Miss Treadwell was first, saying it did not matter if they were not a traditional family, they loved each other and that Mr. Jager was a fine and caring man. An affidavit was read from Dr. Peterson speaking of his care and devotion of Adam, the Jewish boy he had rescued in Milan. Mr. Morgan said he was the kindest, most thoughtful man he had ever known. Lettie and Sol spoke of his heroism, and generosity; how he had helped them escape, and here in New York, where they had family, how they thanked God for him every day. They read a cable from a couple named the Cohens, who spoke of his tenerezza, (tenderness) and bravery to them and others they named, whom Klaus had helped into Switzerland. Last were Luisa and Philip, who said he was their gentle giant, and Ingrid, through a translator, said her brother was kindness itself and could never hurt anyone. Her brother Gunter, was pure evil and she and her grandparents had denounced him and the rest of their family. Then the official document from the FAUD, was read by the translator, and the transcribed; translated call was played.

Judge Mc Cafferty glanced at the young man at the table and other man with all the curls and then at Klaus. “And you did kill two men?”

Klaus who had his head bowed during much of the investigation, now raised it to say that was true. “They were both SS men. The second one was near Switzerland, as we were trying to escape. He was alone and was attacking one of the Jewish women in the group. The first one was trying to kill my family. You see, your Honor as wrong as it is to say, I fell in love with them both. That is my greatest truth and I will forever.”

He was silent for a moment. “Mr. Jager, there is one area of your story that is not complete and that is your escape from Italy.”

Ephraim felt Klaus’s hand tighten in his and squeezed it twice for courage. There was silence and then Ephraim spoke for the first time. “Your Honor, this is very hard for him. Isn’t it enough that we escaped and made our way here?”

“I’m afraid not, otherwise I would not have asked. You are Ephraim Katz?”

He nodded.

“Your parents died at Buchenwald, correct?”

“Yes, your Honor. We believe so. That is what UNRRA thought.”

He shook his head. “The threads of this story are none of them easy and I am sorry, but I need to hear the whole story in order,” he stopped and grinned for the first time, “to help Mr. Jager.”

Ephraim leaned in and whispered in Klaus’s ear. “I am here my love, we are here, my love. I love you, we love you, more than anything ever. We have to try and get through the next moments. Can you try?”

Those wet blue eyes that held him forever locked into him and he nodded his head, blew his nose into his handkerchief; took both of their hands, and a deep breath.

“My cousin Luigi was a Freedom fighter and as you know I was a double agent,” he looked at Ephraim, “presumibilmente?”

Adam surprised them all by leaning in, and in a loud whisper, saying in his ear: “allegedly, dad.”

Klaus leaned his head down on Adam’s head. “Thank you, schnucki. I was really working against the Nazi’s. Luigi and his family had a farm in the Dolomites. Luigi also was a flyer, who during the summer, flew tourists through the Dolomites. The Fascists and the Nazi’s did not really do much about the plane that was hidden in a large type shed up there, because it was an older plane and smaller for their needs. We decided to see if we could get some Jewish persons who did not want to go to Switzerland, but fly with us to Spain. From there, they could go where they wished and the Epstein family and we would make our way to Lisbon for a boat to come here, where they had family and could learn English and live, as we hoped for us. For my family.”

He removed his hands, which trembled as he ran them through his hair. Adam, whose eyes had never left his, pushed back his chair and stood and hugged him. Klaus took Ephraim’s hand and asked if he might have some water.

Mr. Walsh brought him some and he nodded his head, grinned at Adam, who sat back down and he sighed. “While Luigi and I were gone to try and round up as many Jewish people as we could, Ephraim, Adam, Marisa,” his voice shook, “Luigi’s wife, and their children loaded up the plane with supplies. The plan was for Luigi to fly us to Spain and back. There would be just enough petrol.” He stopped and drank some water, his hands trembling. In Italian he said this was very hard.

Ephraim translated. Judge McCafferty said: “Take your time, Mr. Jager.”

Klaus nodded his head. “We had an argument right before we left. I was rash, in a hurry, only thinking of the three of us. You see, we had the Epstein family, the man we called the forger, who helped me become Bernardo Van Dam, and helped with the documents; a young couple, and a young man. All Jewish except for Luigi and me. He wanted to take his family, which is why we fought. I said no there wasn’t room. The trip back and forth should have been a day. They would hide at the farm as we had planned.”

He stopped and leaned in to Ephraim to whisper: “I am trying.”

“I know. I’m so proud of you.”

Adam leaned in, too. “You’re doing great, dad. You’re Xenos. The guy who comes into to save the day.”

Klaus pulled him in, tears, running down his cheeks and nodded his head.

He began again. “We left at night. There was terrible rain, conditions weren’t good and we were over the Mediterranean, almost to Spain, when we were shot at. Horrible gun fire. We assumed by the Germans. From what we could tell we thought it was Luftwaffe.” He stopped and Ephraim pulled him close. “We were going down. I yanked open the cockpit door and Luigi was gone. We had to crash land. I really didn’t know what I was doing. Had never flown or landed a plane. You see, in Hitler’s youth, they wanted you to know as much as possible. So, I tried to remember about landing. We did, part on the beach, near Barcelona. We were pretty engulfed in flames. The couple were dead, as was the forger, Lettie was hurt, the boy ran off, but we got out, with our belongings in tact. It was my fault. You see later we learned that the Fascists killed Luigi’s family. It was my fault. I should have left my gun. It might have helped them, but I thought we would need it. It was my fault, oh God, it was my fault.” He buried his head in his hands and wept.

Mr. Polyczyk stood. “With respect, your Honor, I believe we have heard enough.”

The judge nodded. “Mr. Jager, can you please stand?” Klaus did.

“Normally, in this kind of situation I would recess before rendering a decision, but it is the opinion of this court, that you are no more a war criminal than President Truman.”

Everyone cheered and Adam jumped up and down.

The judge called for order. Adam raised his hand.

“Yes, young man?”

“Sir, your Honor, can my dad go now?”

“I have one other question to ask him, Adam. Mr. Jager, do you wish to be a citizen of the US?”

Klaus nodded his ascent. “Very much, your Honor.”

“Then I suggest we get your official paperwork from Germany and Mr. Morgan can hire you as Klaus Jager and,” he acknowledged Ephraim and Adam, “you are Klaus Jager to your family.” He turned beady eyes on the reporter. “You, in the corner there. The story is about this man not being a war criminal and nothing else.”

Later that night they lay in bed, pressed together. Ephraim kissed him repeatedly. He took his hand. “I’ve have something to tell you. I bought you your house. I did it for you.”

Klaus sat up and frowned. “What?”

“We can’t stay here anymore. They are evicting us because of what happened but I bought the house in Hastings on Hudson, for you. Everything you’ve done for us and I had to do this for you. It will be our house, our home, our place, our nest. And when Adam leaves us, it will still be all ours.”

The emotions of the day overwhelmed him and he threw his arms around him, sobbing and fell asleep against his favorite person on earth.

Ephraim was dreaming. Was he back in the house by Lake Garda? It was wet. The rain? He sat upright to find his blonde hunk between his legs, languidly running his scratchy, yet hot tongue up and down his log and sniffing and licking his balls.

“I got lonely,” he intoned, in a soft, sexy tone. He loved so much the Italian, German undertones in his speech.

Ephraim bucked up, pushing his rising dick into his husband and lover’s face. He stretched and made his arms into a circle wrapping them around Klaus. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?”

In response he blew on his prize. “No, but I can have this.”

He lifted that perfect blonde head to dive towards his mouth and the bee stung lips he adored. “Anytime, stud of my heart.”

Klaus moved up overtop of him. “It occurred to me we haven’t had a steamy 69 in awhile.” He swiped his tongue across his lips, and their awakening tools, like two granite towers began rubbing together.

Ephraim groaned. “This was your day, baby, we should celebrate however you want.”

He reached down to that pelt of dark hair, reveling and drinking in the perfect, always pert pink nipples, like eraser heads, nestled in the fur, and he twisted the nub, then flattened his palm, running it back and forth across the whole nipple. He brought his nose up against his. “How about a big plate of cream all over my face, we can share?” His flawless eyes darkened to an even deeper blue. “Because we always will share.”

Ephraim wrinkled his nose. “We do love each other’s seed, don’t we?”

They threw back the duvet and got into position. Klaus took his hand. “Together,” he huffed.

Eyes glinting with feral lust, Ephraim moaned, “always.”

First, they licked up and down, using tongues and fingers to tease, running the entire length, right up to the exposed crown, moving tongues up and down the frenulum, onto the head, collecting dew to add to their saliva. Balls would be caressed, legs parted, fingers running between perineum and hole, gliding fingers across, then tongues, back to their leaky faucets.

Ephraim loved Klaus’s strong fingers teasing his penis, pulling the head out, and rubbing right under the crown, causing drool to come out of the head, then for him to plug his tongue into the hole, as if to stop a flood from a dyke.

Klaus loved his smell, the slight tang of him, an aphrodisiac that made him want to hurry and could never slake his burning thirst.

Balls would start to get more attention, pulled, stretched, and rubbed, gentle hairs, if they had not shaved, tugged on as well. Klaus might pinch, Ephraim might tug, but they would choreograph it with tongues running up their entire lengths, with teeth gently pulling back hoods, beginning to drink in the essence of the other’s soul.

Intensity would build and they would take the other in their mouth, skiing slowly, a simple run, part way down the length, jaws dropped to accommodate the magnitude of each, a little chew, with swipes, not too much pressure, fingers meanwhile dancing around balls, taint, and hole, grazing, but not in. They were both big boys, but they could now take the other all the way, banging against tonsils, sucking it cheeks, trapping their pythons and coating them with salvia, drunk on the taste, size, and smell.

Signals had been learned; bodies attuned like two instruments in the orchestra. If Klaus said Eph was the violin, playing and pulling his strings so well, then he was the drums or cymbals, striking a big note in his heart.

They would move in more for the kill now. Vacuuming, suctioning like mad, hollowing cheeks, wrapping like mouths around poles, tighter than a subway at rush hour. Balls yanked mercilessly, fingers wetted from their mouths, would stab in and out of key hole openings, ramming into prostate buttons, frissons up and down their bodies. As each got close, the other would tap the other on the head.

Klaus not not hold out. That tight hot mouth, the curls dancing around him, the finger drilling into him. Everything was about to spew out. A Vesuvius of sperm and love. He taped, Ephraim removed his dick and he shot, wondering if he ever would have enough to produce again, firing all over his boy’s face, neck, and chest. The smell was extraordinary. The kind of alkaline smell. Maybe that was why he loved pools so much?

Ephraim shot copious rounds all over his face and together they lapped up the other, always combined into one.