Johann couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his friend. They greeted one another with a strong embrace and a firm slap on each other’s back.
‘Volker! It’s so good to see you again.’
Over Volker’s shoulder, Johann saw that Ava, too, had already arrived, and there was another young woman, a brunette, whom he supposed was Volker’s cousin, Trudi.
‘Look at you in that uniform,’ Volker said as he led Johann to their table. He still had his arm tightly around Johann’s shoulders.
‘I could say the same thing about you,’ Johann said. ‘I hardly recognised you.’
Volker laughed. ‘So we’re grown men at last, and it’s no longer make-believe. We’re not toy soldiers any more, Johann.’
‘No indeed,’ Johann said, with a degree of sobriety that clearly surprised his friend.
‘Then why the long face? This is what we’ve been training for, Johann. Surely you must embrace the chance to fight for the Fatherland—for our Führer.’
‘Yes, of course,’ Johann said. He noticed the rank insignia on Volker’s tunic then, and he turned the conversation back to it. ‘But what’s this? You’re a captain?’
‘I told you my father could pull strings,’ Volker said. ‘He had me promoted to Hauptsturmführer, which means, my good friend, that for the first time since we met, I have advanced ahead of you—and by two ranks!’ He laughed at the notion. ‘I’m sure you will have the opportunity to climb as high as Brigadeführer by the time the war is over.’
As they arrived at the table, Volker finally let go of Johann. Both men were still smiling, only now Johann was smiling at Ava.
‘Good evening,’ he said, with a slight bow of his head.
‘Hello, Johann,’ Ava said. ‘You look well.’
Before Johann could continue the conversation, Volker interrupted, and it seemed that he couldn’t get his cigarette out of his mouth quick enough to do so.
‘Johann, this is the cousin I’ve been telling you so much about. Trudi, this is my best friend, Johann Langner.’ Volker slapped Johann’s back again. ‘And I’ve told Trudi all about you, too.’ He added with another laugh.
Johann smiled and bowed his head again.
‘Well?’ Volker added, ‘Isn’t Trudi the beauty I said she was?’
‘Yes, of course,’ Johann said, not wishing to offend.
Trudi offered him the back of her hand and Johann bent low and kissed it. As he rose again, he smiled more fully. ‘Now that I’ve met you, I see that your cousin’s description does you no justice.’
Such flattery might have embarrassed any young woman, but his words merely caused Trudi’s smile to flourish further.
‘Well, sit down, sit down,’ Volker said, taking the seat next to Ava, placing Johann beside Trudi, opposite Ava, which Johann didn’t mind at all. It was not, after all, a very large table, and it meant he could look at Ava as much as he liked without making it obvious.
‘I hope you don’t mind my choice of restaurant,’ Volker said. ‘It’s a little artists’ restaurant my father introduced me to. Do you know that he has sat at this very table with Adolf Hitler himself? Our Führer is also a keen artist. Perhaps that’s why he likes the place so much.’
Johann was only half listening. His eyes were on Ava, taking her in. He liked what she had done with her hair. He was sure he’d only ever seen her wearing it up before. Now it fell to her shoulders, with a clip or pin of some kind holding it off her face to one side. For a moment he was able to block all else out, to the extent that he felt as though they were the only two people there.
‘It’s very good to see you again, Ava,’ he said, quickly adding, ‘I’ve missed Munich,’ when what he really wanted to say was that he had missed her.
Ava’s lips parted to answer, but it was Volker who spoke again, shattering Johann’s illusion.
‘You won’t find the city much changed from the last time you were here, my friend. Although I’m pleased to see there are now fewer Jews.’ He took up his wine glass and laughed. ‘And the air is fresher for it, I can tell you.’
Volker had left the officer training school in Bad T?lz a full month ahead of Johann, and he had so far told Johann nothing of his posting.
‘You have a position in Munich?’ Johann asked, feeling a wave of jealousy wash over him at the idea that his friend should be stationed so close to Ava, while he was off fighting, heaven knows where.
‘I wanted to surprise you,’ Volker said. ‘I’m to help manage the concentration camp at Dachau as Schutzhaftlagerführer under the camp commandant, Sturmbannführer Alexander Piorkowski.’ He laughed to himself. ‘And I’m glad to see that our labour camps are being used for the good of the Reich. I’ll be overseeing the workers who are not only increasing our munitions, but also making our uniforms!’