Page 11 of The Little Liar

Later they walk home in a spray of autumn sunshine. Nico holds his grandfather’s hand. Fannie sings a melody. Sebastian hums along. It will be the last time any of them visit that cemetery. Three months later, the entire place will be destroyed.

First, They Take Your Business...

Nico loved the smell of his father’s smoke shop, which was on the ground floor beneath the offices of the family’s tobacco export business. Nico would run there after school, pull the door open, and immerse himself in the sweet, woody aroma. For the rest of his life, he would associate that scent with his father.

One day, in January of 1943, Lev was putting a new box of cigars on a shelf when two men entered the shop. Nico was in the corner drawing cartoons on a notepad. Sebastian was sweeping behind the cash register.

“Good afternoon,” Lev said.

The men were Greek, one tall, the other short and fat. Lev recognized the tall one as an occasional customer who bought expensive tobacco for his pipe. The two visitors looked at each other, confused.

“Is there a problem?” Lev asked.

“Sorry,” the tall man said, “it’s just... we are surprised to see you here.”

“Why would you be surprised? It’s my shop.”

The short man held up a piece of paper.

“But no, you see,” he said, “it isn’t.”

Lev stepped forward and examined the sheet. As he read the words, he felt a sickening chill.

Service for the Disposal of Jewish Property

We announce to you that the shop on Votsi Street at No. 10 of the Jew Lev Krispis is ceded to you. You are asked to come to the above service within the day in order to receive the shop mentioned above.

Lev read the words again. He didn’t know which stung him more—the usurping of his shop, or the fact that foreign forces were referring to him as “the Jew Lev Krispis.”

“We thought you had left,” the man said.

Lev scowled. “Why would I leave my own shop?”

“Papa?” Nico said.

Lev stepped toward the men. “Look, I opened this store. I built my business upstairs. Everything you see here, the tobacco, the cigars, the pipes, all this, I paid for.”

“Perhaps we should come back tomorrow,” the short man stammered.

His partner cleared his throat. “But as you can see, Mr. Krispis, the store has been given to us. It is clearly written—”

“I don’t care what is written!” Lev yelled, grabbing the paper. “Do you have no shame? This ismyshop!”

Nico’s mouth dropped. Sebastian gripped his broom. Just then, a transport pulled up and two Nazi officers stepped out.Lev looked at the paper in his hands, and pushed it back to the strangers.

Ten minutes later, Lev, Nico, and Sebastian were marched to the door and shoved out from behind. That would be the last time they set foot in the tobacco shop. They weren’t even allowed to take their coats.

... Next They Take Your Worship

The following Saturday, Lazarre, Nico, and Sebastian were walking to synagogue for morning services. Lazarre insisted on taking the boys every Sabbath, ensuring they followed all the rituals and learned to read the texts in Hebrew.

Nico wore a vest over his short-sleeved shirt. Sebastian wore a jacket, tie, suspenders, and, because he had already passed the bar mitzvah age, he carried his own tallit bag, like his grandfather. It was sunny, and the boys walked competitively, hopping from one block of pavement to the next, trying not to land on the cracks between them.

“You missed,” Sebastian said.

“So did you,” Nico replied.

“No, I didn’t.”