Page 37 of Who We Think We Are
K ate and Mikelia get the all-clear text from Ingrid after twenty minutes, but it’s an hour before they leave.
The rental car is delivered to Graanzicht, and even with all the melodrama that has occurred today already, it is only noon when they pull out of the driveway.
Mikelia drives. “What time is our flight to Copenhagen?” asks Kate.
“Nine p.m.”
“OK, good. Since we have nine hours, and it’s about a three-hour drive to Eindhoven, do you mind if we make a detour?”
“Let me guess: you want to stop by and tell de ooms what we’ve been doing the past few days,” says Mikelia.
“Exactly! Are you OK with that? It doesn’t have to be a long visit. But since I’m leaving the Netherlands and won’t be back for a while, that’s a loose end I’d like to tie up.”
“I figured you might want to do that, so I built in the extra time. Put their address in the GPS, and let’s go and see de ooms.”
“No need. We just stay on this highway all the way to Utrecht, and once we’re there, I know the way.
I’m going to take a few minutes to book my flight home and text Jake and the girls.
” Kate searches for flights for a while and then says, “The flights you booked for us for tonight, are they refundable?”
“Always. Plans change. Why?”
“Because I can get a nonstop flight from Brussels for less than half the points than from Copenhagen.”
“Go ahead and book it. And then cancel your flight. I’ll still fly home tonight.”
Kate books her flight home from Brussels, which leaves the next morning, cancels her flight to Copenhagen, and texts Jake and the girls: “Found Oma’s daughter! Flying home tomorrow from Brussels (best flight). Will arrive in Vancouver at 1:50 p.m. So excited to see you and tell you all! xoxx.”
“OK, done. Do you want me to take a turn driving?”
Mikelia laughs. “God, no! You’re a horrible driver in Europe. You get so intimidated by European drivers. You can just entertain me.”
When they pull up to Oom Dirk and Oom Cor’s building in Utrecht. Mikelia says, “I’ll wait here. This is between you and them. Take your time.”
Kate knocks on Oom Dirk’s door. He opens it and says, “Katje! You seem to always pop up when I least expect it. It’s good to see you. I’ll call Cor.”
When Oom Cor walks into Oom Dirk’s flat a few minutes later, he says, “Katrina Hathaway, you little snotnose. Who do you think you are investigating me? Do not look surprised. Your grandfather called and asked me what my career was and what I was hiding. Do you honestly think I would come after you?”
“I don’t know, Oom Cor. You’ve been angry at me since I came here in September. I have talked to you multiple times trying to get the truth about Oma, and you have lied to me and tried to stop me every time.”
“We were only trying to protect our sister, Kate,” says Oom Dirk.
“Pardon my language, but that is bullshit. But I don’t care. I left Tamara out of these discussions once I realized she doesn’t know about your family secrets. You are not only trying to protect your sister, you are protecting your secrets, too.
“But never mind about that. I did find out the truth. I found Oma’s daughter. Mikelia and I just spent a few days with her. She is a lovely seventy-two-year-old lady.”
“Did the information I gave you help?” asks Oom Dirk.
“Yes, it did. I didn’t want to say anything in case that was a secret, too. Thank you, Oom Dirk.”
“What information?” asks Oom Cor.
“I had the journal our sister wrote while she was at the Lebensborn home in Luxembourg,” says Oom Dirk. “I gave it to Kate to help her.”
“What journal!? Why doesn’t anyone tell me anything!?” cries Oom Cor.
“Because you get angry and yell,” says Oom Dirk.
“How can this be? Katrina’s baby died,” says Oom Cor.
“Our sister told everyone that to make it easier on herself,” says Oom Dirk. “I was the only one who knew her daughter lived, and I only knew because I found her journal at the bottom of a drawer after she moved to Canada. I think she forgot about it.”
“Oma didn’t know that you knew the baby lived?” asks Kate.
“No,” says Oom Dirk. “She thought she was the only one.”
“Well, that didn’t turn out the way she wanted, did it?” asks Oom Cor. “I can’t believe you knew all these years and never told me, Dirk. You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Oom Dirk shrugs and smiles.
Oom Cor continues, “So, you just came here to rub our noses in it, did you, Katje?”
“Yes, I suppose so. I could say I came here to tell you the truth, but you’re not really interested in the truth. So yes, I did, Oom Cor. That, and to say goodbye.”
“Good girl!” Oom Cor laughs and claps his hands. “That’s what I would have done. One more way that we’re alike.”
“God help us both! I shall aspire to be more like your brother. Or your sister. And now, I’m going home, so I won’t be popping up at your door uninvited for a while. Thank you both.”
“For what?” asks Oom Cor.
“For protecting Oma and for being my family.” Kate kisses them on both cheeks and starts to leave.
“Wait a minute,” says Oom Cor. “Come back. Sit down, please.”
Kate sits down.
Oom Cor continues, “My thoughts are catching up with me. If our sister’s daughter is alive, we have a seventy-two-year-old niece, Dirk. Family. We shall have to correct that. Bring her to meet us, Katje. What’s her name?”
“I have never loved you more than I love you in this moment, Oom Cor,” says Kate. “But I’m sorry. She doesn’t want anyone to know her name, and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with us.”
“Why?” asks Oom Dirk.
“Because the truth is causing trouble in her family,” says Kate.
“So, more Godverdomme secrets!” says Oom Cor. “When do they ever stop?”
“That is a good question, Cor,” says Oom Dirk. “When do they stop? Shall we start by telling the truth to our children and grandchildren?”
“I’ll leave you two to wrestle with that,” says Kate. “I’m going home to my family and doing the same thing.”
“Come back soon, Katje,” says Oom Cor. “We are your family too.”
“You want me back, even after all the trouble I’ve caused?”
“Ja,” says Oom Cor. “Even after all the trouble. You have to put up with me, and we have to put up with you, too.”
“How did it go?” asks Mikelia when Kate gets back to the car.
“Really well, actually.”
“Wait, before you go on,” says Mikelia, pulling out of the parking spot. “Could you please set the GPS for Brussels?”
“But you’re flying out of Eindhoven.”
“Correction. I was flying out of Eindhoven. Now I’m flying out of Brussels. I can’t miss the rest of the Kate show while it’s still playing in Europe. We’ll go to Brussels and both fly home tomorrow.”
“Yay! Thanks, Mikelia! Now we can hang out more together. I love that! I’ll book a hotel.”
“Done. I had to do something while you were visiting de ooms.”
“OK. Our course is charted. We should be there in two and a half hours. Turn right at the light. Thanks, Mikelia.”
“What are you thanking me for now?” asks Mikelia, laughing. “Surely you’re not going to thank me every time I follow your directions all the way to Brussels.”
“It seems like I’m always saying thank you to you. You made my mission your own, and I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“We’ve had a few good laughs along the way. You’ve been there for me in the past and will be again, I’m sure. That’s what friends are for, right? But don’t ever expect me to drink that genever again! I swear I saw hair growing on my chest this morning.”
“God. I hate the stuff too, but needs must …”
“What does that mean? Needs must?”
“Let’s see,” says Kate, Googling the phrase. She bursts out laughing. “It’s a shortened version of the proverb ‘needs must when the devil drives.’ What do you say to that?”
“You’ve got that right!” growls Mikelia. “I can drive a car, and drive you crazy!”
“Well, you’re succeeding,” says Kate. “Because I’m almost there.”
“You and me both. So, tell me more about your conversation with de ooms.”
“Oom Cor called me a snotnose. That means I got under his skin. We had a laugh when he asked if I was there to rub their noses in the fact that I got the truth without his help, and I said yes. Oom Cor didn’t know Oma’s baby lived.
Only Oom Dirk knew. Oom Cor wants to meet her, but I had to tell him she doesn’t want to have anything to do with us. ”
“What are you going to do about Bertrun now? She was so open and then slammed the door shut at the last minute.”
“I understand sticking up for your children, even if they’re grown, and even if they’re ‘hypocritical pompous asses,’ as Ingrid said.
I’m going to let her be. She drew a boundary, and I’ll respect it.
The poor lady has been through so much, and it’s not over with Martin and Holger still making trouble.
But I’ll stay in touch with Ingrid, and if there is an opening with Bertrun, she’ll know.
“I came to Europe to find out the truth, and I’ve done that with your help. I want a relationship with Bertrun, but I’m not frantic and don’t want to push her.”
“Is this the same Kate Hathaway I know and love being patient?” Mikelia laughs. “Will wonders never cease!”