L'Allemand et l'alliée (Englisch, Reylo)

chapter 5

I wake up tired, but it was light outside. The bright sun shining through my window already indicated that today would be a warm day. I sat up immediately and listened briefly to the birds, whose chirping could also be heard through the closed window.

I open the door of my wardrobe and take off my top to swap it for a new one, but at that moment there was a knock on the door. "Rey, can I go in?" I hear Ben's voice and, frightened, I hold my top in front of my bust. "No, what do you want?" I call back and look carefully at the door. "You have something I need and I want that back," he says and my eyes immediately turn to the piano key that is on my bedside table.  I sigh softly before putting on a new top and reaching for the key. I just open the door a little and give him the key. "You have the piano key? It's already unsettling that you were in my jacket pocket." He laughs a little, but doesn't take it. "You didn't know? What did you want then?" I ask confused and lower my hand. "My peaked cap, you had it yesterday and I can't find it. I thought you stole it from me," he explains and I knit my eyebrows. "What am I supposed to do with your stupid hat?" I now lean relaxed against the door frame. "I don't know, that's why I was so amazed. But you don't happen to know where I put it yesterday, do you?" He asks and for a moment I sank into thoughts of yesterday.  I could only remember how he had chased me out of the room yesterday, but then he was still holding it in his hand.

"No, I ... you had it in your hand when I left the room," I reply and he nods. "Yeah right, I think I'd better take another look." But he turns quickly and leaves me alone again.

I leave my room and slowly go down the stairs, where Florille is already waiting impatiently at the breakfast table.

"What do you suddenly need so long?", She asks irritably while I put the key in the pocket of my pajamas. "I'm sorry, I just slept a little longer." I sit down next to her and now notice the peaked cap on the kitchen counter that Ben has been looking for all the time. "Dare to give him the hat", Florille admonishes me after she has noticed how rigid my gaze is on her. "But he's looking for her, what if he gets in trouble?" I poke quietly.  "So much the better if he should take care of his things," she mumbles angrily and bites in her bread. Hesitantly, I grab a piece of bread from the bread basket and put it on the wooden board.

"Bon appetit, I'm gone now." Ben smiles through the door, neither of us react to that. He just leaves the room with a sigh.

"You talk to each other right?" She asks after he has left the house. "No, I swear," I reply immediately and just waiting, she looks me straight in the eye. "Well, he quickly asked me about the hat this morning, so I gave him a hand." Guilty, I look down, but nothing comes from her.

"Then you are an enemy too?"  She proudly lifts her head and doesn't look at me anymore.  "No no, I'm not German. I promise that was the only time! I ... I wasn't really awake," I defend myself and absolutely want her horrible look to rest on me again. "I hope so, because I'll be with my sister from this afternoon until tomorrow morning. Her husband has passed away, so I want to be there for her," she explains quickly and I nod attentively.  "I will take care of everything here for as long as I can, when you come back it will be even cleaner here," I promise without further ado.  "Well, at the latest when our first lieutenant returns home with muddy boots, you'll give up, he's just such a bully. No sense of cleanliness," she complains, but the house is really lightning and bare. She really must have wiped every inch behind him.

"I promise no mud tracks," I say again and she nods. "Now eat already, otherwise the bread will be hard." She looks away again and hesitantly I reach for my bread.

Although I shouldn't be happy to have my mother-in-law out of the house, I do. But being alone with Ben can be a little unsettling. After all, there are some rumors that officers or ordinary soldiers take advantage of the girls here or even rape them for their satisfaction. As Niche said, the woman was used to relax the man, but some felt different here. Even if something like equality doesn't quite exist yet, I like to imagine how it would be. But that wouldn't do us any good under dictatorial government.