Hero

Chapter Nine: Mrs. Mother

Wilhelm finished setting the table when mother walked through the front door. She looked tired from a long day at work. Wilhelm walked over, took her hat and coat and hung them on the coat rack. Mother smiled to him, walked over to the table, she saw the extra plate and looked over to Wilhelm.'

"Why is there an extra plate here?" Mother asked, taking a seat at the table. Wilhelm took a deep breath, looking up the stairs for Günther before looking back to mother.

"Mother, my friend Günther's father went off to fight in the war. His mother died at birth. He has nowhere to go. Can he stay with us until the war ends?" Wilhelm explained. Mother looked at him calmly.

"Wilhelm, you are grounded. No friends over." Mother said straight faced. Wilhelm clenched his fist behind his back and calmly smiled.

"Could you at least meet him, mother?" Wilhelm struggled to not yell at her. She looked over to him and nodded slowly. Wilhelm bolted up the stairs and almost ran into Günther not knowing he was in the hall. Günther looked up at him confused, Wilhelm took his hand and let him down the stairs. "Mother, this is my friend, Günther." Wilhelm said, presenting Günther to mother. Nanny walked out of the kitchen and started to place food on the table. Mother looked Günther over in speculation.

"You are sure he has nowhere else to go? No family?" Mother asked looking to Wilhelm. He nodded fast and anxious. Günther looked to mother calmly and she looked right back at him.

"It is okay if you don't want me to stay here, Miss. I can sleep in the alley." Günther spoke without thought. Wilhelm looked to him with a shocked look, thinking he just ruined the plan he came up with. Mother shook her head, making Wilhelm even more anxious.

"No, I won't do that. You can stay, until your father returns from war. Wilhelm you are still grounded." Mother said looking to Wilhelm who visibly relaxed. He turned to Günther and hugged him tightly. Günther hugged him back with a smile.

"Thank you, Miss." Günther said to mother, after Wilhelm released him. Mother nodded to them with a smile.

"Please, call me Emilia." She said. Günther nodded with a bright smile.

"How about I call you Mrs. Mother." Günther said with a giggle as both Wilhelm and him took their seats at the dinner table. Mother nodded with a chuckle. What a cute kid. She thought. Nanny finished setting the food on the table before she sat with them.

"Okay, you can call me Mrs. Mother." Mother agreed. They ate dinner with nice small talk about their day, school and work. Wilhelm gathered most of the dishes, it being his main chore of the day, and headed into the kitchen. Günther grabbed what was left and followed Wilhelm into the kitchen. He placed them next the Wilhelm's pile, next to the sink.

"You don't have to help me." Wilhelm said, rolling up his shirt sleeves and grabbing the dish soap. Günther smiled and grabbed a dish.

"I want to. You helped me so much, I want to help you." Günther started to scrub the plate over the sink, his shortness making that harder. Wilhelm shook his head and grabbed the small wooden stepping stool his dad had made.

"Here, stand on this, it helps." Wilhelm suggested placing it on the floor by Günther's feet. Günther stepped up onto it and realized it really did help. Wilhelm started to wash the silverware, starting with spoons, moving to forks and last was knives. When Wilhelm finished, he noticed Günther was still scrubbing at the plate he started with. Wilhelm saw he hadn't used the soap yep and chuckled. "Günther, are you having some trouble?" Wilhelm asked taking the plate and scrubbing it with some soap. "Watch how I do it." Wilhelm said scrubbing all the leftover food chunks off. Günther nodded with a smile and took the plate back finishing the cleaning. He rinsed of the bubbles and placed it aside to dry, next to the silverware. He grabbed another plate and started to clean it.

Wilhelm and Günther cleaned all the dishes and set them aside to dry. Nanny would put them away later, if not tomorrow. Both the boys walked lazily up the stairs and to their separate rooms. Wilhelm slowly changed into him pajamas and climbed into bed. Günther flopped down on the twin mattress and sighed. He was exhausted from cleaning the dishes and didn't feel like changing. He rolled onto his side and drifted off to sleep.