The girls nodded their heads sadly, I gave them a light a hug before the girl convinced me to play dolls with them.
———
A few days later Daniel and I settled in and started our daily routine. Today was like no other, I woke up around 6:30, get dressed, than go down to the kitchen to make breakfast for Hans, Charlotte, Anne, Frau Schneider, Herr Schneider, Daniel and I.
Today that consisted of croissants which I only needed to heat up. I got out the jam from the ice box and set the table. Frau and Herr Schneider come down during the process, and eat breakfast first before leaving to work.
Once they finished, I got up and waked the Schneider children and we started eating breakfast together, shortly after joined by Daniel. "Fräulein, why does Herr Cohen sleep in longer than us? Why don't you wake us up all together?" Hans complained.
"Well Hans, I'm sure Herr Cohen wakes up before you do, but he takes his time getting ready and preparing for your lessons" 'and he has an injured arm' I added mentally after my explanation. It seemed to satisfy Hans. Once everyone finished eating I got the dishes and started washing them. I noticed a figure next to me, I jumped back in fright
"Daniel! You startled me" I said placing my hand over my heart. Daniel flashed me his signature boyish grin before letting out a chuckled.
"I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again, every time I think I understand you who you are, you seem to change" Daniel said, I started chuckling. "What?" Daniel asked.
"Nothing, I just remembered another thing from that night" I said, Daniel raised his eyebrows, he seemed to not completely understand. "When Reinhard came in and I told you to go, you took a offense saying, quote and quote 'Fräulein Müller, don't you know know it's rude to insult a man's ability to fight'. That I'll admit could be true, but my brother was a six foot tall SA brawler, and you remember the time he hit me I'm sure" I said looking down.
"You know I didn't take offense to it, since I knew it was true, but you didn't have to say that he probably outweighs me by 50 pounds and quote 'could crush you in an instant' that was insulting, but true, no doubt your brother was strong and capable of killing me without a gun. And why is it I doubt he can use a gun well?" He asked looking at me.
I let out a laugh "You must be crazy if you think he can't use a gun, heck, we were taught by Hitler himself before we were even adolescents. If you were to give me a gun and told me to shoot something, chances are I could, Reinhard would be no different, he has more experience too. After all, he was apart of Cell G, and I saw him kill someone" I said, starting to choke back tears at the end.
Daniel stared at me for a few seconds, opened his mouth than closed it, thinking twice. "I realised something when I saw his dead body, if he had only acted nicer, he would've been happier. He had the looks, but not the personality. He knew how to put on an act. After we met at the club Reinhard beat me home and opened the door for me, acting like a gentlemen, it's happened multiple times. It's shocking, looking back, there's so many times I could just laugh at for his stupidity. Like when he told me and Kurt he had a date. That is something I could never picture, yet if he had a slightly different up bringing, it could've been something very believable." I said looking down, before I remembered I had to wash the dishes.
"Remember about a week or two ago when we were in my apartment and I washing the dishes?" Daniel asked, I slowly nodded. "You stated that you've never seen a boy wash dishes before, I'm assuming that your brother never did anything, was there a reason?" He asked.
I took a deep breath before speaking. "Well, for starters, Reinhard was mamas favourite. I also grew up in an environment with rigid gender roles. Girls looked after the house and children while men worked. And Uncl-- Hitler told me that women were prizes to be won. When I told him about Reinhard hitting me he said that Reinhard was the man of the house and could punish me as he sees fit. He said if I didn't change my ways I'll be 'an unwelcome challenge for a man, a hindrance rather than a tonic, an opponent rather than a pleasure.'"I said, mimicking him at the end. "Un- Hitler, presses these rigid gender roles on everyone but him, he is a hypocrite. On multiple times he's told me, Eva and even Geil that we ought to consider marriage before we grow old and hysterical. He says everyone ought to marry, well, expect him 'My bride must be Germany' or 'Everyone should get married, well, expect me.' Honestly if I hear that one more time I'll break out laughing. It's silly really to say that. It's, ugh." I couldn't finish my sentence and scrubbed the dishes roughly showing my anger.
Daniel stayed quite and dried the dishes, after I finished and we put the dishes Daniel quickly kissed my forehead. "I'll be prepare the Schneider kids work for the day, it should be ready by lunch time" He said before leaving. I made my way to the Schneider kids rooms and brought them down to the living room.
We spent some time playing some 'getting to know you' games. I soon realised it was 11:30 and Daniel came down stairs "You can make lunch, I'll look after the kids while you cook" Daniel said while he put some books and papers on the desk. I nodded lightly and made my way to the kitchen.
"Fräulein Müller, can I help cook?" Anne asked, I nodded and got a chair for her to stand on. I got out some bread and cut it with a bread knife and got out lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. I put the mayonnaise on the bread before I gave it to Anne
"Rinse the lettuce and tomato and give them back to me" I instructed, Anne did so and gave them to me. I cut the tomato and ripped the lettuce and gave it back to her "Put two pieces on the bread for each sandwich" I said and she did so. I placed some pieces of tomato on the lettuce and placed the other piece of bread on top and than cut the sandwich in half.
I placed the sandwich pieces on the plates and gave her two plates. I grabbed two other plates. We went into the dining room and placed the plates down. I went back to get my plate.
We sat down and started eating the sandwiches, once we finished I got all the plates and started washing the dishes, drying them and putting them away. I went back into the living room and saw Daniel not really knowing how to calm them down.
"Can you three calm down, you are aware that we could tell your parents, right? Besides, would you rather go to school, which includes walking to school, most likely by yourselves?" I said, they soon calmed down. I was shocked that it worked.
Daniel looked surprised at me, and noticed I had a shocked facial expression and seemed to give him a light chuckle. He started teaching some basic timetables and addition. He stuck with timetables that were simple, all the timetables five a below for now. I sat in an armchair on the side watching the lesson.
I heard the door open and looked startled in that direction and saw Frau and Herr Schneider come in. "Gretchen, it would seem that you weren't aware that in Swizerland at lunchtime everything just stops for an hour, I know it's different to Germany" Herr Schneider explained, and I nodded.
"Do you want me to make lunch for you guys when I make lunch for your children?" I asked thinking that it'd be rude
"It's quite fine dear. This lunch break lasts from 12:00-1:00, you can take the time to relax during this time" Frau Schneider said. I nodded in understanding. "You and Herr Cohen can go out now if you want" Frau offered, I looked at Daniel.
"I'm not going to, I've got to plan for lessons, then this." He said, gesturing to the times tables. "Although I can make a change, but I really think you should heir a tutor who is educated to teach other people, since I didn't even study it in gymnasium. Fortunately, your kids are young enough and I'm old enough that I can teach them things" Daniel said. Frau Schneider nodded slowly.
"I am aware that you two won't be here for to long, since you two are going to someplace which I don't really know" She said. Daniel nodded "Speaking of which, Herr Cohen, do you want to get your arm checked out?" She said concerned. Daniels face went red from embarrassment.
"It's fine Frau Schneider" Daniel said, which I know is a lie. I have heard him groan in pain at night due to his arm injury. I could tell that Frau and Herr Schneider agreed with my thoughts, but didn't say anything.
An hour later Daniel started teaching to children again. "Herr Cohen, I don't understand the five timetables" I heard Hans say, Daniel looked at Hans paper.
"You add five each time, you can use your fingers and write it down; it's completely fine" Daniel tried to explained, but Hans didn't seem to understand.
Daniel crouched next to him "Can you hold up your figures?" Daniel asked and Hans did so. "Count how many figures I have on my left hand" He asked and Hans did so. "I have five, right?" Daniel asked, the young boy nodded. "Write it down" Daniel said, Hans did so. "Now add the fingers on my other hand" He said. Hans counted to ten and said so "Now write it down" He instructed. "Now add the figures on your left hand" Daniel said. Hans than wrote down fifteen.
I sighed and walked over, Daniel looked over at me when I sat on the floor next to him. "Hans, can you right the five tables up to 30?" I asked, Hans shock his head unable to. I grabbed a pencil and wrote the numbers 20, 25, 30 down.
"Hans, do you see a pattern?" I asked looking the numbers on the page and he shock his head. "5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30, they all end with either a five or a zero. That's the things with most timetables, they have a pattern. If you times something by 2 it'd end with an even number, so 2, 4, 6, 8 or 0" I explained
"I know that one" Hans said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Well the five timetables are simpler since there's only two number options" I explained. Hand nodded. "Do you think you can count to 50 for me by using your five timetables?" I asked, Hans thought it over for a second before opening his mouth. "Can I use my fingers?" He asked.
"As long as you don't go 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, it's fine" I said with a smile.
"5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 30...5? 40.... 40...5, 50?" He said unsure at the end. I clapped my hands.
"Perfect, that's exactly what it is" I said with a smile.
A few hours later Daniel finished teaching the kids and we had dinner, we found ourselves in our room. "Gretchen" Daniel asked, I look at him to hear his question. "How did you learn to do that?" He asked.
"Do what?" I questioned, not knowing what he was on about about.
"Have Hans learn so quickly" He said with a smile.
I lightly laughed at this comment. "It was simply how I learnt my timetables, just don't tell my second grade teacher that or he'll be livid at me. He thought I just memorised it and became good over night. Although when we learnt about multiples I could say that logic and not get in trouble." I said smiling back at the memories.
"You have a gift Gretchen, something not many people have." Daniel said before laying down on the mattress. I laid down next to him and rested my head on his chest, listening to the beating of his chest. It's such a nice sound to hear, it reminds me that my world wouldn't be as bright if Daniel weren't in it. After a while we drifted into a peaceful sleep.
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Co-A/N
But Daniel 💅🥰
A/N
But Daniel 💅🥰