Emmy. Thank the lord and everyone and everything that is in this universe.
I was so relieved I didnt even realise that the man I saw earlier was standing next to her.
„Guten Abend Emmy." I smile at her. A gesture she did not return.
„Do you have something to tell me?"
„Nein, why?"
„Did Elisabeth shave her hair, grow half a meter and gain a suspicous amount of muscle mass in the last two weeks?"
„I don't think so?"
„Well you told me you were at Elisabeths house but if shes not suddenly a transvestite, you lied."
„Did seriously hire a guy to follow me around?"
„Of course. You can't remember what you did two weeks ago! You can't expect your father to let you roam around unprotected like bambi. You know how he is.. rightfully so. There are enough people who'd want to hurt us." Yea one of those people is standing right in front of you... rightfully so.
„Okay? Getting someone to protect me is different that hiring a private investigator!"
„Well it was very needed apparently."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh come on. Going to the cinema with a boy?"
"You told me to go look for a husband, that what I am doing."
"I wasn't born yesterday, you certainly don't go to the movies to find a husband. A girl with your societal status doesn't go to the movies with boys at all."
"Honestly I wish you were right" I mumble making her eyes widen.
"But you aren't. More than a kiss on the cheek didn't happen. He's really respectful and honorable."
"Sure."
"I'm serious."
"Well if he's so serious am about you he can come over for dinner when your father is back."
"Oh no that is not possible. Some day but no right now. We barely met well ever since my little horse fight. Please just keep it to yourself. I promise you if everything works out, which it will, I'll tell him."
"I don't like to lie to your father."
"You don't have to lie just... don't talk about it?"
"Alright." She sighs sternly. "This is an exception, Fräulein."
"I know and I cherish that. Thank you thank you thank youuu." I run over and give her a quick hug before walking out mentally already calling Elisabeth.
"Well you seem quite happy." Gretel chuckles as she walks beside me.
"Well Gretel, I got off scot-free... well for now. But that's a though for another day."
"I'm just as proud of you manipulating your way out of this as I would've been it you'd just never done it or if you would've been truthful." I stop and give her a hug as we arrive at my room.
"Thanks Gretel... you're my Dorota."
"You're what?"
"My Dorota! Don't ask questions.. just know that that means a lot and you're the best person I have by my side."
"Well then you're my Dorota too!"
"No, I'm your Blair."
"Well even if I don't get your youth-speech, I'm honoured I get to be your... Dorota. I did a great job raising you."
"You sure did. Give yourself a little pat on the shoulder.. you deserve it. In fact, you should take a day off tomorrow."
"Oh no, I love being here-"
"I know but when was your last day off?"
She's quiet as I smile knowingly.
"I heard you on the phone with your friend. Have fun at her birthday party and have a relaxing day off!"
"Oh thank you." She hugs me tight.
"Of course." I smile at her.
"Now I'm going to go to bed. Have a nice and relaxing day off. Don't party too hard." I wink at her as she chuckles knowing that she totally will.
__________________________________
Ring... Ring...
I pat my hand around my nightstand until I find my telephone bringing it to my ear.
"Ja?"
"Oh thank god you're still alive and have your phone. I was scared I was going to have to talk to your father."
"Oh I forgot to call you last night... I just fell asleep."
"Well what happened?"
"It wasn't my father, Thank. God. and everything. It was Emmy and that guy I saw was there.. I knew something was off."
"Did you get in trouble?"
"Surprisingly not really. She was mad, didn't believe me that nothing happened and wanted me to bring him to DINNER."
"Well you said no, right?"
"Obviously. And thankfully she kept quiet.. for now. So if he wants to marry me in the next year everything's fine."
"Well if you have a year, you'll be fine. But will you tell him?" I keep forgetting the different dating culture... or well marriage culture.
"About the spy?" I chuckle as she hums.
"No. I don't want to scare him off."
"I don't think that's possible. I mean always looking at him when he was in the room with us and whatever you talked about when he walked you home that night was worse.."
"What night?"
"In June after Maria's birthday party. He walked you home because you were just tired of course.. nothing else. And you refused to tell me what you talked about. All I know is that he gave you his cigarette and that you two talked and got along because after that.. he looked back."
"I'm sorry I don't know either."
"Just ask him on Friday."
"Maybe... probably not... Stop rolling your eyes." We both let out a chuckle.
"I have to go now. I don't want Frau Müller to yell at me for being late again."
"Wait what time is it?"
"7:30"
"Gott im Himmel. It's so early."
"Well now you can go and eat some breakfast. I need to keep you motivated and I knew you wouldn't wake up on time." I promised her to eat breakfast everyday because apparently it's not normal for me.
"What am I supposed to do all morning? My father told me I could be his secretary but god knows where he is, I gave Gretel a day off so she could celebrate her friends birthday, you're the only friend I want to do something with, Rudi is at Uni and why would I want to do something with Emmy?"
"I'm sure you'll find something. Guten Appentit!" She hangs up as I roll my eyes.
__________________________________
"Guten Morgen Margarete. Surprised to see you this early."
"Guten Morgen to you too. Elisabeth woke me up and told me to eat breakfast."
"Rightfully so. But shouldn't Gretel do that?"
"I gave her the day off. She's always doing so much for me.. she deserves some free time too."
"How selfless... Your father is returning on Friday. We're throwing a dinner party in honour for his return." Noooo. Friday out of all days?
"Oh..."
"Are you not pleased with your fathers return?" She raises an eyebrow.
No.
"Of course I am... I can't wait." Don't overdo it.
"But I already had plans.."
"What could be more important than your father?"
"Nothing..." Anything else.
"I hope they weren't with that boy of yours."
"No no of course not."
"Margarete... Grete... you should let him go. A woman with your status meets their husband at an official event, such as a dinner party, gets approval from her father and marries. She doesn't go to the cinema with some boy from the slums... he's not good for you."
"But you or father didn't grow up in nobility?"
"But you did. Just accept it. Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof. Think of your children! Would they rather have a nice big house with horses and a big garden or a small dirty flat?" I can't believe what I'm hearing.
"This isn't about my future children.. or me. This is about the power lust and the ego of my father."
"You can't say that I'm wrong, can you?"
"I'm not hungry anymore." I stand up and walk, well... angrily stomp to my room.
I can't believe her... acting like she's the empress of China.. Please.
Just out of spite I'm going to do everything in my power to marry Rudi... I mean I'm also totally in love with him so that's obviously not my main motivation but a plus point.
Nothing makes me more angry than my so called family... I miss my real family. All though they also made me angry most times.. the more I think about it the more I see the resemblance between my real life and this. I am still confused about what this is and why this happened but sadly there's nothing I can do.
I've tried going to sleep and shifting, which didn't work... maybe I just need to fall off of my horse again? That's the idea!
But first I need to get my mind off of things and experience something I have dreamed of since I first watched How to Marry a Millionaire... VINTAGE SHOPPING- well not vintage shopping just going shopping where pretty dresses were a thing.
Sadly 30s dresses aren't quite of the same beauty as 50s dresses but I take what I can get.
__________________________________
"I thought I would be protecting the Führer.. and not driving a little girl around." The guard who's been assigned to me mutters.
"Excuse me? I'm seventeen and a better company than the Führer."
"That's quite an outrageous claim."
"Well I've been told so many times. I don't let me guests wait for me in the morning and fall asleep while they're talking. Nor do I have flatulance, yogurt in my mustache and bad breath. So consider yourself lucky."
"I'm just going to ignore what I just heard... or maybe if I tell someone I'd get to work in another position."
"Then I'll everyone you touched me in my private places... who do you think they'll believe more? Also working for my father is basically like working for Hitler... there's just more to look at. So indirectly you're basically working for the first daughter of the third reich so you should cherish that." I say as he lets out a chuckle.
"Well if you look at it that way I suppose it still doesn't change a thing." He gives me a sarcastic grin in the rear view mirror.
"At least you get to go to dinner parties." And stand around all day.
"I've never been to your fathers dinner parties."
"Really?"
"I'm a guard.. at least for now. Do you really think I'd be invited to dine with the most powerful people of the Reich?"
"I'm sure it's more your awful personality, rather than your position. I'd ask you to be my plus one but you're really annoying."
"I can only return that compliment."
__________________________________
"How do you like this?" I ask the annoyed man who's carrying about 30 dresses on his arms while holding up a bordeaux dress.
"It looks fine, just like the other fifty you picked out in the last two hours."
"So that's a maybe." I throw the dress onto his arms.
"What about this- Nevermind. Let's just try it on. You're a man. You can't imagine a dress without seeing it on a female body." I say as he quietly groans.
"Since you're so excited, we'll also combine the dress shopping with some shoe and jewellery shopping! I needed some new ones anyway." I smile smugly at him before ushering him to the dressing rooms. He sits down on the little couch in front of the dressing rooms as I enter one.
I try on about 30 dresses, all of them receiving an okay review from our male fashion consultant.
I try on the bordeaux one I looked at earlier and step out. I see him sitting an annoyed and tired expression covering his face.
"And this?" He looks up his expression changing.
"That's better." I guess that's the most I'll get.
"Ja, finde ich auch. There's only one more to go.. Don't get too excited!" I get back into the dressing room and put on the last dress.
A long dress in a rich green shade with a lower back, still appropriate while still sexy, and straps.
"I am in love with this dress... Contain your excitement!" I step out.
"What do you think?"
"You look nice."
"Better than the last one?"
"Sure." He says making me groan.
"Alright... it's jaw-droppingly gorgeous and you sweep every man off his feet in this dress, better?"
"Ja, Dankeschön." I do a little twirl before going back to the dressing room and putting my dress back on.
"Can you please carry the dresses?"
"I guess."
"You know you're really sassy? I thought they train that off of you in the Napola." I wonder if Friedrich and Albrecht really exist.
"They also train you to serve the Führer in war and how to throw grenades. When you plan on leading me to war, we can talk about my "sassiness"."
"With that attitude, that can take a long time." Or not...
"Keep your head up... I forgot what your name is."
I confess.
"Friedrich."
"Right Friedrich... auch wenn momentan nicht die deutsche Flagge voran flattert, sondern eine aus grüner Seide." We walk to the register as he stops me.
"Which one are you going to get?"
"Uh all of them?"
"With what money?" He asks as I look at him funnily.
"My fathers, hello?" I love being rich... if I just try to forget where that money came from. If I spend it all at least he won't have any?
"I think you just bought my yearly rents worth in clothing." He says to which I just hum.
"You should also get something.. like a tie or whatever men wear." I feel a bit bad all though he's an ass and just does basically nothing all day... I think I just described my life here.
"Oh no I don't think I'm allowed to do that."
"Then you just found this cash in you pocket." I take some money and shove it into the pocket of his jacket before paying for all of the dresses.
He takes all the bags and loads them into the car.
"Where to next? Hopefully Carinhall." He hopes as I just smirk at him before naming a shoe store and a jeweller both at the opposite sides of the city. He silently groans as I let out a chuckle and buckle up.
_________________________________
"You can put these down here!" I instruct Friedrich as we walk into my room. He wasn't as amused as the other guards were when they saw him carry approximately fifteen shopping bags while trotting behind me.
"Finally.." He groans.
"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it! I even got you a Bretzel."
"And for that and the money I am honestly thankful!" He says sincerely.
"But the rest was torture." Ah, there it is.
"I don't know how you do it so often."
"Well, it's my favourite hobby. Just like you enjoy kicking balls around or hitting other boys in the face while wearing dead animal on your hands."
"You're very peculiar, has anyone ever told you that?"
"All I am getting out of that is that you think I'm special which I thank you for. Not everyone can be as iconic as I am."
"Iconic is.. a word. I wouldn't use it in that context but if you find it appropriate."
"You do too, don't lie! You know what?"
"Do I want to know?"
"When the Wehrmacht has invaded Paris we can even go shopping there!" And give some money and food to the people affected by the war but I think he'd be less on board for that than going shopping.
"My father won't let me wear french brands because it's "unpatriotic" but if Paris is in Germany, that doesn't count."
That's not a lie. I was really excited, after recovering from the shock, to see Balenciagas, Louis Vuittons and Chanel's old designs.. and then Hermann rolled in.
"I can't wait." He says sarcastically ignoring the fact that I know information that isn't out yet and probably doesn't happen for a couple of years.
"You may leave now. Your joy is a bit too much too handle." I say quickly as I see a hint of question in his face.
"Excuse me, I'll try to contain myself next time. Have a nice evening, Fräulein. Heil Hitler."
"You too, Friedolin!"
"It's Friedrich."
"Oh, yes excuse me Franz."
"It's alright Magdalena!" He says before leaving making me chuckle.
Ring.. Ring..
Who could be calling me right now?
Maybe it's Rudi... I still need to cancel on him.
I don't want to but I guess he'll understand.
"Hallo?" I pick up the the phone.
"Gretel" I hear an old man say from the other line... Oh gosh it's Hermann.
"Vati... hallo."
"Hallo, mein Engel. Wie geht es dir?"
„Gut. How are you?"
„I'm doing good as well. It's quite stressful here with Poland and everything. It went well and future military missions will continue to go well so don't worry, Gretchen. I know how you are." He chuckles.
Sure.. just keep telling yourself that.
Manifestation Guru Hermann?
I don't think so...
„Alright."
„As soon as I'm back, I'll get back to you on that secretary/assistant job... unless you changed your mind?"
"Nein, Vater. Natürlich nicht." As if I am going to give him the satisfaction... pff.
My stubbornness will be the death of me.
I even went without food for a day because I was too stubborn to admit that my stepmother was right about me needing to take food on a trip.
It's bad, just like the cramps I experienced that day, but I survived so oh well.
"Gut. I'll see you at the dinner, correct?"
"Ja, unless a communist jumps me on the street-" I refrained from digging at him about the literal spy following me out of fear that Emmy will spill.
"Was? Is everything alright? Remember that revolver I gave you-"
"Everything's fine. That was sarcasm... I'll warn you next time. And also since when do I have a literal gun?" I ask him getting louder by the word.
"I gave it to you when I thought you were able to properly handle it and you needed it. Some people don't subscribe to our party and want to hurt us, you know that."
"Do you know where it is?"
"No. Perhaps you wrote it in one of your diaries. I believe I gave it to you in 1935. I have to go now. I'll see you on friday, be careful! Gute Nacht."
"Nacht." I hang up. That man gave a 12 or 13 year old a gun. When I, well future Me, was 12 she did TikTok dances. Sure sometimes gun sound effects were featured but the most I did was like a shoulder pop... Where have I landed here?
Despite my sheer shock of the lack of moral, thoughts and parenting behind Hermann Görings eyes I recovered and called Rudi.
"Hallo, Rudi Keitl hier?" So Keitl is his last name.. Have I heard that before?
"Hallo, it's Margarete."
"Oh hallo, wie geht's dir?"
"Es geht und dir?"
"Now I'm doing great." He says making me smile.
"But why aren't you?"
"I need to cancel on you on Friday. Es tut mir voll leid, but I need to go to a dinner party." I nervously fidget with my necklace.
"Oh ja I forgot to tell you.." He says really to himself making me confused.
"My father is dragging me somewhere which obviously just has to be on Friday."
"Alright so we're kind of even."
"I suppose so." He chuckles. "We'll need to reschedule! How about Saturday?" I was about to answer him but a knock interrupts me.
"Excuse me someone's at the door."
"Don't worry."
I quickly yell a "Ja" to the mysterious knocker.. that sounds like a breast is standing in front of my door. Or maybe I just have my head in the gutter.
"Your step-mother wanted me to tell you that dinner is finished." Friedrich said while after opening the door.
"Wow you really are Gretel 2.0." I say making him sigh probably regretting every decision he made that brought him here.
"I'll be there." I say after I'm done laughing at his misery. "I just have to finish this here real quick."
"Take your time." He mutters annoyed walking back out.
"I'm back and Saturday sounds great. I'd love to talk but I'm being terrorised into eating dinner so.. I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
"I'll call you after I'm done with my shift! Have a nice evening."
"You too!" I say smiling before hanging up and going down to dinner.
~This is the longest chapter I've written so far (3400 words)
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Have a nice day and to everyone going back to school, good luck!