Chapter Text
“Hänschen… are you okay…?” Thea asked, knocking on the bathroom door. He had been in there for nearly half an hour and she knew sometimes their grandma’s food didn’t sit well with him.
“I’m fine, can you leave me alone?” He responded from inside, his voice was quivering a bit.
Thea’s face tightened, she wanted to make some remark but took a breath inside and imagine Hänschen as a kid, when he was bedridden.
“Hänschen I’m not leaving until you let me in.” She stated firmly.
He ignored her for a moment and than finally the door opened a bit and she saw her older brother clearly not doing so good.
“What’s going on…? Thea asked, inside she felt a bit worried but on the outside she was just annoyed.
“I uh… I’m fine I just… I threw up… a few times…”
Her eyes widened at the admission “oh- you should tell mama, or Oma- or anyone- you’re so stupid why aren’t you asking for help.”
“I’m fine I don’t need help- father gets mad when I’m sick.”
Thea looked at him confused “why would he do that…?”
Hänschen’s calm expression wavered at that question, it took him a few more seconds to respond “he…. I don’t know he thinks it’s… he thinks it’s weakness.”
Thea looks confused “he’s never done that to me…”
“You’re a girl. They don’t treat us the same.”
“Tell mama than, she won’t discipline you.” Thea was begging now.
“Thea… I’m fine… and besides mother would tell father and it would end up the same.”
“Please.” Thea asked, clearly getting to Hänschen now.
After a bit of hesitation he sighed “okay…”.
Thea grabbed Hänschen’s arm, still concerned, but not letting that get to his head. She pulled her brother into the living room just down the hall where Melitta and their mom was.
“Mama, Hänschen wants to talk to you.” Thea said without checking with him, she knew he would back out if she didn’t just come out with it.
Their mom got up and walked over to Hänschen, they spoke quietly for a minute before there was the tell-tale sign. She pressed the back of her hand against his forehead, she knew.
“Is Hans alright..?” Melitta asked Thea quietly, not wanting to get either of their family members attention.
“Found him sick in the bathroom, he wasn’t going to tell anyone but I convinced him.” Thea replied, still staring at Hänschen and their mom.
“What kind of sick?” Melitta asked, looking a bit worried.
“He was throwing up, he’s probably fine- you know how sensitive his stomach is…”
“Hope she doesn’t tell papa, he would be mad.”
Thea looked at her finally, with the cane confusion she had given to Hänschen when he said a similar thing earlier.
“Why…? Why on earth would he be mad I don’t understand Melitta…”
“I don’t know… he just gets angry, I saw him beat Hans for it a while ago.”
“Beat…? Like…. Hurt him…? How have I never seen this happen before?”
Melitta looked like she had said something she shouldn’t have, but sighed “he does it in his office so no one sees, a lot of people in town beat their son’s.”
Thea had only really heard of this happening to Martha, sometimes Martha would stay at their house for a night of papa wasn’t home, just so she could avoid her dad.
Thea new beating was necessary sometimes but punishing someone for being ill felt unnecessarily cruel. She didn’t like it.
Finally their mom walked back over to the table while Hänschen walked off “Hänschen’s going to go lay down for a little while.”
“What did he tell you?” Thea asked, she kind of hoped Hänschen had lied so she could throw him under the bus for his own good.
“He told me he was feeling a bit dizzy, probably my just needs some rest.”
“Hänschen was throwing up in the bathroom, I heard him.” Thea immediately blurted out as if on instinct to get her brother in trouble.
Immediately her mom’s eyes widened and she quickly got up and followed after Hänschen.
“Oh I hope papa doesn’t find out…” Melitta said quietly.