A Fresh Start
The walk with her brother helped Helene push away her dark thoughts. She helped Sebastian build a snowman, and when she saw how happy her little brother was, she finally managed to smile too.
On their way home, they ran into her stepfather. He was just about to get into his car but noticed Helene and Sebastian and walked toward them.
“I was home for a moment,” Mr. Köhler told his stepdaughter. “I packed some things for Sabine. Now I’m driving back to the hospital to speak with the doctor again about your mother’s condition and the upcoming surgery.”
“Please call me later, Uncle Martin,” Helene asked.
“Of course, Helene. And thank you for taking Sebastian outside.”
“It’s no problem—he’s my brother. But Uncle Martin… I’d like to talk to you about something while Mrs. Köhler can’t hear.”
“Did something happen?” he asked, concerned. “My mother must have bothered you again?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point. I think you should take your mother to see a doctor. It looks like she might be developing dementia.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Her character has changed. Today she even scolded Sebastian. She would never have done that before.”
“Scolded Sebastian?” Martin frowned. “My mother loves her grandson.”
“That’s exactly why it surprised me. And I also noticed that Mrs. Köhler…” Helene hesitated.
“…looks worse and doesn’t take care of herself anymore?” Martin finished.
“Exactly.”
“That’s true. She used to care a lot about her appearance. A friend gave her a set of creams and face masks for her birthday, but she hasn’t even opened them. Why did she scold Sebastian? Did he do something wrong?”
“He didn’t want to eat his semolina porridge. Mrs. Köhler accidentally put salt instead of sugar in it. Sebastian tasted it and said it was too salty.”
“Well, I can understand that,” Martin said with a sigh. “Who would want to eat that? Helene, thank you for telling me. I’ll talk to my mother. I’ve noticed something is wrong too. She used to be kind to Sabine, but now she seems almost… cruel.”
“You really should take her to a doctor. Sometimes the development of dementia can be slowed.”
“You have a very sharp eye, Helene,” Martin said warmly. “You’d make an excellent nurse—or even a doctor someday, if you want. You’re smart and compassionate. By the way, have you decided yet whether you’ll move in with your friend or stay at home?”
“I’ll stay. Sebastian needs me.”
“Yes… after what you told me, I’m afraid to leave my son alone with my mother. Today it was the salt—next time it could be something worse. I can’t always stay home, I have to work. Thank you for taking care of Sebastian while your mother is in the hospital. Tonight I’ll clear out my room and sleep in Sebastian’s room.”
“That’s not necessary, Uncle Martin,” Helene said. “Let me sleep in Sebastian’s room instead.”
“But the folding bed will be uncomfortable.”
“That’s okay. I’ll manage.”
“Alright, Helene, if that’s what you want. And… forgive me. I know I treated you and Sabine unfairly.”
That evening Helene’s mother called.
“The doctor allowed me to use my phone,” Sabine explained. “So I wanted to talk to you right away, my dear.”
“Mom! I’m so happy to hear your voice. How are you feeling?”
“Much better, Helene. I’m sorry I scared you.”
“Didn’t you know your heart was sick?”
“I’d been feeling worse lately and meant to see a doctor—but I kept putting it off. And now things went this far.”
“Oh Mom… you have to take care of yourself.”
“That’s not so easy,” Sabine said quietly. “You know how Mrs. Köhler can be.”
“That’s why you should live separately.”
“Yes… I see that now. How is Sebastian?”
“He’s fine. Don’t worry while you’re in the hospital. I’m taking care of him. Today we went outside and built a snowman. I’ll send you a photo.”
“Thank you, my darling. I want to see it. Soon I’ll be moved to a regular ward and you can visit me. I miss you both so much—you are the most important people in my life.”
“We miss you too, Mom. Did the doctor talk about the surgery yet?”
“Yes… and honestly, I’m scared.”
“But you understand it’s necessary, right?”
“Of course.”
“Don’t be afraid. I’ll be there for you.”
“But you need to go to school too, Helene.”
“Your health is more important right now. I even thought about leaving my vocational diploma program and returning to the regular high school. I spoke with Mrs. Schuster—she said it would be possible.”
“Helene, you want to study medicine. Don’t give that up because of me.”
“I can still study medicine after graduating. Mom, I can’t live far away from you. I want you to have the surgery, get healthy again, and for us to move back to our own apartment. Sebastian will start kindergarten, and I’ll find a part-time job so we’ll have enough money.”
Sabine’s voice softened.
“You grew up so fast. It feels like only yesterday I was braiding your hair and taking you to kindergarten. And now you’re making decisions and supporting me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
A few days later Sabine was discharged from the Frankfurt hospital but had to go to the university clinic in Mainz for surgery.
Martin took vacation to care for Sebastian while Sabine was hospitalized again. He no longer trusted his mother to look after the boy alone—Mrs. Köhler’s behavior had become stranger, and she refused any medical help.
Helene traveled with her mother to Mainz. She decided to collect her school documents and return to her old high school. She wanted to stay close to her mother.
Shortly before leaving, Helene received a call from Mrs. Hoffmann.
She had good news.
She was visiting her son and daughter-in-law and said the wall she had once built between herself and her son’s family had finally been torn down.
“Helene, Daniel told me you called him and explained how worried I was. Thank you, my dear. I’m so happy. Karin and I get along wonderfully now. She’s such a wonderful woman and an amazing hostess. When I visited, she prepared such a beautiful dinner table! I even took some recipes with me.”
“I’m happy for you, Mrs. Hoffmann,” Helene said.
“And what about you? Are you at home or back at school?”
Helene told her about her mother’s upcoming surgery.
“Helene, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Mrs. Hoffmann exclaimed. “You should have told me right away when Sabine ended up in the hospital!”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Listen,” Mrs. Hoffmann continued. “My neighbor Mrs. Reiter has the keys to my apartment. You and Sabine can use it freely. I’ll be staying with my children for a while anyway.”
“Thank you so much.”
“And by the way, the cardiology center where Sabine will have surgery is only three bus stops from my apartment.”
The surgery was successful.
Sabine returned home with Helene, and Helene never regretted her decision to return to high school. Her mother’s health mattered more than anything.
Only saying goodbye to her friend Anna was difficult.
“Promise you’ll visit me in the summer,” Anna said, hugging her.
“Of course. And we’ll talk on the phone until then. Real friendship doesn’t depend on distance.”
Sabine and Martin later had an honest conversation and decided to divorce peacefully. Sabine refused any claim to the house so Martin would not have to sell it.
Shortly after the divorce, Martin remarried his partner Stefanie. Because she didn’t want to live with Mrs. Köhler, Martin moved his mother into her own apartment and hired a caregiver. Her health continued to decline.
Six months later she fell, broke her hip, and died soon after.
Time passed.
Helene graduated from high school with excellent grades and planned to move to Mainz to study medicine. Her dream of becoming a doctor had only grown stronger.
Still, she found it hard to imagine leaving her mother and brother behind.
She dreamed that they could all move to Mainz together—but financially it seemed impossible.
Then something unexpected happened.
When Martin came to pick up Sebastian one weekend, he asked if Helene still planned to study medicine.
“I haven’t given up,” she said. “I really want to become a doctor.”
“I’m sure you will,” Martin replied. “Why are you sad?”
“Helene wishes we could move to Mainz together,” Sabine explained.
“Then move together,” Martin said suddenly.
Sabine stared at him in disbelief.
“Real estate there is too expensive.”
“I’ll help you buy an apartment,” Martin said calmly. “I’ll sell my mother’s apartment and help you with the purchase. That way Helene won’t have to leave you behind—and Sebastian will benefit from growing up in the city too.”
Sabine was speechless.
“Think of it as my way of making things right,” Martin continued. “I treated you and Helene unfairly before. And you gave up your claim to the house. This is only fair.”
He smiled.
“And besides—Sebastian is going to have a little brother soon.”
“What? Stefanie is pregnant?” Sabine exclaimed.
“Yes. And we already know it’s a boy.”
With Martin’s help, Sabine bought a beautiful apartment in the same neighborhood where Mrs. Hoffmann lived.
Now she lives there with her children.
Sebastian recently started first grade, and Helene studies medicine with the dream of becoming a cardiologist.
She is happy now and rarely thinks about the time when she felt unwanted.
And Sabine is proud—proud of raising such a wonderful daughter and maintaining a respectful relationship with the father of her son.
