Referring to the child as "child" is also very unusual in German. I noticed it when reading the German story and perceived it as the personal style of the author.

Is it really that uncommon? To me it feels natural. I always assumed this to be a regional thing, kind of like a dialect.
That just goes to show that I don't know my mother tongue as well as I thought.

Oh well... if this is to become my "personal style", I won't mind    I'm (more or less) happy with me writing the way I do. And I guess, that's the main aspect? Having fun?

Chapter 32a/56 - Lunch break, Part 2

"What a lovely mood," Christoph had joined the group of girls. And now he's obviously thinking about leaving again.

"Not at all," Jessica snaps.

"It's okay, then I'll be going again," the boy replies.

"Stay here," Leonie waves him back. "You are not bothering us."

Christoph thinks about what he got himself into, but then he decides to stay. "So? How have you settled in here so far?"

Leonie shrugs. "Can't complain. Of course it will still take a few days before I'm familiar with all the procedures, but I already feel quite at home. Thanks to all of you, I actually feel really welcome."

Now it's up to the others to blush. "Well, she certainly knows how to butter us up," laughs Nadine. But it is clear that everyone present is flattered.

"I don't want to make any comparisons between Kiel and here, I think, that would be unfair," says the newcomer, only to break her intention again in the very next sentence: "I feel more comfortable here. Of course it's difficult to say after two days, but... well, yeah... that's how it is!"

"If I may ask, what's the big difference?"

"Phew, hard to describe." Leonie searches for words: "I would say: The Northern Lights are much more distant. Sitting together like this would have been unthinkable on the third day in Kiel. I think it took almost a month to get halfway accepted. Of course, I had friends up there as well. It's not like I've been all alone. Not at all. But it just took longer. You're a lot more open overall."



"Anyone who is open to everything, has obviously flipped their lid" smiles Karina, who has already recovered from having been reprimanded by Jessica.

Comment: That sadly is an untranslatable German proverb. I tried to approximate it. As far as I understand, it's probably not correct, but I'll use "having flipped one's lid" as a synonym for "being a bit dense". While it's not very funny in the German version, here it is even less so, sorry

"Well, in that case, you definitely are open to everything!" Jessica grins.

"Stupid bitch!" Suddenly Karina looks over at her classmate angrily. Jaws clenched tight, lips narrow, eyes piercing.

This is of course noticed by Jessica, who becomes insecure. "What's up?"

"You know very well!", Karina flares up.

"I don't."

"Yes, I can see that you don't understand anything!", hisses Karina.

"Can someone explain to me what's wrong with Karina now?" Jessica turns to the bystanders, in an unsuccessful attempt to resolve the whole thing with humor.

The two stare at each other grumpily while most of the others look away embarrassed. Nadine finally tries to mediate: "Jessy, you just called Karina a school-mattress!"

Christoph chokes and Leonie looks back and forth between the girls with wide eyes.

"I did not!" Jessica retorts.

A second passes, then another. Neither girl shows any sign of wanting to give in.

For Leonie, it seems like everyone - except her - knows. She turns to Susanne in a low whisper. "What's going on?"

Who replies just as quietly: "Some years ago, a fight about a boy both had the hots for and..."

"Susi! That's a matter between Jessy and me! It's nobody else's business!" Karina hisses, who has heard it anyway.

Embarrassed, Susanne looks to the side and Leonie raises her hands defensively. "I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"Oh damn, Karina, I'm sorry," Jessica blurts out, "I didn't mean to say that. You know that! I didn't even mean to imply it. It's all over now! I haven't been angry with you for a long time now. You know that! Don't you?"

Karina is surprised. She obviously hadn't expected an apology. But she's also still pissed off. "And what DID you want to say?"

Again, Nadine mediates: "That you are a bit 'dense', Karina. »Anyone who is open to everything, obviously has flipped their lid«. Those were YOUR words. And Jessy just turned it around. »Anyone who has flipped their lid, must be open to everything« Don't get angry at me now, Karina, but you have 'flipped your lid'. You definitely are a bit 'dense' from time to time!"

Karina blinks once. Twice. Three times. Then she grins awkwardly: "I never said that I wasn't!"

Jessica shakes her head: "This girl will bring me to my grave!"

"But if I'm a bit dense, then what about HER?" Karina demands, pointing in Jessica's direction.

Who grins lopsided: "Me? I'm completely bonkers!" and rolls her eyes.

"We're all a little 'abnormal'," Nadine tries desperately to get a good mood going again.

"I'm still the most normal of us here!", Christoph interjects. Mostly for saying anything at all and not just standing there stupidly.

"Dream on," laughs Susanne awkwardly.

"Well, ALL of you are nutcases, I can tell. That must be the school. And because I haven't been here long, I have to be the most normal of us!" Leonie's lips form a strained grin.

Everyone's eyes are on her and Jessica replies dry as a bone: "Anyone who voluntarily wears headgear to school has automatically lost all rights to being called 'normal'!"

Karina snorts. A minute later, Karina and Jessica are good friends again. Just in time for afternoon classes to begin.

Luckily, her friends don't realize that Leonie's head is redder than it should be in this situation. Of course, Jessica didn't mean any harm. But being called »not normal« left its mark.

Chapter 33a/56 - Considerations, Part 2

A few minutes later, the more pressing part of her homework is finally done. More than ready for a break, she asks her father, "By the way: What are you doing?"

He sighs, "I'm trying to keep track of all this stuff. These are different documents. And sometimes different versions of the same document. And I try to have the important parts all visible at the same time so I can correlate the data better."

Leonie sighs and puts her notebooks aside. "You can use my desk as well." When her father shakes his head, the girl gets up. "I'm way too tired right now; I absolutely can't concentrate on my homework. Feel free to use my desk."

"You still have homework to do, don't you?"

"I've finished the important stuff. There's still time for the rest. Really, dad. I'm done for now!"

"And what are you doing instead?"

In response, Leonie points to the corner of the living room, where the half-assembled bedside table is still waiting to be assembled into a working unit.



An astonishingly short time later, the small bedside cabinet has taken shape. Leonie looks at her father and smiles. Completely engrossed in his papers, he mumbles under his breath, his eyes darting from sheet to sheet. Several pens - as markers - give the impression of having been randomly strewn across the desk.

A large amount of papers, which only her father still can keep apart, has completely spread over the two desks. He has pushed his daughter's chair out of the way and now rolls his own chair back and forth between the tables.

Even if Leonie wanted to do her homework now, she would have had to find another place to do it. Maybe the low living room table? Or better in the kitchen? She certainly will not get her desk back any time today.

She gets up quietly and carries her bedside table to her room. This makes it even more cramped in here: She has just enough room to open the doors of her wardrobe. And that doesn't work completely either, because the doors hit the edge of the bed first.

The TV is on the window sill, and the game console that goes with it is under the bed. And the bedside table is now so much in the way that Leonie has to be careful not to bang her toes on it while she's half asleep. That's what happens when a closet is turned into a children's bedroom.



She lies down on her bed, hands clasped behind her head. A few things are going around in her head, imposing themselves on her, whether she likes it or not.

What she thinks about the longest is a remark she casually dropped at school two days ago: »Maybe I'll get my own apartment during the summer holidays. It doesn't make sense now, in the middle of the school year... But at the beginning of the next year? Let's see.«

In the time she lies on her bed and thinks about it, she doesn't come to a conclusion. She doesn't want to leave her father. Neither does she want him to be alone, nor does she want to be alone herself. On the other hand, the thought of having to move again in six months isn't particularly tempting either.

She doesn't want to have to leave her newfound friends again. And the fact that next school year will be her last doesn't help either. After all, she has to prepare for Abitur at some point!

So, it would really make sense to come to terms with 'settling down' from now on. At least until after graduation. At the same time, however, her father's job means that he has to change places of work as well as residence every few months. To ask her father to stay here for the next year and a half? No, she can't do that. He wouldn't be able to stand that. Maybe now really is the time to get used to the idea of looking for her own apartment and to go separate ways from now on?

Or maybe some kind of middle ground? When it's time for the next move, she'll stay here. In this very apartment. Her father will move and rent an apartment wherever his job takes him. But at the weekend he comes back here, and they can spend a few days together? Or she visits him? Alternating, one weekend her, the next there? Maybe she should suggest this idea to her father?

When the time comes to take care of dinner - her father is far too engrossed in his work to notice the passage of time - Leonie doesn't feel that her thoughts have advanced much. She hasn't even come to a decision as to whether she should really think about looking for her own apartment in the summer holidays. How is she there supposed to ask her father for advice?

Especially since she already knows, what he's going to say: »You don't need to believe that you have to tie yourself to me, child. You have your own life.«

Maybe she should wait and see how the school year develops? If she makes really good friends at school, maybe she really wants to finish her school here? And if Obereisenbach turns out to be a class full of idiots after all, might she want to move with her father again?

She will probably have to wait a few more weeks before she can seriously think about a decision.

Chapter 35/56 - Choosing an orthodontist

But for now, during the second recess, Leonie is making her way from her normal classroom to the biology room. "Tell me, folks, which orthodontists are there in the area?"

"Why do you ask?"

Leonie shrugs. "No special reason, I'm just curious."

"You won't have much choice," explains Jessica, counting on her fingers, "There's Dr. Mann. Then there's Dr. Klein. And what's the name of the other one? Jägerlein? Something like that at least."

"His name is Jeddermann. But he quit two years ago," corrects Karina. "He treated me, so I know that. I was one of his last patients!"

"But other than that? I think that was all. So only two all-in-all! Not much choice. Especially not when you're going all the way to Munich to go to the orthodontist!" Jessica teases.

"What? Who is going to Munich for that?" Annika wants to know. She and Konrad were within earshot and spontaneously decided to join the conversation. To be more precise: Annika decided that and Konrad has to follow, whether he wants to or not. He would have preferred being alone with 'his girl' right now.

Annika had not been part of the elect circle in the study room on Monday when Leonie told her story. She found it more important to 'have fun' with Konrad under the stairs to the gym. And so of course she doesn't know.

"Who goes all the way to Munich? Leonie!" Karina points with her thumb over her shoulders to the girl walking at the end of the group.

"Munich? Really? For the dentist? That's far. Why are you going so far away?"

"Not for the normal dentist, but for the orthodontist," corrects Leonie and then gives a brief summary of the reason: The doctor from Kiel had recommended the one from Munich. So they went there.

Then she shrugs her shoulders: "But I don't know if we should continue to go to him. As you just said, Annika: That's still quite a long way away. Of course, not as far as Kiel, but much further than the doctors here."

"Dr. Mann is right here in Obereisenbach. Would be just few minutes' walk for you. And Dr. Klein is in Fischbach. About half an hour from here."

Leonie nods. "And that's exactly the reason why I'm considering changing doctors. I spoke to my father yesterday. And he wouldn't mind if he didn't always have to drive me all the way to Munich. Because that's still takes an entire afternoon!"



"You don't have a driver's license yet?" Konrad asks. "You're already 18 after all! You could drive yourself." The way he says it sounds a little arrogant.

Leonie shakes her head. "I didn't want to do that with all the moving every few months. It would have been stupid to interrupt driving school because we're moving again. It's possible that I'd have to start all over again after the move... Besides, I've only been an adult for four months. So, it wouldn't have helped me that much yet! But you already have a driver's license, Konrad?"

He nods. "For a year. In the beginning, of course, I was only allowed to drive 'supervised', but now I'm 18! Now I'm allowed to do everything!" Yes, he definitely sounds arrogant. "Now my parents aren't allowed to ride with me anymore!"

"Now only Annika is allowed to ride with you in the passenger seat - or to ride you in the back seat," says Karina dryly. Giggles all around. Annika looks angry, but Karina doesn't mind.

"You know," Leonie now specifically addresses Konrad and Annika, who don't know all the facts yet, "The doctor in Munich didn't continue the treatment of the doctor from Kiel, as I had hoped. Instead, he totally changed my treatment again. That's why I have to wear this stupid headgear now!"

She blushes. Although Konrad and Annika have seen her with it multiple times in the meantime, it is still embarrassing to talk about it with 'other' people.

She shrugs. "I just don't see anymore, why we should go all the way to Munich if the doctor can't stick to the 'rules'. I can't mess up my treatment anymore if I change doctors AGAIN. And that would have the advantage that the doctors here are much easier to reach!"

"I already told you on Monday," Jessica interjects.

Leonie shrugs her shoulders: "And where were you three weeks ago when dad and I were faced with exactly this decision?" Jessica has no meaningful answer to that.

They have long since arrived at the door of the biology room and have put their backpacks in the corner.

"Anyway, Dad wouldn't mind either if I went to a local orthodontist. Would be easier for all of us! I'm seriously considering going to one of them now. What are their names again? Dr. Mann and Dr. Klein? At least as long as they aren't as**oles?!" The last one was formulated more as a question than as a statement.

"They aren't as**oles. They're both OK.", is the conclusion of the group.

"Dr. Mann is here in town, if I understood Jessy correctly. That speaks in his favor. But what about Dr. Klein? What's he like? Is one of the two maybe your 'favorite'?"

"Dr. Klein is a woman!", Annika corrects. "She's not that old and only opened her practice a few years ago. But she's super nice. And I'm happy with the result too! Even now, after a few years, it still looks good without anything having moved! So, I can only recommend her. If that helps you?"

"That definitely helps, thanks, Annika." Leonie is secretly surprised: Annika seems to be quite nice. She hadn't had much to do with the girl before, but somehow, she had always assumed Annika to be conceited - like her crush Konrad.

She seems to have been wrong about that. Konrad, on the other hand, is definitely a bit of a buffoon.



"OK, thanks, that helps me a lot! Who did the rest of you go to?" She looks around.

"As I said, I went to Dr. Jeddermann. But he has quit in the meantime." That was Karina. "So, it doesn't matter what I think of him!"

"That doesn't sound particularly enthusiastic?" Leonie digs deeper.

"He was an as**ole. I wouldn't have recommended you go to him. But it doesn't matter anymore."

"I was also with Dr. Mann", Christoph then explains again that his treatment only lasted for a year because his teeth weren't too crooked. And then he starts into a lengthy explanation of how Dr. Mann's practice is set up, that he has a large treatment room with three or four chairs, but things like that are now going out of fashion because single rooms are now popular and that he is more or less remotely related to him, but they still don’t know each other and he only knows that because his mother does some genealogical research and that Dr. Mann had previously worked at a university clinic, but left there because...

Eventually Jessica manages to slow down his flow of speech without stepping on his toes too much. She looks over at Leonie with a look that says: »That's what I meant when I said that Christoph sometimes is hard to stop!« Leonie grins back.

Like Karina, Konrad was with Dr. Jeddermann and shares her assessment of his character. Nadine was with Dr. Mann.



Many eyes turn to Jessica. Who is slowly but surely turning red. "I guess I don't need to mention it, but... well... you don't have to ask ME where I've been."

And really, this question does not arise because it's clear that Jessica hasn't undergone any orthodontic treatment. Her teeth aren't overly crooked, but compared to her classmates' straight teeth, she would've benefited from treatment.

On the other hand, as already said, Jessica's misalignments aren't too dramatic. And the girl has no problem with this little 'blemish'. She doesn't hide it but laughs confidently.

"If... if I may ask anyway...", Leonie begins cautiously.

"Why didn't I see an orthodontist?" replies Jessica. "Quite simply: because my parents thought that it wasn't necessary." Then she shrugs; it's clear that this topic has come to an end.

Leonie nods. She doesn't want to annoy her friend. The question didn't go down well with Jessica, so she doesn't want to ask a second question. Even if Leonie is very much interested in why Jessica's parents thought their daughter didn't need treatment.



"And you, Susanne?" The petite girl is the last of the group who hasn't revealed who her orthodontist was. Leonie had considered for a moment whether she should ask Susanne at all. After all, the girl doesn't want to talk about her braces.

Leonie wants to know however and decides to ask nonetheless. After all, the question about the orthodontist is a legitimate one. If everyone had been asked - except for Susanne - that only would attract more attention than necessary. As long as Susanne isn't specifically asked about her headgear, the girl hopefully shouldn't have a problem with it either.

At least as long as Karina doesn't babble without thinking again. However, as often as that girl puts her foot in it, it could end in disaster. Susanne seems to have the same concern, because she nervously looks over at her before she finally answers, "I went to Dr. Klein too! I can't complain either, my teeth... ended up straight as well."

Damn it, Karina is opening her mouth now. If she starts pronouncing the word 'headgear', she's needs to get kicked on the shins immediately!

But for once Karina luckily does not spout any nonsense. She merely announces: "If I haven't miscounted, it's 3:3. The same number of people have been to Dr. Mann and Dr. Klein. No clear favorite recognizable. You'll have to choose one, Leonie!"



"Well, you guys don't make it easy for me," jokes Leonie. Then she pulls out her cell phone and switches to Google Maps. Shortly thereafter, she announces her decision: "I think I've decided on Dr. Klein. From your side there is no clear favorite. Google Maps tells me however, that it is shorter from Thalfeld - where I live - to Dr. Klein in Fischbach than to Dr. Mann in Obereisenbach."

"Or you could walk straight to Dr. Mann after school," Jessica objects.

"I could. But then I'd miss my bus. And then Dad would have to pick me up. That doesn't make sense either... If he has to drive me regardless, then it's better to go to Fischbach. That's shorter."

"That's true," Jessica has to admit. "I didn't remember that you have to take the bus home after that."

The others acknowledge Leonie's decision with a nod. Why not? The choice of orthodontist is not so important that you have to put in a lot of work. After all, both doctors are fine!



That there is a reason for Leonie to strongly prefer Dr. Klein, none of the bystanders know. It was a small, inconsequential statement from one of the girls that significantly influenced Leonie's decision. Everything after that was just pro forma. Searching in Google Maps? The decision had long been made; that was pure show, to be able to give the others a plausible reason.

Now, what is this one mysterious statement? »I also went to Dr. Klein!« Those were Susanne's words. Susanne had said that! Susanne! The girl, who had to wear headgear during her treatment, had been to Dr. Klein!

Everything else is irrelevant.

Leonie feels her heart pounding against her chest as she texts her father: »I spoke to the people in my class. They all recommend Dr. Klein in Fischbach. Is supposed to be the best doctor far and wide. Can you see if you can get an appointment? L.«

Chapter 36a/56 - The forth lunch break

Then back to their 'accustomed place': Arriving at the bench next to the workshop-room, however, it becomes clear that this is not an optimal solution either: There is no space for more than three people on the bench. So that the rest of them has to stand. Sitting on the cold and - from snowy footprints - wet floor is not an alternative.

"Hey guys, I'm back in a sec...", Leonie points to the women's toilet.

"We're not going to reserve a seat for you!"

And indeed, she has to be content with standing when she rejoins the group of friends a short time later.

"Leonie doesn't even blush anymore when she's standing next to us with her brace!" Karina's not particularly sensitive statement now ensures that Leonie's cheeks start reddening again.

She sticks her tongue out good-naturedly at Karina. "Yes, that's amazing. I never - NEVER ever - thought that I could get used to that so quickly."

"You've really got used to it quite well!" Susanne replies with red cheeks.

"But that's only because I'm with YOU now. Because you're super-nice and supportive. And don't stare at me all the time. It's still not easy for me to sit in class with that thing." She laughs dryly: "And you saw how I panicked when I was being chased... So I haven't really 'gotten used' to it yet."

"That would be a bit much to ask, I think," Nadine replies.

And Jessica adds: "You've only been wearing that thing for a few days again. It's quite clear that you need more time!"

"After three days you're already doing more than..." Susanne breaks off. But after a quick glance that only 'familiar faces' are around: "After three days you already do more than I did after four months!"

"Thank you for that!" Leonie grins broadly. "If I may be curious, you had your headgear for four months then?" She has to suppress a grin: Finally! New information about Susanne's headgear-past!

Susanne nods: "Five months. Although I had hardly worn the thing at all for the last two months. And then Dr. Klein FINALLY realized that it no longer made sense." She sighs: "I only wore this thing at home. Never - not once - outside. "

"Once I was in the garden with it, but then the neighbors stared at me. At least that's what I imagined at the time. Since then: Never again outside! And certainly not to school or anything like that! I would never have dared to do that in my life. Always only wearing it at home. Even that was bad enough!"

"And I only wore it when I was with my mother. Because she made sure that I really put it on. With my father... I can count on one hand how many hours I've had the thing in, when I was with him..." A shrug: "And then it's no wonder that I couldn't get used to it."

"How old were you then, if I may ask?"

Susanne thinks: "That was a few years ago. Twelve? Late twelve? Thirteen? Something like that."

Now it's Leonie's turn to dismiss: "End of puberty. It's quite clear that you didn't want to wear such an embarrassing brace!"

Susanne laughs: "Yes, that was way too embarrassing for me, you're absolutely right!" But it's easy to see that she is happy that Leonie understands her.

"What do you think, Susi ... if you were faced with the same decision again: headgear or not ... How would you decide now?"

The girl's head shake isn't as strong as everyone expected. "I don't know. If you had asked me last month, I would have said: »Never. Never again! Never ever EVER!«. But now that you're showing us how to do it... I don't know!" Susanne seems surprised by this realization.

"Don't be like that," Jessica demands. "I don't think you were overly sensitive back then."

"She wasn't. I was the same when I got my headgear. I didn't want to wear it either. At first, I didn't dare to go outside at all. That's quite normal, I think." replies Leonie.

Susanne smiles gratefully. "I would still NEVER wear it outside. And certainly not to school. I couldn't do that! Even if YOU do it now. I couldn't do it. But I think I would've been ready by now to wear it more at home. But of course, the question is whether that would've been enough..."

"I can't answer THAT question for you," Leonie replies. "I can only speak for myself. And it wouldn't be enough for ME." After a second, she adds: "But in the meantime we've all gotten older and also more reasonable. You said yourself: You would now wear your headgear more at home. And for that reason, I'm willing to strap that thing on at school."

Susanne shakes her head. "I never would have dared. That would be far too embarrassing for me. But luckily, I don't have to ask myself that question anymore. I've got that behind me."

"And I have it still ahead of me...", Leonie sighs.

However, she sighs for another reason than her classmates think. Because the truth is: she's already past her headgear phase as well. Only Dr. Krämer, her first orthodontist, had put her in headgear. Everyone else didn't want to use that device. If Leonie had been a 'normal' girl, she wouldn't have wasted a single thought on her headgear anymore.

It's just that she doesn't have a 'normal' relationship with braces and therefore wishes that the fairy tales she is currently telling were reality. That she really 'had' to wear headgear again.



But before she can think about it any further, she is distracted by Karina, who has a Cheshire cat-wide grin on her face. For this girl, that's sort of an announcement that she's about to step into the next faux-pas: "That's mean! Why are YOU both allowed to say that headgear is embarrassing, but I'LL get smacked by Jessy if I say that?"

"Seriously?" Leonie and Susanne can't believe what they heard.

And Jessica threatens Karina again - playfully - with her fist. "Of course you can say that headgear is embarrassing." she contradicts. And then adds dryly: "IF you have to wear a brace like that yourself!"

Karina's head turns unconsciously. She doesn't even notice that she's staring at Leonie. While she imagines what it would be like actually having to wear such a metal bow, her eyes get bigger and bigger. One can watch Karina's hair stand on end on her arms as she gets goosebumps. She presses her lips together.

"No thanks, I'm fine! I'd rather not!"

Leonie and Susanne blush furiously.

Chapter 37a/56 - Surprises, Part 2

She presses her lips together. »Shit, this is a stupid situation!« , she mumbles inaudibly.

This is exactly what her father had warned her about a few days ago: if Leonie tells so many lies and half-truths to keep her made-up story alive, sooner or later she will find herself in a situation that will not have an easy way out.

Like now. On Monday she had harped on about the fact that her father was very strict with her when it came to braces. Apparently, that had made quite an impression on her classmates. So much so, in fact, that all her subsequent assurances that he wasn't really that bad didn't make much difference anymore. An image now seems to have solidified in the minds of the friends that Leonie's father must be a demon in human form.

Why else would he suddenly drag her to the orthodontist? Maybe even against her will? Leonie had denied that... but you never know! Why else is Leonie so excited when she found out that she has an appointment with an orthodontist? It doesn't make sense that she is excessively happy to be 'allowed' to go to an orthodontist. So, what's up?

Meanwhile, Leonie is thinking feverishly: She has to show her friends, that her reaction was quite normal. How can she weave this sudden event into her story? She stacks one excuse on top of another, invents lies after lies, until she has become entangled in her own web and no longer knows whether some of her lies might already be contradicting each other.

And then... »Oh man!« she gets annoyed with herself. The solution is so simple. So damn simple: No need to invent anything at all! The truth is good enough! »Uhm... not the hole truth, of course.« She certainly won't tell her classmates everything. There are things they must never know. But the answer is so simple:

"Really, Jessy! I'm fine. Really. And no, my dad isn't doing it to annoy me or anything. Certainly not. I told you he wasn't that strict. And that I... well ... that I exaggerated on Monday because he got on my nerves a bit..."

"Well yes, but still..."

Leonie shakes her head again: "Really not. I also said that my father anticipates my every wish where he can..."

"You absolutely WANT to see an orthodontist?" Susanne gets wide eyed.



Leonie bites her lip again. Damned! In her effort to clear her father and stay closer to the truth, she has now overshot the mark. She really has to watch what she says! But luckily, she knows what to tell her friends to get out of this situation.

"Let me finish, Susi!" Leonie demands. "It's definitely wrong that I am eager to see an orthodontist. I'm not really looking forward to it, but it doesn't bother me either." With a glance at Jessica: "And I'm definitely not afraid of it or anything!"

"I told you before that I want to go to a doctor who is closer than the one in Munich. And that my father wouldn't mind if he didn't always have to spend an entire afternoon driving me." Leonie waits for her classmates to nod hesitantly before continuing: "That's probably why he called Dr. Klein right away. So that we can get an appointment with her before we have to go to Munich next time. Then we could save ourselves the long trip."

"I understand that, but..." Nadine begins, but she is interrupted by Leonie.

"But that has absolutely nothing to do with my father being angry with me for not wearing my headgear enough or something like that. Dad's not that kind of person. I already said he's a bit annoying at times, but he's not a tyrant!"

Jessica shrugs. However, she is slowly beginning to 'realize' that she may have exaggerated a bit when she accused Leonie's father of forcibly dragging his daughter to the orthodontist. And that Leonie was shaking with fear because of it.



Leonie continues: "But I have to admit that it's a good thing that we got an appointment so quickly."

"And why are you in such a hurry?" Karina is curious. "What is so damn important that you absolutely have to go to Dr. Klein right after school today?"

"I don't have to go to the orthodontist so urgently. There is another reason: I told you that dad is always hired for certain projects and therefore always works for different companies." The people around her nod. "He has only been working for this new company for a few days. And of course, that means that he has to get used to the new environment. And familiarize himself with the documents before he can fully start his work. So far, so clear?"

Her friends follow her spellbound. "Dad is still at home this week. He's sitting in front of the computer, with countless folders on his desk, trying to wrap his head around all documentation. But from next week on, he'll be with his clients for most of the day."

Leonie talks almost feverishly to demonstrate to her friends that there is nothing 'mysterious' behind her sudden appointment with Dr. Klein: "What I want to say: From next week on, he has almost no time anymore to drive me to the orthodontist. But today and tomorrow it's still possible. It's much easier to get up from his desk at home than to quickly drop the experiments at his clients. And THAT'S probably why he tried to get an appointment this week."

The bystanders nod. They can understand this reason. And - frankly - that makes a lot more sense than »I'm forcing my daughter to go to the orthodontist in a hurry to punish her for not wanting to wear her headgear to school all day long on her third day!«



Leonie grins awkwardly: "Well, I 'll admit it, I was maybe a little excited when I found out that I should go to Dr. Klein."

"But why? What's so bad about Dr. Klein?"

"Bad? Nothing at all, on the contrary!" Leonie laughs softly. "Dr. Reinhard - the doctor from Munich - is one of those doctors who wants me to wear this stupid headgear. And I just hope that Dr. Klein is one of those who can manage my treatment without a bridle. I'm just hoping she tells me that I don't have to wear this thing anymore. THAT'S why I'm a little bit excited. Because I'm hoping to get rid of my headgear."

Her classmates nod again: "THAT makes sense now. Why didn't you say that right away?" Jessica asks.

"Why? Who of us started by asking if I was scared? You didn't even give me time to explain what's going on."

Jessica looks aside, embarrassed. "OK, you're right, that's my fault."

"Oh Jessy, that's not what I meant at all. I hope you're not mad at me now. I didn't want that."

Jessica shakes her head. "I'm not mad. It... it's just embarrassing. For me, I mean. Because... well..."

Leonie waves it off: "As you said: »Anyone who wears headgear at school isn't quite normal« Or at least something to that extent. I can understand that my behavior must seem strange to you."

Jessica nods gratefully.

"Guys, we have to get going," warns Susanne. "Otherwise, we'll be late for Seminar!"

Chapter 39/56 - At the orthodontist

The car rolls out in front of the practice a few minutes later. However, finding a parking space is not that easy. There are a few parking spaces next to the practice. But someone had the glorious idea of using them as a snow dump. The mounds of hard, old snow and frozen road mud are over three feet high.

No chance to park the car there. However, parking on the street is prohibited. In the end they have no choice but to park the car in the parking lot of a nearby discount store.

"Nervous?" he asks with a smile as they walk the two blocks to the practice. Luckily, the sidewalks are either free of snow and ice, or have been gritted with sand, gravel or salt.

"No, I'm not. I'm very calm." Leonie shakes her head. Then she laughs. "Dad, that's a stupid question, really. I'm so nervous, I'm about to puke!" Then, seeing her father's face, she adds a "Sorry". He doesn't like expletives.

"But why, child? What are you afraid of? What's supposed to happen?"

"Happen? Probably nothing. I already told you: I'm afraid that Dr. Klein will ask me why I haven't been to the doctor for six months. Or that she has more questions of that kind in store." And more quietly: "Or that I get confused and say something I shouldn't say..."

"You mean you could give yourself away?"

"I hope not. But I'm still nervous!"



Leonie doesn't tell her father that she has another reason to be nervous. She knows that Susanne had been in treatment at Dr. Klein. And Susanne had had to wear headgear. »Could it be that...« Leonie swallows. »... that I will be prescribed headgear again? Would that be possible?«

Leonie hardly dares to take this thought further. At school she had already realized that the chances of this happening were extremely slim. And that she would only be disappointed if she really had gotten her hopes up.

The trouble is: This thought won't leave her alone. Ever since she found out that Susanne had been treated by Dr. Klein, the thought had lingered in the back of her mind. But she better keeps that to herself.

Her father now knows about her braces fetish, but... no, she doesn't want to tell him that after all. The less she thinks about it, the better!



The front door is locked, her father has to ring the bell. Even then it takes a good few seconds before the buzzer sounds and the two can leave the cold behind. It's not much warmer in the stairwell, but at least they're no longer blowing white clouds into the air.

"Elevator or stairs?" asks the father.

"You can take the elevator like an old man." Leonie laughs: "I'll be up there before the elevator doors even open!" The father laughs and accompanies his daughter on the stairs.

Finally, on the fourth floor, they see the sign:

Leonie's gaze falls on the sign for just a moment, then she walks on. Suddenly she stops, looks at the sign again and pulls out her smartphone: "Dad, they don't have consultation hours this afternoon!"

"I know, child, I know," replies the father succinctly and opens the practice door. Leonie quickly follows him. She looks around with wide eyes. Her heart is pounding. This is the first time in six months that she is back at the orthodontist!

The practice is modern and brightly furnished. Smooth white walls, smooth white furniture. High gloss paint. Lots of stainless steel, even more glass. Everything is brightly lit without being glaring. Large potted plants break up the 'strict' environment and add just the right amount of color accents to the practice.

On the left is the waiting room, separated from the registration area by a several meter-long glass façade. A gigantic television above the registration area, which is probably used to tell the patients which treatment room they should go to.

In other words: A modern practice in which Leonie could almost feel comfortable. Were it not for one fact, that made her uneasy. Well, even more uneasy than she already is:

The practice is deserted: nobody sits behind the registration. The light is on in the waiting room, but all the chairs are empty. No assistants hurry back and forth. There are no patients sitting on the treatment chairs. The practice is empty.

With one exception: A woman who is probably Dr. Klein, is standing next to the registration. For adult standard, Dr. Klein still quite young. She probably has her PhD not for too long. Susanne had said that she had been with Dr. Klein about five of six years ago... The doctor can't be practicing for much longer than that!

"I hope you didn't have to wait long outside in the cold? I was busy when you rang the bell."

Her father mumbles something noncommittal. The woman comes closer and shakes their hands. "Hello Mr. Waldmann, hello... erm...," the doctor scratched her head in embarrassment.

"Leonie."

"Right, right: Leonie. Or do you prefer 'Ms. Waldmann'?"

Leonie shakes her head: "Uh no... Leonie is just fine. Is it normal around here to be formal with someone my age?"

This makes Dr. Klein and her father look over at her in astonishment. "In school I was also asked whether I prefer to be called by my last name," she then explains. "That never happened to me in Kiel, that's probably why I noticed it."

"I wouldn't say that we're particularly formal around here. But who knows, maybe there really is a north-south divide?" Dr. Klein answers while leading father and daughter into a treatment room:



A treatment chair, behind it a small counter with a computer monitor on it. A small table in the other corner of the room and two chairs around it. Not much else fits in that room. Except for the yucca palm tree in the corner.

"So? What can I do for you?" Dr Klein takes a seat and indicates that Leonie and her father should too. But that creates a small problem: two chairs, three people.

Dr. Klein is sitting in one chair, of course. Leonie has no intention of stealing the other chair from her father. But that means that she herself has to remain standing. Now that's a bit awkward, but there's no other way. She leans against the wall - behind her father's chair.

But that only amazes the adults. "Wouldn't you like to sit down, Leonie?" asks Dr. Klein. "Or do you have a problem sitting down there? Unfortunately, there isn't room for a third chair in the room. Should we switch places?"

"That won't be necessary, Dr. Klein," Leonie's father objects, "I don't think Leonie has a problem. Do you, child?"

As Leonie follows where Dr. Small is pointing, she gets big eyes. Really? The doctor points to the treatment chair. Should she really sit down THERE? Already?

"No, no... no problem," Leonie almost stutters. "I just didn't think..." And then she suddenly understands: »OH I SEE!« Dr. Klein did not want to imply that her new patient should already hop on and lean back. But that she should just sit on the edge.

She hadn't even considered that. To her, that thing was just a reclining treatment chair where you lie flat on while the doctor works on you. She had never thought of using it as a regular chair. She slowly and carefully sits down on the edge of the treatment chair. That will have to do. But the cushion is more comfortable than it looks. She swallows, her throat dry as dust.



In front of the doctor is a notepad on which she - as Leonie notices - writes down the names of her 'guests'. Then the doctor turns directly to Leonie: "I assume that it's about you?"

Leonie is relieved for a moment that the conversation starts with small talk. Her nervousness settles a bit. But relief quickly gives way to the realization that Dr. Klein and her father are waiting for an answer. Leonie was so counting on her father to take over that his silence completely overwhelms her.

She quickly searches for words: "Um... yes, it's about me. So... my treatment. We... we lived in Kiel until recently. And now we moved here! But of course we can't go back to Kiel, and now we're here!"

Leonie is annoyed with herself. Normally she manages to formulate grammatically correct sentences without any major problems. Why is it so difficult for her to get a full sentence out now? Especially since she had also left huge gaps. She had told the doctor that they cannot go back to Kiel. But why? Leonie had lost no words about that. Great work!

Dr. Klein however seems to have understood enough. Maybe because her father has already discussed the matter with the doctor on the phone?

Then something occurs to her: "We're bothering you after work, don't we?" Leonie asks with red ears.

The doctor shakes her head: "It's true: it's after the end of the consultation hours. But I think that's the best time to have conversations that don't fit into the normal routine. So don't worry. I do this regularly. I was here doing paperwork anyway."

Leonie nods relieved. She remembers something Annika said: »Dr. Klein is very nice.« Apparently the girl was right in her assessment.

She makes a second attempt to improve her explanation, which was indeed not particularly good: "I don't know what my father already told you, but we moved here from Kiel a good week ago. Of course, it's not possible for me to continue to visit the orthodontist in Kiel. And that's why we're here now." There you go: That was at least a little more understandable now.

"Yes, Kiel is indeed a bit far for that. A beautiful city, I had once spent my vacation there. If I may ask: Did you have anything to do with the shipyards up there? They are the biggest employer, as far as I know." The doctor tries her hand at small talk.

Leonie's father shakes his head: "I advise companies - mainly automotive companies - on their transition to or entrance in electromobility."

"Oh!" Dr. Klein seems impressed. "I'm not familiar with that at all. I can't even claim to drive an electric car." She nods with a smile: "But that's not my job either. My job seems to be to continue your treatment, Leonie?"

The girl nods, her face red. "Is that a problem for you?"

The doctor looks surprised. "No. Should it? It's true: most of my patients are with me from start to finish. But continuing your treatment shouldn't be a problem."

Leonie nods relieved.



Dr. Klein had already made some notes on the notepad in front of her. Then she turns to Leonie's father: "If I may ask: How did you hear about me? As far as I understand, you haven't been here long. What made you come to me instead to one of my colleagues?"

"You'll have to ask my daughter," he passes on the question. "She made the decision; I just made the appointment."

The eyes of the adults focus on Leonie. Who finds herself once again in the ugly position of not being able to tell the truth. Because an »I'm here because you gave a classmate of mine headgear. I'd like to have one too, please!« certainly wouldn't fly.

Instead, she shrugs her shoulders in a deliberately calm manner. "I asked my classmates who they would recommend. And you... well... you won."

"I see. Well, I'm glad to have scored so well with your classmates."

"Why are you asking, Dr. Klein?" Leonie wants to know.

"Oh, it's not important. We recently redesigned our website. And I was just interested in whether that's a reason for new patients to come here."

Leonie shakes her head. "I have to admit that I didn't even look at your website. After talking to my friends, the decision was already made for me."

"It's not that important," Dr. Klein waves it off.
   
"The best website is of little use if the word-of-mouth propaganda is bad," says Leonie's father. "And it seems to me you have the advantage here."

The doctor smiles.