The Good Doctor

Henrik Von Schneeplestein

Henrik Von Schneeplestein.

Husband.

Father.

Friend.

Nephew.

Doctor.

Son.

That's who I am... That's who I am!

Husband. Father. Friend. Nephew. Doctor. Son.

His arms shook as he pulled at his hair. It's a lie... it has to be a lie... He thought to himself as small pants of air came from his mouth. His hands slid further around his head, pushing his surgical cap off as he shielded himself from what was on the screen.

A string of whimpers left his throat as tears began to fall and his knees came up to his chest, barely fitting on the chair with the rest of him. It can't be true- it's not true! I'm real- I'm real! I have to be real!

...

Henrik blinked sleepily as he sat up, yawning and rubbing his little eyes. Those same chocolate brown eyes brightened when he remembered the date. It was his tenth birthday, and his Tante was coming to visit after his party.

He went to hop out of his bed, but tumbled to the ground, still trapped in his blankets. He groaned a bit and pushed himself up, tears welling in his eyes because my knee hurts so much and I can't move my ankle is it sprained? Broken? Vater isn't going to be happy with me...

He blinked back tears as he pulled himself from the mess of blankets on the floor. Slowly, very slowly, he lifted himself from the ground using his bedpost, a slight whimper leaving his throat when he heard footsteps coming from the stairwell. He shook slightly as he put pressure on his injured foot, hissing in pain.

He almost retracted his foot, but he had noticed the pain was not the same as it would be if he'd broken it. It was actually minimally bearable, and he was sure that after a few minutes or so he'd be alright to move around. He grimaced as he sat down, though, gently lifting the leg to inspect it.

He jumped when he heard the door open, and turned to look. There stood his father, a blank expression on his face. Henrik blanched and his foot slipped from his grasp, slipping to the floor with a painful thump.

"What did you do you clumsy oaf?" his father asked, and he trembled slightly, both from fear and pain. He kept his gaze locked on the floor as he answered his father quietly. The news of an injury did not bode well.

"I fell, sir. I hurt my foot," he said softly, minutely proud of himself for keeping his voice firm and not shaky. He stood still as his father stared him down before the larger man turned away and walked to the door.

"I expect you downstairs in five minutes. And don't forget to do your chores, I have to leave soon and I need my breakfast, boy," Henrik nodded his head sharply and quickly went to make his bed, wincing as his foot throbbed.

The day went by slowly. He'd made breakfast for his father, waiting till he was gone to make some for himself. He had a 'party' for himself, pulling out some old stuffed animals that he'd hidden away and making himself a couple pancakes. He used a match he'd taken from his father's room for his candle. He enjoyed himself, even though he knew his friends were just stuffed animals, and that it wasn't a real party... but he had wanted to celebrate. At some point during his party, his foot had stopped hurting.

His Tantchen came by to visit later in the afternoon, she gave him a warm hug and a large smile as she entered the home. He couldn't be happier.

"Tante Gretchen!" he called to her, and she chuckled.

"Hello there, my little herzchen," she said. She made him lunch and got him dressed up to go outside.

"Where are we going tantchen Gretchen?" he asked as he pulled his coat on. She just smiled at him and ruffled his hair, before pulling her long brown hair up into her hat.

"We're going to go visit your mutter, Henrik, hopefully before your vater gets home," she said with a sad smile am Henrik nodded enthusiastically. He hadn't get to 'visit' his mother for years, his father nor allowing it.

The nephew and aunt pair scurried from the fairly large house and into a car. Gretchen took the wheel and they busied themselves with idle chatter as they drove. When they arrived Henrik jumped out and ran over to some wildflowers growing along the road. His mother had loved wildflowers...

"Ready to go, herzchen?" his Tantchen called, and little Henrik stood with a bundle of flowers and nodded, before walking into the cemetery with his Tante.

...

"...Hey Mutter," Henrik said softly, getting comfortable on the soft grass before her grave. He let his hand trail over her name softly as his other placed the flowers before it, "I miss you. I'm sorry I haven't come to visit, Vater is still very upset about losing you..." he said softly.

"I wish you were still here. I hope you're happy, wherever you are... I wish you could come back, Mutti..." he sniffled softly and took a slow shuddering breath, "Please come back... Vater is not happy and I don't know how to make him happy..." Henrik turned to look at his Tante Gretchen with teary eyes.

"Oh herzchen..." she said softly, coming over and sitting next to him. He leaned into her side and let the tears fall, clutching his tantchen's sleeve in his pale thin fingers. When he had calmed down he turned back to his mother's grave and smiled sadly.

"I'm ten today, Mutter... You've been gone three years today, but I won't forget you. I promise. I'll make you proud Mutter... Ich liebe dich," he said softly, leaning forward to press a kiss to his mother's stone with a small, sad smile.

"...Herzchen? I... I have something for you," his Tante said, breaking him out of his stupor, "I was going to wait till I got you back home, but thinking about it..." she stood and he watched her go back to the car, visible from his spot on the ground. Gretchen returned with a small box. Nothing special, just a plain brown box, held together by tape.

"For you... I think your mutter would want you to have this," she said softly. Henrik took the box gently, looking up at his aunt with wide eyes, "Go on, little herzchen."

Henrik opens the box carefully. Inside was a surgical cap, pale blue and much too big for him. There was also a doctors coat, also too big for him. Beneath those, there was a stethoscope and other small doctoring supplies, as well as a mini first aid kit. He looked up at his tantchen with tears in his eyes.

"How did you-"

"I have my ways, Henrik... You like them, ja?" Henrik could only nod, his fingers rubbing over the fabrics. He had no idea how his aunt found out he wanted to be a doctor. He had told no one. His father would never approve, he wanted a warrior for a son, a soldier to fight for his country. Not a coward who would hide in the safety of the hospital tents.

"Thank you..."

"You're welcome. Now, you use these to become your tante's wenig chirurg, ja?" Henrik nodded as he held the garments close.

...

*Mutter and Vater are the German names for mother and father
*Mutti is German for Mum
*Tante  is Aunt
*Tantchen is Auntie
*herzchen is ducky as well as other endearments
*ja is yes
*Ich liebe dich is I love you
*Tante wenig Chirurg is auntie's little surgeon