Daniel held Paula crying her heart out and he tried to be strong for her. ‘I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m so sorry you had to be here for this.’ Paula pulled herself out of Daniel’s shoulder and turned around slowly to face Franzi’s mother. After a minute of looking at her in silence, Paula let out a low voice request.

Paula said, ‘I think it might be a good idea for you to leave now.’

Gertrud said, ‘Excuse me? We came here to be with our daughter.’

Paula tried to calm herself and said, ‘No, I really think you should go now.’

Gertrud replied, ‘I beg your pardon but that is my daughter in there and I will not be told to leave her when she needs me the most.’

Paula looked at Gertrud and said, ‘You really don’t get it. Do you? Franzi just told you how we came to be together and all you could ask was how she got into stealing.’

Daniel saw Paula was building up and said, ‘Paula. Maybe we…’

Paula interrupted, ‘No Daniel. I promised Franzi that I was going to stay here for her.’

Gertrud said, ‘That’s not necessary. WE are her family and  WE can take care of her.’

Paula broke and said, ‘From what I’ve just seen, all you can do is sit still and then break someone’s heart when they’re starting to remember happier times. And you think that makes YOU her family?’ This was the most outrageous and righteous statement Paula had ever said to anyone. Then Paula leaned her head over to Andreas and said, ‘No offence meant to you, sir’ then got back to Gertrud’s face.

Paula crossed her arms over her chest and said, ‘Now you leave us alone. I have a suddenly sad girlfriend to look after.’ With that being said, Gertrud and Andreas left the hospital.

Andreas wasn’t upset or offended by Paula. As a matter of fact, he respected her restraint and her determination. When Franzi was growing up, Andreas promised he’d keep her safe with a father’s love. He was firm, fair, and Franzi could do no wrong in his eyes nor in his heart. Atleast he was capable of listening and showing signs of life.

Daniel could see Paula was hurting. Paula and Franzi had laid down the first part of their history and the only question her mother had was about Franzi stealing from Mocca.