Episode 116

translated by hephylax

edited by Globe

 

 

Previously on Hand aufs Herz

 

Ben: I accept responsibility if I did something wrong. I’m going to take care of Caro from now on.

 

Caro: I had just started to look forward to having our baby and…

Ben: Caro, if you give me one more chance, we can make it.

Caro: Of course, I’ll give you another chance.

 

Bea: Ben, what happened to you two is horrible but it’s not your fault.

Ben: It’s my fault. And yours.

Bea: Ben…

Ben: I don’t love you anymore. And I don’t ever want to see you again. So do me a favour and get out of my life!

 

Intro

 

[Bergmann villa, front door]

 

Bea: I…I can understand that you’re regretting that we kissed each other…

Ben: It’s all been said. Please go!

Bea: Of course, I’ll go. Ben, I don’t want you to obsess over this. You’re mixing stuff up.

Ben: This is the first time I’ve been able to see clearly since we’ve known each other.

Bea: What happened to Caro is horrible but… a miscarriage can have lots of reasons.

Ben: You’re doing it again. You’re always making excuses, it’s always someone else’s fault. You’re always talking about being responsible, but you don’t assume any responsibility and you haven’t from the start!

Bea: You know that’s not true.

Ben: I know that I made a mistake. You were a mistake. And you can’t imagine how much I’m regretting it. So once more: Leave now. And don’t ever come back.

And he self-righteously shuts the door in Bea’s face. Bea stays behind looking hurt (She really bought into this shit? Honey, Ben Bergmann was lecturing you about responsibility. That should be enough to activate anyone’s bullshit radar.)

 

[Ben’s room]

 

Caro is writing an email to Sophie:

 

Hi Sophie,

I haven’t heard from you in a while. Get in touch and tell me how things are going for you Down Under. Here…

 

Ben comes in and she closes the email.

 

Caro: Who was at the door?

Ben: Nobody important. What are you looking at?

Caro: Nothing special.

Ben: Do you want to go somewhere?

Caro: No. I was just surfing the net a little.

Ben: Might not be such a bad idea.

Caro: What do you mean?

Ben: Going somewhere. Somewhere warm… where you can recuperate faster.

Caro: I don’t care where we are…as long as you are with me.

Ben: Yes, I am.

 

 

[Outside]

 

Bea is in tears roaming the streets to Lamb’s Bonfire. Ben is covering a sleeping Caro with a blanket.

(It’s probably supposed to be pretty dramatic because of star-crossed lovers and stuff…but they’re both so stupid what with believing Caro’s bad act and Ben’s diatribe respectively, I just want to slap them upside the head and go back to more important things clad in plaid shirts and pink leggings.)

 

Bea takes out her phone.

 

Bea: Hello Miriam, it’s me. What are you doing right now? Yes. No. Can we see each other?

 

 

[Vogel home, Bea’s room]

 

Miriam is pouring them some tea with rum or something

 

Miriam: I really feel sorry for Caro for losing her baby. Something like that is really terrible. But things like that happen, especially in the first weeks. And that’s not his fault, and yours even less. That he’s trying to blame you is completely absurd. As if you would never take responsibility. You take responsibility. Always. It’s almost a reflex with you. (drinks) Boah! (cough)

Bea: I can understand why he said it. (Because he’s a whiny little baby?)

Miriam: You know something? I think that you overestimated Ben from the start. (Miri, you’re my favourite Vogel, ever, and so in touch with reality…of course, that might be because you’re just related by marriage). He’s still pretty young. And it’s a good thing that you two won’t have any more contact. A final stroke! He has his Caro…and you have Michael. (Meaning, you are both so screwed. Whereas I have super cute and nice Sebastian. Reasonable people attract reasonable partners, I’d say.) (They take another drink.) This stuff ain’t half bad. Right?

 

The phone rings.

 

Miriam: Ben?

Bea: Hello? Stop calling me! I’m no murderer.

Miriam: Hang up.

Bea: These constant threatening calls. Can’t they just leave me in peace?

Miriam: I think you’ll need to change your number.

 

 

[Bergmann villa]

 

Karin: Here. Vitamins. I’ll be going then. Have you laid out the grey suit and the white shirts? I’m going by the dry cleaner’s.

Stefan: Yes, that’s done. Oh, Frau Beschenko, since you’re going anyway… Can you get me a bottle of good whiskey? As a gift for a…business partner.

Karin: Malt or bourbon?

Stefan: Bourbon. Thanks.

Karin: Bye.

 

Ben: What do you feel like doing? Do you want to go outside or rather stay in?

Caro: I think, I better stay here today…and rest a little.

Ben: Then I’ll stay with you.

Stefan: You’re going to school.

Ben: Oh really?

Stefan: Really. The placement test will be today. This is about your future.

Ben: Placement test?

Stefan: Yes. Your new principal has a few plans that I truly appreciate. So please do me a favour, listen to your father for once and go.

Caro: Your father is right.

Ben: I don’t like leaving you here alone.

Caro: I’m really doing better. And anyway, I want to know what kind of test this is. I’ll probably have to take it too as soon as I’m back on my feet. And I’ll call you immediately if something’s wrong.

Ben: Alright.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, foyer]

 

Emma enters the school cautiously checking if Hot Lips Hartmann is lying in wait for her in order to accost her once again.

 

Luzi: Hey.

Emma: Woah.

Hotte: Hi. Everything alright? You left rather abruptly yesterday.

Emma: I was tired.

Hotte: And so you thought, Polish leave (German equivalent of “French leave”); the others will surely pay for my drink?

Emma: But you still owe me 10 Euros, anyway.

Hotte: It’s a matter of principle.

 

Emma and Luzi laugh.

 

Hotte: You’ll get the remaining 7 Euros… tomorrow.

Emma: Say, when is our next rehearsal?

Luzi: Maybe today, but we’ll have to see whether we can get the keys.

Götting (over the intercom): Good morning, this is the principal. This announcement is for all grades. There will be a change in today’s class schedules. From third through sixth period there will be a placement test for all grades.

Emma: Today??

Hotte: What kind of test?

Götting (over the intercom): The new school administration would like to get an idea of the proficiency level of the respective grades. Therefore, all students, without exception, will gather in the auditorium at the beginning of the third period. I will further explain the course of action then. Thank you for your attention.

Luzi: Ey, what kind of crap is that?

Timo: One thing’s for sure, Götting is up to something.

Hotte: Nothing good, that’s for sure too.

Timo: The words “placement test” alone are enough to spark pure horror in me.

Hotte: I agree.

Emma: Well, luckily it isn’t planned for tomorrow or I would have time to stress out about it.

Luzi: Hey, then I can cheat off of you.

Timo: I thought I could cheat off of you.

Luzi: Ha, and what are you dreaming about at night?

Timo: Ey...

 

 

[Pestalozzi, Götting’s office]

 

Michael: What is this?

Götting: Please do come in.

Michael: What kind of test is this?

Götting: As I've said, a placement test.

Michael: As you've said? You informed the staff only two hours before over the intercom.

Götting: The written notification has been lying in your inbox since yesterday afternoon. And that's also true for the entire staff by the way.

Michael: Oh really, Herr Götting. Are you even authorized to do this?

Götting: Why don't you take a look at the Education Act, paragraph 59, section 1. Come now, Herr Heisig, why are you so upset? Nothing's changing here except that you'll supervise instead of giving classes from third period on. Totally relaxed. Oh, and the supervision schedule and room allocation plan is already finished, too. Here you go.

Michael: Paragraph 59, you said?

Götting: Right.

Michael: Very well.

(That section only says: “Every school has a principal who is also a teacher.”, btw.)

 

 

[Vogel home]

 

Miriam: I'm not talking about chemical bombs or anything, just something plant based. You have to get a good night's sleep once again.

Piet: Morning.

Miriam: Hi.

Bea: Morning.

Miriam: I slept at Bea's. She wasn't feeling so well.

Piet: Something happen?

Miriam: There was another of those calls yesterday.

Piet: Yes, here too. Lara picked up.

Bea: Lara?

Piet: Yes.

Miriam: Oh damn.

Piet: She cut the guy off cool as can be.

Miriam: Don't worry about Lara.

Piet: Little sister, don't let those guys get to you. They're idiots. And they will stop this eventually.

Bea: Still, I don't want you to get in the crossfire. Maybe I really should move out.

Piet: Quatsch. No, you'll stay here, with your family. We'll get through this together like we always do. They can't do anything to us. God, you didn't have anything to do with Franziska's death. And don't let other people convince you otherwise.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, hallway]

 

Timo: No idea. I guess all subjects.

Luzi: Since the test is scheduled to last four hours.

Hotte: Placement test...

Luzi: It would be just like Götting to divide us up into groups.

Timo: Hey, wait a minute. What groups?

Hotte: Well, idiots, average folks, smart people and geniuses. Something like that.

Timo: What?! He can't do that. I mean, we're still a comprehensive school.

Emma: My cousin goes to a comprehensive school too, and the classes are divided there as well. Hey, now don't worry so much. All of us have rather good grade averages and I'm sure we won't end up with the idiots.

Luzi: Maybe with the smart people.

Hotte: In the worst case, with the average folks.

Timo: There's no way I want to end up in the idiot group.

Emma: Well, who would want that?

Luzi: Ah Quatsch, that won't happen.

 

Jenny and Ben come up the stairs.

 

Luzi: Hey, Ben. Jenny.

 

Cue Panic Emma.

 

Emma: I...have to prepare.

And she flees.

 

Timo: Hey. Have you two already heard about the placement test? Third through sixth period, for everyone.

 

Jenny is busy looking after Emma’s disappearing form so she barely acknowledges the news.

 

Ben: You didn't know about that?

Luzi: No. Did you?

Ben: No.

Hotte: Well, Götting just announced it over the intercom, just like that.

 

Another uninterested nod from Jenny and she’s off on the hunt for her blonde target.

 

Luzi: He's such a sadist, I swear.

Hotte: He wants to turn our Lozzi into some kind of elite school.

Luzi: But he can't just do that.

Hotte: He can do anything, I'm afraid.

Timo: Hey, is everything alright?

Ben: This test is robbing me of my last nerve, that's all.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, hallway]

 

Jenny is waiting in front of the school toilet. Emma rushes out and passes by Jenny without seeing her.

 

Jenny: Hi Emma.

Emma: Aah, are you stalking me now, or something?

Jenny: Well, I don't have a choice if you're always running away from me, do I?

Emma: Don't flatter yourself, I'm not…running away from you.

Jenny: Well, then we can talk right now, hm?

Emma: I have to prepare for the test.

Jenny: Emma! You can't prepare for this test. Sometimes things happen in life... they just happen and... you'll just have to live with it. But since our kiss, you've been running away from me.

Emma: Because I'm not into these games.

Jenny: I'm not playing any.

Emma: Oh really? Then this is some kind of sport? First Hotte, then Emma... and who is next?

Jenny: Emma, what happened with Hotte was stupid, I admit, but... I wanted to see how you would react.

Emma: Oh that's even better yet. So it's not a sport, it's science. You... you... you put the people around you under a microscope.

Jenny: Emma. I have a crush. On you. A rather huge one... No game, no sport and... no science. I just want that to be clear.

 

And Jenny makes her escape after having poured her heart out. Emma can’t keep a small smile from appearing.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, classroom]

 

Götting hands out the test questions.

 

Götting: You've got until 2 o'clock. Not one second longer.

 

They start writing. Or not, as the case may be with Emma.

 

[Music: Lenka - Dangerous and Sweet]

 

 

[Vogel home]

 

Miriam: Sooo, I went by a pharmacy, asked for some advice and... you take 20 drops of this dissolved in tepid water and then you'll be able to sleep better.

Bea: Thanks. Shouldn't you be at work already?

Miriam: Yes. I have to go...

Bea: But?

Miriam: Please don't think about Ben anymore. You finally know where you stand. He has only been trouble for you. You've got Michael now and that's finally a good opportunity.

Bea: Finally.

Miriam: Forget about all those other idiots from your past. (and concentrate on the idiot you have now.)

Bea: I will. And you get going already.

Miriam: Alright. Bye.

Bea: Bye.

 

Bea cleans up the room.

 

[Flashback](and flashback and flashback. Argh!)

Piet: Say, you still have Jens's Christmas card?

Bea: He sent the card from Frankfurt. Since then, he's vanished from the face of the earth. Why is he in hiding? What is he scared of?

 

Ben: You can't look for him as long as you aren't allowed to leave the county. But I can. That's why I'm going to Australia and find Jens for you.

 

The CaroSpawn aborting kiss.

 

Bea: I wanted to know how Caro is doing.

Ben: She just lost her baby. How is she supposed to be doing? It's my fault... And yours.

Bea: Ben...

Ben: I don't love you anymore and I don't want to see you ever again. Get out of my life!!

 

Piet: You're staying here with your family. We'll get through this together, like we always do. They can't do anything to us.

[/Flashback]

 

 

[Bergmann villa]

 

Caro is sitting on the couch, reading a magazine, her feet on the table. Karin is cleaning in the background.

 

Caro: I would like some more tea.

Karin: In two minutes, okay?

 

Stefan is not amused by Caro ordering the woman he would have eventually loved around. He walks over and pulls the magazine out of her hands.

 

Stefan: The only reason I'm not throwing you out is that you just had an abortion. You're a guest here. Behave like it.

Caro: What are you complaining about? Thanks to me, Ben is at school and taking part in that test.

Stefan: That was the least you could do. And, Caro, I won't stand by and watch you lead Ben around the circus ring by a nose ring.

Caro: And what do you intend to do about it?

Stefan: I can tell him the truth at any time. Don't forget that.

 

 

[Pestalozzi, classroom]

 

Everyone is still hard at work. Götting opens a box that had been lying on the teacher’s desk. It’s a whiskey bottle with Stefan Bergmann’s compliments. What a surprise…

Emma has trouble getting anything written on her paper and is sweating.

Marcel throws a wad of paper, hitting Emma in the back.

 

Götting: That's it, Marcel. You can go. You are going to get in trouble with this attitude of refusal of yours, I can promise you that.

 

Marcel leaves the room.

 

Ben: We'll, if you don't have to stay till the end...

He hands his test over to Götting and starts to leave.

 

Götting: Ben... you should take your time...

 

Luzi hands in her test as well to go after him.

 

Luzi: Ben... what's wrong?

Ben: Nothing. Just fed up with this test.

Luzi: Hey, you were totally absent-minded. Something has to be wrong.

Ben: Everything's cool.

Luzi: No, it's not, that's the thing. This is the first time I've ever seen you not being cool. Caro?

Ben: She had a miscarriage.

Luzi: Oh shit. I'm really sorry.

Ben: It's my fault.

Luzi: Ach Quatsch.

Ben: I fucked up. I... I made promises... of us becoming a family... and then I wanted to go to Australia. I abandoned her. Everything I do, I do wrong. Maybe my father is right.

Luzi: But still... you don't lose your baby just because of that. This can happen during the first three months... doesn't it? Ach, I have no idea. I'm truly sorry.

 

They hug. Timo watches them.

 

 

[Vogel home, Bea’s room]

 

Bea makes a phone call.

 

Michael’s voicemail: This is Michael Heisig. Unfortunately, I can't come to the phone right now. If you leave a message, I'll be glad to call you back.

Bea: Hi Michael, it's me. I have an idea… I think we should go out celebrating. Not that there is anything to celebrate but... well, I just would like to experience something beautiful with you once again... (The nights they spent together obviously don’t qualify.) If you listen to this, call me back at once, or even better, just get here. See you soon.

 

The door bell rings. Bea buzzes open the front door without asking who it is, makes up her hair and opens her door with a smile. (Because who else could it be but Michael who could only have gotten the voicemail 5 seconds ago. Not to mention that he’s a teacher and it’s morning.)

 

But surprise! It’s the police.

 

Inspector: Frau Vogel, hello. Will you let us in? We have a search warrant.