The Parent Trapp

Chapter 25

The next day at breakfast the children communicated non verbally, as if fighting over who was going to start the conversation. Brigitta and Louisa whacked each other under the table, Liesl and Friedrich shared looks and the boys kicked each other discreetly. Georg and Maria sat at the heads of the table, while Ellen sat to Maria's right, with the children dispersed in between.

Liesl finally kicked her sister under the table to signal, but Louisa gave her older sister a frustrated look. Friedrich noticed this and rolled his eyes, Liesl then conceded

"Um dad?"

"Yeah?" Georg said as he didn't look up from his plate of eggs. Maria cleared her throat quietly to get his attention. He looked up at her and noticed how she nodded towards Liesl's direction.

"What is it?" he asked with genuine interest

"Well, you see, we know that Maria is leaving soon and you both do so much for us, we thought that we might show you how much we appreciate all the work you do" Liesl explained.

Maria was having an argument with Gretl over finishing her food when she spoke up "You don't have to do anything"

"We want to" Louisa chimed in

"Really" Brigitta added.

"Truly, madly deeply," Kurt grinned only to receive a nudge from Friedrich right next to him "chill much?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"And what did you have in mind?" Georg asked, setting his fork down.

"We'd like to cook dinner for you and Maria" Liesl said

"And us, too of course, Kurt would have our heads on a platter otherwise" Brigitta added.

"And it would also give Ellen some time off," Friedrich nodded, hoping she'd get the hint. Ellen nodded as she took a drink of coffee but glared in understanding over her mug.

"So let me get this straight" Maria popped a fork full of eggs in her mouth "The seven of you want to cook us dinner, without burning the house down or killing each other, to show us appreciation?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Brigitta shrugged. "You-well uh, we, um...things are gonna change soon we guess and so we want to take advantage of you being here" She beamed after finding decent wording.

"I see no problem-" Georg began but at that moment the phone began ringing in the office. Georg hopped up from his seat and walked around the corner.

"Oh Gretl!" Maria shouted but it was too late, Gretl had knocked her cup of orange juice over and it spilled all over her clothes. "Well come on" she grabbed Gretl's hand so she stood, Friedrich who was close by started wiping it up, while Ellen dashed to get more towels.

Maria led Gretl up the stairs to get a change of clothes, and was gone by the time Ellen and Friedrich cleaned the juice mess up.

"So, appreciation, hmm? What are you up to?" Ellen took her seat once again.

"Nothing" Kurt turned red

"I won't tell, in fact I may even agree to help if you would just tell me what's going on?" Ellen bargained

"What is going on?" Marta asked from her seat, thoroughly confused

"Well, we were definitely banking on Ms. Schraeder not coming by today..." Louisa began

"I wouldn't worry, she won't be back for the rest of the week" Ellen smirked

"Good" Kurt leaned back in his chair and a collective sigh of relief filled the kitchen