Let's Start At The Very Beginning

Chapter 12

    Maria was disappointed she didn't find Louisa. Friedrich had reassured her that sometimes she had a hiding spot that only he and Liesl knew about, but they weren't at liberty to tell. She wanted more than anything to just talk to her, or to listen, whatever she needed. Louisa wasn't unlike Maria in many ways, she just tended to bottle up her emotions more.

Instead, Maria went in search of Georg in the afternoon. She made her way to his study, which had once been Fritz's, but was no more. It was a task dodging the children. Brigitta and Jane followed her down the hall but once they reached the door Maria turned to them.

"I just need to discuss some things with him privately if you two don't mind." Maria stated matter of factly before knocking on the door.

Maria placed her hand on the handle before she was interrupted by Brigitta "Father doesn't let anyone in his study, unless he invites them in."

"Too bad I'm not just anybody." Maria twisted the door open and shut it quickly before the girls could peep in.

"Maria?" Georg was sitting in an armchair in front of an unburning fireplace with Max in an identical one next to him.

"Maria!" Max exclaimed "Do tell me how wrestling Georg's children has been?" Max stood up with a glass of something Maria didn't care to know.

"It would go a lot smoother if you would actually communicate with your children." Maria crossed her arms.

"I told you I was bringing guests back-" Georg stood up now and set his glass of amber liquid on the table between the two dark green armchairs.

"You didn't specify who though, other than Max." Maria gestured to the man who took this as his cue to leave.

"I didn't think I had to-"

"Well congratulations Georg, your children are intelligent, they had an inkling you would bring a woman back, but not someone you are practically betrothed to!" She turned her head as she heard Max click the door shut.

"Do you not understand I'm doing this for them? Lord Maria, I'm trying to give them a new mother-"

"They don't want a new mother; they just want you. They want you to acknowledge that their mother existed-"

"Agathe is gone Maria, you helped me stop wallowing in my self pity and pursue this aspect of my life further-"

"This is not my fault!" Maria took another step towards him.

Georg scoffed "You're the one who comes running back here, telling me how I'm being a bad parent. Let me ask, have your children had a father figure since Charlie? Hm? Are you trying to do what's best?"

"I'm not going to marry the first man I stumble upon just to fill a role; I want someone who will be a good influence on my children. One who will love them but push them-"

"Like Charlie pushed you to England-" Georg turned his back and rubbed his face with his hands.

"You know I didn't know Charlie before England! I was trying to see the world, not run away from it-"

"I wasn't running away." Georg turned back and shook his head.

"Oh? So, you marry Agathe and in less than a year just happen to decide to join the Navy?"

"I had a baby on the way and no job!"

"You had a job at your father's company! You were going to college for it!" Maria threw her arms out. "At least I tried to build a life!"

"You had a life here!" He shouted then it got eerily quiet. "I did too." He began with a softer tone "Then it fell apart, and all I'm doing is trying to rebuild it."