The next week Georg announced he was going on a trip to Vienna for 10 days. He told the children not to worry, he was going to see Max, and visit a few friends he hadn't seen in a while. Liesl said she was perfectly capable of being in charge, especially with Frau Schmidt there, but he disagreed.
They were having dinner during the conversation, Liesl sulking in disappointment, Louisa sitting in disbelief.
"Maria could watch us," Brigitta said after dabbing her mouth with her napkin.
"Please." Marta and Gretl begged.
Georg listened to his children's plea for a few more seconds before Friedrich spoke above them all. "Father, who else would you leave us with? We trust her, we'd behave, I promise."
And it was a done deal. Maria and her children would stay the next week and a half at the villa, although Maria felt intrusive, Georg convinced her it made the most sense considering everything.
Georg was telling her all the rules as they carried her bags in "And keep an eye on Liesl, I don't want her meeting with any friends I don't know-"
"Georg," Maria gave him a look as he sat the rest of her bags down.
"I'm sorry, I've been gone a lot, but this is the longest I've been gone since..."
"I'll take good care of them," Maria assured. The family wished their father a cordial goodbye and Franz drove him to the train station.
That evening after dinner Maria was sitting up in the nursery with the children. She was playing a card game with Liesl, who kept looking out the window, along with Friedrich and Kurt. Louisa was pretending to read on a window seat with Brigitta, while the younger four were playing with all sorts of dolls, even Michael.
"What do you usually do if your father is gone?" Maria asked
"Nothing," Kurt rolled his eyes. "He leaves Franz in charge and he's worse than father."
"We just do what we normally do Maria." Friedrich answered truthfully.
"Don't you miss him?" Maria asked as she played a card
"He doesn't act like he misses us," Brigitta said without looking up.
"I'm sure that's not true. He loves you after all."
"We know Fraulein." Brigitta mumbled, if she had a penny every time, she heard that.
Liesl kept straining her neck out to look out the window when Maria finally spoke up "Liesl, are you looking for something?"
"Oh no" Liesl shook her head quickly. "I'm just trying to stay awake. I think I might just go to my room and read." Liesl put her cards on the table and left the room, gently, but in a hurry.
Once she was out of earshot Maria looked up at the boys in front of her. Friedrich looked down while Kurt did his best not to laugh.
"What was that all about?"
"Rolfe." Louisa was back in the real world
"Who's Rolfe?" Maria asked
Brigitta shut her book and sat up "The telegram delivery boy, Liesl's friend."
"I would use the term friend lightly." Kurt mocked
Maria had a look of realization "Oh I see, and um, how long have she and Rolfe been friends?"
"Oh, over a year or so." Friedrich answered, turning a bit red
"Well, we'll have to think about that one." Maria smirked.
"Did you ever like anyone, Maria?" Brigitta asked and joined them at the table, the game long forgotten.
"I liked my husband obviously." Maria chuckled as she looked at her kids. Louisa followed and began to watch her little sisters play with Jane and Michael.
"But anyone before that maybe?" Brigitta pried.
"Stop being so nosy," Friedrich snapped at his sister.
"Don't act like you don't care," Louisa added from the couch.
Maria watched them bicker until they realized she wouldn't answer until they stopped. "I did like a boy once, a long time ago when I was practically a child. But he never had feelings for me." Maria remembered.
"Did he know?" Kurt asked
"No." Maria shook her head "I just knew, he never saw me that way, not to mention the girlfriends helped solidify the idea."
"Were you heartbroken?"
"Oh, that's the understatement of the year." Maria said, "I was devastated." she threw her head back faux dramatically. She couldn't believe she was being this open with children. So often she was reserved about personal matters.
Georg and Maria remained friends throughout his first year of Uni, but that summer, Hedwig was disappointed. Instead of spending time at home, he had gone with Max to France for the holidays.
"Well, that will be good, he's always wanted to travel?" Maria was sitting on the veranda with Hedwig one afternoon the first week of summer
"No, Maria, Max has been nothing but kind to Georg, but I fear Georg is losing himself. He's become reckless, but you know that." Hedwig sighed
Of course, Maria knew that, almost better than anyone. "He'll be back for school; you saw him more than you anticipated this spring."
"Oh, I know, but a mother worries. One day you will understand my dear." Hedwig reached across and squeezed the girl's hand and the pair exchanged small smiles.
A knock was heard at the door. "Oh, I suppose that's Abigail, I promised we'd go for tea. You know to stay as long as you like dear." Hedwig stood up and pushed her chair in and kissed Maria's head.
"Yes, thank you." Maria offered and Hedwig walked inside. Maria sat in her thoughts.
That whole summer she missed Georg terribly. She would go over to the villa once a week for dinner, since school wasn't such a burden, hoping he was home, but he never was. There were rumors going around town that he was bumping into other families during their summer trips, and they would come back and talk about how Georg seemed happier than ever.
Was he happier because he was away from everyone? He had Max and the ocean and that was it? Maria didn't know. She wrote to him but would get sparse replies. She tried to confide in Oma, who was getting weaker by the day. Maria feared what would happen if she died before she finished high school. Where would she go?
She missed seeing him, even though they had reconnected, they still didn't see each other every day for the rest of the school year. But yet she would come over and they would play the piano and talk and walk and play chess and swim. But she could tell it wasn't the same. He still hadn't introduced the ever-elusive friend, who Maria knew was a girl and had it narrowed down to three.
It was like he kept their friendship in a little box all on his own, which while it sounds nice, and in many ways, it was, nothing could seep in. No talks of the future, no mentioning of crushes or love, no fears shared, just surface level memories they treasured. But Maria craved something more, she had seen glimpses of something more, something good. But she just didn't know what it was.
It was love. She knew it was, she loved him and loved who he had been and who he would be. She craved to know more, to love more of him. She replayed those happy moments in her mind to the point she could hardly sleep, only to wake up realizing that until the next time she saw him the box would shut its lid and sit on a shelf of her mind until their next meeting.
She got attention from other boys but didn't seem to care. She tried her best to entertain the thought but always ended up pushing them away because she knew it just wasn't the same. She and Georg had history, the box was aged, it had dust, it was deep, but she knew that the lock, while she did indeed have a key, would never be opened all the way.
Little did Maria know her own children as well as Marta and Gretl had stopped playing and were now sitting at her feet.
"Did you tell him?" Marta asked quietly
"No, I didn't." Maria shook her head, mostly to get out of her daze. She reached for her son and Michael stood before perching himself on Maria's lap.
"What about father?" Jane asked at the same time Louisa asked "What about your husband?
"Well," Maria looked to the siblings, knowing Liesl was out doing who knew what with some boy. "That boy was my first love, but you see children, it's not always the first that is important, but the first that matters. He was indeed my first love, and he did matter to me, and I him, but just not in the same way. Charlie however," Maria tickled her son's sides till he giggled
"Charlie was my first great love. He opened my eyes to so many things. And we had terrible fun. He was quite the adventurer, what my young, spirited soul needed. He was always getting into trouble, running around, hollering as if his life depended on it."
The children all took a second to let this sink in. "So, my first love won't matter?" Brigitta asked.
"Oh nonsense. It matters a great deal; in fact, it might be your great love. That's the beauty of it, it's different for everyone. My first love taught me so many things about myself, about how I wanted to love, and that was valuable in its own way"
"Do you think you'll ever have a second great love?" Louisa mumbled and Maria smiled to herself, the girl was finally opening up. "I don't know, some people are lucky that way. Only time will tell."
"I think Father is in love" Brigitta interrupted the moment.
"What?" the boys shouted at the same time. Maria watched as Louisa's once hopeful face fell to a deep scowl.
"With who?" Gretl stood up and approached her sister. Jane looked up to her mother, thoroughly confused. Maria held a hand up trying to gain attention at the sudden commotion that was occurring between the siblings, and held Michael with the other.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Maria cautioned "That is your father's business only, unless he wishes to share with you. There is no proof."
"But Maria, he leaves on a whim, I know there are many widowed and single ladies in Vienna. He comes back chipper but tries to hide it. He's hiding someone." Brigitta raised a finger. Maria was impressed. Brigitta was quite the little detective.
"What about uncle Max?" Kurt asked, trying to prove her wrong.
"No one likes Uncle Max that much, "Friedrich added, hesitating to agree. He and Liesl had discussed this possibility, another woman. They avoided telling Louisa though, or any of the younger children. Liesl had gotten some information from her father, a baroness from Vienna, widowed for a decade or more.
"Now children don't gossip, it will all be fine. In the meantime, I think you little ones should get to bed." Maria lifted Michael off her lap and Marta and Gretl led the way without a fight as the four youngest children left the nursery. Maria watched as they stepped out of earshot.
"I want no mention of this to anyone." Maria spoke to the point
"So it's true?" Louisa's voice cracked
"I don't know for sure. He's my best friend and I know him well, but I don't get involved in affairs of the heart. For now, let's not get your sisters excited, and we all know my son can't keep his mouth shut to save his life." She got up and pushed her chair in "You're welcome to stay up a little later, it'll be our secret." she smirked but as she reached the door Friedrich asked, "What about Liesl?"
Maria raised an eyebrow, "I'm sure an opportunity will present itself for us to have a grown-up discussion, since she's so grown up after all." Maria was sarcastic and all except Louisa laughed.
Hey Y'all. I hope you enjoyed this installment. I know the flashback wasn't exactly a scene or anything but i find it important. Also, thanks for your comments and votes. It really makes my day.
Thanks for reading!