On their first night in Zurich, the Von Trapps had dinner in a fancy restaurant to celebrate. That day also happened to be Liesl's seventeenth birthday. The younger children were excited to finally taste genuine Swiss chocolate. But when her father left the table to use the bathroom, Liesl discreetly grabbed the wine list. Maria pretended not to notice.
"What are you going to order?" Luisa whispered.
"I don't know," Liesl said. "There are so many choices! I've never had alcohol before, besides communion wine."
"Well, you'd better hope the waiter comes back before Vati does," Luisa said.
"Oh, come on," Liesl said. "I just crossed the Alps on foot, I think I have a right to celebrate."
"So did I," Luisa said, but just then, their father emerged from the bathroom and sat back down. Liesl quickly slid the menu back onto the table.
While the younger children colored their menus, Georg and Maria started talking quietly about plans to travel to France and then England. Liesl wasn't really paying attention, but she didn't understand why they had to leave Switzerland so soon. Switzerland had always been neutral. The Nazis wouldn't invade, would they? She liked it here, why couldn't they stay a while and get settled? Besides, she had forgotten most of her French from school, and her English was almost nonexistent.
A few minutes later, a waiter arrived at the table. "Good evening," he said. "Can I get you started with some drinks?"
Georg and Maria both ordered red wines, and then the waiter turned to Liesl. She swallowed.
"I'd like the blanc de noirs," Liesl said, handing him the wine list. She deliberately avoided her father's gaze, but was silently daring him to say something. The waiter looked at her skeptically and then at her father.
"It's her birthday," he said. "She's seventeen today."
"Well then, happy birthday, Fräulein," the waiter said. "In that case, the drink is on the house." He took the younger children's drink orders and the wine list, then left the table.
Liesl suppressed a smug smile, unsure if she should thank her father for allowing her to order champagne or if she was still mad at him for forbidding it in the first place. She didn't really want to say anything, because then he might change his mind. She unwrapped a chocolate and folded the wrapper absentmindedly until the waiter came back.
"Here are your wines," the waiter said, placing wine glasses in front of Georg and Maria. "And the champagne for the birthday girl."
"Happy birthday, Liesl," said Maria, raising her glass. "Cheers." Georg raised his glass as well.
"Cheers," Liesl said, clinking glasses with her father and stepmother. She took a big sip of champagne. Suddenly it felt like her mouth was on fire. She quickly grabbed her napkin and pressed it to her lips, trying to stop herself from spitting it out. As soon as she had swallowed, she grabbed her water glass and gulped down as much as she could to get the taste off her tongue. The younger children giggled.
"Enjoying your first champagne, Liesl?" her father asked with a wry smile.
"That stuff is disgusting!" Liesl exclaimed. "Why do grown-ups drink it?"
"It's an acquired taste," her father said.
"You've got to drink it slower, Liesl," said Maria. "Like this." She demonstrated with her own wine.
"No thanks," said Liesl, pushing herself away. "I don't want any more."
"Well, that's too bad," her father said. "Because a big girl who orders champagne for her birthday couldn't possibly want cake."
"Cake?!" the younger children cried out, turning from their father to Liesl in disappointment.
"Georg, let them eat cake!" Maria said, slapping her husband's arm playfully.
"Oh, they can have cake," Georg said. "But only after they've finished their dinner. And only if they don't gorge themselves on complimentary chocolates first."
Kurt self-consciously swallowed the chocolate he was eating, wiped his mouth and put the chocolate in his hand back in the bowl. Luisa quickly grabbed a handful of chocolates and stuffed them in her pocket.
The waiter came back to take their orders from the main menu. "How are your drinks?" he asked, turning pointedly to Liesl.
"Fine," Liesl said. "It's - good." Everyone at the table tried to suppress their laughter at her obvious lie.
After they had eaten their dinner, the waiter brought out a big chocolate cake with seventeen candles on it. Everyone started singing "Happy Birthday to You" as the waiter placed the cake right in front of Liesl.
"Make a wish," Maria said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Liesl closed her eyes and thought hard about her wish. Her mind first turned to Rolf. She had no idea what had happened to him after their encounter in the graveyard. Maybe he was already dead. Maybe he had found another girlfriend. But strangely, she couldn't bring herself to care too much. He had held a gun to her father, then blown his whistle to let the Nazis know where they were. Sure, he had hesitated, but he had proven once and for all that he cared more about the Nazi party than he cared about her or her family. She couldn't waste her birthday wish on his safety. She couldn't wish for a new boyfriend, either. That would be selfish.
"Hurry up!" Luisa whispered.
"Shh!" Friedrich whispered back, nudging her in the arm.
Her family. They were all safe and together. She had a mother again, a mother who assured her that her broken heart wasn't the end of the world. They were facing an uncertain future, but someday, when the war was over, they would go back to Austria. She was sure of that. Father said the Nazis wouldn't win, and she believed him. She smiled to herself as the wish formed in her mind.
I wish that we all stay as close as we are right now.
Liesl opened her eyes and blew out the candles. Every single one of them went out on the first breath. Everyone clapped, and Maria picked up the knife and began to cut the cake into nine pieces. Liesl bit into her slice. It was the best cake she had ever eaten. And looking around at her family, she knew that no matter what happened next, her wish would come true.