Chapter 1
Maria was in agonizing. It was almost Christmastime and the holiday made her realize how much she missed the family she left behind a couple of months ago. She started to imagine how the Von Trapp family would celebrate the nativity and how wonderful the house would be decorated. She missed the children she started to love like her own and even after all these months she missed him, captain Von Trapp. Since their dance at the ball and her run to the abbey, she ached when she thought about him. She left because she didn't want to jeopardize his relationship with baroness Schraeder. Frau Schmidt told her that the captain was planning to marry her and the children needed a mother after all those difficult times. She couldn't take that from them for some puppy love. Clearly the captain couldn't possibly love a poor mountain girl like herself when he had a beautiful sophisticated lady right at his feet. Maria walked to her room. She still lived in the abbey, although she wasn't a postulant anymore. The reverend mother had allowed her to stay in the abbey until she found out where her life was going. After her sudden return from the Von Trapp household Maria was determined to become a nun as soon as possible, but the reverend mother made her see that loving a man and wanting to spend her live with a family didn't mean that she was loving God less. However she didn't belong to the family she had grown to love. She started to cry again, how she missed them; how she wished the captain would love her.
Meanwhile the Von Trapp children were decorating the ballroom for the holidays. They were excited because it was the first time since their mother died. Georg was watching the scene with amusement. Seeing his children so happy, made his own heart swell with happiness, but at the meantime someone was missing, someone who he could share all of this with. He thought about Elsa, whom he once wanted to marry. However his heart never really belonged to the baroness, not since the children's fraulein brought music back in their lives. Maria… A smile came to his lips when he thought about her. Even the first time they had met when she was wearing that hideous grey dress, he knew she was something special, but not even in his wildest dreams he could have guessed he would fall for her that easily. She was his soulmate and she didn't only make him a father again, she also made him a man, a man that loved a woman. After their fight they became friends and when the children were asleep they would have long conversations. It wasn't until their dance at the ball in honor of Elsa that he realized he was in love with her. When he looked in her beautiful blue eyes, he was completely lost and for a moment he thought he saw love in her eyes too along confusion. Before he could act and confess his feelings, she was gone, probably scared away by him.
Brigitta couldn't help but notice how deep her father was lost in his own thoughts. After his fight with fraulein Maria and their reconciliation, his father would rarely look sad anymore. He looked genuinely happy and Brigitta even suspected her father was in love with their fraulein. After Maria left, he would sometimes wander off and look sad again. She just knew he missed their governess just as much as the children did. Without Maria things were rather dull around the house. It felt like they had lost another mother. Luckily they had their father now and he wouldn't shut them out this time. The children knew their daddy loved them very much and would do anything to make them happy. However when they had asked to get Maria back for them, he told them that if they really loved her, they would respect her decision to leave and he reassured them that Maria loved them very deeply but that her life was in the abbey.
Maria was thinking about the children. She hoped the captain was still the loving father he was when she left the villa. As soon as she had decided to not become a nun, she started to teach in a little school across the abbey. The reverend mother had arranged the job for her so Maria could save some money for her own little place. She had found the right place just a couple of days ago. It was a nice little apartment in the center of the city. The best thing was that she had some money left to spend on whatever she wanted. She wanted to give her family something in return for their love during that lovely summer in Aigen and also apologize for running the way she did. Maybe in time they could forgive her and the children may also want to visit her one day. She decided to make each of them a lovely gift straight from her heart. Instead of weeping, she went to pick up some materials. Although she couldn't give the children their present in person, she was happy she could give them something. It probably wouldn't be as fancy as the gifts their probably mother by now would gave them, but she hoped the children would like them non the less.
When Georg noticed Brigitta watching him, he smiled. The girl was obviously worried and the last thing the children need was to be worried about their father. 'Brigitta, sweetheart, what's wrong? Why aren't you helping your siblings decorate the tree?' he asked. 'I was just wondering: do they have Christmas trees in the abbey?' Answered Brigitta. Georg sighted, obviously his children missed Maria too because not a day went by after her departure that the children mentioned her. He didn't really want to talk about Maria right now and decided it was time for the children to go to bed. 'Children, it's time to go to bed. Frau Schmidt will help you get ready. Don't forget to leave your list for the Christlkind.
After they kissed their father goodnight, they reluctantly went upstairs en got ready for bed. 'Why is father so sad?' asked Gretl, 'I thought he loved us again'. 'Come here, Gretl', her older sister Liesl said, 'he does love us, sweetheart, he really does'. 'I miss Fraulein Maria', Gretl sobbed, 'she makes everything better. Can we sing about her favorite things'? The children started singing but unlike the night fraulein Maria sang for them, they didn't feel better, they missed her even more. They hoped Christlkind would give them their wish.
Meanwhile Georg was reading his children's letters to Christlkind. Little Gretl was first and because she couldn't write well, she made a drawing. Georg saw himself surrounded by his seven children and a woman with golden hair, Maria… Georg and Maria were holding hands and they all looked very happy. Georg sighted. Gretl had no real memory of her mother and Maria was the first woman who really cared for his girl like a mother. The next letter was from Martha.
Dear Christlkind,
I want pink boots to wear with the pink umbrella fraulein Maria and father gave me for my birthday. But if you have no money for a real gift, just bring fraulein Maria back and make her stay forever.
Martha Von Trapp
The night after their fight Maria wanted to speak with the captain about some urgent matter. He didn't know what it was all about, but he invited her for tea after the children went to bed. After he poured out a cup for both of them, he sat down on the couch next to Maria. 'So, fraulein, here you go', he said while offering her the cup. 'Thank you', Maria smiled. She liked to see the captain relax. 'What did you want to discuss with me, fraulein', he asked friendly. 'U see, last week was Martha's birthday and because you were in Vienna, she didn't receive a real gift. The other children and I, we baked her a cake and she said it was fine, but still… I don't mean to accuse you but Martha is really special and she deserves only the best', rambled Maria. She was afraid the captain would become angry again but to her surprise he only nodded. 'You're absolutely right, fraulein, she deserves a gift it's the least I can do to make it up to her for being absent on her birthday', he answered silently. His voice started to give away his feelings. 'I'm afraid I don't know what to give her. I don't know my own children. When their mother died, I just couldn't …', by know he was sobbing and unable to finish his sentence. Maria's heart went out to him. She put her hand on his and said in a soothing tone: 'There's still time captain, you just got to let them in'. When her hands touched his, he looked up and all he could see was blue. Her touch felt like being wrapped in his favorite blanked.
Georg thought back at that first night in his office. That night they became friends an although he didn't realize it at the time, that was when he knew she was his soulmate, the one he wanted to share it all with. The letters of the other children were all practically the same. They all wanted their fraulein back, even Liesl who knew Christlkind wasn't real wished for her to come back and become a part of their family. Brigitta's letter surprised him the most.
Dear Christlkind,
This year we received the biggest gift this summer, when father came back to us. I don't think we can really ask for more, but if you still want to give us a something, I want fraulein Maria to come back to us. She might not be our biological mother, but we love her as if she was. I believe even father loves her, because when we mention her, he looks said and happy at the same time. His eyes light up when he hears her name, but right after he looks really said. Please give her back to us.
Sincerely,
Brigitta.
He didn't know he was that obvious, but then again Maria once told him his daughter notices everything and everyone. It was obvious, the children wanted a mother and not just anyone, but their beloved governess. Right after Maria left, Georg had proposed to Elsa in order to move on, but the children were far from pleased when they heard about their father's engagement. A couple of weeks later, he broke up with the baroness. It was obvious he didn't love her the way he should and the children would never accept her as their mother. He decided that their children deserved their wish to come trough even if it would only be for Christmas. He would invite Maria to celebrate the holidays with the family. He was sure even nuns were allowed to spend some time outside the convent. He decided to write her a letter and hoped with all his heart she would come even if it were for just a moment in time. He missed her so much and she consumed his every thought.
Dear fraulein,
It would be my great honor to invite you to spend the holidays with my family. The children miss you very much and we would love to have you here for Christmas and New Year.
Cordially,
Georg Von Trapp
When he finished the little note, he throws it away. What if she was still scared of him, what if his feelings became obvious to her. When she had to leave again, the children would be heartbroken again. They needed her, he needed her, but he could never have her. She was probably a nun by now. He poured himself some whiskey and said down on his sofa. A little bit later he fell asleep and began to dream about Maria again.
'Liesl, do you think father is in love with fraulein Maria', Brigitta asked when they were alone. 'To be honest, yes', Liesl sighted, 'and I think she was in love with him to'. Brigitta nodded and suggested they had to do something to help their father. Liesl agreed and the two girls decided to check on their father. When they found him asleep, they wanted to return to their own rooms, but when their father moaned Maria's name in his sleep, they knew they had to do something. Not much later they found their father's letter on the ground. 'I have an idea', Liesl said, 'we should send it'. 'Yes, oh Liesl, imagine the surprise. Maybe she will never leave', Brigitta agreed. With that they left the room and went to bed. Tomorrow they would plan what hopefully would turn out in the best Christmas ever, together with their siblings.