Prologue

It was early in the morning the day after the party. Georg was already awake and downstairs. He really didn't expect anyone else to be awake except his cook. He was correct. She had already placed fresh hot coffee in his study. He poured himself a cup.

After the first sip he began to stare off into space. His mind had transported him back to dancing the Laendler with Maria. He remembered his feelings. They hadn't scared him.

He was sure Maria had felt similar feelings. He was also sure they had frightened her and that's why she had pushed him away as she had told him, she didn't remember anymore of the dance.

He still wondered why she hadn't joined the guests for dinner. He had been really looking forward to seeing her in her beautiful blue dress.

Max had noticed Georg was the last to join the guests in the dining room. And had noticed Maria hadn't joined them. He had offered this. Maybe the children needed her.

Georg had accepted his statement as a possible reason but the sixth sense he had acquired from hunting down enemy ships had him worried.

Now he was still wondering about her. As he wondered he began to pace. His pacing took him outside. The beauty of the sunrise made him wish Maria was beside him and he could kiss her lips which had only been inches from him during their dance.

The ringing of the bells from the nearby Nonnberg Abbey brought him to reality and he went inside. It was then he saw an envelope with his name on it. It was sitting on the narrow table by his study's door. The person had placed it upright against the wall behind it to be sure he saw it.

I wonder who left this. He thought as he picked it up. He sat behind his desk as he opened it. He could not believe what he was reading. Maria had written. I missed the Abbey. I've returned there.

His first instinct was to go to her room. He hurried there where he found all his children in the hall outside her room. He heard.

"Fräulein Maria hasn't answered our knock. Did she stay up very late after the dinner?"

The captain was a man of honor; he knew he needed to tell them the truth. "Children, come with me to the nursery and I will answer Liesl's question."

She and Friedrich looked at each other. They both suspected their father had bad news for them.

Georg asked them to sit on the carpet with him. Even his emotions were raw. His voice was soft. "Children, your Fräulein left me a note. She returned to the Abbey because she missed it so much."

At first there was silence. Then his words had sunk in. All of them began to cry. Not quiet tears but those loud sobs one cries when they feel hurt inside. Even he had tears in his eyes because he felt their hurt. And he didn't have words to console them.

Kurt was the first to speak. "I'm going to her room. Anyone else going to join me there?"

They all left and Georg followed. Liesl looked in her wardrobe. "Father, she left all her dresses. Maybe she'll be back."

"She has no need for them at the Abbey." He answered; denying the fact their presence had given him a glimmer of hope.

Then Louisa asked. "Can't you go to the Abbey and bring her back?"

"I can go inquire about her. Maybe she needs to talk with the Mother Abbess."

"Can you go today, this morning?"

"Yes, children I will. I'll go after breakfast."

Georg did go and learned Maria was there but she had asked to be left alone so she could pray. The Sister had noticed his sad eyes. She felt she had to say something and she did.

"Sir, if you come back in a few days, you may be able to speak to her."

"I will Sister, you can be sure."

Georg returned home. "Children, it was just as I told you. Your Fräulein is spending all her time in prayer."

"And we'll pray that God sends her back to us."

They ran off. He didn't tell them he would do the same. He couldn't even have told them if he had wanted to. Elsa had been looking for him. She had found him. He pretended to be happy to see her. She asked a question which she already knew the answer to.

"What were you and the children discussing?"

"Elsa, they're very upset because Maria has returned to the Abbey. Did you speak to her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think you do know. Max saw you follow her to her room. Don't tell me all you told her."

"Georg, how is it everything has changed between us."

"God has intervened in my life."

"You still believe in God? I don't. I believe in money. Money buys fabulous things like yachts to travel the world. I hear the Germans are prospering under their new leader; they have money. The Anschluss can't get here soon enough for me. My business will grow and I will have more money to spend."

Georg was appalled but not speechless. "I knew from the day you scolded me for telling that Nazi messenger boy to get out after he gave me the Nazi salute that you didn't have any idea what living under German rule would mean to me. I will not live under their rule nor will I ever serve in their navy. I will leave Austria before they take over my country."

"And I'll leave as soon as I pack. You can go find…" Georg cut in. "Say no more Elsa. I'll tell Franz to drive you to the train station."

No one at the villa was sad to see Elsa leave. Their sadness revolved around thinking about one person, Maria. They continued to pray she would return; just as Maria continued to pray in hope of discovering her destiny.

That morning she had also woke early but didn't stay in her room and pray there. Instead she went to the chapel to pray there before the others arrived for Morning Prayers and she would stay there long after they were concluded. No one spoke to her. The Reverend Mother knew she was still trying to discover God's plans for her. She knew she would ask to see her when she thought God had spoken to her.

After a few days of this routine, Maria was sure her purpose in life was not to be a nun. She did ask to speak to the Mother Abbess.

When the Mother Abbess received her request, she was anxious to speak her. She immediately sent for her.

Maria entered the room and approached the woman who wasn't just a spiritual mother for Maria; she had come to think of her as her real mother. A woman Maria didn't really remember since she had died by the time Maria was two years old.

Maria knelt down and kissed her ring. Then she heard. "Come sit with me in the chairs by the garden window."

Maria already felt at ease. She spoke first.

"Mother, I sense that God has heard my prayers. I don't believe he wants me to become a nun. I still don't know His plan for me."

"Continue to pray, Maria. He will always listen. Our loving God will show you how to find the life you were born to live. Have you decided where to live while you wait?"

"I only know I don't want to stay here."

"That's fine. Maria, I want you to have the money Captain von Trapp paid the Abbey for your services at his home. I'm sure he would want you to have it."

"Do you really believe he would want me to have it?"

"I do, Maria."

"Mother, I will use it wisely."

"I'm sure you will. I'll bring it to your room."

Maria returned to her room to pack. After the Mother Abbess gave Maria the money, they walked to the front gate together. Maria received a final blessing and then she walked beyond the walls of the Abbey.

She didn't look back and the Mother Abbess hadn't expected her do so. She believed Maria would soon find the life God had known for her since before she was born. She had been told the Captain had inquired about her.

The next day the captain had returned only to learn Maria wasn't there and her whereabouts were unknown. A sad and depressed captain returned home. And now everyone at the villa was sad and depressed. The adults all knew they had to muddle through somehow.

Maria used the money the Mother Abbess had given her to rent a room in a boarding house not far from the plaza and the Festival Hall. And she began to work for the nearby dress shop. She would repair dresses which customers had returned for various reasons. Someone would take them to the Abbey to give to the poor.

Sometimes they would send clothes from others who had left them for the poor. But before it was proper to give them away, many were in need of repair before they could be worn. The Abbey never knew Maria was the seamstress who repaired them.

Weeks had passed. It was now almost the end of November. The church would be entering a new church year. It would soon be Advent, a four week time to prepare one's heart for celebrating Christmas.

Would Maria and the von Trapp family use this time wisely? Only God knew the answer to this question.

Reminder: This story uses ideas from the movie and the 2013 live showing of the play on American TV. In it Georg asks that Maria wear a specific dress to dinner. He called it that little thingy.

The idea about Elsa and money comes from a song which is sung in the play, How Can Love Survive? It tells about rich people and how their money could keep them from being deeply in love.

Also in the play, Elsa is the president of a company which she inherited after her husband died. She's a true business woman.