Early the next morning Maria started to move her stuff from her room in the abbey to her own apartment. She didn't have much but what she owned mend the world to her. The flat had a small bedroom, an even smaller bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. Luckily the flat was full furnished and Maria didn't have to buy anything. She placed her guitar next to the big window in the living room.
Maria was slowly humming in her room. The captain had given her the day off and she didn't mind, cause running after seven children all day was rather exhausting even for someone as full of live as she was. When the captain passed her room, her beautiful voice caught his attention. He recognized the familiar melody and his heart became went out to his children's' governess. Georg knew the song was about her parents. Without going into details, the reverend mother had filled him in about Maria's past. Apparently her parents had passed away when she was very young and her live after that wasn't exactly happy. He was surprised to hear so much emotion and sadness in the usually cheerful governess. He didn't want to disturb her inner turmoil, but he felt he had to be there for her just like she comforted him the other night. He knocked on the door and Maria startled. She smiled when she saw the captain at her door and put her guitar aside. 'Sorry, I didn't want to disturb you, but I heard you sing and I hoped to join you', the captain explained. Maria nodded and motioned for him to enter. 'Maria, are you alright. I mean, are you happy here', the captain asked. 'I am, captain, I really am. The children are wonderful, everyone is wonderful', she blushed. The captain couldn't help but smile. 'May I?', he asked while pointing to her guitar. Maria handed him the guitar and he immediately started to sing.
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
While singing he kept his eyes locked with Maria's and he fought his instincts to hold her when he saw tears in her beautiful eyes. After he finished the song, he started to talk again. 'Fraulein, I've been meaning to thank you. You gave me my children back and made us a family again. When Agatha died, a part of me died with her, but you helped me remember that the children are a part of Agatha here and that I have to cherish that instead of closing me of from it'. While he said that, Maria couldn't help but let out a sob. The captain shuffled closer to her and put his hand on hers, just like she did the other night. 'I'm so sorry, captain', she started to apologize, 'I didn't mean to… You're my employer.' The captain put a finger on her lips to quiet her. 'Fraulein, don't', he said, 'you can talk to me when something's wrong. Tell me, is this about your parents?'. Maria looked startled. 'I'm sorry, fraulein, the reverend mother told me they died when you were young. Nothing more, I promise'. 'It's ok, I guess', she whispered. 'Do you want to talk about it', the captain gently asked while rubbing circles on her back. 'No, I'd rather not. It's in the passed anyway', she answered while wiping her tears away. 'Maria', he said surprised how good saying her name felt, 'when you ever want to talk, don't hesitate to come to me, alright?'. 'Yes, thank you, captain', she answered stunned about how she loved hearing her name coming from his mouth. At the same time, baroness Schräder was about to get changed for lunch, when she passed Maria's room. She didn't like the scene unfolding right before her eyes. Ever since she came here, Georg had only eyes for that low creature of a governess. 'I have to make sure she won't be a problem in the future', she whispered.
The captain woke up with a headache. When he checked his watch, he noticed it was ten o'clock already. He couldn't believe his children didn't wake him up. Usually het woke up pretty early and when he didn't the children would make that much noice it was impossible to sleep any further. Georg was surprised he woke up on the sofa in his office, but when he saw the empty bottle of whiskey he sighted. He remembered he drank wanting to forget the woman who haunted his every dream. He decided to first take a shower and after that to go and look for the children. Usually when they were that silent, they were up to no good. Maybe their uncle max had taken them into town.
Liesl woke up early that morning and excited about her little plan, she woke her siblings. 'Liesl, what are you doing', Louisa asked angrily, 'It's early'. Non of the children were happy to wake up that early. Brigitta however had a smile on your face.'You tell them', Liesl said. 'We have a plan to get fraulein Maria back', Brigitta said smiling. Her siblings stood dumbfounded. Liesl explained them how they found the letter their father wrote to their governess and how he had thrown it away and how he said her name in his sleep. 'But if father threw the later away, how can fraulein Maria know that she has to come', Gretl sweetly said. 'Because we are going to send it for him. We are going to surprise them both. Father misses her too, you know', Liesl sisterly replied, 'but in order to do that you have to get dressed'. 'Does father really love fraulein Maria', Martha required. 'I think so', Liesl responded, 'but love isn't always easy'. When they all were fully dressed, they had breakfast. The children were slightly surprised their father wasn't awake yet. Uncle Max usually slept until noon, but their father was usually already reading his paper when they entered the dining room. His absence gave them an opportunity to finalize their plans. Liesl put the letter in an envelope and wrote Maria's name on it. Now they only had to persuade Uncle Max to take them into town so they could deliver the letter in the abbey. The children hoped they weren't to late and Maria would come and never leave again. Liesl took Gretl upstairs, Uncle Max couldn't possibly resist the cute little face of the five year old.
After his shower, captain Von Trapp looked from his children and when he didn't find them in the nursery, he went to find Frau Schmidt who told them Max took the children into town. He nodded and went to his office. He started to look for the letter he wrote to Maria, but when he couldn't find it, he was convinced frau Schmidt already threw it away. Het took that as a sign to not write another letter. Maria was a nun by now and even if she came for the holidays, it would be hard for the children and for him to say goodbye to her yet again. He decided to take a stroll and to try and order his thoughts before the children came home. They didn't need to see their father gloomy, they had suffered enough. When he passed the lake, he couldn't help thinking about Maria again.
'I see I'm not the only one who wanted to enjoy the night', Maria said when she saw the captain sitting against a tree by the lake. Georg smiled when he heard her sweet voice. 'Care to join me, fraulein', he asked while motioning to the empty spot on the blanket he was sitting on, 'it is a lovely night indeed'. Maria sat down next to him. She loved their moments together and she felt they became great friends. 'How are the children', the captain asked. Maria smiled and starting to fill him in on her day with the children. She loved that children very dearly, like they were her own and the thought of losing them made her sick. She had to realize this children didn't belong to her and that they would never call her mother. The baroness would be their mother before the end of the year according to Frau Schmidt. 'Fraulein', the captain said, 'What's wrong. That's the second time I see that sad look in your eyes and after all you did for us, I hate to see you unhappy'. 'it's a lovely night indeed', Maria answered. The captain didn't ask any further, he felt that he just got to let it go for the moment. 'On nights like this, I went to my mountain, well The Untersberg', she went on, 'I just had to be part of the night and sing'.
'Stay awake, don't rest your head
Don't lie down upon your bed
While the moon drifts in the skies
Stay awake, don't close your eyes
Though the world is fast asleep
Though your pillow's soft and deep
You're not sleepy as you seem
Stay awake, don't nod and dream
Stay awake, don't nod and dream'.
When she stopped singing, she sighted. 'After my parents died, I had to live with my uncle', she told him, 'He wasn't exactly kind and loving. His wife died in childbirth and I guess he didn't like children very much since. He really didn't like me and every reason was good enough for him to punish me'. By now she was sobbing uncontrollably. Georg was angry and sad at the same time. He couldn't understand how anybody could hurt this lovely girl. He didn't know what to say to her, so he did the only thing he could possibly think of and held her in his arms. Maria seemed to be comforted by his embrace and put her head on his shoulder. 'I'm so sorry, Maria', he said her name again, 'I'm so sorry'. 'It's alright, captain, it's in the past. It's just I was Gretl's age when my parents died and I never had a family after that. Seeing your family interact, seeing al the love, it helps', she said while looking in his eyes, 'you have to stop thanking me, I should be the one thanking you for allowing me to be here'. Georg couldn't believe how she could be so selfless. She was the one saving his family and making them interact again. 'I believe you're wrong, fraulein', he said sincerely, 'You made us act like a family again and I can't thank you enough for that'. Maria blushed at the intensity of his stare and when she realized he was still holding her, she quickly rose and wished him goodnight. It wasn't exactly proper to let her employer comfort her. She couldn't believe she did that again, however she felt relieved she told someone about her parents and her wicked childhood. The captain felt honored Maria trusted him enough to tell him about what happened after her parents died. The reverend mother told him she didn't even tell her and she was always very secretive about that.
While the little ones kept Uncle Max busy in a toy store, Liesl and Friedrich sneaked out in order to bring fraulein Maria the invitation. 'What if she doesn't live at Nonberg anymore', Liesl asked nervous, she suddenly wasn't sure their little plan would work. When they were at the gate, they rang the bell and waited for someone to open the door. When sister Margeretha opened the gate, she asked them what they were there for. 'We want to see our governess', Friedrich Answered, 'Fraulein Maria. She's a postulant here or maybe a nun by now'. When he said the words, he suddenly felt said. What if she was a nun? Then all hope would be gone and she would never become their mother. Even tough he was fourteen, he still needed someone to love him and care for him and his siblings. 'Ah Maria, yes', Sister Margeretha replied, 'She isn't here at the moment. She's moving her things to her new apartment. You most be two of the Von Trapp Children. Maria talks a lot about you'. Ever since Maria came back that faithful night, het eyes would flicker with pride when she mentioned the children. Margeretha knew Maria loved these children as her own and she could see why. The elder nun had also suspected something happened between the captain and Maria, but Maria didn't want to talk about that and Margeretha had learned that when Maria didn't want to discuss something, you could better drop it. 'Her own apartment', Liesl asked curiously. She was eager to know whether Maria left the convent or not. 'Yes, she decided a life in the abbey wasn't for her and she left postulancy a while ago', Margeretha told the young lady. She could tell Liesl was very pleased to hear that. Maybe there was hope for them after all.
3
