"Ms. Rainer, I need to talk to you privately. Now."
Georg was angry. No, he was beyond anger. Livid, infuriated, and enraged were better words to describe how he was feeling in that moment. His chest heaved and his nostrils flared from taking the stairs two at a time, not wasting a second. He knew he must look like a mess with his wild eyes and wrinkled suit while his hair was undoubtedly tousled from running his fingers through it so often, but frankly he couldn't care less.
The whole drive up, he had been quietly seething as he prepared himself for what he was to find back at home, despite Max and Elsa's lighthearted attempts to calm him down.
In all honesty, he had drowned Max and Elsa out for most of the drive. He had barely been able to hear them over his fuming thoughts about the governess and her defiant tendencies. She had to have broken at least one rule if he was correct in thinking that they were outside when they should have been studying. It only led him to think what other rules had been broken.
Were they going to bed on time? Were they completing their lessons as scheduled? Were they doing their required reading? As Georg contemplated this, he admitted to himself that it was a rather strict routine he had them follow, but it was a routine that ensured that he knew what they were doing, when they were doing it, and that they weren't getting into trouble.
As much as he had neglected his children out of his own pain, he wanted them to be successful in life, and his rules were what he thought would give them the opportunity to be successful. He was always looking out for their futures. He wanted them to have the best opportunities in life. In his own mind, that was how he showed them that he did, in fact, care about them. Whether his children saw it that way was another matter entirely, one in which Georg did not spend much time contemplating on.
All his emotions had only escalated when he walked into the boys' room and saw his youngest son lying in bed with a bandaged foot. His heart had sunk with guilt. Was he okay? Was he in pain? But he was baffled by the beaming smile on his son's face. He certainly didn't look to be in that much pain, though it didn't make Georg any less angry about the situation.
He had been expecting worse. Kurt didn't seem to be bandaged or injured anywhere but his lower leg. But even despite the boy's injuries being less severe than he had feared, Georg was still furious. The way Maria had hung up on him was completely unethical and utterly unprofessional. He was her boss and she was taking care of his children. If something happened to one of them, he had a right to know straight away, not whenever she felt like telling him.
Before Maria had even had the chance to respond to his demand, he had gripped her upper arm and pulled her out into the hallway, dragging her into one of the rooms he knew was vacant. He had all but pushed her inside, slamming the door shut with excessive force behind him.
They were in a storage room that was smaller than most of the bedrooms in the house, but big enough that they weren't crammed. In fact, there was enough room to put a good six feet between them, a distance that felt safe for Georg and his temperament. He would never harm her, that much was certain, but his body was practically trembling with rage.
He eyed Maria as he began to pace around her, like an animal stalking its prey. He kept his hands clasped behind his back, trying to still them from shaking.
She looked bewildered, but not frightened. She stood straight up with her head held high and her lips pursed as she firmly stared at the door she had just been forced through. The only indication that she was even remotely fazed by what had just happened was her widened blue eyes. Georg was rather annoyed that she didn't look more scared. Didn't she know her job was on the line?
He thought for a moment before speaking. He wanted to collect himself before starting what he knew was going to be an uncomfortable argument. He needed to be completely in control of the conversation, and of himself.
"Now," Georg started, his voice coming out dangerously calm. He could have smiled at how in control he sounded, if he wasn't so pissed off. "Would you please tell me how my son ended up getting injured when he was supposed to be doing his studies?"
"He was climbing a tree, sir," she stated simply. Georg's eyebrows shot up. Climbing a tree? Why on earth would she have let him climb a tree? He narrowed his eyes at her.
"Is that right? And climbing trees was part of his studies?" he asked, his face twisting into a scowl. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her say it. He wanted to hear that she had openly broken his rules and disregarded the discipline he had set in place. It would just give him further cause to fire her.
"The children were taking a break from their studies at the time," she replied. He was irritated that her voice sounded so calm and neutral as she jutted out her chin defiantly. He was certain that she had no regard for consequences whatsoever.
"I do recall telling you that my children were to study from breakfast until lunch, in the study room," he stressed the last part, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her. Maria's calm state was driving him into a frenzy. He felt his iron clad control slipping away with each passing second. He needed her to react. He needed her to give him that little push to be able to fire her. But before he fired her, he wanted to hear just how many of his rules she had broken.
"They were studying from breakfast until lunch, Captain, just as they had every day since you left. I just gave them a small break in between. Frankly, I don't recall you specifically mentioning where they were to study," Maria responded in that annoyingly melodic tone. Georg could feel his hands twitch behind his back as he circled her again. He kept his gaze to his fine leather shoes as he took slow measured steps. When he looked at her in such a calm state, it only mad him feel more outraged. Perhaps if he didn't look at her, he would be able to maintain his control.
"I see. And you just allowed Kurt to climb up the tree, knowing he could get hurt?" he inquired. He heard her huff quietly and brought his gaze back to her face. Her eyes had narrowed at the door she had been staring at. Georg felt like he was finally hitting his mark.
"I hadn't seen that he was climbing until-," Georg swiftly cut off her answer. She had given him a perfect excuse to fire her, but he wanted to see just how far he could push her.
"You mean you were neglecting your duties to watch them?" he asked. Finally, she turned her head to look at him. For a brief second, he could see the hurt in her eyes before it melted away into an igniting fire. He was satisfied to see her calm façade rapidly slipping away.
"No, Captain, I was answering your phone call when he started climbing," she shot at him, the venom seeping into her voice with every word. Georg was taken aback by her response. He stopped his pacing in front of her to fix her with a darkening stare. She only reflected his glare in her eyes. Was she trying to put the blame on him in some way?
"Are you trying to say it's my fault that Kurt fell?" Georg asked, unclasping his hands and letting them fall to his sides.
"What I'm trying to say, is that children will be children. You can't always be watching them, and sometimes, they get themselves into trouble. It's a part of life." She had regained some control of her voice as she replied to him in an even tone, but the fire in her eyes was still present.
"You are getting paid to watch them and make sure that they don't get hurt!" he exclaimed, his voice rising. His hands balled into fists at his sides as he felt his blood begin to boil with new vigor. "And you're getting paid to follow my rules."
"Forgive me in I'm wrong, but I thought I was getting paid to take care of children, not well-oiled machines who are required follow a routine worthy of prisoners," she shot back. Georg narrowed his eyes, unconsciously taking a step forward. So, she wanted to play it that way? He knew she was just trying to take shots that matched his own, but he wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't let her have the upper hand in this conversation.
"I will not forgive you for insinuating that I am some sort of prison warden in my own home. The point is, you should be following the rules I put in place. I get to decide how they conduct themselves because they are my children." His voice sounded nearer to a growl than his normal tone.
"Barely," she muttered under her breath. Georg felt a hot white flash of rage course through him as his ear picked up the word. Was she really going to go down this road? Was she really going to start picking apart his failings as a father? Georg didn't know if he could bear it if she did.
"Excuse me?" he spat out the question. He knew his control was rapidly escaping him, but he couldn't bring himself to care anymore. She was stepping completely over the line.
Maria shifted her gaze away from his to look over his shoulder at the door behind him. She looked hesitant for a moment, but slowly, her gaze came back to his and he found a whole new pool of defiance in her irises. Perhaps if she thought if she was already losing her job, there was no point in holding back.
"You don't even know them. From what I've gathered, you've barely spent more than a mealtime with them for five years. You're never home. You almost pretend as if they don't exist. You can't act as if you're some wonderful father figure who cares about them if you haven't even taken the chance to get to know them." Georg was shocked at how forthcoming her anger was as she spoke. Her words stung. He knew deep down that everything she had said was right, but he certainly would not admit that to her.
"You know nothing about the relationship between my children and myself," he spat. His foot took another step, slowly invading her space. As he came closer, he did notice fear beginning to register in her eyes. She stepped back. He briefly wondered if she thought he might harm her.
"I know enough. I know that you've closed your heart to them. I know that you've left them confused and hurt and that they've built nearly impenetrable walls because of it," she told him. Georg scoffed. She had spent two weeks with them and though that it meant she knew them? It was ridiculous. What was more ridiculous was just how right she was. He felt something within him begin to crack as he heard the truth in her words.
"But you think you've broken those walls down in a matter of weeks, so you must know everything, right?" he asked, sarcasm dripping through his tone. Maria scowled at him. Her cheeks began to form a scarlet color. She was finally getting angry. Georg wasn't sure if he was pleased that she was finally reacting. He had thought that he wanted a reaction out of her but seeing her stare at him with unbridled fury almost frightened him. He almost didn't want to hear the shots she would take at him when she was angry when the punches she threw while she was seemingly calm were beginning to stir something familiar deep within him.
"I took the time to get to know them. I don't claim to know everything, but I know that they miss their father," she returned. Her words were like a shot through Georg's heart. He knew they missed him, he knew he had been a terrible father, but he certainly didn't need to hear about it, especially from her.
"I also know that Liesl isn't a child anymore. She hasn't been since she was eleven, when she was left to raise her siblings while you ran away," she continued. Georg huffed out a groan. He didn't want to hear about this. He didn't want to hear about how broken and alone he had left his children.
He regretted pushing her. Her jabs were tearing Georg's insides apart. All the feelings and regrets he had safely tucked away threatened to rise to the surface of his mind.
"Don't speak about Liesl. I don't want to hear it," he said, his volume increasing. Surely anyone walking by the room would be able to here him quite clearly, but he didn't care. His control was barely there anymore.
"Someone's got to tell you about them. Maybe then you'll get it through your head what you've done to them," she spat. He was stunned into silence, both by her boldness and by her volume. It seemed that she was competing with him for who could be louder. She paused to study him before continuing to throw verbal punches. "Friedrich's becoming a young man, but he's had no one to show him how to be one."
Hearing about his failings as a father began to cause more pain in Georg than anger. He couldn't hear about how he'd disappointed his children, how he'd abandoned them, how he'd completely and utterly failed to be there for them for five years. It was far too much. He had purposely tucked any guilt and regrets away, knowing that if he thought about it, it would ruin him.
Hearing the words come from her mouth made it too real. His emotions were bubbling in his chest and it stung after shutting them away for so long. He knew he was beginning to unravel. He could feel a deep pull in his gut, a pull he hadn't felt since Agathe's death.
"I don't want to hear it," he practically shouted. Everything he had buried, five years worth of pain, was rising to the surface so rapidly it threatened to completely undo him if he heard anymore.
"And Kurt admires you more than anyone else, but all you do is brush him aside. You have brushed them all aside. They've started to believe they aren't important because of it." She was relentless, completely ignoring his requests to stop. It was like she wanted to slice him where it hurt and watch as he bled out.
His feet moved on their own accord, stepping closer until he was in her space and her back was against the wall. He had hoped that it might intimidate her, that maybe getting in her space would make her back down, but she still stood with her head held high. It didn't matter that he was looming over her, trapping her like a small animal; she still held control over the conversation.
"Brigitta notices so much, you know. Especially about you. She talks about you so fondly. And she craves for you to just pay some attention to her. She loves you so much, they all do." Georg's mind was now screaming at him as he felt something snap within him. His hands twitch at his sides, while his eyes snapped shut. He was afraid of opening his eyes again; he was afraid of what he would see when he looked at her and he was afraid that the emotions coursing through him would give away as soon as he did open his eyes.
"Don't," his voice had dropped down to a low murmur. He could hear her sharp intake of breath in front of him. He felt something shift. It was as if the anger was being sucked from air and all that was left was the pain, the hurt, and the sadness.
"Louisa's more of a mystery. She's wary of everyone, but her eyes always light up when someone mentions you," Maria's own voice had dropped in volume and it had lost most of its edge. She spoke softly. She stopped her accusing approach to the conversation. Instead, she took on a more dangerous tone, one of gently letting him know that he really didn't know his children at all. He could feel the cracks in his heart deepen.
Georg took a shuddering breath, desperately trying to keep his composure while the guilt, anxiety, and grief all built up inside his chest, stronger than he had felt it for many years. Everything stirring inside of him threatened to boil over. Everything he had pushed away began pounding on the confines of his mind, threatening to spill out.
"And Marta and Gretl are just desperate for affection. They don't know you as well as the older children, but they idolize you all the same. They just want your love. They all just want your love." She had done it, she had broken the dam inside him.
Everything began to flow freely inside him; the pain, the guilt, the sickening ache in his heart. It all came at him so quickly, he wasn't sure if he would be able to put himself back together in the aftermath. His mask was shattering before his eyes, revealing the broken man behind it.
It was enough to make Georg's eyes snap open as his open palm landed hard against the wall next to her head. He watched her flinch at the sound, but she did not look fearful in the slightest. Her eyes watched him with a tenderness that threatened to destroy him.
She was watching a man who had treated her so coldly and so terribly, and yet, she didn't move. She didn't push him away, she didn't try to escape, she just stared up at him with those big blue eyes silently telling him it was okay.
"I just can't…" he wasn't able to finish his sentence as he felt tears prickle at the ducts of his eyes. He tried desperately to fight it. He wouldn't cry, especially not in front of her. He wouldn't show weakness.
His mind was so completely overwhelmed by the emotions that her words had sparked, that his body just began to react. He dropped his head, attempting to hide his face that was cracking with an emotion he hadn't shown since Agathe's funeral. He felt his forehead meet her shoulder as he desperately tried to keep any tears that threatened to escape from his eyes.
He felt ridiculous. He hadn't cried in well over four years. Georg had always believed that crying was a sign of weakness, and the von Trapp men weren't weak. His father had told him that enough times for it to resonate.
The words she had spoken to him were ones that no one had ever dared to utter to him. His breaths were shallow against the fabric of her t-shirt as he tried to regain some semblance of control.
She had completely unhinged him just with the truth. No one had spoken so openly to him about the wrong he had done to his children. No one had ever dared to try and bring his emotions to the surface like she had done. After hiding away for five years, hearing the blatant truth being thrown at him had overwhelmed him to the point where he could no longer hold back everything that had cumulated in his heart.
Georg was vaguely aware of Maria's hands tentatively resting on his sides; not pushing him away but also not pulling him into an embrace. Georg recognized it as an action of comfort. She was trying to comfort him without getting too close.
He immediately felt another surge of guilt at the things he had said to her and the way he had treated her. Even after his abominable behaviour, she wasn't shying away when he was showing his most vulnerable side. After he had treated her with cold disregard and all but accused her of getting his son injured, she was the one comforting him.
He had known she had a gentle heart from the moment he had met her. The way she spoke and the way she wore her heart on her sleeve were clear signs of that fact. And yet, he had basically taken advantage of it on that night. And then he had treated her in a stony manner when she had come under his employ. It was easier to disregard her than to acknowledge her, because to acknowledge he would be to acknowledge that night.
He felt utterly ashamed. Ashamed of his actions towards his children, ashamed of running away from everything after Agathe had passed, ashamed of how he had treated Maria. He had been ashamed of all these things before, but he had buried it. He thought if he buried his shame deep enough, it would go away eventually. But Maria had taken a shovel and dug through to all his fears and feelings in a single conversation.
He felt the soft touch of her hand in his hair as she cradled him awkwardly to her, like a young boy, while he worked out his emotions. He breathed deeply against her shoulder, trying to regain a normal breathing rate. He desperately wanted to regain his composure. He felt embarrassed standing there, leaning on her shoulder as he fought back the physical reactions of his emotional turmoil, especially after the way he treated her and all that was left unsaid between them.
But she didn't rush him or push him away. She let him work himself out at his own pace while her fingers smoothed over his hair. He felt like a child back in his mother's arms. No one had comforted him like that in years. He hadn't let anyone comfort him in such a manner. He believed he had never needed comfort, that he was strong enough to deal with things on his own. Obviously, that hadn't turned out well.
Slowly, he raised his head from her shoulder once he felt he was safe from making an even bigger fool of himself. He kept his eyes closed as he raised his head up, feeling her fingers slip out of his hair. He felt her warm breath tickle his cheek. He could smell the faint lavender mixed with vanilla that he had come to associate with her. He was suddenly hyperaware of how close they were, but he didn't make a move to pull away. Her closeness was comforting him in a strange way.
When he did open his eyes, he found Maria watching him carefully, a low light of concern reflected in her eyes. How could a person be so inherently good and selfless? He had been detestable at best, and yet she there watching him with an overwhelming degree of tenderness as he unravelled before her eyes.
He felt the urge to say something, anything. He wanted to explain himself, to apologize for breaking down. He wanted to tell her how uncharacteristic it was of him. He really wanted to tell her that this wasn't him, that he was not a man who broke down like a child, but in all truth, he couldn't be sure who he was. He had worn a mask for so long that he didn't know what lay behind it.
As he searched her eyes for any sign of fear or discomfort, he found something sad in her eyes that he couldn't identify. Did he upset her? Had his breakdown made her feel uncomfortable? It had certainly made him uncomfortable. He had the overwhelming urge to comfort her in some way as he watched the sadness intensify.
Before he could move or speak, he heard the faint sound of music, laughter, and singing. He tore his eyes away from Maria, looking around the room to locate the source. He had not heard sounds like that in a very long time.
"What's that?" his question was a hoarse whisper.
"I think it's the children," she whispered softly back. He looked back at her, his eyebrows raised.
"The children?" he asked. Surely it couldn't be. His children didn't sing, and they rarely laughed in the rare occasions that he had seen them. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest once again. It wasn't like he was around enough to know if they sang or laughed, Maria had been right about that. And when he was around, they obviously feared his volatile moods.
Maria bit at her bottom lip and avoided his eyes. She was obviously unsure of how he would react if she replied to him.
"I've been teaching them some songs and they've been introducing me to the music they like. I know that a musical education wasn't in their lesson plans, but they have such lovely voices and such a passion for music. It made them feel closer to her," Maria told him softly. Her eyes coming to rest back on his face as she tried to gage his reaction.
He winced slightly at the mention of Agathe. She had been very passionate about music. Wherever she went, she seemed to be humming a tune. She had a lovely voice too. It was one of the many things Georg had loved about her. When she had died, it seemed like there wasn't a song on the radio that didn't remind him of her.
They had been a musical family before Agathe got sick. Georg would sit one of the children on his lap while he played piano and Agathe sang. The children came by their musical talents naturally, but he had discouraged them from ever exploring it. Hearing their voices had only reminded him of the times they would all sing together to the radio on road trips to their summer home or when he and Agathe would theatrically sing to one of the children when they couldn't sleep. The thought had been too much to bear in his heavy heart.
Feeling curious, he slid his hand from the wall by Maria's head and stepped away from her completely. He gave her a fleeting glance, hoping he could convey that he wasn't upset before he turned to exit the room. He walked past a couple rooms before peering outside the boys' door where the children where. They were all gathered around Kurt as they sang to the music coming from one of the children's phones.
Georg's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the tune. It had been one of Agathe's favourite songs before she had died. It was some overplayed pop song about falling in love that he had never personally cared for, but she had played it for him enough times that he could recognize the tune.
He had thought that hearing the song again would bring him insurmountable pain, but watching his children smile at each other as the harmonized through the song filled his heart in an unfamiliar way. His heart started to feel fuller than he could remember it feeling in a very long time. Maria was right, they had beautiful voices.
He had missed so much time, he began to reflect as he looked to each of the children's faces. Gretl was getting so big, hadn't she just been a small bundle in his arms only yesterday?
Marta was growing rapidly as well. He noticed as she smiled at Gretl that she was missing quite a few teeth.
His little Brigitta, nearly eleven, was getting so tall. She might even be rivaling Kurt in height.
Kurt reminded Georg of himself as a young boy. The boyish rounded cheeks, the dimples, the beaming smile; he was the spitting image of Georg at eleven with sprinkles of Agathe in his features.
Louisa, nearly as stoic as Georg himself, smiled as Liesl wrapped an arm around her, and Georg was struck by the resemblance she bore to her mother.
Friedrich, by God he had gotten big, was sat next to his brother and Georg was absolutely taken aback by the young man. He certainly looked to be growing into a man, and quickly at that.
And Liesl, his fair Liesl, she looked so mature beyond her years. While her smile and aura still stayed filled with youth, her eyes held wisdom and maturity that most sixteen year old girls didn't possess.
Georg stood staring in awe at his children as they finished the last few verses of the song. He hadn't really taken the time to look at them in years. It had been much too painful for too long. He was afraid of reliving they pain of losing Agathe all over again when he looked at them. But as he watched them now, he couldn't feel pain. He only felt remorse for being so absent and a deep longing in his chest to get to know them.
As the final notes hung in the air, Georg brought his hands together in a slow clap as he stepped further into the room. Seven wide eyes turned to look at him. They looked as if they had just gotten caught pulling a trick. Georg felt a brief sense of regret that his presence made them feel as if they were doing something wrong.
"That was lovely," he spoke in a soft tone, one he wasn't sure when the last time he had used it with them was. She children's expressions went from surprised to wary. They didn't seem to believe he was really there saying those things. They stared at him as if he were some sort of figment of their imaginations.
They just want your love. They all just want your love. Maria's words echoed in his head. He wondered, after so long, if he could even possibly show them how he loved them. He wasn't even sure where to start. He had so much to apologize for. He had so much he had to say to them.
He wanted to say something to reassure them that he was really there, that it wasn't some cruel trick. He wanted to make them believe that he wasn't going to send them to their studies or bark orders at them. He wanted them to know that things could change.
He had to start by confronting what he had neglected for far too long.
"Your mother would be so proud," he choked slightly on the last word, his voice becoming thick with emotion. We watched the tears well up in the children's eyes as their mouths hung open in disbelief. Since Agathe's death, he hadn't mentioned her to them, or anyone else for that matter. He felt as if a weight was being pulled off his chest as he inhaled deeply. It felt oddly relieving to speak of her.
Slowly, he opened his arms, beckoning them to him.
It only took a split second before Brigitta and Marta were crashing into his arms while the rest of the children, with the exception of Kurt, huddled around him. He smiled more brightly than he could ever remember smiling.
He bent down to kiss Brigitta and Marta on the tops of their heads, turning out of their embrace so he could do the same with Gretl. He patted Liesl's check affectionately before briefly resting his hand on Louisa's shoulder and ruffling Friedrich's hair. The children all gave a watery laugh of pure joy that lifted his spirits higher than they had been in many years.
Georg stepped away from them, walking to Kurt's bedside. He smoothed his son's hair on his head.
"Are you in pain?" he asked. Kurt shrugged.
"It's not too bad now that I've got some ice on it," Kurt said, beaming up at his father. The boy's smile quickly fell though as realization struck. "But father, it wasn't Maria's fault. She had been on the phone when I started climbing. She told me to come down, but I didn't listen. It's all my fault."
Georg was a little surprised at his son's use of Maria's name, but he realized he shouldn't have been. Maria was not an overly formal person; it shouldn't be a shock that she would have asked his children to use her first name.
"Father, where is Maria?" Brigitta asked skeptically from his side. The children had undoubtedly heard the yelling. He was sure the entire household had heard their argument. He registered the fear in their eyes. They had probably thought he had fired her.
Georg's eyes snapped to the door and watched a flash of fabric pass. His feet began to carry him before he could register what was happening.
"I'll be right back," he called over his shoulder. He turned down the hall to see Maria walking in the direction of her room. He quickened his pace slightly.
"Maria," he blurted out, and she stilled immediately, turning towards him slowly, not daring to look in his direction. It struck him as odd, the way she seemed to be almost cowering in front of him now. She had been so unafraid, so relentless in their conversation only minutes ago, but now she looked terrified. It was enough to cause Georg concern.
He stopped a couple feet in front of her. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be. I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have broken your rules or said what I said," she said quietly, looking down at her feet.
"Don't. What you've done… Well it's been a very long time since I've seen my children so happy," he told her earnestly. She looked up at him with a shy smile on her lips. The way she went from feisty and defiant one moment to shy and sheepish the next was a mystery that Georg had the urge to solve.
"They just want to be close to you," she replied. Georg smiled despite himself. Even though she deserved the credit, she wouldn't take it, and that only made Georg wonder why.
"I forgot how beautiful their voices were. Thank you," he said. She shook her head.
"It was all them, I had very little to do with it," she replied, looking back down at her feet. He stared at her in fascination. She was so humble. Didn't she know that she had changed everything in a matter of minutes? That she had made him realize his mistakes when no one else could?
She began to turn away from him, wringing her hands.
"I better go pack," she muttered. Georg's eyebrows shot up so high he was sure they had retracted into his hairline.
"Pack? Why are you packing?" he asked, perplexed at her words. Had he accidentally fired her in his rage?
"Well, I just thought that after everything that happened-," he cut her off.
"No. Maria, please don't go," he said softly, his voice just short of begging. He needed her to stay. He needed her help to pick up the broken pieces with his children. They trusted her, it was obvious by the way Kurt had come to her defense. He needed her to help him win back their hearts after he had broken them so miserably. He pushed down the inner voice in his head telling him that he also couldn't let her go because he feared that he would be lost.
"Are you sure?" she asked skeptically. It had only been minutes since they had been yelling at each other in a storage room. The drastic change from that encounter to this one was astonishing.
"Yes. I want you to stay." I need you to stay, he said inwardly. "Please tell me you'll stay."
"If you think I could be of any help," she replied, keeping her eyes fixed on his tie. He smiled, binging a finger up to tip her chin up to meet his eyes, before bringing his hand back down to rest at his side. He tried to ignore the twitching in his hand after he had touched her.
"You've already done more than you can imagine," he told her earnestly. And she had. Maybe she didn't realize it, but she had made him see the errors of his way with her outspokenness.
He knew that things wouldn't change right away, that things weren't magically fixed, but he could feel a change within himself. He wanted to try and work on both himself and his relationship with his children, something he wouldn't have even considered only days ago because he refused to even acknowledge that anything was wrong. She had forced him to acknowledge it, and that in itself was incredible.
She gave him a genuine smile and he couldn't help but return it. Her smile was just so damn contagious, he noted.
"Georg, I'm all unpacked. I trust you've sent the governess packing! I could hear you yelling from all the way down-," Max abruptly cut off as he came into view, Elsa trailing behind him. Georg took a hasty step away from Maria and turned to be met with Max's startled gaze.
Damn, Georg thought as he closed his eyes briefly and took a few deep breaths. He had temporarily forgotten about the situation he had gotten himself into. He had forgotten that he had left Max and Elsa to get settled in. He had been too distracted by getting to his children and reprimanding the governess.
As he had driven Max and Elsa down, it had completely slipped his mind that Max knew Maria from that night. Perhaps knew wasn't the right word. He had seen Georg shamelessly caressing her with his mouth, and that fact terrified Georg. What Max must think! The woman was living under his roof now.
Max looked from Maria to Georg, back to Maria, silently asking a question with his eyes. Georg shot him a glare, telling him to keep his mouth shut and that he would explain later. Georg then spared a glance at Maria, who was avoiding Max's stare entirely, instead eying Elsa curiously.
Georg wanted to smack himself. Had he not told Maria only two weeks ago that he didn't have a girlfriend? While that still remained true, the fact that he had returned home with Elsa would undoubtedly be enough to get the wheels turning in Maria's head.
Georg cleared his throat as Elsa fixed him with a questioning stare, completely unaware of the awkward glances the trio were giving each other.
"Max, Elsa, this is Maria Rainer, the children's governess. And no, she will not be leaving us, not yet," he told them. Max shot him a curious look, but Georg averted his eyes. "Maria, this is Max and Elsa, my friends from Vienna."
He had hoped that the emphasis on friends might make her not doubt him. He was sure that she now thought he had been lying about having a girlfriend.
"Lovely to meet you, dear," Elsa said with all her usual politeness. But there was a way she was eying Maria that made Georg uncomfortable. Could she sense something?
"Yes, it is lovely to meet you, Maria," Max said, an edge in his voice as he directed his gaze to Georg once again. Georg gulped. How had he gotten himself into this situation?
"It's nice to meet you as well. But I'm afraid if I must go check on the children. Please excuse me," she said as she began to walk past them towards the children's rooms. Georg desperately wanted her to look at him, to gage her thoughts, but she completely evaded his gaze. She held her head high as she walked away and disappeared into the boys' room.
"She seems quite nice. I assume you sorted everything out?" Elsa asked Georg as she turned her gaze to him. Her look brought him insurmountable uneasiness in his chest. He felt his fingers flex at his side.
"Yes. It was a misunderstanding. Everything is fine," he said quickly, hoping to dismiss the topic entirely.
"So, she's staying here for the summer then?" Max asked, an eyebrow raised. Georg wanted to hide away from the scrutiny of his friend's eyes. How was he going to explain Maria to Max? How was he going to explain Elsa to Maria? How was he going to explain his muddled thoughts to himself?
"Yes, she is," he answered. Max cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. It was unbearably awkward. Georg cleared his throat. He needed to leave. He needed a moment to think about everything that had happened in the span of the last half hour. "I think I'm going to go change. This suit is getting a bit hot."
"I bet it is," Max muttered, earning an inquisitive glance from Elsa. Georg shot him a glare. He really hoped Max would keep his discretion, at least until he could figure out what to do about this mess. "Come Elsa, I think we should raid Georg's cellar while he's indisposed."
Georg opened his mouth to protest but shut it quickly. If Georg's cellar was what it took to keep Max quiet for now, then he would give it willingly.
He watched the two walk away, chatting between themselves as they descended the stairs. Georg let out a breath he had been holding in, turning towards the end of the corridor and walking briskly to his room. As he closed the door behind him, he leaned back against it.
He knew he was in a delicate situation, especially after what had happened in the storage room. He knew that things had changed, not only with his children, but with Maria. When you let yourself become so vulnerable in front of someone, it's bound to change things. He knew he needed her to help him get back into his children's hearts, but he couldn't deny that he felt like he needed her stability for himself as well.
But how would she feel about him now that Elsa was there? He wanted to be able to work with Maria in order to connect with his children, but he was terrified that she would think he was a liar and resume her indifferent attitude towards him.
He was also terrified that Elsa would be able to detect something. Terrified that she would be able to know that something had happened with him and Maria. Not that anything had really happened, and it had been many months ago. Nothing was certainly happening now, he thought, more to convince himself of that fact than anything. But he still feared that Max would spill the beans or Elsa would be able to put two and two together.
He pushed those thoughts away. He would deal with that when it confronted him. If Elsa suspected something, he had no doubts that he would be the first to hear about it.
For now, he knew that he had to think of a way to explain himself to both Maria and Max, knowing they were both likely very confused. He closed his eyes and sent a silent prayer that he would find the strength to be able to make everything right.
A/N: I got this chapter done a lot faster than I thought I was going to be able to. I think I felt bad about leaving it on such a cliffhanger.
I don't know how I feel about this chapter, in all honesty. I had it planned out to go in a completely different direction, but the story began writing itself.
Georg's vulnerable moment will be important for future chapters, although writing it I felt he might have been slightly out of character from the stoic movie Georg that didn't show as much emotion. That's the beautiful thing about fanfiction though. You are given characters that you can add dimensions and layers to. I just hope I didn't do him too much injustice.
That being said, I feel like this is the point in the story where I'm going to start diverting from the original plot we all know and love. This is a modern AU, so I really want to shake things up and experiment. Of course, the original plot will still be there loosely to guide the characters on their journey.
I'm really excited for the next few chapters, and I can't wait for you guys to see what I have in store. However, this month I have quite a lot on my plate, so I can't promise speedy updates.
I'm going to put the warning out there that this story will be subject to a rating change. It won't happen anytime soon, but it is something that will be happening eventually.
I've gone on for far too long. As always, your lovely reviews always bring a smile to my face. Thank you for reading my trash baby.