A/N: I'm sorry this update took so long. The last week has been crazy busy. I didn't find a lot of time to write. I also had a hard time with this chapter. I felt it was necessary as a stepping stone into the rest of the story, but it also really feels just like a filler. It was a pain to write and certainly not my best writing, but nonetheless, I hope you enjoy. Hopefully the next update will come out shortly.
Oh, and I've gotten a couple comments from people asking what year this is set in. I don't necessarily have a year in mind. Anywhere within the last decade is where my mind has been when writing this.
Thank you so very much for reading!
As Maria picked at her potatoes, she reflected on how the dinner she was attending was just as awkward as the one she shared with the von Trapp family on her first night – in a completely different way.
The first meal with the von Trapp family had been similarly quiet and strained; however, this time, Maria had no desire to speak through the meal. Everyone stayed rather quiet through dinner. Each person drowning in their own thoughts. Maria assumed that the children were contemplating on their father's new attitude. They had been excited and relieved when Maria had re-entered the boys' rooms and had told her endlessly about the way their father had embraced each and every one of them.
Maria was happy for the children; it had been so long since they had seen their father, really seen him. For a moment they had seen their father from before their mother's death. They had seen the warm and caring father that most of them had grown up with. It warmed Maria's heart to watch them beam over their father's attentions. They had barely been able to wait for dinner to see him again.
However, once they had made it to the dining room, the tension in the air was thick as ever, but it was charged with a new energy.
Georg was polite enough as his children entered the dining room. He greeted each of them as they sat down, his gaze lingering on Kurt as Friedrich helped him into his seat. Gone were the cold, distant eyes that he had so often looked upon his children with. His gaze was warm and even loving as he watched his children settle down for a meal.
But then his gaze had fallen on Maria and she had felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw something that she couldn't quite identify resting in his blue irises. It wasn't the cold, hard stare she was used to. There was something that sparkled in his eyes as he greeted her. The sparkle unnerved her.
The whole incident in the empty storage room had unnerved her. He had been lecturing her about rules and discipline one minute, and he was nearly breaking down into tears the next.
She knew that her words had been harsh, that her truth had cut deep. That was the goal, she reminded herself, to make him realize that neglecting his children was wrong. But she hadn't expected such a strong reaction. In fact, she had expected him to get angry, to yell at her, to fire her in the end. She had not expected the usually rigid and stony man to crumble before her eyes.
She had felt bad, in the moment, for what she had said to him. It had obviously struck a chord deep within him and had been enough to make him break. It was nearly devastating to Maria to watch him lose control like that, and she couldn't for the life of her, fathom why. He had treated her indifferently from the moment she had stepped into his home, why should she be worried that she had upset him? She couldn't quite explain it to herself. Something about his shuddering breaths and the weight of his head on her shoulder threatened tears from her own eyes.
His state had struck her with an overwhelming pang of remorse. She had done the only thing she could think of doing; she had held him while he worked himself out. She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. She wanted him to know that his feelings were okay. She had hoped that comforting him in that moment might make him see that he didn't always have to be stoic and icy, that he could let himself be vulnerable.
So, she placed her hands on his sides, feeling him tremble from the effort to hold back his emotions under her fingertips. She half expected him to bolt from her touch, but he had only tensed for a brief moment before relaxing into the contact.
She hadn't comforted anyone in a very long time. She had been on her own for so long that she was almost unsure of how to comfort Georg. She had thought back to when her father had held her when she had scraped her knee after falling off her bike for the first time. He had cradled her to him and smoothed his hand over her hair until she had stopped crying.
Maria had tentatively reached a hand up to Georg's head. She had hesitated for a moment as she remembered the last time she had touched his hair. She had marveled at how soft it was. But she shook those thoughts out of her head. Now was certainly not the time or the place for those thoughts to enter her mind. Even though, she reflected, it all seemed eerily similar as she was trapped between the wall and his body once again.
As she stroked his hair gently, she had felt his breathing normalize against her shoulder. She tried desperately to avoid thinking about the feeling of his warm breath whispering across her collar bone. It was an awkward embrace at best. Considering their brief but erratic history, there was a lot unsaid that filled Maria with anxiety.
Thoughts had begun to fly at her at record speed. Would he fire her? Would he come out of his trance and become angrier? What was he thinking? Had she broken him?
When he slowly rose his head to meet her eyes, she felt all thoughts fly out of her head. He had looked at her with something completely unrecognizable. The sadness and pain were clear in his eyes, but there was something else, something lighter about him. He watched her with such curiosity. He almost looked as if he were in a trance, trying to solve a mystery without any evidence.
Maria was concerned, yes, but she also felt a pang deep in her heart as she looked at his face. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the tension in the creases of his forehead. She had known in that moment that she had stepped completely over the line. She had brought up his failings as a father and his wife – the two things she knew would hit him where it hurt. She knew it was over for her, that once he collected himself, he would fire her.
She began to feel a sense of loss she hadn't felt in a very long time. In that moment she realized just how much she had come to care about his children. She wished desperately that she hadn't gone and made a mess of everything.
And then the singing sounded through the walls and Maria knew she was screwed. The children had told her of Georg's distaste for music since his wife had passed. He had locked up the music room and thrown away most of the music in the house – CDs, old records, sheet music, everything.
He couldn't stop the children completely from accessing music. Technology was rapidly developing, and they could easily access any music that their hearts desired. However, the children made it quite clear that when Georg heard them play music, his reactions were often moody and volatile. Many of the children didn't understand why, but Liesl and Friedrich had confirmed to Maria that music reminded him so much of his musically inclined wife that he forbid it from his presence.
She was sure she was going to lose her job – if not from her earlier actions and comments, then for allowing music back into his house without his permission.
As Georg had slipped away from her to investigate, he gave her a last glance through clouded eyes. He did not look angry, he looked more so confused. Maria had watched him leave with remorse settling deep in her chest. She had really made a mess of everything.
After a moment, she had followed in his direction to find him embracing each of his children and Maria couldn't help but smile to herself. Perhaps she had gotten through to him. But just because he had listened to what she had said, didn't mean that he was any less angry that she had spoken so candidly or broken his rules.
As she heard Brigitta ask where she was, she knew she was about to be found lurking outside the door. The last thing she needed was to be caught intruding on a private moment between Georg and his children to make him even more angry. She had spun around to retreat to her room, only to be stopped by the sound of her name being called.
She had been baffled by his use of her first name and the softness of his voice. He certainly didn't sound like the angry, cold man she had come to know. And his use of her first name had thrown her completely off guard. It was so much more personal than his distant call of 'Ms. Rainer' that he had only used minutes ago.
She was even more astonished when he had asked her to stay. She had truly expected to be leaving the house within the hour. She had almost convinced herself leaving would be the best thing for the situation but hearing Georg's pleading voice made her heart stop. He had practically begged her to stay on. Georg was not a man she ever imagined would beg.
And then Max and Elsa had walked up the stairs. Maria was completely perplexed, not so much by Max's appearance, but by Elsa's. Georg had told her that Elsa was not his girlfriend, but he had brought her home. His actions were quite a contradiction to his words and Maria couldn't help but feel a little skeptical about the situation.
The woman in front of her had been stunning. She was elegant and poised and utterly beautiful. Maria briefly wondered what Georg was thinking if Elsa wasn't, in fact, his girlfriend. Just by looking at her, Maria felt inferior. This woman seemed to be nearly perfect.
She had felt Georg's gaze on her, watching her reaction. She tried to keep herself composed, but she was truly shocked and a little confused. Bringing someone home to meet your children is not something most people take lightly.
Maria refused to let her mind linger on the thought too much. If Georg was really going to change, if he really wanted to make things different, she wanted to help him. She wasn't about to start throwing accusations around. So what if he had a girlfriend, anyway? He had told her two weeks ago that it really wasn't any of her business, and he was right. She shouldn't really care at all. But the sting in her chest was hard to ignore.
She had made a quick exit, barely succeeding to ignore the stares from Elsa, Max, and Georg as she walked towards the children's room.
Thinking back on the encounter, she cringed. She should have said something more. She felt like it was almost rude of her to walk away so quickly, but she had felt entirely too awkward with the three of them studying her as they were. Dinner was not much different.
The dining room was silent for a majority of the meal, only the clinking of silverware and the ticking of the clock echoed throughout the room.
The children had lost their chatty aura that Maria had gotten used to after the past two weeks. While they had been overjoyed by his embraces earlier, they seemed rather skeptical around their father still. She understood that they might be wary around him; after five years of being practically ignored by the man, it was hard to imagine he could change so quickly.
Max and Elsa sat across from each other on either side of Georg. Their conversation was minimal, and from what Maria could tell, they seemed to be keeping their gazes down at their plates. Max would occasionally look in Georg's direction with a pointed stare for a moment before returning to his food. Maria couldn't help but feel guilty. Max had seen what happened that night all those months ago. He was also Elsa's friend. From what Maria could tell, Georg hadn't mentioned the incident to Elsa, which put Max in a precarious position.
Georg was another matter entirely. He refused to look at anyone after the commencing of the meal. He looked as if he were inhaling his food at lightening speed, likely trying to get away from the tense atmosphere as quickly as possible.
He had looked up only once and his eyes had locked with Maria's in a burning stare that made Maria feel uncomfortably warm. It was the intensity of his eyes that made the heat rise to her cheeks with new vigor. She couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking past those blue orbs, though she felt herself grow desperately curious. In the end, she had been the one to break the eye contact, not trusting herself to look at him any longer without turning into a tomato shade.
Maria tried to keep her eyes on her food, but she couldn't help but feel a little distracted. The children's silence was unnerving, Max and Elsa's presence was still very new, and Georg's unsettling look made her mind race. Her eyes subconsciously flitted about the room, not landing on any one thing for long.
Her dinner had also been left nearly untouched. While Maria usually enjoyed food and looked forward to mealtimes, something about the vibe during dinner set her off from eating much. She had felt a nervous pit grow in the bottom of her stomach that made food seem rather unappetizing.
It wasn't just the silence; it was her thoughts. The situation the adults had found themselves in was taking its toll on Maria's mind. Would Georg tell Elsa what had happened months ago? Would Max confront her about it? Or worse, would Georg confront her about it? The thoughts and questions running through her mind were enough to fill her stomach with dread. The uncertainty left her heart hammering in her chest.
Everyone finished their dinner at, what Maria was sure to be, a record pace. No one seemed very eager to linger. Georg dismissed the children in a soft tone, giving them a gentle smile as he did so. He looked years younger when he smiled, Maria reflected. Max and Elsa rose next, and Maria followed suit before a voice made her still.
"Maria, may I speak to you in my study?" There it was again. He had said Maria. The sound of her name rolling off his tongue in such a soft, rich tone threatened a shudder through her body, but she fought against it. My body is just reacting to the discomfort, she told herself, not his voice.
Max shot a glare in Georg's direction, cocking his head to the side as if asking a silent question. Georg quickly amended himself, evading Max's death glare. "To speak about Kurt's condition. I didn't get the full story."
Max did not relinquish his glare from Georg. He stared at Georg as if he had just smacked him across the face. Georg quirked an eyebrow at Max innocently, as if he didn't know why Max was upset. Max had only sighed.
"Elsa, I fancy a stroll through Georg's garden to work off the delicious meal I just consumed. Would you like to join me?" Max asked, his tone much lighter and more playful than his face allowed. Elsa looked from Georg to Maria to Max, her eyes clouded with a hint of skepticism. But she quickly composed herself.
"We might as well if Georg is going to be otherwise occupied," Elsa replied in a sweet tone. Georg smiled up at her politely.
"It won't take long," he told her. Elsa nodded and placed her hand on Georg's shoulder, letting her fingers drag across him as she made her way out of the room, Max following on her heels.
Georg rose from his seat as he watched Max and Elsa leave the room. When they were gone, he turned his gaze to the other end of the table where Maria stood. She felt herself flush again under his scrutiny. She tried to look away, but his gaze kept pulling her eyes back to his like a magnet.
"If you'll follow me," he muttered, almost in a shy way. He finally looked away from her and turned towards the exit, nodding his head for her to follow. She felt her legs moving on their own accord to meet him. He gave her a slight smile before beginning to walk with her down the corridor.
They reached a door Maria had seen before but never dared to enter. Mrs. Schmidt had told Maria that it was Georg's study, and that no one but him ever went in there. Maria was briefly confused as to why he would invite her in if he never let anyone else in there. She quickly pushed those thoughts away. Reading too much into his actions was a sure way to get herself into trouble.
He produced a key from the pocket of his slacks, and for the first time, she noticed that he wasn't wearing his typical jacket and tie. He wore a clean pressed light blue button down and grey slacks, and Maria was rather shocked. Of course, she had only seen him a total of four days, but besides the night he walked into her bedroom to catch her singing with his children, she hadn't seen him without a tie, and only one other time without a jacket. She had briefly thought he slept in a suit.
He opened the door and stepped aside, holding out his hand in a gesture for her to enter. She shot him a shy smile, being careful to not let her eyes linger on his face. She was taken back by the room as she walked through the door. It was a large room with dark colored shelves stuffed with books spanning nearly the entire perimeter, save for the large window behind his desk that flooded the room with dim light from the setting sun. The furniture in the room was a mix of modern and antiques pieces; an old mahogany desk, a giant leather chair, a large tv against the wall next to the door.
"The house is rather old. I believe it was built in nineteen-ten. I didn't want to ruin too much of the original outlay because it had so much history. A lot of the furniture actually came with the house," Georg told her. She heard the door clicked shut and she turned to look at him. He leaned back against the door, a lazy smile on his face as he too looked around the room.
"How long have you lived here?" she asked, examining the titles on one of the bookshelves. It looked like he carried a lot of classical literature, which didn't surprise her with the children's required reading list.
"Since Liesl was born. When we found out we were having a child, I decided we needed a proper home. We were living in a rather small apartment in Vienna at the time, and it was no place to raise a child. I looked for months for somewhere suitable, but everything seemed to be out of our price range. I was still in the lower ranks of the navy at the time and while Agathe's parents were wealthy, they had cut her off when she had made the decision to marry me against their wishes," Georg said, a small smile planted on his face as he got a distant look in his eye. Maria was surprised that he had mentioned his wife. Mrs. Schmidt had once told her that he would never bring her up if he could help it.
"An uncle of mine who had been living quite comfortably for years suddenly passed away. Though I didn't know him well, he had left his estate and a large sum of inheritance to me. He had never married and had never had any children of his own, so I suppose I was his closest relative. He had lived here for nearly five decades and kept it in pristine shape. I knew from the moment I walked through the doors that this was the perfect place to raise a family," he reminisced. Maria couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face as he told her how he came to live in such a grand house. She realized she knew next to nothing about Georg but hearing such a small detail of his life gave her insight into both his past and his character.
She noticed his smile fall rapidly as he came back to himself. His face turned to stone and Maria was afraid that perhaps he was angry. Perhaps nothing had changed.
"It was the perfect place to raise a family, until I destroyed my family," he spat bitterly. Maria knew he was speaking more to himself than to her, but she felt the urge to answer, to put his mind at ease.
"You went through something unimaginable. Healing takes time," she said, hoping to lessen his suffering a little. While she had thrown the same accusation at him only hours ago, she didn't want him to feel that way. She didn't want him to feel like he had destroyed his family because in reality, he didn't. He had been suffering for years about losing the love of his life, and it wasn't right for Maria to tell him that he wasn't allowed to grieve. Everybody grieved for different amounts of time, Maria should have been more sympathetic to that fact.
"Yes, well, it shouldn't have taken five years," he muttered, pushing himself off the door to walk over to the plush leather sofa off to the far side of the room. He sat down and nodded his head to indicate that she should join him. She took a few tentative steps towards the couch, suddenly unsure of herself.
It felt odd being alone with him now. She wasn't sure what to expect. He certainly didn't seem like the icy man she had known only hours ago. His gaze was warm as he watched her walk towards the couch. But she couldn't help but feel out of place. She had no idea who this man was anymore. The change had come so rapidly that she couldn't tell in what direction the conversation would go.
"I'm not going to bite, Maria," he said, a smirk plastered on his face. She quickened her pace and perched herself on the edge of the couch, avoiding his gaze entirely. A silence fell between them. Maria didn't know what to say, she didn't even know why he had asked to speak with her. He had said it was about Kurt, maybe he was waiting for her to explain further. Before she could open her mouth, he was speaking.
"I assume you might have some questions," Georg said, rubbing his hand against his neck as he looked down at his shoes. Oh, so that's what he wanted to talk about? Had he sensed her apprehension about Elsa? Did he really want to bring up that night? Maria didn't think she could bear it. She didn't want to hear that he had lied to her or that he had made a mistake that night. If Georg was really making a change, she didn't want to fight with him anymore.
"No. At least not what you may think I have questions about. You were right, it's not really any of my business," she spoke softly, keeping her gaze fixed over his left shoulder at his mahogany desk. It was easier to look past him than at him if he was really going to bring that topic up.
"Look, Maria, about that night," he started with a heavy sigh. Maria stilled; her entire body went rigid. She couldn't listen to what he was about to say. She could feel the heat rise to her cheeks at just the mention of that night.
"Don't," she said a little more harshly than she intended. He raised his eyebrows at her. She gave him an apologetic look. "I just mean that it's in the past. We said we would forget about it. Why don't we just start over?"
Georg's face broke out into a grin, showing off his boyish dimples and Maria couldn't help but keep her gaze plastered on his face. When he grinned in such a way, he really was quite endearing. She cursed at the fluttering deep within her chest.
"Really? You mean we could forget about what a beast I've been to you?" he asked, his smile faltering as his expression grew more serious. She could see the regret clear in his eyes. She shook her head lightly.
"I wasn't anymore polite to you. Perhaps a fresh start would do us some good," she shrugged. He nodded in agreement.
"I like the sound of that," he replied. Maria smiled and outstretched her hand.
"Hi. I'm Maria," she greeted. He looked at her hand curiously before closing his own hand around hers, giving it a small shake. Maria ignored the small jolt in her stomach at the warmth of his skin.
"Hi Maria. I'm Georg, it's nice to meet you," he said. He held her hand a second longer than necessary before he released it, leaning back into the cushions. Maria looked away, willing her cheeks to cool down. "I meant what I said earlier, I haven't seen my children so happy, or so open, in a very long time. How did you do it?"
"I just got to know them. They weren't really receptive to a new governess at first, but after I played a game with them…" she trailed off. She was revealing yet another rule she had broken. She knew he was trying to be different, but she wasn't sure how much one person could change in a day. He might still be angry about her breaking the rules. However, she was proven wrong by his light chuckle from beside her.
"It's okay. You've already broken a majority of my rules, what's one more?" he said. There was no anger or coldness in his voice, but Maria still felt the guilt stir in her chest.
"I am truly sorry about that. It wasn't right of me to go against your orders. They're your children," she said quietly, looking at her feet. She heard Georg sigh.
"And look how well I've treated them over the years. You were right, I treated them like prisoners in their own home. You came along and changed everything, but I've never seen them so… alive. Then again, I never paid attention," he spoke remorsefully. Maria looked up at him. There was a deep frown settling on her face that she had the urge to take away. After hurting him so much with her words already, she just wanted to make it right.
"I still shouldn't have gone against your orders. I had a job to do and I failed to do it today," she said softly. He shifted his gaze to hers.
"You mean Kurt?" he asked. She nodded gently. "That wasn't you fault. Kurt told me what happened. I'm sorry I tried to accuse you of neglecting your duties."
"I'm just glad it wasn't worse," she told him. He smiled gently, watching her carefully before his features fell slightly.
"Although there is one thing we do need to speak about," Georg said. Maria nodded for him to continue. "I know you were concerned about Kurt first and foremost, but if we're going to work together, you can't hang up on me like you did. I was scared half to death."
"I'm sorry about that. I really am. I realize how worried that must have made you. I won't do anything like that again," she told him earnestly. He nodded.
"I believe you. With that out of the way, there's something I'd like to ask you." He shifted on the couch to face her fully.
"Anything."
"Well, we've already covered that I've been an abominable father. Don't deny it, you said as much earlier, and you were right. But I don't want to be a distant father anymore. Watching them come together and sing one of her favourite songs today… I haven't felt so alive in a very long time. I guess I was wondering, because you seemed to have gained their trust, would you be willing to help me? I'm at a loss about how to make the last five years up to my children, all I know is that I desperately want to make things right. I don't know if I can do it on my own. Could we work together?"
Maria was astonished. He was so genuine in his question. It was apparent that he was desperate to make things better with his children, but she was thrown off by his plea for help. She had never pegged Georg as the type of man to ask for help. Even when she had met him at the nightclub nearly four months ago, he had seemed entirely independent.
"Do you think I can help you?" she asked. She was flattered in a sense that he was asking for her help, but she doubted her capabilities to assist him in winning back his children's hearts. She didn't feel that there was much she could do. All he had to do was open his heart up a little and he would have all of them wrapped around his finger.
"I do. As I said, they seem to trust you. I just don't know where to start in making things right," he replied. He was looking at his hands as he twiddled with his thumbs in his lap.
Maria watched him for a moment. How could someone do a complete one-eighty in a day? He had been harsh and angry when he had returned from Vienna. He had been extremely upset that she had broken his rules, and he had thrown numerous accusations at her. Now, here he sat, admitting his wrongs and asking for her help. It was baffling to see such a change.
Even his demeanor was more relaxed. He sat back on the couch, settled into the cushions comfortably. His muscles were no longer tense, his face no longer held a permanent scowl. His eyes held guilt and pain in them, but his features were much more relaxed. This was the Georg that she remembered from the club and seeing that man again, the one who had driven her to madness, both pleased her and frightened her.
"I'd very much like to work as a team, if you want to," Maria spoke after a moment. He glanced up at her.
"I really do want us to work as a team," he started, "I think I'll be able to accomplish more if you help me."
"Well, there's no right or wrong way to start. If you want to be closer to them, the best thing to do is to spend time with them. It's all they really want. They want to get to know you and let them get to know you," Maria told him. He nodded, throwing his arm over the back of the couch. Maria noted that his hand was only inches from her shoulder as he began tapping his fingers against the leather in a random pattern.
"But will it be enough? Shouldn't I be doing something… more? I caused them five years of suffering, I don't know if simply spending some time with them will make them forgive me," he said quietly.
"It will be. That's all they've wanted for the last five years, is to spend some time with their father. The older ones may be wary at first, but the more time you spend with them, the more they will believe that it isn't some trick," she replied, hoping to ease his mind. She knew that he felt like he owed them a lot more than just letting them into his heart, but she wanted to make him see that it was all he had to do. He was overcomplicating the situation. He seemed to think that he needed to make some sort of grand gesture to win back their affections, but what he didn't realize was that he had their affections the whole time.
He seemed to contemplate Maria's words for a moment before nodding slowly in agreement. He didn't look entirely convinced, but she knew after some time he would understand that he didn't need to make some extravagant effort for his children.
"Well, you've made it quite clear that the rules will have to change," he said, shooting her a sly smile. Maria let out a breathy laugh.
"Are you sure?" she asked. It seemed as if every other sentence out of her mouth was asking him if he was sure. She just couldn't believe how quickly the change had come over him. It was almost as if she were asking if he was sure to make sure it was real, that his change was real.
"I'm positive, Maria," he replied. Maria felt a smile spread across her face. If someone had told her the day before that Georg von Trapp would come home and want to change his rules and win back the hearts of his children in the same day, Maria would have laughed in their face. However, she couldn't deny the genuine sparkle in his eye that told her his desire for change.
She opened her mouth, ready to give him a few suggestions, when a knock came at the door of the study. Georg and Maria both broke eye contact to look at the door where Max was sauntering through.
"Georg," he bellowed in a jovial voice. Max's eyes spoke a much different story from his tone. He eyed Georg's hand only inches from Maria with disdain. "As much as I love walking around your gardens, I'm in need of a drink. I was hoping that you might join Elsa and I for a nightcap?"
Elsa made her entrance at the sound of her name, looking radiant in a cream skirt and a silk pink blouse. Maria once again found herself staring in awe at the woman. She made elegance seem effortless. Her mind once again wandered back to what Georg had told her two weeks ago. He had to be lying. Elsa and Georg would certainly make a handsome couple. She quickly pushed those thoughts from her mind once again. Why was she dwelling on it?
"Um, yes, of course. Perhaps we can go to one of the sitting rooms? I'll join you in a moment," Georg said, as he cleared his throat. Maria could hear his fingers tapping once again against the couch. Max narrowed his eyes in Georg's direction, a look Maria was getting quite used to from Max.
"I can give you five minutes and then I can't be accountable for my actions. The drive was long today, and I desperately need some wine," Max feigned exasperation as he turned in Elsa's direction. Elsa chuckled.
"It wouldn't matter how long the drive was, Max, you are always in desperate need of some wine," Elsa retorted. Max scoffed at her before extending his arm out, signalling for her to take the lead. The two walked out, but not before Max sent another glare over his shoulder at Georg, and a small, apologetic smile at Maria.
Georg sighed loudly, causing Maria to look back at him. His head had dropped back against the couch while his eyes had closed. A frown had settled on his face. Maria wondered why. He often chose to go to Vienna to spend time with Max and Elsa, but then why did he looked less than thrilled to see them now?
"I enjoy Max and Elsa, I really do," he spoke as if reading her mind, "it's just been an emotionally taxing day. I'd like nothing more than to go to bed."
"It's not even the children's bedtime," she quipped quietly. She heard a strained chuckle come from his throat as he raised his head and opened his eyes.
"You're right. I must be getting old," he muttered, fixing her with a sheepish stare. Maria paused. She realized she didn't even know how old he was. In the nightclub, she would have guessed he was in his thirties. He certainly didn't look that old, despite his greying temples. Upon finding out he was the father of seven children and had been married for nearly twenty years before his wife passed, she knew somewhere in the back of her mind that he had to be older, but she couldn't be sure how much older.
Her brain set upon doing the math in her head, not realizing that she was just blatantly staring at Georg without saying a word.
"Are you okay?" His voice brought her out of her reverie as she watched him lean toward her, his deep irises holding concern in them. Maria nodded gently, suddenly feeling light headed.
"Yes, fine. I suppose I'm a bit tired too, is all. I should probably check on the children," she said as she stood. In all honesty, she just needed to leave the room. Everything he had said, all the change he was making, Elsa and Max's arrival – it was all becoming overwhelming.
"Of course. Perhaps we can discuss some new rules in the morning?" Georg asked, following suit and standing as well.
"Sure, whatever works for you, sir," she replied before turning to exit the room.
"Maria?" she stopped as he heard him call her name. She turned slightly to look at him. "You've done an extraordinary thing today. Thank you."
Maria could have fallen to her knees at the honesty in his voice and the remorse in his eyes. She wasn't used to such a side to him. In truth, this new Georg left her mind fuzzy. He was polite, kind, and open-minded. Something she never thought she'd see, or rather never see after that one night.
"Goodnight, Captain," she said. He gave her a weak smile.
"Goodnight, Maria," he replied. Maria turned to leave then, but she couldn't help but feel the burn of his gaze on her as she exited the room.
She exhaled a breath she hadn't known she was holding. What was happening to her? She wasn't sure, but she knew that the way her heart fluttered ever so slightly when he smiled only meant trouble.