Georg woke with the rising sun, feeling far more refreshed than he had in a very long time. As he stretched his limbs under the silk sheets, he found himself smiling. It was a new day, one in which he could start the journey to repair his relationship with his children. While he was still fearful that they wouldn't take to him as quickly as he might hope, he was eager to try all the same. He had confidence in Maria's help.
Maria was a wonder, he thought to himself. He knew he had made a change in the previous day, but it was striking to see a drastic change in her as well. She was certainly less feisty, much less accusatory about his parenting. In fact, she had practically defended him against himself. He felt guilty, if he was being honest with himself. He felt as if he had stripped her of her nature to reveal a much more timid Maria. Or at least, she was timid around him.
He had passed the children's rooms on his way to bed after a quick nightcap with Max and Elsa. He hadn't been able to stop himself from peering in, just to sneak a glance. Seven bodies were sat around Kurt's bed, each one laughing and giggling to the point of near tears. Georg couldn't fathom what could be so funny, but he couldn't care less. Seeing his children laugh so freely warmed his heart. He couldn't even be bothered to interrupt to announce it was time for bed.
It was nice to see Maria laugh too. Their conversations since she had come to work for him had been so strained and tense, which he was no doubt in large part to blame for that. Seeing her laugh so naturally and effortlessly filled him with a sense of hope he wasn't sure he had ever possessed.
He had gone into his room that night and slipped under the sheets feeling like a changed man. In a matter of minutes, he was able to let go of everything that had built inside him over the years. He knew he had not completely dealt with everything he needed to. There were a lot of memories and emotions that he hadn't yet confronted, and he knew the next few weeks would be difficult and mentally taxing. He wasn't scared though, as he had been in the past. He felt ready to finally face his demons and make things right once again.
He had fallen asleep more soundly than he could remember in the past five years. He had briefly thought that he would have a restful sleep, one in which disturbing dreams weren't able to plague it subconscious for once. He had been proven very wrong.
It had only been half past one when he jolted awake in his bed, drenched in sweat from another insufferable dream. He had hoped that making amends with Maria would have made the dreams stop. He had hoped that their newfound partnership might tamper down his unwanted attraction to her. His body claimed otherwise.
He sat up in bed and willed the dreams to stop. They had agreed to start over, to forget about the entire incident that had plagued his subconscious for weeks. They had agreed to work together for the sake of repairing the damage he had done to his children. The last thing he needed was to be having dreams about Maria, with both Maria and Elsa under his roof for goodness' sake.
He took a cold shower, which was becoming routine for him in the middle of the night. When his body had calmed down, he slipped back under his covers and tried to expel any thought of Maria from his mind. Instead, he thought about his children and how he was going to win them back. He had recited his list of ridiculous rules that he was determined to change until his mind began to trail off into the realm of sleep.
Waking to a new day, with no other dreams having plagued his sleep, left Georg in a relatively good mood. He could see the orange strands of light streaming through his curtains. He could hear the birds singing in the yard. It filled him with a sense of hope for the day.
He stretched out one last time before throwing his legs over the side of the bed and standing. He threw open the curtains, letting the rising sun bathe his body in warmth. He took a step towards his nightstand table and checked the time on his phone. It was nearly seven. Breakfast would be served at seven-thirty.
With that in mind, he began to get dressed. He had always been partial to suits, he believed it made a man look more dignified, more important. However, today was not a day to look important. He didn't want to intimidate his children as he often had. He knew if he wanted to get them to open up to him, he had to start treating meals more like a family affair rather than a business meeting. He stood in his walk-in closet, weighing his options.
His suits lined one wall of the closet. On the other wall hung all the clothes he hadn't worn in years. He looked between the two sides of the closet as he tried to make a decision.
Turning away from the suits, he looked at the clothes he hadn't touched in half a decade. An array of jeans came into his line of sight. When was the last time he had worn jeans anyhow? He pulled a pair off the hanger.
Now he just needed a top. The left side of his closet held several jumpers, t-shirts, and polos, all of which he could never bring himself to wear after Agathe. She had always told him she liked it when he 'dressed down'.
He huffed to himself as he came to the realization that his suits had been like armour. He wore them as a defense mechanism, keeping everyone on the outside. He couldn't do that anymore. He couldn't walk around in a suit of armour if he wanted his children to let him in, if he wanted to let his children in.
He decided on a dark polo. It was the next step down from a button down in his wardrobe. It was the safest choice. He didn't want to change that drastically. He wasn't sure he could handle it yet.
He began to slip the garments on, cringing slightly at the unfamiliar fabric of the denim against his leg. He supposed it would take some time to get acquainted with jeans again.
After slipping his shirt over his head, he made his way to the bathroom. He scarcely recognized himself. Not only was he wearing foreign clothes, there was something about the way he looked. It was as if his skin were glowing.
He smiled slightly at his reflection and was surprised at the result. That was it; he looked younger. Without the permanent scowl and brooding eyes, he looked years younger.
He set about taming his unruly hair, a process that took more time than he was ever willing to admit. Once he got all the locks in place, he gave himself one more glance in the mirror. Feeling satisfied, he went to grab his phone and keys before slipping on a pair of shoes and then exiting the room to make it down to breakfast.
As usual, Georg was the first to arrive. He typically arrived first for all meals due to his strict naval puntuality. He had learned the hard way that being early was better than the risk of being late.
He took his usual seat at the head of the table, leaning back in his chair and waiting for the others to arrive. He felt his palms begin to get clammy as he waited. He looked down at his hand that was trembling slightly in front of him. Was he nervous? He supposed he was. He wanted to make a good impression. He wanted to laugh at the idea of a father wanting to make a good impression on his children, the idea seemed ridiculous.
He had not been seated for five minutes before he began to hear the clicking of footsteps against the marble floor. He turned in his seat, smiling as he watched his children file into the dining room, Maria taking up the back of the group.
Overall, the expressions of the children were mildly confused as they took in their father's appearance. The man sitting at their dining table was not a man they knew. This man had a smile on his face and an attire that was not made up of a suit. This was a man they had known many years ago but hadn't seen in a very long time.
Maria's face was one of utter bafflement as she walked into the dining room. For a split second, her mouth had hung agape, and her eyes had widened as she stopped dead in her tracks. Gretl had collided with Maria's leg, pulling her from her trance. Maria quickly composed herself and pulled Gretl with her to the far end of the table, evading her eyes from Georg's direction as she got Gretl settled in her seat.
Georg couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face at Maria's reaction. The way her cheeks had flushed at the sight of him filled Georg with a sense of pure male pride he hadn't felt in a while.
Once all of the children and Maria had sat down, he commenced the meal. He didn't expect Max or Elsa to rise before ten. Unlike him, they were not morning people in the slightest. Besides, he had left them with a bottle of wine between the two of them and had no idea when they ended up calling it a night.
Breakfast began much like dinner had the night before. It was quiet, no one in the room quite knowing what to say or do besides pick at their eggs. Georg took a moment to survey the table. The eldest five children sat with their gazes cast downwards, stony expressions glued to their faces. Marta and Gretl, completely oblivious to any tension in the air, scarfed down their meals with impressive speed for two young girls.
However, Georg noticed that Maria was the only person whose gaze was not on her plate. She was looking right at Georg, well right at his chest. Her gaze would flicker from his chest to his upper arms, which were only half concealed by the sleeves of his shirt, only to revert back to his chest once again. From the look on her face, she was completely unaware of what she was doing, but Georg was very aware.
Her gaze made him feel… naked. His body burned everywhere her gaze travelled, which puzzled him. How could her eyes ignite a fire on his skin? What puzzled him even more was the tightness in his chest as he watched her eyes flick about his torso. It was almost suffocating, and he couldn't quite fathom why his body was having such a reaction.
He cleared his throat, causing Maria's eyes to cast upwards to meet his own. She immediately looked away from him, staring down at her plate as a delicious blush crept into her cheeks. Georg smiled to himself as he looked back at his own meal, but he quickly dismissed the smile. He shouldn't be enjoying Maria's attention. They had agreed to start over and be partners, that was all there was to it.
He couldn't let himself get confused. He was letting his gratitude for her shape into something else, and he couldn't let that happen.
To distract himself, Georg tested out some light conversation. His children had all looked up at him bewildered when he spoke in a gentle tone at the dining table. Georg starting a conversation during a meal was practically unheard of, at least unheard of for the last number of years.
Georg had felt uncertain at first about starting a conversation. He felt that commenting on the weather was something so small and useless in engaging his children. Looking across the table at Maria, she gave him an encouraging smile that let him know it was a good place to start.
The children had very little to say, which put a damper on his spirits. He knew they wouldn't necessarily warm up to him right away, he just wished he could see the smiles and laughter he had shared with them the day before, as brief as it had been.
Maria seemed to sense his dilemma and did what she could to save him from dying of embarrassment in front of his own children. When the children didn't say much, she engaged in conversation with him. He could feel the tension slowly slip from the room as the children became aware of the fact that Georg and Maria were a united front to some degree. With Maria's help, he slowly drew more and more words out of his children. He shot her a grateful smile and was delighted when he received a small nod of acknowledgement. He felt more confident with Maria's assistance.
It was a small step, he knew that. He knew he had to be patient if he wanted to make up for the mistakes he had made and the fear he had caused in his children. However, he was grateful all the same to just hear them talk to him, even if they were a little wary.
As breakfast came to a close, he considered it a victory. A small victory, but a victory, nonetheless. But he still had some things to take care of that morning, he remembered. He promised Maria they would speak about changing his overbearing rules.
As the children were getting up to leave, he asked her to stay behind to join him in his study. He was met with seven worried eyes.
"But father, Maria said she'd help me with my maths," Marta spoke up, her voice quiet but firm. Georg smiled at the young girl, hoping it was reassuring.
"And she will. I just have to speak with her for a moment. I promise she'll be right up to help you with your studies," he told each of his children. He briefly wondered if they still feared that he was going to fire her. Perhaps they thought his good temper that morning had been some sort of ruse and that he was still going to take away their beloved governess. He winced at the idea.
The children reluctantly left the dining room, shooting somber glances at Maria. Georg watched as she shot them a reassuring smile back and told them quietly that she would, in fact, be up in a moment. At least there was one person who wasn't still afraid of him.
Though, that was not entirely true, Georg reflected. She was rather timid around him after their time together in the storage room, something that both shocked and pained him a little. Maybe she was fearful of him after he had all but broken down in front of her. Maybe his vulnerability had been too much.
The two of them walked out of the dining room, back towards his study once again. He pulled out his key from the pocket of his jeans and unlocked the door. He spared a glance at Maria, who stood beside him, once again setting her gaze on his upper arm. He stifled a chuckle, instead opening the door and gesturing for her to enter.
Once she was in the room, he gently closed the door and walked past her to take a seat at his desk.
"Please, take a seat," he said, extending his hand to the armchair on the other side of his desk. She took a few tentative steps before sitting in the chair. Georg narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her.
At breakfast, they had seemed to be on the same page. They were pleasant in their conversation, and she did not back down from talking to him. However, when they were alone, she seemed to put up a wall between them, just as she had in the beginning of their conversation the previous night. It was curious to Georg, and it was quite anxiety provoking. He really hoped that he didn't make her feel uncomfortable.
Georg stayed quiet for a moment, resting his arms on the arm rests of his chair as he observed Maria. She kept her eyes to her hands as she twisted them in her lap. She sat rigid in her chair, and the unmistakable flush in her cheeks was ever present. He wanted to tell her that she didn't have to be afraid of him, that he wasn't going to hurt her, but he figured just telling her those things wouldn't be enough to convince her. It would take more than just a few words. Actions had always spoken louder than words. He cleared his throat.
"I had hoped we would be able to discuss changing some of the rules today. I know you relaxed them a bit while I was away, so why don't you tell me what changes you made?" he started the conversation, trying his best not to sound accusatory. When he had arrived home the previous day, he had been livid at the thought of his rules being trifled with. However, seeing how his children had blossomed under Maria's care, he knew she was doing something right.
"Well, I mentioned breaks during their studies," she commented quietly. Georg nodded.
"Yes, how often did you give them breaks?" he asked, slightly unnerved by the quietness of her voice. He was desperate for her to just meet his eyes.
"Well, we came to an agreement. Their phones stay out of sight while they study, and I give them a break. For every hour they worked, I gave them a fifteen-minute break to check their phones, or in the case of the little ones, to play a game. I know it may seem like a little much, but it really increased their productivity," she told him. She looked rather on edge while she was explaining the children's breaks. She wrung her hands in her lap, shifted in her seat, and she still wouldn't meet his eyes. She obviously still held some reservations about just how much he had changed.
"I'm inclined to believe you," he replied. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt in his words. He gave her a soft smile, hoping it would ease her mind. He truly wasn't angry, nor could he be. He believed that in that very moment, he wouldn't care what rules she had broken, just as long as his children were happy.
"I also gave them a half hour before lunch of free time. They work so hard, I just thought they deserved it," she urged, as if trying to convince him. He shrugged, drawing her attention down to his shoulders and upper arms once again. He fought back a shudder that threatened to course through his body under her scrutiny.
"As long as they are on track, that seems fine to me. Now, do they usually study outside?" he inquired, ignoring the unsteady thrumming in his chest as her gaze lingered on his shoulders before finally reaching his eyes.
"Not always. If it's a nice morning, the children seem to like studying in the fresh air. We do study in the study room as well, though," she told him. Georg smiled. When he was younger, he had always rather be outdoors than cooped up inside. It was almost laughable that he had tried to deny his children the outdoors; they came by their love of nature naturally.
"And they are productive outside?" he questioned, already knowing the likely answer.
"Oh, yes. I would say almost more productive outside," she said. Georg nodded, he thought as much.
"Then it's entirely up to your discretion where they study, as long as they get some work done," he replied. "What about their required reading?"
"They are on track for that as well. They children seem to enjoy reading aloud. I give each of them a part to read. Friedrich and Kurt have the most entertaining voices," she told him, a fond smile forming on her face. "Although, I've cut the reading time in order for the children to all play a game together instead of walking around the lake. At first, they were a bit wary, but they've come to enjoy running around together."
"What kind of games?" he asked. He noticed that she had opened up a little more, and he took relief in that fact. She wasn't fidgeting as much in her seat, and she was able to maintain eye contact with him. He took it as a good sign. He had hoped that she was becoming a little more comfortable in his presence.
"We've played capture the flag a couple times. We've played a variety of tag games and hide and go seek. I usually let the children pick amongst themselves," she replied.
"Physical education is important. I did not necessarily follow an adequate physical education," he muttered, scratching behind his ear. He was rather embarrassed on his lack of attention to that factor of his children's lives.
"Well, we can change that now, right?" she asked. Maria's eyes were filled with a refreshing innocence as she looked up at Georg. She made it seem so simple to undo all the wrongs he had committed against his children.
"I suppose that is the whole point of this meeting, yes," he chuckled. "Is there anything else you've implemented in their schedule that you'd like me to know about?"
"Instead of sending them off on their own after dinner, I've had them all sit together and watch a movie. Each of them gets a turn to pick a movie. Of course, I make sure they're appropriate for all the children," she told him.
Georg was taken aback by that. He couldn't remember a time all of his children had willingly sat in a room together to do something other than what was required of them. He could scarcely believe that they could all agree upon one movie. But that was the thing about Maria – she seemed to be able to do the impossible.
"Really? And they've enjoyed that time?" he inquired, blinking several times in Maria's direction. Her rosy lips quirked into a small smile.
"I would say so, yes," she replied. He had to smile at the thought of all of his children gathering in one of the sitting rooms and just enjoy a movie together. It was something he hadn't even thought about since Agathe had died, but if he was being honest with himself, he missed family movie nights. He was glad that Maria had given movie nights back to the children, even if she didn't truly realize the impact that it probably had on them.
He tapped his fingers against his chin as he digested the new information. So far, her changes of his rules seemed reasonable. She hadn't completely diverted from their schedule. In respect, her changes were actually quite subdued to what he had originally believed they would be. He had accused her of having no discipline, but she had proven him wrong. She kept the children in routine, made sure their work was done, and she even managed to get them to surrender their phones while they studied. He had to admit that he was rather impressed.
"I know you aren't necessarily fond of the idea that they all go to bed at the same time," he stated.
"I shouldn't have spoken so outwardly. If you think it's best that they all go to bed at eight, then that's the way it will be," she replied, her eyes flitting to the floor. He could tell by the grimace on her face that she disapproved wholeheartedly about the way bedtime was conducted. What bothered him was that she wasn't expressing her disapproval vocally. It seemed foreign to him for her not to speak out against his silly rules, as he had begun to come accustomed to.
"No, I think you were right on that account. Having my sixteen-year-old daughter go to bed at the same time as my five-year-old daughter seems ridiculous. What would you suggest?" he asked, genuinely wanting to know what she thought. She looked up to meet his eyes, her eyebrow quirked as she eyed him curiously.
"Marta and Gretl going to bed at eight seems completely reasonable. They are usually worn out by that time. Perhaps, Brigitta and Kurt could stay up an hour later, and Liesl, Friedrich, and Louisa could stay up and hour after that?" she suggested with a light shrug of her shoulders. Georg pondered this for a moment. It didn't seem unreasonable by any standards.
"Yes, that sounds fair," he said with a smile. "Thank you, Maria, truly. I think what you've done has been incredible. I can't thank you enough for the way you've cared for my children and for the way you've let me see how much wrong I was doing."
Georg watched a deep blush wash over Maria at his words, and Georg couldn't help but feel satisfied by the hue. He was dissatisfied, however, by the way she avoided his eyes.
"I can't take much credit in any of that I'm afraid. The children are incredible all on their own. And as for you, I think you realized all on your own, you just needed a little push," she said. Georg nearly scoffed at her inability to take a compliment. Did she not realize how much she had done for his children? For him? For god's sake, she had cracked through that stony mask he had kept on for five years when no one else could.
"Well, thank you for pushing me then. I needed it," he told her. He let a grin take hold of his face as he watched the colour in her cheeks darken. "I've probably kept you from the children for too long. No doubt they think I'm firing you, the tyrant I am."
"They don't think you're a tyrant. I just don't think they know who you are right now, and that makes them wary. But they love you very much. I can tell by the way they look at you. It just may take some time for them to come out of their shells," she told him earnestly. Georg blinked several times as he felt his body almost relax at her words. He hadn't realized how wound up he was about making amends with his children, and she had just tampered down his anxiety about it.
"How do you do that?" he asked in a quiet voice, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his desk as he studied her. She seemed to have an unnaturally calming presence and Georg marveled at it.
"How do I do what?" she asked timidly, carefully shifting her eyes to meet his again.
"Lift my spirits in a matter of minutes. I've been wracking my brain about how not to disappoint them, and you have dissipated those fears with a few words," he replied in a near whisper. He watched her eyes search his face before she answered him.
"I've been told I'm rather optimistic and it can be contagious. Anyways, you're right, I should probably get back to the children," she said as she rose from her seat. Georg smiled at her, ignoring the pang in his chest that she was leaving. Her optimism was contagious, and her words made him feel as if he could reconnect with his children more easily than his brooding thoughts allowed him.
"Yes, well, perhaps I can sit in on your required reading session later? I'm quite curious to hear these voices that my sons have conjured up," he said, smiling fondly. He used to read to the children in various ridiculous voices as they had settled into bed, and he was nearly ecstatic to hear that Kurt and Friedrich had remembered.
"I'm sure the children would love that, Captain," Maria told him. Georg frowned for a split second at the use of his title. He had hoped that they had moved past that. While she spoke his title with no animosity, it only reminded him of the cold way he had treated her. What could he expect though? He knew in the back of his mind that calling an employer by their given name could be deemed as unprofessional.
"I'll see you later then," he said, desperately trying to keep the hesitation from his voice. He felt the need to keep her in the room, to keep talking to her. He was curious about Maria. He found himself wanting to know more about her and the way she had magically gotten his children to open up.
"Have a good rest of your morning, sir," she threw over her shoulder as she walked away from his desk. He watched as she left the room, clicking the door shut behind her. He stared at the door for several moments after she had gone.
It was strange, he thought, that when talking about the children she could be very open and chatty, but when speaking about herself she tended to shy away.
He didn't like that she seemed uncomfortable around him, though he supposed that like with the children, it would take some time for Maria to get used to the changes in him. He wanted them to be friends. He wanted to be able to work with her, and he wanted her to be able to come to him if something was wrong, with either the children or herself. He was supposed to be caring for his employees, was he not? At least that's what he told himself. Though, he couldn't imagine wanting to chat with Franz. The man was as dull as a post.
Still, he began to conjure up ways in his mind that he could make Maria a little more comfortable. Obviously, he would have to prove that he had changed. It had only been a day, less than a day really. If he wanted his children, and Maria, to believe that this was a permanent change he wanted to make in his life, he would have to work at it.
He would need to join the children in their activities. Required reading today, perhaps whatever game they were playing tomorrow. He needed to just show up, unlike the past five years.
If Maria saw him being involved with his children, maybe she would believe the change too. Maybe she wouldn't fear him. It pained him that she would fear him. This woman was putting his family back together – whether she realized it or not – and he couldn't have her fearing him, not if they wanted to work together. He was done with being the intimidating employer.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting there until a knock came at the door of his study.
"Come in," he called. He watched the door open to reveal Max. Georg checked his watch. It was only nine. "Max, I didn't expect you to be up this early."
"Yes, well, I had business to attend to," the man muttered as he closed the door behind him. Georg frowned. He knew what business Max might have, and it likely entailed an overdue interrogation.
Max raised an eyebrow in Georg's direction and stopped in the center of the room. "You've lost your suit."
Georg looked down at himself. He had nearly forgotten how casually he had dressed after brooding over his conversation with Maria.
"Yes, well, I decided to try something new today," Georg sighed. It felt strange looking down at his new choice of clothes. While they were comfortable enough, he felt somewhat naked without a suit jacket.
"Ah, I see. I don't mind the new look," Max commented lightly. Georg shot him a small smile, one that fell quickly from his lips as he watched Max's eyes darken.
"What can I do for you Max?" Georg asked. He kept his tone neutral, trying to keep any guilt from edging into his voice. While Georg knew he hadn't necessarily done anything drastically wrong, he also knew how the situation looked to Max. Max shifted his eyes towards Georg as he walked over to sit in the chair Maria had sat in only an hour ago.
"You can explain yourself for starters," Max replied, crossing one leg over the other as he placed his clasped hands on his knees. He looked at Georg expectantly, ready for an explanation to come his way. Georg ran a hand through his hair and groaned.
"Max, I don't know what you want me to say," he muttered his reply. He had known this was coming, but he wasn't sure he had the energy to carry on this argument.
"I want you to tell me how that young girl you were snogging against a building four months ago came under your employ. Then I would like you to tell me what in the hell you think you're doing, Georg. You're playing with fire here," Max practically growled at him. Georg winced at his words. While he had probably deserved them, it didn't make them any easier to swallow.
"Maria… It was a total fluke that she ended up as the children's governess. I didn't know until I saw her in the foyer on her first day. I couldn't simply fire her, I had no just cause," Georg explained quickly, through gritted teeth. He wanted to get this conversation over with as soon as possible. Max scoffed and narrowed his eyes.
"That's never stopped you before," Max stated. "I think it was about three governesses ago that you fired a woman for no reason other than the fact that she called once a day to give you a report on the children."
"Half the time she wouldn't even talk about the children, Max! It was completely inappropriate," Georg replied. He felt his patience wearing thin. He didn't like defending himself. He especially didn't like defending himself in regard to Maria. Not only because nothing had happened between them, but also because he couldn't bring himself to talk about it without his lungs constricting in his chest.
"And this situation isn't inappropriate?" Max inquired, cocking his head to the side as he studied Georg carefully. Georg stayed silent under Max's scrutiny, tapping his fingers along the edge of his desk. Max did have a point; one Georg couldn't truthfully argue with. "Besides, you had every opportunity to fire her yesterday, but you didn't."
"She's good with the children, Max. I haven't seen them so lively and happy in a very long time. Somehow, she's gotten through to them in a way no one else has. What was I supposed to do? Fire her and have the children resent me for it?" Georg asked.
He knew there was more truth in what Max was saying than Georg gave him credit for. It was true that part of the reason he hadn't fired Maria was because he wanted her to help him with the children. He had completely forgotten how to be a father, and he felt he needed her guidance. But he wasn't about to admit that to Max.
"The children would have gotten over it," Max said simply. Georg huffed and shook his head. Max obviously didn't understand children.
"I don't think they would have. You haven't seen her with them. They trust her, and they care about her. They were practically staring daggers at me this morning when I asked to speak with her after breakfast, no doubt thinking I was going to fire her," Georg argued. He wasn't sure why he was arguing. The point seemed entirely moot, he reflected.
"You spoke to her this morning? About what, may I ask?" Max inquired with a pointed stare. Georg shook his head irritably. Was Max really about to go there?
"I don't like what you're insinuating," Georg growled.
"And what am I insinuating, Georg?" Max asked, feigning innocence. Georg felt the heat prickle his skin as his hands balled into fists.
"You know damn well what you're insinuating!" Georg spat. He could feel his blood begin to boil. Even though he wasn't wearing a tie, he felt as if there were a cord tied around his neck, tightening with each passing second.
"I'd like to hear it from you, so I know you're not truly as idiotic as you're acting right now," Max said, his voice keeping at a calm tone.
"Max! It was an innocent conversation about the children, nothing more," Georg exclaimed, feeling exasperated. How much longer would this torture continue?
"Yes, it may very well have been an innocent conversation about your children, but can you see where I have my doubts? You were all over that governess only months ago, and now you seem to be taking every opportunity to speak to her in private," Max stated. Georg groaned. Despite Max's jokes, the man was observant when he wanted to be.
"Her name is Maria," Georg gritted. He knew he wasn't doing himself any favours by stating her name, but he also didn't think he could take it if Max referred to her as 'that governess' one more time.
"Case and point. You've never been even remotely attentive enough to your other governesses to remember their names, let alone be on a first name basis with them."
"Max, this is ridiculous. What kind of man do you take me for?" Georg inquired as he ground his teeth against each other. He was fed up with Max's cloaked accusations.
"I'm not entirely sure right now, Georg. I know you're a good man, an honourable man even. But I've had Elsa complaining that you've barely gotten within five feet of her over the last four months. At first, I just thought it was some sort of guilt, or perhaps you were trying to slow things down in preparation to make things more serious between you two. But imagine my surprise when I see Maria with you in your hallway yesterday? Do you have any idea what crossed my mind in that moment?"
Georg hung his head at Max's words. He was right, Georg had made a mess of things. He was ashamed of how he had treated Elsa. He was even more ashamed that Max knew about it.
"It's not like that. Nothing has happened since that night. As for Elsa… I just haven't felt myself lately," Georg muttered.
"Tell her that then! I'm tired of being a bloody buffer between the two of you. I'd make a point of speaking to her rather quickly," Max stated. Georg's eyes snapped up to Max's. His last sentence had struck Georg with a brief moment of panic.
"She, uh, doesn't suspect anything, does she?" Georg asked as neutrally as he could. He tried his hardest not to sound as guilty as he felt.
"Not that she's mentioned to me. But Elsa isn't stupid, Georg. She knows you've never been half as involved with your children, or their governesses, as you are now." Georg breathed out in relief. At least Elsa wasn't suspicious, yet.
"I swear, Max, it's not like that. Maria made me realize how neglectful I've been to my children. We've decided to work as a team to make things right," he pleaded for Max to understand.
"And that's all it is?" Max asked, narrowing his eyes once again at Georg. Max seemed rather unconvinced.
"Yes. Last night, before you came in, we agreed to start over and forget the whole incident from four months ago. It's in the past. And trust me, I'm sure she doesn't harbour any lingering feelings from that night after the way I've treated her for the past two weeks," Georg winced at his last few words. He really had treated her awful, and now she seemed afraid around him. He pushed those thoughts from his mind, he could dwell on them later.
"Do you?" Max asked. Georg blinked twice as he gave Max a blank look.
"Do I what?" Georg inquired, fearing the answer.
"Harbour any lingering feelings?" Georg paused and carefully thought about his answer.
He didn't want to. He had tried for weeks to convince himself that he didn't harbour any feelings whatsoever for Maria. The immediate response that came to his mind was of course not, what a ridiculous idea. But as Georg thought on it more, he couldn't deny the haunting dreams, or the sense of pride that filled him when he made her blush, or the way her laugh filled him with hope.
There was some sort of attraction there, as unwanted as it was. But could he really blame himself? She was a beautiful woman who had, in a way, made him see the light.
He shook his head. No, he was being silly. He was probably just confused. The change in him had come so rapidly that he wasn't sure what was up and what was down anymore.
"No. Maria's a lovely girl and I am forever in her debt for what she's done for my family. But it doesn't go past any friendly feelings," Georg replied with a shrug. What he had said had been the truth in his eyes, perhaps a little bent but the truth all the same. But then why did he feel he was lying?
Max studied his friend carefully for a moment before unclasping his hands and uncrossing his legs. He leaned further back in his seat and fixed Georg with one more calculated stare.
"I would tread carefully, Georg. I believe you, but this is a situation that could get messy," Max told him.
"I have it under control," Georg replied. And he did, didn't he? Nothing was happening with Maria, and nothing ever would happen with Maria, he had set that idea firmly in his mind. He would speak to Elsa and soothe her doubts. And he would work things out with his children. That had to mean everything was under control, right? He desperately hoped so.
"For your sake, I hope you do." Max said, a smile spreading across his face. "I'm glad we had this discussion. I really do hate playing the role of the stern, overbearing friend."
"Yes, I rather dislike it too. It doesn't suit you at all," Georg groaned, releasing a breath he had been holding in. Max didn't often have to be the stern friend, but when he was, it made Georg incredibly uneasy. Max played the stern friend unnervingly well for such a jovial, carefree man.
"No, it doesn't. Anyways, I'm going to go search your kitchen since I missed breakfast. Perhaps we can go into town later? Is that little bakery still there? The one that makes the most incredible strudel?" Max asked, his face lighting up as he began talking about food. Georg rolled his eyes and allowed himself to smile for the first time since Max had walked through the door.
"Yes, it's still there. I did promise I would sit in on the children's reading session this afternoon, though," Georg replied, resting his head on his clasped hands.
"Well, maybe we can go later this week?" Max asked, hope gleaming in his eyes.
"You and your strudel. Yes, we can go this week. Perhaps Elsa would like to join us," Georg answered.
"Undoubtedly. Though, it would turn into a whole day affair as soon as she sees a clothing store," Max groaned. Georg stifled a chuckle. Max was the only man he knew that hated shopping more than he did.
"It's the price you're going to have to pay for strudel, Max," Georg told him with a shrug.
"Fair point. Well, I'll see you at lunch, Georg," Max said, rising from the seat. He began to make his way to the door, and Georg could feel his body relax.
"Yes, I'll see you at lunch." With that, Max was gone, leaving Georg with his thoughts. His head fell into his hands as he let out a muffled groan. That conversation was utterly uncomfortable for Georg. He knew Max was only looking out for him, but he couldn't help but feel utterly embarrassed.
Yes, the situation did look bad with Maria in hindsight. If Max had known the full story, it would probably look worse. Between the dreams and his vulnerability with her in the storage room, the situation was perplexing. But Georg couldn't dwell on it. If he did, he would surely lose his mind. What mattered now was the children and winning back both their trust and affections.
Georg prayed to anyone listening that he could stay focused on his children. He prayed his dreams would dissipate. He prayed that he could settle things with Elsa. And he prayed that he would be able to be a better man in the future.
What he didn't count on was the fact that his world was already being turned upside down, he was just too blind to see it.
A/N: Finally, we have some Max/Georg confrontation, which I've been dying to write for a while. I feel bad for Georg. He's just conflicted and confused. I'm hoping that I'm keeping him relatively in character. I feel like I'm a little all over the place with Georg, but I'm trying to reign it in.
Also, can we blame Maria for staring at Georg's arms? I relate.
Honestly, I've deprived you guys this chapter. In my original outline, I had a really cute scene at the end between Maria, Georg, and the children. Ultimately, I cut it because a) it would have made this chapter unbearably long (probably over 10k words) and b) it didn't really work with the flow of the chapter. Don't fret though, I've rearranged a couple things to put it in a chapter in the near future.
Some good news – my exams are almost over, which means I'll have a lot more time to write (and hopefully I'll be able to write with more quality). I'm really excited because we're going to see things get pretty intense pretty quick here. Okay, maybe not that quick. I'm a sucker for the slow burn.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you so much for reading, and your reviews always bring a smile to my face and make me write that much faster.