Chapter 2- A Chance Meeting
It has been two months since Ellie's birth. And right now, I stand in line at the outdoor market holding Ellie close to my chest, which to the disappointment of everyone around does nothing to ease her crying. I pray that this young man will hurry with packing my groceries before she starts screaming, " Thank you." I manage to say over Ellie's endless crying, as I hand him his schillings, " No, darling don't cry, shhhhh." I say placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. I try to re-adjust the basket around my arm that holds my groceries as I walk towards the corner.
" Maria?" A voice says from next to me, I would know that voice anywhere…
" Baroness Schraeder…" I choke out, my shock hidden by Ellie's cries.
" Maria, hello. It's been a long time." I can hardly hear her, my mind and heart racing at the possibility that "he" is with her.
" Yes it has…" I mumble, trying my best to bring her attention to the screaming two month old in my arms.
" You've been busy." She says sweetly, I cast my eyes down at Ellie silently praying that we'll get out of this without the truth being revealed.
" What's her name?" I don't hear a word she says, because my eyes are drifting over her right shoulder, I can feel him approaching.
" Ellie…" I whisper, finally spotting him over her shoulder, " I'm sorry, but I have to go. She needs a nap."
" Of course, it was lovely seeing you. You must stop by sometime, I know the children would love to see you." I don't even hear her finish, because my eyes lock with his as he stops next to her, " Oh Georg, look who I ran into."
" Hello." I say softly, Ellie picking that exact moment to stop crying.
" Maria." A shiver runs through my body after hearing my name come from his lips. He says nothing else, instead letting his eyes speak for him.
" I…I'm sorry, I just couldn't…" I say out loud, not realizing that I've answered the question his eyes were asking me.
The baroness's eyes suspiciously go from him to me, " You just couldn't, what?"
I look down at Ellie, trying desperately to think of something to say.
" It doesn't matter, anymore." He tells her firmly. I keep my head down, fighting the tears that are welling in my eyes.
" What's her name?" He asks, his tone softening.
" Ellie." I answer quickly, telling myself to leave, just leave, before he asks…
" How old is she?" The baroness asks, and my first reaction is to lie…
" Two months." The truth jumps out of my mouth before I can stop myself. Even before I finish making my revelation, I can see it in his eyes; he's doing the math.
" Oh, she is beautiful. Isn't she Georg?"
" Yes she is." He knows, his eyes give it away; he knows the little girl falling asleep in my arms is his daughter.
" Her father must be very proud?" The baroness says, she's prying. She knows something isn't right.
I just wait, and pray silently, as I try and figure out what to say… " Yes he is." Is all I manage to come up with.
" I bet she's her father's daughter." I see his eyes flicker with sadness at her words. What I wouldn't give to put Ellie in his arms right now…
" She certainly is." I say with a sad smile knowing that her statement is partly true.
" Is he here?" He asks, his eyes burning a hole into my soul.
" No." I say, it's not quite a lie, but it isn't the truth either, " It was lovely seeing you, but if you'll excuse me."
" Oh, yes of course dear." The baroness says, as happy to see me go as I am to go.
I start to walk away when I feel a hand on my arm, " Let me help you." He says looking into my eyes; his touch is like…fire on my skin, like air in my lungs, and life to my soul… I compose myself long enough to nod, grateful for the help. I slip my arm out from the basket and he takes it as we walk the short distance to the corner in total silence.
" Do you need a ride?" He asks setting the basket down next to my feet.
I shake my head quickly; looking at the ground, " Thank you all the same." My ride stopping just as I finishing answering.
Sam, the young driver jumps out and walks over to us, " Good afternoon, Maria. Hello Ellie." He says quietly, noting that Ellie is sleeping in my arms.
" Good afternoon, Sam." I say as he picks up my things.
At that moment, I realize that I have two options, to let *him* help me in to the carriage, which would require him to touch me again, and that is NOT a good idea. My other option is to let him hold Ellie while I climb in…
" Could you, um…would you uh…hold her?" I ask quietly.
He nods slowly. I gently shift Ellie and she makes one of those noises that only a sleeping baby could, I step to him slowly, and gently place her in his waiting arms.
I quickly climb into the carriage and wait for my baby. He just stands there, his eyes fixed on his daughter in his arms, " Hello Ellie." He says quietly, while I fight back the tears that have suddenly formed in my eyes. His eyes shift to mine as he steps towards me,
" She's absolutely beautiful." I nod in agreement as he places her back in my arms, I don't look at him, because I'm absolutely terrified of the love I know I will see in his gorgeous eyes.
" Maria…when will I see you again?" He asks as Sam takes his seat.
I shake my head, refusing to look at him, as Sam starts to pull away.
His unanswered question still lingering in the cool spring air, as the carriage turns the corner...
Ellie and I once again disappearing from his life.
To be continued…
***********************************************************************************************
*Notes:
**Ellie isn't an Austrian name, I know. But I love it. If it's to far of a stretch, I can change it.
**I know that Georg would never let Maria leave after finding out about Ellie. But, at the same time I don't see either Maria or Georg saying anything about Ellie's true paternity in the middle of the market, and with the baroness there, it's just not the time or place to reveal all.
** I know that there's still 11 months of what Maria was doing and where she was living that I have to account for. Please just trust me, I'll fill ALL of the blanks, in the coming chapter/s.
It has been two months since Ellie's birth. And right now, I stand in line at the outdoor market holding Ellie close to my chest, which to the disappointment of everyone around does nothing to ease her crying. I pray that this young man will hurry with packing my groceries before she starts screaming, " Thank you." I manage to say over Ellie's endless crying, as I hand him his schillings, " No, darling don't cry, shhhhh." I say placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. I try to re-adjust the basket around my arm that holds my groceries as I walk towards the corner.
" Maria?" A voice says from next to me, I would know that voice anywhere…
" Baroness Schraeder…" I choke out, my shock hidden by Ellie's cries.
" Maria, hello. It's been a long time." I can hardly hear her, my mind and heart racing at the possibility that "he" is with her.
" Yes it has…" I mumble, trying my best to bring her attention to the screaming two month old in my arms.
" You've been busy." She says sweetly, I cast my eyes down at Ellie silently praying that we'll get out of this without the truth being revealed.
" What's her name?" I don't hear a word she says, because my eyes are drifting over her right shoulder, I can feel him approaching.
" Ellie…" I whisper, finally spotting him over her shoulder, " I'm sorry, but I have to go. She needs a nap."
" Of course, it was lovely seeing you. You must stop by sometime, I know the children would love to see you." I don't even hear her finish, because my eyes lock with his as he stops next to her, " Oh Georg, look who I ran into."
" Hello." I say softly, Ellie picking that exact moment to stop crying.
" Maria." A shiver runs through my body after hearing my name come from his lips. He says nothing else, instead letting his eyes speak for him.
" I…I'm sorry, I just couldn't…" I say out loud, not realizing that I've answered the question his eyes were asking me.
The baroness's eyes suspiciously go from him to me, " You just couldn't, what?"
I look down at Ellie, trying desperately to think of something to say.
" It doesn't matter, anymore." He tells her firmly. I keep my head down, fighting the tears that are welling in my eyes.
" What's her name?" He asks, his tone softening.
" Ellie." I answer quickly, telling myself to leave, just leave, before he asks…
" How old is she?" The baroness asks, and my first reaction is to lie…
" Two months." The truth jumps out of my mouth before I can stop myself. Even before I finish making my revelation, I can see it in his eyes; he's doing the math.
" Oh, she is beautiful. Isn't she Georg?"
" Yes she is." He knows, his eyes give it away; he knows the little girl falling asleep in my arms is his daughter.
" Her father must be very proud?" The baroness says, she's prying. She knows something isn't right.
I just wait, and pray silently, as I try and figure out what to say… " Yes he is." Is all I manage to come up with.
" I bet she's her father's daughter." I see his eyes flicker with sadness at her words. What I wouldn't give to put Ellie in his arms right now…
" She certainly is." I say with a sad smile knowing that her statement is partly true.
" Is he here?" He asks, his eyes burning a hole into my soul.
" No." I say, it's not quite a lie, but it isn't the truth either, " It was lovely seeing you, but if you'll excuse me."
" Oh, yes of course dear." The baroness says, as happy to see me go as I am to go.
I start to walk away when I feel a hand on my arm, " Let me help you." He says looking into my eyes; his touch is like…fire on my skin, like air in my lungs, and life to my soul… I compose myself long enough to nod, grateful for the help. I slip my arm out from the basket and he takes it as we walk the short distance to the corner in total silence.
" Do you need a ride?" He asks setting the basket down next to my feet.
I shake my head quickly; looking at the ground, " Thank you all the same." My ride stopping just as I finishing answering.
Sam, the young driver jumps out and walks over to us, " Good afternoon, Maria. Hello Ellie." He says quietly, noting that Ellie is sleeping in my arms.
" Good afternoon, Sam." I say as he picks up my things.
At that moment, I realize that I have two options, to let *him* help me in to the carriage, which would require him to touch me again, and that is NOT a good idea. My other option is to let him hold Ellie while I climb in…
" Could you, um…would you uh…hold her?" I ask quietly.
He nods slowly. I gently shift Ellie and she makes one of those noises that only a sleeping baby could, I step to him slowly, and gently place her in his waiting arms.
I quickly climb into the carriage and wait for my baby. He just stands there, his eyes fixed on his daughter in his arms, " Hello Ellie." He says quietly, while I fight back the tears that have suddenly formed in my eyes. His eyes shift to mine as he steps towards me,
" She's absolutely beautiful." I nod in agreement as he places her back in my arms, I don't look at him, because I'm absolutely terrified of the love I know I will see in his gorgeous eyes.
" Maria…when will I see you again?" He asks as Sam takes his seat.
I shake my head, refusing to look at him, as Sam starts to pull away.
His unanswered question still lingering in the cool spring air, as the carriage turns the corner...
Ellie and I once again disappearing from his life.
To be continued…
***********************************************************************************************
*Notes:
**Ellie isn't an Austrian name, I know. But I love it. If it's to far of a stretch, I can change it.
**I know that Georg would never let Maria leave after finding out about Ellie. But, at the same time I don't see either Maria or Georg saying anything about Ellie's true paternity in the middle of the market, and with the baroness there, it's just not the time or place to reveal all.
** I know that there's still 11 months of what Maria was doing and where she was living that I have to account for. Please just trust me, I'll fill ALL of the blanks, in the coming chapter/s.
