Ch. 7: Switzerland
Georg crumpled up a scrap of telegram and threw it in the trashcan. The note he had just received about Maria angered him. He had received several different pieces of information on Maria's whereabouts and decided that they were all a bunch of lies. He just did not believe that his wife, his Maria would do such things. However she had been gone for nearly four months and he was beginning to become worried.
So when a private note from Max came telling him Maria had been sent to a death camp and was later presumed dead, he didn't want to believe it, but he had to. Tears dropped onto the note as he read it. He did not understand how God could be so cruel by taking Maria to heaven with him already.
"I needed her more than you did Lord." Georg mumbled under his breath. "I know she was the nicest person on this Earth so did you have to take her away?"
"Father is something wrong?" Asked Liesl stepping into the room. "You don't look so well Father."
"Liesl come here." Georg told her. Liesl obeyed and her Father wrapped her into a big hug. "Liesl I am so sorry to tell you this, but it appears that your Mother has died." Liesl looked around with complete terror in her eyes. She knew what he meant, but hoped it wasn't true.
"Father we have known that for six years now." Liesl told him. Tears formed in his eyes as all the hope vanished from her face.
"No Liesl Maria just died too."
"No!" Liesl gasped. Hot tears ran down her cheeks as she screamed into her Father's coat.
It was more of the same thing when Georg went to tell his children. They seemed even more upset about Maria than they had been with their own Mother dying. Perhaps it was because they were older now and knew what death meant. Or maybe it was because this was the second time a tragedy like that happened in their house. Georg however suspected it was the very same reason he was even more sad about Maria's death. He loved her so much more. Even though he only had known Maria for a few months it had seemed like he had known her his entire life. He didn't want to live life without her.
Nevertheless he cried with his children and showed them his pain, unlike the first time. The children seemed relived to have a Father still even if they once again did not have a Mother. Georg was still depressed for weeks and he did not know where on Earth his life was going to lead.
Max escaped to Switzerland to help Georg plan for a trip to America. Georg had decided since there was really nothing left for him in Europe he should take his children to live in a free peaceful world. He was sick of all the fighting Europe seemed to do. They always seemed to be at war.
"Georg I am sorry about Maria." Max said truthfully. "Hey maybe we should throw a party so you can find your next wife." Georg's head snapped up glaring at Max. "I am sorry Georg it is just you were so depressed for so long about Agathe. Then you found Maria I am sure it will be just the same way Georg." He laughed.
"No Max I don't think it will be the same. No one can come close to replacing Maria. I love her more than anything in this universe." Georg told him.
"Even Agathe?" Max asked. Georg nodded at him sadly. "Well I suppose we should start planning our voyage to America." Max told him. Georg nodded and sighed as the two began to talk.
As the two of them were talking Maria got off of the train in Switzerland. She found where the von Trapp's were staying. She began to walk toward the bus stop leaving for their house. Suddenly she saw a doctor's sign and decided to get a check up with them before she left for the house. She knew as soon as Georg found out she was pregnant he would demand for her to see a doctor. He would certainly insist when she told him all of what she had been through. Frankly visiting the doctor was the last thing Maria wanted to do. She knew though she might never go if she went to see Georg first. She knew that she would never let go of his arms once they went around her.
Maria got checked and waited impatiently in the room for the doctor to tell her she was all right. The doctor came back to Maria amazed that the baby was in such wonderful condition even after all Maria had been through. He told Maria she looked very healthy as well and to just make sure and rest for the next couple of weeks.
When he was finished Maria decided to thank God for being so lucky later and bolted out of the hospital and onto the nearest bus as quickly as she could. The bus dropped her off at a medium sized house that looked lovely. Maria unlocked the gate and walked up to the door. A shiver went down her spine. She was suddenly nervous to see her husband again. It was now dark and a cold wind whistled through the trees. Maria knocked, but no one answered so she tugged on the door and entered.
The house was dark and silent. Maria began to feel memories of another villa in Austria flooding back to her when she saw the only lamp lit in the house. Maria walked closer and found Georg sitting silently starring at something in his study. He could not see her because she was behind the door in the dark. Maria just stood there in silence for a moment with tears in her eyes. Finally she was home. She took note that Georg did not look happy. Just as she was about to make her presence know Georg began to speak, silencing Maria to listening.