Ch. 3: He Opens a Window
The Reverend Mother invited Maria into her office and Maria explained to her all that had been happening. She was very sad for Maria and told her she was sorry. Then she told Maria just the thing she did not want to hear.
"Well my dear you are welcome to stay, but just as a warning, this is a sanctuary, but I do not think the Nazis care much about that. They will march right in here and take anyone, sanctuary or not." The Reverend Mother told her. "You are also still welcome to become a nun if you wish, Maria."
Maria sighed at that thought.
"No Mother, I don't wish to become a nun now. I would like it very much if I could stay a few days though." The Reverend Mother smiled and showed Maria to her room.
Maria stayed in the Abbey for a few days. Things were so quiet for her there. To quiet in her opinion. Even her walks through the Alps were to quite for her. The mountains reminded her of Georg and so did the song she usually sang while on them. She vowed never to sing "The Sound of Music," again until she was in heaven. She wondered if she would be able to sing in heaven. She decided they must be able to and wondered what Georg and Agathe were singing.
Everyday Maria would walk to the middle of town and request tickets to get out of Austria. Unfortunately the trains were all booked up. She began to get even more terrified she would not get out before the Nazis found out about her. She began to pray and one day there was an opening on a train going to Switzerland. She said a prayer of thanks to God and Georg and told the Reverend Mother goodbye.
"I hope one day our paths will meet again Maria. I wish you all the happiness in the world my child. Remember when the Lord closes one door…"
"He opens an window." Maria finished for her. The two of them hugged goodbye and Maria left. Maria boarded the train to Switzerland. As the train climbed over the mountains to Switzerland Maria couldn't help but let a few tears drop. For some reason it was God's plan to lose everything dear to her? She didn't understand. She did not see a light at the end of the tunnel or an open window for that matter.
Getting off at the train station just bothered her more. While trying to get the address of where her children were staying she was bumped into by people rushing to board trains. The thing that made her most angry was the fact that the person told her they were not listed as staying anywhere and that they must have left. Maria felt like this whole thing was just perfect. She decided to use the very little bit of money she had to buy some food.
Maria found a small pond by the center of town and decided to sit there and decide what to do. This led to her writing in her journal. The journal however was almost out of pages. She had filled them all to the brim and was writing in very small print so that she could write a lot. Suddenly someone bumped Maria's arm causing her Journal to go flying and for her pen to rip the last page she was writing on.
"Oh I am sorry, I didn't see you there." Said a man with dark brown hair. Maria had to look twice at him for she saw the resemblance of him. She gazed up at his piercing blue eyes. He looked so much like Georg. For a moment she actually thought it was he. Then she reminded herself harshly that he was no longer alive. "Are you alright Miss?"
"Oh I 'm fine thank you. Sorry about being in your way." She said.
"Oh that's fine it was my fault. I guess I shouldn't be running around in Switzerland. In Austria I was use to having a lot more space…"He trailed off.
"You are from Austria?" She asked in disbelief. He nodded at her. "So am I! I came here yesterday to find my family, but they seemed to have left this country as well."
"That's to bad. Do you mind if I ask your name?" He asked. He was mesmerized by her smile.
"Not at all. My name is Maria von Tr…Rainer." Maria sighed and felt relief of catching herself before she said her late fiancés name.
"Well it is very nice to meet you Maria. My name is Michael…um…Smith. I know it sounds more British, but I am purely Austrian." She laughed at his remark not noticing his stuttering.
"It is very nice to meet you. It is nice to know someone here is rather kind." He smiled at her like she just gave him the greatest compliment in the world.
"Thanks, Hey where exactly are you going to stay now that you have no where to go?" He asked.
"Well I think I am going to head back to Austria. I have enough money to do that. I don't have enough money to get a hotel for more than two days." She answered.
"Go back to Austria? Don't you know what they do to people against the Nazis? You are against them right? That's why I had to escape." He looked at her waiting for an answer.
"Well yes of course I am against those terrible steal-hearted Nazis. I just really have no place to go to. No home no family really, but I will manage. How did you escape?" Maria asked this and watched his face fall.
"I really don't want to talk much about it if that is alright. The important thing is that I made it out of there." They sat there for a minute. He decided to continue. "My fiancé decided to stay in Austria. It was really terrible. One night a few days before we were supposed to get married she told me she was with some Nazi person and was being unfaithful to me. So we broke off and she went to join the Nazis."
"I'm sorry." Maria said sincerely. "Do you still love her?"
"I do love her still. I don't love her actions however." He told her.
"At least you know she is still alive." Maria got a far away look in her eyes. Michael looked over at her concerned by her sudden change in mood. Maria's eyes glazed over.
"Are you okay?" Michael asked.
"I'm fine, it's just that my fiancé died while he was trying to flee out of Austria. Or help others flee." Maria said with tears beginning to fall. She could not believe she was telling this all to someone, yet she just had to talk to someone and Michael seemed to be the only one who was willing to listen.
"Oh I am so sorry." Michael said. "By getting to know you in the passed few minutes though, I would say you are very strong and you will make it through."
"Thanks." Maria said. She was happy she had made a friend on what seemed like an endless day.
"Hey if you would like you are more than welcome to stay at the house that I am renting now. My aunt and I have a nice guest room there. Free of charge." He smiled at her. Michael had never been as enchanted with a woman as he was with Maria.
"That would be nice I suppose, until I can find a train to take me back to Austria. Thank you." He laid out his hand for her to take to stand up. She took it and stood up and walked to the house. Maria couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something familiar about her knew friend.