The lights flickered again as the Captain, Louisa, and Brigitta made it to the top of the stairs and started to walk to the master bedroom. Georg glanced up at the walls, again silently praying that his house would not leave them in the dark.
"How will they boil the water if we lose electricity?" he heard Brigitta ask her sister.
"They don't need to boil water!" Louisa answered, a mixture of annoyance and agitation in her voice. "You read too many books, Brigitta."
"Didn't Mother have boiling water when Gretl was born?" Brigitta asked in defense.
"No, she didn't, she—"
Her comment was cut short by another scream coming from the room they were approaching. The three of them froze and stared blankly at the door. Being closer to the source of the cries made Georg's stomach tighten. He was completely powerless to help lesson the pain Maria was going through, and that, combined with his fear for her safety, frustrated him beyond words.
The thunder crashed around them again, mixing with that horrible cry. Georg's throat went dry, and he swallowed several times, forcing himself to calm down. It would not do him or his children any good if he continued to let his raw fear rule his actions.
"Father?" he heard Louisa ask, and he looked over to see her staring at him. "Are we to go inside?"
Georg shook his head. "No, I don't think they want us to go in. We'll just lay them out here."
"Are you sure?" Louisa asked. "How will they know that these sheets are here, then?"
"We can leave them out on the table, so when they open the door, they'll see them right away," Georg said, cocking his head to a table across from the door. He looked at his daughter and smiled tightly at her doubtful stare. "It's the best we can do, Louisa."
She opened her mouth to reply, but turned and looked at the closed door and frowned. Looking back at her father, she nodded.
Brigitta looked over at her sister. "Maybe we can get something else they might need," she said, her voice uneasy.
They placed the sheets on the table, and Brigitta looked out the window on the far end of the hallway.
"Of all nights for it to storm," she mused.
Georg nodded and looked at the closed door. He could hear muffled instructions from the other side, and he swallowed in an effort to fight the urge to charge into the room.
"Will Mother be alright?" Brigitta asked.
The Captain smiled at her. "The doctor has given us no reason to think otherwise," he answered, knowing he was trying to convince both Brigitta and himself.
"But the doctor isn't here, Father," Louisa pointed out, her voice rising as they heard another cry.
Georg shuddered at the sound but forced himself to remain calm in front of his children. "She's in good hands," he said.
"Frau Schmidt and Liesl?" Louisa said, looking skeptical.
"She's going to be fine," he insisted. "They both will be fine."
"I hope Uncle Max comes back soon," Brigitta whispered.
Georg looked over at the closed door, silently adding his own prayer that his friend would return. If the doctor was there, then he knew his agitation would be lighter.
The trio stood silently for a moment, each trying to say something to calm the others' nerves.
"Mother is rather strong," Louisa commented at last. "She was the first one to climb her tree all the way to the top last year."
Brigitta brightened at the memory. "And when we went swimming, she could stay under the water the longest." She paused for a second, continuing her thought. "And didn't she hold that note for fifteen seconds? You remember, Louisa, Marta had asked her how long she could hold a note for? It was when we were practicing our song for the party."
"It was seventeen seconds," Louisa corrected. "We used Father's watch to time her, remember?"
Georg smile. "Is that where my watch disappeared to?" he asked, and the girls nodded, slightly guilty looks on their faces.
"It was Marta's idea," Brigitta said, and Georg found himself laughing lightly.
"It's alright, girls," he said, finding himself getting lost in his own private memories on how Maria's inner strength amazed him. There were so many things she did left him in wonderment. Just witnessing her reactions to how her life was changing due to her pregnancy was a joy to have. Another smile lit Georg's face; he didn't think he could ever get those 'firsts' out of his head.
"Darling," Georg called from inside his closet. He held two ties in his hands and switched them against his neck, trying to make a decision. "Which do you think goes best with this suit?"
There was no response.
"Maria?" he asked, walking out and searching the room for her. He walked into the bathroom, and found her sitting in front of her vanity mirror, trying to arrange her hair. She sighed in frustration and looked up at him.
"I'm sorry, Georg," she asked, a tired smile crossing her face. "What did you say?"
He remained silent, staring at her.
"Georg?" she asked again, moving her head quickly from side to side to catch his attention. "Darling?"
The Captain blinked. "Oh, forgive me," he said and chucked. "Which tie do you think goes best with this suit?"
She looked quickly between the two. "Neither," she decided, before returning to her mirror to resume her coiffure battle. "The dark green one with the criss-cross pattern goes best with that suit."
"Oh," he said and looked down at his two inadequate choices.
"You're not wearing a suit tonight, are you?" she asked, her left arm in what had to be an uncomfortable angle as she crossed over with her right arm to grab a comb. "A suit to the ballet?"
Georg looked up at her and his mouth dropped open. "No," he said meekly.
"Then why are you asking about the tie?" she asked.
"It's for tomorrow's meeting with Herr Elser."
"I see," she said and looked at his reflection in her mirror. "If you're not going to wear that suit to the ballet, then why are you wearing it now?"
He looked down at his attire and then back up to meet her amused reflection. "I was just seeing if it still fit," he replied and turned promptly out of the bathroom, Maria's light laughter following him.
He returned a few minutes later, dressed more formally and straightening his collar. Maria didn't seem to notice his return, and he stood in the doorway, silently watching as she applied a little blush to her cheeks.
You don't need any makeup, Maria, he thought as his eyes traveled down her neck and back. She was slightly turned, and he could see the rounding of her stomach. His breath caught at the sight, and he ceased fussing with his collar and stared at her as she gracefully put on the finishing touches to her appearance. He watched as she looked at her reflection and gave herself a half smile.
"You're stunning, Maria," he told her quietly. To his surprise, she didn't jump at his sudden declaration. She looked up at him in the mirror and smiled.
"I was wondering when you were going to say something," she mused and they laughed. He walked over to her and knelt in front of her. Bringing his hand up to caress her cheek, he winked at her.
"I could watch you get ready for hours," he whispered.
"But we'd never get anywhere," she said, leaning into his hand and kissing it.
He shrugged his shoulders. "What's wrong with that?"
Her smile faded as she stared into his eyes. His hand dropped to caress her rounded belly and he watched her cheeks redden.
"I don't think radiant is the right word for you," he told her.
Maria smiled and reached over to kiss his cheek. The small clock on the wall chimed, halting the natural progression of events that would have followed. Georg looked up at her, raising his eyebrows. "Shall we, Baroness?"
She nodded. "I believe Marta has been ready all day," she remarked as Georg straightened up and reached his hand down to help her stand.
Accepting it, she started to stand but gasped suddenly and sat back down. Alarmed, Georg knelt in front of her.
"What is it?" he asked, taking her other hand in his. "Are you alright?"
Her mouth dropped open, but not in pain; her expression was one of wonderment. She narrowed her eyes and gasped again.
"Maria?" he asked, his concern mounting.
Finally, she met his gaze and, to his relief, she smiled. "Here," she whispered, taking one of his hands and placing it on her stomach. After a moment, he felt a slight pulse under his hand. Instantly knowing what it was, he glanced up and marveled at the look on Maria's face.
"Is that the…" she trailed as they felt it again.
Georg smiled up at her. "That's him," he answered, watching the tears form in Maria's eyes.
"Oh, my goodness," she gasped.
Reaching up with his other hand, he wiped a stray tear from her face. "You're going to ruin your makeup, Fräulein," he said softly to her. He leaned over to kiss her cheek. "It's amazing, isn't it?"
She met his gaze and nodded, too emotional to speak.
They remained there for a moment, reveling in the sensation of feeling their child. The tiny pulses fluttered for a few seconds in one spot, then disappeared. Maria laughed lightly and took Georg's hand, bringing it to a spot slightly to the left from where it was before.
"He's a fast mover," Georg said, his smile broadening.
Maria laughed again; the sound was musical as it filled the air. Georg leaned forward and kissed her stomach. "Running a marathon, are we?" he asked his child. The pulses quickened.
"The baby knows your voice, Georg," Maria said, her voice filled with awe. "He actually responded to you."
Georg looked up at her, seeing the amazement in her eyes. "He has a lot of life in him," he whispered, reaching up to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"Just like his father," Maria murmured, leaning down to kiss his cheek. "I just can't believe how incredible this is. He's a miracle."
Georg pulled her closer to him and kissed her lips gently. "Just like his mother," he whispered.
"Father?" Louisa's voice brought him back to the present. He snapped his eyes open and stared at her.
"May we go back downstairs?" she asked. He studied the girls and noted how anxious they were.
He opened his mouth to answer when a loud noise from downstairs caught their attention. They rushed over to the edge of the balcony, and saw the rest of the children run from the parlor.
Swinging the door open, and followed by an older man carrying a small leather bag, was Max.
Georg felt his shoulders sag in relief; something good had finally happened since the evening had begun.
His friend, soaked completely but refusing to remove his coat, searched the foyer for a moment. When his eyes landed on the Captain, he offered a tight smile.
"Sorry for the delay, Georg," he said and nodded his head to the man at his side.
"Up here," the Captain said and gestured to the room behind him.
The second man, Dr. Kesler, walked briskly up the stairs. As he reached the spot where Georg stood, he smiled comfortingly.
"There's nothing to fear, Captain," he assured him. "Nothing in her entire term has given me any reason to worry."
He moved passed them and opened the door quickly. Georg remained where he stood, part of him relived beyond words that the doctor had finally come. The other part recoiled as the door shut behind the doctor, Maria's anguished cries muffled by the steady pour of the rain and low rumbling of the thunder.
To be continued…
A/N: The feeling of the baby move is in direct contradiction to Chapter 2 of Eight on Wednesday. I'm stating that now as a disclaimer (and to do some more c.m.a.). All I can say is: artistic license. Maybe one day I'll go back and fix that other chapter, since it makes more sense, scientifically, for them to feel the baby move at this stage of her pregnancy, rather than what it was in the other story. Please forgive me! ~imnotacommittee