The Captain instructed Baroness Schraeder and Max to assemble the children
in the salon so that he could explain to them as simply as possible the
situation with Maria and how long and tedious her healing process could
be. They, as a family, would have to work together to help her through,
just as she had helped them through.
The two smallest children were still very upset about what had happened, Gretel was still crying softly and Marta was trying to be a "big girl" but he could see that she was struggling with it.
When he entered the salon, nine pairs of eyes looked at him, all holding questions. His children and Max wanted to know of course how Maria was but Elsa, she had something else on her mind entirely. The Captain settled himself on the sofa next to Liesl and took Gretel on his lap.
"Children, Dr. Woss has just left us and I have some good news. Fraulein Maria is going to be all right. She has a bump on the head and some broken bones and she's going to need a lot of rest but she'll be just fine."
It was clear from the excited giggles around the room that the children were relieved that their beloved governess was going to be okay.
Overall, the children were satisfied with that explanation and hurried of to attend to other things, only Liesl and Frederick remained behind with the Baroness and Max at the Captain's request. "I saw no need to alarm the younger children," the Captain began, "but Fraulein Maria is going to have a more difficult recovery than I have let on. Dr. Woss told me that her wrist has been broken several times before and that there is nerve damage and tissue damage. Now, I don't know how accurate that is without further examination, but it sounds as if Fraulein Maria will not have full use of her left hand." Liesl and Frederick stared at their father in shock. How could it be? "Father, how will she be able to play the guitar?" Liesl asked, knowing Maria loved to play her acoustic more than anything else. "I don't know, Liesl. Dr. Woss did say that if Ma...Fraulein Maria worked with her hand she could get it back in working order, however, she did make it out to sound like that will be a very difficult undertaking, one that will require her to have help and support from all of us." The Captain looked at Max when he said this, knowing that his peculiar friend had a soft spot for Maria as he had himself. "You can count me in, Georg, I know that girl is the only hope I have or getting these children in the Festival," Max teased. "Max, if you manage to make it so Maria can use her hand all the way again, I'll give my permission," the Captain said with sincerity. "We'll help too, Father," Liesl assured him. "But I'm not sure we should let the others know until Fraulein Maria does. Brigitta has a way of telling more than she should. If she finds out too soon, it could upset her recovery. "Yes, it could," the Captain agreed. "What I want you two to do is help out as much as you can the next few days keeping the others occupied. Frau Schmidt and I will be helping Fraulein Maria and I need you to help us so that the younger ones don't get underfoot. I don't want Ma...Fraulein Maria being disturbed until she's begun to recuperate." "She didn't only break her wrist, did she?" Liesl asked. "No, Darling. She also has two broken ribs and a concussion. She's going to sleep a lot the next few days. We have to encourage her all we can when she's awake." The Captain voice sounded far away to those who listened to him, as if his body was in the salon with them, but his mind and his thoughts were with the petite governess upstairs.
"Georg," the Baroness' voice broke into the Captain's thoughts, "Perhaps it would be beneficial to Maria if you sent her back to the abbey, that is, just until she recovers. You don't have nearly enough staff to take care of the house and of her, and I mean, in her present condition, she really is of no use as a governess. Is she?"
"Elsa," the Captain let out a long sigh when he said her name, as if frustrated by the very thought, "Nonnberg Abbey is not the place for someone like Maria, especially not when she's injured. They are very restrictive with the medical personnel and anyway, there's no fresh air, no access to the outdoors. No, she must stay here."
"Georg is right. He can afford primary medical care, although, he does seem satisfied with Dr. Woss," Max raised his eyebrow at his usually conservative friend.
"She seemed to know her stuff, and she seems legitimately concerned about Fraulein Maria," the Captain replied.
"We'll do anything and everything to help, Father," Liesl said confidently, reaching up to give her father a hug.
"I know you will, Darling," the Captain returned her embrace, "You and Frederick can go."
The two children left the adults in the salon and the Captain sat down on the settee, "I can't believe this happened," he said almost to himself.
The baroness sat beside him and slipping her arm around his back said, "But it did, Georg. You can't be making yourself sick over her. Frau Schmidt is capable of taking care of her." "Elsa, Maria means a lot to m.to this family and lately it's been." The Captain never got a chance to finish, for the Baroness interrupted him.
"Let's get your mind off of this for now. We can discuss the guest list for the party." Baroness Schraeder was not a stupid woman. She could see the Captain was terrified for Maria; he was so upset he could not even conceal his emotions, something he was an expert at doing. If she could sway his mind away from his troublesome governess. The ice in his blue gaze, however told her, she should just keep quiet.
"Captain," Frau Schmidt's voice interrupted the goings on in the salon," Fraulein Maria is awake."
"Thank you," the Captain said rising to his feet, "We'll discuss this later. Excuse me."
Captain von Trapp climbed the stairs to Maria's bedroom. He'd have to tell her about her injuries, but what the doctor had said about her wrist. It would be shocking a blow.
"She's in a lot of pain and she's still a bit confused. I can't get her to drink the medication Dr. Woss left, she told me it would help, but she just won't drink it." Frau Schmidt studied the Captain with a worried look.
"I'll take care of the medication, thank you. She probably can't sit herself up enough to swallow it," the Captain took the glass from Frau Schmidt and went into Maria's room leaving the door half way ajar.
"Welcome back, Fraulein," the Captain greeted when he saw Maria's blue eyes focus on him. They were glistening with tears of pain and the Captain slowly moved to sit beside her, "You gave us all quite a scare."
"What happened to me?" she whispered, eyes darting around the room, "I don't feel right."
The Captain chuckled lightly, "No, I imagine you don't. You feel out of a tree, do you remember. We were on a picnic." he supplied to try and jar her memory.
"No," she shook her head, "can't think. Just." The Captain noticed her brow breaking out in a sweat and gently wiped her face with a cloth dipped in the bowl of water Dr. Woss had left.
"Just what, Fraulein?" he asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Captain. It's just, it hurts to breathe," she told him, two tears finding their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
"I'm sure it does, Fraulein. It's not every day one falls out of a tree and gets two broken ribs," he told her, wiping her face again. "The doctor left some medication for me to give you. Would you like me to help you sit up so you can drink it?"
"What is it?" she asked, glancing at the cup.
"I don't know. Dr. Woss said it would help with the pain," he told her, lifting the back of her head off the pillow. She gave a small cry when the Captain lifted her back off the bed and he instantly eased her down.
"I'm sorry, Fraulein," the Captain sincerely apologized, "I tried to be gentle."
"It's all right, Captain," she said, her breath coming in short gaspy spurts, "I should be used to broken bones by now."
Captain von Trapp found that comment odd, but he did know that his governess had been quite a tomboy growing up and that, he guessed, came with a broken bone or two. The Captain waited for her to settle down before attempting to move her up again, "I don't want to hurt you, Fraulein, but I'm afraid I must in order to get you the medication. Then it won't hurt as much, I promise."
The Captain lifted her up in a gentle yet swift motion and Maria gave no indication of her pain, other than a slight moan and tiny grimace. With a steady hand the Captain held the glass for Maria to drink the medication, and when she was through, he gently lowered her back down to rest against the sheets. Gently, albeit a bit awkwardly, the Captain patted her hand until her breathing returned to normal and the tight grimace of pain disappeared.
"Feel better?" he asked when her features relaxed a bit.
Her only answer was another slight moan, "It still hurts quite a bit. I'll be all right," Maria told him. She was relaxed a bit more and could see the worry etched into the Captain's handsome face. Handsome? The medication must be playing with her mind.
"I hope so," he said, gently, "You make this a much nicer place to be."
She gave no answer and the when the Captain studied her face, he could tell she was sound asleep and for the moment pain free. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was indeed getting late and he should see about tucking the children in. Reluctantly he left Maria's room, and on the way down to Gretel and Marta's room, he instructed Franz to move some of his clothes and personal belongings to the empty suite across from Maria's. He wanted to be in the same wing as the children and he wanted to be near Maria incase he was needed during the night. He couldn't rationalize the need he felt to be near her, but he felt it just the same.
When he got to Gretel and Marta's room he gently wrapped on the door before entering, "All right, girls," he said to his two youngest children, "time to put the dolls away and get into bed. It's past you bedtime now."
"Yes, Father," the two girls chorused, "But when can we go and see Fraulein Maria?"
"Um, well, Fraulein Maria still isn't feeling too well, and she needs rest. We'll see how she's feeling tomorrow," the Captain told them as he sat down on Gretel's bed and tucked her in.
"But, father," Marta protested.
"No, buts, Marta," he smiled and tapped her nose, "it's your bedtime and Fraulein Maria is asleep. You can see her later. Good night, girls. I love you." With that, he clicked off their lights and left their room.
Next he made his way to Louisa and Brigitta's room. Louisa he could see was all ready asleep, but Brigitta was sitting in the window seat. When the Captain got closer to her, he could see she was crying.
"Brigitta? What's the matter, Darling?" the Captain asked gently.
"Nothing, Father," she replied wiping her eyes and sliding off the window seat heading for her bed.
"Come now, my Brigitta doesn't cry for nothing. What is it?" he asked gently.
"I'm just tired and well."
"Is this about Fraulein Maria?" he asked, hugging his daughter lightly.
Brigitta nodded, but even as she did so, the Captain sensed something else was bothering her, but he let it go. Instead he said, "Don't fret, Darling. Fraulein Maria will heal and she'll be better than new. Now, dry those eyes and get to bed. I don't want a bunch of sleepy heads at breakfast in the morning."
Brigitta hugged the Captain tightly, "I love you, Father," she said softly.
"I love you too, Brigitta. Now bed."
The rest of the goodnights took about twenty more minutes, then finally the Captain was able to relax in his study. He didn't drink often, but tonight he craved a glass of vodka. He settled in chair and sipped the drink, letting the clear liquid burn his throat.
Never had he been confused like this. He was going to marry Elsa, it practically a given, yet he'd not felt such fear for another human being, such fierce protectiveness, since Agathe died.
He sat in front of the fireplace in his study and finished his drink, then rose to go to bed. Elsa and Max had turned in all ready, as it was nearly ten. Before the Captain went to his newly acquired bedroom he stopped and checked on Maria. She appeared to be in the throes of another nightmare, this time she was speaking, begging someone to stop doing something that was hurting her.
The Captain rushed to her side and sat down on the side of her bed. The movement of the mattress jarred Maria's injured ribs and she woke quickly with a start.
"Ssh," the Captain tried to quiet her, "I'm right here, it's all right."
"Oh my God," she cried over and over again, "Oh my God."
"Ssh. Ssh, Fraulein," the Captain soothed, "It was just a dream. That's all, it's the medication."
"No," she whispered confused, "It was a dream. It happened," she insisted, "It hurts so much."
"I know, Maria," the Captain answered, leaving formalities out of this rather intimate moment, "but it's going to get better. I promise you. You're safe here, no one can hurt you."
Gently, he wiped the tears from her cheeks with a handkerchief and slipped his hand to cover hers, "Can you go back to sleep now, Fraulein?" he asked gently.
She nodded her head and the Captain watched as her eyelids began to droop. Just before she fell asleep, Maria mumbled barely inaudible words, "I don't want to be left alone anymore."
"Then you won't be, Fraulein," the Captain told her, sliding off the edge of her bed to the chair beside it, "then you won't be."
Once Maria had fallen back to sleep, Captain von Trapp got an extra blanket from the room across the hall and settled himself on the chair next to Maria's bed for the duration.
In spite of the uncomfortable position the Captain slept well as did Maria for the rest of the night. So when the door bell sounded at just before six, it startled the Captain awake.
He descended the steps hurriedly to see who or what was daring to disturb his house at such an early hour, and so that the bell ringing would not disturb Maria. He met Frau Schmidt on the stairway, as she was coming to get him. "Captain, Dr. Schwartz has arrived."
The two smallest children were still very upset about what had happened, Gretel was still crying softly and Marta was trying to be a "big girl" but he could see that she was struggling with it.
When he entered the salon, nine pairs of eyes looked at him, all holding questions. His children and Max wanted to know of course how Maria was but Elsa, she had something else on her mind entirely. The Captain settled himself on the sofa next to Liesl and took Gretel on his lap.
"Children, Dr. Woss has just left us and I have some good news. Fraulein Maria is going to be all right. She has a bump on the head and some broken bones and she's going to need a lot of rest but she'll be just fine."
It was clear from the excited giggles around the room that the children were relieved that their beloved governess was going to be okay.
Overall, the children were satisfied with that explanation and hurried of to attend to other things, only Liesl and Frederick remained behind with the Baroness and Max at the Captain's request. "I saw no need to alarm the younger children," the Captain began, "but Fraulein Maria is going to have a more difficult recovery than I have let on. Dr. Woss told me that her wrist has been broken several times before and that there is nerve damage and tissue damage. Now, I don't know how accurate that is without further examination, but it sounds as if Fraulein Maria will not have full use of her left hand." Liesl and Frederick stared at their father in shock. How could it be? "Father, how will she be able to play the guitar?" Liesl asked, knowing Maria loved to play her acoustic more than anything else. "I don't know, Liesl. Dr. Woss did say that if Ma...Fraulein Maria worked with her hand she could get it back in working order, however, she did make it out to sound like that will be a very difficult undertaking, one that will require her to have help and support from all of us." The Captain looked at Max when he said this, knowing that his peculiar friend had a soft spot for Maria as he had himself. "You can count me in, Georg, I know that girl is the only hope I have or getting these children in the Festival," Max teased. "Max, if you manage to make it so Maria can use her hand all the way again, I'll give my permission," the Captain said with sincerity. "We'll help too, Father," Liesl assured him. "But I'm not sure we should let the others know until Fraulein Maria does. Brigitta has a way of telling more than she should. If she finds out too soon, it could upset her recovery. "Yes, it could," the Captain agreed. "What I want you two to do is help out as much as you can the next few days keeping the others occupied. Frau Schmidt and I will be helping Fraulein Maria and I need you to help us so that the younger ones don't get underfoot. I don't want Ma...Fraulein Maria being disturbed until she's begun to recuperate." "She didn't only break her wrist, did she?" Liesl asked. "No, Darling. She also has two broken ribs and a concussion. She's going to sleep a lot the next few days. We have to encourage her all we can when she's awake." The Captain voice sounded far away to those who listened to him, as if his body was in the salon with them, but his mind and his thoughts were with the petite governess upstairs.
"Georg," the Baroness' voice broke into the Captain's thoughts, "Perhaps it would be beneficial to Maria if you sent her back to the abbey, that is, just until she recovers. You don't have nearly enough staff to take care of the house and of her, and I mean, in her present condition, she really is of no use as a governess. Is she?"
"Elsa," the Captain let out a long sigh when he said her name, as if frustrated by the very thought, "Nonnberg Abbey is not the place for someone like Maria, especially not when she's injured. They are very restrictive with the medical personnel and anyway, there's no fresh air, no access to the outdoors. No, she must stay here."
"Georg is right. He can afford primary medical care, although, he does seem satisfied with Dr. Woss," Max raised his eyebrow at his usually conservative friend.
"She seemed to know her stuff, and she seems legitimately concerned about Fraulein Maria," the Captain replied.
"We'll do anything and everything to help, Father," Liesl said confidently, reaching up to give her father a hug.
"I know you will, Darling," the Captain returned her embrace, "You and Frederick can go."
The two children left the adults in the salon and the Captain sat down on the settee, "I can't believe this happened," he said almost to himself.
The baroness sat beside him and slipping her arm around his back said, "But it did, Georg. You can't be making yourself sick over her. Frau Schmidt is capable of taking care of her." "Elsa, Maria means a lot to m.to this family and lately it's been." The Captain never got a chance to finish, for the Baroness interrupted him.
"Let's get your mind off of this for now. We can discuss the guest list for the party." Baroness Schraeder was not a stupid woman. She could see the Captain was terrified for Maria; he was so upset he could not even conceal his emotions, something he was an expert at doing. If she could sway his mind away from his troublesome governess. The ice in his blue gaze, however told her, she should just keep quiet.
"Captain," Frau Schmidt's voice interrupted the goings on in the salon," Fraulein Maria is awake."
"Thank you," the Captain said rising to his feet, "We'll discuss this later. Excuse me."
Captain von Trapp climbed the stairs to Maria's bedroom. He'd have to tell her about her injuries, but what the doctor had said about her wrist. It would be shocking a blow.
"She's in a lot of pain and she's still a bit confused. I can't get her to drink the medication Dr. Woss left, she told me it would help, but she just won't drink it." Frau Schmidt studied the Captain with a worried look.
"I'll take care of the medication, thank you. She probably can't sit herself up enough to swallow it," the Captain took the glass from Frau Schmidt and went into Maria's room leaving the door half way ajar.
"Welcome back, Fraulein," the Captain greeted when he saw Maria's blue eyes focus on him. They were glistening with tears of pain and the Captain slowly moved to sit beside her, "You gave us all quite a scare."
"What happened to me?" she whispered, eyes darting around the room, "I don't feel right."
The Captain chuckled lightly, "No, I imagine you don't. You feel out of a tree, do you remember. We were on a picnic." he supplied to try and jar her memory.
"No," she shook her head, "can't think. Just." The Captain noticed her brow breaking out in a sweat and gently wiped her face with a cloth dipped in the bowl of water Dr. Woss had left.
"Just what, Fraulein?" he asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Captain. It's just, it hurts to breathe," she told him, two tears finding their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
"I'm sure it does, Fraulein. It's not every day one falls out of a tree and gets two broken ribs," he told her, wiping her face again. "The doctor left some medication for me to give you. Would you like me to help you sit up so you can drink it?"
"What is it?" she asked, glancing at the cup.
"I don't know. Dr. Woss said it would help with the pain," he told her, lifting the back of her head off the pillow. She gave a small cry when the Captain lifted her back off the bed and he instantly eased her down.
"I'm sorry, Fraulein," the Captain sincerely apologized, "I tried to be gentle."
"It's all right, Captain," she said, her breath coming in short gaspy spurts, "I should be used to broken bones by now."
Captain von Trapp found that comment odd, but he did know that his governess had been quite a tomboy growing up and that, he guessed, came with a broken bone or two. The Captain waited for her to settle down before attempting to move her up again, "I don't want to hurt you, Fraulein, but I'm afraid I must in order to get you the medication. Then it won't hurt as much, I promise."
The Captain lifted her up in a gentle yet swift motion and Maria gave no indication of her pain, other than a slight moan and tiny grimace. With a steady hand the Captain held the glass for Maria to drink the medication, and when she was through, he gently lowered her back down to rest against the sheets. Gently, albeit a bit awkwardly, the Captain patted her hand until her breathing returned to normal and the tight grimace of pain disappeared.
"Feel better?" he asked when her features relaxed a bit.
Her only answer was another slight moan, "It still hurts quite a bit. I'll be all right," Maria told him. She was relaxed a bit more and could see the worry etched into the Captain's handsome face. Handsome? The medication must be playing with her mind.
"I hope so," he said, gently, "You make this a much nicer place to be."
She gave no answer and the when the Captain studied her face, he could tell she was sound asleep and for the moment pain free. A quick glance at his watch told him that it was indeed getting late and he should see about tucking the children in. Reluctantly he left Maria's room, and on the way down to Gretel and Marta's room, he instructed Franz to move some of his clothes and personal belongings to the empty suite across from Maria's. He wanted to be in the same wing as the children and he wanted to be near Maria incase he was needed during the night. He couldn't rationalize the need he felt to be near her, but he felt it just the same.
When he got to Gretel and Marta's room he gently wrapped on the door before entering, "All right, girls," he said to his two youngest children, "time to put the dolls away and get into bed. It's past you bedtime now."
"Yes, Father," the two girls chorused, "But when can we go and see Fraulein Maria?"
"Um, well, Fraulein Maria still isn't feeling too well, and she needs rest. We'll see how she's feeling tomorrow," the Captain told them as he sat down on Gretel's bed and tucked her in.
"But, father," Marta protested.
"No, buts, Marta," he smiled and tapped her nose, "it's your bedtime and Fraulein Maria is asleep. You can see her later. Good night, girls. I love you." With that, he clicked off their lights and left their room.
Next he made his way to Louisa and Brigitta's room. Louisa he could see was all ready asleep, but Brigitta was sitting in the window seat. When the Captain got closer to her, he could see she was crying.
"Brigitta? What's the matter, Darling?" the Captain asked gently.
"Nothing, Father," she replied wiping her eyes and sliding off the window seat heading for her bed.
"Come now, my Brigitta doesn't cry for nothing. What is it?" he asked gently.
"I'm just tired and well."
"Is this about Fraulein Maria?" he asked, hugging his daughter lightly.
Brigitta nodded, but even as she did so, the Captain sensed something else was bothering her, but he let it go. Instead he said, "Don't fret, Darling. Fraulein Maria will heal and she'll be better than new. Now, dry those eyes and get to bed. I don't want a bunch of sleepy heads at breakfast in the morning."
Brigitta hugged the Captain tightly, "I love you, Father," she said softly.
"I love you too, Brigitta. Now bed."
The rest of the goodnights took about twenty more minutes, then finally the Captain was able to relax in his study. He didn't drink often, but tonight he craved a glass of vodka. He settled in chair and sipped the drink, letting the clear liquid burn his throat.
Never had he been confused like this. He was going to marry Elsa, it practically a given, yet he'd not felt such fear for another human being, such fierce protectiveness, since Agathe died.
He sat in front of the fireplace in his study and finished his drink, then rose to go to bed. Elsa and Max had turned in all ready, as it was nearly ten. Before the Captain went to his newly acquired bedroom he stopped and checked on Maria. She appeared to be in the throes of another nightmare, this time she was speaking, begging someone to stop doing something that was hurting her.
The Captain rushed to her side and sat down on the side of her bed. The movement of the mattress jarred Maria's injured ribs and she woke quickly with a start.
"Ssh," the Captain tried to quiet her, "I'm right here, it's all right."
"Oh my God," she cried over and over again, "Oh my God."
"Ssh. Ssh, Fraulein," the Captain soothed, "It was just a dream. That's all, it's the medication."
"No," she whispered confused, "It was a dream. It happened," she insisted, "It hurts so much."
"I know, Maria," the Captain answered, leaving formalities out of this rather intimate moment, "but it's going to get better. I promise you. You're safe here, no one can hurt you."
Gently, he wiped the tears from her cheeks with a handkerchief and slipped his hand to cover hers, "Can you go back to sleep now, Fraulein?" he asked gently.
She nodded her head and the Captain watched as her eyelids began to droop. Just before she fell asleep, Maria mumbled barely inaudible words, "I don't want to be left alone anymore."
"Then you won't be, Fraulein," the Captain told her, sliding off the edge of her bed to the chair beside it, "then you won't be."
Once Maria had fallen back to sleep, Captain von Trapp got an extra blanket from the room across the hall and settled himself on the chair next to Maria's bed for the duration.
In spite of the uncomfortable position the Captain slept well as did Maria for the rest of the night. So when the door bell sounded at just before six, it startled the Captain awake.
He descended the steps hurriedly to see who or what was daring to disturb his house at such an early hour, and so that the bell ringing would not disturb Maria. He met Frau Schmidt on the stairway, as she was coming to get him. "Captain, Dr. Schwartz has arrived."
