Chapter II: One governess, seven children and Captain von Trapp
Maria's POV
****This is the first change I'm going to make to the movie. I just switched things up to keep my plot going.*****
I stare at the front door, and take a deep breathe, trying to find the courage to ring the doorbell. Since the Reverend Mother told me that I was to be the governess for seven children of a retired Naval Captain, I have been terrified. I love children, and I always have, but I know nothing about being a governess, and for seven children.
My hand trembles slightly as I raise it to ring the doorbell…
I set my bags down, trying one last time to shake the nervousness that's taken me over. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
And suddenly find myself lost in my thoughts. Thoughts, which have been consumed by the memory of the handsome stranger, I met in the market a few weeks ago. I have tired to forget him, to forget his gorgeous eyes. I know that I shouldn't be thinking about him, or the way I felt when I was with him. But there was something about him…
I nearly jump when the door opens slowly. The man on the other end stares back at me, " Hello, you must be Captain Von Trapp." I say cheerfully.
" I'm Franz, the families butler. You must be the new governess, please." He motions me inside.
I take a deep breath pick up my bags and step inside.
Franz closes the door, and I follow him as he walks into the house. He leads me down a small flight of stairs, stopping just at the bottom. " Wait here please." He tells me, his voice revealing a hint of aggravation.
I nod, my eyes scanning the house in front of me…
Behind me two staircases lead up to the second story. In front of me the sparsely decorated foyer seems to go on for miles. Closed doors line the both sides of the foyer, and I close my eyes trying to imagine what lies on the other side…
" Hello." I hear a voice say from in front of me.
I open my eyes quickly, and they land on a woman standing before me. She looks very familiar, but I can't quite place where I've seen or meet her.
The look in her eyes however lets me know that she knows exactly who I am.
" You must be the new governess?" She says, her tone dry.
I nod happily, " Hello…"
She stops me before I have the chance to continue, " Fraulein?" She asks somewhat impatiently.
" Maria." I say cheerfully.
" Yes, Maria. I'm Baroness Schraeder, a friend of Captain von Trapp's." she says, almost possessively. She falls silent, as she looks me over, "If you don't mind my saying, you don't look like a governess." She says flatly, the look in her eyes telling me that she doesn't approve of my being the new governess…or perhaps, she doesn't approve of my being here at all?
I look down at the raggedy dress that I'm wearing, " When we enter the abbey all of our worldly possessions are given to the poor."
" What about this one?" She says, her voice still flat.
" The poor didn't want this one." I say with a laugh, trying to ease the mood.
" I see." She's just about to continue, when I hear the front door behind me close.
I hear whisperings, and some quiet laughter as I turn around.
Seven children stare back at me, and I inhale sharply as the children fall silent.
" Children…" The woman says, her voice surprisingly stern. " This is your new governess, Fraulein Maria."
The children look down at her, and then at me. I can't help but notice that they seem to be wearing uniforms, and that none of them are smiling anymore. I begin to wonder what kind of a father would make his children wear uniforms?
She motions them down the stairs. They do as she says, and come downstairs forming a single file line, in what I imagine must be oldest to youngest.
She points to the first child. " Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa…" She says, continuing on down the line. " Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl." She says pointing to the last little girl.
" Hello." I say, trying my best to hide the apprehension in my voice.
They say nothing, as they continue to stare straight in front of them.
" Their father is out, when he returns he will fill you in with everything that you need to know. Until then, why don't you and the children get acquainted? If you have any questions that can't wait until the Captain returns, I'm sure the children would be more then willing to help you." She flashes me smile, and I can't help but notice it's less then genuine, before she excuses herself.
I smile back at the children, noting that they're still standing at attention. " At ease." I say trying to brighten their moods. " Now if you'll tell me your names again, and how old you are."
Before anyone can say anything the front door opens, and closes. The children know it's their father and instantly snap to attention.
I hear a gasp from the top of the stairs and look up, my eyes locking with the man at the top of the stairs.
He gaze seems to burn right through me…
I fight back the shiver the creeping up my body; I can't breath or think straight.
I can't do anything but stare into his eyes…
I stand there lost it his eyes and it hits me like lightening; the man I met in the market was Captain von Trapp…my new boss.
To be continued…
Maria's POV
****This is the first change I'm going to make to the movie. I just switched things up to keep my plot going.*****
I stare at the front door, and take a deep breathe, trying to find the courage to ring the doorbell. Since the Reverend Mother told me that I was to be the governess for seven children of a retired Naval Captain, I have been terrified. I love children, and I always have, but I know nothing about being a governess, and for seven children.
My hand trembles slightly as I raise it to ring the doorbell…
I set my bags down, trying one last time to shake the nervousness that's taken me over. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
And suddenly find myself lost in my thoughts. Thoughts, which have been consumed by the memory of the handsome stranger, I met in the market a few weeks ago. I have tired to forget him, to forget his gorgeous eyes. I know that I shouldn't be thinking about him, or the way I felt when I was with him. But there was something about him…
I nearly jump when the door opens slowly. The man on the other end stares back at me, " Hello, you must be Captain Von Trapp." I say cheerfully.
" I'm Franz, the families butler. You must be the new governess, please." He motions me inside.
I take a deep breath pick up my bags and step inside.
Franz closes the door, and I follow him as he walks into the house. He leads me down a small flight of stairs, stopping just at the bottom. " Wait here please." He tells me, his voice revealing a hint of aggravation.
I nod, my eyes scanning the house in front of me…
Behind me two staircases lead up to the second story. In front of me the sparsely decorated foyer seems to go on for miles. Closed doors line the both sides of the foyer, and I close my eyes trying to imagine what lies on the other side…
" Hello." I hear a voice say from in front of me.
I open my eyes quickly, and they land on a woman standing before me. She looks very familiar, but I can't quite place where I've seen or meet her.
The look in her eyes however lets me know that she knows exactly who I am.
" You must be the new governess?" She says, her tone dry.
I nod happily, " Hello…"
She stops me before I have the chance to continue, " Fraulein?" She asks somewhat impatiently.
" Maria." I say cheerfully.
" Yes, Maria. I'm Baroness Schraeder, a friend of Captain von Trapp's." she says, almost possessively. She falls silent, as she looks me over, "If you don't mind my saying, you don't look like a governess." She says flatly, the look in her eyes telling me that she doesn't approve of my being the new governess…or perhaps, she doesn't approve of my being here at all?
I look down at the raggedy dress that I'm wearing, " When we enter the abbey all of our worldly possessions are given to the poor."
" What about this one?" She says, her voice still flat.
" The poor didn't want this one." I say with a laugh, trying to ease the mood.
" I see." She's just about to continue, when I hear the front door behind me close.
I hear whisperings, and some quiet laughter as I turn around.
Seven children stare back at me, and I inhale sharply as the children fall silent.
" Children…" The woman says, her voice surprisingly stern. " This is your new governess, Fraulein Maria."
The children look down at her, and then at me. I can't help but notice that they seem to be wearing uniforms, and that none of them are smiling anymore. I begin to wonder what kind of a father would make his children wear uniforms?
She motions them down the stairs. They do as she says, and come downstairs forming a single file line, in what I imagine must be oldest to youngest.
She points to the first child. " Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa…" She says, continuing on down the line. " Kurt, Brigitta, Marta and Gretl." She says pointing to the last little girl.
" Hello." I say, trying my best to hide the apprehension in my voice.
They say nothing, as they continue to stare straight in front of them.
" Their father is out, when he returns he will fill you in with everything that you need to know. Until then, why don't you and the children get acquainted? If you have any questions that can't wait until the Captain returns, I'm sure the children would be more then willing to help you." She flashes me smile, and I can't help but notice it's less then genuine, before she excuses herself.
I smile back at the children, noting that they're still standing at attention. " At ease." I say trying to brighten their moods. " Now if you'll tell me your names again, and how old you are."
Before anyone can say anything the front door opens, and closes. The children know it's their father and instantly snap to attention.
I hear a gasp from the top of the stairs and look up, my eyes locking with the man at the top of the stairs.
He gaze seems to burn right through me…
I fight back the shiver the creeping up my body; I can't breath or think straight.
I can't do anything but stare into his eyes…
I stand there lost it his eyes and it hits me like lightening; the man I met in the market was Captain von Trapp…my new boss.
To be continued…
