Chapter 6: Family Gatherings
Maria sat on the blanket watching the children play with their father, when Gretl ran up to her and sat down next to her.
" Gretl? What's wrong? " asked Maria.
" Nothing's wrong. " said Gretl.
"Then why aren't you playing with the others? " said Maria.
" I'm tired so I thought I would sit here with you. " said Gretl.
" That's fine with me, darling. " said Maria, as Gretl curled up next to Maria.
" Did I miss something here? I thought you were playing with us, Gretl? " said the Captain, picking up his youngest daughter.
" I was but I wanted to sit with Mother. " said Gretl.
" You didn't miss anything. Why is it that you also think that you miss something? " laughed Maria.
" Gretl, want to play jump rope with us? " said Marta.
" Yeah. " said an excited Gretl as she got up from Maria's side and ran to were the others were.
" I think she takes after you. " giggled Maria.
" You always thought that. " agreed Georg, sitting down on the blanket next to Maria.
" Their growing up so fast though. " commented Maria, while looking at Kurt and Friedrich who were rolling around in the grass.
" There's always Marta and Gretl. Those two aren't even 10 yet, Besides another little one on the way. " smiled Georg.
After another hour of fun and excitement, the family packed up their picnic and returned to the villa for a quite evening at home.
~ Back at the Villa ~
" Mother and Father seemed to be getting along better. Do you thing things might work out and we could be a family again? " said a plotting Brigitta.
" Brigitta, remember the last time we tried playing matchmaker? We got in trouble because Mother AND Father caught on." said Kurt.
" Yes, but this is different. We're not a family. We may be living in the same house. But we're not a family. " said Marta.
" We can't do anything about this time. We have to let Mother and Father work this out on their own." said Liesl, trying to stop the argument.
~ Meanwhile Downstairs ~
" Georg, do you hear an argument going upstairs? " asked Maria, getting concerned.
" I'm sure it won't last very long. Besides Liesl will stop it before it goes any farther. " said Georg.
" I'm still worried though. " said Maria.
Over the next couple of months, as Maria's pregnancy progressed, so did the relationship between Maria and Georg. The Captain continued to spend as much time with the children and just as much time, strengthening the relationship with Maria making sure nothing drove them off course.
~ At the Villa ~
" Liesl, have you seen your mother? " asked Georg, looking throughout each all about the villa.
" I think you need to relax a little more, father. Even Mother is more relaxed than you are about the new baby coming." smile Liesl as she enjoyed watching her father on ends as her father continued to look for her Mother.
" She didn't happen to go upstairs earlier this evening by chance, did she? " said the Captain.
" She may have. " said Liesl.
" I'm going to go check. " said the Captain, as he an quickly up the stairs.
~ Master Bedroom ~
" I see you came up here for some time to yourself after all. " said Georg, sitting on the opposite side of the bed, next to Maria.
" Did you need something? " asked Maria, propping herself up against the stack of pillows.
" No, I just felt like checking on you. Is that so wrong? " said Georg.
" In other words, you were driving the children crazy, looking through every room of the house to find me, right? " laughed Maria, knowing to well, what Georg was up to.
" I was not. Okay, so maybe I was. Shows you know me too well. ' said Georg.
" Promise me something, Georg. " said Maria, laying on his chest.
" I would promise you anything in a heartbeat. " said Georg.
" Promise me you'll be by my side when the baby is born. I know I told you I didn't want you there when the divorce went threw but I change my mind. Please? " said Maria, looking up for a reaction from Georg, who couldn't find the words to speech, just let the tears show instead, couldn't resist it any longer and lend down and kissed Maria passionately, only deepening the kiss as it continued.