It was after dinner time when Maria returned to the villa. She had taken the bus out of town, but had gotten off at the stop before the one leading to the von Trapp home. Feeling that a walk would do her good, she had relished the final moments of solitude before she re-entered the villa to be surrounded by the family she had grown to love so much.
She entered quietly, knowing the family was probably in the parlor, entertaining themselves before it was time to retire. Maria wondered how the Captain had done with his solo day of spending time with the children; even with Max around, Maria was certain most of the children's attention had been devoted to their father's constant presence with them for the whole day.
Maria paused in the front of the foyer, her ears searching for the family's location. Nothing but silence greeted her. Frowning at the unfamiliar lack of sound, Maria walked into the parlor. There was no one there. She searched the ballroom, library, dining room and even the kitchen, finding no one.
Stepping out into the garden, she gasped suddenly when she saw Max standing at the other end, his back to her. After her unsuccessful search, she was unprepared to actually find someone.
Max turned and smiled at her. "Good evening, Fräulein," he said genially.
"Hello," she stammered, looking around. "Where is everyone?"
He looked above her at the second floor. "The children are upstairs, I believe."
Maria frowned. "So early?"
He shrugged. "Georg wanted you to have peace and quiet the entire day."
"Oh," she said, and looked past him.
He grinned and nodded to the grounds behind her. "He's by the lake, Maria," he said.
Feeling her cheeks warm, Maria nodded curtly. She turned and walked over to the edge of the garden and gazed out to the lake. Spotting a lone figure walking along the edge of the water, she smiled to herself.
She saw him glance up in her direction and stop walking as he realized she was standing there. Her heart began to beat a little faster as she descended the stairs, not having the slightest clue as to how she was going to start the conversation she knew they needed to have.
The Captain was smiling at her when she reached him. "Good evening."
"Hello," she returned, her voice a little shaky.
"Did you enjoy your day off?" he asked, staying rooted to his spot.
She nodded, unsure as to whether or not she should tell him that she had gone to see Klauss. She cocked her head behind her. "How was your day?"
He sighed in dramatic exertion. "Full."
She smiled, feeling her unease begin to fade. "I'm sure the children loved having you all to themselves."
He nodded, and said, "Yes, I know they did. Not a dull moment at all."
"I'm sure," she said. "Anything special happen?"
He laughed. "Brigitta's imagination never ceases to amaze me. I don't know whether or not to encourage Louisa's introverted tendencies. Kurt and Friedrich's knowledge of military facts would leave many of my formal colonels jealous. And the little ones, well, let's say I managed to avoid a full tea party for the time being."
She laughed aloud with him. "They'll get you one of these days, sir," she warned. She turned her head to look up at the house. "And Liesl?"
He sighed. "Enraptured in writing letters, I believe," he said. "She seemed to have wanted some space of her own."
Maria nodded, enjoying the easy mood that always seemed to fall upon them when they discussed the children. After a moment, her face grew serious. "Thank you for letting me have a day to myself. I didn't know how much I needed it."
He shook his head and laughed again. "Now I know you needed it," he said, looking past her to the house. "I think you need one once a week."
"Once a week?" she repeated, laughing. "Can you handle once a week? You may not be able to avoid a second tea party attack!"
He joined in her laughter. He cocked his head to the bench near the gazebo, and she happily walked over with him. They sat in silence for a moment, each unsure what to say next.
Maria broke the silence. "I missed everyone, even if it was just for a day," she admitted.
He looked over at her. "Really?"
She nodded. "Yes. I kept feeling the urge to run into the house to see what you were all up to."
He narrowed his eyes in thought. "You should have," he said, but then shook his head. "No, you needed your day."
She looked at him gratefully and nodded. "Yes, that's why I went into town: to remove the temptation."
"A very wise decision," he said, grinning at her.
She smiled back before sighing deeply, knowing it was time to tell him what she had been aching to tell him for hours. "May I ask you something, Captain?"
"Of course."
"If I…" she trailed, finding the right words, "if I told you that I wanted to be with Klauss, what would you say?"
He sighed, a distant look to his eyes for a split second. Looking at her again, he smiled. "I would tell you that I was happy for you."
She nodded, thinking. "And would you still be Klauss's friend?"
The distant look returned, combined with a twinge of darkness, but it, too, vanished immediately. He maintained eye contact with her. "Yes, I would."
Maria's mouth twisted, and she nodded. She looked away from him and stared out at the lake.
"It would hurt like hell, but I would be happy for both of you," he added, almost too quietly for her to hear.
She turned to face him, feeling her heartbeat quicken as she realized he hadn't stopped staring at her. "I went to see him this afternoon," she said.
He sat up straighter. "Oh?"
Maria nodded, suddenly losing her voice. While she knew she had made the right decision, she found herself unable to breathe properly while he was looking at her like that. She stood abruptly and walked a few steps away from him before turning to look at him.
Georg realized her need for distance, and he remained seated. He had no idea what she was about to say, and something in the way she was looking at him made him instantly uneasy.
"He told me that he was going to Innsbruck," she said.
Thrown off guard, Georg blinked. "Innsbruck?" he repeated.
She nodded. "He said he's going there because he couldn't… he couldn't see you and I... us…"
As she trailed, Georg felt himself release the breath he barely realized he had been holding. Every fiber of his being told him to jump up and run to her, but she seemed as if she needed to say more. And he needed her to say it first. He couldn't move until he heard her say it.
"I feel terrible," she said, twitching her hands nervously. "He was so hurt."
He shook his head. "You have done nothing wrong, Maria," he said quietly.
"He was the first person to make me feel loved," she said. "Sometimes, I'm still mystified as to why he would choose me…"
"Because you're beautiful," Georg answered with a softness in his voice that had been absent for years. A part of him still felt guilty for pursuing the woman his friend was attracted to, but as he stared at her, he realized he had had no choice.
She blushed and looked down. "But I've never felt it when I was with him," she whispered.
"Maria?" he asked, not really hearing her.
She sighed, looking up and meeting his gaze directly. "I never thought that the whole world could disappear with just a simple touch," she said, bringing her hand to her cheek.
Georg felt his heart start to beat faster.
Her face seemed to brighten. "I never thought that I could lose myself in someone's eyes as he held me in his arms," she paused, "while we danced on my mountain."
Georg started to smile.
"I never knew that I could feel so much when all you have to do is look at me," she said, her voice tight with emotion. "He kissed me, but you, all you did was look at me, and I felt as if I was someplace else."
He stood slowly and walked closer to her, his heart thundering in his ears.
"Everything seems to be more when I'm with you," she said, her voice quickening. "I feel more. I see more. It's all so clear and… the sun is brighter, the air is warmer. Everything is just…"
He paused when he was a few steps in front of her, and he gave her a half smile.
"Perfect," he finished for her.
She smiled at him; a smile that was so full of radiance and love. It was a smile that made Georg completely forget all the jealousy and fear he had felt over the last few weeks. It was a smile he realized he had been waiting to see directed at him for a long, long time.
"I love you too," she whispered, her breath catching in her throat.
He put his hands on her shoulders. Slowly, he pulled her towards him and brought his hand up to trace her mouth with his fingers. She brought her hands up to his shoulders, and he relaxed under her soft touch. Staring into her eyes, he finally felt as if everything was as it should be.
"Oh, my love," he murmured. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers, feeling all the tension and emotion release from her. Georg felt himself getting lost in how complete the moment was. Maria had brought him everything he needed, and he would cherish her forever.
As Georg deepened their embrace, Maria felt her knees weaken, and she clutched him tighter. She had never felt more joyous or completely at peace than she had at that moment. All doubts and fears vanished from her mind as she remained both grounded and lost in his arms.
They parted slowly, and he stared down at her, a soft smile that left her almost as breathless as the look she'd often seen in his eyes. He reached up to cup her cheek, and she turned into his hand. She smiled at him, too full of emotion to speak. He smiled in return and hugged her close to him. Maria closed her eyes, thanking God for granting them such a blissful moment.
So this is what it feels like to be in love, she thought as she smiled again to herself and held him tighter. Both of them reveled in the sensation of finally feeling complete.
Fin
A/N: and I exhale slowly. Again, thank you all for your wonderful reviews. They meant so much to me. This story was extremely challenging, and your insights and praises let me know that I had accomplished my goal. So, thank you all.
Incidentally, "My Mind and Soul" is taken from the bridge of the song Why Can't He Be You sung by the ever-angsty Patsy Cline. "He's not the one who dominates my mind and soul." That was part of my goal with this story, to capture the mood I feel when I listen that song.
Also, as posted on TSOM Boards, the theme of this story is similar to AmandaSarah's True Love. That is completely coincidental. As soon as I got the theme to that story, I stopped reading it entirely, to avoid any influence on my own work. I am posting this disclaimer here, and not at the beginning, because I felt it worked better here.