This chapter is very strange and the ending will baffled some and anger others. Keep in mind I'm going somewhere with this so bear with me and no flames please. Thank you.
Three Months Later
The tiny wail grew louder waking Maria from her much need sleep. The little boy she swore only cried sometimes to make sure she was still there. Slowly, she rose from the bed and went over to the bassinet.
"Hello, baby," she crooned, "Mommy's here." Maria lifted the bundle and cuddles it to her breast as she walked to the rocker.
"Well, you're not hungry, I only fed you an hour ago. Are you wet?" she asked, feeling the cloth diaper. "No, not wet. What is it? Hmm? You just want to cuddle with Mommy?" Maria held the baby closer and gently rocked him. She studied her child as he lay in her arms.
Little Lucas Georg von Trapp was a perfect baby. He had a spattering of blondish hair, clear baby blue eyes, and the smoothest baby skin. He had her coloring and Georg's build even as tiny as he was that was evident. He had her stubbornness, well, their stubbornness and their temperament. He was their child no doubt about it. How she wished his father could see him, just once.
Gently Maria hummed Edelweiss to calm Lucas' cries. That song always settled him, he was of course, Georg's son.
Once he fell asleep Maria laid him down in his bed but couldn't go back herself. She was ludicrously overtired.
Dr. Wladyslaw Skinner heard the baby's cries as he passed Maria's room. Little Lucas was a handful for her and she was all alone in rearing him and seven other children. He knew Captain von Trapp was busy haunting the Adriatic or the Aegean or whatever sea but surely a man could come home to see his newborn, the Nazis weren't that heartless.
Maria began singing to the baby; Edelweiss, a song of Austrian pride and honor. It was all but forbidden now, but in the dark of night, it was only a soothing tune to a baby's ear.
He knew that deep down Captain von Trapp and his family were Austrian patriots and he suspected from conversations with the von Trapp's oldest son that the Captain was not fighting for the Reich because he believed in its' principles. More likely he was doing it to protect his wife and family to let them have a normal existence, not one of the run. It was a noble deed.
Maria's song ended and a few moments later, her light turned on. So, that's why she's so exhausted. After Lucas gets up, she can't fall back to sleep. It was common in young mothers, very common. He made a note to nonchalantly ask her about it on their picnic tomorrow.
Maria and Dr. Skinner had gone on numerous hikes and picnics with the children after Lucas was born and able to be outside for a little bit. Now that it was September and the children were in school, he and she still had an average of two picnics a week if the weather was nice. And he enjoyed them. A lot. Probably too much. "Bad thought there, Doc," he scolded himself.
With a long sigh, Dr. Skinner moved away from Maria's door, staying there was just too dangerous.
Bremmehaven Naval Base
It was good to see land again. This land. Sure, Captain von Trapp and his crew had seen a few ports in friendly harbors, but they hadn't seen home for months, since April. It was good to be back.
"Sir," Tom greeted with a sharp salute, "Welcome back."
"Thank you, Tom. My mail and schedule please," the Captain requested.
"Admiral von Schriver want to meet with you immediately, Sir," Tom told him, "I'll put your mail on your desk."
"Any word from my wife, Tom?" the Captain asked.
Tom nodded vigorously, "Yes, Sir," he replied, "Sixty five letters and one telegram will be waiting for you to enjoy after the Admiral, who may I remind you is a very impatient…"
"I got it Tom, leave the letters on the desk. I'll be back," the Captain halted him assistants rant. He didn't remember Tom being a ranter.
Captain von Trapp knew his family news would have to wait, because while not a ranter, Tom was right, the Admiral was not a patient man. He walked to the Admiral office where another Admiral and two Captains also sat.
"Excellent work, once again, Captain. Excellent work," the Admiral commended. "The mapping of the harbors and ports is unexcelled. I could have done it better myself. You get the best results out of your men."
"Thank you, Sir, but the men deserve as much credit as I…"
"Nonsense, a crew is only as good as it's commander," the Admiral told him, "And I believe cigars are in order to celebrate your fine work."
Captain von Trapp accepted the cigar, "Thank you, Sir. You give me too much credit."
"Don't be modest, Georg," Captain Kretzer, commander of another Nazi sub instructed, "You of all people have reason to be proud. You have two reasons to be proud, isn't that right, Sir?"
"What are you talking about?" Captain von Trapp asked, "What is he talking about?"
Admiral von Schriver laughed, "It seems Captain that you not on excel at seafaring, but at parenting as well, or fathering as the case may be. We received a telegram from you home in Salzburg three months ago and it appears personal as well as professional congratulations are in order," the admiral said, handing the Captain his copy of the birth announcement.
The Captain read:
Captain von Trapp-
Baby born via cesarean. Surgery successful
Mother and baby boy healthy.
Captain von Trapp was speechless. A son. He and Maria had a son. He was fine. She was fine and the Captain couldn't contain his joy.
"Thank you so much for telling me," Captain von Trapp said, "I'm sure, Maria's written me dozens of letters about him."
"Georg," Admiral von Schriver said, "Seven days."
"Excuse me?" Captain von Trapp was confused. What was seven days?
"Your leave. Take seven days of leave. Go to Salzburg, see your son. Be back in one week. Dismissed," the Admiral clarified.
Once again, the Captain smiled in Nazi presence, "Thank you, Sir," he said turning quickly and leaving to head for home.
Villa von Trapp
In the early afternoon sun, Maria and Dr. Skinner walked along the lake. Lucas was in the buggy watching the sky, occasionally gurgling contentedly.
Maria looked tired and moved slowly. Dr. Skinner carried the basket. Neither spoke as they walked to their usually place and spread out the blanket. When Maria was settled on the blanket he spoke, "Maria, how are you sleeping at night?"
"It's that obvious?" Maria asked a bit self consciously that her fatigue was showing on her face.
"I have a confession," he said, "Last night I was passing your room and I heard Lucas crying and you singing Edelweiss…"
Maria's blush deepened, "Georg…"
"It's a beautiful soothing song, Maria," he continued as if she hadn't spoken, "And you sing it quite beautifully. What I'm concerned with after you stopped, your light went on…"
"How long were you outside my room last night?" Maria asked yawning.
"Not long, but restlessness is not uncommon in new mothers," he told her gently.
"I'm not restless," she protested, "All right, I am restless, but I'm so exhausted…"
"The trick is to nap when they nap, but with seven other children and a house full of soldiers…it can get hard," Dr. Skinner sympathized.
"I miss Georg," Maria admitted, But it's nice to have you to talk to."
"Maria, if you weren't married to the Reich's most famous sea Captain…" Dr. Skinner began, "I cherish you. I cherish our friendship," he confessed.
"Wladyslaw," she began, but he raised his finger to her lips to silence her.
"Maria, your're…you're a very special lady, a wonderful mother. You're also beautiful inside and outside. I'm concerned for you, and I'm concerned for me," he spoke softly, "You because you pine for a man you love so hard it keeps you awake at night and me because…I can't help but be envious of him," he spoke these words while closing the gap between them.
"Wladyslaw," Maria blush, "That's sweet but I'm…"
"I know, Maria," he said breathlessly, leaning even closer to her, "I'm sorry," he said, on a breath before he closed the gap entirely and kissed her mouth lightly.
Maria was shocked, stunned and for moment could not react. Finally she pulled back and gasped in surprise and horror. Surprise at the kiss that Dr. Skinner had just stolen and horror because of the sight that met her eyes when she finally opened them. She couldn't get anything to come out of her mouth for a moment, until finally, she was able to breath out the one word that came to her mind, a name, to go with the face of the man standing on top of the hill, "Georg."
