Ch. 10: A Visit

"Children," Maria called loudly. "It's time to lay your father to his rest. Please come down."

It had been a three days since Georg's death. The children handled the news with an understanding beyond their years, but that still didn't mean there were no tears. They decided to keep his body lying on the couch for a day so they could bid him farewell and he wouldn't have to go through lying in a random place until his burial.

The past two nights they lit candles and laid fresh flowers by him and sang him all of his favorite songs. The burial was a small gathering with a couple of their closest friends on hand. The oldest boys carried the coffin as the rest of the family walked behind the casket, singing songs of farewell.

They laid him in the ground on a hill not far from the house they had built. He had wanted to be buried there so he could, "watch over the family." There they laid him among the beautiful flowers and Edelweiss that bloomed each spring. The last song they sung before they left was Edelweiss. The tune was haunting and it echoed throughout the hills.

"Mother?" asked Eleanor. "Do you think Father can hear us singing to him?" Maria gazed at Eleanor for a moment and then looked at Georg's grave for a long time.

"Yes, he can hear us my darling," she answered.

"Even if he's underground?" asked Liesl's little daughter.

"Yes," Maria answered. "Even then. You see, Eleanor, your father now lives with the angels in heaven. He can hear everything we ever say now."

"He has wings too?" Johannes asked.

"Yes, I suppose he does."

"So when I get to heaven I will get to fly with him?" he asked with a big smile crossing his face.

"Of course. We will all get to fly, when we are together in heaven," Maria finished.

Months after his death Maria would still toss in her bed. She could barely sleep. The thoughts of Georg would overcome her mind once she was alone just as she had predicted. Being strong for the children wasn't too difficult. Oh sure she cried in front of them, but she insisted they continued to do what they loved. Singing, picnics, eating everything that made them happy. There was no other option for her. She learned something from what she had seen at the beginning of her stay at the von Trapp's.

Maria could see how easy it would be to shut out the children and her life, but she couldn't let that happen. Not after she had fought for that to be restored in Georg's house. She pressed on and managed without her Captain, just like he told her she should.

Managing to live a life alone after being with Georg for more than twenty-five years proved a bit challenging. She found fact annoying because she was supposed to be a nun after all. Before marriage she thought living a life alone would be peaceful. Now all she felt was constant loneliness.

Every time she would start to drift asleep Georg's face would reappear in her mind, causing her to open her eyes and hope to see him lying beside her. Each time she became more frustrated with the reality that he wasn't there.

Slowly, though things began to change. One morning Johannes ran into Maria's room.

"Mother?" he asked.

"Yes?" Maria answered and motioned for him to sit on the bed.

"Does Father have wings now?" Maria smiled with tears filling her eyes.

"I imagine he does."

"Because I had a dream last night. Father was in it flying. He told me that we shouldn't be sad anymore because he's safe in heaven, watching over us. Isn't that great mother?"

"Yes, that's wonderful," she told him. Maria was sure Johannes wouldn't make stories up so his dream, instantly made her feel better. She pulled her son into a hug. "He will always be watching out for us, forever."

That morning Johannes awoke his brothers and sisters happily, telling each of them the dream he had of their father. Maria smiled as she watched her children break into warm, happy smiles. She knew that their lives would never be the same, but they were all going to be okay.

After they were finished talking and busy filling themselves with breakfast Maria walked out of the room for a moment and gazed at her husband's grave through the window. She glanced up softly uttering a few words.

"Thank you, Georg. Thank you for blessing our lives with yours."

In 1985 Maria sat by her husband's grave writing a note to him. It had been nearly twenty years since his death and she still missed him. Yet, with each passing day she could feel herself getting closer to being with him forever in paradise.

My Darling Georg,

Darling I know in previous letters I have spoke of the musical based on our lives and I realize you know about it because you know of almost everything here. I just wanted to comment on one thing. Many years ago you told me you wanted to be a hero. Not just to your family or to Austria, but to the world. You told me it would be amazing to be known throughout the world. I always gently told you, that would come true and you'd live through your children and ancestors. When "The Sound of Music" came out I was appalled by how it portrayed our family. I mean it was strange to see our life being played out on a big screen in Hollywood. I never thought it would touch so many like it has. Usually movies tend to fade and are never remembered, but this one has withstood the test of time, Georg. I wouldn't be surprised if long after all our children and grandchildren are gone from this Earth, if this movie is still going strong. It has touched so many hearts and made our family in a sense, immortal on this Earth. See Georg, my point is that in a way, we are heroes. You are a hero to millions of people in the world now, as are the rest of us. Our family exemplified the love that so many yearn for, I suppose we will always and forever be dubbed as Heroes and when someone mentions the von Trapp family, our name will be met with happiness and love. Strange isn't it? I don't know why we were so blessed to receive this honor, but for now and ever more you can live in heaven, not only as my sea captain, but also as Captain von Trapp…a hero in every meaning of the word.

All the love to you my darling,

Maria von Trapp

The End!

A/N: This story took so much out of me! Sorry it took so long, but I was really struggling with some of these chapters. Now that it's done though, I'm very glad I wrote it. Thanks again to my two wonderful betas! Thanks for reading and please tell me what you think of this chapter and the story as a whole.