Chapter 4: Sleep tight, little dear

Everyone was sitting at the dinner table. Chris next to Maria, Max and Elsa facing them, Georg at the head of the table and the children were seated next to Maria and Max. Meanwhile Chris and Max had been introduced to each other. Normally nobody said much, but this time silence didn't seem to exist in the dining room. For some reason choirs came to the subject.

"That devil stole the Francis-choir! Once again right in front of my nose," Max exclaimed annoyed.

"Are you looking for choirs?" He heard Chris say and looked up, surprised someone was actually listening to him.

"Yes Chris, why?" He frowned.

"Well, perhaps I can help you. I've sung in a choir for a few years. The Haley Singers."

Maria's eyes widened with disbelieve. "You? In a choir?"

Suddenly it was a lot quieter at the table, practically all a bit surprised to see a different side of Maria.

"Yes duckie, I was in a choir," he replied giving a glance to Max, who was listening amused, as if he had known him for years."

"Ok, I must admit… you're a pretty good singer, but I thought choirs were too sweet for your reputation? You always said those were like goody-two-shoes things."

"Yes well, I guess I've changed a little. How about you? Do you still sing?"

Instead of hearing Maria's voice, a very young one answered his question. "Oh yes sir, Fraulein Maria sings to us almost every day!" As Marta had finished her sentence, the captain continued. "And very good too."

Maria got a blush on her face. She never thought the captain would say something like that, yet he had. This feeling hit her again, especially now as Maria looked up and was staring right into the captain's eyes. She reddened by the minute.

Elsa was following every move. When she looked up as Georg had complimented the governess, she noticed him staring at her, and it was difficult for her to let it go, especially when she saw Maria looking back and sort of being paralysed for a moment.

"No I wouldn't go that far," Maria continued, impossible for the pink fled on her cheeks to worsen.

"Really, Fraulein!" Louisa joined in.

"Yes duckie, when you sing, the angels in heaven stop with whatever they're doing just to listen to you," Chris continued, remembering those wondrous times he had heard her sing.

Max had seen this was getting quite awkward for Maria and decided to change the subject again. Well okay, also because he was interested in Chris's choir.

"So, this choir…"

The whole table started talking again, except for Maria and the captain. He was too busy with subconsciously gazing at Maria, while she had found a spot on the table which was much more interesting to look at as she slowly ate. Nevertheless, ten minutes later she had finished her meal.

"Captain, may I please be excused?" She looked up and by doing so she faced the captain's gaze… Immediately he turned his eyes to his plate, trying to hide it.

"Yes Fraulein."

"Thank you," she said quietly, wondering if she had just imagined him staring at her. As she was standing up, Chris turned to her and saw a little frown on her face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I'm just in need for some fresh air."

"Should I come with you?" He asked, a bit worried.

"No no, that isn't necessary."

As she walked away both Chris and Georg were wondering what was wrong. Clearly something was, because the way Maria acted wasn't normal.

When in the hall, she finally let out a deep sigh and kept walking towards the door, to go outside to the gazebo. She thought it was a pretty nice place nearby to just sit back and try and figure things out. As she was closing the door, she heard someone call her just behind it, so she waited in front of it until the captain had reached her.

"Fraulein, is everything all right?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely fine," she smiled, thinking it was nice of him to 'worry' about her.

"Are you sure? It's not like you to leave at dinner that early."

"Oh I just had some thinking to do in a quiet place," she replied, letting out a small sigh as they started walking towards the gate at the lake.

"Thinking?" Georg asked curiously even though he knew it was probably none of his business.

"Yes, with Chris coming back and…" she stopped talking. The things Louisa had said earlier on hadn't left her mind and she wanted to think about her future. What would happen, how could she handle her departure?

"And…?"

Bringing the subject on wouldn't be a good thing. She was sure he'd start to talk about it, but she didn't feel like it, at least not now. First she wanted to give it some thought herself. "Nothing."

The captain understood she didn't want to talk about whatever what was haunting her, so he stopped asking. A comfortable silence fell. Maria looking out over the lake, then in the direction of the sun that was going under. The captain enjoyed the view too, but not of the lake nor the sun… the glow from the sun on Maria. He found it hard not to look at her. Ever since the first moment he had seen her, he found her very attractive. Her beauty overwhelmed him. And since the fight he began to realise he had feelings for her. Maybe even before the fight.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you, Fraulein. Tomorrow I'm taking the children to the city with Elsa and me. So you'll have a day off," he told her, somehow a bit disappointed she wouldn't spend time with him.

"That's great," Maria brightened up, "Chris and I can spend some time together then." Without her knowing it, a little smile appeared on her face, which Georg had noticed and again he got the feeling that he was slightly jealous. He forced himself to smile too, then took a deep breath and let his fingers tap on the gate next to him.

"Well eh… I think I'm getting back to the house," he then said, knowing she came outside to be alone for a few minutes.

"I'll stay here for a while."

Georg was heading back, when Maria turned and called him. He had a little bit hope it had something to do with him, but his hopes were in vain.

"Could you please tell Chris that I'll be there in a minute?"

"I will," Georg nodded before he turned back to proceed his way to the house.

She resumed her thoughts, but as much as she pondered about it, she didn't come to an answer. She sighed and leaned over on the gate as she looked at the orange-purple sky surrounding the mountains where only minutes ago the sun had been. And when the first stars began to appear, she felt it was time to go back inside. Slowly she lead herself away from the beautiful and soothing place, back to the villa and as she opened the door, she saw that Chris was already waiting for her in the hallway.

"Frau Schmidt has just showed me my room. It's next to yours," he smiled, but when he didn't get a reaction from Maria, he went on, "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, first I have to put the children to bed," she said as the two of them moved up the stairs.

"I can help if you like."

"Are you sure you're up for that," Maria chuckled as she recalled him putting his younger brother to bed in the old days.

"Of course," Chris defended himself, "I've had some practise with my little nephew… including changing diapers!"

"We shall see…" Maria smiled as they reached the hall upstairs and the sound of the children's laughter filled the air.

"Well, go and see with the boys while I'll help the girls," Maria said as she pointed the boys' room out to Chris, "And if there's anything you need, I'll be in this room with the little ones," she continued as she moved into Gretl and Martha's room.

After some time the children were finally in bed. Maria went to her room and changed for the night, then moved into the bathroom to brush her teeth and a few minutes later she entered the bedroom again, before she knelt down next to the bed. Silently she started praying, and when she was about to bless Kurt, Chris walked in, though he kept silent until his friend had finished and just sat down on the bed. A storm had come up as they had been putting the children to bed, and every now and then a bright white flash filled the slightly lighted room. Maria and Chris were talking about the next day when suddenly the door slammed open. Maria could've guessed. Gretl was standing there, all teary-eyed, though she had frozen the minute she had seen that tall man sitting next to her Fraulein.

"Gretl? Is it the thunderstorm again?"

The little girl nodded her head, but stayed where she was. Maria followed her glance right to Chris and knew she was afraid to come any closer because of him. So she stood up and walked to Gretl, picked her up and moved back to the bed again.

"It's all right," Maria tried to soothe her on her way back.

"I know the lightning and the thunder are talking to each other, but it still frightens me." She clung to Maria as if she never wanted to let go, who realized the storm had been going on for quite a while already. "Were you scared ever since the storm began?"

Again the girl nodded.

"Oh darling, why didn't you come sooner?" She said as she sat down on the bed next to Chris, letting Gretl sit on her lap as the girl was still hanging closely on to Maria.

"Because I thought that you'd be mad at me…" the girl let out softly with a few sobs.

"Mad at you? But of course not." Maria smiled and kissed Gretl on her forehead, before continuing, "Where are the others?"

"They're all fast asleep. Even Marta," Gretl answered, not being able to hold back a yawn, then looked up.

"Fraulein? Can we sing our favourite things again?"

"Why certainly."

Chris was looking very amused at the scenery. That little Maria who had always made the neighbourhood unsafe had grown up into a motherly person. He listened to every word of the song and suddenly he remembered it. They used to sing it too in the weeks before he left.

By now Gretl had calmed down as Maria felt her relaxing in her arms.

"I think I should better go now," Chris softly said as he stood up.

"All right. Goodnight, Chris," Maria almost whispered.

"Goodnight, duckie." Silently he walked outside, not wanting to wake anybody else. Maria looked down at Gretl. She wasn't crying anymore, in fact she had a little smile on her face and Maria saw she was dozing off.

"Gretl, are you ready to go back now?" Maria asked silently.

"Oh please Fraulein Maria, let me stay here tonight." Her eyes got teary again as once again her grasp tightened. Maria sighed, she knew this was against the rules, but she couldn't just send Gretl away while she was so scared.

"Well, only this once," Maria said as she and the girl stood up. Then Maria pulled back the sheaths, and motioned Gretl to lie down before she headed towards the light switch. After she had turned the lights off, she also took place in the bed. Even though she hadn't done much that day, Maria was quite tired. She too felt so relaxed when little Gretl cuddled up against her, it gave her a wondrous feeling and a sad one too at the same time. Being a nun meant never having children, and that would be one thing she'd definitely miss.