Tough Love
Epilogue

Rural Vermont
December 6, 1941

"Mail's here," Louisa announced as she came up the front path and went into the house.

"Is there a letter from Cal?" Liesl asked. She had begun dating Calvin Moore earlier that year. He worked in his father's textile shop and was enrolled in college with plans of becoming a teacher.

"Yes, there's two," Louisa teased as she handed the scented envelopes to her sister. "He's only been gone a week; how much could he have to say?"

Liesl blushed and turned away to read her mail. Calvin had gone to visit family in Pennsylvania but would be back in Vermont for Christmas.

Louisa put aside magazines and ads for holiday sales in the city then she saw it, her brother's distinctive writing on a letter addressed to the Captain and Maria.

"Father!" she called out. "Mother! There's a letter from Friedrich for you," Louisa told them. Her parents were once again debating baby names for the newest family member due to make an appearance around Valentine's Day.

Little Henry toddled over to his sister and reached out to her. "Come on Henry, let's go get some juice? You want juice?"

The normal chaos of a Saturday afternoon with seven children and one on the way kept the Captain from reading the letter until after supper time. Friedrich had been too angry with him for the first six months to write him, however he did write to his sisters. Finally, at the beginning of the summer there was a letter for him and Maria. Friedrich was turning it around, he was doing well, and he was beginning to understand.

The Captain wrote volumes to his son wanting to encourage him to keep a healthy dialogue and know he could come home on any leave he was given. Perhaps that's what the letter was about, perhaps he'd be able to be home for Christmas or the impending birth of a new von Trapp. The Captain sat with Maria in the kitchen while she sipped a cup of peppermint tea before going to bed. He read the letter aloud.

Dear Father and Mother,

I just wanted to let you know I'm doing well and miss you very much. We are stepping up our level of training with so much hostility in the world. I think some of my teachers feel we should be involved in the war in Europe, that's it's America's responsibility to help England, France, and even Austria fight for their freedom from Hitler.

I have been asked recently to assist in translations. I didn't think my English was that good, but apparently strong German and French is more important than proper English. I'm only a student, yet I do feel that I'm making you proud, that I'm making up for all of the pain and heartache I caused you both.

I don't have a lot of time; final exams are approaching, and I need to work on my cartography. I never had much of a skill for maps, but I'm getting better at that too. I really hope that when I graduate this spring, I get stationed somewhere warm. It's freezing here, but you already know that. Some of the recent graduates were sent to the Pacific in Hawaii. The base has a name mother would like, Pearl Harbor. Sounds like a paradise.

I hope to get a leave in late January or early February. Tell everyone that I think of them often and wish them well.

Best regards,

Friedrich.

"That is a lovely sounding name for a naval base," Maria agreed. "Didn't I read that is where a majority of our aircraft carriers are at anchor?"

"Hmmm, yes, but they keep moving carriers and destroyers to the Atlantic. They are leaving the western coast wide open. I suppose the thinking is the eastern seaboard is more vulnerable to attack given the military aid we are giving to England," the Captain replied. "They are being a little short sighted, I think. We aren't on the best of terms with Japan or Russia. I don't trust Stalin, he's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Subnets are a good defense, but they aren't enough. A good sub commander would get around them, or at the very least penetrate farther into the harbor than is prudent."

Maria looked at the Captain. He hadn't taken his eyes off letter though she could see that he was in his glory talking about his disagreement with the Navy's leaders in Washington, D.C. She found it a turn on. "I love it when you talk this way," Maria smiled flirtatiously.

"I know you do, Darling. And I do hope I am wrong, but an attack on Pearl, that's the worst thing that could happen. An entire fleet at anchor and the Pacific, that's where the real threat is. It's the back door. A smart enemy, hits you exactly where you think you're safe."

The Captain got up from the table and sighed. He changed the subject. "If Friedrich is sent to Pearl, it would be hard to get the family all together that way. Even his leave time would be used traveling."

"Perhaps we could visit him there, if that even happens," Maria said finishing the last sip of her tea. She pushed herself up out of the chair. "We could use a few weeks in a paradise like that."

"I second that." The Captain began helping Maria close the house for the night. She had a hard time sleeping the last few days, heartburn and back pain plagued her rest, so he wanted to get them into bed early. Maria would insist on going to church even if she was tired. He hoped getting her to lie down and unwind early would help her at least get a few solid hours of sleep.

All of their children were in their rooms either asleep or entertaining themselves. The Captain locked the door and followed his wife to bed.

The tea did help and in her husband's arms, Maria was able to sleep. With their children contented, the Captain slept better as well. The deep circles had faded, and his eyes were much softer. All in all, things were turning out very nicely for their family in America.

The family went to the early Mass the next morning then met with Mary Kate and Sean for brunch. Mary Kate's baby was due around the same time as Maria's and the two women often shared secrets about what remedies or actions helped or hurt their symptoms.

It was getting close to 2pm by the time they got home. They usually listened to World News Today on Sundays hoping to hear reports that England and France were making strides in the war against Germany and Italy. The Captain put his arms around Maria to hold her close. The children did other activities such as reading or drawing while the news program played.

When the program began, at 2:30pm, they could hardly believe their ears. "The Japanese have attacked Pearl Harbor from the air and all naval and military activities on the island of Oahu, principal American base in the Hawaiian islands."

"Oh, dear God, Georg," Maria sat up straight and covered her belly protectively.

"Brigitta," the Captain ordered. "Turn that up."

The news program spoke for only a few minutes about the attack before switching to the London correspondent speculating about England's response. No one said a word. No one could.

The family sat transfixed, listening to every news report that aired. They periodically broke into the scheduled programming to give updates on the status of the attack. Only Henry was left unscathed by the meaning of it all. Gretl looked up at the Captain. "What does this mean, Papa?" she asked. "Are we going to have to leave here? I don't want to."

The Captain reached out and put his littlest daughter on his lap. "No, Gretl," he assured her. "We won't have to leave here. No one here is going to try to make me fight for anything I don't believe in. We are safe from that here. It does mean though that things are going to change."

"Change how?" Marta asked.

"Well," the Captain sighed. "I'm sure that when President Roosevelt speaks to the country tomorrow, he's going to tell us that we are in a state of war with Japan. We can't let another country come here and harm us and not do anything about it. That means that jobs in the factory where I work, well a lot of them will be changed to making things to help us in the war. It means that some of the young men that live around here will sign up for the military and go off to fight. It does mean that Friedrich might be sent somewhere to fight."

No one said anything after that. War had taken so much from them already, their home, their friends, the place their mother was buried…now it had seemingly followed them where they thought they would be safe and able to start over.

The country seemed to stand still the next day. It seemed that every radio in the country was turned on and in to hear President Roosevelt speak. Gretl and Marta sat by their parents while Liesl held Henry on her lap. The short speech began at 12:30pm, just after they had cleared the dishes from lunch.

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…" and concluded with the President asking the joint secession of Congress assembled to declare a state of war.

That was what kept Congress busy the next few days. On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States and in return, the United State declared war on them. Boys by the hundreds across the area were signing up for the draft, including Liesl's boyfriend. He came to speak to the Captain upon his return to Vermont from visiting family in Pennsylvania, and with some gentle urging from Maria, the Captain gave his permission for the pair to be married. They were to be wed in January before Calvin was due to leave for the front lines.

Many of the young men that worked in the factory with the Captain left to do battle. The Captain was working double time now helping to convert the production line from household goods to bombs and munitions. Still, that did not stop him from worrying about Friedrich. He knew sooner rather than later he would be sent overseas.

Five days before Christmas, the Captain was once again unable to sleep. It was snowing outside, just a light flurry. Maria was sleeping soundly, so he left the room as not to disturb her rest. The girls were doing their best to pick up the slack while the Captain burned the candle at both ends. He felt his age as he sat by the fire watching it consume log after log of the Vermont wood.

It was just before dawn when the Captain heard a car door close, probably the milk man on his daily rounds, but instead of footsteps receding down the walk after a couple of minutes he heard the front door of the farmhouse creak.

The Captain turned his head and there to his delight stood Friedrich dressed in his uniform, packed sea bag alongside him.

"Good morning, Father," he greeted.

The Captain shot off his chair and rushed across the room toward his son. He enveloped the boy…no man in his arms so glad to see him he didn't allow himself to think what this visit meant. "Friedrich…you've grown up so much. You look…" The Captain was beaming with pride. "How long can you stay?"

"I ship out day after Christmas," he replied. "My orders haven't been cut yet, but I'm probably going to the Atlantic, linguistics and all that, I'm stronger there."

The Captain took his son's bag, "Your Mother is going to have an attack when she sees you. I'm so…I'm so glad you're home. I don't want to wake her, but she'll have my hide if…"

"Wait," Friedrich said putting a restraining hand on the Captain's arm. "Before you get everyone, I just…I just want to say I'm sorry. I am so sorry for everything I did last year. It didn't feel like it was even me doing those things, I had no idea how to get myself turned around again. I prayed so hard for a solution, for some way out of the mess I was making, and honestly, when you left me with the lieutenant…I was certain I was never going to pray for anything again."

"Friedrich," the Captain began.

"Let me finish. I know now though that my prayers were answered, Father. I didn't know what to do but you did, and I know it was hard for you to do that. I often wondered how you could claim to love me in your letters but still send me away. I realized though that it was because you loved me that you did. I'm happy now, I have a purpose and I've made a lot of good friends. I'm going to live up to the von Trapp name. I'm going to make you proud of me."

The Captain's blue eyes sparkled with emotion at his son's words, "I am already," the Captain replied. "One day when you are a father you'll understand what I mean, but I am already."

The two men embraced firmly once more, then the Captain went to wake Maria and the rest of the family. For the next ten days it was like old times, music, laughing, sharing stories, it all seemed to end too quickly.

The Captain drove Friedrich to the train station alone the morning after Christmas. Maria had been so upset that the Captain had told her she had to stay at home and lie down. Liesl sat with her distracting her with last minute wedding plans, even though Maria's heart was not in it that day.

"Write as often as you can," the Captain told Friedrich. "And we'll write too. Your mother's due to have the baby in six weeks or so, I'll try to get you a snapshot after the birth. You keep your mind clear, focus on the mission one step at a time, don't rush, haste makes waste remember that."

"I will, Father" Friedrich assured him as the train arrived. "You better get back to Mother. She needs you, I'm sorry she was so upset. I…"

"She's strong, she'll be all right," the Captain reassured him and offered his hand as not to embarrass Friedrich in front of so many departing soldiers and sailors.

It turned out Friedrich didn't mind; he pulled on the Captain's hand and embraced him firmly. "I'll do you proud, Sir," Friedrich promised.

The Captain swallowed a lump of emotion in his throat, "I know you will…"

With that, Friedrich boarded the train and sat near the window to look out. The Captain didn't move from his spot until the train had departed taking with it his first-born son. It was a relief to have had words between them that settled matters from the previous year. Friedrich had come so far so fast, the Captain felt now more than he ever had sometimes a little "tough love" could make all the difference.

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has taken this journey with me. There might be more Friedrich stories to come, perhaps showing him as an adult male with the benefit of his father's wisdom. Fans of World War II movies might notice the Captain's references to Pearl and the shortsightedness of the Naval Command as being from the movie Pearl Harbor. Little dramatic license there, but hey, that's what fanfic is all about.

In the next couple days I'll be posting another one-shot story, "It's A Boy!" I'm also reposting edited chapters of Once Upon A Dream. I have reuploaded Chapter 1-4.