The captain saw
the horror on Frau Schmidts face and quickly picked up the telephone
reciever.
The Von Trapp family patiently waited in the hospital
family room for news about their beloved Liesl.
Maria paced up
and down the waiting room much to the annoyance of Georg. All the
children had fallen asleep on the hard chairs and every so often
Gretl would wriggle about trying to get comfy.
"Maria please do stop doing that it wont hurry things up, its just making me nervous"
"Sorry Captain im just really scared. i i i ..."
Marias sentance turned into a sob, she really looked on all the children as her on family. As MAria stood and cried Georg stood up and went to comfort her. He wrapped his arms round her to let her cry into his arms.
They stood there for nearly half an hour when the doctor walked in.
"Captain Von Trapp?"
They quickly broke away from each other to hear the news. Georg grabbed hold of Marias hand to make him feel stronger in himself. Maria returned his grip. They were united.
"Im afraid it is what we expected. Liesl has been sexually assaulted"
The words "sexual assault" rang in Georgs ears.
"Can we see her please Doctor" Maaria asked eagerly.
"Yes i would like to see my daughter" commented the Captain.
The doctor nodded in agreement and lead them down the corridor to Liesls room. They left the children sleeping because they looked so peaceful.
"Father, Mother? a weary Liesl greeted them.
"Mother? Liesl darling its Maria not your mother" the Captain said slightly confused.
Maria knew that she was not their mother but she used to pretend that she was in fact their mother and even though she knew not to call herself that, she was kind of hurt by what the captain had just said.
Maria and Georg stood in disbelief at what Liesl had just called Maria. He decided to bite his tongue and change the conversation.
"Liesl, darling who did this to you" He could only just about get his words out without trailling off into tears.
"If i tell you father please dont do anything rash,"
Liesl couldnt believe what she had just said. She wanted nothing more to do with Rolf because of what he had done but she felt the need to protect him.
"Im sure your father wont do anything that would get him into trouble now would he." Maria walked over to Liesl and took her hand gently.
"Now whenever your'e ready darling, tell your father who it was."
Liesl covered her eyes with her free hand to try and stop the tears from falling and whispered.
"rolf"..
Georg couldnt believe his ears, he marched out of the hospital and kicked one of the hard chairs in anger. He sat down and buried his head in his hands. This was the 1st time Georg Von Trapp had sat down and cried in 7 years.
Maria rushed out after him.
"Oh captain, its alright let it all out,"
Maria sat next to him and took him in her arms. She felt a connection with him, maybe Liesl had brought them together. he sat repeating rolf's name in anger and upset.
"Maria why has he done this to my darling, why, my innocent 16 year old daughter who wouldnt hurt anyone."
"I dont know sir i really dont know, now for liesls sake we have to be strong and help her through this."
when they had finished talking a loud beeping sound was echoing down the corridor. Maria and Georg thought "LIESL".
The sound of Edelweiss played as doctors and nurses rushed round Liesls room trying to save her. Maria placed her hand on the glass window and muttered a silent prayer. Georg couldnt bare to see his beloved daughter like this and pulled maria into a tight hug, there they stood, together, whilst the doctors were still working on Liesl.
After what seemed a long time, an oldish looking doctor came outside.
"Captain Von Trapp, im afraid i have some bad news"
"NOOO, LIESL GOD NO" Maria shrieked, falling onto a seat.
"Im afraid so Fraulein. there was nothing we could have done, Liesl hemorraged about 10 minutes ago, again i am really sorry"
"Can we see her please" Georg asked sternly.
"Of course, just through here"
The doctor led Maria and Georg to Liesls room. She looked so
peaceful, like nothing had happened and she was just sleeping. Maria
sat beside her, stroked her hair and said another silent prayer.
Both the captain and maria didnt utter a word they were just sat
beside her when a nurse came in.
"Captain i have something here that belongs to Liesl"
she handed over an
envelope addressed to "Father, Maria and my brothers and
sisters"
Georg opened it and read aloud.
DEAR ALL. I
KNOW I MAY BE JUMPING THE GUN WRITING THIS BUT I HAVE TO GET ALL THIS
DOWN IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS. YOU MAY WELL BE THINKING NOTHING
DRASTIC WILL HAPPEN TO ME BUT I HAVE LOST A LOT OF BLOOD THE DOCTORS
SAY. I AM DICTATING THIS TO A LOVELY NURSE WHO IS LOOKING AFTER ME
WELL.
IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME I WANT YOU TO KNOW I LOVE
YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I SHALL MISS YOU TERRIBLY.
FATHER- KEEP
HOLD OF MARIA, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND I LOOK AT HER AS OUR
MOTHER, I LOVE HER SO MUCH AND WILL MISS HER BUT I KNOW GOD WILL LOOK
AFTER ME, SHE HAS HELPED ME FIND MY FAITH IN GOD. I OWE HER A LOT. DO
THE DECENT THING FATHER AND NEVER LET HER GO. I SEE THE WAY YOU LOOK
AT EACH OTHER, YOU WERE DESTINED TO BE TOGETHER.
MARIA- NEVER
STOP SINGING TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HELP MY MEMORY LIVE ON WITH
THEM. I HAVE TAKEN YOUR SINGING WITH ME. YOU WERE THERE FOR ME WHEN I
NEEDED SOMEBODY THE MOST. I LOVE YOU AS MY MOTHER.
THE BOYS- DONT
TORMENT THE GIRLS AS MUCH. THEY WONT HAVE THEIR BIG SISTER TO STICK
UP FOR THEM, LOVE THEM DONT FIGHT WITH THEM. I SHALL MISS YOUR
TRICKS, BUT REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES.
THE GIRLS- I SHALL MISS
DRESSING YOU FOR PARTIES AND LOOKING AFTER YOU IN THE NURSERY, NEVER
FORGET ME GIRLS I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU ALL.
LASTLY, I HAVE TO GO
NOW FOR SOME TESTS AND THE NURSE HAS JUST INFORMED ME YOU ARE OUTSIDE
WAITING TO SEE ME.
I LOVE YOU ALL AND I WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.
LOVE ALWAYS.
LIESL.
Georg finished reading the letter to Maria, who was crying uncontrolably holding onto liesl, and walked over to her.
"Well darling i shall look after you, and you shall look after me. Liesl noticed it too i love you maria. i cant bear this, loosing my liesl but we will help each other through it."
Georg kissed her and they kissed liesl, said a final goodbye and went home to face the children.
How were they going to tell them that Liesl was never coming back.
The journey home
seemed like a lifetime for Maria and Georg. As they travelled down
the roads to the villa Maria started to hum My favourite things, She
tried to feel better but couldnt.
Georg was in his own little
world remenicing to himself back to the days when liesl was first
born.
The car pulled up outside the Von Trapp villa and Franz
opened the car doors for Maria and Georg.
It was passed midnight
so the children were fast asleep oblivious to the nights events.
"Sir i think i shall go to bed, if i stay awake i worry i may become extremely tearful"
"if you wish Maria, and please call me Georg". Georg walked over to maria gave her a slight kiss on the cheek and said goodnight.
After she left
he wandered to his study and poured himself a whiskey, he sat down on
his chair, downed the whisky in one and broke into heavy sobs.
Upstairs, Maria was changed for bed and sat up thinking of liesl.
As much as she wanted to fall asleep, grief wouldnt let her.
She
walked over to a spot on the carpet, knelt down and tears started
randomly rolling down her cheeks. The spot was when Liesl and Maria
were painting pictures for the children one evening, liesl had
accidently spilled a tiny bit of green paint.
She got up and
collapsed onto her bed curling up in a fit of tears. A knock at her
door startled her.
"Georg, er come in"
Georg entered marias room and sat on her bed.
"Maria i, i, i dont want to be on my own, i want liesl"
With that he
broke down once more. Maria sat by him and held him.
They fell
asleep on each other and were wakend with the soft singing of the
birds at 7 am,
The sunlight beamed through marias window and her and georg woke up.
"Morning maria i shall go and get dressed"
"um, oh morning georg"
Georg rose up from the bed, stretched and walked out of the door. As he wandered down the corridor to his bedroom he checked the children. There they were, sleeping peacefully. How was he going to break the news,
Maria had a shower and got dressed. As she walked out of her door she was greeted by a cheerful gretl pulling at her dress.
"Maria please can i see liesl now"
Maria tried her hardest not to cry.
"Go back and wake your brothers and sisters up and meet me in the nursery"
Gretl did as she was told and Maria ran to georgs room and knocked on his door. he opened it and let her in.
"Georg we have to tell the children now, gretl has just asked me if she can see liesl. i have told her to wake the rest of them up and meet us back in the nursery"
"ok maria, we have to break it to them gently. i shall tell them"
Maria nodded in agreement and kissed him on his cheek. They walked out of the door and slowly made it up the corridor to the nursery.
"Children i have something to tell you"
Maria took georgs hand in her own to give him strength. The children saw this and immideatly thought what they always wanted to.
"Father are you and maria going to get married" beamed briggita
"No, not yet brigitta. now, do you remember whn liesl went into hospital last night."
They all replied
"Yes"
"well im afraid she didnt make it"
the children one by one worked out what he meant apart from little gretl.
"What do you mean father, is she stuck on the bus?"
Maria bent down to her level
"No darling, shes living in heaven now"
Gretl automaticaly knew what maria
was saying and she threw herself into marias arms and started to cry.
Georg walked over to gretl and picked her up. he beconned to all
his other children to come over to him. they all threw their arms
around him and started to weep for their sister.
Maria quietly
walked out of the door , she could not hold back her tears anymore.
She slid down the door crying her heart out when the door opened.
Maria turned round and their behind her stood briggita.
"MAria please dont cry on your own, your'e one of the family, come inside"
"No im afraid i cant briggita, i cant see you all heartbroken it would hurt to much"
"Well can i sit with you then."
As she said this she sat beside maria and hugged her. Maria cried into briggita and there they sat for a few minutes until there was quiet singing from inside. Maria opened the door and saw the children and georg singing edelweiss.
Life without
liesl was very strange at first. None of the children could take it
in for the first few months and Maria was all over the place most of
the time. Liesl had been more of a friend to Maria and they got on
more like sisters.
If they went to the hills or by the lake you
could tell by the quietness that they were all thinking about Liesl.
Georg had taken it really bad. He didnt bother getting out of bed
for days and hardly ate anything. But one particular day Maria walked
into his bedroom and put the letter Liesl had written the day she
died.
Georg stubbornly read it and decided from then on he would
stick by Liesls wishes. He got up, dressed and walked downstairs to
be greeted by gretl.
"FAther, your up. oh father please come and play with me and maria"
"where are the others darling?"
"They are in the garden. we have something lovely to show you"
An excited gretl grabbed
her fathers hand and led him outside.
Georg stopped and stared at
what was in front of him.
Maria and the children had planted a
little tree to remember liesl by.
"Georg, this is to remember liesl"
Maria walked over to him and got hold of his hand, he tightend his grip as a way of saying thank you. she gave him a little kiss on his cheek. Georg, wanting to stick by liesls wishes, gathered the children round the tree and said a silent prayer.
"God, if you'r up there listening please look after our dear Liesl. we miss her terribly but i know she is happy with her mother again, bless all ov my family and help her guide us if we are stuck. Amen"
"Children i have something to ask you."
The children looked suprised but nodded.
"how would you like maria to be your new mother. thats if she agrees"
The children were all excitedly shouting at Maria to say yes.
"Yes i will darling"
Georg took Maria in his arms and kissed her.
"Maria, i have realised now that i cant loose anybody else. Even though we have lost our dear Liesl we have been brought together by grief. God has made us look after each other and i wouldnt have bothered carrying on if it wasnt for you, and the children of course."
"Georg i love you too. I dont know what i would have done either."
The children ran inside to tell frau schmidt the good news
and maria and georg walked in hand in hand from the tree.
when
they had got halfway to the house they looked back at the tree and
they both saw Liesl smiling down at them.
