Hello everybody! Sorry for the delay, but here's chapter 19! Hope you will like it! ^_^
Start of endless author's notes, feel free not to read it!
In fact, I had too much work to update the fic last week, and more important, the terrorist attack in Madrid really shocked me (those who go on the TSOM forum know how I felt, and still feel, about that). There was no way I could do such a useless thing like updating a fanfic whereas all those people suffered... I'm half spanish, I've got family here, I go there quite often... In a nutshell, I love this country, which I consider as my second land, and its people and since Thursday, all my thoughts are with them... Friday, my parents and I watched a spanish channel for hours, watched the huge demonstrations which took place in every city. The way those millions of people reacted to this horrible attack really makes me proud of being half spanish and there was nothing I wanted more this day than being in Sevilla, a city very dear to my heart, or anywhere else in Spain and being part of those millions of people. But I'm still here in France, utterly powerless... The only thing that I can do is writing with all my heart and soul:
"Solidaridad con los Madrileños!"
"Madrid! Madrid! Nunca será vencida!"
Moreover, I know there are people here that don't appreciate the way I'm using the world of TSOM and the way I'm insisting on the dark historical contest. I'm sincerely sorry if I'm insulting your conception of that fantastic movie but I've been studying history for too long to have an optimistic point of view of life, and the last events confort me in my dark opinion... I love reading fluffy and romantic stories, but I just can't write them, that's all. I can't write a story where everything is right and joyful because it's sadly not realistic in my point of view... Life is about happiness and sadness, sweet and horrible moments, nothing is simple, everybody has a hidden personality. That's what I'm trying to express in that story. Besides, that's how I feel when I watch TSOM, that's why I like it so much, that's why it's a wonderful movie and just some musical more. In my mind, TSOM is about how much happiness and disaster can be very close neighbours. If I'm not faithful to the letter of the movie, I hope I'm faithful to its spirit and that's what is the most important to me. Besides, the great French writer Alexandre Dumas wrote one day that one can rape History (talking about his own version of the Louis XIII/Louis XIV time) as long as one gives History beautiful children (I really like that metaphor, that's why I don't yell when INAC postpone the Anschluss ever and ever: her child, that is to say all her fics, is one of the most beautiful of the whole website!!!). That's why I felt free to write the little girl and the sea captain... However, if you still don't agree with my point of view about life and TSOM (it's a free world , everybody has the right to think his own way, people had died to obtain this right), I would be happy to talk about it. So, to those who don't like my story, feel free to let a critical review, to flame me, I won't bite! The best always come out of reasonable or even heated discussion. That's why I like the web so much : it gives the opportunity to discover of other ways of thinking, to try to understand other people. If I didn't want to discover and try new things, I won't be here writing a fic and sharing it with people I don't know, I only would enjoy my friends company, which already is a good thing...
Well, end of endless author's notes... I hope you will enjoy this chapter...
Thanx to my prereaders (falling to my knees, bowing my head... I don't know how I could manage without you guys!)
Usual disclaimers here!
On with the fic!!!!!!
Vienna, August 15th 1937, evening
Baroness Elsa Schraeder was back to her world. Since her return from Salzburg ten days ago, she had found her old way of life again, the only one she ever had. This evening, like many others, she was assisting to some lavish party where the high society of Vienna used to spend their idle life and share their self-satisfaction. That was where she belonged. However, everything was different now because he was not here anymore to accompany her... She was alone once again. Even if she was sure that she had made the right decision, she could not help it, she missed him. "Damn you, Captain Georg von Trapp..." she thought bitterly, sipping another glass of champagne.
FlashbackEight in the morning. Everybody was still asleep in the villa. Silently, Elsa had gathered her luggage and had asked a sleepy Franz to drive her to the railway station before anyone would wake up. She wanted to get away as soon as possible even if it was a bit coward. Deep inside, she knew she could not stand to witness the new couple's happiness. Unfortunately, she might have not been silent enough when she had tried to open the main door. Suddenly, a voice she had hope to never hear again called her.
"Elsa? What are you doing?"
She sighed. How could he ask her such a question after all that had happened last night? Men in love... She shook her head, no daring to turn back.
"As you can see, Georg, I'm leaving. I don't think it would be convenient for me to stay any longer here," she answered as calmly as she could. Both stood silent for few seconds, not knowing what to say, how to find the right words to end their relationship properly. Finally, he broke the tense silence once more.
"Why don't you wait a bit longer? Have breakfast with everybody then I will drive you to the station, or have Max to do it."
"No, thank you. I rather go now. My place isn't here anymore. Moreover, I don't think I ever had my place here. Am I wrong?" she answered, bitterness filling her voice.
"Elsa, I'm sorry. When I invited you here, I didn't intend to deceive you in any way..."
"I perfectly know that. You're too much honest and straightforward to do this, Georg. However, things has changed, you've changed..." She sighed, not knowing how to go on. "Anyway, I sincerely thank you for the little time we spent together and I wish you all the happiness you deserve," she finished, fighting against her tears.
"No, Elsa. I'm the one who has to thank you. You brought me back to life and without your courage..."
She did not let him finish his sentence.
"Don't say a word, please. I must go now." Then, turning back a little so she was facing him one last time, she went on: "I just hope you will send me some news from time to time, as an old friend will."
"I surely will, Elsa," he simply answered with a timid smile.
"Good bye, Georg. You can go back to your dear Maria now," she finally said and went out the villa without letting him answer anything.
End flashbackElsa sighed at the remembrance. It was all the more painful than, as soon as she had returned from Salzburg, people had started to spread rumours about the break off of their relationship. Even if everybody showed her signs of sympathy and compassion, the way they said how he had left her for some governess was utterly disgusting. Even worse, some had begun to say that some urgent issue was the reason of their break off. As hard as she tried to convince people that she was the one who had decided to leave, who had understood that they were too different to get married, they did not believe her, thinking she kept on saying that to protect her pride. Inwardly, she began to understand his despise towards the high society of Vienna... Some sarcastic comments made her look up. She saw a group of men who were staring at her, surely commenting her break off once again. Elsa could not stand it anymore. All that false sympathy made her sick. She was about to go out on the terrace to enjoy the fresh air when she heard somebody stand up for Georg. So there was one man at least in that city who really understood the situation? She turned back out of curiosity and gasped when she recognized Georg's brother, Baron Viktor von Trapp.
The two brothers looked alike with the same blue eyes, the same dark hair which was turning grey on the temples, the same deep voice. However, their respective personalities were as different as ice and fire. That was why they did not like each other very much even if people said that the situation had improved for a few years. They also said that, thanks to their wives' endeavours the two brothers were able to be in the same room without starting a fight... Viktor enjoyed the aristocratic and urban way of life very much, Georg did not. Viktor was a business man whose ideas were strictly conservative, Georg was not. Viktor shared the racist prejudices of his class, Georg did not. Finally, Viktor liked the Germans, Georg did not. Knowing all that had opposed the two brothers since their childhood, she did not believe her eyes when she saw him standing up for his brother.
"You don't know him, Herr Grauman. If there's something Georg can't do, it's that. Our father could have done it... I mean, getting some governess pregnant, not marrying her. If I perfectly can see him getting mad at Herr Zeller and hitting him, I don't see him put him some girl in his bed like that," Viktor said with an amused smile.
"Still, Baron von Trapp, you must admit that the situation is..." Viktor did not let him finish.
"We don't know anything! If you want some juicy precision, just go and ask Baroness Schraeder. Or, go to Salzburg and ask him. If you're still alive, you will come and tell me the truth, Herr Grauman," he answered sardonically. He knew perfectly that everybody here was afraid of his brother. Somewhere, he understood them very well.
"But people say..." the other insisted.
Sighing, Viktor lit a cigarette. The situation was utterly unnerving. Here he was talking about his older brother's behaviour whereas he had much more important things to do.
"Don't believe what people say. Especially not when they're talking about Georg. You remember what I kept on saying when everybody said that he had changed so much, that he was entirely part of our class, right? My brother will never change, just keep that in mind. He always will be the same idealistic, generous and respectful don Quichotte, perfectly unable to cheat on a woman and sleep with some innocent unmarried girl. And now, gentlemen, if you'll excuse me, there are other people that I want to talk to this evening," he excused himself one last time and left the group. However, Elsa's voice made him stop in dead tracks.
"My, my, my... How unbelievable! Baron Viktor von Trapp standing up for his infamous older brother."
"Oh, good evening Baroness. I did not see you." He kissed the hand she offered him. "Don't be mistaken. I'm standing up for the reputation of our family. A reputation that crazy fool is ruining once again, I might add."
Elsa chuckled a bit. The two brothers were certainly different but they both were terrible liars...
"Come on, don't try to lie to me, Baron! If you had been so anxious to defend the reputation of your family, you never would have mentioned some of your father's faults!" she answered laughing.
"Oh, did I mention that? I must be really tired..." he tried to joke. The woman was too subtle to try and fool her. Then, turning serious again, he asked softly:
"How are you doing? It must have been very difficult for you these days."
That was a direct question. Georg was like that too and used to face difficult issues directly, whatever they were. In fact, the two brothers had many things in common but none of them admitted it.
"Well, let's say I'm feeling like a woman who decided it was best to break a non-existent relationship off. This trip to Salzburg, as painful as it had been, taught me many things. The most important was that I couldn't be part of his life," she answered sadly. "You don't seem very surprised, do you?"
"Honestly, not at all. On the contrary, I was really surprised when I first heard of your relationship, I'm sorry," he said with true sympathy. "I almost believed he had changed indeed, but..."
"Your brother will never change, I heard it," she finished the sentence for him. The two stood silent for a few moments, not knowing how to go on this awkward discussion. In fact, they did not know each other very much and the only connection they had was Georg.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Elsa saw him trying to stifle a yawn and noticed he seemed to be really exhausted.
"Too many parties or too much work?" she inquired politely.
"Well, too many issues to think about," he answered with a sigh. "Too many things too worry about would be more exact," a added with a sudden dark expression.
Elsa was looking at him with utter surprise. She knew that dark look all too well! It was Georg's one whenever he thought about the political situation of Austria. However, as their political ideas were different, it could not be the same kind of worry. Viktor seemed to be lost in his thoughts She was about to excuse herself and leave him alone when he urgently asked her, almost whispering:
"Could we have a more private discussion? I mean, could we go where nobody can hear us? It's very important."
He had turned so serious suddenly!
"Of course, let's go," she answered with a surprised and worried voice.
With that, the two made their way to the garden. Once he was sure there was nobody around them, Viktor decided to speak.
"Is that true that Georg had a serious argument with Herr Zeller?"
Not quite understanding the meaning of this sudden question, she answered simply:
"Yes."
"And, what was it all about, if I may ask?"
"Oh everything and nothing at the same time," she said with a sigh. "Maria, that's her name, the upcoming Anschluss, Georg's friends..." she explained.
"Oh God..." was his mere answer. He rubbed his temples as if he tried to put some order in his ideas. "That's worse than I thought."
"What's the matter?" Elsa inquired worryingly. She did not quite understand everything about the political situation. However, seeing that Viktor obviously was preoccupied about the brother he did not liked really was enough to make her worry to no end.
"I've just been back from Germany. I've some business acquaintances here," he began to explain. Then, as if he needed to share some secret burden, he went on anxiously: "Baroness, I hate to admit that, but Georg had been right since the beginning. The whole country had become totally mad."
"What do you mean? I thought you and everybody here liked the new regime in Germany!"
"Of course! I used to like it in the beginning! Thanks to it, the communist threat doesn't exist anymore, that weak and artificial democracy has fallen down, almost everybody has a job, German people can be proud of themselves once again... However, I was wrong, Baroness. He's not a puppet, he's a madman who will lead us to our destruction if we don't stop him. I already said it. Georg's was right since the beginning," he explained himself with a dark expression. He could not believe he had been so blind. As usual, his brother had understood everything before he did...
"But... I don't understand... What makes you think that way? And why does it concern Georg?" she asked again. She was at a loss. Looking around them to see if there was nobody around them, he whispered:
"I've been there for the Olympics Games in Berlin last year, I've returned several times for business and politics since then. You don't know how much the country had changed, and not for the better. The police watches everybody. You can't say anything. Even an ironic comment can send you to jail. Of course, everybody has a job now, which would be a blessing if everybody did not work in weapons industries. Along with German and Austrian businessmen I had invested a lot of money in the modern car industry. Volkswagen, you know? Authorities said we'd better invest our money in other sectors such as the construction of tanks or planes. They're preparing a war, Baroness." He stopped suddenly, as if he was trying to find the courage to go on. Then, sighing deeply, he spoke again.
"Moreover, you know what Georg thinks about that. You know he never tried to hide his ideas. Besides, he's an officer, a naval hero. He's on their red list.
"What?" she almost shouted. Then, more silently: "What do you mean?"
"Let's say that the Kriegsmarine wants him to join her at all costs whereas some people say that they can't trust him, that it would be better to get rid of him. Fortunately, the Kriegsmarine have much more influence than that bunch of fools. However, I'm sure he's going to have some serious issues very soon. Moreover, this problem with Herr Zeller won't help him at all. The man has a very good reputation in Germany, if you understand what I mean," he finished with a sardonic smile.
Elsa stood silent for a while, trying to think about all that Viktor had told her. She could not believe that this man, who had been so supportive of the Nazi regime, was talking about it that way. Yet, he seemed to be sincerely worried. Finally, she asked hesitantly:
"Why are you telling me this, Baron? I know you're not as idealistic as your brother."
"Let's say I've been fooled and I don't like it at all. Besides, social paranoia and war aren't good for business. Not good at all. Besides, the Nazi haven't attacked our dear old aristocratic world because they need our money and social prestige. When they don't need them anymore, it will be our end. Honestly, I can't stand seeing some madman coming out from nowhere destroying a society and a tradition which have ruled our lands for centuries," he explained himself with a sad smile. "Finally, even if Georg and I don't get along very well, I don't want to see him in those fools' hands..."
"You didn't answer to my question. Why are you telling me this?"
Viktor looked at her. She was a very subtle woman, indeed.
"Because you don't care about politics. Because you still like my brother very much. Because I'm not sure he will listen to me whereas I think he will accept to listen to you."
"So, you want to help your brother," she stated with a smile.
Scratching his head a bit, he mumbled:
"Well, I think, yes..." Then, trying to change the subject of the discussion, he added cheerfully: "I don't think you know my wife and I would like to introduce her to you. I'm sure her company will help you to get over your current problems." With that, he offered his arm to her and led her back to the house.
Salzburg, von Trapp's villa, August 15th 1937, evening
Enjoying the night air on the terrace of her room, Maria was staring at her ring lovingly as she used to every time since the day he had asked her to marry him. Sometimes, she found it hard to believe she was going to be Mani's wife within a few months. It was so incredible! Yet, it was true and the ring she wore was the constant proof of it. Once more, she dreamt about the day when everything had changed...
FlashbackShouts of surprise suddenly woke Maria up. A bit disoriented, she looked around her to discover her surroundings. What was she doing on the terrace? Why was Mani's vest on her shoulders? Why had not she woken up before the children as she used to? However, all the events of last night came back to her mind when she heard Mani mumble something like:
"Lemme alone... Too early..."
Still, the children did not seem to be willing to let their father sleep more nor let her dream about last night a few minutes more.
"Why are you sleeping on the terrace?"
"Why is Maria with you?"
"But it's not that early, it's past ten in the morning!"
"Why is everybody still asleep?"
"I saw Baroness Schraeder leave early in the morning! What happened?"
Not only the children were shouting excitedly but they had decided to shake the sleeping couple awake. Maria perfectly knew that Mani hated to be woken up that way, so, stretching her sore back and neck a little, she decided to speak before he could show to his children how he could be ill-tempered in the morning.
"Alright children..." She yawned. "There's an explanation for everything. However, you should stop shouting or you're going to wake up the whole house," she tried to soothe their surprise. She was so confused. How would she be able to get out of it? Moreover, how had Mani and she been able to forget everything and above all the children's reaction? Even if they had not done anything "bad", their current situation was not proper at all...
"But..." Brigitta protested. "We want to know! What's happening here?"
In spite of Mani's sleepy protests, Maria proceeded to get up, stretching once again to relax the crick in her neck. Then, trying to clear her mind a bit, she proposed gently:
"Why don't you go and play in the park while your father and I go and fresh up a bit? Then, we will talk." There were plenty of things to talk about indeed. Mani and she sleeping in each other's arms on the terrace. Elsa's sudden departure. The children deserved a clear and honest explaination, which she could not give them in her current situation.
"But..." Marta and Gretl insisted, really anxious to understand what was going on.
"No but, young ladies. Just go and play. We will meet you for breakfast, alright?" she answered stifling another yawn.
"We already had breakfast!" The seven children answered in chorus.
"And we hadn't yet," a low and sleepy voice said. "Why don't you listen to your mother for once," he went on not realizing what he was saying.
"Father?" seven surprised voices exclaimed while he was stretching lazily.
The real meaning of what he had just said hit him suddenly. What had he just said? Yet, because of the children's excited shouts, because of the feeling of Maria next to him, he had pronunced this awkward sentence so naturally... Just like in those sweet old days when he used to try to have little Liesl, Friedrich and Louisa go out of Agathe's and his bedroom in which they had rushed in because it was snowing or it was sunny outside or whatever else... It had been so natural to say it. Ha had admited his feelings towards Maria for a few hours only and, in his mind, it was as if the family life he had missed so much had resumed its path after years of frozen stillness. He looked up at Maria desperately, silently begging for her help. However, she was too embarrassed herself to help him in any way. He immediately regreted to put her in such a difficult situation. After all she had made for him in the past and during the last months, she did not deserve it. Yet, he was too confused and sleepy to find a way to get out of it. Fortunately, Liesl noticed their confusion and decided to take care of her siblings.
"Don't worry, I'm going to take them to the park. We'll meet you for breakfast right?" she said with a sympathetic tone which showed she had understood everything and did not disagree with anything. Then, with Nikolai's help, she coaxed the excited children to leave the terrace.
Maria and Georg lovingly stared at the group walking to the park. Finally, when the children had gone out of sight, he sat down heavily on his chair, sighing deeply.
"What a fool I am!"
Maria did not answer. He looked up at her and discovered her blushing face. Smiling kindly, he stood up and stroked her cheek softly.
"Hey ship-girl, there's no need to be so confused," he tried to confort her, and himself as well. "After all, we didn't intend to keep it as a secret for long, did we?" he told her. Putting his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer to him.
"No, we didn't..." was her simple answer before she kissed him lightly on the lips. "I was just thinking that you're really pathetic when you don't get enough sleep," she joked a little stroking his hair, wanting to soothe their common confusion.
"Pathetic? That's not very of kind of you, my dear tomboy," he chuckled with mock seriousness.
"Let's say that everybody have their little drawbacks... "
Georg did not let her finish her playful banter as he covered her mouth with his own, kissing her deeply. Then, reminding that the children were waiting for them, he pulled back reluctantly. He gave her one last kiss and took her by the shoulders, leading her to the house.
Maria had just finished dressing when she heard a soft knock on the door.
"Can I come in?" Georg asked gently.
"Yes, you can. I'm ready."
She could not help to blush a little when he came in the room. That moment was reminding her the very same instant last night when he had seen her in the beautiful dress he had bought her for the first time. He walked to her slowly and took her in his arms.
"How are you feeling?" he gently asked.
"A bit sleepy, but I'll manage..." she answered, stifling a yawn. "What about you? I hope your old back isn't hurting too much?" she went on joking. Chuckling, he pulled her closely to him and whispered in her ear:
"Honestly, I must admit I'm getting too old to sleep on a chair. I have a terrible crick in the neck."
"Really?"
"Yes," he sighed.
She gently reached for his neck and massaged it a little to relax the stiff muscles.
"Feeling better?"
A low groan of contentment was his only answer. They stood like that a few minutes, Georg deeply enjoying the way she was massaging his neck. However, shouts coming from downstairs reminded them that the children were waiting for them. Maria chuckled.
"I guess we must go now," she said reluctantly.
"Yes, we have to. However, I would like to ask you something before we go. I already tried last night but you had fallen asleep," he answered in a loving voice while he reached for something in his pocket. Maria blushed as she saw the beautiful ring he held between his fingers. She blushed even more when she heard him say the words she had dreamt to hear from him:
"Will you be my wife, Maria? I know our situation is quite uncommon but I can't imagine my life without you, I can't imagine marrying another woman than you."
Maria looked up at him with joyful surprise. She could not believe he was asking her to marry him. Just a few months ago, she was a postulant wishing to dedicate her life to God. And now, the man who had saved her life when she was a child and who had haunted her memories for so many years was asking her to be his wife, to stay by his side for the rest of their life. Slowly, the feeling that they had come full circle submerged her. It was an evidence. So, she did not cry. She did not shed a tear. Instead, an utter feeling of peaceful joy filled all her being. In spite all they had gone through, it was as if they always had been meant for each other. This morning, it was a clear evidence indeed. Still blushing, she stared at him with loving and confident eyes.
"I will, Mani. Of course I will," she answered softly.
"Even if that means becoming the mother of seven children?" he joked gently while putting the ring on her finger.
"You perfectly know I have loved them as my own children since the first day," she answered seriously. "If I haven't, I wouldn't have been able to talk some sense into you!"
"How could I forget?" he whispered lovingly, remembering all she had made for them since her return before kissing her lightly on the nose. "Talking about them, I think it's time for us to go downstairs and face the hurricane of questions that are waiting for us," he added with mock exhaustion.
Maria sighed at the very idea. Nonetheless, she immediately told him with a confident smile :
"However, it's easier to answer to a hurricane of questions when we're two, isn't it?" Then, putting an arm around his waist, she let him led her downstairs.
End flashback"Dreaming again?" a low voice asked from behind while Georg gently took her in his arms. Maria smiled fondly as she leaned comfortably in his embrace.
"Actually, yes," she answered after a short moment of peaceful silence. "I was thinking about how much the house has been quiet since everybody left."
He chuckled lightly kissing her bare shoulder.
"However, there are still seven excited children and one lazy sponge in there."
"Don't call Max that, that's not fair" she said hitting his forearm playfully. "If you had not invited him here, I never would have recognize you! I'm so grateful for his presence, you know," she went on more seriously.
"I guess you're right," he mumbled simply in her hair, pulling her closer.
They stood still for a few moments, quietly enjoying each other presence. Finally, Maria broke the silence again.
"I was wondering..."
"Mmmh?"
"Where does that ring comes from, if I'm not too curious? I mean, had you already bought it?" she asked hesitantly.
Sighing, he turned her a little so they were facing and give her a light kiss in the nose.
"In fact, I've bought it along with your necklace for your birthday. However, I just couldn't offer it to you. I didn't want anybody to misunderstand the meaning of it and, at the same time, I wished I could give it to you on some more special occasion. So I kept it... Looks like I've been right, doesn't it?" he told her with his usual timid smile.
Maria did not know how to answer.
As days went on, she realized more and more how much these last months had been a real torture for him whereas, on the other side, she only had become aware of her own feelings the evening of the party, and that was making her uncomfortable at times. Reaching up for his cheek, she caressed it softly.
"I'm sorry Mani... It must have been hard for you and I didn't realized it..."
Instead of giving a verbal answer, he kissed her deeply, roaming his hands along her sides as a way to show her how much he already had forgotten his past torments. Maria shivered in his tender embrace, wondering at her reactions to his loving touch. The feeling of his hands on her back, around her waist, of his tongue slowly entangling hers was so intoxicating. Responding eagerly to his kiss, she threw her arms around his neck and ran her fingers in his hair. Deep inside, something made her wish she could stay forever like this, made her want to explore these new feelings further and further against all sense.
However the hushed sound of a door clapping made them break the kiss reluctantly. It was coming from the children's rooms. Raising a curious eyebrow, Georg sighed:
"I thought they had fallen asleep at last..."
He did not finished his sentence as he heard the door of Maria's room opening, revealing a half sleepy Gretl.
Maria left her fiancé and walked towards the little girl, asking softly:
"What's the matter, Gretl? Have you had a nightmare?"
The little girl, who was standing in the middle of the room, did not answer at all. A bit worried, Maria come closer and noticed that the child's eyes were wide open but were staring into space. She chuckled.
"What's the matter?" Georg asked coming into the room too.
"Well, I think that your, well, our youngest daughter seems to be a little sleepwalker."
As she was explaining the amusing situation, Gretl resumed her sleepy walk, climbed on the bed, settled herself comfortably, closed her eyes and went back to a peaceful sleep in front of her utterly astonished and speechless parents. A sweet and happy smile formed on her lips.
"I have a new mum, I have a new mum..." she muttered in her sleep.
Maria could not help to chuckle at the situation, but, at the same time, hearing Gretl calling her "Mum" in her sleep moved her deeply. Behind her Mani was chuckling helplessly too.
"So Gretl is a sleepwalker... I guess you won't feel alone this night," she heard him say with an amused tone. "Seems like our adorable little daughter is telling it's time for me to go back to my room and let you get some sleep," he added with an adorable smile. Turning a little so she was facing him, Maria sighed. She had felt so well in his embrace... Yet he was right, he had to go and sleep in his own room. The young woman was reflecting about how about Gretl's somnambulism had put an end to a heated embrace which could have gone much further when an incredible loud snore woke her up from her reverie. Looking up, she saw Mani staring at his daughter unbelievingly, his blue eyes shining with incredulous astonishment. Another snore. She turned back and discovered that little Gretl was the one who was making so much noise.
"Now, I know what Martha means when she says..." Mani began, shaking his head.
"That sometimes she doesn't sleep well because her sister is 'too noisy' !" she finished sighing deeply. She just could not believe that such a little girl could snore so loudly. It was not a low snore, still. It was more a rather high-pitched heavy breathing. However, it was still a loud snore basically. The grinning couple were having a hard time not to burst out of laughter.
"Mani?" Maria asked tentatively. "Let's have a deal. What don't you stay in my room with Gretl while I go and sleep in yours?"
"No, no, no, ship-girl..." he answered, kissing her on the nose playfully. "You're the one she wants to sleep next to." Then, with a last light kiss on her lips, he added: "Have a good night, my dear tomboy."
"Coward!" she whispered with mock anger and hit him on the shoulder. "Brave Mani von Trapp running away in front of his snoring daughter?"
He bit his lips to contain his laughter.
"If she does that again, I promise I stay with her, okay?" he answered gently as he stroke her cheek tenderly.
"I hope she won't do that every night!" she sighed with mock exasperation. "Still, Marta is going to sleep well this night for a change, unlike me, I'm afraid," she added scratching her head.
"Welcome to the marvellous world of parenthood, ship-girl," she heard him say as he proceeded to leave the room with a huge and loving smile.
Author's notes :
Everything about somnambulism here is basically realistic. I was a sleepwalker as a child and my parents told me about what I did then: getting up, coming out of my room, getting down a few stairs, telling them about something then go back to sleep... lol! They also told me I was doing that especially when something overexcited me (a family reunion, later, an exam...) so I thought it would be great to use this idea with one of the children after their father told them he was going to marry Maria... Because Gretl kind of looks like one of my little nieces, I chose her... ^_^ So, I didn't intend to be "mean" with little Gretl, far from it! When I first saw TSOM at the age of 13 or something, my favourite child was Friedrich, but ten years later, the way Gretl looks like that niece of mine (I have three nieces, this one is the second one) really hitted me! That's why she's my favourite child now!
Then concerning the snoring thing: one evening, I discovered that this same niece snored heavily and rather loudly... I can tell you it's really impressive! My father, a very proud grandfather, and I really had a hard time not to burst of laughter when we heard her!! I really pity my older niece when she has to sleep in the same room!! It's no wonder that, after that kind of night, the older is in a very very bad mood when she gets up in the morning... ^_^