Long time no see... Well sorry for the long delay everyone but work is going to kill me these days... Even if there is much more to come, I won't be able to update this story as often as before, I'm sorry for that... ^_^
Nonetheless, here's chapter 20! Enjoy!
Usual disclaimers here...
Many, many thanx to my prereaders Franziska and Elizabeth!
Salzburg, von Trapp's villa, August 28th 1937, morning
Maria let out a deep sigh of relief while she was waving goodbye to Mani and Max. At last he was out of her way... Of course, she loved his company more than anything. However, she needed some time alone, time he was not willing to give at her. Walking to the terrace, she made sure that Liesl was looking after her siblings. Then she went upstairs to Mani's study where she could use the phone without anybody bothering her and especially not her husband-to-be.
On the terrace, the children were chatting happily, commenting the last events again and again.
"I can't believe that Father is marrying Maria, I mean, Mother, in October," Kurt stated with a broad smile.
"Yeah, I can't wait for it!" Friedrich exclaimed. "I hope the others will be there too. It's too bad that they live so far away."
"That's right," the younger boy answered. "I miss them already..."
Of course the two boys were delighted by the prospect of the upcoming marriage, of living in a true family again. However, thanks to Maria's return, they had been able to meet their father's friends and their children. It had been a wonderful discovery, especially for Friedrich and Kurt who had been able to play and talk with boys of their age.
"Of course everybody will be there," Brigitta stated with her usual clever tone. "Still, I did not remember that Father had such kind friends. I guess I was too young then," she added in slight darker tone. Then, she asked to her older sister more cheerfully: "Did you remember, Liesl?"
"Not very well..." she answered a nostalgically. Then she exclaimed: "Oh yes! There is something I remember clearly. Maybe you remember too, both of you!" she said looking at Louisa and Friedrich. They stared at her curiously. "Don't you remember the summer when Igor and Matthias helped us to build a hut in that big tree at the end of the park?"
The long forgotten memory hit them suddenly.
"Yeah! We used to play in it all day long! We had brought all our toys in it!" Friedrich shouted excitedly.
"Of course! And do you remember when Matthias had climbed so high in the tree that Father had had to climb as well to help him to go down? Ivan kept on laughing at him but Mother and Svetlana were not happy at all about it!" Louisa added chuckling helplessly.
"And when we had asked to Ivan and Father to join us in the hut! They were much too tall and couldn't go out of it!" Liesl burst out of laughter at the remembrance, not noticing the surprised, and maybe jealous, looks that her younger siblings shot at her. Being the older ones, Liesl, Friedrich and Louisa had suffered a lot after their Mother's death because they could compare their current situation to what had used to be. However, they did had many happy memories, and the youngers not that much...
"Do you think it's still here?" Louisa asked suddenly. "I mean, it was the last summer before..." she could not finish her sentence.
Friedrich noticed his siblings' discomfort and said in a soft tone, looking at Liesl intently:
"Why don't we go and see? We could show it to those who don't remember it..."
The older girl stared at her brother unbelievingly. He had changed so much in a few months! She had noticed it already when he had invited her to dance the day of the party. Sometimes, his voice was getting lower without he could control it and that made her laugh. However, he had become much more mature and protective and he helped her very much in looking after the younger ones.
"Sure! Let's go!" she answered getting up. She took Gretl's hand while he took Martha's and they led their siblings to the famous hut. As they were walking quietly to the tree, Liesl noticed that Friedrich's sleeves were a bit too short. "Seems like everybody is changing this summer," she thought amusingly.
Maria hung up with a broad smile. Ivan seemed to be as enthusiastic as Max was with her idea. She stared at the number he had given her for a few seconds, then, taking all her courage, she picked up the phone another time.
Vienna, von Muzenberg's villa, August 28th 1937, morning
Sighing deeply, the Admiral Conrad von Muzenberg put his newspaper on the table. Always the same old depressing old news... The fascists were getting stronger and stronger in Europe each day whereas the democratic leaders kept on repeating the same foolish motto. Appeasement. That was all what they were able to answer to the increasing fascist menace. When Hitler had re-established the conscription, violating the treaty of 1919, they had said nothing. When he had re-militarised the Rhineland, they had not moved a single finger. When he had sent an army to assist General Franco in Spain, they had not even tried to help the legal republican Spanish government. The English said that Germany had every right to repair the unfair decisions of 1919. The French were afraid to throw the country in another war. In the meantime, Hitler was free to do what he wanted without anybody standing against his crazy ambitions. Pan-Germanism. The single idea was making him sick. Because of that mad ideology, the Austrian empire had followed the Second Reich in an horrible war against the Slavs and the rest of Europe, running to its destruction without knowing it. Because of it, most Austrians were ready to join Germany, to accept the Anschluss. Sometimes, he wondered why God had given him such a long life. He had witnessed the collapse of his dear Empire twenty years ago. Obviously, he would witness the disappearance of the young and coward Austrian Republic.
The eighty-four-year-old man felt alone. He could count the men who dearly shared his ideas on the fingers of one hand. His dear pupils of the Academy. Better said, what was left of them. Isaac Studler had left Austria fifteen years ago, disgusted by the rampant anti-semitism. Ivan Tszabo had stood in Vienna and did not want to hear a word about politics. Stefan von Hutten was not able to do anything at all because of his injuries. Georg von Trapp was too busy to try to deal with his own shattered life. They had been brilliant idealistic young men once. Now they were middle-aged men that war and life had broken in one way or another. He had taught them and their late friends everything he knew about sea and war. He had shared his idealistic hope of a federation which would have reunited the countries in Central Europe with them. He had seen the future of his dear Empire in them. However, the murder in Sarajevo on the fateful June 28th 1914 had ruined everything. Twenty-three years later, he still did not understand how such a local event had throw so many countries in this horrible war. In fact, he did not want to accept the Austrian fateful and useless pride, the German manipulation, the French stubbornness... Still, the worse was that this huge slaughter did not teach anything to European people who still believed in perverted utopia such as nationalism and, in the Austrian case, Pan-germanism. Sometimes, the old man wished the Lord would claim him soon. He had spent enough time in that crazy world and did not want to witness another slaughter.
Sighing, he reached for his newspaper once again to check the last results of horse races. If the sea always had been his first passion, horses were his second one and he used to bet some money on races. Not to win money, just to see if he was right about the abilities of one or another horse. He threw the paper back on the table with a melancholic smile. He had been totally wrong about that one... Maybe his judgement was not as smart as it used to be.
"I'm really getting old, Phoebus..." he whispered, lightly caressing the Leonberg which was sitting next to him. The big dog responded to his master's sad comment and gently licked his hand, as if he understood his melancholy.
The retired admiral was so lost in his thoughts that he did not hear the butler walking to him.
"Excuse me, Sir. There is a young woman who would like to talk to you on the phone. She says she is the Captain von Trapp's fiancée."
A bit started, the old man woke up from his reverie.
"It must be Baroness Schraeder," he said with an ironic smile. It seemed as if the woman had got what she wanted at last. "Just tell her I'm sleeping or anything else, Gerhard."
The said Gerhard cleared his throat in embarrassment:
"As matter of fact, she is not Baroness Schraeder. She says that her name is Maria Patocka," the butler answered as flatly as he could, trying to hide his despise for that Czech woman who had introduced herself as Captain von Trapp's fiancée and Captain Tszabo's friend.
"She's not the Baroness?" the old man asked unbelievingly. "Well, it might be interesting after all. Please go and tell her I'm coming, Gerhard," the Admiral finally said while slowly and painfully standing from his chair.
"Yes Sir."
A few minutes later, the old man took the phone and spoke politely:
"Good morning, Admiral von Muzenberg speaking."
The female voice answered timidly.
"Good morning Admiral. I hope I'm not disturbing you. My name's Maria Patocka and..."
"And you introduced yourself as the Captain von Trapp's fiancée. I don't want to be rude but I thought Georg was engaged to Baroness Schraeder, so I'm a bit surprised," he finished the sentence for her.
Maria stuttered, not knowing what to say. She had been so enthusiastic at her idea that she had not thought the Admiral could disagree with their marriage.
"Well, I mean..."
"Don't be shy, Fräulein. Actually I never liked Elsa that much. But as I always respected Georg I never would have showed that," he gently interrupted her, feeling that his previous sentence had made her uneasy. Then he added, trying to help her a little: "You also said you knew Ivan Tszabo, didn't you?"
Maria sighed out of relief. He did not seem to be as terrifying as she had thought.
"Actually, I have known them for years and Ivan was the one who gave me the idea to call you. I was thinking about a little surprise for Georg and it isn't something I can do on my own."
The Admiral stood silent for a few second, trying to understand what she had just said well. So she had known them for years? Then he remembered her Czech first name. Finally he exclaimed cheerfully:
"Maria, isn't it? You're not telling me that you're that little girl that Georg..." he did not finished his sentence, fearing h might be wrong.
"Well, I'm not a little girl anymore, sir. However, I'm actually that same little girl. I'm surprised you remember me, sir," she answered chuckling a bit.
"How could have I forgotten you? Now, it does explain many things..." he laughed heartily, remembering the joyful little girl Georg had brought to his office one day of January of 1919. Then, he added gently: "Tell me, Fräulein, what was your idea about? I'm really anxious to hear it, I confess."
Smiling, he carefully listened to her, his smile getting broader as she was explaining him her idea with growing enthusiasm.
"You understand, I have nothing to give him and he's spoiling me so much... So I thought it would be nice if..."
"That's excellent, Maria. I'm going to begin the researches as soon as I hang up. I'm sure he will love it, too."
"Really?" she asked cheerfully.
"Really," the old man answered reassuringly.
"I thank you so much, Sir. I hope I did not disturb you too much..."
"Not at all, Maria. On the contrary, your telephone call is the first good news I have heard for a long time. I hope I will hear about your wedding plans soon."
"Of course Sir!" she exclaimed gaily. "Georg has already written your name on the top of the list..."
She did not finish her sentence and he heard her gasp.
"I'm so sorry, Sir. If you'll excuse me, I must hang up now, I think Georg is back..." she excused herself timidly.
"I understand perfectly as it shall be a surprise. Have a nice day, Maria," he answered with an amused smile.
"Thank you very much, Sir. Good bye, have a nice day, too," she told him one last time before hanging up hurriedly.
Conrad von Muzenberg hung up with a content sigh. In the end, it would be a pity dying too soon and not assisting one of his favourite cadets' wedding.
Salzburg, von Trapp's villa, August 28th 1937, morning
Maria rushed out of Georg's study to see that Max and he had already come back as she had suspected. She had send them to get Friedrich's new pants and shirts in town, pretending that neither she nor Frau Schmidt had the time to do it. It was the only way she had been able to think of in order to get Georg out of her way for an hour or two. After a lot of groaning and protests, he had accepted at last. However, Maria had the feeling that he had rushed the whole business as much as he could. Shopping, even if it was for his elder son who badly needed new garments since he had grown up so much in the summer, was not his favourite hobby at all. However, she had had enough time to do what she wanted and that was the most important. Maria had a hard time not to burst out of laughter hearing her fiancé soundly sigh as he came in the villa along with Max.
"We're back..." he said in an annoyed tone, still wondering why Maria had suddenly decided to send him to town as if Friedrich's garments could not wait any longer. "Hello? Is there somebody in there?" he called not noticing that Max had a hard time to hide his increasing amusement.
"Hello!" Maria answered cheerfully while she went down the stairs, holding some sheets of papers. "Everything was ready, wasn't it?" she asked innocently.
"Yes, of course," he sighed showing the bag he was holding. "Three pairs of trousers, three shirts and a new vest that won't fit him anymore within three or four months if he goes on like that," he joked, unable to hide his fatherly pride concerning Friedrich's growth.
"Then, we'll buy him other garments, darling" she answered kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you, by the way. I never could have done it myself. There are so many things I must think of here that I'm getting crazy!" she added with a broad smile and showed him the sheets of paper she was holding, sticking to the little lie she had made up earlier.
While Maria was complaining about all that she had to do in order to prepare the wedding under Georg's loving stare, Max was amazed by the way his friend believed whatever the young woman said to him. "Nobody is blinder than a man in love, they say... They must be right..." he mused dreamingly. Yet, Maria's little stratagem was so awkward! A blind man could have said she was up to something. Obviously, his friend could not. He was overjoyed to see Georg and Maria finding their path in life together again. Both deserved happiness so much! Still, at the same time, he could not help to feel a bit jealous, even if he tried to deny it. He had thought he could taste this happiness too at last a few years ago, but it seemed like something would ever be on his way. Wanting to give them some time alone, and give himself some time alone, he took the bag from Georg's hand.
"Well, I think I'm going to go and put this in the boy's room. I'm sure he's going to be elated when he'll see his first pair of adult trousers," he said with a huge smile. They had indeed decided that Friedrich was getting too old and too tall to go on wearing short trousers, much to the boy's pride. "Then, if you need me, I think I'm going to have a walk in the park," he added, hiding as much as he could his sudden melancholy. With that, he took the bag and began to go up the stairs not paying attention to the pair's surprised look. He had almost reached the first floor when he heard Frau Schmidt calling for him:
"Excuse me, Herr Detweiler. There's a lady from Zurich for you on the phone. She says it is very urgent."
Max stopped on dead tracks. From Zurich? If she was calling him here, something bad might have happened for sure. Trying to control the sudden shaking of his hands, he answered as calmly as he could in spite of the worry that overflew him:
"Thank you, Frau Schmidt. I'm going to take the call in the Captain's study, if you don't mind it, my friend."
"Yes, of course," the other answered, quite startled by his friend's changing mood.
As soon Max heard Georg's permission, he proceeded to walk to the study, desperately helping himself to rush to it.
An hour later, he hung up the phone, trying to put some order in his disturbed thoughts. He did not know if he wanted to scream or cry. Screaming because he never thought that he would have to express so overwhelming feelings one day. Crying because he believed he would never be allowed to feel such relief. "He's dead. He's dead." Her words were dancing in his head. He could not believe it. He would get up soon and see that it was just a dream. A beautiful one but a dream nonetheless. Yet, it was true. They were free at last. Settling himself on the chair more comfortably, he resurrected the day that changed his life in his mind once again.
Flashback : Zurich, April 1933"Damn it!" Max growled as he tried to reach the Academy of Music under the heavy rain. His whole day in that city had been a total disaster. He had learnt that the singer about whom he had so many hopes had lost his voice because of a mere cold and now, he had to pay a visit to an old friend from his days at the Academy of Music of Vienna. If there was something he surely did not want to do it was that. Each time he met one of his ex colleagues, his anger and frustration increased all the more. Moreover, he really was not in the mood to hear the man's proud explanations about his work at the Academy. Georg and his children's despaired look still haunted him. He could not believe that Agathe passed away. He just did not want to believe it. However it was sadly true. "Hell!" he muttered again. It was so unfair! He always had been an atheist and seeing that such an adorable and loving woman had died whereas so many creeps and madmen were still alive comforted him in his opinion. And here he was, soaking wet under the Swiss heavy rain, running to meet some idiot whereas he should be in Salzburg, with the remaining von Trapps. "I go and see Karl then I take the next train to Salzburg tonight," he decided silently as he pushed the door of the Academy open. There was definitely something in Georg's cold stare that was chilling him to the bones. It had been as if he had looked at some dead man walking. The guy was totally lost, he could tell. He had to go back to Salzburg and help him and the children. In his current state, his friend was not able to look after his children. Therefore, somebody had to do it or at least convince him to leave the town and go somewhere else, at Ingrid or Ivan's place for instance.
Still lost in his sad thoughts, he did not hear somebody calling for him gaily at first:
"The great Max Detweiler! I'm so enchanted you've decided to pay me a visit at last!"
Max suppressed a sudden movement of anger. He could not stand hearing people talking about him that way.
"I'm not the great Max Detweiler anymore, if I've ever been it," he answered back sharply. "By the way, hello Karl, how are you doing?" he asked more gently, hiding his disgust as much as he could. Seeing that this average pianist was at the head of the Academy whereas he was losing his time and money being some pathetic manager made him sick. "Damn war!" he thought angrily while shaking hands with his ex colleague.
"Oh, I'm doing very well, thanks to the students here. Some are really wonderful, you know. Of course, not as much as you, but some are very talented," the other answered cheerfully. "Talking about that, there is..."
"Stop that, Karl!" Max cutted cut him sharply. "In case you don't know it yet, I've been of the business for fifteen years!" he almost shouted. "I don't want to deal with it ever! Can't you understand?" he went on, showing his scared hand to the man in front of him.
"But, listen..."
"No! I don't want hear a word! If you had called me simply for that, then you had lost your time! Now, if you'll excuse me, I've much more important things to attend to," he finally stated, not hiding his raising anger anymore.
"He really plays like you, it's unbelievable, you know," Karl managed to say.
"Good for him! If there's no other stupid war, then he'll be able to do something," he ironically stated.
That last comment made his friend snap.
"Listen to me, you idiot! Everybody knows why you stopped playing! It's not why you can't anymore! It's just because of your stupid pride! You can't stand not being as good as you used to, that's your problem, Max! You can't stand to have to work more on your skills whereas you did not need it in the past, that's all! You're such a waste of talent, it really disgusts me! Stop make others suffer for your own choice of life!"
Even if, deep inside, Max knew the man was perfectly right, Georg kept on repeating him the same lecture too, he just did not want to listen to him anymore. Without saying goodbye, he turned back and began to walk to the door.
"... stelic."
He stopped on dead tracks.
"What did you say?" he asked simply, resisting the sudden urge to run to his once friend.
"I said, it's amazing how much he looks like you. He's name is Goran Kostelic. He's a fourteen-year-old Serbian. That's why I called you," Karl answered calmly. Max's reaction confirmed the suspicions he had had since the boy's arrival the Academy. His huge skills were so similar to Max's ones! Then, his mother had turned white when he had asked her if she happened to know a certain Herr Detweiler. Of course, she had said she did not know him at all, still...
Max did not dare to turn back again. He did not want his friend to notice his sudden inner turmoil. Kostelic. Fourteen. It could not be possible. However, he needed to know. After all, hearing some kid would not harm him in any way.
"Alright, Karl, I'm going to see him," he simply answered.
End flashbackSighing contently, Max took a photography out of his wallet. Emilija. Nadia. Goran. His family. A secret he had not shared with anybody. At the time, he had not wanted to tell it to Georg even if he was the best friend he had ever had. The man had been grieving so much that he had decided it would not be fair to tell him he had found her again whereas his friend had just lost his wife. Moreover, how could have he shared it while her husband was still alive somewhere in Serbia? He just could not say she was the woman he had met when he had been a prisoner in Serbia. It would have made everything worse. And they did not need it. However, Georg had found his guardian angel again and was happy at last. However, the bastard had died at last. He stood up and opened the window. Downstairs on the terrace, the family was chatting gaily about what the were going to do in the afternoon. Little Gretl was cuddling comfortably against her father's chest while Marta and Louisa had caught Maria's arms. Kurt was annoying Brigitta as usual in spite of Liesl's warning look. Finally, Friedrich proudly stood in the middle of the family with his new clothes. Max smiled broadly when he heard Louisa suggesting that they could swim in the lake in the afternoon, not noticing her parents' sudden discomfort. Sighing, he closed the window and walked out the room. His inner and selfish jealousy had disappeared totally. Nevertheless, he had to find some time to tell certain things to his friend today.
"Father! It's so warm today! Can we go and swim in the lake after lunch?" Louisa repeated pleadingly.
"Yes! Please Father!" Kurt went further. "We'll have so much fun, I'm sure!"
"Especially if you and Mother join us!" Liesl added with a twinkle in her eye.
"Of course, we can have a ballgame!" Friedrich exclaimed excitedly.
Sighing, Georg looked at Maria, silently asking for help. When he saw that she would not be of any help, except shooting him a look that clearly meant "It's up to you my dear..." The idea of going and swimming was not a bad one basically. As Louisa had said it earlier, the day promised to be very warm and it would be nice to spend it in the lake with the children. Yet, if he quite liked the suggestion, he was a bit afraid of his reaction at the sight of Maria only wearing nothing but a swimsuit, especially with the children around them. Trying to get out of this difficult situation, he answered gently:
"I would like to, Louisa... But going and swimming, or even having a ballgame in the water, means that Marta and Gretl won't be able to join us. What don't you try and find something we could do all together?"
"That's not bothering me, Father." Marta answered much to his surprise. "Gretl and I can sit on the shore and watch you play in the lake."
"Yes! Please Father!" Gretl pleaded with this sweet childish frown of hers. "Liesl always kept on telling me how such a good swimmer you are! I want to see it!"
Sighing, he shot a surprised look at his eldest daughter who smiled back at him innocently. Groaning, he surrendered at last to his children's wish.
"Okay. We'll go and swim today. However, before that, I want all of you to have a good meal, alright?"
After all, after years of harsh coldness, he owed them this little pleasure... Maria sweetly smiled at him, obviously agreeing with his final decision. God! There really was nothing he could refuse her when she was staring at him that way! Then he noticed that Brigitta was whispering something in Liesl's ear, both of them looking at him with a mischievous smile. They certainly were preparing something... He sighed again. This afternoon promised to be harder that he had thought at first...
Salzburg, von Trapp's villa, August 28th 1937, afternoon
Holding a huge set of nine large towels, Maria went out the villa and started walking towards the children who were impatiently waiting for her. On the terrace, she went across Max who lazily was reading some newspaper, humming some joyful air. She did not know why, but he seemed happier than ever. More peaceful too. She called him gently:
"Max? Don't you want to join us?"
He looked up at her, as if she had woken him up from his reverie. Smiling, he answered:
"Sorry, my dear, but water is not my favourite element." Then, closing the newspaper, he proposed: "However, I can go and sit by the shore to look after the little ones."
"It would be very nice of you, Max," she said from behind the towels.
"And I also can help you with these," he added while taking the set from her hands. "Go with the children, my dear. I'm waiting for Georg then we'll join all of you, alright? I think that they're getting very impatient," he added showing the children who were anxiously calling for her.
She thanked him with a kind smile then walked to the lake. Turning back discretely, she saw Georg's friend watching the restless children with a broad grin. Definitely, she had the feeling that something was really making him happy.
Max waved cheerfully at Friedrich who wanted to show him how well he could dive. Then, he heard footsteps behind him.
"Staying as far as possible from the water as usual?" Georg asked him chuckling.
"What do you want? As I said to your fiancée, water was, is and will never be my favourite element," he answered with a smile. "Well, anything that can look like sport is not my element, I must add."
"You should give it a try one day. I'm sure you'll like it in the end," his friend half joked.
"In another life, I guess," Max said chuckling. "What about you, Captain? Are you ready to face a beautiful young woman in a swimsuit and five overexcited children who obviously had planned something for you today?" he asked his friend jokingly.
"Well, when you gotta go..." the other sighed.
"I'm sure you'll have a wonderful afternoon!" he joked further.
"I'll tell you at the end of it... By the way, is it an impression of mine or is something really rejoicing you today?" Georg asked out of the blue. "I talked about that with Maria earlier and she has the same feeling. Have you discovered the vocal group of the century at last?"
Max shot a surprised look at his friend. Was it so evident? It seemed like he could not hide anything from them. Taking a deep breath, he simply whispered, trying to control his voice:
"None of that."
"So what? What else can make you so happy?" Georg asked him out of curiosity, still smiling broadly.
The older man stared at his friend and noticed that he thought that he was still joking. He had made a fool out of himself for so many years than even his best friend thought he was joking. Deciding it was the moment to share his secret, he cleared his throat.
"Well... I was wondering if you would not mind to invite three guests more to your wedding," he simply answered, watching his friend's reaction.
"What?" the other exclaimed with an utterly surprised expression. "Who?"
"The bastard is dead, my friend. He died at last," Max explained further.
Georg slowly began to understand the meaning of that sentence. So that was the real reason why Max never had tried to court or marry anybody since the end of the war. He always thought that his friend never had been able to forget her. He just discovered to what extend she was still part of his life.
"But... Since when? Why didn't you tell me? It's wonderful!" he answered at last, recovering from his shock little by little.
"Because I didn't want to hurt you, you fool!" the other said with a kind smile. "You know I often go to Zurich for business, don't you?" he went on quite uneasily. As a matter of fact, telling the whole truth, even if it was his best friend, was more difficult than he previously had thought.
Georg noticed Max's uneasiness, so he answered simply with a kind smile :
"I understand better now..."
"And,ehm, you know, ehm, the kid..." his friend tried to explain himself further without being able to find the right words.
"Max, listen... If you don't want to talk right now, there's no problem."
The other let out a shameful sigh of relief hearing those words. Telling a secret he had kept for so many years was really more difficult than he had thought.
Trying to soothe his friend's uneasiness, Georg spoke again gently:
"I just want you to know that anybody you'll bring here will be gladly welcome. That's all." Then putting his hand on the older man's shoulder, he joked: "And I have the slight feeling that I'm going to lose my chaperon soon, am I right?"
Hitting Georg with his elbow, Max answered with a chuckle:
"Well, if you promise me to behave well... As a matter of fact, I was thinking of leaving tomorrow in the morning. And don't be afraid, I will, I mean we will be back in time for the wedding, if you agree, of course."
Georg did not replied immediately as the children, who already were in the water, were calling for them excitedly.
"Father! Uncle Max! Are you coming?"
The once officer waved at them cheerfuly:
"We're coming! Just wait for a minute!"
Then, turning to Max again:
"Of course, I agree, you fool. Now, let's go, I had the kids wait for too long I guess." With that he proceeded to walk to the shore along with Max and the towels.
As soon as the two men had reached the shore, enthusiastic shouts greeted them.
"Come Father! The water is so warm! Louisa exclaimed while Liesl and Friedrich were exchanging mischievous smiles.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming," he sighed, relieved that Maria was already in the water till the shoulders, but a bit worried by his children's malicious glances. "What are they up to?" he could not help to wonder. Nonetheless, he put off his summer shirt and trousers then proceeded to come in the water. Louisa was right, it was really good indeed. Finally he joined the swimming group. He was about to ask them if they were to have the planned ballgame when five children assaulted him. Fortunately, they were not too far from the shore so he still was able to touch the bottom. Nonetheless, he had a hard time to stay on foot whereas Friedrich and Liesl had jumped on his shoulders and tried to put him under the water. In the meantime, Brigitta and Kurt had taken him by the arms, pursuing the same goal as their older siblings. Finally, Louisa had graped his neck, also trying to pull him in the water. As he did not want to hurt them while fighting back, he really had a hard time to resist their coordinated assault.
"Now stop it children! Please!" he pleaded with no result.
With a swift movement, he managed to get out Kurt's grasp, yet not for long. He tried to dive backward in order to get away from Liesl and Friedrich but their siblings pulled him forward.
"Maria! Help me! Please!" he pleaded again. However, his fiancée was enjoying the hilarious scene too much to help him in any way. Worse, Liesl called her joyfully:
"Come Mother! Help us!"
"What? You don't think you're enough already? Louisa, stop it, will you?" he complained once again. Then he saw some mischievous smile forming on Maria's lips and much to his horror, he saw her plunge under the water.
"Maria! Don't do th..."
He could not finish his complaint as he felt her lifting his legs up. Without the much needed help of the ground, there was no way he could resist his children's efforts anymore. As they expected, he went down under the water, half hearing the kids' happy shouts of victory.
He came out of the water coughing helplessly. Once he controlled his breathing again, he asked the beaming group:
"You're happy now? Frankly, six against one, that's not fair."
His children's only response was a broader grin. On the shore, Gretl and Marta were laughing helplessly, and so was Max. Turning his attention back to the group in the water, he went on with a mischievous smile:
"I hope you don't expect to go away with that without any retaliation, do you?" With that, he took Kurt, who was just next to him, by the shoulders and effortlessly threw him in the water.
One.
Then, swimming just a little, he pushed Liesl's head in the water while she was desperately trying to reach a place where she could touch the bottom.
Two.
Friedrich had reached this safe place, at least, it was what he thought when his father gripped his shoulders while he swept his legs away.
Three.
Then he reached for Brigitta, took her in his arms and plunged under the water.
Four.
Louisa thought she could escape him swimming far from the shore, in vain. Diving under the water, he took her ankle and pulled her under the surface.
Five.
Finally, he joined Maria who prudently had swam far away from the field of battle.
"You don't hope I will spare you, do you?"
"Hem... I'm your fiancée? The idea wasn't mine? I love you?" she answered tentatively.
"I love you too," he gently whispered in her ear before placing a light kiss on her neck.
Maria shuddered at the sudden loving touch and closed her eyes.
"But..." he went on, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Don't think you will run away like that!" he concluded with a malicious grin while pushing her under the water in spite of her protests.
Six.
Max, who was watching Georg's difficulties then implacable retaliation, burst out of laughter. If someone had told him three months ago he would able to see his friend playing with his children that way, he would have thought he was a fool. He had waited for that moment for so many years. He had dreamt of it and today, it was reality. Looking at the younger ones, he noticed that they were laughing helplessly too. Gone was their constant melancholy. Maria was an incredible woman, really.
Finally, the children decided that trying to push their father under the water was not as funny as they had thought. So the group resumed having the ballgame they previously had planned. They played for an hour or so, shouting, laughing, fighting a bit, and, above all, enjoying their father's presence. The boys were so proud to be in the same team as he! As for the girls, they did not miss the occasion to cling to him, trying to keep him from receiving the ball, taking advantage of those fugitive occasions to cuddle against him for a few seconds. Of course, he and Maria avoided to have as few contacts as they could. However, it was not as difficult as they thought since the children had decided to monopolize him for the time being.
Brigitta had jumped on his back in order to receive the ball instead of him when he noticed she was trembling slightly. He stopped playing and turned to his daughter.
"Are you feeling cold, Brigitta?" he asked her gently.
"Not at all Father, I'm having so much fun!" she answered even if she was trembling out of exhaustion.
"Mmh... Show me your lips, darling," he said while taking her chin between his fingers. As he had expected, they were turning blue. That was no wonder as they had stood in the water for more than an hour and a half. Gently taking Brigitta in his arms, he called for the others:
"Alright children! It's over for today! You must be getting tired. Let's go out."
"But I'm not tired at all?" Kurt protested.
Georg, still holding Brigitta who really enjoyed this short moment of intimacy with her father, walked to his son and looked at his lips. They were turning blue too.
"Are you sure Kurt? I would say the contrary."
"But I don't feel tired!" the boy protested again.
"That's the problem, you don't feel tired but your body is. You're getting exhausted in the water much more rapidly than you think," he explained gently. Besides, aren't you hungry?"
"Oh yes!" his son exclaimed.
"Just as I thought... Come one children, let's go out," he sweetly ordered one last time.
While the older ones were drying themselves in the large towels, Maria and Georg decided to look after the younger ones themselves. Taking another towel, he put it around Kurt and began to rub him dry from feet to hair much to the boy's delight. In the meantime, Maria proceeded to do the same with Brigitta, untying her hair in order to dry them better.
"You feel better now?" Georg asked his son with a patient and fatherly tone the boy did not hope to hear again one day.
"Yes Father... But I think you forgot my back, it's still a bit wet," he answered tentatively, trying to make the sweet moment last a little longer.
Raising an eyebrow, he understood his son's silent wish thus made his turn back. Then he began to rub his back dry once again. The eleven-year-old boy who wanted to act like a grown up so bad most of time let out a sight of contentment and rested his head against his father's chest.
Hearing a sweet chuckle, Georg looked up and saw Maria staring at him lovingly. Smiling back at her, he mouthed a silent "thank you angel" and resumed looking after his younger son.