Chapter 4:
Maria sat on the steps of the porch on the back of the house. She gazed admiringly at the lake, the mountains, the stars. Georg had offered to put the children to bed, so Maria sat there, waiting for him.
"Fraulein Maria?" She heard footsteps approach her and stop right behind her.
"Yes?"
"May we talk?"
"Of course, Liesl." The girl sat down beside Maria on the steps.
"I was thinking," Liesl began, as Maria listened whole-heartedly, as she always did. "I loved Mother very much. We all did. She died right after Gretl was born, but Friedrich, Louisa and I, we remember her well." Maria reached over and held her hand, but remained silent. Liesl continued, "When she died, I...I didn't know what to do. I wished I were dead as well. I tried to turn to Father but, I assumed that he had stopped loving us children. It seemed like he had died with her. For years, I felt so lost. Friedrich and I, we basically raised the younger ones. But then you came, Fraulein," Liesl felt her eyes begin to burn with tears threatening to fall, as did Maria. "And you saved us, and you saved Father, too. Now to know that you two love each other, that you won't ever leave us..." A tear dripped from Liesl's cheek onto Maria's hand, which lay atop Liesl's on her lap. "You're our angel. I think that if Mother could have chosen anyone to be our new mother, and Father's new wife, she would have chosen you. Part of me thinks that she did. That's silly right?" Maria found her voice to speak, although she didn't think she would be able to.
"No, no, no." The tears began to fall uncontrollably from the girl's eyes, but Maria managed to compose herself well enough to comfort her. That sat like that for a while, Liesl in Maria's arms, just crying, until Georg appeared in the doorway, and told her that it was time for her to say goodnight. Liesl smiled through her tear soaked eyes.
"Goodnight Fraulein."
"Goodnight darling. And thank you." She squeezed her hand and she ran upstairs to bed.
"What was all that about, my darling?"
"Oh nothing. Just girl stuff." She stood up and was greeted by a kiss.
"I love you."
"I love you, too, Georg." They stood like that, staring into each other's eyes, lost for a moment in each other, before they finally turned to go inside.
"I think it's time that we both got some sleep. We have tomorrow to spend together." Maria smiled at him, not wanting to leave his presence, but still, wanting to rise early the next day to be with him.
"And every day." He kissed her gently. "For the rest of our lives."
At breakfast, Maria and Georg couldn't take their eyes off of each other. The children, of course, found this to be rather amusing. Kurt, thinking that they must be completely out of it, decided to test his limits. So he picked up a piece of toast and put it atop his head.
"Kurt, what are you doing?"
"Nothing, Father," Kurt took his toast down and bit into it, embarrassed as the other children laughed.
"Isn't that all hairy, brother?" Gretl scrunched up her nose.
"No, because I switched it with yours!" Although they were sitting on opposite ends of the table, the little girl gasped and looked down at her plate, wide-eyed.
"How!"
"Magic!" Louisa teased, waving her fingers. Gretl's jaw dropped but Georg spoke before anything else happened.
"What do you say we all go out onto the terrace?"
Maria rested her head on Georg's shoulder, as he reached over and grasped her hand. Sitting on the stone bench, this was one of her favorite places. She looked over at the gazebo, where she and Georg had shared their first kiss, just days before. Liesl and Friedrich were now in the lovely glass enclosure , excitedly talking and laughing together. Marta and Gretl were maneuvering dolls in the grass near Maria's feet, to her right and to Georg's left in the grass, Louisa, Brigitta, and Kurt were playing cards.
"This is Father doll, and this is Fraulein Maria doll, ok?" Marta took the dolls from her.
"Then you have to do it like this," She pressed the dolls faces together. "Because that's what they do all the time!" Maria blushed and sat up straight, the only part of her body remaining touching her fiancee's was her hand in his.
"Liesl?" Georg called to his daughter, "Can you keep everything under control? I need to go, uh, do something. I need Maria's help too." He squeezed her hand.
"Uh huh..." Liesl said knowingly, rolling her eyes.
Once on the porch, near the doorway into the house, Maria asked "What do you need to do?" He grinned.
"Well," he said, grasping Maria's free hand in his, so they were facing each other. "I need to tell you something." He let her hands go and placed them on her waist, and Maria shivered. She slid her hands around his neck, and he leaned down and softly kissed her. "I love you." He whispered against her lips, which caused shivers to run up and down her spine again.
They were interrupted though, by a gasp, and then footsteps running the other direction. Georg furiously ran past his daughter and began the chase.
