He scanned across the park and found it best if he took a stroll around the pond that lie in the middle of it all. His thoughts, once again, summand on his adventures of his hopes in finding Maria. He had traveled Europe with no luck of finding a mere clue of her where about. Her photo had been placed in newspapers and a wire, after the war, had been sent out for her return to his villa. But, nothing came, no progress to show or speak of in finding her. The only thing that gave him true hope of ever finding her again was when he went to the abbey for the seventh day of her running away from him. The sister that had greeted him each day when he would come to abbey asking for Maria, she would update him on her solitude and her refusal to speak even. However, on the seventh day the sister who had greeted him so many times before told Georg that Maria had gone away from the abbey. In telling him this news, the sister had grabbed his hand and had whispered to him that Maria was in love with a man, and she was off to find him. Elated with this new, Georg had rushed home in hopes of finding or expecting Maria to come home to him.
He had waited only three days before his family and he had to go in search of hiding. Being a well known sea Captain, the Nazis' had gone in search of his talents and he would have nothing to do with them. So, he found it only safe to relocate his family to odd end places, keeping discreet coverage of all seven children as best he could. They had traveled all over Europe trying to stay below any Nazis radar that was after them. It was tough and they made a number of slim get aways. With much help of many people that Georg hardly knew and they survived through it all.
Nonetheless, this was it, he had decided. Seven years his obsession was long enough. If she loved him as he had thought she did, then she might come in search of him herself. He was tired and lonely and soon all his children would be gone. They would be caught up in their own lives to worry about their father. After this one last try, he would retire his search for his love, forever.
He could hear church bells ringing from the church across the street. Of course they immediately struck a chord in his heart. Having nothing else to do, he went towards the church just to take a look inside. He ran across the street and managed to get across safely, unlike a flat squirrel in the middle of the road. The sign in front of the church read "St. John's Church: All are welcome!" He took off his hat and stepped inside. Inside, it was larger then he had expected, with stone statues of saints on the walls and a painting of heaven on the ceiling in the entrance. He walked in and sat down in the last pew. He sat that there, not knowing what he was waiting for, but he knew whatever it was it was important.
"Okay, like how she starts us out… Do-Re-Me everyone," a voice from the direction of the front of the church came to Georg's attention. The choir began to sing "Let's start from the very beginning…" Georg knew the tune and he started to hum along with the choir, then suddenly the words came to him, "Do, a dear a female dear, Re, a drop of golden sun, Me, a name I call myself,…" The choir had all stopped and listened to Georg singing along with them and now by him self. He hadn't notice them halt their practice to listen to him. He got to "Te" before he realized he was the only one singing. He turned a bright red as he noticed everyone staring at him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't even realize that I knew the song," Georg said embarrassed and sticking his hat back on started to walk out the door. Then, it struck him. He knew where he recognized the song from. Maria had used the same one to teach his children to sing. He turned back around and shouted to the choir, "Who did you learn that song from?"
"Our choir teacher," a girl in the front row shouted back.
"Who's your choir teacher?" Georg asked walking back towards the choir.
"Oh… I very nice women, Ms. Haider," an older women said from the top left corner of the group.
"What's her first name?" Georg inquired. He just realized that he was oblivious to Maria's last name completely. So far the choirs' report of a nice woman sounded like her already. The choir was now talking amongst themselves trying to remember what their choir teacher's name was.
"It's Mary!" A man said in the middle of the mass, "Her name is Mary!"
Georg said his thank you and to the choir and walked out of the church. So close, closer then I've been in a long time, he mumbled to himself. It was worth the shot, not everyone he figured could know that song.
"Sir! Sir! Wait wills ya!" Georg heard a girl's voice shouting out to him. He turned around to see a girl running down the church steps, he recognized her as one of the choir members. "We were wrong…"
"About what?" Georg walked up to the girl.
"Her name… Her name is Maria," the girl jumped when Georg grabbed her arms in excitement.
"Can you take me to her?" Georg asked as he shook the girl.
"I don't know," the girl looked frightened.
"Sorry," Georg let her go and he rubbed the back of his neck, "So, can you take me to her?"
"Yeah, sure I guess. Just let me go tell the choir that I'm going," the girl ran back inside the church to tell the choir and left Georg outside the church to wait for her. The girl came out with a jacket and an umbrella in hand. "There's a ten percent chance of rain today, I'm not one to take chances like that." She walked out in front of Georg and headed back towards the park. Georg lingered behind, "Are you coming? This is a short cut."
Georg nodded his head and was half way unsure if he should follow the girl. She skipped around the side walk going one way and then the next, Georg couldn't figure out what she was doing. He actually was just wishing she would walk normally. All her bouncing around was giving him a headache.
"She lives across here," the girl said as she pointed to a large building. "By the way, I'm Rachel."
"I'm Georg," he stuck out his hand to her but she didn't notice because she was too busy watching the ground. "What are you doing?"
"Can't step on a crack or I'll break my mother's back," Rachel chimed as she skipped over a large crack across of the side walk.
"Oh… I've never heard of that," Georg said as he walked on normally.
"Well… My friend's sister's cousin's best friend stepped on a crack and her back just napped in half!" the girl said still jumping over every crack she saw.
"That sounds awful," Georg said as he thought to himself what a nutcase.
The two came to the large apartment building and the girl went to the buzzer and pressed every button available on the board.
"Sometimes she doesn't answer," Rachel gave Georg a wink and turned back to the speaker as a number of people were shouting "Hello!" through the intercom.
"I wonder why?" Georg said underneath his breath.
"Cable!" Rachel shouted into the intercom and the door clicked open. She went inside and Georg followed. "I think she lives on the fifth floor," Rachel said as she pressed the arrow button to the elevator.