Georg didn't stop his pace when he reached the church stairs. He had a little trouble at the top of the stairs when he lost his footing, tripped, and landed hard on his hands and knees. He got up to fin himself with scratched up hands and a bruised left knee, or so he thought, Georg had to keep reminding himself that he was a man to keep from tearing up since his fall. The rest of his way to the church doors he had no trouble. Expect when he had to choose which door to go through. He tried the right door but it seemed stuck, but he kept pulling on it with no progress. Glancing over the door he kicked it and tried the left one. Of course it opened with perfect ease.
The church was exactly the same maybe a little quieter but beyond that it was the same. The same Jesus hung from above the alter, almost hauntingly. He liked it now however, before it had given him a chilling feeling but now it made him feel soothed.
"Do you like Him?" A man's voice came from behind Gerog.
Georg looked behind him to see the priest walking up beside him. He was dressed in all black and a white collar, typical wear for a Catholic Priest not doing sermons.
"I have to admit Father…"
"Andrew, Father Andrew."
"Father Andrew, at first I wasn't taken by him, I found him frightening. But, now I find him oddly welcoming." Georg smiled at the Jesus and then turned and smiled t Father Andrew.
"That's pretty much everyone's reaction to Him." The old man smiled and patted Georg on the back. "He always comes to the aid of the desiring and in need of his help."
"Then I guess he's too busy for me," Georg sighed.
"That's the thing you see," the priest paused and stare up at the Jesus who stared back down at them both, "He's never to busy. Even if it's just for a listen."
With that the priest gave Georg another pat on the back headed back to the other end of the church where his office was. Georg heard the 'click' of his office door shutting and he knew then that he was alone. He sat down in the nearest pew and sat there for a few minutes. He thought about praying, he could never think of anything more then his same old prayer. But, even that was failing him now.
Reaching into his pocket he felt around for a small black cloth case. Georg gently opened the case and pulled out slowly the rosary that was kept inside. It was a simple rosary, made with wooden beads and string but he loved it all the same. The rosary was the only thing that he could hold on to for strength when nothing came up with his searching. It was Gretl who had given him the rosary, Maria had helped her to make it when she was a little girl.
Georg rubbed the weathered beads in his hands and started to say the prayer. He held his head down as he said his prayers. During his Hail Mary he blinked away a tear and saw a small cross lying on the floor. He remembered the cross. It was a small, silver cross that a woman might wear. It belonged to Gretl. He picked it and flipped it around in his hand. There was an inscription on the back that read "To Gretl, God's Love and Mine, Maria."
Mind racing and confused to why his daughter's cross would be on the floor in a church Georg stuffed his rosary back into its cloth casing and set off for his hotel to find Gretl. He had to make sure she was safe. The cross was the girl's most prized possession, the necklace never left her neck with out her noticing.
His legs traveled faster then he had imagined they could. He raced across the park and around the small pond. He saw a mother and her small children throwing bread at the ducks and geese swimming around them and arguing over waterlogged bread. In reaching the hotel the bell man dipped his head down and up in recognizing Georg and Georg did the same.
"In a hurry, Georg?" The bellman asked.
"You don't know perhaps where my youngest daughter went? Gretl?" Georg asked in a rushed voice.
"Let's see? I saw one of your girls go that way," he pointed off to the right, "But, I think that was your eldest girl." Rubbing his chin, "then I saw the blonde one walk off that way with I think was one of her brother's…Then…" He lifted up his hat and scratched the top of head, "I saw one skipping to the church across the park there."
"Yes! That's the one!" Georg was frantic now.
"Yeah, I seen her walk down the street with Maria," he smiled at the Captain. "A fine woman that Maria is, she's a sweet one and what a voice!"
"I know," Georg mumbled.
"I didn't know that you knew Maria," the bellman grinned, "Where did you two meet?"
"She was the children's Governess," Georg said starting to get upset, over what though he didn't quite understand.
"MY! What a job! To keep up with all seven of your tikes!" the man said hitting Georg's arm rather hard. "I think I would just run out on ya if I was her!"
"Funny you say that," Georg said looking off to the church.
"No, you aren't applying that sweet little Maria ran out on yous guys?" The bellman said stunned.
"Something to that effect," Georg said.
"I bet she had a good reason though," the bellman said looking concerned at Georg who now looked exhausted.
"She did. She was going to be a nun," Georg said as he walked inside of the hotel. He left the bellman and his questions at the door and removed his hat and went to the elevator and went up to his room to lay out his fatigued body.