ENDING ONE

"Father will be ecstatic to see you!" Gretl said as she took her turn in stomping down the elevator.

"I hope so," Maria said breathlessly. Maria was tired from getting the elevator to start she hated the thing. They should have just taken the stairs she thought to her self. However, she was thankful for Gretl's youthfulness and her eagerness to get Maria to the hotel that she was doing all the work to get the elevator down.

"He'll have to be!" Gretl said with one final stomp. This stomp sent the elevator down with no problem. "You never told me why you left. You never told any of us!"

"That's because I was avoiding it darling," Maria said flatly.

"Why?" Gretl asked.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes, I've been waiting to find out for a long time now," Gretl said as she started to tear up. "I thought it was my fault that you left."

"Oh, no! Not at all Gretl!" Maria gave Gretl a massive hug and held her tight to her chest.

"Then why did you leave without even saying 'Good-bye'?"

"I… I had to leave," Maria said.

"But, why?"

"I was in love…"

"In love?" Gretl interrupted, "With who?"

"With your Father," Maria sighed.

Gretl's jaw dropped. She knew it all this time that Maria was in love with her Father. But, hearing it from Maria was a whole different matter.

"Close your mouth Gretl, we are not a cod fish," Maria said with a warm smile.

"Sorry," Gretl said smiling back, "I knew it!" Gretl gave Maria another hug. The two had been in so deep of a conversation that neither had realized that the elevator doors had opened. There was a small group of five people standing in front of the elevator all of which were smiling. Maria and Gretl just grinned at the group and walked out together hand in hand.

"Which way?" Maria asked as the two walked outside into the evening light of the sun.

"This way," Gretl said as she pulled Maria along by her hand.

Maria wasn't led that far from her apartment when she saw the large hotel that Gretl pointed our as her own. The hotel was magnificent and Maria couldn't help but think that she could have been staying in hotels like this instead of her small compact apartment. Gretl pulled Maria harder once they were nearer to the hotel.

"Hello Gretl!" the doorman said as he tipped his hat to her. "And who is this?"

"This is my old governess, Fraulein Maria," Gretl said as she continued pulling Maria past the doorman and inside the hotel. She let go of Maria's hand. Leaving Maria behind to walk fast behind her, Gretl went straight for the elevator.

Maria stopped and looked around the hotel. Everything looked so rich, it reminded her of the Captain's villa and how she felt so at home there. She started to walk again, to catch up with Gretl. She tripped over someone's suitcase and began to fall. But, someone strong caught her by her arm and brought her back up to her feet.

She looked up to see a man's tired eyes and unshaved face. He was tall and debonair looking in his suit and tie. Maria's eyes were transfixed on his and they stood there staring at one another. It had been almost seven years since they had seen one another and each were trembling inside to hold the other. But, all they could do was smile at each other.