Hepburn-Monroe: thank you for pointing out the issue with the numbers! I'm glad you enjoy my story. I also enjoy yours very much:)
Chapter 5
"Why is it taking so long?" Georg asked out aloud, while he impatiently walked from an end to the other of the room. The day of Maria losing their child a few years ago was still a vivid memory in his mind, and the same dreadful feeling consumed him again. Never had he been able to forget that day, the endless waiting in the hospital, all the while fearing the worst. The moment the doctor had approached him with the bad news about the baby, it was still a memory that haunted his dreams. The memory of another terrible moment crossed his mind. He remembered sitting next to Maria in the hospital room, holding her hand, while they had been told about Maria having no or very little chances to get pregnant again. Maria had practically collapsed in his arms in shock after receiving the information. "Not another loss, please" he said and lifted his eyes upwards. Being so deeply in thought he didn't realize two worried faces standing close to him and watching him.
"Father? Is the doctor still in there?" Brigitta and Louisa asked in unison as they reached their father.
"Yes, he is. If something happens to any of them, it will be my fault. I should have paid more attention to your mother," Georg pulled his daughters into his arms.
"No Father! Please don't talk this way! First because nothing has happened to any of them, and second these things are nobody's fault," Louisa answered. "Father, please!" Brigitta begged.
In the next moment the door to the bedroom flung open and the doctor walked over to Georg. He gave the doctor a questioning look while his fears reflected on his face.
"Captain, please don't worry. They will be fine. Your wife is only exhausted; she needs to get lots of rest. I would suggest she stays in bed for today and tomorrow and then slowly she can return to her daily routine but of course by taking things a lot easier," the doctor said reassuringly.
"Thank you," Georg replied, smiling at his daughters, while wiping off a few tears. He stood up and returned to the bedroom to be with Maria.
The sight of her was more promising than about an hour ago. Some colour returned to her cheeks and she gave a little smile when she saw her husband approach the bed.
"Are you better, Maria?" he asked while taking her hand and raising it to his lips.
"Yes I am. I'm still weak, but otherwise I'm okay. The doctor said that I was only exhausted," Maria replied, her voice very little. Georg gently caressed her cheeks and let his hand linger there for a moment. Maria looked into his eyes, her tired and weary eyes reflecting relief.
"I was so scared, Georg. I don't think I could survive another loss. The guilt would simply kill me," Maria trailed off, but she was immediately silenced by Georg who put his finger on her lips.
"Sssh, you will be alright. God is watching us from above," he softly spoke. "Now from today on, you will get lots of rest my darling. I will serve your breakfast in bed and all you have to do is to ask me if you ever need anything," Georg gently said while caressing her face. "Why don't you get some sleep, now?" he asked. Maria obliged, she laid her head back to the pillows and fell into a peaceful sleep. He didn't move, but kept his gaze on her, the content expression on her face washed away the worries he had.
x x x
Maria sat on the terrace, her gaze fixed on the ground that was covered with colourful autumn leaves. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply the fresh and crisp air. She enjoyed these rare moments that she could spend on her own, settling and sorting out her thoughts. She had visited the doctor earlier that day and all the tests had confirmed that both her and the baby were in excellent health. Her eyes caught the sight of the yellow school bus dropping off Alexandra near the house. She smiled as she saw her youngest daughter slowly walk to the garden gate, and hurry up her steps when her mother came into view. Maria stood up and placed a little kiss on her daughter's cheek when she climbed up the stairs and was standing next to her.
"How was your day, darling?" she asked and guided her daughter to sit next to her on the bench.
"I did learn so much, Mommy!" she sighed. "I'm tired," she added.
"Tired?" Maria laughed and gently caressed Alexandra's hair. She hugged her daughter to her and the little girl snuggled close to her.
"Mommy?" Alexandra asked looking up at her mother. "What is my little brother or sister doing now?" she asked.
"Oh, he or she is most probably sleeping," Maria replied with a smile.
"Can the baby hear us talk now?" she went on asking.
"Yes, definitely it can. That's what I read anyway," Maria replied. "When I carried you, I would often sing to you," she smiled.
"I cannot remember it," Alexandra stated and Maria started laughing.
"Of course you can't, but each time I sang, you would give me a big kick. You enjoyed music," Maria laughed.
"Mommy? Can I put my hand on your stomach?" the little girl asked. Maria nodded and placed her daughter's hand on the very small rounding.
"Can you feel the little rounding?" Maria asked and looked at her daughter.
"Why isn't the baby kicking?" Alexandra asked.
"Darling, the baby is too small. But I'm sure we will feel him soon," Maria said and placed a little kiss on the girl's head. They sat there in each other's embrace for quite a while when they noticed that Marta, Brigitta and Gretl had also got home. Happily they approached their mother and youngest sister to join them on the terrace. The girls tried to talk at the same time, making it incredibly difficult for Maria to listen to each of them. But she had been used to this, her children's happy chatting always brought a smile to her face.
"Come girls, it's quite cold out here. Let's have some lunch together and then we should start preparing dinner. You know your sister Liesl is coming over with her husband," Maria said and guided the group of chatting girls into the house.
After the large group finished dinner Maria noticed that Liesl was too quite herself. She saw Liesl sit in on her own, obviously being deep in thought, as if something was bothering her. Everyone was laughing and chatting happily, discussing what Kurt should do after his graduation from high school while Alexandra kept everyone occupied with what she had learned at school.
"Are you in need for some company?" Maria asked cheerfully as she walked over to the quiet corner Liesl was sitting. "Liesl, are you okay? You haven't eaten much," she said.
"No, I haven't. Mother can we talk privately for a moment?" Liesl asked and motioned for a quiet spot. Oh how she needed her mother's advice at the moment, or better to say she needed someone to discuss her issues with. She had suspected something, a reason for her general fatigue lately, but a little reassurance or confirmation from someone was truly necessary in the situation.
"What's wrong? Is it Craig?" Maria asked concerned, while she tried the expression on Liesl's face.
"No mother. He is sweet and wonderful. It's me. Can I ask you a question?" Liesl asked.
"What did you exactly feel before you discovered you were pregnant?" she trailed off, feeling embarrassed.
"What?" Maria sounded surprised. "I felt dizzy in the mornings, I was sick to my stomach, I didn't eat much and felt exhausted and I had some bad head aches, besides of course that most significant sign that I missed…. Liesl?" Maria asked, her eyes growing wide in surprise and excitement.
"I have all these, Mother," Liesl said, her face lighting up in a little smile.
"That would be wonderful! Okay, you want to tell me that I'm going to be a mother and grandmother at the same time?" Maria laughed at the absurdity of this situation. "You haven't seen a doctor, have you?" she asked her voice turning more serious.
"No, I haven't. I have an appointment for tomorrow. I'm just a bit afraid of finding out whether I am or not," Liesl replied, letting out her innermost thoughts.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Maria offered.
"Could you, Mother?" Liesl asked her face lighting up. Maria nodded happily and hugged Liesl.
x x x
Maria sat lonely in the waiting room and her excitement was rising as the minutes passed by. Her hand rested on her stomach and gently caressed the tiny little rounding.
"Oh my baby. It looks that you will become an aunt or an uncle while you are still a baby. And your mother will be a grandmother at the age of 30," she said and thought about how unique and special her family is. The door flung open and Liesl ran to her with tears running down her cheeks. Maria stood up and the sight of her daughter, her teary eyes left her breathless. She didn't know how to take the tears.
"Mother, I'm going to have a baby," Liesl said, making tears form in Maria's eyes as well.
"I'm so happy Liesl, so proud of you. How are you feeling?" she asked while gently caressing Liesl's face.
"Mother, I never knew I could be this happy," she smiled and hugged Maria.
To be continued…..