Ch. 2: The Past
Maria heard the door slam to the Captain's study as she turned around and shut the door. Undoubtedly, the Captain had seen Patrick leave. She walked over to the door and knocked on it softly.
"Georg, darling?" she whispered. She felt tears coming on when he didn't answer her. She sighed again and put her mouth close to the door. "I'm ready to talk when you are." When she again heard no reply, she walked to her room alone.
She didn't know what to really think. The whole thing had happened so quickly. One minute she thought nothing would ever damage the love she and Georg shared and then there he was, the one person other than him she had ever loved in her life. Standing in front of them, not seeming to care how Maria felt about anything.
Maria hadn't intended to keep something away from him, but it had never come up in conversation and Maria didn't think of that time in her life as that important. She had told him everything about how she was atheist, but honestly she never wanted to talk about Patrick because she didn't want to think about any other man but Georg. From his perspective she could she why he would be mad and jealous.
She glanced down at her ring for the second time that day and traced her fingers around the diamonds in it. Maria could see the other ring she once had. It had been so ugly compared to what she had now with its plain silver band and fake diamond in the middle. She kept rubbing the ring thinking back to the last day she saw Patrick.
Maria and Patrick quietly sat on a blanket with a basket by them. They had just finished a picnic. One of the many times a year they would go for fun to sing, talk, play cards and just watch the activity in the mountains. Patrick was never the best singer, but he always sang along with Maria's wondrous voice. After they finished their meal, Patrick rolled toward Maria.
"Maria, do you remember our first kiss?" he asked. Maria smiled at the thought.
"Of course I do. It was the first time we came out to this mountain. I believe I beat you at cards and then you claimed you could beat me at running so we ran to the nearest rock. When I won you told me I was amazing, you loved me and then you kissed me," she answered.
"You're just like me, remembering things just like they were yesterday," Patrick teased.
"Yes and I will always remember it because it was the first kiss I ever had," she answered.
"I still think your amazing, Maria," he told her as he closed the gap and kissed her again. She broke it off and smiled at him. She cuddled on his shoulder as a wisp of wind blew by.
They watched the clouds float by and sat with each other for a few minutes content being in the others company. Soon he pushed Maria over gently and sighed.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Maria, you know I'm going to have to go, right?" he asked. Maria gave him a puzzled look and he sighed again.
"Go where?" she asked innocently.
"I enlisted in the Navy you know. They are going to send me to different places to train. I won't be staying in Salzburg," he told her.
"Well we can always write," Maria told him calmly.
"It just won't be the same," he told her. Maria sighed and he looked ahead of him trying to gain courage.
"No, I suppose it won't," Maria answered.
"That's why I wanted to ask you…well you see I do want to settle down and have a family someday. So I was wondering if, after I come back from my training…well would you…"
"Yes?" Maria asked him trying to get the point out. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Maria gasped.
"I have loved you for so long and know that I will always love you no matter what. So will you marry me?" he asked. She looked at him and smiled.
"Yes, of course I'll marry you!" she cried happily. He pulled her into another kiss. They spent the rest of the day together talking about their future together. After a wonderful summer he had kissed her, promised to write and told her he would never forget her and would be back for her very soon.
She wholeheartedly believed him as he walked away that day.
Maria stared at the ring on her finger now. Her first engagement definitely seemed trivial now no matter what people say about their first loves. Maybe that was why Maria had never told Georg. There wasn't anything overly romantic about Patrick. She had loved him, but the not the way she loved Georg. The way he proposed was beautiful, but nothing like when Georg had proposed to her. When she thought about it, she and Patrick didn't do many things differently once they were engaged.
Sure she loved him, but in her mind it was a very young love. The love she and Georg shared was something special that was beyond compare. Just one glance in Maria's direction and Georg could make Maria feel like she was weightless and she didn't remember that sensation with Patrick.
She felt an unexpected tear run down her cheek and onto her bed as she thought about the look Georg gave her that evening. It was almost the look a puppy gives when it has been hurt. Then again his glare made her remember the old Captain, mad at the world. She glanced at the clock and saw it was long past the children's bed time.
Maria got out of bed and headed for Liesl's room to check on her. Maria looked in and the lights were already off. Liesl got up and made her way over.
"I helped the little ones get ready for bed. Father tucked them in an hour ago," Liesl whispered. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"I'll be fine," Maria answered. She could tell Liesl was not convinced. Trying to change the subject she talked about the next day.
"Are you still planning on taking the rest of the children to the other side of the lake tomorrow for the day?" she asked. Liesl nodded proudly.
"I'm so excited father actually trusts me to take care of everyone for a day so you can get the wedding plans done!" Liesl told her excitedly.
"Well you know you did take good care of them for the five years both of your parents seemed to be dead…he should trust you by now," Maria told her. "I'll let you get some rest now, goodnight my dear."
"Goodnight, Mother," Liesl told her giving her a hug. Maria shut the door quietly.
Remembering that she and Georg were supposed to be planning the wedding the following day Maria decided to go and see if see could make up with him before the day was over.
She returned to her room and saw the Captain slowly walking outside. She took a deep breath and slowly went downstairs.
A/N: Please Review!