She sighed, wrapping her cloak around her a bit tighter at the slight chill in the air. Autumn was beautiful with the changing colors of the trees and the smell of the crisp air, but she also found it quite melancholy at the moment. The boys played in the garden while the girls sat with her upon the terrace, working on a scrapbook they wanted to make for their grandmother...well, one that Maria suggested they should make for her. She hadn't completely given up hope that the woman would come to care for her grandchildren.

Georg joined them on the terrace, giving her a small smile in greeting as he approached the girls to see what they were working on. Louisa held up a photo of the oldest children when they were very young, and he smiled at the memory. She was glad he was finally able to view old photos in a happy light rather than the sadness that used to engulf him at the memories of his first wife. He had finally emerged from the darkness he'd suffered for so long.

"Fraulein Maria?" Marta's voice met her ears gently, her sweet voice always sounding a bit like a song.

"Yes, dear."

"Why don't you laugh anymore?" Maria was taken aback, unsure how to respond.

"What do you mean? I laugh all the time." She smiled, trying to ease the girl's mind, but she saw Georg's expression harden at the words.

"No you don't. You seem so sad."

"I do?" Marta nodded, and she looked around the table to the other girls, who nodded their confirmation as well. "Oh, I didn't realize."

"Do we need to sing about our favorite things?" Gretl's voice made her smile, and she placed a hand upon her cheek.

"Yes we should! Perhaps after we're finished here, we can go inside and get some hot cocoa before we sing." The little girls smiled, their fears calmed by the excitement she gave them, even though it did feel a bit strained to her.

She hadn't noticed much of a change in herself, but apparently the children had. She knew she felt a lot more stress lately than usual, but she still had done her best to keep their activities fun and full of laughter. The secret of the growing child in her stomach made her feel unarmed and highly protective of herself and her family. It occurred to her that with the news of an unplanned pregnancy, she hadn't been able to get out of her own head.

That evening, she looked at herself in the mirror after brushing her teeth, wondering what happened. She looked at herself from the side, stomach still as flat as ever, and couldn't help but wonder if the baby were a boy or girl. It was difficult to envision holding her child, and she could not figure out why. It all felt so incredibly surreal, as if she were viewing someone else's life.

"Maria?" Georg's voice was heard through the bathroom door, and she smiled as she entered her bedroom.

"I was hoping you'd be here tonight." She stepped into his embrace, placing a gentle kiss upon his lips in greeting. He held her tightly, as if she would disappear if he didn't.

"I can't believe we will be sharing a bedroom in just three weeks. I can't wait."

"Neither can I. It's become quite difficult to sleep alone."

"It certainly has." He pulled back to kiss her again, smiling softly as he looked into her eyes. "Are you happy, darling?"

"Of course, I am. Why would you think I wasn't?" Her heart felt heavy, the same as it had all day.

"I was thinking about what Marta said today. It's true that you don't seem like yourself lately. I'm worried about you."

"I fear this pregnancy is beginning to have an affect. I was sick twice this morning before I could even take a shower." He smiled, placing a gentle hand upon her cheek.

"It began before that." She frowned, sighing as she looked downward.

"Yes, it did, didn't it?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead, pulling her close again. She couldn't say exactly what was wrong, it was nothing and then a million things all at once. She felt claustrophobic at times, expectations of the things she was supposed to do or the person she was supposed to be weighing heavily on her mind.

"Do I make you unhappy?"

"Oh, no! Not at all. I love you terribly." She placed a kiss upon his lips, pulling him close to her to show how much she cared for him. Her problems were with herself, not him at all.

"Am I asking too much of you?"

"I'll tell you what I think it is." She pulled him to sit upon the bed with her, his hands in her own. "We're settling into life together, and I don't know how to do that. Routine and order and safety of a home and family are all very new for me. And then the baby...I just can't seem to pull myself up at the moment."

"What can I do to help?"

"I don't know, honestly." She shrugged, thinking for a moment. It was difficult to say what she needed, she should have been the happiest woman in the world. "I suppose I must ask you to be patient with me."

"Do we need to murder my mother?" She laughed, his words unexpected.

"Perhaps. Though, she seems like she would be quite a fighter." He shared a laugh as well, and she felt some of her anxiety lift. "I think I've missed you too. We spent more time together when we were sneaking around than we do now."

"I'm sorry about that. It's been difficult to breathe with all of our houseguests. There are far too many people in this house." She nodded, sighing before meeting his eyes. "May I give you a project?"

"A project? What kind? I'm already pulled in all directions by the wedding."

"Well, I would like you to begin redecorating our bedroom. I want it to be exactly how you like it the day you move in." She smiled, suddenly excited to have a task she thought was fun for a change.

"I would love to." She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Even a simple conversation with him could brighten her mood, and she realized that she really must have been missing him a lot more than she knew. He placed a hand against her stomach, her hand coming to rest upon his as they shared a smile. The idea of their hands atop their unborn child nearly brought a tear to her eye.

"I'm getting excited."

"I'm afraid to until after the wedding."

"Never be afraid to be excited." He kissed her once again, standing from the bed. "Now, I want you to get some sleep."

"I'll do my best." He began to walk away, but she stopped him by maintaining her hold on his hand. "Stay with me?"

"You're not afraid of someone noticing?"

"No. I care more about you than how we're perceived, anyway."

He smiled and moved to lock the door before joining her in pulling down the bed. As they held one another that evening, Maria felt her heart shift in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. She felt safe and deeply loved, and she was ready to shake off her insecurities once and for all.