Disclaimer: As I opened my presents on Christmas I realized that I still don't own The Sound of Music…
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Hope you all had a good Holiday! Sorry this wasn't up yesterday, but I was watching musicals that my aunt were in….it was great…lol…anywho. After stalling and not updating for like what, four days, I decided it was time to get going again….so without further ado, chapter nine!
I Trust In My Heart-
-Chapter Nine: Nothing More
"Oh, I agree!" the scarf lady rambled on. "But I suppose someone should have seen it coming."
Maria could feel her face growing hot and red as her eyes began to blur from watery tears.
"Oh? How so?"
Maria inched her hand to a near by chair, trying her best to pull it out from under the table for her to sit on while still supporting her weight on it so she wouldn't fall. She listened in horror as the scarf lady and purple hat lady gossiped on. Someone should have seen it indeed! she mocked in her mind
"Well, I hear the girl is a beauty, and the Captain, let's not deny, is rather handsome. So it was only a matter of time-"
A loud bang interrupted the two ladies as Maria fell into the chair that she had been pulling out from underneath the table. Immediately the two gossipers jumped from their seats and over to Maria.
"My dear, are you alright?" the scarf lady said, placing her hand on Maria's shoulder.
"I'm fine!" Maria snapped, pulling her shoulder from under the lady's cold grasp. Maria was shocked to hear the tone of her voice. She had never been filled with so much hatred in her life.
"Maria, darling, are you alright?" Georg said, rushing to where Maria was sitting, surrounded by her new "friends". He had seen her fall, and heard her snap at a Baroness, whom he recognized. As he looked at her, he couldn't remember a time he had seen Maria so full of anger and hurt. It was daunting, to say the least.
Maria turned her head and looked at her fiancée, face red and the beginning of tears trimming her eyes.
"Oh, hello Captain von Tr- CAPTAIN!"
"DARLING!" the scarf lady and the purple hat lady nearly yelled at the same time, realization dawning on their faces. The two looked from Maria to Georg to Maria to Georg and back again. Simultaneously their cheeks turned red and they began to back away.
"We're terribly sorry-"
"We'll just be going." they said, walking quickly from the restaurant just as their food arrived at the table.
"What in the-" Georg asked, watching the two disappear before looking at Maria. She had her head in her hands, and was breathing heavily, obviously trying to control tears.
Without saying anything else, Georg lifted Maria from the seat into a standing position. He situated his arm comfortably around her waist for support, picked up the shopping bags in the other hand, and walked himself and her to the car.
Once there, he opened the passenger door, quickly put Gretl's stuff in the back, then sat Maria in the seat with her legs sticking out of the car. He knelt down in front of her. She refused to meet his gaze.
"Maria?" he asked quietly, "What happened?"
She didn't say anything, just stared at her hands in her lap as a single tear dripped down her cheek, the only one escaping her control of not letting them fall.
"Maria." he said again, softly. He put his hand to her cheek and stroked the tear away, while lifting her head to look at him at the same time. "Maria?"
"Oh Georg!" she said, doubling over in tears, no longer able to control them. The Captain caught her in his arms and cradled her. They sat like that for a while until Maria's crying died down, somewhat. When her sobs weren't as bad, Georg pulled away and looked in her eyes, wiping away some tears.
"They think, they were saying that-that-that." she didn't want to continue on, the pure thought made her sick to her stomach. "that t-t-the only reason we're getttttttting mmmmmarried is because we-we-that-that-I-" she didn't say anything else, but her hand immediately went to her stomach again and Georg got the message.
Georg felt himself well with anger as he grabbed Maria's hands and pulled them into her lap, he squeezed them for support. He should have known. He should have second guessed it. Of course people were going to talk. But the thought had never even crossed him mind, all he had cared about was Maria and the children. And now, staring into her tear filled eyes, seeing the pain, he felt that he had caused it. It was all his fault.
"Oh, my darling Maria." he said, cupping her face with one hand. "I'm so sorry." his voice was quiet. He leaned his forehead against hers, getting as close to her as possible, needing to comfort her.
"It's not your fault," she whispered, staring into his eyes. "You could never do anything to hurt me." she said, clutching his hand.
They sat like that for a while. Complete silence. Neither one knowing what to say. Enjoying to feeling of being close.
"Can we get the bike and go home?" Maria asked, quietly, after a while.
"Of course."
Maria sat by the lake's edge, throwing rocks into its mysterious depths. She had retreated to her room when she and Georg got home, saying she was tired and needed a small nap. Though she didn't sleep, she just stared out the window of her room. She then went on to excusing herself from dinner early. The children had asked her what was wrong, she told them nothing and they didn't press the matter. She had a feeling Georg told them not to when she was 'napping'.
She didn't know why those lady's comments were bothering her so. All they had said were words, rumors that weren't true. But if two ladies were talking about these rumors so openly in public who knew what others were saying in the privacy of their own homes. But who would start such rumors? How could they think such things of a respectable sea captain, or of her. Sure they didn't know her but didn't people have faith anymore? Didn't people have faith in love? Real live true love?
It was her fault. If she hadn't come back that day, none of this would be happening.
She continued throwing rocks. With each one she threw she became more angry. Each one gaining more speed and becoming more imprecise. Soon she ran out of rocks. She held the last one in her hand before throwing it with an angry grunt. As she watched it fall she felt helpless and her shoulders slouched and her posture became small.
"Nice arm." a voice said from behind her, causing Maria to jump. She turned around to see Ubel standing next to a near by tree, leaning against it, his arms crossed at his chest. He was looking at her with a look of curiosity and wonderment.
"Sorry," he said. "Didn't mean to scare you." Maria shrugged. "Georg told me what happened." he continued on.
"Oh?" her voice was quiet. She felt she didn't have the strength to speak.
"Yes." he paused for a moment. "You know, you should have expected it."
Maria stared at him, mouth agape. She could believe his bluntness. "E-excuse me?" was all she managed to get out.
He laughed. "My apologies. I didn't mean it like that."
"Then what exactly did you mean?" her voice was tired.
He sighed, shrugged, and sat down beside her. "I only meant that it was a matter of time before rumors like this did start. In a society like this where class is something of importance, especially to those of the upper class," Maria snorted. "People are going to talk. After all, he was going to be married to Elsa, and you a nun. What are people to think?"
"That we're in love." she said bitterly.
Ubel laughed lightly. "That would be the last thing that comes to mind." he paused and sighed again. "People will get over it soon enough I should think, they do you know."
Maria looked at him, in the week or so that he had been here Maria had never seen this side of Ubel before. He was always sarcastically funny, or serious. But never like this before. It was kind of nice.
She sighed and put her head in her hands, rubbing her eyes. She suddenly felt Ubel's arm around her in a comforting hug and the only thing she could do was lean into it as a single tear fell down her cheek.
A cough filled the silent night air after the two had been sitting like that for a while. Ubel, jumped away and stood, turning towards the disruption. "Ah, Georg. Good evening."
"Yes." he said, looking at Maria, who was looking at the ground.
"I was merely giving Maria my sympathy. Nothing more."
"Did I say it was anything more?" Georg asked, an edge in his voice, but not exactly angry.
"Of course not. If you'll excuse me I will be going to bed. Good night to both of you."
"Good night." Georg said, while Maria nodded.
Once Ubel was safely inside, Georg went up to Maria and sat by. She immediately threw herself into his arms.
"I'm sorry." she whispered into his chest.
"What for?" he asked, pulling away and looking at her.
"For-" she looked towards the house to where Ubel had gone.
"Oh," he said. "There's no need to apologize for that." he said, tapping her on the nose, telling her it was alright for accepting sympathy from another man. For the first time in hours Maria smiled.
"I just don't understand it." she said, referring to what had happened earlier. "I mean, I do. But then-"
"I know." Georg said when her voice trailed off. "But we can't let what they say ruin anything. It doesn't matter to me. I know the truth, you know the truth, and the children know the truth. And that's all I care about."
Maria smiled at him. This was why she had fallen in love with him. "You're absolutely right." she said quietly.
Maria woke the next morning to the feeling of someone jumping on her bed. Knowing who it was she said: "Happy Birthday Gretl."before she even opened her eyes.
"Thank you Fraulein Maria!" the jumping stopped as she heard Gretl land on the ground with a thud. "I'm going to wake father up now!" Maria opened her eyes just in time to see little Gretl running out of her room towards the Captain's.
Gretl anxiously blew out the candles on her birthday cake.
"What did you wish for Gretl?" Friedrich asked.
"I can't tell you or it won't come true. Isn't that right Fraulein Maria?" Gretl replied, looking at Maria. Maria laughed.
"Quite right, dear." she said, winking at Friedrich who hid a laugh.
"Can I have my presents now?" Gretl asked as her father began to cut the cake.
"Don't you want cake?" he asked.
"Can I have them both?" she asked, confused at how her father didn't see that they could have both.
Georg chuckled at her confused look. "Both it is then!"
The room was soon filled with wrapping paper and gifts as Gretl carefully but quickly tore the paper off each present. She would look the present up and down, immediately decided that she loved it, and moved onto the next present. Only as a, now, six-year-old could do.
"Did you open all of them, Gretl?" Liesl asked.
"Yes, I think so."
"No, I don't think you have." their father said, who looked at Maria who smiled and he winked.
"I haven't?"
"No, darling, you haven't. There's still one more. You stay here and close your eyes while I go get it." he said before disappearing from the room.
Maria walked over to Grelt and put her hands over the young girls eyes. "Fraulein Maria, I can' see!" Grelt exclaimed and everyone laughed.
"I know, dear. But you heard your father, eyes closed." Gretl giggled.
Liesl watched from her seat as Maria whispered something in Gretl's ear making Gretl fill with laughter. She looked from the joyous Gretl to the glowing Maria. She almost looked like a-
"Here we are!" Georg said, coming into the room.
"Ready Gretl?"
"YES!" she said, nearly jumping up and down in her seat. Maria removed her hands from Gretl's eyes and Gretl nearly yelled with joy.
"I got a bike!" she exclaimed rushing over to it. "Can you teach me how to ride it Fraulein Maria!"
"Is your cake finished?" Maria said, looking at Gretl's plate.
"Yes!"
"Then of course I can." Maria said, standing and taking Gretl's hand while pushing the bike in the other hand.
"You can come to, Father." Gretl said, just as the two reached the door. Georg laughed and followed.
Liesl noted how Gretl had gone directly to Maria for instructions on riding the bike. She didn't go to their Father, but to Maria. Liesl had gone directly to her mother when she first got a bike. It suddenly dawned on Liesl, Gretl must think of Maria as a mother. The little girl's memory of her birth mother could hardly be anything. But Maria was here, kind, loving, sweet, and a kind of support. A mother to a young girl who probably didn't remember having one. And Maria did seem to have that mother quality, and she embraced.
Liesl smiled, maybe in time the rest of her siblings could hold Maria in the same regard as Gretl did.
Author's Note: So I have now delayed five days as I started this yesterday night and finished it today. Lol…anyways…what did you think? Was Maria's reaction to the rumors an overreaction?
Edelwyn: yes, I do have my reasons about the children's reaction once again. But this chapter they changed slightly. Thank you for reviewing!
I luv Julie Andrews: Sorry this wasn't a quick update, but here it is! Thanks for reviewing!
Xx Holly xx: Happy to know you like the story, it's good to have you reading! Thanks for reviewing!
Megslife: Naw, you wouldn't look like a jackass. Ha, Gretl is like your niece…hope your not bruised to bad…lol. Good to know my portrayal of Maria is good. Thanks for reviewing!
Kelsea Scarlett: It does stink to be woken up…lol. Glad you like my names for the rumor ladies. Thanks for reviewing!
Sweet Passion: Glad you like! Thanks for the review
Amy: Thank you muchly for the review!
Fiddlesticks: Glad you like the plot, thanks a lot!
Myfairlady: Glad to know Ubel is a good character…I'm rather fond of him…lol…thanks for reviewing!
Writrfreak15: Yes, typos. Me and my bad habit of not proofreading…lol. Glad you like it and thanks for reviewing!
TheMarauders3: Glad to know you wanna see how all those things turn out….and no worries, in time they will! Thanks for the review!
If I don't update before Saturday or Sunday (but I think I will):
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Until next time,
Your humble author,
The Lonely Goatherd