Thought I would give you a time line on the chapters. At the beginning it is 1945 just after the war. Next two chapters are flashback.
Maria opens her eyes and she again reads the story.
" I have to find out if it is really him" she says as she searches for the person who wrote the story. Finding his name she decides to call the magazine.
" Hello yes I wonder if you could help me? My name is Maria Kutchera and I have just read the article about the children in Austria. I may have some information about one of the children named in the article. I was hoping I could talk to Mr. Brickman. Yes the man who wrote the story. Yes I will. My name again is Maria Kutchera and my phone number is 555-1205. Yes thank you very much. Please tell him I am very anxious to talk to him."
Maria hangs up the phone and looks at the photo again. "It has to be him. He looks so much like his father" she says to herself as she slides her finger over the picture.
Maria jumps as the phone rings.
"Yes this is her. Mr.Brickman thank you for getting back to me so soon. I would like to talk to you about the article you wrote. Actually the boy in the picture is who I really want to talk to you about. I would like to meet you in person if that would be all right. Yes I know that restaurant. I could meet you in a hour. Yes thank you. I will meet you then. How will you know me? I will be waiting for you outside. I have a brown coat and short hair.
As Maria hangs up the phone she feels a shiver run through her body. She quickly gathers her coat, keys and purse. She runs to catch the bus that would take her to the restaurant.
Maria stands waiting at the door. She is nervous as she looks at her watch.
" Excuse me, are you Ms. Kutchera".
Maria looks up from her watch and smiles at the man standing before her. He looks aboutmiddle ageand is tall. His eyes seem kind as he smiles back at her.
" Yes I am and you are Mr.Brickman. I am so happy to meet you" she says as she puts out her hand.
Shaking her hand "please call me Joseph".
" And you must call me Maria" she says as he holds the door for the restaurant.
They find a table by the window and sit down. The waitress takes their order.
" Well Maria you have my interest peaked. I am very interested in what you know about the boy in the photograph" he says as the waitress brings their tea.
"I have reason to believe he may be my son" she says as she wrings her hands. She watches as his eyes became wide with curiosity.
"I need to know where he is and what if any information you may have about him" she asks.
" Well I was in Austria covering the end of the war. I was in Salzburg taking photographs near Nonnberg Abbey when I saw a group of children playing near the abbey. The abbey I was told had been turned into a orphanage due to all the children left without parents. I was surprised at how happy they were despite what they had gone through. I was taking their picture when one of the sisters came out of the abbey gates. She called the children in as it was time for lunch. I decided this might be a good story. I was so tired of seeing the horrors of war that I needed something to lift my spirits. I went over to her and introduced myself. I told her my name and that I wanted to do a story on the children. Her name was" he takes out a large notebook from his briefcase.
Maria watches as he looks through his notes.
" Ah here it is. The sisters name was Margaretta. Sister Margaretta"
Maria gasps as he says her name. Joseph looks up from his notes
Are you all right Maria? You know this nun? he asks.
Maria smiles " Yes I do. She was a wonderful woman who I loved very much. You see Joseph I was once a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey. I left there in 1938 to be a governess. I returned a few months later than I left again. I returned two months later when I discovered I was going to have a child. My son was born there. I had to leave Austria without him as the Nazis were looking for me. He was much safer with the nuns at the abbey. Sister Margaretta and the Reverend Mother said they would try and find him a good family. It was the hardest thing I have ever done.
Maria chokes back these words as her eyes fill with tears. Moved by her actions Joseph could not help but touch her hand.
"I'm sorry its just that remembering that time is just so hard. I named my son Georg that is why I think the boy in your picture may be my son. Also the resemblance he has to his father is remarkable. Same eyes, smile and color hair. Please tell me you know where he is. I have to find him and see for myself if it is my child" she says her eyes pleading for his answer.
He says nothing at first. She has said nothing about the father of this child. He figures she will tell him when she is ready. Looking at his notes he finds the information that may help her. He smiles as he looks at her.
"I found out that the boy was adopted in 1939 by a family in Salzburg named Ritter. Sister Margaretta said they came to the abbey looking for a child to adopt. She said that Georgs real mother was a young woman who had once been a postulant at the abbey. She mentioned that the Nazis were after her because she may have had information about where her former employer, Von Trapp was his name, had escaped to"
He sees Marias face when he mentions Von Trapps name. He recognizes the look. She had been in love with him and probably still is. He figures he might be the father but he did not want to press the issue. He would let her tell him when she was ready.
" You said in the article the Ritters were killed. How were they killed? She asks him
"In 1942 the Ritters were killed in a automobile crash The boy was at home with the housekeeper. The
Ritters had no other relatives so the authorities brought the boy to the abbey. He seems very happy and healthy. In fact he has a beautiful voice. He sang for me when I was there. I recorded the song on my tape recorder" Joseph took the recorder out of his briefcase.
" Georg said Reverend Mother taught him the song. She told him his real mother sang it all the time."
Maria watches as Joseph puts a tape in and adjusts the volume. She only has to hear the beginning of the song. She recognizes it immediately. She puts her hands to her eyes as she hears his sweet voice.
" I'm sorry Maria. I didn't mean to upset you" Joseph says as he touches her arm.
"He's singing My Favorite Things. I would sing that song all the time. Reverend Mother would even sing it with me" she says as she wipes the tears from her eyes.
"Joseph, I'm sure now that he is my son. You said that he is still there. Are you sure? She asks .
"I was there about a month ago. I am sure he is still there. In fact the Reverend Mother was hoping one day Georgs real mother would return. She said she never heard from her since she left"
"I'm going back to Salzburg. I have to get him back" she says looking out the window.
"Maria it is very difficult to get into Austria. The American military are still in control of Austria. Unfortunately there are still some Austrians who believe Hitler was right"
" How can they still believe in that monster. Haven't they seen the pictures of the camps. Hitler was a monster and a coward. My understanding is that he killed himself when he realized he had lost the war"
" I don't understand it either Maria. I can see how determined you are to go. Let me talk to a friend of mine who works for the state department. I will explain to him your situation. He may be able to get you into Austria. I will have no problem as I am a member of the press"
"You, you want to go back? Aren't you tired of war.
"Maria I want to see a happy ending to my story. I want to be there when you and your son are reunited. Besides if you are with me it will be easier for us to get into the country"
"I want to leave as soon as possible. I can't take the chance that he may be adopted again"
"Why don't you come back to my office. I will call from there"
" Thank you" Joseph pays the bill and they head off to his office.
Maria watches as he makes a couple of phone calls. She watches him write down some information as he talks. He hangs up the phone.
"Well, when can we leave? She asks.
Smiling at her he says " Can you be ready in two days?
"That soon! Yes I could leave tomorrow if I needed to. Anything to get my son back. I will tell the school where I teach music at that I have an emergency"
Joseph sees her face glow with happiness. He hopes everything goes as it should and that she will have her dream of being with her son.
" I will call you tomorrow with the travel itinerary. My friend in the State Department has arranged for us to fly on a plane that is bringing humanitarian aid to Austria. He has arranged for you to have a special visa to get back into and out of Austria. He even arranged for us to see the authorities in charge of Salzburg. You will need to get your son papers to leave with you. You should have no trouble proving he is your son. I'm sure Sister Margaretta and The Reverend Mother will attest to the fact that you are indeed his mother"
Maria stands and put her coat on. Joseph comes from behind his desk to say goodbye. She can't stop herself as she gives him a hug.
" Thank you" she says as she breaks away.
"No Maria thank you. I now have hope that this war is truly over and the healing process will begin"
Maria leaves the office her heart leaping with excitement. Her mind immediately thinks of him. Maria wonders if maybe he has seen the article too. She has wondered through the years where he and his family had escaped to.
When she had left the villa and went back to the abbey she decided not to stay, she decided instead to go back to her uncles farm. During her stay at the farm the Nazis had taken over Austria. When she realized she was carrying Georgs child she knew her uncle would have no part of her. She went back to the only place she had felt safe. The Abbey. The Reverend Mother was understanding and told Maria she could stay there. Maria told Reverend Mother that Georg was the father of her baby. Reverend Mother informed Maria of the Von Trapps escape and that the Nazis were looking for her. It seems Zeller had some sort of idea that she might know where they were. Reverend Mother kept Maria hidden for seven months. Sister Berthe along with Reverend Mothers helped deliver her child. Because of the danger she was in she decided to leave the abbey. She was afraid Zeller would find her and the baby and that he would use the baby to get information from her. She decided to leave without her son. It would be safer for him. Reverend Mother assured her they would find a good home for him. It was the hardest thing she had ever done.
She escaped to Italy and then took a boat to the United States. She eventually got a job teaching music. She watched the newsreels of the war and read the papers. She always looked for news about the Von Trapps. She wondered where they were and if they were all well.
Maria opens the door to her apartment. Once inside she sits down a million thoughts running through her head. She goes to her dresser and pulls out a picture. The picture brings back the memory of when it was taken. Georgs christening day. Also the day she had to leave him. Her finger runs across his face. Tears fall as she silently prays.
"Please God let him still be there".