"Christ, Maria, suck it in." Ann groaned as she pulled at her dress from behind, doing her best to hook the buttons, but coming up a bit short. Maria grasped the back of the chair in front of her, gasping as her friend tugged and stretched her dress.

"Oh, Ann, it's no use. How does it not fit? It fit just last week." She took off the dress in frustration, fighting the urge to throw it as she sighed, clad in nothing but her lace bra and panties.

"Let's try to let it out a bit." Her friend took the dress from her hands and sat upon the chair as Maria walked toward her bureau to pull out a sewing kit. She handed it to her friend as she flopped upon the chair next to her, pouting a bit. Ann only laughed as she dug through the kit for the items she needed. "Such a child."

"I've just…ugh, I'll sound so vain. I've never been heavy before. I'm not going to do well with it." Ann laughed again, ripping a few seams and letting out the midsection of the party dress in her hands.

"You're barely showing. This dress was too tight to begin with, I told you that."

"It buttoned just fine."

"Stop kidding yourself."

"You're supposed to be here to help."

"I am." She gently stitched her friend's dress, certain to maintain the delicacy of the fabric beneath her hands. Maria watched her, biting her lip as she tried to let go of her frustration. She took a deep breath and sighed, looking to the small bulge of her twelve week pregnant belly. She ran a hand over it, the skin tight beneath her fingertips.

"You are…I'm sorry."

"We'll make the dress work, I promise." She sighed, shaking her head.

"It isn't only that. Honestly, I'm so nervous to attend this party at all."

"Whatever for? You're a rich society lady now, about to be a Baroness. Not to mention Georg will be right by your side. You have nothing to be nervous about."

"I worry sometimes that I'm not cut out for this lifestyle. I mean, look at this house, for starters." She waved a hand, looking about the room as Ann glanced her way for a moment. "If I want a cup of tea, the staff loses their minds if I make it for myself. And the children, they have absolutely no idea what it's like to be a normal person in this world."

"Your stockings are silk and you're wearing lace underwear right now. You don't think there are some things you don't mind?" She rolled her eyes, feeling a bit self-conscious all of a sudden for not putting on a robe. Ann tied off a bit of thread on one side of the dress and began moving the placement of some buttons on the other side as they spoke. "Will she be there tonight?"

"Who?"

"The rich lady who came to order a dress from you a few weeks ago. You spoke quite cruelly to one another, yet you told me you barely knew her." Maria sighed, watching her friend finish her dress. She was thankful for her presence, as she knew she would not have been able to properly alter her own dress in her current state of nerves. Her hands were shaking.

"Yes, I expect she'll be there."

"Perhaps that's what really has you nervous?" She ran a hand over her face, shaking her head.

"She and Georg used to be engaged. He and I fell in love, and she walked in on us kissing…it only happened the one time, but she saw us. She sent me away, and he watched me walk out the door with no hesitation on his part." Ann was quiet for once, finishing her work as her friend shared more with her than she ever had. She didn't want to risk jeopardizing the moment with questions. "He and I have worked out the past. We've forgiven one another, and we're better for it now, but she is such an awful woman. The first thing she'll do is call me a whore. And then she'll look at my stomach…and she will know, and then everyone will know."

"And then the earth will stop turning, and the skies will fall?" She met her friend's eyes harshly, shaking her head.

"Society circles are…"

"They are just like any other circle where bitchy people run wild with nonsensical gossip. You're better than that, Maria. I've hardly ever heard you gossip, maybe never." She tossed the finished dress upon Maria's lap, and she caught it in surprise. "Who cares about any of that? Just go and have a good time, dance a bit and enjoy meeting new people, walk with your head held high. And above all else, don't let them hurt the sweet, kind woman you are on the inside. Tonight, you're a Baroness."

xxxxx

She held her head high as they entered the party, doing her best to follow Ann's advice. It was easier said than done, as her first instinct was to run immediately. She wrapped her arm tighter around Georg's, and he patted her hand with his, giving her a gentle smile. He knew she was nervous, she didn't even have to say a word, and he was sure to be just a little extra affectionate in the car and on their way in. He knew he was presenting her to sharks upon a silver platter, yet he equally knew she could charm anyone she met.

"Stop tugging at your dress, darling." She obeyed, blushing a bit as she took her hand away from her midsection. Ann had let out her dress perfectly, but she still felt self-conscious. While pregnancy had given her some extra curves that were quite flattering in some places, she was also very aware that she was beginning to show.

"Do you think anyone can tell?" He took a flute of champagne from a tray and asked the waiter to bring her a glass of water.

"No, I shouldn't think so. They'll be too distracted by how radiant you are to notice." She rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop a small smile at the complement.

Georg led her about the rooms of the party, introducing her to several people, whose names she immediately forgot. She knew she would be seeing them enough to eventually remember the important names, if necessary. As the night progressed, she began to find herself feeling more comfortable. The mansion was crowded, so many beautiful people bumping into one another at all angles, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as she imagined it would be. However, just as she was letting down her guard, a hand grasped her bare arm, and she turned to meet the eyes of Baroness Schraeder.

"Hug me like we're friends." Her words were whispered, but there was no doubt they were a command. Maria leaned forward and hugged her, smiling brightly so the onlookers wouldn't think anything of it.

"Baroness, how are you this evening?" They pulled away from one another, and Maria swallowed hard at the harsh smell of her perfume. She clinched her teeth together; she would absolutely not be sick at the party, she refused.

"I'm well. And you look very well, I love that color on you." Eyebrows raised in question, she maintained her smile. "Is it from the dress shop where you work?"

"Thank you, yes it is, actually." She knew the Baroness bringing up her job was supposed to be an insult, but she didn't mind. Though she knew there would be plenty of judgment from the people around them at the thought that she even had a job; the men would find it appalling that she worked at all, and the women would be intrigued, but look down upon her for being part of the working class. Though, she supposed she was used to being a bit different. It was no matter.

"Could we step out to the terrace together?"

"Will I come back?" She bit her lip, as the words slipped from her mouth. The Baroness rolled her eyes, but smiled a bit.

"Yes, dear. I wouldn't physically assault you in an evening gown." The sparkle in her eye let Maria know it was meant as a joke, but it didn't make her feel much better as she nodded her head, and they escaped the staleness of the room for the fresh, outdoor air.

Maria took a deep breath as she stepped onto the terrace, the air warm and safe as they looked across the garden. It was a beautiful setup, flowers everywhere, but done in such a delicate way. She smiled a bit, taking in the atmosphere before she knew the Baroness would destroy her peace. She was increasingly nervous by the silence of the woman by her side.

"I never got to say what I wanted to you in the dress shop. You seemed…unwell."

"You mean you weren't simply there to berate me? You said quite a lot in that regard." The woman sighed, grasping the cement barrier beneath her hands in frustration.

"No…I came to apologize to you." There was a long silence, Maria's heart nearly leaping from her chest as she took in the words. She had to have misunderstood, surely. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I just can't believe it." She chuckled a bit, turning to meet her eyes.

"Don't make it a joke. I'm serious, I am so terribly sorry for the things I said to you all those years ago. I know how badly I hurt you…I fully intended to hurt you that badly, and it was very wrong of me." She narrowed her eyes, wondering where it was all coming from. Apparently the years had taken their toll on everyone a bit differently. "I thought you were there to take something that was mine. As it turns out, he was never mine to begin with, and I just couldn't accept it at the time."

"Baroness…"

"Please call me Elsa, dear. Every woman here is a Baroness." She smiled, turning to fully face her.

"Elsa, then. We were all in the wrong that day. I played a part I am equally not proud of."

"You were an innocent girl who fell in love for the first time and didn't know how to feel. I completely crushed you." She shook her head, sighing a bit. While everything she said was true, Maria had spent a lot of time thinking about her part in their story. She knew she had to accept responsibility for her own actions that led to the explosion between them.

"You hurt me, just as I hurt you. Perhaps you deserve an apology from me as well." Elsa met her gaze, eyebrows raised high in surprise. "I'm sorry for overstepping my boundaries that day. I've spent years feeling absolutely dreadful about everything that happened."

"I have too, if you can believe it." She smiled, placing her hand upon Elsa's over the cement bannister of the veranda.

"I'm not sure I can, but the sentiment is nice." Elsa laughed, nudging her shoulder against Maria's, and they shared a smile. "Thank you for this conversation."

"Thank you for hearing me out. I truly meant for us to have it when I was at the dress shop, but things became quite hectic…and I may have lost my nerve as well." Maria nodded, remembering the chaos of that day very well. "How is your food poisoning?"

"Oh, goodness, food poisoning doesn't last long." She smiled brightly, but the incredulous look in Elsa's eyes made her heart beat double.

"Right, so how far along are you?" Eyes wide, she looked about the veranda to be certain nobody could hear.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Honestly. You're the worst liar I've ever met, Maria." She felt herself sinking, her shoulders slumping in embarrassment as she tried to remain calm. "I knew the day in the shop. Your friend nearly told me straight out, the idiot."

"I'm very embarrassed."

"I don't intend to tell anyone, if that's what you're worrying about." Maria sighed, resisting the urge to run yet again that evening.

"Three months." Elsa smiled a bit, perhaps excited for the confirmation, she wasn't sure. In any case, she supposed it didn't matter much anyway if people found out. It would be very easy math for anyone to do when a baby arrived six months into their marriage.

"Congratulations, dear. You'll make a wonderful mother. You already are, really, those children have always adored you."

"Thank you, that's very kind." She looked to the ground, a curiosity nagging in the back of her mind. Elsa's words had a strange time, a bit whimsical perhaps."Why do I feel like we're speaking as if we'll never see one another again?"

"You're quite intuitive…I'm leaving Austria tonight, after the party." She was taken aback, and she raised her eyebrows in question. Elsa merely shrugged. "We both know the Anschluss will happen sooner than we think."

"Where will you go?"

"Where will you go?" She smiled a bit, forgetting for a moment that Elsa knew Georg quite well too, even if their time together was torturous for them both at times.

"We've settled on America."

"I'll be in Italy. Perhaps we'll cross paths again one day."

"I never thought I would say this, but I don't think I would mind that at all." The women shared a smile, and Maria felt a piece of her heart warm that she was certain had been sleeping for years.