quick a/n: just some trigger warning for the first half. Thanks for MsHope for pointing it out.
ISMKPG: seven
written by: jxnnyl
"Maria.." Margaretta Böhm knocked on her friend's bedroom door as she sighed, "Maria- you can't just stay there all day again! Yesterday was Martha's- your daughter's- birthday! And knowing you… please tell me you at least called or messaged her to bid 'Happy Birthday!' or sent her something like a gift!"
The bedroom door opened, revealing a seemed to just woken up Maria Rainier.
"Martha's birthday? I thought that was last week…" Maria groaned as she stumbled back inside her room, followed by Margaretta.
"Last week? No- Maria… what date is today?" Margaretta asked as she watch Maria sat up in the bed.
Maria shrugged, "Oh I'm not up to it… I must have entered a world of nightmare I can't stop thinking of him- and even in my bloody sleep he'll hunt me…"
Margaretta looked at her with mixed confusion as she made her way to the bedside table to check the bottle of sleeping pills.
Her suspicions are sadly verified.
"You should really stop drinking this pills- you just bought them three days ago and- oh look!" Margaretta gaped as she opened the bottle, "It's already half-empty!"
"Oh give me that, Margaretta!" Maria turned to her as she attempted to reach for the pills, "Give them back to me- they're the only one that can help me sleep!"
"Yes I know- but Maria, dear… you're digesting them like candy.. don't tell me you managed to eat half of the bottle in just three days!"
"Oh I really would take a lot when a pill can just take me into five bloody minutes of dreamless sleep! Just be thankful I'm not drinking any liquor- now give me that!" Maria groaned as she tried to take the pills into Margaretta's hands.
Luckily to Margaretta, she's tall enough to not be reached by Maria, who's petite and incredibly thin compared to her, as she stand still to the other woman's attempt to tackle over her.
Maria didn't give up until her foot bang over the metal foot as she hissed.
Margaretta saw the fireplace lit as she threw the bottle there, earning a growl/groan from her friend who's sitting on the floor, holding her pained toe.
"Why did you do that?" Maria asked.
Margaretta looked at her and shook her head as she lowered herself, "You're drugging yourself, Maria.. this is not you-"
"Oh please- that's what you've been telling me after Dominik died…" Maria trailed off as she mentioned the name of her deceased husband.
Fighting back the tears, she felt herself wrapped around her best friend/ mother figure's arms as she finally let the tears flow.
Margaretta rocked Maria back and forth as she patted her back, "Now Maria… I know you missed Dom, we all do. He's like the little brother I never had, oh hell- he's not just a brother.. he's like my son. God knows I watched him grow from a shy boy to a well known businessman but that's not my point. My point is, all of us who know him were in grief, especially you.. But it's been five years, Maria… five bloody years."
"Well it all feels like bloody yesterday to me…" Maria argued as she broke their hug and brushed her tears, "Everyday… when I woke up… it always felt as if he died yesterday."
"And I think it's because you made yourself think like it." Margaretta frowned.
"Oh well I bloody don't! It's the nightmares that reminds me of everything… from the gunshots to his wake. If it weren't for those pills that you burned, I must have been in the asylum right now."
Margaretta sighed, "If you don't stop arguing with me at once, Maria, I would definitely send you to one."
Maria looked at her with questioning look that turned into a surprised one.
"I've lost my sanity, am I?" she asked.
Margaretta shook her head as she sighed, "Maria, you haven't. And you-"
"Oh dear… thank heavens- I thought I've lost it." Maria sighed in relief as she took the glass of water from the nightstand.
"Well you haven't… yet.. Now, Maria, you really should stop arguing and start listening." the other woman said as she watched Maria move again to fix the bed, "I mean- you're a mother, for lord's sake.. have you ever done something for the sake of your children."
"I would make sure they're learning something from their studies from time to time. And make sure they're well disciplined." Maria said as she patted the pillows, "And I see to it that they're really learning- last year I noticed that the twins never really learned how to communicate in French so I made sure she can speak one fluently and last- last- last week, if I remember clearly, Elisabeth got me impressed while Frederick is almost at perfection."
Margaretta shook her head, "That's not what I mean-"
"Then what? I've been sending them decent clothes and other gifts during special occasions. This time- I'll buy Martha a dollhouse, I think she wants a new one." Maria said as she entered and exited the closet, refreshing herself.
Margaretta shook her head again, "Maria, Martha already have seventeen dollhouses of different shapes and sizes- and it's not about that again."
"Then bloody what?" Maria asked as she brushed her growing hair, "I think I need a haircut."
"Don't change the subject, Maria.. and we both know you bloody know what." Margaretta said as Maria stood up.
"Nice chat, Margaretta but we can't stay here all day chatting. I'll find something else to give Martha as a belated birthday present and I'll try to arrange flights so we can possibly fly there tonight, if you're up to it and yes- we should really land there by tomorrow… I want to see how my children's education is going with that Mr. Von Trapp." Maria said as she looked at herself in the mirror, "I look pleasant enough to visit the boutique, am I?"
"Maria… you already visited the boutique thousands of times last week." Margaretta said in a matter-of-factly tone.
Maria rolled her eyes as she sighed, "Yes I know, but who knows- I might find a gift there? And I think Elisabeth need a new coat, her old one is-"
"Maria…" Margaretta groaned, "You got a coat for Elisabeth on her birthday this year.."
Maria frowned, "Oh is that so… well maybe I should still visit. It'll be like a surprise to the staff and I'll see if they're doing their job well."
Margaretta ran her hands across her hair as she shook her head, She really needs someone to straighten her up…
Remembering her phone call yesterday with the children, she remembered Martha's words.
.
"Professor Georg brought us to the cemantery-"
"-cemetery," Elisabeth corrected.
"-cemetery to visit father and we have a nicnic-"
"-picnic," Frederick corrected.
"-right- picnic at the grasses then we watch a movie then we went back here at the Villa and there's a cake and some presents! Aunt Margaretta! Then we ate popcorn while watching movies and it's funny because at one movie- the captain looks like Professor Georg and the singing governor-"
"-governess," both Elisabeth and Frederick corrected as Margaretta chuckled at Martha's groan.
"-gover what? Whatever, the singing lady looks like mother and it's funny because the captain and the gover- what is it again- government? Nevermind- the captain and the singing lady kissed and got married in the end, and they also fight. Do you think mother will kiss Professor Georg and marry him as well?"
Margaretta heard exclaims of Martha and coughing at the other line as she heard the children asked, "Are you ok Professor Georg?" and other tons of question.
"Uh- Martha.. dear- why would you think your mother would do that?" Margaretta asked.
At first she thought they hung up but Martha answered, "Because mother and Professor Georg also fight, like when Professor Georg went here and during dinner time too.."
.
Margaretta smiled, That's it… she followed her friend who's already sitting at the couch outside, ordering food from Room Service, That Professor Georg might straighten her a bit… after all he broke Maria's rule to isolate the children.
Looking at her friend/sister/daughter, she nodded.
"What are you nodding at?" Maria asked.
"Oh nothing- I'm just excited to be back at the villa again.." Margaretta smiled as she sat to the opposite couch, "After all- I'm curious with this Mr. Von Trapp. I heard you two argued."
"He doesn't know the meaning of discipline. And he's always inclined in arguing. Damn smartass." Maria sneered.
Margaretta chuckled, "Well it looks like you found yourself a match."
"I admit he kind of reminds me of the wonders of debating and arguing. But no- he's just a brave smarty pants who warmed me up on unnecessary bickerings." Maria scoffed as she stood up to open the door when their food arrived.
Margaretta helped the service boy to the warm platter. Finding herself excited for their return.
Georg and Martha clapped as Frederick and Elisabeth finished a duet.
They're on the attic with the piano and other stuffs as Georg can't help looking around.
Almost all of the unusual things are found up there, A bed, a piano, two violins, a guitar, box of letters, box of tapes, box of- what's this- star wars toy collection?, an army uniform, a sword?- I think it is a sword, a typewriter- three typewriters-, another sword, box of bottles- wait is that wine?, and some other things I never thought someone would place in the attic.
Georg swore if he dug deeper he might also find an oscar trophy or something around.
Looking at his clock he looked at Martha who's tugging on his pants.
"Can I sing, Professor Georg?" she asked.
Georg looked at the twins who's still in their bliss of doing their first duet after four years of separation with the beloved piano.
Smiling at the child, he patted her head, "You can if you want to."
"Can you teach me? Please? I wanna sing like the little girl on the movie." Martha said, "Then Lis told me I should learn do, re, mi first.. but I don't know what will that do. It doesn't make any sense."
Georg lowered himself to level with her as he said, "Do, re, mi are only the tools we use to build a song. Once you have them in your head you can sing different tunes by mixing them up."
"That's what the governor in the movie said," Martha giggled.
Georg looked confused at the moment before he corrected, "Governess," as he touched the tip of her nose.
Standing up, he called the twins as they descended on the attic. Preparing a venture to the gardens.
"Oh wait!" Frederick said as he run back to the attic and got down again with a ball in his hand, "Can we play with the ball, Professor Georg?"
Georg looked at the ball as he shrugged, "We'll asked Mrs. Moser with that.."
Frederick and Elisabeth exchanged looks as they raced down to the stairs to find the housekeeper.
Martha walked with Georg as she spoke, "I would want to sing something for Aunt Margaretta. She always sing to me when I was a baby. Once she said mother used to sing as well… but because of too much work- she didn't sing anymore. Do you think mother would sing to me someday, Professor Georg? Can you sing with her when she does? You know like the government and the captain.."
Georg chuckled as he corrected, "It's governess, Martha. And I don't think your mother would sing with me. But I think that she would sing to you and your siblings once she found her confidence to sing once more."
Martha is seemed to pleased as she asked, "Do you think mother have a beautiful voice? Aunt Margaretta said she can sing high enough to break a glass. Is it possible to do that, Professor Georg? Singing high to break a glass? I thought it was screaming that can break a glass."
Georg answer her questions and the following more as soon they were joined again by the twins.
"Mrs. Moser said yes, just that we don't have it breaking any windows-" Frederick said panting.
"-bringing any dirt in the house-" Elisabeth added.
"-and getting our clothes all muddy." Frederick finished.
Georg nodded as he watch the three race their way outside to play.
Looking at his wrist watch again, he noted.
2:54 pm… maybe I'll let them out of two hours or less then we'll see what we can do next, he thought as he sighed.
Tomorrow, he'll resume teaching the children. He's been thinking of cutting the afternoon study sessions so that the twins would enjoy their winter break. They're doing perfectly fine on their studies and he see no harm on just teaching them half day and letting them enjoy the rest.
They're children for heavens sake… why would they study on a winter break? he mused as he shook his head. He'll have a word with Ms. Rainier about that when she comes back.
And I hope she'll listen, he sighed as Martha started dragging him out to play with them.
A/N: a little bit of Maria and how she's doing (⊙-⊙)... Thank you very much to those who really appreciate this story and thank you for those who left very helpful and motivating reviews. I'm very flattered and ecstatic at the same time- I can't help but to feel inspired and write again and again. I hoped you enjoy and please r&r.. fireworks will start soon and I can't wait to write it! : thank you very much!
