"Georg, I'm calling about Hede..."
"Hede?!" Georg's frown grew as Maria's hand tightened around his arm, her eyes widening at the sound of his sister's name.
"Yes, Georg…" closing her eyes, Elsa paused for a moment. She wished she hadn't been dragged into whatever it was the von Trapps were caught up in.
"What do you know about my sister?" Georg straightened up, squaring his shoulders.
"She called us..."
"Hede called you? How long ago?"
"Twenty minutes, perhaps a little longer." Pausing, she should have expected an interrogation, should have known Georg would want precise details. Especially, when it came to the sister he adored. But her head felt heavy and dull. The lingering effects of last night's migraine would probably carry on into the night. "I've been calling her number ever since, but the telephone kept ringing…."
"Is she alright?" he interrupted abruptly. Staring into Maria's wide, blue eyes. They were a perfect reflection of own his confusion, concern, and questions.
"I think so…" Elsa's eyes closed against the bright light streaming through the sitting room window. Her head was starting to ache again. "Max is on his way to pick her up, they shouldn't be too..."
"Max? Where did she call from?"
"I'm not… well, I really don't know, Georg." It was odd, a painful reminder, hearing him speak to her so abruptly, so business-like. Like a stranger. But then, how else was he going to speak to her? The world had moved on. He'd moved on. Still, it hurt. "Max spoke to your sister, then left in a hurry. He left straight away, so I don't have too much more…" Lifting her hand that had been nervously playing at the string of pearls around her neck, she pressed the pad of her thumb into the arch of her eye. The pounding was getting worse. "I'm sorry, Georg, I don't have many details."
"Surely, Max told you something?"
"I wish I had more, I really do…" She paused again, reminding herself he was worried about his sister. That's all. His impatience and anger weren't directed at her. "Max took off in such a rush, you see…"
"Is Hede alright?" The distant question, barely audible but filled with concern, hit Elsa as squarely as if it had been shouted down the telephone line. She froze. Maria. She was with him.
"Just a moment, Elsa," Georg's voice broke the lengthening silence. "They've heard from Hede, darling," his voice sounded distant, muffled. He must have moved the receiver away from his mouth or tried to cover it with his hand. Still, the softening of his tone, the tenderness in his voice, was obvious. "Try not to worry, Max is picking her up."
"Oh, our prayers have been answered…"
Those few relieved words, muttered by Maria, was the last thing Elsa could make sense of. Georg must have pressed the telephone receiver to his chest, in that way she'd seen him do time and again. All she could hear now was silence. Straining her ears, she couldn't make out any of what was being said.
As the seconds dragged out, she tried not picture the two of them standing beside each other on the other end of the telephone, reassuring and comforting each other. Images of them dancing at last night's ball somehow morphed into a scene in a sitting room on the other side of town that she'd never visited, and now, never would. She should have realised they were there together. Truth was, between her aching head and the anxiety of talking to him for the first time since that, well, since that scene on the balcony, she hadn't really given it much thought.
Pressing her fingers against her perfectly styled hair, she tried to forget how he'd spoken to Maria so lovingly. Such a contrast to the way he'd spoken to her only moments earlier. He'd called her darling. She could feel her heart crushing, her chest tightening.
She forced her eyes open. She'd seen enough of them together last night, she didn't need to paint an image of them in her mind. Blinking against the bright sunshine streaming through the window, her eyes fell on a pair of blackbirds splashing in the small fountain that took centre stage in the courtyard. One of them flew off, landing on a branch in the maple that dominated one corner of the enclosed garden. This late into autumn, there were only a handful of brightly coloured leaves still clinging to its branches. She wondered why they hadn't given up like the others, why they couldn't just let go their hold. Brave but useless resistance. Didn't they realise, the autumn winds would win out in the end, sending them adrift, just like the rest. They always did. As the blackbird shook himself off, a fine mist of water floated around him.
Perhaps it was time to stop coming up with excuses, time to stop pretending to be brave. There was no shame in retreating. Not when the die had been cast and your fate was sealed. Why not let the strengthening Böemwinds carry her down the slopes of the Alps, away from Vienna to her Paris villa, or that delightful petite maison on the coast? A compulsive purchase three years ago, she hadn't spent nearly enough time there. These days, it seemed even more inviting than ever. Isolation. Anonymity. Alone. Exactly what she needed. And more importantly, it didn't harbour any ghosts from the past. Nor would there be any reminders of plans cast adrift from a future that was no longer hers…
"I'm sorry, Elsa." Pausing for a response, Georg frowned as the silence on the telephone line dragged out. "Erhm…" he cleared his throat, "Elsa?"
"Oh…" How long had he been trying to get her attention? "Yes, Georg…"
"Thank you for calling."
"Oh, there's no need to thank me," Elsa forced a brightness into her voice that she hoped might fool Georg. She closed her eyes again. It was easier to pretend he was here with her, alone, in her sitting room. Just the way it used to be. The way she thought it would be. "Hede said you'd be there waiting, wondering where she..."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Elsa…" distracted by something in the distance, Georg's voice drifted off. At the sound of the front door being opened, Maria left his side and was making her way across the sitting room to the hallway. "Can you wait a minute? There's someone at the door..."
"Yes, of..." she began, but faltered as her response was cut off by the clunk of the receiver being placed down on a hard surface. Distant, muffled voices drifted down the line. Once again, her free hand found the string of pearls hanging around her neck. She couldn't make out what anyone was saying, but they sounded happy, excited. Unsure whether she should hold on the line, she felt like an intruder. This wasn't her family. Apart from Max, they weren't even her friends. Well, not now.
A mere acquaintance. After two years, that's really all she was now. Somebody he used to love…
And I tend to close my eyes when it hurts sometimes
I fall into your arms
I'll be safe in your sound til I come back around
Maria was in the hallway as the front door opened to reveal a rather flustered looking Hede, with Max following closely behind. "Hede!" Maria squealed with excitement and delight. "You had us so worried!" Her arms pulled Hede into a warm hug, amid a flood of relief. Maria looked over Hede's shoulder, catching Max's triumphant smile as he closed the front door.
"Hede…" his sister's name caught in Georg's throat as he stood in the sitting room doorway. "Thank God…"
At the sound of Georg's choked voice, Maria loosened her hold on Hede. Both women turned their attention towards the sitting room.
"You're safe…" he gave his sister an awkward grin, his voice still strained. Damn, he hated letting his emotions get away from him.
Stepping aside, Maria ushered Hede towards her brother. She came to a stop in front of him and gave him a smile and nod. Struggling to find the words, he reached up and brushed her cheek affectionately instead. Her cheeks were flushed, and her hair seemed more in danger of escaping from its bun and hairclips than usual. But he didn't care. Reaching around her waist, he pulled her to him, burying his cheek against her hair.
The countless questions churned through his head. Who took her? What did they want? Where did they take her? Why did she call Elsa? But they could wait…
"You're not hurt?" He finally stood back and looked into her dark eyes. "They didn't…" it was difficult enough thinking the worst, let alone saying the words out loud. "Erhm, well, they didn't…"
"No, no…" blushing, Hede shook her head. "It was nothing like that…"
"Georg, you're lucky I was on hand to answer the distress call," Max called out, any momentary awkwardness quickly forgotten.
"Oh, Max!" Maria shot him a grateful look before brushing Hede's windswept hair back off her flushed face.
Georg looked over Hede's shoulder and gave Max a nod of thanks. Of course, it was entirely inadequate, but between old friends, it was all that was needed. Turning his attention back to his sister, he almost missed most of Max's response. Some quip about extending his stay at the villa beyond his chaperone duties.
"You had us worried..." Georg's voice softened as he again brushed his sister's cheek affectionately.
"Didn't Elsa call?" Hede looked between Maria and her brother.
"Just a moment," he squeezed Hede's arm, "She's still on the line." God, he'd almost forgotten about poor Elsa. Striding back into the sitting room, he snatched up the receiver. "Sorry, Elsa, are you there?"
"Er, yes, Georg," Elsa gave a little start as Georg's voice brought her back to Vienna, back from a little terrace bathed in the French sun with sweeping views of the Cóte d'Azur. "Is Hede alright?"
"She seems to be," he turned to look through the doorway, smiling as he watched Maria ushering Hede towards the kitchen. Before disappearing completely from view, Maria turned back and gave him a look of relief. He forced a smile knowing she'd see right through his bravado. "Er, thank you again for calling, Elsa." God, he'd almost lost his train of thought. "It was such a worry finding Hede's flat empty when we arrived, so we are most grateful."
"Your welcome, Georg." It didn't escape her that he no longer referred to himself. It seemed, these days, it was both of them. Him and Maria. She couldn't recall him ever falling into that habit with her. Not even towards the end of their two years together.
"I'd better go..." catching the look Max gave him as he followed Maria and Hede to the kitchen, he turned away, looking out the window across to the park. God, this was awkward.
"Of course, Georg..."
"Elsa?" He reached up and tugged at this ear.
"Yes?" She cringed at how quickly, how desperately, she answered.
"Thank you, for last night..." he dropped his voice.
"Last night?"
"For speaking to Maria," the fingers on his hand were moving, drumming against his leg. "It meant a lot to her," he continued, "and to me," he added. "Thank you, Elsa."
"Think nothing of it, Georg." She was only now realising how much she'd missed his voice, missed the timbre of his deep baritone. She missed hearing him say her name, almost as much as she missed saying his out loud, instead of only in her head.
"Look after yourself," his words cut through her thoughts. "Goodbye, Elsa."
"Auf wiedersehen..." she whispered, and for a second time in as many farewells, the words were catching in her throat, "Ge-..." His name had only partly rolled off her tongue before being cut off by the heavy clunk of the receiver being placed back on the cradle. Tightening her grip on the telephone, she closed her eyes against the tears she refused to shed.
She stood still. For a few moments, perhaps minutes, she listened to the lonely echo of a constant, solitary signal down the line.
She'd been disconnected…
I let my guard down
And then you pulled the rug
I was getting kind of used to being someone you loved
"Alright, Hede," Georg called out as he followed the excited din down the hallway to the kitchen. Stopping in the doorway, all eyes turned to him. Maria was by his sister's side, holding onto her arm, fussing and making sure she really had returned to them in one piece, unharmed. On the stove, the kettle was being brought back to the boil after having been abandoned in all the excitement of the telephone call and Hede's return.
Max was already sitting at the table, his attention quickly turning back to the delicious aroma coming from the brown paper bags in front of him. "Mmmm, what do we have here…"
Ignoring his friend, Georg looked across the kitchen, locking onto the same deep blue eyes as his own. He went to say something, but stopped. Pausing, he reminded himself not to bombard Hede with questions. It would be difficult, but he had to be patient. "Take your time, I want you to tell me everything, every single detail, and don't leave anything out."
"Sit down," Maria tried to usher a reluctant Hede towards the table, "I can make the tea."
"There's no need to fuss," trying to brush aside Maria's concern, the last thing Hede wanted was to feel like some kind of victim.
"Maria's right," Georg stepped across to the table and pulled out a chair for his sister. "Please…" He motioned to the empty chair, his eyes imploring his sister.
"I'm in one piece, Georg," Hede protested. "I do wish you'd both stop fussing."
"Come on, Hede," Maria's voice was firm and gentle all at once. "You may not realise yet, but this all must have been a terrible shock," encouraging her to take a seat, Maria gave Georg a look of relief when she finally sat down.
"Really, I feel fine," Hede shrugged, looking up at her brother. "Although, I must admit, the whole thing is a bit of a blur."
"They're right, Hede," unable to resist any longer, Max leaned across the table and began to slowly unfold the opening to one of the paper bags. "It's not like this kind of thing happens every day. The shock is bound to…"
He stopped suddenly as Maria reached over and swatted his hand away from their unpacked lunch. Looking up at her sheepishly, she dropped her head to the side and gave him a look he'd seen her use countless times on the children when she wanted to bring their nonsense to an end.
"Let me get some plates," Hede went to stand up.
"I'll get those," Maria placed a hand on her shoulder, before turning towards the cupboards. She opened one of them, but it was filled with teacups, glasses and jugs. Where on Earth did Hede keep her crockery? Shrugging to herself, she took out a teacup and saucer each for Max and Hede. "You stay right where you are," she called out over her shoulder, opening another two cupboards before finding the neat stacks of crockery. Taking out four mismatched plates that matched the mismatched teacups and saucers, she smiled at how different Georg and his sister were.
As if he knew he'd been in her thoughts, Georg appeared beside her with the children's presents, placing them at the end of the kitchen bench out of the way. She gave him a quick smile. Hede was back, but she was still unsettled. And she knew that he knew.
"For the children," Georg turned back to Hede.
"Just a little something for each of them," Maria explained, not wanting Hede to think they were spoiling the children.
"They'll be so happy to have you home, even more so when you appear with an armful of gifts," Hede smiled at Maria, knowing it would have been her idea. She might be good for her brother, but she was even better for the family. "I wish I could be there to see their excitement when they unwrap them."
"Come back to Salzburg with us," Georg blurted out.
"Yes!" Maria joined in. "You have to, especially now."
"I'd love to, but I can't," Hede could see it was going to be difficult to resist their invitation. "I have an exhibition next weekend, I couldn't possibly leave now."
"But after what's just happened," Maria frowned at her, not that she really knew what had just happened, "how can you stay?"
"Maria's right," Georg walked across to the stove and lifted the boiling kettle. Maria had already measured out the tea leaves, so he carried the kettle over to the kitchen bench and filled the large teapot with boiling water. His sister was fiercely independent, but surely, even she could see it made perfect sense. Although, he had to admit, he still had no idea what kind of ordeal his sister had been through.
As much as he wanted to fire off a volley of questions, he had to take things slowly, had to remain calm. This wasn't an errant crewman, or a captured enemy being lined up for interrogation, or even one of the children. This was his sister.
"Those men who came for you," Georg placed the near empty kettle on a cool part of the stove, "what uniform were they wearing?"
"Uniform?" Hede's head spun around to her brother. "How do you know they were in uniform...?" she frowned.
"Frau Stoltenberg!" Maria and Georg answered in unison, turning away from Hede for a moment to look at each other, before turning back.
"They were Gendarmerie," Hede shrugged. "Who would have there would be a day when even they couldn't be trusted."
"Gendarmerie?" Georg snorted. "Kidnapping people from their homes is hardly the work of the police."
"You're right," Hede mumbled, nodding her thanks to Maria as she placed a strong black tea in front of her. "It turns out they were nothing more than Nazis."
Georg was still looking at his sister, but he caught Maria spinning around to look at him. Despite her brave front, it was so obvious that damn letter was still playing on her mind. As he walked back to the kitchen bench, he stopped to place a hand on Hede's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Maria had turned back to busy herself with the cups of tea, but the clattering of a teaspoon falling onto a saucer, drew his attention.
"Leave it, darling," he was beside her, placing an arm around her waist, his whispered words soft and tender. "Sit down, I'll get those." He ushered her across to the table, pulling out a chair and waiting for her to take a seat.
Picking up two of the cups of tea, he placed one in front of Maria and the other near Max.
Carrying his own tea in one hand and the sugar bowl in the other, he placed both on the table. Still standing, he carefully measured out three teaspoons into Maria's tea. "What did they want?" Stirring in the sugar, the sound of the teaspoon against the china teacup hung in the air, waiting expectantly like the rest of them for Hede's response.
"You…" she finally answered in a quiet voice.
"Me?" His harsh response almost drowned out Maria's sharp intake of air. But he'd heard it. He placed the teaspoon on her saucer and took hold of her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Not letting go of her hand, he pulled out the empty chair between the two women and sat down.
"Mmmm…" Hede frowned at her brother. "None of it made any sense."
"Of course, none of this makes any sense!" Despite his best efforts to remain calm, his rising voice was sharp and angry. "For God's sake, you were snatched from your home by Nazis masquerading as police. We're supposed to be in Austria!" At the touch of Maria's hand on his leg, he turned to her. "At least, I thought it was still Austria…" he added in a quiet voice. As the silence dragged out, he stared at his teacup and saucer. For a mad moment, he wondered if his sister had ever owned a full set of matching crockery. He turned to her with apologetic eyes, hating that he'd brought the Nazis to her home. Hating that he'd put her in harm's way.
"What were they saying?" Forcing the question out, trying to control his anger, his jaw tightened as he waited for her response.
"Well, the men who picked me up didn't say much at all," Hede stared back at her brother. Used to his outbursts, she knew they passed as quickly as they came. "They told me I needed to go with them, that something had happened to you. That's all they would say. I thought that's why they were taking me to Hietzing…"
"Hietzing?" Georg interrupted abruptly.
"Hmmm, I know, I kept wondering why you were there. I thought perhaps, well…" she paused and shook her head at the stupidity of it, "I thought they might have been taking me to Elsa Schraeder's." She shot Maria an apologetic look. "As much as I was wondering what might have happened to you, I couldn't understand what on Earth you were doing at Elsa's."
"Oh, Hede," Maria murmured, "it must have been awful."
"It was just so confusing," she paused, stopping to take a sip of tea, but also to clear her thoughts. "When we drove through Hietzing, we pulled up at a villa near the edge of the Vienna Woods." She stopped, placed her teacup back on its saucer. "A man got into the back seat with me…"
"A man?" Georg demanded, bristling at the thought. "Who was he?"
"I don't know," Hede shook her head. "I'm sure he was German. From Berlin, judging by his accent," she looked away from her brother, trying to forget the German's cruel, evil eyes. "It seems stupid now, but up until then, I thought something had happened to you, or Maria, or both…" She frowned again, "I guess, I really wasn't sure what was going on…"
"It's alright, Hede," Maria encouraged, her voice soothing. "Of course, it was confusing, don't blame yourself."
"We drove away from town," Hede paused again. "I kept asking why, where were we going…" she drifted off, struggling to recall what she'd rather forget.
"Take your time," Georg's tender voice barely concealed his seething anger.
"This man who seemed to be in charge, the one we picked up at the villa, he didn't speak until we got out of town," she continued, looking down at her lap. "When we were out in the countryside, he asked me why I was alone… I had no idea what he meant…" She stopped abruptly, sucking in a deep breath as she recalled the crude name he'd used for her brother's fiancé. "Maria, I think they were expecting to find you here with me," she quickly looked up at Georg and Maria, her eyes filled with concern.
"Me…?" Sounding more like a harsh whisper, the word escaped from Maria before she could stop it.
Hede nodded, turning from Maria to her brother. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. She could tell by the tightening of his jaw how much he was trying to control his anger.
"Tell me what happened next," Georg forced himself to remain calm, his possessive hand had found Maria's leg, and now his thumb was moving slowly back and forth.
"He told me you had to accept their commission," the creases on Hede's brow deepened. "I had no idea what he meant. At the time, it didn't make any sense…" She stopped and looked at her brother, her eyes growing wider. "But Max told me…"
"Max!" Georg turned his attention to his friend across the table. Max had been sitting there so quietly, he'd almost forgotten he was there.
"What…?" Max smiled sheepishly. "We were talking on the way home, and I was hardly not going to mention the letter you received this morning. It seemed important given…"
"I don't know why you even brought it up," Georg cut off Max, knowing how much it was already playing on Maria's mind.
"You're not going to accept it, are you?" Hede asked.
"Of course not!" Georg answered bluntly.
"Georg…"
He turned to the quiet voice beside him. "What is it, darling?"
"I'm worried…"
"You don't need to be," his voice was gentle but firm. "You're safe. Both of you," he glanced at his sister before turning back. "No one will hurt either of you, not while I'm here," he reached up and brushed Maria's cheek, drawing a faint smile. "What happened next, Hede?"
"The German kept telling me you had to accept their offer. He said it was in everyone's interest."
"Everyone's?" Georg scoffed. "Surely, it's only in Hitler's interest."
Hede shook her head. "You need to know, he mentioned Maria and the children…" her voice drifted off as she watched her brother's face turn dark.
"Oh, Georg, that's what I'm worried about," Maria whispered as she started wringing her hands in her lap.
"We can't give in to their threats," Georg placed his hand on Maria's, stilling them. "We don't even know who this mystery man is. He might just be some low-ranking Nazi puffing out his chest while he's away from home." He tried to sound flippant, but he was worried. God, what was happening to the world around them? He needed to take more care, be much more vigilant. "What happened next, Hede?"
"Finally, we turned around and headed back through the woods towards town."
"Did they drop you off somewhere?"
"No!" Hede huffed indignantly. "We were driving through the streets of Hietzing, probably back to the German's villa, but I wasn't waiting to find out," she paused, taking another sip of tea. "We had to stop at a crossroads near the main street, to let a woman and her small child pass, so I opened the car door and ran…"
"Oh, Hede!" Maria gasped.
"I ran as fast as I could," Hede gave Maria a grim smile. "I kept running until I came to a coffee house. There were people sitting outside at the tables, I knew I'd be safe."
"You telephoned Elsa from there?" Georg asked, quietly proud of his sister's mettle.
She nodded, turning to smile at Max. "She lives nearby, and Max told me at the ball that he was hoping to visit her in the morning."
"And that's where I come in," Max announced proudly.
"Thank you, Max," Georg rolled his eyes at his friend across the table.
"No need to thank me, Georg," Max smiled back, ignoring his friend's look. "But, given my original lunch date was cut short before it really started," he glanced across to the brown paper bags on the kitchen bench, "perhaps we could…"
"Oh, of course, Max…" Maria mumbled absentmindedly as she jumped to her feet. "I'd completely forgotten." She opened the crockery cupboard again and found three large platters. The conversation at the table continued behind her, but she wasn't paying attention. Her mind was filled with the worst possible images, the worst of possibilities. She stopped and closed her eyes, holding onto the kitchen bench, as her thoughts swirled around.
"Are you alright, darling?"
It was Georg's concerned voice beside her, his arm around her waist, steadying her. She opened her eyes, nodding, trying to be brave, but failing miserably.
"I'm worried, Georg…" she whispered.
"I know you are," he reached up and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. "But I'm not letting you, or Hede, out of my sight. You're safe." He dropped his head to the side and forced a reassuring smile.
"That's not what I'm worried about," she answered bravely. "While we're away from home," she stared into his eyes, watching them slowly change. "What if they do something…"
"To the children…" his choked words finished her sentence.
Thank you everyone for continuing to read and review. Special thanks to the guest reviewers, who I can't thank personally.
As you know, I don't own TSOM, just having a lend. And I probably should mention again that the title to this story and the lyrics woven into the chapter are from "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi.
Take care, stay safe and well during these difficult days, and remember to cherish your family and friends.
"Immerse your soul in love"