Chapter 16—Holy Thursday
Maria followed her parents through the Easter markets of Vienna. She was twelve now and she told herself she was too old to be excited about toys, but a part of her still delighted in the wooden and plush bunnies, chicks and lambs for sale. Vati bought her a cell-phone charm that looked like Gilbird, while Muti urged her to choose some earrings. They admired the whimsical creatures and objects made of lampglass beads as well as the more grown-up styles made with Swavorski crystals. Muti bought her a set of earrings that looked like goldfish and another set in red and white crystals. "Whenever you wear these, you can think of your Onkel Roderich and Tante Elizabeta," she said proudly.
Vati's cell phone went off. He answered it and Maria noted how his voice shifted from friendly to neutral with an edge of irritation. "You're the hostess, Liz, you get to invite whom you want. We'll be fine; Mein Gott, I'm not going to start anything! It's Easter—peace, redemption, all that stuff. But you can tell him to bring some makowiec. Ja, later." He ended the call and raised an eyebrow at Lili and Maria. "That was Elizabeta, calling to let me know Poland and Lithuania are coming over tonight and staying for Easter." He exhaled. "Between us, Vash, Ludwig and Feliciano, and now them, it's going to be a full house."
Lili shrugged. "The more the merrier, ja?" She turned and smiled at Maria. "Besides, it's time you met your neighbor."
"Ja, I guess so." Maria looked over at her father. He was texting someone and she could tell he wasn't happy. But when she cleared her throat, he looked up at her and hid his displeasure under a lighthearted smirk. "So how about I let meine Damen finish shopping and I'll meet you two in an hour at that huge egg over there?" They agreed, and Maria followed Muti to the stalls that sold baked goods, smoked sausages, and decorated eggs.
She wanted to be excited about shopping with Muti; after all, this was the first year she was going to help choose trinkets for the other family members' Easter baskets. She felt very grown-up, but also a little sad and worried. Sad because she now knew there was no such thing as a giant bunny who left chocolate and toys for her to find on Easter morning, but also worried about what would happen when her father and Poland were in the same room. She had learned the basics of Polish and German history in school, but Vati had filled in some of the gaps in ways that unnerved her. Her teachers told her about how the Polish country had disappeared off the map during the nineteenth century, divided among Russia, Austria and Germany; they did not tell her that her father admitted he had worked and beaten the Polish entity as a slave during that time. They told her that the Treaty of Versailles had been created to punish the German Empire by giving away large tracts of land to the newly created Polish Republic; her father told her how weak and sick he had felt at losing parts of himself. She read about the rise of Hitler and his plans to take back those lost lands and claim the whole territory of Poland for Germans. Her father acknowledged the cruelty she read about and added, "For Onkel Ludwig, it was simply following orders. For me, it was personal." Finally she heard about how her father became East Germany and formed a grudging working relationship with Poland under Communist rule, how Onkel Ludwig welcomed Poland back to Europe after the fall of Communism, and how things were a lot better now. She wanted to believe it, she really did, but when she heard and saw the darkness in Vati's voice and eyes, she wasn't sure.
The family reunited and went back to Onkel Roderich's house. Maria thought he had the largest, most splendid home out of all her relatives. Muti's and Onkel Vash's homes were charming, Onkel Ludwig's was roomy and filled with antiques and electronics, but Austria's really felt like a palace, with many rooms and ornately carved furniture filled with china, crystal, and antique musical instruments. He had two libraries, one for books, and the other for musical recordings and scores. Maria thought about the modest apartment she and Vati still shared in Neustrelitz and she wondered why they couldn't at least have a little house with a yard. Maybe states aren't as wealthy as nations, she thought to herself.
"Vee, we made it!" Northern Italy bounded up from a sofa in the living room and rushed over to greet them. Maria's dark thoughts fled at his bubbly praise of her beauty and his cheek kisses. Onkel Feli always made her feel better. Onkel Ludwig got up and hugged her and then began talking with her parents about the drive. Maria sat down with Onkel Vash, who nodded at her.
Onkel Roderich strolled in and announced the various activities available in Vienna on Holy Thursday. There would be evening church services of course, with several productions of Bach's St. Matthew's Passion in town. There were other concerts of sacred and secular music throughout the city, and of course, the nations were free to stay in and relax or join him in the music room after dinner.
"Let's have our own concert!" Feliciano exclaimed. Austria nodded approvingly. "We have two violinists and two pianists here," he said, "a clarinetist, a flutist, a guitarist, and what do you play, Maria?"
Maria studied her feet. "I'm tone deaf, Onkel Roderich." She recalled her first and only piano recital at seven and how silent Vati, Muti and Onkel Ludwig had been on the ride home.
"Ja," Austria said slowly, "that could make things difficult." He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "You could watch a movie upstairs while we play, hmm?" He clapped his hands as if he had decided the matter. "Now, everyone, please to the table for dinner!"
Later, Maria helped her mother and Tante Elizabeta clear the dinner table. The adults talked about their plans; it sounded as if Onkels Ludwig and Feliciano wanted to hear one of the Bach concerts, while Onkel Vash wanted to stay in. Vati argued that Good Friday was going to be solemn and boring enough as it is and that maybe they should go out and do something, when there was a loud rapping and ringing at the front door.
"I'll get it!" Tante Elizabeta headed to the foyer. Squeals of joy and unfamiliar voices wafted into the dining room. It must be them, Maria thought, the dreaded Poland and Lithuania. She wandered away from the table and into the hallway.
Hungary was embracing two short, slender men. One had long, light brown hair caught in a loose ponytail and the other had golden blonde hair to his shoulders. Both chattered excitedly with Elizabeta as they placed down several shopping bags.
"Liet, go get the rest of the bags from the car!" The shorter blonde demanded in a nasal voice. Maria realized that he was speaking in Polish and she could understand him. She eavesdropped as he complained to Hungary about traffic, the high price of gasoline, trying to find makowiec at the last minute in Krakow, Lithuania's overly cautious driving—
Suddenly he stopped, staring at Maria with wary green eyes. Tante Elizabeta followed his gaze and smiled reassuringly at Maria. "Come here, dear, let me introduce you to your neighbor and my oldest friend, Feliks Łukasiewicz, the Republic of Poland." She took Maria's hand and pulled her closer. "This is Gilbert and Lili's girl, Maria. She's going to be the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern when she's older."
As Maria approached, she thought Poland looked a lot like Onkel Vash, with a sharper face and an even more wiry frame. He certainly dressed more fashionably than Switzerland, in an expensive-looking sweater and jeans with embroidery up the side seams.
"So, uhm, nice to meet you," he mumbled, his face turning red. "'Scuse me, but I have to help Lithuania get the rest of the luggage." He dodged from under Elizabeta's arm and out to the street.
Maria stared after his back, befuddled. Such a tiny, rude little man, she thought. She turned to Tante Elizabeta, who whispered, "He's just shy. It takes him a while to warm up to new people."
"That's cool," Maria said. She went upstairs to her own guestroom and plugged in her headphones. She could watch one of her favorite anime on the tablet and not worry about the ancient alliances and enmities that drew the adult entities together downstairs.
Don't worry, there'll be more Poland in the upcoming chapters. And it just occurred to me that I'm writing about Easter during the big Christmas/ winter holiday season. I give you spring in winter! Hope you enjoy!