Because of the late time at which she fell asleep, and also because of the lack of activity near her room, Maria did not wake up at her usual time. She only woke up when the mid-morning sun was streaming brightly into her room. Normally, she would have panicked at the knowledge she had overslept. But nothing frantic or negative entered her mind this morning.
Maria turned onto her side and her gaze shifted to the window. She could see it would be a beautiful day; all of the clouds from the storm last night had been carried away by the wind. Maria still felt her previous sleep slipping away from her, and she closed her eyes, wanting to get it back. She wanted to remember the dream she'd had . . .
The room was white: walls, carpet, ceiling, door. One open window with gossamer curtains ruffling in the slight breeze, hazy sunlight coming in, giving the room a heavenly glow. The only furniture in the room was a king-sized bed: white wood, pillows, sheets and quilt. She and Georg were on the bed. On, not in. Both were fully clothed and just talking, talking about everything and nothing, like the best of friends. They lay on the bed, Maria's head resting on a pillow, and Georg propping himself up on an elbow. Eventually, he said something amusing and she laughed. When she saw a tender expression and smile on his face, her laughter faded, leaving a smile on her face to return his. After a moment, without a word, he leaned down and kissed her lips. One simple, heartfelt kiss that demanded nothing else. She kept her eyes closed for a long moment after she felt his lips off hers, and when she finally opened them slowly . . .
She had woken up, and sighed.
Back in the present time, knocking on Maria's door snapped her out of her attempts to fall back asleep. "Come in," she said, too lazy to get out of bed but sitting up.
The door burst open and before Maria knew it, Gretl and Marta had run into the room, climbed onto the bed, and pummeled her with hugs and kisses, all the while giving happy birthday wishes.
"Oh, girls!" exclaimed a surprised but touched Maria, hugging the girls to her. "What an exciting way to be greeted!"
"We wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday!" said Gretl, and both girls snuggled under the covers beside Maria.
"Who did my job and got you up this morning?" asked Maria, putting an arm around each girl.
"Father did," said Marta. "He said not to disturb you until 10 AM."
"Why 10 AM?" began Maria, then someone else came into the room holding a silver tray with a scrumptious breakfast and red rose.
"Because that's when your breakfast in bed would be all ready," said the carrier, a smiling Frau Schmidt.
"Oh, Frau Schmidt, you shouldn't have gone to all of this trouble," said Maria, clasping her hands to her heart as Frau Schmidt placed the tray before her.
"No trouble is made for a birthday," said Frau Schmidt, and the women grasped hands. "All of my best wishes go with you, Maria. You've brought happiness back in this house, a truly remarkable feat. On behalf of the entire staff, I thank you."
Maria was so touched tears came to her eyes. All she could do was squeeze Frau Schmidt's hands in return. The older woman seemed to understand, and motioned for the little girls. "Come on downstairs now, and let Fraulein Maria finish her breakfast."
The girls complied, giving Maria one last hug before going.
Maria could already tell this would be her happiest birthday yet.
Half an hour later, Frau Schmidt came back up to take the tray back downstairs. Maria put the red rose in the vase with the other roses there (it was getting full) and dressed in one of her favorite outfits – the dress she had worn when she and the children had fallen in the lake. She placed the edelweiss bouquet in the belt of her dress, and wished her hair were long enough to use the red ribbon. Oh, well. It really wasn't her color anyway.
Upon opening the door, Maria found a note on the floor. She recognized Liesl's handwriting: Go to the music room. Confused but curious, Maria decided to obey what the note said. Coming downstairs, she found it curious that she did not see or hear anybody. What is everyone up to? Just because it's my birthday doesn't mean there should be a big fuss.
Maria came to the music room to find the seven children all standing in their singing formation. Upon her entrance, a piano began to play, and Maria turned to see Georg, who threw her a small smile and a wink. Utterly bewildered, Maria turned her gaze to the children, who all looked nervous but excited.
They all began to sing sweetly to the woman who had brought them back to life:
I've heard it said that people come into our lives
For a reason, bringing something we must learn,
And we are led to those who help us most to grow
If we let them, and we help them in return.
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true,
But we know we're who we are today
Because we knew you.
Maria couldn't move, couldn't speak. Tears were filling her eyes, and she could see tears were filling the children's eyes as they sang.
Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes the sun,
Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood.
Who can say we have been changed for the better, and
Because we knew you
We have been changed for good.
Louisa took over the song, stepping forward and handing Maria a pinecone.
And just to clear the air, I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blame me for.
Maria shook her head as she took the pinecone, barely seeing each other through the tears.
Liesl took Louisa's hand and pulled her back into formation, singing:
But then I guess we know there's blame to share.
All of the children burst out in song to the end, repeating the refrain and overlapping in the lyrics full of similes, finally coming to the end.
Who can say we have been changed for the better?
But we believe we have been changed for the better.
And because we knew you,
Because we know you,
Because we love you,
We have been changed for good.
The song ended and Georg let the final notes fade away.
For a moment, there was loud silence. Maria's vision cleared a little as she took in the sight of those seven wonderful children. At first, she'd been so scared and intimidated of the idea of taking care of seven of them, but once she had seen them marching like that, her heart had opened to them and she'd started to love them. And now . . . she couldn't imagine a happy life without any of them.
Finally, it seemed, she could move. "Oh, children . . ." she said, coming forward with her arms open, and the children rushed into them. Maria found her attempt to hug them all at once was futile, so instead she hugged each child for at least ten seconds each, accompanied with a kiss and gratitude. Tears were shed, and even Georg had a hard time not choking up at the sight. From the time he'd caught his children and governess singing and dancing during a thunderstorm, he'd seen that his children loved this woman. He remembered seeing her surrounded by his children when she'd come back, how perfect the picture had been – that day, he'd looked at his family, the people he would do anything and risk anything for, whom he would take care of and love all his life.
Looking at them now, Georg wondered what might happen at the end of the summer, especially if Maria decided to leave again. The thought of the lovely picture before his eyes tearing apart was enough to break his heart, and taking in the fact that he was completely in love with her . . . Georg knew he had to do everything in his power and conscience to persuade her to stay, because he couldn't bear to think about what could happen if not.
He had to tell her of his love, and soon. With the fifteenth of August, time was running out quickly. But when was the right moment? He would just have to trust that the right moment would come before it was too late. Georg was a man who hated to gamble and risk something close to him, but he had learned that when it came to the big things in life, a gamble was usually involved.
When Maria's tear-filled gaze met his over the seven heads, Georg gave the same heartfelt look the children had given as they sang, and smiled.
She was worth any risk he would take.
An hour before dinnertime, Georg sat in his study, alone, the telegram in his hand putting him in a black mood. Unfortunately, he would have to leave for Vienna tomorrow on business. The worst was that he would have to stay there for no less than a week. With the ever darkening political climate descending upon Austria, Georg knew he would have to make his appearances in those circles that could easily put him in trouble for any sign of disloyalty.
But that didn't mean he liked it. He and the children had come back from a picnic for Maria's birthday on her mountain. The day had been so lovely, and Maria was so happy today. She and Frau Schmidt were not back from town yet; the housekeeper had some last things to get from the market, and Maria had insisted on helping her, in gratitude for the breakfast in bed.
When Frau Schmidt showed up at his study door, Georg was trying to clear his mind from the dreaded telegram with one of his favorite books.
"We found all that's needed for dinner tonight, sir," began Frau Schmidt.
"Thank you, very good," said Georg, too absorbed in his book to really pay attention.
"Fraulein Maria went outside to be by herself for a while," said Frau Schmidt.
That caught Georg's attention. He looked up from his book to look at his housekeeper. "Is she all right?"
"A little shaken up, and most likely a little confused with herself," said Frau Schmidt, coming further into the room.
"Well, what happened, Frau Schmidt?" asked Georg, who was beginning to get worried now.
Frau Schmidt began her story, knowing she needed to tell him. "Well, Maria and I walked out of the market when we walked past a café. Two middle-aged women who were dressed in big hats and had loud voices were talking about gossip from the opera they had attended the previous night. Your name came up, and they talked with shock of how you brought a young woman with you who was supposedly your children's governess, and a postulant no less. I'm afraid the talk became . . . pretty nasty, sir, assuming you had less than honorable intentions towards her, and we heard it."
Georg groaned. "Oh, no, I can't believe there was that kind of talk! And that she heard it on today of all days." He looked out the window, as if to look for Maria, but he couldn't see her. He would hit those ladies if he could, but now he just wanted to comfort his love. Would she get frightened of him again?
"Well, she certainly didn't react in a way they expected," said Frau Schmidt, with a small smile.
"What do you mean?" asked Georg, turning back to the older woman.
Frau Schmidt smiled a little wider and told her boss something he absolutely did not expect.
"Fraulein?" Franz made his presence known to a quiet Maria, who was sitting on the terrace.
"Hm?" she said, looking up and breaking out of her reverie.
"You have a telephone call from Vienna."
"Oh, thank you very much," said Maria, rising up and following Franz back into the house and to the room where the telephone was. She picked up the receiver and spoke, assuming it would be Elsa, since she knew no one else in Vienna. "Hello?"
"Happy Birthday, Ria."
"Oh, Dom! Dom! I'm so glad and happy to hear from you!" And she was indeed. She needed to talk to someone about what had just happened in the market.
"Just to hear me say that when you know I'm thinking that? What's happened?"
He knew her so well, even when he could only hear her voice. So Maria told him all of what had happened with Frau Schmidt outside the café.
"I couldn't stop myself, Dom, you know how I get! Those awful women insinuated that Georg took me to the opera to cover up his, and I quote, 'rousing nighttime activities with a so-called postulant.' I tell you, I wanted to pull their hair out!"
"And now I do! Don't worry about it, Maria, you always get one or two people like that who insist on twisting everything into a scandal."
"It's not that, it's . . . it's what I did that I'm confused about."
"Oh? And what did you do? Make your presence known to the women and catch them red-handed?"
"In the worst possible way . . . Poor Frau Schmidt had to bear witness while I practically screamed at the women that, as a person who lived at the Von Trapp household, I knew that the Captain had nothing but good and honorable intentions towards her – I said her but meant me – and would never use her as his plaything like that. And with that we walked away."
A long paused on the other end of the line, then Maria heard his familiar chuckle. "What's so funny?"
"This just reminds me of when you used to defend me against the bullies at school."
Maria considered this. "Yes, you're right. I should have realized this before. But I just can't help it! If ever anyone speaks badly of someone that I . . . I . . ."
"You what, Ria?" Dominik's tone was gentle.
"I'm so confused, Dom!" cried Maria. "Not just about what had just happened, but something in the opera last night. You know I wrote to you we were going to the opera?"
"Yes, Tristan und Isolde! The best of Wagner, I'm sure. You have to tell me every detail."
"Yes, yes, in a minute, just hear me out first, Dom. It was during the Liebestod at the very end . . . the whole time, all I could think of was my mother. You know how she had nursed my father when he got so ill, and she caught it herself? The scene just reminded me of them so much . . . like Isolde, the love she had for my father . . . killed her."
"Love didn't kill her, Maria, the fever did," said Dominik firmly.
"I suppose you're right. Anyways, I guess Georg could see the performance was affecting me, so he took my hand and we looked at each other . . . With the song in my head, it was like I was seeing Georg for the first time in a whole new light. The way he was looking at me as if he . . . and then I thought that maybe I . . ."
"You love him."
The words were meant to conclude her thought, and were spoken so simply yet gently. But they hit Maria like a ton of bricks. "I . . . I don't know, Dom . . . I've never felt anything like this before . . . How can I know this is love when I've never been in love with anyone? When I never counted on that being a part of my life? Dom, I wanted to be a nun, for heaven's sake!"
"I know, Maria, and I'm sorry for speaking for you, but you don't have to be scared. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I just . . . I don't want to come to the conclusion that I love him when I don't know if he loves me."
Now Dominik laughed. "My dear Ria, I know I've only seen him twice, but each time confirmed in my mind that he, if is not in love with you, is falling very fast."
Maria shook her head, even though they were talking on the phone. "How can that be, Dom? I don't think that is even . . . possible."
"Give me one good reason why not," said an indignant Dominik.
"Unlike me, he knows what it is to be in love. He loved his first wife so much that he not only had seven children as a result of that, he spent four years having trouble letting her go. Fro everything I've heard, she was a wonderful woman. Why would Georg fall for a common mountain peasant like me?"
"You are much more than that, Ria, so much more. And after everything you've done for his family and his children, especially himself, the real question is how could he not? And as for the fact that he has loved before . . . Maria, I will never pretend to know why God does and plans what he does. But I can't believe that God would give Georg a love like that, take it away prematurely, and have Georg be lonely and alone the rest of his life."
The thought was enough to break Maria's heart. "No, of course not!"
"Then is it wrong that he should love again? We both know that when we loose someone we love, we never stop loving them, but that doesn't mean we die too. They would want us to live and be happy, not mope around for the rest of our lives and stop living. I learned this lesson from a man I met in Tirol, who had married again after his wife had died. Meeting them, they were so happy and in love. He told me that it's because he loved his first wife he was able to love again; that it would be a disgrace to his wife's memory if he didn't live life to the fullest and love to the best of his ability."
Maria listened to what her brother told her, and it was exactly what she needed to hear. "Well, from the moment I realized I had feelings for Georg, I never once begrudged the fact that, unlike me, this isn't his first time. To tell you the truth, it's even been an asset at times. If he hadn't loved before, those children would not be alive, and I love them like my own. There is nothing about Georg that I would change, including his past. Absolutely nothing."
There was a long pause as both of them seemed to take in what Maria had just said. "Well, my sister, I won't repeat the same mistake and say what you feel for him. Like finding out your place wasn't in the Abbey, this is something only you can decide. Just keep in mind that after what you just said, and what you just did for him in the market, it's obvious you more than just have feelings for him – feelings change all the time. What you describe is something more concrete than that."
Maria gulped and sighed. "I guess I'll find out soon. After last night, very soon, I suppose."
"Don't be scared, Ria, and don't believe you are a person that doesn't deserve to be loved. You are."
"Thank you, Dom."
"You're welcome."
After telling Dominik all of the opera questions he had and heartfelt good-byes, Maria hung up the phone and walked to the window. Her thoughts were all in a tangle after the eye-opening events and conversations of the past twenty-four hours, so she came to no definite conclusions except one: Maria didn't want to define her feelings until she found out what Georg felt. It may have seemed childish and cowardly, but after all, she was in his home, his world, on unfamiliar territory. Who was she to demand what she wanted first?
A/N: The song is from the musical Wicked, with a few words altered to fit the story.