The unexpected

Georg gazed at Maria and his children from afar.

"She's a special young woman Georg. I've never seen anyone like her. The children felt comfortable around her right from the beginning."

"I noticed as well Alice; she is very motherly. It seems she already knows their personalities. They hang on her every word."

Maria's motherly instincts took over when it was bedtime for Marta and Gretl, "Maria, will you finish our story tonight?"

"Do you think you will both stay awake long enough? Last night I only read one page and you were both sound to sleep." Marta and Gretl giggled all the way up the stairs.

Maria was chuckling to herself as she returned to the living room. "Did they stay awake?"

"As soon as I read the last word they were asleep Captain. I never knew 'Denslow's Three Bears' was a good bedtime story. They're really precious girls, sir."

"Thank you for that complement, looks like the others are waiting for you."

"I see. We're reading Heidi, Captain. The next chapter we find out how Peter reacted to Heidi giving so much attention to Klara. Does anyone want to take a guess?"

After several ideas, Maria started to read. "Well there you have it; Peter was obligated to help Heidi assist Klara to walk. It's late, you better get up to bed; see you in the morning."

"Good night Maria. Father, will you come up and say goodnight."

"Of course I will, be up in a few minutes."

Maria and the Captain said their good nights. As he watched her walk away; Georg thought, she's an amazing young woman.

"Children, you're going on a scavenger hunt this morning. Kurt you and Marta will work together and Brigitta, Gretl is your partner. Here's your list; you have one hour. I have Kurt's whistle. I will blow it when the hour is up. On your mark get set, go."

"There you are. Where are the children?"

"I just sent them on a scavenger hunt, sir."

"What are they looking for?"

"Oh, the usual; but they will also find some bird eggs. They will draw a picture to show me they found them; and they will listen for a song bird and try to remember its song and sing it to me."

"You have wonderful ideas. Where did you learn?"

"I worked in a school after I finished my classes, as a teacher's helper. I learned a lot from her."

"Ten more minutes Captain and I'll blow the whistle." Maria had the whistle to her mouth, took a deep breath and blew into it; "vreeeeeeeeeeeeeew" was heard throughout the gardens. Soon all seven children came running back; their bags full; and whistling like a song bird.

"Very good children, you must have heard the warbler." The children showed their Father and Maria all the things they found. "Let's go to the veranda, Rosemary has some lemonade waiting for us."

"Children it's getting hot; enough games for now. Why don't you go inside and do your reading."

"Are you coming in too?"

"Of course I'll be right behind you."

Suddenly a man came out of the shadows and grabbed Maria. "I got you Maria." He twisted her arm behind her back. "Thought I couldn't find you, but I did you tramp; taking in the good life Maria."

"Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed. Maria swung her free arm at his face and knocked him off balance; he staggered but still kept a tight grip of Maria's arm.

Her screaming did not stop. "Let me go," she yelled again and again.

Gretl heard her before she had gotten inside the door and went back out. She screamed as loud as she could. "Father, come quick! Hurry! Hurry!"

Gretl's scream startled Georg. He tore out the door to see the man trying to drag Maria away. He ran to her, yelling at the man, "You release her right this minute."

All the others had followed him out. Bobby took one look and immediately turned back and placed a call to the police, their friend Captain Sidney. Liesl had grabbed Gretl and brought her inside; she was crying profusely. Hugging her tight, "She'll be alright Gretl, Father's with her."

Alice called to the children. "Come children, sit in here with me; everything will be okay your father will see to it; and I hear the police siren getting closer."

Staggering and stumbling, the brute continued to try and drag Maria out the gate. "Oh what is she to you? Your woman – you've had your way with her, haven't you." Georg slugged the man with an upper cut to his jaw – causing him to loose his grip on Maria.

"Run Maria, get in the house."

The man was so intoxicated Georg had little difficulty getting him on the ground in an arm lock – the smell of alcohol was sickening. Georg could hear the "eeeoooeeeooo" of the police siren get closer and closer. Soon a car door slammed shut and Sidney rounded the corner.

"I'll take it from here Georg." immediately he placed the handcuffs on him and called to his Lieutenant, "take him away and throw him in a cell. He's so drunk he'll probably sleep for hours. Georg, are you alright."

"I'm fine; I need to see about Maria. He must have been her guardian." They both hurried inside. Maria was sitting with her arms folded around her. Maria had never let her guardian see her cry; today she was stoic for another reason, she did for the children.

All of the children were in shock, even Louisa and Liesl didn't know how to help her; nobody had spoken. "Liesl let me sit next to Maria."

"Maria, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I've been through worse."

"Let me see your arm." Georg held it gently. "Maria it's terribly swollen. Can you move your fingers?"

"Yes, sir."

"Does it hurt badly?"

"No it doesn't."

"That's good Maria; I don't think it is broken. Rosemary, can you fix an ice bag for her arm; that will help with the swelling."

"Thank you Rosemary, please excuse me I'm going to rest in my room." Everyone watched as she walked despondently towards her room.

"Father, how can we help Maria?"

"Continue to be her friend, Louisa. She needs all of our support."

When it was dinner time, Louisa knocked on Maria's door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me Louisa. May I come in?"

"Of course you can."

Louisa found Maria sitting on the side of her bed. "How's your arm?"

"It's much better, your father was right, the ice helped a lot."

"Maria, I know I'm only thirteen, but if you want to talk, I'll listen."

"That's nice of you Louisa; there isn't much to talk about."

"He'll never hurt you again. Captain Sidney took him to jail. He will have to go to court because he came onto private property and tried to kidnap you."

"I hope you're right Louisa."

"Are you coming to dinner?"

"No, sweetie, I'm not hungry and I wouldn't be very good company."

"I'll ask Rosemary to bring you some soup. May I come back later?"

"Of course you can. I'm not going anywhere."

Louisa left her room, very upset that Maria was so sad.

"Is Maria coming to dinner?"

"No Father, can Rosemary take her some soup?"

"That's a good idea." Alice answered for him.

Louisa did go back later to say goodnight. She made Maria her responsibility, she didn't know how but she was going to help her.

At bedtime, Georg went up to say goodnight to the children. He found Liesl and Louisa still talking. He listened for a minute. "I want to help Maria, Liesl. I don't want her to leave us. Do you think she could come home with us?"

"I don't know, that's up to Father."

Sounding defeated she mumbled, "Yes, I know."

Georg pretended not to have heard a thing. "Now don't you two stay up too late," kissing them both on the cheek.

"We won't Father, goodnight."

Goodnight girls."

What he had heard had his mind going in all directions. That poor young woman, what did she mean she'd been through worse? I must find a way to help her.

Early the next morning, Georg found Alice out on the veranda enjoying a cup of coffee.

"Up early this morning Alice."

"Yes, I was thinking about Maria. I still don't know how to help her."

"I was thinking about her too. I want to ask her to go back to Aigen with us. Frau Schmidt could use help with the children until school starts; that will bide time until I can think of something else. Alice, do you think she would?"

"I really don't know Georg. Maybe a fresh start would help her. Do you want me to ask her?"

"That may be better, I don't want to scare her, she barely knows me."

Maria did join them for breakfast, but she was very quiet. "Maria, join me for my walk?"

"Yes, Alice; I need some fresh air."

The extensive gardens had a lovely path carved into them. They walked awhile and came to a small wooden gazebo with a bench. "My favorite spot Maria, sometimes I come here just as it's getting daylight and listen to the birds."

"It is a lovely spot. I found it only recently."

"Maria, you know the children will go home soon."

In a quiet voice Alice heard. "Yes, I know."

"Georg would like you to return with them, at least for the remainder of the summer. Frau Schmidt has a hard time keeping up with seven children. You know very well how active they like to be."

"Yes, I do. Can I pray about it and give you my answer later today?

"That's fine Maria. I'm going back to the house. Are you coming?"

"No, I think I'll sit here awhile."

"Don't stay too long, you know seven children will track you down."

"I know," smiling as she thought about the children.

"Tell me God, what to do. Is it right for me to like this family, even their father? I just met him. He's so nice." Just then a bird came and perched on the bench beside her; not seeming to realize her presence. It was a beautiful one, with glossy dark blue feathers on his body; his under coat was plain white. A short beak accented his round head. He warbled the most melodious song; a twittery one; teet, trrit, teet, teet, trrit, teet, trrit.

His song made a warm feeling come over her. "God takes care of all his creatures." The bird flew off leaving Maria with relief from the heaviness that had come over her since yesterday. She had decided. She would tell Alice soon.