Chapter Nineteen
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Georg asked as he gave Marta a big hug and kiss.
Curtis and Marta sat down as Maria served iced tea and linzer tarts. She sat on the sofa next to Marta.
"How are you feeling Mother?" Marta asked. "You look better."
"I feel good," Maria replied. "We took a walk today before you called. Only a month or so before the first snow."
"She feels better but still gets very tired and has dizzy spells," Georg supplied. "She's the one that needs a thorough once over, not me."
"You are another story, Georg," Curtis replied. "But I do believe I have the reason for your symptoms, Maria. There was protein and white blood cells in your urine, but also there was something else."
Georg stood up to go over to Maria's side. His face went pale, and Maria detected a slight tremor in his body. She could smell his fear.
"What else?" Georg asked. "How serious is this?"
"At your age Maria, this is a potentially serious situation," Curtis stated. "But considering you are otherwise healthy I also would consider it good news. Maria, Georg you're going to have a baby."
Neither Georg nor Maria were expecting that. "But am I too old. They told Louisa that she had to be careful because she was over 35. I'll be 46 when this baby is born if…"
Georg sighed in relief what Curt wasn't bringing dreadful news, then felt his chest tighten and pain shoot into his neck and head. "Pregnant…" He looked at Maria with pure love. "And she's okay? Maria, you're okay?"
"I'm stunned but yes, I think…wow, this is just so unexpected," Maria murmured.
Marta stood up and hugged Maria and Georg closely. "Congratulations. Curtis and I, and I'm sure the whole family will be so thrilled for you ".
"Most of it," Georg said so softly Marts barely heard.
"Don't worry, Father. This will bring Lida around, I'm sure of it. Maybe you and Mother go into town and tell her? Or maybe Liesl and I go over and invite her to dinner on Sundag. If you feel up to that, Mother."
"Like I said," Maria replied. "I feel better now that the fever is gone. I have had morning sickness before and this time it is different, but we'll manage. Curtis, do you have a doctor you can recommend for this?"
Curtis nodded, "Dr. Cydney Defilippo out of Burlington. She is a perinatal specialist."
Maria looked at Georg and he looked at her. Curtis corrected himself. "She treats pregnant women who have risk factors like being older. She is very good, and I think you will like her."
"A lady doctor?" Georg queried. "Can't you…"
"No," Curtis replied. "I could deliver him or her if necessary but given your age Maria I think it is best you go to Dr. DeFillipo. I've already spoken with her, and you have an appointment on Friday at 11am."
"Well, I guess we have an announcement on Sunday. Please Marta, keep it quiet until then , but do tell Lida we would like her to come this week especially."
"I will," Marta promised. "What about Cathy?"
"We will call her and tell her she need to call in on Sunday night," Georg replied. "I'm sorry I am just so stunned by this."
"Makes two of us," Maria agreed wrapping her arms around Georg's middle. The two were lost in each other as Curtis and Marta headed for home.
On the drive home, Marta caught a case of the giggles. "What is so funny?"
"The image of Mother and Father doing anything that would result in an accidental pregnancy. I like to think the stork brought us, it is very odd," Marta laughed.
"Maybe, but even though I tried to mask it for your parents' sake, this is not exactly the best situation that could have happened," Curtis confided.
"I know, Mother is at risk for complications this time," Marta said quietly. "But I hope the doctor you recommended will be able to make sure she is okay."
"We will too," Curtis replied. "Dr. DeFillipo will take good csre of Maria. If she goes. I remember the family stories about the births of your younger sisters. That they were home births, very little prenatal care, born at home. Child bed infection after Julia. That could happen again. There can be not home birth this time."
Marta was quiet the rest of the way home. She had to think about how she was going to talk to Lida, how she was going to convince her to come to dinner.
Georg had been quiet since Marta and Curtis left. Maria slid onto his lap as he studied the wall.
"What are you thinking, my love?" Maria asked sliding her arms around his neck.
Georg sighed. "I'm fine. I'm just surprised that's all. We weren't planning on a fourth child. I'm going to be in my 80s by the time this one leaves home."
"I know it," Maria replied. "But every life is a miracle, you know? There has to be a reason for this…that it happened now. I thought after having the infection with Julia I couldn't conceive again," Maria gave Georg a kiss on the lips.
"You're my miracle," Georg whispered. "I love you so much. I'll admit I'm a little nervous about this one, Darling. You are older than Louisa and they had her delivered at the hospital and took all kinds of precautions."
"I'm not going to do that," Maria replied. "I never had a baby without you by my side and I don't plan to start mow."
"Maria…" Georg sighed. "We need to see the doctor Curtis recommended and we need to do exactly what she tells us to do. You were sick after Julia, and you were only 28. If that happens now, I couldn't stand it."Maria slid off Georg's lap. He got up and started to pace. "It is going to be different this time. It has to be. You are 45, you need to be so careful! There is so much going on…there is so much…"
"Georg, if I didn't know better, I would think you aren't happy about this," Maria challenged. She knew from the moment Curtis told them that once it sank in Georg would get upset.
"I'm trying to be," Georg sighed. "I love our family. I love our children and our grandchildren but…When did this even happen? We haven't been together in months."
"What do you mean we haven't been together in months, what about the night…That nightn when, we were together more than once. I happened then, I'm certain "
"Another horror to come out of that night," Georg thought unaware he had spoken aloud.
Maria gasped in surprise and covered her mouth with her hands as if to stop the sound. Georg turned around as he realized what had escaped his lips. "Maria, I'm…"
Maria took a deep breath, "You know what Georg? I know how old I am, and I know this time around is going to be different, but here I am, at the age I am, and I am pregnant. I am feeling scared and happy and surprised all at the same time but what I'm feeling most right now is alone. I need your support."
"You know I'm going to support you, Maria," Georg replied. "We are going to figure this out. I'm…That night was a moment of pure insanity, that wasn't the time to make a baby!"
"Well, I guess the baby doesn't know that! I have a history of having children that come from moments of someone's insanity!" Maria spat, trying to control the anger she felt welling up in her chest.
"Darling, I am sorry," Georg whispered moving to hold Maria in his arms. She was stiff at first but softened. She knew Georg had a hard time processing emotion and all too often the wrong one would pop out before the real one actually managed to come to the surface. "I'll feel better after we speak to the doctor on Friday."
Maria shook her head, "I don't need a fancy doctor, I need to see the midwife that delivered Gretl's last baby. I will be fine having our new son or daughter here at home with he or she feeling your hands accepting them into this world…"
"No," Georg said firmly pulling back. "This baby is being born at St. John's in Montpelier with me, unfortunately, pacing the waiting room. We are not taking gambles with your health, Maria! We are not! Curtis made this appointment; we are going to go."
"Since when do you value Curtis' opinion so much?" Maria asked as she pulled out of Georg's arms. "The last time I checked you could barely tolerate him."
"Curtis proved himself to me when he treated you for the shell shock," Georg replied. "He did it quickly, compassionately, and never uttered a word of what he knew not even to Marta. That earned my respect, and once more, it earned my trust."
Maria shut her eyes and saw how rigid Georg's posture was. "You won't relax unless I go," Maria sighed. "I'll go and I will listen, but I won't commit to a hospital birth, not yet."
"Fair enough," Georg replied. "I can live with that."
Georg pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry, Maria. Truly, I'm just nervous. This was so unexpected, and we have this unresolved situation with Lida. I don't know if this will complicate it."
"What will be, will be," Maria replied. "You look exhausted. Why don't you take a little nap, I'll start some supper and we can celebrate the fact our love managed to make a new life among such a terrible mess, hmm?"
Georg nodded, "I'll take the nap, but I'm taking you out to dinner tonight, before the morning sickness really sets in. Hopefully this one will be different, and you won't struggle so much with it."
"I haven't yet," Maria smiled. 'Dinner out would be lovely. I'll just make sure Julia goes down to Kurt's. Get a little nap."
Maria gave Georg another light kiss before he turned to go upstairs to lie down. Maria needed some time alone as well for this all to penetrate. Georg was nervous, and so was she. The idea of a medical birth was what unsettled her most, she wanted to have the baby at home with Georg holding her hand and the family gathered around. The idea of giving birth alone with no one but nurses to help her was terrifying.
For his part, Georg got up to the bedroom and pushed the door open. He shut it for privacy then leaned over with his hands on the dresser trying to catch his breath. He felt the nagging ache in his chest, up into his neck, then down into his stomach. He thought for a moment he was going to be sick before he sank down on the bed and laid back.
As Georg took deep breaths, the pain eased and the fatigue set in. The nap Maria had suggested he take sounded even better now than before. He would close his eyes for an hour, and everything would look better. All he needed was an hour.
Rosamaria's Bakery
The next morning
"Uncle Max," Liesl asked as she prepared a cookie tray of Italian butter cookies and linzer tarts. "Did you speak to Lida recently. I talked to her a few days ago and she didn't mention she was going out of town.'
"Yes," Max replied. 'She told me she was taking a few days, I think she'll be back on Monday. She went to Hartford, I think. Took the 6pm train last night."
"Father and Mother are going to be so upset," Liesl replied. "They wanted all of us to be together on Sunday this week. Mother called last night and insisted on it. I just hope it isn't bad news. This family needs a break from tough surprises."
"I'm sure when Lida gets back she will feel a lot better about herself and be in a better positon to get things worked out with your parents," Max assured Liesl. "She's found a bit of purpose, let's just leave it there for now. I don't want to betray any remaining trust she has in me."
Liesl understood, "Do you have any idea what they want to tell us? Father usually confides everything in you, you even knew the truth about what happened to Mother."
"Not this time," Max replied. 'All he said was make sure I came over this weekend, and it's roast beef weekend, so he knew I'd be there anyway."
Liesl laughed, "You are incredible Uncle Max."
Max winked at her, "Yes, I'm quite the charmer, aren't I?"
Liesl placed the last cookie on the platter then went around the counter to give Max a big hug before gathering he things. "Well, I'm off to a parent's meeting with Sister Rose about Emily's tardiness to homeroom. That girl will be lucky if I let her out of the house before she's 50. See you on Sunday."
Max slipped on his apron and took his place behind the counter. "See you Sunday." With that Liesl headed out with Max shaking his head. "She is just like her father," Mx mused. That was something to be proud of.
A/N: So sorry for the late update. I tried three timses to get this up and only managed just now. It seems that today husband, daughter, and cats are conspiring again me for writing this, lol. Hope you enjoy!
