A Time to Part
The storm, because it had been so strong, did not last more than half an hour. Once the thunder had blown itself out, it just rained for a few hours longer before it ceased. By the time the sun rose, it could barely be seen behind the grey clouds and the heavy fog and mist that hung in the air. Nevertheless, just enough peaked through the window of the third-story room at Agapito's.
Let us see through the perspective of the sunlight for a moment, shall we? On it's way to Agapito's, the sun passes over the ocean to the coast, where a huge Nazi destroyer is docked, being prepared to ship off. Already the high-ranking officers were boarding, ready to reprimand those soldiers coming back who would be either late or hungover.
Finally, the sunlight reached its destination of Agapito's, and went through the third-floor window. The curtains were not drawn, so it entered the room without relative difficulty. The sight it fell upon was as beautiful as any painting that hung in the Louvre Museum. In the bed lay the two lovers, naked and partially covered. The man lay sprawled on his back, an arm around the back of the woman; she lay part next-to-him part on-him, her head on his shoulder, arm over his chest, one leg over his leg. Their breathing was in sync with each other, and the expressions on their face were of peaceful bliss that only sleep and love could bring.
If the sun had been human, it would have retreated behind the cloud quicker or stayed behind it the entire time, but it wasn't human. So, for three seconds, a ray of sunshine flooded into the room before a cloud covered it again, lighting on the sleeping lovers, briefly warming them and, because the sunlight fell directly over the man's eyes, brought him out of sleep before it disappeared.
Georg was slow to wake up, and a part of him didn't want to. The previous day and night had seemed like something out of the most beautiful dream, if not heaven, and he didn't want to wake up to find out it had all been a dream. So he opened his eyes slowly, looking around the room he had confined himself to for the past week, alone; he felt his heart sink.
Then he felt his touch and hearing sensations come back to him; he heard the sound of soft, even breathing over his heart, and he felt a soft, warm body pressed against his. Slowly, he turned his head and his eyes caught sight of Maria sleeping peacefully.
So yesterday and yesternight hadn't been a dream at all. Georg felt his throat close up with emotion as he looked at his bride. You really did come to me…you gave me more than I ever deserve…oh, my love…
Georg could have happily laid there forever, watching her sleep, watching the clouded sunlight play across her naked body, only partially covered by a crumpled bed sheet. He could have happily laid there and remembered the events of last night while waiting for her to wake up naturally (if he could resist kissing and caressing her awake).
But then the distant sound of church bells ringing brought him back to reality. He counted six chimes…he was due to be on the ship at seven chimes…He mentally calculated how much time he had: half an hour walk down to the ship; would need to be there before seven chimes though, so he wouldn't be thought of as a slacker. His things were mostly packed anyway, so it would take no more than ten minutes to get ready.
But Maria…What am I going to do? How can I possibly say good-bye?
Georg's logical mind immediately began to think of options. A small part of him was glad that he had no time to make love to her one more time before leaving, because then there was a great danger of him not leaving the room at all.
A second option would be to just slip out of bed now, dress, grab his things and leave. A clean break, and both would be spared an emotional good-bye. He'd said all he'd wanted to say to her yesterday and last night for the upcoming days, so…But even as the option came into his mind, he knew that would be out of the question. Though he knew Maria would understand if this was what he did, it would still hurt her deeply. He'd made a vow a long time ago never to hurt her intentionally again. It would be the move of a bastard to disappear before she woke after she'd given him her virginity the previous night. No, a clean break was completely out of the question.
That meant he would have to find some middle ground here. There wasn't enough time to wait for her to wake up, so he would have to do that for her. At least he could do that in the most gentle, loving way he could.
So, Georg gently stroked her lower back, faintly feeling her scars, while his other hand came up to stroke her cheek as he brought his mouth to kiss her forehead. "Maria…" he breathed, brushing his lips across her temple and inhaling the scent of her skin. He let his lips trail down to her cheek, across her cheekbone, and he murmured her name one more time before kissing her nose.
It worked: her eyelids fluttered and she gave a soft moan. She shifted a bit against Georg, and he determinedly tapped down the arousal he felt at this action, knowing there was no time for that. Finally, her eyes opened fully after a few clearing blinks, and met his gaze. He loved how honest her eyes were, had always been since they'd met, and he watched the same emotions he had felt upon waking up play in those sky blue irises. In the end, the expression mirrored his own: love.
For the next minute, all thoughts of separation were gone from their minds, and they only knew that this was the morning after their true wedding and wedding night.
"Hello," he said softly, for he could think of nothing else to say in his awed state.
She gave a soft smile and replied, "Hello."
Their lips met and they kissed – a simple but loving kiss.
When their lips parted and they looked at each other again, both of them gradually remembered their circumstances by the call of a lark outside their window. Georg found any words or attempts to tell her he was due down at the docks soon dry up in his throat. He opened his mouth to try but closed it again.
Then, adding further proof that they were perfectly in tune with each other, Maria reached up her hand from his chest to his cheek and said simply, "You need to go." The words were said in a soft tone, but her eyes burned with all of the emotions she was feeling.
Georg, more in love with Maria than ever, pressed his forehead to hers, a silent gesture of gratitude for her understanding. He kissed her again, conveying all of his emotions he knew he couldn't put into words, for fear of making them both cry or even more scared than they really were.
Then, it took every ounce of strength that Georg had to get out of bed and leave his wife's arms.
Ten minutes later, Georg came out of the bathroom groomed and fully dressed in his uniform, his pack slung over his shoulder, his coat fully buttoned (Georg did not want to have Maria see the swastika band on his arm, he couldn't bear that image of him in her head). Maria was sitting on the edge of the unmade bed, now changed back into her white dress which she had picked up off the floor. This sight, everything about it, made Georg's throat close up again.
Looking at the crumpled sheets, Georg could almost smell the aroma of their love-making again, could almost smell and taste her skin again. Then Georg saw the little drops of blood on the white sheet. He recalled reading how, in some ancient cultures, wedding night sheets were used as proof that the lady had indeed been untouched – if they had blood on them. If not, the couple had either not had intercourse or the lady's family had lied, and she would be disgraced. Georg had always thought the custom truly barbaric, and would always believe it.
It was only a few drops of blood; he had seen larger quantities (unfortunately). But to a man who had never taken a woman's virginity before, and add to that the story of himself and Maria – their love story – a place deep inside Georg's heart was touched profoundly. Even just leaving aside the circumstances of their marriage, one fact also remained: Maria had once been a woman who would be a nun and take a vow of chastity…she had given up that life, her virginity, and her heart to him.
His gaze turned to his bride, his Maria, who was looking back at him from the edge of the bed. Her face looked forcibly neutral and her posture normal, but her shaking hands, set jaw, and beautiful eyes gave her away. Though it was the last thing she felt, she was determined to be strong. And, taking her lead, Georg did the same thing: put on his best façade of strength and suppressed the fear and worry that threatened to overwhelm him. If she could do it, so could he.
Somehow, he managed to keep his tone almost casual but quiet. "What time does your train leave?"
"Noon," Maria replied. "I'll be back in Salzburg by dinnertime."
Georg nodded. "Good…Please give the children and everyone else all of my love, and tell them I'll answer their letters as soon as I'm able to, I'm…not quite sure when yet since we'll be on a…completely new schedule."
Maria almost dryly chuckled at the wording of that phrase, and tamped down determinedly on the ice-cold fear inside her. Wanting to say anything but good-bye, Maria asked, "Will you get in trouble? I mean, those soldiers we ran into last night –"
Now Georg chuckled. "Ah, those skunks. I'm not worried about them. For one, I never laid a hand on them; collapsed to the ground from so much alcohol before they managed to lay a punch on me. And for another, they will either not remember anything, be too concerned with hiding their hangovers, or not show up at all because they are still passed out and be disgraced forever." They shared a small smile of relief before Georg's expression turned serious and somewhat nervous, but firm. "I…It's best I go down there alone, Maria."
He saw hurt flash and tears swell in her expressive eyes before she determinedly blinked both away.
He hastily explained. "It will just look suspicious if I come down with someone. I don't want anybody getting the wrong…impression about you, the way those skunks did last night…"
Maria could hear in his tone and see in his eyes that he wasn't stating the real reason: his need to protect her. She knew Georg well enough to know that he would do whatever he had to to keep those he loved from what he hated. It was why he was being a spy now, and it was why he didn't want her being seen by the Nazis. She understood his reasons, and decided she didn't want to say good-bye with an argument. So she lowered her head and nodded, so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.
In the next moments, she felt his hand cupping her face and lifting it to meet his gaze. His eyes were saying all of the words he was holding back from saying. "You'll remember everything I've told you?"
Maria nodded. "I will." Her voice was choked up, so the 'I love you' she wanted to say was blocked as she tried to stop her tears.
She saw tears in Georg's own eyes before he leant down and kissed her forehead. Only as he kissed her did she close her eyes and let her own tears spill out. The kiss lingered as long as Georg could let it linger, and then he quickly turned and left the room, out of sight before three seconds passed.
When the sound of his footsteps had disappeared, Maria let out a long breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. She fell back on the bed and clutched the sheets she and Georg had made love only a few hours ago. The urge to start sobbing without restraint was almost irresistible, but she stubbornly tried to hold herself back. Don't…not yet…he wouldn't want that…don't let one of his fears come true…he's staying strong and so can you…Oh Father help me…
It took a super-human effort, but she managed not to sob. After a few minutes, Maria slowly sat up and walked shakily to her suitcase to grab her coat that she had brought for the journey. It was chilly this early morning, and Maria needed to feel warm again – she hadn't felt warm since Georg had left the bed.
As she put the coat on, she heard a crumpling sound in the inside pocket. Confused, she reached in, wondering what she had put in there, only to realize she hadn't put anything in there – Liesl had. Maria recognized her handwriting on the envelope: For Father.
And just like that, Maria was up and running out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the cottage. When she saw that a thick mist hung everywhere, she stopped just for a moment, but then continued running down the lone road, the ocean waves roaring in her ears.
She soon saw Georg's silhouette in the mist. But it wasn't walking away from her; it was running towards her and now called her name. "Maria!"
A huge smile spread across her face and she ran even faster towards him. "Georg!"
They collided and embraced, miraculously managing not to knock each other over. Georg's embrace was so strong that Maria was lifted clean off her feet, and she didn't care at all. She was in heaven again, her arms wrapped around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, and his lips murmuring her name in her ear: "My Maria…my Maria…"
"Oh, Georg…" She murmured, pulling her head back to look at him. The tear on his cheek touched her heart, and she gently wiped it away. "Did you forget something?"
"Yes. This." He kissed her, hard, and she moaned into his mouth as it deepened. After a moment, his lips left hers and he placed strong, almost biting kisses across her cheek until he reached her ear. He whispered into her ear, "You deserved a better good-bye than what I gave, and I had to realize that, if I have any strength at all, my reason is you."
Maria closed her eyes and embraced him tightly before pulling away and getting the envelope out of her pocket. "You forgot this, from Liesl." Georg took the envelope and put it in the inside pocket of his own jacket. Out of nowhere, she remembered something. "Do you know what today is, Georg?"
Surprised at her question, Georg thought for a moment. "Um…the day after your birthday?"
Maria smiled. "March 19th…the feast day of St. Joseph."
Georg's smile slowly spread across his face, and his eyes filled with tenderness for her. Both knew what an important saint and role model he had become for Georg. He wrapped his arms around her again and kissed her nose. "I'm going to take this as a very good omen. Never hurts to have one."
"Especially now," Maria whispered. Both remembered the seriousness of the situation again, the bliss drifting away as it had in the bed. Georg pressed his forehead to hers.
"Remember…"
"Come back…"
Another kiss, but they were able to keep it light and loving. Slowly, Georg let her go and took a step back. "Please don't follow me, Maria," he softly pleaded.
Maria nodded, still holding his hand. "Don't look back." Her throat began to choke up again, but she said three more words with all of her heart. "I love you."
"And I love you," he said, with a fierce strength only the heart can give. With one more squeeze of her hand, one more powerful gaze, he let her go and walked down the street, into the mist, disappearing…
Maria would never remember how long she stood there, because she didn't know how long it took for the mist to clear. When it did clear, she saw no sign of him. Church bells rang nearby, but she couldn't remember if there were eight or nine chimes. Feeling cold, even with her coat on, Maria finally walked slowly back to the cottage, which wasn't far away at all. The sounds of the ocean was muffled in her ears, as if she herself were deep in the ocean.
When she came into the cottage and closed the door, her eyes fell on the friendly face of Julietta, who was looking at her with great sympathy and understanding. "Oh, my dear…" she murmured.
And like that, the dam inside the twenty-two-year-old burst. Julietta opened her arms, and Maria welcomed the comforting hug as she cried her heart out on the old woman's shoulder.
Once the ship had cleared land, Georg went down in his private cell and locked the door. To exert some of his anger and sadness, he threw his pack onto the floor and kicked his bunk violently (thankfully his boots were very tough). He sat down heavily onto that bunk, one hand supporting his head and the other reaching under his shirt, grabbing the medal Maria had given him.
He then remembered what Maria had given him, and pulled out the envelope from Liesl. Opening it, he unfolded a piece of paper. It was a short letter from Liesl:
Father,
I know how much you miss Mother, so I'm sending you this small image of her that you can have with you. We'll take good care of each other, and we can't wait until you're home. We all love and miss you, especially Mother.
Liesl
Georg looked in the envelope again, and pulled out a small black-and-white photograph that must have come from Kurt's camera. The image was of Maria, in his favorite blue dress sitting in the gazebo, laughing at what the person taking the picture was saying.
Georg's heart filled, and he knew as he looked at the photograph and then kissed it, he would have the strength to do what he came here to do when the time came.
And that time was approaching fast.
A/N: I know, I know, but you all knew this was coming. Keep reviewing and the next chapter will be up soon.
I forgot to note the lyrics in the last chapter are from The Phantom of the Opera song "The Point of No Return."
