Having fun
The last performance of the puppet show was the Wednesday before the long holiday weekend known as Labor Day Weekend. Traditionally a time for families to spend one last weekend together before school started.
Maria was spending more and more time with Georg and the children. One evening after a long day of shopping, Joseph picked her up a little earlier than usual. Lily was waiting for her.
"Maria, we want everyone to come to our Long Island summer home and spend the weekend. There's more than enough room for your Captain and all the children."
"I don't know, Lily. I'll ask him in the morning, we still need to finish shopping for clothes for all the children."
Joseph drove Maria to the Captain's apartment shortly after breakfast. "Wait Joseph and I'll ask the Captain about the weekend so you can tell Lily." She rang the bell.
"Maria, you're early."
"I know. I need to give Joseph your answer."
"To what, Maria?"
"Would you and the children like to spend the weekend with Oscar and Lily at their summer home on Long Island?"
"Do you want to Maria?"
"Yes, I think it would be fun for the children."
"Tell Joseph, we are most pleased with the invitation and would love to go."
Maria called out to the car. "Tell Lily, yes, Joseph. See you after dinner."
"Children, look who's here early this morning."
Gretl and Marta rushed to her for a hug. "I have news for everyone."
"News, Fräulein."
"Yes, we are going to spend the weekend with my friends, Oscar and Lily, at their summer home."
"You know Captain; the children are all going to need bathing suits."
"There's water to swim in, Maria?"
"There certainly is, so I guess that means more shopping. I need one too. How about you Captain?"
"All of us need them."
Maria walked along side Liesl "Do you know what bathing suits look like?"
"Not really Fräulein but we're about to find out."
The store clerk explained. "This is the end of the season, so I don't have a big selection. Are you looking for something special?"
"No mam, just suits we can wear this weekend."
"Let's start with the little girls." Theirs were really cute; one piece, the top looked like a blouse with little cap sleeves and the bottom had bloomers which stopped right below their knees and buttoned to hold them in place.
"Marta, which one do you want?"
"The pink one."
"Why does that not surprise me? And you, Gretl?
"The yellow one."
The clerk looked at Brigitta. "You young lady could have one like theirs or like your older sisters." Brigitta thought a moment. "I'll take the blue one like Gretl's."
"Now for you older ladies, this tank style was new this year." A heavy cotton suit, sleeveless with wide straps and a slight scoop neck attached to bloomers; it came in red, navy blue and black. Louisa was the daring one, she selected red; Liesl and Maria both navy blue.
The Captain and the boys had to go to a men's store; theirs looked liked the ladies tank suits. Males of the day did not go shirtless. They only had the choice of black or navy blue. The Captain's had to be black; it was the only one in his size. Kurt and Friedrich each got a navy blue one.
A few more stops had everyone all prepared for the weekend. Maria returned home exhausted.
Joseph picked up the family after lunch on Friday. They would all take the train together. The children were excited but also a little scared.
"Children we are going to have the best time; playing in the water, beach games and lots of food. I know you boys will like that."
"How did you know we liked to eat?"
"A little birdie told me." Maria laughed.
"Fräulein Maria, are you the birdie?"
"Of course Kurt," laughter engulfed the room.
In less than an hour they were there, their employees helped them unload and find their bedrooms. Maria and Liesl shared a room; the other four girls were altogether. Georg bunked with the boys.
"Lily, this is beautiful and yet it's not far from the city."
"That's why we live in New York City; everything is so close; you should never be bored."
Later, Liesl and Maria talked in their room. "Can you swim Fräulein?
"No, can you?"
"Not really, Father took me and Friedrich once when we were very small; I don't remember much."
"Good thing the water was shallow when we fell out of the boat."
"Father would have rescued us; even though he did have on his suit and the Baroness was there; he would never have allowed anything to happen to us; that includes you, Fräulein."
"Yes, you're right. Good night."
"Good night Fräulein."
After breakfast, they assembled on the porch dressed in their new swimsuits.
"Well, don't you look nice; much better than your Fräulein's first choice of swim wear."
"What do you mean Father?"
"Oh you know Liesl; the ones she made out of her old drapes."
"Now Captain, why are you bringing that up?"
"Maria, you did go swimming in them."
"Captain they weren't swimsuits, they were play clothes."
"Then why did you get them wet?"
Maria rolled her eyes. "Well Captain, you look mighty different than you did that day."
"You like my suit Maria?" As he turned around to model it for her; their eyes met briefly as Maria turned to the boys.
"Boys, do you like yours?"
"Very much Fräulein, a lot better than what the store clerk told us we would have been wearing last year."
"And what was that Friedrich?"
"They looked like long baggy underwear in bold red stripes."
"Is that so? Captain, I suppose you have worn them?"
"No, no Maria, navy men just jump in, 'au naturel'."
"Captain, what are you saying in front of the children?"
Lily was trying not to laugh, she was enjoying their banter. "Come on children;" taking Marta and Gretl's hands, "let's go down by the water, your Father and Maria will follow shortly."
Once again their eyes met; lingering longer. Georg knew what he really wanted to say, but now was not the time. "Come on Maria, let's join the children."
"Yes, let's go."
Maria and the girls went out in water barely deeper than their knees. The waves would sometimes break covering them to their waists. Marta and Gretl ran back to the beach and decided to sit and make sand castles; soon joined by Maria and the other girls.
Georg took the boys out into deeper water and tried to teach them how to stay afloat. Soon the waves chased them closer to shore as well.
"Lunch time," they heard. There were new foods for all of them; hot dogs, potato chips and even soda pop, and lots of home baked cookies.
That evening the staff built a fire on the beach; they fixed gooey sandwiches made from roasted marshmallows, a chocolate square and Graham Crackers. They sat around the fire singing; drawing a crowd as people walked by and stopped to listen; applauding as they went on.
The next day, after spending all day on the beach, they cleaned up early and walked to the pier. There they would have dinner and enjoy the amusement park.
It had all the standard rides; the Carousal was the center piece; safe for everyone to ride.
"Georg, the games of chance are sometimes rigged; I'll tell you which ones to stay away from."
"Thanks Lily, we had a park in Vienna that was like that."
Marta and Gretl couldn't ride the bumper cars or the whip; they were content to sit with Lily while Maria ventured to ride them.
"Did you enjoy them Maria?"
"They were exciting Captain."
The Captain approached the Ferris wheel; "you will go with me Maria?"
"No Captain, I don't think so. I'll sit here with the girls."
"Maria, I don't bite."
"I know."
"Come on Maria," taking her hand, "you'll enjoy it."
"But Captain it's awfully tall."
"Makes the view that much better."
Brigitta couldn't go either; she was too short. Georg made sure the children were secured in their seats. "Okay Maria, this is our seat. Step up."
Of course it swayed slightly, scaring Maria before the ride even started. The Captain got in; pulled the bar down. The belt went around both of them bringing them close together. Georg resisted the urge to put his arm around Maria.
Maria wasn't the least bit concerned as to how close together they were sitting; her mind was on the ride. She was hanging on so tight her knuckles were white.
"Maria, relax, we haven't even moved."
"I want to be ready when we do." The jolt at the beginning made the car begin to rock. "Captain, stop it from rocking."
"It will, on its own Maria."
The wheel made its first rotation, as they approached the top; "look around Maria." He released his hands and pointed to various things he could see.
Maria hesitated, briefly glancing around. "Yes, Captain, it is lovely. When do we get off?"
"Maria, it goes around a least three times."
"Three times, oh no."
Georg smiled and chuckled; he was really enjoying Maria's reaction. The wheel stopped. "Why is it stopping?"
"To let people off Maria."
Finally it stopped with them at the very top. "Now, we stay here for awhile and rock."
"Don't you dare rock us Captain. Why are you laughing?"
"I'm enjoying your first time on a Ferris wheel." Their eyes caught; but neither spoke. The wheel soon had them the next to get off. Maria couldn't get off fast enough.
"Did you enjoy it Fräulein?"
"Yes, even if your Father did rock the ship."
"Was that a surprise Maria?"
Her eyes danced as she looked at him. They both knew; but now was not the time.
The staff had chairs waiting for them to sit in and enjoy the fireworks.
"Now, children, it's going to be loud." Gretl and Marta sat in front of their father so he could hold on to them if they got scared. It started with simple bursts in colors of white and red just trickling down from the sky slowly; then bangs and crackles as the cherry bombs exploded. The pinwheels lit up from the barges in the water, red, blue and white. Alternating, up in the sky and pinwheels on the barges and the finishing with a barrage of cherry bombs and color bursts in the sky.
Everyone was covering their ears it was so loud and as expected Gretl and Marta were frightened; Marta climbed on her father's lap; Gretl on Maria's, until it was all quiet.
The crowd on the beach applauded as they left for their homes. "This was even better than last year."
In the privacy of their room Oscar and Lily talked. "Lily, I've never seen two people so much in love and afraid to tell the other."
"I know Oscar; let me tell you how they met."
"So, she was sent away; the Reverend Mother seemed to know she would never be a nun."
"Yes that's true; but then the Anschluss separated them. I think Georg has a plan to tell her soon."
"I hope so; the suspense is killing me."
Monday afternoon had everyone all packed and waiting for the train; the children would have one more day before school started on Wednesday.