Day of Meeting and Seeing

Morning came early to the marital suite. Maria had to go to the bathroom. On her return to bed she snuggled close to Georg. He responded by pulling her close for a kiss.

"Is this baby already crowding your bladder?"

"I suppose it is."

"If Isabel notices you are using the bathroom more it will confirm what she may already suspect. I'm sure she has noticed you aren't drinking coffee anymore."

"So not enjoying coffee anymore is normal when you're pregnant?"

"It is. I was told it has to do with the acid in coffee."

"I've also noticed her looking at me with a broader than usual smile."

"She'll probably say something soon. I'll keep your secret. We have time to enjoy our marital time. Harold's not going to be here until nine o'clock."

"That's right. You're meeting an admiral today. I'd love to spend time with my husband before we hear children's voices. I don't think they will sleep late. They're too excited to visit their schools."

"We have plenty of time."

The couple romanced to the peak of enjoyment before resting while their hearts slowed. Maria was the first to dress. By the time Georg entered the bathroom, Maria heard the children in the hall.

"Do you think they're awake?" Marta asked.

Liesl was quick to reply. "Don't knock on the door; we must wait. I'm sure mother will be out soon."

Maria smiled as she opened the door. "I see I have a welcoming party. Are you really anxious to see your schools?"

"I know I am, Mother. I'm sure they have good science classes."

"They probably will Friedrich. I bet Katia has already squeezed the oranges for juice and I need a cup of tea."

The children did find glasses of juice at each place setting. Maria told them they could drink it now. She went into the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea. She discovered a cup and saucer waiting for her with a tea bag.

Now Katia held a larger than normal smile.

"Yes Katia, I'm pregnant."

And another voice spoke. "I knew it."

"Good morning Isabel. Georg told me you probably suspected I was. I was trying to wait a week or two more before I told everyone."

The two ladies were like Georg. They told her they would keep her secret. Maria was sure none of the children knew anything about a woman's pregnancy. When she returned with her tea they were chattering about visiting their schools.

Within moments, Georg and the other men had joined them. Stefan had a comment when he came into the dining room.

"Phillip and I need some work clothes. There's what looks like an old garden in our backyard; we want to prepare it for some late season vegetables."

"Then you should come with me and the children when I register them at their schools."

Max added. "I'll come along too. I need to visit the music store."

And Georg reminded them. "I'll be with Harold; I'm meeting with an admiral today."

Even Katia had a comment. "While you're gone I will help Isabel wash our clothes so please leave your dirty clothes on the floor inside you bedrooms. We'll use the clothes basket we found to gather them."

As soon as breakfast was over, the doorbell chimed. "Franz, tell Harold I'll be ready in a few minutes."

Maria received a goodbye kiss before Georg followed Harold to his car. After the car was out of sight she and the children and three men got ready to leave the house. Franz stayed home with the ladies and Father Wasner was leaving to visit with Father Joseph. And Maria was asked.

"Which school are we going to visit first?"

"Brigitta, if I remember correctly the elementary school is closest to us."

And Max confirmed it was. Maria told the girls.

"Don't let the size of the school scare you. I'm sure you stay in your classroom most of the day."

"Mother, we are big girls now. We're not scaredy-cats."

"Where did you learn that big word?"

"Brigitta taught it to us."

"I see. Well big girls, I think I see your school in the distance."

And it was here the men left them to go down the street with all the shops. Maria didn't mind going on to their schools alone. Soon they had a good look at the school. It was mostly made from stones which had been laid like bricks; you could see the mortar between them. On one end was a short square tower with a rounded entrance; a few steps led to a door.

One of the men Harold told them about, a custodian, was sweeping the sidewalk leading to it. He noticed them and spoke.

"Have you come to register your children?"

"Yes, I'm Maria von Trapp. I need to enroll my two youngest daughters."

"Let me hold the door open for you. The principal, Mary Hugo, is waiting in her office. You'll see her name on the door."

"Thank you sir, you're most kind."

And he heard Maria remind the children to be quiet. Maria gently opened the door to the principal's office. And as soon as the principal saw her she spoke.

"Maria, I've been expecting you. I was one of the ladies who helped with the meal at the church. Are those two girls holding your hands my pupils?"

"Marta is the one still missing her front teeth; the other girl is Gretl. She told me they're both big girls now. I also need to tell you they've never attended a school; all of them have always been taught at home."

"Then I'm sure they're advanced for their age."

"They probably are in every subject except English."

"My teachers have had many students from German speaking countries; they've perfected teaching English to them.

"Gretl, you'll be in first grade for now. The teacher may advance you to second grade if she thinks you're ready. And Marta, I'm going to place you in a class with both third and fourth grade students.

"Maria, I did this one year when I lost a teacher in the middle of the year. She was able to teach both grades. She enjoyed it and so did the students. So I continued it. And girls, all my students address me as Mrs. Mary. I'm Mary to all the parents, Maria.

"I don't need their birth certificates. And that's true for both the junior high and the high school. Do you know when school begins?"

"Yes Harold Isenhart told us; it's the Wednesday after the Labor Day holiday."

"And now you're going on to visit the junior high?"

"Yes, my nine year old daughter is very advanced for her age; she'll be there with her brother Kurt. The other three will attend the high school."

"Marta and Gretl, I'll be watching for you on the first day."

"Thank you, Mrs. Mary." The girls responded in unison.

Mary watched them leave and thought. I've never seen step children act as if Maria was their real mother. God has graced her with special gifts.

And Gretl and Marta talked about their school all the way to the junior high. Maria found the principal Mr. Unsworth to be as accommodating as Mary.

He thought Brigitta should be in eighth grade and Kurt in ninth. He also gave them a list of elective classes they could take.

And it was the same at the high school. The principle there, Mr. Florentine, felt that Liesl had completed all the requirements for graduation. She could take electives to fill up the day as she concentrated on English.

English was a priority for Friedrich as well. He filled his schedule with science classes and an American History class. Mike's lesson had made him want to learn more about his new country. And Louisa was able to take a class on writing stories; she hoped to have a book published.

Maria and the children were joined by Max, Stefan and Phillip on the street which intersected with the one where the high school was located. Max was eager to share his news.

"Maria, on Saturday afternoon a college choir is performing a concert. They will be singing many Negro Spirituals. I think we should attend."

"I agree. I'm sure Georg will have no objection."

"I'll tell him about it after dinner."

Phillip had been waiting to share what he and Stefan had discovered.

"Maria, children, there's a store we didn't see on Harold's tour. It's a big store named Sears & Roebuck; it has almost everything people need to buy except food. There's a department for clothes for everyone, housewares like toasters and frying pans and even appliances like refrigerators and washing machines and lots of tools.

"Best of all it also has a catalog. People who don't live near a store can buy things and they will be delivered to their house. The store clerk gave us a copy."

"Mother, this is great. We can see the clothes we can buy for school." Liesl excitedly told her. Liesl and Louisa jibber jabbered about the catalogue all the way home.

During this time, Harold and Georg had arrived at the Navy Yard of Philadelphia. Admiral Jessup had met them at the gate. Harold had his Navy Identification Card and could have entered with Georg as his guest but the admiral was anxious to meet Georg.

Admiral Jessup greeted Georg like the officer who met him as they entered America.

"Captain, it's a real privilege to shake your hand. Follow me to a conference room."

Once there Georg and Harold took a seat. The admiral stood. He spoke immediately.

"After a few months of sending cargo ships to England, the German U-boats began attacking them. And some were only fifty miles from our coast.

"They're also brazen; the sailors have been able to come on shore. Their presence has been discovered in Massachusetts, New York City, even our nation's capital, Washington DC, where they stayed in the Mayflower Hotel only a block from our president's home, the White House. Further south in the state of North Carolina, the people can't even enjoy their beach because oil tankers were hit and the ocean is filthy with oil.

"Our government ordered a night-time blackout, including the lighthouses to try to prevent them from coming close to shore. Still the people there hear explosions and see fires from the ships which were hit.

"We need your expertise to find a way to stop them."

"That's a tall order Admiral Jessup. Right off the top of my head I would say your navy submarines need to start patrolling and use torpedoes to scare them away."

"That was my idea too." Admiral Jessup paused. "But first I must get approval from congress. They're not interested in engaging in another war."

"I can understand their position. Where are German submarines most often seen?"

"Off the coast of the state, North Carolina. Would you be willing to go there? You would do so in one of our newest submarines."

"Your country provided me my freedom; of course I will. It's been many years since I took down the flag of the Austrio-Hungarian Empire from my submarine as I docked for the last time. I still find it difficult to understand how the assassination of the Archduke set off what we now refer to as the Great War, the war to end all wars."

"I'm totally with you; it's my understanding that many countries were still brooding over alliances made long ago. His death pulled the trigger. My country entered because of two reasons.

"First was a promise Germany made to Mexico that it would acquire land now belonging to the United States along its border. And the second was the sinking of passenger and merchant ships. My president could no longer stay on the side lines. So he asked our Congress for authority to enter the war.

"As I look back I'm more and more convinced he was right to do so. I believe without our help the war would have raged on for many years. And then to add to the world's wounds was the Influenza outbreak which killed more people than all the wars."

Georg then added. "I worried about it affecting my family. I believe because we lived almost isolated from neighbors we were spared. It was a Scarlet Fever Epidemic which infected my children and their mother, my wife Agathe. After her death I was terribly despondent; I pushed my children away because they reminded me too much of her. You might say I ran away from them; sometimes to go hunting but mostly trying to find meaningful employment.

"I have since learned that God can surprise even a naval captain. A postulant at the local Abbey in Salzburg came into my life to look after my children while I escaped to Vienna. She was God's instrument to make me realize my children needed me to be a real father to them. The rest is history; a cliché which is most appropriate.

"Maria rescued me from the evil in that man, Hitler. His surrogate had captured me but God had other plans for me and Maria. I'm here today because it's God's plan for us."

Admiral Jessup added. "God also gave you a keen mind and the ability to pull together a multi-culture crew. And your tactical skills are far superior to the submarine commanders I know.

"I want you to come to the congressional hearing with me. I'll send Commander Cummings to pick you up at seven tomorrow morning. He'll bring you to the train station in Philadelphia. There's a high speed train which will have us in DC by ten; the hearing begins at eleven. You should be home in time for dinner."

"Do I need to keep my reason for going to DC a secret?"

"No, you can tell your family you're attending a hearing with me about appropriations for the navy. That should quell their curiosity."

"Very well, I'll be ready and waiting for Commander Cummings."

Admiral Jessup walked Harold and Georg to the gate where Harold had parked his car. The men exchanged cordial handshakes with the admiral before taking a seat in the car. And the two men discussed all they had learned on the trip back to Merion.