Chapter Thirty-One
Five Months Later
March, 1961
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The entire room stopped their buzz and turned their attention to Georg as he stood behind the head table set up in their decorated living room. Max had gotten married today and he had stood as best man, something he never thought he would do.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Georg began. "Today I am proud to stand up here and wish every happiness to this wonderful couple. Brianna is a kind, determined, sweet soul that will likely be going straight up to Heaven for taking on Max."
The crowd laughed as Georg continued, "But seriously, I am proud to have known Max for 50 years. I first met this sloppy, undisciplined sailor when I was a young officer in the Navy. I got myself in a bit of trouble with my own stubbornness and Max stepped up and helped me win that fight against a couple of land forces men. Since then he has had my back; standing up for me when I married my late wife Agathe and my bride of 23 years,my dear Maria. He has been there for the births of nearly all my children. He has been their beloved Uncle from birth and is still always there for them. Max has not been a fair weather friend. He helped us escape the Nazis in Austria and came home to us after years behind the scenes of war." Georg's voice cracked as he remembered the devastation of war and took a deep breath. He reached down for Maria's hand and squeezed it. She was forever his grounding force.
Georg continued, "To see him so happy with a woman that loves him, it is heart warming for me. Perhaps she will be able to keep Max out of my wine cellar. So, to my oldest friend, the self-proclaimed charming sponge and his beautiful, angelic bride, may God grant you happiness, health, and joy. May you forever live in endless harmony and freedom. Cheers!"
Georg lifted his glass of grape juice and toasted Max and Brianna with so much joy and energy the room was charged with it. Max leaned over and kissed his bride before standing and wrapping Georg in a manly bear hug.
"Now," Max said brightly. "Since I have had a chance to waltz with my Darling bride, I have a surprise for my oldest and dearest friends before we open the buffet and the bar. Maestro, if you please."
The strains of the old Austrian folk dance that Georg and Maria had danced so long ago, a lifetime ago began to play. Georg looked at Maria and offered his hand. "Do allow me, Baroness," Georg whispered as he led a very pregnant Maria onto the dance floor Friedrich and Kurt had laid out.
Maria blushed and accepted Georg's hand. They had not danced the Laendler in many years, since that night. It was just not part of American culture, but today it felt right.
Their bodies moved in a smooth fluid motion. Georg was relying on Maria for a bit of strength and Maria was hiding her face as she was feeling very big and quite shy, still the feelings were the same if not stronger than when they had this dance so many years ago.
The company applauded when they ended with an elegant bow and shallow curtsey. Georg playfully shook his finger at Max before escorting Maria back to her seat.
"Are you all right, Darling?" Georg asked as Maria lowered herself into a chair.
"Yes, I'm just so fat," Maria blushed. "I don't remember being this big with our girls. With Lida I didn't show much until my eighth month."
Lida was still a bit of a sore subject with Georg.She had telephoned only twice and many of their letters had gone unanswered. When Lida did write, it was a few words and didn't really address anything. She would report on the weather, the English lessons she was giving to her charges, and inquire on Georg and Maria's health, that was it.
Georg felt that he and Lida made progress on her visit so it stung that she was being so evasive. Still, Georg and Maria both agreed they had to give Lida her space and hope that her journey led her home.
"You are beautiful," Georg whispered. "Your hands are swelling again. Perhaps you should take your ring off so that it doesn't hurt you?"
Maria sighed, "Dr. DeFilippo says that my blood pressure is on track, but I'm retaining so much fluid my body is shifting with the tide. This baby is going to be a sailor like his Papa."
Georg leaned over and gently rubbed Maria's high, round baby mound. "You really think this baby is a boy even though the odds strongly predict a female?"
"I know what a baby girl feels like and this feels nothing like that," Maria replied. "How are you feeling? All the excitement."
"I am fine, I know I waltz like even more of a clod hopper than I used to with these legs, but they do what I need most of the time," Georg replied.
Over the last five months, Maria and Georg had learned to manage his condition. Georg still had spells of rapid heartbeats but the medicine helped a lot. What didn't improve was his ability to walk without assistance. It frustrated Georg to no end to be so restricted and dependent on the blasted walking stick, but he was grateful to have escaped his medical scare with a lingering issue that was only a minor annoyance.
The cane didn't bother Maria anymore, she thought that together with Georg's graying hair it made him look distinguished. What bothered her was that if Georg even bumped his knee he would have a bruise. The blood thinners, Curtis said, and it was normal. It still irked her.
Georg leaned over to give Maria a kiss on the forehead. "You can slip away if you need to. Go put your feet up, I'll fix you a plate."
Maria shook her head, "It's not every day one of your best friends gets married. I'll be fine."
Georg nodded, then Maria added, "You could fix me a small plate though. I'm not very hungry."
"That's what worries me," Georg replied as he set off to arrange a meal for Maria and the baby she carried beneath her heart.
Carlisle, PA
Lida and Andrew sat with the moonlight and glow of the fireplace illuminating them as they shared an evening cup of tea in the cozy kitchen of the orphanage. Lida loved to stargaze. She liked to think about far off places and galaxies that man would probably never see and dream about what or who might be looking back at her.
After only a few weeks at the orphanage, Lida realized that Andrew was a stargazer too. He also liked to watch the sunrise, look for new plants and leaves, and experience new foods and flavors. They had a lot in common, especially their love for the precious children in their care. One thing they didn't have in common though, was languages. Lida, with Georg as a guide, spoke English and German, but also a smattering of French, Czech, Polish, and Russian. Andrew had a hard time with even some English pronunciations; his southern drawl was so pronounced.
"Frühstück," Lida said again. "Now you try it. Froo shtick. Shtick…"
Andrew tried to parrot her but his total butchering of the word made them both laugh. "I can't do it," Andrew chuckled. "I can't speak German, I can't get the accent."
Lida licked her lips and smiled back at Andrew. "At least I make you laugh."
Andrew nodded, "Yes, you do do that."
"Is that such a hard thing to do?" Lida inquired, taking a sip of the tea she had made so long ago it had gone cold.
"Sometimes," Andrew admitted. "This is hard, serious work day in and day out. I often see people at the worst they could ever be, not too much funny about parentless children."
"Charlie Chaplin always said a day without laughter is a day wasted," Lida quoted. "My Uncle Max always quoted him."
"Do you really believe that?" Andrew asked, still wearing a brilliant smile.
Lida shrugged, "Most of what Uncle Max would say I took with a grain of salt but I try to laugh everyday anyhow. My sister Liesl says it increases your face value."
"How many siblings did you say you had again?" Andrew asked.
"Nine," Lida replied. "Ten if you count the baby my mother is expecting now. She's due in about five weeks."
Andrew nodded, "That's why you're trying to teach me German. You really are going to leave at the end of your tenure here."
"For a short time at least," Lida replied. "I told you when I left things were a mess. I have barely written or called at all since I have been here. I need to see my Papa and Mama and make amends for what I've done in this mess."
Lida licked her lips again making her lipstick shine in the low light. "But I have decided that if my Papa is well enough once the baby is born and they have things under control, I want to come back here. I could have been a foundling myself had things been different and I want to keep paying that forward. I want to do it here if I can."
Lida stopped short of saying "I want to do it with you".
"You'll always be welcome here," Andrew replied. "You have a way about you, Lida Rose von Trapp. You are not only beautiful, but high spirited and vivacious. I will miss you very much when you leave. When will that be?"
Lida studied her lap, "Next week. I have no idea if I'll even be welcome at home. I promised to call and write much more than I did and my Papa still won't talk to me. I thought things were better after I saw him in the hospital but…"
Andrew slowly reached out and cupped Lida's cheek. "I am sure that your father has forgiven you. I'm sure he must be a wonderful and compassionate man to have raised you to be so."
Lida looked down again, her blonde hair shining in the fire light. It seemed the most natural thing in the world that Andrew would kiss Lida. They had been each other's friends for months already, but when his warm, smooth lips made contact with hers, she gasped in surprise before relaxing into his welcome kiss.
"You will come back to us, to me, won't you, Lida?"
Lida nodded, "I need to take it slow, very slow. If you are agreeable, I…can't make another mistake. I can't "
Andrew slid his hands up and down Lida's arms, "You won't. I promise you, I won't let you. I won't let you."
Lida moved closer, this time initiating the kiss herself. There were no words of love, no sweet nothings, there would be time for that later, right there, in that moment, all there was time for was bliss.
Stowe, Vermont
"Careful," Georg whispered as he eased Maria back into their bed. "Can you slide back?"
Maria nodded. Her back hurt so badly and her legs had swollen nearly from the knee. Georg had to help her get upstairs, get undressed, and finally helped her get her legs up on pillows.
Maria shook her head, "No, I can't lie like this. I have to go on my side."
Georg nodded, "Okay, okay, left side?"
Maria nodded as Georg helped her shift to side and bolstered the baby bump with pillows. "Back?"
Maria nodded, "Yes, it really hurts. My hip burns."
"I knew today was going to be too much," Georg sighed. "Okay, lie still. Let me get undressed and I'll be right there okay? I'll rub your back."
"Oh, Georg, I'm so sorry. I didn't even help you get your medicine ready or with…"
Georg sighed. He was capable of doing all the things Maria insisted she do like dosing his medication and removing his own shoes and socks. Still, it brought Maria a sense of control and calm, something he knew all too well was necessary to feel in an uncontrollable situation.
"Maria, I can handle that on my own," Georg replied gently. "What you need to do now is rest. Your body is telling you that it is worn out and tired. You need to rest and relax..if you are still feeling so unwell in a few days we will have to see Dr. DeFilippo and possibly make adjustments to the birth plan."
Wild horses couldn't make him change the birth plan, but Maria didn't know that. He wanted to be with her as he had always done, but if he had to make a gentle threat to force her to rest and relax he would do it.
Maria fell silent as Georg readied himself for bed. He shut off the lamp and put his cane near the side of the bed. He gently spooned up behind Maria and pressed firmly against the small of her back. "Keep breathing, my love," Georg coached. "Slow and gentle breaths, that's going to help. Just relax and let yourself go. What if I sing to you? Will that help?"
Maria nodded, already dozing off with Georg's closeness and firm massage. When he began to sing The Sound of Music, she let her body float as if she was up on the mountain again and road the gentle breeze all the way to sleep.
A/N: Well, Max has taken the plunge and Georg and Maria are anxiously awaiting their new baby. Lida will be coming home to Vermont soon but is home still where her heart is? We shall see.
