Chapter Fourteen

"And I'll take three of the bear claws," Georg told the new clerk at the bakery in town a few weeks later. He was picking up a large order of goodies for the family as they were getting together to help Brigitta and the children fix up the guest house before moving in.

It took a bit of doing, a bit of thinking, and a couple old fashioned rats before Brigitta realized that her parents were right, she had to put her children and herself first and take their offer.

Georg was about to l3ave the bake shop when he heard a familiar voice say his name. "Hello, Georg. Out early today, I see?"

Georg sighed quietly, he knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Stowe was only so big. "Good morning, John," Georg greeted, his voice even and emotionless. He didn't intend to say anything more to the man except John took that choice away from him.

"I see Brigtta is still continuing with this foolishness, and now even staying at your place. I see whose side you're on."

Georg sighed, "Yes, that would be correct. They should discuss it, in private, of course. Maria and I would like to see the marriage saved, but we won't continue to see our daughter live unhappily. There would have to be changes."

"It is Brigitta that has caused all of this with the divorce idea. We need to discuss this as their parents and find out a solution," John replied.

"Well, let's sent aside a time, I'll go to the bank and we can meet out of earshot," Georg countered.

"You can discuss it right here, right now and not take up my time at my place of business! Brigitta is going to go home then and stop this foolishness!" John practically commanded.

"Brigitta isn't happy," Georg replied. "The marriage was unhappy and neither one of us wants unhappiness for our respective children. It isn't good for anyone involved. The environment has already affected Annie and PJ. This is not the forum for any type of rational discussion. You aren't hoping we can advocate for our respective children and come to a suitable custodial and financial arrangement, and maybe we can, but not here. If the bank is not acceptable, well, have your wife call mine and we can set up a time and place."

"If Brigitta is going to persist with this divorce, we have nothing to talk about, " John replied. "But she will have nothing left when all is said and done. Peter's lawyers will destroy her in court, a woman initiating a divorce for no good reason other than she isn't happy, ridiculous! You best get it through her head she is on thin ice in this Georg. Brigitta is the one that will face a stigma, not my son!"

Georg felt himself bristle at John's words but he knew it was true. Brigitta would be the one ridiculed and there would be no way to shield the children from any of it. He knew it. "Perhaps," Georg replied. "Brigitta knows her own mind, she knows what she wants for herself and her children and nothing I say or do will change her mind, but I'll tell you this, Peter takes Brigitta on in this thing in a manner that exceeds what is appropriate and she will not be fighting alone. There are a lot of us, and we are all going to stand ready with Brigitta to see her out of this marriage with the same veracity we saw her in. You let Peter know that, would you?"

Georg straightened his hat and moved to step out of the bakery. "Are you threatening me, Georg?" John asked.

Georg turned and fixed a steel blue gaze onto John Hamilton and simply replied, "I'm educating you," in a low, calm voice before he spun in his heel and left the store.

Georg was still fuming by the time he got home from the bakery, and it didn't help his mood at all to see his wife and youngest daughter battling with an old mattress, trying to get it wrapped up enough that they could transport it without it getting stained. Maria had hurt her back about a year ago and to see her battling while PJ was sitting on the steps watching made Georg's blood boil. He took a deep breath, "Show me the friend and I'll show you the man," he repeated often enough to this children over the years. Well, that applied to fathers as well, he supposed. "She me the father and I'll show you the son." Meaning, for the moment at least, this was not entirely PJ's fault.

"Peter," Georg said in a crisp, clear tone. "Go help your Aunt Ella and Grandma right now. Sitting on the porch while everyone else is working, I've never heard of anything so ridiculous in all my life!"

PJ rolled his eyes but he got up and went over to where Maria and Ella were battling with the mattress. He wanted to go back home and live with his dad, but his mother wasn't going to let him. So, now he had to stay here, up in the middle of nowhere, with old people. He didn't get it. Why didn't his mother just be a mother? Why was she wanting to go out and do things that weren't even appropriate for women to do? She was ruining everything!

Georg watched for a moment as PJ took over Maria's end with a marked demonstration of aggravation. Georg knew he would have to help his grandson, but for now, he wanted to help his wife and himself. "Maria, come here, I don't know where you want this!"

Maria knew full well that Georg could handle setting up the spread. He just wanted to speak to her. "What is it? I could hear your jaw cracking all the way over there? What's happened?"

Georg rolled his eyes, "I ran into John Hamiliton at the bakery and the exchange was unsettling to say the very least. It is Peter's intention to come after Brigitta with everything he has. All of the family money is going to go into totally destroying her, children, money, she would leave the marriage with exactly what she went into it with. Nothing but our support."

Maria leaned into Georg. "I knew this was going to be an issue. I knew it but I didn't…What are we going to do?"

"Tighten the belt a lot," Georg replied. "I'll meet with her lawyer and see how he plans to proceed but if he's as new to this as Brigitta says, she will need a very sharp, experienced attorney to get her through this. It's going to mean money and that amount of money might mean I have to go back to work."

Maria cuddled a little closer to Georg. "No, I'll hire out for singing lessons or I'll take in ironing and sewing again. No, I do not want you going back to work at your age. No. Perhaps with saving on rent and household things Brigitta will be able to foot that legal bill. We can ask the other children to help out. Georg, please. I don't want you to go back to work, not at all."

Georg wrapped his arms around Maria and held her tight. "Okay, we'll find another way. Perhaps it won't be as bad as all that? Perhaps, Peter was speaking in anger and hurt when he said that to John. Perhaps John is angry, I know I am at how things turned out for them.."

Maria moved her hand around to her back and pressed. She was sore from the movement and extra physical strain she was no longer used to doing. "Why don't you go sit down? I'll supervise this crowd. Max is doing what he does best up on the hill, go sit. I got you a danish, cheese and apricot. Your favorite."

Maria leaned over and kissed Georg on the lips. "I love you. Never stopped, never will."

"Never stopped, never will," Georg echoed as Maria went to take a much needed break.

With the tremendous work force the family provided, the guest house was fixed up and redecorated in just the weekend. Brigitta went off to work on Monday with new hope. PJ had even helped them a little after Georg started to keep a glare on him. She hoped that a more stable environment and a better example would help him start to accept their new circumstances.

Maria was worried about Georg. Since the encounter with John Hamilton at the bakery, he wasn't sleeping well and his disposition was sketchy and jumpy. Things between them were strong and Georg would lean on her. He wanted to hold her hand, sought her out often for quiet companionship, the little things she was always grateful for.

Brigitta's first hearing was two weeks later. It was this hearing that would decide if the divorce petition would even be granted. It was a nervous time for all of them.

On the morning of the hearing, Edit woke up with a sore throat and temperature. She clung to Maria, wanting her Oma to sing for her and cuddle her. Maria sighed, "I'll stay home with her, Georg. Brigita has to go, she needs you there in case. I'll stay home, don't worry."

Father and daughter set out in the Chevy for the courthouse while Maria tended to things at home. "I feel terrible leaving her, but she is close to Mother and she will settle down. She's so smart sometimes I forget she's only seven."

"It was like that with you," Georg replied. "So smart, so perceptive, I had a hard time realizing that you were still young, that you still needed me."

"I think I'll always need you, Papa," Brigitta replied. "All of the support, the money you are putting out for the lawyers…"

"Nevermind about that," Georg soothed. "Let's do this, get it started and then it'll only get easier."

The courtroom was contentious. Both of the Hamiltons sat in support of their son. His attorney was out of Montpelier, older, experienced, and organized. The original attorney Brigitta hired to file the request hadn't ever adjudicated a divorce before. Georg was glad he and Max came up with the retainer fee for a more experienced litigator.

The mud slinging started as soon as the case was called. Brigitta tried to hold her tongue, with her shoulders back, and jaw locked she took the abuse of being called an inattentive wife and indifferent mother. That was the basis of the argument, that Brigitta had not considered her children in this bill of divorcement.

Georg rolled his eyes, watching Brigitta's face, fighting every instinct he had in his body not to react to Peter's ridiculous claims. Peter kept reiterating how he was the "man" of the house. Georg rolled his eyes, he wanted to wipe that smirk off Peter's face and show him what a true man was.

With grounds for divorce granted on both sides, Brigitta sought out her father's arm to leave the courtroom. When she stepped into the ladies' room, Georg took the opportunity to stare Peter down. He was going to have his say in this whether Peter liked it or not.

A/N: Well here I am again. Things are heating up between Brigitta and Peter and possibly Georg and John. I'm not sure if Georg will be able to keep his temper, especially without Maria around him to calm him down.

Tell me, do you think Georg is gonna flip or is he going to remain silent?

Let me know what you think in the reviews, you know I love reviews.

Thanks for reqding