The Parent Trapp

Chapter 14

     That evening everyone sat on the back porch enjoying the view, eating cookies. Ellen had gone home for the evening and was happy to do so after all the drama, not that she didn't thoroughly enjoy it. Maria sat on the porch swing with Kurt to her right and the little girls snuggled up to her left. Georg sat on the sofa with Elsa, while Max and the rest of the children sat around a table.

"Maria?" Kurt asked, he had been the first of the older children to fall under her spell and had instantly taken a liking to her.

"Yeah?" She responded as she stroked Marta's hair.

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?" 

"I'm afraid not," Maria smiled solemnly. My parents loved me but having me was a miracle in and of itself. My mother died when I was very young and my father only last fall. I begged them for siblings and a few times even asked for one for Christmas when I was about 5"

"Did you think Santa was actually gonna leave a baby under the tree?" Kurt laughed and the little girls listened

"I didn't know, but I knew Santa was supposed to bring whatever you wanted, and all I wanted was a big family," Maria smiled. She quite liked the older children even if they were still wary of her. It was obvious however they liked her more than Elsa, which was understandable. Elsa was taking attention away from their new and improved father after all. Louisa and Liesl seemed the most uncertain of both women, while Friedrich seemed uncomfortable, perhaps he was shy. Maria liked them though, especially Kurt who had been glued to her side almost as much as the youngest three.

Georg had managed to overhear that conversation since Elsa had been talking to Liesl about school. What a lonely life she'd had, that explains why she was so close to her friends like Agathe however. What made it worse though was that he knew of her condition. It all made sense, her protectiveness over the girls, her being a teacher, coming after them. Family was what she wanted more than anything in the world, and God had taken that privilege away from her in a sense. He would feel horrible if he kept the little girls to himself, but it wouldn't be good for them either, going back and forth. Not to mention the siblings couldn't be separated now. Maybe he could help her find a job in town, she didn't seem that attached to Boston anyhow other than a couple of friends and an Aunt. 

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The older children dispersed to their rooms while Maria made sure the youngest, all four now, were all ready for bed. Maria took care to sing and tuck in the youngest two and then Georg went in to say goodnight. When he shut the door Maria stood there arms crossed, why was this hallway where stuff went down? Not, oh I don't know, anywhere else. 

"Why didn't you tell me that she was your girlfriend, I would have left you to your own devices entirely" Maria said as the pair began to head back downstairs, him ambling to his study and her fuming behind him. 

"What are you talking about?" Georg asked. Elsa and him had been friends for years, both working for the same company. She had helped him learn the ropes. When he moved to the country she still stayed in touch and never minded the drive, completely normal. 

"Don't play dumb" Maria said reaching the last step and turning to the living room,

"I'm not" Georg held his hands up "I told you she's my friend, okay she's more than a friend officially, but we've known each other for years. That's not a crime."

"You're impossible" She rolled her eyes and turned around to head upstairs.

"Wait" He grabbed her arm without thinking "What am I missing?"

"You know how sometimes Ag would bring you lunch to work, your office with the big clear windows."

"She didn't do that as much towards the end" he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly

"Think about it" Maria fumed quietly "she stopped going because she knew you were perfectly taken care of." She stormed upstairs until Georg heard the slam of her door.

Taken care of at the end? He and Agathe had already been fighting. They both felt trapped in the city anyway and Georg was so busy with a project at work that he had been neglecting family time. It infuriated Agathe to no end because they had so many children and she needed the support.

After one particularly heated argument they had gotten these things off their chest and made up in a sense. It was late at night and both had raging emotions. "That explains Gretl" He whispered to himself before continuing the mental timeline.

He had told Elsa in confidence of his struggles at home. She had left a long term relationship not too long prior and she sympathized. Sometimes she would come to his office during lunch and they would chat casually. But one day, the day after his and Agathe's falling out and subsequent make up, Elsa had entered the office once again. She had a rough night as it had been the day of her anniversary with her ex, Georg had hugged her and before he knew it she had her lips on his. She kissed him so passionately that Georg stood in shock for a few moments before pushing her off. They agreed to never speak of it again. Had Agathe seen? But why would she be angry with him having lunch with his coworker. Besides at the time it wasn't his fault. Elsa was the one who had kissed him. 

Nights were also harder for the couple, the arguing would be crazy and he would leave in the middle of the night. Sometimes he'd call Max on the driveway, sometimes he'd go to a bar, he went to a church once, but most of the time he'd just drive. Agathe was always sleeping till he got back. Georg didn't know how he didn't wake her but perhaps she had woken up before then and realized he was gone.

He put the pieces together. He and Agathe fought over work and time management, she also saw him with a co worker regularly, but to escape the stress he would leave at night. She thought he was having an affair! Then they fought and she believed all was over, they had communicated and she thought herself to be wrong, until the very next day she saw Elsa kissing her husband. She believed everything to be a lie and after a very blunt conversation she had made an arrangement and she took her two youngest at the time and fled North.

Georg had subconsciously walked to his office and sat down in his own chair. His head was in his hands and he was crying. He didn't even notice his house guest make her way back downstairs and stand at the door before approaching him

"You really didn't know did you?" Maria whispered. Georg looked up at her with bleary eyes and shook his head

"I was too stupid to give it any thought. I thought that perhaps she had just been acting on impulse those nights, I never imagined-I was a jerk. I was in the wrong, I know, but I loved her and I loved my babies. But I wanted her to be happy and I didn't know what to do so, I let her go" He cried.

Maria took a deep breath "She loved you, you know? She thought that she wasn't enough. But more than anything she hoped you would come after her and the girls" Maria said and he cried again. Maria slowly put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Georg stood up and hugged her tightly. Maria didn't know why but this seemed to be a moment of understanding, of realization they both had grieved, that their dear friend had as well and now the best thing they could do was work together. Georg sobbed into her shoulder as she held him "I know I know and I never did" She let him cry it as she said "don't let anything happen again"

 After nearly 20 minutes, they parted and left the room as equals. 

Hey Y'all. I have one more chapter to make up for this weekend. I meant to post it yesterday since it was done, but never got around to it. I hope this chapter answers some questions. There are still some unknown things but this explains the split and arrangement for the most part. Let me know if y'all are enjoying this story or if you have inspo for another one :)

thanks for reading!