The Parent Trapp

Chapter 30

That evening Maria and Georg were tucking in the little girls which left the older five awake downstairs. Louisa and Brigitta were side by side on the short end of the sectional while Liesl and Friedrich took the chairs, Kurt was stretched out on the long side of the couch, all five of them on their phones. Liesl and Friedrich scrolling, Kurt was watching YouTube and Louisa and Brigitta were sharing a phone watching Netflix.

Liesl was tapping through social media stories, she had been sad she hadn't been with her friends super often this summer, but with so much going on in her family life she didn't mind, there was always next summer. She got to one story though, a girl named Sarah who had been in her class for a few years, and Liesl looked carefully. It looked like Sarah had been on a camping trip with her parents and little twin brothers. Liesl looked up and saw the siblings on their phones, then back to Sarah's posts of her family who seemed happy.

"Do you remember that camping trip Dad took us on all those years ago?" Liesl asked out of the blue.

"No," Brigitta said without moving her eyes from the screen.

"Well, you were like two, but you came with us and so did mom. I remember how close everyone felt. We should do that again." Liesl explained

"Why?" Friedrich dropped his phone in his lap.

"Well, I guess it would be like a last hurrah before Maria leaves, and if she came with us maybe she would change her mind." Liesl suggested

"Good luck with that." Louisa drawled

"Look Lou, you have to accept it, this is the last chance-" Liesl stopped abruptly when she heard her father and Maria's voices up on the landing and watched them descend the stairs.

"Well you're social." Maria looked around the room.

"We're just talking about that..." Kurt mumbled and Georg reached over and started messing with him until he laughed.

"Dad, we were wondering if we could go on the camping trip like we used to, and if Maria could come? It would be like the final thing we could do." Friedrich asked

"How original." Liesl replied, leave it to Freddie to always take credit.

"Oh I don't know about that," Maria said as she nudged Kurt and he sat up so she could sit down. At that moment Georg's phone dinged, signaling he had gotten a text. Maria looked over the couch up at him. "Who is it?" she asked

He pulled his phone out and studied it "Elsa," He said, just enthusiastic enough to be believable.

"Why don't you guys take her?" Maria suggested and Louisa dropped the phone and Brigitta nearly gasped.

"Surely you can't be serious?" Brigitta said

"Yes, and don't call me Shirley," Maria joked.

"I don't know, camping isn't exactly her cup of tea," Georg even sounded worried.

"Oh come on, it would be a good chance for her to bond with the kids. Just take them and Ellen and I will keep the younger two. They can have some extra time before I go and then when you come back you'll have a couple days left with me. I assume it's just overnight right?"

"Yeah." Louisa said

"Great, that's what your mother said." Maria clasped her hands.

"But Mar-" Georg began

She turned around and slapped his arm that was resting on the back of the couch by her head. "It will be fine, I really think it would be good, for all of you." She smiled up at him

"Are you okay with that?" Georg looked up at his kids.

"It's fine dad," Liesl fake smiled, "just fine."

Georg looked at his phone after it dinged once more "I guess I should go take this." he began to walk to his study "hello?..."

"Well, I think you guys are quite capable of going to bed so I'm going to hit the hay." Maria stood dramatically

"You're reading a romance novel aren't you?" Brigitta quipped with an eyebrow raised.

"Wow," Louisa's mouth flew open "Who woulda thunk? This is some great information to have" she grinned

"Oh shut it, and for your information it's a novel, not a cheap paperback from the grocery store." Maria waved a finger

"Still a romance novel." Friedrich joined in

Maria simply moved her finger to her lip and gave a coy look before going upstairs.

After a few moments of quiet and they were sure Maria was out of earshot Friedrich threw a pillow at his big sister.

"Ow!" she threw it back "What was that for?"

"For agreeing to go with 'Elsa'." he mocked.

"I had an idea," Liesl defended "You're the one who stole it and told dad."

"Well when you two stop arguing you may be interested in a new idea." Louisa teased and all five kids ended up on the couch, until Georg came out of his study to find the older three still chatting away, Kurt stretched out on his stomach and Brigitta resting on Louisa's shoulder.

"What are you up to?" he asked as he approached them, clearly interrupting a serious discussion.

"Just talking," Louisa smiled, lying through her teeth.

"Alright then," He leaned over the couch and picked up Bri, who was getting a little too big to be held. He nudged Kurt "come on son." And Kurt lazily got up and followed his father up the stairs, the oldest three confident in their strategy, this was going to be one heck of a camping trip. 

Hey y'all. Unfortunately this story is coming to a close. I plan to upload twice the next two weeks and three times on the week of Christmas, firstly, because i have break from school, and also because it's like a lil something extra around the holidays. 

I've been trying the brainstorm ideas of new stories and I would love to know what you guys want to see. Feel free to comment as always. 

Thanks for reading!