Let's Start At The Very Beginning

Chapter 6

Maria, Jane and Michael did not exactly have a lot of worldly goods. They had two cases each and Maria had some things shipped from their house in England. Georg of course had offered to help move her in, but she knew the children would be a distraction. So, they left Jane and Michael at the house with the younger von Trapps and Georg brought along Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa and Kurt to help.

Georg offered to hire people to help her move, but Maria and her stubbornness wouldn't allow it.

That morning when Maria had gotten the key and opened the door for the first time, she was surprised to see it was still furnished. Those years she lived with her grandmother, unbeknownst to her, was renting it out, putting money aside for Maria's college. Maria knew her Oma had said she better get an education since Lord knows she couldn't get a man. Thus, the house stayed furnished, it just needed some major tidying and a few modifications.

Maria inhaled deeply as she stepped into the living area just inside the door. "Smells like mother." she smiled.

Georg came and stood beside his friend "It all worked out, didn't it?" he looked around. All six of them walked around the house. The living room was the largest room, but was cozy, with a fireplace tucked in the corner. Through an archway set the most cottagey kitchen one had ever seen, a wooden table against a window with matching wooden chairs, an old icebox and stove, unused for years. On the other side of the house was a large oak staircase which led upstairs. There were three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Maria didn't know if the children would want to share. They had to share back in London, but here they could stretch out if they so wished. The place needed a good dusting and home making, then it would be just like Maria remembered.

"Where do we start?" Friedrich asked

"I guess go out and start grabbing boxes," Maria shrugged. Friedrich, Maria, Georg and Kurt went out the door.

Louisa was looking at dusty pictures on the mantle, before she found a box as she opened the little lid she found pictures, but only about 10 or so.

"Louisa, stop snooping." Liesl came up behind her.

"Look." Louisa held the box to her but extended a picture to her sister. Liesl pinched it gently and examined it. It was her back yard, but a couple of the trees were smaller, the table on the patio was different. A teenage boy and girl stood at the gate next to the lake, while an older girl, who Liesl knew had to be her Aunt Hede, sat at the table and looked on.

"It's Hede!" Liesl smiled

"Is it mother?" Louisa asked earnestly.

Liesl held the picture closer to her face as Louisa continued to sift through the pictures. Liesl wasn't stupid, this was a box of Maria's pictures, why would there be a picture of her mother. "No, it's Maria, she must have had long hair once." Liesl looked on as Maria walked back in with Kurt.

"Go set that upstairs for now." Maria instructed and he nodded. Maria noticed the girls looking at the box she purposely left behind. She walked to the living room and set her basket on a dust covered coffee table and approached the girls.

"Maria, when was this taken? Liesl asked

Maria took the picture and looked at it, she didn't even have to think about it, but pretended she did.

"I remember when that was taken, I believe." Maria smiled as she reminisced.

The von Trapps had spent the day helping Maria pack and move into her Oma's apartment in town. Though she didn't have much, they respected that Maria wanted to take her time. Hedwig and Hede wrapped and folded diligently, and Georg walked up and down the stairs too many times to count.