Let's Start At The Very Beginning

Chapter 10

The first few days Maria being there were some of the best the children could remember. She took them into town to explore Salzburg and tell them everything she could possibly remember. Jane and Michael were in awe of everything, the buildings, the markets, the people. Meanwhile the von Trapp children weren't used to going out too much, much less appreciating the details of their town. Maria wanted them to appreciate Salzburg for what it was; she didn't realize how much she loved it until she was in England.

She took them to Mirabell Gardens, markets and when they were at home, she taught them games and how to bake.

It had been about three days at that point. The children adored Maria, Louisa kept to herself, and Marta was opening up, but Maria could tell the little girl was hiding something, but never pressed her. Jane seemed a bit off too. Maria assumed the girls had gotten into some sort of argument.

They were in the kitchen, Maria showing them how to make Linzer cookies. Liesl and Maria were whisking ingredients. Friedrich was prepping the pans; the four little ones were cutting out and shaping the cookies and Brigitta and Kurt rolled out the dough and kept an eye on the oven.

"Maria, can we bake every day?" Gretl asked from the counter where she sat.

"I'm afraid we can't. We'd all eat too many sweets and I'm pretty sure the cook wouldn't want to clean this mess up every day." Maria chuckled as she snuck a piece of dough to her mouth.

"Can we go outside afterwards? I think my boat is finally ready." Kurt exclaimed. Georg hadn't helped his son with the boat. Friedrich helped his brother and they let Michael tag along the other day while the girls relished in the time without their brothers.

"I'm afraid it's going to rain any second. I could tell when we were at the market today that it was going to." Maria apologized

"Is it going to storm?" Michael looked up at his mom, his big eyes full of fear.

"I don't know dear; we'll just have to see." Maria brushed his hair back with her fingers.

That night it did indeed storm. At the first sign of rain Michael traipsed his way to his mother's room. Maria didn't even get up. She threw the covers off to the side and Michael crawled in beside her. She secretly loves it when her son does this. It reminded her of when her children were babies or toddlers. Jane hated storms even as a 2-year-old and she would crawl between her mom and dad, safely cuddled between them.

Maria pulled her little boy closer to her and kissed his hair but at that moment she heard the door fling open and hit the wall. Michael stirred but Maria shot straight up and turned the lamp on.

"Gretl?" Maria couldn't help but smile, the pit in her stomach dissolving immediately. "Are you scared?" Maria got out of bed as Michael began to sit up. She walked over to the little girl. Gretl shook her head until another clap of thunder hit. Gretl's eyes bulged and she ran to Maria and hugged her tightly. Maria picked up the little girl "Where are the others?" Maria sat her on the bed next to Michael and then propped on the edge herself.

"They're asleep, they're not scared" Another clap of thunder hit and both children lunged for Maria and hid their faces. At that moment Maria looked up to find Jane, Marta, Brigitta and Liesl standing at the door.

"I guess you were right," Liesl laughed to her sisters.

"Look," Maria got Gretl's attention and motioned to the door.

"Alright, up here on the bed" Maria couldn't help it.

"Really?" Marta sprinted before catapulting on the bed. Maria shifted to the middle and set Michael in her lap, while Marta and Gretl took either side. Jane sat in front of her mother across from Brigitta while Liesl sat at the corner of the bed.