Let's Start At The Very Beginning

Chapter 15

Maria, much to the chagrin of Elsa, showed up at the villa every day for the next week. Sometimes she simply dropped the children off so they could work on their surprise or so she could run errands, however the latter half of the week she would show up and stay.

She was helping Frau Schmidt mend some clothes in a small sitting area one afternoon. Max had gone out to scout talent in Vienna for a few days, so it was just Elsa in the house, with Frau Schmidt acting as proper chaperone. This also put Maria in an interesting position as she subconsciously allowed herself to be a chaperone as well.

Frau Schmidt had been ranting about Elsa all morning to Maria as they sat and stitched "-and then she had the audacity to send her food back to the kitchen. Can you believe it? Anna had worked so hard on the meal, and she treated it like dog food."

Maria smiled in amusement as she finished re-sewing the button onto one of Friedrich's shirts. At that moment the phone rang, and Frau Schmidt began to put a skirt down she was working on.

"I'll get it." Maria folded the shirt quickly and dropped it in the "finished" pile. She walked down the hall onto the landing where a chest stood with a plant and phone on top.

"Von Trapp residence?"

"My my Georg you sound different." Maria knew immediately it was Hede. Maria chuckled quietly and put on her best deep voice "Me, different, how dare you insinuate I like anything but order."

"Pathetic Maria." Hede responded with a laugh.

"What can I help you with Hede?" Maria rolled her eyes.

"I'm actually visiting mother and father right now and after some conversation they wanted to talk to Georg about some things-" she was cut off but with a matronly older voice.

"Get to the point Hede-actually just give the phone to me." Maria held a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as she listened to the muffled arguing through the speaker.

"Maria dear, how lovely to hear from you." Hedwig must have won

"You too Hedwig, I've missed your company in this house."

"Oh? Obviously, you are at the villa today, but are you there frequently?" Maria could visualize the woman raising her eyebrows. As she heard a suggestion from Hede in the background.

"Yes, I am here quite often, my children and Georg's seem to have taken to each other quite well."

"You have children? They must be little, you never mentioned them in your quick and brief letters, which I don't get often enough by the way"

"Yes, I have, but I keep their lives private, Jane is now 8 and Michael turned 6 at the beginning of the summer."

"My my my, they fit in right with Marta, and Gretl I suppose?"

"Yes, and Michael especially loves having Kurt and Friedrich, they've practically become like big brothers to him." Maria said the last part without even thinking, yet it was true, and it was such a relief.

"Well, that's nice dear." Hedwig's Responded genuinely. "It sounds like you and Georg have made amends, however, do you mind if I speak with him? I believe it is high time Fritz and I come for a visit."

Maria's heart leapt with joy. She had not seen Hedwig or Fritz in too many years to count, and it felt wrong being in the house without them.

"Oh of course, give me one moment, I believe he is downstairs."

"What are you doing upstairs hmm?" Hedwig asked

"Sewing, if you must know. I don't know where he is exactly at the moment, but I will have him continue the call when I do. Just give me a moment." She set the phone down on the table and went to find Georg.