Let's Start At The Very Beginning

Chapter 30

1 year later

"You promised I would get to put the star on top, Father!" Gretl stomped her little foot in the living room. The family was decorating the tree and the Christmas wreath, and it was chaotic as usual. All Georg wanted to do was finish this before Hede and her husband and son, and his own parents came in for the holiday tomorrow. Tree decorating was not supposed to take this long.

"Gretl you better be nice." Marta reprimanded as she and Brigitta unwrapped bulbs and baubles on the ground.

"Father, will you help us make sure this hangs straight?" Kurt asked. He, Friedrich and Liesl were all at the table preparing to hang the wreath from the ceiling.

"In a moment." Georg nodded before turning his attention back to Gretl. "Last year was a different circumstance, besides Michael has never gotten a turn." Georg tried to explain. Michael, who was standing next to her holding the angel, stuck his tongue out at his sister.

"Now son give that here." Georg extended his hand and Michael rolled his eyes as he handed it over. Georg traipsed over to the grandfather clock and set it on top where only Friedrich could reach it before walking over to the table to help the older ones rig the wreath.

Jane ran in the room with Frau Schmidt not far behind. "Sir, Herr Detweiler is on the phone. He wants to know if it is alright for him to stop by this evening to help prepare for your guests?" Frau Schmidt asked with a smile. Max had taken up residence in Maria's childhood home. He was just down the road and the perfect size for him to bring a couple of guests from Vienna whenever he saw fit, and he liked being closer to Georg and his family.

"Max told me to tell you to remember to hang the ornaments higher this year since Lukas will be walking now." Jane skipped over to Brigitta and Marta.

"No issues with that, the angel will be at the top." Gretl crossed her arms refusing to unpack any ornaments.

"You'll still be the youngest next year." Brigitta rolled her eyes.

"Father just likes you better because you're a boy." Gretl nearly swatted at Michael, but Marta held her back. "Calm down, Brigitta is right."

"No, Lottie will be the youngest." Gretl pouted.

"She won't be able to hold anything except her fist in her mouth." Liesl called from across the room.

Friedrich and Kurt were pulling the rope as Liesl, and Georg spotted the wreath as it raised. "Speaking of where is your mother?" Georg didn't take his eyes off the wreath.

"She and Louisa were changing Lottie last I checked." Liesl shrugged.

"Perfect!" Kurt exclaimed as Friedrich began frantically tying knots just like his father had taught him.

"Good job children!" Georg clasped his hands together "You didn't need my help at all."

As if on cue Maria walked in holding her baby girl with Louisa right behind her.

"It looks great!" Louisa ran over to her big sister.

"It looks wonderful darling." Maria approached her husband and gave him a quick peck, making sure the baby didn't startle."

"Well, it has to look wonderful for Charlotte's first Christmas." Georg cooed as he took his baby girl from his wife. Charlotte Agathe von Trapp was named for two very influential people only two months prior, yet Maria insisted she was her own person and after consulting with the children settled on the nickname Lottie. And they both mutually agreed the second after she was born that she would be the first and the last, 10 children were more than enough.

"And how's my little angel." he rocked her in his arms as her bright blue eyes flew open.

"All we have left to do is put the angel on top of the tree." Michael jumped up and down as Brigitta, Marta and Jane piled the wrappings into a box and pushed it off to the side.

"Alright then." Georg handed the baby off to Louisa and Michael ran to Georg's arms as Gretl moved to pout by maria. "Don't fret dear," Maria patted her head. "You can do it next year."

The children gathered around the tree as Friedrich retrieved the angel from the clock and handed it to his little brother. Georg lifted the little boy as he placed the golden angel on top and they broke into carols.

After the singing was over Maria slumped on the settee. Liesl held the baby now and Jane and Marta crowded around her. Georg sat next to his wife as Jane crawled next to him and Louisa sat next to Maria.

"If you had told us this would happen when I was six, I wouldn't have believed you." Maria couldn't help but laugh as Georg laced his fingers with hers. The room was loud and chaotic but full of love.

"Why don't you tell us how you met?" Brigitta asked.

"Max already told you though." Georg tickled Jane who was now propped on his knee.

"But we want to hear the whole story." Kurt said as he moved to sit on the floor in front of his parents.

"Not just how you met but all the little stories in between, Max couldn't tell us those." Louisa explained.

Georg and Maria shared a look before looking out at their children. Georg took a deep breath as he looked back at his wife. "Well children, I have no idea where to start."

Maria learned to kiss him quickly before saying "Let's start at the very beginning." 

The End

Hey y'all. I hope you enjoyed this story. I had so much fun writing it as I had never seen a concept like this before. Let me know your thoughts!