The Sound of a Musical

5 - Eighteen Going on Nineteen

In two weeks, it was dear Liesl's birthday party, and we were all so excited. We had balloons and streamers and wrapping paper in her favourite colour. Even Rolfe took a day off from sending telegrams to help with the preparations. After he proposed to her, he decided to get something which he knew she would like.

"So, Rolfe, what have you got Liesl?" Brigitta chimed, tying the last ribbon on her gifts for Liesl.

"Oh, I do want Liesl to like it." all of the girls clamoured crowding around Rolfe as he took a small box out of his pocket.

"That small?! Oh, that just can't be! It has to be a bigger present, much -" Brigitta was stopped mid sentence as Rolfe took the lid off the little box to reveal a beautiful locket. A chorous of oohs and ahs escaped the mouths of the children. Martra prodded him to ask if there was a photo in it. He opened the heart to reveal a beautiful hand written portrait of him and Liesl.

"Why is there a gap?" she tugged the hem of his suit.

"Because when my dear Liesl  and I are married, she can put her engagement ring there if she wishes."  Oohs and ahhs all around. Out of nowhere, Liesl suddenly appeared at the frame of the door. Get out, get out, get out!!! Maria was on party patrol (a.k.a kicking Liesl out of basically any room that she entered - except her bedroom, obviously) and immediately pushed her out into the hall. She moaned at first, but moodily trapsed back up to her room after a few minutes. They were planning to trap her in her room until the suprise was finished (party!) and she would have the most excited on her face. Maria kind of felt bad for doing this, and all the lying to her daughter, but she knew that it would work out in the end.

Just then, the kitchen staff came rushing in with her cake. Ooh! It looked idyliic. There was white icing with roses and green icing for leaves and stems circling the outside of the cake. In the middle, in pale pink icing, Our Dear Liesl was written and it made the cake look even more beautiful than before. It was originally going to be a fruit cake, but Liesl didn't like those... So now it was a buttercream and jam Victoria sponge. Mmm. Lip smacking good.

The banisters were being wrapped in silk ribbon, large streamers lining the whole house. Waiting for her in her closet, was a gorgeous dress which they were all sure she would love. They had been preparing for hours and after the party, there was a dance (including the Laendler!) and a puppet show (cue The Lonely Goatherd, and a new song with the puppets they had written just for her). They couldn't wait! Many guests were invited.... and only a few more hours to go.... Although they had been preparing a while, there was still a lot to do.

Ring, ring, ring, ring... RING! RING!! Answer me, please, for goodness sake, I have good news! the phone seemed to scream. It was beginnning to get impatient, but luckily the good news was known by happy ears.

"Helllo?" Max said down the phone.

"Oh, hello sir, we're from America, we'll be flying over to Austria, we're the special guests!" the teenage voice chuckled.

"And what is your name?"

"Gabriella. Gabriella Montez - oh and Troy Bolton. We'll be singing for your daughter, Liesl?" she had a questioning tone to her voice by the end of the sentence.

"Oh no, she's not my daughter, although I wish she was. She's the daughter of Captain Von Trapp."

"Von Trapp, that's it!"

"Will you be on time? The Captain hates people who aren't punctual." A slight chuckle could be heard on the other side of the phone.

"Why, of course!" And with that, the call was ended.

             *        *        *

2 hours to go until Liesl's party is kicked into full swing....

The cake was looking unbelievably yummy, every bit of banner and ribbon was hung up under he permission of Marta (fun!). The staff had been driven crazy, but it was worth it. There was a buffet table full of food (mmm!) and people were starting to arrive. Woop!

All of the aunties and grandmothers came first, followed by more children, then extra guests. As well as Liesl's friends. (Since Captain Von Trapp married Maria, she convinced him for them all to go school and to meet their own friends. He gladly agreed.)

They all appeared especially early because the "special guests" were coming in an hour. They assumed that they were from Germany or somewhere close to Austria... Wow, were they in for a surprise! But hopefully a nice surprise, as they could sing.

"Wow, I'm nervous." said Gabriella, wringing her hands while sitting so tightly in the plane that her legs would be stuck together.

"Come on, it'll be fine." Troy put his hand on hers and smiled. "They'll love it, promise."

"Oh, I hope so."

"I know so." then, a split second later, the flight attendant called that they were having food.

      *    *    *

The children were practicing their scales and their arpeggios as they were warming up to sing to Liesl. An hour and forty five minutes. Poor Liesl had been trapped in her room since she had woken up (except for breakfast). She needed to escape to surprised. They had the camera ready too, they wanted to keep this in the family photo archive! Sorry Liesl. They probably would pass it on to her soon - to - be husband. (Sorry.)

The door clicked. "They're here!"

"Hay! How 're you? We're Troy and Gah- briella." They weren't from anywhere around here. They were American... Let's hope they're good singers. We'll even accept okay...

"Can you sing?" Max abruptly asked.

"Max, don't be so obnoxious!" Baroness Schraeder nudged him.

"Yes, of course." They said in unison. Okay.

They'd already warmed up on their way. They sang with the children and smiled. Thankfully, the children loved them. Phew.

"Here she comes!" Everyone leaped to hide, except Maria who stood in the room with candles a - blazing on the cake. The lights were immediately turned out.

I turned the doorknob to find complete darkness except fire on candles on my cake. They hadn't forgotten! I was convinced that they had and they were hiding me in my room to hide their shame.

I held my breath....

"SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!" The room echoed in chorus.

"Oh, my God!" She put her hand to her heart and sighed in estacy. "Thank you!"

The evening followed the same degree of joy. People danced in merriment and gladly downed cake. Happy birthday, Liesl!