The Parent Trapp

Chapter 20

The next morning breakfast commenced as usual. Georg and Maria and a few of the children tag teamed cooking and afterwards Ellen and Maria and one lucky child, but not really, got to help clean up.

However, as Ellen was rinsing dishes that were goopy with pancake batter, Maria had recruited Louisa, who was taking her sweet time wiping the table off.

"You okay Lou?" Maria tossed her drying rag off to the side, getting a nod of approval from Ellen and approaching the table.

"Yeah" she lied. While she and Brigitta had indeed giggled for at least an hour the night before, she had laid awake even longer, feeling overwhelming guilt.

"You know I never lie because I can't do it properly, your mother always called me out on it" Maria giggled at the memory as she approached a couple steps more to Louisa, who had now stopped scrubbing and stood ringing the rag in her hand.

Ellen pretended not to be listening as she took a few rags to the laundry room around the corner.

"I'm fine, really" Louisa sighed

Maria crossed her arms and sank into her hip, daring the girl to be honest.

Louisa looked at Maria, realizing at that moment that Maria was only a few inches taller. Maria had proven herself time and time again that she could be trusted, but was she ready for this?

"I-" Louisa began and Maria's stance softened

"What is it?" Maria asked gently

"I feel wrong"

"Wrong?" Maria pulled out a chair for herself and patted the one next to her, indicating for the thirteen year old to sit down.

Louisa simply nodded as she sat before continuing. "I was so mad when mom left, she'd said it was so we wouldn't remember but she knew good and well we would. We spent years trying to contact her, and all we got were birthday cards and a Christmas note, no pictures, no news of Gretl, nothing."

Maria couldn't deny she thought of Agathe's older children often, seeing as how her and Georg's logic was most likely flawed out of spite.

"She loved you though, she often spoke to me about you when the little ones weren't around, she had her ways of keeping up with you, but she also feared it was too late to reverse any damage. She thought it would help ease the pain.

"Oh but she so easily could've" Louisa sniffed, trying her best not to cry. "And when we heard about the wreck, and we were all sick, well, we just didn't care like we should have."

"Oh Louisa" Maria sighed and took the girl's hand in her own "You can't help when you get sick" she smiled "But the fact was that you did come later, you mourned, you remembered her. I know it wasn't fair, you all have suffered for your parents' mistakes, but please try not to ignore the present. I know it will still take time to heal, but you won't get anywhere unless you choose to move forward" Maria exhaled, a feeling she needed to get that out as well.

"Thank you" Louisa squeezed Maria's hand, her more recent tinge of guilt bubbling to the surface. But she instead chose not to say anything, this had been enough.

"Now I want you to finish your job here and then you can leave, I'm sure Ellen and I are more than capable, unless you'd like to send your father in here, he flees like it's the plague when we mention dishes" Maria tried to get Louisa to laugh, but instead she was rewarded with a genuine smile and the girl set to work, and rather than going away when her chore was done, she chose to stay and help.

Maria had a surge of maternal pride coursing through her veins at that moment and didn't deny herself the joy. These kids weren't hers and never would be, but she was a teacher after all, helping kids was her livelihood.

Little did the folks in the kitchen know that on the exact same side of the house a similar conversation was brewing.

Immediately after breakfast Brigitta had rushed to her father's study in hopes of finding something to read. He had three large bookshelves after all and she never shied away from a new genre. She spotted "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" on a higher shelf. It was one of her mother's favorites, being a book nerd and all, and Brigitta had grown up loving the story.

She spotted one of the sitting chairs by her father's desk and picked it up, moving in the direction of the bookshelf. She stood on her tip toes and could barely reach it, but the moment her fingers brushed the spine a deep but familiar voice said

"You really are your mother's daughter aren't you?"

Brigitta gasped and the book was now in her hands, almost fell to the floor. She stood facing her father.

"Sorry I was just looking for something to read" Brigitta stated, still standing on the chair

"Well that much was obvious" Georg chuckled, in that moment he wished Agathe could see her, but he knew Maria would also get a kick out of Bri being a deer in the headlights for once.

"You can borrow any book you want at anytime" he waved his hand as he made his way to his desk

Brigitta hopped off the chair and slid it back into place, maybe now that she had him alone, she could ask, she heard Ellen walk by toward the laundry room, which assured her everyone was actually out of the way.

"Dad?"

"Yes?" he said logging onto his desktop

"Uhm, well, why didn't...you know-"

Georg's finger stopped moving over the keyboard, his head turned to his daughter, knowing this conversation was inevitable.

"Well, uh I," he stammered, there was no good way to explain this, but Maria had told him that one thing she had learned as a teacher was that children are so forgiving, but then again his daughter was not a typical child, if it were Marta or even Kurt this would be easier.

Brigitta trusted her father at this point, he had given her no reason since she had arrived not to, but she was indeed anxious about his response.

"Well, it was just part of the agreement. I didn't want to disturb you or Marta more than you already had been, plus it would have been hard for your siblings, living in between and all. We both agreed that this was just for the best, while it would be initially difficult. Looking back, it was wrong."

"I see" Brigitta sank in her chair.

"I know you tried, and I know it was hard and for that I apologize, but I promise right here and now I will never let anything remotely close to that happen ever again." Georg hoped that would be enough

"Do you miss mom?" Brigitta asked

"Yes, I do, I did. Life was just more quiet without her, she always saw details I couldn't, much like Liesl and you. I miss her now because she would be good at navigating through this, better than I am" He smiled in spite of himself

"I miss her, but I have peace" was all Brigitta could say, which was true. She knew her mother wasn't coming back, but Maria had helped them so much initially, taking them in, making sure they had people to talk to if they needed, giving them space. It made the whole grieving process as easy as it could be.

"Maria helped a lot didn't she?" Georg stated more than anything. He wished he always knew what to say like she did, although she was used to it he supposed.

Brigitta was just about to ask what the plan was for Maria when Ellen barged in.

"Georg, Elsa's at the door, again," She rolled her eyes before sharing an annoyed look with Brigitta. Georg hopped out his feet and walked around his desk, grabbing his daughter's hand in his own before rushing to the door.

Hey Y'all I hate to leave this on a cliffhanger but this was gonna be a monster of a chapter if i didn't. I hope you understand. I know I just updated but i honestly don't know when I'm going to get to again. Don't worry the story is all written so you don't have to deal with the "last updated November of 2018" frustration. But in a few weeks it should be back to regularly scheduled programming. If i can find time I'll update when I can. Thanks for being patient!

hope you enjoyed!