The Parent Trapp

Chapter 29

After the children had woken up and eaten they felt a little better. Louisa and Friedrich still didn't seem happy and the youngest three were emotional, but overall time had been a friend and calmed everyone down.

Georg suggested that they take a ride down to the field and have another fun day, just the group of them and with Ellen gone they would feel less guilty of leaving her behind. Georg, Louisa and Friedrich helped prepare the horses and they made their way out. Maria rode Annie with Brigitta who seemed to be the quietest of the kids today.

"I'm going to miss this," the ten year old leaned back into her guardian.

Maria knew she wasn't talking about riding or summer. "I am too, but you can call me whenever you want and I told you I would do my best to come for Christmas and a couple weeks in the summer."

"I know, but it's just not the same,'' Brigitta shook her head and the two rode in comfortable silence for a few minutes. "Do you think this, all of this, mom would have been okay with it?"

Maria thought about this, she knew Agathe didn't plan on getting into an accident, and she had planned on taking the girls on a road trip, with Maria as well, down south, just not the Carolinas. She also knew Ag might not be thrilled that she had fallen for her ex-husband, but Maria knew Agathe would say it's not against girl code now, as gruesome as it was. "I think above all, she wanted you and your siblings, all of you to be happy."

"But Maria-" Brigitta began as they veered to the right

"Hmm?"

"None of us are happy..."

Maria leaned forward and kissed the top of the girl's head. "I know you may not be happy at this moment, but it'll all work out how it's supposed to, that's all I can promise."

The late morning was full of fun, the kids got some games stirred up and Georg and Maria even joined a game of tag. After they got tired they sat out beneath a tree when Liesl came up to Maria and said "I can watch them for a while." she looked down at her smart watch "Just be back in an hour." Liesl winked. She wasn't stupid, she saw how Maria looked at her father, and he, her. It was plain to see and even if their plan hadn't been perfect, she knew something had happened.

"Shall we go?" Georg looked from his daughter to Maria who was sitting criss crossed.

Maria was sure her face turned crimson and she couldn't help but smile. If she was gonna leave she might as well have some fun with their time left.

"Alright," Maria pulled out her phone and tapped for a moment, Georg sitting up and looking over her shoulder and Liesl ran back to join the game.

Georg smirked "I thought you hated order and schedules?"

"I do," she put her phone back in her pocket "But I have to deal with it to stay umm, what's the word," she tapped her finger to her chin "employed?"

He tutted his tongue "So I presume the clock is ticking?"

"Shut up and let's go" she stood up abruptly and walked over to Annie.

The pair rode around, Georg leading the way a bit on Duke, but Maria was never far behind. She honestly was gonna miss riding, there wasn't exactly any place like this in Boston, period.

Georg thought the same thing, he could so easily picture them doing this if the children were occupied, just them and creation and the horses of course.

They came to the base of a hill that had a winding path through the woods and once they reached the top the trees were a bit more sparse, leaving a clearing with a perfect view of the land. Maria had seen the hill many times by this point from the back patio, but not once this whole summer had she been up on it.

She could see the fields that surrounded the house, she could see Ellen's quaint cottage a few hundred yards away, the barn and the course, she could even see a few of the neighbors' houses, including Max's. Like everything was in reach, obviously not everything, town was about 7 minutes away, but this was straight out of a book, a fairytale land far far away.

"Perspective is wonderful." Georg said, hopping off the horse and Maria jumped back into reality, following suit, they walked a little ways to see even more.

"I don't know how she could've left all this." Maria shook her head

"Well when your husband's a pig-" Georg began and then they both erupted into laughter

"You really don't think that of yourself do you?" Maria asked as they found a large rock to sit on.

"Sometimes, other days I can be a mule." he loved seeing her laugh.

"I guess that's partially true, I think you just want what's best and your opinionated in what you think is best. Not to mention you spoil your kids rotten." Maria rolled her eyes

"Do not!"

"Do too, don't even try to deny it."

"I guess I can't deny it. I suppose Ellen and I will start redoing Marta and Gretl's new room soon, any advice?"

"Make everything pink, and don't bother with two beds, just get a huge one for them to share." Maria giggled "They were always much closer than Brigitta was to them, I figure part of its age and the other is Bri always tried to be the mature one even as a four year old." Maria smiled at the memory of her arranging silverware on the table in a thoughtful pattern even though she could barely reach it.

"How am I going to do this without you?" he looked down at her and she met his gaze

"I really don't think I contribute that much, I only had them on my own for a couple months."

"You don't get it." he shook his head and took a deep breath

"Those kids love you probably as much as their own mother at this point. You always know what to say, you click with them. You help Ellen but you don't make her feel inferior, Max thinks you're.. uh what he said the other day, oh! "A gem" is right." They were still looking at each other.

"And I don't exactly enjoy the thought of waking up to cook breakfast in the morning without you," he concluded.

Maria's heart was beating so fast she swore it rivaled a hummingbird. Georg looked at the woman in front of him, there was so much to love about her and yet she fled from it. As they leaned in closer, and felt each other's breaths, Maria could feel him pick up her hand and turn to look at it, Maria's eyes followed his gaze and they watched as they laced their fingers together, in front of the view of the house. They both turned back to look at each other and when their lips couldn't possibly be any closer, Maria thought this could be the moment that changed everything

Except a phone alarm went off.

Maria jumped back and silenced it before adding hurriedly "I'm sure even if Elsa isn't the best at making eggs she can't be worse than me." she was flustered and Georg was as well, sitting in silence letting his heart rate still.

"We should get back to the kids." Maria jumped off and walked to untie Annie and the pair rode back down the hill to retrieve the kids. 

Hey Y'all. I know lowkey angsty. The next chapter will start a new adventure in the book and you'll  hopefully see the Parent Trap influence, if not, you definitely will in the few chapters after it. I hope you guys are enjoying this story. Your comments make me want to update more and more so thank you so much!