The Parent Trapp

Chapter 36

Maria spent the day in her room, praying, avoiding, but what she didn't admit was that she was searching for jobs in North Carolina. Not that she was planning on going back there that would be crazy, besides she had already made up her mind.

Peg called her down, seeming to be in a more chipper mood than usual. She had answered the home phone with an excited "Hello", Maria assumed it was one of her church friends.

"Maria, come down." Maria traipsed down the stairs.

"Oh you look dreadful." Peg's arms feel loosely to her sides, Maria was wearing an old pair of jeans that had paint stains and a wrinkled t-shirt that she had slept in the night before. This had been her attire for days. Peg had yet to breach the conversation of the von Trapps since the other night at dinner, and as much as she knew Maria needed to figure things out on her own, she had an inkling that everything would work out regardless.

"Thanks." Maria deadpanned.

"Will you please go to the store for me? I was about to make cookies but realized we were all out of milk, plus you could buy those chocolate chunks I know you like." Peg spoke in a cheesy tone that made Maria smile a little. She had always done that, even when she was little, and there were many times when Gretl didn't want to brush her teeth or Brigitta rolled her eyes that Maria would adopt the same tone as her Aunt. 

"Alright." She held her hand out and Peg felt around in her pockets before handing her the car key and Maria gave a two finger salute before heading to the garage.

She drove to the store and picked up the food, thinking about how Kurt would have piled a bag of chips in the cart or how the oldest three girls would demand more chocolate, or how Gretl would be sitting in a buggy instead of Maria using a basket.

She loaded up the car and planned to call Georg when she got home. She missed him terribly and had loved catching up with the children. But she needed to hear his voice. Maybe she could visit at Thanksgiving or a long weekend, the air fare would be horrific, but man would it be worth it. The heartbreak she would deal with later.

As she pulled up to the house she hung the keys on the peg hook by the backdoor. She didn't see Aunt Peg in the kitchen so she walked to the living room. Peg's favorite chair was a rocking chair that swiveled, so she walked up behind it "Peg, I brought the milk and chocolate chunks."

The chair turned around slowly. "That's my favorite!" only it wasn't Peg.

 It was Brigitta.

Maria brought a hand up to her mouth and fell to her knees "oh my word!" she spoke through tears of joy as she held out her arms and the ten year old rushed to her and hugged her tightly.

Maria stood and cowered over her "Bri, what are you doing here?" She cupped the girl's face as she stepped out of the hug. Maria looked up to find Peg leaning against the stairs smiling, with six other kids standing in a group, the little girls didn't stay put however before running to her side. Maria greeted all of the kids warmly, hugging and kissing them like there was no tomorrow. Peg watched with a grin on her face, how could Maria not see this is the family she was meant to have. What once was deemed a punishment from God, turned into a sweet opportunity to love.

Maria dried her eyes with her fingers and was amazed at the sight before her

"What are you doing here?

"We missed you!" Gretl exclaimed and Maria bent over to pick her up.

"But why?...h-how?" Maria was flabbergasted

"It only took us five minutes after you left to realize how much we missed you," Liesl smiled.

"We wanted to follow you on the plane," Kurt laughed.

Maria stammered as she set Gretl down "b-but how?" Peg smiled even brighter.

"It truly is amazing how short the drive can be when you're in a hurry." a baritone voice came from behind and Maria turned around, recognizing it immediately. Georg approached her slowly from the kitchen.

"You really think I would make the same mistake twice? Maria, it's not every day a man's given a second chance. But I love you, I love you for your sweet tooth, I love you for your poor egg making skills, I love you for the way you sneak cookies to the horses, I love you for putting up with my snide remarks, I love you for your sarcasm, Maria, I love you for you." he had walked closer as he talked, Maria was still glued to the spot, willing tears to not come to her eyes.

"Maria, I want you to stay. I ask you to stay. We all want you." he grabbed her hands in his, Maria feeling protected by that small motion. "Please? I want to know if you'll be a part of us, this mess that we call family. Lord knows you deserve it." He chuckled.

"Are you kidding me? Maria was trying to remain logical, her smile had become serious during his monologue "You think coming here following me, bringing the kids and saying a Shakespearean monologue was gonna work?"

"Well-"

"Guess what? It did." she mumbled as her smile grew wide and threw her arms around his neck before kissing him.

Peg smiled widely, Liesl and Friedrich high fived side by side, Kurt said "yuck" with a smile, Marta and Gretl giggled fiercely, Louisa ran over to hug Brigitta. "Wow.." Louisa said.

Brigitta looked over at her dad and Maria, who still kissed "I can't believe we did it!" Brigitta squealed before the sisters ran over and hugged the couple, not caring if the kiss was broken, knowing there would be plenty more to come. Maria turned to see the children rejoicing and her Aunt crying tears of joy. She put her arm around Louisa and Brigitta hugged her father's waist. Maria looked Georg directly in the eye and laughed before he said "Maria, welcome to your family" 

Hey y'all. All good things must come to an end, but I may have a Christmas surprise in regards to this story. I've loved writing it so much, it's probably the story I'm most proud of. I have three other stories up too if you want to check them out and I probably will start another one as soon as I can. 

Thanks so much for reading!