The Touch of Germany

*5*

For two days Ludwig waited for this day. For two days, he waited by the mailbox for the package. For two days, he planned how he would give her the gift and how she would react. And now on the full third day, her gift sat upon the vast table of the meeting room as he waited for her on the overlook to see her reaction. Yet as she entered the room with a heavy sigh, he was freaking out.

"Sie gross Baby!" Gilbert whispered to him, holding him in place.

"Let me go, I can't watch." Ludwig pushed against Gil.

"Nein, be a man." he said, pushing him against the bar. "You keep this up and she'll hear you."

Ludwig saw as Marie walked toward his chair, eyeing the blue gift bag. "Let me go!"

"Quit being a pussy and watch." he felt Gil lock his arms behind him, "If Brie says she'll like it then she will."

"How could she be so serious?"

"Girls talk. They're complex creatures that leave men clueless and yet wanting. They sit around for hours talking about nonsense and each other and discuss how we men are idiots about everything all because they tell us nothing. Simple as that. So, if she talks with Brie and the others, believe me they know what the woman likes." Gil whispered harshly in his ear, "And if you don't shush, she'll hear you and be warier of the present. So, shut up or I glue your eyelids open."

"You were supposed to help me, not torture me."

"I am helping you. By not having you puss out on this moment, now shut up because she's opening it."

Sure enough, Ludwig saw Marie pull open the bag and move the decorative papers aside. He wanted to shrink away, terrified of the thought. Gil wasn't wrong, women were complex and testy if you did the wrong things and he felt like he did. It took all his efforts not to close his eyes and pray she liked it as a small gasp filled the air.

"Luddy." he heard Gil whisper.

He saw Marie's eyes widen and her mouth agape as her hand clasped over it, a tiny chuckle left her. He watched as she pulled out the stuffed kitten with the pink bows that Brie showed him, smiling wider than he had ever seen.

"Marie!" she quietly exclaimed. "It's Marie!"

Ludwig relaxed under Gil's grasp, shocked that Marie liked the little plush. Marie sniffed back as she smiled at the gift, wiping her eyes as she sat in his chair, clutching the plush tight to her chest as she continued to tear up and giggle at it.

"There, worried over nothing now." Gil said finally letting him go.

"She's crying?" Ludwig questioned

"Happy tears Bruder, happy tears." Gil said patting his shoulder, "Now go down there and give the poor Frau a hug."

He didn't have to be told twice for that. Ludwig practically flew down to the main doors to hold Marie. His own emotions a little on edge after that show, opening the doors he saw the room was completely empty. Where the hell did she go?

"Ludwig?" he felt a gentle tap to his shoulder.

He whipped around to see Marie behind him, her eyes beaming brightly at him, "I wasn't snooping."

"I never said you were." she smiled, "Guilty conscious?"

"Nein?"

"Liar."

"Ok, just a little. I was just-" he was cut off as Marie wrapped her arms around him as the plush he had given her rested between the two of them.

"Danke schön Ludwig." she said to him.