2Disclaimer: "The Sound of Music" belongs to Rodgers and Hammerstein
Liesl and Gretl: On the Day You Were Born
"Have you already decided on a name if it's a boy?" Eleven-year-old Liesl asked her brother. The six von Trapp children were seated around the living room while their mother, Camile von Trapp, was in labor with their new sibling. They had been left by themselves, since their father had insisted on staying right outside their mother's room. While with child, Camile had promised her children hey they could name their new brother or sister, sparking a great deal of discussion and argument amongst the siblings.
"Kurt and I decided on Rupert," nine-year-old Friedrich old his sister. "Have you and the others picked out a name?"
"No," Liesl fumed. "We couldn't agree on one. I wanted to name her Augusta, but Louisa said it was too old-sounding. She wanted to name the baby Heidi." Liesl wrinkled her nose. "Brigitta, of course, wanted to name he baby some old medieval name from one of her books. Isolde, I think it was. At least with Brigitta's name Louisa and I could agreed that it was horrible."
At that moment, the Captain threw open the doors to the room. The six von Trapp children jumped to their feet, all talking at once.
"Is Mother alright?"
"Has the baby been born?"
"Is it a boy or girl?"
"Father, what's wrong?"
"Silence!" Their father called. The children immediately fell quiet. He looked around the room at their young waiting faces, trying to hide a smile. "Children . . . your mother is well, as is the baby."
Liesl smiled in relief.
"And you have a new little sister," the Captain told his children.
The girls shrieked in delight, running up to their father, shouting all at once.
"Oh, oh Father, name her Augusta!" Liesl cried.
"No, no, name her Heidi!" Pleaded Louisa.
"What about Isolde?"
"No, Brigitta!"
The Captain looked down at his daughters in confusion. "You didn't decide on a name? Your mother gave you four months to come to an agreement!"
"We couldn't agree," Liesl admitted. "They wanted to give the baby stupid names."
"Hey!" Brigitta chided her older sister.
"Liesl," the Captain scolded his daughter. "That is not a word we use in this house. And it is certainly not a young word that a lady should use towards her sisters."
Liesl immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Father."
The Captain sighed. "Until you agree on a name, you will stay in this room."
"But Father, we'll be here all day!" Louisa wailed.
The Captain raised an eyebrow. "That long? Well, then, I'll offer you an escape. If you can't agree on a name by sundown, your mother and I will name the baby ourselves."
The Captain watched with amusement the look of horror that came over his daughters' faces. "Boys," he called to Friedrich and Kurt, "come along now."
With that, the brother followed their father out - and the Captain locked the door.
"Gretl?" Camile repeated the name her daughters had given her. The baby lay in her arms, sleeping peacefully. Looking down at her, Liesl thought that she had never seen a more precious, more perfect baby. Her head was covered with pale blonde fuzz that would surely darken as she grew older, like her older sisters' hair. Every feature on her face was button-sized. And when she yawned, Liesl felt a little piece of her heart die and fly up to heaven.
"Gretl," Louisa affirmed.
"Short for Gretl Heidi Augusta Isolde," Liesl couldn't help but add proudly.
"A lovely name," Camile complimented her children. "Where did you come by the first name, though? Your father told me not three hours ago that you couldn't agree on anything!"
The sisters exchanged looks, none of them daring to admit to Camile that they had picked the name from one of little Marta's books, a fairytale they had all enjoyed growing up - Hansel and Gretl.
A/N: Aaaaand that's all she wrote! I hope you enjoyed these little short stories. Again, thank you for reading!