Their flight landed in Munich just in time for Oktoberfest. Grayson and Lili rolled their carry-on bags to luggage claim. Coleman and Maggie followed behind them. Keith and Katherine were jabbering about who could take the best pictures with the new camera they had bought.
Lili had a sweet determination to enjoy every moment in Bavaria. She knew how important it was to have human experiences to balance out the Gifts, as well as ease the bodily tension that arises with deep revelations.
Lili had a German heritage she knew very little about, but along with Grayson, they would walk the same streets their ancestors had. In order for that to happen, she had hired Molly as a full-time nanny. Liam and Deirdre stayed behind at Ballymurrough with the children. The kids were too young for so much traveling, and they still had to fly back to New York City at some point. Siobhan offered to stay as well so Kieran had a familiar face around him.
They all met at noon in Grayson’s hotel room. Lili had already gone out with the girls and bought traditional Dirndls to wear. They tied and re-tied their apron bows several times, getting it just right; off to the side was preferred.
“No Lederhosen, Cole?” Keith laughed.
“No Irishman is going to be caught dead in a Lederhosen. Unless he wants to be a dead Irishman.”
Grayson lowered the newspaper he was reading, “Really? I thought you would have jumped at the opportunity,” he said straight-faced.
“Well I’m wearing one,” Keith said joyfully. He disappeared into the bathroom with a shopping bag in his hand, and a minute later he was dressed in a suede leather lederhosen and a plaid shirt. He topped his head with an Alpine hat and was ready to go.
“Oh, Keith, you look so cute,” Katherine said, and then kissed his cheek.
“Don’t encourage him, lass,” Coleman grumbled.
“You guys don’t think you’re getting away with it, do you?” Maggie said.
“Get away with what? Wearing jeans and sweatshirt?” Grayson slipped his hands in his pockets.
“We bought you guys beautiful linen Lederhosen jackets.” Lili held them up.
“Blue for Grayson and grey for Coleman,” Maggie tugged at Grayson’s sweatshirt.
The men grumbled. “Keep it up and we’ll make you put on the Alpine hats too!” Maggie said.
“Ya know, it’s too bad you guys can’t go with the flow like me,” Keith fussed with his hair in the mirror. “You’d have so much more fun.”
Coleman grabbed Keith’s Alpine hat and shoved it back on his head.
It was the first week of Oktoberfest. Weisswurst, Brez’n, Paulaner, Steckerlfisch, Dampfnudle, and sweets galore, they ate all day and into the night. Before they left, Lili tucked in for a stein at one of the beer gardens with her brother. The others’ had Schnapps. Coleman watched Lili in her Dirndl sipping on a huge glass of beer. Her hair dangled around her face, while she laughed at Keith, who was telling another ridiculous joke. She and Grayson talked about life in a different way, more about the things that made them happy, and a bit about their goals, and the future of the brownstone.
Schmalznudel was a restaurant that served the perfect breakfast, with strong coffee. There was little conversation at the table. They were tired and planned an easy day, resting as much as possible without sacrificing the beautiful museums and shops they wanted to see.
Keith and Katherine arrived at breakfast with sunglasses on.
“What’s wrong with the two of you?” Grayson asked.
“It’s that damn Schnapps. Beer we can handle, but Schnapps, apparently, is a different story,” Keith explained, while sipping Lili’s coffee.
“The train leaves for Mittenwald tomorrow at nine in the morning,” Grayson said. “Do you two think you can get your act together before then?”
“Sehr gut,” Keith said.
“Oh, boy, he’s practicing his German. This will undoubtedly be painful,” Grayson said.
“It could come in handy.” Keith waved his travel-sized German dictionary in his hand, holding his head with the other.
“Or we could end up lost in the Alps,” Coleman mumbled.
Katherine and Lili giggled.
“Oh, I have a map too,” Keith said, unmoved by their concerns. He spread the map open on the table between the Brot, Marmalade and Honig. “I think we may be going to the most beautiful place in the world. I mean, I haven’t been many places, but look at these mountains.” He handed his cell phone over to the group so they could see the pictures he found on the Internet.
“We’re going to make it just in time to see the Mittenwald mountain sheep.”
“Really.” Coleman shrugged his shoulders and handed Keith’s cell phone back to him. “It seems late in the year, but the summer has gone on a bit in these parts. It’s quite a sight to see.”
The waitress brought Keith’s coffee, but by that time Lili needed a refill. She tugged her cup away from Keith and held it up to the waitress.
“This is interesting. They leave the summer pasture and return to their owners for the upcoming winter,” Keith read from the website.
“After breakfast let’s go to the BMW museum!” Lili said.
“Right on,” Keith mumbled, holding up his coffee cup with one hand and adjusting his sunglasses with the other.