Waltzing on the Danube

by Miranda MacLeod

  “Oh, better yet, I think one of these envelopes has a voucher for a private tour. Just take the stack. You really don't mind me going?” Eleanor smiled as Jeanie shook her head. “Thanks, Jeanie. Hopefully it won't take too long. I'll text you when I'm done and we can meet up at Café Sperl for coffee and sachertorte.”

  Jeanie sat on a gray plush sofa in the middle of the Italian Renaissance gallery, staring with awe at the painting she'd waited over a decade to see, which hung on the wall just a few yards away. She massaged her right calf as she sat. The muscle twitched and pulled beneath her fingers, the side effect of three hours spent walking through the halls of the Kunsthistorisches on a VIP tour with the museum's Assistant Director. The whole experience felt like a dream.

  When she'd arrived at the museum, Jeanie had been hesitant to make use of the pass Eleanor had given her. It hadn't seemed right, taking advantage of a privilege that didn't belong to her. But the spectacularly ornate galleries of the museum had soon become overwhelming, and Jeanie realized the best way to see everything she wanted would be with a guide to help. She'd expected some young docent, an art history student on a summer internship like she herself had done, so when a woman in her fifties had shown up instead and introduced herself as Dr. Birnbaum, second-in-command of the entire museum collection, Jeanie had been both thrilled and humbled.

  At first, Dr. Birnbaum came across as business-like and a little bored, and Jeanie felt a stab of guilt for taking her away from what had to be more important work than showing a tourist around. The woman had started by taking her to see some of the more famous pieces in their collection, including a stop at a special telescope so that Jeanie could view the museum's celebrated Gustav Klimt wall paintings in all their painstaking detail. And they were stunning, no matter her opinion of other pieces of his work. But as they approached the entrance to an entire Klimt gallery in the twentieth century wing, Jeanie had grown increasingly antsy.

  “I don't suppose we'll be making it to the Renaissance wing anytime soon?” Jeanie had asked, and her tour guide had looked at her in surprise.

  “You're interested in those? Most Americans seem to prefer the…prettier paintings, and some of the pieces in our Renaissance collection can be a little gruesome.”

  At that, Jeanie had pulled up the museum app on her phone and showed her the wish-list of paintings she'd put together. Dr. Birnbaum had broken into a broad grin as she perused the list.

  “These are some of my favorites, as well! I never get to see them as much as I'd like. Showing them to you will be a treat.”

  Soon, they were deep in discussion about their favorite artists and paintings. Jeanie had felt overwhelmed by Dr. Birnbaum's knowledge, but her guide had been impressed by her, as well, so much so that after they'd seen all of the paintings on Jeanie's list, the assistant director suggested a surprise stop. The museum had just acquired a new Caravaggio painting that was not yet on display. Dr. Birnbaum took Jeanie into a private room where the painting awaited restoration, and explained the process to her in detail while allowing Jeanie to examine the work to her heart's content. As she examined the brush strokes with a magnifying glass, the experience had overwhelmed her to the point of tears.

  Sitting on the sofa and viewing her favorite work of art from so close she could nearly smell the paint, Jeanie once again felt tears welling up, but this time they were from sadness instead of joy. In the years since she'd given up on graduate school and returned home to teach, she'd rarely had much of a chance to reflect on what she'd left behind. But now, surrounded by the masterpieces she loved, a sense of loss weighed heavily on her. She'd be back home soon, back to teaching American history in front of a class of bored high school students, where conversations with colleagues rarely strayed into deeper territory than complaints about the freshness of the lettuce at the cafeteria's salad bar.

  Spending the day with an art expert and getting a glimpse into her world had been a dream come true. In fact, Jeanie could never thank Eleanor enough for giving her the opportunity. But it had also been a reminder of all the dreams she'd given up on. The longer she sat, the more her regret weighed on her, until finally Jeanie stood to go. She needed some fresh air.

  Outside, the afternoon was sunny and warm. She made her way across Maria-Theresien-Platz, the large public square that separated the art museum from its twin building that housed the natural history museum. As she went, Jeanie passed people from every walk of Viennese life. There were mothers pushing babies in strollers, tourists with cameras, and workers on their lunch breaks eating picnic-style in the grass. Next to the towering statue of the Empress Maria Theresa in the center of the square, Jeanie spotted a familiar figure resting on the stone steps.

  “Dr. Birnbaum?” Jeanie waved as the woman looked up from the thick three-ring binder that was balanced on her thighs.

  “Oh, Miss Brooks! How nice to see you again. Are you finished in the museum?”

  “Yes. I thought I'd take a walk. I have another hour before I need to be at Café Sperl to meet my friend.” Friend? Jeanie paused, realizing she wasn't certain how best to describe her relationship with Eleanor at this point. Would girlfriend be presumptuous? It felt so right, but hadn't they agreed that this was no strings attached? Jeanie fought back a sigh. “Thank you again for the tour.”

  “But of course! It really was my pleasure. I hardly ever get over to that part of the museum these days, and it was a nice break from all this.” She gestured at the paperwork in her lap.

  “Rough day at work?” Jeanie smiled with her usual friendliness as she propped herself against the step.

  Dr. Birnbaum nodded, giving an exasperated sigh. “To think when I started this job, I thought all I would do is look at paintings all day. Instead it's nothing but requisition forms and reports to the board, and a lot of headaches.”

  “I envy you, though. What an amazing place to work!”

  “You're right. Most of the time it is. Today, though...” The woman shook her head. “There's a new education program starting in September and the person I had lined up to run it just fell through. It's so late in the process that most of the other top candidates have already accepted other positions, and none of the recent applications I have here will do.”

  “Oh, no. I'm sorry to hear that.” Jeanie gave her a sympathetic look.

  “There are so many restrictions. I honestly don't know where I'm expected to find someone with a background in art history and knowledge of curriculum planning, who's fluent in English. And if that's not enough, because of the way the grant was funded, they have to be a citizen of a country outside the EU. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack.”

  “I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly?” Jeanie's heart rate increased as she ran over the list in your head. “It sounds like you're looking for an American teacher with an art history degree who wouldn't mind relocating to Vienna.”

  Dr. Birnbaum nodded. “Yes, that would work nicely. Do you know someone?” she added jokingly.

  “Actually, I do. Me!” Jeanie laughed at the woman's surprised expression. “There's really a job opening for this September?”

  “Yes, there really is!” She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a card. “Here's my contact information. If you truly think you'd be interested, send me an email tonight and I'll make sure you get the information on how to apply. I can tell just from our conversation on the tour that you know everything you'd need to about art. If the rest of your resume is as strong, you'd be the best candidate I've come across, by far. What a stroke of good luck!”

  As Jeanie raced from the plaza toward the café, she could hardly wait to tell Eleanor the amazing news, though it didn't occur to her to question how Eleanor might react.

  Jeanie paused in front of the stone facade of Café Sperl and her heart skipped a beat as she spotted Eleanor through the window. She'd been desperate to tell her all about her conversation with Dr. Birnbaum, but only now did she feel a little nervousness about what her response would be. W
ill she think I'm too impulsive? Given Eleanor's aversion to risk, that was a safe bet, though Jeanie thought she could convince her. More worrying was what a job offer half way around the world would mean for this new relationship between them that they had yet to define. Jeanie tamped down her concern as best she could. Like riding her bicycle back up the hill, it was an inevitable complication that she could deal with when the time came.

  She walked past tables filled with locals and tourists alike, seated in solid wooden chairs covered in the same deep red upholstery they'd worn for over a century. The room buzzed with activity, a popular destination for a classic Viennese lunch. She slid into the seat across from Eleanor and leaned over to kiss her cheek, careful to avoid spilling the steaming coffee that already awaited her at the table. “I hope you haven't been waiting long.”

  “No, I just got here a few minutes ago.” The nervous edge to Eleanor's manner that had softened during her time away from work was more visible this afternoon. “I ordered coffee for both of us already. Have you eaten?”

  Jeanie shook her head. “No, and I'm starved.”

  “I hear the schnitzel’s good, but I can't decide between apple strudel or sachertorte for dessert.”

  “Why decide? We'll order one of each and share!” Jeanie was pleased to see Eleanor's face and shoulders began to relax as they chatted about the menu choices. “How was your meeting?” she asked once it seemed like Eleanor was relaxed enough to discuss it. She was dying to share her news, but wanted to be sure Eleanor was completely at ease first.

  “Oh, you know. It was a typical meeting. The clients ranted and complained for a few hours, and at the end they offered me a job.” She said it nonchalantly, as if job offers in exotic locales happened every day.

  The wheels in Jeanie's head began spinning at this unexpected turn of events. A job offer in Vienna? Jeanie could barely contain her grin. This could solve everything! No matter what they'd agreed the night before, Jeanie knew that when they returned to New York, there was no way she wouldn't want to continue seeing Eleanor. Choosing between a possible life with Eleanor back home or a dream job in Vienna seemed like an impossible task. But what if she didn't have to choose after all?

  Eleanor's face held an expectant expression and Jeanie emerged from her musings with a frown, realizing that she'd missed what was said. “Sorry, what was that again?” She pushed all thoughts of jobs and relationships aside and trained her focus on Eleanor's words.

  “I said that I had the plan all figured out for the next two days here. Of course there's a walking tour of the city that's not to be missed.”

  Jeanie groaned. “Another walking tour?”

  “I promise this one's good, and I'll even let you hold onto the book. If something looks terrible, just skip over it. As long as I don't know about it, it shouldn't bother me too much.”

  “That wouldn't be cheating? And you'd really trust me to be in control?” Jeanie's heart fluttered at the thought.

  “I really would.” Eleanor smiled bashfully, all trace of her uptight work persona disappeared. “And no, it's not cheating to look for ways to keep your sanity intact.”

  “In that case, taking a stab at another walking tour sounds acceptable.”

  “Just so long as you don't try to take a stab at me! Once we finish that, we can relax a little and take a carriage ride—”

  “Oh, I've always wanted to do that!” Jeanie squealed.

  “There's a concert with the Vienna Boys' Choir tomorrow night that I have passes for—”

  “Careful, I could get used to traveling like this.” It was only when the words were out of her mouth that Jeanie remembered Sylvia, who had gotten much to used to traveling like this. She tensed, but relaxed again when her faux pas went unnoticed.

  “Oh, and the butterfly house!” Eleanor's eyes lit up in excitement.

  “The what?”

  “It's a fancy glass house in the middle of town, like a greenhouse where they used to grow palms in the winter. Now it's filled with butterflies, and you can go inside and they fly all around you. They even land on you!” A self-consciousness skirted across Eleanor's radiant face. “I mean, it's not an art museum or anything…I thought it sounded interesting, but maybe it's not something—”

  “Elle, it's perfect! I can't imagine a more beautiful way to spend part of the day.” Or anyone I'd rather spend it with. The honesty of the thought caught her off guard. Her heart soared as she listened to Eleanor outlining all the plans she'd made for them to spend their time together. Jeanie thought again of her possible job offer, and all the implications. So much change and risk. So much potential for loss. She looked at Eleanor, whom she'd never seen look so excited before, and knew she couldn't share the news with her yet. There were still too many unknowns to worry Eleanor with any of it now. She set the news aside for another day. For now she would eat schnitzel and sachertorte, and hold Eleanor's hand as they explored all that Vienna had to offer. Difficult decisions could wait.

  Chapter 21

  “We'll arrive in Nuremberg in an hour.” Jeanie placed a cup of coffee in front of Eleanor on the bistro table, where she sat in her usual spot to enjoy the early morning sun. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Vienna.” She said the word in a dreamy sigh as she picked up her coffee. It had become a habit over during the last few days to sit on the balcony each morning to sip their first cup of coffee. The new ritual produced a peaceful feeling inside her that was unlike anything else she could remember. “All the times I'd been there before, and I had no idea what a beautiful city it was.” Because of you, she thought, but kept the words unsaid, uncertain how Jeanie would take them. They'd agreed to keeping their relationship strictly no strings attached while on the trip, and she wasn't about to break the rules. But in just four days the cruise would end, and then they could renegotiate. If we want to.

  She felt ice in her belly at the uncertainty of it, but surely they were both agreed on what they ultimately would choose. Right? Eleanor knew that things would be different when they returned home, away from the artificial paradise of vacation. It would be harder. But it seemed impossible not to give it a try. As much as she'd fought with Miriam about the pro’s of remaining single, Eleanor couldn't imagine not continuing to see Jeanie when they returned home.

  Their lifestyles were different, but that was something they could overcome. Eleanor just needed to remember that Jeanie was on a different budget than her. Unlike previous girlfriends who had used her for her money, Jeanie was very uncomfortable letting her pay. It was good, in a way. Eleanor preferred simpler things. And Jeanie understood her. Most of her past girlfriends had been driven crazy by Eleanor's odd behaviors, but even the worst of her panic attacks didn't seem to phase Jeanie. She took it all in stride. Plus, since Jeanie had entered her life, she'd felt more like her old, healthy self than she had in years. It was a feeling worth holding onto as long as she could, if only she knew whether Jeanie felt the same way, too.

  But she must! Eleanor pondered what continuing to see each other at home might look like. The distance between them, while not a deal breaker, added a layer of complication. Would she meet Jeanie at Penn Station on Friday after work for date nights? Or make weekend trips to Poughkeepsie? She shuddered at that prospect, city girl that she was, but she'd be willing to do it if it meant more time together. After all, if Jeanie lived there, how bad could it be? But maybe she would consider giving city living another try? I'm getting way ahead of myself here…

  She glanced at Jeanie, who was watching the changing scenery along the river bank with a blissful look on her face. Though Jeanie was naturally chatty, the fact that they could so easily sit in companionable silence for long stretches meant the world to the more reserved Eleanor, who sometimes needed to be alone with her thoughts. She reached out and tucked a long golden lock behind Jeanie's ear. “What are you thinking about?”

  “The Ferris wheel last night. I'm trying to figure out how you did it.”

 
“Did what?”

  “Timed it so perfectly!”

  “I swear, I didn't.” Eleanor chuckled, knowing exactly the moment to which Jeanie referred.

  “I don't believe you.”

  It’d been their last night, with more sights left to see than time remaining in Vienna. Though its voucher sat among the other envelopes, they'd nearly skipped over the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel, picturing a child's carnival ride. But they'd wandered past it in the late afternoon and discovered that it was something altogether different from what they'd imagined. The giant Ferris wheel was of the elegant nineteenth century variety, equipped with enclosed cabins large enough to hold several people at a time.

  And rather than a single trip around in a crowded public cabin, they'd discovered that Eleanor's voucher entitled them to a half-hour ride in their own private space, complete with a bottle of champagne. That alone was more romance than Eleanor was generally capable of planning with plenty of advance notice, let alone anything she could come up with on the fly. So the fact that their cabin reached the top of the wheel at the precise moment the sun slipped below the horizon, just as their bodies seemed drawn together by an unstoppable force…That exact moment when they kissed at the top of the Ferris wheel at sunset was the first time in her life that Eleanor had seriously considered the possibility that magic might exist after all.

  “Really,” she repeated her denial under Jeanie's suspicious gaze. “I swear. I'm a planner, but even I'm not that good.”

  Jeanie shrugged, still looking dubious over the denial but willing to let it go for the moment. “I can hardly wait to see what you have planned for us in Nuremberg to top that.”

  Eleanor groaned at the mention of their next destination. “How about we skip Nuremberg and find something to do on the boat.” She traced a finger suggestively along Jeanie's shoulder, toying with the strap of her bra. “I can think of a few ideas.”