PART 4

It was Friday evening, and Franz decided to go courting. He rode out to Laurie and Amy’s to call on Becky.

"Hi, ya, handsome," Becky said after she opened the back door.

"Hello, cutie," Franz responded back, then leaned down to give her a hello kiss.

"Do, come in."

"Don’t mind if I do." The two of them walked into the parlor and sat down together on the sofa.

"So what brings you here?" she asked, as if she didn’t already know.

"I just came to call on the most beautiful woman in town."

"In town? That’s it?" Becky said playfully.

"OK, OK, the most beautiful woman in the entire world." Becky smiled. "However, I haven’t seen the entire world." Franz began teasing her. She lightly punched him in the arm.

"Very funny." They laughed together.

"So how’s it going with all those extra people at Plumfield?" Becky asked.

"You should know, Beck," Franz used his pet name on her. Only Franz called her Beck. "You’re out there all the time."

"I’m only out there all day."

"And I’m asleep at night." Franz finished. "How am I supposed to know." He laughed.

"Franz, be serious."

"OK! Everything’s going fine, I guess. The kids seem to enjoy them. Especially Nat. He and Brian really get along."

"That’s good."

"Oh, I was gonna tell you. We’re going on another picnic to Walden’s Pond tomorrow. Since Robby’s feeling better, he’s going with us. I want you to come too." Franz told her.

"Sounds like fun. I’d love too."

"Great! Last Sunday’s picnic wasn’t all that fun."

"Why?"

"Because you weren’t there." He looked at her as if she should have known that.

"I’ll be there tomorrow."

"Good." He looked into her eyes. "Meet us out there at 11 o’clock." His voice suddenly got quieter as he moved closer to her.

"11 o’clock, sharp." She smiled, as he leaned down to give her a long, gentle kiss.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was just about 11 o’clock when Becky met up with the Plumfield group as they were heading out to Walden’s Pond. The day was a little bit cloudy, and there was a cool breeze. There were dark rain clouds in the far distance, which they hoped would stay away at least until the picnic was over.

When they arrived at the picnic site, the children scattered in all directions. Becky went over to help Jo and Michaela get the food ready to be served. Sully, Nick, Matthew, Colleen, and Franz went down to the pond with the children.

Franz walked over to a place where he could be alone for a few minutes. This place was just outside the edge of the woods that ran along one side of the pond. He looked into those woods wondering what was out there. He’s never been in those woods before.

Just then he heard somebody behind him. He quickly turned around to see who it was.

"Colleen! You scared me."

"I’m sorry, Franz. I didn’t mean to frighten you. You looked a little lonely over here." She said.

I meant to be alone, he thought to himself, but didn’t say this out loud. Out loud he said, "Oh, I’m fine."

"Just the same, how about a little company?" She walked over beside him. Both of them not seeing the little boy watching them from not far away.

Guess I have no choice, he again said to himself.

"Lovely day, isn’t it?" she said.

"Could be better. It’s gonna rain soon. You can feel it in the air."

"Hopefully it will wait until after the picnic."

"Yeah, I hope so."

"How about we take a little walk across the countryside?" she used to take those kinds of walks with Andrew all the time.

"No, I don’t think that would be a good idea." He said, looking over at where Becky was helping to make sandwiches.

"Why, not? Andrew used to take me on walks all the time."

"Then you should be taking them with him." Franz told her.

"But I don’t want to take them with him anymore. I want to take them with you." Franz began to realize what was going on.

"Colleen, hasn’t anyone told you about Becky?"

"Becky? What about her?" Colleen said, not really caring.

"Becky and I are engaged. Right now we’re going through a courting period, and the wedding date hasn’t been set. But I have asked her to marry me, and she has accepted." Franz explained.

"No!" Colleen said, now completely humiliated.

"I’m sorry. You should have been told sooner. I should have told you. Don’t get me wrong, Colleen, you’re a wonderful young woman. Smart, pretty. Andrew’s lucky to have you."

"No!" Tears began to fall down Colleen’s face. "Not again," she thought. Totally embarrassed, she turned and ran off toward the woods.

"Colleen, Colleen," Franz called after her. "I’m sorry, come back!" Franz ran into the woods after her.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Well, looks like we’re about ready to eat." Jo said as they finished making the last of the sandwiches.

"Yep, sure does. Everything smells great." Becky added.

"Well, then, let’s call everybody up here." Michaela said.

Jo got out the school bell, and began to ring it to announce that lunch was ready. Herds of hungry children came swarming up to get their lunch.

After everybody went through the line, Becky asked, "Where’s Franz?"

"And Colleen?" Michaela added.

Just then Rob walked up to the group. "Rob," his mother asked him. "Have you seen Franz or Colleen?"

"They went into the woods," the little five-year-old told them.

"The woods? Why would they be going into the woods, Rob?" Becky asked.

"Colleen likes Franz, but Franz likes you, and Colleen got mad that Franz likes you and ran off into the woods. Franz ran after her," was Rob’s interpretation of the conversation he had just witnessed.

"Oh, dear. I thought I noticed something different about Colleen after we got here." Michaela said.

"What do you mean different?" Jo asked.

"She wasn’t nearly as upset about her fight with Andrew as she had been the beginning of the trip. I should have known she was falling for Franz."

"My Franz? She was falling in love with my Franz?" Becky asked, the tiniest bit of jealousy occurring.

"She must not have noticed anything going on between the two of you, Becky." Jo said.

"That’s not the point. They’re out there alone together in those woods. Franz has never been down in those woods before. None of us have." Becky pointed out.

"Becky’s right. They could easily get lost in there." Jo said. "And who knows what kind of animals are in there." Jo said this more to herself.

The three worried women called Nick, Sully, and Matthew over to the table they were standing at.

"What’s wrong?" Sully asked. "You looked worried."

"Sully, Colleen’s out there in the woods." Michaela told him.

"Franz is out there too, Nick," Jo told Nick.

"They could be lost. We have to go find them." Becky was beginning to panic.

"OK," Sully calmly took over the group of six. "We’ll split up into three groups. Michaela, you come with me. Nick and Jo, you two go together. Matthew, take Becky. Be sure to leave trails so that you don’t get lost, and be very careful. We’ll meet back up here at two o’clock. Hopefully somebody will have found them by then." Just then they heard a crack of thunder in the distance. "We’re gonna have to find them soon." They went over and told the kids to go home, and leave the horses for them, and then they went off in search of the missing.