Part 2
"Good evenin' folks! Welcome to the annual Spring Dance!" said a man. Then he called out a song name and the music started. As soon as the wagon pulled to a halt (probably even before then) the kids jumped out and scattered in all directions.
"Be careful!" Jo warned, but she was smiling.
"Jo! Thank heaven's you're here! We really must start the bidding now," Father said coming up behind Jo.
"Of course," Jo said, nodding her head. He ran off but she hesitated and looked at Nick. He gave her *the smile* and said, "Go on!"
Nick milled around for a few minutes until he caught sight of Laurie and Amy. "Hey Nick! Don't you look nice!" Amy said.
"Well Laurie gave me the clothes-which I intend to pay him for," Nick said.
"Now Nick, really, the clothes were a gift," Laurie paused, and seeing that he wasn't going to win, he said, "So Nick, are you going to bid for Jo?" Amy shot him a look and then quickly smiled at Nick.
"I'm thinkin' about it," Nick said.
"Well you better think quickly, because the bidding's starting," Laurie replied.
And sure enough at that moment someone got up on the small "stage" and announced that the bidding was beginning. The fist person to go was Meg. She looked nervous and kept on smoothing her dress. But once she locked eyes with Edward, she became calm. Amy's slightly victorous smile almost made her husband laugh. There were quite a few bids for Meg, but in the end, Edward won by bidding $5. There were various other women, and some of them were younger women, and some fetched a good sum of money. The highest total was $17.75. Then it was time for the last lady. Opposite of her sister, Jo had chosen to go last. Slightly behind Nick in the crowd Meg and Edward had joined Laurie and Amy. All except Edward had nervous expressions on their faces.
When Jo came on stage, Nick gave a small, slightly proud smile. Unlike most of the other women, Jo wasn't having fits of giggles or blushing. It was clearly obvious that she didn't really care for that much attention, but she had a sort of gracious way of embracing it. Her smile wasn't nervous or suductive in any way. It was natural and sort of warm and inviting. While Nick was noticing all this, heavy bidding was going on around him. Before the threesome behind him knew it, the price was up to 25 dollars. When it looked as if the lastest bidder was about to win Jo, and Nick wasn't doing anything, Amy shook Laurie. He looked down at her in total surprise.
"Bid!" she hissed.
Laurie just looked at his wife, sigh, and called out, "26 dollars!"
Nick turned around to look at Laurie. He really had to stop himself from laughing. Meg looked uncomfortable, Amy had a smile pasted on her face, and Laurie looked helpless.
Nick turned around and said, "Forty-five dollars." The man nodded and began to write something down, then looked back up quickly.
"Did you say forty-five dollars?" he asked. Even Jo looked startled as Nick gave a nod. "Okay, $45 going once, going twice, sold!" Jo simply looked at Nick with an unbelieving smile on her face.
As the music started again, the crowd began to break up, some dancing, others moving aside to chat. But through the crowd, Jo and Nick's eyes were locked together. Even as Jo made her way off the stage, and Nick made his way over to the stage, their eyes never parted. Jo had a look of wonderment on her face, and Nick had a warm grin. When they finally were standing in front of eachother, Nick looked down for a moment. Jo began to blush and look away, but Nick quickly turned back and said, "Would you care to dance?" Jo's wonder grew, and she simply nodded.
Meanwhile, Amy was bursting with happiness. "Do you see that?? He's taking her in his arms! They're dancing!" she squealed, almost tugging Laurie's arm off.
"Yes, yes my dear, but must you pull so hard?" Laurie said with a grin. Meg smiled and gazed at her two happy sisters. Then she heard some one clear their throat. Beside her, Edward was looking at her intently. Meg imediately looked down and began to blush.
Edward gently pushed her chin up with his finger and said, "May I have the pleasure of dancing with the most angelic creature here?" Meg blushed all the more and barely nodded her head.
Amy looked over at them, then at Jo, and finally at her husband. One look into her pleading eyes and Laurie finally said with a laugh, "Mrs. Laurence, would you do me this honor?"
"I'd thought you'd never ask," Amy said with a sly smile.
A little away from where the adults were dancing, the children had begun dancing as well. Some of the boys were messing around, but Nat, Nan, and Bess were sitting and talking. Dan had been dancing with most of the girls, and it seemed that he was quite popular with them. Dan liked most of them; they were really fun and interesting to talk to. However, some of them were just plain flirts, and Dan was definately not interested in that. Nan and Nat had been having an interesting conversation about his latest story, while Bess pretended to listen. She had been asked to dance a few times, but she really didn't feel up to it. Or at least that was what she said.
"Look at all them people dancin'," Nan said. She gave a sidelong glance towards Nat and said cautiously, "Looks a little fun."
Nat stared down at his shoes for a while, and then, trying to be casual and acting like he didn't really even care, he said, "Well, maybe we should try it."
"Sure," Nan said, excitement in her voice. Then she quickly changed her voice to sound like she didn't care and said, "I mean, sure....why not?" They both looked up at eachother at the same time, and smiled. Nat got up and held out his hand, and Nan took it.
Bess gave a little look of longing in their direction, and then went back to her hobby of watching Dan dance. She'd been doing it all evening, only half listening to Nat and Nan's conversation. Suddenly she realized that Dan had disappeared.
'Probably found a girl he liked more than the rest,' she thought glumly. Just then a shadow fell over her. She looked up and saw Dan with a sheepish look on his face.
"What do ya say Bess? Wanna dance?" he said, giving her that darling half grin. He held out his hand, and tried to act cool and calm. Really, inside, he was freaking out. Bess was the only girl he really wanted to dance with.....but she was Bess. Still......
'Say yes! Say yes!' Bess screamed in her mind, 'This is what you wanted!' Instead she said, "What Dan, ran out of girls?" Dan just gave her a look and began to walk away. 'No!' Bess' mind screamed. "Dan wait!" she called. He turned around and she thought for a moment that she had seen a look of hope in his eyes. "I can't dance this dance," Bess said quietly.
"What?" Dan looked at her in disbelief, "You? Didn't your mother get you dancing lessons?"
"Yes," she said in a defensive voice, "But they never taught me these strange reels." Dan was about to reply with a snappy comeback when suddenly the song stopped.
"Well folks! It's time for our first slow song of the evenin'," the fiddle player said, and a sweet old waltz started up.
"Can ya dance to this?" Dan asked, half mockingly.
"Why yes I can," Bess said with a smaill smile, acting overproper.
"Well in that case," Dan said using a stuffy accent, "Shall we?" He held out his hand, which Bess took with a small laugh. Of course within two minutes, it was back to bickering ......"Dan! You stepped on my foot!" "Well maybe if you knew how to dance!"......
Jo was slightly out of breath from all the dancing she'd been doing. She couldn't remember when she'd had so much fun! Then they announced the first slow song of the evening. Jo gave a pained glance in Nick's direction......he probably didn't know how to dance a waltz, seeing as he practically grew up on a ship.
"It's alright Nick, you don't have to," Jo said with a kind smile.
Nick just gave her *the look* and said, "You don't think I can dance?" Jo just looked down at her shoes as if to say, 'Well you said it, I didn't.'
That's why she was rather shocked when Nick's arms went around her, and he began leading her around the floor. "Nick! Where ever did you-"
"I've danced with some pretty interesting ladies during my time at sea," Nick said, a hint of bragging in his voice.
"Oh," said Jo with a laugh, "I see."
"Course, they never did compare with the one's here..." Nick trailed off. Jo looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, which caused Nick to turn slightly red. After that both of them danced in silence, both "secretly" enjoying the nearness of their companion.
As the evening drew to an end, Franz approched Jo, "Franz! What's wrong? Are the children okay?" Jo asked, clearly alarmed.
"Yes, but they're all asleep. Aunt Jo, may I have a word with you?" Franz motioned her over to the side. Franz began, "Aunt Jo, there was something I was hoping to speak with you about before the celebration tonight, but since I didn't get a chance....Aunt Jo, I still miss Uncle, even after all this time. Now only you can say if it is still too soon....but please don't confuse too soon with being scared."
Jo looked down at her shoes for a moment and then said, "You're right, it's getting late and we should be heading home." She hugged him tightly and then he was gone. She stood thinking for a while, and didn't notice when Nick came up behind her.
"Somethin' wrong?" Nick asked.
"No, it's just time to go," Jo said. "And Franz just wanted to speak with me about something." Jo thought to herself for a moment, nodded and said, "Let's go check on the children." Nick nodded and they walked off together. As they were walking, Jo's mind noticed only one thing-Nick's hand on the small of her back. It brought a smile to her lips, which Nick noticed.
"Mind sharing what's so funny?" he said. A billion thoughts raced through his mind and he began to remove his hand. Jo caught his hand in her own and said, "Nothing, let's go."
The ride home was quiet, as all of the children were completely worn out. After making sure all were safely tucked in bed, Jo tried to get some sleep, but found herself restless. She went down to the kitchen hoping for a bite to eat, but she found that she wasn't really hungry. Instead, she grabbed a shawl and walked outside. She milled around for a while, and finally decided to go to the schoolhouse.
Upon entering, the familiar smell of chalk greeted her. She ran her hand along Franz's desk, then walked over to the picture of her husband. 'Is it just fear?' she wondered. Just then Nick walked into the schoolhouse.
"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked from the doorway. Jo quickly turned around.
"No," she said, pulling her shawl tighter around her. She was confused, and seeing Nick would only make her sleep even less, "But now I'm actually feeling a little better, so I might try to catch a few hours."
She began to leave but Nick blocked her way by standing in the doorway. She gave him a look of surprise and said questioningly, "Nick?" Nick took her hand and Jo felt panic overtake her. This was a classic Jo and Nick akward moment. Both were too shy and scared to say anything, and then they'd both go on their way. But this time, Jo felt as though Nick might finally break that barrier; he might finally go beyond that "temporary" line she'd drawn so long ago.
"Nick, it's late," she said quietly, removing her hand from his.
"Course, I'm sorry Jo," Nick said sheepishly shaking his head.
Jo walked a few yards away from the school house and then stopped and turned around. Nick had also turned around and was looking at her. She wanted to say something so badly, but the fear and panic that always seemed to overtake her did just that. With one last apoligetic glance towards Nick, she went back to the house.
Franz, who was watching from the front window at the house, sigh. Then he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a noise. He spun around only to see Nan.
"Geez Franz, it's only us, you don't have to act all crazy," Nan said.
"What are you children doing up?" Franz asked.
"We wanted to see what would happen with Mrs. Jo and Nick," Bess answered. Behind her, Nat and Dan nodded their heads.
"You mean you were spying??" Franz said, "How many times must I tell you children? Do not spy on people!"
Dan stepped forward with a big grin on his face, "And uh, what were you doing Franz?"
Franz's shoulders sagged as he realized he was beaten. "Great," said Nan, moving closer to the window, "Now that we've got all that settled, did you see what happened? Nothing!"
"Well Nan, we tried," said Franz, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
"Unless...." Nan got a mischevious grin on her face. Nat groaned and slapped his forhead with the palm of his hand.
"No, please no," he muttered.
"I bet that horse just didn't have a Plan C Franz. But we do!" Nan exclaimed.
"We do?" Bess asked in a fearful voice.
"Oh yeah, and this time, it's sure to work!" Nan said.
