PART 3
“Surprise!” Bess and Nan entered Jo’s room, carefully balancing a breakfast tray and a small pot of coffee.
Jo pulled herself to a sitting position, surprise clear in her eyes. Her heart began to thunder loudly, but then slowed. Finally she managed to say, “what a surprise…”
“…I made some blueberry muffins. You’re favorite,” Bess smiled, as she and Nan finished telling about everything on the tray.
“And Asia made ya some fresh coffee.” Nan smiled, pouring Jo a cup.
“I-I don’t know what to say,” she looked over the tray, and then up at Bess and Nan’s smiling faces.
“The boys are right outside the door. We wouldn’t let them come in, but they wanted to at least wait outside,” Bess informed Jo as she looked over at the closed door curiously.
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you…For all of this,” she forced a smile, feeling the tears burn at the back of her eyes.
After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Nan and Bess quietly departed.
“See you later, Aunt Jo,” Bess smiled again.
See ya later, Mrs. Jo,” Nan offered her best smile, following Bess from the room.
Closing the door firmly, they found the hallway empty.
“Do you think she liked it?” Bess asked slowly, feeling a bit puzzled at Jo’s unenthusiastic surprise.
“I don’t know. She didn’t seem real excited, but that could just be ‘cause it’s her birthday,” Nan shrugged.
“Her birthday? Why would she be sad because of that?”
“’Cause ya turn a year older.”
“Oh… I still hope she liked it,” Bess murmured quietly, walking down the steps after the other girl.
As soon as Jo could hear Bess and Nan’s footsteps on the stairs, she clenched her jaw and fell back onto her pillow.
Taking one last look at the beautiful tray Nan, Bess Asia and the boys had worked so hard to prepare, a momentary thought of dumping it out the window crossed through her mind. But she decided not to. Instead, she stood up and took it to the other side of the room.
As a cry escaped her lips, Jo stumbled back to the bed throwing herself down as she sobbed loudly.
“How did she like it?” Asia asked Nan and Bess as they passed through the kitchen on their way out to the barn.
“Oh, ah, she liked it,” Bess shrugged, reaching for her shawl.
“She just liked it? That’s it? What happened to all of your excitement?” An expression of slight worry passed over her face.
“Yeah, she just liked it,” Nan pulled on her coat, looking over at Asia. “What else is she supposed to do?”
Asia frowned, and stopped what she was doing. “Somethin’s up with you two,” sShe placed her hands firmly on her hips. “What’s wrong?”
Bess clamped her jaw. “I don’t think she liked it. When we took it up to Aunt Jo, her face went pale and she tightened her jaw. She acted as though…As though…”
“As though what?” She asked gently
“As though she was disappointed that we had brought it to her,” Bess furrowed her brows.
“Somethin’s really wrong with her – and everybody’s noticin’ it, too,” Asia dipped her brows in thought. “You two get on out and finish your chores. I’m going to go for a little chat upstairs.”
“Got it all up and in the wagon?” Nick asked, watching as the boys loaded one last basket of food up into the wagon.
“Yep, this is the last basket,” Nat dusted his hands, looking up.
“Mmm…Mmm! I can smell Asia’s fried chicken,” Tommy’s mouth began to water.
“Don’t ya ever think of anythin’ besides your stomach?” Nan asked, pulling up her brows.
“Yeah, I do!” He shot back, putting up defenses.
“Well ya sure don’t seem—” Nan started.
“Kids! Kids! Stop it!” Nick called above the bickering, holding his hands up. “This is Mrs. Jo’s birthday and we don’t want to go ruinin’ it ‘cause we’re arguin’. Got all the stuff up and ready to go?”
All heads nodded.
“Sorry, Tommy,” Nan muttered.
“It’s okay,” he mumbled, turning a little red.
“Are ya guys ready to go and pick ‘er up now?” Nick asked.
“Yeah, we’re all ready,” Dan nodded.
“Alright then. Let’s go.”
Jo reached up and wiped under her eye. With one last sniff, she walked down the stairs and through the parlor.
“Asia?” She asked, peering into the kitchen. The housekeeper wasn’t in her usual spot by the counter.
“Rob?” Jo walked into the parlor, finding no one.
Just then, she heard someone bustling around in the kitchen.
“Oh, hi Jo,” Asia greeted, humming softly. Jo furrowed her brows, glancing into the parlor and then back into the kitchen.
“I just, I mean, you weren’t in there just a second ago,” she said, confused.
“I just stepped out back to get some cream out of the spring house,” Asia explained.
Silence.
Suddenly, Asia asked her a question. “Why were ya cryin’, Jo?”
“Excuse me?”
“Cryin’. I heard you cryin’ earlier.”
“I wasn’t crying. I had a headache and a bit of a cold,” Jo shrugged, hoping Asia wouldn't pursue the question farther.
But before she could question, Rob came gallivanting into the kitchen.
“Mommy, mommy! Come quick! Come quick!” He clapped his hands excitedly, jumping up and down.
Jo followed him out to the porch, a little curious to why he was so excited.
“Happy Birthday!” Everyone shouted, making her jump back.
“We’re gonna take you on a picnic, Mrs. Jo,” Nat smiled.
“A…A picnic?” She asked quietly.
Nick came riding up with a loaded wagon, a lopsided smile formed on his mouth. “Happy Birthday, Jo,” he said after jumping down. “Ken I escort ya to the royal carriage?” His voice held teasing.
Jo stood planted to the spot; the color drained from her face as she began to tremble uncontrollably.
“No,” she choked, shaking her head as she stumbled back. “No, No,” Jo turned and ran into the house, burying her face in her hands.
Nat’s smile slipped from his face. Completely devastated, he turned and ran into the woods.
PART 4
