by Liz
"Amy!" Jo sigh, looking around the big hall, "Why are we doing this again? Wasn't the 'Ball' enough for this year? Why do a…..a…"
"Christmas Bazaar," Amy said, a slight edge to her voice, "And Jo, enough is never enough when we're talking holidays…besides it'll bring the whole town together and-"
"Well ladies!" Laurie interrupted, standing on a tall ladder on the opposite side of the room, "Here's your mistletoe!"
"Mistletoe?" Meg said, walking up between Jo and Amy.
"Yes," Amy said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Think of how many unknowing people will walk under it!" At *just* that moment Harrison Bridger made his entrance, dropping the fifteen or so boxes he carried, muttering his apologies.
"Maybe," Jo said, arching an eyebrow and looking from Meg to Harrison with interest, "someone will try it out today." She and Amy shared a look as Meg gave them warning glances of her own. Meg and Amy soon wandered off, leaving Jo to once again make candles.
"Jo," Nick's playfully accusing voice startled her, "You ain't gonna try to set up yer sister with that Bridger fella'…." Jo simply gave him a mischievous look and called Laurie over.
"Laurie, do you think you could make the candles today? I wanted to see to some other things."
"Sure Jo," Laurie said. And with a smile and a nod to Nick, she walked off. "Umm…how do I do this exactly?" Laurie asked feebly. Nick just shrugged his shoulders, deep in thought. 'I think it's time Jo gets a taste of her own medicine,' he thought with a grin…..
He walked over to where Jo was standing and, after a few minutes of trying to "look busy" he tried to innocently ask, "Jo? Could ya get me that over there?"
"What?" she asked, confused about what he wanted.
"Ya know…over there," he fumbled.
"Oh!" Jo said, looking where he was pointing, "You mean over there…where Harrison is convienently standing under the mistletoe?" Nick just hung his mouth open a bit….and then continued his work….on the other side of the room.
Later, when everyone had stepped out for lunch, Nick returned by himself to the hall. Grinning with every action, he carefully used the ladder to take down the mistletoe and put it back up across the room. Then, with a satisfied smile, he left the rest of the room just as he had found it. A few minutes later, Jo, sensing what Nick's actions would be, moved the mistletoe herself to what she felt was the most "interesting" place for her little plan….
A few hours later, after everyone had returned again, Jo and Nick were busy in the center of the room, making the hanging paper lights that Amy so desperately wanted. "Oh Nick," Jo said suddenly, "We need those scissors over there…I'll get them. It'll only take me a second."
Nick grinned and said, "Watch out for Bridger on that ladder!" The mischievous glint now was in his eyes.
"Oh Nick!" Jo called back, "Could you go over there and get some more string?" Jo pointed to the table where Laurie was making a mess…err…making candles. "Sure!" Nick called out. 'Anythin' to get you over to Bridger and that mistletoe,' he thought. Once there he called out, "Oh Jo! Look! Seems like you and Bridger are under the mistletoe!" Harrison Bridger started to look around, as did everyone in the room - including Nick - but there was no mistletoe to be found. "What? It was there before!" Nick muttered.
Jo steadied Harrison on the ladder as he almost tipped it over and said, "Really Nick? I don't see any….but it does look to me like you and Laurie are under some!" Nick's face turned a shade lighter and he and Laurie, along with everyone else, slowly looked up at the ceiling. Meg attempted to hide a smile, and Amy unsuccessfully stifled a giggle.
Then Jo's voice practically sang out in triumph, "Well, what are you two waiting for?" This only prompted more laughing and snickering. As Nick turned to Laurie in utter shock, he found Laurie to be quite expectant and resigned. "They're always one step ahead," Laurie said. "What?" asked Nick, completely confused. Laurie shook his head at Nick's 'lack of knowledge' and decided to impart him some very wise words to live by. Looking at Nick as though they were already in deep trouble he simply said, "Never play games with a March sister."
Author's Note: Wonder how it ends? So do I!! But I think it's just better to never know…I don't think I wanna know! And if you know, don't tell me! Thanks for reading, and all strange, odd, crazy, insane, and yes….even normal comments are welcome and invited at Narful@hotmail.com!!
"NEVER PLAY GAMES WITH A MARCH SISTER"
Nick sure learned this appropriate and hilarious lesson well. We're sure he'll think twice about messing with Jo in the future!
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