by Margaret
"Yeeeow!" Nick cried as he dropped his hammer on the porch floor and held up his swollen thumb. "Boy, I gotta be more careful, this thumb has taken enough hits already."
Dan only grinned, "Come on, we've gotta get this wreath hung or Mrs. Jo will have our hides."
"You're sure right about that," Nick replied as he nodded and picked up his hammer once more.
Inside, Jo and Asia had taken control of the decorating. The night before, Nick had hauled down all the musty boxes full of decorations from the attic with help from Dan, Nat and Emil. They were now strewn about the downstairs. Nat, Nan, Bess, Emil, and Rob had already excitedly pulled off the string that held the boxes closed and were going through the tissue paper. The giant tree stood bare and lonely in the corner, but everyone knew it wasn't going to stay that way for long.
Suddenly a gust of cold air swept through the downstairs as Nick and Dan came in having successfully finished their job.
"Well that's that!" Nick called out cheerfully as he took off his gloves, "Guess my work's done."
"Oh, no you don't," Jo sauntered across the tissue paper with her hands on her hips. "Your work has just begun," she said with a smile as she took off his hat and hung it on the peg in the front hall.
Nick groaned. "Well I noticed one thing that's missing," he told her.
"And what is that?" questioned Jo.
"Mistletoe," Nick said with a smile on his face.
Jo blushed and a tiny smirk emerged on her lips, "Now why would we need any of that?"
"For kissin'!" Nan, who had been listening, proudly announced.
Jo turned around and smiled at Nan and then turned around to Nick with a helpless look on her face. He laughed and winked at Jo, "Looks like it's two against one!" Then he took his hat off the peg and started outside with a small hatchet in his hand.
Nick was back soon, but the entire downstairs was already starting its transformation. Jo was in the front hall, wrapping the garland around the banister of the staircase.
"Wow, this looks great," he declared as he stood in the center of the hall, peering in to the parlor and dining room.
Jo smiled. "Now where's that mistletoe?"
Nick grinned and produced a beautiful stem of pine "Guess we need some ribbon to hold it up there."
"I'll take care of that," Jo replied as she took it out of his hand and hurried off to the kitchen. Nick watched her leave, longingly gazing after her but was soon snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Dan's laughter coming from the parlor. He stepped into the room to see Bess wrapped in the silver garland meant for the tree. She was giggling, her face beaming brightly while Dan was still twisting it around her.
"Dan, I can't get out!" she giggled.
"Good, you can just stay that way!" And he pretended to walk away with Bess giggling even more. Nick turned around smiling and shaking his head.
Late that afternoon, the tree was in the midst of its decorating. Dan had finally managed to unwrap Bess and the silver garland was sparkling brightly. The mistletoe was carefully hung in the doorway. The hustle and bustle between the two rooms had brought laughter from the children, who continually glanced at the mistletoe, not wanting to be caught under it with somebody. Dan started toward the parlor carrying another box of ornaments and Bess was carrying gold candlesticks to the kitchen to be shinned. Both of them started to walk through the doorway together, with their heads turned the other way. Dan's box bumped Bess' arm and they both quickly turned their heads and gasped when they saw each other. Dan smiled and slowly looked at the mistletoe and back at Bess. He leaned over his box and looked into her gleaming eyes. He quickly but firmly pressed his lips against hers. She grinned as he let her pass through.
That evening, the finishing touches were being put on the tree. A couple ornaments and the angel were all that was missing. In the living room, Asia and Jo were planning out the Christmas dinner and the table decorations.
"Asia, where are those angels that we put on the table every year?" Jo asked as she searched the table.
"Must be in those last boxes in the front hall," Asia replied. Jo nodded and started for them.
As she reached the doorway she gasped as a strong hand grabbed her around the waist and said, "You ain't passin' through until you pay up."
Jo slowly turned around and gazed into the piercing blue eyes. "I don't have any money," she said as a smile grew on her face.
"I guess you're out of luck then," the deep voice replied.
Jo looked up, smiled, and passionately kissed the man who had captured her heart. "No," she told Nick, "I am the luckiest woman alive."
A perfect balance of dialogue and narration. Dan & Bess's wordless kiss is a sweet and wonderful parallel to Nick & Jo's banter--and Nick's little toll trick is just too cute!
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