PART 2
"Here we are in Millville," Father announced.
"The doctor's office is right over there," Marmee said, pointing at the office so that Nicky would not have to ask. He nodded appreciatively.
"Thank y'all kindly for yer help and fer the fine food," Nicky said as he climbed slowly out of the wagon and picked Ben up.
Without a second look, Nicky walked up the steps of the doctor's office, his mind again completely focused on getting help for his brother.
"I need to speak with you, young lady," Marmee said firmly to Jo as they watched Nicky knock on the doctor's door.. She proceeded to explain to Jo that the older boy could not read. "Not everyone is lucky enough to get an education. You should think about how fortunate you really are."
Jo felt terrible about the stinging remarks she had made to him earlier. She thought that everybody should have a chance to be educated and to learn to read. She vowed to do something about it when she was old enough.
Nicky was now talking to the doctor. "He's mighty sick, sir. I have some money," he told him, pulling a few coins out of his pocket. "And I'll work ta pay the rest. I'll do anythin'," Nicky went on, wheezing heavily. "I'll start now. Got some wood ta be chopped? Need yer roof fixed? Need some cleanin'? I'll do anythin', sir. Just help 'im." He began to cough hard and despite the cold, was sweating.
"Slow down there, young fella. Why don't you bring your brother in and let me take a look at him?"
Jo watched as Nicky came out of the doctor's office. He did not look very happy. The doctor told him, "I cannot let a child take the whole bottle of medicine with him. Just bring your brother back in four hours and I can give him another dose."
"Can't do that, sir. We're not from around here and…"
"Exactly. All the more reason why I cannot give it to you. The best I can do is to tell you to bring him back,' the doctor said.
"I tol' ya I'll work fer it," Nicky pleaded.
"Bring him back in four hours," the doctor said again as he began to close the door.
Nicky looked around frustrated as Jo walked over, leading Father by the hand. "What seems to be the problem, Doctor? This should cover the cost of the medicine, should it not?" Father said as he handed the doctor a few bills.
"Are they with you?" the doctor asked.
"Yes," said Father.
The doctor took the money and handed the medicine to Father. "Should have said that from the start, young fella," the doctor told a stunned Nicky.
Nicky sat down on the steps, shaking and shivering, the blanket providing little warmth.
Jo took the bottle of medicine and handed it to Nicky. He nodded his head in thanks, unable to speak.
Then he turned and looked up at Mr. March. "Thank ya kindly, sir," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the coins he had been carrying. "This is for the medicine. Ain't much, but it's all I got."
"That is not necessary," said Father. "It was our pleasure to help you."
"Don't take no charity," Nicky said firmly, holding his hand out to him, the coins in his cold palm. "Ben's my brother and I aim to take care o' him."
"All right son," Father said, realizing the boy would be upset if he did not accept.
"Excuse me, sir, but I ain't your son," Nicky said as politely as he could.
Jo looked at Father, whose eyes were filled with understanding and compassion. She loved him so dearly and could not begin to imagine what it would be like to lose him.
"You should take the medicine, too," Jo told Nicky, sitting down next to him on the stairs.
"Nah. He needs it. I'll be alright."
As Nicky was overcome by another coughing fit, Jo reached over and rubbed his back. She looked at Father.
"We'll make you a deal," Jo said, when the coughing had subsided. "If you take some of that medicine, we will give you a ride back home."
Overcome by the whole situation, Nicky could not answer. He was cold, weak and exhausted as well as scared and filled with grief.
"Don't be so stubborn," Jo said smiling and gently elbowing him in the ribs.
He just looked at her.
"I'm sorry for what I said before. You are not mean. Your brother is lucky to have you," she told him.
"He'd be luckier to have our folks 'stead o' me," Nicky said sadly, looking at the dirt. Jo put her arm across his back again and they sat quietly for a minute. She could feel every breath rattling through him.
"So, are you going to take that medicine so we can get going?" Jo asked, smiling.
"Alright," Nicky responded with just a touch of a smile.
Jo rather enjoyed the ride back. She was pleased with herself for convincing her parents to help the two boys. She really liked the older boy and was very curious to see where he lived. She even wanted to ask her parents if they could take the boys home with them. She watched Nicky as they rode. He was probably a really fun kid, but right now he looked so cold, so sad. She pulled her coat tighter around her and moved a little closer to Marmee. She could not imagine losing her.
The ride back seemed endless for Nicky, but he dreaded getting back nonetheless. How could he call it home anymore? It was just a small log cabin with dirt floors and a million memories of happier times. Everything would be just as he had left it. There would be no clothes that Ma had hung on the line, no wood that Pa had chopped, no Susanna running out to greet him. All that would be there would be three fresh graves.
He was shivering, coughing, and wheezing. He was exhausted and sweating with fever. He could barely keep his eyes open, but he did not want to fall asleep, not there in front of everybody, not with Ben counting on him.
Marmee noticed his head nodding and his struggle to stay awake. "When did you sleep last?" she asked him.
He looked at her bleary eyed. "A few nights ago," he answered. "Ben's been mighty sick. He needed me."
"Well, we are here now if he needs anything. Why don't you lie down and get some sleep now. You must be exhausted."
"Thank ya, Ma'am, but I'm alright," he said stubbornly, forcing his eyes to stay open.
He was relieved when Meg suggested to her sisters that they play a game she called Rigmarole. He had never heard of it, but any distraction was all right with him.
Meg told Beth that it was her turn to start the game. Nicky looked at her just as her sisters did. She looked at Nicky and looked down. He turned away.
"Go ahead and start, Beth. It's all right dear," Jo said to her beloved little sister. Jo could not imagine losing her as Nicky had lost his sister. She shuddered, but then smiled as Beth began the game.
Everyone listened as Beth told the story. It was just getting exciting when she turned to Amy and told her it was her turn.
As Amy picked up the story where Beth left off, Nicky realized that he knew the game. He often played it with his friends when they had time together. But they just called it the Story Game. He listened intently as Amy and then Meg continued the story in turn.
Meg stopped her story just as the hero, standing on the deck of a ship, saw a boat approaching. She looked up.
"Can I play?" Nicky asked excitedly, a sparkle in his eyes.
"Of course, go ahead," Meg replied.
"But it is supposed to be my turn, Meg," Jo complained.
"That's alright. I don't mind," Nicky said, looking out the back of the wagon again. Jo noticed that the sparkle was gone from his eyes.
"No, you go ahead. I can go after you," she consented.
"Ya sure?" Nicky asked smiling. "I love this game."
"Ya gonna have pirates again, Nicky?" Ben asked quietly. "Ya gotta have pirates."
"Ya want 'em Ben? Alright."
Jo smiled at the thought. It would be nice to hear somebody else's pirate story for once.
So, Nicky picked up the story as the ship approached. He told of cannon balls and fistfights, sword duals and gun battles. Jo was a little jealous that somebody else told a pirate story as exciting as hers, but she took mental notes for ideas to use the next time. She was happy to see how thrilled Nicky was as he spoke. He was a great storyteller.
Nicky stopped for a moment as a coughing fit hit him. Then Ben whined "I want Mama," as he fell asleep in front of Nicky.
Suddenly, Nicky's tone changed. As he gently stroked Ben's hair, he quickly finished his part of the story saying, "So, the pirates picked him up half dead and threw him in the water. He had lost everything and now he was alone." He looked at Jo, "Your turn." Then he looked away.
Jo was rather surprised at his sudden change in demeanor, but she really wanted to impress him with her story. She told how the hero valiantly struggled to undo the ropes that bound his wrists. He succeeded, despite the pain of the salty sea water in his wounds. Being careful not to draw attention from the ship he began to swim towards the shore. It was just a sliver in the distance now, but the hero was never one to give up hope and he pushed on.
Nicky listened half-heartedly. His parents and sister filled his thoughts. He was so tired that all he wanted to do was sleep. His head nodded. He fought the urge. He tried to listen to the story as the hero made it to shore and was found on the beach by a beautiful young woman.
Nicky's eyes closed and he crumbled to the side, sound asleep.
"He didn't even let me finish my story," Jo complained.
"He was exhausted, Jo," Meg said, looking at the poor boy with pity. Jo moved across the wagon and reached to him.
"Let him sleep," Amy suggested.
"I will Amy," Jo whispered. "I just want to fix his blanket. He is shivering fiercely."
"Put this on him, too, then," Beth said, offering the thick blanket that covered Beth's and Amy's legs. Amy agreed.
"His pirate story was really good, wasn't it?" Jo asked as she covered him gently with the blanket. The sisters nodded in agreement.
"But your story was really good, too, Jo. Please go on," Beth requested.
"I will. In a minute, but," she blushed a little, "don't you think he is cute? Those sparkling blue eyes!" she whispered, nodding at Nicky as he slept.
"Jo! Please act like a lady," Marmee scolded as the sisters giggled their agreement. Marmee smiled, too.
"Sorry," Jo said. She picked up the story where she left off, watching Nicky as he lay sweating and wheezing in a fitful sleep.
Jo had finished the story when Nicky began tossing and turning. "Mama!" he mumbled. "Please don't leave me. Papa! Please don't go. Susanna? Mama? Papa?" He was sweating profusely in his sleep. "Mama!!!!" he screamed as he awoke.
He sat bolt upright, sweating and shaking and breathing hard, as everyone looked at him. He tried to collect himself.
Awakened and scared by his brother's scream, Ben began to cry. "I want Papa."
Nicky pulled him close, saying, "I've got ya Ben."
But Ben pushed him away. "I don't want you, Nicky. I want Papa! I hate you. I hate you," he said, pounding on Nicky's chest with his little fists. "I wish you were dead instead of them! I want Papa. Where's Papa?" he asked, collapsing into Nicky's arms, crying uncontrollably.
"He's gone, Ben. Ya know that. But I'll take care of ya forever. I promise, Ben. I promise," Nicky said comfortingly as he held Ben tight.
Everyone was in tears except Nicky. His brow was furrowed and his jaw was clenched. Ben needed him and he was not going to let him down. Jo watched him intently.
Then Nicky noticed the other blanket that had been covering him. He picked it up and handed it to Marmee. "Those li'il uns need this Ma'am," he said.
"You need it more than they do," Marmee replied.
Nicky shook his head no. "They look mighty cold. I'll be alright."
He is so mature, so strong, so selfless, Jo thought, like a little man.
"Why don't we play "Author's"?" Amy suggested as they continued the ride home.
"I don't feel like it," Jo said, thinking of how impossible that game would be for a boy who could not read. "Let's play Rigmarole again. It's your turn to start Amy."
And so, another game of Rigmarole helped pass the time.
Jo was in the midst of the telling of an exciting sword dual between Rodrigo and the villain when Nicky said "Becky?"
They all turned to see the wagon behind them that Nicky was looking at intently. "Becky?" he said louder. Father stopped the wagon and allowed the other wagon to come up behind them.
"Becky!" Nicky shouted. "It's the Cooper's, Ben. We're gonna be alright now." Ben looked up and smiled.
A pretty young girl about Nicky's age jumped out of the other wagon and ran to them. "Hey Nicky!" she shouted. "I've missed ya." She was startled to see Nicky and Ben with these strangers. She ran right to him, took his hand and gave him a questioning look.
Nobody was prepared for what happened next. As if the floodgates had been opened, Nicky began to cry. "They're all gone. They're all gone. Ma and Pa and Sunshine, they're all gone."
"Oh no. Not Susanna, too," Becky cried. Nicky nodded his head.
Tears were pouring down his face as the Coopers approached behind their daughter. "We're gonna be alright now, ain't we Mr. Cooper?"
"Yes you will Nicky," he replied, lovingly.
"I didn't know what ta do. Ben was sick and you were still away and he needed a doctor somethin' fierce," Nicky said through the tears. "Didn't know what ta do."
"You did the right thing, Nicky," Mr. Cooper said. "I'm so sorry we weren't here for you." He went to the front of the wagon to introduce himself and thank the strangers for helping Nicky and Ben.
Becky climbed into the wagon and held him tight. "You're burnin' up, Nicky," she said, with tears in her eyes. "And what happened to your hands?"
"You buried them yourself, Nicky?" Mrs. Cooper asked, knowing the boy all too well.
Nicky nodded his head yes, sobbing uncontrollably. His head was on Becky's shoulder. He looked at Becky's mother. "They're all gone Mrs. Cooper. I tried ta help 'em, but they're all gone. We're gonna be alright now, ain't we?"
"Yes you are, Nicky," she replied. "Now let me have little Ben. Come on sweet one."
He turned to Ben still crying. "We're gonna be alright now, Ben. Mr. And Mrs. Cooper is here. We're gonna be alright. Come on. We're gonna be alright now." He picked Ben up, gave him a kiss and handed him to Mrs. Cooper. Tears were streaming down his face. "He's mighty sick. Ya gotta help him. These nice folks helped me git 'im some medicine."
Nicky was crying on Becky's shoulder again, seemingly unaware of Jo and the rest of the March family. Becky held him close as she stroked his head. "We're gonna be alright, now," he kept saying, over and over between the coughs.
Mr. Cooper returned to the back of the wagon. He thanked everyone and then turned to Nicky. "Where's your coat, son?" Jo looked at Nicky, waiting for his reaction to being called son. There was none.
"Did you give it to Ben?" he asked. He turned to the other wagon and called, "Ben! You give your brother his coat back right now. You're Pa's talked to you about that before." He turned back to Nicky and shook his head when he saw his bare hands. "Ben?" he called again. "Give him his gloves back, too. You have your own gloves on. You don't need his."
Mr. Cooper helped Becky down from the wagon and then reached to Nicky. "Come on, son. I've got ya." Jo was surprised as Nicky put his arms around the man's neck and allowed him to pick him up.
The little man that had acted so strong and so sure of himself was really still a kid in need of love like everybody else, Jo thought. She felt the tears fall from her cheeks, so happy to know that he had people like the Coopers that loved him so much. He was going to be all right now, she thought, fortunately not knowing what the future really held for him.
She turned to Marmee, who wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled her close. Jo felt so good about helping them and she vowed that she would always do the same to anyone in need.
"Good bye," she shouted after him. But he did not answer.
The End
HOME
