It was extremely busy around Plumfield as always, but this time of year made it even busier. It was December 23 and the snow was already beginning to fall.
Asia was in the kitchen preparing another meal when Nan came in yelling, "Where's Mrs. Jo?"
"Stop running! She's in the schoolroom with Nick," she answered the excited girl.
"Oh,...why she in there?" Nan questioned.
"She's loading the books onto the new bookshelves Nick built her." Asia smiled, "Now get going!"
"Bye Asia!" Nan screamed as she ran out the door and into Bess.
"Isn't this just the most beautiful dress, Nan?"
"Yeah sure, anyway, have you seen Nat?" Nan asked ignoring a very upset Bess.
Bess sighed, "Upstairs with Dan. Don't you even..." Bess's voice trailed as Nan ran to find Nat.
"Nat!" Nan screamed as she ran upstairs.
"What?!?! What's wrong?" Nat came running.
"We need to have a Christmas Eve party!" Nan said excitedly, "But Mrs. Jo and Nick can't know."
"Know what?" Asia asked as she peered around the corner.
"You can make a meal! Nat will play his violin, Bess and her ma can decorate and..."
Dan interrupted, "Wait, wait, why can't Mrs. Jo and Nick know?"
"Boys!" Nan said as she turned to Bess, "you get it don't you?"
"Ummmm....yes! Exactly! This is a perfect way to get Aunt Jo and Nick under the mistletoe!" Bess exclaimed.
"Right!" Nan was so happy, "By Christmas morning Mrs. Jo and Nick will be in love!"
"I don't know Nan....."Asia started.
"I think its a great idea." came an unexpected reply from Franz.
"Good then let's get started!" Nan whispered, "Remember, no telling anyone!"
MEANWHILE
"Jo get down! You're gonna hurt yourself!"
"I will not, Nick! Calm down, I, ahhh!" Jo screamed as she fell off the ladder. Luckily Nick caught her.
"I told ya you were gonna fall!" Nick laughed as he put her on her feet.
"Well it's getting late, we should be cleaning up for dinner." Jo reached over to grab her coat.
"Yeah, I'll be in soon." Nick started looking through a book. Jo made her way over to him, wrapped one arm around his shoulders and the other she placed gently on his arm, "I'm so proud of you, Nick."
He just looked up at her and smiled. Jo felt her knees grow weak, "Don't be too long, we wouldn't want you missing dinner."
CHRISTMAS EVE AFTERNOON
"Jo, could you and Nick run into town to get me a few things?" Asia asked, hoping they would take them all afternoon.
"Sure Asia, I have a few errands of my own." Jo responded, not seeing Asia smile.
"Thank you!" Asia smiled, then turned and gave Nan a thumbs up sign, which also missed Jo. She was still happy about spending the entire afternoon with Nick.
"Ready to go Jo?" Nick called from the door.
All the children watched from different rooms as Jo and Nick left.
"Yes! Let's get started!" Nan yelled and preparations for the Christmas Eve party began.
CHRISTMAS EVE EVENING
Jo and Nick came through the door laughing and carrying boxes when they saw all the decorations.
"Asia, children, did you do all this?" Jo asked.
"It was Nan's idea, we just helped," Nat added.
"Why didn't you say anything? We could have helped," Jo said as she hugged Nan.
"It was supposed to be a surprise."
"Well it sure is!" Jo smiled, "Let's eat!"
CHRISTMAS MORNING
"Can we open presents now?" Tommy asked eagerly.
"Hold on a minute Tommy!" Franz urged.
"Where'd Nick go?" Dan asked for Jo's sake so she didn't have to ask.
"Last I saw he was heading out to get wood." Asia smiled.
"Well we can't start opening with out, I'll go find him," Jo said as she rose fromm her chair and left.
"What are keeping those two?" Asia asked fifteen minutes later.
"Asia, look! How romantic!" Bess cried as she saw Nick and Jo in a snowball fight.
All the children gathered around to see Jo run at Nick and knock him down, landing right on top of him. Jo looked deep into his eyes and said, "Nick Riley, I think I love you." Which no one could hear but saw his reply when he rolled over and kissed her passionately.
"We'd better be getting in." Nick smiled and hauled Jo to her feet. They walked through the door seeing eight pairs of eyes on them.
"Ummm...we had trouble," Jo started.
"Lots of trouble," Nick continued, laughing.
"Alright you two, go put your wet clothes on the floor in front of the fireplace in the kitchen," Asia stated as she pushed them through the door. All the children started congratulating one another and discussing how this would affect their lives. In the kitchen Nick and Jo were also dicussing their new found relationship.
"Ughh..I'm soaked!" Jo said as she peeled off her coat.
"Well you're the one who ran after me and had us laying in the snow!" Nick said.
"But I guess being cold and wet wasn't a bad price to pay for what I received." Jo smiled seductively. She'd been waiting for over a year to be this close and personal with Nick.
"We'd better go in there before those kids rip all the presents apart!" Nick said as he headed for the door closely followed by Jo.
But the children at Plumfield were content with the present they had just received.
"Time to open presents!" Jo said as she sat down in a large chair while all the children occupied the floor.
Nick took his usual position leaning against the fireplace, directly across from Jo. Various times throughout the morning the children caught the two adults staring at each other. After present opening, all the children went off to do chores and Asia had Jo busy helping her with Christmas dinner. So Nick went off to the barn where he found Dan waiting.
"Nick can I talk to you?" Dan asked. Ten feet away hid Nan and Bess.
"Sure what is the problem?" Nick asked as he cleaned the stall cheerfully.
"Do you and Mrs. Jo, ummm...well...uh.." he couldn't get it out.
"Boys!" Bess whispered.
"What Dan's trying to ask," Nan came out from hiding,"do you and Mrs. Jo love each other?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Nick insisted.
"Oh come on, Nick! You know what we're talking about, plus we saw everything this morning and last night. It was so romantic!" Bess exclaimed.
Dan interrupted with, "Does this mean you're gonna marry Mrs. Jo?"
"I, uh, I don't.." Nick couldn't answer quick enough.
"Who's getting married?" Nat asked as he entered the barn.
"Nick and Mrs. Jo!" Nan smiled.
"No one!" Nick said at the same time.
"I think it's time to eat!" Dan yelled and ran from the barn at the sound of the dinner bell.
There was a loud buzz around the table as all the children discussed the wedding. Nick rushed into the kitchen to ask Jo what exactly she had told everyone.
"Jo, you told the children we were engaged?" Nick said, obviously upset.
"No they said you were gonna ask me!"
"Congratulations! I always knew..." Amy said as she walked through the door and hugged Jo.
"We're NOT engaged!" Nick screamed and Jo ran upstairs. Nick gave Amy a look that could freeze fire then followed up the stairs after Jo.
"Jo?" Nick whispered as her knocked on her bedroom door. She was lying face down on her bed crying.
"Ohh, I'm sorry Nick, it isn't your fault, these past few hours have been the best of my life..." Jo sobbed.
"Well if it helps you any, I was gonna ask you to marry me after Christmas anyway." Nick laughed and pulled her into a hug.
"Really Nick? I feel like you don't feel the same way? How many times have I told you that I love you? I have never heard it back. I'm starting to think that..."
"I love you!" Nick interuppted. Then he got down on one knee and asked,"Jo, will you marry me?" Before he even finished talking, Jo was back in his arms crying and screaming 'yes'. Then there was clapping and cheering from the doorway. The Plumfield family had witnessed it all.
"Children!" Jo exclaimed as she stood up and wiped her eyes.
"Oh Aunt Jo!" Bess hugged her aunt, "Is it true?"
"Yes, *sniff*, I guess so." Jo turned around to see Nick staring contently at her. All she saw was pure love in those bright blue eyes.
"Let's go, Dinner's been done a while." Asia said as she herded the crowd our of Jo's bedroom.
Nick squeezed Jo's hand and left with Dan who was deep in converstation.
"Jo, this is wonderful!" Amy said as they sat on her bed, "I always knew there was something between you two."
"It's going to be a big change for us all." Then the two sisters walked downstairs together. Jo took her usual place at the head of the table, but this time instead of of an empty seat being at the end of the table where Fritz used to sit, there was a place set. Soon enough there would be a new 'man of the house'.
Nick took his new seat and silently thanked God for everything.
"Dear God, we thank you..."Jo started her Christmas prayer.
Well that's it. Let me know what you think at mac784@yahoo.com thanks!
