PART 3
Jo 'sauntered' into the dining room the next morning, humming some song remembered from her childhood days, and gave a big grin to the foursome seated at the table.
"Good morning! How are you all? Oh, blueberry pancakes! And cinnamon biscuits! My favorite!" Jo exclaimed. The children just stared at her; Nan's mouth hung open, Bess' fork paused in mid-air, and Dan and Nat just stared, wide-eyed.
Jo sat at the table as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on and she said, "You know what? Today seems like a wonderful day for a picnic! Why don't the four of you go on one while I go meet Meg and Rob at the train station?"
There was silence as the children slowly began to get over their shock, and then they just looked at each other in bewilderment. "Mrs. Jo," Dan began, feeling it his responsibility to finally step in, "Are you feelin' okay?"
Jo looked up from pouring syrup on her plate and said with an innocent look, "Yes Dan, why do you ask?" Dan just gave her his half grin and then a rather playful accusing look.
"Look kids, I know that I've been acting rather...upset the past few weeks. The truth is that I'm going to miss all of you. But the reality of the situation is that I also want you to go out there and live your dreams. I have faith in each of you, that you'll do that very thing," Jo said with a smile.
The kids shared glances of relief and solidarity; finally, things seemed to be returning to normal....but then again, what was normal?
Jo's smiling face appeared in the mirror as she carefully adjusted her necklace; the same one Rob had given her last year on her birthday. She had on a light gray skirt with an elaborate gray blouse, complete with patches of gray silk and white lace. It was a new ensemble, and Jo wanted to look especially wonderful to go pick up Rob.
Upon her marriage to Edward, Meg had slowly been pulled into a world not unlike Amy's - yet she kept a very keen sense of herself, and never let things go to her head. That's why, when she told Jo of her plans to go to Europe for the summer, and her idea of bringing along Rob, Jo hadn't just said no. She thought about it, and, with some urgings from Amy as well, Jo finally relented. Rob had been thrilled with the idea, and was so very pleased when his mother said he could go. He was excited about all the adventures he thought he'd find, as well as seeing the home country of his father.
Jo checked her watch and mentally chastised herself for taking so much time to 'primp.' She quickly went down the stairs, her head bent in thought, and only looked up as she reached the bottom.
"You look good," Nick said with a grin.
Jo's head shot up in surprise, a smile already in place at hearing *that* voice, "So do you." As they went outside to the wagon, Nick offered
Jo his hand to help her up. She gave it a gentle, excited squeeze and quickly hopped up onto the seat.
Nick jumped up beside her and started the horses. Without realizing it, Jo began to push her feet against the front of the wagon. "Ain't gonna get us there faster," Nick said with another grin.
Jo, realizing what he meant, blushed and smiled all the same. "I've missed him, Nick," she began, "And I've felt....well, upset these past few weeks. But last night..." Jo paused, smiling and slightly blushing, "Thank you Nick."
Nick smiled too and replied, "Glad I could be a distraction for ya."
"Oh, you're a distraction," Jo said, a playful smile on her face, leaving Nick to "wonder" about her true meaning. Nick leaned forward a bit and gave her a sideways glance, but she just smiled and looked forward.
"You kids get outta my kitchen! I made you a basket! This here food's for Mrs. Meg and her family," Asia said, nearly slapping Dan's hand before he pulled it away.
"Yes Asia, thank you," Bess said, trying to pull Dan out of the kitchen. He playfully tried to stay as Nan and Nat busied themselves with gathering up the things they'd need for their picnic. Nan kept on giving rather disgusted looks towards Dan and Bess' "playfulness," but Nat just grinned.
Suddenly, Dan picked up a cup of water and turned towards Bess saying, "How you feel about goin' for a swim Bess?"
"Dan, that's not funny," Bess said with a surprised look on her face. He only grinned and stepped closer. Bess' jaw dropped and a look of apprehension graced her usually composed face, "Dan! You wouldn't!!"
"Sure I would Bess," Dan said with one of his grins. Bess took off like a rabbit and ran out of the room, with Dan close behind.
"Mind you don't get nothin' wet," Asia called after them. Nat turned to Nan with a grin...but quickly changed his features when he saw her look. "Would you get outta here already?" Asia smiled at Nat and Nan, "Before those two kill each other!"
Nat smiled and he and Nan turned to leave. As they walked out the door, Nat placed his hand on the small of Nan's back, gently "protecting" her. Nan's face twitched and she tried to resist squirming.
"Nan," Nat began in an unsure voice, "I wanted to talk to you about - about..." As they walked out the front door, a spray of water hit Nat in the face. For a moment all he could hear were the giggles of Bess and Nan's laugh. When he could see, he shot Dan a devilish look and said, "You shouldn't have done that."
Dan grinned and he and Nat practically chased each other the entire way there. Bess and Nan hung back, making idle conversation. "Nan, don't you think that Nat and Dan have grown into fine young gentlemen?" Bess asked as she flashed Dan a smile that made him stop in his tracks....and resulted in Nat finally catching up to him!
"I dunno, I guess," Nan said absent-mindedly.
"Nan," Bess began, "Have you given any thought to what you're going to do?"
"Some," Nan replied.
"Well," Bess said rather tactfully, "Have you given any thought to....maybe....marrying Nat?"
"Marrying Nat??!" Nan exclaimed, clearly a bit more than shocked.
"Well yeah Nan," Bess said, trying to make the idea sound as normal to Nan as she could, "I mean, it's obvious that he's in love with you."
"In love with me?" Nan again questioned. A silence fell over the girls, and Nan quickly decided that the best thing to do would be to forget about it. "Well what about you and Dan?" she asked, taking her fair "turn."
Bess grew slightly pink, "What about me and Dan?"
Nan rolled her eyes, "Well it's obvious that you two have feelin's for eachother. I mean, you're always playing around and stuff."
Bess looked as though she was about to say something, but instead changed her mind and exclaimed, "Look! We're here!" Nat and Dan helped them spread out the blanket near a rather tall tree, so they would have some shade. As Nat and Dan began to try and go through the basket, a happy mood settled over the four, and they truly felt as though they were children again.
PART 4
