PART 4
Later that evening as they sat down to eat dinner, Franz noticed the tension at the table…most likely because he was immune from it. 'The one thing about being neutral,' he thought, 'is that everyone wants to talk to you…' Jo was on his right, while Nick was on the other side of the table. Nan and David sat near Nick…while Nat sat next to Jo. Even Bess and Dan were slightly split apart. The dinner conversation had been everything but complete silence as everyone merely mumbled things from time to time. It wasn't until something very…uncomfortable happened that Jo took it upon herself to 'liven up' the conversation.
"Oh Bess, I got ya some of that fruit ya used to like," Dan said, with a grin.
Nat smiled as Bess struggled to swallow her mouthful of food and reply, so he said, "Oh she doesn't like those anymore Dan."
Dan's smile slowly faded and he shook his head slightly, "That so?" He looked down at his plate, his head still shaking a bit. Bess, although finished with her mouthful said nothing, but looked apprehensively towards Nat.
"Oh!" Jo said, as if suddenly remembering something, "Did I tell you all about Meg?" There were various negative remarks and head shakes as she had anticipated, so she went on without missing a beat, "She and Edward are…separated." This caused a bit of a commotion at the table.
"Separated!" Bess breathed.
"I know, and it was just as much of a shock to us as it is to you. He left her shortly after they returned from their home in Boston."
"He left her?" Dan asked, a spark of protectiveness.
"Yeah," Nick said, a little bit of anger and disgust in his voice, "Apparently he found somethin' he thought was better." Jo shot him a look, thanking him for his support of her sister but gently warning him not to go too far.
"Well, maybe he'll come back," Nan said.
"He…did," Jo said, a touch of sarcasm in her voice, "To deliver the divorce papers in person."
"Divorce!" Bess whispered in shock.
"Yes," Jo said, "And Meg's lawyer said that if she didn't sign, she could lose much more…"
"More?" Nat asked.
"Yes, he's already taken all their things in Boston and such. All she has is the house in Concord," Jo said, "So Daisy, Demi, and Rob were going to have to come home, but Amy and Laurie helped out. Bess, I can't believe they didn't write you about this."
"Yes," Bess said, blushing a bit, "Well I haven't exactly been keeping up to date with my letters…" Dan looked up from his plate, an unreadable look on his face. The whole exchange was noticed by everyone at the table it seemed…except Nan. She suddenly found her plate *very* interesting.
"Well," Jo said, trying to smooth things, "That's enough bad news for this evening. Mr. Andrews, we've yet to learn about you!"
"David, please, you can call me David," he said, "And there's really not much to tell. I grew up down south with my father. My mother died when I was very young. And well…all my life I've wanted to be a doctor, so when it came time for me to get my education, we moved to New York. One day I met Annie…and…here I am." Nat and Bess shared a look across the table, which Dan glared at, unnoticed.
"Ah….well…" Jo said, searching for some words. Lucky for her, there was a sharp pounding at the door that very moment. Dan gave them all an apologetic glance as he went to open it. Standing on the doorstep, face red, was David Foggs.
"Sheriff, now this is it! It REALLY is!" he exploded, stepping into the house. Noticing everyone at the table, he gave it no more than a second's thought, saying, "Evenin' folks, you'll have to excuse me. Sheriff! Them….them….them…negroes stole one of my cows. I'm sure of it!" Everyone at the table felt the impact of that word, almost as one would feel a slap.
"Listen Foggs, I don't imagine ya have any proof, so if ya'll excuse me," he said, directing the man back outside.
"Dave? Little Dave? Oh! And is this Ms. Harding?" Foggs suddenly asked, stepping father into the house. Dan suddenly got a very dark and protective look on his face. How did Foggs know Nan?
"Mr. Foggs," David said, his face becoming slightly uncomfortable, "How are you?"
"Yer father said you'd be comin'. Yours too Ms. Harding." David stood up, slightly pulling Nan with him.
"My father…," Nan asked as Foggs took her hand, "How do you know my father? How did you know me?" Dan glared as Foggs gently took Nan's hand…he'd never seen that man show kindness to anyone without some kind of dark motive…
"Your father and I were friends way back before I moved out here. Aww, he knew I was out here, and he wired me when he knew you were coming…Dave, your father too," he smiled, pumping the young man's hand vigorously. Jo, by now was becoming apprehensive at the looks Dan was shooting towards Foggs…the looks were noticed by Nat as well, who picked up on the protective vibe Dan was giving off. As Nan introduced everyone at the table, Dan began to look like he was about to explode.
"Mr. Foggs," he finally said, trying to restrain his voice, "Thank you for coming, now if there isn't anything else-"
"Well Sheriff, we can talk about that cow issue later I suppose," he said, as he left, "And Dave, you and I will speak later too. G'night folks!" Everyone mumbled good-bye as he left, and then it seemed time to clear the table.
Later, after everyone had either gone off to explore the orchards, the barn, or simply go off to bed as Franz did, Jo and Nick stayed behind to talk with Dan. "Dan," Jo began, "Do you want to tell us the whole story behind what happened today?" With a sigh, Dan began to tell them everything that had been happening in recent months. About Foggs, and how the Bishop's lived in their own community, separate from everyone else.
"She wants to meet you," Dan finished.
"Who?" asked Jo in surprise.
"Bishop's mother. She's become a very good…friend these past few months, and from what I've told her about you, she's very eager to meet ya."
"My, well that depends on what you told her Dan," Jo smiled. Just then Nan and Bess came in from outside.
"Great grounds Dan," Nan said with a smirk, as though there was some kind of inside joke.
"Yeah thanks," he grinned, "Anyway, umm, there's this friend that I'd like you both to meet tomorrow."
"Friend?" Bess said, her grin fading for a moment.
"Yes, a friend…she's short, likes to talk…around a hundred years old," Dan joked. Bess smiled and blushed at her own foolishness.
"Well, it's been a long day," Jo said with a smile, "And I'm going to turn in." Nick went along with her, and after a moment, Dan, Nan, and Bess decided to follow.
"This is so exciting isn't it?" Jo said, helping Nick get the horses ready, "I mean, here we are, out in the west…I never thought I'd come all the way out here. And now, my sisters are coming…and Asia! Oh, and we've got the wedding to plan! It'll be just like old times won't it??" But before Nick could reply, she was already off towards the house, leading a horse in each hand.
"Here we go again," he said, shaking his head with a good-natured grin. Just as they had come home the night before, the rather large family, save for Franz, rode into town. This time, everyone rode a horse…even David.
"Please?" Nan had pleaded, but David had made up his mind to be firm. It was too cold for her to ride the horse outside. "Well…," she paused and then said, "I'm ridin' the horse." David looked completely shocked, as though Nan had never displayed her true fiery nature before. Everyone else simply smirked at his surprise, a tad surprised themselves. How could someone know Nan so well…and yet not be accustomed to her…'free spirit'??
And so, Nan rode her horse, finally coaxing David to ride one as well. They met the train in town, and there was another teary reunion. The even larger group then decided to go visit the hall where the wedding would take place, sometime after New Years. Dan was also very anxious about Jo, Nan, and Bess meeting Ruth. As they rode from the main town to the small area just outside it, Dan could sense the uneasiness of Amy. He tried to ignore it though, as he pointed various things out.
"There's the hall over there," he said pointing, "And that's the Bishop's house." As they pulled up, Mrs. Bishop came out to greet them, a smile on her face.
"Well, well Dan," she said, "You said you had a large family…" By the time everyone was introduced, Lucy Bishop was more than ready to show everyone the hall for the wedding. One of Dan's greatest fears was that the people most important to him wouldn't get along…yet he saw how silly he had been in his thinking by the way Lucy, Jo, Asia, Meg….and even Amy spoke as if they were old friends. Dan was even more relieved when Amy actually approved of the hall…well, she had her comments, but they weren't as bad as Dan had originally feared.
"Well, you folks can decorate it any way ya like, and we'll be glad to help," Lucy smiled, taking some pride in the church/hall her family had helped build.
"Well it's that's wonderful," Jo said…yet everyone in the room sensed a 'but' coming.
"Uh-oh," Nan muttered, and she and Nat shared a grin before they realized what was happening.
"But," Jo said, as everyone tried to hide their grins, "I really do think that the floor could look much better if we…refinished it! That's a great idea! Nick, Laurie, Franz…everyone could help, you wouldn't have to do a thing."
"I don't know…," Lucy muttered, while Laurie and Nick looked at Jo, their grins vanishing as she promised their services.
"Please? Let it be our gift to you for letting us use the hall," Jo said. Everyone, by this time, was silently trying to send Jo messages that she should just give up…
'Have they learned nothing over the years?' Meg thought with a small smile.
"Well, alright," Lucy said smiling, "Now why don't I treat you all to lunch? We serve some of the best food this side of the west…"
"Hey Lucy, if ya don't mind, I'm gonna take Jo, Bess, and Nan over to see Mrs. Bishop," Dan said. At the woman's nod, he led all three to the house.
After knocking several times, a strong, "Come on in already!" was heard. Sharing grins with the others, Dan nodded towards Jo and led her inside. As Jo's eyes became accustomed to the light, she noticed, with a twinge of homesickness, that the house looked a little more than familiar. As Dan led her into another room even darker than the front one, she became confused. Where was this woman she was supposed to meet? Suddenly, a light went on in the corner of the room, and there sat an old frail looking woman.
"Ruth, this is Mrs. Jo," Dan said with a grin, and with a nod towards Mrs. Jo, he stepped out of the room.
"Well, well, well," she murmured, "What have we here?" Putting on her glasses, she carefully looked Jo up and down, taking in her fine green dress, with the beautiful lace Meg had given her for her birthday. "You are every bit the beauty that Danny described," the woman finally proclaimed. And with smiles on both ends, the first meeting of the two most important mother-figures in Dan's life began. The women talked for some time…it turned out that Ruth, being a slave as a young girl, had been the personal maid of a white man's youngest daughter. As the girl had gotten older, and gone to school, Ruth went as well. The young girl never did understand the concept of slavery, nor did she like it. So to secretly defy her father she let Ruth look at her books, and the two girls learned together. Jo and Ruth spoke of literature, until Jo quietly excused herself and invited Nan in.
"And who do we got here?" Ruth said, squinting. Nan smiled at the woman, and took a seat. "I see it in you," she said, "You're Nan."
Nan leaned toward the woman, her interest growing, and said, "You see what?"
"Your strength," Ruth said simply. Nan grinned, and shook her head a little. "Danny talks about you a lot. In fact, he'd bring me those letters you'd send to him. My, my child! So very many letters! Sometimes two in one week!" Nan looked uneasy and her gaze shifted around the room. "Somethin' wrong?" Ruth asked.
"Please," Nan said, wincing a little, "Don't tell anyone about the letters."
"Well why on earth…alright child. Now, you tell me, everything!" Ruth eagerly listened as Nan told the woman of her life. It seemed so easy to talk to Ruth…kind of like a long lost grandmother, suddenly found and cherished. Finally, Bess came through the doors, feeling nervous.
"Hello," she said, with a small smile.
"Danny lied about how beautiful you were," Ruth said, her voice serious. Bess looked self consciously down at her dress, then back up at Ruth, confusion on her face. "You are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined, and more so than he could have ever described." Bess smiled and walked over to the woman. "Yes, indeed, I think Danny's found a wonderful person in you dear," Ruth said softly.
"Thank you," Bess said, putting much meaning into the two words. They fell into a comfortable conversation, just as Nan and Jo had earlier. Yet there came a point in the conversation where Ruth seemed to almost leave the room. She was remembering something from her childhood, and then suddenly she was a little hazy.
"Forgive me, what were we speaking of? Oh, the letters. Well dear, I won't say nothin' to no one, if that's what you want," Ruth said, her eyes slightly focusing on Bess.
"The letters?"
"You know," Ruth said, not hearing the surprised remark, "I must say that if ya didn't have those two other fellas after ya, you and Dan would make a cute match." Bess suppressed a gasp; Ruth thought she was Nan! "Yes, but I'm thinkin' you two are cute just as friends. Well, I'm a little tired now dear, do you think you could help me lie down?" In a state of shock, Bess helped the old woman, and then began to leave. "Shame though," Ruth called in a tired voice.
"What is?"
"He loves her so…and she loves that other fella…in my day, love was denied based on skin color. Here, it's denied because people are just plain stubborn," with a yawn, Ruth was off, dreaming. Bess tried to compose herself, wiping away a tear, as she opened the door to go outside.
"Bess!" Nan called, seeing her finally emerge from the house. She walked over, and joined arms with Bess, trying to keep casual, yet really wondering what had happened inside that room. Bess saw through Nan's act, and decided to put up one of her own.
"I was thinking," she said, putting forth a smile and squeezing Nan's arm, "about how we should have written each other more! We've missed so much."
Nan grew uncomfortable, "Didn't have much time for writin' anyway. But hey, we can share our stories now right?" Bess looked right into Nan's eyes, and at that moment, Nan knew. Neither girl said anything, and they walked, arms linked, back to the hall.
PART 5
