Based on the “Little Men” TV series viewed on PAXTV
Part1
Before you read this, know that things have progressed between Jo and Nick, but they have not mentioned their mutual feelings to each other yet. But expect something rather unexpected in this story.
Nick carried some boards to mend the chicken coup atop his right shoulder rather easily. Jo watched as the muscles of his neck and upper back tightened up under the load. Jo liked to sit on the porch and watch Nick go about his work, but only as long as he did not notice that she was observing him. She masked her daily observances with a certain book she would pretend to read, she would only get through a couple of pages at a time.
As Nick walked by, he said, “Hey Jo,” rather timidly. “Hey Nick,” was all she said as he passed by, completing the whole image of reading her book. He knew that Jo sat there to watch, but he would never let her know that he was aware of this daily activity.
Jo just stared and realized how muscular he was, but all of a sudden the door to the house(which was right next to Jo) slammed open with Nan followed by Bess chasing after her. This loud noise awoke Jo out of her daydream and back to reality. Nan and Bess ran around the corner of the house with Bess yelling “Nan, you come back here at this moment, do you hear me?” But before Jo could sit them down and ask what this argument was about, they were gone, Bess still chasing after Nan. ‘I will just have to talk to them later’ thought Jo. ‘But I always knew those two would get along like sisters, being only children,’ and at that thought Jo had to laugh. Nick was on his way back to the barn to get more wood, but he noticed the smile on Jo’s face and was curious. “So, what’s there to smile about?” Nick asked curiously. “Well, Nan has done something again to Bess and Bess is chasing her again.” “They are always in a fight, but I think that they really care about each other, people always push away the ones they care about,” Nick replied without realizing that he said it in a way that was personal. Jo noticed that Nick was looking right at her when he said this and it made her look away from him for a moment so that he would not see her blush.
Nick continued to the barn and completed the mending of the chicken coup. As he made his last trip back to the barn, he asked “Jo, do you think that Franz is ready to go to town yet??” I will have to go in and see if he has finished packing?” Jo said answering Nick’s question. “Well, I will get the horse and wagon hitched up to take Franz to the train station, also, is the new teacher to be at the train station as well?” asked Nick, knowing what a big day this was for Franz, finally going off to Harvard. He gave up the chance to go last year until a suitable teacher was found for the school.
Jo went upstairs and walked into Franz’s room, Franz had everything in his hands, baggage and all. Jo knew that he could not handle it all the way down the stairs, so she called some of the boys over to help him out. Dan took his largest valise and Emil carried other odds and ends that Franz valued highly(from his Uncle Fritz). As they walked down the stairs, Dan said rather quietly “Well finally going off to Harvard, it won’t be the same without you, you did a really great job after Mr. Bhaer died, I am sorry that I never treated you well, but after the flood we had a few months of good comradeship.” Franz replied with”Thanks Dan, that means a lot,” and he put out his hand for a friendly handshake, instead of seeing Dan’s hand in his face it was now giving him a handshake.
Franz got into the wagon Jo and Nick, knowing that he was going to miss Plumfield, but also entering an exciting part of his life.
They arrived at the train station and all the final goodbyes were said, Jo’s being rather tearful. Franz grew up before her eyes, and she saw his first time teaching the class the day that Fritz had a bad catar. “Franz, you will be missed and I will miss you, but I know that you will continue to aspire at Harvard. You have been so helpful since Fritz’s death, and I want to thank you,” Jo sniffed this last sentence out. The whistle for the train sounded and then”All Aboard” was heard from the conductor. Franz turned to leave, but then turned and ran back and gave Jo a hug, and said “Thank Aunt Jo, for making this possible.” He also gave a handshake to Nick and whispered in his hear so that Jo could not hear,”Take could care of her.” Nick gave him a quick smile and then Franz boarded the train and was gone.
The next task at hand was to find the new school teacher and bring him back to Plumfield. Jo and Nick milled around the station waiting, finally asking at the ticket counter,” Hello, has a passenger by the name of Charles Paddington checked in here, we are waiting for him, he is the new teacher at Plumfield?” Jo asked. A man with distinguished looks came up from behind Jo and Nick, “Hello, but did I hear that you were looking for a Charles Paddington?” “Yes, we are, why do you know where we might find him?” Jo asked boldly but noticing how nice looking this man was, dressed just like her late husband did. Nick noticed this unusual look on Jo’s face, but at the moment just put it in the back of his mind. The distinguished stranger smiled and said”Well, I am the person that you are looking for, you must be Mrs. Bhaer from Plumfield.” “Yes I am, well, hello, we are glad to meet you Mr. Paddington,” Jo said, always having the habit of using people’s last names. She did not want to offend people by using their first name. Now Jo’s look showed more interest and this worried Nick. Again, he brushed off that look and they walked over to the wagon, ready to leave for their trip back to Plumfield, but on their way to the wagon, Nick noticed a face that he reconized, someone from his past. Finally, the face and name came together, it was his friend, Tom Pike, from the Merchant Marine ship called the “Annie Marie.”They had sailed to Africa together and worked on the Suez canal. It had been years since he had even talked to Tom. “Hey Tom, what are you doing here in Concord?” Nick asked as he ran up to Tom and they did some secret handshake from the seafaring days. Jo wondered who this new person was and was curious to meet this person from Nick’s past. “Well, I heard that you had taken up a job here in Concord and my ship is at dock, so I hopped over here from Boston to see what you have been up to,” Tom said.
Nick brought Tom over to where Charles and Jo were standing, forgetting that he had just left Jo alone for a moment with this new stranger that made him weary for some reason. “Jo, this is an old friend from my Merchant marine days at sea, his name is Tom Pike,”Nick said, excited for Jo to meet him. “Hello Tom,” Jo replied. “And what is this beautiful women’s name Nick, don’t keep me in suspense?” Tom said in a joking way to Nick. But Jo beat Nick to telling Tom her name, “My name is Jo Bhaer and I run the Plumfield School for boys here in Concord.” “An unusual name to go with an very accomplished women then,” said Tom instantly. “Yeah, well, it is time that we get back to Plumfield before it gets dark,” Nick said knowing that his friend was trying to be smooth as he always was with the ladies. As they got into the wagon, instead of Nick helping Jo into the wagon, Charles stepped in front of Nick and helped Jo in instead. Nick gave him a look of disgust and defeat, Tom noticing this look on Nick’s face and said, “If you are so concerned about her, why don’t you do something about it before he does?” The whole ride back to Plumfield, Nick tried to think of ways, but everything turned into a dead end. ‘I have to think of something or I will lose her forever’ thought Nick rather worried.
Stay tuned for part 2 soon!!!
