The girl that Jasper was eying looked in surprise as Jasper didn't walk to her, he went to his mother instead.
Jasper had put on a smile but his mind was still full of confusion as he went toward them. Doctor Baker and his mother were delighted to see Jasper and she said,
"Oh, Jasper! I'm so glad to see you! I didn't know if you would come" "Well, Laura and Almanzo said it would be good for me and I suppose it is"
Doctor Baker says,
"I believe it has already, your sprit and your leg already seem a hundred times better!"
Jasper looks at them both then asks cautiously,
"So...you two came...together?"
Nora looks bashfully at Hiram then says,
"Well, I was brought up that a lady shouldn't go unescorted and doctor Baker doesn't mind taking a old fool along"
Doctor Baker snorts and hears the gay, lilting music playing and he asks.
"Well, may I ask my nurse who is mistakenly calling herself a old fool to dance with a old fool?"
She smiles and nods her head and he escorts her on to the dance floor and Jasper watches them then walks over to the young lady who is patiently waiting for him.
Jasper smiles at her and says
"I'm Jasper Lawson ma'am"
She smiles sweetly as a summer rose then she says with just a touch of shyness but still firm enough for him to hear,
"I'm Frances Millard"
He smiles then turns around and sees his mother happily dancing with doctor Baker and he turns back to Frances and asks,
"May I have this dance?"
Her smile only widens and she says,
"Yes"
He takes her carefully by the hand and they go out to the dance floor and he is light on his feet but he also keeps a eye on his mother dancing .
Later in the evening, Frances and Jasper go outside to get a breath of fresh air. They walk around in comfortable silence then Jasper finally says,
"I'm sorry I have been so quiet, it's just that I got so much on my mind"
She smiles t hen says,
"Your mother?"
He looks at her in surprise then asks,
"How did you know?"
She looks down at her feet and says,
"Because you both look so much alike except you are more handsome"
He blushes like a gentleman should then Frances asks,
"I take it that wasn't your paw?"
He shakes his head then says,
"No, my paw is dead, he died some time ago in a mine camp"
She then asks,
"So, who was that man?" "That was Doc Baker. I take it you are not from here?"
This time she shakes her head and says,
"No, I'm down here for the summer with my aunt and uncle" "Where are you from?" "Deering, Missouri. It's down south" "Oh"
They walk around a bit more then she asks:
"You don't like your momma dancing with him?"
He gets a confused look on his face then says,
"I don't know. All I know is that it surprised me to see my momma dancing with somebody else" "Maybe you should talk with your momma"
He thinks about that then says,
"Well, I guess I could. Um, do you want to go back inside?" "Well, I am a mite thirsty" "Then lets go"
He leads the way for her to go back into the restaurant with the soft music of the evening playing.
The next morning, Jasper walk up to doctor Baker's office. He looks at his doctor's plaque and shakes his head then goes on up the steps. He knocks on the door and he hears his mother answer,
"Come in!"
Jasper looks around and sees his mother busily moving about cleaning the office and he asks,
"Where's the doc?" "Oh, he's gone to the Herming farm, out on the east of town. Mrs. Herming is expecting her 5th baby and the doctor is gone to check on her"
She goes back to her dusting and he walks around with his hand scratching the back of his head then he takes a deep breath and says to his mother,
"Sure was surprised to see you last night" "And I was surprised to see you also, but very happy"
He then asks his mother,
"Momma, are you and Doctor Baker courting?"
She drops her feather duster to the floor and she turns around with her jaw dropped to the floor and she exclaims:
"Jasper Lawson! I'm surprised at you!" "Well, momma…." "Why would you ask me such a thing?" "Because you danced almost every dance with him!" "I did not! I also danced with you!" "Two times!"
She picks up her feather duster and takes off the apron she was wearing, hangs it up and says:
"I'm not asking questions about you and the young lady you were dancing with" "That's different!" "How so?"
He stammers his answer around and says,
"W-we-well, uh, we're, uh,…." "I'm waiting!" "Well, we're young" "Listen young man, just because I'm not young does not mean I cannot dance with my escort to a sociable "
Jasper seems to put a little then he asks,
"Have you forgotten about paw, momma?"
She goes over and gives him a stinging slap across his face and says,
"How dare you ask that Jasper Lawson! Now your paw was a honorable man and I hate it, just hate it that he died but he's better off where he is than in this old world and I don't think your paw would begrudge me a little dance with a friend!"
He looks sheepishly around then mumbles,
"S-Sorry Maw"
He quickly scoots himself out of there while Nora runs to the window and watches her son run off.