The next morning, when the children were in classes with Franz, Jo wandered
down to the barn to visit Penny. When she got there, Nick was in her stall,
brushing her. "I'll take over that if you want," Jo said eagerly.
Startled by her voice, Nick nodded. He didnt say anything as Jo started brushing her horse, even when she looked at him, imploring him to speak. After a few minutes, he did. "How are ya doin' today?"
Jo restrained herself from sighing with disappointment. "I'm good, Nick, but I think we need to talk." "'Bout what?"
"About us," Jo said, to Nicks dismay. "I've been thinking, and..."
"I know, Jo," Nick said abruptly. "I don't want people to start talkin. I dunno if the kids themselves will even like the idea of, well, us. And the folks in town, and your sisters and family.... I don't want them to think that ya' are goin' after me. Not me, and not so soon after your husband's death and all." Jo looked at him, startled. "Nick, that wasn't what I was going to say at all." Nick looked at her, dubious. "I was going to say that we can't hold back any feelings that we have for each other from anybody." The stall door slammed as Nick, who had been holding onto it, let it go. The look on his face was something that Jo had never seen before. It was a look of confusion, and also something that she had never seen in Nick's eyes before. It was love.
"I... I... I dunno Jo," Nick stuttered. "I mean, well, I just thought that you never wanted me because you always hold back. Im just an old sailor and handyman around here. Why would you want me?" "Because I love you," Jo answered, stepping towards him. "You are the only person in my life who has looked at me with love in your eyes. Even Fritz and I never really had that. We just married, well, maybe out of necessity. But you have everything that I have ever wanted."
Jo and Nick stood close to each other, looking into their love-filled eyes. After a few moments, Nick drew Jo near to him as they embraced and kissed for the very first time. Â ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
Startled by her voice, Nick nodded. He didnt say anything as Jo started brushing her horse, even when she looked at him, imploring him to speak. After a few minutes, he did. "How are ya doin' today?"
Jo restrained herself from sighing with disappointment. "I'm good, Nick, but I think we need to talk." "'Bout what?"
"About us," Jo said, to Nicks dismay. "I've been thinking, and..."
"I know, Jo," Nick said abruptly. "I don't want people to start talkin. I dunno if the kids themselves will even like the idea of, well, us. And the folks in town, and your sisters and family.... I don't want them to think that ya' are goin' after me. Not me, and not so soon after your husband's death and all." Jo looked at him, startled. "Nick, that wasn't what I was going to say at all." Nick looked at her, dubious. "I was going to say that we can't hold back any feelings that we have for each other from anybody." The stall door slammed as Nick, who had been holding onto it, let it go. The look on his face was something that Jo had never seen before. It was a look of confusion, and also something that she had never seen in Nick's eyes before. It was love.
"I... I... I dunno Jo," Nick stuttered. "I mean, well, I just thought that you never wanted me because you always hold back. Im just an old sailor and handyman around here. Why would you want me?" "Because I love you," Jo answered, stepping towards him. "You are the only person in my life who has looked at me with love in your eyes. Even Fritz and I never really had that. We just married, well, maybe out of necessity. But you have everything that I have ever wanted."
Jo and Nick stood close to each other, looking into their love-filled eyes. After a few moments, Nick drew Jo near to him as they embraced and kissed for the very first time. Â ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~