Chapter 14: Preoccupied
Nathan tossed and turned agitatedly as he thought about what Bill had said. "You're obviously in love with her…" Nathan's eyes could have bored a hole in the ceiling. Dani… Her face appeared in his mind like a vision. Did he love her? How could he be really sure? He thought back on all the conversations they had had; on how he had always wanted to be with her; on how she was his best friend… Nathan breathed in a quick breath. He had never had a friend like her before. She was someone he could talk to and laugh with. Her laugh was like a treasure to him. He thought back on his life before he had met her, and it suddenly felt so dark and wretched, with only Allie as the saving grace. It made him shudder. Nothing could ever make him go back to those miserable days. He concluded that his life had changed in so many ways since he had met Dani. But why weren't his feelings for her those of friendship? What made this love?
Nathan sprang restlessly out of bed and began pacing back and forth across his bedroom floor. Dani was so different from anyone he had ever met. She seemed to fill a unique place in his life that no one else had ever quite filled. Nathan shook his head, frustrated. That was no good. That sounded too much like a soulmate. He tried again. She always made him happy, and he loved seeing her happy. The mere thought of her never failed to brighten his world. Nathan sighed and stopped pacing to look out the moonlit window. None of this was doing any good… His thoughts were still scattered and confused. Slowly, he sank down onto the edge of the bed and sighed, as the moonlight cast a pale glow over him. As he sat there in the silence, only the sound of the ticking clock downstairs disturbed the peace. Why couldn't he understand his feelings for Dani? Why was this so hard? Nathan looked up at the night sky and closed his eyes slowly. "Dani…" he whispered softly. "What would you say if you knew?" Nathan frowned. What would she say? He had felt so peaceful about their friendship before. So comfortable. And now? He sighed and rubbed his forehead wearily as the inner turmoil continued. He could almost hear her voice and see her face, but it frightened him like a ghost. What would she say if she knew?
Suddenly, a great moment of clarity came over him like a rush, as Dani's voice suddenly seemed to penetrate the din in his mind. "One sees clearly only with the heart." Her favorite quote… The memory of their ride together after she had taught school came back to Nathan. It was a warm, fond memory. And the words… He suddenly understood their meaning. In his head, falling in love with Dani was something he had been completely unconscious of, and had tried to ignore. But in his heart, he knew he wanted her. That's why he felt alive whenever he was with her. That's why he had begun to feel lonely whenever he wasn't. That's why the very thought of her always made him smile. He wanted to be with her, and not just once or twice a week. He wanted to be with her all the time. Forever. Nathan's eyes shot open at the sudden revelation, and he drew in a shaky breath. He loved her. He loved Danielle Lemont. A swelling feeling stirred within him, causing him to realize just how much he truly loved her. A part of him wanted to rush to her at this very moment and tell her, the feeling was so overwhelming. He stood up again agitatedly and ran a hand through his hair. He wanted to tell her how he felt. And yet, at the same time… What if she didn't love him? Nathan felt just about ready to tear his hair out, he was so overcome by his own thoughts. Breathing out slowly, he decided he would go and sit outside to recollect himself. The sky was still quite dark, and the birds hadn't yet begun to face the day. He sighed tiredly as he sank down to sit on the front steps, facing the misty fields with their long, dew-laden blades of grass. He held his head in his hands and stared listlessly ahead. What should he do? What should he say? Like Bill had suggested, he knew he had to say something. But how?
As Nathan sat silently on the front steps of the rowhouse, there was a faint sound behind him, and the flood of the warm light of the house fell over his shadowy form. He turned around in time to see Allie come out in her night gown and sit down beside him. "Allie" he murmured softly, putting his arm around her. "What are you doing up so early?" Allie shrugged, her eyes on the ground. "I woke up, and I just couldn't get back to sleep" she admitted. "Then I heard the front door, and I knew you were awake too." Nathan nodded, and pulled her a little closer. "You feeling any better?" he ventured to ask. Allie shrugged again. "I guess so" she muttered, very unconvincingly. Nathan looked down at her and frowned. "You know you can tell me anything Allie" he reminded her gently. "Anything at all…" Allie sighed. "I know" she murmured, looking up and giving him a half-hearted smile. "This is different though." Nathan nodded. "That's alright" he whispered. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand." Allie nodded and laid her head against his shoulder, her eyes full of tears. "It's just that…" her voice was slightly choked. "Sometimes I wish I was more like the other girls. But I don't know how to be." She sniffed softly and lifted her face to her uncle. "Sometimes I wish mom was here" she finally admitted. "I miss her." Nathan's own eyes smarted with tears, and he quickly pulled Allie so close that her head rested against his chest, as she sobbed softly. "Shh… It's alright" he soothed, gently running his hand through her hair. "I miss her too. And I know… that I can't give you everything that she would have been able to. I'm sorry Allie. I'm just so sorry…" Nathan let Allie cry until she had no more tears, though there was still sadness in her eyes when she finally looked up. He wiped her face and nose with the rim of his shirt before kissing her lightly on the head. "We'll get through this Allie" he reassured her. "We always do. Right?" Allie smiled sadly and nodded. "Yeah, we do…" she said, squeezing his hand. "I'll be fine." She smiled and stood up. "I should probably go back to sleep if I'm going to help Dani harvest her corn." Nathan froze where he sat, then slowly closed his eyes as Allie went back into the house. He had forgotten about his offer to Dani, and the last thing he wanted was to see her in his current state of mind. Wearily, he sighed. It was going to be a long day…
"Yes, I promise I will tell them" Florence said into the receiver, pretending to be cheerful. "Safe travels to you both. And good luck!" Ned leaned eagerly over the front counter as she hung up with an exasperated sigh and came out from the little operating alcove. She glared at him and raised an eyebrow. "That was Elizabeth" she muttered agitatedly. "It's the second time this week she's called." Ned rubbed his chin thoughtfully, apparent sympathy in his eyes. "She must miss home" he commented. Florence clucked her tongue. "Not enough to come back" she said sarcastically. When Ned eyed her quizzically, wondering at her annoyance, she leaned in closer and let her voice drop. "She asked after Nathan, Ned… Both times." Ned straightened up slowly, suddenly understanding. "Oh…" he breathed. "What did you… say to her?" Florence shrugged helplessly. "What could I say?" she asked, still keeping her voice down. "I may love gossip as much as the next woman Ned, but there is a line I do not cross. Hasn't Nathan been through enough?" Ned's eyes didn't criticize her. On the contrary, they were full of admiration. "You didn't tell her anything" he marveled. "Did you?" Florence sighed and shook her head. "No…" she murmured. "Nathan is our friend Ned. And I can tell he's been struggling. No, don't ask me how I know that" she added, holding up her hand as Ned opened his mouth to interrupt. "The point is, I have no wish to add to those struggles of his by gossiping about him." Ned smiled adoringly and coming around the counter, ambushed her with a light kiss on the cheek. "And that" he murmured softly, "Is why I love you… Mrs. Yost." Florence blushed a bright pink and shook her head modestly. "Ned, you scamp" she giggled. "This is a public store!" Ned beamed. "A public store with a bell on the door" he corrected her with a wink. "Plus, how could I be ashamed of how much I love my wife?"
Fiona could tell that Nathan's mind was a million miles away as he came into the café for lunch. He had just come back from dropping Allie off for the day at Dani's place, and his exchange with Dani had caused his inner turmoil to take hold again. Thus, his face looked tense and troubled to Fiona from where she was seated as he walked in. "Hey Nathan!" she called. "Would you like to join me?" Nathan looked up distractedly and suddenly seemed to realize for the first time that she was there. "Oh, hey Fiona" he responded blankly, before sliding into the chair across from her. "Thank you." Fiona eyed him quizzically as his eyes seemed to stray through the café window. "Is something wrong Nathan?" she asked with concern, though there was the hint of smile on her face. Nathan looked up at her with a start and sheepishly shook his head. "No…" he stammered. "No, just got a lot on my mind. That's all. How are you doing?" Fiona smiled and stirred her coffee with her spoon. "Busy" she admitted. "A lot of the men in town have been getting haircuts lately. I suspect it has something to do with the dance." Nathan nodded, and tried to smile, but ended up flinching instead. Her mention of the dance only served to remind him that he still needed to work up the nerve to ask Dani somehow. Fiona noticed Nathan blanch and frowned, taking a sip of her coffee. "Have you asked anyone yet?" she inquired, curious. Nathan pursed his lips together and shook his head. "Not yet" he admitted. "But I aim to." Fiona's eyes widened. "Oh really?" she asked, surprised. "So, who's the lucky girl? Is it Dani Lemont?" Nathan was startled by her accurate guess but managed somewhat to maintain his composure. "Uh… yes" he slowly, smiling. "I plan on asking her today." Fiona beamed. "Not without a proper haircut, you're not" she intervened. "I've got a half an hour after lunch before my next appointment. I might be able to squeeze you in." Any other day, Nathan would have refused the offer. But today… Today it felt more important for him to make a good impression. "Alright…" he agreed. "Thanks Fiona." Fiona smiled in response as she took a bite of her buttered toast.
"I think that's enough for one day" Dani sighed, wiping her glistening brow with her sleeve. "Let's head on back to the house." Allie nodded and brushed the dirt off of the pink apron Dani had lent her. It had been nice to have something to do to keep her mind off of things. But as she followed Dani down the rows of corn, her face became solemn again as the thoughts returned. Dani saw the look and remembering what Nathan had told her the night before, smiled softly to herself. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently, cutting right to the chase. Allie looked up in surprise, then seeing the kind look in Dani's eyes, shrugged glumly. "It's the Founder's Day Dance, I guess" she muttered, "All of the other girls have been asked already…" Dani nodded and laid a hand on Allie's shoulder as they continued toward the house. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I haven't been asked either?" she offered. Allie's eyes widened. "You?" she marveled. "But you're so pretty and smart and funny. I heard all of the boys saying that after you taught school the other day." Dani blushed a little and smiled but remained firm in her purpose to comfort Allie. "And you are all of those things too" she reminded her. "Sometimes boys are just… shy or afraid." Allie sighed. "Maybe it's because I'm too much of a tomboy" she mourned. "None of the other girls go fishing or riding or wear pants." "Well, that's utter nonsense!" Dani said with a smile. "You should be proud of who you are, not matter what anyone says." Allie looked up at Dani and it suddenly struck her that Dani was not fair and done up like the rest of the ladies in Hope Valley. Her skin was tan from being in the sun, and her hands and feet had been toughened by hard work. Even her hair hung loosely at her shoulders without so much as a pin to keep it from blowing in the breeze. But she was beautiful, Allie thought. No, she was stunning. Dani was a free spirit and it made her stand out starkly from the other women of Hope Valley. Allie couldn't quite understand it, but she suddenly wanted that for herself too. "You're right" she admitted with a smile. "Just because you don't get asked to a silly dance doesn't mean you aren't pretty or interesting." Dani nodded, her hands on her hips. "Exactly!" she said, before they looked at each other and giggled. "All of those boys have no idea what they are missing out on" Dani said reassuringly, before handing Allie a glass of pink lemonade. "Besides, you don't need a date to have fun at a dance." Allie nodded, smiling, before taking a big gulp of lemonade. "I guess I never thought about it that way…" she admitted. She eyed Dani admiringly and smiled. "Maybe going to the dance won't be so bad after all." Dani shrugged playfully. "Who knows?" she asked. "We might even enjoy ourselves. Which reminds me…" she added, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers, her face glowing. "I may have just had a brilliant idea!" she said excitedly.
Fiona ran a comb through Nathan's thick, dark hair, styling it after the cut. As she did, she noted that he had grown very quiet, his eyes staring straight ahead as if he were in deep thought. She frowned faintly and pulled the comb through his hair once more. "I'm sorry if I'm too nosy for asking…" she ventured. "But you seem like you have something on your mind Nathan." Nathan held his breath for a moment, startled, before breathing out a sigh. "I guess I have a lot of things on my mind" he admitted wearily. "It's just been one of those days…" Fiona nodded with a sympathetic smile. "Is it the dance?" she asked. "I can see how… asking Dani might give you a lot to think about." Nathan nodded slowly and rested his eyes on the floor. "It's funny…" he mused quietly. "In all my life, I've never gone to a dance with anybody…" Fiona's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Stop lying!" she quipped. "Nathan, are you serious?" Nathan smiled sheepishly and shrugged, as Fiona swept the trimmings off his neck and shoulders with the little, white horsehair brush. "I guess I just never thought about asking anyone" he admitted with a shy little laugh. "I figured no one would want such a quiet dance partner…" Fiona chuckled and removing the chair clothe from his shoulders, patted his shoulder reassuringly with her hand. "I'm sure many hearts were broken" she teased as Nathan stood up, smiling. He reddened and shrugged modestly before reaching into his pocket to pay her. Fiona, however held her hands up in protest. "Don't worry about it, Nathan" she reassured him. "It's on the house." Nathan stared at her in disbelief. "Fiona, I can't…" he started to protest before she quickly cut him off. "Don't try to argue" she commanded. "You happen to qualify for the Mountie discount." Nathan stared at her in surprise and gratitude for a moment, before reluctantly pocketing his leather wallet again. "Thank you" he breathed gratefully. "That's very kind. I appreciate it Fiona." Fiona smiled and nodded. "It's the least I could do" she murmured. As Nathan opened the door, she called after him. "Good luck! And remember… It's just a dance." As Nathan shut the jingling door behind him, he let out a heavy sigh. "If only it were that simple…" he muttered grimly, before heading down the boardwalk.
Bill was flustered when he came into the mercantile. He eyed Ned quizzically. "Florence said you wanted to see me?" he asked shortly. Ned nodded eagerly and mysteriously beckoned Bill to a more "private" place near the back shelves. "I may have found an answer to your problem" he whispered. Bill frowned, not bothering to lower his voice. "My problem?" he huffed. "What are you..?" "Shh!" Ned cautioned. "Even the walls have ears Bill." Bill looked around quickly and spluttered in exasperation. "Just… get to the point Ned!" he begged. "I have things to do." Ned nodded knowingly, and leaning in closer, dropped his voice to a whisper. "It's about the Pinkertons" he said slowly. Bill's eyes widen and his mouth hung open. "The Pinkertons?" he murmured, now lowering his voice too. "What did you find out Ned?" Ned glanced around quickly before answering. "One of those factory workers came in here today" he explained. "He was buying some beans from me when Agent Spurlock and one of his goons came up behind him. They told him they were going to pay him a visit at his place. The factory worker certainly didn't look very happy about it. I could tell he was scared." Bill nodded slowly. "Sounds like trouble" he muttered. "Good work Ned. Tell me more. Did they rough him up at all?" Ned shrugged. "No necessarily" he admitted, before holding his finger up confidently. "But their tone was quite threatening if you ask me." Bill nodded. "I know…" he said, glancing around tensely. "Keep all of this under wraps, okay? Between you and me, Spurlock and his cronies have been causing plenty of trouble around town. And from everything I've seen and heard, they're getting bolder. It won't be long now until they try to procure a compliant replacement for Nathan." Ned's eyes widened in horror. "Nathan's leaving?" he asked anxiously. "He will be, if Spurlock has his way" Bill muttered tensely. "Nathan's been a thorn in his side since they arrived, and for good reason. But like I said before, this is all strictly between you and me. Don't go spreading rumors Yost!" he added, shaking his finger warningly. Ned wagged his head vigorously. "Oh of course!" he breathed. "It's kind of exciting… Being involved in a case like this." Bill eyed him skeptically. "Yeah…" he muttered. "Well, don't get any 'bright' ideas. Thank you for the tip Ned. Let me know if anything else comes up." Ned nodded eagerly and watched Bill march out of the mercantile. As he stood looking after the judge, Florence came to his side quietly. "What was that all about?" she asked mysteriously. Ned gave her a serious shake of his head. "It's top secret business" he said. "I'm sworn to silence I'm afraid."
Fiona whistled merrily as she walked down the boardwalk towards the café, where Clara had invited her over to discuss hair styles for the dance. As she walked by the infirmary however, Faith poked her head out and beckoned her inside. "Fiona!" she called. "I have something important to share! Would you mind stopping for a minute?" Fiona stopped dead in her tracks. "Of course not!' she said cheerfully. "You have time if you make it." Faith pulled her into the infirmary and behind the screen, where her face quickly broke into a sheepish grin. "I was just asked to the dance again" she murmured, her eyes on the floor. Fiona looked at her sympathetically. "Oh Faith" she murmured. "Not again! I'm so sorry! When will these men ever learn?" Faith looked up, looking more pleased than sorry. "Actually…" she confessed slowly. "I said yes." Fiona's mouth dropped open. "You did?" she asked in disbelief. "You told me you weren't really interested in going to the dance…" Faith shrugged shyly and smiled. "Well…" she breathed. "I got to thinking about our last conversation. And I thought about what I told you. You know… About my feelings for Nathan? I thought about it for a long time last night, and I decided that I would rather see him happy than see him with me. His heart is somewhere else right now, and I'm happy that one of us was able to find love again, despite our heartbreak." Fiona smiled admiringly and pulled Faith in for a hug. "Faith…" she whispered softly. "I'm so proud of you. And I'm glad you're still going to the dance. Perhaps you and your date can join Mike and I for dinner beforehand. What's he like, this mystery man of yours?" Faith laughed softly. "He seems nice enough" she said, a smile on her face. "He's not handsome, but he had nice manners. And in terms of dance partners, that's good enough for me." Both she and Fiona laughed, Fiona feeling secretly relieved that her friend had decided to move on from her feelings for Nathan, knowing full well that the Mountie's heart belonged to someone else.
"What do you think of that one?" Dani asked as she watched Allie pull out a beautiful pea green dress from a trunk dresses she had given Allie to look through. Allie lifted it up and held it against her slender form before shaking her head. "No…" she said with a shake of her head. "It's not my favorite. The color just seems… wrong." Dani nodded thoughtfully as she stirred a bowl of pancake batter that she was holding in the crook of her arm. "I agree" she said after a moment in deep thought. "You need something brighter; something that really brings out your eyes and skin tone." Allie went digging again, until she fished out a beautiful pink dress. It was a lovely shade, and all the frills and ruffles that lined both the sleeves and the hems gave it a beautifully feminine touch. "Oh!" Allie breathed in rapture. "This one is beautiful!" Dani looked up from the griddle and smiled. "You like it?" she asked happily. "That color would be stunning on you." Allie ran a hand down the dress, and holding it up against herself, suddenly looked glum again. "It's too long and too big" she mourned. "It'll never fit me." Dani smiled reassuringly. "That's where I come in" she pointed out. "I can always alter it before the day of the dance. I can make it into anything you like." Allie was shocked by Dani's generosity. "You would be willing to give me this dress?" she asked, incredulously. Dani nodded. "There's a dance coming up" she pointed out. "How can you go to a dance without a proper dress? If you like that one, I can take some measurements and have it ready for you by Founder's Day." Allie looked down at the dress and marveled. She had never seen, much less owned anything like it. "Thank you so much Dani!" she cried. "I don't know what to say!" Dani smiled, as she flipped their pancake dinner cheerfully. "You'll be the belle of the ball" she chimed, waving her metallic spatula with a flourish. Allie laughed and held the dress up against her slender form with a rapturous sigh.
Nathan was tired from the lack of sleep the night before and from a long day in the saddle when he arrived at Dani's place that evening to pick up Allie. Allie ran out to him when he arrived, and excitedly explained how Dani was going to fit a dress for her for the Founder's Day Dance. Nathan looked up from hugging Allie and spied Dani standing on the front stairs of the little house, a stack of pancakes for him in her hand. He smiled warmly in greeting, though his heart pounded furiously in his chest. As he followed Allie toward her however, he began to feel his nerves subside, as her quiet smile fell on him like a calming lull. "Hi Dani" he said, smiling. "How did the harvesting go?" Dani grinned and glanced at Allie, who was standing erect at her side. "We got a lot done" she breathed triumphantly, before wrapping an arm around Allie's shoulders. "Allie was a huge help, and wonderful company." Allie grinned up at Dani admiringly, before turning back to her uncle. "Can I go down to the lake for a bit while you eat your pancakes?" she asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them. Nathan looked up at Dani for an answer, and Dani smiled. "Yes" they both said in unison, laughing as they did. "Go have fun" Nathan added pleasantly. As Allie disappeared out of sight among the reeds, Nathan and Dani sat down together in their old, familiar place on her front stairs. She handed him the stack of pancakes she had made for him and pulled a fork and knife from her apron pocket. "I hope you're hungry" she said playfully. "Allie and I certainly worked up an appetite out there in the cornfield." Nathan smiled and looked up at her earnestly. "Thank you for letting her spend the day with you" he murmured gratefully. "I think it did her a world of good." Dani smiled thoughtfully and stared out towards the golden sky. "I'm so glad we were able to spend the day together" she murmured. "I'd be lying if I said that it didn't get lonely here sometimes. She's a lovely girl Nathan. You should be proud." Nathan smiled faintly and leaned forward on his elbows. "I am" he said. "More than I am about anything else in my life." Dani nodded understandingly, but remained silent, though there was a contented smile on her face. Nathan eyed her thoughtfully from where he sat. All the love and longing that had manifested itself in his head that morning came over him again, but this time it didn't frighten him. Having her there beside him seemed to put things into perspective. The closeness he felt to her was so strong that he nearly forgot that they had never discussed anything beyond friendship before. He had to catch himself before blurting the words out; now wasn't the right time. The right moment would come, he knew. But this wasn't it. Instead, he folded his hands thoughtfully and drew in a quick breath. "So, I guess Allie's excited for the dance again" he began slowly. "Thanks to you." Dani laughed and turned to face him. "It really didn't take much persuasion" she admitted. "And she'll enjoy herself." Nathan nodded in agreement, then opened his mouth to speak again. "Speaking of the dance…" he murmured casually. "I was wondering… Would you like to go to with me?" Dani's eyes sparkled. "Oh Nathan!" she breathed with a warm smile. "I would love to." Nathan sighed with relief, realizing that he had been holding his breath. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you sooner" he added, a little sheepishly. Dani waved her hand absently. "Nathan!" she cried. "I wasn't expecting to be asked by anyone. I'm glad to be going at all." Nathan shook his head in disbelief. "Now, why would you say that?" he asked, almost annoyed. "You're just so…" he stopped himself, realizing that his feelings might betray him, and corrected himself quickly. "I mean… Who wouldn't want to go with you?" Dani blushed modestly and looked down at the grass, a little shyly. "That's very sweet of you" she murmured delicately. "But Allie has informed me that you've been known to exaggerate before." Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, she did, did she?" he asked playfully, a laughing sparkling shining in his blue eyes. Dani laughed and nodded. "I guess you've been caught in the crime Constable" she teased. "Allie sees everything." Nathan nodded and grinned. "I guess I'll have to watch myself then" he chuckled.
Nathan was tired and sore from sitting in the saddle all day when he and Allie returned from Dani's place. As they were walking back to the rowhouse from the livery, they ran into Robert Wolfe, who wanted to show Allie a new fishing spot he had discovered at the pond. Nathan relented to Allie's pleas to let her go and walked the rest of the way back to the house alone and in silence. The day may have been physically and mentally demanding, but even his inner turmoil had been calmed by Dani's reassuring company. There was something about her that always soothed and cheered him, and her rippling laugh in his ears never failed to lift his spirits. And as he thought back on their conversation, he realized that no one else had ever been as beautiful as she was to him. He sighed happily as he opened the front door and set his hat and serge down on the table. While it felt lonely to return to an empty house, he realized that it gave him the time he needed to reflect on his time with Dani and think about the upcoming dance. Wearily, he sank onto the settee and shut his eyes. It had been a long day to be sure. But even the darkest days could end in the most beautiful sunsets. And the sunset had indeed been beautiful, with Dani by his side.
As Allie and Robert walked back to the rowhouse, Robert tried awkwardly to make conversation, though Allie could tell that he seemed as nervous as she was. "How did you like the new fishing spot?" he asked, walking in step with her, his hands behind his back. Allie nodded shyly and smiled. "It's really nice" she said sweetly. "Maybe we should go try it out soon." Robert nodded. "Yeah…" he agreed. "We should." There was an awkward silence between them before Robert tried again. "I forgot to tell you earlier…" he said, a little breathlessly. "My pa and I decided to wait until after the dance to go to Union City for supplies. My mom figured we could wait a few more days. She's pretty set on going." Allie nodded, trying to think of what to say. "That's… great" was all she could muster. Oh great! She thought, annoyed. I'm turning into Uncle Nathan! "Are you… planning on going?" she asked, trying to sound casual and failing somewhat. Robert eyed her, then shrugged nervously. "I don't know…" he faltered. "Dances are kind of…" "…Silly" Allie finished for him with a forced smile. Robert nodded. "Yeah" he agreed. "Silly…" They had reached the front of the rowhouse, and Robert turned to say goodnight. "Well…" he stammered. "Here we are…" Allie nodded and looked down at the ground. "Here we are…" Robert eyed her, his lips pursed together. He nodded awkwardly and was about to let her walk inside when he suddenly seemed to make up his mind. "Say, Allie…" he began. "I know dances are silly, but… since I'm going to be in town, and… since neither of us are going with anyone… Do you want to go with me?" Allie's eyes lit up with excitement and awe. "Really?" she breathed. Robert shrugged with a half-smile. "Why not?" he asked. "Maybe it won't be silly this time." Allie nodded breathlessly, though she was completely at a loss for words. Instead, she leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on Robert's blushing cheek. Just as she did however, she heard the front door of the rowhouse open, and turned in time to see Uncle Nathan staring at both of them in horror. "Allie!" Nathan exclaimed, hardly believing his own eyes. "What is going on here?" Robert and Allie froze and eyed him fearfully like two mice cornered by a cat. But internally, Allie's heart was soaring. Instead of dreading the dance, now she could hardly wait!