Caroling was so much fun that Jo lost all track of time, and before she realized it, it was past Kerri and Kelli's bedtime.
"We need to get back!" she whispered, glancing at her watch. Fritz looked at his own watch.
"Indeed, we do." Little Emil yawned, and his uncle chuckled. They walked back to where the two houses were.
"Goodnight!" Fritz waved a jovial hand to her as they parted.
"Bye." She waved back, surprised to find she felt a little sad. I'll probably see them again tomorrow, she told herself.
To her relief, Sharon wasn't upset about how late they were.
"It's only Christmas Eve once a year," she said, and Jo smiled gratefully.
Predictably, the girls were the first ones up the following morning. Jo went the the living room to find them busily tearing wrapping paper off boxes. Sharon sat on the sofa, watching them. She smiled when she saw Jo.
"Good morning! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!" Jo replied, sitting down beside her.
"Look what I got!" Kelli ran to show her a doll.
"That's very pretty," Jo replied. "Are you ready for your presents from me?"
"Oh, yes!" both girls cried together.
Jo fetched the presents she'd bought for Sharon and the girls and passed them around.
"I know it isn't much," she said apologetically.
"It's very nice." Sharon's eyes lit up as she opened the boxed robe and slippers set. "Thank you!"
"Thanks, Miss Jo!" Kerri and Kelli echoed as they opened the toys Jo had bought them.
From the Kirkes, Jo received a beautiful hand knitted sweater and hat.
"I love it!" she told them. "Thank you very much!"
Christmas dinner was everything Jo had known it would be - ham, salad, vegetables, soup, several different types if bread, two pies, and a platter of cookies. Jo ate until she could hold no more, at the same time, wondering what Fritz and his nephews were eating. Likely bologna sandwiches again, she concluded dismally.
She wouldn't hurt his pride by taking food to him again, and yet, she wondered.
"You look deep in thought," Sharon remarked.
"I was just wondering how Fritz and his nephews are faring," Jo admitted. "I hope they have enough to eat."
"Were you thinking of taking food over there again?" asked Sharon.
Jo gasped. So Sharon knew what she'd done.
The older woman chuckled. "I noticed some things were missing and concluded you must have done that. It's fine, but it would have been nice to have asked me first."
"I'm sorry." Jo felt her cheeks burning hot as an oven.
"I'm not upset at you, Jo. I know what a compassionate heart you have and how much that man and those boys have come to mean to you."
Jo was startled. Had they, and was it that obvious?
As it turned out, she'd been right in supposing she'd see Fritz and his nephews before the day ended, for sure enough, at twilight, he rang the doorbell and was admitted smiling and cheerful as always into the living room. His arms were full of packages.
"Oh, you shouldn't have, Professor!" said a wide-eyed Sharon. "It's so cold out there - your toes will freeze!"
Fritz laughed. "Please do not worry about my toes, Mrs. Kirke. They will be fine. Spreading Christmas cheer is so much more important to me!"
"Well, come on in!"
He'd brought something for each of them: a mug for Sharon, toys for the girls, and for Jo, there was a beautiful vintage brooch. It was a red glass cabochon surrounded by white seed pearls. From it, a red teardrop glass was suspended.
"It was my mother's, and my grandmother's before that," Fritz explained.
"It's beautiful!" Jo held it, admiring it from different angles. "But I can't accept this. It's a family heirloom."
"Please, Jo. I want you to have it, so that when your assignment here is over and you return home, you will have something to remember old Fritz by."
"Oh, thank you!" Jo held him tight, relishing the scent of his cologne.
The new year came and went. January was cold and rainy. Kerri and Kelli attended a private school in the mornings, and Jo spent that time running errands, catching up on her reading, or surfing the internet. She kept in constant touch with her family through email and text messaging.
One day she stood in the produce section of the supermarket with a grapefruit in each hand.
"That one looks juiciest."
She turned to see who had spoken and found herself gazing into the most gorgeous blue eyes she'd ever seen. The young man looked to be about twenty five and had flaxen blond hair that came to just below his ears.
"I'll get it, then," she said with a smile.
"I'm Brad. What's your name?"
"Jo." She got a sudden strong urge to walk away, but Brad had positioned himself between her and the nearest check out lane, and besides, she was having a hard time tearing herself away from those blue eyes of his.
"So, do you come here often?" he asked.
"Only when I need to shop for food."
He chuckled. "So, Jo, why don't you tell me a little about yourself."
"Not much to tell. I live in Concord with my parents and younger sister. Right now I'm working as a governess for my mother's friend."
"Cool. I work in a warehouse myself. I'm going to a party at a friend's house on Friday night. Want to come along?"
"What kind of party?"
"No special occasion. Just a regular party with music, dancing, and drinks. My friend lives in Greenwich Village. Shall I pick you up at seven?"
Jo hadn't been to a party in so long she couldn't even remember the last one. And life had been so boring lately - the weather damp and gloomy, the monotonous sameness of her daily routine frustrating. What would be the harm in having a little fun for a change, just for one night?
"All right." She gave him directions to Sharon's house.