Coming Home ~ Part Two

Back at Plumfield, Nat had just dismissed his students from class for a small break. They all ran out of the barn as fast as their legs would carry them, eager to fill their lungs with fresh air and run about the grounds. Amid all of the excitement, though, one boy remained in the classroom, unaware that he and his teacher were the only ones in the barn while his friends were outside. He was writing a poem about a rat that he had seen climbing through the rafters while Mr. Blake had been teaching the history lesson, and was so immersed in it that he practically leaped out of his chair when his teacher tapped him on the shoulder.
"Whatever you're writing there must be very interesting, Matt," Nat said as the boy of fourteen lifted his head and blushed when he realized that he hadn't heard the dismissal.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Blake. I guess I get so caught up in my writing sometimes," Matt replied.
Nat smiled at the young boy. He reminded Nat so much of himself at that age; always writing or daydreaming about something. Nat rarely daydreamed anymore. He was always so busy with either teaching at Plumfield or giving violin lessons to some of the children that lived in Concord; the only time he had for daydreaming was when he went out to the pasture, sat on the fence, and played his violin like he always used to do when he was a child at Plumfield.
"That's okay, Matt. But why don't you go outside and join your friends? I've noticed myself that I can write much better once I have some fresh air in my lungs," Nat smiled at the boy, and they both walked outside.

Meanwhile, the wagon was rolling around the bend and towards Plumfield.
"Aw, daddy, do ya hafta go so slow! I think there's a turtle that wants to pass us," Fritz whined impatiently.
Franz looked back at his son, then at Isabelle, and started laughing, remembering the time that they had gone on their first picnic together. Isabelle laughed too, remembering how she had said the same thing to Franz, right before she had taken the reins and sped up the horse only to have the wagon crash by the side of the road when another wagon came.
"Your father knows what he's doing, Fritz," his mother said between giggles, "Although, dear, you could speed up the wagon a little bit. I think Fritz is right about that turtle!"
Franz smiled back at both of them, and snapped the reins, speeding up the horses just a little bit, not wanting Isabelle to come up to the front of the wagon and do it herself.
After a little while, they came to the gates of Plumfield and Franz stopped the wagon. Getting out, he swung the gate open and sighed. Memories flooded back into his mind of the day he left - "I'll send some (stories) to ya" ... "Don't let the cows trample ya" ... "Well, you said I should do something about it" ... "We all chipped in and got ay a goin away present...now yer ready".
"Plumfield," he said quietly to himself, "It feels good to be home."

Climbing back up into the wagon, he snapped the reins again, leading the wagon towards the house. He could see children playing outside the barn, and a man was walking out of the barn with a boy by his side. Squinting, he tried to make out the face of the man, but couldn't tell who it was because the midday sun was too bright. Once closer, he realized who it was; Nat Blake! So Nat, his student years ago, was teaching at Plumfield now; just like he had done. He wondered if any of his other students were still in Concord.
Pulling the wagon up to the entrance of Plumfield, he called out to Nat, whose back was turned as he walked back into the barn, "Hey, Nat, why'd you stop sending those stories? You were getting really good at them, you know,"
Nat froze in his tracks. No, it couldn't be. Not after all these years. He hadn't heard from Franz in a year now; the last time he wrote was right before Jo and Nick got married, and then the letters had stopped. Shaking his head, he starting walking into the barn again.
After a pause, Franz added, "I hope this doesn't mean that you have stopped playing the violin, too!"
At this, Nat swung around, and came face to face with Franz. His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face as he saw the friendly hazel eyes smiling at him from underneath the faded, yet familiar hat that his friend wore upon his head.
"Franz! You've come back!" Nat welcomed Franz in a welcoming embrace.
Nat then stepped back and took a good look at Franz. He had changed so much in the past 6 years; when he had left Plumfield, he had looked so unsure that he would ever be able to help run a cattle ranch, but now he looked like a genuine cowpoke!
"I'm sorry I havn't written to you in so long. You see, I am teaching here at Plumfield, now. I have been teaching for a year now, ever since Jo and Nick got married. I guess I just don't have much time for writing stories anymore..." His voice tralied off as he remembered all of the stories he used to write when he was a student here, "but, Franz," he continued, "I still do play the violin! I give lessons to some of the kids in town."
"I understand, Nat. I may have been gone for six years, but I remember what it was like to teach,"Franz then turned towards the wagon and gestured with his hand, "Come, Nat, and meet my family!"
Nat followed Franz towards the wagon. Franz then helped Isabelle down as Fritz jumped out of the wagon and immediately took refuge behind his mother's skirts, being shy in his new surroundings.
"You know Isabelle, of course," he nodded in her direction, "and these are our children, Friedrich and Josephine. But we call them Fritz and Josie for short."
Smiling, Nat approached Isabelle, "It's so nice to see you again," and then looking behind her, "hey there, Fritz, you don't need to hide, we're very friendly here!"
The boy smiled, and stretched out his hand slowly, "Hi, my name is Fritz. Nice ta meet ya."
Nat took the little hand, "Nice to meet you too!" Then he stepped back, and looked at the smiling baby in Isabelle's arms. She cooed and stretched her arms up, grabbing onto Nat's tie and yanking it towards herself.
"My, but you're strong, aren't you?" he said, laughing, as he loosened the child's grip and smoothed out his tie against his chest.
"Just like her great aunt," a voice called from the doorway. "Franz, it's so good to see you again! I knew from your letter that you were coming, but I didn't expect you this soon!" Jo ran towards the group and hugged her nephew as Nick watched from the doorway. She then moved to Isabelle and looked down at the bundle in her arms. "What a beautiful baby! What is her name?"
"We named her Josie," Franz replied, "And you remember my writing about Fritzy, don't you?" he held out his hand to his son, who was still hiding shyly behind his mother. "Fritz, this is your Great Aunt Jo"
"Hi, nice ta meet ya," he called meekly from behind his mother's skirts. Then he saw a dog come running towards the group, tail wagging and his ears flopping.
"Look, a doggie!" Fritz cried as he leaped out from his hiding place and started running towards the dog, who was just as big as he was.
"That's Max II," Nick said from the doorway, "he just loves ta play."
"Don't wander too far!" Isabelle called after him as he chased the dog around the yard
"I'll be okay ma! I promise!" Fritz called back.
"Isabelle, you remember Nick, don't you," she said as he walked up to the group.
"Howdy," Nick said as he took off his hat.
"Yes, I remember you, Nick. It is nice to see you again," Isabelle extended her hand, which he accepted.
"Let's all go inside. You must be so tired after your long trip!" Jo picked up one of the suitcases as Nat and Nick each took the others and the group walked inside.

After sitting down in the parlor, Jo turned to Franz, "So, Franz, what brings you back to Plumfield?"
Franz looked at Isabelle for a moment, then turned back to his Aunt Jo.
"Well," he began, "several months ago, Isabelle noticed that I wasn't quite happy with life on the ranch."
Isabelle interrupted, "When he first came 6 years ago, he was so excited, but I could tell that he missed teaching. I realized that he gave up everything to be here with me...his teaching career, his college education. Anyway, my brother is settled now in his ranch, and I figured that since Franz gave up everything to come to Arizona to be with me, the least I could do is return the favor and come with him back to Boston so he can go to college like he wanted to. I have to admit that I was getting a bit homesick for Concord myself."
"What wonderful news!" Jo exclaimed, "Franz, I will send a letter tomorrow to Harvard to let them know you are back!"
"That isn't necessary, Aunt Jo," Franz explained, "I already sent them a letter, from the train station in Boston, and expect to hear from them soon."
"Oh, I see," Jo said, blushing a bit, "I forget that you are all grown up now. You certainly have grown into a fine young man. You look so much like your Uncle Fritz." Jo looked over at the picture of Fritz on the mantle, then at the wedding picture of her and Nick on the table by the window.
After a long pause, Jo stood up, "Well, we should get you upstairs," she said as Fritz ran into the parlor, dripping wet.
"Fritz! What happened to you?" Franz exclaimed as he stood up.
"Well, I was walking around the barn, looking for Max, when I heard another boy arguing with a girl by the well. I was just about to introduce myself when she picked up her pail and tried to throw the water at the boy, but missed him and get me wet instead!"
Everyone started laughing hysterically, and Nat turned to Franz, "Franz...he looks so much like you did that day when Isabelle got you!" This started everyone laughing even harder, and after they were done, Isabelle picked the boy up, "Aunt Jo, where can I take Fritzy to dry him off?"
"Just follow me," Jo said as she picked up one of the suitcases, "I'll show you and your family to the guest room."
Walking up the stairs, Franz paused a moment to look around him. "Yep," he said, "It feels good to be home."

Part Three