"I hate school," complained 13 year old Rob, entering the kitchen with a grumpy countenance.
"What’s wrong, sweety?" asked Asia.
"Mother gives too much homework!" Asia laughed at his agitation. She knew that Jo had been giving a little more homework than usual because of the dance that would be held on Saturday, so she wouldn’t have to give the children homework.
"Now, don’t you worry about it, Rob. It’ll all work out in the end," she smiled.
"Sure will," came a voice from the door.
"Nick, I thought you would still be in town," Asia said, noticing the "man of the house" (as he was now called) was unusually early.
"Asia, you do know what Saturday is right?"
"Well, sure its the dance--"
"Oh," she grinned, "your weddin' anniversary! I almost forgot! I can't believe its been a year!" she exclaimed.
"Yup, and that's why I'm taking her out tonight to Walden pond so we can go to the dance tomorrow."
"Hey, pa that's a good idea," said Rob, who now was very fond of Nick and considered him as a father.
"What's a good idea?" It was Jo, and the other three were so flabbergasted by her entrance they didn't know what to say.
"Uh, we were just--" began Nick
"Talking about how--" continued Rob as the three tried to think of something to say.
"How we should leave early for the dance," finished Asia, "On Saturday, you know, so we don't have to worry about being late." Jo looked at her family very suspiciously, she knew something was funny and she was curious to find out what it was. As she headed over to the table, she paused, turned around and faced Nick, questioningly. "Honey, why are you here?"
Rob and Asia snickered at the very blunt question.
"I live here, right?" Nick answered with a nervous smile.
"Yes, I know, but your early. Shouldn't you be at work?"
"Uh, eh, I uh, I had a half day," he replied.
Jo looked at him for a minute and he was worried that she suspected him, but she finally turned away which made Nick let out a soft sigh.
"Oh, alright. Mmm, Asia what are you cooking?"
"Dinner, Jo, wait for dinner."

*************

The children, well, now the young adults for they were not children anymore sat on the porch all taking in the fresh air that Spring brought before them.
"Oh, its such a lovely day!'' exclaimed Bess as she took in the scent of a rose nearby.
"Yeah it is," agreed Nat and Dan.
"Let's play a game!" cried Nan whose childish persona had still remained within.
"Nan! Why can't we just sit here and enjoy the fresh air?" shouted an annoyed Bess, who was sick of games and thought she was too old for them.
"Nan, I'm really not up for it either," said Dan who usually was the first to suggest games.
"Me either," added Nat.
"Oh, alright. Well then what are we supposed to do?"
"Chat," said the all too ready Bess. "Dan dear how was your day?"
"Fine. I think I might have gotten a splinter while chopping the wood over for last night's fire."
"Yeah, yesterday night was chilly," said Nat, who wasn't really paying attention to what was going on, but day dreaming.
"Do you want me to take it out?" asked the soon to be doctor.
"Will it hurt?" came Dan's reply.
"Not at all." Nan came over and pricked the sliver out of the hand with such ease that Dan didn't even wince.
"Thanks!" exclaimed Dan. "Now maybe I can dance "properly" with Bess," he added sarcastically.
"Haha," said Bess, "Very funny. You'll be lucky if you'll even get one dance with me," she spoke.
"Here we go again," mumbled Nan. Trying to change the subject, she noticed Nat looking rather off into space, so she decided to bring him back to Earth.
"Nat, what are you thinking of?" she asked staring into his green eyes.
"Huh?" came Nat's reply as he realized he was out of sorts. "Oh," he laughed as the other three grinned at him, "I, uh, really don't remember."
"Oh," Nan laughed softly. "Any new stories?"
"No, but I've been trying to write a poem. Actually, a sonnet."
"A sonnet!" shouted Bess. "Oh Nat I love sonnets! You must show me yours!"
"Well, I haven't exactly written it yet. To tell you the truth I don't even know where to begin."
"What's a sonnet?" asked Dan.
"Some love poem," replied Nan.
"Yeah, I guess you could put it that way," laughed Nat.
"Nan, I wish you could be more perceptive about sonnets. They are not just 'some love poems,' they are very special, very--"
"Alright, Bess, I got it," answered Nan. "So Nat, I think you write stories better."
"How do you know, you haven't even read my sonnet yet," answered Nat, slightly agitated by her reply.
"I know. Besides, sonnets sound boring," Nan retorted.
"How can you say that?" Nat shouted angrily. "Just because you think they're boring doesn't mean they are," he quickly said. Nan was enraged by his aroused anger and decided to comeback with an answer.
"I think they are! And I don't care what you think, so maybe you shouldn't tell me about them or any of your other stories ever again!" she snapped, and with that both stormed off the porch, Nan towards the door and Nat off into the woods. Bess and Dan looked at each other, completely surprised by the unexpected outbursts, that they were speechless. Word quickly spread about the house that Nan and Nat had a heated battle over a "some love poem" which soon then turned into Nan and Nat's heated battle over the last piece of Asia's apple pie (talk about how rumors start!). At dinner, everyone in the house except for Nick and Jo knew about Nan and Nat's heated battle about the disputed vacant room by the kitchen. The table was set and everyone, but Nan, sat down, said grace and began to eat. The children (who were all now new for the ones before are grown older) began to snicker and chat quietly amongst themselves. Jo, who was rather hungry, didn't notice but Nick did.
"Nat, have you seen Nan?" he asked.
"No, why would I see her," he answered sarcastically.
"Just asking," Nick said as he noticed Nat's fury.
"Nat," Jo asked as she was a little worried about him, "is something wrong?"
"Uh," Dan began trying to change the subject, "I'll go get Nan." He left and in a minute came back with the frowning Nan.
"Nan, are you alright?" asked Jo.
"Fine. Just hungry I guess."
"Oh good! Asia's made this delicious chicken, with potatoes and--"
"Jo," Asia interrupted, "I made this last week too."
"Really?" Jo asked shocked. "Mmm, well I guess you've improved it!" And everyone laughed at her remark.
"Bess," began Nan, "would you please pass the butter", when of course, Nat was much closer to the butter than Bess was.
"Why don't you ask Nat?" Bess answered, forgetting the quarrel earlier in the day. Nan gave her a glare, and Bess remembered right away.
"Oh, of course," she replied with her mouth full. She took a sip of water and said, "Nat, would you please pass the butter?"
Nat handed her the butter, which she then handed to Nan.
"Thanks Bess."
"Thank you Nat."
"Your welcome, Bess," came the final reply.
The children were about to explode at the scene before them and Nick and Jo were very confused at what had just occurred. The dinner continued on the same way until Nick had enough of it.
"Alright, what's going on?"
"What do you mean?" came almost everyone's reply.
"Who's in a fight?"
"No one's fighting, Nick," came Dan's reply. "We just like to pass things to each other, you know, everyone's a part of it"
"Is that so?" came Nick's reply.
A chorus of "yes's", "yup's", "uh-huh's" and "what's?" arrived from the table, although the "what's" were only murmured by the very young children who never paid attention to anything. Nick knew something was wrong between Nat and Nan, but he knew that they were old enough to "patch" things up and decided to ignore the subject.
"Well, I had a wonderful dinner," said Jo who ate more than she usually did. "Thank you Asia."
Asia was now suspicious of Jo's unusual condition. "Jo may I speak to you for a moment?" she asked.
"Of course."
The two went into the kitchen privately and began to discuss what Jo called, her "secret." After she revealed it, Asia understood fully what was going on, and was excited about what would be unraveled to Nick.

************