Dan opened his eyes to a room of boys rushing to get ready for school. School, he thought in disgust.
"C'mon Dan! You'll be late!" Nat told him as he shook his friend's shoulders.
Dan sighed and sat up. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He told Nat, and got out of bed. After a night of tossing and turning, the last thing Dan wanted was to have to get out of bed.
"So who can tell me what equals 3/9 simplified?" Asked Franz to the schoolroom of children.
That dream last night was really strange, Dan thought to himself. I haven't thought about Boston in a while, I don't know why I had a dream about it last---
"Dan," Franz said, interrupting his thoughts. Dan sat up straight in his chair quickly.
"Yes, sir?"
Franz looked at him expectantly. "Maybe you'd like to tell me what 3/9 simplified equals?" he asked him, tapping his toes against the wooden floor.
Dan thought quickly. "Uh 1 1/3." He said. Even though he got it right, Franz looked disappointed, and Dan was happy that he felt that way. It's you're fault you taught me so well, Franz, Dan thought to himself with a half smile.
* * *
Mrs. Jo picked out a can of beans to add to her basket. She looked like the regular woman shopping on a fine Thursday afternoon---a basket in one hand and a list in the other.
As she went to the counter to pay for her groceries, the storekeeper looked at her and smiled. Jo looked confused but smiled back anyway. "Something pleasing you?" she asked as she unloaded her basket.
"Oh, nothing, I just," he paused, and his smile grew wider. "I got a telegram today from Boston. I thought you'd like to see it." Jo thought curiously, and nodded, and the storekeeper went back to retrieve it.
Jo read the message quickly and she looked up happily. "Oh, this is so wonderful! Dan will be so happy!" and she left in a hurry.
* * *
"Dan! Dan!" I have wonderful news!" Mrs. Jo said as he came out to help with the packages.
Dan looked curious. "What?" he asked hesitantly.
"Read this." She told him, and handed him the slip of paper.
Dan looked up and smiled. "What is it?"
Jo urged him on with eager gestures, and Bess, Nat, and Nan came out to join them.
"To whomever it may concern:" Dan read out loud. "In search of a boy, should be about fifteen now. Brown hair, brown eyes." Dan looked eager as he read. "Whereabouts unknown. Name Daniel." Dan looked excited, and he glanced from person to person. Everyone else looked just as pleased. Dan stood with wide eyes in disbelief. "Do you think that this could be?"
Jo smiled warmly. "Look, there's the address of the person who sent it." She pointed at the bottom of the page. "I think you know what this means, Dan."
Dan obviously didn't, but Bess did. Nan and Nat probably did, too, but Bess found her tongue first. "That means that you have someone looking for you, Dan!" she said happily. "They want you to come visit them in Boston!"
Dan found it hard to breath he was so happy. "This means this means I might have family!" he said happily.
Jo urged him and the others inside. "C'mon everyone. Let's get inside. Dan, I need to talk to you."
* * *
Dan sat down on a chair in the dining room. The rest of the children gathered around him, and Nick and Jo were sitting in the chairs across from him.
"Dan," Jo began, smiling. "Nick and I have been thinking," I've been thinking too, Dan thought. "And we've decided that I should take you to Boston to see this person who sent it!"
Everyone immediately started talking and congratulating Dan; it was too much for him. He looked unsure of himself, and got up and left the room in a hurry.
Mrs. Jo looked around the room in confusion. The others were doing the same. "What's wrong? Was it something I said?" Mrs. Jo asked to no one in particular.
"I'll go talk to him," Bess said, and hurried after him.
Bess found Dan on the bridge throwing rocks into the water. "Dan? What's wrong?" she asked him.
Dan didn't respond.
Bess put a hand on his shoulder. "Is it just me, or should you be happy right now?" she asked him. He still remained silent, and his jaw muscles clenched. "Dan, you just discovered that there is someone out there looking for you! You might have an uncle or aunt! Shouldn't you be glad?"
Dan turned to her. She looked so pretty then, so concerned for him. "I know it's great and all but"
"But what?" Bess asked impatiently.
Dan sighed. "Remember what happened last time?" he asked her. "I got a telegram from Boston saying that my last name was Madison, and it turned out to be untrue." He paused, and struggled to hold back the tears that he refused to let fall. "What happens if Mrs. Jo and I get all the way to Boston to find out that this isn't real?" he said, pointing to the telegram that lay in his hands. "What if it's all a big mistake?" he turned back to the water. "I don't want to go through that again." He threw another rock into the water. "I sure wish I could've been Daniel Madison." He said, and sighed.
Bess wasn't convinced, and she grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to face her. "I know that was hard for you, but what if this is the real thing? What if there is someone out there that has been just as lonely as you?" Dan looked a little less tough once he realized she had a good point. "You got over it eventually anyway, right? Don't you think that should be a risk you're willing to take to get your life back?" she asked him, and suddenly and unexpectedly, he smiled.
"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it's not that bad." He admitted.
"Of course it's not! Now come on, you have things to pack!" she said, and took his hand. "Mrs. Jo wants to leave tomorrow!"
As they started to head back, Bess was chatting up a storm. "Imagine that. Heading to Boston with Mrs. Jo. You get to see so much! It'll be so exciting. I bet"
Dan suddenly pulled Bess back so their faces were only a few inches apart. "Bess?" he asked her, leaning forward.
Bess looked nervous. "Yu . . . Yeah?" she asked him shakily.
Look at her, Dan thought. She's reaching out to me, she wants to help me. She's really pretty right now.
Dan stopped, their noses almost touching. He leaned back quickly and stood up straight. "Um . . thanks." He told her and patted her on the shoulder. "Yeah thanks." And with that he headed back for the main grounds.
Bess stood dumbfounded on the bridge. "Shoot!" she said quietly, and turned to catch up with Dan.
* * *
"All right, do we have everything?" Mrs. Jo asked in the front seat of the wagon. Dan was sitting anxiously besides her. He looked back and nodded.
"Yup." He said.
A chorus of "Bye Dan!" and "Good luck in Boston!" and "Bring me something pretty!" erupted in his ears, and he leaned back to wave.
Mrs. Jo looked at Dan expectantly. "You ready, Dan?" she asked.
Dan paused, thinking. Just think of what Bess said, he reminded himself silently. This is worth the risk. It could change my whole life. He struggled to push the thought "and it might not change my life, too" out of his mind, and without further ado.
"Boston, here we come!" he said enthusiastically, and he turned to wave to the mass of people waving back, as the wagon jostled down the road. As the wagon became smaller and smaller, until it could no longer be seen, the crowd thinned, and people got back to their jobs.
The only person left standing there was Bess. Poor Dan, she thought. He's gone through so much.
She turned to go back to her chores, but before she left her spot, she whispered something that no one could hear.
"I hope you find what you're looking for."
Part 2 by Rachel -
‘Boston. Who would've imagined that he would be going back to Boston.' Dan turned once more in his seat to look back at Plumfield. The only person who was still standing there was Bess. There was a slight breeze that lifted her hair off her shoulders, blowing it in front of her face which she quickly brushed aside. She was one of the things he would miss the most. His memory went back to yesterday:
As they started to head back, Bess was chatting up a storm. "Imagine that. Heading to Boston with Mrs. Jo. You get to see so much! It'll be so exciting. I bet . . ."
Dan suddenly pulled Bess back so their faces were only a few inches apart. "Bess?" he asked her, leaning forward.
Bess looked nervous. "Yu . . . Yeah?" she asked him shakily.
Look at her, Dan thought. She's reaching out to me, she wants to help me. She's really pretty right now . . .
And then all he said was thanks. He could have kissed her, and he said ‘thanks.' All he would have had to have done was lean down . . .
"We'll be there in about 3 hours. Are you excited?"
Mrs. Jo broke into his thoughts and started him to wondering again. "I don't know. It's weird going back to Boston. Back to where I came from. . But its also very exciting. To think that I could have family there. I just . . . ."
"You're worried?"
"Yeah. Worried that it will end up like last time. But, its like Bess told me, it's a risk I need to take."
"Bess told you that it was a risk that you needed to take? My niece said that?"
Dan smiled at Jo. "Yeah, your niece is amazing, Mrs. Jo"
Jo looked over and smiled. "Yeah. She is."
*****
Dan woke to someone shaking him. "Wha . . ."
"It's just me Dan. We're here."
"Boston?" He shook his head and sat up, looking at the people, and the buildings. He laughed, "It hasn't changed much."
"They never do. In ways it will always be changing, but in your heart, it will stay the same for the rest of your life."
"There are lots of boys you could try to save out here Mrs. Jo." Dan smiled.
"Not this time, Dan." She smiled. "Not this time."
*****
"I still don't understand why we can't go to that address today."
Jo sighed, "Dan, its getting close to dinner, and to be polite, we should wait until tomorrow. They will still be there. I promise. Besides, I figured, you might want to go out to the streets of Boston to look around. Who knows what you might find."
"Sure. Its better than sitting around here all night."
"Good. It's been a while since I've seen Boston. Shall we go?"
"Lets get out of here."
*****
"I was talking to Franz the other day." Jo paused to take another bite of her apple, then continued, "He said that you were doing excellent in your math, although you were still caught daydreaming."
"Well, the night before, I had had a dream about returning to Boston. It was weird since it has been forever since I've had a dream like that, and I was just thinking about it when Franz called me. He's an excellent teacher though."
"When you pay attention."
Dan grinned, "when I pay attention." He stopped, and started squinting. "Flash?" he murmured.
"Flash! Where?" Jo started looking around.
He smiled, "right there. FLASH!"
Startled, the girl whirled from what she was doing, as did the man she was standing next to.
"Dan?" She whispered.
"Hey! Police! This girl stole my wallet. Police!"
Part 3 by Sara -
Flash stared in disbelief at Dan who was racing towards her. "Flash!" Dan hollered once he reached her, greeting her with a hug.
Flash put her hands on both sides of his face, smiling. "Dan! What are you---"
"All right, you. You're coming with me." Said a voice from behind them, and Flash turned to see a policeman standing there. She looked at Dan quickly. "I'll be right back, you stay put." Dan was confused, and so was Mrs. Jo who had walked up behind them both.
Flash turned to the policeman and the man she had pick pocketed. Dan looked at Mrs. Jo, but she didn't have a clue of what was going to happen. "Hello, sir." Flash said with a smile. "Hope your day is fine---wait!" she said, pointing her finger in another direction. "I think that man just stole a gun!"
The policeman turned quickly, looking. "What? Where?" but when he turned around, Flash had already began to run off, the other man gaining. Dan looked at Mrs. Jo again, to find, surprisingly, that she was laughing, so he began to laugh, also.
Suddenly, further down the crowded streets, Flash saw a telephone pole. Perfect, she thought, and ran straight into it. Only Dan and Mrs. Jo saw.
Immediately, they stopped laughing. "Flash!" Dan screamed, and ran to her, but the man and the policeman got there first.
"There's the real thief." The man said in disgust, pointing a shaky finger at the girl on the ground. But as the policeman put her on her feet and hauled her away, Flash protested. "No, no! It's not me you! It's him!" she said, pointing right back at the man who had accused her. "Look! He hit me! That's child abuse!" she screamed, gesturing towards the black and blue bulge that was growing around her eye. There was a faint trickle of blood around it too, but Flash secretly just figured that it was better that way.
The man stared in disbelief. "Wha . . .that's not true! It's a lie! I didn't lay a finger on her!" by that time Dan and Mrs. Jo had reached the crowd, and the policeman was still confused.
Jo stuttered for a second, trying to find words. She had to stand up for Flash; she saved Dan and Nat's life. "It's true!" Jo screamed. Flash was amazed. "I saw it happen! He did hit her!" convinced, the policeman took the man away, until his pleads and protests couldn't be heard anymore.
Flash stood up and threw the man's wallet on the ground. "That's a waste, anyway." She said, and looked at Mrs. Jo, smiling. "Thanks, Mrs. Jo. I really owe ya one now."
Mrs. Jo smiled faintly. "You're very welcome, but is that man going to jail? I wouldn't want to be responsible for an innocent man in prison." Flash shook her head no. "Don't worry, he's not innocent." She informed them. "That was Mr. Luke Petersen. He's a no good low life, that's all. He beats on his wife and kids, and steals money from the bank he works at. He got what he deserved." Mrs. Jo and Dan were impressed, and Flash smiled again. "I do my research," she added proudly.
* * *
"Do you think Dan's found the person who sent the telegram yet?" Bess asked to no one in particular. The dinner table that night was a little more silent than usual, because people had things on their minds. Franz looked up. "Maybe." He said, and Bess smiled at the thought. She didn't want Dan to be sad, she hated to see him disappointed. She wanted him to be happy. This could change his whole life, she thought, then thought of something else. This could change my whole life too. What if he decided to stay in Boston with his relative, she realized. What if Mrs. Jo comes back and . . .?
Bess pushed the thought out of her mind and resumed her meal.
* * *
"Does that hurt?" Flash, Dan, and Jo were back in the wagon, headed towards rooms to rent. Mrs. Jo persisted Flash to stay with them while they were in Boston, but Flash was still deciding. The streets were all she had ever known, and the only time she had stayed in a house was when she was at Plumfield.
Then again, she thought, they wouldn't be staying that long. I figure I could stay with them, then after they left, get out of Boston, and go see places out west . . .
"Flash," Dan's voice interrupted her thoughts, and she focused on the boy sitting across from her in the back of the wagon. "Does that hurt?" he repeated, as he put a cold cloth to Flash's black eye.
She winced, but tried to smile, and thanked him.
"So, Flash," Mrs. Jo said over her shoulder from the driving seat.
"What are you planning to do after we leave?" she asked. "You coming with us back to Plumfield?"
Flash looked at the back of Jo's head and smiled. "No, I don't think so." Dan frowned in disappointment. Flash saw it instantly, and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll still come visit though, maybe in a couple of months."
"Months?" Dan asked in surprise.
Flash smiled, and was glad to know that some people cared about her so much. "Okay, okay, weeks." She added quickly, then continued. "What I'd like to do is go out west," she told them her plans as the wagon jostled along searching for a place to sleep. Dan looked interested. "First Arizona, see the Grand Canyon," she said, imagining the sites. "Then California, see the Pacific Ocean. I've never seen the Pacific Ocean before." She added.
Dan sighed, and sat down next to her. "Neither have I," he said gloomily. Jo opened her mouth to speak, but Flash beat her to it.
"Dan," she said. "You'll have plenty of time to see the Grand Canyon and the Pacific Ocean. They're not going anywhere." She looked at Mrs. Jo who was listening intently. "Besides," she added for Jo's sake, "You've got things to learn."
Dan looked upset. "But I don't want to wait." He told Flash, looking at her square in the eyes. "I want to see the world when I'm still young, then I'll have all these stories to tell people, like when I'm Nick's age, you know?" he asked her. Flash understood, but she also disagreed at the same time. "And anyway, I want to go with someone that I can trust, and that I can relate to," he said, "Like you."
Flash smiled, as did Mrs. Jo. "Yeah, that would be fun," she said. "Just like old times, huh?" she asked him, and Dan nodded. Flash continued. "Well, Dan, as much as I'd like to take you with me, you've gotta finish your schooling, first." She leaned closer to him, but spoke loud enough so Mrs. Jo could hear. "And anyway, you've got plenty of other people back at Plumfield to take with you some day." She said with raised eyebrows and a faint smile, and Dan blushed.
* * *
Later that night, Mrs. Jo had rented a room for three nights, and Flash decided to stay with them. There were two beds, but she insisted that she slept on the floor, she was used to it.
"So, Dan," she asked him. They were sitting in front of the fire, and Jo had left to get some supplies. "You still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Dan looked at the side of Flash's face, shadowed from the flickering light of the fire. "I got a telegram from someone saying that they wanted to see me."
Flash looked at him in surprise, and read the slip of paper that Dan gave her. She stared at it like it was something bad in her hand, but only for a second. She looked at Dan and forced a smile. Dan was confused. "What's wrong?" he asked her, worriedly.
"Nothing's wrong," Flash chose her words carefully. "It's just . .well, never mind. Nothing's wrong. This is wonderful." She said. "I'm really happy for you."
Later that night when Dan was asleep, Mrs. Jo woke up to find that Flash was gone. On the table was a note, addressed to Mrs. Jo. Scrawled across the sheet of paper was; Sorry I had to leave so suddenly, Mrs. Jo, this just doesn't feel right. You've been so kind to me, and I hate to just leave Dan like this. It's just that I don't want to see him get hurt. Jo was confused, but continued reading. You watch out for him, Mrs. Jo. He's a good boy, and I don't want him to get his hopes up. I know who sent that telegram, and I also know that he may not like what he finds. I'll try to visit you in a couple of weeks, so until then. Thank you for everything, Christa
This was not good, Jo thought to herself as she threw the note into the fire. I don't want Dan to get hurt again, it would be much harder than the first time. He's come so far, she thought reluctantly, and tried to get back to sleep. The only person who knew what Dan was about to go through was Flash, no one else. Mrs. Jo could only hope that Flash was wrong.
Part 4 by Rachel -
Dan woke up and took a long, deep, breath. Looking around, he saw Mrs. Jo still sleeping and looked down by the end of the bed to see if Flash was awake. He was startled when he saw that she wasn't there. "Mrs. Jo?"
She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Dan?"
"Where's Flash?"
"Huh?" Jo still wasn't awake enough to realize what he was saying.
"Where's Flash?" He repeated.
Suddenly Jo found herself wide awake. The excuse that she had made up last night to explain Flash's disappearance was suddenly gone. "Dan, . . . . She . . . I . . . She left, Dan."
"Well, where did she go?"
"I can't explain it to you right now. Maybe someday, or maybe when she comes to visit in a couple weeks, she'll explain it to you."
Dan sighed, not liking the explanation, but there wasn't much he could do about it, so instead he smiled and said, "Can we go to the house yet?"
Jo chuckled at his enthusiasm, then remembering the note, paused. "Dan, you may not find what you are looking for. It could end up like last time."
"But they asked for me Mrs. Jo!" Dan argued.
"I know that Dan, but sometimes, things happen, and it doesn't turn out the way you planned. . . . I just don't want you to get your hopes up, and find another dead end."
Dan thought for a minute, "yeah, I guess you're right. But we won't know till we go." He smiled.
Jo groaned and rolled over, "it's too early Dan."
"The early bird catches the worm." Dan laughed and headed for the bathroom.
Jo again groaned, then pushed herself up to a sitting position. As soon as Dan came back, she headed for the shower.
*****
After she was done, she came out to find that Dan was waiting impatiently for her. "Let's go get something to eat, first, then we'll go."
"Promise?"
She smiled, "I promise."
Walking out the door, they found Boston busy with people going this way and that, talking, and laughing.
"See what did I tell you? Everybody is up already!"
Jo just shook her head and headed for a small, (and hopefully cheap,) restaurant. "Lets eat!"
*****
"Bess, would you please answer the question, a-12=7, please?"
Bess sat staring out the window, wondering what Dan and ‘Aunt' Jo were doing. She was so caught up in her thinking, that she didn't even hear Franz.
"Bess? Bess!"
She suddenly looked up, "did you call me Franz?"
"Taking the place of Dan while he's gone?"
Everybody in the room started laughing, "No sir, sorry Franz."
"Please answer the question, a-12=7."
"Umm. . . . . 19?"
"Correct. Now were going to have a review, so please . . . "
"Franz' voice faded into the background as she thought again of Dan and her aunt.
*****
Dan stood on the doorstep, hesitant to ring the bell, yet something inside of him pushed his finger out, and hit the bell.
A maid came to the door. "Yes?"
"Hi, umm. I'm Dan, and . . . " he looked to Jo for help.
"We sent a telegram to the people of the house. They were expecting us." Jo smiled.
"Uh, yes. Please come in. I'll tell the mister and the missus, that you are here. Please take a seat." The lady pointed into the parlor and then left.
"She didn't seem very happy," Dan commented.
"They never are." A voice said from the doorway. "Hi, I'm Joseph Knighting, It's a pleasure to meet you."
"I'm Jo, and this is Dan." Jo smiled and took his hand.
"So you're Dan?"
"Are you my family?" Dan asked hopefully.
"No." He smiled sympathetically. "My job, is to find people who have inheritances."
"Mrs. Jo, what's an inheritance?" Dan turned to her.
She sighed, knowing he wasn't going to like it. "An inheritance is something that somebody left -- we'll say you . . . when they died."
"So all my family is dead?"
"Yes, I'm sorry. Please, sign these papers, then I'll have Elsie, get your stuff."
Dan hurriedly signed the papers, barely even seeing them. The man nodded, then left the room.
"Dan . . . "
"Please Mrs. Jo, not now. I just, . . . not now."
They received a bag (which Dan didn't open) and left the house.
"Do you want to go home?"
Dan nodded, not trusting his voice.
*****
"Hey, everybody! Mrs. Jo and Dan are back."
Bess looked up from her painting as Tommy ran by. Quickly she stood, and forgetting her paint, ran to see them.
"Hi everybody." Jo smiled as she pulled the horses to a stop. "Everything go okay while I was gone?"
"Mom, Mom, Mom." Rob ran up, and just as she set foot on the ground, grabbed her in a big hug. She smiled and hugged him back.
"Did you miss me?"
"Yep."
"So what happened?" Bess quietly asked, watching Dan who was just sitting there. Jo looked up at Dan, then back at Bess.
"It didn't go as planned." She said softly, and Dan, blinded by tears, got out of the carriage, and ran for the woods. Bess, worried, went after him.
****
"Dan?" Bess walked slowly towards the crying boy, then on the spur of the moment, turned him around and into a hug.
He sat there, sobbing in her arms, and she sat, wondering what to say.
After a couple minutes had passed, the tears finally slowed, and he sat up.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She offered.
"It wasn't them. My family are all dead. The guy, who was at the address, said he was . . . that he had to find people who had inheritances. He had me sign papers, then . . . then gave me this bag." Dan sniffled during the time that he was explaining this to her.
"Well, what's in the bag?"
"I don't know. I haven't looked."
"Well are you going to?"
"I can't Bess. I can't . . ."
Bess nodded, then reached for the bag. "You can't, but I can."
He looked at her for a moment, then handed her the bag. She smiled slightly, then opened it. She pulled something out of it, and began inspecting it.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he turned to her. "What is it?"
"It's a locket. It's inscribed on the back."
"What does it say?"
"To our son Dan, we love you, and pray that God is watching over you. . . . Dan, there's pictures inside."
"My parents?" He asked hopefully.
She smiled through her tears, "your parents Dan. It's your parents. . ."