Old friends, new friends, new relationships

AN: To tell you the truth, this is a Little Men fanfic. I just wasn’t brave enough to start a new book category in So I put it here… well…I hope you like it. It’s a pairing inside the book, I’ve been dreaming for ages to write a fanfic about …well, here goes.

“It’s been a long time…”

“Yes, it sure is!”

Annie looked up to the gruff voice of her former schoolmate. She didn’t mean to answer that rhetorical question, but from where she had been those last 2 years, decent conversation was rare thing. And it’s been a long time since she’d seen Dan…her good friend.

Dan gazed quietly at that eternal line that separated the sky from the sea, letting the ocean breeze sweep over his face-both oblivious and aware of her presence beside him on the deck of the ship. So long… a voice whispered inside his brain, as his thoughts drifted towards a beautiful, golden-haired girl that had lived in his mind for so long. It’s been so long since he last saw her…

A sudden cry of a sea gull broke through his reverie, and brought his attention back to the girl beside him, who seemed lost in thoughts of her own.

To break the silence, he said, “How’s your practice there in the east, Nan?”

Annie smiled at the mention of her old nickname, and answered, “Not bad, except I’m not that used to ‘Nan’ anymore.”

“Huh! Why should you be?”

“Well, after more than one year of being called Miz Annie, you just forget. By the way what do they call you out there?”

“One-with-the-broad-shoulder”

She laughed at that, and more so because he grinned when he did, changing that grim expression that seemed to be forever plastered across his face.

“So, should I call you Miz Annie now?” he said in a nigger’s voice.

“Nan would do,” she replied. “Anyway, that’s what they call me back in old Plumfield”

Dan nodded at that and returned his gaze back to the horizon, and said after a while, his eyes strayed back north, “And we’re going home there, right?”

Nan didn’t answer, because the thought of going home warmed the cockles of her heart and brought unwanted tears to her eyes-because words couldn’t express the joy and relief it gave to her.

Leaning against the rail she closed her eyes; let the breeze sweep over her face-both oblivious and aware of Dan’s presence beside her on the deck of the ship. And she knew he was feeling the same, too.

“Put this marigold poultice in your wound and let it seep inside your bloodstream, it will heal that nasty bite in a jiffy…”

Words such as those came instantaneously into her mind upon gazing at the bouquet of flowers. Her life had revolved around medicine for so long, she couldn’t remember the time when angelica roots didn’t stand for healing stomachache or herbs were used for stuffing turkey, not as therapy for the brain. It was her passion, her purpose, her driving force…her life.

Especially, those last two years spent in the slums and shanties where illnesses were a common occurrence, and those unfortunate ones who catch maladies which refused to be cured with a simple damp cloth on the forehead, are just left in the gutter to die. Upon arriving, she immediately set to educate those simpleminded people about the benefits of medication, about the benefits of modern life. She tried, even if it took all her patience and strength. And she tried and strived…for two long years.

And now, after the grueling work and sweat, she suddenly felt the need to rest, to restore her energies, give her new strength for another journey. Plumfield could do that, she was quite sure.

Gently, Nan took the fresh blossoms and inhaled its fragrance.

It reminded her of Tom Bang’s childish courtship 10 years ago

Strange, she never regarded it like that before… She always thought flowers as tonic for the sick. Surprised, she smiled ruefully. She wasn’t taken to think stupid sentimental thoughts. Anyhow, how could one think feminine ideas when one is cutting up a leg? Still, Nan liked the new feeling; it might help bring back her strength.

Sniffing it one last time, she placed it back on the shelf vase. After staring at her simple cabin for some period of time, it suddenly came to her how strange it seemed for her to have flowers inside her threadbare room. Looking around for some hints to the flowers origin, she found none except a lock of gold hair somehow tangled inside the strange flowers. Gold hair…

Who gave those mysterious flowers? Who owned the mysterious gold hair?

With these mysterious questions running around her brain, she opened the door, went out to find some clue to them.

Walking up the deck, she espied no one except a young gentleman leaning over the railing.

“Sir, excuse me…”

“Yes” The young man, turned around and Nan came face to face with a blond gent in his mid-20’s

“Ummm, sir…”

“Don’t call me sir…” The man waved his hand away with an expression of mock disgust, then grinned at her and said, “Just call me Eric.”

“Oh! Well, my name’s Annie”

“Pretty…” Eric uttered in a suddenly thoughtful air, and then he looked up as if to dispel his thoughts, he asked brightly,”Well, what do you want?”

“I just wanted to ask if you’ve seen someone enter my room-second to the last, right there in the corner.”

“Why? Expecting company?”

Nan shook her head then replied, “I noticed some yellow marigolds on my desk and…”

She trailed off suddenly realizing how strange it was and how strange for her to be talking this way to a total stranger. And to her dismay, she became conscious of the blood rising up her face.

“It isn’t supposed to be there, am I right?” He ended for her.

“Uh, yeah…” said Nan, feeling greatly ashamed of her stupid behavior.

“It may have been put there by the caretaker, don’t worry…” he said trying to put her at ease. “Thank God…” she sighed in relief. “I was afraid someone had infiltrated my room!”

“I thought so. I suspected you were one of those shy, private persons who aren’t used to flowers and such…”, he added matter of fact-ly

“I most certainly am not,” Nan cried indignantly.

“Really?!” Eric inquired skeptically.

Annoyed at his condescending tone, she burst out huffily, “I’m a professional doctor!”

“Oh, so that explains everything…”

“What do you mean?”

‘Your one those girls who waste their time in suffrages, and votes and…”

“And what do you suppose is wrong with that?!” Nan cried out resentfully.

In a soothing tone, Eric said, “Easy, easy… What I meant was those courageous girls who waste their time in suffra-“

“Oh, really?” Nan muttered unbelievingly.

“Really really.”

“Oh, all right. I forgive you,” she said doubtfully while straightening her clothes.

Then she continued, preparing to turn away, “Well, thank you anyway…”

“Wait! Where are you going?” Eric asked.

“Out, I’m going to have some late breakfast,” Nan answered, but then, became surprised by the disappointment she heard in his voice. “Why?”, she asked

“Well… I lack company, I hope you’ve observed,” He said, running his hands through his hair self-consciously. “This is the first decent conversation I had since coming overboard…” , he added then turned away to hide his obvious embarrassment.

“Really? It’s my first time, too” she said. “Well… second, actually” she added remembering the one she had with Dan the day before.

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure,” she grinned, “and to prove that, I’ll invite you to have lunch with me.”

“That’s very kind of you!” Eric grinned as he offered his hand to her in an elegant way.

“Not kind, more of hungry,” Nan laughed hearing her stomach growl. “Anyway you have to pay that with good conversation.”

“Then, I would most certainly oblige.” Taking her hesitant hand in his own, he started off immediately.

“Let’s see… why do you think when you see umm… er… marigolds!”

“That would most instantly be, some good cold poultice for an infected open wound…”

“Very interesting… But I think I prefer looking at it as a symbol of open affection…”

“Disgusting!”

“Ha!ha!ha!ha…”

In an other part of the ship

"Where in the world could those flowers be?" Dan growled as he gazed at the room he had turned topsy turvy, in search of a particular bunch of golden blossoms.

"Where are they?!" he hissed, looking around.

Nothing. No sign.

He sighed in frustration.

Walking towarrds the door ofthe cabin, he took his coat, and headed out. Muttering profanities to himself, he closed door, and went of in search of htat golden prize