"You are the worst boy, Theodore Laurence."
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For centuries, humankind has used the stars. Whether it be for navigating across unfamiliar oceans, for preserving myths and legends of great heroes who were bestowed a spot in the heavens by the gods...
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CHARLOTTE'S FEVER BROKE in the early hours of the morning, one week later.
Her dazed head cleared as quickly as she blinked and suddenly her mind felt free from the hazy box it had been enclosed in since she became sick. When Laurie had discovered her sitting up in bed the morning her fever broke, he had bounded across the room and tackled her into the pillows, hugging her to his chest as tightly as he could, and burying them in a mess of sheets and pillowcases.
"Laurie!" She had released a healthy laugh, making him press her further into his embrace. Charlotte had wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him just as close. "I'm alright. I'm alright." Her hand had slipped into his hair and she stroked it soothingly as his embrace shifted from unadulterated joy to full of restrained worry.
"I'm just glad." Laurie had mumbled against her shoulder softly.
He had then reluctantly let her go and they sat across from each other on the bed, spending the rest of their morning engulfed in such happiness that the world around them seemed dulled by comparison.
But despite her renewed health, Charlotte's eyes had never quite cleared. A faint hazy fog blurred the words of her books and newspapers. She had managed to hide a majority of her struggles from her family and Laurie, but she felt an increasing frustration growing in her chest as she tried to make out the scribbled words on her maps and charts, which were now slightly blurry and caused quite the effort to comprehend. She had nearly been found out a few times, but she had brushed it off as a consequence of sleepiness or stress, and eventually the poking and prodding of her family had ceased.
To add to the new merry delight they all felt after Charlotte and Beth's recoveries, Christmastime was upon them faster than any of them were prepared for and they all declared it would be the best Christmas yet.
Amy had perched herself on top of a plush armchair and supervised all the decorations. Meg helped her decorate each part of the little house with orange slice ornaments, soft yellow candles, and cranberry and popcorn garlands until no room was left on the walls. Mr. Laurence and Marmee sat by the fire, warming their aching hands and making small talk about the holiday season. Both of their eyes flickered over to Beth with warm sympathy, watching the little girl on the sofa play with her doll. Her heart had been weakened by her illness and her limbs still trembled weakly when she stretched herself too far, but she was alive, and that was all that mattered. In the kitchen, Charlotte and Jo followed Hannah around like little soldiers, obeying each command obediently as they brought bowls and plates of food to the dining room and sent trays of tea around the parlor.
For Charlotte, it felt nice to use her legs and see everyone's bright faces after so long of doing neither. Marmee had given her a soft kiss and expressed her happiness for such a swift recovery, while Meg, Jo, and Amy had jumped at her and nearly brought her into a pile on the floor as they welcomed her back home. She tried to avoid Mr. Laurence's eyes, for she found herself apologizing for any inconvenience she had brought upon him and thanking him for such kind generosity, until the old man had to interrupt and give her some task to distract her from singing his praises.
