Found

Chapter 9

I wrote a letter to Laurie and slid it under the door:

Are you okay?

I waited a minute, as a piece of paper slid back:

I'm okay, I'm sorry 

I wanted to sit there and cry 

I'll get the key, we'll run to the garden

I slid it back under the door:

okay

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I went down the steps quietly, I found Mr and Mrs. Laurence sitting by the fireplace I went into the kitchen and grabbed the key which was in plain sight. I quietly went back upstairs, I stopped at Laurie's door and unlocked it. "Come on Teddy!" I whispered while carefully twisting the door handle, he was able to get out and not make a sound.
We started down the stairs as my father gave me a look, "Where do you think you two are heading?" He whispered, "I'm sneaking Laurie out, pretend like you don't know where we've gone!" I whispered back and he quickly nodded his head and walked into the room where the Laurence family was, "So.." he started talking a lot louder than usual. I quickly opened the door and Teddy and I fled to the garden. 

We finally arrived at the swing and both sat down, "Laurie can you please tell me what that was about?" I calmly asked, hoping that he wouldn't get angry again. He took a deep breath, "I'm leaving Mia, I don't know when I'm going to be back. My father is sending me to France to finish my studies, and I didn't want to tell you because I'm scared of losing you." I felt my face get hot trying to hold back tears I grabbed Teddy's hand, Teddy started crying while I held his hand. "Do you know when you're leaving?" I was scared of the answer, "two days." I don't want Laurie to go, not now, I just got here and now he's leaving. I stayed silent and let him cry, I heard a sound. The bell rang, 9:00 p.m.

TIME SKIP

It soon came to the day when I would have to say goodbye to Teddy, I woke up and headed downstairs to find my father gone "Where is my father Mr.Laurence?" he simply told me he went on a walk and would be back in an hour or two. To pass the time I headed into Laurie's room trying to make him feel better about the whole situation, I wrote him a letter and tucked it into his trunk. "1 hour till I leave." Laurie sighed, "Teddy it'll be alright we'll see each other again." He smiled, "A boy could only dream." "And maybe France won't be that bad! You'll probably have fun seeing all the new sights!" I smiled trying to cover up my tears. 

I looked out my window to find a buggy outside the front door tears started to fill my eyes as I walked down the steps. I saw the Marches standing outside I stood by Beth who held my hand, I still hadn't seen my father. Amy and Meg hugged Laurie, then Jo, Beth, and me. He came and hugged me the longest, "I'm so sorry Mia, I love you so much. Please promise that we'll see each other again." I started to cry very hard in Laurie's arms "I promise."  

It started to get dark fast and I still hadn't seen father, I went downstairs to see if he had returned but still I didn't see him. I went into the map room to find Mr.Laurence in his chair crying. He looked up and smiled at me, "Dear child, your father has passed on his walk today." I stood there unable to move, first I lost my mother, then Laurie, and now my father. The only thing left in my life. I walked up the stairs weakly still shocked by the news. My father was dead.