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Alice stood by Allan's side as she looked around. They had waited an hour for Laurie to show up, but he never did. Admittedly Alice's heart broke a bit as she walked into the venue, Allan behind her.
Allan refused to dance, he thought it to be a waste of time. Alice loved to dance, she had wanted to dance that entire night. Alice watched her little sister dance with Fred, a small smile on her face, not yet seeing the drunk and ever so foolish Laurence boy.
"Laurie." Amy says as she walks over to Laurie who was surrounded by women. "Amy. Where's Alice?" Laurie questions sobering up for a moment. "We waited an hour for you." Amy says.
"I feel caught." Laurie says causing Amy to hum in disapproval, turning to walk away. "Amy, please. Amy." Laurie drunkenly pleads.
"Do you want to know what I honestly think of you?" Amy questions. "What do you think?" Laurie questions. "I despise you." Amy says simply, turning a corner to prevent Alice from seeing the drunkard.
"Why do you despise me?" Laurie questions. "With every chance of being good, happy and useful, you are lazy, faulty and miserable. I will not allow Alice to see you in such disarray." Amy says, not ignoring the way Laurie's eyes softened at the mention of her sister.
"Ooh, interesting." Laurie diverts. "Well, selfish people like to talk about themselves." Amy retorts. "How am I selfish?" Laurie slurs as he rubs his face.
"Yes, very selfish. Alice would think so too with your money, talent, beauty, and health..." "Oh, she thinks I'm beautiful." Laurie says as Amy walks ahead of him.
"Yes, you like that, you old vanity. With good things to enjoy, you find nothing to do but dawdle." Amy says simply, turning to make sure her sister wasn't around.
"I'll be good for you, St. Amy. I'll be good." Laurie cries playfully, grasping the March woman's wrist. "Aren't you ashamed of a hand like that?" Amy questions.
"I'm not." Laurie says with pride. "Looks like it's never done a day of work in its life, and that ring is ridiculous." Amy says in distaste.
"Jo gave me this ring." Laurie says sadly, a long pause ensued between the two. "I feel sorry for you. I really do. I just wish you'd bear it better." Amy says as she looks at him, sadness in her eyes, not for him but for her sister.
"You don't have to feel sorry. You'll feel the same one day." Laurie retorts back to her. "No, I'd be respected if I couldn't be loved." Amy says simply.
"What have you done lately, oh, great artiste? Perhaps you're fantasizing about spending Fred Vaughn's fortune. Fred Vaughn, ladies and gentlemen!" Laurie shouts, that for sure got Alice's attention.
Alice watched as Laurie stormed out, the woman turning to Allan. "Please excuse me." She says as she rushes after him and out into the snippy weather.
"Theodore Laurence!" She shouts, her tone showing her anger. Laurie turned around and saw the woman walking towards him. "Alice I-" She cuts him off with a firm shove.
"How dare you." She says as she looks him in the eyes, her own glassy. "You embarass my sister in front of Fred Vaughn, and you have the nerve to walk away as if it's of little significance." Alice says as she looks to him.
"I'm sorry Alice." Laurie murmurs softly as she looks to him. "What happened to you Laurie?" She questions as he looks to her sadly. "I feel like I don't know you anymore." She says as she wipes away the tears from under her eyes.
"But you do know me Alice, you do." Laurie says as he goes to grasp her hands, but she moved back. "I knew Theo. But I don't know you." Alice says as she backs away, eventually walking back inside, ignoring Laurie's calls for her.
Alice had entered the new year on a sour note, all she had wanted at that moment was to be with her sisters again.
"Do you remember those meetings we had in the attic?" Amy questions as she lies in the grass next to her sister. Alice chuckles softly as she closes her eyes. "Yes. Yes I do." She says.
"Order! Order. Order. Order!" Meg shouts as they were all dressed in slacks and button ups. Alice always wore a bowler hat with her hair tucked under it, and always sat on a couch facing her sisters.
"A new play written by Miss Jo March will appear at the Barnville Theater in the course of the next few weeks that will surpass anything ever seen before on the American stage." Meg says as she stands in front of them, holding a newspaper.
"Starring the greatest actress from here to the Mississippi River, Miss Meg March." Jo says causing them all to exclaim happily. Alice gave her best hearty chuckle as she rose her wooden goblet."Weekly report. Meg good, Jo bad. Mm-hm. Beth very good. Alice superb. And Amy sort of middling." Meg reads off, everyone nodding. "Very well done, sirs." Amy says as she clinks her wooden pipe with Beth's.
Alice hummed in approval as Jo stood in front of them. "Mr. President and gentlemen, I wish to propose the admission of a new member. One who would be deeply, deeply grateful and would add immensely to the spirit of the club." Jo says, everyone leaning closer to her in curiosity.
"I propose...Mr. Theodore Laurence!" Jo says, Alice frowning a bit. "Absolutely not." Amy remarks. "No." Meg says as Alice shakes her head. "What? Come, now. Let's have him." Jo whines.
"He's a real boy." Alice says softly. "We don't want any boys. This is a club for ladies." Meg says, Amy agreeing with her.
"I think we should do it." Beth says, Amy's eyes widening. "Why?" Amy exclaims. "Even if we're afraid, I say yes." Beth continues, Amy once again questioning her.
"It's Laurie." Beth says, her and Amy arguing for a moment. "All right, I call a vote. Put your hands up." Jo says as she first raises Meg's then Alice's hands. "Don't put your hand up." Amy protests.
"Put your hand up. It's Laurie." Jo says causing Amy to huff. "Fine. Aye." Amy says. "There is no time like the present..." Jo cuts herself off as Laurie tumbles through the rack of clothes in the corner, Alice squealing out a laugh.
"Ladies, ladies, please, please. This is my stratagem. I deserve the blame. Jo only gave in to it after lots of teasing." Laurie says, making his voice sound gravely and old, Alice letting out a laugh as she covered her mouth with her hands.
"I merely wish to say as a slight token of my gratitude that I..." Laurie paused causing all of the sisters to coax him into continuing.
"As a means of promoting friendly relations between adjoining nations. And thus, I propose this set of keys for a little post office I've made in the forest by the pond." Laurie says as he begins handing out keys, Alice had a little key with pink ribbon around it.
"This is for me. Without further ado, thank you for your favor. I will take my seat as part of the club." Laurie says as he sits next to Alice, everyone cheering and stomping their feet. "Welcome Theo." Alice says softly to him, Laurie grinning to her. "Thank you Alice." He says as he watches her laugh.
YOU ARE READING
Young Love
RandomAlice March is the third youngest daughter, she's a singer and a dreamer. The feeling of love is one that she craves, she longed for that feeling. She wanted someone to be utterly devoted to her, and Theodore Laurence gave her that.