𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 20

March house. April of 1866.
    A beautiful day, full of flowers and sunlight. Outside, Beth and Amy are arranging decorations and laughing.
     Inside, Meg is preparing for her wedding with me and Jo helping her. We are placing flowers in her hair.
"I can't believe today is my wedding
day!" Meg exclaims.
I smile as Jo moves to the window and looks outside,"Me neither."
Meg looks at Jo,"What's wrong?"
Jo turns to Meg and smiles,"Nothing."
"Jo..." Meg says like she knows something is wrong.
I'm still behind Meg finishing up her hair. Jo suddenly kneels before Meg, wild and desperate,"We can leave. We can leave right now."
Jo pauses then continues,"I can make money: I'll sell stories, I'll do anything - cook, clean, work in a factory. I can make a life for us. I'll even let Mary come with us. She can be a nurse."
I roll my eyes and laugh. I look down at my engagement ring and frown.
      Jo keeps listing reasons,"And you, you should be an actress and have a life on the stage. Let's run away. All of us?"
Meg looks at Jo sympathetically," I want to get married."
"WHY?" Jo sighs.
"I love him." Meg says simply.
"You will be bored of him in two years and we will be interesting forever." Jo proclaims.
"Just because my dreams are not the same as yours doesn't mean they're unimportant." Meg looks down at Jo.
Jo sits back, heartbroken. I go and sit next her, wrapping my arm around her.
"I want a family and a home and I'm not scared of working and struggling, but I want to do it with John." Meg smiles.
Jo looks up at Meg and shakes her head,"I just hate that you're leaving me. Don't leave."
"Oh, Jo, I'm not leaving you. Besides, one day, it will be your turn." Meg puts a flower crown on Jo's head.
Jo groans and takes the flower crown off,"I'd rather be a free spinster and paddle my own canoe."
Meg laughs and shakes her head.
      I smile, "Jo, we can both paddle the canoe."
      Jo lays her head on Meg's lap,"I can't believe childhood is over."
Meg pets Jo's head,"It was going to end one way or another. And what a happy end."
I sigh and sit on the bed,"Speaking of end," I trail off.
They look at me expectantly. I look down and hold out my hand. My ring is placed ever so perfect on my hand.
They look between me and my hand with shocked faces.
"Now you're leaving me too!" Jo yells.
"No, I'm not. I'm getting married." I try to convince her that it's two separate things.
"You're getting married!" Meg yells.
She comes over and grabs my hand while Jo wallows.
I drag Meg to Jo and I sit down," All of us, older sisters, are going away."
"I'm not." Jo sighs.
"Jo, you're going to Europe or New York. You're going to write and everybody is going to love it." I try to convince her.
Jo smiles.
"Meg, you're getting married in less than an hour. He loves you and you'll have wonderful children." I tell her.
Meg blushes as if she hasn't thought about children.
"I'm marrying James Vanderbilt and shall forever be wealthy." I tell them with a slump.
"When you say it like that, it sounds so depressing." Meg replies.
I laugh,"It's not. I'm actually excited for the next chapter of my life."
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       Meg and Mr. Brooke are getting married, with our dad officiating,"What excessive promises, giving yourself away to get the other. What a thing, what a gift, always given before it is known the cost or the reward."
During the simple and emotional ceremony, Amy and Jo catch each others eye - they simultaneously realize that they are the only two left standing. I watch as that realization sinks in.
After the ceremony, Marmee and Hannah deliver cakes and pastries and food galore. Laurie dances with Beth, whirling her around, and making her laugh. I watch adoringly: the two halves of my heart.
That's strictly platonic, of course. Meg, both bride and host, makes sure everyone is cared for. Laurie walks over to me and motions for me to follow.
He goes over to the drinks table and picks some up. Laurie turns and behind his back is a glass of alcohol. I take it and try it. It slides down my throat and my face scrunches. I quickly give it back to Laurie as he laughs.
     I watch as Meg dances with John. Marmee dances with Mr. Laurence while Jo tries to play the fiddle. Then Marmee dances with Father, Jo and Meg dance, John and Amy dance, Hannah dances with Father. The point is, everyone dances with everyone.
     Mr. Laurence offers to dance with Aunt March, but she turns him down. Then Laurie also approaches her. Aunt March feigns even MORE hatred, to cover her epic delight.
     There is more eating and dancing until the sun starts to set. As Aunt March moves to make her departure, she speaks to Meg, who stands with John, Marmee and Father.
"Well, I hope you're happy. Now that you've ruined your life, just like your Mother did by marrying your father." Aunt March snorts.
Despite her meanness, We all burst out laughing at Aunt March's rudeness.
"Dear Sister, you are too kind. And thank you for today's festivities." I watch father thank aunt March.
"You are most welcome." She replies.
Meg leans in to kiss aunt March's cheek and I decide to intervene,"oh! Aunt March doesn't like being-"
I'm too late as Aunt March leans away from Meg,"I don't like to be..."
Meg looks down,"sorry."
Aunt March speaks to Meg,"You'll be sorry when you've tried love in a cottage and found it a failure!"
Meg smiles sweetly,"It can't be worse than some people find in big houses."
"I understood your meaning, my dear." Aunt March replies.
Meg and John retreat and laugh and kiss. Nothing can pierce their happiness.
Aunt March looks at Marmee,"I don't miss a THING."
Marmee takes aunt March's arm,"You are not entirely wrong."
"I may not always be right, but I am NEVER wrong." Aunt March replies.
Amy takes over from Marmee, Aunt March gratefully accepting her hand. I link my arm with aunt March's other arm.
"Thank goodness, here are the only
sane members of this family. I really can't take any more of this."
Amy leads our away, and Marmee lets us go.
Amy gets Aunt March into a carriage. Aunt March stops Amy and I,"You are both coming to Europe with me."
"Oh. Aunt March, you know I can't-" I try to tell her.
She knows about the engagement so I don't know what she means.
"We will figure that out, don't worry. You're both coming." She gives us a meaningful glare.
Amy shuts her carriage door and lets out a cry of joy. She runs to Marmee, who is now standing with Jo,"Marmee! Marmee! Aunt March is going to Europe and-"
Jo throws her arms around Amy,"wants me to go with her! How wonderful! Now I know why I spent all those BORING hours reading to her!"
"No, she... she wanted us to come. As her companions." Amy stutters.
Jo looks stunned,"Europe? With you?"
"She wants me to work on my art, and my French, of course." Amy laughs.
"Oh... I, that's wonderful Amy." Jo fakes her feelings.
Marmee takes Jo's hand, knowing how this hurt her. Jo smiles through her pain for Meg's day, but it is a true blow.
I go over and put a arm around Jo. She brushes me off saying that she's fine. I shrug and try to find Laurie.
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Bro, next chapter is SPICY!!! I can't even tell you. I have written at least 10 chapters in advance but like next chapter is gooooooddddddd. Kinda feel bad for Laurie. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯