"I'm ready to love you, as much as my poor soul can, but it seems like you're never ready to love me..."
"I'm not good enough for you, and getting up and leaving on one of your mental whims isn't good enough for me either..."
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"I'm making a mood of my foot for Fred so he remembers I have nice feet." Amy said, out of breath.
"You know he's in London, right?" Abby questioned the smitten girl, returning to her place by the window, staring out to the Laurence mansion.
"That can't stop me from preparing a gift for the next time we meet."
"Mr. Brooke writes that father is still weak but improving. Mr. Brooke also said that Mother is the best nurse a man could ask for." Meg smiles, carefully folding and putting the newly read letter into her apron pocket.
"I wish all the letters were from Marmee and not that Mr. Brooke." Jo said in a mocking voice, flopping on the sofa.
"Well i'm grateful for any letters." Meg concluded, returning to writing a list of tasks she had to complete.
"I think purple is quite fitting for Mr. Laurence, don't you think Abby?" She offered her sister the maroon slippers. "Abby?"
"Oh sorry what?" Abigail uttered, taking her attention away from the window.
"Don't mind her Beth, she's just daydreaming about lover boy." Jo said mischievously. "But I think it is rather fitting."
Abby turned a light tinge of pink.
"Well, I had to thank him somehow for letting me use his piano all the time." Beth beamed at her work, putting the newly crafted slippers into a gold box and ribbon.
Meg looked up from her list. "I'll go shopping, Abby, would you get some more firewood and Jo dear can you go return some books from the Laurences?"
Jo scoffed. "Eh, I think it would be best if Abby goes, that Laurence boy has been more aloof than ever with Marmee away, she's the only mother he's ever known."
"Fine then, switch jobs, Jo go get firewood, and Abby go the Laurences and deal with those books, you may as well sort that boy of yours out well you're at it." Meg said promptly.
"You all haven't visited the Hummels yet!" Beth exclaimed. "I always go by myself."
"My sweet girl, please could you be a dear and go by yourself just one last time." Abby said. "We all have jobs to do and, maybe you could give Mr. Laurence those shoes."
"Fine." Beth grumbled lowly, standing up and gathering some food and blankets from around the house and walking out the door, the remaining sisters watched through the window as she left the package at the Laurence house and set off for the Hummels.
"I'd best be going too." Abby announced. "I don't think talking to Laurie will be an easy task." She said, hurrying upstairs to make herself presentable, not for anyone else but the boy she was utterly infatuated with.
...
Abby walked through the brisk air to the big mansion that towered over her, she noticed the carefully done up package made by her sister had disappeared from the doorstep. She smiled knowing that Mr. Laurence had gotten his well deserved gift.
She knocked three times.
"Mr. Laurence? Teddy? It's Abigail!"
The door swung open to reveal Laurie, staring down at her with tired eyes, he didn't look like he had gotten much sleep.
"Hello." Abby said with a grin which was quickly returned by the older boy.
Laurie hugged her tightly and kissed her head, a surge of comfort ran through his body, living in a house of seriousness could make one deprived of human contact.
"I missed you." Teddy mumbled into her hair.
"We only saw each other yesterday!" Abigail said with a laugh.
"Yes but yesterday was one of the worst days ever." He said with a sad smile.
"How so?" Abby questioned. "Mr Brooke writes that everything is just fine in Washington." She said, taking off her coat and placing it on the coat rack.
"No, not that." Laurie muttered. "I miss your mother." He said lowly. "And I don't have my own to make me feel better."
"Aw Teddy."
"Stop that." He whispered.
Abby nodded. "I have some book to drop off." She pushed three books into Lauries arms.
"I have something for you also, well, for your sister." He replied, placing a stack of sheet music in her hands.
"What's this?"
"Grandfather wanted to thank Beth for her gift, which I assume you know about." Laurie smiled. "This goes with it." He referred to the sheet music.
"He didn't!" A huge grin spread across Abby's face. Laurie nodded.
"How lovely!" She exclaimed. "I've got to go get some wood, care to join me?"
...
The couple laughed on their way back from the forest, both tugging along a sled of wood.
Abby saw all the girls gushing over something through the window, she grinned and rushed inside, Laurie in tow.
"Abby! Abby! Mr. Laurence got Beth a piano!"
All the girls were so engrossed in the piano, they didn't notice Beth exit the room.
Laurie softly grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"
"I've got to go thank your Grandfather!"
...
It was an odd sight.
Laurie and Abby sat on the stairs, Meg and Jo were sat leaning against the wall, Hannah paced the landing and Amy was perched on the railing.
All the kids looked distraught and concerned, but none looked quite as distressed as Mr. Laurence, who was impatiently tapping his foot and staring at the closed bedroom door.
A doctor came out, but Abby couldn't grasp what he was saying, Hannah looked concerned, Amy upset.
"It's scarlet fever." She heard.
•••
IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE PLEASE READ:
Hey my dear readers 🤍🤍🤍 I'm so sorry for the late update. I'm quite a fan of the little Laurie and Beth moments, he acts like an older brother and I find it so cute! PSA: In the next chapter i'm going to focus it more on Beth and an OC character i'm working on, don't worry it'll still have some Laurie and Abby action going on xx. What do you think will happen in the next chapter? Let me know!
