𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝒐𝒏𝒆

 "Cousin!"

It was colder outside than you anticipated and for a brief moment, you forgot that you had spent the last ten or so hours swaddled in warm blankets. All four of the girls from the window rushed out into the brittle cold to see you. One of them, with bright auburn hair, immediately swooped you up into a bone-crushing hug. It took your breath away and you gasped, hugging her back weakly.

"Jo, you are such a boy!" Said the tallest girl. 

 She had soft-looking brunette hair and a round button nose. She held herself with an air of importance and you assumed right away she was the eldest. "That's not how you greet a guest after a long day of travel."

You smiled up at the girl hugging you, Jo. You recognized the name. She was the one who wrote you the letter. She looked just how you thought she would. Boyish but sweet, confident but less so than her sister.

Jo stepped back and beamed. "I haven't seen you since we were babies! I don't remember much of it though."

You felt a solid yank on your skirts and looked down to see a shorter girl smile at you. She had light blonde hair and was wearing a baby blue winter jacket. She was most likely the youngest of the March girls. "I absolutely adore your dress!" she exclaimed, still holding the slip of fabric between her fingers. "May I try it on once you're settled in?"

"I..uh," you stammered. You'd never been the center of so much attention before and you weren't exactly sure how you were supposed to respond. Part of you wanted to accept their kind nature at face-value but you were rightfully weary.

Before you could get the chance to embarrass yourself, however, a bold chuckle sounded and everyone's heads turned to see an older woman walking down the cobblestone path to greet you. She had a kind, friendly face and was very beautiful even in age.

"My dear niece," she sighed, parting the crowd of girls to throw her arms around your neck. She smelt of cinnamon and vanilla and you got the immediate impression that she was kind and hardworking. She took a deep breath and pulled away, still smiling. "Forgive my girls, we've been anticipating your arrival for weeks now."

"No need to apologize," you spoke, finally. "I'm grateful for your generosity."

"Oh, hush. You're family!" she smiled warmly, taking you by the arm and leading you back toward the country house. Your cousins all followed close behind you and you could see Jo out of the corner of your eye, struggling to carry your luggage. "My name is Margaret but everyone in this house calls me Marmee. You may call me whatever you wish."

"Aunt Marmee it is, then."

The inside of the house was even more inviting than the outside. Everything was bathed in soothing yellow firelight. There was a quilt thrown over the sofa and the smell of gingerbread filled your nose. It was like you had walked right into a storybook from your childhood. After warming up, you were introduced to Hannah who was the housekeeper. She spoke very little but you could tell that she was just as kind as the rest of the family.

You struggled to take everything in at once with Amy tugging you up the steep stairway by your hand. Jo trailed behind you with your luggage hoisted over her hip and every so often she would ram the corner of your trunk into the wall with a loud 'thud.'

"You'll be sharing a room with Beth and I," she grunted once you three reached the top of the stairs. You tried to look over your shoulder at her but Amy insisted on guiding you even further down the hall. "Which one is she?" You asked. 

"Meg is the oldest with the dark hair," Amy cut in, still buzzing with energy. "Then there's Jo and Beth who both have red hair like Marmee. Then there's myself. I'm the youngest."