𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 35

EXT. GRAVEYARD. DAY. 1869.
They all stand there looking down. John has his arm around Meg's shoulder. Marmee and Father are holding hands tightly. Marmee has a hand on Jo's shoulder. Hannah is standing next Jo with flowers in her hand. Laurie has his arm wrapped around Mary's waist.
They have all gathered to lay their Beth to rest on an impossibly beautiful day. How could the sky be so clear when the sunshine went away?
      Jo stares down at the casket, blankly. She can't express the pain through her emotions. Meg holds up her head, a tear or two falling. And Mary, she bites her cheek to keep the tears from coming out, angry at how unfair life is.
Mary had wrote to Amy earlier. She mentioned the basics of what had happened. Not going into the specifics of their sister's cold dead body.
Dear Amy,
       I hate to have to be the one to write and tell you, but I have bad news. Beth did not get better as I suspected. As I write, they are taking her body away. I'm so sorry we did not tell you sooner, but Beth did not wish to do so.
I don't know what you will wanna do. Don't feel obligated to come back. You're always welcome here, but I wouldn't want you back here too soon. If you decide to come back, I fear you must know that Laurie and I are engaged. We wouldn't want to surprise you.
I know this should be a time of mourning but Beth. She had been preparing for this. She left you a letter. I feel like we should open them together. Well, that's depending on if you're coming back. Please do reply with what you wanna do and I'll answer accordingly.
With my condolences and deepest
regards to you, Mary

Amy had replied within the day. She would be here in a few days with John. The sisters all look at eachother for a split second. They all look away from each other, being reminded of what Beth's last words. The party walks away, each with their own pain. Jo stays, unable to leave Beth's side, even in death. Meg makes to go approach her, but John pulls Meg closer.
Meg nods and she is grateful to him, grateful that she married this man who can be there for her. They walk away in each others arms. Mary sighs, knowing that she shouldn't ever leave her sisters.
Jo cries, alone. She cannot comprehend how the world keeps spinning when her Beth is gone. Mary gets out of Laurie's grip gently and he lets her. As much as he wants to comfort her, he knows that she needs to be at her sister's side. A newfound understanding that the couple found.
Laurie is the rock for Mary and Mary is the rock for her family during this death. So Laurie let's her hold Jo as they sit over Beth's grave. Laurie watches and walks away, not knowing how to help the girls. Jo and Mary cry together like they had years earlier when Amy ruined their writings.
"Mary, I'm so sorry." Jo says, quietly.
Mary nods, "I'm sorry too."
They don't have to explain what they are sorry for. They both know. It's a mutual understanding between them. Death makes them think back and regret the times they had done something bad. With a simultaneous guilt in their guts, they stay at the grave.
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      Jo is putting away Beth's things, and arranging her little dolls and toys. Everyone is gone. Meg left by marriage, Amy left by a voyage to Europe, Mary left with Laurie because she rejected him, and Beth was taken from this life. She places sheet music of Beth's into a trunk, the hurt in her heart almost unbearable.
      "I hope I'm not disturbing your writing..." Marmee says as she enters the attack.
       "I don't do that anymore." Jo sighs and murmurs, "It didn't save her."
      They sit beside each other, both missing Beth. Mary and Laurie are in the field, just like old times. It looks like Mary had crumpled into him, relying on him to hold her. They are visible from the window of the attic. Jo looks away from them.
      Marmee sees this, "You are much too lonely here, Jo. Wouldn't you like to go back to New York? What about your friend - Friedrich, was that his name?"
      Jo shakes her head slightly, "I ruined our friendship with my temper, just as I ruin everything."
       "I doubt a sincere friend would be deterred." Marmee tried to smile at her.
       Jo takes a breath, "I wish that were true. If I were a girl in a book, this would all be so easy, I'd give up the world happily."
     Marmee looks out the window again, "Maybe you could spend time with Laurie. He misses you."
        "He does?" Jo asks, looking up from the box of Beth's things.
        Marmee nods, "There was, also, a letter from Amy, she's coming home: She was devastated about Beth, but a friend of Laurie's will be accompanying them on the journey home."
     "That's good of Laurie to help us out," Jo stands and paces, anxiously.
     "What is it?" Marmee asks.
       "Perhaps... perhaps I was too quick
in turning him down." Jo claims, sadly.
      "Do you love him?" Marmee asks, "Because if you don't, there is no point in hurting your sister."
        Jo looks away, "If I hadn't said no, he wouldn't have picked her. I should help her, right? If he loved her really, he wouldn't have gone to her straight after me. He has to still love me, right?"
       "But do you love him?" Marmee questions again.
        Jo tears up, "I know that I care more to be loved. I want to be loved."
      "That is not the same as loving." Marmee tells her.
       Jo cries, trying to explain herself to herself, "Women have minds and souls as well as hearts, ambition and talent as well as beauty and I'm sick of being told that love is all a woman is fit for. But... I am so lonely."
       "Jo, honey. Laurie is not for you to take away. You can offer him your love IF you love him, but it will hurt your sister in the way." Marmee states.
       Jo looks back out of the window. She sees her sister and Laurie once again. Laurie is running his hands through her hair while she is taking deep breaths to calm herself.  Jo turns away again, ashamed.
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