Beth March has passed on. Amy is to travel to Europe with Aunt March. Jo is going to stay home to home to help Marmee around the home. The March house seems empty with Amy going away as well as Beth's spirit no longer with them.
A letter arrives to...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I had not had a chance to talk to Laurie since Jo came home. Jo and I had been helping Marmee create clothing for Meg's baby that was coming.
And working on baby blankets. I was never really good at sewing but with their help I was certainly turning into a pro at it! I rather liked working on a project besides on my poetry.
I sat beside Jo and Marmee. I was dying to ask Jo about what happened with her professor since she did not get my last letter. It was going to be forwarded to her later on though.
I had a feeling Jo wanted to ask me about my courtship with Laurie. The time I had with him anyway. Jo looked over at me and smiled as we listened to Marmee talk.
Hannah finally came in and needed Marmee's assistance at once in the kitchen. So, at long last I was alone with Jo. We could get to talking as we needed to clear the air. I was not sure how to bring things up but we could work through this. We were family after all. Jo was not just my cousin but one of my friends as well.
•✿︎︎•
"So, I hear you are courting Laurie? How is Teddy doing these days? He has avoided me like the plague," laughs Jo.
"Well for now I am courting Laurie. Tedding is doing well" I explain.
Jo frowns. "For now? Whatever do you mean by that?" asks Jo. "are you ending the courtship?"
"No, but he might" I sigh. "I do not want to get into it. It is a happy time! You are home! We have much catching up to be done. Now what became with your professor?" I ask her as I change the subject.
"It did not end well. I gave him my stories to read, and he did not care for them. It hurt my feelings. He had the nerve to say this is what you write? I thought you could do better than this! Deeper within yourself" mutters an upset Jo. "I get angered thinking about it all over again" she complains bitterly.
"Maybe he did not mean it in a bad way. I mean Jo, you have so much talent in you. And you write sensational stories that everyone is writing. Maybe he was surprised that there was nothing more to it than that. That he was expecting better from you because you are a fantastic writer. Not that your books were not good" I ramble on.
"Either way he hurt my pride" sighs Jo. "I left but I still plan to write, and I know one day a book is going to be published wait and see" she remarks.
"So, it is over with professor?" I ask.
"There is nothing more to say between us. We are parting ways. He is going off to teach school. Where he is needed. And my heart needed to be here" Jo softly says as she works on a blanket.
"Maybe you will see him again one day" I tell her.
"Doubtful! Now why would you be ending your courtship with Laurie?" demands Jo. She was not going to drop this.
"End things?" I hear him speak up.
•✿︎︎•
When had he come over?
I glance over to see Laurie standing there with John. Holding flowers in his hands. He looked stunned. And hurt. I had not meant for him to hear that without talking privately to him first.
"John, you must come see all the baby clothing that we have made so far! Your little one is going to be the best dressed baby in town" laughs Jo as she leads John out of there so I could talk alone with Laurie.
Laurie looked so hurt and angered.
"What is she talking about Fiona? End things? Is that true?" he softly demands to know as he makes his way over to my side. He sets his flowers down on the table.
"I think it is best. Just for now" I squeak out nervously.
"Fiona why?" he asks me. "you cannot mean that'"
"But I do. Jo is back. And you need to find out why. And see where things go from there. And if I am still on your mind and you know in your heart just what you want you will know where to find me" I speak to him.
"Do not do this Fiona" he begs me. Tears surfaced in his eyes. "you told me once you would never hurt me remember that?" he reminds me.
"I do not mean to hurt anyone, this hurts me too" I remind him.
"Then do not do this! Do not turn me away" he begs me.
I placed my hand on his hand. "Laurie, when Jo came home you took off because you could not face her so there has to be something there you need to face. And I can't stand in the way of that" I tell him. "I do not want the what if's to ruin what future we might have this is something you need to do" I demand. "for us"
"I do not agree with this at all" he bitterly says.
"Go talk to Jo" I plead as sternly as I could.
He looks so upset. Then he leans in surprising me. He kisses me. I weakly give in. I was not supposed to be kissing him until we were engaged.
•✿︎︎•
"I know I am going to marry into the March family. I had thought I loved Jo. But not until I met you then I knew what love was. You will never make me forget that. I will do as you wish because I would do anything for you. I do not like it. But I understand. And I will be back for your heart because I know it belongs to me and mine belongs to yours" he sternly says softly after the sweet kiss ends.
He touches my cheek with his hand then walks off. Tears come to me. What had I done? Had I given him up so he could be with Jo?
If they did find their way back to each other I was going back home. I was not going to stay here. I headed upstairs to be alone.
I needed time to myself. I go to the attic to write. I sit at the desk. I got a quill and paper out. I glance out the window. I spot Laurie walking over to Jo. They greet one another in a hug. My heart winces at the sight.
I glance away and begin to write.
My heart never loved until your smile was seen.
Your lovely face began to haunt in my dreams.
My heart was captured.
You kept it safe.
Now as you let it go, I can feel it starting to break...
![The March Cousin! ➼︎ [Little Women]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/295321649-64-k620128.jpg)