Everything changes in Paris

Amy V

Hi all! I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I have to admit I'm falling into writer's block which is a shame since I have a lot more writing time now. In any case, I'm fighting through it so just bear with me for now.

Btw, the characters are not mine.

A week of stewing in anger against Laurie, deliberately not mentioning him unless asked in conversation, determined to act as happy and unaffected by this assassination of his integrity and character, she'd gotten the news that he had left. Vanished without a trace. Vamoosh!

Aunt March hadn't known much other than he had gone back to London. Presumably, due to the dressing down she'd given him. Amy had been shocked. Shocked straight out of her anger into reviewing every word she'd said that night in case she had gone too far. She might detest the way he acts but that doesn't mean she wanted to run him out of the country! The regret must have shown on her face as Aunt March sent her a dry look that snapped her right out of it.

No. Everything she had said that night needed to be said. The man he'd become disgusted her and if the coward left just because of an argument then he really was that much of a stranger wearing her first love's face.

"He's apparently gotten a job on West End working on a musical of Notting Hill. Silly movie, I never liked it." Aunt March had sniffed. "At least the boy might finally grow up from this."

The smile that cautiously turned up her lips couldn't be hidden. Amy's negative feelings towards Laurie had immensely shrunk over the next couple of weeks after she learned that he wasn't a lost cause after all.

Her heart eased as one of her worries disappeared. She hoped that one day, when they meet again because they will, their lives are too intertwined not too, she'll be able to look at him with the pride she'd always felt walking home with him as a little girl. Was it stupid that sometimes, just sometimes, she wished she could be there to witness the transformation?

~#~

"We worry for Beth, the poor dear. The treatment is going well and she's recovering slowly but nicely yet she refuses to send out university applications. She says that this second bout of leukemia reminded her that she should live her days to the fullest. University isn't for her, apparently. She just wants to play the piano! She won't even look at universities specializing in the arts." Marmee threw her arms in the air in exasperation. "No one can get through to her! Not even Jo. We were hoping you would talk to her."

Amy's eyebrows went up in the air. Relieved as she was that her sister was getting better, it wasn't like Beth to be so stubborn. She usually bends so easily to the will of others and Jo has a will of iron. Then again, Jo folded like origami paper when it came to Beth but her youngest older sister knows that university is a necessity for them. After all, how many students could find make a career without a degree. And well, they aren't swimming in money. They just happen to have rich relations whom they would never expect or beg for money.

Marmee called for Beth. Amy listened to the familiar soft steps down the creaking stairs before her sister's face popped on the IPad screen.

"Amy!" She smiled, delighted to hear from her younger sister. Amy checked her over subtly. Not subtle enough by any indication of the way she folded her arms together self consciously and blushed a dark pink. She looked alright, a little skinny and she had dark bags under her eyes but other than that alright.

"How are you Beth?"

"Well, my old wig's back," she smiled softly.

"And you still rock it," she encouraged her sister. So her hair is gone. Her heart hurt for her poor sweet Beth.