𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 16

Outside Aunt March's house.1862.
"Ok now that we are out. There is actually no beautiful scenery." I turn around and face them,"Aunt March's carriage smells like old lady."
They both laugh.
"I wonder why?" John says sarcastically.
"Me too." I say and stick my tongue out at him.
"So what do you usually do around here?" James asks.
"Oh well, I teach my sister, Amy. I go out to the town. I usually just stay home and entertain my sisters. I have four of them." I tell them.
"That's a lot of siblings. How do you deal? I  am annoyed with John and there's only one of him." James teases.
John gasps,"You're just jealous because Mary likes me more."
"Do I?" I ask with a scrunched up face.
John gasps louder and picks me up over his shoulder. He walks ahead of James.
"You don't even know where you're going!" James yells.
John holds his nose up," Neither do you."
He waits for James to catch up.
"I'm just kidding, John. You are my favorite." I say to him from behind his back.
He smiles as James looks at me with a bemused look. John looks at James with a smug look. I laugh. John lets me down and I gasp.
"Keep believing that, kiddo." James laughs and ruffles John's head.
"You're only like 2 years older than me. I'm 18. You're 20." John argues.
James laughs. I smile and look away with wide eyes. I'm only 16. I mean it's not that big of a age difference.
I shake my head and focus back on the conversation.
"So what did that swing set taste like?" John asks.
James looks over at me with a raised eyebrows. I laugh and roll my eyes.
"I can explain." I defend.
"Well, you better." James says with a teasing tone.
"Don't laugh. When I was 10 and my oldest sister was around 12, she told me not to lick the swing set. Well I was a rebel child. Really defiant. So I told her that she couldn't tell me what to do. Then I licked it. I ended up getting infectious mononucleosis." I explain, walking ahead of them.
I hear snickers from behind me and I turn around,"I said don't laugh. It wasn't funny. I was sick for weeks!"
"You have to admit it's a bit funny." John says in between his laughs.
I roll my eyes and giggle a bit. I turn back towards my house before they could see me.
With my house now in sight, I quicken my pace.
"Did I just hear a giggle?" James asks.
"I seem to have heard it too." John agrees.
"Seems like it was funny." James teases as I turn around.
I stop in front of my house and pick up snow.
"What are you going to do with that, sunshine?" James asks backing up.
John hides behind James,"Mary, put the snow down."
I smirk and throw it at James. He gets hit in the chest. It's soon a full out snow fight. I pick up snow and throw it.
James picks me up and uses me as a shield. John keeps throwing snowballs.
"What's going on here?"
We all stop and slowly turn to the door of my house.
"Nothing!" I yell and James lets me down.
I sigh and straighten out my dress,"Hi Meg..... I suspect the rest are watching from the window."
She nods, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Oh yes!" I turn to the boys. "Meg, this is James and John Vanderbilt. Boys, this is my oldest sister, Meg."
"She's the one who told you not to lick the swing set?" James asks.
My cheeks heat up as I nod. Meg looks at me with a funny look.
"Very sensible girl." John comments.
Meg blushes and puts her hair behind her ear.
"Well, thank you, boys for escorting me home. I have to go and get yelled at now." I tell them.
"Ahhh. Good luck, soldier." James taunts.
I salute and they laugh. They salute me back before Meg pulls me inside. I manage to wave before the door closes.
I sigh and turn around to see everyone staring at me,"May I help you?"
They all bombard me with comments:
"Who were they?"
"They were cute!"
"Laurie left you a letter."
"Do they have girlfriends?"
"Mr. Laurence gave me a piano!"
The last comment caught my attention, "Really? A piano! That's so great!"
"I know!" Beth practically jumps up and down.
"Who were they?" Hannah repeats.
I laugh,"Those were Aunt Marge's friend's grandkids. Aren't they great?"
Jo crosses her arms,"Mhmm"
"They were so cute!" Amy gushes.
"And polite and playful." Meg adds.
Hannah chimes in,"They certainly looked interested in Mary."
Beth and I share a look before I laugh it off, " No. Not possible. They're like my best friends."
Jo rolls her eyes,"Speaking of best friends, Laurie left you a letter."
She takes it off the table and shoved it into my hands. I look at it and then back at her. She huffs and stomps upstairs.
"What's up with her?" I ask.
Everyone shrugs. I look down at my letter, "Well, I'm going to go get ready to make lunch."
I exit the room and open the letter.
Dear Mary,
I seem to always apologize with letters. I think I'll stick to it. Always seems to work. I think it's because when you're writing, the words just come out perfectly.
I saw that you and Beth came over earlier. You gave us a pie. I would eat it but I prefer apple pie.
Anyway, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to tell me. I shouldn't have grabbed your wrist like that. I shouldn't have gotten aggressive. I'm very sorry.
I just knew that when you didn't have your locket on and Jo talked about selling things,it leads to no good.
I apologize for my actions. Come by and see me later.
With love, Dore
With love? I think I read too much into these letters. I know he's always loved Jo. She's her. How could you possibly not love her?
Although, she has a wicked temper and she's boyish. I don't think I'd prefer her any other way.
I put the letter where I put all my other 'Laurie' stuff. Like the ticket to the theatre, the drawing at the beach, and his letters.
I'm just a sentimental person. I laugh at myself for being such a softie. I get up and close the drawer.
I go back downstairs and start lunch. I also pick up a little bit because it is filthy.
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