𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 28

EXT. PARIS. GARDEN. DAY. 1869.
Laurie lazily lolls on the grass of the beautiful estate, while Mary sketches him. Amy, sitting far enough away to give them privacy, smiles at them both. A very happy John sits next to Amy, throwing grapes at her. A peace has settled over them, they're friends again.
"Laurie, when are you going back to
your grandfather?" Mary questions.
"Very soon." Laurie replies.
Mary shakes her head, "You've said that a dozen times in the past month."
Laurie shrugs, "Short answers save trouble."
"He expects you, so why don't you do it?" Mary inquires.
Laurie runs a hand through his hair, "Natural depravity, I suppose."
"Natural indolence, you mean." Mary corrects him.
"I'll only plague him if I go, so I might as well stay and plague you a little longer." Laurie jokes.
He jumps up and play fights with her, making her laugh. He captures her, and holds her in her arm. They lay there, seemingly perfect.
"You can bear it. In fact, I think it agrees with you." Laurie tells her.
Mary disentangles herself. She goes back to drawing him with a slight blush. She looks up at him ever so often.
"What are you doing?" She asks.
"Looking at you." Laurie smiles, cheekily.
She gives him a glance, "Must you always stare?"
"Only when there is someone as pretty as you to stare at." He compliments.
With a wide smile, Mary rolls her eyes, "You're invigorating sometimes. What do you intend to do with your life, if you're not going back?"
"I've been writing an opera, I'd be the central figure." He tells her.
"That doesn't seem like you." Mary shrugs.
"What would you have me do?" Laurie questions.
"Well, if I was Amy, I would tell you to go work for your grandfather. If I was Jo, I would tell you to live as a adventurer, because you have absolutely nothing stopping you." Mary tells him.
"Well, you're you so what would you say?" Laurie questions as if this was three years ago and they were at the field in between their houses.
Mary ponders the question, "Well, I say do what you want. You could become a doctor or maybe a art collector. Or you could just be rich, like you are already are."
"Well, that's very excellent advice." Laurie tells her.
"How does your lip feel?" Mary asks then adds, "James, sometimes, gets very mad."
The mention of James changes the air. The playful and happy wind turns to awkward and uncomfortable stillness. Laurie looks at Mary, trying to see if her face gives any hints to how she feels.
"My lip is fine." Laurie answers, "Where is James?"
"He felt that it would be uncomfortable if he joined us." Mary informs Laurie.
Mary starts to get up, done with her drawing. She walks around, getting feeling back into her legs. Laurie watches her and then stands up.
"Don't marry him." He mumbles.
Mary looks back at him, "What?"
He speaks louder, "Don't marry him."
Mary tilts her head, "Why not?"
Laurie sighs, "You know why..."
Mary nods her head, "I wasn't going to marry him."
"Why?" Laurie asks, narrowing his eyes at her.
Mary shrugs, "Well, I don't entirely believe that he loves me for me. I daresay that I don't think you love me for me."
Laurie was going to respond, but Amy and John interrupt. Amy runs to Mary, telling her about the bird John just found. Mary looks over Amy to find Laurie already looking at her, while John talks to him. She gives a curt nod and looks away.
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         "Amy, I think we need to go back home." Mary tells her as they sit in dining room. 
          Laurie, James, John, and Amy all turn to the girl. Aunt March couldn't join them, due to being worryingly sick. Mary has been feeling this way for awhile, but didn't wanna ruin her sisters trip.
       "What? Why?" Amy asks.
       "Amy, I'm uneasy about Jo not responding to my letters and I feel that if we bring Aunt March to her home, she will be more comfortable." Mary explains.
       Amy slumps, "Can't you just go by yourself?"
        "Amy, I don't want to ruin your trip, but you can't stay here by yourself." Mary informs.
        "I'll stay here with her!"John volunteers.
       Mary sighs, "I don't think that would be very responsible of me as her older sister."
         Amy looks at John and nods, "We are engaged and I think it would be very beneficial for us to be together."
        Mary chokes on her drink and looks straight at Laurie. He shakes his head, telling her he didn't know about this. Mary looks back at them and sighs.
"I guess as a grown and almost married woman, I don't have any control over you." Mary smiles at her baby sister.
Amy squeals, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Amy gets up and goes over to hug her sister. Mary, gladly, accepts the hug. Mary looks over at Laurie, who is equally as happy for Amy. James has a smile for his brother.
"I'll escort you and your aunt back." Laurie offers.
Mary nods, "That would be lovely."
It is the calm before the storm.
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"Oh my lord, it's too silent." Aunt March pouts.
Mary nods her head, "Sorry, Aunt March. What would you like to talk about?"
Aunt March peaks over at Laurie, "When are you going to marry Vanderbilt?"
Mary sighs, "Hopefully, never."
"What do you mean?" Aunt March asks, looking between Laurie and Mary.
She automatically thinks the Laurence boy had stolen another heart in the family. She is worried by the little smile playing on Laurie's lips. She is worried when Mary's eyes shoot over to Laurie and then back to her.
"I'm afraid that he was only after me for my money." Mary tells her aunt.
Her aunt scoffs, "What money?"
"Well, your money." Mary clarifies.
Aunt March's eyes widen as she looks at Mary, "Why isn't that a little conniving?"
"He should have been sweet talking you the whole time. You're the one with the money." Mary shrugs.
Aunt March, "So any new prospects?"
"Well, there is this one-"
The carriage jerks, stopping Mary from speaking. Laurie is looking down, cockily, like he knows she is talking about him. Aunt March starts yelling out the window at the coach.
"Is this young man wealthy?" Aunt March returns to the conversation.
Mary shakes her head,"Is that the only thing you care about it?"
"It is not my fault your parents only had daughters, so there is no man of the family to make money." Aunt March defends.
"His grandfather is wealthy, but he is the sole heir of the money." Mary informs her aunt.
Laurie rubs the back of his neck. Her aunt looks overjoyed that one of her prodigy's will be wealthy.
Aunt March continues to question, "Is he like one of the Vanderbilts?"
Mary scrunches her nose, "He is sweet, very playful, a little immature, but he's trying, and I think he loves me."
"He sounds like a wonderful man, Marilyn." Aunt March compliments.
"He is."
Laurie keeps looking down at a book, pretending he's ignoring the conversation. Aunt March grabs Mary's hand and squeezes it. A true sign of affection for her.
Mary squeezes her hand back, happily. Aunt March knows who she's talking about and supports it. That's the one thing Mary has ever asked for. A man her aunt approved of.
Laurie had been on the line for awhile, but her aunt finally approved. The pieces are falling into place, but should she keep going? What if he actually doesn't love her. What if they're unhappy? And what if she is rejected like she rejected him?
She takes a deep breath and decides to ask Laurie. Nothing will ever happen if she doesn't talk to him.
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I think I lied. There will be a bit more chapters. Only a few more than I originally expected.