𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 -𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 '𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎' 𝙻𝚊𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎

Chapter 29

HOMETOWN. 1869.

         To be back in the colonies is a bittersweet sound to Mary. She misses her family and her home, but on her trip, she saw things she never thought she would.
         Mary looks over at Laurie in the carriage. They had dropped Aunt March off and she insisted that they take the carriage. It still smells like the elderly. Mary has been silent, nervous to know the answer to her question.
        "Do you still love me?" Mary asks as she fiddles with her fingers.
         Laurie, who is sitting across from her, looks up, "With my every breath."
        Mary nods, not knowing how to answer him, still unsure if this isn't for her aunt's money. Laurie can tell what she's worried about. He stares at her and looks down at his pocket. He smiles, knowing the time is right.
         "I want to give you something," Laurie tells her.
          Mary raises an eyebrow as he reaches into his pocket. He holds up a locket. Not just any locket. Her locket, the one she gave away for her family. She smiles at Laurie with tears in her eyes.
         She had sold that locket long ago and since it's a very expensive locket, she would assume that after all these years, it would have been sold. That means that Laurie had to of bought it years ago when she had no inheritance.
         She lunges into Laurie's arms, making him almost drop the locket. He quickly hugs her back. She pulls away and turns her back to him. He takes that as a sign to put the locket on. His hand lightly brings the locket around her neck, making Mary's  neck tingle.
He puts it on her. The cold locket touches Mary's skin and it reminds her of years ago when she was in love with Laurie. Like a remembrance of who she truly was and what her heart wanted.
"I am not in love with you for your money. I have been in love with you, even when we were in different social classes. I am still in love with you, even when you're quite richer than me, Lyn." Laurie says the nickname assigned to her all those years ago.
Mary nods with tears, "I loved you when I was 16 and now, I love you when I'm 21."
       Laurie let out a breath of relief, "After last time, I get nervous when you say loved."
         Mary laughs, "I will love you until I'm 70."
        "Why til 70?"
        "Well, I don't want wrinkly skin, so that's the time I would prefer to die." Mary shrugs.
          "You will love me til you die?" Laurie questions. "That's way too short of a time to love someone."
           "Well, you're going to have to find me in the next life then, Dore." Mary smiles.
Hearing the nickname was like the climax of a song. It was expected, but still shocking and you just want for it to be repeated. To hear the love of his life say that nickname again made his heart beat harder and his smile grow wider. Marilyn March didn't know the effects she had on him.
He grabs Mary's hand, "This leaves me with one thing to do. You have left me a fool for these few years and I, no longer, want to be apart from you."
Mary, almost in tears, smiles, "Mr. Laurence, are you saying what I think you're saying?"
"Will you, Lyn, be Ms. Dore?" Laurie asks, using his nickname that he avidly hates.
Mary takes a deep breath, "You're right. Dore is a horrid nickname."
Laurie shakes his head and grabs her face. Simply, he kisses her. This kiss had been building since Mary was 15 and it was everything she anticipated. It was soft and gentle, yet not enough for either of them.
The loneliness of the past years all washed away with one kiss from him. They hold each other, filling the void that had been there ever since Meg's wedding. Mary pulls away with a breathy laugh, never thinking that kissing Laurie was ever an option. Laurie, on the other hand, admires the beauty of his, now, fiancé and pokes fun.
"So Dore is only a horrid nickname when I call you it?" Laurie teases.
          Laurie grabs her hands, still across from her, as they banter. Mary grazes her thumb across his hand with a love struck gaze. They are lost in each other. They don't notice the chilly wind or the clouded sky. Why would they when they are each others sunshine?
"Well, we can always make you take my last name, Mr. March." Mary suggests.
"Well, as the breadwinner of the family, I believe you should take my name." He tells her.
Mary shakes her head, "Well, the breadwinner would be me, seeing as I am the heir to my aunt's fortune."
"Yes, but as Amy has stated, as soon as we are married, the money will belong to me." Laurie jokes.
"Well, now, we get down to it. The reason to marry me is for my money! Why, that's not only smart, but despicable." Mary giggles.
Laurie chuckles as he observes her, the woman he has loved since he was 18.
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Mary runs into her house. It is silent. Way too silent for her house that used to be rattling with noise. Laurie is still at the carriage, getting his luggage. All Mary carries is a bag that carries a few items from her travels.
"Hello?" Mary yells into her house.
It echoes across the house, worrying Mary. Even with no one in it, it is dark and gloomy and quiet. Not like the vibrant and joyful house she grew up in.
"Marilyn?" She hears Marmee.
"Mother?" Mary asks as she walks through the house more.
She finds her mother in the kitchen. Hannah and Beth nowhere to be found. She is sitting in the kitchen.
        "Oh, Mari." She stands up and embraces her daughter.
        "Marmee-" Mary gets cut off.
        "What are you doing back so early? We told you everyone was okay." Marmee takes a long look at Mary.
        Marilyn smiles at her mom, "Well, Aunt March is sick and I was worried. Your letters weren't reassuring."
        Laurie walks in and Marmee turns to him, "Oh, Laurie. Thank you for escorting my daughter. Jo is at the seashore with Beth, but she would be glad to see you."
       "Well, we do have some news of our own." Laurie rubs the back of his neck.
        Mary looks back at him and slightly shakes her head, "Laurie and I will take my luggage upstairs."
       With that, Mary drags Laurie out of the kitchen.
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        "Dore, we can't tell my family yet." Mary warns him.
        Laurie looks at her, almost hurt, "Why not?"
       "You haven't asked my father yet, Laurie." Mary explains.
        "Does he care?" Laurie questions, laying on her bed.
         She looks over at him as she puts away clothes. He does a cheeky smile as she shakes her head. She sighs and throws a pillow at him.
       "Yes, he cares. I'm his favorite and I won't disappoint him by getting married without his permission." Mary tells him.
          Laurie laughs, "I love you."
          Mary falls onto the bed next to him,"I love you too, but I would love you more if you asked my father to marry me."
          "Well, how can I say that I don't want you to love me more, love?" Laurie questions.
          "You can't call me any nicknames until you ask permission from my father." Mary sets a rule.
         Laurie wraps Mary in his arms,  "Don't worry, darling."
          Mary runs her hand through his hair, "I'm serious. No one knows that we are engaged until my father and my mother know."
         "Fine, I understand." Laurie tells her.
         He kisses her on the neck and she pushes him away. She gets up and opens the door.
         "Go to your grandfathers house and set up a room." Mary pushes him out the door.
        "Okay," He walks away and then turns back.
         The door is almost closed but he pushes it open again. He steals a kiss from her.
         "I like the idea of being sneaky." Laurie jokes.
         "You're an idiot." Mary starts pushing him out again.
          "I love you." He whispers, jokingly.
Mary closes the door with a smile. She had never thought of being this lovingly pathetic. She remembers her sixteen year old self would have died if Laurie said I love you to her.
I guess nothing has changed.
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They are together, which took months for me to do and years for them to do. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of the ending which all the rest of the chapters will come out before Christmas!!! Our journey is close to ending, which is scary, but exciting. I also have two new books coming out, which you can check out before Christmas too. :)