Lady March - (L.L.)

Chapter 34

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Consoling Meg

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"I have been feeling better, your methods worked. She came to me in a dream last night . . ." Meg sighed contentedly as she smiled. Ever since she started visiting Beth's grave regularly, talking to her and giving her flowers, she had started to feel much better. Her mind was no longer stuck with sad memories, only good ones. She'd felt not amazing, but she'd stopped crying every night, and her beautiful smile graced the residents of Concord once again.

Annie was quite proud of her sisterly friend because within weeks of Beth's untimely death, she had found peace in all things that she used to enjoy prior to the devastation, remembering all the good things that her youngest sister had to offer.

Meg took a sip of her tea and dragged her attention to the other girl in the room. "How are things going between you and Mr. LeBlanc, Anne?"

Neither Annie or Maxwell told the others about the incident between the couple. They chose to subdue some of the sadness and opted for keeping it a secret between each other for as long as they could. And considering that Annie was too selfless for her own good, she cared about the March family's heartbreak a lot more than her own loss.

Annie stuttered nervously. "Meg . . . Maxwell and I are no longer together."

She found no way than to state out simply as Meg shrieked, dropping her half-empty tea cup onto the table across from her. "What in . . . Annie, what happened? And how could you have not told me about this?"

Meg reached for a napkin as the blonde crossed her arms. "I didn't want you to be sadder . . . It's not important right now."

"Not important? Anne, you're like my fifth sister, your pain is very important to me . . . I can talk to Mr. LeBlanc if you want?"

Annie smiled slightly. "No use. He left for England weeks ago."

"How could he? Leaving you all pain stricken, such a jerk of a move."

The blonde shook her head. "That's just it, Meg, I don't feel any pain. We've made our choice and we both agreed to disagree on keeping our engagement alive and moving on with marriage. It's only for the best."

The brunette tilted her head back in denial. She was so sure that the two were so happy with one another, but to see that their relationship had ended before it even officially began . . . It did nothing more than shock her. "Do the others know?"

Annie lifted her gaze. "Who?"

"You know who I mean, Anne," Meg said sternly, bewildered by how lightly the girl was taking all this. Maybe she'd wanted this all along? she asked herself, only shooing away the thought at how ridiculous it sounded. "The girls and mother?"

She bit her lip nervously. "No, not yet. I haven't gotten the chance to tell them yet."

Meg chuckled half-heartedly as she muttered that she wasn't even surprised. The blonde furrowed her brows. "You haven't told them that the wedding's called off? Unbelievable . . . It's been weeks and you haven't uttered a word to them? It's almost as if you don't even care, Anne."

"I do care --"

"Then act like it!"

Annie had just enough and stood up from her seat abruptly. She turned on her heel and stormed to the main door. Meg followed after her and cried, "Anne, wait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

The blonde didn't stop walking until she reached the main door, her hand on the handle but refusing to turn it. She wasn't even sure why she was suddenly acting all defensive. It's like she had some unresolved feelings that she was hiding but couldn't possibly tell Meg without spilling everything. And everything, she knew, was the worst.

"I-I'm sorry, Meg," Annie apologized as she turned around to see a breathless brunette holding her protruding stomach. She cursed herself, regretting tiring her friend who was heavily pregnant. Annie approached the girl and muttered out more apologies as the two made their way over to the sitting area again. It wasn't until they both took a seat again that she continued, "I shouldn't have bashed out on you. I know you're in a delicate position."

Meg waved off the girl's retort and smiled gently. "No problem, really. I'm just glad you're not gone."

They smiled at each other thankfully for a moment before Annie cleared her throat. The two made their way back to the sitting area and went to their previous seats. Annie sat silently for a second before explaining, "I want to tell you what's holding me back, really, I'm just waiting. Once I find out the answer, I promise that you'll be the first that I tell."

"I'm not pressuring you to tell me anything, Anne," Meg said with a hopeful tone. She leaned forward to pour herself some water but the other girl beat her to it and offered her the cup which she took thankfully. From the corner of her glass, Meg continued, "I'm just worried, as an older sister, what may be going through your mind."

The blonde nodded. "I know, and I hope you understand that there's nothing that you need to concern yourself with. I will tell you, I promise. I'm just waiting for the right time."

At the weak smile that she received, Annie stood up and approached Meg and gave the girl's hands a comforting squeeze.

"I'm okay, so don't worry about me," she promised. Sitting back down, she joked, "Now, tell me, how are you doing?"