𝕄𝕪 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕄𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖 - Theodore Laurence ✅

28

Beth had grown awake from the sunlight beaming on her face. It caused her face to turn red and hot. She looks around, usually, Cathy would be there to close the curtain or open the window based on her body temperature. Seeking out for her older sister, her heart grew in pace at seeing Catherine laying on the floor, breathing heavily and sweaty bad.

"Cathy!" Beth crawled to her sister, shaking her body the best she could with her frail one. And with no response over time, she began crying and whimpering, "HELP! HELP! CATHY! CATHY!" Jo and Hannah burst into the room in concern but it grew more seeing the situation.

Jo had rushed to pull Cathy onto her lap to lie comfortably as Hannah calm down the crying youngest. "I didn't know if she had –" Hannah quickly cut Jo in between all the crying Beth was doing, the maid knew Jo was going to blame herself for this. "It's not your fault, Jo. We should send for your mother."

Jo nods her head, glancing at Beth who keeps shaking Catherine's figure to react as she cries out so loud. "CATHY! I WANT CATHY! WAKE UP WAKE UP!" Jo finally sees just how much important Cathy was to Beth and Amy, who so selfless the girl was.

Marmee enters with Laurie and goes straight to Beth and Cathy whose laid on their shared bed. She's gone from a sick husband to some sick daughters, but she brings cheerful efficiency to a terrifying situation, "You were right to send for me, my girls - but you've been very good nurses indeed."

Laurie's eyes were wide at seeing Catherine's condition. The girl never told anyone about her state and continued aiding Beth that she overlooked her critical body. He was about to ask, wanting to know more about what had happened to Catherine, overlooking just how concerned he was with her but kept muted seeing everyone was in pace.

Let's talk about this thoroughly first.

For the next few days, Marmee was strict, not letting anyone but herself and Hannah aid the two sick daughters. But just that one night did she give Jo permission to sleep in their room, due to all the begging and worrying the girl had done.

When Jo jerks suddenly awake the next morning - she doesn't see Cathy and Beth in the bed. She rises, and with growing panic – screams, "Marmee! Marmee!" She rushes downstairs to find her sisters sitting up with her Mother and Hannah eating.

She cries with joy and kisses Cathy's head who giggled and Beth's cheek rather whines but made Jo chuckle at finally getting her sisters back to normal, "Merry Christmas, you two." It is Christmas time again. Amy, standing on a chair, supervises all the decorations. Mr. Laurence and Marmee sit by the fire, and Beth is on the couch with her doll. Jo runs around with Hannah setting the table for their feast.

At just that moment, Laurie pops his head in with Catharine, both with wild excitement in his eyes, and announces: "And here's another Christmas gift for the March family!" Laurie chuckles as he helped Catherine with the heavy load of gifts that's been wrapped, laughing at the state of her frizzy hair now from all the running.

Laurie ignores how his heart rushes in speed when he made hand contact with Catherine. The girl was too joyful with being free from her sickness and the holiday spirit to blush at their contact. She too was too naive to see how Laurie had stared at her smile, a second longer than what you would call normal.

Laurie was about to reach out and get Catherine's attention all to himself but the girl was preoccupied with Beth and Amy who also wants her undivided attention. But before anything could happen the loud crashing sound disturb the whole house.

The door swings open, and it's Father who is supported by Mr. Brooke. Mayhem breaks out - Beth starts crying, Amy falls off a chair but Cathy is quick to break her fall, Marmee gasps, Jo drops a dish, and Meg (again) spontaneously kisses Mr. Brooke. All the girls run to him, surrounding him in a hug.

"My little women. How you've grown, and how proud I am of you. Each of you. Merry Christmas, my dears." He looks over them to Marmee - who is gazing back at him with love. She wasn't sure that this moment would come for her, and she could hardly believe she has her family together. He steps out of his daughter's hug to embrace his wife.

"Thank god, thank god you're home. Now I can be angry with you in person." He laughs and brushes her tears away. It is romance, but the real kind.

As the day develops. It is Christmas dinner, with everyone, including Laurence and Mr. Brooke, gathered around the table - it is the finest day any one of them has ever had, and the joy radiates across the chilly Christmas night.