𝕄𝕪 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖, 𝕄𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕗𝕖 - Theodore Laurence ✅

30

...a beautiful day, full of flowers and sunlight. Outside, Beth and Amy are arranging decorations and laughing. While Catherine monitors them with Marmee's orders as the two would spoil something on a very important day.

Catherine glanced inside, Meg prepares for her wedding with Jo helping her, placing flowers in her sister's hair but the girl knew better. Jo was probably finding every excuse to get Meg out of this wedding.

With Amy and Beth building a flower crown for each March sister, Catherine took a chance to glance down at her engagement ring that no one seems to question yet or found to be suspicious. Looking at the crowd gathered to witness a knot being tied with the couple. Catherine spotted Aunt March who gave her a stern look.

Catherine had given every excuse she could think, and the last she spoke was that 'I don't know Mr Dunn well. I would like time and move at a pace every couple does,' this caused Aunt March to plan an idea. A trip where Catherine will be far away from her family.

Hours passed and as much as Catherine wanted to be happy and in the gleam on a day when her oldest sister is wedded to the man she loves. The thought of having to leave them haunts her. Everyone gathered for the feast, Meg and Mr. Brooke are married, with Mr. March officiating, "What excessive promises, giving yourself away to get the other. What a thing, what a gift, always given before it is known the cost or the reward,"

The wedding ended happily and moved to a picnic reception. With the perfect view and weather, the right wind. Everything was perfect. Marmee and Hannah deliver cakes and pastries and food galore.

Laurie dances with Beth, whirling her around and making her laugh. It grew more when Laurie forced a confused Catharine into the dance while she tries to stable her drink in hand. Jo watches adoringly: the three halves of her heart.

Meg, both bride, and the host make sure everyone is cared for before dancing with John, Marmee dances with Mr. Laurence, Jo tries to play the fiddle - then Marmee dances with Father, Jo and Meg dance, John and Amy dance, Hannah dances with Father.

The point is, everyone dances with everyone and...

Laurie and Jo taste the alcohol and decide it's terrible. Then later scolded by Catherine when she caught them with adult beverages.

There is more eating and dancing until the sun starts to set. As Aunt March moves to make her departure, she speaks to Meg, who stands with John, Marmee, and Father March. Catherine followed suit, afraid that Aunt March might say something foul, "Well, I hope you're happy. Now that you've ruined your life, just like your Mother did by marrying your father."

Despite her meanness, the March family is so happy, that they burst out laughing at Aunt March's rudeness. Mr. March replied, "Dear sister, you are too kind. And thank you for today's festivities." Before more anger can be spat out by Aunt March, Catherine steps in, "Let's walk Aunt March."

"Thank goodness, here's the only sane member of the family. I really can't take any more of this." Catherine leads her into a carriage. They had a conversation that seem awfully serious Marmee took notice off she wasn't the only one when Amy came up to her, "Aunt March always has something to talk about with Cathy."

"It seems so," Marmee replied worriedly before being pulled by a guest to congratulate her daughter's marriage. As John and Meg left to enter their small but lovely newlywed home. He embraces her and kisses her - she's never been happier. Laurie and Jo walk through the woods together, as they've done for years. Catherine watched from afar as she debates her last decision.

Soon it was late in the evening, the family was still cleaning up after the event of the wedding when Catherine stop herself to catch Laurie walking away with red eyes and tears. Catherine snaps her head from side to side and decided not to do what her heart wanted.

Amy noticed this, she glances between the two then lastly at Beth beside her who nudge her to talk to their older sister. Amy had always been the persuasive one, so with confidence, she slides beside Catherine and smirked, "When are you going to confess?"

"Confess? W-With what?" Amy was confused at how scared Catherine looked, wondering why she would be scared that she caught feelings for Laurie, but unknown to her. Catherine was scared that she was caught in something else. "You're feeling towards Laurie?" / "O-Oh that... No, thanks."

"Why? Come on." Amy stomps her feet and followed after Catherine who carried thousands of plates to be washed. "How long are you going to keep it hidden." Catherine was no longer surprised that her feelings were caught on by Amy, even Beth too since the two siblings were probably the most observant of Catherine's every move and feeling.

"Because he loves Jo. Everyone knows that. Plus, Jo might-" / "So what!"

Amy suddenly forced Catherine to seat down, shocking the oldest as Amy took away the plates and placed them on the table. Beth immediately gathered with them knowing Amy would need help to persuade Catherine. "See it this way, Cathy..." Amy glanced at Beth, she is known it is reckless not to think before speaking. So having Beth encourage and agree to her gave her the spirit to speak, "If you were to leave-"

"I'm not leaving," Catherine cut her sister. Amy and Beth frown at how her sentence didn't sound believable or sure of herself but dispose of it since they had pressing matters. Beth replied, "If, Cathy. She said, if."

"That's right," Amy nodded, pointing proudly at Beth for supporting her, "If you leave, and were never to return. Won't you regret not ever confessing your feeling at least once? What if one of you disappears forever one day?"

"But-" / "Even if he rejected you. What's important is that you are true to yourself and confessed then to just let yourself suffer, Cathy," Beth cut her, the two youngest had a determined look in their puppies' eyes. Wasting no time pulled Catherine to her feet and push her forward to Laurie's trail.

They sway their hand, gesturing for Catherine to go. Catherine let out a sigh, she wasn't able to finish her words. She was planning to just look for Laurie and wait awhile to return and speak nothing about her feelings, thinking about Jo's reaction but the moment she notices just how broken and fragile he was, Catherine had the urge to go.