𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 (EDITING)

Chapter 9 {"Do you have feelings for her?"}

-3rd Person POV-

Laurie stood at the closed door in fear and embarrassment... He thought to himself "What were you thinking?! Oh my stars what have I done? I brought this on her so suddenly, that's why she ran away...I've completely ruined my chance with Eliza... But at that moment, I just couldn't hold myself back...."

Hannah confusingly walked into the foyer and asked, "Where has Eliza gone, and why aren't you with her?" Laurie sighed and said, "We had a misunderstanding and she wouldn't let me go with her. Eliza begged me to stay here. " Hannah gave Laurie a stern look and said, "Jo should be back any minute. She's very protective of Eliza so you better hope she doesn't combust in anger after this." 

Laure walked up the stairs to grab his lavender bundle but he saw a small box on the floor. He picked it up and read the lid, "To Eliza, I did my best to replicate her signature, I hope it's legible. Love Meg. "  His eyebrow raised as he held the box in his hand and picked up the bundle off the bed. "'Her' signature? Who is 'Her'? " He thought as he walked back down the stairs and stood in the living room. 

He tried to think of who 'Her' could be until Jo walked inside with a smile on her face. "Laurie! Come to see, Eliza? Where is she? " Jo asked while looking around, he sighed as she walked up to him and asked with a concerned look, "Laurie, what is it? " He slightly groaned the situation and softly smoke, "Jo, I ruined everything... Eliza and I had been talking about things and around an hour and a half when she gave me this, " He raised the lavender bundle. "-after I told her that my mother loved lavender. We had a moment and... And I-... And- I tried to kiss her..." 

Jo's face changed from concern to anger as she yelled, "Why on earth would you do that? " Laurie became frustrated and said in a slightly louder voice than his previous one, "I thought that she felt the same way, but I assume she didn't because she pulled away from me, grabbed something that was in this box, a leather journal, and left. I tried to go after her but she begged me to stay here. " He handed Jo the box as she angrily asked, "Laurie Laurence, do you have feelings for her? " Laurie groaned again in exasperation, "I know she's your sister and I understand why you are upset but just listen to me, please... When we got Amy out of the pond and Eliza was still in the water, I was just as terrified as you until you pointed her out. The only thing that I thought while I swam in that freezing water was, ' I'm not giving up on her. ', even if that meant that I died too. Once we managed to get her out and brought her to the land, I tried to revive her and absolutely refused to stop even though you and Amy thought she was gone! I couldn't let Eliza die because of your family and because I do have feelings for her, Jo! " Laurie yelled near the end of his banter. He then realized that Marmee, Beth, Amy, Meg, and Hannah were standing in the doorway with shocked expressions.

He sighed in embarrassment, calmed down, and asked Jo, "Where could she have gone? " She still wore a furious expression as she said, "I know where she is, I'll go find her. " "I can help you-" Laurie began to say before Jo interrupted him, "Haven't you done enough, Laurie? Go home and don't bother coming back! " He just stood there as Marmee exclaimed in shock, "Jo! That's enough!" 

The others looked shocked as he stood there while trying to process what just happened, Jo had kicked him out of the March house and most likely would not want to be seen again... Laurie walked over to the coat rack and looked at Marmee, "No... I have done enough... I've ruined everything with Eliza and your family,  I'm so sorry..." Jo felt a ping of guilt but it was washed away with her continued anger while everyone stood silently.

Laurie felt tears brim his eyes as he grabbed his coat and walked out of the house. As he stepped down onto the walkway he turned around to face everyone with a single tear running down his face, then walked home with his head hung and his lavender bundle in hand.

Jo watched him leave and began to go out the door until Marmee stopped her, "Jo. I understand why you're angry, but Laurie is your friend and Eliza is your sister, you must be able to live with this. " Jo huffed as she said, "Marmee! Laurie kissed, Eliza! OUR, Eliza! She's not going locked in a relationship because he has idiotic feelings for her! " 

Meg held Beth while Amy and Hannah stood next to each other as they all watched their bantering. Marmee sighed while trying to remain calm and said, "Jo, have you considered Eliza's feelings? She will be going into the world someday, court a man, marry, have children, and live her life. She's allowed to have feelings for him if she does and you have to accept what is true. " Marmee held open the door as Jo huffed and walked out of the house. 

Marmee turned around to look at everyone, Hannah walked back to the kitchen, Meg and Beth stood in awe and Amy walked up the stairs. "What does this mean, Marmee? " Beth asked, Marmee sighed realization and answered, "This means that they're growing up. " Marmee then yelled to everyone in the house, "No one is to say a word to Eliza about this! " Meg and Beth nodded and walked into the living room.

Marmee went to her room and shut the door, this was the first time that her children had romantic feelings toward someone else... She had just come to realize when she spoke to Beth, that her five girls were growing up and she didn't know what to think of it... Should she be happy for them? Sad that they're growing up? Angry at Laurie and Jo for their quarreling?

Marmee was troubled because usually her husband Robert, or the girls' 'Father', was around to help with her own emotions... 

Marmee had her own demons just like everyone else, she had a temper since she was a child that she's had to learn to control over the years... Often at times, she would get so angry that she had to step out of the room to calm herself down, just like she did when Amy destroyed Jo and Eliza's possessions.

Marmee never expressed her struggles to others because she didn't want anyone to be concerned about her.

After a few moments of deep thinking and processing, she had come to a conclusion about her feelings and thoughts... It was ok to be sad because her children are growing up, but also happy that her Little Women are beginning their young adult lives, just as she did when she was their age... 

Marmee smiled at the memory of her meeting Robert for the first time at school. She wasn't head over heels like he was when they met, but she soon came around and accepted her feelings for him... 

She also realized that her love story was much like Eliza's and Laurie's. Laurie cares deeply for Eliza while she still struggles with her emotions...

Marmee made a promise to herself when each of her children was born and when Eliza's mother passed, she would love all of them unconditionally and support their decisions, as long as they were rational of course...

And this was just the beginning of her children's young adult lives...