The March Cousin! ➼︎ [Little Women]

Chapter 7 ➼︎ Lazy Laurie

"You never replied to my message. I was wondering if you cared to join me for a walk into town?" he requests with a smile.

"What message? I never got a letter" I say as I looked confused. "there was nothing in the mail"

"Come this way please! I thought Meg would have showed you this" he chuckles.

"Showed me what?" I stutter.

"Hannah I will be back soon" I call out. I go out the door with Laurie. He shows me a little box on a pole down the road.

"This was a box I would leave gifts or letters in for Jo and the other girls to let them know when I was around" he informs me showing me how to open the old wooden house on a pole.

Inside was his letter. He hands it to me. "Since you are a March you have a right to check for gifts" he adds. "from me to you or you to me"

"Oh, how lovely, a thing a brother might do" I chuckle. "I never had a brother before"

"Well, I am like a brother to the girls." he says puffing out his chest a bit. I read his letter. It did ask me the day before about going on a walk. "will you walk with me? It is a nice day for one?" 

"Alright, and what shall we do?" I wonder. 

"We could visit dear Beth" he points out.

"I would love to" I say.

He offers me his arm to take. Then we head into town. The day was bright and sunny one. No clouds in the Concord sky at all that day. 

•✿︎︎•

"Are you at all home sick these days?" he asks me.

"I am some. My aunt has helped me deal with my grief over my family" I explain. "you know I moved here with the March's because my family died" I remind him.

"Yes, I know this. Jo had told me. You do know my parents passed away as well over in France" he mentions to me. "I was a young boy. I did not know them well. And then they sent me home here to be with grandfather"

"Oh, I did not know I am sorry Laurie" I softly say. "we do have much in common"

"I often wonder how different I would have been if I had been in France. But I would not have known grandfather or you" he adds as he smiles at me.

"True" I say with a smile. He was so handsome when he smiled my way.

"My grandfather had not wanted my mother to marry young but she was in love she went to France to be with my father. And she used to act in plays then she stopped once she found she was having me. She died having me. I wish I had known her. Then later on father grew ill. And grandfather had to take me in. We got to know one another. I grew on him" he chuckles.

"I am sure your grandfather can see your mother in you" I point out.

"He says that all the time in fact" says Laurie.

We arrive to the flower field first. Laurie shows me what flowers were Beth's favorite ones. Then we go to the Sleepy Hallow Grave site. We add flowers to Beth's little grave. 

"Dear Beth, I think of you often. When I hear a song played. Or if I see a kitten in need of milk. Or a doll dress in the store. You are missed dear Beth. I hope your cousin can know you through us. Then one day in heaven we all shall meet again" he reflects beautifully out loud. I nearly have tears in my eyes.

"I am sorry I got here so late Beth" I softly add.

"Let's go some place a bit more cheerfully shall we?" he asks me softly. I nod.