"Nothing lasts forever, some things aren't meant to be. But you'll never find the answers until you set your old heart free." Hello My Old Heart by The Oh Hellos
"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," Mr. March spoke fondly in front of Meg and John, watching his oldest daughter commit her life to the man she loved.
Jo kept staring at Laurie, hearing her conversation with Addy as she imagined how it would feel to say her vows to her best friend.
After the ceremony, the dancing, eating and drinking began. Adeline watched her sister in adoration as she never left John's side. She could not have been happier for Meg. While Beth and Laurie danced together, Addy caught his eye as he spun the younger March sister around.
He stared longingly for a moment before snapping out of it, bowing to Beth as the song ended. Amy and Aunt March make their way to her carriage after she has said her rude goodbyes to everyone. Of course, she barely acknowledged Adeline.
Addy was dancing around with Meg, giggling as she used her new name. Mr. March took a hold of Meg, spinning her around as Marmee handed out more cakes and food. Adeline quickly noticed that Jo and Laurie were no longer in attendance and she had the urge to find them, but she knew better. In fact, she may have even known exactly where they went, but her heart did not let her mind think about it.
It wasn't long before Amy came running back, screeching about how she was going to Europe with Aunt March. Marmee knew this would break Jo's heart, so she looked around for her daughter before watching her run from the forest into the house. Marmee looked over to Addy who also noticed the younger March sister. Marmee nodded at her, knowing that Addy would need to be the one to handle this.
Adeline walked slowly to the house, taking a breath before walking inside, hearing the loud breathing of Jo. She turned the corner into the kitchen and saw her sister sprawled across the floor, breathing heavily with tears streaming down her face.
"Jo?" Adeline whispered. Jo snapped her head to the entrance of the kitchen, sitting up straight. When she sees who it is, more tears fall and she turns around.
"Go away, Adeline," she croaks, holding her knees tight to her chest. Adeline sighs, walking towards the girl and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't want to see you!" She yelled, turning to Addy in anger. Adeline took a step back, sitting on a nearby chair instead. She sat in silence, hoping that Jo would tell her what was wrong soon.
"Jo-"
"No, Addy. It isn't fair. The only thing a woman is good for in this world is marriage and I never wanted it, but then you planted this idea in my head that I could be happy that way! And now I'm confused and so is he and I think I have ruined our friendship and I can do nothing about it," Jo barely breathed between words, more tears making their way down her face.
"Who, Jo?" Adeline asked, confused about what she was talking about.
"Laurie just asked me to marry him," Adeline froze at the words.
"Oh..." she mumbled, feeling herself go numb and a stinging rising in her chest. She could not believe what she was hearing.
Laurie and Addy had not spoken much since their rift just over two years ago. He had been studying at college and he had just graduated, finally returning to his grandfather. When he came home, he spent all his time with Jo and ignored Addy unless it was completely necessary.
She knew that the story was heading where it should have, but this was a new addition. Jo was always so sure that she did not want to be married in the story, but Adeline had an influence on the girl's emotions and thoughts.
"How did you respond?" She asked.
"I told him that I was confused and that I thought he was confused too," Jo mumbled, finally turning back to Adeline.
"What are you confused about?" Addy asked, taking the chance to sit on the floor with her sister.
"I think I just want to be loved... I don't think I love Laurie in that way. If I said yes, it would only be to ensure that I would not be alone. I think he deserves more than that," she sighed, the tears stopping but her voice was still rough.
"That is very smart of you to notice," Addy smiled sadly, placing her hand in Jo's. "What do you think he is confused about?"
"I think..." Jo looked up at her sister, deciding to be brave and speak what she thought.
"I think Laurie loves you, Addy. I think you two had a fight and he thought you were no longer in his reach, so he came to me to fill the hole in his heart," Jo sighed, causing Addy to look up.
"What?"
"Oh, don't be foolish, Addy. Laurie has loved you since the day he met you. And I believe you have loved him too. For some reason, you have convinced yourself that you weren't allowed to feel this way, and now everything is ruined," Jo snapped at her sister, another few tears dropping.
"Laurie and I... we are from different worlds. His love is not mine to take," Addy sighed, a tear falling down her face.
"Adeline March, his love is most certainly not for you to take. It is his to give, and I believe he wants to give it to you. I have made a lot of mistakes in anger throughout my life, but I will not make this one. I don't know why you continue to feel like you do not belong here, but you do! You belong here with Laurie," Jo stared Addy straight in the eye as the older girl let more tears fall.
"He asked you to marry him. He gave his love," Addy shook her head.
"Addy, please. If any of us are to ever be happy again, you have to tell him how you feel," Jo urged, frustrated that the three of them were caught up in this. Marmee walked into the kitchen, seeing her crying daughters on the floor.
"Oh, my dears. What happened?" Marmee sat on the floor.
"I'll explain, Marmee. Addy has someone to speak to," Jo shoved Addy, causing the girl to get on her knees, huffing into a stance.
"Jo-"
"Go! No more bickering," Jo insisted, flapping her hand. Addy sighed, leaving the house and making her way back to the crowd. She saw Amy speaking to Mr. March, smiling and hugging him. She walked up to her family.
"Amy, do you know where Laurie is?" Addy asked, looking around for the familiar mop of brown curls.
"Oh, Mr. Laurence announced that he was taking Laurie on a trip for his graduation. He leaves tonight, so he has left already. He did seem quite upset when he left," Amy's brow furrowed as Addy's heart dropped.
"He left? For how long?" Addy asked.
"I don't know. Why?" Amy was confused about why Addy was so frantic.
"I... I just had something to say. It's alright, it doesn't matter," Addy shook her head, retreating back to the house. She thought she would have more time. In the story, Laurie waited to confess his love for Jo. Why did he do it now? And why was he leaving already?
When she entered the kitchen, she saw Marmee and Jo still sitting on the floor. They looked up at the girl, watching as she crumbled to the floor in tears.
"He left! Marmee, he's gone and it's all my fault!" She cried, letting out all of her pent-up feelings. Marmee and Jo rushed to her side, holding onto her as she wailed. She had waited too long and spent too much time worrying about other people's feelings, she lost what could have been.
AN: I told my friend this chapter was getting spicy and she took it the other way, which I will NOT be doing, and I think that's funny