"Did you just whisper in her ear? Words she only dreamed to hear? Pretty lady, look at how he's smiling, I think he likes you." Absolutely Smitten by Dodie Clark
The sun was shining and the March family was scattered. After Aunt March had left her estate to Jo, she knew what she wanted. A place for all children to be educated and explore their gifts was precisely what this town needed. So, with help from Friedrich who had chased after her relentlessly despite her stubbornness, and her family, Jo had opened the school, filled to the brim with youthful energy.
Friedrich was inside, teaching a violin lesson, while Addy was in another room teaching piano. Out on the lawn lay Fred as he plays with his newborn baby, while his wife, Amy, teaches a painting lesson. He had become quite infatuated with their little girl whom they named Elizabeth; Bessie for short. John was teaching a botany lesson with his twins, who loved to help their father teach. Meg was supervising a play rehearsal with her newest addition to the family, Josie. Marmee is getting some of the younger kids to read out loud while Robert March teaches little ones the alphabet by getting them to shape themselves into the letters. Laurie was teaching fencing, holding tightly onto a baby that was only around one year old. He smiled down at his daughter, cooing to her as she giggled at his movements.
Jo is wandering around the grounds with a small baby in her arms, smiling down at her beautiful baby Theodore. As she approaches Addy's classroom, the kids run out in joy as they finished their lesson. Jo chuckles, peeking in to find Adeline struggling to get up from her piano bench.
"Having a little trouble?" Jo asks with a smirk as Addy glares at her.
"You know when I had Florence, I really thought that was going to be it for me. And here I am," Addy sighed, standing and placing a hand on her 6-month bump. Jo took her free arm and linked it with Addy's, watching as her sister tickled the nose of her new baby.
"Hello, little Teddy," she giggled as they made their way to the lawn.
"Theodore Laurence! Please tell me you are not teaching fencing with our daughter in your arms!" Addy yelled as he came into view. The children all ran off screaming and laughing as Laurie's eyes grew big.
"Everyone else was busy!" He tried to explain but Addy huffed, grabbing Flo from his arms and snuggling her close as she called "mama" excitedly. Laurie followed behind them as Jo went to meet Friedrich.
"So, do you think it will be a boy or a girl this time?" Laurie placed an arm around Addy's waist as they made their way to where their family was gathering.
"I think it might be a boy," she whispered, not knowing how she knew but feeling like she was right.
"Well, what would you like to name him?" He asked, smiling lovingly down at his wife. Adeline Laruence thought for a moment before her eyes lit up.
"What about James?" She sighed happily, thinking of Laurie's Grandfather who was so kind to her and the March family. Laurie's eyes softened at the thought and he nodded strongly.
"Yes, James. I'll call him Jim," Laurie smiled, placing a quick kiss on Adeline's head as they made the final steps to their family.
"Hurry, you two! We've brought a cake for Marmee and she is going to cut it for us to share!" Meg scolded lightly, smiling as she placed her free hand on Daisy's shoulder. The family began to sing and smile at each other as Marmee's eyes filled with tears, so overcome with love for her ever-growing family. They may not all be March's anymore, but they certainly were her daughters.
Adeline smiled at her Mother, knowing that this woman had brought her in well over 10 years ago and treated her nothing less than family. She slowly began to forget about her life before meeting the March family and nothing ever felt more real than her life right now.
As Laurie guided Addy back to their estate just beside Plumfield, he began to ask a question that had been on his mind for a while.
"Addy, my love?" He began, holding tightly onto Florence as she squirmed in his grip and tried to pull on his dark curls.
"Yes, my Teddy?" She hummed, not really paying attention.
"Do you ever... miss your old life? Y'know... your parents and family from before you ended up here?" He slightly regretted his question as Adeline sucked in a deep breath.
"Well... no, not really. I know that this is always the place I have belonged, and I have no doubts that the family I have with you was always meant to be mine. I do miss my family sometimes, but I never had to miss out on any love or comfort because of the March family. I was always home," Addy smiled up at Laurie as he searched her eyes for any sadness, but he could not find any. Only love.
"Good," he nodded, approaching their front door.
Before Adeline could step into the house, she started to feel strange. She froze in her place, grabbing her head as the world began to grow foggy.
"Adeline?" She heard Laurie ask.
"Laurie-" Addy felt sick to her stomach but she didn't vomit. She looked up in time to watch Laurie start to turn back to her, reaching out as he held onto their child. The world suddenly went black.
Adeline could feel herself still breathing and she could hear voices around her, but she could not move. She urged herself to wake but she felt so exhausted just from trying.
"I think she's moving!" Someone gasped, and she felt someone grab her hand. The voice was familiar but she felt like she hadn't heard it in so long.
Eventually, her eyes opened to a bright light, bouncing off all of the white in the room. She felt the smell of cleaner and disinfectant flood her nose, which caused her heart to race. She started to put the pieces of the puzzle together as the room came into view.
Her Mother, Anne, was beside her, grasping her hand with tears in her eyes. Addy could not believe what she was seeing as she noticed her Dad, Richard, standing behind her Mother.
"Mom? Dad?" Her voice croaked out, but it was as if her vocal cords were made of sandpaper.
"Hi sweetie, we're here," Richard choked out, tears pooling in his eyes as he placed a hand on Adeline's arm. Addy took in the rest of her surroundings, feeling that she was no longer six months pregnant and she was very much not in the 1800s anymore. Her eyes watered as she knew what this had meant; it was all fake. She had somehow concocted 10 years' worth of memories in an era and place that she had never been to before, even faking her small family. Her heart broke for Florence as she knew she would never see her again, and she even felt her lips tremble as she knew that she would never see her husband again. The man she fell in love with was not real.
"What happened?" Her voice sounded a little stronger but it was still broken.
"You were hit by a car, honey. It was a terrible accident, but someone nearby was able to help you and called the ambulance. You-... you've been in a coma for about a year now. We thought you may never wake up but the doctors were sure that if you did you would be able to regain your normal life again, so we couldn't give up hope," Anne's tears fell onto Addy's arm as she process the information.
She had realized that in her dream, if you could call it that, she began life as a 16-year-old girl. But this was not the age she was when she fell into her coma. She was a 26-year-old woman, and all this information came flooding back to her. How had she not seen this before?
"What day is it?" She asked with a panic.
"It's April 23rd, 2023. I guess you missed your 27th birthday," Richard chuckled. Before she knew what was happening, the doctor came in with some nurses and introduced herself, performing tests and checking all of Addy's vitals.
"You are one lucky girl, Adeline. We expect you to make a full recovery, though we will need to keep you for another week or so until we can confirm you can perform normal bodily functions before going home. You will also need a lot of physical therapy to restore movement; you have been asleep for a long time," she smiled warmly, getting her things together and leaving.
Before long, Anne had brought out Addy's phone, handing it to her to catch up on things. She began to scroll through the internet, eyes widening at all that was happening. It wasn't long before she landed on a post about Timothee Chalamet, and her heart sank. She knew he was not the same person as her husband, but she could not help but want to be held by him.
"Wait, do you remember him?" Anne suddenly asked, noticing her daughter get caught up in the image of the young actor.
"Of course I do. He's a famous actor," Addy shrugged. Anne gave her a weird look before turning to face her.
"No, I mean... do you remember him being there at your accident?" She asked, and Adeline's eyebrows came together.
"What do you mean? What Timothee Chalamet present when I was hit?" She asked, dumbfounded and hoping the answer was no.
"Yes, he's the one that found you! He stayed with you until the paramedics arrived, and he even stayed in the hospital until you stabilized. In fact, he's come to visit you about once a week since you got here, give or take a few weeks for filming or other things," Anne chuckled as Adeline felt like she was being knocked out all over again.
"What...? Are you kidding?" She couldn't believe what her Mom was saying, but she was cut short by the sound of flowers dropping in the doorway of her room.
There stood the man of the hour, Timothee Chalamet, eyes wide and out of breath as if he had been running to get to the room. He could not believe that he was staring at Addy, awake and coherent sitting in the same bed he would visit her in throughout the past year.
"Adeline," he breathed as the girl was now unbelievably overwhelmed with the situation.
"What-... how do you know me?" She asked, still not understanding.
"I... I was there when you had your accident. I was watching you cross the street when you got hit and I just... I don't know, I felt like I couldn't leave you alone. Like I somehow knew you or something," he sighed, slowly picking up the flowers and walking towards the girl he had been undeniably connected to.
"We'll give you a minute," Anne smiled, yanking a protesting Richard out of the room.
"How do you feel?" He asked, sheepishly sitting a few feet away from her. He used to come in and hold her hand, but he knew she didn't know him like that and she was probably confused enough as it was.
"I... I guess I feel okay, all things considered," she smiled, chuckling slightly as Timothee smiled wide at the sound. He couldn't help but feel his heart soar as he watched her speak and move as if he had been waiting for this moment forever.
"Good... I'm Timothee, by the way," he added, not knowing what else to say.
"I know," she smiled, still so confused about why he was even here. Her heart hurt as she watched what looked like her husband act as a stranger to her.
"So, why did you come to visit me all this time?" She finally asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.
"I don't really know if I have an answer for that. I just felt like I had a connection to you, which I know sounds kind of crazy, but I just couldn't stop coming to see you. That probably sounds so creepy," he laughed, placing his hand on the back of his neck in the same way that Laurie did.
"No... I think I know what you mean," she smiled sheepishly, watching as he inched closer in his chair with joy in his eyes.
"I guess now that I'm awake, you probably would find it weird to hang out with me when I can hear you and talk back," she joked, not knowing what else to say. Timothee shook his head with a smile.
"I don't think so. In fact, I could use someone like you in my life," he chuckled as Adeline furrowed her brows.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Well, in case you didn't know you are a very good listener," he winked and Addy laughed, rolling her eyes at the boy she barely knew but felt like she did.
"Well, I guess I'll be a really great listener for you. This could be the start of the perfect duo," Adeline giggled, relaxing in her spot as Timothee leaned forward on his knees, smiling up at the girl.
"I think so too,"
AN: BRO IT'S ACTUALLY DONE I cannot believe I finished this and I also cannot believe so many of you like it, thank you for coming on this wild journey and listening to my weird story ideas, it has been cringe at times but also life's too short to not cringe so oh well. I love you all and goodnight!