Chapter 18, Professors

I never saw Jo so down in the dumps before. Here I was happy could be with Laurie. And she kept missing her Professor. I hoped in my heart that they would work things out between them. 

I was in the store in town with Marmee to look over wedding dresses. Aunt March was allowing me to spend my family's money on the wedding. Once I wed then it would be fully my money. Aunt March would not have to look over me any longer.

The dresses in the shop were so beautiful. I loved the dress Meg wore at her wedding. Marmee let her wear her wedding gown. Meg was stunning in that. I wished I could wear my mother's dress. But it was all the way overseas. I would never be able to get it. 

There was no way.

•✿︎︎•

"What is it? You look sad" Jo asks me. We thumb through the gowns there in the store.

"I wish I could wear my mother's dress in my wedding as Meg had hers. And I wish my family would be here for the wedding" I softly answer.

"We will be" Jo reminds me with a grin as she places her hand on my hand.

"Thanks Jo. I am happy about the wedding planning but I wish my mother was here to help me. There is so much to do. I wonder if I am doing it right. Or what not to do" I sigh. "It is confusing"

"You should talk to Meg about this stuff. She was married off. I never will be" scoffs Jo.

"Sure, you will one day Jo" I say. "and you will have a family of your own. With adorable kids"

"Never!" laughs Jo as she shakes her head. "I shall be a spinstress as Aunt March always knew I was going to be one" she sighs. "she knew"

"That is not true Jo" I tell her.

Jo smiles sadly at me. "Let's drop it shall we? This is a happy time and we are to celebrate it" says Jo.

We look at more dresses. I try on a few but none of them seem right to me. I was not happy. But I knew at some time here I was going to have to find a dress.

"We can wait on the dress you have time. You need it to be perfect for your big day" Marmee tells me. "No need to rush this" she says as she leads us out of the shop.

•✿︎︎•

We go have lunch in town. It was good to be out. The sun was bright. And the sky was blue. It was a fantastic day. Then it got a little cloudy as Marmee bought flowers at a stand.

She was going to place flowers on Beth's grave on the way home. We walk and talk together. It felt good to have this family time with them. I wished Meg and Amy were here alongside us as well.

We stopped by the graveyard. We go to see Beth. Jo looks emotional every time we come. She bends down beside Beth's grave placing her hand on the grave. Marmee places the pretty flowers on the grave. I watch silently as we stand there together. 

"Beth we have a wedding to plan. Our Laurie is getting married to Fiona. And he could not have picked a better bride" Jo tells her. "Laurie is finally going to really be family. Your brother at last" says Jo.

She hugs me. 

"As he should be in our family" adds Marmee.

•✿︎︎•

She smiles and I smile back at her. Then we walk home together. There is a package for Jo on the table as Hannah bakes a pie. They smelled wonderful. Jo gasps as she reads it then rips it open.

"MY BOOK! They published it look!" gasps Jo as she shows us. We glance over at her prize.

The book read "Little Women" It was so stunning. 

Jo hugs Marmee and Hannah laughing with delight.

"When did this get here? The mail?" asks Jo to Hannah.

"No some odd gentleman came by here to drop it off. He was excited to share it with you. Some German. He did not speak english well. I could not understand him well. He asked about you Fiona. And I said I thought that Miss March was with her fiancée next door. Laurie" says Hannah.

"No!!" gasps Jo. "is he still here? He was here to see me, Hannah!" she exclaims.

"He left a moment or so ago. He said he had to catch a train" says Hannah.

"Oh no!" groans Jo.

"What is going on?" I ask her.

"I will explain later!" says Jo as she rushes out the door. 

Thunder boomed overhead. It was going to rain. Jo was going to get wet.

"Jo get an umbrella. Rain!" I scolded her. She grabs one on her way out the door.

I sat there by the window to see what was going on with Jo. She was acting crazy. She ran down the path then ran past the gate as fast as she could go. Then I see a man down the road from us.

A tall gentleman. Jo stops him. Then it starts to rain some. She opens the umbrella. They are talking. Then Jo places her hand in his.

They smile at one another then soon are kissing. I gasped. I knew who that was! Her professor!! He came back for her! I smile feeling happy for her.

•✿︎︎•

"Marmee I am going to visit Laurie. I will be back" I tell her.

"Alright dear do not get wet you will catch cold" worries Marmee.

I head over next door to let Laurie know Jo's friend was in town. I hoped he was going to be okay with it. I was sure he was.

He loved me now. Laurie was at his studies reading a book when I find him in the den. I walk over and hug him. He holds me tightly.

"Well what do I owe this pleasure?" he asks me.

He smiles happy to see me.

"We have had a lovely day in town. I did not find a dress today yet" I tell him. "I felt sad I could not wear the dress that was my mothers as Meg wore Marmee's dress" I explained. "I wish my parents could be at our wedding to" I sigh.

He places an arm on my arm. "I know sweetheart. I wish that to.  And I wish mine were there as well but only Grandfather will be. That is how the world works" he sighs. He kisses me.

"We have so much in common" I remind him.

"That bounded us together" he agrees. I nodded.

"I have some news for you today" I begin to tell him.

"Oh go on" he says as he shuts his book he was reading.

"Jo's book came. It was published" I say to him.

"Good for her! That is wonderful news" he exclaims.

"There is more. Who brought her the book" I start to tell him.

"Oh"

"Her professor brought the book he came back for her" I tell him.

"Well good for her" he says.

"You mean that?" I worry.

He pulls me in his arms.

"I have what I need right here. And you are for me. I am for you" he reminds me. "we are going to be man and wife. I will take care of you for the rest of your life. You will never have to be alone again" he vows. "you will be my family and I will be yours" he adds.

"I love you so much Laurie" I softly answer.

"I love you, Fiona. I am very much in love with you my bride to be" he points out.

He smiles happily at me. I lean in kissing him. Happiness surges in me. Everything was working out. Now if I could find a perfect dress for our big day that would be fantastic to.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Thanks for reading!

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