Disclaimer: I do not own Pride and Prejudice.
I have written this for my mother on her birthday. Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!
Two months before the ball at Netherfield:
Lizzy walked down the staircase at Longbourn and found her mother sewing in the front parlour.
Mrs. Bennet looked up as she entered the room.
"Oh, it is just you Lizzy."
Lizzy rolled her eyes, "Yes Mama, it just me." She sat down next to her mother on the sofa and put her hands over her mother's.
"Would you please come with me, Mama? I have something I would like to show you."
Mrs. Bennet sighed, "Oh Lizzy, whatever it is you have to show me may wait. I want to finish what I was doing. Ple-"
Lizzy shook her head and cut her mother off, "No, Mama, it cannot wait. You must come with me immediately; it is of the utmost importance."
"Very well Miss Lizzy."
Mrs. Bennet put her sewing away and stood up.
"Now, what is it you wanted to show me?"
Lizzy smiled impishly and took one of her mother's hands.
"Just follow me Mama, I promise that you will like this."
"Miss Lizzy, I demand to know where you are taking me this instant!"
"Patience, you shall soon see where we are going."
They walked out of Longbourn and walked around to the back. They walked around through the garden with Lizzy occasionally stopping to cut some flowers. They soon left the garden and walked away from Longbourn. They walked for a mile until they came across a thick cluster of trees. Mrs. Bennet's nerves started to turn as she did not recognize the area, for the time being.
"Lizzy, what is going on!" She almost shrieked.
Lizzy turned around to face her mother, "Do you trust me Mama?"
Mrs. Bennet huffed, "Of course I do! What do you mean by asking me if I trust my own daughter?"
Lizzy smiled, "I mean nothing by it. Now, I am going to put a blindfold on you and then take your hand again and lead you the rest of the way. I promise that I will not let you fall." She took a blindfold that she had hidden underneath her sleeve.
Mrs. Bennet was a bit hesitant, but she allowed Lizzy to tie the blindfold over her eyes.
"I am going to take your hand now. I promise you, you will not get hurt." Lizzy gently took her mother's hand and patiently led her through the cluster of trees. As they were nearing their destination, both of the women could hear giggling, it did not last long as it was quickly shushed by an adult. Nothing had yet to occur to Mrs. Bennet.
"We are here, Mama. I am going to take the blindfold off, but cover your eyes with my hands."
Lizzy quickly untied the blindfold and covered her mother's eyes.
Lizzy counted down.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
Lizzy quickly moved her hands, allowing her mother to open her eyes. Before she could finish, she heard shouts of...
"SUPRISE!" Mrs. Bennet's eyes snapped open and she took the sight in before her. On one side, stood her husband, her brother and sister Phillips and her brother and sister Gardiner; on the other side, stood her four other daughters and her nieces and nephews. In between the two groups, a table was set up that was piled high with elegantly wrapped gifts. Near the large pond, a large canopy was set up with tables and chairs underneath it. On one table, all of Mrs. Bennet's favorite foods, desserts, and drinks were laid out on a beautiful tablecloth that Mrs. Bennet had never seen this before.
Mr. Bennet came over and took his wife's hands, "Do you remember this area, Fanny?"
She looked around the clearing and gasped, "This is..."
Mr. Bennet nodded and smiled, "Yes, I proposed to you here twenty-four years ago, on your sixteenth birthday."
Tears spilled out of her eyes and she hugged Mr. Bennet, "Oh thank you, Thomas, this is wonderful!"
He smiled and looked down at her, "I thank you, my dear, but I am not the one whom you should thank."
She tilted her head and looked at her husband in confusion.
He motioned toward Lizzy, "Lizzy put all of this together. She got your brothers and sisters here along with your nieces and nephews. She planned this whole thing down to this location and your favorite foods."
Mrs. Bennet looked at her second born in shock. She never imagined that Lizzy would do something like this for her. 'Lizzy did all of this for me? I've always called her such and ungrateful daughter, but she planned this birthday party for me. Oh, my Lizzy!'
Mrs. Bennet rushed over and embraced her second born. "Thank you Lizzy. This means more to me than you could possibly know." She whispered on her ear.
Lizzy returned the embrace and whispered back, "You are more than welcome Mama. I know we have our differences, but I do love you very much Mama."
She pulled out of the embrace and locked eyes with her mother. "What do you say that we start celebrating, hm?"
Her mother laughed and soon, her nieces and nephews were rushing over to give her hugs along with her two youngest and her sister Phillips. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mr. Phillips, Jane and Mary followed along at a much calmer pace. After the younger ones and Mrs. Phillips were done, the others took their turns to give her a hug and wish her a happy birthday.
They spent the rest of the day celebrating joyously. No one noticed Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy stop and watch the birthday celebration for Mrs. Bennet atop their horses. Both felt the pangs of loss for their own mothers acutely. They were quite surprised to see Mrs. Bennet treat Lizzy sweetly as they were used to hearing or seeing her say something about Lizzy being the least favorite. They were speechless to see her treated as the favorite. Eventually, they rode off to join the rest of the party at Netherfield. They both contemplated the touching family scene for the rest of the week. Mr. Darcy's opinion of Mrs. Bennet was quite changed.
Along with the rest of her presents, Jane, Lizzy, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia presented both Mr. and Mrs. Bennet with a present. It was a month long stay at a cottage in bath. They had some financial backing in the forms of Mr. Phillips and Mr. Gardiner.
That night before they all retired to bed, Mrs. Bennet once again tearfully thanked Lizzy for her birthday party. Mrs. Bennet awoke a few hours later and slipped out of bed. She quietly crept to Lizzy's chamber and went in. She stared at her daughter for a few minutes, then pulled up her covers, kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "I love you so much my Lizzy." She soon went back to her own chamber and fell back asleep.
While they were gone, Lizzy and Jane took care of the estate business. The Gardiners returned to London, but Mr. Phillips was able to help the two should they have needed it. For an assembly that occurred while Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were gone, Mr. Phillips acted as chaperone for his nieces. Once again, Mr. Darcy's opinion of a family member changed, he was surprised to see such an able chaperone that was not afraid to take the three younger girls aside and tell them to behave. He told Mary that she needed to stop all of her sermonizing.
Mr. Bennet was pleased to see that the estate was not harmed by his month long absence. He and Mrs. Bennet did not realize just how much they needed the vacation. It did wonders to heal the breach that developed over the twenty-four years with five daughters and no sons- this was what caused Mrs. Bennet's nerves to form in the first place.
A month after their return, Mr. Bingley held his ball. Mr. Darcy decided that their was more to Miss Jane Bennet than meets the eye and encouraged Bingley to stay. Miss Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst decided to stay. Miss Bingley bullied her sister into staying for their brother, when in reality, we all know it was to continue her pursuit of Mr. Darcy.
Three months after her return, Mrs. Bennet realized that her dresses were not fitting quite as well as they used to. She looked at her stomach and noticed that a swell was forming. Hope fluttered in her chest and she called for Mrs. Hill and told her to send for the apothecary, Mr. Jones, but to not make a fuss of it. Mr. Jones arrived swiftly and was led through the servant's entrance and staircase. He quickly verified what Mrs. Bennet thought and told her rest was imperative for a woman of forty years.
Mrs. Bennet went to her husband's study and informed him of the development. He was most happily stunned. They gathered the rest of the family in the parlour and told the news. Most of the girls were happy, but Lydia was put out by no longer being the youngest. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were informed in person and letters were sent to the Gardiner's in London. They were also shocked, but wished Mrs. Bennet well.
Meanwhile at the Hunsford Parsonage:
Mrs. Bennet is with child. She is due in five months. I sincerely hope that Mrs. Bennet and I have your congratulations and prayers. To think that after twenty-four years, we might have a son!
Your loving cousin,
Mister Thomas Bennet, Master of Longbourn.
Mr. Collins was put out as it meant that the Bennets might have a son. Charlotte tried her best to console him, but she couldn't suppress the stabs of envy that rushed through her veins that she might not become the nest Mistress of Longbourn. After all, she was depending on becoming the Mistress of Longbourn as well as subtly shoving it in Mrs. Bennet's face. She was confident that she would present Mr. Collins with an heir to run Longbourn after his death. Now, she had to face the possibility that she married Mr. Collins for nothing. She only married him because she thought that one day, Longbourn would be his.
Five months later at Longbourn:
After only three hours of labour, Mrs. Bennet gave birth to twin boys, Thomas and James. All of the girls adored them, even Lydia.
Mr. and Mrs. Collins were disappointed and angry.
Lady Lucas was very put out that she know had no leverage over Mrs. Bennet. The boys were healthy and likely to thrive.
A half a year later, Jane and Mr. Bingley became engaged. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy followed soon after. Over the past year, they resolved their differences. Lizzy realized that he was a better man than she thought and her prejudice was misplaced. Mr. Darcy realized that he pride was wrongful.
Mrs. Bennet thought to herself that her birthday party changed everything. She no longer had to worry about her future; she has her two boys and her future sons-in-law. Her fortieth year, was her most life changing.
The End.
I wanted to write a birthday story for Mrs. Bennet. I also wanted to include a happier ending for Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
Of course, I wrote this for my mom; today is her birthday. She had my younger brother when she was forty. I say younger because now, he is taller and most certainly weighs more than I do. He's three years younger than me, I'm not even eighteen!
Happy birthday mom, I love you a lot despite us not always getting along.
~CherryBlossoms016~