Indiscretion
By rese
Rating: k
Disclaimer: Louisa M. Alcott owns these characters.
Author's Notes: Dedicated to Kim. She knows why. I'm not entirely sure Hannah would be alive at this point but I couldn't think of anything for Teddy's secret. Oops?
"No, that's impossible!"
Amy's attention was caught by the figure of her husband and sister conversing in a most passionate manner. She continued to watch as the hand gestures grew more frantic, hair loosened and eyes became wild. Only Jo and Laurie could get so worked up. She smiled to herself, ready to step away when the two suddenly grabbed each other and disappeared behind the door. Startled, Amy Lawrence froze, gobbsmacked by the unusual action, her eyes growing wider at the muffled sounds.
Her uncooperative legs gave way into a brisk, stern-looking walk to the room. Amy had hoped they had grown out of the physical brawling stage of their arguments when it dawned on her that maybe they weren't arguing. Shocked by her own thoughts Amy became paralyzed again, surely they wouldn't – no! No! Amy couldn't finish that horrendous idea, even when a female voice exclaimed brightly "Christopher Columbus!" Especially then.
Thumps emerged from the wall they vanished behind and the concern welled up into her throat. When the grunts of the unidentifiable exercise reached Amy's ears she made her decision – she would find out now, not some ten years later when her small but beloved family had been torn apart due to their discretion or lack there of. Timid steps brought her to the door and she took a deep breath, her hand raised prepared to shield herself from any possible shame.
One, two, three.
She yanked the door with a force unknown to even herself. "Jo, Laur-" Amy's lecturing voice faltered the minute she actually looked at the two. Jo had her hands caught in Laurie's bow tie and Laurie had his hands over Jo's arms, elbows at an odd angle. All three stood resolutely silent, surprise mirrored in each face until Laurie cleared his throat.
"Well then girls." He began to nod, determined to ignore the women and make his own dignified escape, naturally forgetting Jo's entangled hands and his own. "I'm so sorry dear fellow," Laurie attempted to cover with boyish language as he half dragged Jo across to the entrance of the room, intermittently clearing his throat when he caught his wife's astounded gaze.
Amy was practically huffing as she tried to take deep breaths. "Wha- What on earth is going on here?"
The shuffling duo paused as Laurie began to placate his wife, incriminating Jo in the process. "I'm sorry my Lady but if my dear sister would kindly leave my bow, which I might add was perfectly well done before she insisted on 'fixing' it, we'd be out of this mess in no time." An exasperated Jo added, "We wouldn't be in said mess if he hadn't decided to rough-house at our ripe old age."
Amy watched the pair detangle themselves and she sighed in relief. "Honestly Jo, when will you grow up? And Laurie! Why, you're just as bad, encouraging such behaviour." She stopped when Laurie looked at her with that wide-eyed expression of his. Jo and he finally stepped apart and after a few quick taps and pats Jo excused herself in search of her Professor, frowning all the while.
"If you're done then…" Amy graciously filled the silence when Jo left, waiting for Laurie's inevitable patient smile. Once received, she smugly wrapped her arm around her husband's, secure in the knowledge that his affections were unaffected and steered him out of the room.
Laurie patted his little wife's hand, looking back to the corner with a fond smile he made certain Amy would miss.
"Oh Jo!" Theodore Lawrence's voice called in a sing-song voice to his sister-in-law, "I know something you don't know…" He waited for the shorter woman to turn around smiling her special 'Jo' smile before he took her by the arm to the next room.
Jo chuckled at his manner and waited in the patient way only mothers can for him to tell her his secret. "Well Teddy? What is it?"
But Laurie continued to smile secretively, rocking slightly on his heels, pleased that he still managed to keep his girl in complete suspense. After waiting two or more moments Laurie blurted out, "Our dear ol' Hannah has found herself a beau!" the giddish fluster overtook him but he clamped the flow of ranting happiness that threatened to spill out of his mouth in order to watch for Jo's reaction.
Her mouth hang open and Laurie was concerned she wasn't breathing until she snapped it up to twist her face into angry disbelief. "Laurie, how could you lie about something like that!?"
Laurie began to back up, expecting a throttling from the furious girl. "I'm being honest Jo! I promise I haven't made it up; I met Hannah this morning and she was positively 'beymin'. It's not like Hannah's never had suitors before Jo," he tried to reason
"No, that's impossible!"
Laurie caught her infectious anger, "don't you trust me Jo? I'm no liar and I wouldn't throw Hannah's name around like that!" he was making fists in the air and Jo was tugging her loose hair back.
"I don't know Teddy; you've done some pretty awful things – linking names together." Laurie stared at her aghast that she would mention the Meg and Brooke incident after all these years.
"Jo March I'm no liar."
They were standing off and despite their years, both Jo and Laurie were ready to push the other about. Jo knew she was much madder than the situation called for but she couldn't stop herself and before she knew it Jo had reached out.
Unfortunately Laurie had lost control at that very moment and the movement pushed them across the room. Laurie held onto Jo, making sure she wouldn't fall over whilst she struggled with Laurie's giant shoes tripping on her long skirts. The two collided into the corner and Jo unintentionally launched herself into Laurie's arms. "Christopher Columbus!" After a breath to recover, Jo looked up, flushed from the movement and blushing at the situation she found herself in – the very spot she'd avoided – and looking into the eyes of Mischief himself.
Jo chuckled awkwardly and tried to extricate herself from Laurie's warmth, knowing its addictive quality. But Laurie's arms were obstinately uncooperative and no matter how gently she turned to pull out, he seemed to have caught her in some transfixing realm. Jo knew if she remained still he would just lean in and – no! She wouldn't let it happen so she kept twisting; giving Laurie a few unfriendly pushes.
"Jo dear, please stop that." Jo flinched, that voice was too undeniable and she was in a compromising position as it was.
"Teddy, let go." She felt him shake his head, his mustache catching slightly in her curls. If she allowed herself to breathe deeply enough she'd smell him everywhere. But she needed to get out, needed to get back to sister and brother quickly. "I'm sorry for quarrelling Teddy. Please let go, I need to speak to Amy." She hoped the sound of his wife's name would break the stupor but it had no effect and she was loosing her weak hope.
He leaned in.
Jo shut her eyes just for a moment.
End.