Disclaimer – All characters belong to Louisa May Alcott
Author's Note – I'm sort of playing here, so we shall see how it goes = )
The stanza is from Little Women, chapter two, A Merry Christmas.
"Am I really dead?" Her voice surprised even herself in its vacancy.
"I'm afraid so..."
A few blinks followed the short response before she peered back up. "And this is...Heaven?" She glanced around, fairly certain this wasn't the palace of the holy.
"Possibly."
Now she scoffed. "Are you a purposeful bundle of frustration, or does it encompass you by means of accident?"
The man with a beard smiled. "It seems to be a bit of both."
"Christopher Columbus, if you aren't a ball of confusion, then I don't know what is!"
He leaned down and rested his elbows on the podium. "May I suggest, Mrs. Bhaer, that you pass through the entrance and find out for yourself just what medium you have been given residence in?"
Jo crossed her arms tightly. "I'm not convinced that you are not merely more than my imagination; a specter from my dreams," she lowered her voice as she grumbled, "an annoyingly unhelpful specter!"
"Think of me as you will..."
A retort made its way from her brain to her throat, her tongue started to cluck the first word when she stopped short. Memories of Marmee's gentle reprimands for rash language halted the quick words, reminding her of the purity of restraint; Heaven being the best place to showcase such self-control – if this really was Heaven. She scrunched her nose, squared her shoulders, and turned towards the open entryway. A soft song caressed her ears as she began slow steps, and her lips parted when she recognized the verse.
"Hither, hither, from thy home,
Airy spirit, I bid thee come!
Born of roses, fed on dew,
Charms and potions canst thou brew?
Bring me here, with elfin speed,
The fragrant philter which I need;
Make it sweet and swift and strong,
Spirit, answer now my song!"
Visions of Roderigo and Hagar, of times so long in the past, filled her mind and her eyes widened as she hurried to look around. All she could see was misty air, a few colours splotched in the background, and a tiny cricket that hopped beside her. Her gait was lighter than before, she wasn't used to such a soft step. Usually, she was bungling her way around the world with leaden feet and iron clad will. It was different here. The cricket's chirp rose upward and she stopped in her tracks as a sudden chill prickled her spine. She bent her knees to lean down, her nose was inches from the small insect. "Do I know you?" Jo felt strange addressing a cricket, but then again, strange wasn't really strange in this place. The cricket hopped on her foot but made no other sound. Her brows furrowed and she toed the thing off her shoe. It froze on the ground, as if awaiting Jo's next move. Pursing her lips, she plopped her body to sit on the marble floor, her gaze focused on the little creature. It rubbed its little green brown legs together and hopped up her leg, to her arm, making its little way to rest on the top of her shoulder. Jo's eyes squinted as she stared at her new comrade. "I guess it's me and you now, little one." She sat another moment before slowly climbing back to stand on her coltish limbs. The ease at which she rose to her feet had a funny effect on her, making her realize how liquid her movements were once more. She hadn't felt this fit in many years. The cricket made a small buzz which she took as her cue to move on.
Paces through the magnificent and endless hall were beginning to turn monotonous. Jo sighed and was about to grow more listless when an odd something caught her eye. She stepped to the left to gain a better view, warmth filled her lungs as she saw gorgeous blooms. Her heart galloped as the scene surrounded her, lovely colours of everything flanked her anxious form. A certain familiarity washed over her as she engulfed herself in the paints, her throat constricted as she realized the cause. The sweetness filled her nostrils, the light was airy and inviting, vines clung overhead...she was back in the fairyland. She was back in her boy's conservatory. With a bite of the lip she strolled down another walk way and this one made her stop. Heliotropes and tea roses. Her trembling hand reached over to wrench a small cluster of heliotropes from the bunch. She brought them to her nose, the olfactory senses carried her back to that day when she had really gotten to know her Teddy for the first time. He had cut those flowers out of thanks for her and her family's kindness in thinking of him. She remembered burying her nose in that bouquet, drinking them in, as she watched him play piano for her.
As if her musings had triggered the noise, she heard the rolling keys glide through the air. With the flower treasure in her hands, she walked toward the sound, leaving the flowery grove behind her. Nothingness once again made the landscape as she followed her ears, but she was too caught up in the song to be bothered. It was a tune that she knew well, that had been played for her often. The blood pumped in her veins, faster and faster, with every step that produced nothing. Her patience was rewarded soon enough when she spotted an oriental rug beneath her feet. There was still no sight of an instrument, nor a player, so she walked on in wonder. An ornately patterned couch was to her left, a few steps beyond revealed a crescent card table. The small cricket made a sound near her ear, but she continued her pursuit of the music. A shock of black curls met her eyes, and for an instant she felt her head begin to spin. The man turned, his gaze met hers. She had been so excited to see him, she did not immediately notice they were not alone in the room.
"Sit with me, Jo," Laurie's invitation came with a pat on the bench beside him. Jo hesitated only a fraction before sitting. The cricket gave a pleased hum. Laurie's grin widened and he tapped her forehead with his own before he glanced down at the keys, placing his fingers gingerly on the ivories. They started a slow rhythm, churning out dulcet tones. Jo's lids fluttered closed as she listened, and she gave quite a start at the gruff sound of her name. Eyes snapped open, she swung her legs to the side of the piano bench and found herself staring into the aged eyes of her husband.
"Little Jo," Bhaer's lips turned upward slightly. "I haf been waiting for you."
"You have?" Her voice barely registered in her own mind, but she was acutely aware of Laurie stiffening beside her.
"Of course I haf." His kind face slackened. "Haf you not expected me to?"
"Oh, well...yes, Friedrich, I knew you would." Jo forced a lighter tug at her lips, and refused to look at her boy.
"Will we, that is to say," Bhaer stood with arm extended, "can we haf words to share together?" He tilted his head as he gazed fondly at her. "I haf missed you so."
Jo blinked a few times before she stood. She turned a wooden face to Laurie. "Will you be here long?"
Laurie glanced down at his hands, then back at her. "For awhile."
Jo nodded, took her husband's arm, and threw one last look to Laurie as Professor Bhaer led her away.
Thank you very much for reading! It would be lovely if you have the time to let me know what you think of the first chapter!
