XXXXX
The following morning brought with it the cold and drizzly air of early November. Grey clouds filled the sky and reflected the mood of most at Orchard House. The funeral had been simple but well attended as many people in the community had been affected in some way by Mr. March's death. From society to congregation to neighbors and friends, the graveside had seen a good portion of Concord pay their respects.
Afterwards, a steady crowd filled the house and Asia was prepared with platefuls of food that were passed among the guests. Jo and her sisters stood in the parlor as a stream of people passed by, offering their sympathy.
"I can't stand these… formalities," Jo complained after yet another group of strangers shook their hands and then wandered off in search of refreshments.
Meg squeezed her arm. "I know but Father knew so many in Concord and they only want extend their condolences."
"And eat our food," Amy commented, watching Asia come back with yet another tray of baking. Meg gave her a knowing glance.
"Well, I for one, am not going to stand here much longer," Jo declared, fidgeting in her black satin dress. "Marmee has already made herself scarce in the kitchen and my feet are getting sore." She caught Nick's eye from across the room where he stood with Rob, Dan and Nat, all dressed in their Sunday finest. He gave her a sympathetic look and glared when he took notice of the next visitor.
Eli McBride, a miserly businessman who had previously set his sights on Plumfield, made his way into the parlor. Feigning a look of sadness, he approached and extended his hand to Jo. "So sorry to hear of your father's passing, Mrs. Bhaer."
"It's Riley, now," she stated, bitterly. She took a deep breath to control her anger. "But, thank you."
He glanced nonchalantly around the room. "Quaint home your dear mother has here," he said, smiling to the women.
Meg looked at him suspiciously. "Yes, thank you. Orchard House was our childhood home."
"Shame it's just so big for her - so much to maintain for just one person," McBride stated with raised interest. "It is a very attractive piece of property."
"Do you have a point, Mr. McBride?" Jo snapped. Meg grabbed her hand to calm her.
Laurie approached from behind Amy, sensing the tension. He placed his arm around his wife, trying to draw the conversation. "Is there something I can help you with?"
McBride simply smiled. "Ah, Mr. Laurence. I am just inquiring after Mrs. March," he said.
"And trying to get your hands on something that's not yours," Jo argued, her temper flaring.
"That is absurd," Mr. McBride objected. "This is hardly the place to be discussing real estate ventures."
"I would have to agree," Laurie stated intensely. "No respectable person would think to speak of such matters today, particularly with the family."
Mr. McBride simply nodded to Laurie. "Absolutely." He bowed slightly. "Again, my condolences to the Marches," he said before stepping away and taking survey of the house.
Jo breathed in deeply, tears of anger welling in her eyes. "That man - that man is infuriating," she said, linking her arm with Meg's.
"He is just trying to aggravate you, Jo," Laurie said, reassuringly. "Albeit improper, he just knows what buttons to push."
Amy shrugged. "But it is something we will have to discuss at some point," she sighed.
Jo looked at her sister incredulously, her temper still heated. "What? Why?"
Amy shook her head. "Marmee can't stay here all by herself. Orchard House is much too big - there is far too much upkeep."
"This was our home, Amy," Jo said emphatically. "And it still is Marmee's. She can manage it with some help…"
"Be serious, Jo," Amy argued. "It's old. There are repairs needed in almost every room…"
"We are not selling Orchard House," Jo declared, her voice rising.
"Stop it," Meg whispered harshly, looking between her sisters. "This is neither the time nor the place." She looked over to see another line of well-wishers coming into the parlor. "We will discuss this later."
Jo followed Meg's line of sight and cringed at the crowd. "I can't do this anymore," she groaned, storming her way out of the parlor. "Excuse me," she whispered to the guests. She took one last look at her sisters and ran up the stairs.
XXXXX
As Nick neared the top landing, he could hear soft crying coming from the back bedroom. He slowly opened the door, revealing Jo, seated in a rocking chair, an old porcelain doll in her hand.
He gently knocked. "Can I come in?" he asked quietly.
Jo nodded, playing with the doll's hair. Nick stepped in and stood back, taking in the room. There were two beds, still made up as if waiting for their owners. One was covered with various dolls, a sewing basket and pages of sheet music lay on the bedside table. The other was surrounded by piles of paper and stacks of books, well-worn and thoroughly read. The rocking chair sat in the middle of the room, facing a large bay window that looked out over the yard.
"I shared this room with Beth," Jo spoke in a whisper. "Marmee and Father have barely touched it." She breathed in deeply. "It feels like Beth is still here." She hugged the doll to herself and rocked back and forth.
Nick made his way to the side of the chair and knelt down. Jo's face was streaked with tears, her hands trembling slightly. "Why do things have to change, Nick?" she said glancing at him. "Why can't they always stay the same?"
"I don't know… I guess, if things always stayed the same, I would've never met ya," Nick offered, taking her hand and matching her gaze. "I think you'd miss out on a lot of good things."
Jo nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. She looked down at the doll. "Beth loved her dolls. She took such care with them, like they were her children." She sighed, "I think of all the things she has missed out on - having children of her own or even the nieces and nephews she never had the chance to meet."
"And I think of all that Fritz has missed - watching Rob grow, the boys moving onto college and seeing what Plumfield has become," she said, looking vacantly across the room. "Now my Father. What will he miss? What wonderful changes will go on without his wise words and strong presence?" She took a deep breath and shook her head. "He wants me to take care of everyone - to be the strong one. And I don't know if I can…" she trailed off, unable to contain herself any longer. Jo began to shake as the sobs she had held in for days surfaced.
Nick pulled her from the chair to the floor, cradling her in his arms as she cried. Her head rested on his shoulder, the doll still in her lap. They rocked slightly, the sobs taking over. She clung to his dress shirt, at last allowing herself to grieve. Nick just held onto her tighter, gently caressing her back, trying to soothe her pain.
They remained on the floor until Jo's cries had settled and sat in silence for what seemed like hours. The chatter from the downstairs guests slowly subsided and the sunlight from the windows grew dim. Nick finally lifted Jo's head from him and with his hands framing her face, he looked into her still tearful eyes, "You don't always gotta be the strong one, Jo," he whispered, "I can do that for you. We can be strong together."
Jo smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging herself to him. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear.
A quiet knock drew the couple's attention and they looked over to see Mrs. March standing in the doorway. Jo quickly wiped away her tears as Nick helped her to her feet. "Is everything okay, Marmee?" Jo asked, concerned.
Mrs. March nodded. "Yes, my dear. I was just going to gather a few of my things. I will be joining Meg at her home, at least for tonight. Most everyone has left and your sisters are just starting to clean up." She smiled at Jo. "Maybe they could use some help?"
"Of course," Jo said, taking a deep breath, her composure returning. She squeezed Nick's hand and rushed out of the room, leaving him with Marmee.
"May I have a word with you, Mr. Riley?" Marmee asked, motioning for Nick to follow her.
"Ah, sure," he stammered. He looked nervously around the room before trailing behind Marmee to her bedroom.
He found her pulling a bag out from under the bed and rushed to help her. She smiled her appreciation as Nick retrieved the suitcase and then she moved towards the dresser. "When Josephine was very young, she was our wild girl. She did everything with such passion and intensity; often her emotions commanded her actions. As she got older, she was able to contain the emotional response, as one should as an adult," Mrs. March said, removing some items from the dresser drawers and making her way back to Nick. "But she still had that fire."
"Then she moved to New York and met Professor Bhaer. Her father and I have always approved of the match. Fritz shared her love of the written word and pushed the boundaries of her intellect. His gentle soul had a calming influence on Jo's wild spirit," she spoke while placing the items into the bag. Mrs. March then sat on the bed and looked at Nick. "We have never doubted Fritz's love for our daughter nor Jo's for her husband. She loved him with all her heart. But with regret, we saw her intensity fade; she lost that wild girl. She still had her determination, of course but was always concerned with what Fritz would expect from her."
Marmee took Nick's hand in hers. "After his death, Josephine kept her focus on her children and the school; she hardly allowed herself to grieve. She was so consumed that she didn't have time to find herself again. That is, until you arrived," she paused, smiling. "Her father and I have never gotten around to thanking you for bringing that passion back to our Jo. She lives and loves again with the same fire she had when she was a little girl. You encourage her spirit to be what it was always meant to be and allow her to be herself. For that, we are very grateful," she finished, squeezing his hand.
Nick grinned, at a loss for words. He shook his head and stuttered, "It - it's Jo that has done me good, Mrs. March. I never thought I really had much of a purpose - kept travelling because there wasn't a reason not to. But coming here and having Jo in my life, she changed all that. She made me realize that I could be so much more." He looked away, slightly embarrassed. "She has changed me - for the better. I respect and love her more than I could have ever imagined." He chuckled. "Although sometimes that spirit of hers can be a challenge."
Mrs. March reached up and patted Nick on the cheek. "Then the two of you are an excellent match. You fulfill in each other what is missing. Continue to be what she needs whether or not her fiery nature wants you to." Nick simply nodded and helped Marmee to her feet. He picked up her bag as they made their way to the door.
Before they could leave the room, Jo appeared with a pile of linens, her face exhausted. "We've got almost everything cleaned up and then I can help you pack. Where do you want me to put these, Marmee?" she asked, a yawn escaping.
Mrs. March grinned and gave Nick a sideways glance. "There is no need, my dear. It's already taken care of." Nick held up the packed bag and shrugged.
Jo looked at him, a bit frustrated. "Well, Meg is waiting for you downstairs then. I will just make sure everything up here is settled."
"Jo," Nick warned, knowing she was just trying to avoid the inevitable.
Marmee took the bag from him and gave Nick a squeeze on the arm. "Take your wife home, Mr. Riley. It's what she needs." She slowly made her way to the stairs.
Jo looked suspiciously at Nick, her eyebrows raised. "What was that all about?" she asked, turning to watch as her mother left.
He simply smiled at her and pulled her into a hug. "I think it's time to go home, Jo."
She was about to protest but instead yawned and relaxed into his arms, the linens still in her hands. She nodded, "Mother knows best."
XXXXX
Almost a week had passed since Mr. March's death and things around Plumfield were somewhat back to normal. The weather had turned cold and a few flakes of snow finally stayed on the ground. The children were anxiously waiting for the opportunity to bring out their sleds and take advantage of the frozen pond for ice skate races. The cold weather did nothing to stifle their energy and along with the upcoming holidays, this change of season held so much excitement.
Jo's energy, however, had diminished and even though she had spent the first few days resting at home after her father's passing, she could not shake the weariness. It seemed that every morning it was a struggle to get up and she could hardly keep her eyes open during evening dinner. Sunday after church, Jo had rushed the children home and once lunch had been finished, she made her way to the bedroom to lie down. After only a few minutes with her eyes closed, she heard the door open.
"Jo?" Nick called quietly from the doorway. "You okay?"
"Hmmm," she mumbled. "I think so. I'm just tired, Nick."
He made his way into the darkened room and sat on the bed next to her. "You've got me worried," he said, putting his hand to her forehead. "You almost fell asleep during lunch. Not that you ate all that much."
Jo looked up at him and smiled. "I think I'm still trying to catch up from the sleep I missed. I must have worn myself out."
Nick shook his head and chuckled. "I think there were a lot of people trying to tell you that." His expression turned serious. "I don't like this, Jo. You're real pale and you've barely been eating. I'm worried this is more than just being tired."
Jo sighed and put her hand to his cheek. "I'm fine, Nick." He looked at her with disbelief. "I'll tell you what - Asia and I are going into tomorrow to pick up groceries for Thanksgiving," she explained. "I'll stop by Dr. Pierce's office."
Nick eyed her carefully, not fully convinced but then smiled, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "Promise?"
Jo nodded. "I promise," she said, yawning. She looked at him sheepishly as he stood, pulling the covers up around her.
"Until then, you rest," he said, sweeping the hair from her face. He gently kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Jo."
"I love you too," she replied, enjoying the affection. As he crept out of the room, Jo closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
XXXXX
The following day was crisp and bright, the blue sky highlighted the autumn colored leaves and enriched the cool fall air. Jo and Asia had made their trip into town, picking up several crates of food in preparation for Thanksgiving the following week. Jo had made a quick trip to see Dr. Pierce and as they returned home, she marveled at all that had occurred in such a short period of time. As the seasons changed so did everything else - good or bad - and it definitely did enough to bring comfort to her own spirit.
As the buggy stopped in front of the house, Jo got down and moved to grab one of the crates from the back before Asia stopped her. "No way, Mrs. Jo," she said, a hint of a smile on her face. "You know what the doctor said. No exerting yourself."
Jo blushed slightly and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll go find the boys to help you." She made her way around the side of the house and found Dan and Nat chopping wood.
"Oh, hey, Mrs. Jo," Dan said as he split another log in half.
"Would you mind helping Asia carry in some groceries, please? There are several boxes in the buggy," she asked as she passed by them.
"You bet!" Nat exclaimed as both boys took off towards the front of the house.
"Oh, Dan," Jo called after him, "Have you seen Nick?"
"I think he's in the barn, Mrs. Jo," the young man replied and then raced to catch up with Nat.
Asia watched as the boys came towards her and noticed Jo heading in the direction of the barn. Before she could reach the door, Asia saw Nick appear from the other side. In the distance, the couple spoke as Asia reached into the buggy to hand Nat another one of the crates. Suddenly, loud, excited shouts echoed through the air, startling both the boys and Asia. She looked over to see that Nick had picked Jo up off her feet, spinning her around in circles; Jo's laughter could be heard over the enthusiastic hollers. The housekeeper chuckled and shook her head as Nick stopped abruptly and put Jo down very carefully, as if she would break.
Dan and Nat looked at each other with confusion and turned to Asia. "What was that all about?" Dan asked, grabbing another box from the buggy.
Asia smiled while she watched the couple embrace. Nick kissed Jo with such passion as if no one else in the world existed. "I think Plumfield is about to see some more changes…"
XXXXX
The house was somewhat quiet as Nick made his way up the stairs to bed. He could hear the soft murmurs of the children, talking excitedly and he peeked into Rob's bedroom to see that the young boy had actually fallen asleep despite the other children. Nick opened the door to the master bedroom and found Jo, still awake, papers spread across the bed. He grinned at the sight and gave her a teasing look when she noticed him.
"Workin' again, tonight?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed to take off his boots. "The doc said you should be takin' it easy."
Jo rolled her eyes and sighed, "I'm fine, Nick." She shook her head. "I'm not going shatter or anything."
Nick slid into bed, rolling onto his side. He smiled slightly and placed his hand onto Jo's stomach. She looked at him gently and patted his hand. "Really?" he asked with only some disbelief.
She nodded. "Really," she confirmed. "I'm about 3 months along, according to Dr. Pierce. I guess I should have gone to see him earlier. It explains why I've been so tired lately. There are reasons why I thought I wasn't but he assured me that everything is okay."
Nick flopped down onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "I'm gonna be a father," he said slowly, trying to take the news in.
Jo chuckled. "I think you've already had plenty of experience with that."
Nick sat straight up, a look of terror on his face. "But not with a baby. I've never held one before," he agonized. "I won't know how."
Jo patted his cheek and smiled. "You'll learn. There's really not much to it." He looked at her, unconvinced. "Trust me, Nick. You are going to be a wonderful father to this child. I have no doubts." She softly kissed him on the lips, trying to soothe his fears.
"You'll help me?" Nick asked.
"Of course, I will," she replied tenderly, kissing him again. "We can do this together."
He relaxed again, taking Jo's hand and bringing it to his lips. "Thank you," he said while she tried to stifle a yawn. He shook his head. "I think it's time you got some sleep," he scolded picking up some of the papers from the bed.
Jo groaned but agreed. She placed the papers onto the bedside table and yawned again. "I don't remember being this tired with Rob," she said as she turned down the lamp and laid down, face to face with Nick.
In the dim firelight, he gazed into her eyes and brushed the hair from her face. She sighed with happiness. At his touch, Jo slowly closed her eyes and Nick watched as her face relaxed. He kissed her forehead and rolled onto his back, believing she had fallen asleep quickly.
"Boy or girl?" she whispered suddenly.
Nick chuckled. "Don't really matter to me," he said, rolling back to face her. He began lightly caressing length of her arm with his fingertips. "Maybe a girl? As long as she's got the same fire her mother does."
"She will not be named Josephine, though," Jo said through another yawn. "Too much to take on for a little girl." She looked at Nick carefully. "Do you know if you were named after anyone?"
Nick shook his head. "Don't think so. My father's name was Charles - everyone used to call him Charlie."
Jo contemplated the name. "That's nice," she said sleepily. "I wouldn't mind a little Charlie running around."
Nick nodded. "I've always liked my mother's name," he suggested.
"Hmmm," Jo murmured, being lulled to sleep by Nick's touch. "What was her name?"
"My father used to call her Libby, for some reason," he recalled softly. "But her real name was Abigail."
Nick watched as Jo's eyes shot open, filling with tears. "Really?"
"Yeah," he replied as the tears rolled down Jo's face. He looked at her, concerned. "What's wrong?"
She sniffled and smiled slightly. "Nothing," she laughed. "I just really like that name too."
Nick regarded her, a bit confused but relented. "All right then. Abigail it is." He softly caressed her cheek, her eyes fluttering shut.
"If it's a girl," she mumbled, falling back to sleep.
Nick sighed contently and grinned. "It's a girl, Jo," he said confidently. "She's definitely a girl."
The End
~ Maggie Marshall (4/26/2018)