"Jo should have been back by now," Mrs. March said for the third time. "If she's not back within the next fifteen minutes I'm going out to look for her."
"Laurie and I can go look with the carriage, mother," Amy assured her, going to the door to grab her shawl. Laurie got up to follow his wife.
"I'm sure she's fine, dear," Mr. March pressed a kiss to his wife's temple.
As he said that, the door opened and a general clamor arose. Amy shouted for Meg, there was talk of fetching towels from the linen closet and laughter.
"It seems your prediction has summoned her," Mrs. March smiled. A deep voice with a thick accent could be heard, an undercurrent beneath the higher-pitched conversation between the March girls and Laurie. "And a guest," she gave her husband a knowing look and he chuckled.
"It's about time," he said. "One more day and Jo would have been in utter despair." With that, the two joined the rest of the family, one member of which was soaking wet and beaming.
"Marmee, I got the needles and silesia, and the ribbon," Jo said. Her hair and bonnet were in disarray. Meg was examining her skirts, shaking her head in mock disappointment. "And news, I have news." She glanced at the professor, who was hanging up his coat by the fire, and her face went red. Amy had moved the coat rack, and John was adding one more log to the fire.
Mrs. March was certain she knew what it was, but tried not to look too excited yet. "What is it, dear?" she asked her daughter, already getting that bittersweet feeling she got when her girls had to leave the nest.
Jo took a deep breath, her face growing even redder. "Friedrich asked me to marry him, and I said yes!"
The room seemed to explode with congratulations, and Laurie crowing: "I knew it, I knew it! I knew this would happen!" He pulled Jo into a hug, and Amy joined in, not caring anymore that she might get mud on her skirts too. "Alright then, when is this wedding? Tomorrow?"
"It can't happen for a few years yet," Jo laughed, untangling herself from the enthusiastic group hug.
When his fiancee glanced at him, mingled pride and happiness in her eyes, Friedrich took her hand and detailed his plan to the Marches. "I had intended to speak with you on the matter before I asked, in case there were any objections, but after I knew my affection was returned I could not help but ask right there."
"Objections?" Jo looked as if the possibility had just occurred to her. "There aren't any, are there Marmee?"
"Are you happy, Jo?" was all her mother asked.
"Yes," Jo answered without hesitation. "Very."
"Then how could I ever object?" She smiled, taking Jo's hand and giving it a little squeeze. Then to the professor, taking one of his hands as well, she said, "Welcome to the family!"
With that, Jo's sisters ushered her upstairs to change so she wouldn't catch a cold, and to pry a little bit for any romantic details about the proposal.
When Jo finally sat down to let everything sink in, she felt as if her head was spinning. She had just gotten engaged. Friedrich loved her! And he wouldn't go away forever, he would come back to her, and he would stay with her.
"Congratulations Jo," Amy pulled her into another hug. "You must tell us how this happened, will you please? Was he very romantic? He didn't kneel in the mud, did he?"
"No, but I think he almost did," Jo laughed. "When he told me he was going away, I tried so hard not to cry, I really did, and it was awfully unladylike when I failed. But it turned out alright, so I can't bring myself to care about being ladylike."
"You're going to have to wait so long," Amy sighed. "I can't imagine that. Laurie and I got married a week after he proposed."
"I can wait," Jo said, with complete confidence. "Knowing my reward at the end is a husband who loves me will make it easier."
"That's something we would never hear from you a few years ago," Meg said. "So much patience. You're already blossoming, Jo."
"You were right, and I'm very glad you were."
"Will you get married in the backyard, as Meg did?" Amy asked. "And after that, where to? Will you have a honeymoon?"
Jo hadn't even thought of a honeymoon. An after the wedding. There would be the whole rest of their lives before them, to spend together. "I don't know," she said. Then she remembered what a honeymoon entailed and felt herself start to blush again.
Meg looked a little teary as she started to brush through Jo's hair. "When he comes back from the west, you're staying close to here, right? You aren't running away to New York?"
"Of course not, Meg, I could never live so far from all of you forever. I always planned on settling here after I had my adventures, I couldn't get on without my sisters, and the babies, and Marmee and Father..."
"I'm just making sure he won't steal you away from us," Meg sighed. "Gosh, now I think I know how you felt when I got married!"
"And how do you like it?" Jo feigned a scowl before an uncontrollable smile broke through. "I think- no, I know, I am the luckiest woman in Concord."
Friedrich paused again to smile as more laughter could be heard from up the stairs.
"I do wonder what they talk about when they run off like that," Laurie pondered. "They always come back from their girl talks like they know something the rest of us don't."
"Probably because they do now," John said. "So, I suppose we're some sort of club now? The husbands of the March sisters?"
"Our third and final member," Laurie announced jokingly, "the only one who didn't live next door! How very... Jo of her to choose a man from all the way across the sea."
As if summoned by the mention of her name, Jo came thundering down the stairs the way she had when she was a girl, too excited to take the stairs one at a time. Without a word, she settled in next to Friedrich in the big armchair, her thin frame just fitting in next to his broad one.
"I take it you are done swapping secrets?" Friedrich teased.
"Not secrets, only plans and such," Jo said. "May I talk to you alone?"
"That's our cue," John stood, gesturing to Laurie for him to follow. "Come on, let's let them have the parlor."
Jo nodded her thanks. John smiled at the couple on his way out, remembering those lovely conversations with Meg when they were first engaged, and they planned their path together.
When the door closed behind her brothers in law, Friedrich pressed a kiss to Jo's temple. "What is it thou wish to talk to me about?"
"I just want to make sure of our plans so far, that we both want the same things." Jo slipped her hand into his, knitting their fingers together.
"Oh? And what is it that my Jo wants?"
"Promise you won't laugh if I put it too bluntly?"
Friedrich nodded and shifted so he could face her better. "Is it a ring? I have nearly the money to buy wedding bands, though I wish I could give thee an engagement ring that shines as brightly as thy sister's."
"I don't care for such things, I will wear the wedding band because of what it stands for but I don't need shiny trinkets for the sake of them. I do want babies, though. Someday."
Friedrich flushed up to his ears, for she had put it bluntly indeed. But, as he promised, he did not laugh. "Babies?"
"Yes. I was thinking two, to make a nice even four altogether with Franz and Emil. Or three, if we have enough room? And if that's alright with... thee?"
"That is a wonderful plan. We will start with the nice even number, I think." He lifted her hand to his mouth, pressing a kiss to her palm that made her blush again.
"I also had this... idea. That I wish to tell thee. It's been one of my dreams for a long time. Have you ever thought about opening a school, Professor?" Jo asked, with a half teasing, half anxious glow in her eyes.
Friedrich mulled over the idea for a long moment. A school. It would be a monumental task. A life-long undertaking. A great opportunity to do some good in the world. "Well, if I were to, there is no one I would rather do it with than thee, Professorin."
"Good," Jo shifted closer again. "Because I was thinking..."