Love Lost And Found
Laurie had a soft look upon his face, as he eyed the lovely vision in front of him, dressed all in pale lemon satin and silk. He watched her from his place resting against the tree trunk he was leaning against, as the sun made her soft blond hair gleam. He was smitten, and he more then knew it.
It had come to France by invitation. Amy had invited him, insisting they needed to talk. He asked "So where would you like to begin?" Amy slowly turned to face him. There was a nervous and uncertain expression on her beautiful face. Laurie loathed the fact it was his immature stupidity that had placed that uncertainty there.
She sighed and took a deep breath and asked "Please be truthful Laurie. Is it I you truly want and not my sister or family? I know you say and wrote that it isn't like that, but Laurie you must have thought she was your one and only, or you'd have never asked her to marry you."
She closed her eyes briefly and continued "You told me you always knew you would be a part of the March family. How can I possibly believe it is I you want? How can I know whether you have decided to settle for what remains. After all Meg is married to John. And poor and dearest Beth is no longer with us."
She concluded "And finally, Jo. She is whom you asked to be your wife, and not I. She is the one you paid more attention to, who you would grace with a smile in a certain and special way, which I always wished to see directed at me. But it never was. So how do I know you are not going to eventually break my heart?" She added tearfully "I fear my heart can take no more inflicted upon it."
Laurie felt a painful tug on his heart, at the sight of the unshed tears in her stunning blue eyes. He inwardly damned his own arrogant stupidity. If only he had felt and known what he did right then, regardless of how young Amy had been, even if he wouldn't have been able to rightly pursue her until she was of age to do so. They wouldn't have the problems and current barriers they did right then.
No he had to be an immature fool and dedicate and lavish his affections and attention upon the wrong March sister. The March sister, who would have never been able to fit in nor would she have wanted to fit into his world. Amy on the other hand could and would fit into his world and society perfectly.
He realised Amy was made for the glamour and beauty of society, while her sister had been designed for a life as a teacher and a simple but never plain beauty. That had been meant for a man who shared her interests and views, someone who truly loved and would have never made the mistake of confusing love between an infatuation.
So it was with these revelations that Laurie answered Amy. "I can honestly assure you it is you who I love and wish to take as my wife and the future mother of my heirs. It is you who I see on my arm, as I show all of those other men how fortunate and privileged I would be to have such a wife. To show society that you are not just a pretty face, but have great and immense talent."
He added "But that is not the only reason why I want you as my wife. I want you because whenever I close my eyes and think hard enough, it is you I see and not Jo. It is you who I see all glowing and radiant, with your stomach swollen and rounded with my heir ."
He concluded "It is you who I see and wish to wakeup and go to sleep beside for the rest of my life, you my darling sweet Amy and not Jo. Forgive me, I was an immature fool to have not paid you the attention you deserved. Forgive me for my stupidity when I asked your sister to marry me, based off a silly boy hood infatuation, as I had no idea of love at that age, at least not the love, which burns deeply and constantly within me, for you, my darling."
Tears streamed down Amy's soft and pale coloured cheeks. As he said "Do you know what my greatest desire currently is? It is to take my beautiful wife to our sisters wedding, to an honest and good man, who is to make her a loving wife."
He slowly closed the distance between them and loving cupped the side of her face, as he gently caressed the soft skin under his palm. He whispered "But that cannot be, if the lady I wish to make my wife is unwilling to accept and believe it is she I love with all my heart and whole being, and not her sister."
He rested his forehead against hers, as she let out a small sob. He asked gently and quietly "So I am asking you once more, Amy March will you bestow the greatest honour upon me and consent to being my wife?"
Tears streamed down both of her cheeks in little wet streaks. She sobbed quietly as she replied "Oh Laurie, yes of course I'll marry you. I just needed to be sure it was I whom you wanted and not my sister or my family."
He gently kissed her upon the tip of her nose, before rubbing his own nose against it lovingly. He then stepped back and reached into his coat pocket and removed a beautiful and delicate solid gold band, with a stunning sparkling diamond mounted on the top.
He carefully took her left hand in his and slowly lowered the delicate band onto her left ring finger. The fit was perfect, it looked stunning on her. He explained to her the significance of the ring.
"Amy this ring is a family heirloom. My great, great, great, great grandmother was the first bride to where it, followed by my other grandmothers, until it was finally given to my father, who gave it to my mother. And now I am passing it onto you, and am hoping some day we will have a grandson to pass it onto to."
Amy placed her right hand over her mouth, as she lifted her left to gaze upon the stunning splendour that now encircled her long and delicate finger. She commented around a tearful giggle, affection for her older sister evident in her words.
"Jo never saw this did she, as not even she would have denied you whether she had been in love with you or not. Not even she with her tomboy tendencies is immune to beauty like this?"
Laurie chuckled at this and affectionately kissed the corner of her mouth. He sobered slightly and said "No, Jo never saw the ring I just presented to you, which makes me feel even more strongly, that I should have never nor did I have any place asking Jo to marry me."
Amy asked puzzled "Did you even present her with a ring when you proposed to her?" Laurie suddenly flushed and smiled sheepishly and replied "No, now that I truly think back all of those years, I cannot remember there ever being a ring present. It was even a poor and sad apology for a proposal, which is more then a little insulting to Jo, I do hope Mister Bhaer was more romantic in his task."
Amy gently wrapped her arms around his neck, as his went around her back delicately. She whispered and he gently nuzzled her hair. "I'm so glad you have finally grown and matured. And yes I too also hope Mister Bhaer was more Romantic towards my sister."
Laurie gently kissed her cheek before moving onto her mouth. He applied a little more pressure before slowly pulling away with one last gentle brush of his lower lip against her upper lip.
He smiled warmly at her and said "Well, my Darling Amy. It is time we went and informed your aunt that we wish to be married as soon as possible." Amy nodded, and took the hand Laurie offered to her. They then left the shade of the tree behind them, and walked off into the afternoon sun.