People Lie

By rese

A/N: now where heading into M. Well soonish. Sorry about Laurie looking like a stalker. He's creeping me out. But someone has to be forward…and it tends to happen when you're obsessed with someone. The watching thing.

…

He hadn't seen Jo for a week and it was killing him.

Laurie looked at the clock that seemed to slow and impatiently he stalked across the room to get a better view of the gate. The Bhaers were coming today and he wanted to see her first, before the rest of the household. If only so he could calm that damn tendency for daydreaming he'd developed. The kind of imaginings where only Jo existed, further torturing his divided mind, further extending the rift that had appeared between Amy and him.

As he stood on his tip-toes straining his eyes to see through the trees and stare at the iron, it suddenly fell on him. What was he doing? Amy was his wife, and Jo (dear Jo!) was only his sister. Only his friend. And the sooner he convinced his own fickle mind, the sooner his heart would end this madness that had possessed him more and more.

"Laurie," Amy's voice surprised him out of his thoughts that he jumped a bit and spun about to face her. She was standing in the doorway, the look of concern swallowed up by jealousy. "What are you up to my Lord?" she asked, using her pet name for him.

Laurie looked about casually answering, "Well my dear, it's simple. I merely had a – uh, you see, this room would be a useful place to entertain our guests. So, well you know, I um, sort of thought I'd check to see if it was appropriate." Seeing her look he added, "Or not."

Refusing to lecture her husband again, she merely smiled back, "Oh, alright. And is it?"

"Is what?"

"The room, Laurie dear. May we use it?"

"Oh," quickly he looked around again. "Oh, yes, I suppose so."

Amy controlled her urge to chastise him for lying. She could play along for now; it was never polite to fight before they entertained guests. No, she corrected herself, Laurie and she never 'fought' they merely suffered from different opinions.

A knock came from below and Amy gracefully turned to leave, "That will be the Bhaers then, shall I bring them here?" she paused for his answer. But Laurie had his hands through his hair and face turned to the window, "Oh sure." He mumbled and she walked off with a little more weight in her step.

He missed seeing Jo first.

…

"Sure I've been practicing." Jo ignored the look her husband gave her.

"Good, good. I'm glad of it or we'll have some difficulties on Tuesday." Laurie answered from his corner where he was watching Jo intently. Despite his stare, Jo's slight panic at the mention of difficulty was overlooked. He merely saw her folded hands grip each other tighter.

"Have you heard from Meg, Jo? The last I knew, she'd caught cold and wasn't well at all." Amy decided some sisterly conversation might break the hold jealousy had begun to take on her heart. But whilst she was almost positive it was unfounded and she was just in a mood the more she looked at her husband, the less certain she became. It might not just be some fancy of hers.

"I saw Meg yesterday, looking much better and outdoors up with her chores again. Oh! She told me to give you both her apologies for not calling today. You know how Meg is, nothing is clean enough till she's cleaned it and she hasn't cleaned in a while." Jo's face was lit when talking of her sister and Laurie fancied no other beings could make sisterly devotion so beautiful.

…

"Well I've never felt so glad to see my sister gone before!" Amy spoke quietly, feeling her husband's curious gaze on her. Amy looked over at him, the lace curtain still in her hand, "I'm sorry to say it, but I've not felt so tried just to be friendly with Jo in such a long time."

"I didn't know you were at odds with her."

"Nor did I," Amy turned to watch him out of the corner of her eye, guessing his reaction. "But I also didn't know I had to compete with my sister." His head twisted to her. "Should I be jealous?" Amy was unusually blunt and it put him off guard.

"Jealous - of Jo? What ever for Amy?" He was facing her completely and while she reveled in his attention, her heart forbade her to forgive him so easily.

"I've seen the way you've – you've been, well you have," Amy was simply too embarrassed to put it in words. His eye was wandering and to her sister! But she couldn't say it, feeling the shame that flared her envy.

"Amy," Laurie moved forward to hold her arms, "Amy you're my wife. I would never, well I wouldn't," even he couldn't say it. But it threw water on the flare and Amy was calmed – if he couldn't say it he was hardly going to feel it.

"Thank you Laurie," she stood on her toes to kiss him, loving it when he pulled her into a deeper one. Apologies always worked out well for her. When Laurie stopped he held her hand, pulling her towards the stairs.

"Come with me and I'll show you, my lady, how you husband loves you." She gladly followed after him, feeling confident that she should never have doubted Laurie's thoughts. She was his wife and she did know him best.

But as Laurie led his little wife to their bedroom he cursed himself for being so transparent. And he was so guilty! Amy deserved more from him and he was determined to give it to her tonight.

"I do love you Amy," he told her before they slipped off. But not as much as I should.