"Happy Thanksgiving!" Marmee cheers as her family arrives at their childhood home. Mr. March greets his children happily and they settle in the living room. The young children run around the small rooms, much like the March sisters (and Laurie) had done many years ago.
"We have a surprise for you, Marmee!" Jo shouts, unable to wait.
"Oh? What is it?" Marmee asks, intrigued by Jo's excitement.
"I have written a special play for this special holiday!"
"Oh, Jo, I do love your plays! When will you perform?"
"We will all perform after dinner. I have written you a small part in it. You need not rehearse; you will be just fine without the preparation. We have not had much time, so we will all be holding scripts."
"That sounds delightful, Jo," Marmee smiles. She loves seeing this side of Jo; she always has.
Jo can hardly sit still during dinner. Fritz places his hand on her knee to steady it while they eat. He smiles coyly at her, knowing that she is about to burst with the impending news. He is glad that she is so excited to tell Marmee. Perhaps this means that she is more at ease with the prospects of motherhood now. She looks into his gentle face and winks. She places a hand gently on her abdomen, and he nods happily. She is beginning to really show, and she wore a loose-fitting, frilly dress that was once Aunt March's to hide the signs from Marmee.
After dinner, everyone gathers in the living room again to receive their assignments.
"So what daring role will you be playing tonight, Jo?" Marmee asks dramatically, "Rodrigo? A viking? A villainous killer? Come, tell me, what are you going to enthrall us with this evening?"
Jo begins slowly, "I am going to be…" she pauses for longer than necessary, "a mother."
"You?" Marmee chuckles, "Of all the roles you have ever played, this may be the most difficult for you to overcome."
"I am aware."
"I wait with anticipation." Marmee winks at her, and Jo calls for curtains.
They begin the play. It is sappy and disillusioned, but the family has fun. In it, Marmee is playing a grandmother who has several children, but one daughter is infertile. One day the girl comes across a rare plant in the forest and tries to pull it from the ground. Suddenly, a German fairy, Fritz, appears and aims to curse the girl for trying to uproot the beautiful plant. She must go on a journey and prove to the fairy that her intentions were good. She visits all of her siblings and gives each of her nieces and nephews a flower petal from the plant. She does not keep a single one for herself, and when she returns, the fairy sees that she is pure and only wishes to bring happiness to the children in her life because she cannot have any of her own. He grants her a wish, and she instantly conceives. She rushes home to her mother, crying with joy.
"Mother, dear mother," Jo squeals.
"What is it, my child?" Marmee asks.
"An amazing thing has happened. I have never imagined my life with a child, but now I will have one of my own. Love conquered my inability to conceive." Jo beams at Marmee, who remains in character.
"That is wonderful news," she says seriously.
"Here, feel!" Jo insists, going off-script and breaking out of character. She places Marmee's hand on her growing abdomen. Marmee simply smiles and tries to regain her place in the script.
"How has this happened, my wonderful daughter?" she asks, still unconvinced.
"Marmee, do you not feel the bump?" Jo whispers.
"It's excellent costume work, Jo, but for God's sake, you of all people know better than to change the script," she whispers sternly.
"Marmee!" Jo squeals. She pulls at her dress, unable to contain her delight any longer. The men quickly turn away, taken aback by her sudden disrobing. Jo unties the apron that was on her costume, also there to hide the bump from sight. She places Marmee's hand on her bare stomach and grins from ear to ear. Marmee stands mute for a long time. Jo starts to worry that she has had a stroke.
"Are you still acting?" Marmee whispers.
"No!" multiple family members shout in elation.
"You are with child?" Marmee says slowly. Jo simply nods her head and hugs her mother tightly. Marmee reaches for Fritz to join the hug and soon the entire family is in one large bear hug in the small living room.
"Oh, Jo…" Marmee whispers through tears, "I am so happy for you."