The March Cousin!

[Author Note: In this story Laurie hasn't told his feelings to Jo yet. The wedding to Meg & John happens after Beth died. Jo hasn't left yet to write in New York either. It's my fanfiction so this is the order so your not confused on why it's not exactly like the book] Dedicated To: LouisaMayAlcott Chapter 1~Ginger Cake! I had traveled over from Europe with my aunt March and my cousin Amy March. Amy was planning on marrying a man named Fred Von she knew from back home. She was no longer going to be a governess. Aunt March taught her well. I never had been to America since I was a child. So, I really do not remember it at all. I was excited to see it. I was sure I was going to be homesick for Europe. I knew the March's had suffered a great loss. Beth my beloved cousin died. It was so hard with all these terrible hardships hitting our family all at once. My parents had passed away. My dad had died first. Then the illness took over my dear mother. Thankfully aunt March was over with Amy. They came to see me right away. Aunt March paid for my parents' funeral cost. When I marry I will inherit all my parents money as well as their home over in Europe that now sits empty. Aunt March said I am not a spinster and spinsters live alone. They took me in. Aunt March says she has no time for me with looking after Miss Amy and her arts. So off I go to the March's. Joesphine is my age. Meg is older than me. Beth and Amy are younger than I am. Amy is such a sweet little thing. If the rest of the March girls are like she is I know we will get along splendidly. Amy talked a lot about a friend named Laurie. I can not wait to meet her as well. She is my age as well. The family is close to this Laurie person. Meg is going to be marrying Laurie's tutor Mr. Brook very soon. When we arrive home. I think we will be there in time for the wedding day. I love weddings. We arrive by boat. The servants help us carry our luggage to the wagon. Aunt March sees us to her wagon. We had arrived in Concord. I was dressed in black. As were we all. They were for dear Beth as I was for my parents. It was a time of mourning. Amy and I had each other to lean on during these times. •✿︎︎• "I do hope Laurie is still in town. Beth was supposed to make it to Meg's wedding day but it did not happen as we hoped. She had shown signs of improving then she fell ill once more it hit her hard" says Amy somberly as she holds her hands in her lap. "I do look forward to meeting all my cousins. And the wedding will be lovely" I tell her. She nods. "Jo is not looking forward to the wedding. She wants everything to stay as it is" laughs Amy. Aunt March shakes her head. "Her and her silly notion's that will never happen" scoffs aunt March. "we all change. Things will never stay the same." "Right, we can't grow to be adults if things always stay the same. I can't wait to turn eighteen" I say. "I will be ready to marry off and have a family of my own. And get my parents' house back" I sigh. "Some girls have all the luck" Amy says wistfully. "One day I will have a room for you and an art studio for you. You can stay with me" I promise her. "Oh, I love you Fiona" gushes Amy as she hugs me. Aunt March laughs as do I. The buggy pulls into a long drive way once we had gotten off the docks. I help aunt March get out first then I help Amy. She was smaller than I was. It was a long way down from the buggy. When we get out we have a welcome wagon there to greet us. Everyone is chatting away happily rushing to hug everyone of us. "Fiona March! I have not seen you since the day you were born!" exclaims my other aunt. She hugs me so tight I can hardly breathe. Then my mom's brother hugs me. "You look so much like Jen" he wistfully says as he looks at me. "so beautiful like her" "Thank you" I shyly say. "Our home is your home" someone speaks up cheerfully. "You must be Jo" I say. I see ink stains on her hands. "What gave me away?" she chuckles. "Your hands speak for you" I tease. We laugh. She hugs me. "Welcome to our family" another beautiful cousin says to me. "Meg!" I answer my guess as we hug. "I am thrilled you are here. And Beth would have loved to meet you. Aunt Jen always sent us letters about you" says my uncle. "I feel as if I know you from the letters" agrees Jo. "Come in. Hannah baked ginger cake" says Meg. "and there is tea" she adds. "That sounds heavenly" I say. "is your friend that, girl Laurie is she joining us" I ask. They look confused then they bust out laughing. "Did I say something wrong?" I wonder. "Laurie is a boy" Amy whispers. "it is short for Theodore" "You will meet dear Laurie later" promises Jo. "you two shall be the best of friends" "Can you show me where to put my belongings first?" I ask. "Right this way" Meg tells me. •✿︎︎• My uncle gets my luggage. I hear piano music coming from the house over from us. Beautiful music. I see a boy in the window. He had to be about my age. I glance for a moment as he plays his music. I get a chill hearing how lovely it sounds. Was that Theodore perhaps? The March's whisk me inside. It smelled wonderful inside. The scent of ginger cake filled the air. And the fire place was going. The home looked so inviting. So cozy. I smile looking around me. Why mother left Concord for Eurpoe? It was just as wonderful it seemed here. I knew I was going to love it here. "This way. You will be sharing a room with me. Until I wed and I will be leaving here" Meg informs me. "I used to share a room with dear Beth. It will be so nice to have someone in the room with me once more" she adds. "even for a short time" I nod then follow the girls up the stairs. I go into Meg's humble room. I had more trunks then she did. I feel badly. I knew one side of the March family had more money then they did. I could not help them spend my money yet until I was to be married. When I did I was sure going to help them out with more things. •✿︎︎• "What a lovely little room" I brag as I look around me. "Thank you" says Meg. "This is the last trunk. How many dresses do you own?" wonders Jo. She sets my last trunk down. "Seventeen" says Amy. "at least" "It is not ladylike to brag" warns Meg. "Sorry" pouts Amy. "You are all welcome to borrow my dresses any time" I promise them. "Do not let Jo borrow it. She stands to close to the fire" snickers Amy. She shoes a burnt spot on the back of Jo's dress. "Shush!" Jo says looking ashamed. "It can happen to the best of us" I laugh. I see dolls resting on an old trunk. It read the name Beth on it. "Lovely things" I say softly. "Beth loved her dolls" says Amy. "Ginger cake come get it!" calls out uncle. •✿︎︎• We race down the stairs. Chatting away like old school chums. I was going to love living here. "Hannah this ginger cake is delicious" I brag on Hannah who looked pleased. "Thank you" she says. She pours me a cup of tea. "What was it like growing up in Europe?" wonders Jo. "tell us all about your life" "Oh, I will bore you" I worry. "Please do tell us" begs Meg. All eyes were on me. "Alright very well" I giggle. I begin to tell what my life was like overseas. I loved having a new home. I was going to adjust perfectly fine here. I just had a feeling. •~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•