Jo, Laurie, and I were tending to the garden in our yard while the others went to pick flowers. I was playing with a baby chick with Laurie at my side while Jo was pulling and plucking vegetables from the grow-bed.

"You've traveled all over Italy. What do they do with the sunflowers over there? I don't want to poison Aunt Cockle-top and the chicks! " Jo asked Laurie, I giggled and he smirked at me before answering. "Aunt Cockle-top and the chicks are eating every little seed that falls to Earth. They don't look like they're being poisoned to me. " Jo stood up and walked to the other side of the grow-bed, "I hope not! They're too sweet and innocent... " I said with a frown, Laurie held my free hand in his, looked at me, and said, "I'm sure that they'll be fine... But you think everything is sweet, what makes them different? " I looked back down at the now sleeping chick in my hands. "Well, they are animals, they aren't aware of dangers that we know about, they need protecting and the chicks are practically babies... They need to learn and thrive to be ready to repeat the cycle. " I looked back up at Laurie who was staring at me, I blushed, "I think you're quite sweet too... " Laurie laughed as Jo scoffed, but he then remembered something, I could tell because his eyebrows always squint for a second then his eyes widen, one of his many quirks...

"Meg's been in our hothouse with Brooke for a long time. " Laurie recalled, "What do you mean? " Jo plainly asked with a shrug. "She only went to fetch the orange tree she's been raising from a pip. And all I have to say is, how much fetching does an orange tree take? " I snickered as Jo said, "Your insinuating things, and I don't care for it. You're better than that, and so is Meg... Well, maybe not you..." We laughed as Laurie added, "It might be insinuating if I didn't know where her cream glove was. Or who had it? And still does. " My eyebrow raised in confusion as Jo disapprovingly asked, "Brooke has Meg's glove? How do you know? " "Saw it. He's had it in his pocket all this time. Isn't that romantic? " Laurie asked as he winked at me, I agreed and said, "Yes I suppose so, I might have to borrow one of your pocket watches!" Laurie and I laughed before Jo shut it down. "No. It's horrid. Bad boy and bad girl! " Jo grimaced while sitting down in the grass, I could tell that she was troubled with her thoughts, the gears were turning in her head as her eyebrows furrowed... "Brooke and Meg? " Laurie asked confused. "No, you and Eliza. You for telling me and Eliza for thinking that keeping one's prised possession is romantic..." Laurie just scoffed while Jo sat there in silence. I looked between the two and squeezed Laurie's hand in reassurance to which he looked up at me and gave a weak smirk.

I looked back to see Beth, Meg, Amy, and Marmee in the street running towards a Soldier on a horse, my eyes widened in realization and fear. "Jo, Jo! It's a telegram! " I said as I placed the chick down with the hen, stood up, and ran to the others as they gathered inside. 

Marmee went into her room to read the telegram while Laurie, Beth, Amy, Meg, Jo, and I were huddled in the foyer and sitting on the stairwell. I sat on one of the steps with Laurie's hand in mine, I looked up at him and he gently squeezed it... We waited for what felt like hours till Marmee came out of her room slowly, she tried to remain calm but we could tell that she was very distraught as she should be. She looked at all five of her girls and solemnly said, "Your father is very ill. And I have been asked to go to him at once. " My eyes widened and memories of my mother flooded back... I can't lose Father too... I began to shake, Laurie noticed this and stroked my hand with his thumb when she spoke up again. "Laurie, if you would go to Plumfield and ask for this note to be given to Aunt March, I would be grateful. " He reluctantly let go of my hand, took the letter, and asked, "Is there nothing else I can do? " Marmee shook her head and replied, "I- I don't know. " 

She then quickly walked to the shelves in the kitchen with all of us following her, Laurie stood behind me in the doorway while the girls and I stood next to Marmee. "Hannah, the brown trunk from the garret. " Marmee grabbed the medicine box and quietly spoke, "We have sufficient sal volatile, and nux vomica, but Jo and Eliza, you two will have to get me some more...belladonna. And some Holloway's pills. " Marmee wiped her tears from her eyes as she continued to rummage through the box. "Where from? " Jo asked before Marmee turned around and sharply spoke, "From the pharmacy on Main Street. " I held Jo's hand as she lowered her head in embarrassment. "What can I do? " Meg piped up. "You must help Hannah prepare some linen for your father. And while I'm away, you must help her with the laundry. " Meg nodded as Jo lifted her head and I let go of her hand so I could control my own that were shaking slightly, Laurie noticed this, walked to stand next to me, held one of them, and gave it a light squeeze, it gave me a sense of comfort and I relaxed a little. "What can we do? " Beth with her eyes filled with tears asked motioning to herself and Amy. "Pray. Pray that I may be able to afford the train to Washington. Soon. " Marmee replied, her voice began to break as she continued, "Pray that I'm not too late. Oh, children, help me! Help me to bear it. " The girls and I rushed to her side and held her as she cried. At that moment we embraced one another and hoped that Marmee's prayer would come true... 

Hardships are yet to come...