Hideaway

Chapter 03

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Winter, 1862

Another year had come and gone, and before anyone knew it, the holiday season was over.

The town of Concord returned to a state of normalcy, children going back to school and adults going back to work. This was no different for Monica Elwein, for as soon as the holiday came and went, she returned to work as a nanny.

The family she worked for was quite kind, and the poet was thankful for that. The Cartiers were a well-renowned family from France who were looking for help in their home. After a couple of conversations with the family, and her briefly mentioning her situation with her own family, they hired Monica to nanny their youngest son, Antoine.

She has cared for Antoine for about two years now. Still too young to go to school, he and Monica spent most of their time outside exploring the world. She would teach the boy about nature, pointing out the various flowers that grew in the forest. Sometimes, they would even pick the flowers, and Monica would bring them home to decorate her desk and bookshelf.

However, since it was winter, the two spent most of their time indoors, Monica reading poetry books to him and playing games he wanted to play in the moment. She enjoyed watching the Cartier boy slowly grow up, and she knew one day, he wouldn't need her anymore.

She didn't want that day to come at all.

Thankfully, she couldn't dwell on her existential thoughts, for she was currently walking back home with her best friend. Jo was just returning from working the day for her Aunt March, her Aunt's house not too far from the Cartier's. The girls walked through the bustling streets of Concord, arm in arm, as Jo went on about how dreadful the day was.

"- and she told me I need to marry well," Jo rolled her eyes at the thought. "She even said how father was foolish for educating the Freedman's children."

Monica furrowed her eyebrows. "But he was right to do so."

"That's what I told her!" Jo exclaimed, looking at Monica with wild eyes. "That's just what I told her and she said she's not paying me to think. Ugh, the nerve..." A moment of silence washed over the two, Monica feeling Jo's frustration. But that was short-lived, as Jo slowly broke into a smirk. "But then... she brought up how she'd like to go to Europe one last time and is looking for a companion to take her."

The dark-haired girl gasped, seizing her walking. "Please tell me she asked you to go!"

Jo nodded, still smirking. "She did ask for my interest, and I said I'd like that more than anything."

Monica smiled widely, excited and jealous of her best friend. "Oh, how I'd love to see Europe just once! You're so lucky you have family that can take you."

The two began walking once more. "Well, you never know. Perhaps the Cartier's will make their way back to Paris and you can accompany them for Antoine."

"Oh that'd be a dream wouldn't it... to see Paris." Monica looked ahead longingly, dreaming of the city of love.

The duo went on in their daydreams of traveling Europe. They talked on and on about the sights they wanted to see, and the foods they wanted to try. Of course, Jo immediately went on about the potential inspiration for her writing, gushing about how her playwriting and novel would only get better in her travels.

Monica listened intently, thinking about how the same could happen to her poetry writing. However, every time Monica went to speak up about it, Jo would ramble on. The poet would quiet down each time, not wanting to interrupt her best friend's thoughts. Instead, she smiled, seeing the stars in Jo's eyes.

She was proud of Jo, she really was, but moments like this simply confirmed that her best friend had forgotten about the pact they made so long ago...

Eventually, the two made it back to the March residence, greeting Marmee, Hannah, Meg, and Beth as they entered the estate. The duo immediately noticed that one family member was missing from the group. "Where's Amy?" Monica questioned.

The family looked at one another with puzzled looks, wondering the same thing their neighbor had just asked. Before anyone could answer, there was a knock at the door. Marmee went to answer it, seeing a woman wearing servant clothes. "Your presence is requested at the Laurence estate," The woman stated. "Your daughter is there with an injured hand."

Everyone looked at one another with concern. Jo immediately put her winter clothes back on, Meg, Monica, and Marmee following suit. Beth and Hannah decided to stay behind, and no one argued. Monica assumed it was because the house still scared the younger girl and the housekeeper didn't want to leave her alone. Nevertheless, the group was off, across the way to get the youngest March sister.

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As soon as she walked into the house, Monica was completely in awe.

The Laurence estate looked like it had been written in a fairytale, the foyer being large enough to be a ballroom. The grand entrance was met with beautiful yet simple decor and furniture, and colors and patterns all matching. As Monica stopped to admire its beauty, her neighbors walked quickly past her, into the room the servant was pointing to.

From a distance, Monica could hear the faint sounds of Amy March talking, her sisters clearly following the sound. Monica snapped out of her daze and followed suit, entering the study which was just as beautiful and grand as the foyer. She immediately noticed her best friend standing in awe, her turn to admire the house.

And sitting by the fireplace was the infamous Laurence boy, looking at the study's entrance as the girls came rushing through. When his eyes landed on the girl with dark hair, he stood up instantly. "Monica..." He said under his breath.

It was faint, but the dark-haired girl in question turned at the mention of her name, making eye contact with the boy who left her lost in thought. The two stared at each other for a moment, lost in a world that was all their own. However, the moment didn't last long, for Jo burst it with her observation of the room.

"Theodore Laurence you ought to be the happiest boy in the world!" Jo commented, looking around the room in astonishment.

Laurie broke his gaze from Monica's, moving to follow Jo further into the room. "A fellow can't live on books alone."

"I could," Jo countered, picking a book up from the small round table and heading in Amy's direction. "What did you do?"

"Nothing! I did nothing. I did a drawing and then Mr. Davis hit me." Amy pouted, Meg with a comforting hand on her younger sister.

Monica's heart broke, immediately knowing what had happened. That was the one thing she hated about the school system; the punishments the children had to endure. She knew her mother would never do such a thing, but then again, Lydia taught for an all-boys school, and she wasn't sure what that was like.

Walking further into the room herself, Monica made eye contact with the other young man in the room, whom the girl immediately assumed was Laurie's tutor. The two smiled politely at one another, not realizing that the Laurence boy was watching. Laurie would have continued to look on if it wasn't for Jo's comment about his grandfather's portrait, catching his attention.

Shortly after, Marmee and an older gentleman made their way into the study, the man quickly identifying himself as Mr. Laurnence. The man stopped to speak to Jo as Marmee hurried over to Amy, looking down at her hurt hand. "You are not to attend that school anymore," Marmee stated, angered by her daughter's wound.

"Good, that man has always been an idiot," Jo said boldly, catching Monica off guard.

"Jo will teach you," Marmee offered up, making Jo stare at her mother in shock.

"Me? I already teach Beth," she exclaimed.

"You're a good teacher." Meg complimented.

"Why can't I just transfer to Mrs. Elwein's school?" Amy asked, looking at Monica. "Oh please, won't she accept me?"

Monica couldn't help her frown. "Even if she wanted to, I don't think she could since she teaches for boys."

Amy pouted, dissatisfied. "Perhaps it's better I stay home."

"Yes, women being taught at home is much more proper I believe," Mr. Brooke stated, taking glances at Meg.

"Only because the schools for women are so poor," Meg commented back, the two staring at one another. Monica noticed this, gently raising a brow at their looks.

After informing Amy there would be consequences for her actions, Marmee walked over to Laurie, standing by his side. "Thank you so much for taking care of Amy. My girls do have a way of getting into mischief."

Laurie hummed. "Well, so do I."

"Then you should run over and we'll take care of you," Marmee said, walking back over to her girls.

"Please, and come over whenever you'd like. Invite your sister, Beth, as well." Laurie offered, desperately wanting to make friends with the two families in the room.

"Yes! Beth would adore the piano." Jo jumped up.

Mr. Laurence thought for a moment. "Is she the quiet one?" The March sisters nodded. "Tell the little girl to use our piano."

"And Jo, borrow whatever book you'd like," Laurie offered, looking at the strawberry blonde.

Her face immediately lit up as she nodded her head. Monica looked between the two, feeling a familiar sense of heartache. It was a feeling she recalled from a year ago, remembering the New Year's party and how Jo and Laurie were back then. As much as she didn't want to admit it, the poet was starting to understand why she felt this way at all.

Her best friend and the Laurence boy had some sort of unspoken bond with one another, one that authors and poets could be found writing about in the third person. The two main characters were completely unaware of what other felt for them, but the audience knew...

And Monica couldn't help but feel like the narrator, watching this telling story unfold.

Monica looked down at the floor, not wanting to watch the two any longer, afraid of the reasonings as to why. She couldn't feel anything for Laurie... could she?

The poet snapped out of her thoughts as another voice spoke up, what he was saying catching her interest. "There is also a lovely greenhouse..." The tutor said, the room growing uncomfortably quiet as everyone turned to him.

Monica's eyes lit up, cutting through the tense air with her words. "I-I would love to see that sometime..." She spoke quietly, not used to expressing her interests to others, but she knew it was worth it when she saw the tutor smile in gratitude.

But Laurie couldn't tell the difference, and he frowned immediately.

Deciding it was time to go, Marmee announced they all must get going. The four girls immediately got up to go, gathering their things and saying their thank yous to the Laurence family. Monica joined the March sisters, getting one more glance at Laurie as they all quickly exited the study and the grand house.

Laurie had watched the girls exiting, watching the dark-haired girl in particular. As soon as they left, the curly-haired boy couldn't help but glare at his tutor, thinking about the comments of the greenhouse. Even when he found the glove Meg left behind, he still glared, deep in thought. Perhaps the next time Monica was to visit, he could take her there instead of his pompous tutor...

Mr. Laurence stared between the two men, noticing his grandson's demeanor. "Well... back to work... back work..." He said as he walked off, leaving the two behind.

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That evening, Monica could be found at her desk, staring at a blank piece of paper and her fountain pen.

The poet sat in thought, reminiscing over the events of the day. Today had been eventful, to say the least, and Monica couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. She sighed tiredly, looking down at her lap and staring at the patterns on her dress. She absentmindedly traced the patterns with a delicate, pointed finger.

She thought back to the moment with Jo and Laurie, how the two stared at one another with unknowing and unspoken feelings. Monica kept replaying it in her mind, over and over again. From the moment they met, the two had a connection to one another, and the poet knew they must have shared more moments when she wasn't around. After all, the first time she saw the Laurence boy, he had been with Jo outside on the Gardiner's porch. The two couldn't have just suddenly met there.

She knew her best friend detested romance when they were younger, finding the idea of it overrated. However, the writer's opinions could have changed over the years, she just has yet to express that to Monica. Once again, a familiar sense of heartache washed over the girl, one that longed for a boy who seemed to long for someone else. It was a bit of a scary realization she had made, not fully knowing what it was like to experience unrequited love.

Then again, it wasn't love at all. It was just a silly little crush... right?

Shaking her head, Monica sighed once more. She sat up straight in her chair, grabbing the fountain pen with her right hand and taking a moment to think. Not long after, Monica began to write her next poem, keeping her best friend and, dare she say this, her crush in mind.

Your happiness, your joy

Is what I wish onto thee

But I do solemnly know

It won't be given by me.

For she, oh yes, for she

Is who you long to have

And I can't help but wonder

If her heart is up for grabs.

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Author's Note

Thank you for 100 views! I'm glad you are enjoying Monica's story so far. As always, thank you for reading and I'll see you next time! 

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