Work Text:
Jo March walked through the park, feeling the warm summer sun shine on her skin, smelling the beautiful flowers, and hearing the birds chirp. She had her manuscript packed neatly in her bag and was looking for a bench or somewhere else she could sit down and write. What a perfect place to do it!
When Laurie had invited her and Meg to accompany him and Mr. Brooke on a trip to Prince Edward Island, she’d been shocked. So had Meg and Marmee.
“Oh, mercy, how much will that cost!” Marmee exclaimed when Jo told the family the news.
“I don’t know, but surely quite a bit. And I hate to refuse because we were invited - but to think of Mr. Laurence spending all that money!” Meg was equally stunned.
Just then, Laurie had arrived at the March home, out of breath.
“Did your mother give you an answer yet?” Laurie asked, after Jo let him in.
“No, she’s quite speechless at the generous offer, actually,” Jo said.
“Let me talk to her,” Laurie said, after politely declining Hannah’s offer for a refreshment.
So Jo led her friend into the parlor where Marmee and Meg still sat, mouths agape.
“Please let them come with, Mrs. March!” Laurie begged, after remembering his manners and hastily greeting the pair.
“Oh, Laurie - it’s so kind of you to offer, but I just think of all that money,” Marmee finally said.
“I can’t just go there with Mr. Brooke by myself! He’s alright, but with just the two of us, I’m bound to get bored rather quickly. Meg and Jo are so much more interesting!” Laurie cried.
At this, Meg blushed, and Jo smirked.
Marmee had ended up giving her blessing, and bid her elder two daughters farewell, alongside Hannah and Beth who offered genuine well wishes, as well as Amy, who offered disgruntled well wishes because she was sore that she hadn’t been invited.
Jo chuckled at the memory. She and Meg had already chosen souvenirs to bring their younger sisters - Laurie had given his input as well.
She missed them terribly - Marmee and Hannah, too. But this sunshine was wonderful and as happy as she would be to see the family again, she would also be sad to say goodbye to Canada.
Jo stopped when she saw a girl sitting on a bench about fifteen feet away. Curiosity got the better of her and she approached the girl, who had long, fiery red braids.
“Christopher Columbus, I never saw hair so red!” Jo exclaimed, before she could stop herself.
The girl looked up from whatever she was writing with a scowl.
“I beg your pardon?” She demanded.
Jo suddenly felt very embarrassed.
“I’m…sorry. My sister Meg is always telling me I’m too blunt. My name is Jo - Jo March,” Jo said, awkwardly looking down at the grass.
The girl’s face relaxed. “Marilla is always saying the same thing about me!” She chuckled. “I’m Anne Shirley - Anne with an E,” Anne with an E stuck her hand out, which Jo shook.
“Is Marilla your sister?” Jo asked.
Anne shook her head. “No. She’s…she’s a lot like my mother…and my aunt, because her brother Matthew is a lot like my father…but also, uncle,” Anne furrowed her brow, wondering if there was a better way she could’ve phrased it.
Based on Jo’s confused, and perhaps concerned facial expression, Anne realized there was.
“Matthew and Marilla live together on a farm - neither of them ever got married,” Anne said quickly. “They wanted to get a boy from an orphanage, to help with farm chores, but something got lost in translation and I ended up at their farm instead. They decided to keep me after all and they’re my family now,” Anne smiled and Jo smiled back.
“That is lovely - almost like something out of a storybook,” Jo said. Anne’s face lit up.
“I love stories,” Anne said. “I love to read them, sure - but I really love to write them.”
Now it was Jo’s face that lit up. “Me too!” She exclaimed. “I would love to be a published author some day.”
“Me too!” Anne replied, shuddering a little from the excitement - both at the prospect of seeing her work published some day, but also at the excitement of meeting a new friend.
“Why do you call yourself Anne with an E?” Jo asked.
Anne sighed. “Because people are always spelling it without one! Like my teacher, Mr. Phillips,” Anne frowned.
Jo nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. My real name is Josephine but it’s just…too feminine. Not that there’s anything wrong with having a feminine name if that’s what you prefer but I sure don’t! Plus, I was named after my great aunt Josephine and she and I don’t always see eye to eye.”
“My best friend Diana Barry has a great aunt Josephine. The first time I met her, Diana and I didn’t realize she was sleeping in the family spare room and we ended up jumping on top of her ,” Anne’s face turned as red as her hair.
Jo laughed. “Christopher Columbus she must’ve been upset!”
“She was,” Anne said. “She said she was going to stop paying for Diana’s music lessons, but I convinced her to change her mind, and now we get along just fine.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Jo smiled.
“Who else is in your family besides your great aunt? It’s just Matthew, Marilla, and me. My parents have died, but all I know is their names were Bertha and Walter,” Anne said.
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jo said. “I live with my parents, our housekeeper Hannah, who’s practically family, and my three sisters: Meg, Beth, and Amy. Meg and I came to Prince Edward Island with our friend Laurie and his tutor, Mr. Brooke.” Jo rolled her eyes after mentioning Mr. Brooke’s name.
“You don’t like this Mr. Brooke?” Anne asked. She knew she shouldn’t pry, but despite only knowing Jo for a very short period of time, she felt comfortable enough to ask.
Jo sighed. “I don’t like the way he looks at my sister Meg,” Jo explained.
“Does he look at her rudely?” Anne asked.
“No,” Jo said. “He looks at her like this.” Jo proceeded to stare adoringly at Anne.
Anne’s eyes widened. “Oh my - like that? Well, what does Meg think?”
“She…she seems to enjoy it,” Jo frowned.
“What do your mother and father think of all this?” Anne asked.
“They think Meg is too young to get married, which is good, but as soon as she gets old enough I’m worried I’m going to lose her to that man!” Jo wailed.
“I take it you don’t have a…a…” Anne began.
“A lover? Mercy no! I’m a spinster for life, thank you very much. Do you?”
Anne looked offended. “Well if I did it certainly wouldn’t be Gilbert Blythe!”
“Gilbert? What kind of a name is Gilbert?” Jo asked.
“The name of a boy who calls people Carrots just because they have red hair,” Anne said, scowling at the memory.
“What a scoundrel!” Jo proclaimed. That was a good word, she’d have to use it in a story.
“I smashed a slate over his head for it,” Anne continued.
Jo burst out laughing. “Oh that’s good! Yes, I would have done something similar, I’m sure.”
Anne smiled. “You know what, Jo March - I think you’re a kindred spirit.”
Jo smiled, too. She had no idea what that meant, but based on Anne’s tone of voice and smile, it sounded good.
“I’m so glad I met you today,” Jo gave Anne a hug. “We have a lot in common.” Jo dug around in her bag and pulled out a pencil and scrap of paper. She quickly scribbled something down on it, then handed it to Anne.
“This is my address in Concord, New Hampshire,” Jo said. “You should write me a letter sometime.”
“I will. I can’t wait to read your book someday!” Anne said, tucking the scrap of paper in the pocket of her pinafore.
“And I can’t wait to read yours. Goodbye, Anne with an E,” Jo said.
“Goodbye…Jo without one,” Anne said. She and Jo laughed, and Anne watched as Jo walked off to go find her sister, Laurie, and Mr. Brooke.
What a wonderfully surprising turn of events.