PART 1
"Tag! You're it!"
Demi chased Daisy at full speed through the kitchen, upsetting the bowl of bread dough on the counter. Meg scrambled to catch the bowl, rescuing the freshly risen dough from striking the floor.
"Demi! Daisy! Go play in the garden," Meg ordered. "You know it's baking day."
The twins raced out the back door, shrieking. Meg sighed in exasperation.
"Martha, were your children like this?" she queried.
The older Irish housekeeper grinned in response. "Aye, they were. Though I never had twins," she added, with a twinkle in her eye.
"I'm glad that the twins keep one another company, but sometimes I wish they were not so inseparable. They can do twice as much damage when they work together."
"I know. They found a pair of scissors yesterday, and Daisy was about to give Demi an Indian haircut, so they could pretend they were out West."
Meg shuddered at the thought. "Where did you hide the scissors this time?"
"In the linen closet, on the top shelf."
"It's cowboys and Indians one day, then they're African explorers the next."
"They certainly have active imaginations."
"That's an understatement! Martha, would you watch the children when I visit Marmee and Father this afternoon?"
"Certainly, ma'am, and I'll be sure to keep the scissors out of their reach."
Another high-pitched shriek resounded from the garden. Demi's voice echoed in war whoops.
Meg turned to Martha. "Good luck."
Early in the afternoon, Meg sent the twins to nap, leaving two small blonde heads tossing on their pillows. "Now go to sleep!" she ordered, closing the door.
Martha grinned at her vehemence.
"Hopefully they'll fall asleep soon. It's getting harder and harder to make them take a nap," Meg complained.
"It certainly is! Now you go and enjoy your visit with your parents. I'll check on the children in a bit."
Meg grabbed a shawl and her bonnet, and walked into the crisp autumn air. She smiled and waved at her neighbors during the short walk to Orchard House. The sight of the old house brought so many memories. Meg could almost imagine Beth standing in the front window, waving at her. She suppressed the thought, and entered the front door.
To her surprise, there was no one in the kitchen or parlor. Meg walked quickly to the dining room, and even peered into the back yard. There was no sign of Marmee or Father, or even Susie, their housemaid. As she re-entered the kitchen, Susie turned from the pantry.
"Mrs. Brooke! I'm so glad you're here," the girl gushed.
"What's wrong? Marmee and Father are usually in the parlor at this time of day."
"They both have terrible colds, and kept to their beds today. I've had ever so much work, tending to them and trying to keep up with the housework."
"Oh, dear! What do they need right now?"
"They've both been coughing somethin' fierce, so they could use anything refreshing on a sore throat."
"Susie, please make some camomile tea with extra honey, and I'll check on them upstairs."
The agitated girl grabbed the teapot, and Meg almost ran up the stairs to her parents' room. The upstairs floor seemed forlornly empty as she passed empty bedrooms that she and her sisters had occupied in childhood. She knocked on Marmee's door, and slipped inside.
Both looked tired and flushed, coughing occasionally. Meg rushed to their bedside.
"Marmee, Father, I wish I had known sooner that you weren't feeling well."
"Oh, we didn't want to worry you, dear," reassured Marmee.
"Not worry me? I'd worry more if someone hadn't come to help, and you had suffered needlessly," chided the faithful daughter.
Father cleared his throat, explaining, "We knew that the twins keep you very busy, and didn't want to bother you."
"It's no bother! What do you need? I have Susie making tea."
Marmee smiled. "Poor Susie-she's been rushing about frantically all morning. We tried to tell her we'll be fine, but she didn't believe us."
"I'm sure that you will be fine, but I want to do all that I can to help right now," Meg explained.
Their tender smiles expressed their gratitude better than any words.
PART 2
