PART 2
Two days later, Meg pulled in front of Plumfield. Her skirt was wrinkled, and she had black circles under her eyes. Jo greeted her at the door, surprised at how tired she looked.
"Meg, what's the matter?" she asked in concern.
"Marmee and Father have terrible colds, and I've been helping them," Meg explained.
"Oh, no! Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jo protested as she escorted Meg to the parlor.
"Well, I haven't had time to get away from their house or mine. After helping Susie at Orchard House, I've still had the twins running wild at home."
Jo furrowed her brow. "Now what have they done?"
Meg sighed in exasperation. "Remember the fairy tale 'The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats?'"
"Yes, Marmee used to tell that as an example of how important it is to obey your mother. I remember that Beth was worried that a wolf would come to eat us," Jo winked.
"Don't ever try that with Rob, all right?" Meg counseled.
"Why? What happened?"
"Remember the part where the wolf covers his paws with flour to fool the kids that he was their mother? Demi and Daisy decided to recreate that part…"
Jo put a hand to her mouth. "No, they didn't!"
"Yes, they got out the flour in Marmee's pantry, and when the flour wouldn't stick to their 'paws,' they decided to make it stick with molasses. You wouldn't believe the mess I found when I came downstairs!"
Jo laughed, then studied Meg's tired face and made a quick decision. "Meg, how about you send the twins to Plumfield until Marmee and Father are feeling better?"
"Are you sure? You have the class to teach, all the students, Rob, and housework, too."
"I'm sure, Meg. The twins would love to spend time with Rob, and it's too hard for you to help Marmee and Father when the twins are creating havoc in the pantry."
"Amy stopped by to visit yesterday, but she only delivered some jam that their cook had made. She had some social to attend, and wouldn't make time for sick duty," complained Meg.
"Well, I'm happy to help. Just bring the twins over, and they can sleep in the guest room."
Meg's beaming smile showed her gratitude, and Jo felt relief that she could help Marmee and Father in some way.
Late the next afternoon, Jo heard unusual sounds coming from Rob's room. The twins had already created havoc. All of the students doted on Demi and Daisy, and the extra attention went to their heads. Dan took Demi for rides on his shoulders, and Bess was willing to play dolls with Daisy. Their demands became shriller and shriller as they had their will for hours on end. Now strange hooting noises emerged from the closed door. Fearing that Demi and Rob were playing Indians, planning to scalp Daisy, she moved to intervene.
A strange sight greeted Jo's eyes. Her shawls, which had hung on the clothes line an hour before, were draped over the children's backs. They had brown paper lamp lighters on their heads, and they leapt about, grunting, hooting and flapping their arms. Demi was hiding in an absconded clothesbasket. Suddenly Rob jumped to an upright position and scolded Daisy for stepping on a corner of his shawl. Daisy tore her lantern lighter from her head and retorted hotly that she had done no such thing. He should be more careful with his claws. Jo broke up the argument before it could worsen.
"Children, what are you doing?"
Rob looked up in surprise, then glanced at the plaid shawl that dragged on the floor. "We're playing brops," he explained.
"Brops?"
"Yes," Daisy jumped in, "brops can creep about the ground and fly, too."
"Really? And I suppose that brops have horns, too."
"Yes!" shrieked Demi. "And they hide in caves at night. But Rob stepped on Daisy's wing, and I guess we were making too much noise," he finished sheepishly.
Jo tried to hide the mirth on her face. "I suppose you can continue to play brops, as long as you can all get along. And please be careful about jumping from the bed-I don't want anyone to get hurt."
In the meantime, Meg struggled to control Susie's fits of nerves. Dr. Pierce called to check on the March couple, and diagnosed the ailment as a serious cold. They were to stay in bed, with plenty of fluids and rest. Without Marmee's calming influence, Susie worried herself to death about the housework. Meg worried about the twins at times, feeling guilty about handing them over to Jo. Not that she didn't trust Jo, but she knew that her sister was very busy running Plumfield as it was, without adding two small children to the load. The second day without the children, she missed them so much that she hitched up the buggy to pay a visit to Plumfield.
"Meg, what a nice surprise! How are Marmee and Father?" greeted Jo. "Come in, and I'll have Asia make some tea."
"They're feeling a little better, but Dr. Pierce wants them to spend a few more days in bed."
"I'm glad they're feeling better. I wish I could come out and help."
"You're doing enough, helping with the twins. Marmee and Father know that it takes all of your energy to run the school," Meg consoled. "At least you're offering-Amy doesn't have any excuses."
"Amy was always the last one to volunteer to help," admitted Jo.
"And Beth was always the first!" Meg mused. "It's strange, but spending time at Orchard House reminds me so much of her. I almost expect to see her at the piano when I walk into the parlor."
"I know what you mean. Sometimes I miss her terribly."
Meg took a mental shake, and switched gears. "I forgot how wonderful it is to spend time with Marmee. She keeps insisting that I'm doing too much, and she'd be fine with Susie. But I'm afraid that Susie has no idea how to run a kitchen without some guidance."
"Marmee was a saint to hire her after the Moffats fired her."
"Yes, she was," Meg agreed. "I'm losing patience with her myself."
Jo laughed. "Well, the children are playing outside. Want me to find them?"
Meg agreed eagerly, and offered to join her outside. They found the children near the corral, digging in the dirt and playing tag. Demi and Daisy ran to greet their mother, excitedly explaining everything they had done with Rob.
"Mother! Mother! We've had such a good time!" gushed Daisy.
Demi continued to describe the games the older children had played with them, and Meg thoroughly enjoyed the tales. After an hour of talking and playing with the children, she regretfully returned to Orchard House for tea time.
PART 3
