Chapter 7.
Joe Meets Her Match Meg and Joe were getting ready for an evening out.
Their bedroom was strewn with gloves, scarves, and hairpins.
Amy came in and asked, Where are you going?
Joe snapped.
Never mind.
Little girls shouldn't ask questions.
Amy still wanted to know, so she turned to the more easygoing Meg.
Please tell me.
Beth is playing with her dolls.
I don't have anything to do.
Let me come, too.
Meg replied, I can't take you because you weren't invited.
Joe added, Stop whining.
You simply can't come.
You're going somewhere with Lori, aren't you?
Meg nodded.
Yes.
Now, please stop bothering us.
Amy sat quietly for a minute.
Then she saw Meg slip a fan into her pocket and gasped.
I know, you're going to the theater.
Joe became very angry and annoyed.
Amy didn't care.
I'll go too.
I've got my pocket money and mother said I could see the play in town.
She took a deep breath.
It was very mean not to tell me.
Meg explained softly, for she had a special bond with Amy.
"'Mother doesn't want you to go tonight, because you're not well.
You'll see it next week, with Beth and Hannah.'
Amy cried.
"'But that's not as much fun as going with you and Joe and Lori.
I've been sick with this cold for so long.
I'm dying to have some fun.'
Meg turned to Joe.
Well, what if she does come?
We can bundle her up.
Joe stood firm.
I'm not going if she goes, and if I don't go, Lori won't like it.
He invited only us two, not Amy.
I would hope she'd think twice about poking in where she isn't wanted.
Joe's anger made Amy even more determined to get her way.
She began to pull on her boots.
I am going.
Meg just said I could.
And where will you sit?
Joe retorted.
We've got reserved seats.
Amy began to cry.
Meg tried to comfort her.
Lori called from outside and said it was time to go.
Amy wailed on and on.
She forgot all of her grown-up airs and acted like a spoiled baby.
As Meg and Joe were stepping out the front door, Amy called over the banister.
You'll be sorry for this, Joe March.
Fiddlesticks!
Joe yelled back, slamming the door.
Once again, Joe's fiery spirit was at odds with Amy's stubborn will.
When they got back home after the play, Amy was reading in the parlor and refused to speak to them.
Joe checked to make sure everything was all right in her room.
The last time she and Amy fought, the younger sister had thrown Joe's dresser drawers upside down on the floor.
Now everything seemed normal.
Joe decided that Amy had forgiven and forgotten.
But Joe was mistaken.
The next day, the young author burst into the living room yelling Has anyone taken my book of stories?
Both Meg and Beth immediately answered no.
Joe turned to her youngest sister, who was poking the fire. me you have it you must no i don't you know where it is then no i don't joe cried you're lying she grabbed her sister by the shoulders no i'm not i don't know where it is and i don't care joe shook her sister a little you'd better tell me the truth Get as mad as you like.
You'll never see your old stories again.
Joe looked extremely upset.
Why not?
I've burned them in the fire.
You did what?
Joe turned very pale and clamped her hands even harder on Amy's shoulders.
My book that I've worked on for years?
The one I intended to finish before father gets home?
Have you really burned it?
Yes, I did.
I told you I would make you pay for... Joe's temper exploded.
She shook her sister so hard that Amy's teeth chattered.
You wicked, wicked girl.
I can never ride it again.
It's lost forever.
I will never forgive you as long as I live.
Never.
Never.
Meg flew to rescue Amy from Joe's grip.
Beth tried to pacify Joe, but she was too upset.
She gave Amy a final punch on the ear and ran upstairs to the attic to be alone in her misery.
Joe's book of fairy tale stories was her pride and joy.
In her heart of hearts, Joe was simply inconsolable.
Dinner proved almost unbearable for the family.
Joe was grim.
Mrs. March had explained to Amy what a terrible thing she had done.
Even Meg and Beth agreed.
The little girl now felt terrible and wanted nothing more at the moment than to be forgiven.
With all her heart, she begged, Please, Joe, forgive me.
I'm so very sorry.
Joe looked at Amy with fire in her eyes.
I will never forgive you.
Then she stopped talking to Amy.
Everyone felt the tension.
Beth played the piano, but Joe stood silently, and Amy cried.
Marmy went to kiss Joe goodnight and whispered, Don't go to bed angry, my dear.
Please, try to forgive her.
Joe wanted to cry, but she winked away the tears and said loud enough for Amy to hear.
It was a horrible thing to do, and she doesn't deserve to be forgiven.
Joe woke up feeling like a thundercloud.
Amy wasn't any happier making sarcastic remarks about unforgiving people.
The bitter winter day went badly for everyone.
After work, Jo didn't want to sit around the house.
She decided to call on Lori and go skating.
Amy heard Jo getting her skates from the closet and whined to Meg.
She promised to take me.
I guess there's no point in asking now.
Meg replied, well...
You were very bad.
Joe worked very hard on her stories.
She has a right to be upset.
Meg put down her sewing, but she might forgive you after Lori's had a chance to calm her down.
You could follow them, give Joe a kiss at the right moment, and everything could be okay.
Amy took Meg's advice to heart and chased after Joe and Lori.
Both were ready to skate well before Amy arrived.
Joe saw her sister coming and turned her back.
Lori didn't see Amy because he was testing the ice.
He called back to Joe, stay close to the edges.
I think the middle might not be safe.
Joe heard Amy struggle with her skates, but never turned around.
She skated down the river, taking bitter satisfaction in knowing that Amy was having such a hard time.
Joe had heard another of Lori's warnings, but Amy hadn't.
The angry part of Joe didn't care that Amy might be in danger.
Amy skated toward the middle of the river.
Joe turned around just in time to see her sister fall right through the ice.
For a split second, Joe couldn't move.
Lori saw what happened and yelled, quick, bring a rail.
Joe did exactly as Lori said.
They both worked hard to get a more frightened than hurt Amy out of the water.
Lori said, we've got to get her home as quickly as possible.
Let's wrap our coats around her to keep her warm.
Shivering, dripping, and crying, Amy made it home with her help.
Soon she was bundled in blankets before a hot fire.
Joe raced around trying to make amy comfortable.
She didn't even notice that her dress was badly torn or that her hands were cut and bruised.
Later marmee tended to joe's sore hands.
Joe sobbed, feeling awful, thinking that it would have been her fault if something terrible had happened to amy.
How do I cure my temper?
It just gets the best of me.
Marmy kissed Joe's wet cheek, saying, My temper used to be just like yours.
I've been trying to cure it for forty years and have only succeeded in controlling it.
Knowing that her mother suffered the same burden lifted Joe's spirits.
Marmee told Joe that it's far more rewarding to deal with anger sensibly and to be patient and have a good heart.
They held each other tightly.
Joe at once felt better.
Amy stirred from her cocoon.
Joe said, I let myself stay angry.
If it hadn't been for Lori, Amy might have died.
How could I be so wicked?
Amy opened her eyes and held out her arms with a smile that went straight to Joe's heart.
They didn't say a word.
They hugged each other close and all was forgiven and forgotten in one hearty kiss.
