Pride & Prejudice: Two Years Later

Here is my short addition to Pride and Prejudice:

Two years later Characters: Jane and Lizzie Setting: Outside in the garden, 2 years after both are married. Scene: Both wearing spring dresses and bonnets, walking along...

"My dear Jane", said Lizzy, "how long I have waited to once again walk in this garden with you by my side?"

"Oh, it seems like a whole other life time when we lived here at Longbourn together. Does it not?"

Jane and Lizzie were back at Longbourn with their husbands for only the fifth time in two years.

"Yes", said Jane, "I must say time has changed everything a great deal. Why, just think at where we were barely three years ago at this time."

Lizzie bit her lip while pondering and then replied, "Three years ago, if I recall correctly, our entire house was in an uproar about Lydia and Mr. Wickham running off together." She laughed out loud. "Just think of all the trouble our little Lydia has caused!" After a moment, she added, "let us not dwell on the bad times, for now we are the two happiest ladies I know."

Jane looked at her sister and smiled. "I must agree with you there Lizzie. After all our family has been through, I assure you that I cannot think of anything to complain of in the outcome. With you married to Mr.Darcy and myself to Mr. Bingley, who happen to be best friends, thus permitting us to see each other at least twice in a fortnight...why, I can't think of anything more I could wish for."

Elizabeth linked arms with her sister and in a rather cocky voice replied, "Nor I! I am sure that we are both the happiest ladies in all the country."

She took a breath and after a moment's pause, added, "I suppose the only thing I wish for is that we could share a little of our happiness and good fortune with our dear little sister, Kitty. After Lydia left with Wickham, and you and I moved out, I can't possibly think of what she busies herself with or quite frankly how she deals with our mother and Mary."

Jane looked at her sister's worried face and quickly said, "I suppose if there was anything we could do that would benefit Kitty, I would not hesitate in doing so. However, I do believe that Kitty is quite happy as she is. Aside from Mama's complaints and constant nagging of her and Mary to look for husbands, I am sure she is quite happy living at Longbourn, so don't worry yourself Lizzie. Aside from taking care of Father, Kitty finds great pleasure in venturing into town to catch up on the latest gossip, which, luckily, is no longer all about the Bennett family." With that, they both couldn't help but laugh, as they each remembered all of the gossip that used to be spread about their family.

As if reading Jane's thoughts, Lizzie said, with a laugh, "We surely would have been the richest ladies around if we had charged money for all that was talked about us." She smiled to herself, and then, after remembering the point of their conversation, added, "once again, my dear sister, you are right. I'm sure I don't want to go looking for a problem where there is none to be found, and I agree that Kitty is quite all right as she is. Besides, what would mother do if she did not have a daughter to nag on? I am sure she has quite given up on Mary."

"At any rate," said Jane, "we are out of the house and as happy as can be, so let us not trouble ourselves further."

"I agree", replied Elizabeth. "Who would have ever guessed that we would become Mrs. Bingley and Mrs. Darcy, after a wedding together in front of all of our relatives and friends? I can assure you that I would have never dreamed it possible when Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley first came to Netherfield." The sisters walked along in silence for a few moments, admiring the trees and each lost in her own thoughts.

"Well," sighed Jane, "I suppose we should return to the house. I am sure our dear husbands are missing us while they listen to Mama carry on. Shall we"?

Elizabeth smiled as she took her sister's arm and with a long, happy sigh, said, "Ah, my dear, dear Jane, I always knew that everything would end happily ever after."

And with that, they walked slowly into the house where two very anxious husbands, a proud father, and a pleasant, but obviously quite jealous sister greeted them. The other sister quite frankly could not care less if they were there or not because she was too busy reading. But then, of course, they were greeted and smothered by their never tiring, extremely loud mother.

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