Timed Reading — Little Women

Beth March had never fully recovered from her fever. Her health had been permanently weakened and her strength continued to decline. She spent most of her time at home, resting quietly. She rarely complained and never spoke about her own suffering. When her family expressed worry, she tried to comfort them rather than accept comfort herself.

Jo stayed close to Beth throughout this time. She read to her, sat beside her, and helped her with the small tasks that Beth could no longer manage alone. The two sisters had always been close, but this period brought them closer still. Jo watched Beth carefully and understood, though she did not want to, that her sister was not improving.

One afternoon, Beth spoke to Jo quietly and with great calm. She told Jo that she had known for some time that she was not going to get better. She said she had thought about it carefully and had found a way to accept it. She was not afraid. What concerned her more was the family she would leave behind — her mother especially — and she asked Jo to look after them.

Jo listened and said very little. It was one of the hardest conversations of her life.

After that afternoon, Jo carried the knowledge alone for a while, not wanting to burden the rest of the family. The house remained outwardly quiet and ordinary, but something had shifted. Beth continued to be gentle and kind, and the family continued to love her — perhaps more carefully than before.