Anne stood before the window, white and shining in the moonlight, her hair down, cascading over her shoulders. She turned when Gilbert walked into the room.
"Anne! What are you still doing awake, darling?" he crossed to her, smiling into her eyes. She looked down at her hands that would not stop fidgeting.
"Trying…trying to find a way to…to tell you." The last three words barely a whisper, Anne glanced out the window and bit her lip.
"Tell me what?" asked Gilbert softly, bending down a bit to try and catch her eye. "Are you ill? You've been feeling a bit poorly lately."
Anne shook her head, still not meeting his eye.
"News from Avonlea? Is it Marilla? The twins? Diana. Something must be wrong. What Anne? Tell me."
She had shaken her head to his questions. "They are fine, Gil. Everyone in Avonlea is fine."
"Then what, Anne-girl?"
"I don't know if I…its too, too painful, Gil, I can't…" she choke back a sob and pressed a fist to her mouth.
Gilbert pulled her close. "Oh, Anne, let me help you endure it. Whatever it is."
She pulled away, and turned to the moon again, as if drinking in strength from its brightness. Then she took a deep breath and whispered, more to the moon than to Gilbert, two words so soft that Gil wasn't quite sure he heard her correctly at first.
"Anne?" he whispered hesitantly, happily. She turned a now tear streaked face to him and whispered again, louder now.
"I'm pregnant." Without waiting for his reaction, she threw herself into his arms, sobbing.
"I don't know if I can do it again, Gil," she said between sobs. "I miss little Joy so much. Oh, Gil!"
He stroked her hair, whispering, "Shh, Shh, Anne darling. Hush, love. It will be all right. We'll get through. Anne, Anne, oh hush now. We will make it."
"But…but what if it d-dies too?" she voiced her worst fear, face lifted to his.
Gilbert kissed her gently.
"Then we find a new way to move on, Anne-girl. And we pray it doesn't happen."
She smiled at last, and let him lead her to bed.
