These wonderful characters belong to LM Montgomery - how their lives may pan out belongs partly to me...
The summer of 1920 was a glorious one at Ingleside filled with the joy and laughter that had been amiss during the long and turbulent war years. Always there would be a deep feeling of loss within, that a dear friend, brother and son would never return, but the inhabitants of the big house in Glen St Mary slowly accepted this, and were learning to live life to the fullest again. Rilla and Ken had been married for almost a year, Jem and Faith a few months later and now Anne Blythe sat in her kitchen with Susan Baker planning her third wedding in a year.
"Oh Susan," she sighed, "I can't believe how quickly time passes. It only seems like yesterday when all the children were running about in Rainbow Valley."
"You said that when Rilla got married, and then when Jem did, Mrs Dr Dear." Susan replied patiently as she picked over the fruit for the wedding cake.
"I know, but I've never been good with change - ask the doctor - and with Nan getting married next week, thats another one of my children 'flying the nest'. I've only Di and Shirley left, and even then only at weekends and vacations. What will we do with ourselves, Susan?"
"We will find plenty to occupy us, Mrs Dr Dear. There will be a new addition to the family don't forget, and we have the visits of Mrs Wright and Mrs Reverend Blake to look forward to."
Anne smiled, Susan could never let her wallow in self pity, and she really was looking forward to Diana and her family's arrival in a few days in time for Nan's wedding. Anne left Susan with the preparations and wandered out into the garden. Her thoughts turned to Diana, who had her own troubles at the moment. Jack, her youngest son, had been badly injured during the war and even though he was home, didn't seem to be dealing with things very well. Diana hoped a trip to Ingleside with her and Fred might improve his mood. Annes thoughts were interupted when she saw the figure of her Diana sitting on the bench by the big birch tree that occupied the corner of the garden. She made her way over and sat down beside her.
"Hello darling." Anne said. "What are you doing sitting here on your own?"
"Just thinking." Diana replied.
Anne said nothing, waiting for her daughter to confide in her. After a brief silence Diana spoke.
"Mum, do you think there is something wrong with me?"
"Whatever do you mean Diana? How is there something wrong with you? Do you not feel well?"
"No. I feel fine. Its just that...well..." Diana looked at her mother as tears welled up in her green eyes, "Oh you wouldn't understand. When you were my age you were married and had scores of proposals before that. Nan's getting married, Faith and Jem are, and even my baby sister has found love. I can't. No one seems to want me, I've never even been...kissed." Diana blushed slightly at this statement, but Anne's face remained impassive. "I think I'm destined to be an old maid.." she hiccuped slightly between sobs and laughter, "maybe I should talk to Susan about it."
"Diana," Anne said, drawing her beloved daughter close to her, "Out of all my children you are the most sensible, the most caring, the most..."
"Oh that makes me sound very exciting! Why couldn't I have been the most beautiful, or the most imaginative or the most mysterious, something good." Diana interupted bitterly.
"Because dearest daughter, you are your fathers child. And all the reasons I love him so much are the reasons that someday, some very, very lucky man will love you. Don't waste your youth searching for love. It will find you. Your brother and sisters may have been fortunate enough to find their true love when they were young, but that doesn't mean that it will be any better than when you find it. Enjoy what you have, and make the most of what life gives you, because as we know sometimes it ends too quickly." Anne finished, thinking of her dear Walter and Joyce, whose lives had been tragetically short.
Diana too, thought of Walter, the closest of her siblings. Oh if only he were here now she wouldn't feel so lonely. Nan had Jerry, Jem had Faith and Rilla had Ken. Shirley was at Redmond most of the year. Diana didn't even have a close friend.
"Mum," she said, wiping away her tears, and hugging her mother, "I think I want to stay at home next year. Maybe I could teach in the Glen school. I've been away long enough."
"You have darling. And nothing would make your father and I happier than to have you here with us."
Diana Wright and family arrived the following Thursday. Diana, although somewhat stouter, and not as black of the tresses, was still the same person that promised that no other friend would be dearer to her than Anne, all that time ago down by the Dryad's Bubble in Avonlea. Theirs was the type of friendship that years and miles could not diminish.
"Anne!" shrieked Diana, jumping out of the car before Jack, who was driving, even had time to stop it. "Oh Anne, I couldn't wait to see you again. Its been so long."
"We were here for Rilla's wedding and then Jem's. Its hardly been that long." Fred Wright said dryly, getting out to join his wife.
"But it seems like forever." said Diana, playfully whacking him with her bag. "You must be swamped with the preparations."
"Not really," laughed Anne, "we've had plenty of practice this past year. Jack Wright," she called over to the tall, shy looking man getting out of the car, "Come over here and give your old Auntie Anne a hug!"
"You could never be described as old, Auntie Anne." Jack said, complying with the order.
"You are getting taller and taller." Anne said, holding him close. She had always been close to Jack, with him being similar in age to her own children. It was then she noticed the mark on his face. A brutal burn mark, running down the left side of his face and neck. Diana had told her about the injuries Jack sustained during the war, the burns ran right down his shoulders and back, but this was the first time Anne had seen him since. Jack hid himself away for a long time, and it had taken a lot of persuasion on Diana's part to get him to come to this wedding. Anne kissed him on his cheek, and Jack, whose demenour had been tense, visibly relaxed and hugged her tighter.
"Come on in." Anne said, "I've tea ready, you must be ready for it after that long drive. No, no, leave the bags Fred. Shirley..." she called, "Come and bring in the bags for Uncle Fred." she finished at Shirleys response.
The kitchen was warm and homely with the aroma of fresh tea and cakes in the air.
"Susan!" Diana exclaimed, rushing forward to hug the old woman sitting by the range knitting. "No, don't get up. Its lovely to see you again."
"Don't get up! I sit here from morning to night doing nothing, the doctor and Mrs Dr see to that. I can pour a cup of tea still, you know!" Susan was very frustrated with her current circumstances, the doctor having ordered that she do as little as possible due to her weak heart.
Diana laughed and sat down at the table beside Fred and Jack.
They drank the tea and chatted amicably about the forthcoming nuptuals until Gilbert and Jem came in, having been out on a case together.
"Jack, you came!" Jem said, excitedly, racing over and shaking his old friend by the hand. Jem had spent a lot of time with Aunt Marilla in Avonlea when he was young, and he and Jack had been best friends; Jack was like another brother to him.
"Jem. How are you? And Faith? Sorry I didn't get to your wedding - the farm and...all."
Jem nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it, your here now. Why don't you come with me now and meet Faith, she should be at home."
"Would it be okay if we did that another time? I think I'd like to take a walk in Rainbow Valley, see if its changed much since we were young." Jack stood up and looked around the occupants of the kichen. He knew he was being rude, but he'd seen enough people today.
"Do you want company?" Jem asked.
"No. You go and see that lovely wife of yours. I'll see you tomorrow." Jack replied, leaving.
"That boy is clearly depressed." said Gilbert to Anne that night, as they got ready for bed.
"Hmm. I know. Diana's at her wits end. He will hardly leave the farm. Fred says to leave him alone and it will sort itself out, but Diana says it's getting worse."
"And it will only get worse if he's not treated." Gilbert said, crawling in beside Anne and wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled closer. "I've seen a lot of this in the past few years. Soldiers returning home and trying to come to terms with horrific injuries. Its not the physical scars that are hard to treat, its the mental ones.
"We must try and do something." Anne said, her voice heavy with sleep.
"We will." whispered Gilbert, for he too was fond of Jack.