This popped into my head a few day days ago. A what if situation between Marilla and John Blythe and what would happen if by the random sheer need they got married. What would happen with Anne? etc..

Marilla is 44 in the story born in 1824 John is 47 Born in 1820 Laura Blythe/ Mrs. Blythe never had a name.

I figured her to either be an older mother, or a younger wife. I choose a younger wife.

This story is set 9 years before Anne comes to green gables.

John Blythe stared down at the grave before him as the minister spoke about the woman who was once his wife. He never thought he would lose if wife like this, the pregnancy had been an easy one for her but both mother and babe were lost.

Laura Blythe 1840-1868 Beloved Wife and Mother.

Gilbert Blythe was a young boy barely six and yet lost his mother. He stood in front of his Father, as they lowered his mother in front of him along with an unnamed child, buried with her. If didn't quite understand everything that was happening. The looks of pity on adults faces as they kissed his cheeks and hugged him.

"Pa?" he asked looking up with tears running down his face. "Why did mama have to go?"

John Blythe bent and picked up his young son. He looked around the crowd who attended the funeral of her beloved Laura. Friends and neighbours most of Avonlea it seemed was here today. He scanned the crowd noticing in the back he saw her standing there. Her hair up in her usual knot with a dark veil covering it. Her dark dress with its large skirt swishing in the wind. Marilla Cuthbert had come to pay her respects despite not talking to him since the day they fought.

They looked at each other and when he went to say hello after the service she was nowhere to be found. John sighed and looked at the grave once more. He had no idea what to do know, he knew the housewives of Avonlea would make sure he had plenty of food for a while, and Gilbert was just started school so it would be hard but not as hard as it could have been. He had written to his Aunt Mary Maria telling her the news of Laura's passing but had heard nothing from her as of yet.

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months as he found himself a schedule, living off simple foods he could make for him and Gilbert for meals. They fell into a place of sad contentment. He missed Laura's cooking, but every week without fail on Friday afternoon there was a basket waiting on his doorstep full of tarts and cakes sometimes jars of jam. There was never a note but he knew who they were from and come Monday before working his fields he left the basket in its original place outside his door to be picked up by its owner.

It was almost four months after the death of his wife when his Aunt came trampling through Avonlea barging into his house on a Friday afternoon.

"You cannot possibly raise the boy yourself he needs a mother!" Mary Maria told her nephew who was really a cousin despite being twenty years younger than him.

"I will not let you take him!" John yelled. "He is my son, he is all I have left of Laura, do you not care at all how we feel?"

"You cannot possibly raise the boy by yourself and run a farm!"

"I am doing it just fine!" John told her aggravated, desperately trying to not loose his son.

She walked up the lane after telling Matthew was dropping in to pay a few calls to neighbours. She knew that Matthew knew that it was a lie but he never said a word about it to her. He was just glad she was helping, his sister had far more pride than she would like to admit. He knew how heartbroken she had been when John Blythe came home with a pretty young thing on his arm after a trip out west even if she did not show it.

As she neared the house and walked silently up the porch stairs Marilla could hear the shouting from inside the house as she went to place the basket on the doorstep.

As she turned to step away the wood of the porch creaked as the door swung open revealing the angry lady who she knew was the opinionate Mary Maria. She saw John leaning against the counter of the sink.

She straightened her back. "I didn't mean to disturb you, so I was going to leave the basket there for you." She explained. "I hope you and the young boy are doing ok." She added towards John before turning to leave the awkward situation.

"Miss Cuthbert, Marilla wait!" John said hurriedly racing after her. "I want to thank you for all your generosity over the past months. But at the moment I need your help."

Marilla stopped and turned to him with a look of explain yourself while you can, before her face softening slightly. Even at forty-four, she was young looking, she motioned for him to come on the porch to talk in private. John walked over to where she was taking in the woman who at best drove him insane but yet was his first love.

"Aunt Mary Maria is trying to take Gilbert away from me, I can't lose him to you understand that don't you?" John pleaded. "I know you hate me, but please help me, explain to her that we are fine by ourselves."

"I don't hate you John I have never hated you, I have regretted for many years after that spat, I never imagined you would never give me a second chance," Marilla told him truthfully as it was her way. "I will try and help you. I lost my parents young once if you remember, all I had was Matthew in the end. I can't imagine being taken away from your child or being taken away from its parent. I will talk to her if you wish."

John nodded and let her pass by as she went to the door and looked at the younger woman.

"What will it take for you to leave this nonsense of taking Gilbert away?" Marilla asked her plainly. "The boys also needs a father does he not?"

"Gilbert needs a mother women raise the children not the men. I am doing him a favour!" she told Marilla in a way that she indicating that she was always right.

"Then I will be his mother if John will have me," Marilla spoke after a moment. Knowing female relative could easily take a child away. "We will marry and Gilbert will have a mother and you won't have to worry about a motherless child."

If you think there is promise to the story I will continue on with it.

Let me know what you think about the premise.

Tina.