Marilla Cuthbert sits on the porch of Green Gables with Rachel Lynde. She decides to go walk the fields. Rachel notices that Marilla has been doing this a lot since Matthew died. Marilla sighs as she walks through the fields that her elder brother, Matthew, loved. She can feel Matthew's presence in these fields. She puts her hands in her apron pockets and begins to cry. She misses her brother greatly. She hears footsteps behind her and quickly whirls around. "You miss him greatly don't you?" John Blythe asks as he leans on the gate. He's been tending the farm for her and he was once her beau.
"Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I do miss him greatly." Marilla says as she wipes the tears from her face.
"Just because you didn't want to marry me doesn't mean that I don't care about how you're doing. Here take my handkerchief. It looks like you need it more than I do." John says as he opens the gate, comes towards her and hands her his handkerchief. "How are you really doing?"
"I haven't been coping well at all. Matthew was everything to me and I've been struggling to just stay positive moment to moment." Marilla says as she dries her eyes.
"Shall we walk together for a while you and I?" John asks as he holds his arm out for her.
"It would be lovely to walk with you and just be with someone who knows what I'm going through." Marilla says as she links arms with John. "John, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can. You can ask me anything you want." John says as they stop on the footbridge over the creek.
"If I'd forgiven you when I had the chance would things have been different for us? Would things have turned out differently?" Marilla asks as she leans over the bridge railing.
"Of course it would have been different. I had picked out and bought your engagement ring and then we had that big fight and you wouldn't forgive me and I put that ring away and never looked at it again. It's still in my bedside table." John says as he leans back on the railing to look at Marilla.
"I must have been crazy not to have forgiven you when I had the chance. Will you allow me to apologize to you for not forgiving you sooner and allow me to forgive you? Will you forgive me?" Marilla asks as she runs her fingers along the railing.
"That took a lot of courage Marilla. Yes, of course I'll forgive you. That fight should never have happened. That was the first time I'd ever mentioned your looks perhaps being a bit plain, but it was only because I didn't know how to tell you how beautiful you looked. I was going to propose that night. I was so angry with myself that I nearly threw the ring in Barry's Pond. Now, I'm going to ask you something. Would you ever take me back? Will you allow me to court you again?" John asks hesitantly.
"You never lost me I just lost myself and it cost me more than I ever thought possible. I allowed my low self-esteem to get the better of me and it cost you and I our happy future." Marilla says as she places her hands on John's shoulders.
"Will it prevent you from allowing yourself to live a happy future with me now?" John asks having not heard an answer to it before.
"No, my low self-esteem will never prevent me from ever doing anything again. I always knew my future was with you I just didn't know how we'd get there. Will you stay to dinner?" Marilla asks as she begins to walk towards Green Gables.
"Are you sure Rachel won't mind? We weren't the best friends ever." John says as he catches up with Marilla and holds her hand.
"It's my kitchen not Rachel's and I can invite whoever I want to dinner, even you. She will just have to tolerate you for the evening. I want you to come with me to dinner. I'll even walk you home." Marilla says as she leans her head on John's shoulder. She feels very comfortable and natural with John even after thirty years.
"How can I refuse that offer? I just hope Rachel keeps a civil tongue. I don't want to cause an argument between you and her. I just want you and I to be able to enjoy our evening." John says as he puts his arm around Marilla's shoulders and kisses the top of her head.