Chapter twenty one : Home
- Hello, Blythe residence !
- Oh, my, Joyce, I don't know what took me, I only wanted to speak with someone at home one last time, I didn't realise what time it was until after I've compose the number, I also thought that everyone at home would be sleeping by now…
Joyce smiled warmly and softly at her little sister's ramble and she let out a little laugh before starting to speak.
- My dear Rilla, you shouldn't worry at all, because how can you think that we would have wanted to go to sleep, after the night we've just had tonight, with the return of Walter, your wedding and all of the excitement coming from such an event. Did you arrive in Montreal safely ?
For a second, Joyce thought that everyone in the house was asleep, because apart from her conversation on the phone with Rilla, she wasn't earring any other sound in the house.
- Yes, Ken and I were the only two passengers on the plane. You won't believe it, but Ken had reserved a limousine for our ride home ! The little I saw of our new house, I can really say that Ken chose the most perfect and beautiful House of Dreams for the two of us, just the two of us. But Joyce, I must admit that I already feel a little bit nostalgic of the seven of us brothers and sisters with Mom and Dad living all together at Ingleside...
Joyce could sense rather then ear that Rilla was crying at the other end of the receiver.
- Oh no, baby sister, please don't cry. It is you'r wedding night, you should prepare yourself for your honeymoon and your husband.
- I know Joyce, but I can't help it, I already miss all of you so much.
Before Joyce could say anything, she started to ear the soft music of Walter's guitar playing somewhere in the house.
- Rilla, I don't know if you can ear it, but Walter as started to play some music with his guitar, I don't know where actually, but, it is just like old times...
- Gosh, Joyce, it must be so good to have Walter back home again, playing his music everywhere and anywhere. Yes, I do ear the music that he his playing, like he wanted to say hello I have come back dear Ingleside and at the same time, it is like he wanted to say, goodbye dear little sister, my dear Rilla-my-Rilla...
Joyce knew that she didn't need to add anything else after what Rilla just said, this is why for a while, both sisters stayed on the phone together, not saying anything, simply listening to the music that their brother was making and playing with his guitar...
...
Anne and Gilbert were ready to go to bed when the soft music on Walter's guitar had began playing. They were each on their side of the bed, arranging the covers and the pillows, when, all of a sudden, they looked at each other in the eye, not talking, but smiling softly at each other, in unison, they both made their way to the window that is facing the moon, because they were certain that Walter's music was coming from below their window, on the veranda, where he had always loved to seat and play his songs, over and over again.
- Dance with me, wife of mine !
- You didn't even have to ask, husband of mine ! But yes, I will accord you this dance, Mr. Blythe !
Just like that, Anne and Gilbert started to dance together, in their bedroom, to the sound of music of their beloved son, that came back home, after a long absence.
- Are you happy, Anne ?
Gilbert felt the need to ask this question to his wife.
- Yes, I am happy that our youngest daughter as married the men of her dreams, but I am sad that she had to move so far away from us... I am happy that Walter came back to us, with Persis as his dear beloved wife, making her to become our new daughter... I am happy to be earring that guitar sound once again... What about you Gil, are you happy ?
As an answer, Gilbert didn't respond with words, instead, he got Anne's body closer and closer to his body, twirling with her around and around their room, again and again, as if Walter's music was transporting them, in another world, only known to them. The twirling had made them dizzy, dizzy with happiness, fatigue and love. To steady themselves, they both put their foreheads together, still in each other's arms.
Even though they had stopped their dance around the room, Walter's music didn't stopped from being played, which made Anne and Gilbert hungry for something else, each other's lips, kissing each other passionately, fervently, softly, teasingly, lovingly, as if Walter's music was guiding them, and guided they were, because, before they knew it, they found each other naked, face to face.
Anne wanted for Gilbert to be kissing her once again, but, before he could do that, Gilbert took his wife in his loving and caring arms, laying her gently on their bed, covering her entire body with his body completely, then, they once again started to kiss each other and make love very passionately but so very softly at the same time, with Walter's music still playing somewhere in the house, making it look like Anne and Gilbert were the newlyweds, just having gotten married, spending the honeymoon of their dreams, in their House of Dreams...
...
- I still can't believe that you and Walter are married !
It was Joyce that was saying this to Persis when she entered into Walter's old room where Persis was already installed for the night.
- I know the feeling. Because sometimes, I still can't believe that him and me are married to each other...
- But I am so happy that you two decided to come back home.
When Joyce was done saying this, they started to ear the guitar of Walter playing his music, somewhere in the house !
- We are as well. It was time, the right time for us to come back home.
- And to be able to ear that sound of music once again...
- I know, I never get tired of earring it, either.
Persis was saying. Taking back the pen and notebook that she had put aside, when Joyce came back in the room.
- Well, I think I will leave you, now...
- No, Joyce, please stay with me. I promise I will not be writing anymore, let us just stay together and listen to Walter's songs, together.
Without answering, Joyce took her place back on the bed facing Persis one, and they did just that, listen to the music that Walter was playing, with Persis making some sounds and soft notes coming out of her mouth, they were not actual words, only some sound that were matching the music that Walter was playing.
- Joyce, can I ask you something ?
Joyce only nodded yes with her head.
- This Eric Jones, is there something going on between him and you ?
At first, Joyce didn't answer Persis's question. But, Persis saw how red her face became, and she thought she knew what would Joyce answer be.
- Eric is the one good samaritan that stumble upon us one night, freezing to death. He stayed at the Kindred Spirit until he was well enough to get back on his feet. He offered his services to mom and dad with helping in everything he could at the restaurant. We work every day together. We both take care of Dominic together...
- Dominic is the little boy that was walking down the isle with the rings ?
- Yes, that was him. You see, he his an orphan, well, he used to come at the Kindred Spirit all the time after school. His mother was very sick, she died from her sickness, his dad was a drunk man, he died in a very tragical way... Now, Eric and him both stay and sleep in the bed upstairs at the Kindred Spirit !
- I see !
Was Persis's only words after Joyce was done explaining the situation with her and Eric and Dominic. But Joyce didn't want to know what exactly did Persis was seeing in all of this, this is why they both once again stopped talking and started to listen Walter playing music with his guitar, somewhere in the house !
...
On the veranda of Ingleside, Walter was softly, gently, simply, naturally playing music with his guitar, seated on one of the balancing chair, looking right in front of him, over the horizon, at the sky that was starting to slowly change from a dark colour to a brighter one, at the lane that was facing him, as if he was looking or waiting for someone. Slowly but surely, he started to see a moving form coming up the lane, towards the house. Walter continued to play music on his guitar. Even when the moving form was getting near him, he continued to play his music, even when the moving form that was now an actual body came to seat in the balancing chair next to him, he continued to play his music on his guitar. All the while Walter was playing his music, the moving form walking up to the lane, on the veranda and on the balancing chair, the sky had become more and more clear with a brighter colour, making known that another day was starting to wake up.
- All this time away from home, Walter, and you didn't loose this habit of always playing music, at anytime, anywhere and everywhere ?
It was more of a well known fact, a confirmation than a question, coming from the person that had just taken place on the rocking chair, besides Walter.
- I don't think I will ever stop playing music, anytime, anywhere, whenever I find myself to be at, Shirley !
Was Walter's response. Which made Shirley say.
- Good, that's good !
And, both brothers continued to rock themselves on their rocking chairs, with Shirley having a soft smile on his face and with Walter continuing to play music with his guitar.
- How is Rainbow Valley ?
Walter was asking.
- Just as beautiful, enchanting, magical, poetical as I think you've last seen it !
Was Shirley's answer.
- Good, that's good ! I am going to bring Persis there first thing, when we wake up after this long and full of surprises night we've all had today.
Walter said with a bright smile on his face. Again, both brothers stayed side by side on their rocking chair, looking at the horizon in front of them, with Walter still playing music on his guitar and Shirley, with a dreamy look and soft smile on his face.
- Oh, here, Una left this tonight at the Kindred Spirit.
Walter was saying, introducing the camera from it's spot, on the feet of his rocking chair. Without saying anything, Shirley took the object in his hands, all of a sudden, starting to have an interest for his feet. While Walter was still looking at him with an intrigue look in his eyes but at the same time, with a very tender and knowing look as well, as if he understood what Shirley wasn't or didn't dare say to him.
- I don't know for you, little brother, but I am going to call it off for the night, I am wishing for you to have beautiful and sweet dreams, tonight...
Was Walter's last words to Shirley, before he stood up from his rocking chair, still his guitar in his hands, slowly making his way up the stairs. He arrived to his hold bedroom he used to share with Jem, but tonight, it was only him and Persis that were sleeping there, because Jem, Nan and Di had all gone to the Manse to spend the night with their sweethearts. Putting his guitar on the wall right next to his bed, he took off his shirt and his pants, only keeping his boxers on himself, gently moved the covers that were already covering all of Persis's body for him to be able to get on the bed right next to her. And, as he was so used to it by now, he saw and he sensed, because he was slowly starting to fall asleep, how his wife body made it's way towards his own body for him to be able to fully envelop her with his loving arms.
...
When Shirley got up on his feet to go to his room as well, he walked up the stairs, on the hall in the direction of the attic where he had gotten the habit of going to sleep for a few years now, still caring and holding Una's camera like it was the most treasured and most precious gift in the world. Instead of changing into his pyjama's for the night, he preferred to stay in the same clothes that he had wore tonight, the clothes were he had got the chance to hold Una in his arms for the very first time in his life tonight. This is why he got on his bed fully clothed, laying on his side, with Una's camera face to face with his face, so that he could look at it, keep and eye on it, touch it, caressing it, hold it, maybe even kiss it, for the continuation of the night, but most importantly, to him, it felt like it was Una that was there, face to face with him, sleeping there, right besides him, on his bed, with him...
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A.N. : Surprise ! What took me so long to write this new chapter ? I would have to say, being lazy and procrastination...
Anyway, remember, in the last chapter, we had left Una and Shirley after an intriguing but beautiful night in Rainbow Valley ?! Well, this new chapter is kind of like a continuation of the previous chapter...
As always, thank you for reading and reviewing !
Oh, and thank you for you'r patience as well...